Industry News

From The Editor

Proposed revision to USML military electronics, ITAR issued by State Department - News

December 07, 2012

Brandon Lewis - Technology Editor, Embedded Computing Design

WASHINGTON. The Directorate of Defense Trade Controls (DDTC) of the U.S. Department of State has published a proposition for revision to Category XI of the U.S. Munitions List (USML), which covers military electronics, in an attempt to create what they call a “bright line” between the Commerce Control List (CCL) and USML. Included in the proposal is a definition of “equipment,” as well as a more exact description of electronics that warrant control on the USML. Following a 60-day comment period that commenced on November 28, 2012, the Department of State may elect to implement none, all, or some of the proposed revision.

Unmanned

New NASA Mars rover mission in 2020 despite budget cuts - News

December 06, 2012

Brandon Lewis - Technology Editor, Embedded Computing Design NASA

WASHINGTON. A new Mars rover will be launched in 2020, officials at NASA announced on Tuesday at the American Geophysical Union. The unmanned vehicle’s landing system and chassis will be based heavily off of the Curiosity rover, allowing the agency to save roughly $1 billion in design expenses off of the current rover’s $2.5 billion price tag.

A.I.

DARPA program language, text comprehension awards funding to Raytheon BBN Technologies - News

December 05, 2012

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

CAMBRIDGE, MA. Raytheon BBN Technologies won a $16 million in funding to develop exploration and filtering tools to improve text comprehension. The contract is under the Deep Exploration and Filter of Text (DEFT) program, which is sponsored by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) and the U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory.

Avionics

Virgin Galactic pilots to train with simulation technology from Quantum3D - News

December 04, 2012

John M. McHale III - Editorial Director, Military Embedded Systems Quantum3D, Inc.

ORLANDO, FL. Officials at Virgin Galactic commercial spaceline ordered the six-channel Independence IDX 7000 image generator from Quantum3D for spaceship command and equipment training. Quantum3D officials made the announcement this week at the I/ITSEC show in Orlando.

Radar/EW

New lightweight, anti-jam GPS for ground systems contract won by Raytheon - News

December 03, 2012

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

HARLOW, United Kingdom. The UK Ministry of Defense chose Raytheon UK for a new GPS Anti-Jam Antenna System. Raytheon will provide an undisclosed number of advanced systems for deployment in operational theaters across multiple vehicle platforms.

Radar/EW

New 6U OpenVPX-compliant board with Freescale processors released by X-ES - News

November 30, 2012

John M. McHale III - Editorial Director, Military Embedded Systems Extreme Engineering Solutions (X-ES)

MIDDLETON, WI. Engineers at Extreme Engineering Solutions, Inc. (X-ES) released a new 6U VPX Single Board Computer (SBC) -- the XCalibur1641 -- that supports Freescale QorIQ P3041, P4040, P4080, P5010, P5020, and P5040 processors. The OpenVPX-compliant device is targeted at conduction-cooled and air-cooled military applications.

Radar/EW

Medium Extended Air Defense System (MEADS) to use rugged servers from Z Microsystems - News

November 29, 2012

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

SAN DIEGO. Z Microsystems is working with MEADS International to deliver its ZX rugged servers and workstations for the Medium Extended Air Defense System (MEADS).

Unmanned

Ground-based laser defense system tested against UAS, rockets by Lockheed Martin - News

November 28, 2012

Brandon Lewis - Technology Editor, Embedded Computing Design Lockheed Martin

SUNNYVALE, CA. Lockheed Martin has successfully tested and demonstrated the Area Defense Anti-Munitions (ADAM) system, a portable ground-based laser system designed as a countermeasure against short-range airborne threats such as Unmanned Aerial Systems (UASs) and rockets. The testing, which began at a simulated flight range in August, saw the ADAM military laser system successfully engage an in-flight UAS target at an approximate range of 1.5 km and destroy four small-caliber rocket targets at an approximate range of 1.2 km.

Comms

PacketAssure iQ1000 receives UC APL approval from DoD - News

November 27, 2012

Brandon Lewis - Technology Editor, Embedded Computing Design Ultra Electronics

WALLINGFORD, CT. The Ultra Electronics TCS PacketAssure iQ1000 device has been approved by the US Department of Defense (DoD) for the Unified Capabilities Approved Products List (UC APL). The PacketAssure iQ1000 is an intelligent Layer 2 switch that provides assured line speed LAN switching over Gigabit Ethernet (GbE) links. The device’s approval for the UC APL denotes its achievement of information assurance certification through the Joint Interoperability Test Command (JITC) and open standards-based interoperability for DoD security and Information Technology (IT) mandates.

Avionics

VPT releases 5W dual output DC-DC converter for MIL-COTS programs - News

November 27, 2012

Brandon Lewis - Technology Editor, Embedded Computing Design VPT, Inc.

ELECTRONICA, MUNICH, GERMANY. VPT Inc. announced the VPT5-2800D DC-DC converter at electronica earlier this month. The dual output COTS power converter provides up to 5 W of power from a six-sided metal package that measures in with a small footprint of roughly one square inch.

Radar/EW

AIDEWS testing completed by ITT Exelis - News

November 26, 2012

Brandon Lewis - Technology Editor, Embedded Computing Design ITT Inc.

CLIFTON, N.J. Extensive electromagnetic compatibility testing of the Advanced Integrated Defense Electronic Warfare Suite (AIDEWS) has been completed by ITT Exelis. The AIDEWS, tested at Edwards Air Force Base, CA, provides situational awareness to pilots, as well as defense against radar-based weapons systems such as surface-to-air and air-to-air threats.

Unmanned

Navy announces imminent RFP plan for aircraft carrier-based UAS - News

November 16, 2012

Brandon Lewis - Technology Editor, Embedded Computing Design U.S. Navy

SPRINGFIELD, VA. The U.S. Navy has announced a plan to release an RFP before the end of 2012 for the Unmanned Carrier-Launched Surveillance and Strike (UCLASS) aerial system. The RFP for the unmanned platform, which will launch from Navy aircraft carriers, was announced on November 8th by U.S. Navy Deputy Program Executive Officer Patrick Buckley.

Unmanned

Northrop Grumman begins production of Triton UAS fuselage - News

November 15, 2012

Brandon Lewis - Technology Editor, Embedded Computing Design Northrop Grumman

Moss Point, Mississippi – Northrop Grumman began production on the fuselage of the newest line of Navy Unmanned Aerial System (UAS), the Triton high-altitude surveillance drone, on Tuesday at their Unmanned Systems Center in Moss Point, Mississippi. Upon completion, Triton platforms will be able to maintain flight times of up to 24 hours across distances of up to 2,000 miles.

Radar/EW

Space Fence radar proposal from Lockheed Martin submitted to Air Force - News

November 14, 2012

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

MOORESTOWN, N.J. Lockheed Martin officials have submitted the company’s final contract proposal to construct the Space Fence radar, which will enhance how the U.S. Air Force tracks and identifies orbital objects.

Comms

GPS receiver from Rockwell Collins to be used in Curtiss-Wright Controls Digital Beachhead solution - News

November 13, 2012

John M. McHale III - Editorial Director, Military Embedded Systems Curtiss-Wright Rockwell Collins

ASHBURN, VA. Curtiss-Wright Controls Defense Solutions (CWCDS) selected the SAASM based MPE-S GPS receiver module from Rockwell Collins for the U.S. Army standard embedded GPS receiver for use in rugged electronics subsystems that are compliant with the Army’s Vehicular Integration for C4ISR/EW Interoperability (VICTORY) initiative for interoperable digital network services.