Russian President Vladimir Putin approved legislation to create a research agency similar to the Pentagon’s DARPA, reported Russia’s state-owned RIA Novosti. The organization, called the Future Research Fund, will fall under the defense ministry and will “sponsor high-risk scientific research and development for defense-related studies which could lead to breakthroughs in defense technology for Russia,” states the new service’s Oct. 17 report. The agency will initially employ about 100 staff members to oversee some 150 research efforts. Putin signed the bill into law on Oct. 16, according to the news service.
The Air Force is moving forward with a new, algorithm-driven system to help U.S. Northern Command better detect airborne threats. NORTHCOM and the North American Aerospace Defense Command, which are tasked with protecting the homeland from attack, depend on a slew of radars and other data systems to monitor U.S.…