Military Embedded Systems

Industry News

Avionics

First Bell OH-58F Kiowa Warrior test aircraft completed, U.S. Army saves on in-house build - News

October 25, 2012
WASHINGTON – Completion of the U.S. Army’s first Bell OH-58F Kiowa Warrior helicopter at a prototype facility was announced at AUSA. The new variant of the Kiowa Warrior was designed and built by the Army’s Aviation and Missile Research Development and Engineering Center (AMRDEC), and instrumentation is now beginning for its first expected flight test in April.
Radar/EW

Lockheed Martin FOPEN recon radar with moving object detection successfully tested - News

October 24, 2012
WASHINGTON – A Lockheed Martin Foliage-Penetrating (FOPEN) radar technology with the ability to detect slow-moving objects has been approved for further testing. Incorporating the Ground/Dismounted-Moving Target Indication (GMTI/DMTI) technology into a Tactical Reconnaissance and Counter-Concealment-Enabled Radar (TRACER), a U.S. Army test range team displayed the system’s ability to consistently detect moving vehicles and troops that were foliage obscured from a 300-foot tower and ground level. The system will now be integrated into a modular pod for testing on Predator-B or Blackhawk helicopter platforms.
From The Editor

AUSA Army attendance down - News

October 23, 2012
WASHINGTON. Last year the AUSA Annual Meetings expanded to both floors of the Washington, DC convention center, making it one of the biggest military trade shows in the country. This year it shrunk back a little bit due to the budget cuts and threat of sequestration.
Cyber

Raytheon acquires cybersecurity firm - News

October 22, 2012
GARLAND, Texas. Raytheon officials announced the company purchased Teligy, Inc., a company focuse don developing cybersecurity technology. Technology. The acquisition extends Raytheon’s cybersecurity equipment footprint in vulnerability analysis, wireless communications, reverse engineering, as well as custom kernel software/device driver development.
Unmanned

Titus UGV announced by Northrop Grumman - News

October 19, 2012
Remotec, a division of Northrop Grumman, announced the Titus Unmanned Ground Vehicle (UGV) on Wednesday. The multi-mission Andros robot equipped with a touchscreen control interface is equipped with semi-autonomous ordnance acquittal of dangerous materials.
From The Editor

IT technology infrastructure hampered by budget cuts, business processes - News

October 18, 2012
According to a new report from the TechAmerica Foundation, budget cuts and possible sequestration coupled with internal governance and policies are among the problems facing defense agencies as they attempt an IT technology transformation, a transition that occurs roughly every 15 years. The current IT technology transformation is slated to address upgrades pertaining to virtualization, the cloud, and mobile capabilities, but current budget uncertainties have limited the government’s ability to invest.
Comms

New secure laptop computer from General Dynamics enables classified and unclassified data for government users - News

October 17, 2012
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. Engineers at General Dynamics C4 Systems released a new Commercial-Off-The-Shelf (COTS) secure laptop computer for government and agency workers. The TACLANE-MultiBook laptop is certified by the National Security Agency (NSA) to secure network communications to the Secret level and below.
Unmanned

AFRL sodium guide star laser enables more detailed images of objects in space - News

October 16, 2012
KIRTLAND AIR FORCE BASE, N.M. Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) engineers began operating a new Boeing-built sodium guide star laser on a telescope at Kirtland Air Force Base. The 50-watt laser will enable AFRL scientists to enhance their acquisition of detailed images of objects in Earth orbit.
Comms

Communications range for Legacy NTDS devices extended with new Sabtech system - News

October 15, 2012
YORBA LINDA, Calif. Sabtech Industries engineers have extended the communications range of its Naval Tactical Data System (NTDS) equipment with a new PowerNet Bridge System. The firmware addition to Sabtech’s PowerNet NTDS to Ethernet Converter builds on this functionality and increases the communications range for legacy equipment beyond maximum MIL-STD-1397C distances.
Cyber

Shamoon virus, DoD cybersecurity role defined by Panetta - News

October 12, 2012
Defense Secretary Leon Panetta defined Department of Defense (DoD) obligations to cybersecurity during a speech in New York yesterday to the Business Executives for National Security (BENS). The speech held at the USS Intrepid Museum focused on Denial of Service (DoS) attacks recently experienced by major U.S. companies as a primary concern, and highlighted the Shamoon virus unleashed in Saudi Arabia.
Comms

DoD deputy CIO outlines spectrum sharing at MobileCon 2012 - News

October 11, 2012
Deputy CIO of the Department of Defense (DoD) Major General Robert Wheeler keynoted at CTIA MobileCon 2012 yesterday on the DoD’s plans to help free 500 MHz of wireless spectrum for the commercial market. The speech was centered on National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) findings that clearing the 1755 – 1855 MHz bands of high-value spectrum for commercial use could cost as much as $18 billion, and unveiled DoD proposals for spectrum sharing. In advance of his spectrum sharing proposal, Wheeler asserted that “there isn’t one solution to clearing [the 1755 – 1855 MHz] spectrum” but that “there will be some vacating” by the DoD, the largest licensee of government-owned spectrum.
Radar/EW

Office of Naval Research tasks Raytheon to develop new power architectures for surface ships and submarines - News

October 10, 2012
TEWKSBURY, Mass. Raytheon won two Phase 2 contracts under the Office of Naval Research’s (ONR’s) Compact Power Conversion Technologies (CPCT) program, which looks to improve fuel economy and architectural flexibility on critical mission systems fir future surface ships and submarines. The one-year programs for a Bi-Directional Power Converter and a Power Management Controller will help to reduce equipment footprint and personnel on future naval platforms.