6G Networks on the way.

ED: For those interested in the future of communications.

Researchers at a prominent aerospace institute in China have made a significant advancement in the realm of next-generation 6G communication. This progress involves the accomplishment of the inaugural real-time wireless transmission.

The term “6G” denotes the sixth generation of cellular networks, representing the upcoming frontier in telecommunications that pledges enhanced and swifter communication compared to existing technologies. While 5G networks are currently being deployed worldwide and offer reduced latency during data transmission, 6G networks are anticipated to further minimize latency while optimizing the use of the electromagnetic spectrum.

The noteworthy aspect of China’s achievement lies in the potential applications of 6G cellular networks. These applications include high-definition virtual reality (VR), holographic communication, and other data-intensive tasks. The researchers employed a specialized antenna to generate four distinct beam patterns at a frequency of 110 GHz. This innovative approach facilitated the transmission of data at a rate of 100 gigabits per second over a 10 GHz bandwidth, representing a substantial improvement over existing capabilities.

The technology employed for this real-time data transmission is identified as terahertz orbital angular momentum communication, as detailed in the SCMP report. Terahertz pertains to communication within the frequency range of 100 GHz to 10 THz of the electromagnetic spectrum. The higher frequency range of this technology allows for accelerated data transfer rates and increased information transmission. Terahertz communication has also garnered attention for potential applications in military environments due to its capacity for high-speed and secure communication.

Another noteworthy aspect of the researchers’ accomplishment is the utilization of orbital angular momentum (OAM) in the transmission. This encoding technology enables the simultaneous transmission of more information. The researchers harnessed OAM to transmit multiple signals on the same frequency, showcasing a more efficient use of the spectrum.

While the practical implementation of these technologies may take several years, the researchers also showcased advancements in wireless backhaul technology, which could be deployed soon. In traditional cellular networks, data is transmitted from devices to base stations and then to core networks through fibre optic cables. Given the anticipated increase in base stations, fibre-based transmission is expected to become more costly and time-consuming. The use of wireless technology for backhaul aims to provide flexibility at lower costs, potentially benefiting existing 5G communication.

Looking ahead, the significance of 6G communication technology extends to short-range broadband transmissions, such as those involving lunar and Mars landers and spacecraft. The U.S. government has taken note of China’s strides in the communication industry and is exploring avenues to advance similar technology domestically, seeking to reassert U.S. dominance in this domain.

 

 

Australian Artillery Moving Ahead.

Installation of command, control, communication, and computer systems into Australian artillery is poised to commence, with the initial batch of Australian Type AS9 and AS10 Huntsman artillery units in South Korea. These systems, vital for Protected Mobile Fires capability alignment with the Army’s C4 Force Structure, have been delivered and are ready for integration.

As part of the project, tactical communication systems and related components will be integrated, ensuring seamless interoperability within the joint force and coalition partners. Notably, the transfer of CORTEX software development source code and expertise from Europe to KDAu is a key aspect of the initiative.

In November of the current year, the Australian Defence Force conducted a test firing of the AS9 Huntsman self-propelled howitzer, equipped with a C4 system, at Port Wakefield in South Australia. This demonstration, overseen by the Joint Proof and Experimental Unit, marked a significant step in confirming the AS9’s role in the protected mobile fire systems category, complementing the in-service M777 155mm lightweight towed howitzer artillery.

The LAND 8116 Protected Mobile Fires project also involves the integration of the Army’s existing 155mm ammunition into AS9 and AS10 units. The joint fire interoperability achieved through this integration reinforces Australia’s collaborative approach with coalition partners.

Looking ahead, the Australian-variant AS9 Huntsman is anticipated to be manufactured at a new Hanwha Defence Australia facility near Avalon in Victoria. The construction plan includes 30 AS9 Huntsman units and 15 AS10 armoured ammunition resupply vehicles. Elphinstone, situated on the north coast of Tasmania, will play a role in the manufacturing process by producing the hulls and turrets. The first AS9 is scheduled to be completed in Australia, rolling out by the end of 2025.

Beyond the overseas testing, additional trials will be conducted in Australia, with a specific focus on assessing the vehicle’s protection against small arms fire and shrapnel. This comprehensive testing regimen underscores the commitment to ensuring the reliability and effectiveness of the Australian artillery system in diverse operational scenarios.

 

NEVER MIND THE QUALITY FEEL THE PRICE

War of words needs moral actions to suit

EVERY pacifist’s dream is a world without armies, weapons or conflict. If that’s OK with the rest of you, which it never is because human nature is inherently disposed to multiple ideas and disputation thereof.

As the Old Testament book of Isaiah warned, “he shall judge among the nations, and shall rebuke many people: and they shall beat their swords into ploughshares, and their spears into pruninghooks: nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war anymore.”

CLICK LINK to continue reading.

War of words needs moral actions to suit | Australian Defence History, Policy and Veterans Issues (targetsdown.blogspot.com)

Iran is sponsoring attacks on US bases.

At the forefront of current concerns is the immediate peril faced by American forces in the region due to a recent surge in attacks in Iraq and Syria. Additionally, there has been a notable increase in assaults on commercial shipping in the Red Sea, posing a direct risk to U.S. warships. The intensification of these attacks has prompted growing calls for the Biden administration to adopt a more robust response, with both current and former officials expressing frustration over the perceived inadequacy of the Pentagon’s actions in deterring further violence.

Iran-backed militia groups have been responsible for launching a staggering 94 attacks, involving drones and rockets, against U.S. positions in Iraq and Syria since October 17. A Defence Department official, speaking on the condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of operational issues, provided this information. The attacks have resulted in at least 66 U.S. service members sustaining minor injuries, with 19 diagnosed with traumatic brain injuries.

Despite multiple responses from U.S. forces, including precision airstrikes on facilities linked to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and affiliated groups in Syria, the attacks persist. Notably, an AC-130J gunship was deployed last month, targeting proxy forces. Additionally, five militants preparing to launch a drone strike in Iraq were separately eliminated. However, these measures have yet to effectively curb the ongoing attacks.

Simultaneously, Houthi rebels, supported by Tehran and based in Yemen, have escalated their strikes on international shipping in the Red Sea. This has increasingly drawn in U.S. warships, with many targeted civilian ships either owned or operated by Israel or Israeli companies or crewed by Israelis. The USS Mason, a destroyer, intercepted a drone heading towards the ship while responding to reports of a suspected Houthi assault on a commercial oil tanker last Wednesday, as reported by an official. The situation underscores the complex and multifaceted challenges the U.S. faces in the region, necessitating a comprehensive and strategic approach to address the evolving threats.

C-27J Spartans Grounded.

The Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) has decided to ground several of its C-27J Spartans after the discovery of structural cracking in these aircraft. This move follows the US Coast Guard’s decision to suspend the use of all 14 of its Spartans, citing the presence of cracks of varying degrees. The US Coast Guard stated that their Spartans would remain grounded until a thorough evaluation could be completed.

The manufacturer, Leonardo, had previously issued an Alert Service Bulletin instructing operators, including the RAAF and US Coast Guard, as well as the military forces of Italy, Mexico, and other nations, to inspect for cracks near the attachment points of the horizontal and vertical stabilizers to the fuselage.

A spokesperson for the Australian Defence said that the Royal Australian Air Force had initiated inspections on its C-27J fleet and identified similar structural issues. Aircraft found to have cracking will not be flown until a comprehensive engineering assessment has been conducted.

Leonardo issued a statement reassuring that the problem is fixable and should have minimal impact on operations. The manufacturer has already identified a repair solution, which can be implemented at customer premises by the operators without requiring significant effort. Leonardo emphasized that the reported issue is not expected to affect planned aircraft operations.

As of now, Australia operates 10 C-27J Spartans through No. 35 Squadron at RAAF Base Amberley. This squadron primarily focuses on peacetime operations such as search and rescue and aeromedical missions. The RAAF initially acquired the C-27J as a replacement for the Caribou, intending to fill the gap between the Chinook and the larger Hercules and C-17 Globemaster aircraft.

Vale 217464 Brian Harrison Rees – 1RAR Coral veteran.

Sadly, I advise of the death of a Frontline member, Brian Rees.

Brian’s son Craig advised that he passed away peacefully at 8:00am on 15th December at RAAFA Bull Creek WA.

Brian served with 1 RAR in SVN during the Battle for Fire Support Coral in 1968.

Brian was a loving Brother to Edward, Graham, John & Lorraine

Dad to myself, Damo Rees, Mike Ellyard & Carolyn

Pop to Ashlee, Brodie, Shayla, Brock, Bonnie, Jake, Jess, Riley, Polly & Clancy

There will be a service at Karrakatta on the 21st December @ 10am Norfolk Chapel KARRAKATTA WA

There will be some food & drinks after service for 1 hour.

Please don’t bring any flowers, but if you wish to do something, please donate to the Diabetes association on Brian Rees behalf.

RIP Dad 1947-2023

 

Should we be concerned in Australia?

Read this chilling report from Holland. Geert Wilders, a Member of the Dutch Parliament, delivered a speech in New York, introducing an Alliance of Patriots and announcing the Facing Jihad Conference in Jerusalem. Here is an excerpt from his speech:

Dear friends, thank you very much for inviting me. I come to America with a mission. All is not well in the old world. There is a tremendous danger looming, and it is very difficult to be optimistic. We might be in the final stages of the Islamization of Europe. This is not only is a clear and present danger to the future of Europe itself, but also a threat to America and the sheer survival of the West.

The Europe you know is changing. You have probably seen the landmarks. But in all of these cities, sometimes a few blocks away from your tourist destination, there is another world. It is the world of the parallel society created by Muslim mass-migration. All throughout Europe, a new reality is rising entire Muslim neighbourhoods where very few indigenous people reside or are even seen. And if they are, they might regret it. This goes for the police as well. It’s the world of head scarves, where women walk around in figureless tents, with baby strollers and a group of children. Their husbands, or slaveholders if you prefer, walk three steps ahead. With mosques on many street corners.

Many European cities are already one-quarter Muslim: just take Amsterdam, Marseille, and Malmo in Sweden. In many cities, most of the under-18 population is Muslim. Paris is now surrounded by a ring of Muslim neighbourhoods. Mohammed is the most popular name among boys in many cities. In some elementary schools in Amsterdam, the farm can no longer be mentioned because that would also mean mentioning the pig, and that would be an insult to Muslims.

I could go on forever with stories like this. Stories about Islamization. A total of fifty-four million Muslims now live. San Diego University recently calculated that a staggering 25 percent of the population in Europe will be Muslim just 12 years from now. Bernhard Lewis has predicted a Muslim majority by the end of this century.

Now these are just numbers. And the numbers would not be threatening if the Muslim immigrants had a strong desire to assimilate. But there are few signs of that. The Pew Research Centre reported that half of French Muslims see their loyalty to Islam as greater than their loyalty to France. One-third of French Muslims do not object to suicide attacks. The British Centre for Social Cohesion reported that one-third of British Muslim students are in favour of a worldwide caliphate.

The second thing you need to know is the importance of Mohammed the prophet. His behaviour is an example to all Muslims and cannot be criticized. Now, if Mohammed had been a man of peace, let us say like Ghandi and Mother Theresa wrapped in one, there would be no problem. But Mohammed was a warlord, a mass murderer, a paedophile, and had several marriages – at the same time. Islamic tradition tells us how he fought in battles, how he had his enemies murdered and even had prisoners of war executed. Mohammed himself slaughtered the Jewish tribe of Banu Qurayza.

If it is good for Islam, it is good. If it is bad for Islam, it is bad. Let no one fool you about Islam being a religion. Sure, it has a god, and a hereafter, and 72 virgins. But in its essence, Islam is a political ideology. It is a system that lays down detailed rules for society and the life of every person. Islam wants to dictate every aspect of life. Islam means ‘submission’. Islam is not compatible with freedom and democracy because what it strives for is sharia. If you want to compare Islam to anything, compare it to communism or national socialism; these are all totalitarian ideologies.

The public has wholeheartedly accepted the Palestinian narrative and sees Israel as the aggressor. I have lived in this country and visited it dozens of times. I support Israel. First, because it is the Jewish homeland after two thousand years of exile up to and including Auschwitz; second because it is a democracy, and third because Israel is our first line of defence. This tiny country is situated on the fault line of jihad, frustrating Islam’s territorial advance. Israel is facing the front lines of jihad, like Kashmir, Kosovo, the Philippines, Southern Thailand, Darfur in Sudan, Lebanon, and Aceh in Indonesia.

Israel is simply in the way. The same way West-Berlin was during the Cold War. The war against Israel is not a war against Israel. It is a war against the West. It is jihad. Israel is simply receiving the blows that are meant for all of us. If there would have been no Israel, God forbid, to go down, it would not bring any solace to the West. It would not mean our Muslim minorities would suddenly change their behaviour and accept our values. On the contrary, the end of Israel would give enormous encouragement to the forces of Islam. They would, and rightly so, see the demise of Israel as proof that the West is weak and doomed. The end of Israel would not mean the end of our problems with Islam but only the beginning. It would mean the start of the final battle for world domination. If they can get Israel, they can get everything.

So-called journalists volunteer to label any and all critics of Islamization as ‘right-wing extremists’ or ‘racists’. In my country, the Netherlands, 60 percent of the population now sees the mass immigration of Muslims as the number one policy mistake since World War II. And another 60 percent sees Islam as the biggest threat.

Yet there is a greater danger than terrorist attacks, the scenario of America as the last man standing. The lights may go out in Europe faster than you can imagine. An Islamic Europe means a Europe without freedom and democracy, an economic wasteland, an intellectual nightmare, and a loss of military might for America – as its allies will turn into enemies, enemies with atomic bombs. With an Islamic Europe, it would be up to America alone to preserve the heritage of Rome, Athens, and Jerusalem…

Dear friends, liberty is the most precious of gifts. My generation never had to fight for this freedom; it was offered to us on a silver platter, by people who fought for it with their lives. All throughout Europe, American cemeteries remind us of the young boys who never made it home, and whose memory we cherish. My generation does not own this freedom; we are merely its custodians. We can only hand over this hard-won liberty to Europe’s children in the same state in which it was offered to us. We cannot strike a deal with mullahs and imams. Future generations would never forgive us. We cannot squander our liberties. We simply do not have the right to do so.

 

 

KC-30A RETURNS FROM MODIFICATIONS IN SPAIN.

Media release photo: Senior Airman Mackenzie Cooper.

The inaugural KC-30A multi-role transport tanker (MRTT) of the Australian Defence Force has concluded its mission in Spain, having undergone significant enhancements in communications and cyber capabilities. This aircraft, a modified Airbus A330 serving air-to-air refuelling and strategic airlift roles for the Royal Australian Air Force through No. 33 Squadron at RAAF Base Amberley, Queensland, has successfully completed a two-year Heavy Air Lift Systems Program Office (HALSPO) initiative.

The upgrades encompass secure high-frequency and very high-frequency radios, encryption devices, and tactical data link improvements. Anticipated benefits include enhanced communication safety and efficiency, improved command, control, and situational awareness, along with a substantial 300% increase in KC-30A data throughput.

Group Captain Brent Taylor, Officer Commanding 86 Wing, emphasised the significance of these advancements in augmenting combat air mobility capabilities. He noted that the modernization efforts would enable better integration and operations with other Defence and allied aircraft.

The rest of the Royal Australian Air Force’s KC-30A fleet is slated to undergo similar upgrades by 2025.

The KC-30A MRTT is equipped with two air-to-air refuelling systems: an advanced refuelling boom system on the tail and all-electric refuelling pods under each wing. These systems are controlled by an air refuelling operator in the cockpit using 2D and 3D screens. The aircraft can transfer over 100 tonnes of fuel to various platforms, including F/A-18A/B Hornets, F/A-18F Super Hornets, E/A-18G Growlers, E-7A Wedgetails, C-17A Globemaster III, P-8A, and other KC-30As.

Group Captain Russell Barton highlighted the challenge of integrating and adapting U.S. technology to a European platform during the project that now ensures enduring relevance, reliability, and state-of-the-art capability.

VALE 3786658 ROBERT BRUCE BAKER – 5RAR

4 May 1945 – 10 December 2023

PTE Robert Baker, passed away peacefully on Sunday 10 December in St Georges Hospital, Kew, VIC.

A first intake National Serviceman did his recruit training at 2 RTB. On 10 September he proceeded to join C Company, 5 RAR, to complete his Corps Training. Bob then moved to 2 Platoon, A Company and later to CHQ as a signaller. He was part of A Company’s sojourn in New Guinea and then deployed to Vietnam on 8 May 1966. Bob completed the Battalion’s full 1966-67 tour of duty and returned to Australian on 12 May 1967.

The Funeral Service for Bob will be after the Christmas period because of family commitments.

Regards,

Gary Townsend

5 RARA Membership Officer/Tiger Tales Editor

[email protected]