US Marine Corps Transforming Helicopter

Designed in a modular style, the ARES unmanned helicopter equipped for the US Marine Corps can transform depending on each mission.

Top equipment

According to Defense News, on October 18, the Pentagon's Future Projects Agency (DAPRA) introduced the Aerial Reconfigurable Embedded System (ARES) unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) with vertical take-off and landing capabilities, specializing in transporting goods and ammunition.

ARES was developed from DARPA's Transformer (TX) project, which tested a "flying jeep" capable of running on the ground like an off-road sports car and switching to vertical flight mode to conduct multi-purpose transport operations.

The US Marine Corps' future ARES UAV.

The notable point of the ARES helicopter is that it has the ability to “transform”. Specifically, the ARES is a detachable part with two propellers on both sides located in a wing frame and has the ability to take off and land vertically (similar to the Bell/Boeing V-22 Osprey amphibious aircraft).

The two propellers can rotate to fly at speeds comparable to small aircraft. When transporting troops, the middle section of the ARES will be fitted with a suitable compartment, and when transporting goods, it will be replaced with another compartment.

The parts can be changed to make the mission most effective, they are not fixed like today's manned helicopters.

ARES uses a digital flight control system that supports remote control, allowing it to operate as an unmanned helicopter. High-resolution cameras and infrared sensors help the helicopter operate effectively during the day as well as at night.

According to some sources, the US Army is also developing new features for ARES to meet the military's requirements in the more distant future.

Laser weapons, robot dogs

Previously, the US also introduced and announced a series of weapons with outstanding features. On August 29, the Chinese newspaper Reference News cited the Daily Mail and published an article introducing a new silent laser attack weapon that had just been tested by the US Boeing Company.

According to this article, Boeing's latest laser weapon system - the "Compact Laser Weapon System" (LWS) can be disassembled into four large parts, each of which can be transported by one or two soldiers.

It can be assembled within 15 minutes, using a laser beam to destroy targets at least 35 km away, with a maximum power of 10 kW. Boeing said the "silent, shapeless, and precise compact laser weapon system" can use direct-current energy to hit targets.

Now, in an exercise in Point Mugu, California, the system has made a milestone breakthrough, tracking and destroying a drone flying in the air. In February last year, the US also introduced robots such as "Valkyrie", "Big Dog", "Cheetah", Petman, actively supporting the US military on the battlefield, they will even replace combat soldiers in the future.

A year later, the American defense company Boston Dynamics continued to launch the latest version of the robot dog with outstanding skills, named Spot - this is a four-legged robot, designed to be suitable for indoor and outdoor activities. The robot dog Spot has the ability to maintain its balance and is more flexible than the robot AlphaDog when climbing up hills.

Spot uses electric and hydraulic power to move its legs. The robot's head is equipped with a laden sensor that helps it navigate and traverse difficult terrain. The Spot robot fits into Boston Dynamics' larger ecosystem in terms of applications.

Weighing 73 kg and running as quietly as possible, it is considered one of the most capable robot dogs in the US military's group of robot warriors. Although it has a slight advantage in transport robots, the US is considered to be lagging behind Russia in the field of combat robots, because Moscow has now deployed a series of these robot warriors.

According to Baodatviet