Author: Defenceline Webdesk

WSJ Officials say software restrictions on weapons and radar systems slowed down efforts to detect incoming drones and missiles Source link

WASHINGTON — The Marine Corps’ AV-8B Harrier II completed its final flight today at Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point in North Carolina as part of a sundown ceremony for the ground attack jet — concluding more than 40 years in service for the aircraft.  The Harrier’s retirement marks a significant milestone as the Marine Corps moves through its Tactical Aircraft Transition Plan, and fully adopts fifth-generation aircraft across the entire fleet.  Today’s ceremony included a flyover featuring five Harriers. The ground attack jet has short takeoff and vertical landing capability. Despite the scheduled retirement, the aircraft have remained active…

Some 8,000 career federal workers were stripped of civil-service protections on Wednesday by President Trump, who ordered their positions to be converted into at-will employment.The edict marks the culmination of a years-long push to make it easier to fire federal employees in “policy-related” jobs by removing them from the federal government’s competitive service and placing them in a new job category, initially called Schedule F and now referred to as Schedule Policy/Career. Such employees lose their right to challenge adverse personnel actions before the Merit Systems Protection Board, while their whistleblower complaints will be investigated by their own agency, rather than the…

On May 24, ASEAN Secretary-General Kao Kim Hourn inaugurated the new ASEAN-China Artificial Intelligence Industry Innovation Center in Beijing. Billed as a flagship project under the 2026–2030 China-ASEAN Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, the Center is designed to facilitate joint research, industrial deployment, standards-setting and capacity building. The timing is striking. Autonomous “agentic” AI systems are emerging risks globally, and the Indo-Pacific is no exception. Unlike traditional generative AI that simply creates content on command, agentic AI systems can plan multi-step actions, coordinate with other agents, and execute tasks with minimal human oversight. Southeast Asia’s extreme linguistic fragmentation, social media penetration, and…

Agnikul Cosmos has achieved another milestone in India’s growing private space sector by successfully demonstrating the quick-start capability of its 3D-printed Agnite rocket engine, reported India Today.This test, lasting 18.85 seconds, showcased how advanced manufacturing methods can make rocket propulsion more efficient, reliable, and adaptable to modern launch requirements.The breakthrough highlights how private innovation is reshaping India’s access to space, an area traditionally dominated by government-led efforts through ISRO.Founded in 2017 by engineers from IIT-Madras, Agnikul Cosmos has steadily positioned itself as one of India’s most promising private space companies. The firm’s mission is to build small orbital rockets capable…

Mario A. Fajardo, Proceedings The Marine Corps must close its detect-to-engage gap in contested maritime environments. Source link

WASHINGTON — The Air Force has picked GE Aerospace and Rolls-Royce to advance engine designs that could power future drones and potentially other aircraft, according to a service spokesperson. The two engine makers were selected for drones the Air Force dubs Medium Thrust Class Autonomous Collaborative Platforms, the spokesperson told Breaking Defense. In a May press release announcing the award, GE said its contract would complete preliminary design review for a new powerplant the company dubs the GE426 “We’ve proven we can rapidly move from concept to engine demonstration with the GEK800” — a smaller, lower-thrust engine GE developed with…

Bangladesh is entering a decisive phase in its political and economic evolution. After the upheavals that began with the fall of Sheikh Hasina’s government in August 2024, followed by a period of interim government rule under Muhammad Yunus, and then the formation of a new Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP)-led government under Tariq Rahman, Dhaka faces two urgent tasks. The first is domestic: to restore public confidence in governance and revive an economy damaged by the COVID-19 pandemic, political turmoil, and instability from the Iran war. The second is external: to manage relations with four nuclear powers — India, China, Pakistan,…

Cyprus’s potential acquisition of India’s BrahMos supersonic cruise missile has triggered alarm in Turkey, with analysts warning of a looming Eastern Mediterranean crisis reminiscent of the 1990s S-300 standoff.The speculation has intensified regional tensions, as Ankara fears its strategic assets could be challenged by Indian missile systems deployed near its maritime sphere.Reports from Turkish defence circles suggest that Cyprus, having recently elevated its ties with India to a strategic partnership, is actively exploring the procurement of advanced Indian military platforms.The BrahMos missile, jointly developed by India and Russia, is considered one of the fastest operational supersonic cruise missiles globally, capable…

J. Singsit, Army Technology The flight tests validate the technical readiness of Jackal’s airframe, propulsion, navigation and autopilot systems. Source link