Important Innovations

  Skywalker Can Fly for 90 Days Straight                                             Source:  Skydweller Aero New Green Travel Technology The US Navy is developing, in conjunction with aerospace company Skydweller Aero, a breakthrough solar powered plane that is pilotless and can fly nonstop for 90 days straight.  It is called Skywalker and the solar technology powering the plane is spectacular.  There are 2,900 square feet of solar cells on the wings which generate 2 kilowatts of power.  The solar plane can soar nearly 46,000 feet into the air and cruise at 100 knots.  The potential uses for this aircraft are fascinating.  It can serve as a conceptual technology platform for green commercial air travel in the future.  It will be used as a communications platform for the US Navy to monitor and communicate with naval ships.  Skywalker is considered an unprecedented autonomous system for commercial and government uses in telecom, transportation, meteorology, geospatial applications and f

DARPA'S Impressive Tech R&D Project for US Navy Super:  DARPA Linked Autonomous Ships This is a highly impressive and innovative new project by DARPA, the US Defense Department's Advanced Research Projects Agency. DARPA is developing unmanned surface ships (USVs) that would physically link together like train cars to cross the ocean as a sea train.  Linking the ships together lets them overcome wave resistance and make much longer trips with much greater efficiency.  The Sea Train concept envisions many unmanned ships physically linked together to traverse oceans and grow the US Naval fleet.  Naval Force of Unmanned Vehicles The Navy is investing in all sizes of USVs, including large 300 ft. ones and medium sized ones of 39 to 154 feet.  DARPA's Sea Train project is focused on the medium sized USVs that are more efficient, more difficult to detect but less capable of making long journeys.  The Sea Train concept should extend their travel distances across

Harnessing Ocean Energy As A Power Source Source:  DARPA Sustainable Energy The concept of underwater energy harvesting by drones is being developed by the US Defense Department's Advanced Research Agency DARPA.  This could not only revolutionize naval propulsion, particularly for drone submarines, by providing them a sustainable energy source.  But also, if the drones transport the harvested ocean energy to ships at sea, there would be far less need to return to port to refuel.  The time and energy efficiencies would be breakthrough. Manta Ray Project DARPA calls the program the Manta Ray Project.  It's goal is to develop unmanned underwater vehicles - drones - that can operate underwater for very long, extended periods of time, all the while harvesting the energy of the ocean as a power source.  Four companies have just been selected for the job.  Lockheed Martin, Northrup Grumman and Navtek LLC are working on the drones.  And Metron is developing underwater energy

Encounters Between Navy Aircraft and UFOs Source:  stock image of  UFO Incident Filings by Pilots Several Hazard Reports just released by the US Navy document a number of sightings and encounters by Navy pilots with unidentified flying objects or UFOs.  The Hazard Reports were released under a Freedom of Information request. They document six separate incidents.  This is in addition to the three videos released by the US Department of Defense a few weeks ago.  The videos and images were shot by Navy pilots encountering incredibly fast and agile "unidentified aerial phenomena" over both the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. The UFOs were spotted by at least seven Navy pilots and a US Navy ship. Official UFO Sightings by US Navy Pilots The Hazard Reports just released were officially filed by six Navy pilots during the past decade.  The pilots, in their official reports, said the UFOs encountered looked like missiles, unmanned drones, while some of the other

Pentagon Releases Images of 3 UFO Incidents Source:  US Department of Defense Navy Now Has UFO Policy for Navy Pilots We live in very strange, out of this world times.  First, the global pandemic hits with unrelenting fury across the world.   Now there is evidence of Unidentified Flying Objects over the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans spotted by US Navy pilots.  The images come from none other than the US Department of Defense.  The images have just been made public.  The Pentagon did so to show that the incidents are "real" and that the UFO's are still unidentified. Three Documented UFO Incidents The Pentagon has released still photos and unclassified videos of three separate UFO incidents taken by US Navy pilots.  One  incident took place in 2004,  involving 2 Navy jets and a US Navy ship.  The other two incidents happened in 2015. 2004 "Unidentified Aerial Phenomena" The Pentagon is calling

$13 Billion Flying Drone Squad The US Navy just awarded Boeing an initial $805 million contract to build Stingray MQ-25A drones.  The Stingray's mission is to refuel aircraft in mid-air.  The Navy wants a Stingray flying by 2021 and 4 Stingrays in service by 2024.  It plans on deploying a total squadron of 72 with a price-tag of $13 billion.. Carrier-Based and Unmanned These are the Navy's first, carrier based, unmanned aerial refueling tankers.  They'll launch from ships and refuel Navy fighter jets in the air. They'll significantly extend the range of the carrier air wing's missions.  Currently, the Navy's using F/A-18 combat jets for refueling. Competitive Advantages This was a 3-way contest for the drone contract.  Boeing beat out Lockheed and General Atomic.  Analysts say the winner Boeing could have an advantage in developing future unmanned systems for the military.