Industry News

Comms

Miniature optical communications demonstrated by NASA CubeSat in orbit - News

October 22, 2015

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

EL SEGUNDO, California. The Optical Communications and Sensor Demonstration (OCSD) CubeSat spacecraft from NASA and The Aerospace Corp., is now in orbit and operational and ready to demonstrate optical communications in space.

Avionics

Budget cuts place restraints on DoD helicopter market - News

October 22, 2015

John M. McHale III - Editorial Director, Military Embedded Systems Frost & Sullivan

MOUNTAIN VIEW, California. Analysts at Frost & Sullivan say that a reduction new U.S. military helicopter procurement programs the need for logistical support, upgrades, and the remanufacture of current platforms and subsystems will sustain market growth. They say they expect military helicopter funding to decrease from about $9.99 billion in 2015 to $6.89 billion in 2020, at a negative compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of five percent.

Radar/EW

Lockheed Martin receives U.S. Air Force contract for Sniper Advanced Targeting Pod-Sensor Enhancement - News

October 22, 2015

Mariana Iriarte - Technology Editor, Military Embedded Systems Lockheed Martin

ORLANDO, Fla. The U.S. Air Force has selected Lockheed Martin for the production and upgrade to its Sniper Advanced Targeting Pod-Sensor Enhancement (ATP-SE). The contract is valued at an estimated $176.1 million.

Avionics

Data-mining tool is a highlight at U.S. Navy Sustainment Summit - News

October 21, 2015

Mariana Iriarte - Technology Editor, Military Embedded Systems Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR)

NAVAL AIR SYSTEMS COMMAND, Patuxent River, Md. NAVAIR Logistics and Industrial Operations (AIR 6.0) held a Sustainment Summit this month to discuss the Naval Aviation shift from procurement to sustainment and modernization.

Radar/EW

F-16V completes flight with AESA fire control radar - News

October 21, 2015

Mariana Iriarte - Technology Editor, Military Embedded Systems Northrop Grumman

FORT WORTH, Texas. The F-16V completes its maiden voyage, flying with Northrop Grumman’s APG-83 Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) Scalable Agile Beam Radar (SABR).

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.