The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) is hoping to improve the technological capabilities of the U.S. military by developing new micro-sized satellites.  Known as the Blackjack program,  it’s designed to provide low-Earth orbit satellite operations for the U.S. military. To achieve this goal, however, the satellites must be smaller and more compact than conventional satellites, thus DARPA is seeking proposals from the public.

Conventional satellites have an orbit of about 22,236 miles above Earth’s surface. In comparison, low-Earth satellites are often just 100 to 1,200 miles above Earth’s surface. There are both advantages and disadvantages to low-Earth satellites. Because they have a lower orbit altitude than conventional satellites, they offer faster transmission speeds and a higher level of reliability. On the other hand, their low altitude may interfere with other transmission devices on the ground.

Perhaps the greatest benefit of DARPA’s Blackjack project would be a lower cost. Creating and launching satellites isn’t cheap. According to Quartz, a single launch from a private company costs $100 million to $260 million. The smaller, low-orbit satellites proposed by DARPA could significantly lower this cost in several ways. First, the small size of the satellites allows aerospace companies to launch them using less fuel and resources. Second, the satellites don’t have to launched as far as conventional satellites. For these reasons, DARPA’s Blackjack satellites could save the U.S. military a substantial amount of money.

DARPA is currently accepting proposals for the new micro-sized, low-Earth satellites. Reports indicate that DARPA will select up to eight companies to develop the new satellites. However, it may award additional contractors for related hardware, software, flight control systems and payload launch services.

In its request, DARPA says that companies should submit proposals for satellites that can “accommodate a wide range of military payload types without redesign or retooling of the production line for each payload.”

While DARPA hasn’t officially announced how the Blackjack satellites will be used by the military, it’s safe to assume that they will have two primary functions: communications and surveillance. The satellites would undoubtedly improve the U.S. military’s communications and surveillance capabilities by breaking its dependence on traditional satellite systems.

So, how much will the Blackjack program cost? While the project’s exact costs remain unknown, DARPA says that it will award more than $117 million in contracts to eligible companies.

To learn more about DARPA’s Blackjack project, check out this Wired Magazine article.

A new memorial for the 5th Marine Regiment of the Vietnam War was opened at Camp Pendleton on Memorial Day, giving closure to thousands of veterans and their families.

Also known as the Fighting 5th, the 5th Marine Regiment endured some of the toughest combat and environmental scenarios throughout the Vietnam War.  They were deployed on March 5, 1966, after which they stayed in Vietnam for more than five fears. In 2003, one of the 5th Marine Regiment’s soldiers, John Culbertson, published a book in which he detailed the challenges faced by the Marines. According to Culbertson, the Marines fought with bolt rifles during the fiercest combat of the Vietnam War.

Like many regiments, though, the 5th Marine Regiment has been largely forgotten over time. But it appears that they now have a permanent memorial at Camp Pendleton. The new memorial features the name, rank and date of death of all 2,706 Marines from the 5th Marine Regiment that died during the Vietnam War.

When speaking about the new memorial, Lt. Steve Colwell explained that these men had answered the call of duty to serve and protect their country. They traveled more than 10,000 miles to fight in some of the harshest conditions, only to make the ultimate sacrifice.

“In the 60s, they raised their hand and they answered the call of duty when 16 million of their peers stepped sideways or backwards,” said Lt. Steve Colwell in an interview with Fox News. “They put on a pack and went 10,000 miles away from home. They fought in rice paddies and jungles and monsoons and terrible conditions and they gave all they had and all they would ever have.”

Colwell is actually responsible for the new memorial’s creation. Along with the help of other Vietnam veterans, Colwell encouraged officials to create a memorial for the 5h Marine Regiment, which is now finished as Camp Pendleton. Colwell, who was a former platoon leader, says that even after all these years, he still reflects on the pain and hardship of the Vietnam War.

Although Memorial Day is now ever, we should continue to honor and appreciate all our country’s military veterans. Freedom is something that most of us take for granted. It’s not until our freedom is taken away or threatened that we realize how precious is truly it is. And if it weren’t for the brave men and women of the U.S. Armed Forces, perhaps we wouldn’t have this freedom.

In an effort to attract new recruits, the U.S. Navy will be increasing the amount of tuition assistance it offers to active sailors. Starting June 1, 2018, all sailors will have the option to take college classes with a maximum tuition assistance of $4,500 per year. So, how does this compare to the Navy’s previous tuition assistance?

In the past, the Navy’s tuition assistance allowed sailors to take up to 16 semester hours each year, with a maximum reimbursement of $250 for each of these semester hours. Under this new and improved model, sailors will have more option from which to choose regarding their higher learning education. Sailors can choose from low- or high-cost schools, all of which are eligible for the Navy’s tuition assistance.

When speaking about the new tuition assistance changes, Vice Adm. Robert P. Burke, chief of naval personnel explained that higher learning education helps foster better skilled sailors who can operate more efficiently and effectively as part of a team.

Cyber warfare has become an increasingly common concern among military officials. Given our increasing reliance on the internet and connected system, the risk of a highly damaging cyber attack is now at an all time high. This has prompted the U.S. military to launch a cybersecurity training exercise during Cyber Shield 18.

So, what is Cyber Shield 18? Cyber Shield is an annual training event that focuses specifically on cybersecurity, network defense, intrusion detection and protection from hackers. The U.S. military’s first Cyber Shield was held in 2012. Since then, there’s been one held every year. And now that 2018 is upon us, it looks like the U.S. military is holding another Cyber Shield event.

Cyber Shield 18 has attracted servicemembers from the U.S. Army National Guard, Army Reserve and Air National Guard. The event is being held at Camp Atterbury, Indiana through the middle of May. According to the U.S. Army’s official website, more than 800 servicemembers will participate in the event, with the first leg of Cyber Shield 18 involving classroom preparation.

Following the classroom preparation, participants of Cyber Shield 2018 will be tasked with defending against a wide variety of cyber attacks. The event is designed to train U.S. military servicemembers with the skills necessary to defend against cyber attacks. Participants are split into teams teams: Blue and Red. Each team competes to see which one is more effective at defending against each other’s cyber attacks. The Blue and Red teams will also evaluate their opposing team’s performance.

When speaking about the event, Col. Brad Rhodes explained that Cyber Shield 2018 exposes cyber soldiers to realistic cyber attack scenarios, allowing them to develop and hone their cybersecurity skills. “Cyber Shield is real,” said Lt. Col. Brad Rhodes of the Colorado Army National Guard. “It’s about as real as it gets for these defenders, and it gets them that realism, so they can take that back and actually perform in an incident response in a credible manner.”

Some people assume that cyber attacks only target individuals and businesses, but this isn’t necessarily true. While individuals and businesses are often targeted for monetary purpose — hackers extort them or collect and sell their data — government entities are also targeted. If an enemy of the United States wants to harm the U.S. infrastructure, it may conduct a wide-scale cyber attack campaign on power grids and government networks. This has prompted the U.S. military to ramp up its cybersecurity training efforts.

The U.S. Army is considering new vision assistance technology that could replace night vision goggles. According to USA Today, this is part of the U.S. military’s project to modernize the Army and stay ahead of its rivals. But these aren’t your typical night vision goggles. Rather, they provide a plethora of features and benefits that’s simply not found in traditional vision assistance technology.

Sources say the new goggles will allow Army soldiers to see through dense fog, smoke, vegetation and even around corners. Furthermore, the technology will allow them to distinguish between allied and enemy forces, thus reducing the risk of friendly fire incidents.

Known as Enhanced Night Vision Goggle III, it uses thermal imaging technology to provide Army Soldiers with a new, unparalleled level of versatility on the battlefield. Contrary to popular belief, traditional night vision goggles don’t use thermal imaging. Instead, they are designed to collect all surrounding light from the lens, which they amplify to create a higher level of visibility in otherwise low-light conditions. The use of thermal imaging technology could be a game changer, however.

The Enhanced Night Vision Goggle III also features wireless connectivity, allowing soldiers to connect the goggles to the scope on their rifle. As a result, soldiers can look through the goggles to see through the scope of their rifle. This feature means that soldiers can easily see and fire their weapons while wearing the Enhanced Night Vision Goggle III. The goggles even allow soldiers to see through concrete weapons, as they rely on thermal imaging technology.

When speaking about the Enhanced Night Vision Goggle III, Army Col. Christopher Schneider explained that it’s more than just a night vision device. It allows Army soldiers to see potential targets before they can see them. Of course, this would essentially give Army soldiers an advantage over their enemies. As explained by Christopher Schneider, enemies can’t see soldiers aiming them when those soldiers are wearing the Enhanced Night Vision Google III.

“It is no longer just a night vision device,” said Army Col. Christopher Schneider, the project manager for the system that can be worn night and day. “The enemy can’t see we’re targeting him until we pull the trigger.”

The Enhanced Night Vision Goggle III isn’t cheap. Reports suggest the new high-tech goggles cost about $23,000 a piece, making it an expensive piece of hardware. Nonetheless, it could be a game changer for the Army and its allies.

U.S. Army Secretary Mark Esper has revealed a critical upgrade needed by the country’s largest military branch.  According to Esper, the Army’s Next Generation Combat Vehicle (NGGV) will involve the development of a new infantry fighting vehicle that provides capability with the Army’s existing armored formations.

Of course, the U.S Army’s primary infantry fighting vehicle is currently the Bradley Fighting Vehicle (BFV). Originally rolled out for service in the 1980s, the BFV has become a key asset used by the Army. Its primary purposes include infantry transportation, core fire and protection. There have been several variations of the BFV since its inception, the most common of which include the M2 Bradley and B3 Bradley. The M2 supports a maximum of three crew members, including a commander, gunner and driver, as well as a half-dozen infantry soldiers. The M3, on the other hand, supports a maximum of three crew members but without the added space for additional infantry. instead, it uses this space for weapons like the BGM-71 TOW missiles.

The BFV isn’t without its flaws. Military officials say it’s too bulky and not fitted with the right equipment for today’s combat needs. Because of this, they are seeking to replace it with a new infantry fighting vehicle, dubbed the NGGV.

Surprisingly, though, the U.S. Army has attempted to replace the BFV in the past. The Army launched the GCV program nearly a decade ago in hopes of developing a new, more versatile infantry fighting vehicle. This project was ultimately scrapped, putting the Army back at square one. It appears that the Army is taking another shot at it, however, as Esper has confirmed that a new vehicle is in the works.

So, why did the Army stop development of the GCV program? Reports show that the Army didn’t have the necessary funds for the project. After budget cuts were made, the Army had about one-fifth of the money that it had requested for the new infantry fighting vehicle. Without the necessary funds, the Army was forced to postpone the project.

“This is an exciting time as the Army faces many challenges. It’s going to take a great deal of leadership. It’s going to take tough decision-making. It’s going to take persistence by me and my leadership team,” said Esper when discussing the new infantry fighting vehicle.

Although the Army hasn’t announced an official date for the new NGGV, officials say the first batch of prototypes will likely be delivered by 2019.

Soldiers in the U.S. Army may soon have access to a new handgun. For more than three decades, the Army’s standard-issue handgun has been the Beretta M9. This semiautomatic 9mm pistol offers a balanced weight, comfortable grip and support for modifications. However, new reports suggest that the U.S Army will replace the now-dated Beretta M9 with a new handgun.

So, what handgun will the U.S. Army use in the future? The Army is expected to replace the Beretta M9 with the Sig Sauer 9mm XM17. A smaller, slimmer and more compact version of the Sig Sauer XM18, the XM17 also fires 9mm rounds, but it features several improvements and enhancements over its Beretta counterpart. Among other things, the Army’s new handgun features a slide cut out to support a reflex site, ambidextrous thumb safety, loaded chamber indicator, improved trigger mud flap, and support for 17- and 21-round magazines. Perhaps the greatest benefit of the XML17, however, is its modular design. Components like the grip can be swapped out to create a fully customizable handgun, thus improving its versatility as a field weapon. The XM17 features a Picatinny rail, allowing users to install lasers, lights or other attachments.

The U.S. Army selected Sig Sauer P320 MHS handgun as the winner for its United States Military’s Modular Handgun System trials in January 2017. Shortly after announcing this news, the Army said the handgun will be developed in two variants: the XM17 and XM18. The XM17 is actually the smaller of the two versions, whereas the M18 is designed for concealed carry. Under this contract, the Army will purchase the Sig Sauer XM17 along with its specialized 9mm ammunition.

“We are planning to do a limited release of about 5,000 of the Army variant of the M17 for the commercial market,” said Tom Taylor of Sig Sauer, in an interview with Military.com. “The timing is not finalized yet, but it looks to be late spring.”

Contrary to popular belief, the XM17 isn’t a new handgun. It was actually developed by Sig Sauer back in 2014. Since then, it’s been used by countless law enforcement and military organizations throughout the world. This is the first time, however, that the Army has decided to use the XM17 as its standard-issue handgun.

The Army is planning to roll out the new XM17 handgun to bases throughout the world over the next 10 years.

The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) is calling on aerospace experts from across the country to develop new, faster technologies to launch rockets and payloads into space. It currently takes private aerospace companies years to conduct a launch. DARPA’s new Launch Challenge, however, seeks to reduce this time to just days.

When speaking about the project, DARPA’s Todd Master explained that current launch technologies were developed during the early days of space exploration. Therefore, there wasn’t a need for timely launches. In today’s world, though, the U.S. government and military needs timely launches to deliver satellites and other payloads into orbit within days, not years. To achieve this goal, DARPA is calling on the country’s top aerospace experts to develop new launch technologies as part of the Launch Challenge.

“We want to demonstrate the ability to launch payloads to orbit on extremely short notice, with no prior knowledge of the payload, destination orbit, or launch site. The launch environment of tomorrow will more closely resemble that of airline operations — with frequent launches from a myriad of locations worldwide,” explained Todd Master, DARPA’s Launch Challenge team leader.

The general idea is to cut down on the time it takes to launch rockets. Rather than waiting years for a private company to launch a payload on behalf of the government, DARPA wants companies to perform these launches within days and with little or no notice. This certainly sounds like an optimistic view, but it’s plausible given the recent advancements in space and rocket technology. And if DARPA is able to develop new, faster launch technologies, it could provide the U.S. government and military with a huge advantage. The only downside is that it may take several years before the new technology is ever adopted.

So, what’s at stake for DARPA’s Launch Challenge? According to a press release issued by the defense company, all qualifying teams will compete for prizes beginning in late 2019, with the grand prize being $10 million. With such a massive grand prize up for grabs, the Launch Challenge is guaranteed to attract some entrepreneurial rocket and aerospace experts.

DARPA says that it will work directly with the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) throughout the Launch Challenge to ensure that all participants receive the necessary approval to launch their rockets.

DARPA will host a competitors’ day in Los Angeles on May 23, 2018, during which participants can learn more about the Launch Challenge.

The U.S. Navy is upgrading its fleet with a new stealth destroyer. Known as the USS Zumwalt, it’s been in development for some time, with origins dating back to 2008, during which the Navy hired Bath Iron Works to build the destroyer. However, the USS Zumwalt is now receiving some much-needed upgrades to improve its performance and versatility as an attack ship.

According to National Interest, the Navy will equip the USS Zumwalt with an Evolved Sea Sparrow Missile as well as SM-2, introducing new weapons systems for the stealth destroyer. Furthermore, the Navy is considering other weapons systems for the USS Zumwalt , including land-based missiles. “The Navy is in the process of updating required documents to support new surface strike requirements,” said Zumwalt program manager Capt. Kevin Smith when speaking about the project.

The USS Zumwalt receives its namesake from American naval officer Elmo Russel Zumwalt, Jr., who was the youngest person to serve in the Navy as the Chief of Naval Operations. Zumwalt later went on to become an admiral, and he played an important role in the U.S. military’s presence during the Vietnam War. After 32 years of service, Zumwalt retired from the Navy. However, this legacy lives on in the form of the USS Zumwalt stealth destroyer.

As shown in the photo above, the USS Zumwalt isn’t your typical destroyer. It features a sleek design with enhanced stealth capabilities. The USS Zumwalt measures roughly 600 feet long, making it relatively small compared to other destroyers in the Navy’s fleet. But it’s main strength lies in its stealth capabilities. It’s able to sneak past enemy lines undetected, offering a major advantage to the Navy.

And soon the USS Zumwalt will be even more powerful, as the Navy is looking to upgrade it with new weapons systems. The introduction of an Evolved Sea Sparrow Missile could prove invaluable in enhancing the stealth destroyer’s attack capabilities. Originally designed 2004, it’s able to counter supersonic anti-ship missiles, thus protecting the USS Zumwalt from key threats. Of course, the USS Zumwalt isn’t cheap to build. According to Wikipedia, the stealth destroyer comes with a hefty price tag of $3.5 billion to $4.4 billion. With these new upgrades, though, it could prove to be well worth the investment for the Navy.

So, when will the Navy finish upgrading the USS Zumwalt? An exact date of completion is unknown at this time, though reports suggest that the Navy is aiming for 2020.

It’s been a long time in the making, but the U.S. Marines are finally getting a new sniper rifle.

For nearly a half century, the Marines have used the Remington bolt-action M40 sniper rifle. It was introduced during the Vietnam War, and since then it has served as the default sniper rifle used by the Marines. Granted, the Marines have introduced variations of the M40 sniper rifle, some of which feature carbon stocks, enhanced scopes and other upgrades. But even with these variants, the Marines haven’t changed the fundamental design of the sniper rifle for more than 50 years. It appears the era of the M40 is coming to and end, however, as the U.S. Marine Corps recently announced plans to use a different sniper rifle.

According to various reports, the U.S. Marine Corps will replace its decades-old M40 sniper rifle with the Mark 13 Mod 7 sniper rifle. Technically, the Mark 13 Mod 7 isn’t a new sniper rifle. It’s actually been around for a while. In fact, the Navy SEALs  have used the Mark 13 Mod 7 sniper rifle in operations for more than a decade. This is the first time, however, that the Marines have changed its default sniper rifle from the M40 to the Mark 13 Mod 7.

When speaking about the upgrade, the Marine Corps explained that the new Mark 13 Mod 7 sniper rifle, also known as the Compact Semi-Automatic Sniper System (CSASS), is lighter and will allow Marines to quickly engage multiple targets more effectively.

“The Compact Semi-Automatic Sniper System (CSASS) will replace the M110 with enhanced shooter ergonomics and increased operational availability time. The lighter, more capable rifle will improve the sniper’s ability to rapidly engage multiple, moving targets,” wrote the Marine Corps when announcing the new sniper rifle.

So, what is the Mark 13 Mod 7 sniper rifle exactly? It uses a long-action bolt of the Remington 700/M24 receiver, and it has a precision barrel that’s capable of firing accurate shots at longer distances than its M40 predecessor. Some reports suggest it has a maximum range of 1,000 meters to 1,300 meters.

One of the reasons the Mark 13 Mod 7 sniper rifle is capable of shooting such long distances is because of its bullet. The M40 sniper rifle uses .308 rounds, whereas the new Mark 13 Mod 7 uses the larger .300 Winchester Magnum rounds. Furthermore, the Mark 13 Mod 7 only needs 246 inches of vertical correction and 40 inches of horizontal correction in 5-mile-per-hour winds. This makes it a formidable weapon that’s sure to have a positive impact on the U.S. Marine Corps and their operations.