Toggle light / dark theme

In a press conference that Ars attended today, Department of Defense officials discussed the benefits of partnering with Google, Oracle, Microsoft, and Amazon to build the Pentagon’s new cloud computing network. The multi-cloud strategy was described as a necessary move to keep military personnel current as technology has progressed and officials’ familiarity with cloud technology has matured.

Air Force Lieutenant General Robert Skinner said that this Joint Warfighting Cloud Capability (JWCC) contract—worth $9 billion—would help quickly expand cloud capabilities across all defense departments. He described new accelerator capabilities like preconfigured templates and infrastructure as code that will make it so that even “people who don’t understand cloud can leverage cloud” technologies. Such capabilities could help troops on the ground easily access data gathered by unmanned aircraft or space communications satellites.

“JWCC is a multiple-award contract vehicle that will provide the DOD the opportunity to acquire commercial cloud capabilities and services directly from the commercial Cloud Service Providers (CSPs) at the speed of mission, at all classification levels, from headquarters to the tactical edge,” DOD’s press release said.

SpaceX revealed a new business segment called Starshield aimed at U.S. national security government agencies. “While Starlink is designed for consumer and commercial use, Starshield is designed for government use, with an initial focus on three areas: Earth observation, communications and hosted payloads,” the company said on its website.

This is a big deal as SpaceX is currently burning through $2 billion/year as it works to develop Starlink and Starship. So SpaceX wouldn’t mind some extra cash!


WASHINGTON — SpaceX on Dec. 2 revealed a new business segment called Starshield aimed at U.S. national security government agencies.

This sector of SpaceX intends to leverage the Starlink internet constellation in low Earth orbit to develop products and services — including secure communications, remote sensing and space surveillance payloads — that are in growing demand by U.S. defense and intelligence organizations.

“While Starlink is designed for consumer and commercial use, Starshield is designed for government use, with an initial focus on three areas: Earth observation, communications and hosted payloads,” the company said on its website.

The United States Air Force unveiled the B-21 Raider, a high-tech stealth bomber that can carry nuclear and conventional weapons and is designed to be able to fly without a crew on board. The fleet is estimated to cost $203 billion to develop, buy and operate over 30 years, according to Bloomberg, with the US planning to acquire at least 100 of the aircraft.

Much of the features of the warplane are shrouded in mystery, with reports suggesting that it has the potential for an uncrewed flight. A US Air Force spokeswoman said the aircraft was “provisioned for the possibility, but there has been no decision to fly without a crew”.

The first flight by a B-21 is expected to take place next year.

China’s H-20 ‘stealth bomber,’ allegedly a rival to the US’s ‘Raider,’ may also be rolled out soon.

Northrop Grumman Corp (NOC.N) and the U.S. Air Force have finally rolled out the world’s first sixth-generation aircraft after over three decades, amid a tight arms race with China.

The B-21 “Raider,” a long-range nuclear bomber, was unveiled on Friday, at the company’s facility in Palmdale, California, according to a press release by the defense giant.

“The Northrop Grumman team develops and delivers technology that advances science, looks into the future, and brings it to the here and now,” said Kathy Warden, CEO and president of NOC.N.


Northrop Grumman Corp and the U.S. Air Force have finally rolled out the world’s first sixth-generation aircraft amid a tight arms race with China. The B-21 “Raider,” a long-range nuclear bomber, was unveiled on Friday.

The Second World War left many economies in tatters, yet, despite the carnage, some companies managed to thrive in the aftermath of the war.

World War II, like many other wars in history, was a time when a lot of new technology was made quickly. The war started with piston aircraft and ended with fighter planes, rockets, and nuclear weapons.

Aircraft are possibly the most emblematic of all the technology developed during this period. But of all the small and large companies involved in making planes for the war effort on all sides of the conflict, only a handful remained in business after the war’s end. But why? Vahlersvik/iStock.

The protests in China have had no impact on Beijing’s ambitions of world domination. On Tuesday, Chinese jets violated South Korea’s Air defence zone. A Pentagon report further claims China will have 1,500 nuclear warheads by 2035. Priyanka Sharma reports.

#Gravitas #China #Nuclear.

About Channel:

WION The World is One News, examines global issues with in-depth analysis. We provide much more than the news of the day. Our aim to empower people to explore their world. With our Global headquarters in New Delhi, we bring you news on the hour, by the hour. We deliver information that is not biased. We are journalists who are neutral to the core and non-partisan when it comes to the politics of the world. People are tired of biased reportage and we stand for a globalised united world. So for us the World is truly One.

Please keep discussions on this channel clean and respectful and refrain from using racist or sexist slurs as well as personal insults.

Check out our website: http://www.wionews.com.

The first three warships are being rapidly modified to accept the weapon with the first ready for operation in a little over 12 months the U.K. Ministry of Defence said in a statement.

Defence Secretary Ben Wallace revealed the deal during a visit of the British aircraft carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth to Norway this week.

The surface-to-surface strike weapon is being rushed into service in time to meet next year’s pensioning off of the Harpoon missile originally built by McDonnell Douglas before the company was acquired by Boeing.

The future we’ve been waiting for is a little closer.

Recent information from the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) has revealed that the Pentagon has indeed continued to pursue military-equipped jetpacks.

And now, they seem closer than ever to achieving their goal as they have already awarded contracts to companies to build test prototypes.

British engineer Rolls-Royce has successfully used hydrogen instead of conventional jet fuel to power a modern aircraft engine in a world first for the aviation industry, according to the company.

The ground test, which took place at a government test facility at Boscombe Down, used green hydrogen generated by wind and tidal power from the Orkney Islands in Scotland.

Rolls-Royce used a converted AE 2100-A turboprop engine that powers civil and military aircraft to conduct the test in partnership with easyJet.