Lifeboat Foundation

Chinese fighter jets approached Taiwan on Thursday for a second day in a row, the island’s defence ministry said, urging China to stop “destroying regional peace” in a further ratcheting up of tension across the sensitive Taiwan Strait.

China, which claims Taiwan as its own territory, has held numerous military exercises up and down its coast and near the island in recent weeks.

The defence ministry said Su-30 fighters and Y-8 transport aircraft were among the Chinese aircraft that entered Taiwan’s air identification zone to its southwest on Thursday morning.

The Chinese Navy is already the largest in the world, with a fleet of more than 350 ships that includes a fast-growing armada of destroyers, carriers and submarines, a reality which continues to raise concerns with the Pentagon and Navy weapons developers. By the end of this decade, China is expected to operate as many as 400 ships, according to the Pentagon’s 2020 China Military Power report which catalogs the pace and extent of China’s ambitious military modernization. “China is the top ship-producing nation in the world by tonnage and is increasing its shipbuilding capacity and capability for all naval classes,” the report said.

My latest publication in Satellite Markets and Research, with significant contribution of Ms. Zoe Shahid.

by Muhammad Furqan and Zoe Shahid

Brisbane, Australia, September 4, 2020 —Exponentially increasing numbers of announced ambitious NGSO (Non-Geo Stationary Orbit) or LEO-HTS (Lower Earth Orbit – High Throughput Satellites) Mega Constellations have been creating waves in the world of technology. Their success will not be a mere disruption to the existing system, it will be a whole new system altogether.

Continue reading “Challenges to LEO HTS Megaconstellations” »

India has become the fourth country to successfully flight test hypersonic technology, joining an elite club alongside the US, Russia and China with the ability to develop missiles that can travel several times faster than the speed of sound.

Defence ministry says demonstration vehicle with scramjet engine reached an altitude of 30km and six times the speed of sound.

https://youtube.com/watch?v=mGz_QKbNm18

The DR7 is designed to be a personal commuter aircraft. So far, a 1/3 scale full composite proof-of-concept aircraft has been tested successfully. In order to minimize the propeller hazards, the rotors have been enclosed. They are tilted downwards for vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) launches and landings. They tilt horizontally to go forward. And all of this fits into a regular car garage.

http://www.deloreanaerospace.com/

Continue reading “DeLorean DR7 Wants To Fly Us Back To The Future” »

In a unanimous decision, a 17-judge panel said Myanmar must take steps to protect the Muslim minority Rohingya, who “remain extremely vulnerable” after a brutal 2017 crackdown by the military.

Winners will get four days off, a medal and the training school of their choice.

Israeli VTOL air taxi developer Urban Aeronautics has announced it’s partnering with HyPoint to develop a long range, hydrogen-fuel-cell-powered, emissions-free version of its remarkable CityHawk aircraft, based on the military Cormorant/AirMule design.

HyPoint’s “turbo air-cooled” fuel cell design radically expands the power and lifespan of traditional designs, making it an ideal lightweight powertrain component for aviation use. Hydrogen is becoming one of the most exciting technologies in the emerging electric aviation market, with exceptional energy density compared to lithium batteries, as well as super-quick refueling as compared to long waits on a battery charger.

Continue reading “Urban Aeronautics moves to hydrogen for its CityHawk eVTOL air taxi” »

Defense advanced research projects agency — DARPA.

DARPA and the U.S. Air Force (USAF) today announced successful completion of captive carry tests of two variants of the Hypersonic Air-breathing Weapon Concept (HAWC) and are ready to proceed to first free-flight testing within the calendar year. The joint Agency and Service effort seeks to develop and demonstrate critical technologies to enable an effective and affordable air-launched hypersonic cruise missile.

HAWC performers Lockheed Martin and Raytheon Technologies have each tested advanced air vehicle configurations that promise to achieve and sustain efficient hypersonic flight. Their upcoming flight tests will focus on hydrocarbon scramjet-powered propulsion and thermal management techniques to enable prolonged hypersonic cruise, in addition to affordable system designs and manufacturing approaches.

Continue reading “DARPA Completes Key Milestone on Hypersonics Air-breathing Weapons Program” »