Industry News

Unmanned

IARPA awards Phase II of $10.7 million contract to remotely detect explosives, other toxic threats - News

January 09, 2018

Lisa Daigle - Assistant Managing Editor, Military Embedded Systems Intelligence Advanced Research Projects Activity (IARPA)

MARLBOROUGH, Mass. Block MEMS/Engineering has been awarded Phase II of a contract with the Intelligence Advanced Research Programs Activity (IARPA) Program for the standoff detection of explosives and toxic chemical threats. IARPA chose Block for Phase II in a competitive down-selection process.

Radar/EW

Thales integrates Kontron's 6U VPX blade computer into radar application - News

January 09, 2018

Lisa Daigle - Assistant Managing Editor, Military Embedded Systems Kontron

TOULON, France. A 6U VPX dual eight-core Intel Xeon D processor blade computer made by embedded computing and Internet of Things company Kontron has been successfully integrated and tested in a radar application by defense electronics corporation Thales.

Radar/EW

CASA radar: Detecting danger at a distance - News

January 09, 2018

Lisa Daigle - Assistant Managing Editor, Military Embedded Systems HRL Laboratories

MALIBU, Calif. Research and development lab HRL Laboratories has announced the development of a high-resolution, low-power radar antenna array (coded aperture subreflector array or CASA) that the company says can potentially see weapons or explosives concealed on a person at tactically safe distances. HRL Laboratories is owned by The Boeing Company and General Motors; the R&D lab specializes in research into sensors and materials, information and systems sciences, applied electromagnetics, and microelectronics.

Avionics

Oman will upgrade software subsystems on its F-16 - News

January 08, 2018

Mariana Iriarte - Technology Editor, Military Embedded Systems U.S. Department of Defense (DoD)

WASHINGTON. State Department officials approved a possible Foreign Military Sale to Oman of items and services to support an incremental Operational Flight Profile (OFP) software upgrade for F-16 subsystems, as well as Identification Friend or Foe (IFF), and secure communications equipment for Mode 5 operations for an estimated cost of $62 million.

Radar/EW

U.S. Navy signs destroyer-modernization contracts with BAE Systems - News

January 08, 2018

Lisa Daigle - Assistant Managing Editor, Military Embedded Systems BAE Systems

NORFOLK, Va. and SAN DIEGO. BAE Systems has signed several contracts with the U.S. Navy to perform modernization and upgrades on the guided missile destroyers USS Howard (DDG 83) and USS Oscar Austin (DDG 79).

Comms

DARPA program to focus on disease outbreak infrastructure, prevention - News

January 08, 2018

Lisa Daigle - Assistant Managing Editor, Military Embedded Systems U.S. Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA)

ARLINGTON, Va. The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) is debuting a new program -- dubbed Preventing Emerging Pathogenic Threats (PREEMPT) -- that seeks to support military readiness by going after new viral infectious diseases at the source; advance understanding of viruses and their interaction with animals, insects, and humans; and build infrastructure to deliver proactive interventions to reduce the risk from emerging and reemerging pathogens.

Radar/EW

Army awards $945 million contract for advanced Patriot missiles - News

January 08, 2018

Lisa Daigle - Assistant Managing Editor, Military Embedded Systems Lockheed Martin

GRAND PRAIRIE, Texas. Lockheed Martin's Missiles and Fire Control business unit recently secured a $945 million modification contract from U.S. Army Contracting Command to exercise the production option of fiscal 2018 Patriot Advanced Capability-3 (PAC-3) missiles.

Unmanned

U.S. Air Force signs rocket development deal for national-security space missions - News

January 05, 2018

Lisa Daigle - Assistant Managing Editor, Military Embedded Systems Orbital ATK

DULLES, Va. The U.S. Air Force's Space and Missile Systems Center (SMC) has signed a Cooperative Research and Development Agreement (CRADA) with Orbital ATK to provide the framework and plan for data exchanges needed to certify Orbital ATK?s Next Generation Launch (NGL) system to carry national security space missions.

Unmanned

Army awards $93 million unmanned drone contract to Kratos division - News

January 05, 2018

Lisa Daigle - Assistant Managing Editor, Military Embedded Systems Kratos Defense & Security Solutions

SAN DIEGO. National-security solutions company Kratos Defense & Security Solutions announced today that its Composite Engineering subsidiary (Roseville, California, part of Kratos Unmanned Systems Division) was awarded a $93 million firm-fixed-price contract from the U.S. Army Contracting Command to build advanced subscale aerial drone systems, an unmanned target aircraft with launchers and associated ground equipment and spares.

Comms

DoD orders advanced capacitors to aid in nonlethal force protection, vehicle checkpoints - News

January 05, 2018

Lisa Daigle - Assistant Managing Editor, Military Embedded Systems General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc.

SAN DIEGO. General Atomics Electromagnetic Systems (GA-EMS) has won a contract from the Joint Non-Lethal Weapons Directorate (JNLWD) through the Department of Defense Ordnance Technology Consortium (DOTC) to develop and supply advanced high-energy-density capacitors intended for integration into a nonlethal Pre-Emplaced Vehicle Stopper (PEVS) system for use in force protection and vehicle checkpoint operations.

Unmanned

Orbital ATK moves to full-rate production of its hard target void sensing fuze - News

January 04, 2018

Mariana Iriarte - Technology Editor, Military Embedded Systems Orbital ATK

DULLES, Va. U.S. Air Force officials selected Orbital ATK for its all-electronic FMU-167/B Hard Target Void Sensing Fuze (HTVSF) under a full-rate production (FRP) contract. The award is worth $23 million following the low-rate initial production contract awarded in 2016.

Unmanned

Aurora Flight Sciences to continue development of Orion UAS - News

January 04, 2018

Mariana Iriarte - Technology Editor, Military Embedded Systems Aurora Flight Sciences

MANASSAS, Va. Aurora Flight Sciences will continue the development of the Orion Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS) under a new U.S. Air Force contract valued at $48 million.

Comms

Defense Dept. mounts initiative to support university-industry research and cooperation - News

January 04, 2018

Lisa Daigle - Assistant Managing Editor, Military Embedded Systems U.S. Department of Defense (DoD)

ARLINGTON, Va. The U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) has announced an award competition for the Defense Enterprise Science Initiative (DESI), a pilot program that supports university-industry collaboration in the area of use-inspired basic research. DESI is sponsored by the Basic Research Office, Office of Assistant Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering, and executed in collaboration with the Air Force Office of Scientific Research, the Air Force Research Laboratory, and the Army Research Office.

Radar/EW

SEAFAC signs $42 million contract to boost signature silencing program - News

January 04, 2018

Lisa Daigle - Assistant Managing Editor, Military Embedded Systems Leidos

RESTON, Va. Information technology and engineering company Leidos was recently awarded a prime contract by the Naval Surface Warfare Center, Carderock Division (NSWCCD) to support the Southeast Alaska Measurement Facility (SEAFAC) signature silencing program. The single-award, cost-plus fixed-fee, indefinite delivery/indefinite quantity contract has a five-year performance period and a total value of approximately $42 million.

Unmanned

Bomber Armament Tester contract awarded to BAE Systems, Marvin Test Solutions team - News

January 03, 2018

Lisa Daigle - Assistant Managing Editor, Military Embedded Systems Marvin Test Solutions

IRVINE, Calif. Marvin Test Solutions, Inc. -- which manufactures globally-deployed test solutions for military, aerospace, and manufacturing organizations -- announced that it is a member of the BAE Systems-led team that won the U.S. Air Force Bomber Armament Tester (BAT) program competition in late 2017. The contract value of more than $64 million provides for the design, development, manufacturing, and sustainment of the BAT system.