Industry News

Comms

Local grids to be powered by DoD electric vehicles - News

January 11, 2013

Brandon Lewis - Technology Editor, Embedded Computing Design U.S. Department of Defense (DoD)

WASHINGTON. The Department of Defense (DoD) has allocated $20 million for a fleet of electric vehicles capable of exporting their own power in continuing efforts to reduce dependence on fossil fuels. Beginning later this year, the DoD plans to begin leasing up to 500 modified electric vehicles that cost between $30,000 and $100,000 a piece for six locations, including Los Angeles Air Force Base.

Unmanned

Infrared laser countermeasure technology for rotary and fixed-wing aircraft developed by Northrop Grumman, Pranalytica - News

January 10, 2013

Brandon Lewis - Technology Editor, Embedded Computing Design Northrop Grumman

APOPKA, FL. – A new variant of the All Semiconductor Airborne Laser Threat Terminator (ASALTT) that hosts a high power, high brightness Quantum Cascade Laser (QCL) module has been announced by Northrop Grumman. The ASALTT family is a group of infrared countermeasure systems deployed on rotary and fixed-wing military aircraft. The QCL was integrated into the platform in conjunction with Pranalytica, Inc., who customized the performance and properties of the QCL for the new laser design.

Comms

USAF Air National Guard rescue helicopters equipped with next-gen radios from Rockwell Collins - News

January 09, 2013

Brandon Lewis - Technology Editor, Embedded Computing Design Rockwell Collins

CEDAR RAPIDS, IA. The first installation of ARC-210 Gen5 radios on a U.S. Air Force Air National Guard HH-60G Combat Search And Rescue (CSAR) rotorcraft has been completed, Rockwell Collins announced today. The next-generation radio installation is a major part of the HH60G’s Avionics Communications Suite Upgrade Program, and provides the ability to fully network the helicopter with troops on the ground thanks to the radio’s Soldier Radio Waveform (SRW).

Radar/EW

New radar for Fire Scout UAV Wide-Area Search operations to be provided by Telephonics - News

January 09, 2013

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

SAN DIEGO. Northrop Grumman chose Telephonics Corp. in Long Island, N.Y., for a multimode maritime radar system for the U.S. Navy's MQ-8B Fire Scout vertical takeoff and landing tactical unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV).

Comms

MUOS waveform for secure satellite communications completed by Lockheed Martin - News

January 08, 2013

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

SUNNYVALE, CA. Lockheed Martin engineers completed and delivered the new software waveform for the U.S. Navy’s Mobile User Objective System (MUOS). The U.S. government has made the waveform available for military satellite communications terminal providers via the Joint Tactical Networking Center (JTNC) Information Repository. Contractors also may integrate the waveform into their MUOS-compatible terminals to deploy WCDMA capabilities for their users.

Comms

Navy's next-gen stratetgic submarine to be developed by General Dynamics - News

January 07, 2013

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

GROTON, Conn. General Dynamics Electric Boat won three Navy contracts totaling about $4.6 billion for design and development of the next-generation strategic deterrent submarine. The contracts also include continued construction as well as purchasing of materials for Virginia-class attack submarines.

Unmanned

U.S. Navy picks up option for additional Nixie torpedo defense systems from Boeing - News

January 04, 2013

Brandon Lewis - Technology Editor, Embedded Computing Design Boeing

FAIRFAX, VA. Boeing subsidiary Argon ST will continue to supply the U.S. Navy with AN/SLQ-25C torpedo defense countermeasures under a recently exercised option on the system’s contract. Under the $8 million contract extension, eight new AN/SLQ-25C systems will provide countermeasures that imitate a vessel’s propulsion system to draw incoming torpedoes away from Navy surface ships.

Comms

Cubic mesh asset tracking technology to be deployed to Afghanistan for withdrawal - News

January 03, 2013

Brandon Lewis - Technology Editor, Embedded Computing Design Cubic

SAN DIEGO, CA. Cubic Global Tracking Solutions has been awarded three U.S. Army and GSA Schedule orders to expand its Mesh Asset Tag (MAT) tracking technology to two U.S. bases located in Afghanistan. The orders, worth roughly $4.8 million, will deliver thousands of MATs to bases in Kandahar and Bagram, where they will be used to process and track equipment being returned to the U.S. or redeployed as the withdrawal from Afghanistan begins to take effect.

Unmanned

Unmanned vehicle control software firm acquired by Lockheed Martin - News

January 02, 2013

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

BETHESDA, MD. Lockheed Martin acquired the assets of CDL Systems Ltd., a firm that develops software for vehicle control stations for unmanned systems. Terms of the agreement were not disclosed by the companies.

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.