Industry News

Cyber

Thales acquisition of Vormetric to close early 2016 - News

October 21, 2015

Mariana Iriarte - Technology Editor, Military Embedded Systems Thales

PARIS. To grow its cybersecurity solutions, Thales has signed a definitive agreement to acquire Vormetric for $400 million. The acquisition is expected to close during the first quarter of 2016 after the transaction undergoes customary closing conditions.

Unmanned

U.S. Army procures APKWS laser-guided rockets for AH-64 Apache Helicopters - News

October 20, 2015

Mariana Iriarte - Technology Editor, Military Embedded Systems BAE Systems

ARLINGTON, Va. For ongoing operations in Iraq and Afghanistan, the U.S. Army has procured an initial quantity of BAE Systems’ Advanced Precision Kill Weapon System (APKWSTM) laser-guided rockets from the Navy’s inventory to be deployed in AH-64 Apache helicopters. They are also working together to secure additional rockets to meet ongoing demands.

Comms

Airborne battle command system upgrades to Lockheed Martin's ATOMS - News

October 20, 2015

Mariana Iriarte - Technology Editor, Military Embedded Systems Lockheed Martin

DENVER. The U.S. Air Force tasked Lockheed Martin to upgrade part of the Theater Battle Management Core System (TBMCS) to the Air Tasking Order Management System (ATOMS), a battle command system that allows commanders to execute air-tasking orders, deploy air assets, and direct joint U.S. air operations.

Radar/EW

BAE Systems orders Cobham's microelectronic products - News

October 20, 2015

Mariana Iriarte - Technology Editor, Military Embedded Systems Cobham

SAN DIEGO. BAE Systems has placed a series of orders from Cobham for microelectronic products for the F-35 Lightning II platform. The order includes integrated microelectronic assemblies for radar and electronic warfare (EW).

Radar/EW

Upgraded electronic warfare weapon tested by Raytheon and U.S. Air Force - News

October 19, 2015

Mariana Iriarte - Technology Editor, Military Embedded Systems Raytheon Company

TUCSON, Ariz. The U.S. Air Force and Raytheon completed a series of flight tests of the HARM Control Section Modification (HCSM), an upgrade to existing HARM missiles.

Unmanned

360-degree turret prototype tested for tactical aircrafts - News

October 19, 2015

Mariana Iriarte - Technology Editor, Military Embedded Systems Lockheed Martin

SUNNYVALE, Calif. Lockheed Martin has developed the Aero-adaptive Aero-optic Beam Control (ABC) turret, a prototype laser turret for the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) and the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) that can engage targets in a 360-degree field of regard for laser weapon systems on an aircraft flying near the speed of sound.

Radar/EW

Upgraded GaN AESA radar for Patriot missile defense system moves forward - News

October 19, 2015

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

WASHINGTON. Raytheon engineers are upgrading the Patriot Air and Missile Defense System's radar to provide 360 degree protection from the potential threat unmanned aircraft, manned aircraft, and cruise and ballistic missiles simultaneously attacking U.S. or allied forces from multiple directions.

Unmanned

ISR specialist ForceX acquired by L-3 Communications - News

October 16, 2015

John M. McHale III - Editorial Director, Military Embedded Systems L-3 Communications

NEW YORK. L-3 Communications leaders announced that the company acquired ForceX, Inc., in Nashville, Tennessee, earlier this month and since renamed it L-3 ForceX and integrated it into L-3’s Integrated Sensor Systems (ISS) sector within the Electronic Systems business segment.

Unmanned

Officials announce full-rate production contract for Improved Gray Eagles at AUSA show - News

October 16, 2015

Mariana Iriarte - Technology Editor, Military Embedded Systems General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc.

WASHINGTON. The U.S. Army selected General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. (GA‑ASI) for a full-rate production contract for 19 Improved Gray Eagle (IGE) Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS). The announcement was made at the annual AUSA show this year.

Radar/EW

CERDEC becomes VITA's sponsor member followed by Curtiss-Wright initiative to support the U.S. Army's MORA - News

October 16, 2015

Mariana Iriarte - Technology Editor, Military Embedded Systems VITA Standards Organization CERDEC

WASHINGTON. At the AUSA 2015 show, VITA announced their newest sponsor member, the U.S. Army’s Communications-Electronics Research, Development, and Engineering Center (CERDEC), who is developing the U.S. Army’s Modular Open RF Architecture (MORA) that enables open standards-based RF and microwave modules and small-form factor subsystem designs that address the size, weight, and power (SWaP) constraints of ground vehicles. Also announced at the show was Curtiss-Wright's support of the U.S. Army's MORA with compliant RF capabilities using embedded commericial-off-the-shelfs (COTS) systems.

Comms

Beachhead system supports M-Code PNT architecture - News

October 15, 2015

Mariana Iriarte - Technology Editor, Military Embedded Systems Curtiss-Wright

WASHINGTON. The Defense Solutions division at Curtiss-Wright announced at the AUSA 2015 show that its second-generation DuraDBH-672 Digital Beachhead Gigabit Ethernet (GbE) switch and vetronics computer subsystem now supports the Military Code (M-Code) Position, Navigation, and Timing (PNT) architecture.

Radar/EW

Additional JASSM and JASSM-ER production contract on by Lockheed Martin - News

October 15, 2015

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

ORLANDO, Florida. Lockheed Martin won a $305.4 million Air Force contract to continue producing the Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missile (JASSM) as well as its Extended Range (ER) version.

Comms

Strategic Alliance Agreement signed between Rockwell Collins and U.S. Army - News

October 14, 2015

Mariana Iriarte - Technology Editor, Military Embedded Systems Rockwell Collins

WASHINGTON. Rockwell Collins and the U.S. Army Material Command signed a Strategic Alliance Agreement that focuses on the implementation of strategies and initiatives to optimize efforts to supply advanced products and services to warfighters.

Unmanned

Lockheed Martin announces ICARUS at AUSA - News

October 14, 2015

Mariana Iriarte - Technology Editor, Military Embedded Systems Lockheed Martin

WASHINGTON. At the Association of the United States Army (AUSA), Lockheed Martin announced their latest capability, ICARUS, which detects and identifies small Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS).

Radar/EW

AN/TPS-80 G/ATOR AESA radar to get additional ground capability from Northrop Grumman - News

October 13, 2015

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

WASHINGTON. Northrop Grumman won a Marine Corps contract $58,706,242 million to develop and test the Ground Weapon Locating Radar (GWLR) mode for the AN/TPS-80 Ground/Air Task-Oriented Radar (G/ATOR).