Industry News

Unmanned

MQ-9A fleet program for U.K. awards $90.9 million contract to GA-ASI - News

June 18, 2019

Emma Helfrich - Technology Editor, Military Embedded Systems General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc.

UNITED KINGDOM. General Atomics Aeronautical Systems Inc. (GA-ASI) has been awarded a $90.9 million cost-plus-fixed-fee contract for the United Kingdom's MQ-9A Contractor Logistics Support Phase IV Program.

Unmanned

Test flights continue for Kratos Valkyrie UAV - News

June 18, 2019

Emma Helfrich - Technology Editor, Military Embedded Systems Kratos Defense & Security Solutions

SAN DIEGO, Calif. National-security technology provider Kratos Defense and Security Solutions has completed another in a series of test/demonstration flights of its XQ-58A Valkyrie unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV).

Unmanned

Ansys and Airbus to collaborate on autonomous flight to support Europe's Future Combat Air System - News

June 18, 2019

Lisa Daigle - Assistant Managing Editor, Military Embedded Systems ANSYS, Inc.

CANONSBURG, Pa. and OTTOBRUNN, Germany. Engineering-simulation company Ansys and aviation giant Airbus Defense and Space have announced that the pair will use an Ansys embedded-software solution to develop an advanced unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) in support of Europe's Future Combat Air System (FCAS).

Radar/EW

Raytheon completes operational testing with StormBreaker smart weapon - News

June 18, 2019

Emma Helfrich - Technology Editor, Military Embedded Systems Raytheon Company

PARIS AIR SHOW. The Raytheon StormBreaker smart weapon has completed all operational test drops, and the company says that initial operational capability is on the horizon.

A.I.

AI capability to improve CV-22 maintenance planning being tested by Raytheon - News

June 18, 2019

Emma Helfrich - Technology Editor, Military Embedded Systems Raytheon Company

PARIS AIR SHOW. The U.S. military's V-22 joint program office are testing a new artificial intelligence (AI) tool with Raytheon to aid in determining when the multi-mode radar installed on U.S. Air Force CV-22 Ospreys needs repairs.

Comms

U.S. Navy contract for 23 JPALS won by Raytheon - News

June 17, 2019

Emma Helfrich - Technology Editor, Military Embedded Systems Raytheon Company

PARIS AIR SHOW. Raytheon won a four-year $234 million contract from the U.S. Navy to outfit all of its nuclear-powered aircraft carriers and amphibious assault ships with 23 Joint Precision Approach and Landing Systems (JPALS).

Comms

Solers Inc. to become next Peraton acquisition - News

June 17, 2019

Emma Helfrich - Technology Editor, Military Embedded Systems Peraton

HERNDON, Va. Defense and intelligence firm Peraton has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Solers, Inc., a maker of enterprise cloud systems and satellite-security systems.

Unmanned

Hypersonic captive carry flight test performed by Lockheed Martin - News

June 17, 2019

John M. McHale III - Editorial Director, Military Embedded Systems Lockheed Martin

PARIS AIR SHOW. Key tests for hypersonic weapons were performed by experts from Lockheed Martin the U.S. Air Force.? Testing involved the AGM-183A Air-Launched Rapid Response Weapon (ARRW) carried on the service's B-52 Stratofortress out of Edwards Air Force Base, Calif.

Comms

U.S. Army orders additional HMS Manpack radios from Harris - News

June 17, 2019

Lisa Daigle - Assistant Managing Editor, Military Embedded Systems L3Harris Technologies

MELBOURNE, Fla. Harris Corp. has obtained a second low-rate initial production (LRIP) order from the U.S. Army under the HMS (Handheld, Manpack & Small Form-Fit) indefinite delivery/indefinite quantity (ID/IQ) contract to deliver additional AN/PRC-158 multi-channel radios to the battlefield.

Avionics

Military fixed-wing aircraft market to grow to approximately $100 billion by 2027, study says - News

June 17, 2019

Lisa Daigle - Assistant Managing Editor, Military Embedded Systems Market Forecast

AMSTERDAM. The market for military fixed-wing aircraft is expected to grow at a CAGR of around 2%, to reach approximately $100 billion in 2027, according to a new report from Market Forecast, "Global Military Fixed-Wing Aircraft -- Market and Technology Forecast to 2027."

Avionics

Next-gen Special Ops MH-47G Chinooks to be built by Boeing - News

June 14, 2019

John M. McHale III - Editorial Director, Military Embedded Systems Boeing

PHILADELPHIA, Pennsylvania. The next-generation MH-47G Chinooks to be operated vy the U.S. Army Special Operations Aviation Command will be built by Boeing. The next-gen aircraft will have the Block II configuration, which have technological advancements to extend the fleet?s service life and enhance performance.

Comms

First daytime free-space quantum communication via adaptive optics demonstrated by AFRL - News

June 13, 2019

John M. McHale III - Editorial Director, Military Embedded Systems Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) Directed Energy Directorate at Kirtland Air Force Base

STARFIRE OPTICAL RANGE, NEW MEXICO. Daylight quantum communication was demonstrated by experts at the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) Starfire Optical Range (SOR) under conditions that are representative of space-to-Earth satellite links.

A.I.

Microsoft's Defense System demo leveraged Esri software to enable AI and augmented reality for field missions - News

June 13, 2019

John M. McHale III - Editorial Director, Military Embedded Systems Microsoft

REDLANDS, CALIFORNIA. Microsoft?s Tactical Edge Platform is using Esri?s ArcGIS Enterprise to enable its Microsoft Azure and Azure Cognitive Services to have a geographic context via Esri?s advanced mapping and spatial analytics technology. The platform is targeted at defense and intelligence professionals to demonstrate how they can use connecting field sensor data and cloud services for tactical field operations or for domestic emergency response.

A.I.

Deep learning model from Lockheed Martin tackles satellite image analysis - News

June 12, 2019

John M. McHale III - Editorial Director, Military Embedded Systems Lockheed Martin

BETHESDA, MARYLAND. A satellite imagery recognition system designed by Lockheed Martin engineers uses open-source deep learning libraries to quickly identify and classify objects or targets in large areas across the world. Company officials say the tool could potentially saving image analysts many man hours categorizing and labeling items within an image.

Avionics

Autopilot system approaches DO-178-C certification, thereby closing regulatory gap - News

June 11, 2019

Lisa Daigle - Assistant Managing Editor, Military Embedded Systems Micropilot

STONY MOUNTAIN, Manitoba, Canada. Autopilot maker MicroPilot is nearly done with its five-year effort to achieve DO-178C Design Assurance Level B certification for its upcoming MP2128 HELI3 autopilot, a level of certification that will enable operators of remotely piloted aircraft (RPA) and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) to obtain authorization from regulators to conduct missions in higher-risk areas where RPA/UAV operations are prohibited, such as over population centers.