Industry News

Avionics

General Dynamics Advanced Mission Computer Completes Super Hornet, Growler Flight Testing - News

September 13, 2012

Brandon Lewis - Technology Editor, Embedded Computing Design General Dynamics

ST. LOUIS – The Type 4 Advanced Mission Computer (AMC) has been successfully flight tested for use in the EA-18G Growler and F/A-18E/F Super Hornet by the U.S. Navy and Boeing. The mission computer, supplied by General Dynamics, has increased computing power and will improve image and mission processing for Distributed Targeting Systems, Infrared Search and Track, and high-definition touch-screen displays, among other systems.

Comms

Inertial Navigation System Eurofighter Tranche 3 to be supplied by Northrop Grumman - News

September 12, 2012

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

POMEZIA, Italy. Officials at Alenia Aermacchi and the Eurofighter Consortium selected Northrop Grumman Corp. to deliver inertial and satellite navigation systems for the Tranche 3 of the Eurofighter Typhoon multirole combat fighter aircraft.

Radar/EW

Lynx Multi-Mode Radar Tested by Department of Homeland Security - News

September 11, 2012

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

SAN DIEGO – The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and Customs and Border Patrol (CBP) have conducted testing of the two-channel Lynx Multi-mode Radar system onboard a Predator B Remotely Piloted Aircraft, according to General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. Integration of the Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR), Dismount Moving Target Indicator (DMTI), and Ground Moving Target Indicator (GMTI) components of the Lynx Multi-mode Radar was successfully tested in May at the National Air Security Operations Center in Grand Forks, North Dakota.

Radar/EW

Rugged video display released by Curtiss-Wright - News

September 10, 2012

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

LAINDON, United Kingdom. Engineers at Curtiss-Wright Controls Defense Solutions (CWCDS), have designed a new rugged widescreen display -- the Skyquest AVDU4300. The 17-inch device has full 1080p resolution and is designed for military and law enforcement applications.

Comms

GPS III first launch exercise completed - News

September 06, 2012

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

NEWTOWN, PA. Raytheon and Lockheed Martin officials announced that the Air Force’s GPS III satellites’ first launch readiness exercise was completed. The launch readiness exercise, which was completed over a three day period by mission operations personnel, validated the basic satellite’s command and control functions, demonstrated the basic on-console procedures required for space vehicle contacts during the launch and early orbit mission, and tested the software and hardware interfaces.

Comms

MIDS-LVT Link-16 Terminals to be delivered by Data Link Solutions for U.S. and Coalition Forces - News

September 05, 2012

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

WAYNE, N.J. Data Link Solutions (DLS), a joint venture between BAE Systems and Rockwell Collins, won an $18.5 million contract from the U.S. Navy Space and Naval Warfare Systems Command (SPAWAR) for the production of Multifunctional Information Distribution System (MIDS) Low Volume Terminals (LVT) for U.S. and Coalition Forces. The MIDS-LVT terminals will enable real-time data communications, navigation, situational awareness, and digital voice -- all in one jam-resistant and crypto-secured package.

Radar/EW

Firefinder Radar REX upgrade contract awarded to ThalesRaytheonSystems - News

September 04, 2012

Brandon Lewis - Technology Editor, Embedded Computing Design ThalesRaytheonSystems

FULLERTON, CA. – A $44.9 million U.S. Army contract to upgrade the Receiver Exciter (REX) of the Improved AN/TPQ-37 Firefinder radar has been awarded to ThalesRaytheonSystems. Part of an effort to extend the Improved AN/TPQ-37 counter-battery system’s performance and service life, the enhanced REX produces signals for transmission and conditions received signals for processing within the long-range weapon locating radar.

Unmanned

Mini-navigation device with GPS/INS capability released by VectorNav for UAVs - News

September 04, 2012

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

Avionics

LynuxWorks demonstrates LynxOS-178 safety and security solutions - News

August 31, 2012

Brandon Lewis - Technology Editor, Embedded Computing Design LynuxWorks

LAS VEGAS – The Future Airborne Capability Environment (FACE)-compliant LynxOS-178 v 2.2.2 Real-Time Operating System (RTOS) and LynxSecure separation kernel and hypervisor was demonstrated during AUVSI earlier this month. The latest version is the only RTOS available that is DO-178B Level A certified and contains native POSIX and ARINC 653 APIs, in addition to being the only FAA-awarded Reusable Software Component (RSC) for DO-178B that is time and space partitioned. When combined with FACE APIs, the LynxOS-178 offers a DO-178B-certified and rapidly migratable platform for UAV software components.

Avionics

B-1 bomber fleet fatigue testing begun by Boeing - News

August 31, 2012

Brandon Lewis - Technology Editor, Embedded Computing Design Boeing

TUKWILA, Wash., August 30 – A five-year fatigue test on the U.S. Air Force B-1 bomber wing has been undertaken by Boeing to validate the fleet’s expected 2050 EOL and identify “areas of concern” for maintenance.

Unmanned

Winged Joint Direct Attack Munition (JDAM) testing completed by Boeing - News

August 30, 2012

Brandon Lewis - Technology Editor, Embedded Computing Design Boeing

ST. LOUIS, August 30 – Wind tunnel tests on a winged variant of Boeing’s Joint Direct Attack Munition Extended Range (JDAM-ER) completed in June have increased the prospects of tripling the glide range of JDAMs to over 40 miles were completed in June. The 500-pound unit fitted with a modular, unfolding wing kit, allows aircraft equipped with the low-cost guidance kit to engage targets from beyond the range of enemy air defenses.

Comms

3,000th overseas mission for BACN aboard E-11A aircraft - News

August 30, 2012

Brandon Lewis - Technology Editor, Embedded Computing Design Northrop Grumman

SAN DIEGO, Aug. 30 – The Battlefield Airborne Communications Node (BACN) from Northrop Grumman completed its 3,000th overseas mission aboard the E-11A Bombardier Global Express BD-700 aircraft carrying out contingency support on July 14th. The high-altitude airborne communications and information gateway system conducted the mission out of the 451st Tactical Airborne Gateway at Kandahar Airfield in Afghanistan, providing situational awareness and C2 through a collection of computers and radio systems that conducts comms and battlefield information connecting multiple warfighter and command points.

Unmanned

Tactical Ballistic Missile Operational Tests of Lockheed's PAC-3 Missile a success - News

August 30, 2012

Brandon Lewis - Technology Editor, Embedded Computing Design Lockheed Martin

DALLAS, Aug. 29 – The PAC-3 Missile destroyed a tactical ballistic missile target today in a U.S. Army Operational Test on Wednesday in New Mexico at the White Sands Missile Range. The test of the Lockheed Martin munition successfully destroyed two incoming Patriot-As-A-Target TBMs and a MQM-107 drone, with two ripple-launched PAC-3s engaging the second of the TBMs. All test objectives appear to have been achieved according to preliminary data.

Comms

Rugged, small form factor computer released by Versalogic - News

August 29, 2012

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

EUGENE, OR. Engineers at VersaLogic Corp., have designed a rugged, credit-card sized embedded computer – the Falcon – that uses an Intel Atom E6x0T low-power processor.

Comms

Optical, rad-hard transceiver for space applications released by Ultra Communications - News

August 27, 2012

John M. McHale III - Editorial Director, Military Embedded Systems Ultra I&C

VISTA, CA. Engineers at Ultra Communications are targeting high-speed parallel optical communications for space applications with their radiation-hardened c X80-Q Fury transceiver. The surface-mount device produces a 12.5 Gbps per channel per receiver and has an extended temperature range of -40 to 100 degrees Celsius.