Underwater #drones to be deployed in the Gulf – an annotated graphic

Drones: now officially everywhere. We’re not talking about the use of sustained tanpura tones underpinning an Indian raga performance here, no sirree bob – we’re talking about them sneaky unmanned vehicles, surreptitiously gliding about the place. Land-based drones, aerial drones and now underwater drones. Land, air and sea – drones.

The latest news from Drones Central is the deployment of Seafox UUV (cute name, eh?) underwater unmanned vehicle drones in the Gulf, sent on a search and destroy mission to hunt for mines bobbing in the ocean in order to keep strategic sea lanes open.

Up to 40 nations will take part in the exercise to deter mine-laying in strategic Gulf sea lanes, amid continuing tensions between the west and Iran over Tehran’s nuclear programme. The drones will be deployed to keep potential choke points in the Strait of Hormuz free of mines.

Far be it for us to underplay the enormity of what is at stake here, but the job of the remote operator looks like a larf, doesn’t it? We will confidently lay actual folding money down to bet that the operator quietly enjoys his or her work. Knocks your Xbox One in to a cocked hat.

E&T regularly covers drone news, so if drones are your thing you might like to come on over to our news place and search for “drones”.

Click on the graphic for an expanded view.

Seafox underwater drones

Russia’s new generation of nuclear weapons and armed submarines – an annotated graphic

For those who hanker for the heady days of the Cold War and the tension of the 1980s nuclear arms race – ah, whither Ronnie and Maggie now, eh? – we bring you this infographic detailing Russia’s latest nuclear weaponry.

The first of a new fleet of eight Russian ballistic missile submarines entered service recently, with each sub boasting (yes, actually boasting) 16 Bulava intercontinental ballistic missiles – ICBMs to their friends – which we assume means they can be launched from one continent to destroy something on another continent. Excellent.

We still wonder what the point of all this is, but who are we to question the wisdom of nations arming themselves for mass global destruction?

Click on the graphic for an expanded view.

Russia’s new nuclear arsenal

US Navy plans to install high-power laser weapons on its boats – an annotated graphic

The U.S. Navy has announced that it will deploy a laser weapon for the first time on one of its ships. The laser could be capable of shooting down drones and disabling vessels. Clearly excited at the prospect, Peter Morrison at the Office of Naval Research’s Solid-State Laser Technology Maturation Program, is reported as saying, “The future is here”.

Technically, the future is never here, of course, as what is here now is the present. Grammatical time-slips aside, this development means the potential transformation of warfare – not least the cost of conducting it. Since the laser runs on electricity, it can fire as long as there is power, at an estimated cost of less than $1 dollar per shot. With parallel advances in solar panel technology, a boat out at sea might conceivably never run out of laser-firing power.

E&T covered this laser weapons story in more detail last week. There’s also a link to a video at the end of that news story, which shows an airborne drone being shot down by a boat-based laser. Ka-chow!

U.S. Navy to deploy sea-based laser weapon

Mini drone spy helicopters used by British soldiers in Afghanistan – an annotated graphic

British soldiers in Afghanistan are using tiny drone spy helicopters to get a bird’s eye view of the battlefield. The Norwegian-designed Black Hornet is the world’s first operational nanotechnology drone system.

E&T news reported on the British army’s use of miniature spy helicopters earlier this week. It’s all getting a bit War Games, eh?

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Black Hornet nano drone

Searching for lost RAF #Spitfire haul buried in Burma – an annotated graphic

An entertaining story of military archaeology today, with the news that a British search team is continuing its hunt for up to 140 RAF Spitfire fighter planes, buried in channels 10 metres deep in the Burmese mud in 1945 at the end of World War II by US military engineers. Thanks, Septics!

At the time, the planes were deemed surplus to requirements and the Spitfires were buried in their original transport crates. Seems crazy now, eh?

The good news is that the team has uncovered 60 planes so far, with approximately 80 left to find.

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Search for Burma Spitfires

South Korea’s multi-billion dollar warplane deal – an annotated graphic

As if China’s stealth fighter developments wasn’t enough Far East military action for one day, let’s give the South Koreans a hand as they roll out their $7.2 billion contract for 60 next-gen fighter jets. It’s all getting a bit tasty over on that side of the planet, eh? Someone, somewhere is getting immensely wealthy from all this national insecurity, but it’s not us, that’s for darn sure. Oh well!

What happens to all the old-gen fighter jets, we wonder? Do they have a fire-sale out in the parking lots of Lockheed Martin, EAD, Boeing et al every time a new fighter plane is revealed? Is now a good time to jump in and snap up an outgoing model at rock-bottom prices? Suggestions welcomed!

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South Korean warplane upgrade

China’s new J31 stealth fighter – an annotated graphic

China’s ambition to become the top regional military power (oh, goodie) takes another great leap forward with the successful maiden flight of its latest stealth fighter, the J31.

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China’s J-31 stealth fighter

UK drone force in Afghanistan to be doubled – an annotated graphic

Is it us, or is naming a military drone capable of carrying and deploying up to 14 Hellfire missiles “the Reaper” a trifle insensitive? Come to think of it, calling your new favourite missile “Hellfire” hardly demonstrates subtlety in nomenclature.

What happened to the days of pin-up girls and calling your vehicle for the deployment of weapons of mass destruction something oblique and borderline sweet like Enola Gay? At least OMD got a song out of that. Who wants to dance to Hellfire? Only The Crazy World of Arthur Brown, we suspect.

Anyway, the UK is going to double the size of its armed drone fleet in Afghanistan with the purchase of five new Reapers. Boom time for drone manufacturers. For the first time, the drones will be controlled from Britain, from a room on the base at RAF Waddington, Lincolnshire. Modern warfare, eh?

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UK to double Afghan drone force

Israel and Hamas ceasefire ends cyber warfare – an annotated graphic

With last night’s welcome announcement that Israel and Hamas have declared a ceasefire, today’s infographic has been rendered mercifully redundant. It now stands merely as a record of the level of cyber warfare that took place between the two warring factions and also serves as an instructive portrayal of the kind of virtual mayhem that it is now perfectly possible to wage online. When Q says to Bond in Skyfall that he can wreak more havoc sitting in his pyjamas before breakfast than Bond can in a month, he’s not joking. Brave new world, indeed, as Bond replies.

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Israel vs Hamas cyber war

Israel’s Iron Dome vs Hamas rockets – an annotated graphic

Israel’s Iron Dome missile defence system is designed to attack short-range rockets and shells. Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak said on Sunday that of 300 attempted Iron Dome interceptions in the past five days, about 85 per cent had succeeded. That’s 255 missiles intercepted, 45 missed. Not a bad interception ratio, all in all, although try telling that to the people those 45 landed on.

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Israel’s Iron Dome rocket shield