Industry News

Avionics

FAA grants amended certification to Boeing's KC-46 Tanker - News

December 22, 2017

Mariana Iriarte - Technology Editor, Military Embedded Systems Boeing

EVERETT, Wash. Officials at the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) granted Boeing?s KC-46 tanker program an Amended Type Certificate (ATC) for its core 767-2C aircraft configuration, verifying that the fundamental design of the KC-46 tanker is safe and reliable.

Comms

NATO signs accord for maritime command and control system - News

December 22, 2017

Lisa Daigle - Assistant Managing Editor, Military Embedded Systems MDA

RICHMOND, British Columbia. Space/satelllite/radar company MDA has signed a contract valued at approximately CA$15 million ($11.8 million) with NATO Communications and Information Agency (NCI) that calls for MDA to build a new system to modernize and support NATO?s maritime command and control operations under Project TRITON.

Comms

DoD signs agreements for spectrum-monitoring systems - News

December 22, 2017

Lisa Daigle - Assistant Managing Editor, Military Embedded Systems Vencore

CHANTILLY, Va. Engineering and IT firm Vencore Inc. announced that its research arm, Vencore Labs, has garnered agreements from the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) to design and field the Comprehensive Spectrum Monitoring System (COSMOS) and Spectrum Usage Measurement System (SUMS) programs.

Radar/EW

Mercury Systems agrees to acquire Themis Computer - News

December 21, 2017

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

ANDOVER, Mass. Mercury Systems -- developer and builder of processing subsystems used in intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR); radar; electronic warfare (EW); storage; and guidance defense applications -- has agreed to acquire Themis Computer, based in Fremont, California. Themis designs, manufactures, and integrates commercial size/weight/power-optimized rugged servers, computers, and storage systems for U.S. and international defense programs.

Avionics

F-35 demonstrates accuracy in weapons delivery flight test - News

December 21, 2017

Mariana Iriarte - Technology Editor, Military Embedded Systems U.S. Air Force

EDWARDS AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. The U.S. Air Force 461st Flight Test Squadron and F-35 Integrated Test Force (ITF) completed the Weapons Delivery Accuracy (WDA) flight test, ensuring the F-35 weapons system can deliver lethal ordnance both air-to-air and air-to-ground using the jet?s warfighting Block 3F software.

Avionics

M7 Aeropace to provide life cycle support for the U.S. Army C-26 & UC-35 aircraft - News

December 21, 2017

Mariana Iriarte - Technology Editor, Military Embedded Systems Elbit Systems of America

FORT WORTH, Texas. DynCorp International officials selected M7 Aerospace, LLC, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Elbit Systems of America, LLC to provide Life Cycle Contractor Support (LCCS) for the U.S. Army's C-26 and UC-35 aircraft fleet.

Unmanned

Office of Naval Research signs deal to design, develop large UUV motors - News

December 21, 2017

Lisa Daigle - Assistant Managing Editor, Military Embedded Systems U.S. Office of Naval Research (ONR)

SAN DIEGO. General Atomics Electromagnetic Systems (GA-EMS) has won a contract from the Office of Naval Research (ONR) to design and deliver an advanced permanent-magnet propulsion motor intended for use in large-displacement unmanned undersea vehicles (LDUUVs).

Radar/EW

USAF signs $961 million contract to upgrade, sustain Sniper targeting pods - News

December 21, 2017

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

ORLANDO, Fla. The U.S. Air Force has awarded Lockheed Martin a contract to provide sustainment and upgrades for its fleet of 683 Sniper Advanced Targeting Pods (ATP). The five-year, indefinite delivery/indefinite quantity contract -- which is valued at up to $961 million -- enables the Air Force to place orders for logistics, spares, software, and sensor enhancements to the pods.

Radar/EW

USS Anzio will undergo modernization efforts under $45.3 million U.S. Navy contract - News

December 20, 2017

Mariana Iriarte - Technology Editor, Military Embedded Systems BAE Systems

ARLINGTON, Va. U.S. Navy officials tapped BAE Systems to modernize the guided missile cruiser, USS Anzio (CG 68), at the company's shipyard in Norfolk, Virginia. The contract is worth $45.3 million, but has a cumulative value of $53.1 million if all options are exercised.

Cyber

Hack the Air Force 2.0 kicks off with live-hacking event - News

December 20, 2017

Mariana Iriarte - Technology Editor, Military Embedded Systems U.S. Air Force

NEW YORK. Members of the Defense Media Activity (DMA) and Defense Digital Service (DDS) joined forces to hack the U.S. Air Force in a live-hacking event in New York City as a kickoff to Hack the Air Force 2.0.

Radar/EW

NATO orders additional countermeasure systems for transport fleet - News

December 20, 2017

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

HAIFA, Israel. Elbit Systems Ltd. has won a follow-on $46 million contract to supply additional J-Music Direct Infrared Countermeasures (DIRCM) self-protection systems to NATO for its Airbus A330 Multinational Multi-Role Tanker Transport Fleet (MMF) Program. NATO will also install Elbit's Infra-Red-based Passive Airborne Warning Systems (PAWS IR). Work on the contract will be performed over a four-year period.

Unmanned

Army Research Lab working with Marines on 3-D printed drones - News

December 20, 2017

Lisa Daigle - Assistant Managing Editor, Military Embedded Systems U.S. Army Research Laboratory

ABERDEEN PROVING GROUND, Md. Army researchers are working with a group of Marines to develop small 3-D printed unmanned aerial systems (UASs) for use on the battlefield and on different missions.

Unmanned

Techaya Ethernet switch on board chosen for UUV program - News

December 19, 2017

Lisa Daigle - Assistant Managing Editor, Military Embedded Systems MilSource

LOS ANGELES. MilSource recently announced that the Techaya MILTECH 309 Ethernet Switch on Board (ESoB) was chosen by a leading underwater, remotely-operated vehicle (ROV) manufacturer to provide Ethernet switching between on-board imaging sonar, positioning software and hardware, and other sensors.

Comms

Microchip releases COTS-based rad-tolerant solution - News

December 19, 2017

Mariana Iriarte - Technology Editor, Military Embedded Systems Microchip Technology

CHANDLER, Ariz. Microchip Technology Inc. officials released the ATmegaS64M1, an 8-bit megaAVR microcontroller (MCU) that uses a COTS-to-radiation-tolerant [commercial off-the-shelf] development approach in response to New Space and other critical aerospace applications that require faster development time and reduced cost.

Avionics

Dutch ministry of defense will upgrade six of its Chinook helicopters - News

December 19, 2017

Lisa Daigle - Assistant Managing Editor, Military Embedded Systems Boeing

RIDLEY PARK, Pa. Boeing and the Netherlands ministry of defense have signed an agreement that will upgrade six Royal Netherlands Air Force (RNLAF) Chinook helicopters to the latest F-model configuration, which the defense ministry believes will ensure commonality of systems for its entire fleet of 20 F-model Chinooks.