All articles by Grant Turnbull
Grant Turnbull
Disruptor and drone combine to take on IED threats from the air
Companies are looking at innovative concepts for dealing with improvised explosive devices (ieds), including the use of drones to reduce risk to bomb disposal experts. Grant Turnbull speaks to SteelRock Technologies about its IED disruptor drone.
Reusable rockets and the limits of space: onboard the STP-2 mission
In June the US Department of Defense (DoD) used SpaceX’s Falcon Heavy for the first time to propel several satellites into orbit. It was also the first time the DoD had reused boosters from a previous launch, which then landed again for further use. Grant Turnbull asks, is this the beginning of a new era of space launches for the US military?
Generation six: training for future fighter aircraft
While fifth-generation fighters such as the F-35 are still in their infancy, the aerospace community is already looking ahead to the sixth generation. With aircraft such as the UK’s Tempest on the horizon, Grant Turnbull finds out how future generations of pilots will be trained to use these increasingly complex platforms.
From Russia to Nato: the logic behind Poland’s military modernisation
Poland is one of the few countries in the 29-strong NATO alliance that spends over 2% of GDP on defence. With a belligerent Russia on its eastern flank, Poland is continuing to modernise its armed forces. Grant Turnbull finds out what the country wants, and whether it can afford it.
Fire fight: using military drone swarms to tackle civil emergencies
A large swarm of drones being intelligently driven by machine-learning algorithms to seek out their next target sounds like an unsettling vision of a future battlefield. But US and UK military researchers are now looking at how intelligent swarming drones could be used during civil emergencies, particularly in areas ravaged by wildfires, to intelligently map and predict danger areas to assist first responders and save lives.
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Entente discordiale: will we ever see a future Franco-German fighter aircraft?
France and Germany have joined forces to work on a new European fighter aircraft. The project is ambitious – both technically and politically – and is already raising a series of challenges as both countries vie for influence. Will it take off or take a nose dive?
Infrared search and track technology gives fighter aircraft stealth vision
Infrared search and track technology promises to enhance sensor suites for next-generation fighter aircraft, especially when it comes to spotting stealth aircraft without using radar. Grant Turnbull visited European defence manufacturer Leonardo in Nerviano, Italy, to find out more about this technology.