On the evening of June 10, Archer company from California, USA, unveiled its new electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) prototype at an event held in the city. Los Angeles. The innovative vehicle is called the electric Archer Maker, and to demonstrate what it can do, event participants were invited to participate in a flight simulator. As the problem of congestion becomes more and more difficult to solve, more and more companies are launching products and ideas that are created to take people to the sky and bypass the heavy traffic roads below. That is also what the Archer flying taxi is trying to achieve. The company’s new aircraft, the Maker, is a two-passenger eVTOL vehicle designed to serve as a test machine for new technologies. It has a distributed electric propulsion system that allows 12 electric motors to draw power from 6 individual battery packs. This design makes it possible for the Maker to maintain flight even if one or two of its motors fail. One of the main focus of the company is the noise generated by the propellers. No one wants a city filled with eVTOL vehicles hovering in the air and making louder noises than the cars below. To overcome that problem, Archer specially equips Maker with 12 sets of small propellers, which can rotate more slowly than conventional helicopter propellers. The new Archer Maker 2022 will be able to soar to about 610 meters above the ground, and according to the company, it will be 100 times quieter than a helicopter. In other words, Maker only makes as much noise as a home refrigerator. In terms of speed, the Maker will be able to reach a maximum speed of 240 km / h, and will use only 30% of the battery capacity for trips of 32-64 km. This will allow the battery to quickly charge before the next flight. The plane will be ready to take off after about 10 minutes of charging and has the potential to make 40 flights per day. In addition, it is also worth noting that the Maker has a very light weight of only about 1.5 tons, 300 kg lighter than a Tesla Model 3. Archer is expected to complete the first test flights of Maker. in the fourth quarter of 2021, and plans to start production in 2022. In an effort to reduce its carbon footprint, United Airlines has announced plans to purchase $1 billion worth of eVTOLs, and if all goes as planned, they are expected to begin flights trade from Los Angeles and Miami by 2024. The California-based company also plans to build a complete network of take-off and landing points for the eVTOLs. However, they won’t really create new spots because there really isn’t much extra space in megacities. Instead, Archer will use the roofs of the parking garages. Video: Launching Archer Maker – “flying taxi” with no noise.

According to the latest information published by the US media, Commander of the Pacific Air Force Kenneth Wilsbach said that Vietnam has ordered T-6 Texan II training aircraft. General Kenneth Wilsbach affirmed that “this is one of the most important and obvious points in bilateral cooperation” and “Vietnam ordered T-6 Texan II training aircraft to improve its pilot training program. “. The commander of the US Pacific Air Force also said that the US side is committed to supporting the handover and commissioning of T-6 Texan II aircraft, helping the Vietnam Air Force improve its pilot training capacity. . However, he did not disclose the exact number of T-6 Texan II aircraft that the Vietnamese side ordered. Delivery times and total contract value, were also not disclosed by Kenneth Wilsbach. Previously, from 2018, the Vietnamese side sent two pilots to train with T-6 Texan II aircraft in the US with a duration of 52 weeks. Lieutenant Dang Duc Toai became the first Vietnamese military pilot to graduate from this training course and master the T-6 Texan II training aircraft. The US side said that pilots like Dang Duc Toai had completed training with at least 167 hours of flying time on this single-engine aircraft. Born in the early 2000s, the T-6 Texan II is one of the most popular primary trainers in the world. This aircraft has two seats and one propeller engine. Theoretically, every pilot, whether civilian or military, would have to learn to fly single-engine aircraft first, and then “upgrade” to multi-engine or jet-engined types later. . T-6 Texan II aircraft is equipped with a P&W engine with a capacity of 1100 horsepower, a 4-blade engine, allowing the aircraft to fly at a maximum speed of 510 km/h, with a maximum speed limit of 586 km/h. This type of aircraft has a maximum range of 1700 km, the highest ceiling of 9400 meters above sea level. Even though it’s just a propeller-powered aircraft, the T-6 Texan II still has a very strong fuselage structure that can withstand a maximum acceleration of gravity of 7G, allowing pilots to get used to the pressure of injection control. counterattack later. Currently, the primary single-engine aircraft that Vietnam is using for training is the Yak-52 – an aircraft manufactured by the Soviet Union since the 70s of the last century. Trainer Yak-52 is only equipped with a 530 hp engine with two blades, the maximum speed it can achieve is no more than 285 km/h. The flight ceiling of this type of muscle trainer, is also only about 4000 meters. Not only used for training military pilots, the Yak-52 is also considered a fairly popular private aircraft in the world, due to its easy controllability and low operating costs. Image source: Pinterest. Close-up of the cockpit of the T-6 Texan II trainer aircraft. Source: DM.

Engine problems caused China’s J-20 production to be delayed. Photo: SCMP The South China Morning Post (Hong Kong, China) reported that the country has developed a new coating material for the engine, contributing to solving technical flaws and increasing the thrust of the engine. The new coating material was designed by Yuanke Energy-saving and Environmental Technology Development Co., Ltd. in Hebei Province. This material can withstand temperatures of 1,800 degrees Celsius and helps protect the engine from the risk of corrosion while ensuring higher power. The current widely used military aircraft engine in China is the WS-10, which can withstand a temperature of about 1,470 degrees Celsius and the improvement can make a significant contribution to increasing the engine’s output power. . The propeller has long been considered the “Achilles heel” of China’s military aircraft engine development program. An obvious example is the delay in the development of a new engine that slows down the production of China’s fifth-generation stealth fighter J-20. Chinese scientists have spent years trying to get the WS-15 engine designed for the J-20 to work, but still have problems with the propellers that constantly heat up at high speeds. As a result, the Chinese Air Force is forced to use Russian-made engines or an improved version of the WS-10. Both of these engines are said to reduce the combat and stealth capabilities of the fighter. The new coating material consists of a fullerene, a ball-shaped carbon molecule. The manufacturer says the coating has a “2,000-hour lifespan” and is resistant to corrosion. The special thing is that this material can withstand the heat required for the J-20 to operate at its maximum capacity.

Photo of the Ingenuity Mars helicopter taken by NASA’s Preseverance spacecraft. Photo: NASA. Open a new door Ingenuity attached to the belly of the Perseverance probe landed together inside Mars’ 45 km wide Jezero crater on February 18. On April 3, a solar-powered helicopter was dropped from Perseverance’s belly. NASA is expected to make history on the Red Planet with its first self-powered flight powered by energy. “That is extremely important. Technological inventions will open a door to completely different tools. And for me, that’s very interesting. We still haven’t envisioned all the benefits of this new technology, ”said Thomas Zurbuchen, NASA’s Deputy Administrator. Ingenuity is considered a “technology show”. Because, the expected flight of this helicopter on Mars is designed simply to demonstrate the efficiency of the technology. Although there is an onboard camera to take pictures during the mission, it’s the only feature on the plane that is not directly related to Ingenuity’s take-off. “The speed of light is too slow for us to actually control it in real time,” said Mr. Zurbuchen. In addition, the team must find a way for the helicopter to fly over Mars in a challenging environment, with a very thin atmosphere. Obviously, flying on another planet is not easy for helicopters. This is an exciting moment in the history of spacecraft and technology. Many people questioned whether Ingenuity was equipped with any technology application to achieve such a feat. Scientists hope to use Ingenuity to explore in the future, according to Zurbuchen. Because, a small helicopter can “probe many places that we can not go to by plane”. The expert also explains that Mars has some interesting things. The crater walls and other destinations will be interesting to study up close, while astronauts won’t be able to explore. In the future, helicopters could be an important asset for both robot and human exploration on the Red Planet, Mr. Zurbuchen said. However, as mentioned before, Mr. Zurbuchen said, there are many applications to this technology that are yet to be developed. Science breakthrough The deployment of the Ingenuity helicopter flight plan on Mars aims to demonstrate that humans can fly in the extremely low density, reduced gravity and extreme temperatures of the red planet. In addition, the amount of sunlight the planet receives is only half that of Earth; At night temperatures down to -90 degrees C cause electronic components to crack and freeze if left unprotected. While a mission on Mars is not an easy task, NASA is confident that this small helicopter can overcome the challenge. However, the first flight will be at low altitude and take place shortly. Members of the mission group said, Ingenuity (weighing 1.8 kg) is expected to fly no more than 3 meters above the floor of the Jezero crater on Mars. The helicopter will stay high for 40 seconds or so. However, even such a modest flight time would be an achievement. Because, Mars’ atmosphere is only 1% thicker of Earth. Aircraft generate lift by pushing air. However, according to Project Director Ingenuity – MiMi Aung, of the NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) in Southern California, on Mars, there are fewer molecules to propel. That disadvantage outweighs the benefit that helicopters get from Mars’ weaker gravity. So Ingenuity has to behave a little differently from its predecessors on Earth. Specifically, Ingenuity propellers are made of carbon fiber, made for Mars. They are particularly large compared to the overall 48 cm high helicopter. Each wing extends 1.2 m. Those propellers will spin at about 2,500 rpm to bring Ingenuity off the ground. This is much faster than that required by a 4lb motor. Besides, Mars is also a place where the cold is “piercing”. Perseverance measured the Red Planet’s nighttime temperature to minus 117.4 degrees F (minus 83 degrees C) on the surface of Jezero. So Ingenuity has a fireplace so it won’t freeze. Currently, it takes more than 15 minutes for an order to be sent from the control agency on Earth to Mars. Real-time operation with the joystick is therefore not an option. Flight orders must be sent in advance. However, that doesn’t mean Ingenuity is going to be in trouble. This helicopter will be able to do many tasks on its own. For example, Ingenuity can analyze photos captured by the downward-facing camera. From there, locate it. The images will be in black and white. Ingenuity is also capable of 13-megapixel color photography. There are a series of complicated devices that are inserted into the “small body” of Ingenuity, although the helicopter does not carry any scientific tools. Cameras, electrical systems, avionics systems, and communications equipment for data transfer to Perseverance were all introduced into Ingenuity. In fact, the size of devices like objects has made it impossible for many helicopter missions on Mars. Ms. Aung and her colleagues tested Ingenity extensively on Earth before launching. Ingenuity used to have to fly in a special chamber at the JPL – which simulates the conditions of the Red Planet. Thanks to that, Ingenuity has been doing well on the Jezero crater since its separation from Perseverance. Therefore, the scientists expressed confidence in Ingenuity’s mission. If successful, Ingenuity will fly again – up to 5 times in about a month. Ingenuity helicopters pave the way for future space exploration.

Loitering munition (LM) or suicide drones (suicide / kamikaze drones) are weapons systems that hover around to find a target and attack when the target is located. . LM has the advantages of tactical and tactical features, simplicity in production and operation, increasing survivability in combat as well as the ability to destroy targets. It also allows for more selective targeting and actual strike missions can be canceled, revolutionizing the way war is waged in volatile regions of the world. Lancet is equipped with an electric motor with a propeller in the tail and optoelectronic unit in the nose; Source: topwar.ru The LM can be as simple as a drone (UAV) and can even be built from commercial drones, with weapons attached, sent on a suicide mission. in the air for a long period of time before an attack, which simplifies reconnaissance and assault. It allows to promptly attack hidden targets in a short time without having to use expensive weapons (such as rockets, self-propelled guns using smart bullets …). Low cost creates another characteristic advantage that simplifies the organization of large-scale raids aimed at overwhelming enemy air defenses. LMs are made more complex in terms of flight and control capabilities, warhead size and design, body sensors … Some LMs may return and be recalled by the operator if they are not. used in the attack and has enough fuel left. LM first appeared in the 1980s, was used as the Suppression of Enemy Air Defenses (SEAD) against surface-to-air missiles (SAM), and was used by the military in several countries. Entering service in the 1990s. Starting in the 2000s, the LM has been developed and has a construction suitable for wearing in a backpack for additional missions, from long range attacks and fire support. power to short-range, tactical battlefield systems. Lancet – a formidable Russian mobile suicide weapon In fact, the British were the first to come to terms with the LM weapon, but today Russia, Israel and the US are leading the way. Not long ago, the Zala Aero company of Kalashnikov Group (Russia) presented the first suicide weapon “Lancet” (“Ланцет”) – an unmanned aerial vehicle capable of reconnaissance and attack. Assigned public target, capable of completely changing combat operations in the near future. The company’s new product Zala Aero was demonstrated for the first time at the Army-Technical Forum-2019. Each combination includes a control panel providing the ability to receive and process data, as well as transmit commands to the suicide weapon. The Lancet is fabricated in a longitudinal scheme with two X-shaped wing combinations used to reduce the size of the bearing plane while maintaining the required lift; at the same time, it is possible to increase the stiffness of the structure and increase the flight speed. As a rule, Israel’s most famous LM systems built according to the classic airplane scheme have one fundamental drawback: LMs maneuver well along one axis and not maneuver along the other – which reduces the effect of an attack on a moving target. The X-shaped wing map adheres to aerodynamic surfaces, which are characteristic of missiles, overcoming this weakness. Lancet is designed with the optoelectronic unit in the nose and the electric motor connected to the propeller propeller at the tail; Widely used plastic and synthetic materials. Unlike foreign models, Lancet uses two X-shaped wings combinations; Source: topwar.ru The optical device unit has a channel that transmits the signal to the operator console, does not lose video communication with the operator until it is in direct contact with the target. This UAV is also equipped with its own navigation system capable of identifying coordinates from a variety of sources and objects. Flight and targeting can be performed under the control of the operator and independently, or a combination of the two. Experts will track it from the ground through the Russian GLONASS satellite navigation system or its own command-control system. The “Lancet-1” and “Lancet-3” models agreed on the body frame and internal system components, catapulted, capable of reaching speeds of 80-130 km / h. According to the manufacturer, they do not need additional operating facilities on the ground but can locate, communicate, attack targets within a radius of 40 km. When the UAV flies to an altitude of 5 km, it can turn off the main engine but continue to hover, mimicking the behavior of the birds, doing the mission for an additional 3 km at lower altitudes. After that, the UAV restarted the engine and flew again to a height of 5 km. With those unique features, the UAV’s field of view is increased to 1,000 km, far exceeding its counterparts. Lancet-1 has a takeoff weight of 5 kg, is equipped with a 1 kg fragmentation warhead, Lancet-3 weighs 12 kg, carries a 3 kg warhead, and both uses a contact detonator. In terms of power, the warheads of these two LMs are equivalent to medium-sized artillery shells. If the previous generation of Lancet – “Kub” (“Куб”) attacks the target according to specific coordinates, like most foreign UAVs, Lancet does not need any satellite positioning and the accuracy of astonishing hit. What makes this special is that in the event of a loss of contact with the control center, Lancet will switch to automatic target and attack mode. So, even with interference by the enemy, Lancet can still complete the mission. LM can be launched into the air both from the ground and from aircraft carriers at sea, and ships. Lancet chief architect Alexander Zakharov calls these UAVs “aerators” (“воздушноe минированиe”) as the world’s first system designed to defend against UAVs, capable of “drafting” in the air. medium for tens of hours and capable of shooting down UAVs moving at speeds below 300 km / h. Lancet’s design gives it many features and advantages over foreign models; Source: topwar.ru According to the Chief Architect, this “gas” system is being tested, to test the accuracy and combatability of Lancet in real combat conditions against static and dynamic targets; at the moment, it has already killed 100% of its target. According to Zvezda TV, from 2020 until now, both the Russian and Syrian troops have used Lancet to conduct dozens of high-precision attacks on terrorist groups in northeastern Syria. The main feature the designers are working on to improve on is stealth, including “acoustical stealth”, and here thanks to the use of electric motors, the Lancet is unmatched. In addition, the electric motor is more reliable, lighter, more compact, and cheaper. It is believed that laser air defense systems that can burn materials will be highly effective in the fight against drones. Zala Aero has developed new methods of protecting Lancet against such threats – integrating anti-laser protection, but without disclosing details. In the past few years, in the field of reconnaissance and attack, UAVs have made great progress, and a major and important modernization of drones of the Russian armed forces is expected. waiting to take place in the near future. Promising LM models will allow Air Force – Space forces and other structures to acquire fundamentally new capabilities and increase their potential, which will be able to close the gap with major powers. other. However, it takes time, effort and money./.

The US military transport aircraft C-130H Hercules

In order to strengthen the air force, the Polish Ministry of Defense announced that the country’s air force will receive five US Lockheed C-130H Hercules military transport aircraft and accompanying technical equipment.

An agreement between the US and Polish governments for the supply of five C-130H aircraft was signed on April 12, 2021.

This deal is delivered through a special partnership program. All five aircraft will be delivered to Poland this month.

The contract is worth $ 60 million, but Poland will pay only $ 14.3 million to the US side. With this money, it will not be enough for the Pentagon to maintain the annual maintenance, maintenance, repair, and replenishment of equipment, so the US military has considered the possibility of early handover to Poland. to reduce costs.

Currently, all five of these aircraft have been stored at the facilities of preservation group No. 309, on the payroll of the US Air Force located at Davis Montana Air Base in Arizona.

The US military transport aircraft C-130H Hercules

The C-130H aircraft that the United States intended to deliver to Poland were produced in 1985 and the US Air Force closed in 2017.

Poland chose 5 out of 20 proposed. The first Hercules will arrive in Poland in late 2021 and the last will be delivered in 2024.

C-130 Hercules aircraft has 4 propeller engines, wingspan of 40 m, length more than 29 m, height of nearly 12 m, can fly in all weather conditions, maximum flight speed is 370 km /H.

The Polish Air Force uses the aircraft, for missions such as military transport, paratroop deployment, reconnaissance, maritime patrol, aerial refueling and combat.

The C-130H Hercules aircraft will replace four C-130E aircraft operating in the Polish air force since the 1970s.