"IDEX 2019: MBDA and MILREM Robotics unveils the world's first antitank UGV."

Army recognition, 18 February 2019

(single source)

At the IDEX exhibition in Abu Dhabi, MBDA and the Estonian company MILREM presented a new remote-controlled vehicle. This vehicle, inspired by the technology of the Themis robot developed by the Tallinn company, is equipped with the medium-range missile system (MMP) produced by the missile ship. It will also be equipped with a 7.62 mm calibre self-defence machine gun. The robot could be remotely steered and would have a low heat signature. However, the tele-operation distance is not communicated.

Availability: 5 years

Interest for the Army

●provide a comparative watch on the development of lethal weapon systems tele-operated.

"Россия рассекретила рассекретила состав боевой экипировки третьего поколения"

"Russia has unveiled the features of its third-generation combat clothing"

Anton Valagin, русское оружеThe French Army, 18 February 2019

(single source)

The Russian armed forces, the FSB and the border guards will in future be equipped with the Sotnik infantry combat system. This new system is expected to include a full face helmet with head-up display (HUD) and target acquisition aid, a passive exoskeleton and bullet-proof armour. In addition, the Strelets information and control tablet would be integrated into the armour. Finally, the system would include a chameleon-type camouflage device and a thermal regulator. The batteries would have an autonomy of 4 hours at -40°C. Tests are still in progress. While waiting for Sotnik, Russian soldiers should be equipped with a modernised version of Ratnik-2, including the exoskeleton and a new version of the Streletssystem.

Availability : 10 years

Interest in the Army:

●to monitor all programmes related to the increase in the capabilities of the combatant landed in modern armies;

●to consider the balance to be struck between the protection of the disembarked combatant and the imperative of tactical mobility.

"US Army seeking contractor to build 144 IM-SHORAD systems."

Defence-blog, 14 February 2019

(single source)

TheUS Army wishes to acquire 144 IM-SHORADs to equip 4 battalions with 36 units each. TheIM-SHORAD(Interim Maneuver, Short Range Air Defense) is a weapon system designed to compensate for the lack of anti-aircraft coverage resources of theUS Army. Mounted on Stryker armoured vehicles, it comprises a 30 mm Bushmaster gun, an integrated radar system and two types of anti-tank and anti-aircraft missiles: 4 Stinger (range of 4,800 metres) and 2 HellFire (range of 500 to 8,000 metres). The delivery of this equipment could be spread over 4 years between 2020 and 2024.

Availability : 2024

Interest in the Army:

●monitor all programmes related to the strengthening of air defence capabilities;

●consider how to ensure the continuity of on-board/off-board combat and how to deal with the low-level air-to-ground threat at the lower echelons.

"NASA awards $2M to team making tiny 3D printed sensors for planetary rovers"

Thomas, 3ders, 18 February 2019

(single source)

NASA-funded researchers at Boston's Northeastern University are using 3D printers to make sensors for space exploration vehicles. The sensors would be able to identify the composition of a gas or ocean, measure atmospheric pressure and temperature, and detect the presence of water. These sensors would therefore be very useful in the context of space missions to the Moon or Mars. Finally, the 3D printer would be capable of making biological sensors the size of a mobile phone, allowing continuous monitoring of the astronauts' state of health.

Availability : 2021

Interest in the Army:

●explore the different applications of 3D printing ;

●protection of the combatant in the event of a CBRN threat or response to a technological disaster ;

●individualize CBRN sensors and improve physiological monitoring of the soldier on operations.

"Hypermodern radarsystemen nieuwe ogen landmacht"

"Hypermodern radar systems to equip ground forces."

Netherlands Ministry of Defence, 11 February 2019

(single source)

A contract for 9 multi-mission radars worth 100 to 250 million euros was signed between Thales and the Royal Netherlands Army on February 12. The latest version of the EASA 4D radars, this device, marketed abroad under the name GM200 MM/Compact, would make it possible to adapt anti-aircraft defence capabilities to changes in potential threats (drones, rockets, etc.). Able to detect and classify up to a thousand pods, it would be capable of tracking the various targets within a swarm of UAVs in a range of 15 to 400 km. This counter-battery radar could determine the starting points of enemy artillery fire and would be deployable in less than two minutes. Deliveries are scheduled to begin in 2021.

Availability : 2 years old

Interest in the Army:

●questioning the answers to the "saturation of the sky". (drones and roving ammunition);

●consider how to increase the tactical autonomy and responsiveness of low-level pawns through automated systems, in addition to existing support (ART, 3D).

"The U.S. Army's New Up-Gunned Stryker Armoured Vehicles Have Been Hacked."

Joseph Trevithick, February 11, 2019, The Drive

(source cross-checking)

In its annual report released last January, the Pentagon's Directorate of Testing and Evaluation(DOT&E) revealed the vulnerabilities of the new Stryker Dragoon infantry combat vehicles. Deployed in Germany as part of the ^7th Army Training CommandThe latter were reportedly subject to cyber attacks during exercises, affecting their data sharing, navigation and communication capabilities. In a context of electronic warfare and cyber threats, to which US forces are particularly exposed in Syria, the report calls for the cyber vulnerabilities of this new standard to be corrected.

Availability : N/A

Interest in the Army:

●monitoring the cyber threat, in particular in the framework of the Scorpion programme;

●to consider how to maintain a combat capability in a degraded technological environment.

"La Fuerza Aérea de Colombia selecciona al Barak-8 para su defensa antiaérea."

"Colombian Air Force chooses Barak-8 for its air defense."

Erich Saumeth, Infodefensa, 11 February 2019

(source cross-checking)

The Colombian Air Force is reported to have chosen the Israeli Barak-8 missile system to equip its air defence, as, after a selection process, the Israeli Aerospace Industries (IAI ) was ahead of the Korean Lig Nex1, which proposed the km-SAM system . The Barak-8 ground-to-air missiles, 4.50 metres high, have a range of 90 km and can reach a maximum altitude of 16 000 metres. The system, consisting of a command post, radar and four launch batteries, can intercept ballistic missiles, drones and helicopters, among others. This acquisition would take place in a context of tensions around the Colombian border with Venezuela, a country that has the Russian analogue S-300 system.

Availability : 1 year

Interest in the Army:

●monitor the proliferation of A2/AD systems in South America.

"Joint fires trainer to improve British fire support"

Tamir Eshel, Defense Update, January 24, 2019

(source cross-checking)

The British Army uses Joint Fires simulators to improve its air fire support training capabilities. Developed by the British subsidiary of the Israeli industrialist Elbit Systems, this device, called "Joint Fires Mobile Trainer " is currently used by the^1st British Artillery Brigade. Implemented in a 360-degree deployable multimedia gondola, the JFMT simulates, on a high-definition screen, a battlefield and the various fire support possibilities available today. Finally, since last August, it has met all NATO interoperability criteria.

Availability : immediate

Interest in the Army:

●to monitor the development of complementary pedagogical tools for the preparation of the engagement (instrumented simulation);

●Cost-effectiveness, realism and progressiveness in operational readiness.

"UK will deploy drone squadrons after Brexit, says defence secretary."

Dan Sabbagh, The Guardian, February 11, 2019

(single source)

At a conference at the Royal United Services Institute on 11 February 2019, UK Defence Secretary Gavin Williamson announced a £7 million plan to develop usable UAVs. in swarms. He wants the air force to be equipped with hundreds of drones that could jam opposing anti-aircraft defences. He has promised that these aerodynes will be operational by the end of the year. However, experts doubt that such a project can be completed by the end of 2019.

Availability : 1 year

Interest in the Army:

●monitor the development of capabilities and doctrine for the use of combat UAVs by modern armies.

"IDEX 2019: Rheinmetall introduces hybrid protection modules for vehicles."

Paolo Valpolini, European Defence Review, 17 February 2019

(single source)

At the IDEX 2019 Armaments Forum in Abu Dhabi, Rheinmetall presented a hybrid protection module (passive and active). The sensors of theactive defense system (ADS) are placed between two armoured plates (here referred to as passive protection) to protect them from shell fragments and small arms fire. The countermeasure systems are integrated on the outside of the armour. The German company points out that the device can easily be installed on different types of vehicles. The aim of such a process is to reduce the total load of the system on the vehicle, and it has therefore developed several modules to adapt to the needs of missions or customers.

Availability : immediate

Interest in the Army:

●to follow technological developments allowing to increase the level of protection without increasing the weight;

●monitor all programmes related to the active and passive protection of combat vehicles.

"Britain's Protectors to carry Brimstone missiles."

Tamir Eshel, Defense Update, January 25, 2019

(source cross-checking)

MBDA would work on the integration of the Brimstone air-to-ground missile (used on Typhoon and Tornado aircraft) into the future new-generation MALE Protector RG Mk1 UAV, that the Royal Air Force will have by 2024. The Protector RG Mk1 is the armed variant of the SkyGuardian of the American General Atomics, which had among other things, with a forty-hour range, Lynx multi-mode radar, but also lightning and windshield protection. The UAV has six payload points, each capable of carrying three Brimstone missiles, each weighing 50 kg and with a range of 40 kilometres.

Availability: 5 years

Interest in the Army:

●monitor the development of capabilities and doctrine for the use of combat UAVs by modern armies.

"Russia bans smartphones for soldiers over social media fears"

BBC, 20 February 2019

(source cross-checking)

Russian parliamentarians have banned soldiers from using telephones capable of taking photos, recording videos or accessing the Internet. The law also prohibits soldiers from talking to journalists. According to the official version, this measure is justified by the soldiers' protection from foreign intelligence services. Nevertheless, it would appear that this measure is a reaction to the dissemination, via the Bellingcat website, of information about Russian military activities in Syria, sometimes live. It is one of the only countries in the world to completely ban the use of such items by its soldiers.

Availability : N/A

Interest for the Army

●reduce vulnerabilities generated in operation by the use of individual radiating means ;

●continue to raise awareness of the proper use of social networks in operations, with the aim of preserving the secrecy of operations and controlling the Army's operational communication.

"China unveils heavy IFV concept"

Samuel Cranny-Evans, Jane's, February 25, 2019

(single source)

The Chinese state-owned company China North Industries Corporation(Norinco) revealed the concept of a new Heavy Infantry Vehicle (HIFV) at the IDEX-2019 international exhibition in Abu Dhabi. Unlike the current model sold by China for export, the MBT3000, this new HIFV has an engine at the front, freeing up considerable space in the trunk and improving its armour. Like the Russian BMP-3 IFV, the ZBD-04A IFV turret of this new Chinese HIFV is equipped with two 30 and 100 mm guns.

Availability : N/A

Interest for the Army

●monitor the Chinese army's on-board and off-board combat capabilities.

"KUB-UAV: Kalashnikov's New Drone"

Léa Faure, IT Social, 27 February 2019

(source cross-checking)

The Russian Kalashnikov Group and its subsidiary Zala Aero have announced that they have created and successfully tested the new KYB UAV, which will self-destruct when it hits its target. The "kamikaze" aerodyne was presented at the IDEX-2019 exhibition in Abu Dhabi. According to a statement by the group's press service, the KYB could reach a speed of 130 km/h, carry a 3 kg load and fly for 30 minutes. The UAV would have a wingspan of almost one metre.

Availability: One year

Interest in the Army:

●questioning the answers to the "saturation of the sky". (drones and roving ammunition);

●monitor the development of capabilities and doctrine for the use of combat UAVs by modern armies.

"MyDefence introduces a modular anti-drone solution for airports, prisons and military bases."

DirectionsMag, February 19, 2019

(source cross-checking)

The Danish company MyDefence, specialized in UAV control, presented its new KNOX system (in reference to Fort Knox). KNOX is a complete device for fighting against UAVs and includes RFID (radio identification) sensors, several radars and an integrated optical and infrared tracking system. In addition, a mechanism for eliminating UAVs by jamming is provided for versions for military use. KNOX would therefore be a "detect& defect"type system (detection and neutralisation of targets), which could protect civilian and military infrastructures.

Availability : immediate

Interest in the Army:

●Strengthening UAV (Unmanned Aerial Vehicle) capabilities;

●protection of rights-of-way on national territory as well as in external operations.

"Prototype prosthesis proffers proper proprioceptive properties"

Devin Coldewey, Techcrunch, February 27, 2019

(single source)

Swiss, Italian and German neurologists and engineers have developed a hand prosthesis with proprioceptive properties. Unlike other prostheses, it allows the wearer to regain real sensations (warmth, weight, height) comparable to those of a limb. This new technology is an adaptation of existing solutions allowing tactile information to be sent to the brain using electrodes integrated into the nerves of the arm. Having a natural and intuitive knowledge of the position of one's hand could help improve the conditions of soldiers injured in combat.

Availability : immediate

Interest in the Army:

●improve the facilities available to the wounded in armies.

"The US Army wants to turn tank into AI-powered killing machines"

Justin Rohrlich, Qartz, 26 February 2019

(single source)

The U.S. Department of Defense wants to solicit defense companies and academics to develop an automated armoured vehicle. Called the Advanced Targeting and Lethality Automated System (ATLAS), this program aims to equip the U.S. Army with combat vehicles that have an automated target acquisition system. Using artificial intelligence and automatic learning, the vehicle will be able to acquire, identify and engage targets three times faster than a human. The military says the firing process will be partially automated, but only a human will be able to decide to open fire. This initiative should enable vehicles to engage the enemy more quickly, while reducing the risk of collateral damage. Nevertheless, several scientists are opposed to this type of project, which would mark a further step towards the development of "killer robots".

Availability : 10 years old

Interest in the Army:

●Monitor the development of capabilities and doctrine for the use of autonomous lethal weapon systems (ALWS) by modern armies;

●to consider the place of automated systems in on-board combat.

"Microsoft says it has democratic responsibility to accept lucrative military contract."

Rachel Kraus, Mashable, 27 February 2019

(source cross-checking)

A $479 million contract has been signed between Microsoft and the U.S. military for the Augmented Reality headsets, HoloLens. This head-up display system was announced in 2016 and is now being coveted by the U.S. military. Thus, the objective of the contract would be to adapt the use ofHoloLens to the battlefield. Although this contract has provoked the anger of Microsoft employees, its CEO, Satya Nadella, has reaffirmed the civic responsibility of a company in a democracy to support the institutions of its government and therefore the duty to honor the contract in question.

Availability : N/A

Interest in the Army:

●monitor the development of virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) systems and their integration into combat equipment.

"Turkey details Akinci weapons UAV programme"

Kerry Herschelman, Jane's, February 26, 2019

(source cross-checking)

Turkish aircraft manufacturer Baykar Makina is currently developing a large (20m) armed drone called "Akinci". Capable of carrying a payload of up to 1.5 tonnes and with six payload points, it could accommodate, among other things, two MAM-L laser-guided missiles (with a range of 8 km), guided rockets and smart munitions. TheAkinci is powered by two turboprop engines and has a 24-hour range. Finally, it is equipped with radar and satellite communication systems.

Availability: 2021

Interest in the Army:

●questioning the answers to the "saturation of the sky". (drones and roving ammunition);

●monitor the development of capabilities and doctrine for the use of combat UAVs by modern armies.

"A 3D printer on board the aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle"

3D Natives, February 18, 2019

(single source)

The aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle was fitted with new equipment during its second major technical stop, including a 3D printer. It will be operational for its mission next March. The purpose of the printer is not to manufacture components for an aircraft or the ship itself, but to produce the "simple little parts" of everyday life. The aircraft carrier is not the first ship of the French Navy to be equipped with a 3D printer since the PHA (Amphibious Helicopter Carrier) Dixmude has been using it for a year now.

Availability : immediate

Interest in the Army:

●explore the different applications of 3D printing ;

●increase the logistical autonomy of units deployed on operations.

"IDEX 2019: ARQUUS showcases its VAB Mk.3 with over armor for the first time."

Army Recognition, 16 February 2019

(single source)

During the IDEX 2019 exhibition held in Abu Dhabi from 17 to 21 February, Arquus presented a new solution for the VAB MK3: theAdvanced Surviability System. This should considerably improve vehicle protection by providing resistance to tandem-loaded warheads. Thanks to an impact detection and countermeasure launch device, it would make it possible to neutralize the second shaped charge. This new technology could be a game-changer in the face of anti-tank missiles such as the Kornet orJavelin.

Availability: immediate

Interest in the Army:

●monitor all programmes related to the active protection of combat vehicles.

"Request for information regarding passive exoskeletons for combatants"

Directorate-General for Armaments, 4 February 2019

(single source)

Developed for the first time in 2015 by American researchers at Carnegie Mellon University, passive exoskeletons would be of particular interest to theDefense Innovation Agency (DIA) within the Ministry of the Armed Forces. In view of the physical constraints that combatants in operation may experience, the AID "wishes to obtain information from economic operators" on the possibilities for developing such devices. Attached to the ankle and calf, this carbon fibre mechanism weighs 500 grams and does not expend any electrical or chemical energy. Discharging the calf muscles from part of the effort, it would reduce energy expenditure by 7% and could thus relieve combatants with heavy loads when walking.

Availability : N/A

Interest in the Army:

●to monitor all programmes related to the increase in the capabilities of the combatant landed in modern armies;

●improving mobility and increasing the load-carrying capacity of the landed combatant.

"Evolution of the preparation of logistics units"

Ministry of the Armed Forces, 15 February 2019

(single source)

In 2017, a Logistics Application Centre (LAC) had been established in Mourmelon to enable the logistics groups to benefit from operational joint training. At the beginning of February, the CAL's Centre d'entraînement au tir interarmes (CETIA) hosted a logistics sub-group to improve the combat readiness of logistics units. As a means of providing operational joint training, CETIA demonstrated its usefulness through joint exercises between 2 REIand 515 RT. In particular, scenarios such as "extracting casualties under fire, reacting to improvised explosive devices or ambushes" were worked on, with the aim of bringing the exercises more in line with the reality of operations. The Army has thus evolved the operational readiness of its logistics units in order to improve inter-service coordination, as it has been able to do with its other training centres.

Availability : N/A

Interest in the Army:

●optimize the operational readiness of units as part of a joint preparation.

"Development, supply and support of multi-spectral screen nets"

Ministry of Defence, Marches Online, 16 February 2019

(single source)

A call for tenders published by the DGA on 13 February this year reveals a programme to purchase 1,500 to 6,000 new multispectral screen nets (MSF). It responds to the need to camouflage Army vehicles and command posts in theatres of operation, "in the face of increasingly high-performance sensors". This would not involve individual nets, but camouflage covering an area of around 100 m². The latter would have to be capable of "decaracterising the silhouette and reducing the overall signature" whatever the wavelength of the threat (near infrared, thermal infrared, radar, ultra-violet).

Availability : N/A

Interest in the Army:

●to ask about the means of manoeuvring and parking discreetly (visible, radar, EM) ;

●to monitor all programs related to the passive protection of command posts.

"The Army Combatant 2020."

Ministry of the Armed Forces, 30 January 2019

(source cross-checking)

The Ministry of the Armed Forces has unveiled the new personal combatant equipment. The soldier will be equipped with a Ballistic Modular Structure (BMS) (bulletproof and load carrier). The SMB is adapted to the FELIN system. This vest is resistant to 7.62 mm piercing caliber impacts. It will also be equipped with a new mesh and helmet model F3, as well as various equipment such as new ballistic goggles or anti-noise plugs. The aim is to provide the military with equipment that is better adapted to the needs and threats in external operations or on national territory.

Availability : 2024

Interest in the Army:

●modernize the individual protection effects of the landed combatant.

"IDEX 2019: NEXTER launches the augmented Leclerc, UAV's becoming the long eyes of the MBT."

Paolo Valpoline, European Defence Review, 20 February 2019

(single source)

At the IDEX-2019 arms fair, the Nexter company presented the Leclerc "augmented". It will integrate the Findeagle system, enabling the crew to pilot drones. The tank will be able to use two types of drones. The IXOS XX, connected to the shield by a power cable, would be able to land and take off automatically. With a cruising speed of 10 km/h, it will have an inertial control unit and a GPS system. The second UAV, XOS LG, will have a range of 30 minutes and will also be able to take off and land automatically. Both UAVs will be equipped with cameras and will be able to integrate different sensors in order to provide the crews with increased observation capabilities. Nexter assures that the system has been designed without overly burdening the cognitive load of the tank commander, who will also assume the role of UAV pilot. This modernised tank has been presented to the DGA.

Availability: immediate

Interest in the Army:

●to follow technological developments allowing to increase the level of protection without increasing the weight;

●to follow technological developments that make it possible to acquire targets more quickly (detection), to engage them at greater distances (extension), to destroy them for sure despite their increasing level of protection (power).

"This is Antbot, an ant-inspired robot that moves without GPS."

Fabrice Auclert, Futura Sciences, February 16, 2019

(single source)

Researchers from the CNRS and the University of Aix-Marseille presented a robot that uses light to move around. Weighing 2.4 kg, it analyzes polarized light and ultraviolet rays to position itself in space. Thanks to its six legs, it would currently be able to travel fourteen metres and return to its starting point without a GPS system, with a margin of error of one centimetre. According to the researchers, weather conditions would not affect the robot's capabilities, but it has not yet been tested at night. Moreover, the researchers point out that the price of the sensors is only about a hundred euros. However, the battery life of the robot has not been communicated.

Availability: immediate (prototype)

Interest in the Army:

●have autonomous systems capable of moving in a degraded electromagnetic environment;

●have additional means that could expand the surveillance, target acquisition, reconnaissance and intelligence (SA2R) capability, particularly in urban areas.

"MBDA offers the LIC²ORNE ATLAS RC package on light armor."

MBDA, February 17, 2019

(source cross-checking)

In a press release, the European group MBDA presented its new ATLAS-RC - LIC²ORNE combination, an air defence system for mobile combat units. Combined with the Mistral ground-to-air missile (with a range of 6 km), the system is designed to be embarked on LAVs. It can destroy drones, turbo-jet missiles, airplanes or helicopters. The ATLAS-RC (remote-controlled launcher) is an automated turret mounted on a LAV, piloted from the cabin and carrying two Mistral missiles. The LIC²ORNE(Light Command and Control) system is an integrated command centre that would coordinate the launches of eight ATLAS-RC systems. This new combination would therefore enable the deployment of an air defence system as close as possible to ground units. Finally, directly inspired by feedback from combat in the Middle East, it would have special protection against UAVs.

Availability: immediate

Interest in the Army:

●to consider how to respond to the "saturation of the skies" (drones and roving munitions);

●to strengthen the low-level air defence capability of ground forces;

●questioning the trade-off between tactical and operational mobility for our machines and the protection/aggression ratio to ensure their survivability and projection capability.

"MAGIC: The magic of infrared camouflage"

Institut Mines-Télécom, February 13, 2019

(source cross-checking)

Researchers from the Saint-Etienne School of Mines have developed a multi-scale camouflage, in response to the ASTRID call for tenders launched jointly by the DGA and the national research agency. Called MAGIC, the aim of the programme is to develop a camouflage that is undetectable by infrared cameras., but also by those reproducing grayscale night-time images. The aim is therefore to increase the thermal discretion of vehicles, but also of infantrymen, by using a vanadium dioxide-based material that changes its optical properties as a function of temperature.

Availability : N/A project started in January 2019

Interest in the Army:

●reduce the visual and thermal signature of combat vehicles and landed combatants.

"Opportunities for European collaboration in armoured vehicles"

Rand Corporation, February 2019

(single source)

The American research centre Rand has published a report on opportunities for European industrial collaboration on armoured vehicles. This report looks at the offers and demands of European armies in this field. Confronting the problems of capability duplication with potential caveats (national restrictions) and European industrial issues, this research aims to identify opportunities for collaboration, their possible benefits but also their possible obstacles.

Availability : immediate

Interest in the Army:

●reflect upon opportunities for European synergies within the framework of the development of new equipment.

"After Daech, a new Iraq?"

French Institute of International Relations, February 25, 2019.

Iraqi President Barham Saleh spoke at the IFRI on Monday 25 February to present Iraq's prospects and objectives after Daech. Although the country can congratulate itself on the military victory over Daech, the President recalled that this victory should not be seen as lasting. Several objectives for post-Daech Iraq are thus outlined: rebuild the country through public-private partnerships and preserve Iraq from the crises that characterize the region. To achieve this, Barham Saleh advocates the creation of an industrial zone with its neighbours and stresses the need to build regional peace and to overcome the dividing lines, in order to ensure sustainably security.

Availability : N/A

Interest in the Army:

●to question the notion of abridging strategy, to be implemented by all the players to enable a way out of the crisis.

"Hypersonic weapons, how to counter them?"

Olivier Dujardin, Defence Analysis, 26 February 2019

(single source)

In this article, Olivier Dujardin, CEO of Arcanit, presents the means of defence against hypersonic missiles, described as "ultimate" weapons by some media. In the insert, he highlights the role of intelligence and directed energy weapons (lasers, electromagnetic weapons...). Some alternatives are currently very expensive, but others may be affordable. Finally, he considers that there is no single solution and that only a combination of systems could effectively counter this threat.

Availability : N/A

Interest in the Army:

●to present and study solutions to the threat of hypersonic weapons.

"Thinking Futures: Innovation & Science Fiction"

Defence Partners Business Association Conference, École Militaire, 20 February 2019

" When a recognized but aging scientist believes that something is possible, he is almost certainly right; but when he says that something is impossible, he is almost certainly wrong" (Arthur C. Clarke, science fiction writer). On February 20, 2019, the École militaire received Vincent Bontems, technical philosopher at the Laboratoire de Recherche sur les Sciences de la Matière (LARSIM), and Roland Lehoucq, astrophysicist at the Commissariat à l'énergie atomique, for an original conference on innovation entitled Penser les futures: innovation & science fiction. The latter aimed to highlight the reciprocal influences between the scientific and science fiction fields. Using film and literary references, the speakers painted a portrait of the state of scientific progress, measuring the gap between the possible and the unrealizable. While science fiction can be an obstacle to thinking about the future, it contributes to innovation by inspiring researchers.

Availability : N/A

Interest in the Army:

●promoting relations between the scientific community, civil and military;

●to reinforce the attractiveness of technological innovation by using more evocative for the next generation.

"Drones of mass destruction: Drones swarms and the future of nuclear, chemical, and biological weapons."

Zachary Kallenborn, Philipp Bleek, War on the Rocks, 14 February 2019

(single source)

The American defence analysis blog "War on the Rocks" proposes to examine the challenges posed by the new "swarm drone" technology in relation to the CBRN threat. UAV swarms consist of a multitude of unmanned aerodynes communicating with each other and deployed to achieve a common goal. In relation to the nuclear threat, the authors suggest that swarms of UAVs could be deployed to form an "air mine dome" to block missiles. In addition, naval UAVs could be deployed on the surface or at depth as part of anti-submarine warfare. In addition to these defensive purposes, swarms of UAVs could be used for offensive purposes, in particular to neutralise A2/AD systems, thus paving the way for an attack. Furthermore, this technology could be coupled with chemical or biological elements, using vulnerabilities such as ventilation systems. Finally, sensor-equipped UAVs could take into account meteorological data (wind, humidity) in order to adjust a chemical or biological attack.

Availability : N/A

Interest in the Army:

●to consider how to respond to the "saturation of the skies" (drones and roving munitions);

●monitor the development of capabilities and doctrine for the use of combat UAVs by modern armies.

"The other Leonardo da Vinci, military engineer and mercenary?"

Historia, December 20, 2018

The magazine Historia has dedicated its last issue of 2018 to Leonardo da Vinci. Renowned both for his brushstrokes and his artistic and scientific erudition, the fascination for the military tools of the most famous of all jack-of-all-trades is, however, less well known. However, Leonardo da Vinci (1452-1519) devoted a considerable part of his research to the development of war machines and equipment. In addition to his unfinished flying wing, the Tuscan engineer had notably sketched the plans for an armoured vehicle armed with cannons inspired by turtles, but also a submarine and a diving suit, both of which were designed for the purpose of maritime sabotage. However, the majority of his "inventions" will not see the light of day due to a lack of knowledge and adequate technology. An opportunist, Leonardo da Vinci served several princes of the then particularly unstable Italian peninsula, including the Sforzas in Milan, before finishing his work at the court of King Francis^I.

"Vauban, inventor of the bayonet socket"

Army Museum

Sébastien le Prestre, Marquis de Vauban, Marshal of France and engineer to Louis XIV, is best known for his fortifications, which are listed as UNESCO World Heritage Sites. However, his legacy is not limited to these constructions. Indeed, he is also at the origin of the bayonet socket, a major innovation in land combat.

The bayonet first appeared in the French infantry during the 17th century and gradually established itself as the inseparable complement to the rifle. The bayonet then became the basis of the infantryman's armament, and remained so until the First World War and beyond. The first bayonets, known as "sleeve" bayonets, were daggers whose handle could be inserted into the barrel of a rifle. However, Vauban imagined the modern form of the bayonet, fitted with a socket. This improved version allowed the bayonet to be fixed to the barrel of the rifle without preventing firing and reloading, thus increasing the firepower. Vauban's innovation led to the progressive disappearance of the spikes and the transformation of infantrymen into "fusiliers". More than the improvement of an armament, the bayonet socket allowed a real reconfiguration of the organization of infantry units.