Sponsored by BCB INTERNATIONAL
http: https://www.bcbin.com/
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23 Apr 25. Saronic expands USV family with ‘Mirage’ and ‘Cipher.’ The vessels are the fifth and sixth autonomous drones the relatively new defense company has unveiled in recent years. Defense start-up Saronic today unveiled two new variants of its family of autonomous surface vessels, dubbed Mirage and Cipher, which measure in at 40 and 60 feet long, respectively.
“We are committed to advancing autonomous maritime capabilities that protect critical waterways, secure the maritime domain, and deliver lasting economic and security advantages to the U.S. and its allies,” said CEO Dino Mavrookas. “The future of maritime dominance depends on the rapid adoption of these technologies — and achieving that future will require a diverse range of ASVs, from small vessels to larger systems designed to support existing and emerging critical mission needs.”
Mirage will have a range of over 2,000 nautical miles and a carrying capacity of 2,000 pounds while Cipher will exceed ranges of 3,000 nautical miles and a 10,000-pound carrying capacity, according to a company statement. The Austin-based company, a relative newcomer to the defense industrial base, has unveiled six autonomous surface vessels over the past several years and received backing from big venture capital players such as Andreessen Horowitz. Just last week, Saronic announced it was purchasing Louisiana-based shipyard Gulf Craft. That acquisition comes on the heels of Mavrookas telling reporters earlier this year his firm intends to design and build a “next-gen shipyard” that the company is dubbing Port Alpha.
“Port Alpha will reflect the apex of America’s shipbuilding past — generating new opportunities for the country’s shipbuilding workforce, forging public-private partnerships to accelerate growth, and bringing innovation and ingenuity to an essential industry,” said Mavrookas in February. “We will bring these elements together with a single goal: to rapidly build a fleet of autonomous vessels in America that redefine maritime superiority and guarantees freedom of the seas for generations to come.”
Saronic’s announcements come amid of flurry of industry product unveilings aimed at the US Navy’s stated demand for a hybrid fleet of manned and unmanned ships. Integral to the Navy’s demand signal has been that the unmanned vessels incorporated into its fleet act like “trucks” — flexible designs that can integrate any payload the service chooses. In that spirit, Saronic’s company statement adds, “Both platforms will be built around Saronic’s open, modular software architecture, designed to enable adaptability across a range of defense and commercial missions. This makes integrating new sensors, payloads, and technologies fast and straightforward—without requiring a re-engineering of the core system.” (Source: Google/Breaking Defense.com)
23 Apr 25. Doosan Enerbility and Korean Air to Co-Develop Unmanned Jet Aircraft. Korean Air announced on the 16th that it has signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Doosan Enerbility to collaborate on developing aviation engine technology and unmanned aerial systems. The signing ceremony held at Doosan Enerbility’s headquarters in Changwon was attended by Kim Kyung-nam, head of the Korean Air Aircraft Technology Research Institute, and Ko Min-seok, head of GT development at Doosan Enerbility. Korean Air will be responsible for the development of aircraft systems, while Doosan Enerbility will take on the development of aviation engines. The two companies plan to focus on cooperative development of engines ranging from 5,000 to 15,000 pounds force (lbf) for medium-to-large unmanned aerial systems, such as low-observable fighters and multipurpose stealth drones, as well as 100 to 1,000 lbf engines for small unmanned aerial systems like collaborative combat aircraft (CCA). Korean Air stated that it plans to achieve domestic development of advanced aviation engines and establish a competitive unmanned aerial system through this agreement. With countries such as the United States strictly limiting the export of technology possessed by engine manufacturing nations, the importance of early domestic production of aviation engines is increasing. Kim Kyung-nam, head of the Korean Air Aircraft Technology Research Institute, noted, “The market for gas turbine engines for aircraft has long been monopolized by only a few advanced countries, and domestic production of engines is essential to strengthen the international competitiveness of domestic aircraft. We will continue to maintain close cooperation with domestic engine development companies, including Doosan Enerbility.” (Source: UAS VISION/ChosunBiz)
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BCB certainly has a rich history (1854) and an impressive portfolio of products designed to enhance the safety and effectiveness of NATO defence personnel in various environments.
The core competency of protecting lives in hostile environments, includes:
LAND:
BCB`s camouflage creams and camouflage nets have been standard issue to conceal generations of British and NATO forces.
Our newly developed MultiSpectral Cam technology, the MK8 Phantom, camouflages and protects people/vehicles/assets in the visual, IR and thermal (SWIR/MWIR/LWIR) spectrums.
FireDragon, our eco field cooking fuel, burns cleanly so can also be used in the confined space of a foxhole or tent. It is waterproof, easy to light, non-toxic and smokeless.
SEA;
Our patented Floating Body Armour is unique, versatile and sensibly protects both you and your life jacket, under the soft and hard armour. Designed to be low bulk, it`s massive 275 newtons of buoyancy is self-righting. We say it will “save your life twice”.
Our range of Boat Stopping Systems, provided a layered non-lethal stopping capability against all sizes of vessels, including unmanned threats. So you can stop and search, defeat pirates from boarding, prevent terrorists from getting near your vessel or close off quickly a waterway, port or maritime borders.
AIR;
BCB`s sister company UAVE have been manufacturing since 2013, the Dragon MK3, large, long range (1,000km) long endurance (12hours), versatile and mission-ready UAV. It is proven and operational from the polar regions to 45deg C heat in the Middle East and Asia. The larger of the 3 models, carries 25 kilos payload.
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