The Lockheed MQM-105 Aquila (Eagle) was the first small battlefield drone developed in the United States during the 1970s to act as a target designator for the US Army.
93-633: The modern history of the Army's battlefield drone efforts began in 1972, when DARPA began the Remotely Piloted Aerial Observation/Designation System program which included PRAIRIE, Calare, and Aequare . The program was conceptualized in January 1973 in the joint U.S. Army and DARPA-funded project called RPAODS ( Remotely Piloted Aerial Observer Designator System ). PRAIRIE was a Philco Ford UAV with
186-680: A civilian casualty ratio of 1:30, or one civilian casualty for every thirty combatant casualties, in its airstrikes on militants in the Palestinian territories . Alan Dershowitz noted that "No army in history has ever had a better ratio of combatants to civilians killed in a comparable setting". The IAF played a critical role in the 2006 Lebanon War . IAF strikes—mainly, though not exclusively, in southern Lebanon —were aimed at stopping rocket launches by Hezbollah 's militia targeting Israeli towns. The IAF flew more than 12,000 combat missions during this war. The most notable, taking place during
279-413: A TV camera and a laser target designator. PRAIRIE was able to target a truck and guide a laser-guided bomb to it. Calare and Aequare was delivered by Melpar and JHU/APL respectively. Melpar's prototype was launched from the top of the truck and landed on skids on a prepared runway. APL's prototype was a delta-wing aircraft, launched from a small cart and assisted by a bungee cord DARPA does not have
372-500: A charter to build operational systems, and passed the concept to the Army Aviation Systems Command, which decided to proceed with the next phase of development, a System Technology Demonstrator(STD). In 1975 the Army put the follow-on effort up for bid, and Lockheed was the low bidder. This phase of the program lasted until 1979 and demonstrated that the system had military potential and it could be developed at
465-570: A cooperation among Bell Labs , General Electric and MIT , which DARPA supported by funding Project MAC at MIT with an initial two-million-dollar grant. DARPA supported the evolution of the ARPANET (the first wide-area packet switching network), Packet Radio Network, Packet Satellite Network and ultimately, the Internet and research in the artificial intelligence fields of speech recognition and signal processing, including parts of Shakey
558-668: A loss of between 5 and 21 for the Israelis, on all fronts. No official numbers were released on the Arab side, though total Egyptian losses were between 235 and 242 aircraft. Syria lost between 135 and 179. Since the war, most of Israel's military aircraft have been obtained from the United States. Among these are the F-4 Phantom II , A-4 Skyhawk , F-15 Eagle and F-16 Fighting Falcon . The Israeli Air Force has operated
651-512: A munitions factory south of Khartoum. The Israeli Air Force also operates surface-to-air missile and anti-aircraft artillery units. Since 1990 their primary role has been the interception of surface-to-surface missiles and rockets fired into Israel. In 2011 the IAF began operating the ' Iron Dome ' anti-rocket missile system, which within a year had successfully intercepted and destroyed 93 rockets fired at Israeli towns from Gaza. In November 2012,
744-585: A number of domestically produced types such as the IAI Nesher , and later, the more advanced IAI Kfir , which were derivatives of the French Dassault Mirage 5 . The Kfir was adapted to utilize a more powerful U.S. engine, produced under license in Israel. On July 4, 1976, four Israeli C-130 Hercules transport aircraft secretly flew to Entebbe Airport for a rescue operation . In March 1978,
837-666: A number of new technologies that were developed within the framework of the GXV-T program. The goal of this program is to create a lightly armored combat vehicle of not very large dimensions, which, due to maneuverability and other tricks, can successfully resist modern anti-tank weapon systems. In September 2020, DARPA and the US Air Force announced that the Hypersonic Air-breathing Weapon Concept (HAWC) are ready for free-flight tests within
930-400: A reasonable risk. The RPV-STD effort created a non-stealthy tailless air vehicle with anhedral wing tips, that was launched by a pneumatic launcher, and was recovered in a trampoline-like structure which held a net. The system used an unsecured data link for tracking and data. From December 1975-November 1977 this RPV-STD system flew 149 flights, 35 by the contractor, and 114 by the Army team. At
1023-562: A whole series of X planes over the next 10 years. Between 2014 and 2016, DARPA shepherded the first machine-to-machine computer security competition, the Cyber Grand Challenge (CGC), bringing a group of top-notch computer security experts to search for security vulnerabilities , exploit them, and create fixes that patch those vulnerabilities in a fully automated fashion. It is one of DARPA prize competitions to spur innovations. In June 2018, DARPA leaders demonstrated
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#17327936666411116-486: Is "to make pivotal investments in breakthrough technologies for national security". The Advanced Research Projects Agency (ARPA) was suggested by the President's Scientific Advisory Committee to President Dwight D. Eisenhower in a meeting called after the launch of Sputnik. ARPA was formally authorized by President Eisenhower in 1958 for the purpose of forming and executing research and development projects to expand
1209-586: Is credited with boosting the development of the fledgling personal computer industry. Some young computer scientists left the universities to startups and private research laboratories such as Xerox PARC . Between 1976 and 1981, DARPA's major projects were dominated by air, land, sea, and space technology, tactical armor and anti-armor programs, infrared sensing for space-based surveillance, high-energy laser technology for space-based missile defense, antisubmarine warfare, advanced cruise missiles, advanced aircraft, and defense applications of advanced computing. Many of
1302-481: Is independent of other military research and development and reports directly to senior Department of Defense management. DARPA comprises approximately 220 government employees in six technical offices, including nearly 100 program managers, who together oversee about 250 research and development programs. The agency's current director, appointed in March 2021, is Stefanie Tompkins . As of 2021 , their mission statement
1395-577: The Gaza Strip . Seventeen trucks were bombed, and thirty-nine smugglers were killed in the strike. On April 5, 2011, a car driving from Port Sudan Airport to Port Sudan was destroyed by a missile. Both passengers were killed. one of whom may have been a senior Hamas military commander. The Sudanese Foreign Minister blamed the attack on Israel. Sudanese newspapers reported that Israeli aircraft attacked Gaza-bound arms convoys again in late 2011. On October 24, 2012, Sudan claimed that Israel had bombed
1488-842: The Israel Defense Forces (IDF). It was founded on May 28, 1948, shortly after the Israeli Declaration of Independence . As of April 2022 , Aluf Tomer Bar has been serving as the Air Force commander. The Israeli Air Force was established using commandeered or donated civilian aircraft and obsolete and surplus World War II combat aircraft . Eventually, more aircraft were procured, including Boeing B-17s , Bristol Beaufighters , de Havilland Mosquitoes and P-51D Mustangs . The Israeli Air Force played an important part in Operation Kadesh , Israel's part in
1581-611: The Israelis demonstrated the real world usefulness of RPV's in the Beqaa Valley in 1982, U. S. support for the systems jumped. The Army began to push for new variants of Aquila such as Aquila Lite which attempted to redesign the ground systems to be carried on HMMWV's instead of 5 ton trucks. In addition, U.S Naval and Air Force interest in having RPV/UAV systems blossomed. Multiple Navy and Air Force systems were proposed. To attempt to prevent duplicate efforts, Congress proposed that
1674-655: The Korean War . Israel Defence Forces had until 1995 denied women the opportunity to become pilots. In 1995, civilian pilot and aeronautical engineer Alice Miller successfully petitioned the Israel High Court of Justice to take the Israeli Air Force pilot training exams, after being rejected on grounds of gender. The court in 1996 eventually ruled that the IAF could not exclude qualified women from pilot training. Even though Miller would not pass
1767-597: The National Aeronautics and Space Administration ( NASA ) and the military space programs to the individual services. This allowed ARPA to concentrate its efforts on the Project Defender (defense against ballistic missiles), Project Vela (nuclear test detection), and Project AGILE ( counterinsurgency R&D) programs, and to begin work on computer processing, behavioral sciences , and materials sciences. The DEFENDER and AGILE programs formed
1860-649: The Suez Canal into Egypt. Israeli forces fanned north and south, destroying Egyptian rear units and punching holes through its air defence array. This allowed the IAF the freedom of action it was previously denied and renewed attacks led to the collapse of the Egyptian Air Defence Force . This prompted increased diplomatic activity to resolve the war, coupled with increased activity by the Egyptian Air Force. From about October 18 to
1953-501: The Yom Kippur War broke out on October 6, 1973, Egyptian and Syrian advances forced the IAF to abandon detailed plans for the destruction of enemy air defences . Forced to operate under the missile and anti-aircraft artillery threats, the close air support it provided allowed Israeli troops on the ground to stem the tide and eventually go on the offensive. Since that war most of Israel's military aircraft have been obtained from
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#17327936666412046-505: The 149 performance specifications. From October 1985-January 1986, Lockheed conducted a Test-Fix-Test effort at its own expense, and demonstrated that the major problems were solved. The DT IIA began in February 1986 and successfully completed in May 1986 although reliability problems continued to dog the system. The Government's Operational Test ran from October 1986 through March 1987. Although
2139-689: The 1956 Suez Crisis , dropping paratroopers at the Mitla Pass . On June 5, 1967, the first day of the Six-Day War , the Israeli Air Force performed Operation Focus , debilitating the opposing Arab air forces and attaining air supremacy for the remainder of the war. Shortly after the end of the Six-Day War, Egypt initiated the War of Attrition , and the Israeli Air Force performed repeated bombings of strategic targets deep within enemy territory. When
2232-623: The Adaptive Suspension Vehicle (ASV) nicknamed the "Walker" at the Ohio State University , under a research contract from DARPA. The vehicle was 17 feet long, 8 feet wide, and 10.5 feet high, and had six legs to support its three-ton aluminum body, in which it was designed to carry cargo over difficult terrains. However, DARPA lost interest in the ASV, after problems with cold-weather tests. On February 4, 2004,
2325-818: The Agency was centered on information processing and aircraft-related programs, including the National Aerospace Plane (NASP) or Hypersonic Research Program. The Strategic Computing Program enabled DARPA to exploit advanced processing and networking technologies and to rebuild and strengthen relationships with universities after the Vietnam War . In addition, DARPA began to pursue new concepts for small, lightweight satellites ( LIGHTSAT ) and directed new programs regarding defense manufacturing, submarine technology, and armor/anti-armor. In 1981, two engineers, Robert McGhee and Kenneth Waldron, started to develop
2418-525: The Air Force be responsible for air vehicle development and the Navy develop the payloads. Since the Aquila was so far along in its development it was allowed to continue outside of the proposed framework (somewhat as an orphan). All three services balked at Congress's proposal. Lockheed also considered a variant of the Aquila named the "Altair" for international sales, but without the government production tooling
2511-678: The Aquila Program both from internal and external causes. Within a year of the 1979 contract award, Congress zeroed the funding for the program as part of an overall budget reduction effort. Funding was restored in the following budget. Although the Aviation Systems Command was tasked with managing the system development, the Army Aviation Branch was generally hostile to the RPV in the fear that it would reduce
2604-621: The Army requested that the system be put in production, the DOD review board cancelled the program in 1987. Aviation Week and Space Technology Magazine showed residual assets being used in US Army/South Korea war games in 1988. The original fielding plans called for 780 air vehicles and 72 Launcher/Recovery System/Ground Control Station combinations. There was turmoil throughout most of the Engineering Development of
2697-466: The Egyptian advance from Gaza northwards. On May 30, after un-assembled planes were strafed on the ground at Ekron airfield , the fighters were moved to makeshift strip located around the current Herzliya Airport . The airfield was used as it was a bit back from the front-lines, and was clandestine since it was a purpose built strip, that was constructed after the beginning of hostilities, in between
2790-605: The Hamas-held Gaza Strip. In December 2008, the IAF spearheaded Operation Cast Lead , carrying out more than 2,360 air strikes. It had a principal role in destroying Hamas targets, and killed several senior Hamas commanders, including Said Seyam , Nizar Rayan , Tawfik Jaber , and Abu Zakaria al-Jamal . According to a CBS news report, in January 2009 Israeli planes struck a convoy of trucks in Sudan headed for Egypt and carrying weapons apparently meant for
2883-453: The IAF began preparing for a pre-emptive strike against Egyptian and Syrian airfields and anti-aircraft positions. The Israeli government decided against pre-emption. IAF aircraft were therefore in the process of re-armament to the air-to-air role when Yom Kippur War hostilities began at 14:00. The next morning began with Operation Tagar , a SEAD offensive against Egyptian air defences, beginning with strikes against Egyptian air bases. Tagar
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2976-548: The IAF carried out Operation Mole Cricket 19 , crippling the Syrian air defence array. In subsequent aerial battles against the Syrian Air Force , the IAF managed to shoot down 86 Syrian aircraft without losing a single fighter plane in an air-to-air combat. IAF AH-1 Cobra helicopter gunships destroyed dozens of Syrian armored fighting vehicles and other ground targets, including some T-72 main battle tanks . In
3069-702: The IAF carried out Operation Solomon which brought Ethiopian Jews to Israel. In 1993 and 1996, the IAF participated in Operation Accountability and Operation Grapes of Wrath , respectively. In the late 1990s, the IAF began acquiring the F-15I Ra'am (Thunder) and the F-16I Sufa (Storm), manufactured specially for Israel according to IAF requirements. The first of 102 F-16I Sufas arrived in April 2004, joining an F-16 fleet that had already been
3162-467: The IAF consisted of 25 Avia S-199s purchased from Czechoslovakia , essentially Czechoslovak -built Messerschmitt Bf 109s , and 60 Supermarine Spitfire LF Mk IXEs, the first of which, "Israel 1", was locally assembled from British abandoned spare parts and a salvaged engine from an Egyptian Air Force Spitfire, with most of the rest purchased from Czechoslovakia. Israel's new fighter-arm first went into action on May 29, 1948, assisting efforts to halt
3255-595: The IAF participated in Operation Accountability and Operation Grapes of Wrath , respectively. It has taken part in many operations since, including the 2006 Lebanon War , Operation Cast Lead , Operation Pillar of Cloud , Operation Protective Edge , Operation Guardian of the Walls and Operation Swords of Iron . On September 6, 2007, the Israeli Air Force successfully bombed an alleged Syrian nuclear reactor in Operation Orchard . The Israeli Air Force states
3348-738: The IAF participated in Operation Pillar of Defense , during which, according to the IDF Spokesperson , Israeli forces targeted more than 1,500 military sites in Gaza Strip, including rocket launching pads, smuggling tunnels, command centers, and weapons manufacturing and storage facilities. Many of these attacks were carried out by the Air Force. Between July 8 and August 5, 2014, the IAF participated in Operation Protective Edge , during which, according to
3441-633: The IAF was forced to operate under the SAM threat. Nevertheless, the close air support it provided allowed Israeli troops on the ground to stem the tide and eventually go on the offensive, first in the north and later in the south. After the failure of the Israeli counter-offensive in the Sinai on October 8, the southern front remained relatively static and the IAF focused its attention on the Syrian front. While A-4 Skyhawks provided much needed support to troops on
3534-462: The IAF's impressive performance in the Six-Day War, the Lyndon Johnson administration decided to sell F-4 Phantom fighters to Israel in 1968, marking the first sale of American military equipment to Israel. Shortly after the end of the Six-Day War, Egypt initiated the War of Attrition , hoping to prevent Israel from consolidating its hold over the lands captured in 1967. Israel's goal in
3627-541: The IDF Spokesperson, Israeli forces targeted 4,762 terror sites across the Gaza Strip, including rocket launching sites, command and control centers, military administration facilities, weapons storage and manufacturing facilities and training and military compounds. In May 2021, Israeli artillery and air force carried out 1,500 strikes on Gaza during Operation Guardian of the Walls . Starting in October 2023,
3720-652: The Israeli Air Force carried out Operation Mole Cricket 19 , crippling Syrian air defences in Lebanon. On October 1, 1985, In response to a PLO terrorist attack which murdered three Israeli civilians in Cyprus , the Israeli air force carried out Operation Wooden Leg , bombing the PLO Headquarters in Tunis . In 1991, the IAF carried out Operation Solomon which brought Ethiopian Jews to Israel. In 1993 and 1996,
3813-474: The Israeli Air Force fulfilled a main role in the war against Hamas . The civil war raging within Israel's northern neighbor, has occasionally witnessed activity by the IAF, some overt, some unacknowledged and some merely attributed. Notable actions include: In the Israel–Gaza war beginning in October 2023, the IAF played a major role through its bombing of Gaza and subsequent support for ground troops in
Lockheed MQM-105 Aquila - Misplaced Pages Continue
3906-727: The Israeli Air Force participated in Operation Litani . On June 7, 1981, eight IAF F-16A fighters covered by six F-15A jets carried out Operation Opera to destroy the Iraqi nuclear facilities at Osiraq. Among the pilots who took part in the attack was Ilan Ramon , later Israel's first astronaut . Prior to the 1982 Lebanon War , Syria, with the help of the Soviet Union , had built up an overlapping network of surface-to-air missiles in Lebanon 's Beqaa Valley . On June 9, 1982,
3999-559: The Israeli Navy in capturing the Egyptian Navy destroyer Ibrahim el Awal , which had bombarded the Israeli city of Haifa – an airstrike damaged the Egyptian ship's engines, enabling Israeli ships to reach it and capture it. In three hours on the morning of June 5, 1967, the first day of the Six-Day War , the Israeli Air Force executed Operation Focus , crippling the opposing Arab air forces and attaining air supremacy for
4092-530: The Israelis. The Israeli Air Force played an important part in Operation Kadesh , Israel's part in the 1956 Suez Crisis . At the launch of the operation, on October 29, Israeli P-51D Mustangs , some using their propeller blades, severed telephone lines in the Sinai . 16 IAF DC-3s – escorted by fighters – dropped Israeli paratroopers behind Egyptian lines at the Mitla Pass and Et-Tur. The Israeli Air Force conducted attacks on Egyptian ground units and assisted
4185-526: The Syrians had been pushed back and beyond their initial lines, Damascus had come within range of Israeli artillery and an Iraqi armored brigade, the vanguard of its expeditionary force, was destroyed. On October 14 the Egyptian army launched an offensive along the entire front but was repulsed by the IDF . Israel followed on this success by attacking at the seam between the 2nd and 3rd Egyptian armies and crossing
4278-486: The United States. Among these are the A-4 Skyhawk , F-4 Phantom II , F-15 Eagle , F-16 Fighting Falcon and F-35 Lightning II . The Israeli Air Force has operated a number of domestically produced types such as the IAI Nesher , and later, the more advanced IAI Kfir . On June 7, 1981, eight IAF F-16s covered by six F-15s carried out Operation Opera to destroy the Iraqi nuclear facilities at Osiraq. On June 9, 1982,
4371-649: The agency shut down its so called "LifeLog Project". The project's aim would have been, "to gather in a single place just about everything an individual says, sees or does". On October 28, 2009, the agency broke ground on a new facility in Arlington County, Virginia a few miles from The Pentagon . In fall 2011, DARPA hosted the 100-Year Starship Symposium with the aim of getting the public to start thinking seriously about interstellar travel. On June 5, 2016, NASA and DARPA announced that it planned to build new X-planes with NASA 's plan setting to create
4464-498: The agency's research portfolio, and two additional offices that manage special projects. All offices report to the DARPA director, including: A 1991 reorganization created several offices which existed throughout the early 1990s: A 2010 reorganization merged two offices: A list of DARPA's active and archived projects is available on the agency's website. Because of the agency's fast pace, programs constantly start and stop based on
4557-589: The attacks. The Israeli Air Force took an extensive part in IDF operations during the al-Aqsa Intifada , including the controversial targeted killings of Palestinian terrorist leaders, most notably Salah Shakhade , Ahmed Yassin and Abed al-Aziz Rantissi . While this policy was criticized due to the collateral damage caused in certain instances, Israel claims it is vital in its fight against terrorism and that IAF pilots do whatever they can to avoid civilian casualties, including aborting strikes. In 2007, Israel achieved
4650-534: The belly. The laser designator was intended for use with the M712 Copperhead artillery ammunition and the AGM-114 Hellfire missile. Development of a Ford Aerospace FLIR/laser designator payload began in 1984. Secure communications with the air vehicle was provided by a joint Army/Air Force program called Modular Integrated Communications/Navigational System (MICNS). On the nose of the air vehicle
4743-573: The completion of this phase the Aviation Systems Command worked with the user proponent which was the Artillery Branch to develop the requirements for a field-able system. In 1979 the Aviation Systems Command issued a Full Scale Engineering Development Request for Proposal for a systems which would meet the Artillery's Required Operational Capability. Lockheed Missile and Space Division won the contract in late 1979. The contract provided for
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#17327936666414836-470: The conflict. In the 2007 Operation Outside the Box , the Israeli Air Force attacked a suspected Syrian nuclear weapons site. The IAF used electronic warfare (EW) system to neutralize Syria's air defenses, feeding them a false sky-picture while IAF jets crossed much of Syria, bombed their targets and returned to Israel unchallenged. Since Hamas' takeover of Gaza in 2007, the Israeli Air Force has taken part in repeated bouts of violence between Israel and
4929-436: The decades since the war's official conclusion (including the conflict that followed ), the IAF has regularly conducted air strikes against targets in Southern Lebanon, namely Hezbollah positions. On October 1, 1985, the IAF carried out Operation Wooden Leg , which involved the bombing of the PLO Headquarters near Tunis . This was the longest combat mission ever undertaken by the IAF, traversing 2,300 kilometers. In 1991,
5022-409: The delivery off 22 air vehicles, 4 Ground Control Stations, 3 Launch Systems, 3 Recovery Systems and support hardware. This target acquisition, designation and aerial reconnaissance (TADAR) program effort produced a stealthy tailless aircraft driven by a Herbrandson piston engine with a 26-inch (660 mm) pusher propeller. The Westinghouse payload was a television imager/laser designator in a turret in
5115-403: The early explorers' discoveries. TRANSIT, sponsored by the Navy and developed under the leadership of Richard Kirschner at Johns Hopkins, was the first satellite positioning system." During the late 1960s, with the transfer of these mature programs to the Services, ARPA redefined its role and concentrated on a diverse set of relatively small, essentially exploratory research programs. The agency
5208-457: The end of the war, intensive air battles took place between Israeli and Egyptian aircraft. Official Israeli Air Force losses of the Yom Kippur War were 102 aircraft, including 32 F-4 Phantoms, 53 A-4 Skyhawks, 11 Dassault Mirages, and 6 IAI Sa'ars , although other accounts suggest as many as 128 Israeli aircraft were lost. 91 air force personnel, of which 53 were airmen, were killed. 172 Egyptian aircraft were shot down in air-to-air combat, for
5301-413: The ensuing invasion of the Gaza Strip . Thirty nine Israeli pilots have been credited with ace status, having shot down at least 5 enemy aircraft. Of these, 10 have shot down at least eight jet planes. The top ranking Israeli ace is Colonel Giora Epstein , who shot down seventeen enemy planes. Epstein holds the world record for jet aircraft shot down, and the most aircraft of any type shot down since
5394-419: The exams, the ruling was a watershed, opening doors for women in new IDF roles. After the prohibition had been lifted, the first female graduate was F-16 navigator "Shari" in 1998, followed three years later by Roni Zuckerman , the first female jet fighter pilot in IAF history. IAF ranks are identical to other Israel Defense Forces ranks . The rank insignia are identical except for the use of silver against
5487-666: The fighting was to exact heavy losses on the opposing side, in order to facilitate a ceasefire. The Israeli Air Force undertook repeated bombings of strategic targets deep within enemy territory and repeatedly challenged Arab air forces for aerial supremacy, while supporting operations by Israel's ground and naval forces. In late 1969 the Soviet Union began to deploy fighter aircraft units and surface-to-air missile units to Egypt. The Soviet surface-to-air missile units soon joined their Egyptian allies in direct confrontations with Israeli aircraft. Soviet fighters conducted patrols, but Israeli pilots were ordered not to engage them. On July 30, 1970,
5580-481: The first scientist to administer ARPA, managed to raise its budget to $ 250 million. It was Ruina who hired J. C. R. Licklider as the first administrator of the Information Processing Techniques Office , which played a vital role in creation of ARPANET , the basis for the future Internet. Additionally, the political and defense communities recognized the need for a high-level Department of Defense organization to formulate and execute R&D projects that would expand
5673-412: The following as its functions: The insignia / roundel of the Israeli Air Force consists of a blue Star of David on a white circle. Aircraft usually carry it painted in six positions – on the top and bottom of each wing, and on each side of the fuselage. A low-visibility variant – a blue Star of David without the white circle – exists, although its use is extremely rare. Squadron markings usually go on
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#17327936666415766-434: The foundation of DARPA sensor, surveillance , and directed energy R&D, particularly in the study of radar , infrared sensing, and x-ray / gamma ray detection. ARPA at this point (1959) played an early role in Transit (also called NavSat) a predecessor to the Global Positioning System (GPS). "Fast-forward to 1959 when a joint effort between DARPA and the Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory began to fine-tune
5859-399: The frontiers of technology and science, and able to reach far beyond immediate military requirements. The two relevant acts are the Supplemental Military Construction Authorization ( Air Force ) (Public Law 85-325) and Department of Defense Directive 5105.15, in February 1958. It was placed within the Office of the Secretary of Defense (OSD) and counted approximately 150 people. Its creation
5952-536: The frontiers of technology beyond the immediate and specific requirements of the Military Services and their laboratories. In pursuit of this mission, DARPA has developed and transferred technology programs encompassing a wide range of scientific disciplines that address the full spectrum of national security needs. From 1958 to 1965, ARPA's emphasis centered on major national issues, including space, ballistic missile defense , and nuclear test detection. During 1960, all of its civilian space programs were transferred to
6045-432: The ground, at the cost of 31 aircraft by the end of fourth day of the war, IAF Phantoms repeatedly struck Syrian air fields. Following Syrian FROG-7 strikes on military and civilian targets in northern Israel, the IAF initiated a campaign to destroy the infrastructure on which Syria's war-making capacity depended, targeting strategic targets in Syria such as its oil industry and electricity generating system. By October 13
6138-418: The largest outside the US Air Force. The IAF also purchased the advanced Israeli air-to-air missile Rafael Python 5 , with full-sphere capability, as well as a special version of the Apache Longbow , designated AH-64DI or Saraph . In 2005 the Israeli Air Force received modified Gulfstream V jets ("Nachshon"), equipped with advanced intelligence systems made by Israel Military Industries . By 2013 Israel became
6231-411: The modern world," with technologies like " Moderna's COVID-19 vaccine ... weather satellites , GPS , drones , stealth technology , voice interfaces , the personal computer and the internet on the list of innovations for which DARPA can claim at least partial credit." Its track record of success has inspired governments around the world to launch similar research and development agencies. DARPA
6324-500: The need for pilots and it competed for funds with the AHIP OH-58D program. Although the program was developed for the Artillery Branch, if the system had been fielded, it would have fallen under the Intelligence Branch. Lockheed moved the development effort from California to Austin, Texas in 1984 which broke up the contractor's development team. The Army moved the program management responsibilities from St. Louis, Mo. to Huntsville, AL in 1985 which broke up that team. To save program costs,
6417-469: The needs of the U.S. government. Structured information about some of the DARPA's contracts and projects is publicly available. DARPA is well known as a high-tech government agency, and as such has many appearances in popular fiction. Some realistic references to DARPA in fiction are as "ARPA" in Tom Swift and the Visitor from Planet X (DARPA consults on a technical threat), in episodes of television program The West Wing (the ARPA-DARPA distinction),
6510-590: The next year. Victoria Coleman became the director of DARPA in November 2020. In recent years, DARPA officials have contracted out core functions to corporations. For example, during fiscal year 2020, Chenega ran physical security on DARPA's premises, System High Corp. carried out program security, and Agile Defense ran unclassified IT services. General Dynamics runs classified IT services. Strategic Analysis Inc. provided support services regarding engineering, science, mathematics, and front office and administrative work. DARPA has six technical offices that manage
6603-413: The operational approach was modified from self-contained units to centralized launch and recovery with in-flight hand-offs between ground stations. The Aquila, as with other small RPVs, always labored under the "It's just a model airplane, why does it cost so much?" syndrome. This led to a relatively low-cost airframe, with many single point failure points, carrying expensive payloads and data links. When
6696-425: The orange orchards around Herzliya, and did not appear on published maps. The Israeli Air Force scored its first aerial victories on June 3 when Modi Alon, flying Avia D.112, shot down two Egyptian Air Force DC-3s which had just bombed Tel Aviv . The first dogfight against enemy fighters took place a few days later, on June 8, when Gideon Lichtaman shot down an Egyptian Spitfire . During these initial operations,
6789-573: The program was unaffordable. General characteristics Performance DARPA The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency ( DARPA ) is a research and development agency of the United States Department of Defense responsible for the development of emerging technologies for use by the military. Originally known as the Advanced Research Projects Agency ( ARPA ), the agency
6882-554: The remainder of the war. In a surprise attack, the IAF destroyed most of the Egyptian Air Force while its planes were still on the ground. By the end of the day, with surrounding Arab countries drawn into the fighting, the IAF had mauled the Syrian and Jordanian air forces, striking as far as Iraq . After six days of fighting, Israel claimed a total of 452 Arab aircraft destroyed, of which 49 were aerial victories. After
6975-653: The robot . DARPA also supported the early development of both hypertext and hypermedia . DARPA funded one of the first two hypertext systems, Douglas Engelbart 's NLS computer system, as well as The Mother of All Demos . DARPA later funded the development of the Aspen Movie Map , which is generally seen as the first hypermedia system and an important precursor of virtual reality . The Mansfield Amendment of 1973 expressly limited appropriations for defense research (through ARPA/DARPA) only to projects with direct military application. The resulting " brain drain "
7068-560: The same air vehicle (minus the MICNS and automated landing system), the same hydraulic launcher, the same hydraulically operated recovery system, and same Ground Control System. This system used an unsecure interim data link and an alternate semi-automatic system to guide the air vehicle into the net. This system flew 17 flights during July–November 1982. This system was then assigned to an Army Early Operational Capability (EOC) unit from July 1983-July 1984 which conducted 20 flights. This EOC effort
7161-569: The second day of the war, resulted in the IAF destroying 59 Iranian -supplied medium- and long-range missile launchers in just 34 minutes. Widespread condemnation followed the July 30 IAF airstrike on a building suspected to be a militant hideout near the village of Qana, in which 28 civilians were killed. Hezbollah shot down an IAF CH-53 Yas'ur helicopter on the last day of the war, killing five crew members. Israeli aircraft shot down three of Hezbollah's Iranian -made aerial drones during
7254-493: The squadron operated with a few planes versus almost complete Arab theater air supremacy . The airplanes were parked dispersed between the orange trees. The fighters were moved in October to Hatzor Airbase from the Herzliya strip due to its unsuitability in rainy conditions, probable loss of clandestine status, moving front lines which made former British bases safe for use, and a shift in the balance of air superiority towards
7347-733: The successful programs were transitioned to the Services, such as the foundation technologies in automatic target recognition , space-based sensing, propulsion, and materials that were transferred to the Strategic Defense Initiative Organization (SDIO), later known as the Ballistic Missile Defense Organization (BMDO), now titled the Missile Defense Agency (MDA). During the 1980s, the attention of
7440-458: The system after recovery. The Ground Control System(GCS) was also mounted on the back of a 5-ton truck and provided room for three operators to control the mission. The air vehicle operator controlled the flight by entering in way-points and orbit parameters into the Norden computer. The payload operator used a joystick and console to control the pointing of the payload camera, the auto-tracking of
7533-731: The tail fin. Forerunners of the Israeli Air Force were Sherut Avir , the air wing of the Haganah , and the Palestine Flying Service established by the Irgun in 1937. The Israeli Air Force formed on May 28, 1948, shortly after Israel declared statehood and found itself under attack . The force consisted of a hodge-podge of commandeered or donated civilian aircraft converted to military use. A variety of obsolete and surplus ex- World War II combat-aircraft were quickly sourced by various means to supplement this fleet. The backbone of
7626-501: The target, and the laser designating. The third operator was the mission commander which controlled the overall mission and maintained communications with his commander. The GCS was connected to the Remote Ground Terminal air vehicle tracking/communications antenna over a fiber optic cable. Due to a delay in the MICNS secure data link, the first prototype system was produced in a Block I configuration. This system used
7719-460: The television program Numb3rs , and the Netflix film Spectral . Israeli Air Force The Israeli Air Force ( IAF ; Hebrew : זְרוֹעַ הָאֲוִיר וְהֶחָלָל , romanized : Zroa HaAvir VeHahalal , lit. 'tl', "Air and Space Arm", commonly known as חֵיל הָאֲוִיר , Kheil HaAvir , "Air Corps") operates as the aerial and space warfare branch of
7812-607: The tension peaked: An IAF ambush resulted in a large scale air brawl between IAF planes and MiGs flown by Soviet pilots—five MiGs were shot down, while the IAF suffered no losses. Fear of further escalation and superpower involvement brought the war to a conclusion. By the end of August 1970, the Israeli Air Force had claimed 111 aerial kills while reporting losing only four aircraft to Arab fighters. Egyptian and Soviet forces claimed to shoot down approximately 20 Israeli Air Force planes with surface-to-air missile and anti-aircraft artillery units. On October 6, 1973, with war imminent,
7905-481: The world's largest exporter of drones . In December 2016, Israel received its first pair of F-35 Lightning II from the United States. Three months after the assassination of the leader of Hezbollah , Abbas al-Musawi , the IAF launched an offensive across South Lebanon with five air raids in six days. Some of the targets struck were as far north as Baalbek . On the final day, 26 May 1992, there were more than 40 missile strikes. Over 20 civilians were killed during
7998-487: Was a Near IR source which interacted with the Recovery System to automatically recover the aircraft after the flight. The Aquila was hydraulically launched by an All American Engineering catapult mounted on a 5-ton truck. The hydraulically operated Recovery System, built by Dornier , consisted of a vertical net held by a frame work shaped like an inverted "h" into which the air vehicle would automatically fly. This
8091-422: Was also mounted on a 5-ton truck. For testing and training an emergency parachute backup recovery system was provided. The necessity for these systems was the specified requirement to be able to enter a small clearing surrounded by 50-foot (15 m) trees and to be able to quickly launch a mission. Then at the end of a mission, land in a similar clearing surrounded with 50-foot (15 m) trees and quickly relocate
8184-656: Was created on February 7, 1958, by President Dwight D. Eisenhower in response to the Soviet launching of Sputnik 1 in 1957. By collaborating with academia, industry, and government partners, DARPA formulates and executes research and development projects to expand the frontiers of technology and science, often beyond immediate U.S. military requirements. The name of the organization first changed from its founding name, ARPA, to DARPA, in March 1972, changing back to ARPA in February 1993, then reverted to DARPA in March 1996. The Economist has called DARPA "the agency that shaped
8277-645: Was created to provide the field with a system to identify any system weakness and provide the user to refine his tactics, techniques, and procedures for using the technology. The complete MQM-105 began its contractor flight testing in December 1983 in Fort Huachuca, AZ. The Phase I of Government Developmental Testing II(DT II) began in May 1985 but testing was suspended in Sept 1985 because the system did not pass 21 of
8370-496: Was directly attributed to the launching of Sputnik and to U.S. realization that the Soviet Union had developed the capacity to rapidly exploit military technology. Initial funding of ARPA was $ 520 million. ARPA's first director, Roy Johnson, left a $ 160,000 management job at General Electric for an $ 18,000 job at ARPA. Herbert York from Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory was hired as his scientific assistant. Johnson and York were both keen on space projects, but when NASA
8463-452: Was established later in 1958 all space projects and most of ARPA's funding were transferred to it. Johnson resigned and ARPA was repurposed to do "high-risk", "high-gain", "far out" basic research, a posture that was enthusiastically embraced by the nation's scientists and research universities. ARPA's second director was Brigadier General Austin W. Betts, who resigned in early 1961 and was succeeded by Jack Ruina who served until 1963. Ruina,
8556-502: Was quickly discontinued when the dire situation on the Golan Heights became apparent. IAF efforts were redirected north, where the ill-fated Operation Model 5 was carried out. Flying with outdated intelligence and no electronic screening against mobile SAM batteries and heavy flak, 6 IAF Phantoms were lost. The sustained campaign required to defeat enemy air defences was abandoned in the face of Egyptian and Syrian advances and
8649-573: Was renamed the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) in 1972, and during the early 1970s, it emphasized direct energy programs, information processing, and tactical technologies. Concerning information processing, DARPA made great progress, initially through its support of the development of time-sharing . All modern operating systems rely on concepts invented for the Multics system, developed by
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