More from Ryan Robertson
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This Frankentank could revolutionize air defense in Ukraine
The dominance of drones in Ukraine is giving rise to another trend: Franken-systems. Whether it is decades-old, American-made HAWK air defense missiles mounted to Soviet-era launchers or World War I and II era machine guns mounted together, the drive to down drones created innovative solutions on the battlefield. But Rheinmetall, one of the largest defense… -
Video shows intense South China Sea clash between China, Philippines
Tensions have escalated in the South China Sea following a violent clash between the Philippine and Chinese coast guards Monday, June 17. Newly released footage reveals the severity of the encounter near the contested Second Thomas Shoal, showing Chinese officers wielding weapons and damaging Philippine naval equipment during what was meant to be a routine… -
Philippines building BrahMos missile base aimed at South China Sea
The Philippines is taking steps to ensure China does not dominate the South China Sea by building its first BrahMos anti-ship missile base aimed at the contested waters. Satellite imagery from Maxar Technologies appears to show the development of the base, which includes a high bay for maintenance and testing, as well as a separate… -
Norwegian company taking nautical tech to new depths: Weapon of the week
Around 71% of the Earth is covered by water, however, only about 5% of those waters have been explored. That’s where Blueye Robotics comes in with its X3 remotely operated vehicle (ROV) — a nautical tool that will help the U.S. military discover these new frontiers. The X3 has been on the market since 2021… -
Maritime battlespace is growing, needs innovations: Weapons and Warfare
This episode of Weapons and Warfare is taking a nautical turn and heading to the beach. As conflicts like the ones in the Red, Black and South China Seas continue to evolve, so too does the need for new innovations in the maritime battlespace. Host Ryan Robertson takes a look at what two companies focused… -
Exploring innovation in the maritime battlespace
If current conflicts serve as any indication, the open seas will likely play a large role in the next American military conflict. Key battles involving Iranian-backed Houthi rebels, Ukraine, Russia and China all demonstrate that the U.S. is falling behind when it comes to maritime warfare. Current constraints on American shipbuilding are hindering military efforts… -
China, Philippines clash over South China Sea ship collision
A maritime mishap in the South China Sea has sparked a wave of blame between China and the Philippines after two ships collided on Monday, June 17. The incident occurred near the highly disputed Second Thomas Shoal. China claims a Philippine supply ship entered its waters “deliberately and dangerously,” and collided with a Chinese vessel.… -
Israel’s Iron Dome naval variant scoring kills at sea
Israel’s Iron Dome is one of the world’s premier air defense systems. It was first put into service to protect land-based targets more than a decade ago. Now, the technology behind it is scoring kills at sea too. The C-Dome is the naval version of the Iron Dome. It uses advanced radars and sensors to… -
Russian naval forces conduct drills 100 miles off coast of Florida in show of force
Three Russian warships and a nuclear-powered submarine performed drills in the Atlantic Ocean en route to Cuba on Tuesday, June 11. The drills are part of what is believed to be a Moscow military flex amid Russia’s war in Ukraine. The Russian Defense Ministry said that the Admiral Gorshkov frigate and Kazan nuclear-powered submarine simulated… -
Hezbollah fires rockets into Israel after airstrike kills commander
Hezbollah launched a barrage of rockets into northern Israel Wednesday, June 12, in retaliation for an Israeli airstrike in southern Lebanon that killed a top commander. The Israeli strike in Lebanon killed Hezbollah commander Taleb Sami Abdallah on Tuesday. The strike marks another deadly encounter between the organization and Israel. Hezbollah increased its attacks into… -
How drones are changing national defense: Weapons and Warfare
This week Weapons and Warfare is all about drones. Host Ryan Robertson talks with some former Air Force leaders and defense and security experts on what U.S. national defense is doing right, and where it needs to improve when it comes to drones in the hands of today’s operators. Also featured in this episode: You… -
Drones are changing combat, US military needs to adapt
In the modern military sense of the word, drones have been around for over a century. In 1907, three French inventors developed the first quadcopter. It took four men to fly it and could only get two feet off the ground, but it marked the launching point for the drones in use today. The first… -
Smaller drones finding a home in the military: Weapon of the week
To say there is a lot of competition in the drone industry is putting it mildly. Hundreds of drone manufacturers compete for a limited number of military contracts. The latest weapon of the week from Performance Drone Works (PDW) has a few key highlights that make it stand out from the rest of the pack.…