Industry News

Unmanned

Australian forces in Afghanistan use digital video exploitation system from General Dynamics - News

December 28, 2012

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

CANBERRA, Australia. General Dynamics Mediaware engineers designed two video capture and exploitation D-VEX systems for Australian army personnel operating the Shadow 200 Tactical Unmanned Aerial System (TUAS) in Afghanistan. The technology enhances how mission-critical, actionable intelligence is distributed among Australian troops and coalition forces.

Avionics

Navy orders two more C-40A transport aircraft from Boeing - News

December 27, 2012

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

Radar/EW

Airborne Low Frequency Sonar systems to be produced by Raytheon for NAVAIR - News

December 26, 2012

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

PATUXENT RIVER, MD. Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR) officials awarded Raytheon Integrated Defense Systems in Portsmouth, R.I., a $158,571,809 contract for the 48 MH-60R Full Rate Production Airborne Low Frequency Sonar (ALFS) systems as well as associated program management support.

Radar/EW

QML Class V and Q Qualifications achieved by Microsemi RTAX-DSP FPGAs - News

December 21, 2012

Brandon Lewis - Technology Editor, Embedded Computing Design Microsemi

ALISO VIEJO, CA. The Microsemi RTAX-DSP Field Programmable Gate Arrays (FPGAs) have achieved Class V and Class Q Qualified Manufacturers List (QML) qualification. After 2,000 hours of life testing on each wafer lot and destructive physical analysis on assembly lots, achieving Class V and Class Q QML qualification signifies that the high-reliability FPGAs have achieved the highest level of qualification for space Integrated Circuits (ICs).

Unmanned

Northrop Grumman X-47B UCAS completes carrier-based testing - News

December 20, 2012

Brandon Lewis - Technology Editor, Embedded Computing Design Northrop Grumman

NAPLES, Italy. The X-47B Unmanned Combat Air System (UCAS) experimental naval drone has completed its first tests aboard a U.S. Navy aircraft carrier. After a two-week series of tests aboard the U.S.S. Harry S. Truman, the X-47B proved engineering and mechanical compatibility with nuclear-powered aircraft-bearing vessels. The drone and similar Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) could eventually transport cargo to ships deployed at sea, carry out surveillance and reconnaissance runs, and conduct aerial assault missions. It is expected to conduct land-and-launch exercises in early 2013, which would be the first UAV flight from a carrier.

Avionics

Ada 2012 language revision approved and published by ISO - News

December 19, 2012

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

GENEVA, Switzerland. Officials at the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) approved and published the latest version of the Ada programming language – Ada 2012. New features include enhancements in contract-based programming. The announcement was made by officials at Ada Resource Association (ARA) and Ada-Europe.

Radar/EW

General Dynamics to perform LAV Reconnaissance Surveillance Suite upgrade - News

December 18, 2012

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

LONDON, Ontario. Canadian government officials selected General Dynamics Land Systems-Canada to upgrade an enhanced surveillance suite for the Canadian LAV III Upgrade vehicles.

Radar/EW

Missile Defense Agency selects Raytheon for AN/TPY-2 radar contract modification - News

December 17, 2012

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

TEWKSBURY, MA. Raytheon won a contract modification from the Missile Defense Agency in Huntsville, Ala., to produce and deliver the AN/TPY-2 Radar #11 with associated spares and three forward-based prime power units with associated spares.

Avionics

DO-178C Model-Based Design support released by MathWorks - News

December 14, 2012

Brandon Lewis - Technology Editor, Embedded Computing Design MathWorks

NATICK, MA. Release 2012b (R2012b) of the DO Qualification Kit has been announced by MathWorks. The Model-Based Design (MBD) kit assists engineers in qualifying the Polyspace and Simulink verification tools for DO-178C, as well as supplements including DO-331. The support provides a standardized global framework for quickening embedded aerospace system certification using MBD.

Comms

Production-rate DARPA SeeMe satellite contract awarded to Raytheon - News

December 13, 2012

Brandon Lewis - Technology Editor, Embedded Computing Design Raytheon Company

TUCSON, AZ. A $1.5 million Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) contract for the first phase of the Space enabled effects for Military engagements (SeeMe) program has been awarded to Raytheon Company. The nine-month contract will have Raytheon design small satellites capable of delivering on-demand imagery and information directly to the warfighter to enhance battlefield situational awareness.

Radar/EW

New portable RF/IF high-bandwidth signal recorder released by Pentek - News

December 12, 2012

John M. McHale III - Editorial Director, Military Embedded Systems Pentek, now part of Mercury

UPPER SADDLE RIVER, N.J. Pentek engineers released a new rugged, portable RF/IF signal recording and playback system called Talon RTR 2727 for military applications.

Radar/EW

Version 2.0 of Army Integrated Air and Missile Defense BCS software released - News

December 11, 2012

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

HUNTSVILLE, Ala. Northrop Grumman Corp. engineers unleashed Version 2.0 of the Integrated Air and Missile Defense (IAMD) Battle Command System (IBCS) software for the U.S. Army.

Avionics

Navy maritime patrol aircraft trainers to be maintained by Boeing - News

December 10, 2012

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

ST. LOUIS. U.S. Navy officials have tasked Boeing to maintain aircrew training devices for six aircraft variants as part of a five-year, $56 million contract. The covers training devices for P-3C, EP-3, P-8A, EA-6B, EA-18G, and SH-60B aircraft.

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.