Latest news with #Hedges
Business Insider
02-07-2025
- Business
- Business Insider
The West's drone tech risks becoming irrelevant if it's not tested daily on the Ukrainian battlefield, defense exec says
The dizzying pace of drone development is now part and parcel of the war in Ukraine, where the fastest-moving companies are battle-testing their products in real-world combat. Increasingly, Western militaries understand that their drone tech will be functionally obsolete unless the technology they import or develop is field-tested in conflicts like Ukraine. "If your system is not in day-to-day use on the frontline of Ukraine, it becomes very quickly out of date," Justin Hedges, a former Royal Marine and cofounder of military intelligence company Prevail, told Business Insider. Prevail has partnered with Ukrainian drone company Skyeton to bring Raybird, a small surveillance and targeting drone, to production in the UK. It's being done with a shrewd eye on the British Army's plans to replace its troubled Watchkeeper drone program with an uncrewed surveillance and targeting capability more suited to the scenarios playing out in Ukraine. More broadly, a recent data and drone tech-sharing agreement made between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and the UK's Prime Minister Keir Starmer said that Ukrainian insight is to be "plugged into UK production lines." It chimes with a drive across the West to see the Ukrainian battlefield as a live laboratory — out of necessity for the country's defense, but increasingly, as a crucial way for smaller companies to develop systems and services that have a technological edge. The UK armed forces minister Luke Pollard underscored the point at a drone conference in Latvia in late May, saying, "If you are a drone company and you do not have your kit on the frontline in Ukraine, you might as well give up." Raybird, Skyeton's drone, has a combined 350,000 hours of flight time on Ukraine's front line, in use "from the Black Sea to Kharkiv," Skyeton's founder Alex Stepura told BI. Per Stepura, Raybird can fly more than 28 continuous hours and uses an array of sensors — including optical, electromagnetic, and various radar capabilities — to collect data from "far behind" the front line, sometimes from more than 125 miles away. Many of its sensors can be swapped out in a minute, enabling forces to react quickly. Ukraine's Ministry of Defence has hailed the drone as being capable of tasks normally reserved for much larger models. Its size — just 25kg, or 55 pounds — gives an added advantage: it's "relatively stealthy," Hedges said. Small, advanced drones are crucial to spotting enemy movements and high-value targets like vehicles and air defenses. In response, Russia has deployed an ever-evolving array of electronic warfare tactics that aim to scramble signals, spoof GPS positions, or overwhelm radio frequencies. Hedges said that Skyeton's engineers are continually adapting to these tactics. "The proof is in the data," he added, saying that Ukrainian forces are getting more than 80 missions out of each drone before they're lost. In contrast to the cumbersome procurement processes of major companies, the Ukrainian drone industry is peppered with small, fast-moving producers who iterate quickly and often interact directly with forces on the ground. Milrem Robotics, an Estonian company, is creating autonomous ground robots that are being regularly battle-tested in Ukraine. Its CEO, Kuldar Väärsi, told BI that the conditions in Ukraine are "totally different" to those found in peacetime exercises. Milrem's THeMIS robot had been designed to be simple to operate, but after a stint in Ukraine, the company's engineers realized they needed it to be even simpler, Väärsi said. Kit might be designed for use by soldiers trained on how to use it, he added, but in actual war, "anybody who needs that equipment will use it."
South Wales Argus
27-06-2025
- Politics
- South Wales Argus
Senedd hears civil servants ‘obstructed' public appointments inquiry
Mike Hedges likened the Senedd's public accounts committee inquiry to an episode of political satire sitcom Yes Minister, only 'without the humour but with the obfuscation'. Mr Hedges, a Labour member of the committee, was critical of senior civil servants in the Welsh Government following the two-and-a-half year inquiry which found serious failings. He said: 'We met with senior government civil servants who were at best unhelpful or – in my view and possibly that of other members of the committee – positively obstructive.' During a debate on the committee's damning reports – which made 23 recommendations – Mr Hedges said he was annoyed and disappointed by the Welsh Government's response. He said: 'I, like other members, consider the response disgraceful to an inquiry about public appointments, showing disrespect bordering on contempt – not just for those of us who are members of that committee but for the Senedd itself.' He told the Senedd: 'Scrutiny means trying to make things better. It's very difficult to try and make things better when you're dealing with people who don't want to.' Plaid Cymru's Peredur Owen Griffiths told the Senedd: 'At a time when public confidence in our institutions is lower than ever, often for valid reasons, it's vital that high standards are maintained in terms of public appointments.' Warning of complacency, he said: 'The conclusions of the report are extremely critical…. Worse still, the government's weak responses to the committee's recommendations undermine any belief that it will learn any lessons… and this is part of a wider pattern.' Mr Owen Griffiths expressed concerns about almost a quarter of appointees in Wales in 2020-21 having declared political activity, compared with less than 6% in Westminster. He called for a dedicated public appointments system as in Scotland and Northern Ireland, where country-specific arrangements exist. Jane Hutt responded to the June 25 debate for the Welsh Government: 'It is regrettable that historic delivery in this area has fallen short of expectation. That's why I've asked for and we are delivering a root-and-branch reform programme.' The Labour minister pointed to data, which had not been interrogated by the committee, showing 'encouraging' progress on ensuring appointments are truly reflective of Wales. 'The direction is clear,' she said. 'We're taking action. We're listening. We are improving.'
San Francisco Chronicle
14-06-2025
- Sport
- San Francisco Chronicle
Guardians' Austin Hedges activated from 7-day injured list
SEATTLE (AP) — The Cleveland Guardians activated catcher Austin Hedges from the 7-day injured list prior to Friday night's game against the Seattle Mariners. Hedges, 32, was placed on the list retroactive to last Thursday after he was struck on the helmet on a backswing by the New York Yankees' Jazz Chisholm Jr. during a game on Wednesday. It marked the fifth time Hedges — who is hitting .113 with three home runs and three RBIs this year— has been placed on the injured list because of a concussion across 11 MLB seasons. 'They're all very similar, at least my version of them," Hedges said. "Apparently there's a handful of different types of brain injuries, and mine have been pretty consistent just at least with the symptoms. So, it was nothing new for me. Luckily this one wasn't very bad and didn't take that long to get over it.' Hedges said his symptoms started to clear up roughly three days removed from the incident. He visited a specialist in Pittsburgh prior to joining the Guardians in Seattle, one which he had worked with during his first stint in Cleveland from 2020 to 2022. Hedges said he was appreciative of the Guardians not rushing him back to play too quickly. 'We have such an amazing staff, and they're always looking out for all of us," Hedges said. "But, I felt like we handled everything perfectly and just happy that it was the minimum amount of time.'
Hamilton Spectator
14-06-2025
- Sport
- Hamilton Spectator
Guardians' Austin Hedges activated from 7-day injured list
SEATTLE (AP) — The Cleveland Guardians activated catcher Austin Hedges from the 7-day injured list prior to Friday night's game against the Seattle Mariners. Hedges, 32, was placed on the list retroactive to last Thursday after he was struck on the helmet on a backswing by the New York Yankees' Jazz Chisholm Jr. during a game on Wednesday. It marked the fifth time Hedges — who is hitting .113 with three home runs and three RBIs this year— has been placed on the injured list because of a concussion across 11 MLB seasons. 'They're all very similar, at least my version of them,' Hedges said. 'Apparently there's a handful of different types of brain injuries, and mine have been pretty consistent just at least with the symptoms. So, it was nothing new for me. Luckily this one wasn't very bad and didn't take that long to get over it.' Hedges said his symptoms started to clear up roughly three days removed from the incident. He visited a specialist in Pittsburgh prior to joining the Guardians in Seattle, one which he had worked with during his first stint in Cleveland from 2020 to 2022. Hedges said he was appreciative of the Guardians not rushing him back to play too quickly. 'We have such an amazing staff, and they're always looking out for all of us,' Hedges said. 'But, I felt like we handled everything perfectly and just happy that it was the minimum amount of time.' ___ AP MLB:
USA Today
13-06-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
USC star Ethan Hedges named second-team All-American by Perfect Game USA
USC star Ethan Hedges named second-team All-American by Perfect Game USA After a remarkable season, USC baseball star Ethan Hedges is officially an All-American. On Wednesday, Hedges earned second-team All-American honors from Perfect Game USA. Hedges excelled on both sides of the ball this season. As the Trojans' starting third baseman, he led the team with a .346 batting average, 1.081 OPS, 80 hits, 58 RBIs, and 14 home runs. In addition, he pitched for the first time since he was in high school, serving as the Trojans' closer. In 15 appearances, he posted a 2.40 ERA, going 2-1 with nine saves. Hedges becomes USC's first All-American since Ben Wanger during the COVID-shortened 2020 season. He is the first Trojan to earn such honors in a full season since Chris Clarke in 2019. Thanks largely to Hedges' incredible season, USC qualified for the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2015. The Trojans made it to the final of the Corvallis Regional, where they fell to Oregon State. At this point, it is still unknown whether or not Hedges will be back at USC next year. After a season as strong as his, Hedges has a very good chance to hear his name called in July's MLB Draft. If he does return to the Trojans in 2026, however, Hedges should enter the season as one of the top players in the country, with a chance to accomplish even bigger things than he did this season.
