Taiwan’s first new US-made F-16Vs arrive after mysterious six-week pause

Taiwan’s first new US-made F-16Vs arrive after mysterious six-week pause

Taiwan has reportedly received the first two newly built F-16 Block 70 fighters under a $7.76 billion deal for 66 aircraft signed in 2019. The jets feature APG-83 AESA radar and updated avionics, adding new airframes to a fleet that already includes upgraded F-16s. The aircraft reportedly spent about six weeks in Hawaii before continuing to Taiwan, with no official explanation for the stopover. With 64 fighters still outstanding, delivery schedules remain a key issue.

interestingengineering.com
u/Spirited-Sir-3034 — 12 days ago
▲ 1.6k r/RhodeIsland+1 crossposts

World's first human-crewed seaglider flight: REGENT's electric Viceroy lifts off the water

This is one of those aircraft that seems to sit somewhere between a boat and a plane. REGENT’s Viceroy Seaglider recently completed its first crewed flight, traveling 1,956 feet over Narragansett Bay with two captains onboard.

It first moves across the water like a boat, rises onto hydrofoils as it gains speed, and then flies close to the surface using ground effect. It’s an unusual approach to coastal transport, especially since it is designed to travel between ports without needing conventional airport infrastructure.

I’m curious how practical this would be in rough weather and whether vehicles like this could eventually compete with ferries on shorter coastal routes.

u/SaintRhodeLands — 1 month ago

New A2 e-tron Audi EV delivers 401-mile range on an 84-kWh battery

Audi says its new A2 e-tron can travel up to 401 miles on a single charge while consuming just 12.8 kWh per 100 km. It also offers three battery options, with charging times ranging from 14 to 29 minutes for a 10–80% charge. Could focusing on efficiency and smaller battery options be a better approach for everyday EVs than simply maximizing range and battery capacity?

interestingengineering.com
u/Spirited-Sir-3034 — 1 month ago

China unveils humanoid built to automate crop breeding, pollination

GEAIR 2.0 can autonomously navigate dense crops, identify flower stigmas with 92.8% accuracy, and complete each pollination in under 10 seconds. The two-armed humanoid robot was developed to reduce manual labor and improve the efficiency of hybrid crop breeding.

interestingengineering.com
u/Spirited-Sir-3034 — 1 month ago

AGIBOT takes top spot at Humanoid Robot Games with 46 medals across events

AGIBOT’s mass-produced humanoid robots dominated events from dexterous manipulation and obstacle racing to hotel services and emergency response.

interestingengineering.com
u/Spirited-Sir-3034 — 2 months ago