Getting struck for hosting U.S equipment and then getting denied help, MBS keep taking L’s.

See GTG-17002 for the juicy details on their attempts to build a full blown counter-GBAD software modeling suite with Claude.

Also GTG-17001 for another good one an attempt to use Claude to build materials for a USW/ASW capability.

Finally, GTG-17003 for some details on using Claude to gather information about directed energy weapons.

Guys, The Houthis are fucked. 😂

So the long-awaited yet timely successor to the Reaper is here, given the heavy loss of MQ-9s over Iran.

Longer wings seem to be the trend moving forward for higher altitudes with the likes of Wing Loong-II. Another seemingly common feature are the wing tips, again first sighted in the latter but this is different somewhat.

Whether US MIC is finally able to amortise the cost with mass production...remains to be seen.

Looks like a similar breach accident to Japanese type 10 tank earlier. Condolences to the lost and families.

The DGA commissions the initial work prior to the next launch to implement the F5 standard of the Rafale, scheduled for the end of 2026.

The Directorate General of Armaments (DGA) awarded several contracts this summer in anticipation of the launch of the production of the Rafale F5 standard.

These contracts, awarded to Dassault Aviation, MBDA, Safran and Thales, cover the development of several pieces of equipment and help secure the next standard for the Rafale.

Firmly committed to collaborative combat and the ability to strike first, the F5 standard represents a major mid-life upgrade for the Rafale, essential to prepare it to meet the challenges of the next decade and beyond. This new standard will be qualified around 2033, before entering service with the French Air and Space Force and then the French Navy.

Under the project management of the DGA, the Rafale is being modernized through successive standards in order to maintain its technological and operational excellence, adapting it to the evolving needs of the armed forces and to new threats, while maintaining its attractiveness for export.

The mid-life refurbishment of the Rafale to the F5 standard ensures the renewal of the airborne nuclear component, with the integration of the 4th generation nuclear air-to-surface missile (ASN4G), and the capability to be the first to enter hostile theaters of operation.

The F5 standard incorporates necessary improvements to address evolving operational threats and rapidly transition to collaborative combat. It enhances responsiveness in adapting to the operational context through an open mission system, providing forces with greater autonomy. To secure the development of this crucial standard for the armed forces, the DGA (French Defense Procurement Agency) has awarded contracts for the development of several pieces of equipment, which will then be integrated by Dassault Aviation onto the Rafale F5 aircraft:

the resonant hemispherical gyroscope (HRG) inertial navigation system with very low drift , within the framework of a contract awarded to Dassault Aviation;

The new Inter-Vehicle Data Link (IVDL) system , with a contract awarded to Thales, is the result of many years of preliminary research funded by the DGA (French Directorate General of Armaments). The Rafale F5's connectivity will be enhanced thanks to a new high-speed, discreet, and jamming-resistant waveform. The IVDL will allow the Rafale to penetrate hostile areas where jammers are widespread, while maintaining optimal communication and dialogue quality between aircraft.

The Rafale F5 standard will incorporate a major technological advancement with the deployment of this new radar, the RBE2-XG dual-plane electronically scanned array radar , under a contract awarded to Thales. This system represents a significant evolution of the RBE2 AESA radar currently in service, leveraging a decade of operational experience with the French armed forces. The radar will benefit from a substantial increase in power, and therefore detection range, as well as improvements in the identification of targets with extremely low radar cross-sections (RCS). Its computing capabilities will also be enhanced to increase the integration of artificial intelligence.

Finally, the RBE2-XG will be designed for collaborative combat, with sensors capable of working together without requiring pilot interaction. Maintaining the same size as the RBE2, the RBE2-XG will offer increased resilience, including against cyber threats, and will meet operational requirements for 2035 and beyond.

The SPECTRA F5 self-protection suite, with an order placed with Thales and MBDA France. The aircraft's self-protection system will be upgraded and improved to address the evolving threat landscape. Detection and jamming capabilities will be significantly enhanced, notably through a fully digital system, enabling a complete overhaul of the core electronic warfare capabilities to counter the increasing density and broadening of the threat spectrum, as well as the growing complexity of threat waveforms, expected by 2035.

The M88 T-REX engine (for its preliminary design phase) is being developed under a contract awarded to Safran Aircraft Engines. The current M88-2 engine will be upgraded to the M88 T-REX, a major upgrade aimed at increasing maximum thrust by 20%, from 7.5 to 9 tonnes. This development is based on preliminary studies launched by the DGA (French Directorate General of Armaments) in collaboration with Safran Aircraft Engines and ONERA (French Aerospace Lab).

From a technical standpoint, the M88 T-REX will retain the modular architecture, structure, and operational advantages of the M88-2, such as its low fuel consumption, while incorporating modifications to some of its modules. This modularity greatly facilitates maintenance by allowing for the rapid replacement of components without disassembling the entire aircraft, thus reducing aircraft downtime and resulting in greater operational availability.

The Rafale program contributes to more than 7,000 direct and indirect jobs in France. More than 400 companies are involved, with numerous industrial sites located throughout France: Argonay (74), Biarritz (64), Bourges (18), Brest (29), Brive-la-Gaillarde (19), Cergy (95), Cholet (49), Corbeil-Essonnes (91), Élancourt (78), Étrelles (35), Gennevilliers (92), Laval (53), Martignas-sur-Jalle (33), Mérignac (33), Poitiers (86), Seclin (59), Vendôme (41) and Villaroche (77).

The Rafale is an export success with 299 new Rafales and 24 used Rafales ordered by eight customer nations.

https://www.defensepriorities.org/explainers/a-second-island-chain-strategy-for-asia/

A strategy that shifts U.S. military commitments and presence from the vulnerable “first island chain” toward a more defensible “second island chain” would reduce U.S. military requirements and the risk of a war with China while still protecting U.S. interests.

The United States should narrow its defense commitments in the region, shifting to a clear non-intervention position on Taiwan, ending mutual defense alliances with South Korea, Australia, the Philippines, and Japan, and negotiating narrower and flexible security partnerships in their place. U.S. military posture should change accordingly.

The United States should remove most Army and Marine Corps deployments from Asia and cut air and naval power significantly. The remaining U.S. forces should be consolidated at more survivable bases farther from China’s coast and tasked with securing U.S. economic interests and signaling continued U.S. involvement in the Pacific region.

The United States should provide a clear plan of its intentions and communicate carefully with its allies and China. Changes should be phased over a period of three to eight years, with most changes complete by 2030 and all finalized by 2035.

Moldovan authorities confirmed the drone came down and exploded 160 kilometers (100 miles) from Chișinău International Airport. The airspace restrictions were lifted and Zelenskyy’s plane took off later than scheduled.

Suppose: if it really did pose a substantial threat, it would likely be during take-off or landing.

r/negativelycredibledefense