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Archive for the ‘military’ category: Page 155

Apr 9, 2020

DARPA snags Intel to lead its machine learning security tech

Posted by in categories: cybercrime/malcode, information science, military, robotics/AI

Chip maker Intel has been chosen to lead a new initiative led by the U.S. military’s research wing, DARPA, aimed at improving cyber-defenses against deception attacks on machine learning models.

Machine learning is a kind of artificial intelligence that allows systems to improve over time with new data and experiences. One of its most common use cases today is object recognition, such as taking a photo and describing what’s in it. That can help those with impaired vision to know what’s in a photo if they can’t see it, for example, but it also can be used by other computers, such as autonomous vehicles, to identify what’s on the road.

But deception attacks, although rare, can meddle with machine learning algorithms. Subtle changes to real-world objects can, in the case of a self-driving vehicle, have disastrous consequences.

Apr 9, 2020

New TRISO Nuclear Mini-Reactors Will Be Safe: Program Manager

Posted by in categories: energy, military

If the Pentagon does build the mobile reactors, it will deploy them far from the front lines – and even if they’re hit, their revolutionary TRISO fuel pellets will stay intact at temperatures that can melt steel.

Apr 9, 2020

The Pentagon Wants an Orbital Space Weapon to Blast Enemy Missiles

Posted by in categories: military, particle physics, space

You know the scene in “Akira” where Tetsuo rips a satellite space weapon out of orbit?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pxh-IjxG2KY

Now the U.S. military wants to try something similar, according to Defense One. The Pentagon is requesting hundreds of millions of dollars to ramp up space-based weaponry including particle beams and space lasers that’ll fire downward at Earthly targets — a dark vision of the militarization of space.

Apr 9, 2020

Revisiting the Intelligent Ship

Posted by in categories: futurism, military

Last September, we looked at Dstl and DASA’s new competition to map out the future of naval warfare. With the first contracts now announced, Harry Lye catches up with the Intelligent Ship project.

Apr 8, 2020

Satellite Imagery Shows Chinese Navy In Pakistan

Posted by in category: military

The satellite captured a Pakistani Navy hovercraft approaching Manora beach. This is a convenient location, right next to a a major Marines base known as PNS Qasim. From other sources we know that the hovercraft was carrying both Pakistani and Chinese marines. The troops ran down the ramp and across the beach side by side, a formation designed for the cameras. In combat conditions the troops would probably not be deployed in this manner.

The joint exercise was not just for the cameras however. It underscores the close defense relationship which extends into industry. China is a major arms supplier to Pakistan, and has been helping better establish local shipbuilding. The exercise in question, Sea Guardian 2020, took place in January.

Apr 8, 2020

The U.S. Military Wants to Kill Nuclear-Armed ICBMs with Lasers

Posted by in category: military

Circa 2019


Here’s how.

Apr 8, 2020

DIY T-Shirt Masks and Balaclavas: Military Services Release Face-Covering Guidance

Posted by in categories: biotech/medical, health, military, policy

The military branches are requiring troops to make their own cloth face masks after the Pentagon’s latest policy directed face coverings for all personnel during the novel coronavirus outbreak.

The Defense Department announced Sunday that troops, DoD civilian employees, contractors and family members are encouraged to make simple coverings out of clean T-shirts and other household materials. The do-it-yourself face coverings are mandatory whenever people cannot maintain six feet of social distance in public areas or places of work, according to the policy, signed by Defense Secretary Mark Esper.

The DIY masks will help preserve much-needed N95 and surgical masks for health care workers, the policy states.

Apr 7, 2020

This Breakthrough Just Got Us One Step Closer to a Quantum Internet

Posted by in categories: internet, military, quantum physics, satellites

The US is well behind China on this front, though. A team led by quantum supremo Jian-Wei Pan have already demonstrated a host of breakthroughs in transmitting quantum signals to satellites, most recently developing a mobile quantum satellite station.

The reason both countries are rushing to develop the technology is that it could provide an ultra-secure communication channel in an era where cyberwarfare is becoming increasingly common.

I t’s essentially impossible to eavesdrop on a quantum conversation. The strange rules of quantum mechanics mean that measuring a quantum state immediately changes it, so any message encoded in quantum states will be corrupted if someone tries to intercept it.

Apr 7, 2020

Military gives COVID patients chloroquine and surges assets to New York City

Posted by in categories: biotech/medical, military

The malaria medication unproven as a remedy for coronavirus sufferers is being given to sickened troops, Joint Staff Surgeon Air Force Brig. Gen. Paul Friedrichs said at the Pentagon Monday, adding that New York City still faces the biggest threat from the virus.

“The projections are proving not to be all that accurate,” he said, noting Defense Secretary Mark Esper had authorized use of the hospital ship USNS Comfort to take on COVID patients in its limited intensive care spaces.

Defense Department spokesman Jonathan Hoffman added: “DoD continues to surge assets to New York in preparation for the worst.”

Apr 7, 2020

The Air Force just fielded its first high-energy laser weapon overseas

Posted by in categories: drones, military

The Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL), based at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, has delivered what it says is the Air Force’s first high-energy laser weapon for battlefield use against drones.

AFRL has set up the laser weapon system overseas for a 12-month field assessment. The Air Force Strategic Development Planning & Experimentation (SDPE) Office located at Wright-Patt is leading the project, AFRL said in a statement Monday.