Industry News

Avionics

Aitech Rad-tolerant 3U CompactPCI SBC - News

August 22, 2012

Brandon Lewis - Technology Editor, Embedded Computing Design Aitech

Chatsworth, Calif. ? SP0, a 10 W, space-qualified, rad-tolerant 3U CompactPCI Single Board Computer (SBC) for manned and unmanned space systems has been unveiled by Aitech Defense Systems Inc. SP0 is powered by the MPC8548E, a Freescale PowerQUICC-II...

Comms

Tin whisker mitigation research to be performed by Rockwell Collins for DoD program - News

August 22, 2012

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

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa. Officials at the Department of Defense's (DoD's) Strategic Environmental Research and Development Program selected a Rockwell Collins-led team for a research project on the Tin Whiskers Inorganic Coatings Evaluation (TWICE) program. The research will focus on mitigation of the impact tin whiskers have on high-reliability, high-performance electronic systems caused by new lead-free alloys and finishes in the defense and aerospace and defense manufacturing systems and supply chain.

Avionics

Rugged mission computer for avionics, vetronics announced by Curtiss-Wright Controls Defense Solutions - News

August 21, 2012

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

HIGH WYCOMBE, United Kingdom. A new Multi-Platform Mission Computer (MPMC) for space, weight and power (SWaP)-constrained avionics and vetronics and avionics applications was announced by Curtiss-Wright Controls Defense Solutions (CWCDS).

Comms

U.S. Army orders another 13,000 JTRS HMS Rifleman radios - News

August 20, 2012

John M. McHale III - Editorial Director, Military Embedded Systems General Dynamics Mission Systems

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. U.S. Army officials ordered another 13,000 Joint Tactical Radio System (JTRS) Handheld, Manpack, Small Form Fit (HMS) AN/PRC-154 Rifleman radios as well as accessory kits from General Dynamics C4 Systems for about $53.9 million. This is the Army?s second order of PRC-154 Rifleman radios, bringing the total to more than 19,000.

Comms

Actuators and rad-hard components from Aeroflex used on Curiosity rover - News

August 17, 2012

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

HAUPPAUGE, N.Y. Actuators for the Mars Science Laboratory (MSL), which recently landed on on the 4th planet from the Sun were provided by Aeroflex Inc. These Actuators will drive the rover?s wheels, enable steering motion, robotic arm joint motion, camer and high-gain antenna as well as various instrument functions on the Curiosity rover. Curiosity?s mission is to determine whether Mars has ever had the proper conditions to support life.

Avionics

DDC introduces programmable, high-performance 38 channel ARINC 429/717 cards - News

August 16, 2012

Brandon Lewis - Technology Editor, Embedded Computing Design Data Device Corporation (DDC)

Today, Data Device Corporation (DDC) unveiled its DD-40X00X line of ARINC 429/717 cards for flight testing and simulation, the first ARINC cards to offer 36 ARINC 429 programmable Tx/Rx channels for hardware in-the-loop testing and 2 ARINC 717 programm...

Radar/EW

Marines select QinetiQ's Dragon Runner 10 - News

August 09, 2012

Brandon Lewis - Technology Editor, Embedded Computing Design QinetiQ North America

LAS VEGAS - The U.S. Marine Corps has placed an urgent $4.3 million order with QinitiQ North America for additional Dragon Runner 10 (DR-10) robots. The latest order for the ten-pound, throwable robots will provide near-term Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance support to dismounted Marines in Afghanistan.

Unmanned

ScanEagle and Shadow UAVs log over 1.3 Million Combat Hours with FreeWave Wireless Data Radios - News

August 09, 2012

Brandon Lewis - Technology Editor, Embedded Computing Design FreeWave Technologies

LAS VEGAS ? AAI Unmanned Systems and Insitu Unmanned Aerial Vehicles, the Shadow and ScanEagle, respectively, have logged more than 1.3 million combat hours using wireless data radios from FreeWave Technologies. The radios, used in Command and Control (C2) applications, have assisted in Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR) missions for the duration of the flight hours logged by both platforms.

Unmanned

Robotic System for Remote Disarming IEDs Unveiled by Harris Corporation - News

August 08, 2012

Brandon Lewis - Technology Editor, Embedded Computing Design Harris Corporation

LAS VEGAS ? The RedHawk system used for remotely disarming Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) is being demonstrated by the Harris Corporation at AUVSI. RedHawk operators are able ?feel? objects remotely using the system?s intuitive haptic feedback, which leverages motion, force, and vibration to create the sensation of touch and dexterity for the operator, and allows disarmament from a safe distance.

Unmanned

Tactical Compact Communications Relay for UAVs Made Smaller and Lighter by Boeing - News

August 08, 2012

Brandon Lewis - Technology Editor, Embedded Computing Design Boeing

LAS VEGAS ? The Boeing Tactical Compact Communications Relay (TCCR) that allows Unmanned Aerial Vehicles to act as a range-extender for military handheld radios have been reduced in size and weight to 5? x 5? x 1? and 1 lb., respectively. Four production units were shipped to Initsu, and can be leveraged in the Initsu ScanEagle payload bay to extend the range of line-of-sight military handheld radios to more than 150 miles.

Unmanned

Raytheon Testing Proves Precision and Power of the Pyros Tactical Munition for UASs - News

August 08, 2012

Brandon Lewis - Technology Editor, Embedded Computing Design Raytheon Company

LAS VEGAS - A warhead and guidance system test of Raytheon?s Pyros tactical munition has been successfully completed, validating the system?s height-of-burst, electronic safe and arm device, GPS and semi-active guidance modes, and multi-effects warhead at the Yuma Proving Ground. Designed with small, tactical Unmanned Aerial Systems (UASs) in mind, the 13.5 lb., 22? weapon was dropped from a Cobra UAS and detonated directly over its target at a predetermined height calculated by Pyros height-of-burst sensor.

Unmanned

First Outdoor Flight Test of Laser-Powered UAS Performed by Lockheed Martin - News

August 08, 2012

Brandon Lewis - Technology Editor, Embedded Computing Design Lockheed Martin

LAS VEGAS ? The first-ever outdoor flight tests validating the performance of a laser-powered Unmanned Aerial System (UAS) have been completed on the Stalker UAS by Lockheed Martin and LaserMotive, Inc. Proof-of-concept testing of a Stalker system retrofitted with an on-board power management hardware and lightweight photovoltaic receiver took place both day and night at an undisclosed desert location in constant wind and heat conditions. Results demonstrated net positive power to the in-flight system at up to 600 meters, that the attached LaserMotive laser receiver did not impact normal flight operations, and that no damage was caused to the Stalker as a result of the laser itself.

Comms

First Advanced Encryption Long-Range Wireless Radio Solution Introduced by FreeWave Technologies - News

August 07, 2012

Brandon Lewis - Technology Editor, Embedded Computing Design FreeWave Technologies

LAS VEGAS - The Spartan Series of wireless radios with advanced FIPS 140-2 encryption technology for secure long-range communications for the government and defense sectors was unveiled today by FreeWave Technologies at AUVSI. With a small footprint, the Spartan Series provides a highly reliable, real-time communications data link that ensures the secure transmission/reception of encrypted data, and is an ideal solution for applications such as the Command and Control (C2) of Unmanned Systems (USs).

Unmanned

BAE Systems’ 3U CompactPCI SBC at Home on Mars in Curiosity Rover - News

August 07, 2012

Brandon Lewis - Technology Editor, Embedded Computing Design BAE Systems

The Curiosity rover landed on Mars late Sunday evening after traveling 36 weeks and across a 352 million mile expanse of space. Now safely at the base of Gale Crater on the Red Planet, the Mars Science Laboratory (MSL) will begin a two-year scientific ...

Unmanned

Nightlighter Airborne Imaging System Successfully Tested by General Atomics Aeronautical Systems - News

August 07, 2012

Brandon Lewis - Technology Editor, Embedded Computing Design General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc.

LAS VEGAS ? Successful flight testing and demonstration of the Nightlighter airborne imaging system, a night-time Improvised Explosive Device (IED) detection instrument, was announced today by General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. (GA?ASI) at AUVSI. The prototype Nightlighter system completed testing on a Twin Otter aircraft during the Joint Improvised Explosive Device Defeat Organization (JIEDDO)-sponsored Olympus Flight Test at Cactus Flats in China Lake, California in September of 2011, and is scheduled for deployment in the King Air 350 aircraft.