The US Navy’s proposed FY2017 budget requests funding for the procurement of seven new battle force ships (i.e., ships that count against the Navy’s goal for achieving and maintaining a fleet of 308 ships). The seven ships include two Virginia-class attack submarines, two DDG-51 class Aegis destroyers, two Littoral Combat Ships (LCSs), and one LHA-type …
The China State Shipbuilding Corporation (CSSC) has proposed the construction of a network of ship and subsurface sensors that could significantly erode the undersea warfare advantage held by US and Russian submarines and contribute greatly to future Chinese ability to control the South China Sea (SCS). Details of the network of sensors, called the ‘Underwater …
The US Air Force is still working through the details of a contract award for the next-generation bomber, and expects an announcement on the final downselect in the next few months. The Pentagon is still deciding between proposals from Northrop Grumman, builder of the B-2 stealth bomber, and a Boeing-Lockheed Martin team. The six-month delay …
Collin Koh Swee Lean, an associate research fellow at the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies in Singapore said taht “Assuming the [new type 001A aircraft] carrier is launched on Dec. 26 this year, and fitted out subsequently before entering into a series of harbor and sea trials, the carrier should be ready for service …
The net worth of households and nonprofits rose to $85.7 trillion during the second quarter of 2015. The value of directly and indirectly held corporate equities increased $61 billion and the value of real estate rose $499 billion. Domestic non-financial debt outstanding was $44trillion at the end of the second quarter of 2015, of which …
Israel has inaugurated its fifth Dolphin-class submarine, allegedly capable of launching cruise missiles with nuclear warheads. There is a sixth submarine being built for Israel. The submarines are advanced diesel electric submarines. After the submarine is fully equipped and passes all tests, it will cost $500 million and will enter service as possibly the most …
Reaction Engines of the UK is developing the hypersonic Synergetic Air-Breathing Rocket Engine (Sabre). It is designed to power a vehicle from a standing start to Mach 5.5 in air-breathing mode, and from the edge of the atmosphere to low Earth orbit in pure rocket mode. A fundamental enabler of the concept is a complex …
Reaction Engines Ltd. have begun their latest round of rocket engine testing in Westcott, UK. The SABRE engine requires a novel design of the rocket engine’s thrust chamber and nozzle to allow operation in both air-breathing and rocket modes, as well as a smooth transition between the two. The Advanced Nozzle project is demonstrating the …
Admiralty Shipyards, a Russian company, held a ceremonial launching the Varshavyanka-class diesel-electric submarines. Dubbed the Krasnodar, the vessel is the fourth of a planned six upgraded Kilo-class subs Russia is constructing under Project 636.3. Russian claims the Varshavyanka-class are the “quietest in the world, and so was dubbed ‘black hole’ by NATO.” The US Congressional …
DARPA will have conceptual design reviews for four vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) X-Plane contenders in the coming weeks. The VTOL X-Plane programme is geared at demonstrating efficient hover and high-speed flight. The specific requirements are that the aircraft achieve a top sustained flight speed of 300 kt to 400 kt; raise aircraft hover efficiency …
Why do the poor borrow to save? Why do they miss out on free life-saving immunizations, but pay for unnecessary drugs? In Poor Economics, Abhijit V. Banerjee and Esther Duflo, two practical visionaries working toward ending world poverty, answer these questions from the ground. In a book the Wall Street Journal called “marvelous, rewarding,” the …