The end of 2024 is approaching and now it's time for us to list the 10 Most Interesting Military Technology News of 2024. This year saw drone and AI technology being used more widely in the Russian-Ukrainian and Israeli-Palestinian-Lebanon conflicts. This will be a trend that will definitely continue in 2025.
1. Walkie Talkie and Pager Bomb Attack Kills 42 People in Lebanon
Thousands were injured and 42 were reported dead when hundreds of pagers and walkie talkies exploded simultaneously in Lebanon. The victims were Hezbollah members who were the main targets and civilians nearby when the bombs exploded. The Israeli intelligence agency Mossad is believed to be the mastermind behind this massive attack
Pagers are used by Hezbollah as a messaging device between members because they are harder to track than cellular phones. They still use radio signals which makes tracking using cellular towers more difficult.
It is believed that Mossad managed to sell the pagers and radios containing the bombs purchased by Hezbollah using a third company whose identities were kept secret five months before they were detonated simultaneously.
2. AI Used by America to Bomb 85 Targets in the Middle East
The use of artificial intelligence (AI) on the battlefield is a very sensitive issue. Project Maven by the United States, for example, was developed by the United States to use AI for military purposes, which caused Google employees to go on strike. According to Bloomberg, AI developed under Project Maven has already been used to carry out bombing missions in the Middle East.
Bloomberg quoted Schuyler Moore, CTO of the US Central Command Headquarters, who said that computer vision algorithms were used to identify 85 targets to be bombed in Iraq, Syria and Yemen this month. One of the branches of Project Maven is the ability to analyze images taken on the battlefield and then identify the location of the enemy. This is the first time that the United States has confirmed that AI has been used in the process of identifying their targets.
However, it is not the first time that AI technology has been used on the battlefield. Israel confirms their The Gospel technology that has been used to bomb more than 200 enemy locations in the ongoing Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
3. America Wants to Build a “Fuel Station” for Satellites in Space
Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellites still have to face air resistance even though they are thin at an altitude of thousands of kilometers from the earth’s surface. From time to time they need to be raised back to their original orbit using the fuel they carry. Over time, when it runs out, the satellites are no longer able to maintain orbit and burn up
The United States Space Force (USSF) has expressed interest in building a system that allows satellites in space to be refueled and also perform maintenance work when needed.
For this purpose, the USSF has chosen the Passive Refueling Module (PRM) designed by Northrop Grumman as the standard for military satellites and spacecraft that will serve as fuel stations. Northrop Grumman has also been entrusted with developing the Geosynchronous Auxiliary Support Tanker (GAS-T) that will perform this task in the future. GAS-T is a robot that can perform the above tasks without a human crew.
4. Indonesian Engineers Arrested for Allegedly Stealing KF-21 Boramae Technology Secrets
Two Indonesian engineers have been arrested in South Korea for allegedly trying to steal KAI KF-21 Boramae fighter jet technology. The two employees of PT Dirgantara Indonesia (PTDI) are believed to have tried to smuggle out the fighter jet's program data on a USB drive. The data found on the drive is currently being analyzed to see if it contains strategic technology that should not have been taken.
The KAI KF-21 Boramae is South Korea's effort to develop a 4.5 generation fighter jet using local expertise. Indonesia is a development partner for the aircraft, originally named KAI KF-X, with an agreement to cover 20% of the 8.8 trillion Won (~RM 32 billion) program cost.
As of May, the two engineers have not been arrested or imprisoned but are prohibited from leaving South Korea pending a full investigation.
5. Lockheed Martin Shows Off Swaterbang Refueling Plane Design
The United States is currently developing a next-generation refueling plane that is difficult to detect by enemy radars under the Next-Generation Air Refueling System (NGAS) program. The design of the plane was shown off last month in a mock-up image.
At first glance, it looks more like a drone in the same class as the Loyal Wingman. It clearly has two fuel tank storage compartments built into the wings. The aircraft is also larger than the F-35 fighter. To make it harder to detect by radar, the body is filled with ridges where the aircraft panels are connected, similar to those used on the F-35 and F-22.
The NGAS will operate on the border and can enter enemy airspace to supply fuel to fighter aircraft when needed. Current tanker aircraft must operate further away, requiring fighter aircraft to leave the conflict zone first.
6. South Korea Develops Hydrogen-Cell-Powered Tanks
Future wars will be dominated by drones and artificial intelligence. While many see the situation in Ukraine as a sign that the era of main battle tanks (MBTs) is over, several new-generation MBTs have already been developed by the United States, the United Kingdom and Germany. In South Korea, Hyundai Rotem Co has shown off its latest MBT design that uses hydrogen cells.
The Hyundai Rotem K3 MBT will be equipped with a 130mm smoothbore main gun, active defense systems, can operate with other drone weapon systems and be equipped with its own drones. The gun system will also use artificial intelligence (AI) to improve firing accuracy.
More details about the K3 have not yet been announced, but it is targeted to begin operations by 2040, making it the first MBT to be powered by hydrogen cells. The use of a hydrogen drive train will not only make the K3 quieter when operating but also difficult to detect because it does not have a noticeable heat signature that makes it a target for ATGM systems.
7. Animation Shows How the Liberty Lifter Ekranoplan Will Work
The Liberty Lifter project was announced by DARPA in 2022 to produce an ekranoplan for use by the United States military. The designs of General Atomics and Aurora Flight Systems were then selected for the next phase last year. Last September, Aurora Flight Systems shared an animation of how their ekranoplan would work.
The animation shows the aircraft flying at an altitude of about 30 meters above sea level. When flying, only four of the eight engines are needed. It then lands on the surface of the sea and releases the amphibious armored car cargo from the stern of the ship. It will then fly back into the air with the help of eight engines.
Aurora Flight Systems said they are currently in the phase of building a small-scale prototype with a wingspan of 65 meters. Next, the full-scale aircraft will be built with the goal of making its first flight in 2028. This full-scale aircraft aims to be able to carry a cargo weighing 81,000 kg.
8. China Reportedly Building Nuclear Reactors for Aircraft Carriers
Fujian conventional aircraft carrier
Last month, China began construction of nuclear reactors that will be used on its next aircraft carrier. With nuclear aircraft carriers, China can carry out longer missions because ships of this type can sail for years without needing to be refueled. Through satellite images taken near the city of Leshan in Sichuan province, researchers from the Middlebury Institute of International Studies in California found evidence of a prototype reactor for the ship being built.
The nuclear reactor construction project is named Longwei with the project area named Base 909 under the jurisdiction of the China Institute of Nuclear Energy. The construction of a nuclear aircraft carrier is the next step for China to reach a level comparable to the United States and France, which are the two countries that have it. The United States has 11 nuclear aircraft carriers and France has only one.
China is already capable of building its own conventional aircraft carriers and also those equipped with the CATOBAR system. Last year we reported that China was interested in building a nuclear-powered cargo ship. At that time, it was just a plan with a project built by a public company without military involvement.
9. Tesla Deactivates Cybertruck Sent to the Ukrainian Warfield
Last August, Chechen President Ramzan Kadyrov showed off a Tesla Cybertruck that he said was a gift from Elon Musk. This electric truck was later equipped with a machine gun with Kadyrov saying that it would be sent to the battlefield of the Ukrainian-Russian conflict.
Then in September, Kadyrov said that the Cybertruck had been decommissioned by Elon Musk, forcing it to be withdrawn from the battlefield. However, Kadyrov said that two new Cybertrucks, also modified to carry machine guns, had been sent to the Ukrainian-Russian battlefield in their place. The report suggests that Tesla has the ability to disable its vehicles remotely if necessary.
10. Australia Now Has Self-Sailing “Ghost Sharks” That Hunt Under the Sea
Drone technology has been very effective in Ukraine and is now causing a paradigm shift in the defense systems used by conventional armies. Cheaper drones can cause high damage when used in large swarms. The next frontier in the drone arena is their use under the sea.
In April, Australia announced that it had developed the Ghost Shark underwater drone with self-sabotaging capabilities. The first prototype drone, the Extra-Large Autonomous Undersea Vehicle (XL-AUV), Ghost Shark, has been completed with three more to be produced next year. Under this XL-AUV program, Australia wants to have the ability to monitor the underwater area more comprehensively.
Australia is the closest ally of the US and UK in the Asia Pacific region. Therefore their ability to monitor Chinese naval activities is important. What the specifications are and how long the “Ghost Shark” can operate without human intervention is a secret to Australia.