Air Warfare – How the U.S. Military Can Win the Robotic Revolution

Popular MechanicsHow the U.S. Military Can Win the Robotic Revolution

In 2003, the U.S. invaded Iraq with just a handful of unmanned vehicles. Now, less than a decade later, we have 7000 robots overseas in the air alone. The U.S. dominates the robot war room, for now. Here, military analyst P.W. Singer lays out a plan for how the U.S. can stay ahead, and avoid building the Pontiac Aztek of war, an over-hyped but underperforming dud.

Norwegian Navy – Norway resorts to ship-watching from space

BBCNorway resorts to ship-watching from space

Norway’s coastline is huge. The mainland’s rim stretches for more than 2,500km but if you measure it to include all the fjords and nooks and crannies, it comes out at more than 25,000km. Little wonder then that the Scandinavian nation relies heavily on satellites to help it monitor what’s going on around its territory. And it has a fascinating mission, using a nano-sat, launching in the next few days that will enable it to keep even better watch on its waters.

US Navy – Navy shares the blame for San Antonio's defects

Virginian PilotNavy shares the blame for San Antonio’s defects

Since the day the Navy commissioned it, the Norfolk-based amphibious ship San Antonio has been plagued with costly defects. Five years later, it sits along the Elizabeth River unfit to deploy. Now a report says that the Navy, as well as contractors who designed and built the vessel, bears blame for the problems.

US Coast Guard – Icebreaker Break-down, and the USCG's Crossroads

Defense Technology InternationalIcebreaker Break-down, and the USCG’s Crossroads

One of the U.S. Coast Guard’s three polar icebreakers, the Polar Sea, likely will be in maintenance and unavailable for operations until at least January 2011, the armed service announced Friday afternoon. The breakdown means the icebreaker will skip its fall Arctic patrol, and it will most likely keep the cutter from providing standby capability to support resupply of McMurdo Station, Antarctica.