After the Estonian startup KrattWorks dispatched the first batch of its Ghost Dragon ISR quadcopters to Ukraine in mid-2022, the company’s officers thought they might have six months or so before they’d need to reconceive the drones in response to new battlefield realities. The 46-centimeter-wide flier was far more robust than the hobbyist-grade UAVs that came to define the early days of the drone war against Russia. But within a scant three months, the Estonian team realized their painstakingly fine-tuned device had already become obsolete. Rapid advances in jamming and spoofing—the only efficient defense against drone attacks—set the team on an unceasing marathon of innovation. Its latest technology is a neural-network-driven optical navigation system, which allows the drone to continue its mission even when all radio and satellite-navigation links are jammed. It began tests in Ukraine in December, part of a trend toward jam-resistant, autonomous UAVs (uncrewed aerial vehicles). The new fliers herald yet another phase in the unending struggle that pits drones against the jamming and spoofing of electronic warfare, which aims to sever links between drones and their operators. There are now tens of thousands of jammers straddling the front lines of the war, defending against drones that are not just killing soldiers but also destroying armored vehicles, other drones, industrial infrastructure, and even tanks. For more about this story click on the link and comment your thoughts below... https://spectrum.ieee.org/killer-drones

One of the last surviving ANZAC veterans who fought in the Battle of Crete, Arthur Leggett OAM, has passed away at the age of 106. A widely respected figure in Perth, Western Australia, Mr Leggett was a passionate advocate for veterans and remained the active President of the Ex-Prisoner of War Association of WA until his death. Mr Leggett was WA’s oldest surviving Second World War army prisoner of war. Mr Leggett served in the Second World War, fighting in Libya and in the battles of Bardia and Tobruk before being captured during the Battle of Crete at the age of 22. He endured over four years in a prisoner of war camp and was forced to labour for 12-hour days in coal mines in Poland. For more on this story click on the links below... https://greekherald.com.au/news/one-of-the-last-surviving-anzacs-of-the-battle-of-crete-arthur-leggett-dies-at-106/ https://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/western-australia/western-australias-last-australian-army-prisoner-of-war-veteran-arthur-legget-dies-aged-106/news-story/3cfda35fe6ddecf179d1e7dcfaa4e5ba

The Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) has successfully conducted an operational test of a new anti-ship missile. The late-February test involved two RAAF F/A-18F Super Hornets, and saw a successful launch of two AGM-158C long-range anti-ship missiles (LRASM) over the Point Mugu sea range off the coast of California, where they successfully struck a barge stacked with containers representing a ship target. The operational test also included the validation of weapons preparation and loading. It was supported by RAAF E-7A Wedgetail command and control and EA-18G Growler electronic attack aircraft, as well as a US Navy P-8A Poseidon maritime response aircraft. For more on this story click on the link and comment your thoughts below... https://psnews.com.au/royal-australian-air-force-successfully-tests-new-anti-ship-missile/156608/