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Radar, EO/IR, C-UAS, Night Vision & Surveillance

RADAR, EO/IR, C-UAS, NIGHT VISION AND SURVEILLANCE UPDATE

May 10, 2024 by

Sponsored by Echodyne

 

www.echodyne.com

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09 May 24. Canada reiterates development of Arctic over the horizon radar. Bill Blair, Canada’s Defence Minister, laid out plans for future NORAD modernisation following the nation’s allocation of $29.2bn in 2022.

In a speech addressing the Canadian Global Affairs Institute conference on the modernisation of North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD), the Canadian Minister of National Defence Bill Blair laid out plans to deepen the Canadian-US aerospace warning and detection partnership.

“We are deepening our commitment to the extraordinary defence partnership that Canada and the United States share. It’s a relationship unlike any other in the world,” he stated.

“This means building a new Arctic over the horizon radar capability that will vastly improve our ability to detect threats from the North.”

Funds have already been allocated toward this effort in 2022, amounting to C$40bn ($29.2bn). However, Blair now aims to mobilise these funds to develop “several interoperable over the horizon radars across the two nations.”

He pointed out that this growing endeavour will provide “our decision-makers a clear 360-degree picture of incoming threats.”

Blair touched on the uncertain security climate in which the North American region is not securely protected by its oceanic distance from the rest of the world. In his speech, he referred to the numerous Chinese spy balloons that infringed Canadian, US and supposedly South American airspace in an effort to attain intelligence back in February 2023.

“Many of you will recall, a Chinese surveillance balloon violated our sovereignty and we’ve been seeing a growing number of Chinese dual purpose research vessels and surveillance platforms incurred into our region. To contend with these threats, I want to acknowledge to you all we’ve got some work to do. We’ve actually got a great deal of work to do.”

A new NORAD pledge

The Minister added that Canada will upgrade its existing infrastructure in sites at Inuvik, Yellowknife, Iqaluit and Goose Bay. “We’re of course doing that in consultation with indigenous and Northern partners,” he added.

Currently, there are 1,000 Canadian personnel employed on the NORAD mission across North America.

Moreover, the country provides fighter aircraft on alert status as part of the organisation during normal operations, and also operates and maintains the Canadian portion of the North Warning System as well as three of the mentioned forward operating locations.

Building on an updated national strategy

This announcement comes off the back of the Canadian Government’s latest C$52bn investment over the next two decades to equip its Armed Forces amid the uncertain security environment playing out on the world stage.

Specifically, Canada will start to invest C$8.1bn over the next five years, and C$73bn over the next two decades.

Within these new funds, NORAD will benefit directly from a new satellite ground station in the Arctic worth C$222m, besides all the trappings of an expanded F-35A fighter fleet among other things, “most these new platforms will reach initial operating capability between 2026 and 2030,” Blair predicted. (Source: army-technology.com)

 

09 May 24. The USAF and Boeing are close to resolving a pricing disagreement that has held up a deal for the first two E-7 Wedgetail planes, and a final agreement could materialize within weeks, the Air Force’s top acquisition official said Wednesday.

The Air Force initially estimated it would cost $2.1 billion for the rapid prototyping program, but Boeing’s own projections were around double the service’s planned costs, Andrew Hunter said.

The final agreement “will be higher than our original estimate. I think we understand now that that is necessary,” he told reporters after a congressional hearing.

But the Air Force still believes it will be able to get a good deal that doesn’t simply split the difference between the two parties’ initial proposals.

“We think we can substantially improve over what Boeing offered us. I would say we will not meet in the middle,” Hunter said. He added that while the costs of the rapid prototyping portion of the program will increase, “we aren’t currently projecting a significant difference in the cost of production,” though that could change as the service gleans more data.

Boeing said in a statement, “We are partnering with the US Air Force to deliver this critical capability and are working diligently to reach an agreement.”

The Air Force awarded Boeing a $1.2 billion contract for the Wedgetail in 2023 under an undefinitized contract action, or UCA, which allows work to start while the parties iron out final contract details such as pricing and schedule. The agreement covers the first two prototypes, with a plan to transition the program into production and field a total of 26 Wedgetails by 2032.

But negotiations between Boeing and the Air Force hit a stumbling block over price, Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall said in February. Hunter said then that the planemaker had projected a large amount of non-recurring engineering required to meet US specifications, driving up costs.

At the same time, billions in cost overruns on fixed-price defense programs and an ongoing safety crisis in its commercial planes unit has forced Boeing executives to underscore the importance of “contract discipline,” with leaders publicly stating that the company will not enter into fixed-price development contracts or agreements that could further put Boeing in financial peril.

The hold up in negotiations forced the Air Force to delay procurement funding slated to begin in fiscal 2025, as it did not have a design firmly under contract, Hunter said. However, the Air Force still believes Boeing will be able to deliver the first prototype aircraft in FY27

“It would not have been possible to project it to enter procurement [in FY25] when we didn’t even have a definitized prototyping contract that we felt like we could stand behind and say, ‘This is an affordable capability,’” he said. “We’re much closer to that. And we’ll have an opportunity to revisit how we ramp into production with the next budget.”

Beginning work for a program under a UCA isn’t optimal, Hunter said, and the Air Force understood entering into the agreement with Boeing that it would be better to “understand the full parameters” of a contract before starting the program. But service officials felt like it was the best course of action so that it could replace the E-3 AWACS early warning and control plane as soon as possible, he added.

The E-3’s engines are set to reach their end of life around 2030, Lt. Gen. Richard Moore, the Air Force’s deputy chief of staff for plans and programs, said during the hearing. (Source: Defense News Early Bird/Breaking Defense.com)

 

09 May 24. Quantum-Systems Debuts Long-Range, Long-Endurance VTOL UAS. Quantum-Systems is debuting its long-range, long-endurance VTOL UAS – Reliant – at SOF Week in Tampa, Florida this week. The Group 2 platform delivers over 10 hours of endurance and provides persistent Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) and Target Acquisition (TA) in contested, demanding environments. Reliant joins the Family of Systems comprised of the mid-range, mid-endurance UAS – Vector – and short-range, short-endurance UAS – Twister. Reliant, Vector and Twister are interoperable, making simultaneous operation and coordination of multiple UAS possible for joint UAS missions.

Dave Sharpin,CEO at Quantum Systems Inc., told UAS VISION: “Reliant is the latest addition to our family of VTOL Uncrewed Aircraft Systems. Our goal in developing Reliant is to provide our customers with Group 3 UAS mission system capabilities in a Group 2-sized aircraft and operational footprint.”

Reliant is a fixed-wing, long-range vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) UAS designed for beyond-line- of-sight ISR/RSTA missions in inaccessible, denied environments. It merges the agility of rotary wing aircraft with the efficiency of fixed-wing models to deliver more than 10 hours of endurance. The easily transportable system features a two- case mission pack-out and can be operational in less than 10 minutes with no tools required. Reliant features a secondary payload bay for additional ISR sensor integration and greater mission versatility. Reliant has a flight time of 4 hours on its Li-Po Batteries alone, which rises to 10+ hours using Internal Combustion- based Hybrid-Electric Drive. Maximum cruise speed is 60 mph and payload capacity is 3 kg / 6.6 lbs. Length is7.8 ft / 2.37 m and wingspan is 12.8 ft / 3.9 m. (Source: UAS VISION)

 

09 May 24. Cuashub.com said today that Ondas Iron-Drone Raider Secures Initial Purchase Order. Ondas Holdings Inc., a supplier of private industrial wireless networks alongside commercial drone and automated data solutions, announced that it has received an inaugural purchase order for its Iron-Drone Raider counter-unmanned aircraft system (C-UAS) from an Israeli defense firm. The Iron-Drone Raider System is a unique, AI-integrated interception drone system that enables the neutralization of hostile drones to protect borders and infrastructure. Following thorough testing and integration, Ondas expects subsequent orders from this client and others.

At the beginning of 2023, Airobotics, a subsidiary of Ondas, acquired Iron Drone Ltd’s assets and introduced the inaugural Iron-Drone Raider system under Airobotics’ banner. Subsequently, in August of last year, the Israel Innovation Authority (IIA) granted funding to bolster the system’s advancement and augment its functionalities.

“This order is a major advance for our Ondas Autonomous Systems business unit as we drive commercialization of our Iron-Drone Raider C-UAS platform,” said Eric Brock, Chairman and CEO of Ondas. “Our Airobotics team has demonstrated its exceptional capabilities by rapidly enhancing the Iron-Drone Raider platform for new market requirements tailored for military deployments. We believe this system offers best-in-class specifications and will help protect borders and critical infrastructure assets not only in Israel, but also many other countries worldwide.”

Ondas assesses that the rise of small and autonomous drones poses an escalating threat. The Iron-Drone Raider platform offers a distinctive solution, effectively neutralizing these threats at a reasonable cost without causing collateral damage. Leveraging onboard AI technologies, the system identifies, locates, tracks, and intercepts hostile drones, seamlessly integrating with various drone detection systems. The Raider, an agile autonomous drone, is armed with interception mechanisms. Complementing this is a highly automated docking station, adept at simultaneously handling multiple hostile drone targets. Following each mission, the Raider returns to its initial position, ready for reuse.

https://cuashub.com/en/content/ondas-iron-drone-raider-secures-initial-purchase-order/?_hsenc=p2ANqtz-8EjKPToDnsPq-GQbOqiz3jz_QcZc_1EGRoO3zRIwvRDCYhoZIP7G927IDBwFSKrwqk1Tkbx2LX4l0ZjF12vkcy5VzSYPPu5fjPLgd2KTcWRpe7Gd4&_hsmi=306328096#utm_campaign=C-UAS%20Hub%20General&utm_medium=email&utm_content=306328096&utm_source=hs_email (Source: https://cuashub.com/)

 

07 May 24. DSA 2024: Chinese manufacturer showcases aperture radar jammer. Chinese manufacturer QuanLian T&E (Hainan) International Trade Co Ltd showcased a jamming system for synthetic aperture radars (SARs) at the Defence Services Asia (DSA) 2024 exhibition held in Kuala Lumpur from 6 to 9 May. This is the first time the system is displayed outside the home country, the manufacturer informed Janes. The system counters SARs and reduces the probability of detection. It provides warning of SAR transmissions and jams it. The equipment is designed for protection against X-band frequencies (8–12 GHz). It consists of an antenna module and a signal processing module and can operate in electronic support (ES) and electronic attack (EA) modes. The ES receiver of the system continuously monitors SAR signal emissions in the X-band and provides the SAR reconnaissance warning. The ES receiver has -60 dBm sensitivity to detect SAR emissions with 360º azimuth coverages. The EA system jams the SAR systems using a coherent suppression method. The jammer also operates in X-band frequencies with a bandwidth of 1 GHz. (Source: Janes)

 

08 May 24. Korean Air sells five jets to U.S. aerospace firm Sierra Nevada. Korean Air (003490.KS), will sell five of its planes to U.S. aerospace firm Sierra Nevada Corporation, the airline said in an exchange filing on Wednesday. Sierra Nevada recently won a $13bn U.S. Air Force contract to develop a successor to the E-4B Nightwatch, known as the Doomsday plane due to its ability to survive a nuclear war and act as a command and control centre during emergencies. Sierra Nevada did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The Korean Air planes being sold are four-engined Boeing 747-8s, a source familiar with the matter said. The four current E-4 planes, which have been in service since the 1970s, are modified Boeing 747-200s. The sale, valued at 918bn Korean won ($674m), is in line with Korean Air’s medium to long-term plan to dispose of older aircraft and replace them with newer generation ones, the Korean Air filing said. Korean Air will sell the planes in September 2025, the filing said. (Source: Reuters)

 

08 May 24. Cuashub.com said today that AeroDefense, a leading American drone detection hardware and software manufacturer, announced its SAFETY Act Designation by the United States Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Office of SAFETY Act Implementation. This achievement underscores AeroDefense’s success in protecting public gatherings, critical infrastructure, and sensitive sites from aerial threats.

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Support Anti-terrorism by Fostering Effective Technologies (SAFETY) Act of 2002 is a significant part of the United States’ response to the threat of terrorism, particularly following the events of September 11, 2001. The SAFETY Act was designed to encourage the development and deployment of effective anti-terrorism technologies and offers liability protections for providers and users of these technologies.

Originally recognized as an approved technology under the Developmental Testing and Evaluation (DT&E) category in 2019, AeroDefense has since demonstrated the effectiveness and reliability of its AirWarden™ system. This airspace security solution detects, identifies, and tracks drone and pilot activity. AeroDefense was the first drone detection company to receive SAFETY Act recognition five years ago. The transition to the Designation category is a significant milestone highlighting AeroDefense’s tangible contribution to public safety since its DT&E award.

To be eligible for SAFETY Act protections, technologies must undergo a rigorous application and evaluation process. With this Designation, AirWarden users can have even greater confidence in deploying its systems, knowing they are utilizing a DHS-recognized technology that not only enhances safety but also limits liability in the event of a terrorist attack involving drones.

Linda Ziemba, founding CEO of AeroDefense, stated, “We’re honored that our DT&E award has led to our Designation status from DHS – a testament to our continued dedication to innovation and safety in this vital field.”

AeroDefense provides a full suite of passive Radio-Frequency (RF) based drone detection service layers to alert when drones and/or their controllers enter protected airspace. AeroDefense AirWarden solutions leverage the Federal Aviation Administration Remote ID rule, which is now widely implemented.

https://cuashub.com/en/content/aerodefense-achieves-dhs-safety-act-designation/?_hsenc=p2ANqtz-9vFH9JZsoAaW1BqSA70XOJl8k2doQlI11dMq40hQIlBM4kD8x48tPmCXAO9lcKAYEK4LGTx7jo501_3sY_QqUKz5yZLPL7h5q4cfhffxgL2JtSDkE&_hsmi=306140420#utm_campaign=C-UAS%20Hub%20General&utm_medium=email&utm_content=306140420&utm_source=hs_email (Source: https://cuashub.com/)

 

08 May 24. Cuashub.com said today that First Tranche of DoD Replicator Program Includes C-UAS Tech. Earlier this week, Deputy Secretary Hicks announced the capabilities and the selection of a system slated for accelerated deployment under the initial phase of the Replicator initiative, which concentrates on deploying all-domain attritable autonomous (ADA2) systems. The Department has secured funding totaling around $500m for Fiscal Year 2024, comprising roughly $300m from the defense appropriations bill for FY 2024, bolstering the Department’s reprogramming request and additional funds identified through existing authorities and Defense-wide channels. In the President’s Budget for 2025, the Department has proposed a similar allocation, and efforts will be made to collaborate with Congress to secure support for this request. These investments bring together a diverse array of capabilities from both traditional and nontraditional technology entities, including system vendors, component manufacturers, and software developers.

“I am pleased to announce that the Department will begin investing in scalable production for these critical capabilities,” said Hicks. “We are taking an important step toward strengthening our defense and technology industrial base. And, we are demonstrating the Department’s ability to break down barriers to scaling innovation at speed not just for ADA2 systems, but in our ability to develop new capabilities and processes for the Department and key stakeholders, including Congress.”

The initial set of Replicator capabilities encompasses uncrewed surface vehicles (USVs), uncrewed aerial systems (UAS), and counter-uncrewed aerial systems (C-UAS) of diverse sizes and payloads sourced from various traditional and non-traditional vendors.

Specifically, the Department will expedite the deployment of the Switchblade-600 loitering munition in the aerial domain, manufactured by AeroVironment Inc., headquartered in Simi Valley, CA. The proven effectiveness of U.S.-supplied Switchblade drones, as demonstrated in Ukraine, underscores their value, and this system will enhance the capabilities available to U.S. forces.

In the maritime sphere, the Department is broadening the vendor pool for uncrewed surface vehicles (USVs) through the recently introduced Production-Ready, Inexpensive, Maritime Expeditionary (PRIME) Commercial Solutions Opening (CSO). This CSO process enables both U.S. and international companies to propose technologies to the Department through an expedited pathway for prototype contract consideration. Initiated on January 30, 2024, the PRIME CSO attracted over one hundred applications from commercial technology firms. With funding secured for Fiscal Year 2024, the Department will award multiple contracts this summer.

Additionally, the first batch of Replicator capabilities encompasses certain classified features, including those in the maritime domain and others within the C-UAS portfolio.

Since Deputy Secretary Hicks introduced the Replicator initiative with its initial emphasis on ADA2 systems slightly over seven months ago, the Department has undertaken a comprehensive effort to align senior leaders towards a unified vision. This effort involves identifying and validating critical joint operational gaps and expeditiously deploying solutions within 18-24 months. Simultaneously, the Department is gearing up to introduce the next set of capabilities to augment the ADA2 portfolio.

https://cuashub.com/en/content/first-tranche-of-dod-replicator-program-includes-c-uas-tech/?_hsenc=p2ANqtz-_TSQkhdjdR-xhu_bSJAVzatkKsu9-oJmd80_sRB8h-Xcpp0BZynZytw2vUJVOwXPk-huN7tu8OmtQyaU0AsJINy1GaZYcvD00C7Ax4Ntu-BVC6V-k&_hsmi=306140420#utm_campaign=C-UAS%20Hub%20General&utm_medium=email&utm_content=306140420&utm_source=hs_email (Source: https://cuashub.com/)

 

07 May 24. BAE Systems, Kongsberg eyeing upgrade to Marine Corps’ ACV centered on battlefield awareness. The capabilities the companies described as part of the ICS are similar to what Pentagon officials have said is needed for Joint All Domain Command and Control.

BAE Systems is independently testing how a command and control suite, built by Norwegian defense contractor Kongsberg and dubbed the Integrated Combat Solution, could increase Marines’ ability to see across the battlefield in the service’s new Amphibious Combat Vehicle, officials from both companies told Breaking Defense.

Mark Brinkman, a BAE Systems executive, said the confluence of the systems aims to provide Marines increased situational awareness while remaining under the protective armor of the ACV. During the Modern Day Marine Exposition last week, the company had an ACV 30-mm variant on the floor equipped with ICS and allowed guests — and reporters — to see the system in action.

Next to the gunner’s seat were several screens with access to various cameras watching different parts of the exposition show floor. During a demonstration for Breaking Defense, the screen cycled to different cameras that were “tied in” to the ACV, as Brinkman described it, and interfaced with the vehicle to direct the 30-mm gun overhead to find new targets, all while providing the would-be gunner with pertinent information about the location of each camera.

The original ICS was born out of a upgrade program for the Norwegian Combat Vehicle 90, produced by BAE in Sweden, said Vetle Dragsten, Kongsberg’s technical director for the ICS. Brinkman added that as BAE has worked on separate research and development efforts related both to the ACV and the Advanced Reconnaissance Vehicle, it became apparent there was a need for “the ability to pass targets in a means other than voice to expedite that kill chain or kill web.”

“We integrated a lot of cutting-edge technologies. This is one that really stood out, so we’re continuing to work with Kongsberg because we think this would be a tremendous capability to add to the existing ACV fleet and potentially any other ground vehicle,” Brinkman said.

The ACV is the Marine Corps’ next-generation vehicle designed to move Marines from ship to shore that will replace the legacy Amphibious Assault Vehicle. ACV has four variants, and BAE Systems is under contract to produce and deliver the personnel carrier and command and control variants. The company has delivered three 30-mm gun variants to the Defense Department for government testing and is under contract to produce three test models of the recovery variant.

The capabilities of ICS that Brinkman described in many ways mirror the ones described by Pentagon officials as part of the Defense Department’s Joint All Domain Command and Control initiative — they make passing information between numerous nodes on a battlefield as seamless as possible. (The company executives said the comparison is one that others who viewed the demonstration during Modern Day Marine also pointed out.)

A BAE spokesperson did not provide a specific dollar amount when asked how much money the company has invested into integrating ICS with the ACV.

“BAE Systems and Kongsberg have been jointly investing [independent research and development funding] for several years to bring the ICS system to the United States Marine Corps to revolutionize their reconnaissance and counter-reconnaissance capabilities,” they told Breaking Defense. (Source: Breaking Defense.com)

 

07 May 24. Bounce Imaging and TrellisWare Technologies, Inc. announce the release of two new camera systems integrating TrellisWare’s Mobile Ad Hoc Network (MANET) radio modules into Bounce Imaging’s 360° tactical cameras for a longer-range and more inter-operable situational awareness solution. An order for several hundred of these systems to U.S. special operations units represents the largest part of $11m in new DoD contracts awarded to Bounce Imaging, with shipments beginning this month.

By integrating Bounce Imaging’s Recce360TW throwable camera and its Land Shark TW K9 camera with TrellisWare’s robust TW-650 TSM Shadow® Core Board Module, operators can continue to leverage the combat-proven cameras to maintain situational awareness, now with enhanced resilience against electronic warfare. The incorporation of this communication pathway facilitates seamless collaboration with other unmanned aerial systems (UAS) and unmanned ground vehicle (UGV) platforms as a long-range payload. Deployable by tossing, tethering, or mounting, warfighters can evaluate environmental circumstances from all angles simultaneously before engaging.

“We’re proud to offer cutting-edge tools that easily fit into an operator’s drop pouch, rapidly deploy in even the most contested environments and deliver crucial context on field conditions directly to ATAK devices, supporting our servicemen with the decision quality necessary to execute successful operations,” said Mark Fargason, Bounce Imaging COO. “We remain committed to delivering systems at low cost and high inter-operability with existing platforms like TrellisWare to provide intelligence that keeps soldiers safer.”

“TrellisWare is proud to team with Bounce Imaging on the integration of our TW-650 TSM Shadow Core Board Module into their Recce360 TW Ball camera system,” said George Roesch, director of Global SOF for TrellisWare. “The Recce 360 TW Ball is one of the most unique solutions to leverage our TSM® waveform to deliver a highly impactful capability to our combined users. It is great to have Bounce Imaging join the powerful TSM Ecosystem!”

In addition to the above contracts, the company has also recently delivered its first shipment of TrellisWare-enabled K9 cameras to one of several NATO allies pursuing Bounce Imaging technology deployments, and its cameras are in active use by U.S. partners in conflict zones.

The company recently won $5m in development contracts with the U.S. Air Force (USAF) to continue to address the most pressing challenges faced by the USAF and broader DoD. This includes next-generation systems that incorporate fully panoramic thermal video and 5G communications modules.

Over the last four years, Bounce Imaging’s technology has been extensively validated in the Army Expeditionary Warrior Equipment (AEWE) and 10X Platoon exercises, as well as multiple U.S. and NATO ally deployments abroad. Bounce Imaging tactical cameras support domestic operations every day with over 600 federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies such as the FBI, CBP, NYPD and others across the United States.

About Bounce Imaging

Bounce Imaging, originally founded at the Harvard Innovation Laboratory and MIT, creates ruggedized sensor platforms that capture stabilized, omnidirectional video and audio data. Named a Best Invention by TIME, CNN, Popular Science, and others, their technology stitches images 200x faster than traditional methods while maintaining stability even when thrown, mounted, or rotated. Bounce Imaging’s 360° tactical cameras can deploy where robots and drones can’t, eliminating blind spots and delivering improved situational awareness. Assembled in Buffalo, New York, and northern Massachusetts, they ensure a diversified U.S. supply chain, compliant with NDAA, TAA, and BAA regulations. For more information, visit https://bounceimaging.com.

About TrellisWare Technologies, Inc.

TrellisWare Technologies, Inc. is a global leader in highly advanced algorithms, waveforms, and communications systems that range from small form factor radio products to fully integrated solutions. The TrellisWare® TSM® and Katana™ waveforms are incorporated into a wide range of systems, including TrellisWare radios and trusted industry partner radios. TrellisWare is delivering the next generation of communications for defense, public safety, and uncrewed markets When Nothing Else Works™. For more information on TrellisWare’s products and solutions, please visit www.trellisware.com.

 

07 May 24. It’s a full house! Thermoteknix wins 5th Royal Award. Thermoteknix honoured with 2024 King’s Award for Enterprise in Innovation adding to their list of King’s and Queen’s Awards for Innovation and International Trade.

Thermoteknix Systems Ltd. has been honoured with its fifth Royal Award, this time, the distinguished King’s Award for Enterprise in Innovation, recognising its commercial success from groundbreaking innovation in Augmented Reality.

Thermoteknix is a global innovator in thermal imaging, night vision and augmented reality systems around the world.

Thermoteknix has won this prestigious King’s Award for Innovation with its Augmented Reality head-up display system providing immersive situational awareness.

The system comprises of ClipIR, a miniature thermal imaging camera which provides thermal fusion, and ARTIM, an intelligent battery pack providing power and external data to ClipIR. ARTIM adds the capability of following routes, messaging, media or tracking the locations of team-mates which it presents to the user in Augmented Reality.

Commenting on winning Three Queen’s Awards and two King’s Awards for Enterprise, in consecutive years, founder and Managing Director of Thermoteknix, Dr. Richard Salisbury said: “Augmented Reality is becoming an ever present feature in all aspects of media experience.  Overcoming the limits of technology to present realistic moving imagery while integrating information from a wide variety of sources is very challenging, but our achievement brings this to life. We are thrilled to have been rewarded with a full house of Royal Awards.”

“This Award recognises the huge endeavours, skills and determination of all of our employees and suppliers. This latest King’s Award provides affirmation of Thermoteknix’ innovation and our continued success at the forefront of engineering excellence,” added Operations Director, Max Salisbury.

Thermoteknix was awarded the inaugural King’s Award for Enterprise, International Trade, in 2023. Previously, the company has also been honoured with three Queen’s Awards for Enterprise in International Trade and in Innovation.

Founded in 1982, Thermoteknix has sustained continued growth from its Cambridge headquarters, manufacturing and supplying industrial and advanced thermal imaging, and fused imaging solutions to heavy industry and security markets. The company has close ties to the local community, with sourcing and manufacturing carried out in the UK.

The globally recognised King’s Award for Enterprise is the most prestigious award for UK businesses

 

29 Apr 24. RoK to bolster naval ballistic missile, unmanned systems interception capabilities. South Korea’s defence procurement agency has announced programmes to bolster its navy’s ability to intercept ballistic missiles and unmanned vehicles.

These include a programme to improve the country’s indigenous close-in weapon system (CIWS) project undertaken in consideration of recent changes in warfare techniques, said the Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) in its announcement on 26 April.

South Korea’s indigenously conceived CIWS is known as the ‘CIWS-II’ and it is being developed by LIGNex1 under a contract awarded in 2021.

It is based on a seven-barrelled Gatling gun system incorporated with a tracking active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar, a four-faced AESA search radar, and an electro-optical tracker. The weapon can fire about 4,200 rounds per minute.

At the 161st meeting of the country’s Defense Program Promotion Committee that was held on the same day of the announcement, changes to the CIWS-II programme’s quantity and localisation plans were decided on, DAPA said without giving further details. (Source: Janes)

 

07 May 24. VITEC, a market-leading provider of IPTV, video streaming and digital signage solutions, and RFmondial, a specialist in wireless transmission technology, have announced a groundbreaking achievement: the world’s first demonstration of ultra-low latency (below 100ms) video streaming over DECT NR+, the new non-cellular 5G standard. Achieved as part of the Sennheiser led Franco-German backed project MERCI, the demonstration took place at a public workshop in Hannover, Germany on April 19, 2024.As partners in the MERCI project, VITEC and RFmondial joined forces to unveil the potential of DECT NR+ for wireless video transmission. VITEC’s market-leading video encoder and decoder – renowned for exceptional energy efficiency and industry-low glass-to-glass latency – and RFmondial’s compact and optimized NR+ implementation (based on the Nordic chipset) combined to demonstrate to workshop attendees robust HD video streaming with latency down to 50ms glass to glass over ranges of up to 100 metres.

Eric Deniau, VITEC’s SVP R&D commented: “This demonstration shows that Ultra-Low Latency wireless video transmission is now made simple even in very demanding environments, where today complex dedicated technical means are needed.”

Jens Schroeder, RFmondial’s Managing Director, added: “The simplicity of NR+ setup, which does not require infrastructure deployment, together with its robust and high-performance capabilities, make it an ideal solution for wireless video connectivity in applications such as public venues, industrial or medical environments.”

The MERCI project has support from the German and French governments as part of their 5G programmes, with work focused on two use cases where these capabilities will be needed:

  • Public venue displays and remote video production where video quality and display latency are key factors.
  • Industrial robots and remote vehicle operation where end to end latency and secure transmissions are essential.

NR+ enables ultra-low latency and ultra-reliable wireless connectivity for demanding network environments. Based on proven capabilities, it is anticipated that future silicon implementations of NR+ will allow for more throughput and improved robustness (as defined by the ETSI standard) to fulfil the requirements for wider adoption of wireless video transmission. Combined with the next generation high efficiency / low latency / low footprint video coding technology VITEC is currently working on, unprecedented performance will be possible, making the combination a perfect fit for many use cases where wireless video connectivity is currently lacking a suitable solution.

 

06 May 24. Cuashub.com said today that The FAA Reauthorization Act’s Potential Impact on Counter-UAS. The FAA Reauthorization Act of 2024 is in the news this week as many are anxious to see the Act passed in Congress and be signed into law by the President. The Act contains many important provisions for both crewed and uncrewed aviation. Although the Act does not currently contain any provisions for expanded authorities for Counter-UAS, as seen in the 2018 version, several sections may impact the airspace awareness and protection mission in the United States.

Section 1112 of the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2024 does, however, extend the Counter-UAS authorities of the Department of Justice and the Department of Homeland Security until October 1, 2024. This extension will give Congress another five months to discuss and agree (hopefully) on expanding authorities and capabilities to law enforcement and critical infrastructure.

In the meantime, this legislation does have some potential “wins” that could positively impact aspects of this security mission. Below are examples of sections in the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2024 that may impact the Counter-UAS mission:

Section 905- Radar Data Pilot Program

Not later than 270 days after the date of enactment of this Act, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Administrator, in coordination with the Secretary of Defense and other heads of relevant Federal agencies, shall establish a Sensitive Radar Data Feed Pilot Program to make airspace data feeds containing controlled unclassified information available to qualified users.

Why this matters: Qualified users would be provided access to airspace data feeds related to air traffic within the national airspace system that could be used to provide and enable air traffic management services, unmanned aircraft system traffic management services, or test technologies that enable or enhance these services. Although not specifically designated, these feeds may enhance airspace awareness for certain Counter-UAS missions.

Section 906- Electronic Conspicuity Study

The Comptroller General shall conduct a study of technologies and methods that may be used by operators of unmanned aircraft systems to detect and avoid manned aircraft that may lawfully operate below 500 feet above ground level and that are—

(1) not equipped with a transponder or automatic dependent surveillance-broadcast out equipment; or

(2) otherwise not electronically conspicuous.

Why this matters: Although this section focuses on the awareness of crewed aircraft for drone operations, this technology and data could also provide a more comprehensive airspace awareness picture for Counter-UAS missions.

Section 907- Remote Identification Alternative Means of Compliance

The FAA Administrator shall review and evaluate the final rule of the FAA titled ‘‘Remote Identification of Unmanned Aircraft’’, issued on January 15, 2021 (86 Fed. Reg. 4390), to determine the feasibility and advisability of whether unmanned aircraft manufacturers and operators can meet the intent of such final rule through alternative means of compliance, including through network-based remote identification.

Why this matters: Increasing the compliance rate of Remote ID and enabling additional methods in which the Remote ID message elements can be made available to safety and security personnel will provide a more comprehensive airspace awareness picture, as well as provide important data to enable more complex UAS operations in the national airspace.

Section 922- Extension of Know Before You Fly Campaign

The Administrator of the FAA is authorized $1,000,000 for fiscal years 2024 through 2028 for the Know Before You Fly educational campaign or similar public informational efforts to broaden unmanned aircraft systems safety awareness.

Why this matters: A knowledgeable drone pilot population with access to information and tools to operate within the national airspace system enables safety and security. Reducing the number of careless and clueless drone pilots operating in restricted or controlled airspace allows safety and security personnel to focus on actual real-time threats or emergencies.

Section 924- UAS Test Ranges

This section includes language allowing the FAA Administrator to select and designate up to two (2) additional UAS test ranges through a competitive selection process. Seven (7) UAS test ranges have already been designated through previous legislation.

The legislation allows the FAA to designate the UAS test ranges as restricted areas, special use airspace, or other similar type of airspace. Among the activities that would be authorized include conducting Counter-UAS testing capabilities, with the approval of the Administrator.

Why this matters: Counter-UAS companies, end-users of their technologies, and researchers are limited to where these systems can be tested and evaluated. By increasing the number of UAS test ranges and enabling airspace restrictions, the industry, as well as the safety and security of the homeland, can more quickly evolve.

Section 928- Recreational Operations of Drone Systems

This section requires the FAA to establish a process to approve and publicly disseminate the location of fixed sites where pilots may carry out certain recreational UAS operations.

These fixed-site locations expand the operations that are not normally available to recreational UAS operators. Examples include:

  • The FAA Administrator, in coordination with community-based organizations (CBO) sponsoring operations at fixed sites, will be able to develop a process to approve requests for UAS operations at fixed sites that exceed the maximum altitude in a UAS Facility Map published by the FAA.
  • At fixed sites in uncontrolled airspace, operations 400 feet above ground level can occur with prior authorization from the FAA Administrator. Additionally, UAS weighing 55 lbs or more can be operated if the UAS complies with standards and limitations developed by the CBO, approved by the FAA Administrator, and operated from a designated fixed-site facility.

Why this matters: This section expands the scope of operations available to recreational users at designated locations. Security or law enforcement personnel involved in Counter-UAS operations must know the expanded rules, the fixed-site locations, and the unique flight profiles that may be authorized at these sites.

Section 929- Applications for Designation

This section applies to —Section 2209 of the FAA Extension, Safety, and Security Act (FESSA) of 2016. Not later than 90 days after the date of enactment of the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2024, the FAA Administrator shall publish a notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) to carry out the requirements of this section. A final rule must be published not later than sixteen (16) months after publishing the NPRM.

For reference, Section 2209 requires the FAA to establish protocols for individuals to petition the agency to impose limitations or restrictions on the operation of drones in the vicinity of a fixed-site facility.

A “fixed site facility” encompasses critical infrastructure such as energy production, transmission, distribution and equipment, oil refineries and chemical facilities, amusement parks, and other locations warranting such restrictions.

This section would strike the term”Other locations that warrant such restrictions” from the original language and add “State prisons.”

Why this matters: Owners and operators of critical infrastructure have waited for around eight (8) years for the process to apply for flight restrictions around designated facilities. These flight restrictions do not prevent an unauthorized drone from accessing the airspace above a designated facility. The legislative language from FESSA or the current proposed legislation does not designate the repercussions of unauthorized drone flights over these facilities.

Section 935- Protection of Public Gatherings

This section expands the ability of the FAA Administrator to restrict UAS operations over eligible large public gatherings temporarily. Eligible entities who wish to request temporary flight restrictions will be required to submit requests at least thirty (30) days in advance and provide the agency with relevant information that includes the geographic boundaries of the stadium or venue, dates and times of the gathering, and other relevant information.

This section would expand the eligibility of flight restrictions to events at stadiums that would normally have flight restrictions for National Football League games, for example, to other events at the same stadium, such as concerts. Eligible events would require an estimated attendance of at least 30,000 people in a non-enclosed stadium and advertised in the public domain.

Large outdoor public gatherings at a location other than a stadium, defined by a static geographical boundary, advertised in the public domain, and with an estimated attendance of at least 100,000 people may also be eligible for temporary flight restrictions.

Why this matters: This section would expand the menu of events eligible for airspace restrictions. These airspace restrictions would justify the need for Counter-UAS or airspace awareness and protection capabilities at these events.

Although the expansion of temporary airspace restrictions to additional events is a win for security, the potential limitation of these airspace restrictions to the geographic boundary of the stadium or venue is not.

We’ll continue to monitor this and other important legislation. Stay tuned for more updates on the FAA Reauthorization Act and the expansion of Counter-UAS authorities.

https://cuashub.com/en/content/the-faa-reauthorization-acts-impact-on-counter-uas/?_hsenc=p2ANqtz-9RfM39DMk_vh9VufjTSXkus2wTb-JYw7icsvaPKVEo0koY69jrHCWelwwqJxL3jw8GV60CRMiZfPTU1vup4c1s3ohoimCNk5HJnlruKhlu4IhJ6wk&_hsmi=305679968#utm_campaign=C-UAS%20Hub%20General&utm_medium=email&utm_content=305679968&utm_source=hs_email (Source: https://cuashub.com/)

 

03 May 24. Sea Drone Swarms – Can NATO’s Navies Avoid Russia’s Fate?

Recent sinkings of Russian naval vessels by Ukrainian maritime drones are raising stark questions about tactics and competence.

With the probable loss of the missile patrol ship Sergey Kotov on March 5 in coastal waters near Feodosia, occupied Crimea, the Russian Black Sea fleet has lost three vessels in similar drone swarm attacks (and many more in cruise missile and aerial drone strikes.)

While many have proclaimed the drone campaign a revolution in naval warfare, the drones in fact continue a time-honored tactic of crewed small combatants working as a team to destroy a single, larger, and more capable opponent.

The Ukrainians have much to be proud of in their drone surface force campaign and have honed their drone swarm tactics to be remarkable effect. The Russian Black Sea fleet, on the other hand, seems to have learned little in the year since Ukrainian unmanned surface attack vessels were first introduced into combat.

Western navies are watching with care. When operating in contested coastal areas, US and NATO warships now:

  • employ additional lookouts,
  • assign additional weapons teams with machine guns to engage small-craft
  • provide air or aviation drone coverage to detect incoming attackers, and
  • institute maneuvering plans to minimize the threat posed by smaller, nimble, and well-armed opponents.

Drone technology has shown significant, evolutionary development. But for now, at least, Western warships are able to successfully engage and destroy similar drone swarms. Simply put, US and NATO navies are more capable and more competent than their Russian counterparts, as recent engagements in the Red Sea demonstrate.

The Japanese cruiser Haguro: A combat case study.

A good historical example of a small ship swarm sinking a larger ship was the May 1945 sinking of the Japanese heavy cruiser Haguro by the British Royal Navy’s (RN) five-ship, 26th Destroyer Flotilla in Operation Dukedom.

Haguro was used in the waning days of World War II as a supply vessel serving isolated Japanese garrisons in the Andaman Islands from her base in Singapore. The Japanese planned to use the cruiser to evacuate the garrisons when she sailed on 14 May. (Source: www.unmannedairspace.info/CEPA)

 

03 May 24. ParaZero to enter C-UAS market. ParaZero Technologies Ltd., an aerospace company specilaising in drone technologies for commercial drones, defence drones and urban air mobility aircraft, has announced its intention to enter the counter uncrewed aircraft system (C-UAS or anti-drone) market, by developing dedicated solutions based on its technology.  The company analysed the expanding market of C-UAS technologies and believes that specific elements within its technology portfolio, would lend themselves well to defending against threats and attacks from small uncrewed platforms. ParaZero said that the decision to explore the C-UAS market follows global inquiries it has received. (Source: www.unmannedairspace.info)

 

03 May 24. How drone and C-UAS warfare has changed the battlefield in the last few weeks. The evolution of drone and counter-drone warfare in Ukraine is changing the way armies, air forces and navies need to prepare for the next conflict. Unmanned Airspace has reviewed recent stories in defence and technology journals covering this conflict – as well as informed social media content providers – and has identified some of the new trends in drone warfare and C-UAS measured which have emerged just over the past few weeks alone which we think are particularly significant. From the vast numbers of drones being downed by friendly fire to the emergence of AI in swarming attacks involving drones, cruise and ballistic missiles.

“More than two-thirds of the Russian tanks that Ukraine’s military has destroyed in recent months have been taken out using first-person-view (FPV) drones, a NATO official told Foreign Policy, an increasing sign of Kyiv’s reliance on the unpiloted aircraft as it awaits more artillery ammunition from the United States and other Western countries.”

“Lt. Col. Michael Pruden, branch head at Marine Air Command and Control Systems Integration, Combat Development Directorate, said before deploying any kind of counter-UAS capabilities, “First, I need to be able to go ahead and detect that UAS, and I need to identify it, then I need to go ahead and target it, and I need to destroy it.”….Pruden said 40 percent of drones knocked out in Israel were from friendly fire.

https://www.nationaldefensemagazine.org/articles/2024/5/1/marines-have-a-drone-identification-problem

“Ukraine has sidelined U.S.-provided Abrams M1A1 battle tanks for now in its fight against Russia, in part because Russian drone warfare has made it too difficult for them to operate without detection or coming under attack, two U.S. military officials told The Associated Press.”

https://www.npr.org/2024/04/26/1247403968/ukraine-pulls-abrams-tanks-from-front-lines-russia-drone-threats

“A new type of long-range Ukrainian FPV drone is destroying Russian mobile air defense systems. The greater reach of this type of weapon brings many new targets into range, and the Ukrainians are taking advantage by knocking out expensive equipment before the Russians can move it to safety. The new weapons have been dubbed ‘Ukrolancets’ as they fulfill a similar role to Russia’s much-feared Lancet kamikaze drones. But they are likely to appear in much larger numbers.”

https://www.forbes.com/sites/davidhambling/2024/04/10/ukrolancet-drones-blitz-russian-air-defenses/

“FPV drones arrive in yet another war. Myanmar rebels, soon after using kamikaze UAVs, have begun using FPV drones.”

FPV drones arrive in yet another war.

Myanmar rebels, soon after using kamikaze UAVs, has begun using FPV drones.

Government forces also begun to use FPV drones. pic.twitter.com/tM2hLqYrr4

— Clash Report (@clashreport) May 3, 2024

“With the probable loss of the missile patrol ship Sergey Kotov on March 5 in coastal waters near Feodosia, occupied Crimea, the Russian Black Sea fleet has lost three vessels in similar drone swarm attacks (and many more in cruise missile and aerial drone strikes.) While many have proclaimed the drone campaign a revolution in naval warfare, the drones in fact continue a time-honored tactic of crewed small combatants working as a team to destroy a single, larger, and more capable opponent. ”

Sea Drone Swarms – Can NATO’s Navies Avoid Russia’s Fate?

“Russian T-90M Proryv tanks were equipped with factory canopies to protect against drones, this has not yet been officially announced. The first tanks were spotted at one of the training grounds, where the gunner-operator of one of the combat vehicles told his impressions of the tank. A protective canopy from the drone covers the top of the entire tank turret, and it also has hatches for loading the crew. The protection looks pretty good and is strikingly different from the homemade structures that the crews themselves previously installed on tanks.”

“According to Russian media, analysts specializing in unmanned aviation suggest that the Russian occupation army might soon adopt a new tactic involving the use of “loitering munitions or kamikaze drones that can interact with each other on the battlefield”. The report indicates that while specific details about these plans remain undisclosed, there is an expectation for the deployment of groups of loitering munitions operating in coordination, essentially forming a swarm. While this concept isn’t novel, it underscores ongoing efforts to enhance these capabilities.”

https://en.defence-ua.com/analysis/russian_military_considers_drone_swarm_tactics_for_war_in_ukraine-9517.html (Source: www.unmannedairspace.info)

 

03 May 24. BlueHalo and Kraken Partner to Advance Autonomous Maritime Operations. BlueHalo, the company transforming the future of global defense,  and Kraken Technology Group, a maritime technology leader specializing in disruptive high-performance platforms, today announced a strategic partnership to integrate BlueHalo’s cutting-edge Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning (AI/ML)-backed autonomous mission systems into Kraken’s littoral security platforms to develop next-generation uncrewed surface vehicles (USV) and uncrewed surface/sub-surface vehicles (USSV) along with multi-domain, ‘marsupial’ capabilities.

Through this partnership, the entities will work together to integrate BlueHalo’s industry-leading autonomous innovations within a range of Kraken vessels–including the K3 SCOUT USV, the K4 MANTA USSV and the K5 KRAKEN Gunship–to yield significant innovations in maritime autonomy and develop new littoral capabilities addressing critical national security priorities. BlueHalo will also integrate its Titan and SkyView Radio Frequency (RF)-based counter-uncrewed aircraft system (C-UAS) technologies as payload within the K3, K4, and K5 portfolio for mobile, maritime UAS detect and defeat capabilities.

“This expansion into the maritime domain is one of several initiatives we have been planning as part of our long-term strategic vision. The ability to rapidly and seamlessly adapt current leading technologies to adjacent domains allows us to out innovate adversaries and extend BlueHalo’s ring of protection,” said Jonathan Moneymaker, BlueHalo Chief Executive Officer. “Kraken’s innovative spirit and passion for customer success align directly with our DNA and we are excited to be bringing these disruptive offerings to the mission.”

“Partnering so closely with BlueHalo on the integration of K3 has demonstrated clear synergies in both vision and expertise. With this combined effort, Kraken and BlueHalo are working together to expand these innovations across our other vessels and pursue even more opportunities to meet critical customer needs,” said Mal Crease, Founder and CEO of Kraken Technology Group. “Game-changing capabilities deployed at pace is our sole objective, and this partnership will ensure our ability to deliver against exponentially growing

market demand.”

The BlueHalo AI/ML-backed autonomous platform will serve as the primary core of autonomous operations and functions within the Kraken USV and USSV–leading mission-focused operations, maintaining situational awareness, signaling directions to the autonomous maritime controller, enabling multi-vessel swarming, and supporting hybrid maritime and land “marsupial” operations.

BlueHalo has extensive technical experience delivering state-of-the-art autonomous capabilities, including R&D, engineering, systems development, fabrication and prototyping, manufacturing, integration and sustainment activities. These capabilities enabled the development of HaloSwarm–a transformational, autonomous drone swarming technology with unmatched mission efficiency and performance previously unavailable to the warfighter. The company also offers an entire ecosystem of uncrewed solutions purpose-built for any environment, including the Intense Eye UAS, which is part of the U.S. Defense Innovation Unit (DIU) Blue UAS Cleared List for rigorously vetted, policy-compliant, commercial UAS.

Kraken has a successful record of rapidly developing and manufacturing disruptive, scalable littoral platforms at high-volume. K3 SCOUT is a low-cost, low-signature, high-performance autonomous multi-mission USV for use both commercial and military applications. K4 MANTA is a unique, innovative scalable platform under development which will bring multi-mission payloads over large distances, before submerging for covert infiltration, persistent recce or loitering roles. K5 KRAKEN will be the definitive built-for-purpose, high-performance littoral gunship, capable of rapid solo or swarmed precision engagement in defense of littoral or afloat assets.

 

03 May 24. General Radar Corporation, a US-based developer and manufacturer of high-resolution and long-range multi-mission Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) phased array radars, today announced the launch of a transformative and cost-effective solution to the traditional radar market. This launch reflects General Radar’s commitment to delivering a critical capability to detect and track an increasing number of airborne targets, including aircraft, drones, cruise missiles, balloons and emerging threats for its commercial and government customers.

Radar-as-a-Service (RaaS) redefines how traditional ground-based radar has been developed and built, often taking a decade to source, procure and deploy to the field. The demand for high accuracy long-range radars has increased dramatically due to the evolution and proliferation of a new class of civilian and military threats, from bomb-carrying drones to hypersonic missiles. To keep up with this demand, General Radar’s RaaS can be sourced, procured and deployed in an accelerated way due to their commercial-first approach.

“The rapid evolution of threats facing the US and its allies, as well as the aerospace and defense sector, requires state-of-art sensing technology that can be developed and fielded in an accelerated, cost-effective and flexible manner,” said CEO and founder Dmitry Turbiner. “We are excited to provide a contractor-owned, operated and financed solution along with a rapid method of delivery to protect from the threats of today and tomorrow.”

The aerospace and defense sector is one of the fastest-growing areas for businesses, as evidenced by the growth of air mobility, including drones and electric vertical take-off and landing aircraft. By embracing the changing aerospace and defense landscape, General Radar is leading the charge in advancing a high-resolution long-range phased-array radar system able to detect and track hundreds of airborne objects leveraging advanced Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning.

General Radar utilizes private funding with expert knowledge in aerospace and defense to design, test, manufacture and deploy its radars more rapidly. General Radar’s method of delivery is rapid and cost-effective. General Radar’s supply chain is US based and core intellectual property used is not co-owned or jointly developed with any other company or public funding. The RaaS acquisition model and cost-effective radars allow for broader use of advanced radars by the commercial and government sector.

About General Radar Corp.

Founded in 2016 in Silicon Valley, California, General Radar Corp. has developed and is deploying a new type of commercial aerospace AESA radar that is scalable, high-power, long-range, multi-mission and features supercomputing. General Radar systems can meet or exceed the performance of existing DoD systems, at a fraction of the price. This combination of advanced capabilities without the large up front capital expenses, red tape and slow time to deployment of traditional developmental radar systems is revolutionizing how agencies and companies can access radar data and coverage. By democratizing powerful long-range radars, we’re opening up exciting new applications in defense, energy, weather, agriculture, and other sectors. (Source: BUSINESS WIRE)

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Echodyne is a U.S. designer and manufacturer of advanced commercial radar solutions for defense and national security applications. The company’s proprietary metamaterials electronically scanned array (MESA®) architecture, a rare breakthrough in advanced radar engineering, leverages a physics-design approach to adapt conventional materials and deliver unexpected and beneficial behavior. The result is a solid-state, low-SWaP unit coupled with advanced software capabilities that delivers superior radar performance and unparalleled data integrity, radically improving system performance and enhancing safety for people and machines. With leading positions in counter-UAS, force protection, base security, and portable ISR, Defense Agencies and Suppliers rely on Echodyne radar for extraordinary accuracy and consistent, reliable operation. For more information, please visit: Echodyne.com.

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RADAR, EO/IR, C-UAS, NIGHT VISION AND SURVEILLANCE UPDATE

May 3, 2024 by

Sponsored by Echodyne

 

www.echodyne.com

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02 May 24. Cuashub.com said today that Companies Partner to Tackle Counter-UAS Market Opportunities. Gama Aviation’s Special Mission strategic business unit and Department 13 have announced a formal partnership to deliver tailored solutions in the UK to counter drone threats for vital sectors, including Air Ambulance services, National Security, Policing, and Critical National Infrastructure (CNI). The collaboration between Department 13 and Gama Aviation entails joint efforts to capitalize on market prospects within critical UK special mission sectors, necessitating agile airspace management solutions.

Department 13’s SCOUT, ATLAS, and DART solutions offer cutting-edge non-jamming and non-kinetic UAS detection and counter-UAS capabilities for defense and commercial applications. This innovative technology enables the establishment of secure fixed or mobile perimeters, empowering operators to assume control over target drones or their controllers.

By utilizing non-jamming technologies, friendly aerial systems can safely and consistently utilize airspace, ensuring the integrity of the monitored area is maintained.

Managing Director of Gama Aviation’s Special Mission strategic business unit, Mark Smith, commented, “Department 13 came to our attention following a strategic review of the unmanned aerial system market. The review concluded that the primary opportunity came from counter-UAS, an insight which is sadly being evidenced every day in Ukraine, where UAS are being used extensively. Furthermore, as an aviation company, we understand the kinetic threats that UAS pose to Special Mission operations and infrastructure such as air bases. We also understand that it is simply not practical for airspace to be closed by wide-area jamming techniques. Department 13’s ATLAS and SCOUT systems offer a unique technology that in our view is best suited to the management and protection from threat of airspace surrounding prisons, CNI, military or other national security operations and major events.”

Darren Gillam, CEO of Department 13, commented on the collaboration, “We are very excited and proud to be partnering with Gama Aviation, and the synergistic effect both companies will have in delivering critical C-UAS solutions for the UK. We see this as another example of how two well-regarded companies further embrace the AUKUS relationship.”

https://cuashub.com/en/content/companies-partner-to-tackle-counter-uas-market-opportunities/?_hsenc=p2ANqtz-_5o9DipRKsYrjFdZhtXAzV4aqpuklE31mYPJzT34p8KUmj6pm_WOVpurAzK0FGaoE8TPZk3DId9VTSZDeKTkTMqEBdGbJAOFJG41vQK8_YHtZ7HUM&_hsmi=305320288#utm_campaign=C-UAS%20Hub%20General&utm_medium=email&utm_content=305320288&utm_source=hs_email (Source: https://cuashub.com/)

 

02 May 24. HENSOLDT UK has been selected by Navantia UK to provide key systems to the UK Royal Fleet Auxiliary’s (RFA) three new Fleet Solid Support (FSS) ships. The new vessels will incorporate Quadome Naval 3D Air and Surface Surveillance Radar, Air Traffic Management (ATM) systems and Kelvin Hughes Integrated Navigation Bridge Systems (INBS).

The FSS ships will play a crucial role in supporting the replenishment operations of the Royal Navy’s Queen Elizabeth Class aircraft carriers.

HENSOLDT will supply its new-generation Quadome 3D Air and Surface Surveillance radar, which features the latest software-defined active electronically scanned array (AESA) technology, offering a future-proof solution with an extended operational lifetime. It offers an unparalleled level of price versus operational performance – achieving levels of small target detection, volume tracking and mission systems interaction, previously only available with more expensive radar systems.

Its operational advantages include simultaneous 3D Air and Surface Surveillance with multiple specialist modes of operation. Quadome is easy to operate and maintain, reducing the operator manning, training, and skills burden.

The Quadome radar includes an integrated IFF (Identification Friend or Foe) antenna and will integrate into the HENSOLDT MSSR 2000 IFF interrogator, already deployed for the UK Royal Navy (RN) and RFA. A comprehensive ATM display solution is also included as part of this contract award.

The north London-based company will also supply Kelvin Hughes INBS including SharpEye naval navigation radars and multifunction displays. The INBS can be customised to meet specific operational and technical needs, including redundancy and security options, with a seamless open interface to other ship systems. Multifunction displays simplify access to navigation tasks, including radar, charts, helicopter control and Conning Display.

The Kelvin Hughes INBS and SharpEye radars are already operational onboard the RFA Tide Class tankers and other RFA ships. This means that training, spares and support of the systems can be optimised across the RFA fleet, minimising through-life costs for the Ministry of Defence (MOD) and maximising crew flexibility across the fleet for the RFA. HENSOLDT UK will design, construct, test and provide lifelong support for the INBS from its headquarters in Enfield, UK.

Both contracts will result in the creation of at least 50 highly skilled new UK jobs as well as securing around 150 existing jobs within the company and its UK supply chain. In addition, as a result of these contracts HENSOLDT will be investing over £1M into the Enfield factory and test facilities in order to create a new European support hub for Quadome radars.

Peter Dillon, Managing Director of HENSOLDT UK said: “These contracts support our plans for significant new investment in our UK manufacturing and support facility. We are set to establish a new Quadome radar support and test facility at our Enfield factory, utilising UK supply chain support. This will provide local maintenance, repair and support services to Navantia and the UK RFA, while also creating new employment opportunities in the area.”

He added: “We are proud to be working with Navantia UK to deliver this world-class capability to the RFA, and by extension the RN. This signals HENSOLDT’s entry into the UK’s naval Air Surveillance market and re-affirms our position as an Integrated Bridge Systems provider to the fleet.”

“Navantia UK and Team Resolute are proud to partner with HENSOLDT UK in order to equip the FSS vessels with top class surveillance and navigation systems. This contract is an important step forward in the progression of the programme, as well as a testament to our commitment to promote highly skilled jobs and prosperity across the UK”, said Sir Alan Massey KCB CBE, non Executive Chairman, Navantia UK.

 

02 May 24. Directed Energy Technology Ready For Today’s Threats. Honeywell explores directed energy (DE) technologies, looking at the history, what the future holds, and the company’s role in the maturation of DE Feature Article by Honeywell Aerospace Technologies. In the ever-evolving landscape of military defense, the recent Surface Navy event shined a spotlight on an exciting development: the call for rapid fielding of directed energy (DE) technologies.

These sophisticated systems, ideal for countering unmanned aerial systems (UAS) in critical engagement zones, are at the forefront of modern defense strategies.

The subsequent announcement by Secretary of the Navy Del Toro, advocating increased investment in DE technologies, underscores a pivotal shift towards these futuristic armaments.

A Glimpse into the Past

Utilizing lasers to neutralize ballistic threats is not a new concept. It dates back to the 1980s with the Strategic Defense Initiative, where gas lasers, comparable in size to small buildings, were the cutting edge. However, the technology had not matured enough to replace kinetic interceptors in missile defense. The pursuit of perfection continued into the 1990s and early 2000s, with chemical lasers developed under the Airborne Laser Testbed program. The landmark moment came in 2016 when fiber lasers were integrated into ground platforms through the Mobile Experimental High Energy Laser (MEHEL), featuring a 2-kW laser and a 10 cm aperture beam director – a solid-state High-Energy Laser (HEL) on a combat vehicle for the first time.

Honeywell’s Pioneering Role

Honeywell, long recognized for providing power and thermal solutions for aircraft and ground vehicles, has been pivotal in the maturation of DE technologies. The successful MEHEL and follow-on Directed Energy Maneuver-Short Range Air Defense, or “DE M-SHORAD”, programs highlighted the innovative thermal solutions from a then-small company, Rocky Research. Recognizing its potential, Honeywell acquired Rocky Research in 2020, bolstering our portfolio with ready-to-deploy directed energy solutions.

The Thermal Challenge Overcome

DE weapons’ integration into operational platforms brings about a significant hurdle: thermal control. The beam generation apparatus is highly susceptible to ambient temperature fluctuations and the intense heat produced during firing. Honeywell and Rocky Research have jointly developed a DE thermal management system that effectively mitigates this issue through burst cooling, enabled by a Thermal Energy Storage (TES) assisted vapor compression system.

The Innovations of Rocky Research

Rocky Research’s solution features a Phase Change Material (PCM)-based TES that provides burst cooling of energy that is characteristic of high energy lasers. By harnessing the latent heat of fusion within these materials, the system can store significant heat in a minimal volume, easing the burden on the cooling system and enhancing overall efficiency, maintenance requirements, and lifecycle.

Advancing the Future of Military Defense

The PCM technology developed has undergone extensive characterization, design, and testing for a broad spectrum of HEL systems, exhibiting superiority over paraffin and other common methods. Our thermal energy storage capability was demonstrated in December 2023 through a U.S. Navy program. Honeywell’s investment in these base materials and subsystems is critical to delivering competent systems to the U.S. military. Our commitment ensures that no ship or base is left vulnerable to unmanned aerial threats without the protective shield of directed energy.

As we march towards a new era of defense capabilities, Honeywell’s collaboration with leading system integrators and defense agencies promises a safer, more secure future for our military personnel and assets. Directed energy is not just a part of modern warfare – it is the future, and it is ready now.

(Source: https://www.defenseadvancement.com/)

 

02 May 24. UK wants next-generation defensive aids for Royal Navy submarines. The UK Ministry of Defence is simultaneously seeking new underwater defensive aids for Royal Navy submarines and information on containerised ASW solutions.

The UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) is seeking potential supplier able to provide a next-generation submarine-based countermeasure capability to equip both current and future vessels in the fleet, and will shortlist up to three industry representatives that meet the pre-qualification standards.

In a 30 April 2024, contract opportunity notice, the UK MoD revealed that the £35m ($42.6m) programme would run from October 2025 through to October 2032. Industry selected would be issued with an Invitation to Participate in Dialogue (ITPD).

This system will be known as the Next Generation Countermeasure (NGCM) and fall under the wider Underwater Defensive Aids Suite (UDAS) delivery programme, the MoD said.

As part of the contract, suppliers would have to provide trials and testing, combat systems integration, equipment and technical support, an initial training needs analysis, and post design services as required.

Given the nature of the capability and the likely host platforms, such as the current Astute-class nuclear-powered attack submarines (SSN) or the future AUKUS-SSN, industry wishing to participate are required to have security classification up to including ‘Secret UK Eyes Only’ level. As such, available information on the kind of capabilities offered and eventually selected will be minimal.

UK MoD also seeking containerised ASW solutions

Meanwhile, the UK MoD issued a Request for Information (RfI) on 30 April for the potential use of modular or containerised anti-submarine warfare (ASW) concepts, specifically regarding remote or autonomous ASW sensing capabilities, that could be hosted within a 20ft ISO container for deployment from a Common Medium sized Uncrewed Surface Vessel (MUSV) of around 40m length.

The MoD stated that the Royal Navy is seeking to “understand acoustic ASW solutions that are ’frigate-like’ in capability parameters”, but that MUSV vessel intended to host the system “may not be acoustically quietened or clad”.

In addition, alternative non-acoustic sensing options were also of interest but would “need to represent a detection capability equal to current active/passive detection ranges” or would need to be hosted complimentary to an acoustic solution, the MoD said.

The description of a 40m MUSV host platform indicates that any solution would be tested onboard the XV Patrick Blackett, the Royal Navy’s experimental warfare surface ship acquired in 2022. Built by Damen in the Netherlands, the XV Patrick Blackett was originally a commercial Fast Crew Supplier (FCS) 4008 craft modified for Royal Navy requirements.

The vessel has a length of 42 metres (m) and a gross tonnage of 270 tonnes (t), reaching a maximum speed of up to 20 knots. A crew of five personnel can be accommodated onboard.

The XV Patrick Blackett has a 140m² cargo deck space, with a load capacity of 2.5t per m² and is designed to accommodate containerised systems for UAVs or naval UAVs as required. (Source: naval-technology.com)

 

02 May 24. Philippine Air Force receives mobile air surveillance radar from Japan. The Philippine Air Force (PAF) has received a mobile radar system from Japan to strengthen air surveillance. Japan has delivered the TPS-P14ME radar manufactured by Mitsubishi Electric Corporation (Melco) to the PAF, the Philippine Department of National Defense (DND) announced in late April.

“[The TPS-P14ME radar] will provide high-resolution surveillance of air and surface targets, significantly enhancing the PAF’s ability to detect and track potential threats with precision,” the DND said.

“The deployment of this mobile radar system strengthens the Philippines’ air-defence network, providing real-time situational awareness and early warning capabilities,” the DND added.

This new radar will be operated by the PAF’s 580th Aircraft Control and Warning Wing, the DND said. (Source: Janes)

 

01 May 24. New tech aims to make Marines more lethal shooters. Marines might soon see some new, high-tech tools to help them become more lethal shooters.

Top leaders in weapons training and marksmanship shared a series of technologies that the service is experimenting with that would give Marines more accurate and realistic ways to practice shooting while also instantly gathering data on how they’re performing and how to improve.

Col. Howard Hall, chief of staff for training and education command, said that a 2018 Operational Analysis Directorate study showed that Marines in combat in Iraq and Afghanistan only had a 30% chance of making a lethal hit on a target if the target or Marine was moving, if there were multiple targets or if the target was at an unknown distance.

Hall told the audience at the Modern Day Marine Expo that study helped drive changes to the annual rifle qualification in 2021 ― the first major overhaul in a century.

The changes included switching the order of fire from starting at the 100-yard line and moving back to the 500-yard line to the reverse, starting farther out and moving closer in, as a Marine would do in combat.

The qualification also added shorter range, quick drill fires at 25 yards, added moving targets and the use of barricades, among other changes.

The new tech that Marines are experimenting with aims to tighten those shot groups and speed up Marine shooting to make it more lethal. Much of that is coming in the form of making more training options off the range in weapons drills and simulators. Other efforts include more accurate data collection and real-time feedback for shooters to adjust their technique.

The package of tools includes the Mantis X10 and Unit 4 equipment that can be inserted into an M4 or M27 and allow users to practice dry fire, use a laser and feel recoil without using live rounds.

These provide corrections to shooting techniques the Marines never got from the “snap-in” barrel.

A snap-in barrel is a barrel, typically an empty 55-gallon oil drum or similar sized item that is painted white and then painted with small versions of the target shapes used on the rifle range. Those smaller shapes simulate the size of the target like what a shooter would see on the range but at a shorter distance.

Marines then dry fire their rifles on those targets, practicing breath and trigger control.

“This is a digital snap-in barrel, and it provides you feedback,” said Col. Greg Jones, commander of weapons training battalion.

The Mantis system is being experimented with the Marine Corps recruit depot shooting ranges at Parris Island, South Carolina, and Edson Range, Camp Pendleton, California.

The joint marksmanship assessment package uses either a smartphone or tablet, with software application, an acoustics measuring device and smartwatch to monitor movement.

It measures shooting in the short-range portion of the annual rifle qualification that goes from the 25 yards in. The joint marksmanship assessment package can gather up to a company’s worth of data in under four hours and develop plans to improve marksmanship based off the results.

The Corps is currently looking at a radar-based system that also would measure shooting from the 500-yard to 100-yard line for the rifle qualification. If both are adopted, it would fully digitize rife qualification.

In November 2023, the Corps awarded an $11.3 m contract for the advanced small arms lethality trainer to Valiant Integrated Services. The simulation system adds more scenarios and capabilities to the long-running indoor simulated marksmanship trainer.

The advanced small arms lethality trainer will be fielded to all major installations such as Camp Lejeune, North Carolina; Camp Pendleton, California; Quantico, Virginia and Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center, Twentynine Palms, California. (Source: Marine Corps Times)

 

30 Apr 24. L3Harris Technologies – Defending our Airspace with EO/IR Counter-Unmanned Aircraft Systems. The need to defend sovereign airspace against Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) requires a rapid increase in innovative technologies that can identify, track and eliminate threats. The increased presence of unmanned aircraft poses a challenge to maintaining peace in our skies and there is a vital need to develop both defensive and offensive measures to counter threats against service personnel, military bases and critical assets.

Unmanned Aircraft Systems are a unique threat as they have a remarkable ability to navigate a wide range of environments and terrain undetected. They can be piloted remotely or autonomously and potentially used for nefarious intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance missions. To handle this emergence, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security in conjunction with NASA, DOD, FAA and the Department of the Interior, are developing frameworks of UAS Traffic Management (UTM) and Air Domain Awareness (ADA) to collaboratively address how to best detect, identify and track any UAS that is legally or illegally airborne. Part of that framework requires high-performing counter-UAS systems to be established, which can actively engage hostile targets.

TECHNOLOGY DESIGNED FOR MISSION-NEEDS

As UAS and drone technology evolves, defense and aerospace manufacturers must swiftly meet the technological requirements to successfully track any unmanned aircraft. L3Harris’ WESCAM MX™-Series electro-optical/infrared sensor systems provide the tools necessary to succeed in the counter-UAS mission. This is enabled by tracking sensors, including electro-optical, mid-wave infrared (MWIR) and shortwave infrared (SWIR) sensors, boresighted with laser designation well beyond the range of the laser guided munitions, providing increased capabilities in force protection, targeting performance and system reliability.

Live fire tests resulted in a 100% kill rate, with various WESCAM MX-Series systems and supporting technologies bringing together the best electro-optics and precision laser designation to target, engage and destroy incoming UAS threats. Made in our vertically integrated facility in Hilton Head, South Carolina, L3Harris’ laser transmitters are unique in their ultra-high output peak power and short pulse, granting exceptional performance. L3Harris manufactures the glass used as the gain medium as well as the proprietary formulated Q-switch glass material, with 100% of the assembly taking place in house. This results in full control of how critical components are integrated, ruggedized and aligned within the entire package.

“The majority of the systems we build combine high-performance infrared sensors from our Mason, Ohio facility and laser transmitters from our facility in Hilton Head, South Carolina, with our industry-leading manufacturing process in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada,” said Director, Engineering, Duane Heslinga. “In the case of counter-UAS missions, each of EO/IR sensor system provides laser designation capabilities with fully-stabilized performance, only possible with L3Harris technology and processes.”

SUPERIOR STABILIZATION AND TRACKING PERFORMANCE

What sets L3Harris solutions apart is our advanced engineering that results in uncompromised line-of-sight stabilization. Our WESCAM MX-10D RSTA features a proven stabilization architecture that stops line-of-sight jitter by employing a combination of passive damping and active motion cancellation on a vibration-isolated payload for on-the-move engagements. For vehicles conducting reconnaissance or target acquisition, or those engaged in combat, this is a critical mission-need. While using our counter-UAS technology, targets remain in sight throughout engagement. The advanced stabilization applies to the entire payload so that every internal device and function benefits from the same level of jitter suppression. This results in a smooth and stable high-definition image, maximizing target identification ranges.

The technology is also MIL-STD environmentally qualified for use across all land, air and maritime domains. Dry or hot environments are countered with an active external cooling system to maintain high-performance, while larger desiccant packs are employed to handle humid conditions.

The WESCAM MX-10D RSTA features a tenacious auto-tracker that is designed and tuned by our software engineering team. The video tracker uses motion-based algorithms that have been tailored for real-time ground based applications. These advanced tracking algorithms greatly simplify the target acquisition process. The system can automatically annotate multiple targets closest to the center of the line-of-sight based on their movement and allow the operator to cycle through them. This, coupled with the robust tracking through obscurations, enables operators to track targets effectively in challenging terrain and urban environments.

REAL-WORLD APPLICATION

Applying this technology to real-world platforms requires forward-looking innovation. In response to current needs of the warfighter, L3Harris embraced its reputation as an agile and Trusted Disrupter, announcing its Vehicle-Agnostic Modular palletized ISR Rocket Equipment (VAMPIRE™). VAMPIRE is a low-cost, vehicle agnostic, rapid weapon deployment solution that gives ground forces the ability to quickly and accurately engage targets, including unmanned aircraft. VAMPIRE features the WESCAM MX-10 RSTA, providing ISR overmatch and is ideal for surveillance, reconnaissance and target acquisition missions from amphibious, armored combat and reconnaissance vehicles, including mast-mounted platforms. Due to its adaptability and ease of set-up, a single operator can track, laser designate and engage both airborne and ground targets while remaining highly mobile and able to engage with any UAS platform.

However, new UAS technology has led to smaller and faster platforms with the capability to carry weapons and other sensor suites. Therefore, L3Harris’ Fuzing and Ordnance Solutions (FOS) include a Proximity Fuze (Prox Fuze) for VAMPIRE and other counter-UAS applications, turning an APKWS-guided Hydra rocket into a low-cost UAS killing munition. Building on our Hydra Fuze products with ms of successful firings, our Prox Fuze detects the threat and airbursts without requiring direct impact with the UAS, greatly increasing the munition effectiveness on target as demonstrated by a 100% kill rate in US testing against UAS targets. When paired with the other L3Harris technologies in VAMPIRE, our Prox Fuze provides the system lethality to reliably defeat UAS threats.

Ultimately, L3Harris’ designating systems enable teams to dominate the battlefield 24/7, with greater precision than ever before. Field proven, with extensive deployment, WESCAM MX-Series designating systems offer “plug-and-play” installation, as well as high-sensitivity multi-spectral sensors for day, low-light and night-time missions. In addition, our systems encourage ease and familiarity of use, simplified turret interchangeability within fleets, efficiencies in technology enhancements and overall system support. The series features common electronics and cabling, common user interfaces and video overlays, and common software and internal components ensuring optimal integration within specific platforms and mission parameters.

However, to ensure we are meeting customers’ unique needs, L3Harris also has the capability and experience to provide unparalleled mission management software applications, such as Widow® 2.0, for aerial and ground systems like VAMPIRE and other counter-UAS systems. The open architecture software allows operators to integrate multiple feeds into one optimized display, integrating multi-spectral video sources and informational feeds with satellite imagery, reference maps and terrain databases. This results in increased situational awareness and provides an advantage to operators through tactical overlays, sensor integration for tracking and targeting and workload optimization. Furthermore, L3Harris’ ISR Software Development Team can tailor the interface for any operator or platform, customizing the information feed as required by specific counter-UAS mission needs.

MULTI-DOMAIN APPLICATION

Already proven on the ground in recent engagements, the VAMPIRE system has garnered acclaim for its precision and reliability in combat. It has shown potential for multi-domain application, with effective, low-cost engagement capabilities that can be extended to the seas, offering a transformative solution for maritime operations against UAS, fast inshore attack crafts and low-slow flyers.

Because today’s mission requirements demand identification and designation from longer standoff ranges, L3Harris counter-UAS initiatives are engineered to focus on the three factors that drive maximum range: resolution, magnification and stabilization. As a result, sensor systems such as the WESCAM MX-15D and WESCAM MX-10D RSTA are superior in their ability to provide counter-UAS solutions, acting as both a preventative and reactionary measure to any threats that appear in our skies.

(Source: ASD Network)

 

30 Apr 24. USMC Says It Wants Counter-Drone Capabilities ‘Yesterday’ as It Rushes to Roll Out New Systems. The Marine Corps wants to field better counter-drone capabilities yesterday. Since that is not possible, the service says it’s looking to get them to Marines right now, or at least very soon. Over the last five years, the Marine Corps has been improving its counter-drone systems as it looks to reshape the force and compete with near-peer adversaries. Officials at Modern Day Marine, a military exposition in Washington, D.C., on Tuesday, said those efforts are paramount as competing nations such as Russia and China proliferate their own drone stocks.

“I like to say we’ve done great, but the enemy’s got a vote,” Steve Bowdren, the Marine Corps’ program executive officer for land systems, told reporters Tuesday. “And so even though this has been great progress, we’re almost too late, right?… It’s not there today, but it’s really close.”

Bowdren told reporters that the Marine Corps has come a long way from a half-decade ago when it “really just had Stinger” missile systems to shoot down drones. Now, it is looking at fielding upgraded systems such as the Marine Air Defense Integrated System, or MADIS, a mobile, Stinger-mounted vehicle, as well as the Medium Range Intercept Capability, or MRIC, which can target cruise missiles and drones.

Some of these systems can be expected to hit the fleet in the next year, he said.

As drones — sometimes cheap, off-the-shelf commercial models — stalk battlefields in Ukraine amid Russia’s full-scale invasion of that country, the Marine Corps is increasing the urgency for acquiring, testing and deploying its own unmanned aerial systems, or UAS.

“Small UAS and counter-UAS are probably the biggest change that we’ve seen recently,” Brig. Gen. Stephen Lightfoot, director of the service’s Capabilities Development Directorate, said when referring to the “changing character of war.”

Lightfoot pointed to the war in Ukraine as a specific data point that the Marine Corps is examining for its own counter-drone capabilities — commercial drones, first-person-view drones, and even ones operated by cell phone are all on its radar.

Meanwhile, the service is training Marines in counter-drone tactics. As early as last week, for example, Marines with the 2nd Low Altitude Air Defense Battalion out of Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, battled single-person drones in a simulated exercise — this time with shotguns, machine guns and rifles.

Some units, Military.com has previously reported, said that they do not have their own counter-drone capabilities, even when deploying to high-pressure regions such as the Pacific, where tensions with China are running high.

Unmanned aircraft systems are “a wicked problem that everyone’s working hard to come to grips with,” Col. Brendan Sullivan, then-commanding officer of Marine Rotational Force-Darwin, or MRF-D, told reporters last year. “That’s a huge focus of effort within the 1st Marine Division and a specific emphasis going for the division commander.”

Other units, such as the 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit, have had their hands on counter-drone systems such as the Light Marine Air Defense Integrated System, or L-MADIS, the little brother to the system with a similar name, since earlier this year. Some MEUs have used it for longer.

The threat that drones present to the Marine Corps was a concern at last year’s Modern Day Marine expo, with then-commandant Gen. David Berger saying “the defense against drones and swarming drones … it’s clearly a challenge right now.”

That challenge has only grown, according to officials Tuesday, and the need for the Marine Corps to thwart it is critical.

“I think it’s needed right now,” Lightfoot said. “[It’s] easy for me to say that as a requirements guy, because I want counter-UAS yesterday.” (Source: Military.com)

 

30 Apr 24. Here’s when the US Army will pick next long-range spy plane. The U.S. Army will choose who is to integrate its long-range, high-speed spy plane this summer, a major step in its effort to overhaul existing fixed-wing aircraft that perform intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance missions, according to service officials in charge of the program.

The service plans to retire roughly 70 aircraft — its entire ISR fleet — as it brings on the High Accuracy Detection and Exploitation System, or HADES, that will be able to rapidly deploy and provide deep-sensing capabilities.

For the first time, the Army is using a large-cabin business jet — the Bombardier Global 6500 — to serve as the airframe for the spy plane. The service awarded Bombardier a contract in December for one aircraft, with an option to buy two more over a three-year period.

Competitors expect the Army to choose the team that will integrate sensors onto the business jet around late June or early July. An L3Harris Technologies, MAG Aerospace and Leidos team is competing against Sierra Nevada Corp. All four companies are involved in ISR fixed-wing prototype efforts with the Army.

What are the Army’s choices?

The Army has spent more than five years assessing ISR fixed-wing prototypes using high-speed jets to inform the HADES program. It began with the deployment of Artemis — or Airborne Reconnaissance and Target Exploitation Multi-mission System — which has flown in the European theater near the Ukrainian border.

The Army in 2019 awarded a contract to HII, and the company subsequently awarded a contract to Leidos to build Artemis using a Bombardier Challenger 650 jet.

Then the service deployed Ares — or Airborne Reconnaissance and Electronic Warfare System — to the Pacific region in April 2022. The Army awarded a contract to Alion Science and Technology, which is now owned by HII. Alion awarded a subcontract to L3Harris in November 2020 to build and fly the aircraft. Ares is based on a Bombardier Global Express 6500 jet.

Combined, Artemis and Ares have flown more than 1,000 sorties, according to Andrew Evans, who leads the Army’s ISR Task Force. They fly roughly 10-hour missions and average 20 sorties a month, he added.

The Army is also preparing to take on four more prototypes that will inform the requirements for the HADES program. The service chose a pair of companies to deliver two jets each with spy technologies to advance long-range targeting plans.

MAG Aerospace and L3Harris will outfit a Global 6500 with ISR sensors for the Army’s radar-focused Athena-R effort.

And Sierra Nevada is providing its RAPCON-X, based on a converted Bombardier business jet, for the service’s singals intelligence-focused Athena-S project.

The president of L3Harris’ ISR division, Jason Lambert, told Defense News at the AAAA conference that the team won its contract in March 2023, began integration in September 2023 when it received the aircraft and held its first flight in February. Since then the aircraft has flown 40 performance handling and quality flights, as well as collected more than 600 data points with a 100% success rate, Lambert said.

“The pilots came back and said it flies just like a Global 6500, despite the fact that we [have] these different outer-mold line changes on it,” he noted. This includes adding a 29-foot-long pod to the bottom of the plane.

The service will receive the two aircraft in the third quarter of 2024 — one in July and another in September, Lambert said. For L3Harris’ HADES submission, the aircraft will be 90% common with Athena-R, he added.

The company expects the service to award a contract for the second HADES prototype about six months after the first. The contract for the third — a production-representative prototype — will follow with a longer time gap in between so the Army can collect data from deployments involving the first HADES prototypes.

Why now?

The Army recognized it would need new piloted, fixed-wing ISR assets to carry out its missions in complex environments — “something that flies much farther, much faster and much higher,” Andrew Evans, the Army’s ISR Task Force director, said.

Using 70 “very capable” Beechcraft King Air and De Havilland Canada Dash-8 aircraft, the Army, “has done some enormous and powerful work in support of the wars in both Iraq and Afghanistan” Evans said during the Army Aviation Association of America’s annual conference this month. But the existing fleet won’t be able to fulfill long-range missions off the coast of China — which the U.S. government considers its top threat — “or really almost any other place in the world if you’re talking about extended geographic ranges with limited basing and access,” Evans added.

“So HADES provides our solution to that, but we have to do it affordably,” Evans noted.

Once the Army picks a team to integrate sensors onto the jet, the process will take 18 months before the aircraft can deploy for a user assessment, the Army estimated. That assessment moves the aircraft from a controlled test environment in the United States to operational environments “to really stress test your systems and figure out what’s working and what’s not,” Evans said.

The Army will deploy HADES for a limited period of time and then start building more aircraft as the early prototype remains deployed, he added.

The service plans to field 14 HADES aircraft by 2035, according to a slide Maj. Gen. Wally Rugen, the director of Army aviation, displayed during a speech at the AAAA conference.

While industry officials said they anticipate the Army will continue to award the same team subsequent contracts to build all of the HADES aircraft, Evans noted that “the guidance to our acquisition teammates was to ensure that we give ourselves as much flexibility as possible in the process.”

What has the service learned?

The Army’s strategy to overhaul its fixed-wing ISR fleet is a unique approach, Evans said, because the service asked industry to provide flight-ready prototypes, rather than select a team to build a system according to specifications. This was meant to help the Army quickly learn while it fills a capability gap.

Indeed, these prototypes are helping the service understand how sensors can keep up with a jet flying higher and at faster speeds, Dennis Teefy, the Army’s project manager for sensors and aerial intelligence within Program Executive Office Intelligence, Electronic Warfare and Sensors, said at the AAAA event.

The Army is currently working through how it refines processing, exploitation and dissemination of an enormous amount of data coming from the platform’s sensors, he added.

“How do we deal with all that volume of data? How do we transport that data across the comms network down to where it needs to go?” Teefy said, noting there are opportunities for industry to continue work on these areas and help the Army figure out how best to move data across the battlefield.

The prototypes already flying have also taught the Army a great deal about adapting sensor needs using a modular, open-system architecture, according to the service’s program manager for fixed-wing aircraft, Col. Joseph Minor.

“It’s different in every [environment] that we operate in, so to be able to change sensors quickly, to be able to adapt, especially on a globally deployable platform, much lower numbers is critical,” Minor said at the AAAA event. “When you are talking about a much smaller number of aircraft that are globally deployed, you’ve got to be able to make those changes on the fly.” (Source: Defense News)

 

30 Apr 24. Cuashub.com said today that Moody Air Force Base Issues RFI for Fixed and Mobile C-UAS. Moody Air Force Base has issued a Request for Information (RFI) seeking details on fixed and mobile Counter-small Unmanned Aircraft System (C-sUAS) technologies. The system must be able to detect, identify, track, and counter small unmanned aircraft systems (sUAS) in stationary, vehicular, and man-portable configurations. It should be versatile and compatible with various power sources, including US, overseas, vehicle, and man-pack styles.

The technologies should be proficient in detecting frequencies from the controller, video, telemetry, and Wi-Fi communications links. Basic requirements include a horizontal detection range of at least 1.5 km, no more than 20 minutes of setup time, and the capability to simultaneously counter at least eight sUAS vehicles. Interoperability with other C-sUAS systems is mandatory.

The system should provide visual and audio cues or alerts upon sUAS detection. It should offer the option to automatically neutralize threats based on predefined parameters or require operator intervention for threat mitigation. Compliance with MIL-STD-461/810 standards for environmental durability and electromagnetic compatibility is essential.

Additionally, the system should include a visual display indicating the threat radius, encompassing details such as location, altitude, protocol, and frequency, and be expandable to larger monitors or screens for enhanced display capabilities.

The RFI seeks additional information such as system cost, warranty options, system operator training information, availability of customer support, etc. For more information, please visit cUAS on sam.gov.

Original Published Date: Apr 11, 2024, 02:39 pm EDT

Updated Response Date: May 13, 2024, 12:00 pm EDT

Original Response Date: May 13, 2024, 12:00 pm EDT

https://cuashub.com/en/content/moody-air-force-base-issues-rfi-for-fixed-and-mobile-c-uas/?_hsenc=p2ANqtz-86VopMqKmw_-yAS8bGX0LHbsgbDKBYOsb0hJTiE6fbFiNQtKsGPLo44KZMh2–AGIKFaSPutN-BiMeTgEpjiVgGrsQEKv8lpYfps1lSc5wcsSMeZY&_hsmi=304918216#utm_campaign=C-UAS%20Hub%20General&utm_medium=email&utm_content=304918216&utm_source=hs_email(Source: https://cuashub.com/)

 

26 Apr 24. US Army closing in on selecting new spy-plane integrator, user assessment around late-2026. HADES is “designed to support active campaigning short of conflict and then potentially support targeting in conflicted areas where you might let high-end stealthy fighters or unmanned systems take first contact,” said Andrew Evans, the ISR Task Force director.

AAAA 2024 — The US Army plans to pick a prime integrator for its new manned, fixed-wing spy plane later this year and have the first modified Bombardier Global 6500 jet up in the air around the late 2026 timeframe, according to service officials.

The High Accuracy Detection and Exploitation System, or HADES, is “designed to support active campaigning short of conflict and then potentially support targeting in conflicted areas where you might let high-end stealthy fighters or unmanned systems take first contact,” Andrew Evans, the director of Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR) Task Force told reporters Thursday.

“Then HADES, like many other joint assets, would do fall back support until we reestablish air superiority or supremacy,” he added.

Over the past several years, the service has tasked an array of companies with producing “bridging” aerial ISR assets designed, in part, to inform HADES requirements. Those have included:

  • An ISR as a service contract to the Sierra Nevada Corporation for the High Altitude Expeditionary Next ISR-Sensor (Athena-S) centered around two converted Global 6500s;
  • Another pair of converted Global 6500s by MAG Air and L3Harris under the Athena-Radar initiative;
  • A Leidos-owned Bombardier Challenger 650 dubbed the Airborne Reconnaissance and Targeting Exploitation Multi-Mission Intelligence System (Artemis): and
  • The L3 Harris Airborne Reconnaissance and Electronic Warfare System (Ares) that uses a Bombardier Global 6000.

The service then inched forward with a formal program of record earlier this year when it announced Bombardier’s Global 6500 jet would ultimately be used for HADES and awarded the company with a $66.4 m contract for the first plane.

“One of the challenges in this … mission space is there’s a lot of capable performance on aircraft but as soon as you start modifying them for the purpose of doing an ISR event, sometimes you lose that performance,” Evans said.

With the plane selected, the service asked all companies interested in integrating a suite of government furnished sensors into the aircraft to submit proposals. Service officials are now evaluating those proposals and a winner should be announced later this year, according to Col. Joe Minor, the project manager for fixed-wing aircraft. (Some industry officials said they anticipate an announcement this summer.)

Once the prime integrator is selected, Evans said the company will spend the next 18 months on integration work before it is “stress tested” during a military user assessment abroad around the late 2026 timeframe.

If all goes as planned, the service should have all 14 HADES ready for the air by 2035 and will gradually retire 70 RC-12 Guardrails and Enhanced Medium Altitude Reconnaissance and Surveillance Systems (EMARSS), and phase out the bridging capabilities, Evans and Minor explained. (Source: Defense News Early Bird/Breaking Defense.com)

 

30 Apr 24. DroneShield (“DroneShield” or “the Company”) is pleased to announce it has released a substantial upgrade to the Artificial Intelligence firmware (RFAI) running on flagship radio frequency sensors including the RfPatrol, RfOne and DroneSentry-X models.

The upgrade is available as part of the normal quarterly firmware upgrade cycle, to the customers enrolled into DroneShield’s device subscription plan, globally.

This update not only expands the pool of drone types that RFAI can identify, but also includes a complete rework of the underlying software. The AI algorithms have been rebuilt from the ground up to take advantage of cutting-edge developments in Machine Learning, and futureproof the detection model so that performance can continue to increase.

Major upgrades include:

  • Spatial Intelligence: Using Remote ID and Drone ID beacon information, all devices (including previously non-directional detectors) can now determine the distance, direction, and elevation of drones so they can be precisely located and countered.
  • Tailored Autonomous Disruption: The software-defined disruption in the DroneSentry-X Mk2 Detect & Defeat can now be configured to automatically respond to specifically detected drones without the delays that come with manual control.
  • Advanced GNSS targeting: Disruption profiles can target individual navigation service signals by their frequency (GPS, GLONASS, BeiDou, Galileo, NavIC, and QZSS), allowing focused denial without damaging friendly/blue force operations.
  • Encrypted API: Operators can now securely control RF devices using TLS encryption under the v2 gRPC protocol. API commands are expanded to allow much greater control of all devices – including disruption – so operators can control them remotely or incorporate them into existing EW systems.
  • Advanced Hardware Control: DroneSentry-X Mk2 now allows administrators to disable physical modules such as disarming disruption amplifiers to comply with regulations or placing the device into “Stealth Mode” to suit different deployments.
  • Clear Actionable Warnings: Device UI is more detailed and informative to operators when there is any sort of issue, including power levels or settings changes. This will help troubleshooting and ensure maximum uptime.

 

29 Apr 24. Not so certain, SURTASS: Defence reviews naval sonar purchase among undersea options. The Australian government is reviewing its possible acquisition of the Surveillance Towed Array Sensor System Expeditionary (SURTASS-E) previously approved by the US State Department under a US$207m foreign military sale last year.

It’s understood the potential acquisition of the SURTASS-E equipment is subject to review, prioritisation against other Australian Defence Force capabilities and is expected to be discussed in advice presented to the Australian government later this year in light of the 2023 Defence Strategic Review.

The AN/UQQ-2 SURTASS has previously been equipped to ocean surveillance vessels used by the US Navy and Japan Maritime Self Defence Force. It utilises a passive towed array and a low-frequency active sonar for undersea surveillance.

“Defence is considering the acquisition of the SURTASS-E alongside a number of other undersea surveillance capabilities,” a Defence spokesperson said.

The Australian government requested to buy SURTASS-E mission systems for vessels of opportunity, a shore processing mission system, a spare SURTASS passive acoustic array, containers, communications parts and support equipment, software, publications, training, US government and contractor engineering support, other related elements of logistics and program support for an estimated total cost of US$207m in May 2023.

A statement from the US Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) announced that required certification of the possible sale had been notified to US Congress on 4 May last year.

“This proposed sale will support the foreign policy and national security objectives of the United States. Australia is one of our most important allies in the western Pacific. The strategic location of this political and economic power contributes significantly to ensuring peace and economic stability in the region. It is vital to the US national interest to assist our ally in developing and maintaining a strong and ready self-defence capability,” the DSCA said.

“The proposed sale will improve Australia’s capability to meet current and future maritime threats by providing tactical platforms with the detection and cueing of enemy submarines. The ability to provide acoustic wide area surveillance and generate indications and warnings to Australian commands will significantly improve shared maritime security. Australia will have no difficulty absorbing this equipment into its armed forces.”

At that time, Lockheed Martin-Syracuse and Lockheed Martin-Manassas were detailed under the statement as the principal contractors, and it was outlined that the proposed sale would require US government personnel and US contractor representatives to visit Australia on a temporary basis.

The possible sale through the US Foreign Military Sales program is expected to provide Defence with an avenue to acquire and sustain interoperable capability with the US, speed up capability introduction, strengthen defence and political ties and achieve operational capability similar to those already in operation in the US. (Source: Defence Connect)

 

29 Apr 24.  Kopin Expands into India Defense Market with Third Production Order Supporting Mounted and Handheld Thermal Vision Systems. Kopin Corporation (NASDAQ: KOPN), a leading provider of application-specific optical solutions and high-performance microdisplays for defense, enterprise, consumer, and medical products, has further expanded its customer base by receiving a third production order for its Organic Light Emitting Diode (OLED) microdisplays, for use in thermal imaging vision systems – both mounted and handheld for Indian Armed Forces. Under the terms of the latest production order for over 1,200 units, deliveries take place over a six-month time span.

Kopin’s highly efficient OLED microdisplays are ideal for portable thermal imaging vision systems, because of their ultra-compact size and low power, which makes them suitable for mobile battery-powered applications. The high-resolution display provided in this order will deliver essential information to end users and provide them with additional situational awareness and a performance advantage.

“We are pleased to add international thermal imaging applications to our strong portfolio of domestic thermal sight eyepiece assemblies,” stated Bill Maffucci, Kopin’s Senior Vice President of Business Development and Strategy. “The opportunity to supply display products to the Indian Armed Forces provides us with a significant expansion of our addressable market. The selection of Kopin display products for this application is a testament to the high performance, quality and reliability of our OLED products and our commitment to on-time and in-full deliveries.”

(Source: BUSINESS WIRE)

 

26 Apr 24. Italy to enhance SSA with new ground-based sensors. The Italian National Armaments Directorate (NAD) is procuring three ground-based sensors to enhance the country’s space situational awareness (SSA), Janes learnt at the Military Space Situational Awareness Conference 2024, held in London from 22 to 24 April. In total, two optical telescopes and one high-performance radar are being procured as part of its national SSA plans, Lieutenant Colonel Ferdinando Dolce, the head of SSA at NAD, said at the conference. The first sensor being procured is a high-performance optical surveillance telescope from OHB Italia called Flyeye, Lt Col Dolce said. Flyeye will have the capacity to monitor objects in low Earth orbit (LEO), medium Earth orbit (MEO), and geostationary orbit (GEO), Commander of the Space Situational Awareness Centre at the Italian Air Force Colonel Dario Tarantino told Janes. (Source: Janes)

 

29 Apr 24. NATO seeks C-UAS industry solutions to protecting critical infrastructure. The NATO Communications and Information Agency (NCI Agency) seeks information regarding the availability, pricing, and delivery timeline of C-UAS equipment. The market survey is being issued to identify potential solutions, to calibrate requirements, and identify possible suppliers.

Responses are due back to NCI Agency no later than 23:59 hours Central European Time (CET) on 15 May 2024. Clarification requests can be submitted no later than 10 calendar days prior the MS closing date.

According to details of the tender:

“The purpose of the C-UAS equipment is to protect critical infrastructure installations such as ammunition depots. These installations are located in urban as well in rural environments. The project shall deliver military C-UAS capability able to detect, identify and neutralize enemies UAS (drones), flying over restricted military infrastructures.

“From an operational perspective, the requirement is to detect and deny any commercial UAS, in a zone with minimum 7 km radius. At the technical level, the detection and deny ranges will of course dependent on the target size and environmental conditions.”

The smart mitigation shall include jamming capabilities for both UAS communication channels and GNSS channels. The capability shall have the possibility to distinguish between Friend or Foe UAS, based on Unmanned Traffic Management (UTM) technologies such as remote drone ID (e.g. compliant with ASTM F3411, ASTM F3548 and ASD-STAN prEN 4709-002 P1). NATO UNCLASSIFIED RELEASABLE TO MOLDOVA Annex B to NCIA/ACQ/2024/06737 NATO UNCLASSIFIED RELEASABLE TO MOLDOVA Page B-2

The project is looking for a field proven solution.

The initial requirement is for six (6) integrated C-UAS systems composed of (at the minimum):

  • radar detection capability,
  • electro optical/infrared (EO/IR) camera(s),
  • jammer capability, and
  • a Command and Control (C2) system (i.e. an operator work post).

The number of components (e.g. radars, cameras and jammers) has to be dimensioned in accordance with the generic scenario presented above. For example, multiple radars may need to be deployed in the No-Go Zone to ensure the full coverage of the detection and identification zone. All components shall be deployed inside of the No-Go zone. Additional components (e.g. passive detection systems) can be proposed and will be considered within the overall balance between price and capability. The main threat is represented by commercial Class 1 UASs.

For more information:https://sam.gov/opp/fb0f568b66d64e70a6eb7ee60785d7e8/view (Source: www.unmannedairspace.info)

 

28 Apr 24. “Sweden needs to bolster C-UAS capabilities” – new Defence Commission report. Developing more widespread and potent counter-UAS capabilities is one of the key policy recommendations of a report Strengthened defence capability, Sweden as an ally delivered by the Swedish Defence Commission on Friday, 26 April 2024 to Minister for Defence Pål Jonson and Minister for Civil Defence Carl-Oskar Bohlin.

The deteriorating security situation, combined with Sweden’s obligations as an ally, requires an increased ambition for the military defence, according to the country’s defence ministry. “The development of military capability must be accelerated and adapted to the requirements that follow as a NATO Ally. Time must be a decisive factor in the political and military decision-making regarding issues such as personnel structure, acquisition of materiel and infrastructure development in the coming years.

The recommendations include an increased focus on air defence and cooperation within NATO’s Integrated Air and Missile Defence (IAMD), an increased ability to operate and defend against unmanned vehicles, increased interoperability and full integration with NATO’s command system, an increased focus on logistics, including the ability to provide Host Nation Support and serve as a base and advanced staging area for Allied units, increased capacity to operate with military units outside Sweden’s borders and sequential growth of several types of military units.

“Adding to the recommendations of the Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, the Defence Commission proposes:

  • prioritisation of two brigades, aiming to have three mechanised brigades and one infantry brigade by 2030;
  • formation of a Norrland Infantry Regiment in the war-time organisation
  • an increased conscription level, from the current level of 8 000 to 10 000 in 2030 and 12 000 in 2032, with consideration of a further increased conscription level to 14 000 in 2035;
  • increased availability of personnel in the Swedish Royal Navy to increase operational capability;
  • increased air defence capability, in order to counter unmanned aerial vehicles;
  • additional procurement of essential supplies, such as ammunition including air-to-air and cruise missiles, and spare parts;
  • new military units for territorial defence, organised as 20 companies and platoons;
  • more refresher trainings for conscripts to meet the war-time organisation’s requirements;
  • increased funding of voluntary defence organisations; and
  • expansion of the officer education programme.”

“The Defence Commissions proposal means that the added funding for the military defence will gradually increase from the year 2025, so that in 2030 it will amount to a total of SEK 52.8 bn, of which SEK 20 bn is made up by the Defence Commissions proposal. For the civil defence, the addition will be at least SEK 15 bn a year from 2028.

“To this end, the Defence Commission suggests that the Minister for Defence considers giving the Defence Commission instructions to continue to monitor the development of Sweden’s defence and security situation.”

For more information

https://www.government.se/articles/2024/04/swedish-defence-commission-submits-final-report-on-military-defence-strengthened-defence-capability-sweden-as-an-ally/ (Source: www.unmannedairspace.info)

 

25 Apr 24. Gama Aviation and Department 13 partner to mitigate drone threats to UK critical infrastructure. Gama Aviation’s Special Mission business unit and Department 13 have formed a partnership that will work to mitigate drone threats for the UK’s Air Ambulance, national security, policing and other critical national infrastructure interests. Department 13’s SCOUT, ATLAS, and DART systems provide non-jamming and non-kinetic uncrewed aerial systems (UAS) detection and counter-UAS effects to defence and commercial sectors. The company’s technology allows for the creation of fixed or mobile secure perimeters, enabling operators to take control of a target drone or its controller. Gama Aviation identified Department 13 as a partner following a strategic review of the UAS market. (Source: www.unmannedairspace.info)

 

29 Apr 24. Nearthlab launches high speed C-UAS intercept drone at AUVSI Xponential. At this year’s AUVSI Xponential show, Nearthlab launched its high-speed kinetic interceptor drone, which uses utilizes advanced autopilot algorithms for calculating and tracking precise target trajectories, neutralizing Group 1 and 2 aerial threats with pinpoint accuracy, said the company in a press release.

Additionally, Nearthlabed presented AiDEN, an autonomous drone designed for diverse operational contexts, including intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) missions, emergency response programs, and infrastructure inspections.

Nearthlab’s solutions, including the CUAS drone and AiDEN, are manufactured in accordance with the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). For more information:5https://www.nearthlab.com/ (Source: www.unmannedairspace.info)

 

25 Apr 24. Drone-killing costs must come down, says Pentagon’s chief weapons buyer. The price tag for weapons and munitions used to destroy drones must come down, as the costs are “getting too expensive” and uncrewed systems are expected to saturate battlefields, according to the Pentagon’s acquisition boss.

U.S. troops have for years batted down attack and reconnaissance drones, often by using pricey ordnance. Ongoing intercepts of drones launched by the Yemen-based Houthi militant group in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden are reliant on multim-dollar missiles, among other arms.

Bill LaPlante, the undersecretary of defense for acquisition and sustainment, said April 24 during a conference hosted by the Center for Strategic and International Studies think tank in Washington that “cost curve matters” in counter-drone operations.

The goal is to get the cost down to approximately tens of thousands of dollars per round, he added, noting a price exceeding $100,000 a shot is “getting too expensive.”

The comments come as overhead defenses receive overhauls and industry jostles for contracts. Militaries the world over are increasingly developing and deploying uncrewed systems with the goal of spying, supplying and attacking forces from farther away; their popularity can be seen in Eastern Europe as well as the Greater Middle East.

LaPlante said there exists equipment in the ideal cost window but did not name makers nor models.

Defense companies have built and pitched everything from powerful lasers and microwaves to drones that ram their targets midair. The U.S. Army in February bought 600 Coyote interceptors from RTX, formerly Raytheon Technologies, in a deal worth $75 m. Coyote devices are used in mobile and stationary setups in what’s known as the Low, slow, small, unmanned aircraft Integrated Defeat System, or LIDS.

“We have a spreadsheet of all the counter-[unmanned aerial system technologies] that are out there, including prototypes that the labs are doing. Everybody’s doing them,” LaPlante said at the conference. “I’m really excited about some possibilities of even some counter-UAS capabilities per round that could be $10,000.” (Source: Defense News Early Bird/Defense News)

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Echodyne is a U.S. designer and manufacturer of advanced commercial radar solutions for defense and national security applications. The company’s proprietary metamaterials electronically scanned array (MESA®) architecture, a rare breakthrough in advanced radar engineering, leverages a physics-design approach to adapt conventional materials and deliver unexpected and beneficial behavior. The result is a solid-state, low-SWaP unit coupled with advanced software capabilities that delivers superior radar performance and unparalleled data integrity, radically improving system performance and enhancing safety for people and machines. With leading positions in counter-UAS, force protection, base security, and portable ISR, Defense Agencies and Suppliers rely on Echodyne radar for extraordinary accuracy and consistent, reliable operation. For more information, please visit: Echodyne.com.

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RADAR, EO/IR, C-UAS, NIGHT VISION AND SURVEILLANCE UPDATE

April 26, 2024 by

Sponsored by Echodyne

 

www.echodyne.com

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25 Apr 24. Teledyne FLIR IIS expands its Forge camera series with IP67 rating targeting smart agriculture, food, and beverage industries.

The Forge 1GigE IP67 camera series is designed for reliability in demanding industrial factory automation environments.

Teledyne FLIR IIS is pleased to announce the Forge® 1GigE IP67, the latest in its industrial camera series designed to perform in harsh industrial environments while ensuring highly efficient production capabilities. Forge 1GigE IP67 is the latest in our commitment to deliver advanced imaging systems for factory automation.

“We are proud to announce the launch of our latest machine vision product, exclusively designed for smart agriculture, food, and beverage industries,” said Sadiq Panjwani, General Manager at Teledyne FLIR IIS. “Unlike general-purpose cameras in a crowded machine vision market, our solution is tailored to address the complexities of a specific industry. We focus on key markets, and develop solutions from the ground up, armed with a clear understanding of the market, customer partnerships, and technology innovation.”

The Forge 1GigE IP67 camera series has an IP67 cylindrical enclosure for optimal and easy system integration, simplified post operation washing, and the prevention of dirt accumulation. A wide selection of IP67 rated components are available with partners such as Smart Vision Lights® and Components Express, LLC. (CEI) to create an entire IP67 vision ecosystem for our customers.

With advanced on-camera features such as auto-brightness functions (AGC and Auto-Exposure), the new cameras dynamically adjust in variable and outdoor lighting conditions. The IEEE1588 protocol enables multi-camera image capture synchronization, and Lossless Compression (LLC) provides higher frame rates and lower bandwidth requirements, maximizing camera output without compromising image quality for high-speed applications.

Key Features

  • IP67 ingress protection minimizes dust and debris accumulation for simplified maintenance
  • Onboard processing for no-drop image capture and delivery
  • Highly robust and reliable Teledyne GigE framework within the Spinnaker® 4 acquisition SDK
  • Support for Sapera® Image Processing Library with AI capability
  • Newest Sony® CMOS image sensors, and 1.2 MP to 12 MP resolution options
  • Includes a three-year warranty, access to rich online resources, and world-class technical support

The Teledyne FLIR IIS team is grateful for our customers’ ongoing support of our commitment to GigE innovation. Future advancements of Forge 1GigE IP67 will include higher resolution models.

 

25 Apr 24. Saab delivers fourth GlobalEye to the UAE. Saab has delivered another GlobalEye Airborne Early Warning and Control (AEW&C) aircraft to the United Arab Emirates (UAE), marking the delivery of the fourth advanced AEW&C aircraft to the UAE in just four years.

The delivery took place on 18 April 2024 and follows Saab’s previous deliveries of three GlobalEye to the UAE in 2020 and 2021.

“I am proud to celebrate the fourth delivery of our world-leading AEW&C solution GlobalEye to the UAE and to continue supporting its operational availability and mission success. The high delivery pace in the GlobalEye programme is testament to our unique in-house capability which means we control the entire process, from development to integration,” says Micael Johansson President and CEO of Saab. The UAE has ordered a total of five GlobalEye aircraft from Saab, with the initial contract signed in 2015 and an order for two additional aircraft received in 2021. GlobalEye is an advanced multi-domain AEW&C solution with an array of active and passive sensors that provide long-range detection and identification of objects in the air, at sea and over land. By providing real-time information to units in air forces, armies and navies, GlobalEye enables enhanced situational awareness of the surrounding areas and early detection of threats. (Source: Defense Arabia)

 

25 Apr 24. Cuashub.com said today that Sentrycs Added to UK NPSA Catalogue of Security Equipment. Sentrycs, a leading innovator in adaptive counter-drone solutions, is proud to announce its inclusion in the prestigious UK National Protective Security Authority (NPSA) Catalogue of Security Equipment.

Following a rigorous assessment process, Sentrycs’ cutting-edge Counter Unmanned Aerial Systems (C-UAS) solution has met the high standards set by the NPSA for Detection, Tracking, and Identification (DTI). The testing, conducted at the NPSA’s designated testing facilities in August 2023, rigorously evaluated the Sentrycs system against the NPSA’s DTI Testing and Evaluation Standard v3.1.

Sentrycs elected to be assessed under Configuration D as a 3D system with Ground Control Station (GCS) detection capability and platform identification capability, which is the most demanding test scenario with the highest number of scored parameters.

The Sentrycs system demonstrated exceptional capabilities in various security scenarios, showcasing its robustness in detecting and tracking with high accuracy and zero false alarms. The system’s innovative use of cyber techniques to extract data from targets and its streamlined human-machine interface were especially noted for their efficiency and ease of use.

“Our team is proud to have Sentrycs recognized by the UK National Protective Security Authority,” said Yoav Zaltzman, CEO of Sentrycs. Being listed in the CSE is not just an honor; it’s a testament to our technology’s reliability and effectiveness in contributing to the ever-changing airspace security landscape.

Sentrycs’ technology is now accessible through the NPSA CSE, providing security practitioners with verified solutions that meet the UK’s rigorous security standards. This inclusion not only underscores Sentrycs’ role in advancing security technology but also enhances its visibility and credibility on a global stage.

https://cuashub.com/en/content/sentrycs-added-to-uk-npsa-catalogue-of-security-equipment/?_hsenc=p2ANqtz-8z7Ix0a7PSxbjMeYOH8KZh-ue1gkKElJGaXnlPiCQFkI0tuKPk6EACoaOl2GVxQ5JN8MCpwUiMMcuidVYg9tkLEAqbXdkcjx-1zhOOgqK-oN7oPEI&_hsmi=304305295#utm_campaign=C-UAS%20Hub%20General&utm_medium=email&utm_content=304305295&utm_source=hs_email (Source: https://cuashub.com/)

 

25 Apr 24. Cuashub.com said today that Feloni Aero’s Weaponized and Counter-Drone UAVs Introduced. Feloni Aero, a frontrunner in unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) technology, has unveiled its latest weaponized drones, including a counter-drone UAV designed to enhance Ukraine’s defense capabilities. With the recent approval of the U.S. government spending bill, Feloni Aero aims to deliver cutting-edge solutions to fortify Ukraine’s security framework.

The U.S.’s steadfast support for Ukraine’s defense initiatives highlights the critical demand for advanced technologies. Feloni Aero’s weaponized UAVs present a game-changing solution, delivering unmatched precision, agility, and operational efficiency in combat situations. Featuring cutting-edge weaponry, including the 5.56 weapon system, missile payloads, and advanced surveillance capabilities, these drones empower Ukrainian forces to tackle intricate security challenges with heightened confidence.

“Our mission at Feloni Aero is to empower nations with cutting-edge defense technologies that ensure safety and security in an ever-evolving geopolitical landscape,” said Todd Dunphy, CEO at Feloni Aero. “With the unwavering support from the United States government through the recent spending bill, we stand ready to contribute to Ukraine’s defense efforts by delivering advanced weaponized UAVs that redefine the paradigm of modern warfare.”

Feloni Aero’s weaponized UAVs are tailored to meet the varied demands of military operations, offering adaptable configurations to align with specific mission needs. From surveillance and reconnaissance to precise targeting and acquisition, these drones ensure unmatched performance and dependability in operational scenarios.

The company’s cutting-edge counter-drone millimeter wave technology introduces a groundbreaking solution to counter the escalating threat of unauthorized drones in sensitive areas. Leveraging millimeter wave technology, these systems deliver exceptional accuracy and efficacy in detecting, tracking, and neutralizing rogue drones. This advanced capability facilitates swift responses to potential threats, protecting critical infrastructure, public gatherings, and military bases from illicit drone intrusions. With its capacity to deliver real-time situational awareness and preemptive countermeasures, the C-UAS technology emerges as a pivotal tool in combating unauthorized drone activities.

Strategic alliances and technological advancements in defense are paramount as geopolitical tensions intensify. Feloni Aero remains dedicated to partnering with governments and defense organizations globally to bolster national security and uphold global peace and stability.

https://cuashub.com/en/content/feloni-aeros-weaponized-and-counter-drone-uavs-introduced/?_hsenc=p2ANqtz-9lzFaqJUkJn22rIDHI-y_1OM9hkqIrzRXsh4A6RbWUvkkbVq0i1L-p7hFmyyYQWdpO_FaE6jOwElNA0Akw2IttQSbLXaORgjaJwtG0mURubz39iWg&_hsmi=304305295#utm_campaign=C-UAS%20Hub%20General&utm_medium=email&utm_content=304305295&utm_source=hs_email (Source: https://cuashub.com/)

 

25 Apr 24. AI-Assisted Optronics – European Project To Increase Combat Perception Capabilities.

  • The European Commission signed the Grant Agreement for the launch of the STORE (Shared daTabase for Optronics image Recognition and Evaluation) collaborative research project, coordinated by Thales and funded by the EDF (European Defence Fund).
  • Bringing together a consortium of 20 partners (manufacturers, SMEs and academics) from 8 EU Member States and Norway, this project aims to build a shared image database secured by most advanced technology and to develop and evaluate artificial intelligence (AI) algorithms dedicated to data analysis of ground platform imaging systems.
  • This project will contribute to the automatic management and tactical analysis of information in land combat situations, thanks to technological innovation in deep learning of optronic data.

To address a complex and constantly changing threat environment, the European Defence Fund is supporting the European Union’s STORE collaborative project to accelerate the introduction of AI and associated shared database in the imaging systems for land forces.

As threats become increasingly sophisticated (hypersonic missiles, combat drones, drone swarms, etc), optronic sensors are more strategically important than ever and need to deliver the highest levels of performance in the field.

STORE will lay the foundations for Europe’s first shared, scalable database of defence imagery and explore different algorithm solutions for threats detection. In particular, it will address issues of data governance and the cost-effective development of sovereign technologies. The STORE project, by combining optronic sensors with AI-based analysis techniques, will set-up future functionalities related to augment war fighters’ perception of the battlefield, enhancing their tactical situational awareness, shortening the decision loop to accelerate reaction times and, consequently, improve survivability.

“We are proud that the EDF is financing this project which entrusts Thales as project lead and coordinator of this network of partners, European industrial and technological jewels. We will leverage all of our experience and expertise in optronics and artificial intelligence to offer high perception capacities, providing decisive tactic superiority on battlefields.” Benoît Plantier, Vice-president of Optronics and Missile Electronics activity, Thales.

The publication was funded by the European Union. Its contents are the sole responsibility of Thales and do not necessarily reflect the views of the European Union.

Key information

Call title: Research actions –Digital transformation

Duration of the project: 36 months

Estimated total cost: 23.3m€

Project partners:

Thales France (Coordinator)

Safran E&D, France

ONERA, France

GMV, Spain

Leonardo, Italy

IOSB, Germany

Flysight, Italy

TNO, Netherlands

LIST, Luxembourg

HENSOLDT Optronics, Germany

HENSOLDT Analytics, Austria

Kongsberg, Norway

Rheinmetall Electronics Gmbh, Germany

Marduk, Estonia

AIT, Austria

University of Cologne, Germany

Cybernetica, Estonia

STAM, Italy

Falconers, Estonia

UniMore, Italy

Thales on the STORE project

As STORE project leader, Thales will draw on its experience on the SCORPION programme and leverage its operational knowledge, technical expertise and experience in managing large-scale collaborative projects to coordinate the work and drive synergies between industry players and academic partners.

 

24 Apr 24. Lockheed Martin to ramp up UK Sniper production. Lockheed Martin is building a new production line for AN/AAQ-33 Sniper Advanced Targeting Pod (ATP) components at its Ampthill, Bedfordshire site in the UK, seeking to meet anticipated demand from NATO allies and other customers for the system, the company has told Janes . The UK-based work on Sniper supports the manufacturing activities at Ocala, Florida. This work has been expanded with a new production line at Ampthill that will focus on producing cabling to integrate the system into aircraft. Stacy Kubicek, Lockheed Martin’s vice-president and general manager – sensors and global sustainment, said the fresh investment is part of a wider strategy at Lockheed Martin. She placed it into the context of a shifting outlook among customers. (Source: Janes)

 

24 Apr 24. General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. (GA-ASI) is continuing its support of EagleEye multi-mode radar development with a company investment to add an Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) antenna and associated software that will increase range and deliver significant mode enhancements. AESA will be a “drop-in” hardware upgrade to the existing EagleEye radar and could be an option for the new Gray Eagle 25M (GE 25M) aircraft assembly when ready.

“We expect the AESA antenna to more than double the range for EagleEye,” said Jeff Hettick, GA-ASI vice president of Agile Mission Systems. “The increased range and optimized multi-mode performance of the radar are perfectly tailored to provide deep sensing capability in Multi-Domain Operations (MDO). That will allow the aircraft to operate well outside Weapons Effects Zone of most threat systems adding a layer of survivability supporting the Stand-Off survivability with Stand-In effects of long-range sensors. This is a key component of the Gray Eagle 25M Unmanned Aircraft System being developed for the U.S. Army.”

AESA antennas replace the mechanically steered dish antennas of earlier-generation radars with a solid-state, all-electronic emitter. In addition to enhancing the radar’s performance, by replacing the motor and other components that physically move the radar dish, AESA greatly improves repairability and reliability.

As part of the EagleEye development, GA-ASI will improve target detection range using Artificial Intelligence/Machine Learning (AI/ML). GA-ASI expects to have a working lab prototype of the new AESA component by the end of this year, with plans to conduct flight tests in 2025 and operational demonstrations on GE 25M after that.

EagleEye is a multi-mode radar that builds on years of pioneering expertise by GA-ASI. Using Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR), Eagle Eye enables operators to look in detail through clouds, smoke, dust, haze, or other conditions that might obscure a purely visual sensor. And for the first time on the Gray Eagle platform, EagleEye delivers radar-based Full Motion Video (FMV) called “Video SAR,” which enables live visual tracking of moving targets via the radar system.

The EagleEye radar performs Moving Target Indication (MTI), detects changes, builds strip maps, and yields other precise insights to analysts, commanders, and operators. With its Maritime Wide Area Search (MWAS) mode, EagleEye also provides a dedicated maritime MTI mode for tracking and targeting vessels and further supports the MDO mission set of the U.S. Army, particularly in support of the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command (INDOPACOM) mission, but also in Europe, Africa and the Middle East where there is an increased need for maritime reconnaissance, surveillance and target acquisition, which is critical to achieve information dominance and overmatch.

 

24 Apr 24. Pulsar Elevates Performance with Latest Firmware Updates for Thermal Imaging Devices. Pulsar, a renowned leader in the field of thermal imaging technology, announces the release of firmware updates which enhance the capabilities of their premium thermal imaging devices. These updates affect the Merger LRF thermal imaging binoculars, Thermion Duo DXP50/55 multispectral riflescopes, and the flagship Thermion 2 LRF riflescopes, mark a significant leap forward in providing hunters and outdoor enthusiasts with advanced features and improved performance.

Merger LRF Firmware Update 2.5

Firmware Update 2.5 for the Merger LRF thermal imaging binocular line delivers essential enhancements for improved nighttime performance. Compatible with the entire Merger LRF line, this update brings reduced eye fatigue, prolonged battery life, and expanded language options, providing users with a smoother and more versatile experience. Notable features include improved image quality, display dimming for reduced eye strain, and an auto-off function for prolonged battery life.

Thermion Duo DXP50/55 Receives Firmware Update 3.3

Pulsar expands the capabilities of the Thermion Duo DXP50/55 multispectral riflescopes with Firmware Update 3.3, offering users enhanced ballistic options and versatility. This update enables manual distance input and introduces a display dimming function, providing users with precise shot placement and reduced eye fatigue in various lighting conditions. Additionally, users can now customize settings such as reticle color and auto-calibration indication, further enhancing their shooting experience.

Enhanced Ballistic Capabilities Unveiled for Thermion 2 LRF Riflescopes

Pulsar continues its commitment to innovation with Firmware Update 3.3 for the Thermion 2 LRF riflescopes. This update introduces a new optional variable distance input mode, allowing users to measure their distance to target via either their devices’ integrated LRF or manual distance input customize their shooting experience for unparalleled accuracy. With features such as display dimming and battery-saving functions, users can optimize performance in any environment. The update also includes language additions and improved battery level indication, ensuring a seamless user experience.

All firmware updates are available for download via the Stream Vision 2 mobile application.

 

23 Apr 24. Cuashub.com said today that Dedrone Receives SAFETY Act Designation Status from DHS. Dedrone, the leader in smart airspace security, today announced that it is the first counter-drone company to receive the Support Anti-Terrorism by Fostering Effective Technologies Act of 2002 (SAFETY Act) Designation status from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Office of SAFETY Act Implementation (OSAI). Both its command-and-control (C2) platform, DedroneTracker.AI, and its DedroneSensor radio frequency (RF) sensors have been officially awarded as approved technology under the SAFETY Act. Dedrone was advised by Petrone Risk to successfully pursue this award, with Senior Managing Director Kathleen Lupia leading the effort.

“With this Designation award, DHS today made clear that airspace security is now an essential part of any anti-terrorism security apparatus,” said Aaditya Devarakonda, CEO of Dedrone. “Having previously worked with some of our customers in their efforts to acquire SAFETY Act acknowledgment, we know that OSAI’s process is extremely rigorous. This is a tremendous honor for Dedrone as the preeminent counter-drone company, now with SAFETY Act Designation status technology and a resounding validation of our ongoing work to ensure our dual-use technology is as effective as possible for both civilian and military applications.”

The SAFETY Act was designed to encourage developing and using anti-terrorism products and services. A technology must have demonstrated effectiveness during operational testing or through prior use. Designation provides a liability cap, exclusive action in Federal court, no joint and several liability for non-economic damages, and no punitive damages or prejudgment interest. The full Designation is in effect for Dedrone until April 30, 2029. Any Dedrone technology deployed during its Designation period is protected for its deployment’s lifetime.

Dedrone is implemented across 32 countries and used by five G-7 nation governments; 829 sites, including 49 airports and 59 stadiums; 15 US federal entities; and 20 non-US governments. The company actively provides counter-drone solutions for some of the most high-profile events and organizations, working with public safety entities to protect over 360 sites globally.

https://cuashub.com/en/content/dedrone-receives-safety-act-designation-status-from-dhs/?_hsenc=p2ANqtz-9N-xUMHqZFygw3tNYU4ACLM-ZMUVsnEMZlobDAxCjJk5GWHOVSufLozCLouinh5mKsiPVkTJR5mWCdnpQizyu1Xx1oWAQ01mnIa99bsk6g8pF7ntY&_hsmi=303934176#utm_campaign=C-UAS%20Hub%20General&utm_medium=email&utm_content=303934176&utm_source=hs_email (Source: https://cuashub.com/)

 

24 Apr 24. Cuashub.com said today that Nearthlab Unveils Kinetic Interceptor Drone. Nearthlab, a leading autonomous drone solutions provider, unveiled its latest counter-UAS (CUAS) technology at this year’s AUVSI XPONENTIAL event from April 23 to 25 at the San Diego Convention Center. XPONENTIAL is an annual assembly of international leaders and end-users in the unmanned systems and robotics sector. Built on the principle that cross-disciplinary collaboration fosters innovation, it offers chances to network and collaborate with experts across various markets and fields.

The CUAS technology showcased is a high-speed kinetic interceptor drone equipped with advanced autopilot algorithms to calculate and track precise target trajectories, effectively neutralizing Group 1 and 2 aerial threats with exceptional accuracy.

Additionally, Nearthlab will showcase AiDEN, an autonomous drone tailored for various operational scenarios, including intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) missions, emergency response efforts, and infrastructure inspections.

All of Nearthlab’s solutions, including the CUAS drone and AiDEN, are produced in compliance with the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). This stringent adherence to NDAA standards ensures that the company’s drones meet the federal requirements for immediate deployment in military and industrial applications within the United States.

“Drones are increasingly becoming fundamental to modern life, and it’s crucial that we equip ourselves with advanced tools to stay ahead of the curve,” said Jay Choi, CEO and co-founder. “We’re excited about the opportunity to demonstrate how our newest innovations will come to redefine industry standards at this prestigious event.”

https://cuashub.com/en/content/nearthlab-unveils-kinetic-interceptor-drone/?_hsenc=p2ANqtz-9UMNdSt2_xOXIGGPKYQUbe6gGUgD8BVkCq7SMtjX2TLNMjMsprrGj4B7O3xNGgf1Uvb9DHhoRDnW_I6Js8P5shz479Vx2YCnoDhBh8JZTX5A06rFs&_hsmi=304062378#utm_campaign=C-UAS%20Hub%20General&utm_medium=email&utm_content=304062378&utm_source=hs_email (Source: https://cuashub.com/)

 

22 Apr 24. Chess Dynamics, a leading developer of real-time video and image processing solutions, has launched the Vision4ce Mini CHARM, a new image processor specifically designed for size and weight-constrained applications, such as drones and small tactical vehicles.

The Mini CHARM offers a powerful and flexible solution for electro-optical system manufacturers and integrators seeking advanced image processing capabilities in a compact footprint. Its compact design and efficient operation make it ideal for integration into small, lightweight camera systems, offering a leading image processing capability to space-constrained platforms, particularly airborne applications.

The Mini CHARM’s flexible software framework supports a wide range of image processing tasks, including AI-based target detection, tracking and classification. The real-time, low-latency processing enables rapid decision-making and accurate performance in critical situations.

“The Mini CHARM leverages the proven performance and reliability of the CHARM product range, delivering these capabilities in a miniaturised form factor,” said Steve Hogg, Director of Image Processing at Chess Dynamics. “This new product empowers manufacturers and integrators to develop next-generation camera systems that meet the demanding requirements of modern applications.”

The launch expands and complements the existing Vision4ce CHARM product line of image processors. Chess Dynamics’ extensive experience in developing the Vision4ce branded real-time image processors for electro-optical systems enabled the development of this miniaturised solution. With a team bringing decades of experience in land, sea, and air applications, Chess Dynamics offers a comprehensive suite of products and support services to meet the evolving needs of the industry.

 

22 Apr 24. Cuashub.com said today that USMC Low Air Altitude Defense Battalion Tests C-UAS Concepts. DVIDS reported last week that the U.S. Marines from the 2nd Low Altitude Air Defense (LAAD) Battalion, Marine Air Control Group 28, 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing (MAW), conducted scenario-based training on counter-unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) at Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, from April 15-17

The training aimed to evaluate, improve, and validate tactics, techniques, and procedures for countering UAS threats. It also aimed to enhance the confidence of the 2nd LAAD Battalion Marines in executing counter-UAS missions. Such events allow the 2nd LAAD Battalion to train its personnel, educate them, and develop expertise to support the establishment of counter-UAS initiatives across the 2nd MAW. These initiatives are vital for identifying and neutralizing adversary intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance, and targeting systems, aiding counter-reconnaissance efforts, and enabling friendly forces to operate within enemy weapon engagement zones. Counter-UAS remains a critical mission for the 2nd LAAD Battalion. The battalion will continue to adapt, refine, and validate its tactics to address the evolving challenges posed by the UAS landscape and the increasing prevalence of unmanned aircraft systems.

“Today’s training gives LAAD a way to develop tactics, techniques, and procedures for us to conduct active air defense against small UAS when we are integrated with the infantry,” said 2nd Lt. John Osment, a native of Charlotte, North Carolina, and the unit readiness coordinator for 2nd LAAD Battalion. “It also gives the infantry a chance to see standard operating procedures that we employ so that when LAAD is not there to support them, they can conduct force protection on their own with weapons that are organic to the infantry battalion.”

During the training, Marines were evaluated on their shooting, moving, and communicating skills during counter-UAS scenarios. They engaged single-operator drones using direct-fire weapons like shotguns, machine guns, and rifles while on patrols and in defensive positions. Three distinct scenarios were presented to the Marines. Upon detecting a drone within their firing zone from an unidentified location, they had to report its location, assume their firing positions, and engage with the drone until it was neutralized or the exercise was concluded.

The Marines attributed their success to thorough planning and rehearsals before the live-fire training. Before the live-fire exercise, they spent several days on sand-table exercises and immediate-action drills, becoming familiar with the training area’s terrain and practicing without live ammunition to boost their confidence. Small-unit leaders ensured their Marines were fully equipped and prepared to execute their counter-UAS mission effectively.

“The proliferation of UAS employment in modern conflict necessitates our Marines to shoot, move, and communicate in a UAS-dominant environment,” said Lt. Col. Bradley Creedon, commanding officer of the 2nd LAAD Battalion and a native of Albuquerque, New Mexico. “Today’s training gives us the opportunity to put our CUAS tactics, techniques, and procedures to the test and build the confidence of our Marines in conducting CUAS gunnery.”

https://cuashub.com/en/content/usmc-low-air-altitude-defense-battalion-tests-c-uas-concepts/?_hsenc=p2ANqtz-9OIuD3TLVezYf1rZU6t_QPMlogRoMBvTvw6QSFc4qRVseNijVOJNvgMUz9MAjaTlpJ_F0mmPwxuUh3WamrQmQUEfOw7Rr_Y-CEnkQu9yzp5R0k-No&_hsmi=303629257#utm_campaign=C-UAS%20Hub%20General&utm_medium=email&utm_content=303629257&utm_source=hs_email (Source: https://cuashub.com/)

 

22 Apr 24. French media report problems with the Paris Olympics counter-UAS system. News outlet France 24 reports that the anti-drone system PARADE, developed to protect the Parisian skies throughout the July 26-September 8 Olympics and Paralympics, has performed worse than expected during a March exercise, according to media reports.

“On two of the sites where Parade was tested, it didn’t work as well as expected. Put in other words, PARADE stopped the drones, but within a much smaller perimeter than expected,” an observer of the “Coubertin LAD 2” exercise told the French weekly Marianne. Satirical newspaper Le Canard Enchaîné said the system had performed even worse than during the first exercise, “Coubertin LAD 1”, that was held to test its efficiency. During that exercise, PARADE was reportedly only able to detect one out of three malicious drones at a distance of 800 metres. It’s annoying that this is coming out publicly but unfortunately, contrary to the official line, things aren’t really working as we’d like,” a senior security source told AFP on condition of anonymity.”

Thales and CS Group won the French defence procurement agency’s (DGA) tender to develop an anti-drone system back in April 2022. The contract is worth EUR350m over an 11-year period. In the consortium’s tender, PARADE was presented as a “scalable, modular, multi-mission system” for fighting drones.

According to Thales: “The modular, multi-mission PARADE system will detect, classify and safely neutralise micro- and mini-drones either to protect sensitive sites on a temporary basis or as part of overseas deployments abroad. The PARADE system will be able to reinforce the security of the public and the infrastructures during large gatherings…..The PARADE system provides permanent 360° site protection and is designed for easy transport from one site to another by road, air or sea, considerably increasing its scope of use and speed of deployment.”

For more information

https://www.france24.com/en/sport/20240419-tests-expose-worrying-flaws-in-france-s-anti-drone-system-for-2024-olympics

https://www.thalesgroup.com/en/worldwide/defence/press_release/french-defence-procurement-has-officially-notified-thales-and-cs

https://www.insidethegames.biz/articles/1137759/paris-2024-drone-attack-system (Source: www.unmannedairspace.info)

 

23 Apr 24. MARSS signs $70m contract to deliver integrated logistic support for Middle East client. MARSS announced the signing of a multi-year contract in excess of $70m to deliver an integrated logistic support contract with a leading Middle East client. MARSS previously led an international group of partners to design and deliver a multi-domain critical infrastructure protection system for a key strategic location in the Middle East.

The new contract, spanning five years, will see MARSS provide level 1-4 support across the site – from basic maintenance to troubleshooting complex issues – and includes programmes for corrective and preventative maintenance to ensure the site’s operational effectiveness throughout the contract’s duration. As part of this, MARSS will maintain a full-time in-country presence to manage and maintain the system.

The system, which was previously designed and commissioned by MARSS, provides end-to-end protection covering surface, land, air, and sub-surface domains. MARSS’ NiDAR platform, integrated throughout the site, is an AI–powered solution capable of detecting, verifying, and defeating asymmetric threats. The system seamlessly fuses sensors and effectors across all domains, providing a unified situational awareness picture for operators.

Rob Balloch, MARSS’ Chief Revenue Officer, commented, “Securing this contract showcases MARSS’ ability to provide full life-cycle support that is essential to ensure the operational effectiveness of complex integrated platforms. Having led on the prestigious delivery project, we are delighted that the client has returned to us to ensure the smooth running of the protection.”

Recent events across the world have demonstrated the difficulty of reliably protecting people and critical-assets from rapidly evolving threats. To be effective, systems have to be able to react to threats in seconds, relying on layered countermeasures that can be deployed effectively and economically. By integrating physical sensors and effectors with AI, the MARSS NiDAR system greatly reduces the operational burden on operators and centralises all of the critical decision making into a single software solution.

This five-year project will also plug into the continued machine learning of NiDAR CORE – obtaining valuable object and event data to improve NiDAR’s AI capabilities – including the rapid and accurate detection and verification of threats.

Balloch added, “There have been a lot of discussions over the last few years about the need to change the broken defence procurement model that exists across NATO and other defence ministries. The need for rapidly deployable and effective Air and Maritime Defence has never been greater, systems have to be modular, sensor and effector agnostic and upgradeable in days not years. Companies such as MARSS, and contracts such as this, demonstrate the ability to rapidly develop and implement complex integrated defence programs by smaller, agile companies, at a fraction of the cost and in half the time.”

 

22 Apr 24. In data: land military radar market share overtaken by air segment. The military radar market is projected to be dominated by the air sector, moving ahead of the land sector from 2025, according to GlobalData.

While the market size for the Land Radar segment has been projected as $6bn for 2024 by GlobalData in the ‘The Global Military Radar Market Forecast 2023-2033’, this has been predicted to drop below $5bn for most of the next ten years while the value of the Air Radar segment is set to rise above it for the foreseeable future.

The value of the Land segment starts at nearly $6bn in 2024, above the value of the Air Radar section at $5.3bn, but in 2025 this order is reversed, with Air’s market value rising to $5.8bn, and Land’s value falling to $4.7bn.

This ordering remains for the rest of GlobalData’s projection, with both sections showing slowing growth until minima in 2029, and then sustained increasing growth until 2033.

The Global Military Radar Market is projected to grow at a CAGR of 3.6%, increasing from $10.6bn in 2023 to $15.2bn by 2033. The total global spending on this market over the forecast period is estimated to be $144.9bn.

The market is divided into three segments: Air, Land, and Maritime. The Air segment is expected to lead the market, comprising 41.4% of the total, followed by the Land segment with a 35.2% share.

Geographically, North America is expected to hold the largest market share at 44.0%, with Europe and Asia-Pacific following with shares of 22.5% and 21.6%, respectively.

Air Radar

Air Radar encompasses systems such as fire control radars, which furnish essential targeting data, including target azimuth, elevation, range, and range velocity to the fire-control system of various platforms such as aircraft, rotorcraft, and uncrewed aerial systems (UAS) to precisely engage targets. Notable systems include the AN/APG-81 and RBE2 AA.

The Air segment also includes maritime surveillance radars that are mounted on maritime patrol aircraft, naval helicopters, and UAVs. These aid in the detection and surveillance of surface and sub-surface entities for missions such as anti-surface and anti-submarine warfare, and coastal defence operations.

Airborne ground surveillance radars are designated for identifying and monitoring ground or low-altitude targets, including vehicles and helicopters moving at low speeds. These radars are equipped on aircraft, rotorcraft, and UAVs, primarily for surveillance and reconnaissance duties, and are also useful in border patrol and search and rescue operations, as seen with EL/M-2055 and AN/APY-8 Lynx II radar.

Airborne early warning radars serve principally to locate and follow aircraft, ships, and ground vehicles over considerable distances. When operational at high altitudes, they allow the aircraft’s crew to observe and track objects and function as an Identification Friend or Foe system, with examples such as AN/APS-145 and E-801M OKO.

Synthetic aperture radars enable surveillance in all weather conditions utilising synthetic aperture technology, capable of functioning during nighttime or through cloud cover, producing high-resolution radar imagery. Systems such as Phased-Array SAR and Micro-SAR are notable examples.

Auxiliary radars in the Air segment carry out support functions such as navigation, weather prediction, and geographical mapping, and typically operate alongside primary radars like fire-control and early warning systems on airborne platforms, including the GSX 70 and AN/APQ-174B models.

The Land market

In the domain of Land Radar, air-defence radars act as proactive monitors to locate, identify, and pursue aerial threats, including ballistic missiles, aircraft, and UAS, as well as directing interceptor missiles to neutralise such dangers. Systems in this category include 91N6E-Big Bird, 92N6E-Grave Stone, and 96L6E.

Counter-battery radars are operational to warn against, detect, and track artillery projectiles, using the projectile’s trajectory to ascertain the launch position of artillery such as howitzers, mortars, or rocket launchers, and facilitate their neutralisation, with examples that include AN/TPQ-37 and AN/TPQ-50.

Ground and coastal surveillance radars are comprehensive installations on land or over water that aim to secure borders against unauthorized entry and uphold national sovereignty. They monitor a variety of targets across land, air, and sea, with systems such as J/FPS-3 and TPS-77 MRR being instrumental.

The auxiliary radar market for the Land segment encapsulates radar types that do not align with the previously mentioned categories, including those designed for ground penetration, instrumentation, and portable applications. This segment comprises systems such as the GMLRS radar and the Husky Mounted Detection System (ground penetrating radar).

(Source: army-technology.com)

 

22 Apr 24. Lockheed Martin Successfully Transitions Long Range Discrimination Radar to the Missile Defense Agency. The Long Range Discrimination Radar (LRDR) at Clear Space Force Station in Clear, Alaska, completed DD250 final acceptance and was officially handed over to the Missile Defense Agency in preparation for an Operational Capability Baseline (OCB) decision and final transition to the Warfighter. In addition, prior to this transition, the system has started Space Domain Awareness data collects for the United States Space Force.

“This milestone represents years of dedication to the MDA’s mission to protect our homeland,” said Chandra Marshall, vice president of Radar and Sensor Systems at Lockheed Martin. “LRDR is a cutting edge asset providing the benefits of both low frequency and high frequency radars for an innovative approach to search, track, and discriminate targets.”

Protecting the Homeland

LRDR provides the ability to simultaneously search and track multiple small objects, including all classes of ballistic missiles, at very long ranges, under continuous operation. Its discrimination capability will allow LRDR to identify lethal objects, such as enemy warheads, and differentiate them from non-lethal decoys. LRDR, along with other elements of the Missile Defense System, will preserve the homeland defense interceptor inventory by conserving the number of Ground-Based Interceptors required for threat engagement.

The highly adaptable LRDR operates in S-band frequencies and features a scalable, open systems architecture designed to be scaled and extended to counter evolving threats without changing the hardware design. It is integrated into the Missile Defense System through the Command and Control, Battle Management and Communications element. As an example of LRDR’s open systems architecture, Lockheed Martin is adding new capability in support of hypersonic defense, which will give decision makers actionable information to make timely decisions, faster.

In addition to missile defense, the radar system supports Space Domain Awareness by monitoring satellites orbiting the earth, detecting, tracking, and identifying active or inactive satellites, spent rocket bodies, and debris.

Proven Radar Experience

With broad experience developing and delivering radar solutions to customers, Lockheed Martin’s high-performing, high-reliability, solid state radar systems specialize in counter target acquisition, early warning, situational awareness and integrated air and missile defense. Lockheed Martin radars are designed with a high degree of commonality, are available in highly mobile configurations, operate in all environments and are deployed worldwide.

 

23 Apr 24. US Army SOF Introduces New Drone Course to Enhance Operator Skills. The U.S. Army’s John F. Kennedy Special Warfare Center and School has introduced the Robotics and Unmanned Systems Integration Course (RUSIC), a comprehensive six-week program that equips Army special operations forces with advanced drone operating skills. The course not only covers flying drones but also includes building them and handling electronic warfare payloads.

The training begins with two weeks focused on understanding Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) regulations and mastering standard military drones. The following weeks escalate to more complex scenarios including flying in jammed environments, coordinating with advanced software like the Android Team Awareness Kit, and operating counter-drone systems.

A significant portion of the course, occurring in the fifth week, involves the practical assembly of drones and the management of their battery packs, crucial for varied operational payloads. According to Major Steve Schuerman, the commander leading RUSIC, the course aims to provide foundational knowledge so soldiers can effectively troubleshoot and adapt to various technological challenges while working with international partners.

The final week tests all the acquired skills through comprehensive exercises, simulating real-world operations where students apply their knowledge in flying drones for one-way attacks using first-person view (FPV) technology.

The program also addresses the need for certified master trainers in drone operations within the Army special operations community. Graduates of RUSIC receive a master trainer certification, enabling them to instruct other soldiers, thereby expanding the cadre of qualified drone operators. (Source: https://www.sofx.com/)

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Echodyne is a U.S. designer and manufacturer of advanced commercial radar solutions for defense and national security applications. The company’s proprietary metamaterials electronically scanned array (MESA®) architecture, a rare breakthrough in advanced radar engineering, leverages a physics-design approach to adapt conventional materials and deliver unexpected and beneficial behavior. The result is a solid-state, low-SWaP unit coupled with advanced software capabilities that delivers superior radar performance and unparalleled data integrity, radically improving system performance and enhancing safety for people and machines. With leading positions in counter-UAS, force protection, base security, and portable ISR, Defense Agencies and Suppliers rely on Echodyne radar for extraordinary accuracy and consistent, reliable operation. For more information, please visit: Echodyne.com.

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RADAR, EO/IR, C-UAS, NIGHT VISION AND SURVEILLANCE UPDATE

April 19, 2024 by

Sponsored by Echodyne

 

www.echodyne.com

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15 Apr 24. Cuashub.com said today that Echodyne addressed Counter UAS Technology Europe Attendees. Echodyne, a leading radar platform company, announced its participation in the second annual Counter UAS Technology Europe 2024 conference. The event will be held at the Marriott Hotel Grosvenor Square in London from April 16-17, 2024. Leo McCloskey, Vice President of Marketing at Echodyne, will address key advancements in counter-UAS technology, focusing on accuracy and mobility. This participation follows Echodyne’s recent expansion in the region, which has been marked by the addition of new team members based in Europe.

The SAE Media Group is hosting the conference to unite European C-UAS stakeholders to address the increasing presence of small drones and unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) technology. The focus is on equipping European armed forces and security agencies with advanced C-UAS operations to safeguard critical national infrastructure and personnel domestically and internationally.

Drones pose a growing threat beyond traditional battlefields, with their evolving payload and operational capabilities challenging existing detection systems. From agile small UAS to larger Group 3 UAS, the risks to logistics, missions, and personnel are broadening. A key challenge lies in accurately tracking and pinpointing the coordinates of intruding UAS, an area where Echodyne’s metamaterials electronically scanned array (MESA®) excel.

Cost efficiency is also a concern, as non-state actors invest minimal amounts in UAS weapons that necessitate multi-m dollar defense systems. Echodyne’s radars balance cost-effective, commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) advanced technology and high-performance, active beamforming ESA precision. Offering both processed and raw data integration options, Echodyne’s radars provide precise data for detecting, tracking, targeting, and mitigating UAS threats more effectively.

“Solving the ‘drone problem’ requires technology and software that, when integrated, contributes high-fidelity, actionable data from attritable COTS platforms,” said Todd Fraser, Chief Revenue Officer at Echodyne. “Customer requirements are rapidly and radically changing, from fixed and portable to highly mobile, from crewed to uncrewed to platforms, from range as the sole driver to greater emphasis on spatial accuracy. Echodyne is expanding to meet increasing customer demand across Europe, Middle East, and Africa for low SWaP, commercially-exportable radars with superior ESA performance.”

Those who are interested in Echodyne’s radar solutions for C-UAS operations, including remote weapons stations (RWS), short-range air defense (SHORAD) initiatives, and beyond, are welcome to join Echodyne’s presentation at the Counter UAS Technology Europe 2024 Conference. The session will occur at 11 am BST on April 16, 2024.

https://cuashub.com/content/echodyne-to-address-counter-uas-technology-europe-attendees/?_hsenc=p2ANqtz–9P1yST7y_5-nktjKwY2WlVTvYyk31q9cVD1eHWhL6iSLc0b1Yl_rDMyYvcNusgtpDT2k446DkhnNidbQ2Qe7FFgbeRrQPrrsBKzfB5N5kkFvUmrE&_hsmi=302659751#utm_campaign=C-UAS%20Hub%20General&utm_medium=email&utm_content=302659751&utm_source=hs_email (Source: https://cuashub.com/)

 

19 Apr 24. IEE Exhibiting Lineup of Avionics Display Products at Quad A Summit 2024. Industrial Electronic Engineers, IEE, a manufacturer of military avionics displays, is exhibiting at the Army Aviation Mission Solutions Summit (Quad A) in Denver, Colorado, April 24th-26th. Awareness and support for the US DoD initiatives of MOSA and enhanced cyber security remain a dedicated focus for IEE in their execution of military and aerospace programs. Today’s complex defense system architectures are built on modern MOSA aligned products supporting modularity and the use of open standards for communication and video. This modular approach allows for prolonged life-cycle support that spans from supply, through sustainment, and into technology insertion and refresh.

“As fielded embedded systems face increasing threats from cyber-attacks, it’s critical that the defense industrial base pay close attention to cyber security,” said Steve Motter, VP of Business Development at IEE. “The evolving cyber threat now requires our team to monitor and control the entire enterprise activity, from the Computer Aided Design (CAD) tools used within the company, to the delivered product’s electronic component pedigree and embedded software certification.”

“We are committed to aligning our development processes to support ongoing protections afforded and required of the cyber security process,” continues Steve Motter. “This includes servers and data exchange processes that demand a level of accountability for the access, retrieval and restoration of information that Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI) demands.”

IEE will be highlighting the following displays:

10.4 ARINC-818 Multi-Function Display

The 10.4″ ARINC-818 Multi-Function Display is a primary flight display in a portrait 8″x6″ format. This Line Replaceable Unit (LRU) is capable of displaying one of two selectable optical fiber ARINC-818 video sources with or without a computer-generated overlay.

This MFD brings the latest open system architecture to the pilots’ fingertips. Enhancing the ‘multi-function’ of MFD’s, this display is configurable to support:

  • Traditional Primary Flight Display functions: (ADI, HSI, Nav, Engine Status)
  • Gestured touchscreen display: tablet-like control of information displays, maps, CDU, and situational awareness
  • Operator interface and host elements of open system architecture and network enabled mission functions

6”x8” Rotorcraft Multi-Function Display (MFD)

This dual-mode, high-bright and NVIS 10.4” LCD display is lightweight, and has a rugged sealed enclosure fit for airborne applications. With its redundant digital video and ARINC-429 communication interfaces, along with its extensive built-in test, this display provides the rugged performance necessary for demanding environments. The field-replaceable bezel assists the warfighter in maximizing operational availability for improved readiness.

Features of note:

  • Sealed NVIS Backlit Bezel with 24 Push Buttons and 4 Rocker Switches
  • Video Inputs: 2x DVI-D
  • Control Interface: 3x ARINC-429, RS-232/422

IEE is exhibiting in booth #900 at the Quad-A Summit, April 24th -26th. Stop by or make an appointment with Steve Motter by calling 1-800-422-0867, ext. 327, or email: .

(Source: BUSINESS WIRE)

 

18 Apr 24. Cuashub.com said today that DASA Competition: Protecting Physical Assets from UAS Attack. The Defence and Security Accelerator (DASA) is excited to announce a new Themed Competition titled “Protecting Physical Assets from UAS Attack.” This initiative is co-funded by the National Protective Security Authority (NPSA), the UK Home Office, and the Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (Dstl).

The agencies seek proposals for defensive solutions to safeguard physical assets against kinetic attacks by Uncrewed Aerial Systems (UAS). While existing Counter-UAS (C-UAS) technologies primarily target UAS during flight, this competition seeks innovative approaches to enhance the physical protection of assets against hostile UAS. Proposals may include asset-hardening strategies, last-resort defense mechanisms, and automated alert systems for detecting incoming hostile UAS.

Background

The Ukraine conflict has underscored how assets are vulnerable to roaming UAS attacks. The war has witnessed the extensive use of C-UAS capabilities, including Detect, Track, and Identify (DTI) technologies and electronic or kinetic countermeasures to intercept UAS in flight.

Despite these advancements, there are inherent limitations in current C-UAS solutions that this Themed Competition aims to address, ensuring we maintain a strategic advantage over adversaries.

The extensive UAS usage has exposed three primary challenges with C-UAS deployments:

1) Inconsistent positioning of C-UAS technologies, leading to gaps in preventing UAS attacks.

2) Maintaining a skilled workforce positioned correctly to counter UAS threats is challenging.

3) Inadequate mitigation of evolving UAS capabilities and tactics to evade existing technologies.

These challenges emphasize the importance of revisiting foundational principles and enhancing C-UAS technology with robust physical last-resort security measures to counteract kinetic UAS attacks effectively.

Key Information

This competition invites proposals to bolster physical security measures to counteract kinetic UAS attacks. While the existingvC-UASvtechnology primarily targets UAS during flight, we seek innovative solutions to protect stationary or mobile assets from hostile UAS threats. If you have groundbreaking C-UAS technologies, we encourage you to submit your proposal to contribute to national security efforts.

The total possible funding available for all successful bids to this competition is £750,000 (excluding VAT). Individual proposals must be for an amount less than £150,000. Several proposals may be funded.

The deadline to submit a proposal is midday on 13 June 2024 (BST).

The full competition document and terms and conditions can be found at the following link- Protecting Physical Assets from Uncrewed Aerial Systems Attack.

An informational webinar will be held on 2 May 2024 from 1:30 pm to 2:30 pm (BST). This webinar offers the opportunity to learn more about this DASA competition and ask questions of the team.

A series of 10-minute one-to-one teleconference sessions will be available on 9 May 2024 from 1:00 pm to 4:00 pm (BST) to ask specific questions. Interested participants can register on the Eventbrite page. Booking is on a first-come, first-served basis.

https://cuashub.com/content/dasa-competition-protecting-physical-assets-from-uas-attack/?_hsenc=p2ANqtz-9XMCHIAqEyTXaxtAeiyyw8kgxfCdUb3Fp9rT4m6wQWsWl3n_ieonDK7_cONGRgPZz9t82NK4Nay7uYPvmBiFGh3YP3fxkshy1YPUlBlND8i2rxhx0&_hsmi=303241743#utm_campaign=C-UAS%20Hub%20General&utm_medium=email&utm_content=303241743&utm_source=hs_email (Source: https://cuashub.com/)

 

18 Apr 24. Cuashub.com said today that DHS Announces Significant Preparedness Grants for FY24. Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro N. Mayorkas announced more than $1.8bn in funding for eight Fiscal Year 2024 preparedness grant programs. These grant programs provide critical funding to help state, local, tribal, and territorial officials prepare for, prevent, protect against, and respond to acts of terrorism and disasters.

“As threats continue to evolve, the Department of Homeland Security is committed to providing state, local, tribal and territorial governments, as well as transportation authorities and nonprofit organizations, with vital resources to help them strengthen our nation’s security and preparedness,” said Secretary Mayorkas. “This funding is essential for frontline personnel, including emergency managers, firefighters, emergency medical services, law enforcement and other first responders. The grants will play a critical role in ensuring local communities across the country have the resources and capabilities to prevent threats to the homeland.”

After extensive consultation with grantees leading up to this announcement, DHS is focused on the need to invest in high-priority areas, build capacity in other communities, and give jurisdictions the flexibility to make prioritization decisions based on their own assessment of their needs. For Fiscal Year (FY) 2024, Congress cut each preparedness grant by 10%, which resulted in commensurate cuts to each jurisdiction.

The law requires that at least 25% of the combined funds for the State Homeland Security Program (SHSP) and the Urban Area Security Initiative (UASI) be dedicated to Law Enforcement Terrorism Prevention Activities (LETPA). This year, we are maintaining the LETPA minimum requirement of 35%. The Department’s law enforcement subject matter experts engaged with FEMA experts to review and clarify policy and program decisions to ensure that law enforcement and terrorism-focused grant funds are appropriately used for terrorism prevention activities, thereby strengthening our national preparedness posture.

This year, we will provide $274.5m in Nonprofit Security Grant Program funds to houses of worship, schools, and other nonprofits to support target hardening and other physical security enhancements for nonprofit organizations at high risk of a terrorist attack. The program will continue to help integrate nonprofit preparedness activities with broader state and local preparedness efforts. It will also promote collaboration in emergency preparedness activities among public and private community representatives and state and local government agencies.

The FY 2024 grant guidance will continue to focus on the nation’s highest-risk areas, including urban areas that face the most significant threats. The Urban Area Security Initiative enhances regional preparedness by helping build and sustain capabilities responsive to the evolving threat environment. This year, the Urban Area Security Initiative will fund 41 high-threat, high-density urban areas, including an urban area that has not previously received funding.

DHS continues to emphasize six national priority areas in the FY 2024 grant cycle: cybersecurity; soft targets and crowded places; intelligence and information sharing; domestic violent extremism; community preparedness and resilience; and election security. Grant recipients under the State Homeland Security Program and Urban Area Security Initiative must dedicate a minimum of 30% of their awards across these six priority areas. Of the 30%, there is a 3% minimum spend on election security, with flexibility on how to spend the remaining 27% across the six priority areas.

As with previous years, new capabilities built using homeland security grant funding must be deployable to support regional and national efforts. All capabilities being built or sustained must link to the core capabilities articulated in the National Preparedness Goal.

FY 2024 Preparedness Grant Summary

State Homeland Security Program

$373.5m

Urban Area Security Initiative

$553.5m

Intercity Passenger Rail

$9m

Emergency Management Performance Grant

$319.55m

Operation Stonegarden

$81m

Tribal Homeland Security Program

$13.5m

Nonprofit Security Grant Program

$274.5m

Port Security Grant Program

$90m

Transit Security Grant Program

$83.7m

Intercity Bus Security Grant Program

$1.8m

Preparedness Grant Program Allocations for Fiscal Year 2024

The following grants are non-competitive and awarded to recipients based on several factors:

Homeland Security Grant Program (HSGP): State Homeland Security Program—provides $373.5m to support the implementation of risk-driven, capabilities-based state homeland security strategies to address capability targets. Awards are based on statutory minimums and relative risk as determined by DHS/FEMA’s risk methodology.

HSGP: Urban Area Security Initiative—provides $553.5m to enhance regional preparedness and capabilities in 41 high-threat, high-density areas. As determined by DHS/FEMA’s risk methodology, awards are based on relative risk.

For both the state homeland and urban area grants, 30% of the awards must address the six priority areas of cybersecurity; soft target and crowded places; information and intelligence sharing; domestic violent extremism; community preparedness and resilience; and election security. Additionally, 35% of these grants must be dedicated to law enforcement terrorism prevention activities, and 80% must be obligated from the state to local or tribal governments within 45 calendar days of receipt.

Intercity Passenger Rail—provides $9m to Amtrak to protect critical surface transportation infrastructure and the traveling public from acts of terrorism and increase the resilience of the Amtrak rail system. Award made per congressional direction.

Emergency Management Performance Grant (EMPG) Program –provides $319.55m to assist state, local, tribal, and territorial emergency management agencies in obtaining the resources required to support the National Preparedness Goal’s associated mission areas and core capabilities to build a culture of preparedness. Awards are based on statutory minimums and population.

The following grants are competitive, and exact awards will be announced later this year:

HSGP: Operation Stonegarden—provides $81m to enhance cooperation and coordination among state, local, tribal, territorial, and federal law enforcement agencies to jointly enhance security along the United States land and water borders.

Tribal Homeland Security Grant Program —provides $13.5m to eligible tribal nations to implement preparedness initiatives to help strengthen the nation against risk associated with potential terrorist attacks and other hazards.

Nonprofit Security Grant Program—provides $274.5m to support target hardening and other physical security enhancements for nonprofit organizations that are at high risk of a terrorist attack. This year, $137.25m is provided to nonprofits in UASI-designated urban areas, and $137.25m is provided to nonprofits outside UASI-designated urban areas in any state or territory.

Port Security Grant Program—provides $90m to help protect critical port infrastructure from terrorism, enhance maritime domain awareness, improve port-wide maritime security risk management, and maintain or re-establish maritime security mitigation protocols that support port recovery and resiliency capabilities.

Transit Security Grant Program —provides $83.7m to owners and operators of public transit systems to protect critical surface transportation and the traveling public from acts of terrorism and to increase the resilience of transit infrastructure.

Intercity Bus Security Grant Program —provides $1.8m to owners and operators of intercity bus systems to protect surface transportation infrastructure and the traveling public from acts of terrorism and to increase the resilience of transit infrastructure.

Before determining modifications and final allocations to the grant programs, DHS coordinated extensive engagements with local and state partners and worked with a wide range of stakeholders.

All preparedness funding notices can be found at www.grants.gov. Final submissions must be made through the FEMA Grants Outcomes (FEMA GO) system located at https://go.fema.gov.

Further information on DHS’s preparedness grant programs is available at www.dhs.gov and http://www.fema.gov/grants.

https://cuashub.com/content/dhs-announces-significant-preparedness-grants-for-fy24/?_hsenc=p2ANqtz-9Sy1RlUqgB-mXDiE63kT8N359P8ugnpOUXusNP8-KuYHpz1tblhHQm6O7KBagqvLR8P9Vk3MvXO5-dQWxVc_jXZm4dpyilZh_vvIB70UvG3WOx4Gs&_hsmi=303241743#utm_campaign=C-UAS%20Hub%20General&utm_medium=email&utm_content=303241743&utm_source=hs_email(Source: https://cuashub.com/)

 

18 Apr 24. Defense Technology Company, Allen Control Systems, raises $12m Seed Capital to Build Counter-Drone Robotic Gun Systems. Allen Control Systems (ACS), a defense technology company, today announced it has raised $12m in seed capital led by Craft Ventures with participation from Forum Ventures and Rally Ventures. ACS is developing counter-drone robotic gun systems. Low cost, lethal, and increasingly autonomous drones are being deployed in large numbers by enemy forces around the world. Radio jamming can stop many off-the-shelf commercial drones, but autonomous military drones are designed to continue their missions even when their radios are jammed. The only way to disable military drones is to physically damage them but up until now, that required expensive missiles. ACS is developing novel technology capable of neutralizing large numbers of lethal drones at a much lower cost than any solution available today.

ACS was founded by CEO Steven Simoni, CTO Luke Allen, and COO Mike Wior. Simoni and Allen are former U.S. Navy nuclear engineers who met in the service. Both were instrumentation and control systems engineers for Navy nuclear reactors. Their backgrounds span robotics, computer vision, machine learning, electrical engineering, mechanical engineering and computer science. After serving in the Navy, Simoni and Allen founded Bbot, a software and robotics restaurant technology startup, where they met Mike Wior, CEO and co-founder of Omnivore, a restaurant POS transaction system. Simoni and Allen’s company was acquired by DoorDash in 2022, and Wior’s company was acquired by Olo in the same year.

“We are at a military disadvantage with our biggest rival. ACS was created to neutralize the threat of Chinese drone manufacturing dominance,” said Simoni. “DJI, the Shenzhen-based manufacturer, commands over 70% of the world’s drone market and makes a new drone every few seconds. With respect to drones, any serious dual-use mandate from our Government is about 20 years too late.”

“ACS’s products are designed with an assumption that military drones will be numerous and will be hardened against radio jamming and other long-range non-kinetic attempts at stopping them,” said Allen. “But drones can’t carry sufficient armor to stop a bullet. The downside of bullets is that aiming a gun with sufficient precision to hit a small drone is almost impossible. We understand how hard that problem is, and we believe we’re well-positioned to solve it.”

About Allen Control Systems

Allen Control Systems is a defense technology company building counter-drone robotic gun systems for a new era of drone warfare and to completely change battlefield economics. ACS is headquartered in Austin, Texas with offices in Alexandria, Virginia. (Source: BUSINESS WIRE)

 

18 Apr 24. New Qualcomm-Built Advanced Video Processor by Teledyne FLIR Powers AI at the Edge. Teledyne FLIR, part of Teledyne Technologies Incorporated, has announced Teledyne FLIR AVP, an advanced video processor designed to power Teledyne FLIR’s Prism AI and computational imaging at the edge.

The AVP incorporates the latest Qualcomm QCS8550, the most advanced mobile processor chip from the leader in mobile, automotive, and robotics system-on-chip (SoC) technology. The AVP provides best-in-class artificial intelligence (AI) performance within a small, lightweight, and low-power module for thermal and visible camera integration into unmanned aerial vehicles, robots, small gimbals, handheld devices, and fixed-mounted security systems.

AVP runs the Teledyne FLIR Prism AI and ISP software libraries and interfaces with the Boson and Neutrino thermal infrared imaging camera modules and a wide range of popular visible cameras. Trained on the world’s largest thermal image data lake of more than 5 m annotations, Prism AI is a powerful perception software designed to detect, classify, and track targets or objects for automotive autonomy, automotive automatic emergency braking, airborne camera payloads, counter-drone systems, ground intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR), and perimeter security. Prism ISP is a comprehensive set of image processing algorithms that include super resolution, image fusion, atmospheric turbulence removal, electronic stabilization, local-contrast enhancement, and noise reduction.

“The new AVP is the most powerful and SWaP-optimized processor on the market today, running AI workloads up to five times faster than competitive offerings,” said Dan Walker, vice president of product management, Teledyne FLIR. “The combination of powerful edge computing and our Prism digital solutions ushers in a new era of electro-optical system capabilities while simplifying development and reducing integration risk.”

The AVP is designed to empower integrators to build powerful, edge-intelligent products. It is supported by several tools to simplify and streamline development including a Qualcomm RB5 development kit. Software and board-support packages are also available to enable developers to design and fabricate custom interface boards that meet each product’s specific form, fit, function, and input-output (IO) requirements.

(Source: UAS VISION)

 

18 Apr 24. AeroVironment Teams with Parry Labs to Develop Modular Next-Gen Long Range Reconnaissance UAS. AeroVironment (AV) has entered into an exclusive teaming agreement with Parry Labs, a leader in Modular Open Systems Approach (MOSA), to architect, develop, deliver and integrate digital engineering, software, and mission system hardware into AV’s upcoming P550 uncrewed aircraft system (UAS), purpose built for the U.S. Army’s Long Range Reconnaissance (LRR) program.

Parry Labs’ team of MOSA leaders and digital systems experts have created a foundational platform using an open and intelligent software stack, SWaP-C optimized hardware, and a digital engineering environment for collaborative build, test and integration. Designed with MOSA principals from inception, AV’s P550 UAS is perfectly aligned to adopt solutions from trusted partners such as Parry Labs to maximize warfighter capability and mission flexibility.

“Our customers rely on AV’s market-leading UAS to perform critical missions in challenging and hostile environments, while offering a verified and validated MOSA architecture from both software and hardware standpoints in order to eliminate vendor lock,” said AV’s Vice President of Engineering, Cris Sapera. “By teaming with Parry Labs, our valued P550 customers can expect a truly open system architecture that will have predefined Major System Components with validated open interfaces for quick, seamless replacement as needed.”

“We are excited to partner with AV to bring the benefits of MOSA to the enterprise,” said Parry Labs Chief Technology Officer, Dave Walsh. “Using an open systems approach on P550 provides the U.S. Army’s Uncrewed Aircraft Systems and Aviation offices reusable and portable infrastructure and capabilities, giving them the opportunity for fast and secure upgrades across programs and platforms.”

AV’s MOSA-enabled P550 UAS is purpose built for long range reconnaissance missions and features advanced AI and autonomy, maximum payload versatility, and rapid employment capabilities. (Source: UAS VISION)

 

18 Apr 24. Red Cat and Sentien Robotics Partner for UAS Hive Land, Air and Sea Drone Swarming Operations. Red Cat Holdings, Inc. , a drone technology company integrating robotic hardware and software for military, government, and commercial operations, has announced a partnership with Sentien Robotics, a leader in autonomous drone fleet logistics.

The partnership will enable organizations using Sentien’s Hive UAS management platforms to deploy Teal Drones as part of a larger autonomous drone swarming strategy for mobile and fixed-position land, air, and sea defense and security operations.

The partnership between Red Cat and Sentien Robotics will enable the companies to provide warfighters with the ability for continuous uninterrupted reconnaissance on enemy targets with drone swarms. Red Cat’s Teal Drones recently successfully passed electronic warfare (EW) testing in Ukraine against some of the most powerful EW counter UAV technology, and these battlefield-tested drones, coupled with Sentien’s fleet handling capabilities, give warfighters tools and technology they have never had access to before.

“New technology is dramatically changing the nature of warfare, and those who can integrate defensive and offensive assets across multiple domains and rapidly deploy those capabilities against adversarial targets will gain tactical superiority,” said George Matus, Red Cat CTO. “This agreement with Sentien is a major step toward the autonomous deployment and control of drone swarms from anywhere that can map, surveil and neutralize targets where speed of data and lethal response across a network of connected systems are critical to modern combat teams.”

Red Cat’s agreement with Sentien Robotics and integration with its Hive-Expedition and Hive-XL automated UAS fleet transport and launch vehicles adds to its robust tactical ecosystem of partnerships with leading companies to provide the best solutions to clients for their tactical missions. Other Red Cat hardware and software partners include Ocean Power Technologies, Primordial Labs, Tomahawk Robotics, Athena AI, Teledyne FLIR, Reveal Technology, Immervision, and Doodle Labs, which enable capabilities such as computer vision, AI, and third-party apps.

“Our goal with the Hive ecosystem is to enable a continuous, mission ready UAS presence from a single hub where a single operator can deploy and control drones from anywhere,” said Brandon Borko, Sentien Robotics CEO. “We want to provide rapidly scalable drone service areas that can be deployed to critical locations such as security and disaster relief sites. In the future you won’t find a person behind a controller for every single drone. You’re going to have fleets of drones performing tasks, supporting humans on the ground, and they will all be flown from ground automation hardware like the Hive.”

Red Cat subsidiary Teal Drones builds its Teal 2 drone solutions, designed to support U.S. and allied military operations, public safety organizations, and government agencies, at its South Salt Lake facility. Teal 2 is a cost-effective, man-portable sUAS designed to “Dominate the Night™” that has best-in-class night vision, multi-vehicle control support, and a fully modular design. It is both Blue UAS Certified and FAA Remote ID approved.

Sentien Robotics developed the Hive to automate all facets of UAS operation. The Hive features robotics automation hardware and intelligence software to enable operations of fleets of UAS with the vision of reducing manpower, improving safety, and vastly improving performance over traditional UAS operations. The Hive enables new capabilities not available to tethered or ground launched UAS systems. The Hive Expedition and Hive-XL are fully automated UAS fleet management platforms that support multiple drones and provide automated launch, recovery, recharging capability, data download, precision landing, and storage. (Source: UAS VISION)

 

19 Apr 24. Gotonomi and Videosoft partner to simplify UAV live video streaming. Gotonomi, a UAV satellite connectivity platform provider, and Videosoft, developers of video streaming solutions, today announced a partnership that will simplify video live-streaming over satellite for UAV operators.

By integrating Videosoft’s low-bandwidth video software with Gotonomi’s Velaris Multi-Link satellite communication module, the partnership will enable operators to effortlessly receive real-time video from UAVs, even in remote areas without cell or direct radio coverage. This new solution, which uses Viasat Velaris, a dedicated UAV connectivity service, will be particularly advantageous for BVLOS (Beyond Visual Line of Sight) operations as it will address scenarios where conventional communication methods fall short.

Secure video transmission is a key enabler for commercial UAV operators. It allows operators to perform tasks such as surveillance and monitoring in remote or hazardous locations, which are too dangerous or inaccessible for personnel to reach directly, providing an immediate response to emergencies. This combined solution has potential for ground, marine and IoT use cases, as well as for BVLOS UAV missions.

The Velaris Multi-Link module is a low size, weight and power hybrid terminal with integrated edge computing. The System on Module (SoM) allows custom applications such as Videosoft’s video compression software to process data for streaming over Viasat’s resilient Velaris global satellite solution, available almost anywhere on the planet. In addition, the Multi-Link includes an LTE module providing low latency 4G communications for redundancy. Videosoft’s software allows users to easily manage remote activities and guide remote decision-making with up-to-the-minute information and 24/7 access. This enables real-time control, and provides enhanced communication, safety, and efficiency across land, sea and air. The software will be pre-loaded and Videosoft will offer a FREE trial with each unit.

Matthew Hill, General Manager at Gotonomi, said: “We are delighted to provide Videosoft’s software pre-loaded on Gotonomi’s Velaris Multi-Link terminals. There was always a vision for the requirement of edge compute to add value to UAVs operating in BVLOS situations and video compression has become a lead application. Videosoft is pioneering ultra-low bandwidth streaming capabilities and we’re excited to enter this partnership to optimise this combined solution. This is a great demonstration of why both parties are part of Viasat’s Velaris network and why its L-Band network is a perfect choice for making safe and scalable BVLOS operations a reality.”

Stewart McCone, CEO at Videosoft Global, said: “This partnership marks a significant milestone for us, tapping into a wide range of opportunities in BVLOS operations by enhancing aerial communications. Our solution is rapidly gaining traction in the UAV industry, and this collaboration has taken it to greater heights. With video integration seamlessly embedded into the Velaris Multi-Link Satellite Terminal, organisations can confidently embrace the aerial autonomy revolution.”

Anthony Spouncer, Senior Director of Advance Air Mobility (AAM) at Viasat, said: “This is a huge step forward in providing affordable Satcom for commercial UAV operations, starting with real-time video in the remote inspection & surveillance sectors. I believe the ability to use the ‘System on Module’ for embedded applications, edge processing and multi-path data links, with LTE and our highly resilient Velaris service, will transform commercial UAV operations and use cases.”

Through this partnership, Gotonomi and Videosoft will offer an integrated solution that leads the market in terms of a lightweight, low-power and cost-effective solution for remote inspection and surveillance markets: the Velaris Multi-Link Module with embedded secure video transmission via the Gotonomi 200-A OMNI stand-alone antenna.

Come and meet us at Xponential 2024, booth #5213, 23-25th April, San Diego Convention Center, San Diego, CA.

 

17 Apr 24. Cuashub.com said today that ParaZero Assesses Opportunities in the Counter-UAS Market. Earlier this year, ParaZero Technologies Ltd., an aerospace company specializing in drone technologies for commercial, defense, and urban air mobility applications, revealed its plans to venture into the Counter-UAS (C-UAS or Anti-Drone) market. ParaZero aims to develop tailored solutions leveraging its advanced technology expertise.

The increasing use of small, deadly drones worldwide has significantly impacted the balance between humans and technology in warfare, leading to a growing demand for drone countermeasures. Counter-drone technology offers diverse solutions to detect, classify, and neutralize drones. These solutions range from camera systems and specialized drone detection radars to net guns and cyber takeover systems.

After thorough due diligence, ParaZero has assessed the growing market for Counter-UAS technologies. Based on specific components of its unique proprietary technology portfolio and its capability to swiftly design, develop, and produce advanced UAS solutions, the company is well-positioned to offer a competitive advantage in countering threats from small UAS platforms. This exploration aligns with ParaZero’s global inquiries from various entities interested in entering this market. Currently, there is a rising demand for C-UAS technology across diverse settings such as military bases, correctional facilities, and large public venues, yet there are limited effective mitigation options available.

“Our drone technology solutions leverage a distinct technology portfolio protected by global patents that we have developed over the course of more than ten years. We believe that this technology portfolio enables us to effectively counteract various threats posed by drones by rapidly developing bespoke C-UAS solutions for key clientele,” said Boaz Shetzer, ParaZero CEO. “Recent international conflicts have highlighted the extensive use of drones in various attacks and the critical necessity to counteract these strikes promptly with minimal damage. We have commenced development of dedicated solutions based on our technology, and we believe that ParaZero can provide a unique alternative to today’s conventional solutions.”

According to Global Market Insights, the Global Anti-Drone or Counter-UAV Market was valued at $1.9bn in 2023 and is forecasted to be worth USD 15.3bn by 2032, growing at an estimated CAGR of 26.0% between 2024 and 2032.

https://cuashub.com/content/parazero-assesses-opportunities-in-the-counter-uas-market/?_hsenc=p2ANqtz-820RJwoT0LVP2zVbykiJ8z4OGSrB2_CTLXxIpx4Za8n6TFsM9xoRqyStpXnaLowQ5DARxy4Sz8lbEaqJiDUYQ24olmIJdK3YMQvaMsV1QDfr64x4w&_hsmi=303048197#utm_campaign=C-UAS%20Hub%20General&utm_medium=email&utm_content=303048197&utm_source=hs_email (Source: https://cuashub.com/)

 

17 Apr 24. Protecting Physical Assets from UAS Attack.

DASA seeks innovations to provide protection for land based assets from air attacks.

  • DASA has launched a new Themed Competition: Protecting Physical Assets from UAS Attack
  • Funded by the National Protective Security Authority (NPSA), the UK Home Office and the Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (Dstl)
  • Total funding available is £750,000 (excluding VAT)
  • Competition closes midday 13 June 2024 (BST)

The Defence and Security Accelerator (DASA) is pleased to launch a new Themed Competition called Protecting Physical Assets from UAS Attack. This competition is jointly funded by the National Protective Security Authority (NPSA), the UK Home Office and the Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (Dstl).

We are seeking proposals that can provide a defensive solution for physical assets as a countermeasure to an Uncrewed Aerial System (UAS) kinetic attack. The current Counter-UAS (C-UAS) technology market focuses on targeting the UAS in flight. This competition aims to move away from conventional C-UAS methods and instead explores the most effective ways to provide physical protection to various assets from hostile UAS. This includes options for hardening the asset, providing blanket last-ditch defence, and deploying automated alerts for incoming hostile UAS.

Read the full competition document and submit a proposal here; https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/protecting-physical-assets-from-uncrewed-aerial-systems-attack

Background

The war in Ukraine has demonstrated how vulnerable assets can be to roving UAS attacks. The conflict has seen widespread deployment of C-UAS capabilities, such as Detect, Track, and Identify (DTI) technologies, as well as electronic or kinetic effectors to stop a UAS in flight.

However, these solutions have limitations and this Themed Competition seeks to resolve them in order to ensure we keep the winning edge over adversaries.

The widespread use of UAS has demonstrated three main limitations in the deployments of C-UAS technologies:

(1) C-UAS technologies are not always located in the right place to prevent a UAS attack

(2) the difficulty of maintaining a cohort of trained personnel who are also located in the right place to prevent a UAS attack

(3) the C-UAS technology doesn’t fully mitigate the ever-developing UAS capabilities and tactics deployed to circumvent these technologies.

These factors highlight the need to go back to basics and reinforce C-UAS technology with physical last-ditch security countermeasures to mitigate the effects of a kinetic UAS attack.

Do you have a suitable innovation? Read the full competition document and submit a proposal.

Key dates and funding

The total possible funding available for all successful bids to this competition is £750,000 (excluding VAT). Individual proposals must be for an amount less than £150,000. A number of proposals may be funded.

The deadline to submit a proposal is midday on 13 June 2024 (BST).

Supporting events

Launch webinar: 2 May 2024 1.30pm to 2.30pm (BST)

This webinar offers the opportunity to find out more about this DASA competition, and the chance to ask questions of the competition team.

Register now

1-2-1: 9 May 2024 sessions provided between 1pm and 4pm (BST)

A series of 10 minute one-to-one teleconference sessions, giving you the opportunity to ask specific questions. If you would like to participate, please register on the Eventbrite page. Booking is on a first come first served basis.

Register now

Read the full competition document and submit a proposal here

Challenge areas

This competition has two challenge areas, which aim to address the increasing threat against the security of UK military forces at home and abroad, as well as civilian assets, VIPs and the wider public. We are looking for responses that will contribute solutions to at least one of the two challenge areas:

Challenge 1: Protecting a static asset

Challenge 2: Protecting an asset on the move

Read more on the challenge areas and see examples in the competition document here

Submit a proposal

This competition is seeking proposals that enhance physical security countermeasures, which will be used to mitigate a UAS kinetic attack. The current C-UAS technology market focuses on targeting the UAS in flight, whereas we want proposals that focus on how to protect a static or mobile asset from a hostile UAS. If you have an innovative C-UAS innovation, submit your proposal to support national security.

Read the full competition document to learn more and submit a proposal.: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/protecting-physical-assets-from-uncrewed-aerial-systems-attack (Source: https://www.gov.uk/)

 

16 Apr 24. Cuashub.com said today that MSI Defense Solutions Receives Rapid Acquisition C-UAS Contract. MSI Defense Solutions, a cutting-edge defense products and integration services provider, has secured a contract to deliver up to six EAGLS™ (Electronic Advanced Ground Launcher System) Counter-UAS systems and related engineering and maintenance support. Awarded by the Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR) under the Rapid Acquisition Authority, the initial contract is valued at $24m, with potential options increasing the total to $34M. This contract addresses the evolving and persistent threats posed by Unmanned Aerial Systems in the U.S. Central Command‘s area of responsibility.

As the worldwide UAS threat grows in scale and sophistication, there is a rising need for agile, mobile, and efficient solutions to safeguard personnel and assets. The EAGLS™ Counter-UAS system offers a versatile, cost-efficient solution that can operate mobile or stationary, adapting to various environments and compatible with multiple platforms.

“We are incredibly honored to receive this award for our EAGLS™, as we know it will save lives and protect critical infrastructure. This recognition is a testament to the unwavering commitment and expertise of our team, who continuously strive for excellence in everything they do,” said Nguyen Trinh, CEO at MSI Defense Solutions.

https://cuashub.com/content/msi-defense-solutions-receives-rapid-acquisition-c-uas-contract/?_hsenc=p2ANqtz-9WEDtXROCGBEDCCg-nJTBp-ChGpanmlo1L4EHgkhW9RTRlWuJgqPZ-7KoaEJtgrIKErl20kUA6kqroA78nwNFWS0NbMafK_RMgj_oxsvys-BYCYas&_hsmi=302864188#utm_campaign=C-UAS%20Hub%20General&utm_medium=email&utm_content=302864188&utm_source=hs_email (Source: https://cuashub.com/)

 

16 Apr 24. Cuashub.com said today that U.S. Navy Releases RFI for High-Gain Antennas for Counter-UAS. The Naval Surface Warfare Center (NSWC) Crane has released a Request for Information (RFI) for a white paper seeking information from the industry regarding supplies and services to provide and install high-gain antennas on C-UAS systems. These antennas must be ruggedly constructed to meet MIL-STD testing standards and comply with specified antenna requirements. The government plans to procure this requirement through a full and open competition process. Performance requirements will encompass both the installation of the antennas and a comprehensive service plan.

This RFI aims to gauge industry interest in the project and gather questions from industry participants. This information will help the Government document all essential features and project objectives for the formal Request for Proposal (RFP).

White papers should outline the respondent’s proposed approach to deliver the following to the Government:

– Technical Data Package (TDP)

– Critical Design Review (CDR) documentation

– Production Readiness Review (PRR) documentation

– Additional communication as required during development and deployment phases.

Original Published Date: Apr 11, 2024, 02:39 pm EDT

Updated Response Date: May 13, 2024, 12:00 pm EDT

Original Response Date: May 13, 2024, 12:00 pm EDT

For more information, please visit Request for Information (RFI)/Sources Sought- High Gain Antenna Applications for Counter Unmanned Aircraft System (C-UAS): https://sam.gov/opp/71e48b25027b4ccf8639fbd3a715805d/view

https://cuashub.com/content/u-s-navy-releases-rfi-for-high-gain-antennas-for-counter-uas/?_hsenc=p2ANqtz–OFVih7V0Blh3O5xHJNw8OP–M1atv-UeXJO0Zgi5dpcr48m-_YREsUPo-PC7OdImfgLP5tPi2U2G4T52hPWzpCVZ4oj8Gjwf5Kf_kaJmu0WKZDzc&_hsmi=302864188#utm_campaign=C-UAS%20Hub%20General&utm_medium=email&utm_content=302864188&utm_source=hs_email(Source: https://cuashub.com/)

 

15 Apr 24. Pulsar Set to Showcase Cutting-Edge Thermal Imaging Innovations at NRA Show 2024. Pulsar, a leading name in thermal imaging technology, is gearing up to showcase its latest advancements at the NRA 2024 event in Dallas, Texas. Held at the prestigious Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center from May 17thto 19th, this exhibition promises to be a landmark event for the outdoor industry. Pulsar will proudly present several of its ground breaking products such as:

The Merger Duo NXP50

This multispectral binocular represents the pinnacle of nocturnal spotting capabilities, combining both thermal and digital night vision modes. Equipped with a highly sensitive European-made Lynred sensor, the thermal channel delivers exceptional clarity and resolution even in adverse weather conditions. Meanwhile, the digital channel offers ultra-low-light, full-HD night vision for detailed target identification. With its combined viewing mode and detachable invisible IR illuminator, the Merger Duo NXP50 ensures unparalleled performance in the darkest of nights.

A New Expansion for the Telos Line

Pulsar is thrilled to expand its Telos line with the introduction of XL sensors, reaffirming its commitment to delivering future-proof performance. The flagship Telos XL50, now equipped with a Pulsar HD resolution thermal sensor, offers exceptional image quality and versatility. From the long-range precision of the Telos LRF XL50 to the compact sensitivity of the Telos XQ35, each model in the Telos lineup is designed to meet the demands of discerning thermal enthusiasts. Pulsar is also introducing upgradeability for Telos monoculars, ensuring that they will keep up with the latest in industry technology.

The Thermion 2 LRF XL50

The Thermion 2 LRF XL50 redefines premium-class riflescope technology with its revolutionary HD thermal imaging sensor and powerful sensor capabilities. With a 1024×768 pixel resolution, this riflescope delivers detail-rich images even at higher zoom levels, making it ideal for long-range shooting and trophy identification. The integrated internal ballistic calculator, coupled with the Stream Vision Ballistics app, enhances shooting accuracy and efficiency for users of all levels.

Pulsar can be found in booth 8052 at NRA 2024 in Dallas, Texas at the Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center from May 17th to 19th. The exhibition will be open on May 17th and 18th from 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM and on May 19th from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM. Don’t miss the opportunity to witness these groundbreaking products in action and learn more about Pulsar’s commitment to innovation and excellence.

 

15 Apr 24. INFORCE Illuminates NRA Show 2024 with Next-Generation Weapon Lights. INFORCE, a world-renowned manufacturer of high-performance flashlights, is thrilled to announce its participation in the NRA Show 2024, scheduled to take place at the Kay Bailey Hutchinson Convention Center in Dallas, Texas. Renowned for its rugged and powerful weapon lights, INFORCE is set to unveil its latest innovation, the WML and WMLx Gen 3 line of rifle mounted lights. The Gen 3 models represent a significant advancement, boasting higher beam intensities and an enhanced, more durable clamp mounting system compared to their predecessors. With candela counts reaching up to 10,000 in the WML Gen 3 and an impressive 25,000 in the new WMLx Gen 3, INFORCE’s latest offerings deliver unparalleled brightness, marking a milestone in the company’s evolution into the next generation of weapon-mounted lighting solutions. Despite the increased light output, INFORCE ensures that power consumption remains consistent with previous models, ensuring robust performance and operational battery life. From tactical operators to law enforcement, security personnel, and civilians, the new generation of weapon lights promises to provide some of the brightest and most reliable products in the modern tactical flashlight market. In addition, INFORCE is proud to showcase its classic duo of pistol lights, the WILD1 andWILD2. Designed for handgun owners seeking lightweight, fast-activating illumination solutions, the WILD1 offers two hours of runtime in a compact and efficient package. Crafted from durable6061-T6 aluminum with Type III MIL-SPEC hard anodized finish, the WILD1 ensures reliability and longevity. With its concentrated hot spot and convenient paddle activation, this pistol light delivers optimal throw and spill, making it an essential accessory for any firearm equipped with a1913 or universal rail. Meanwhile, the WILD2 sets a new standard with 1000 lumens of white light output and up to 1.5hours of runtime. Weighing just 4.7 ounces, the WILD2 combines ultra-light construction with rugged durability, featuring a 6061-T6 aluminum body and Type III MIL-SPEC hard anodize finish. Designed to withstand harsh environments, the WILD2 is impervious to dust, sand, and dirt, and waterproof up to 66 feet. Its well-defined hotspot and balanced spill ensure optimal visibility in any situation. The versatile mounting system allows for easy attachment to firearms equipped with 1913 or Glock Universal rails, with the option to transition between rail types using the patented INFORCE crossbar. Attendees of the NRA Show 2024 are invited to visit INFORCE at booth 8052 at the Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center from May 17th to May 19th, 2024, to witness firsthand the cutting-edge technology and superior craftsmanship of its tactical lights..

About INFORCE

Manufactured in Rhode Island by Emissive Energy Corp. INFORCE® lights deliver the quality and strength that people expect from a product from a proud American company.

Each INFORCE light is subjected to rigorous testing to ensure that they conform to the highest standards required by the military, law enforcement, and outdoor communities. Waterproof, shockproof, and constructed from a solid blend of mil-spec materials, INFORCE commits to delivering the most robust and high-performing lights that industry professionals and enthusiasts expect.

For more information about INFORCE products, visit https://inforcelights.com/

 

16 Apr 24. Leading UK Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW) specialist SEA will demonstrate a software application to enhance the UK Royal Navy’s sonar systems as part of the Ministry of Defence (MoD) Spearhead defence innovation programme. The system, which is likely to be trialed later in 2024, automatically determines the optimum deployment depth of an active sonar projector and receiving array, depending on its underwater environment. It intends to significantly enhance the Royal Navy’s detection and tracking capability.  Building its proven expertise in underwater environmental modelling, sonar and acoustics, SEA will not only demonstrate this software application but will also actively contribute additional concepts to the ASW Spearhead programme, working with prime contractor Thales Underwater Systems. Such capabilities are designed to provide the Royal Navy with innovative ways to exploit both existing and enhanced systems in underwater warfare scenarios.

Ian Cox, Head of Research & Simulation at SEA, said: “SEA is proud to be demonstrating its leading capability for this important project with Thales, which is a continuation of our work with the Royal Navy based around trusted advice and consultancy, and the provision of leading technology. It shows SEA’s dedication to supporting the enhancement of the Royal Navy’s ASW capability. It also underscores our commitment to advancing research and development studies within underwater detection and tracking into operational capabilities for naval forces. We are proud to be pushing the boundaries of technological innovation within naval defence.”

 

15 Apr 24. US Africa Command seeks funding to counter armed drones. Various defence media report that the United States Africa Command (AFRICOM) has sent Congress an unfunded priorities list totaling more than USD500m, highlighting the need to counter armed drones in the region as a major priority. AFRICOM supports African governments by helping build capacity in their armed forces, which are necessary for a government to counter violent extremists and respond to crises. The priorities list reportedly states that it is “only a matter of time before US forces in East Africa are attacked by enemy drones or missiles”. AFRICOM joins the US Army and US Central Command, which both included C-UAS systems on their own unfunded priorities list.

For more information: www.africom.mil  (Source: www.unmannedairspace.info)

 

09 Apr 24. Iran accelerates its domestic counter-UAS capabilities in systems and networks. The shooting down of an Israeli Defence Force Elbit Hermes 450 UAV in Southern Lebanon at the start of April 2024 by Iranian-backed Hezbollah forces is a further indication of Iran’s growing capabilities in the counter-UAS domain. This is the second Israeli Hermes 450 which has been shot down by Hezbollah in recent weeks. In February, Iranian-backed Houthi militias shot down a US Air Force General Atomics MQ-9 Reaper flying near Yemen. Both drones were shot down by surface to air missiles.

Over the last two years Iran has dedicated considerable resources to building up a range of increasingly capable C-UAS systems which can be deployed individually or within a layered configuration.

In February this year, the Iranian Defence Ministry unveiled its Azarakhsh low-altitude air defence system. According to the Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA): “With the entry of new systems into the country’s defence network, the air defence capability of the Islamic Republic of Iran will increase significantly,” IRNA said. The Azarakhsh missile system can identify and destroy targets… up to a range of 50 km with four ready-to-fire missiles, it continued.

Iran is also understood to have recently upgraded its Zubin surface-to-air system with more C-UAS capabilities. The Zubin radar reportedly has a range of 30 km for low and medium radar cross-section targets with an engagement range for these targets of 20 km. According to unverified reports, the system can detect 100 and engage eight targets simultaneously using its vertical launch missiles.

The Zubin air defence system is understood to use Nawab air defence missiles of the type fitted to the Iranian Navy’s Zulfiqar air defence boat, unveiled at the start of 2023. Naval warfare experts say this is a novel design – a small, fast boat which can provide short ranged air defence for a swarm of other boats.

Another new C-UAS system, launched in January 2022, is the AD-08 Majid short-range mobile air defence (SHORAD) missile system. According to Iranian defence industry reports: “The AD-08 Majid is fitted with a weapon station that has a traverse of 360° and two pods of four missile launcher canisters are mounted on each side. The centre of the turret is fitted with electro-optical systems used to acquire targets and to guide the missile. The system is able to acquire aerial threats at a maximum range of 15 km with a traverse of 360° and elevation from 0 to 12°. It can four targets simultaneously. The missile used by the AD-08 Majid air defense system is equipped with passive imaging infrared (IIR) homing guidance system. It can hit targets with a range from 700 m to 8 km with an altitude from 20 m to 6 km. The missile has a diameter of 156mm, a length of 2,670 mm, and a total weight of 75 kg.”

As well as developing new C-UAS hardware, Iran’s military has also been working improving its networking and electronic warfare capabilities to optimise the potential of these new systems. In August 2023, units from the Iranian Army’s Ground Force, Air Force, Navy and Air Defence participated in the Separ-e Hafezan-e Velayat 1402 (“The Shield of the Guardians of Jurisprudence 1402”) exercise, which tested how a domestic network of homegrown electronic warfare systems – including  radars, drones, cyber and aerospace systems – can be managed through several regional nodes.

For more information: http://www.hisutton.com/Iran-IRGC-Air-Defense-Fast-Boat.html; https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7183423434092154880/; https://en.mehrnews.com/news/205110/Iran-Army-stages-large-scale-electronic-warfare-drills; https://www.timesofisrael.com/idf-says-one-of-its-drones-was-downed-by-hezbollah-missile-over-south-lebanon/; https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7183423434092154880/

(Source: www.unmannedairspace.info)

 

15 Apr 24. Cuashub.com said today that GBT Technologies Adapts Apollo Technology for Next-Gen CUAS. GBT Technologies Inc. recently announced the testing of its cutting-edge Apollo computer vision technology for a Counter-Unmanned Aerial Systems (CUAS) application. VisionWave Technologies, Inc., the entity that acquired Apollo and in which the Company holds a partial stake, is actively working on adapting the Apollo computer vision technology system. This system integrates advanced radio frequency (RF) technology with artificial intelligence (AI) to bolster drone defense capabilities.

GBT Technologies is a development stage company that considers itself a native of the Internet of Things (IoT), Artificial Intelligence (AI), and Enabled Mobile Technology Platforms used to increase IC performance.

The CUAS system aims to provide a comprehensive defense solution, leveraging advanced RF technology and sophisticated neural networks to generate precise 3D images and video feeds. This capability enables operators to identify, track, and monitor potential drone threats in real time. The system’s AI-driven core swiftly processes data, identifies hostile UAVs, and executes informed actions to neutralize them, ensuring optimal efficiency and effectiveness.

Rather than merely offering the CUAS system as a standalone product, the Company presents it as an integrated defense solution designed to integrate seamlessly into the contemporary security landscape. The ongoing development and testing of the CUAS system aim to bolster national security by safeguarding critical infrastructure and assets from unauthorized drone incursions. The Company remains dedicated to crafting intelligent solutions that cater to the ever-changing demands of national security and private-sector defense. This adaptation of Apollo technology signifies a groundbreaking approach to CUAS.

https://cuashub.com/content/gbt-technologies-adapts-apollo-technology-for-next-gen-cuas/?_hsenc=p2ANqtz–kF7COrkXl2wmfxTP2stFYX9fRA3EPpGhqgi7KguMjOy11J9tc9MRdb3J4uE_QvtZJL68rl5rcREN3IUR6cOi1j-kpsb_YZoCptmtflyEqOnsaCCI&_hsmi=302659751#utm_campaign=C-UAS%20Hub%20General&utm_medium=email&utm_content=302659751&utm_source=hs_email(Source: https://cuashub.com/)

 

15 Apr 24. Australia awards contract for P-8A upgrades. Boeing has been awarded a AUD139.5m (USD90.1m) contract to upgrade the Royal Australian Air Force’s (RAAF’s) P-8A Poseidon fleet. The contract, announced on 15 April, will deliver Increment 3 Block 2 software, systems, and sensor upgrades to the RAAF’s P-8A fleet, improving their anti-submarine warfare (ASW), maritime strike, and intelligence-collection capabilities, according to Boeing. The upgrade programme will commence from September 2026, the company said. The RAAF currently operates 12 P-8As, out of a total of 14 ordered, according to Janes inventory data.

“The first two aircraft to undergo the Increment 3 modification will be upgraded in Jacksonville, Florida,” Boeing said, adding that the remainder will be upgraded by Boeing Defence Australia at RAAF Base Edinburgh.

Two new P-8As (the balance of the order of 14) are scheduled to be handed over to the RAAF in 2024 and 2025, according to Boeing. (Source: Google/Janes)

 

15 Apr 24. EOS showcases advanced C-UAS capabilities at US Army Project Convergence Capstone 4. Huntsville, Alabama-based contractor EOS Defense Systems USA (EOS) participated in the US Army’s Project Convergence Capstone 4 (PC-C4) during the period 15 to 20 March at the Army’s National Training Center in Fort Irwin, California. EOS demonstrated the capabilities of an R600 Remote Weapon Station equipped with a Northrop Grumman M230LF cannon, coaxial machine gun, and four Javelin missiles on an Army Small Multipurpose Equipment Transport (S-MET) robotic infantry support vehicle. EOS successfully shot down pairs of Class 1 UAVs at ranges of more than 300m and engaged multiple ground targets with 30mm cannon from this robotic platform. These capabilities paired with four of the premier anti-armor missiles in the world represents a significant increase in firepower available to light forces on a platform that is currently being fielded. The R600 provides both light- and medium-caliber firepower and the added lethality of multiple anti-tank or anti-air missiles, offering a major differentiating capability and addressing a critical need of US and allied forces. Several experienced industry partners contributed to this success. The C-UAS exercise was conducted against Boresight Aerial Targets’ low-cost UAVs which provided challenging and realistic target sets. The Javelin missile capability is being supported by the Javelin Joint Venture team. The event was a critical venue for Army senior leaders to assess new technologies needed to ensure the Army’s success in future conflicts as well as inform acquisition and force structure decisions. As human-machine integration continues to be a key strategic priority, the demonstration was an important opportunity to evaluate unmanned and remote solutions which provide essential protections to the warfighter. EOS’ unique and ultra-precise RWS paired with a proven, multi-functional robotic vehicle is a viable and cost-effective solution that can address strategic Army priorities in the C-UAS domain and increased lethality for light forces. The demonstration at Project Convergence highlighted specific capabilities under controlled conditions. Typically, EOS’ Remote Weapon Stations can effectively engage targets up to 800m with a 7.62mm machine gun and out to 1200m with a 30x113mm cannon.

 

15 Apr 24. Command Materiel and IT (COMMIT), the Dutch military procurement organisation, has signed an agreement for the acquisition of seven additional Thales Ground Master 200 Multi-Mission Compact radars (GM200 MM/C), with an option of two additional systems. The contract follows nine GM 200 MM/C radars previously ordered in 2019. Troops today face a multitude of ever-evolving threats in the battlefield, including advancements in the area of indirect fire (observation, range, speed, accuracy), threatening a radars’ capacity to detect targets in a very short time span while potentially becoming a target itself. To protect high-value assets and troops, Thales offers time-on-target solutions from the Ground Master 200 Multi-Mission family – radars that are able to detect smaller, faster, more agile targets at longer ranges, while retaining a very high tactical mobility and a very short deployment time

 

12 Apr 24. Boeing pitches new surveillance, strike missions for MQ-25 tanker drone. The Navy’s MQ-25 Stingray hasn’t yet hit the carrier deck, but Boeing believes now is the time for the sea service to start thinking about upgrades for the tanker drone that the company says could open up new missions such as gathering surveillance or striking enemy targets.

The aerospace giant showed off such a lethal variation of the MQ-25 model outfitted with two Lockheed Martin-made Long Range Anti-Surface Missiles during the Sea Air Space conference earlier this week.

Troy Rutherford, Boeing’s MQ-25 program manager, said Boeing and the Navy are in the early stages of discussing alternate configurations for the MQ-25, a drone with a75-foot wingspan that the service currently plans on using as an aerial refueler and is scheduled to become operational in 2026 after carrier trials next year.

Because the MQ-25 started off as Boeing’s offering for the Navy’s defunct Unmanned Carrier-Launched Strike & Surveillance program, “that capability to haul weapons or sensors is inherently still built in the airplane. It’s just not something that’s currently activated,” Rutherford told Breaking Defense in an interview.

While fielding the tanker version remains the priority, Boeing and the Navy are “now starting to open up conversations about what else can it do as we start to look at air wing of the future,” Rutherford said.

Asked by Breaking Defense about conversations with Boeing about alternative missions for the MQ-25, Naval Air Systems Command said, “The MQ-25 program is intended to pave the way for future multi-mission UASs [unmanned aerial systems] to keep pace with emerging threats. The primary mission of MQ-25 today is aerial refueling, which is set for IOC [initial operational capability] in 2026.”

The Navy intends to buy 76 MQ-25s over the program of record and has requested $553m to procure three aircraft in fiscal 2025. The Navy awarded Boeing a $657m contract modification for two MQ-25s late last month, and a request for proposals for the first batch of low-rate production aircraft is expected in May, said Rutherford.

Capt. Daniel Fucito, who leads the Navy’s unmanned carrier aviation efforts, told Breaking Defense this week that the two recently ordered aircraft will be the first MQ-25s to be built with components for which the Navy and Boeing were forced to find replacements due to issues with parts obsolescence.

“The production line is maturing,” Fucito said, adding that addressing the obsolescence issues “was the right thing to do at the time.”

Congress approved a Navy request to reprogram funding to address the MQ-25 obsolescence issues in March, reported Inside Defense then.

Discussions about future MQ-25 configurations come as the Navy also begins publicly talking about potential interest in drone wingmen, known also as collaborative combat aircraft, envisioned to fly alongside manned aircraft.

Rear Adm. Stephen Tedford, the Navy’s program executive for unmanned systems and weapons, told reporters on Monday he believes Navy CCAs should have a service life of a “couple hundred hours” and a unit cost of under $15m.

Fucito — who leads the Navy’s CCA effort as well as the MQ-25 program — characterized discussions as “very young,” adding that the service’s experiences operating the MQ-25 onboard the carrier deck will “set the stage” for a future CCA program.

“At some point in time, we will reach out to the industrial base [with a request for information],” he said. “As far as what that date is, it’s not firm. We have some learning to go.”

The Air Force is bullish on its own CCA program, having identified five vendors competing to build the first round of drones, with a downselect to two or three companies anticipated to occur over the next few months. (Source: Breaking Defense.com)

 

12 Apr 24. Aselsan progresses development of mini Düfas towed active sonar system. Turkish manufacturer Aselsan is progressing development of a miniature version of its Düfas low-frequency towed active sonar system for unmanned surface vessels (USVs), which it expects to complete this year. Speaking to Janes at the Undersea Defence Technology (UDT) 2024 conference and exhibition in London on 10 April, an Aselsan spokesperson said the company has been working on the smaller version, dubbed Düfas-M, since 2022. The company is now progressing through tests of the individual hardware components, which it expects to complete in the coming months. Sea trials of the complete system integrated onboard a Marlin USV will start in the second half of 2024, with a view to completing development by year-end, he said. Developed under the leadership of Türkiye’s Defence Industry Agency (SSB) to meet the requirements of the Turkish Navy, Düfas is designed for long-range anti-submarine warfare and surveillance. Aselsan officially unveiled the full-scale version of Düfas for use on surface combatants in March 2024 following the successful completion of sea trials in late 2023. (Source: Janes)

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Echodyne is a U.S. designer and manufacturer of advanced commercial radar solutions for defense and national security applications. The company’s proprietary metamaterials electronically scanned array (MESA®) architecture, a rare breakthrough in advanced radar engineering, leverages a physics-design approach to adapt conventional materials and deliver unexpected and beneficial behavior. The result is a solid-state, low-SWaP unit coupled with advanced software capabilities that delivers superior radar performance and unparalleled data integrity, radically improving system performance and enhancing safety for people and machines. With leading positions in counter-UAS, force protection, base security, and portable ISR, Defense Agencies and Suppliers rely on Echodyne radar for extraordinary accuracy and consistent, reliable operation. For more information, please visit: Echodyne.com.

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RADAR, EO/IR, C-UAS, NIGHT VISION AND SURVEILLANCE UPDATE

April 12, 2024 by

Sponsored by Echodyne

 

www.echodyne.com

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05 Apr 24. Echodyne Showcases Ultra-Low SWaP MESA Radar Technology. Echodyne has displayed its ultra-low SWaP MESA radar technology for Defense and Homeland Security applications, including C-UAS at the Milipol Asia-Pacific TechX Summit 2024. Radar platform company Echodyne has exhibited at the Milipol Asia-Pacific TechX Summit 2024, Asia Pacific’s largest Homeland Security event which took place at Sands Expo & Convention Centre in Singapore over April 3-5, 2024.

Echodyne’s attendance at the event is marked by increasing regional demand for the company’s patented metamaterials electronically scanned array (MESA®) radar technology. Echodyne has recently expanded its Asia team to serve an expanding customer base, meet rising interest, and assist with and accelerate integrations for Partners and Customers.

The company’s commercially exportable, ultra-low size, weight, and power (SWaP) radars offer electronically scanned array (ESA) performance at commercial-off-the-shelf (COTS) price points that radically expands situational awareness capabilities across Defense and Homeland Security applications, including counter-unmanned aircraft systems (C-UAS), border surveillance, portable ISR, critical infrastructure protection, event security, and much more.

Echodyne will be showcasing its MESA radar technology at booth 2224 in the USA Pavilion and invites all interested parties to come by to learn more. In addition, Echodyne’s radars can be found in the HTX Pavilion, booth 1836, and its EchoGuard radar can also be found in a system in the HENSOLDT booth 1734 in the HTX Pavilion.

The industry-leading event is jointly organized by GIE Milipol, Comexposium and HTX with official support from Singapore’s Ministry of Home Affairs and France’s Ministry of the Interior.

Todd Fraser, Chief Revenue Officer at Echodyne, said; “Demand across Asia has accelerated across Defense, Critical Infrastructure Protection, and Homeland Security segments over the past eighteen months. The ready availability and high utility of drones is pushing domestic security considerations from theory into practice.

“Customers are learning that spatial accuracy is critical to overall solution performance, and Echodyne radars offer class-leading airspace precision at commercial prices. We look forward to engaging in conversations about the use of radar for various homeland security applications.” (Source: https://www.defenseadvancement.com/)

 

12 Apr 24. British troops to test Ocean’s Eleven-style electromagnetic weapon for first time. An Ocean’s Eleven-style EMP that uses radio waves to disrupt electronics and fry circuit boards is to be tested by British troops for the first time.

The electromagnetic pulse technology is a staple of action heist films and has been in development by military scientists since the 1980s, but is now one step closer to the battlefield.

The RF DEW (Radio Frequency Directed Energy Weapon) is to be given to the 7th Air Defence Group this summer for testing as part of plans to improve the targeting of drones.

The weapon is mounted to a MAN Support Vehicle and works by emitting high-powered radio waves to disrupt electrics.

Matt Cork, the programme manager at the Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (DSTL)at Porton Down, said: “The idea is it generates a pulse, an electromagnetic pulse (EMP), which couples with electronic circuits, overloads them and switches things off. It causes electrical circuits to stop working. We can use this in a non-lethal way.”

Learning from today’s conflicts

The programme, codenamed Project Ealing, will be the first time the Ministry of Defence has conducted “user experimentation” of electromagnetic pulse technology.

“We are looking at it for multiple different activities,” Mr Cork said. “For example, could it protect an area, could it protect a moving convoy from drones with explosives on, which are a real threat.

“We are looking at what is coming out of current conflicts and trying to understand if this would have utility there.”

The range of the weapon and the wavelengths it operates at are classified but it has been made from commercially available technology which was created by a US company called Teledyne E2V to kill the outboard motors on boats.

“I can be very precise if I choose to be, or I can cycle through a whole host of frequencies depending on what I want to do,” said Mr Cork.

“We have designed this to have a mode with a narrow beam for single targets and I can then open that beam up to target a swarm. Because of the advent of drone threats we are exploring RF’s utility.”

The technology has the potential to kill all electronics in a small area, like in the fictitious Las Vegas scenario of Ocean’s Eleven, but in reality the technology will probably be used as a tool to take down incoming attacks or to hit specific targets.

EMP to be assessed alongside DragonFire laser

7th Air Defence will get the EMP technology in the summer, and will also receive the DragonFire laser in September. The experts in this group will assess the capabilities of the two different technologies separately, and provide feedback on flaws and possible improvements.

The RF DEW weapon, Mr Cork said, uses the same fundamental technology as a microwave oven or radar, which is long wavelength radio waves. “All I am doing is turning that all the way up to 11,” he said.

“RF doesn’t always destroy, but it will degrade or disrupt. We are trying to operate without always having to break everything.

“The laser [of DragonFire] is a surface effect and generates enough heat to burn and keep burning as long as you can keep the laser on it. With RF it is more about penetrating a box of electronics and coupling to the electronic circuit. It is a completely different kill mechanism.”

The technology will have a similar, but more devastating, effect on enemy drones as the jammers now used on the battlefield. Instead of temporarily rendering a drone ineffective, the EMP is a more permanent option, the DSTL scientist said.

“Jamming only works while it is on, the thing recovers when you turn it off. This is more like a sledgehammer. The effect is more in the permanent space.”

Grant Shapps, the Defence Secretary, said: “We have never seen a war fought in the radio waves as much as Ukraine – jamming of the radio waves, jamming of GPS, the ability to conduct electronic warfare. The most electronically warfared space in the world is over Ukraine.

“I think that things like radio weapons will have a very large part to play in future conflicts.” (Source: Daily Telegraph)

 

02 Apr 24. THEON to Supply the Estonian Defence Forces With ARGUS Night Vision Monocular. On 27th March, THEON delivered the first 2.000 ARGUS FS Mk2 night vision monocular systems to the Estonian Defense Forces as part of a newly signed contract that shall eventually equip 10.000 soldiers with night fighting capability.

THEON was the winner of an international tender in which 16 companies participated. The company’s system stood out through the procurement process, which was based on a series of evaluation criteria including technical performance parameters, price, as well as delivery time. THEON, being one of the leading global companies for night vision goggles, was able to obtain the highest score overall and as a result was awarded the supply contract, which includes a fast delivery of more than 8,000 ARGUS FS Mk2 as well as an option to deliver several thousands, of ca. €35m and more than €20m, respectively.

High ranking officers of the Estonian Defense Forces, as well as THEON’s representatives, were present during the official handover of the systems, which was attended by official officers, local TV and media.

According to the Estonian Centre for Defense Investments (ECDI), which managed the procurement process, the nocturnal combat capability of the Defense Forces but also of the Defence League, which is a voluntary military national defense organization, will be increased exponentially with the supply of the ARGUS FS Mk2 night vision monocular system.

“The tender evaluation was very thorough and substantive. During the evaluation, the bids were assessed as complete sets, i.e. the entire set with night vision equipment, helmet fastening and additional equipment had to meet the conditions set in the tender. I am pleased that the competition was fierce and that the winning product fully meets the end-user requirements, the speed of delivery exceeded our expectations and the expected night fighting capability will be achieved on time” said Ramil Lipp, Armaments Category Manager at the National Centre for Defense Investments, who further added that he was surprised that there was a provider on the market today that could really deliver 2.000 devices within a week after the contract was signed.

“All in all, the THEON Argus FS MK2 is a clear improvement in limited-light warfare. Thanks to its lighter weight and improved night vision capabilities, it is an instrument that our national defense forces will certainly be delighted with” said Mario Nõlvak, Staff Sergeant of the Equipment Battalion of the Defense Support Forces Command.

Vasileios Savvaidis, Managing Director of THEON SENSORS SA, commented: “We are grateful to ECDI for their trust in THEON, giving us the chance to prove our capability in delivering what we have promised within the stipulated time frame”.

With this contract, THEON increases its already strong presence in the Baltic states after having already supplied substantial quantities of night vision and thermal equipment to Latvia, but also to Lithuania. In the context of the military cooperation between Baltic and Scandinavian countries, which is expected to be even stronger and closer after Finland and Sweden’s accession to NATO, makes THEON a key supplier of night vision and thermal equipment to the whole region.

THEON’s ARGUS is a family of innovative, full MIL-SPEC, image intensified multi-purpose and modular night vision systems that can be operated as hand-held, head/helmet-mounted or weapon-mounted. Lightweight, yet of robust construction, with superior optical characteristics and performance, utilizing standard AA batteries for operation. This groundbreaking system allows the individual soldier to perform observation, short range surveillance, military systems aiming, map reading and medical aid operations during all night conditions. More than 75.000 ARGUS systems are under contract worldwide. These world exports of ARGUS are indicative of the trust it has gained in the most demanding markets of the world.

THEON last week announced its record number of orders for FY 2023. The company, which has been listed on Euronext Amsterdam since the beginning of February, received orders worth €506m last year marking a 51.7% increase compared to FY 2022. THEON achieved €218.7m in revenue, marking a year-on-year growth of 53.0%, with an adjusted EBIT of €56.8m, representing a margin of 26.0%. Over the last 5 years the company has been growing at an average rate of 50% per year.

For FY2024, THEON expects another year of minimum 50% growth, fueled by the significant backlog of €540m. Target revenue is in the range of €330-350m, achieving an EBIT margin in the mid-twenties. In the medium-term, the company expects to continue growing in line with its addressable market, and to maintain an EBIT margin in the same level and a 30-40% dividend payout ratio. (Source: ASD Network)

 

09 Apr 24. UDT Defense Exhibition Displays New 3D Sonar Technology. Water Linked has presented a new form of 3D sonar technology capable of effective target detection and navigation across diverse underwater landscapes. Last November Water Linked was selected to take part in the NATO Defense Innovation Accelerator for the North Atlantic (DIANA) programme, designed to support disruptive technologies with great potential for both commercial and defense applications. The Sonar 3D-15 provides real-time 3D imaging with point cloud generation, enabling live, precise and comprehensive visualization of underwater environments. High resolution and short-range capabilities make the Sonar 3D-15 particularly useful for close-proximity operations, such as identification and classification of target types and inspection of hard to inspect areas, such as ship hulls. The Sonar 3D-15 provides a significant improvement over traditional 2D sonars, simplifying the interpretation of complex sonar images.

“There is a wide range of 2D sonars out there. All of them make it extremely difficult to understand what you’re looking at,” says Oliver Skisland, CEO of Water Linked.

Characterized by its compact design, the Sonar 3D-15 boasts an operational depth of up to 300 meters and weighs less than 0.4 kilograms underwater. Its small and lightweight composition renders it compatible with most Remotely Operated Vehicles (ROVs), facilitating effective target detection and navigation across diverse underwater landscapes. Another feature of the Sonar 3D-15 is its user-friendly interface, accessible via a web-based browser. This intuitive design simplifies the integration process, eliminating the need for complex software installations. The comprehensive Application Programming Interface (API) enables seamless integration with third-party software, enhancing adaptability and versatility for a wide range of applications. (Source: https://www.defenseadvancement.com/)

 

11 Apr 24. VITEC launches SignSync™ for EZ TV platform at NAB 2024. VITEC, a market-leading provider of IPTV, video streaming and digital signage solutions, is launching SignSync™, a patented module to address synchronization challenges faced when playing content across multiple end-points. As part of the EZ TV Platform, SignSync™ is a patented VITEC solution to utilize existing end-points without the need for additional hardware. It moves the sync process from the headend to the edge devices, allowing for a greater number of end-points to be synchronized at scale, by utilizing technologies already in place. SignSync™ will launch at NAB 2024, (13-17 April, Las Vegas Convention Center) on VITEC booth SL2064.

“SignSync™ has been developed to address a specific challenge in the market, using existing technologies, but without the need for additional hardware.” says Ryan Nowak, Head of Product Management – Platforms. “With SignSync™, teams can avoid costly synchronization issues and be confident that content is being delivered as intended. The previous solution to synchronous signage playback had been to upstream content, but this limits flexibility and increases costs, as each stream required a physical end-point and encoder at the headend. As SignSync™ moves the content sync capability from the headend to the edge, it allows for a greater number of signs to be synchronised across any number of end-points.”

SignSync™ also benefits from other features included with the EZ TV Platform, such as the ability for content to be updated on-the-fly. The end-points have a built-in mechanism to continue playing stored content, even if connection to the management server is lost, the end-point will continue to operate. SignSync™ also includes support for mixing images and videos into a single playlist, as well as added protection against failure, with a built-in failover mechanism.

Also showing at NAB is the VITEC MGW Diamond-H, a portable 4K HDMI Encoder with the ability to encode up to 4 channels from two HDMI inputs. the MGW Diamond-H empowers users to capture and stream content with unparalleled quality and minimal latency, with Power over Ethernet functionality. VITEC’s EP6 endpoint for IPTV applications will also be demonstrated at NAB 2024, providing the highest quality delivery of video and digital signage across the network. The EP6 is a multi-video advanced decoder – with a fanless design – that can output 2x 4K or quad-HD video streams, along with the ability to render stunning 4K graphics up to 2160p60. Additionally, EP6 has PoE+ functionality, simplifying deployment across any network.

 

11 Apr 24. Cuashub.com said today that Ukraine Seeks Interceptor Drones to Counter Airborne Threats. In a recent Telegram post, Ukraine’s Minister of Digital Transformation, Mykhailo Fedorov, announced the country’s intention to produce interceptor drones designed to counter Russia’s airborne threats, notably targeting Orlan, SuperCam, and ZALA drones. Federov is seeking technical talent, such as developers and engineers who can create an interceptor drone to counter enemy drones without wasting other crucial air defense assets.

Key technical requirements mentioned in the Telegram post include:

  • Able to fly and intercept drones at speeds of 100 – 150 km/h
  • Can fly at an altitude of 1,500 m
  • The drone can receive target information from detection sensors- and can quickly take off and locate the enemy drone, then “hit” the enemy drone

Solutions that meet the criteria will be further evaluated for possible development by the Brave1 Cluster. The Brave1 Cluster is the Government of Ukraine’s unified coordination platform to foster collaboration among all stakeholders within the defense technology industry. This platform facilitates cooperation by offering organizational, informational, and financial support for defense technology projects throughout Ukraine.

https://cuashub.com/content/ukraine-seeks-interceptor-drones-to-counter-airborne-threats/?_hsenc=p2ANqtz-8hGiu6QG9Xgo9EdiURW_0X-Z6lnOWMa_PZAewfVmPgDOTUpb_Ysg8K9QSvjgHD50a3cJRCZoe2ckl4fve6_uP1vAzy-1dxOwXritolFDcM1ze7c6U&_hsmi=302205988#utm_campaign=C-UAS%20Hub%20General&utm_medium=email&utm_content=302205988&utm_source=hs_email (Source: https://cuashub.com/)

 

10 Apr 24. Boeing targets Brazil for P-8 sale. Boeing anticipates a requirement for anti-submarine warfare (ASW) aircraft from Brazil, for which it is pitching the P-8.

“We see an enormous opportunity for P-8s,” Tim Flood, the company’s vice-president of international business development for Europe and the Americas, told Janes at the FIDAE air show in Santiago, Chile, on 9 April. “That is really a strong opportunity for us. And we’ve been in conversations with the Brazilian Air Force. They’re currently in a study phase, determining what their replacement process would look like. (Source: Janes)

 

10 Apr 24. DSIT debuts DogFish multimission sonar system. DSIT Solutions publicly unveiled its new multimission sonar system designed for operation onboard underwater vehicles at the Undersea Defence Technology (UDT) 2024 conference and exhibition, held in London from 9 to 11 April. The system, named DogFish, was developed in response to the proliferation of threats in the underwater environment from manned and unmanned vessels. It has the capability to autonomously detect, track, and classify submarines, mini-submarines, semi-submersible vehicles, moored mines, and autonomous and unmanned underwater vehicles (AUVs/UUVs). DSIT describes the system as small, lightweight, and featuring a very low signature that makes it particularly suitable for anti-submarine warfare (ASW) and homeland security missions. Its main components comprise a 360° transmitter array, two receiver arrays, an electronic unit, and a shore data analysis system. DogFish can be integrated onboard any type of underwater vehicle and can operate in active or passive modes, or in both simultaneously at medium to high frequency in both littoral and deep water. It utilises artificial intelligence, machine learning, automation algorithms, and latest-generation signal processing and acoustic techniques to provide a high level of situational awareness. (Source: Janes)

 

10 Apr 24. Rise DFR Village Launches as Drone First Responders Training Facility. Skyfire Consulting, a public safety UAS consulting group, has announced the launch of Rise DFR Village— an  advanced training ground for Drone First Responders (DFR). This one-of-a-kind facility provides public safety agencies, military/DOD, critical infrastructure, and private industry with best-in-class testing, training, and demonstration grounds to advance and adopt DFR programs.

“Rise DFR Village represents a significant leap forward in the integration of drones into public safety operations, and Skyfire is grateful for the support of the Huntsville International Airport and the City of Huntsville,” said Matt Sloane, Skyfire founder and CEO. “By providing a realistic training environment and collaborating with industry leaders, we are empowering first responders to leverage this life-saving technology to its fullest potential.”

Unmatched Training at Rise DFR Village

Rise DFR Village offers a comprehensive training experience designed to prepare first responders for real-world DFR operations. Key features of the facility include:

Realistic Training Scenarios: Rise DFR Village replicates a variety of environments that first responders may encounter, including urban settings, disaster zones, and rural areas.

Collaboration with Industry Leaders: The Village collaborates with leading drone manufacturers and software developers to provide attendees with access to the latest technologies.

Focus on Integration: The training curriculum emphasizes integrating DFR operations into existing public safety workflows.

Rise DFR Village is poised to revolutionize the way public safety agencies utilize drones. By providing a world-class training ground and fostering collaboration, the Village is paving the way for the widespread adoption of DFR programs across the country. Founding partners include, BRINC, Parrot, AirData, DroneSense, Motorola (CAPE), Echodyne, DeDrone, Huntsville Police Department, and University of Alabama Huntsville.

A portion of Rise DFR Village will be prominently displayed during the second annual Future Proof DFR & Airspace Awareness Summit May 8-10. Tickets are free for public safety and military/DOD.

DFR: Transforming Public Safety

Drone First Responders (DFR) are unmanned aerial systems (UAS), commonly known as drones, utilized by public safety personnel trained to enhance emergency response capabilities. Drones offer a variety of advantages in public safety situations, including:

  • Improved situational awareness
  • Improved response times
  • Enhanced search and rescue operations
  • Firefighting support
  • Hazmat material identification
  • Law enforcement support

(Source: UAS VISION)

 

10 Apr 24. Embraer and the Brazilian Air Force announced the beginning of collaborative studies to identify potential platform adaptations for Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance missions. The platforms to be used are already operational in the Brazilian Air Force, such as the C-390 Millennium.

“The Brazilian Air Force constantly monitors its ability to fulfill its missions completely in the current context, while also looking at future challenges and the evolution of technologies. Studying the adherence and adaptability of Embraer platforms to the future challenges of these missions is an expected way to maximize commonality and technological autonomy,” says Lieutenant-Brigadier Marcelo Kanitz Damasceno, Commander of the Brazilian Air Force.

“Embraer has a successful track record in adapting its platforms for different objectives. The joint studies will allow the expansion of the solutions portfolio to meet the operational needs of the Brazilian Air Force’s Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance missions and potential international customers. This is another important step in the long-term relationship between Embraer and the Brazilian Air Force,” says Bosco da Costa Junior, President and CEO of Embraer Defense & Security.

The announcement took place at the International Air and Space Fair (FIDAE) in Santiago, Chile, with the presence of Bosco da Costa Junior, President and CEO of Embraer Defense & Security, and Lieutenant-Brigadier Marcelo Kanitz Damasceno, Commander of the Air Force.

 

10 Apr 24. Crowd watch: DASA funded AI and LiDAR innovation helps enhance crowd safety. A lesson in exceeding the original concept: The journey of Createc’s LiDAR autonomous crowd monitoring solution, purchased by Network Rail

  • Funded through the DASA Security Open Call, Createc has created a crowd monitoring innovation using LiDAR technology to improve crowd safety
  • Createc’s crowd monitoring innovation underwent year-long trials at Euston Station and Luton Airport, and also a month-long trial at Waterloo Station
  • Following the successful trials, Network Rail has acquired the autonomous crowd monitoring technology for deployment at Waterloo station in 2024.

Picture this scenario: a security officer monitors multiple screens; analysing footage of commuters at a bustling railway station. Suddenly, a section of the crowd startles and steps back. It could be as simple as someone spilling their coffee and others reacting, passengers rushing to catch a train that’s just been announced, or, in a worst-case scenario, a criminal brandishing a knife and causing panic. During critical moments like this, time is of the essence. But with potentially hundreds of hotspots to manage in a busy station, it can be difficult to quickly identify danger areas.

A system that enables security operators to swiftly adjust to changing circumstances and enhance crowd surveillance in busy areas can be crucial for saving lives.

However, this a complex challenge. Suspicious behaviour can manifest in various ways, and crowds naturally react diversely to different situations. Another hurdle is in delivering a user-friendly package to customers to ensure that usage and upkeep are simple and intuitive.

Createc has effectively addressed these obstacles with support from DASA, refining their solution over multiple projects, which is now being implemented by Network Rail.

Introducing Createc

Cumbria-based SME, Createc was founded by a small group of researchers who shared a common desire to see their research translate quickly into real-world impact. Aiming not only to address technological challenges but also to create solutions that are viable business products.

The crowd monitoring technology took its first steps with Dstl on Project SAPIENT, which sought innovations that can help protect military base perimeters. Here, Createc, explored the idea of equipping perimeter cameras with LiDAR (a sensing method that uses laser light to measure distance), so that the cameras would have object position and recognition capabilities.

The SME then applied lessons learnt to the 2017 DASA competition, Improving Crowd Resilience: Phase 1, which sought to explore unconventional concepts to mitigate the use of explosives and weapons in public spaces. Createc submitted an innovation called SLATE-CMA (Crowd Monitoring and Alerts), which transformed their initial defence idea into a security-oriented solution. They adapted the LiDAR technology to focus on autonomously monitoring crowds at locations such as airports and train stations, to help detect early signs of potential threats. The solution works by equipping users with:

  • Multiple LiDAR based tracking units and cameras which can capture and help contextualise crowd data including crowd size and speed size (without identifying individuals)
  • A machine learning system to identifying changes in crowd patterns to alert staff to events
  • A software-based viewer for security personnel to receive updates and analysis

Having secured funding, Createc refined their innovation for Phase 2 of the competition, which started in 2018.

LiDAR or Leave It: Lighting the way to commercialisation

Once the primary challenge area of crowd monitoring was addressed, Createc redirected its attention towards improving product commercialization. Their focus shifted to user-friendly implementation and everyday value, rather than a single use technology only beneficial in rare terrorist attack situations.

Their next proposal leaned further into machine learning to offer users a day-to-day system that notifies them of events requiring attention to help improve crowd management and safety. This could include notifications of suspicious activity, as well as incidents like a person falling, a malfunctioning escalator or elevator, or predications of how public transport delays can affect crowd flow.

Key benefits for security:

  • Digital ‘eyes on the ground’ that identify safety and security concerns.
  • It creates an anonymous track for each individual in the observation area, with the data being sent to cloud servers for analysis and alert generation for staff.
  • The system enables security management to gain a detailed understanding of activities in all sensor-covered areas.
  • Real-time comparison of crowd density is conducted with historical data from the same time of day, week, and year.

Put to the test at Luton Airport, Waterloo Station and Euston Station

Submitting their next project to the 2020 DASA Security Open Call, Createc’s crowd monitoring innovation underwent year-long trials at Euston Station and Luton Airport, and also a month-long trial at Waterloo Station.

The trials aimed to enhance and better understand the technology’s capabilities in practical scenarios, which included a development phase to adapt the autonomous sensors for larger environments such as airports.

Createc’s work excelled, which not only boosted the confidence of staff in handling customers but also better helped users manage resources to adapt to the fluctuating number of customers in crowded areas.

The Euston and Waterloo trials proved the system can operate in a rail station environment, producing useful alerts when crowd density surged, and helping to predict and avoid overcrowding in the station during delays. Meanwhile, the Luton Airport trial showed how the solution can be adapted to large environments with some modifications, such as increasing sensors to monitor multiple queueing systems that are common at airports.

Following the successful trials, Network Rail has acquired the autonomous crowd monitoring technology for deployment at Waterloo station in 2024.

David Clark, Director of Operations, Createc Said:

Createc has had a tremendous experience working with DASA, particularly with Situate, our Anonymous Crowd Monitoring innovation. DASA’s services have provided a solid platform for our innovation to grow and evolve. Their support has been instrumental in helping us engage with potential customers and expand our reach.

Innovations rooted in DASA and expanded to new horizons

Initially designed as a LiDAR unit for military base monitoring, before evolving into attack alert system and finally into a comprehensive commercial product for crowd monitoring and safety, the evolution of Createc’s technology has been a captivating journey, benefiting from DASA’s unique innovation mechanisms, which focuses on collaboration, adaptability, and commercialisation.

With support from organisations like DASA, the Department of Transport, Future Aviation Security Solutions, and the Connected Places Catapult, and with impending implementation by Network Rail, Createc’s future appears promising. Moving forward, the SME plans to enhance the solution for application in crowded venues like stadiums and arenas to increase revenue streams. Additionally, they are considering increasing the headcount of the organisation, and establishing a spin-out business solely to foster support for the autonomous crowd monitoring solution.

(Source: https://www.gov.uk/)

 

10 Apr 24. Cuashub.com said today that UAS and Counter-UAS Training Facility Debuts in Huntsville. Skyfire Consulting announced today the launch of Rise DFR Village— an advanced training ground for Drone First Responders (DFR). This UAS and Counter-UAS training facility is over 2,000 acres on an FAA-designated test site. This unique facility provides public safety agencies, military/DOD, critical infrastructure, and private industry with best-in-class testing, training, and demonstration grounds to advance and adopt DFR programs.

“Rise DFR Village represents a significant leap forward in the integration of drones into public safety operations, and Skyfire is grateful for the support of the Huntsville International Airport and the City of Huntsville,” said Matt Sloane, Skyfire founder and CEO. “By providing a realistic training environment and collaborating with industry leaders, we are empowering first responders to leverage this life-saving technology to its fullest potential.”

Unmatched Training at Rise DFR Village

Rise DFR Village offers a comprehensive training experience designed to prepare first responders for real-world DFR operations. Key features of the facility include:

  • Realistic Training Scenarios: Rise DFR Village replicates various environments that first responders may encounter, including urban settings, disaster zones, and rural areas.
  • Collaboration with Industry Leaders: The Village collaborates with leading drone manufacturers and software developers to provide attendees access to the latest technologies.
  • Focus on Integration: The training curriculum emphasizes integrating DFR operations into existing public safety workflows.

Rise DFR Village is poised to revolutionize how public safety agencies utilize drones. By providing a world-class training ground and fostering collaboration, the Village is paving the way for the widespread adoption of DFR programs nationwide. Founding partners include BRINC, Parrot, AirData, DroneSense, Motorola (CAPE), Echodyne, Dedrone, Huntsville Police Department, and the University of Alabama Huntsville.

A portion of Rise DFR Village will be prominently displayed during the second annual Future Proof DFR & Airspace Awareness Summit May 8-10. Tickets are free for public safety and military/DOD. Learn more about this experiential summit: https://www.futureproofuas.com/

DFR: Transforming Public Safety

Drone First Responders (DFR) are unmanned aerial systems (UAS), commonly known as drones, utilized by public safety personnel trained to enhance emergency response capabilities. Drones offer a variety of advantages in public safety situations, including:

  • Improved situational awareness
  • Improved response times
  • Enhanced search and rescue operations
  • Firefighting support
  • Hazmat material identification
  • Law enforcement support

About Skyfire

Skyfire Consulting is the premier choice for public safety UAV consulting in the United States, renowned for its trustworthiness and extensive expertise. With a core focus on pilot training, FAA consulting, SOP development, and the design and manufacturing of American-made drones tailored for public safety agencies, Skyfire is dedicated to delivering solutions to the most intricate challenges.

https://cuashub.com/content/uas-and-counter-uas-training-facility-debuts-in-huntsville/?_hsenc=p2ANqtz-_sCSmfJcizdzy9OW1a6XG_sEeS7O8RwPGm4ZUdNJyGjOE5uKSjOnHmJYI804TcHd7ikQ5e1WVmLx342vTp0-qEVR79QOawlJ5g3eRl_G1Z_esIY1U&_hsmi=302023134#utm_campaign=C-UAS%20Hub%20General&utm_medium=email&utm_content=302023134&utm_source=hs_email (Source: https://cuashub.com/)

 

10 Apr 24. Cuashub.com said today that Companies Partner for Airspace Management at U.S. Drone Ports. DronePort Network, a leading innovator in detect-and-avoid and airspace management software for unmanned aircraft systems (UAS or drones), announced Vigilant Aerospace as a key strategic partner. This partnership aims to integrate Airspace Management (ASM), Detect-and-Avoid (DAA), and Unmanned Traffic Management (UTM) capabilities into future drone port initiatives across the United States. Leveraging Vigilant Aerospace’s FlightHorizon solution, these projects will benefit from cutting-edge situational awareness to ensure secure and expandable autonomous flight operations.

DronePort Network specializes in system integration and infrastructure development, facilitating the transition of regions and communities into the next generation of the aviation economy. They focus on establishing “drone ports” – dedicated hubs designed to nurture UAS and Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) aircraft growth, testing, and deployment.

Partnering with regional centers, DronePort Network repurposes existing infrastructure, such as airfields and hangars, to construct specialized drone port facilities. These hubs serve various purposes, from advanced autonomous flight testing and training centers to facilitating new air services across private and public sectors. The company offers a comprehensive suite of services for safely integrating drones and related services into the economy and national airspace. This encompasses operational, regulatory, and technological aspects, addressing the multifaceted considerations surrounding large-scale autonomous flight safety. DronePort Network also guides the navigation of stringent FAA requirements and the selection of suitable technology partners.

FlightHorizon, developed by Vigilant Aerospace, furnishes airspace managers with a comprehensive 2D or 3D overview of all aircraft within the designated airspace. Using sensors and data sources, FlightHorizon generates a detailed airspace safety assessment crucial for pilots, airspace managers, and command centers. This capability is pivotal for meeting FAA regulatory standards governing advanced UAS flights.

Craig Mahaney, CEO of DronePort Network, commented, “The growth around autonomous flight is enormous, and regions and communities can reap significant benefits in commercial activity, new jobs, and new service opportunities. We’re at a pivotal time for building the critical infrastructure needed to support this, and Vigilant Aerospace’s FlightHorizon provides an important solution for ensuring safe skies for autonomous flight. We’re collectively pioneering game-changing aviation environments with far-reaching impact.”

Kraettli Epperson, CEO of Vigilant Aerospace, said of the partnership, “There is immense opportunity for public-private partnerships throughout the US to build infrastructure to accommodate the next generation of aviation. DronePort Network is a perfect example of this innovative approach, bringing together the expertise necessary to make commercial autonomous flight a reality. We’re thrilled to launch this strategic partnership and are excited to be a part of the future development of drone ports in the US.”

https://cuashub.com/content/companies-partner-for-airspace-management-at-u-s-drone-ports/?_hsenc=p2ANqtz-9jCo07_1txQTEdxLLipq3Tgblp9BbYW-UD7sHzSyZxQ3OuoKnROFcipN-QbLqe8E57ySC-wkMD_QQBF758emVtuZs94ut-lQ2Z_VT4v8hWB3f3tHE&_hsmi=302023134#utm_campaign=C-UAS%20Hub%20General&utm_medium=email&utm_content=302023134&utm_source=hs_email (Source: https://cuashub.com/)

 

09 Apr 24. Counter-drone systems included in DOD’s initial Replicator selections. Several officials familiar with the Pentagon’s Replicator 1.1 selections who spoke to DefenseScoop in recent conversations on the condition of anonymity, shared new information about what can essentially be considered four “buckets” of technology systems set to be accelerated for military use in this first tranche of the initiative. The Pentagon’s first tranche of systems for its secretive Replicator initiative includes counter-drone assets in addition to different-sized unmanned surface vessels and loitering munitions, DefenseScoop has learned.

Since unveiling the effort in August 2023, Defense Department leadership has declined to publicly identify specific Replicator-enabling systems and programs. But broadly, it all marks the U.S. military’s new and ambitious plan to counter China’s military buildup by fielding thousands of “autonomous” systems across multiple warfighting domains by August 2025.

To do so, the department intends to spend approximately $1 bn total in the fiscal 2024-2025 time frame.

Selections for these products are being made in different tranches. The first tranche — dubbed “Replicator 1.1” — includes more mature types of technologies.

In January, DOD officials revealed that the initial tranche of Replicator systems had been officially picked from a cache of competing proposals submitted by teams across the enterprise. DefenseScoop was the first to subsequently report in February that Switchblade 600 kamikaze drones were among that first set of systems chosen to be mass-produced via Replicator.

Several officials familiar with the Pentagon’s Replicator 1.1 selections who spoke to DefenseScoop in recent conversations on the condition of anonymity shared new information about what can essentially be considered four “buckets” of technology systems set to be accelerated for military use in this first tranche of the initiative.

They confirmed that the Switchblade 600s loitering munitions, made by AeroVironment, were picked for Replicator in association with Army Program Executive Office Soldier’s Low Altitude Stalking and Strike Ordnance (LASSO) program.

Counter-drone capabilities make up another set of assets selected for the Replicator 1.1 tranche. According to the officials, Anduril’s Wide-Area Infrared System for Persistent Surveillance (WISP) technology was tapped for ramped-up production, in association with efforts put forth by the Marine Corps’ Ground Based Air Defense program.

The company’s website states that WISP supplies artificial intelligence-enabled “passive, full-motion, 360-degree wide-area high-quality imaging to enable persistent automated threat detection and situational awareness.”

“WISP can be adapted to different applications across a variety of domains and mission sets. Leveraging the same underlying technology, WISP brings its capabilities to land, sea, and air applications, providing support to missions such as border and base security, counter drone missions, and maritime surface threat detection,” it notes.

The two other “buckets” selected in this first leg of the Replicator initiative involve a variety of different form factors of unmanned surface vehicles (USVs) and interceptors that operate at various ranges. Officials asked DefenseScoop to withhold some details about these systems, citing operational security concerns. However, they verified that the Defense Innovation Unit will select small USVs and collaborative intercept capabilities through a recently closed DIU Prime solicitation to enable Replicator 1.1.

Separately, USV systems and interceptors affiliated with a Navy Special Warfare and Office of Naval Research program, among others, were also proposed and selected as part of this first-round Replicator tranche.

The Pentagon did not provide comment before publication.

Meanwhile, DOD officials are finalizing proposals for the second tranche, known as Replicator 1.2. The Army’s acquisition chief recently told DefenseScoop that the service is proposing three systems for that round, although he declined to name them.

(Source: Defense News Early Bird/https://defensescoop.com/2024/04/09/counter-drone-systems-replicator-selections)

 

09 Apr 24. SPY-7 radar in Japan’s Aegis system detects space objects. The successful demonstration of space object detection has proven the maturity of the Aegis radar system to be equipped on Japan’s destroyers. Lockheed Martin, a US defence prime, has successfully tested the AN/SPY-7(v)1 radar to be integrated onto the Japanese Navy’s Aegis System Equipped Vessel (ASEV). During the first track event, SPY-7 radar tactical hardware and software detected space-based objects – a milestone that proved the maturity of the system, which now leads to comprehensive performance testing.

“We use our proven integration and test process to fully test the capability of Aegis and SPY-7 prior to delivery to Japan,” said Amr Hussein, vice president of Multi-Domain Combat Solutions at Lockheed Martin. “This vigorous testing regiment minimises risk and ensures that Japan will receive a fully integrated and calibrated system as quickly as possible.”

Lockheed Martin’s radar systems will be used on Japan’s two ballistic missile defence ships, which both feature the supplier’s Aegis combat system, which has been used onboard US Navy Arleigh Burke-class (DDG 51) destroyers since 1991.

Aegis has a federated architecture with four subsystems, an AN/SPY-1 multifunction radar, a command and decision system (CDS), an Aegis display system (ADS), and the weapon control system (WCS).

The CDS receives data from ship and external sensors through satellite communications and provides command, control, and threat assessment. The WCS receives engagement instruction from the CDS, selects weapons, and interfaces with the weapon fire control systems.

In 2017, the Japanese Ministry of Defence approved the purchase of a pair of ballistic missile defense ships featuring Aegis, equipped with SPY-7 radar, at an estimated cost of Y1trn ($7.1bn).

The plans for vessels were announced in August 2022, with construction beginning in 2024, and first vessel scheduled to be commissioned by the end of the fiscal year 2027, and the other scheduled for the end of fiscal year 2028. However, delays are expected as Japan is yet to finalise the requirements for the vessels.

In January 2024, Japan contracted Lockheed Martin, through the US Department of Defense, to deliver integration services for equipment, material, software and hardware end items to japan’s two AESVs in a modification worth $271m.

“The SPY-7 radar product line uses technology from the Long Range Discrimination Radar (LRDR) programme to enhance overall strength against evolving threats,” said Chandra Marshall, vice president of Radar and Sensor Systems at Lockheed Martin. “Providing 24/7 coverage, SPY-7 is a superior deterrence asset available for land and maritime applications around the world.” (Source: naval-technology.com)

 

09 Apr 24. Cuashub.com said today that High Energy Laser Logistics Contract Awarded to BlueHalo. BlueHalo, in support of the U.S. Army Rapid Capabilities and Critical Technologies Office (RCCTO), has developed the Palletized High Energy Laser (P-HEL) system, known for its effectiveness in neutralizing small unmanned aerial system (sUAS) threats, a pressing concern for maintaining U.S. battlefield supremacy and protecting critical infrastructure. Recognizing its success, BlueHalo was awarded a four-year logistics support contract to deliver preventive and corrective maintenance services and comprehensive operator and maintenance team training for the P-HEL system. This significant contract solidifies BlueHalo’s role as the primary system integrator throughout the entire lifecycle of the P-HEL system, from initial prototype development to frontline deployment and operations.

“With this contract, BlueHalo is now providing full-scale Directed Energy support to our customers–at home through advanced innovation, in the field through maintenance and training support, and strategically through operational guidance and battlespace management,” said Jonathan Moneymaker, BlueHalo Chief Executive Officer. “Our industry-leading Directed Energy expertise and intimate knowledge of the P-HEL system, combined with lessons learned from deployment, will truly transform how our Warfighters use laser weapon systems to combat evolving enemy sUAS threats.”

BlueHalo’s LOCUST Laser Weapon System (LWS) serves as the cornerstone of the Palletized High Energy Laser (P-HEL), integrating cutting-edge precision optical and laser hardware with sophisticated software, artificial intelligence (AI), and processing capabilities. This comprehensive system empowers and optimizes the directed energy “kill chain”, enabling seamless tracking, identification, and engagement of diverse targets with its potent high-energy laser.

In April 2022, BlueHalo achieved a significant milestone by delivering the inaugural mature prototype of the P-HEL system. Subsequently, the U.S. Army RCCTO swiftly deployed the unit overseas, marking its operational debut in November 2022. Continuing this momentum, BlueHalo recently delivered its second P-HEL system, which also commenced operational duties abroad. Throughout their deployment, both P-HEL systems have undergone routine preventative and corrective maintenance in the field, ensuring consistent operational readiness and facilitating ongoing operator training.

“We are excited to continue our partnership with the Army and RCCTO to support P-HEL,” said Jimmy Jenkins, BlueHalo Sector President. “This program captures BlueHalo’s ability to take advanced innovation from rapid prototype to deployment to sustainment, integrating new technologies into operational systems to strengthen our defenses against next-generation air threats.”

https://cuashub.com/content/high-energy-laser-logistics-contract-awarded-to-blue-halo/?_hsenc=p2ANqtz-95wl9iL3hl0FcjXurbZE86pmF6-CzQWxYG5OAc-gWBb1IK6ItGa1cgq10oeIZyZnDwtxQDZ13V0g8lMOJU-xz8dcsnfjFk-JSouuVLUi9Pudp5vwo&_hsmi=301830526#utm_campaign=C-UAS%20Hub%20General&utm_medium=email&utm_content=301830526&utm_source=hs_email (Source: https://cuashub.com/)

 

09 Apr 24. Cuashub.com said today that Companies Showcase AI-Enabled Aerial Threat Detection. Untether AI®, renowned for pioneering energy-centric AI acceleration technology, teamed up with J-Squared Technologies, known for their ruggedized computer systems, to unveil an AI-powered aerial threat detection solution at the recent AUSA Global Force Symposium and Exhibition in Huntsville, AL. This groundbreaking technology highlights the seamless integration of Untether AI’s tsunAImi® tsn200 inference accelerator card into J-Squared Technologies’ rugged Vanguard 2U rackmount server, presenting cutting-edge counter-drone detection capabilities for commercial and defense sectors.

The collaborative effort features an optimized “You-only-look-once” (YOLO) neural network, meticulously trained by J-Squared Technologies for counter-drone detection, operating within their ruggedized hardware. This partnership underscores both companies’ commitment to deploying AI computing power and enhancing operational efficiency in demanding high-reliability applications.

“J-Squared Technologies is proud to partner with Untether AI to deliver a solution that meets the rigorous demands of both defense and commercial applications,” said Andrew Woollard, Chief Technical Officer at J-Squared Technologies. “Our SWAP-C optimized systems designed to withstand harsh environments combined with Untether AI’s energy-efficient AI acceleration, provide unmatched operational durability, computational capabilities, and AI performance per Watt.”

“Our collaboration with J-Squared Technologies marks a significant milestone in the deployment of AI technologies in the field of defense and commercial airspace safety,” said Bob Beachler, Vice President of Product at Untether AI. “By combining our energy-efficient AI acceleration technology with J-Squared Technologies, we’re not only enhancing counter-drone capabilities but also setting the benchmark for high-reliability AI deployment at the tactical edge.”

The AI-powered demonstration effectively identifies and tracks unmanned aerial threats using sophisticated machine learning algorithms, providing a strong defense against the rising security concerns associated with drones. This versatile application goes beyond military applications, offering commercial airports and critical infrastructure an advanced solution to safeguard airspace security and public safety.

https://cuashub.com/content/companies-showcase-ai-enabled-aerial-threat-detection/?_hsenc=p2ANqtz-_WGqO1G-ApipIvT0BIL4V0R3df9BZl5cx9l6E_BRcX-9UKREr51WxPnEFBcAaOB0bL-DonRoqdVfMNsG9I2YiFJmJPY5Hf5h28cHisbULmvm1UN-Q&_hsmi=301830526#utm_campaign=C-UAS%20Hub%20General&utm_medium=email&utm_content=301830526&utm_source=hs_email (Source: https://cuashub.com/)

 

08 Apr 24. US Army seeks soft-kill C-UAS system integrated within its H-MIF autonomous platform. The U.S. Army’s Rapid Capabilities and Critical Technologies Office (RCCTO) has extended its deadline from 12 April to 15 April 2024 in its Request for White Papers (RFWP)  for counter-small Unmanned Aerial System (C-sUAS) solution/capability that will be integrated into robotic platforms as part of the human-machine integrated formation (H-MIF) architecture that will guide emerging Robotics and Autonomous Systems (RAS) capabilities.

According to the project description in www.sam.gov:

“The Army must protect and defend personnel, facilities, and assets in an environment where increasing numbers of UAS’ will share the skies. In response, the H-MIF C-sUAS effort has been initiated to develop robotic infantry and armor platoon capabilities to detect and defeat Group 1&2 threat UAS. The C-sUAS should be able to disrupt the threat posed by small UAS as well as the indirect threat posed by small UAS used for targeting. Further development of U.S. Army counter-UAS capabilities and an effective counter-UAS approach are essential to meeting the challenges of the battlefields of today and the battlefields of future.”

“The Army RCCTO seeks solutions and approaches to design, build, test, and deliver a C-sUAS that can operate in a RAS contested environment, This C-sUAS effort will build on the work and demonstrations of prior C-sUAS efforts conducted by various DoD entities. The derived operational specifications and evaluation criteria will be employed to develop selected candidate CsUAS platforms as operational prototypes that can integrate with existing unmanned Army ground vehicles…. H-MIF C-sUAS solutions shall adopt a modular open systems approach (MOSA) in their offerings. The solution is envisioned to be a non-kinetic system that can be employed autonomously or operated manually.”

For more information: https://sam.gov/opp/302c49a47eb14237b1d3c14ea49ee61d/view

(Source: www.unmannedairspace.info)

 

08 Apr 24. Cuashub.com said today that Vigilant Aerospace demonstrated its new FlightHorizon DEFENDER counter-UAS system in early February, marking the inaugural featured system at the Oklahoma Army National Guard‘s newly established Counter-UAS training center at Camp Gruber near Braggs, Oklahoma.

The demonstration highlighted FlightHorizon’s capability to detect, track, and issue warnings regarding unidentified drones entering airspace and approaching specific locations, utilizing only a laptop and a compact portable radar.

The demonstration was at the invitation of Col. Shane Riley, Director of Military Support for the Oklahoma National Guard, and organized by Craig Mahaney, CEO of the DronePort Network. It welcomed twenty National Guard and US Army personnel from various locations across the United States. It served as the inaugural activity of Camp Gruber’s newly established Counter-UAS Training Center.

“We were delighted that the Oklahoma Army National Guard chose to feature FlightHorizon for their first demonstration at their new counter-UAS training center,” said Kraettli L. Epperson, CEO of Vigilant Aerospace.

“Our goal with FlightHorizon DEFENDER is to field a cost-effective airspace management and counter-UAS system that fits in a backpack and can be set up by a single person in a few minutes. I think we demonstrated that capability effectively during this event,” said Epperson.

FlightHorizon DEFENDER’s initial development received backing from a US Air Force AFWERX SBIR contract, which the company successfully fulfilled in 2023. Currently undergoing pre-release testing, the product promises advanced airspace monitoring and drone detection capabilities.

The system harnesses radar integration, multi-sensor correlation functions, and the airspace display features of the FlightHorizon software. This enables it to promptly alert facility managers and base commanders to unauthorized drones in restricted areas whenever an aircraft is detected.

In addition to aiding in event coordination, Aaron Baker of the DronePort Network piloted the intruder drone, maneuvering onto the field to showcase FlightHorizon’s capacity to detect, track, and issue warnings regarding unidentified drones entering the airspace.

https://cuashub.com/content/flighthorizon-defender-demonstrated-at-c-uas-training-center/?_hsenc=p2ANqtz-9q0B41IzbRabQt2lYGHAzK8KUmDAXBV1huYM_2pZa4jd8R-WzAFoPIsVL73msOBzX2bkc__8OdNVFIO3SP46IPInp8Wb0b7v6LCr_wLPFwzlP6j8g&_hsmi=301599547#utm_campaign=C-UAS%20Hub%20General&utm_medium=email&utm_content=301599547&utm_source=hs_email (Source: https://cuashub.com/)

 

08 Apr 24. Cuashub.com said today that AVGARDE Wins Contest for Counter-Drone Tech Innovations. AVGARDE, a deep-tech startup, emerged as the victor in the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) Dare to Dream 4.0 Contest, focusing on national-level startup innovations in ‘countermeasures for drone and swarm of drones.’ Incubated at IISc Bangalore and IIT Guwahati, AVGARDE is dedicated to constructing a state-of-the-art AI-driven object-sensing platform for managing low-altitude airspace. Initially established in Assam, AVGARDE has since expanded, with offices in Bangalore and Guwahati, and conducts Pan-India operations with the assistance of associates to cater to customers nationwide.

The esteemed DRDO Dare to Dream competition offers a distinctive platform for startups and innovators to tackle critical challenges in emerging technologies, enhancing India’s aerospace and defense capabilities. Additionally, it contributes to the nation’s Science, Technology, and Innovation (STI) ecosystem, fostering technological self-reliance and advancement.

“We are honored and proud to be a winner at DRDO’s coveted innovation contest, Dare to Dream 4.0,” said AVGARDE Managing Director & Co-Founder Manash Bhuyan. He continued, “This award is a testimony of our globally competitive technology developed by our amazingly talented team. With this recognition, the innovation journey of AVGARDE is further validated as we continue to develop our best-in-class AI-driven airspace management platform for various applications, including drone countermeasures. With the proliferation of drones, the low-altitude airspace is confronted with many potential risks and threats for civilian and military dual-use cases. As we address these new-age challenges, AVGARDE is motivated to develop pioneering indigenous technology and contribute effectively towards a self-reliant India.”

Presently, the AVGARDE DeepSense platform presents three distinct product lines:

  1. DroneSafe: An AI-enabled Counter Unmanned Aerial System (C-UAS) designed to detect, classify, mitigate, and report aerial risks/threats from drones, UAVs, and other airborne objects.
  2. DIWAR: An all-band GPS Jammer was developed to address drones and hinder their airborne movements effectively.
  3. BirdsEye: An intelligent Bird Detection and Monitoring Radar (BDMR) serving dual purposes of aviation safety and prevention of Bird Aircraft Strike Hazard (BASH).

Nilutpal Choudhury, CEO & Co-Founder of AVGARDE, said, “This award is a phenomenal milestone for AVGARDE, and I have immense admiration and gratitude for our diverse and great team. DRDO’s Dare to Dream is a great platform to validate innovations as it’s a multi-stage screening process with various selection criteria considering aspects of novelty, applicability, implementability, technical merit, and maturity. Therefore, it is a great honor to be recognized by DRDO, our country’s esteemed R&D organization for aerospace and defense. Our team is further encouraged to innovate continuously to develop advanced home-grown technologies to fulfill our commitment towards Atmanirbhar Bharat.”

https://cuashub.com/content/avgarde-wins-contest-for-counter-drone-tech-innovations/?_hsenc=p2ANqtz-_Hi39fr_fjSDA8hT91vqb1B5vobKvbCCkV4d-QRhZLoYUw9n6H9Mzfz2RQB2v-5yt-gOmylQjwisgjG0dziij4m1EE2-zkV4q3z0qDggqGrONtdBk&_hsmi=301599547#utm_campaign=C-UAS%20Hub%20General&utm_medium=email&utm_content=301599547&utm_source=hs_email (Source: https://cuashub.com/)

 

05 Apr 24. Canada’s DND issues request to industry for vehicle mounted soft-kill C-UAS system – part two. Canada’s Department for National Defense (DND) has issued a request to industry to proposals for its Integrated Counter Uncrewed Aircraft System (ICV) – CUAS Phase 2 project,(see also https://www.unmannedairspace.info/counter-uas-systems-tenders/industry-rfi-announced-for-canadian-armed-forces-integrated-vehicle-mounted-counter-uas-system/).

The mounted CUAS intends to deliver an Integrated Vehicle Mounted System including radar and jamming capabilities.

Among requirements listed in the tender:

  • The CUAS Payload LRUs must be MOTS or COTS equipment with a minimum TRL of 8 as defined by the government of Canada at (https://ised isde.canada.ca/site/innovation canada/en/technology-readiness-levels).
  • Bidders must provide proof that the ICV meets the requirement. Proof can be data sheet, formal test results, demonstration results, etc.
  • The ICV must have RF detection, RF jamming and protocol manipulation capabilities while in motion at a minimum speed of 60 Km/h on hard surfaced paved roads

Solicitation number WS4511866041

Closing date and time 2024/05/0914:00 EDT

For more information: DRAFT RFP Integrated CUAS Phase 2 – Tender Notice | CanadaBuys: https://canadabuys.canada.ca/en/tender-opportunities/tender-notice/ws4511866041-doc4512238331 (Source: www.unmannedairspace.info)

 

05 Apr 24. JEY-CUAS research programme members to demonstrate military C-UAS technologies in Sardinia. A system demonstration of European counter-unmanned aerial systems (C-UAS) is to be held at the Poligono Interforze Salto di Quirra (PISQ) military range at Sardinia as part of the EUR15 m, two-year Joint European sYstem for Countering Unmanned Aerial Systems (JEY-CUAS) programme.

The programme, led by Leonardo, includes a large number of European Union based C-UAS providers and aims to advance technologies at system and sub-system level to develop a new generation C-UAS system based on a modular and flexible plug’n’play architecture to address the emerging challenge of micro and mini drones increasingly used for defence purposes.

“The solution will contribute to an improvement of the situational awareness and reaction engagement to overcome the growing resilience of UAS to first generation C-UAS systems to keep up with new LSS (Low, Small, Slow) aerial threats and reduce the minimum reaction time,” says a programme fact sheet.

At the Sardinia event, Nordic Radar Solutions will deploy its Ka-band radar that is designed to classify detected targets, enabling effector systems to engage the threat, and has the ability to discriminate UAS operating in a swarm, even when they are operating close together.

For more information: www.defence-industry-space.ec.europa.eu/system/files/2021-06/EDIDP2020_factsheet_CUAS_JEY-CUAS.pdf (Source: www.unmannedairspace.info)

 

06 Apr 24. HTX develops C-UAS that can cope with radio spectrum congestion. HTX’s Robotics, Automation and Unmanned Systems (RAUS) Centre of Expertise (CoE) in Singapore has been developing counter-unmanned aerial systems (C-UAS) that can cope with severe radio spectrum congestion. The company presented these at the Milipol Asia-Pacific TechX Summit last week

One such system is the Rapid Deployable C-UAS System (RDS), which integrates multiple detection sensors with smart countermeasures. RDS is a lightweight, autonomous platform which has been designed for portability. The modular and scalable system can be set up for temporary or permanent installations and is also configurable as a single system deployment or networked with other systems that are deployed on site. RDS incorporates advanced radar with urban de-cluttering functionalities, a drone detection, identification, and tracking system; and drone jamming capabilities.

RAUS CoE is also developing a drone hunter that is designed to operate without the need for Global Positioning System (GPS) navigation. Instead, it navigates by using ground radar which provides guidance commands to the hunter to detect, pursue and capture rogue drones. The GPS-independent drone hunter is capable of rapidly pursuing and capturing rogue drones in GPS-denied environments. It can then jettison these captured drones at designated “safe” zones for safe payload removal and disposal.

In addition, RAUS CoE has also been developing drone capabilities, such as NavSight – a GPS-independent navigation system which allows drones to operate in GPS-degraded or GPS-denied environments. Drones equipped with the NavSight system have their routes pre-programmed into them before their flights. During their operations, they use their downward-looking cameras to visualise their surroundings in real-time and calculate their positions by comparing their surroundings with their pre-loaded routes. Drones equipped with NavSight are also capable of tracking ground and aerial objects and identifying and avoiding obstacles.

For more information: www.htx.gov.sg (Source: www.unmannedairspace.info)

 

06 Apr 24. NASA funds George Washington University project to safeguard UAS from cyber attacks. Peng Wei, an associate professor of mechanical and aerospace engineering at the George Washington University School of Engineering and Applied Science, is leading a three-year project that could help safeguard autonomous aircraft flying in high-density urban airspace from cyber attacks that could disrupt safe operations. Three multi-institutional teams will receive a total of USD18 m in University Leadership Initiative (ULI) funding from NASA, with Wei’s team receiving USD6 m over the next three years.

The goal, Wei said, is not only to research secure aircraft autonomy but also to train the next generation of aerospace engineers at the undergraduate and graduate levels. Students who work on the project will, by the time they enter the U.S. aviation workforce, have the depth and breadth of knowledge to address emerging real-world challenges in aircraft autonomy and cybersecurity.

The project also offers an opportunity for mechanical and aerospace engineering students to become deeply versed in cybersecurity and artificial intelligence (AI). Certain functions in aircraft autonomy rely on machine learning and neural networks, which allow these craft to achieve complex goals such as autonomous landing and autonomous separation assurance (maintaining safe distances from other aircraft and their flight paths).

But these neural-network embedded functions are becoming more sophisticated to verify, safeguard and certify, Wei said. He and his team will focus on enhancing the resilience of the selected AI functions under malicious attacks.

Wei’s team includes researchers from George Washington University as well as collaborators from Vanderbilt University, Purdue University, Tennessee State University, University of California-Irvine, University of Texas at Austin, Collins Aerospace and Northern Virginia Community College. The team also is supported by a large group of government, industry and academic partners including the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), MITRE, Honeywell Aerospace, Boeing, Aurora Flight Sciences, Skygrid, Joby Aviation, Xwing, Reliable Robotics, JHU Applied Physics Lab, MIT Lincoln Lab, Northrop Grumman Aeronautics, George Mason University, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, RTCA, and ASTM. Together, they’ll build their own sub-scale aircraft prototypes, figure out how to hack them and patch the vulnerabilities that allowed that hacking to occur.

For more information: www.gwu.edu (Source: www.unmannedairspace.info)

 

05 Apr 24. Canada boosts surveillance with arrival of US ISR aircraft. The first of three intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance aircraft arrives in Canada. In a move to bolster its defence capabilities, Canada took delivery of a Beechcraft King Air 350 Extended Range platform from the United States, marking the beginning of an enhanced surveillance initiative.  The US Army Programme Executive Office delivered the first of three ISR aircraft to Canada. The Beechcraft King Air 350 Extended Range platform was handed over on February 22, 2024, at the L3Harris facility in Greenville, Texas. The global market for ISR aircraft is valued at $5.9bn in 2023 and is anticipated to witness a CAGR of 2.8% to reach $7.8bn in 2033, according to GlobalData’s “The Global Military Fixed Wing Aircraft Market 2023-2033” report.

Scott Thovson, deputy product director at ITA, and Ken Ols, PM FW – ITA case manager, emphasised the significance of the delivery, highlighting its potential to enhance intelligence gathering, surveillance, and reconnaissance operations for the Canadian Armed Forces.

Joseph Kidwell Jr., senior central case manager at the US Army Security Assistance Command, underscored the importance of the US-Canada military alliance, “Delivering the aircraft to Canada has been a blessing and will help continue to grow our alliance with Canada. The US and Canada continue to have one of the most excellent military alliances in the world.” (Source: airforce-technology.com)

 

04 Apr 24. Epirus directed energy to face off against vessels in US Navy testing. Defense contractor Epirus said its directed-energy weaponry will be tested against small vessels in an upcoming U.S. Navy experiment.

The company’s Leonidas technology, which pumps out waves of energy capable of frying electronics, will be used in the 2024 Advanced Naval Technology Exercise-Coastal Trident, or ANTX-CT24, according to an April 4 announcement. The trials will examine how high-power microwaves can disable outboard motors, among other applications.

Navy leaders have lamented a lack of directed-energy options aboard warships as Houthi rebels in Yemen pepper the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden with attack drones and Ukrainian forces sink Russian ships with unmanned surface vessels. While the Department of Defense has invested in the nontraditional armaments for decades, few projects have been developed and widely deployed.

The Army in 2022 inked a $66 m deal with Epirus to supply Leonidas in advancement of its Indirect Fire Protection Capability venture, which aims to protect sites from drones, rockets, artillery, mortars and missiles. The company delivered an initial prototype in 2023, Defense News reported.

Chief executive Andy Lowery in a statement said his team was excited to participate in ANTX-CT24 and “demonstrate the effectiveness of long-pulse HPM technology in another threat environment.”

“Epirus can defend against a wide range of threats across domains,” Lowery said. “Our expanded collaboration with the Department of Defense also underscores the growing recognition of the benefits of working with innovative tech companies outside of the traditional defense ecosystem.”

At least 31 directed-energy initiatives are underway across the military, according to a study published by a defense industry advocacy group. Nine — including the Optical Dazzling Interdictor Navy and the High Energy Laser Counter-Anti-Ship Cruise Missile Program — can be traced back to the Navy and Marine Corps.

The ANTX-CT series serves as a test bed for promising technologies and promotes collaboration among industry, academia and the military. High-power microwave equipment has made an appearance before, according to Brendan Applegate, the lead for fleet experimentation and exercises.

“ANTX-CT24 will feature technical demonstrations and experiments across a wide variety of technology areas, including unmanned systems countermeasures,” he said in a statement. (Source: C4ISR & Networks)

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Echodyne is a U.S. designer and manufacturer of advanced commercial radar solutions for defense and national security applications. The company’s proprietary metamaterials electronically scanned array (MESA®) architecture, a rare breakthrough in advanced radar engineering, leverages a physics-design approach to adapt conventional materials and deliver unexpected and beneficial behavior. The result is a solid-state, low-SWaP unit coupled with advanced software capabilities that delivers superior radar performance and unparalleled data integrity, radically improving system performance and enhancing safety for people and machines. With leading positions in counter-UAS, force protection, base security, and portable ISR, Defense Agencies and Suppliers rely on Echodyne radar for extraordinary accuracy and consistent, reliable operation. For more information, please visit: Echodyne.com.

 

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RADAR, EO/IR, C-UAS, NIGHT VISION AND SURVEILLANCE UPDATE

April 5, 2024 by

Sponsored by Echodyne

 

www.echodyne.com

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05 Apr 24. HENSOLDT Singapore enters into strategic collaboration with HTX to develop the Next-Generation Rapid Deployable CUAS System for Urban Security. HENSOLDT, a leading sensor solution provider, announces its collaboration with Singapore’s HTX (Home Team Science and Technology Agency), to drive the advancement of Rapid Deployable Counter UAV Systems (CUAS) for urban environment. This collaboration is a response to the ever-increasing threat posed by over-the-counter drones. Combining HENSOLDT Singapore’s specialized software expertise, system integration skills, and operational insights from HTX, the collaboration aims to deliver an integrated solution that meets the unique demands of an urban environment.

The Rapid Deployable CUAS system, a key outcome of this partnership, incorporates HENSOLDT’s Z:ASSESS software and state-of-the-art Multi-Sensors Data Fusion (MSDF). The system is built on an extremely modular and scalable concept, includes Surveillance Radar, EO/IR cameras, Jammer and allowing seamless integration of additional sensors to enhance its capabilities. This CUAS suite is designed to provide real-time threat detection and mapping, offering users a comprehensive view of identified threats overlaid on chosen zones.  The system is showcased for the first time at the HTX Pavilion at Milipol Asia-Pacific–TechX Summit 2024.

The collaboration illustrates the high level of cooperation between HENSOLDT Singapore and HTX. “This is only the beginning of such strategic partnerships between the HTX Singapore and HENSOLDT Singapore. We look forward to expanding this relationship in the near future”, says Ines Maiwald, Head of Business Development Asia at HENSOLDT.

“The collaboration aims to address the unique challenges presented by urban environments, providing an effective solution for CUAS in Singapore”, says Dr. Ben Soon, Senior Principal Engineer from HTX, who played a crucial role in architecting the system’s design.

HENSOLDT Singapore has previously demonstrated its expertise in drone defense through its CUAS system. This collaboration with HTX signifies a shared commitment to advancing security measures and responding proactively to evolving threats. The CUAS system is not only intended for permanent deployment but also for temporary protection during major events, showcasing its versatility and adaptability.

The collaboration also represents a significant step in addressing the complex security landscape associated with unmanned aerial systems in urban areas. This joint effort is poised to set new standards for CUAS technology, contributing to enhanced security and protection against emerging threats.

 

04 Apr 24. Vuzix Receives New Additional Orders from Two Aerospace Defense Firms to Further Develop Their Waveguide-based Display Solutions. Vuzix® Corporation (NASDAQ: VUZI), (“Vuzix” or, the “Company”), a leading supplier of smart glasses and Augmented Reality (AR) technology and products, announced it has received new additional orders from two aerospace and defense firms to further develop and deliver  waveguide-based display solutions in 2024.

The first, a new order from a global Tier-1 aerospace and defense firm, involves the development of new head mounted display (HMD) technology for military aircraft. The customized HMD waveguide and HD display engine development program with this customer has continued to expand and move toward eventual production. Vuzix has previously completed multiple stages of product development and refinement with this partner.

Vuzix has also received a new follow-on order for further development of a lightweight heads-up display (HUD) replacement for technologies previously supplied by a China-based company. This order was received from a US-based company that is a leader in technologically advanced and intelligent solutions for the global aerospace and defense industry. This customer is the incumbent supplier for several existing programs and has turned to Vuzix as a US-based manufacturer of waveguide and display technologies.

“We continue to design and further develop next generation waveguide-based display solutions for these large aerospace and defense players as they pursue multiple production opportunities,” said Paul Travers, President and CEO of Vuzix. “As the only US-based manufacturer of waveguides, we look forward to announcing further developments with the many defense firms with which we are already engaged.”

About Vuzix Corporation

Vuzix is a leading designer, manufacturer and marketer of Smart Glasses and Augmented Reality (AR) technologies and products for the enterprise, medical, defense and consumer markets. The Company’s products include head-mounted smart personal display and wearable computing devices that offer users a portable high-quality viewing experience, provide solutions for mobility, wearable displays and augmented reality, as well OEM waveguide optical components and display engines. Vuzix holds more than 350 patents and patents pending and numerous IP licenses in the fields of optics, head-mounted displays, and augmented reality Video Eyewear field. Moviynt, an SAP Certified ERP SaaS logistics solution provider, is a Vuzix wholly owned subsidiary. The Company has won Consumer Electronics Show (or CES) awards for innovation for the years 2005 to 2024 and several wireless technology innovation awards among others. Founded in 1997, Vuzix is a public company (NASDAQ: VUZI) with offices in: Rochester, NY; Munich, Germany; and Kyoto and Tokyo, Japan.  (Source: PR Newswire)

 

04 Apr 24. Edge Group and Indra form JV to target non-Nato, non-EU radar sales. The collaboration is expected to enhance the companies’ capabilities in delivering advanced radar systems for air, land, and sea applications.

Edge Group and Spain’s Indra Sistemas announced on 4 March, 2024, the establishment of a new joint venture (JV) based in Abu Dhabi.

The partnership, signed by EDGE’s Managing Director & CEO, Hamad Al Marar, and Indra’s CEO, Jose Vicente de los Mozos, in Madrid, focuses on developing and manufacturing next-generation radar systems.

The collaboration is expected to enhance the companies’ capabilities in delivering advanced radar systems for air, land, and sea applications.

The partnership intends to leverage the Edge’s commercial position and Indra’s technological capabilities to for research and design and expand market presence purposes, particularly in untapped non-Nato areas outside the European Union.

It also aims to contribute to the technological advancement and economic growth of both the UAE and Spain, by building a skilled team in the UAE, leveraging local and global talent in sales and engineering roles.

The joint venture will focus on the development of new technologies and global market expansion, transferring technology and shifting some of Indra’s engineering, commercial, and manufacturing capabilities to the new entity.

Indra’s involvement is projected to fast-track the technological and commercial progression of its radar business to meet its strategic plan objectives for growth in international markets.

Officials from both companies expressed optimism about the joint venture’s potential to become a leading force in the radar technology sector.

H.E. Faisal Al Bannai, chairman of Edge Group, said: “Our new joint venture with Indra, as a global market leader in the field of advanced radar technologies, will enable us to combine the strengths of both companies to create an entity which will become a major industry-player in this sector.”

Marc Murtra, chairman of Indra, said: “This agreement between the two companies can create one of the world’s leading players in the field of radar technology and is a step forward in Indra’s international expansion strategy.

“With strategic initiatives such as this, we are making decisive steps in key vectors of our Strategic vision 2024-2026: technological leadership, international growth and partnerships building,” continued Murtra. (Source: army-technology.com)

 

02 Apr 24. Russian Drone Protection. A Russian military manual provides useful details on how Russian land forces counter uninhabited aerial vehicles at the tactical level.

As Armada highlighted in a recent article we have obtained a Russian language manual discussing the use of first person view Uninhabited Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) by Russian land forces. The manual was published earlier this year. The previous article highlighted some of the electromagnetic characteristics of these aircraft. This discussion will detail the tactical Counter UAV systems (CUAV) that Russia’s land forces deploy which are also detailed in the manual.

Details already exist in the public domain regarding several Russian CUAV systems which tend to be deployed from the tactical edge to distances of circa four kilometres (2.5 miles) behind the frontline. For example, the Aviaconversia system primarily targets Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) signals. Used point target defence, Aviaconversia has some utility against UAVs relying on GNSS Position, Navigation and Timing (PNT) signals. The system can use either omnidirectional antennas or a directional Yagi antenna and emits four watts/W of power. It jams PNT signals transmitted by the US Global Positioning System and China’s Beidou constellations across wavebands of 1.1 gigahertz/GHz to 1.6GHz. Additional GNSS jamming is provided by the Barrier R1N which is designed for point target protection. Covering wavebands of 1.125MHz to 1.675MHz, Barrier R1N provides up to ten watts of output power using two antennas each of which cover a 180-degree radius.

Joining Aviaconversia is the Silok-2 which attacks RF links between the aircraft and its pilot on frequencies of 2.4GHz and 5.8GHz. These are the standard frequencies providing the pilot-aircraft RF (Radio Frequency) control link for civilian-standard drones. Silok-2 uses several antennas to give 360-degree coverage while four directional antennas can augment the system for directional jamming.

From a doctrinal perspective, Russian land forces tactical CUAV deployment focuses on static systems to protect point targets and mobile equipment. Latter capabilities include vehicle-mounted equipment and individual rifle-style anti-drone guns. Presumably, the latter are used to either plug gaps in existing CUAV coverage at the tactical edge and/or accompany land forces to provide tactical protection during manoeuvre. For example, the Pishal CUAV apparatus which has a rifle-style configuration and open sources claim it has a range of up to two kilometres/km (1.2 miles). Pishal can attack the RF links the UAV depends on across frequencies of 600MHz to six gigahertz.

Static Systems

Static systems are used for UAV detection and tracking, and the point defence of specific targets. SkyPoint-2 detects both the aircraft and operator via their RF emissions. It can detect a UAV at a range of 1.5km (one mile) and covers frequencies of 2.4GHz, 5.2GHz and 5.8GHz. Directional jamming is provided by the Argus-5000 which targets frequencies of 433MHz, 900MHz, 1.5GHz, 2.4GHz, 5.2GHz and 5.8GHz. An optional additional bandwidth of 1.2GHz can be provided. Argus-5000 gives seven jamming channels each of which produces between 20W and 50W of power.

Other systems designed for static deployment include the SkyHunter-4M/P, the latter of which is designed for use in harsh climates. SkyHunter-4M/P detects UAVs using control frequencies of 400MHz to 512MHz, 860MHz to 873MHz, 902MHz to 928MHz, 1.070 gigahertz/GHz to 1,370GHz, 2.265GHz to 2.615GHz, 5.150GHz to 5.350GHz and 5.725GHz to 5.875GHz. Jamming signals are transmitted by the system across wavebands of 430MHz to 450MHz, 860MHz to 873MHz, 902MHz to 928MHz, 1.575GHz to 1.602GHz, 2.4GHz to 2.484GHz, 5.150GHz to 5.350GHz, 5.725GHz to 5.875GHz.

The Barrier R1N CUAV system covers a 180-degree radius and provides up to ten watts of output power. It is primarily deployed to provide point defence for static targets. The SkyHunter-4M/P is available in two variants with the SkyHunter-4P optimised for use in harsh climates. Both systems detect and jam UAV RF links across wavebands from 400MHz up to 5.875GHz.

Groza and Lesochek

Larger tactical CUAV systems employed by Russian land forces include the Groza-S mobile equipment which is usually mounted onboard light armoured vehicles to improve mobility. Groza-S detects and suppresses CUAV frequencies across wavebands of 100MHz up to six gigahertz. Along with being deployed to Ukraine, open sources say Groza-S has deployed to Syria and Libya. In Syria, the system helps protect Russian forces supporting the regime of local dictator Bashir al Assad. Groza-S systems have also been supplied to Libyan warlord Khalifa Haftar.

Other dedicated military systems include the RP-333P variant of the RP-377 Lesochek portable electronic countermeasure. The latter was developed as a jammer to be used against radio-activated improvised explosive devices. It entered service with the Russian military in 2012. Details on the frequencies used by the RP-333P are spare but it is thought to cover a 30MHz to six gigahertz waveband. The RP-333P equips vehicles, has a backpack configuration and can be used statically. Russian land forces also use the Repellent-1 CUAV apparatus, the performance of which has been subject to scrutiny.

The breadth of Russian tactical CUAV systems reflects Russian land forces Electronic Warfare (EW) doctrines which heavily emphasise the exploitation of EW for electronic protection. Static CUAV systems help provide an electromagnetically sanitised area in which the manoeuvre force can operate. As matters stand in Ukraine at present, this suits Russia’s operational posture. Frontlines remain largely fixed with both sides struggling to make significant operational headway. The challenge for Russian land forces will be if the war assumes a significantly more mobile dimension. Such an operational and tactical change will test the provision of on-the-move CUAV protection. (Source: Armada)

 

03 Apr 24. F126 Milestone – Successful FAT for German Navy Radar Training Simulator.

  • RADAR training simulator destined for delivery to the Federal German Navy’s (FGN) Marinetechnik Schule (MTS)
  • Part of a comprehensive Integrated Bridge Management System (IBMS) for the F126 frigate program
  • Factory Acceptance Test (FAT) was conducted in conjunction with the Damen Naval team
  • F126 is one of four OSI programs for the German Navy

OSI Maritime Systems is pleased to announce the successful completion of the FAT for the Radar training simulator to be installed at the Marinetechnik Schule (Naval Engineering School).

Through Damen Naval, OSI is providing a comprehensive navigation suite for the German Navy F126 program. The delivery consists of Integrated Bridge Management Systems (IBMS) for the 4 frigates and the various land-based test and training sites, all powered by ECPINS, OSI’s leading WECDIS solution.

Over three days, the FAT involved the Damen and OSI teams working together to audit the system testing at OSI’s Canadian production labs.

Ken Kirkpatrick, President and CEO, OSI, emphasized the significance of the FAT within the project cycle, “The FAT serves as a crucial milestone, providing definitive proof of concept before the system leaves OSI’s production labs.” He further added, “The collaborative efforts of OSI, Damen, and Thales have culminated in over a year of engineering, laying the foundation for the F126 Integrated Bridge Management System.”

As an integral component of this initiative, OSI’s IBMS will be integrated with the Thales TACTICOS Combat Management System, providing the Position Navigation and Time (PNT) for all F126 systems and networks.

The F126 frigate IBMS program, alongside the K130 and RadEA navigation suite upgrade projects and the high-speed tactical navigation suites for the F126 Einsatzboote (small craft), form four major FGN programs OSI is currently delivering for. Leveraging ECPINS’ commonality, scalability, and navigation performance, the vast majority of the German Navy fleet will be equipped with OSI’s IBMS and ECPINS solutions in the upcoming years.

Jon Nicholson, Vice President of Systems Delivery, OSI, emphasized the collaborative nature of the F126 project, stating, “The successful FAT highlights the strong relationship between OSI and Damen and the underlying F126 IBMS delivery demonstrates the shared commitment — it’s truly ‘Unser gemeinsames Ziel’ (Our common goal).” (Source: ASD Network)

 

04 Apr 24. The KME team decided to use the much-awaited Future Soldier Technology Conference in Central London to officially launch the next generation of battlefield illumination technology – Introducing our Remote Operated Infra-Red Tactical Markers.

Designed to both mimic and enhance the form and function of traditional chemical glowsticks, but adding greatly increased capability with the integration of cutting-edge (IR) Led technology, these devices offer unparalleled versatility and reliability for various applications in the land, sea and air domains.

Key Features:

1.Innovative Design: Available in both traditional glowstick and “puck” formats offering choice to the user on which will best support their operation, both being sleek, compact, easily deployable and user friendly in operation, for use in any environment. Utilising current in service battery options and optimising the power consumption of both controller and device the system can be used operationally for prolonged periods without the need for battery resupply.

  1. Remote Control: Command up to three ROIR products wirelessly using an intelligent methodology of encrypted secure command signal with a range of up to 200m in an urban environment.
  2. Easy Sychronisation: Each device can be easily synchronised and desynchronised with the controller unit allowing for swift re-tasking and cross use operations.
  3. Durable Construction: All RIOR products are built to withstand extreme conditions, with an operating range of -40°C to +60°C and an IP68 Rating for water and dust resistance.
  4. Multi-Domain Deployment: Suitable for use in the most extreme operational environments on land, at sea and in the air, including dive-able and parachute-compatible designs ensuring complete versatility.
  5. Horizon Scan / Future Capabilities: Future enhancements may include the ability to command RIOR devices from a mobile app, the introduction of further IR equipped illumination devices (Assault Lights / Landing Lights / Beacons) and integration with proximity sensors to further enhance the capability to the end user.

 

04 Apr 24. Bayraktar TB3 Flies with ASELFLIR-500 Electro-Optical System.

The testing process of the Bayraktar TB3 Armed Unmanned Aerial Vehicle, which Baykar developed indigenously and originally, continues successfully. The indigenous UAV successfully completed its 25th flight test with the ASELFLIR-500

INDIGENOUS UAV, INDIGENOUS CAMERA

The Bayraktar TB3 UAV flew for the first time with the ASELFLIR-500, developed indigenously by Aselsan, during the Medium Altitude System Identification and Performance Test conducted at the AKINCI Flight Training and Test Center in Çorlu, Tekirdağ.

During the test, the integration of the ASELFLIR-500 Electro-Optical Reconnaissance, Surveillance and Targeting System, which outperforms its global counterparts, was successfully completed. The Bayraktar AKINCI UAV, conducting training flights during the test, was tracked by ASELFLIR-500.

BAYRAKTAR TB3 PT-2 IN THE SKY

The second prototype (PT-2) of the Bayraktar TB3 Armed Unmanned Aerial Vehicle, conducted at the AKINCI Flight Training and Test Center in Çorlu-Tekirdağ, successfully completed its first flight test last week and united with the sky.

SUCCESSFULLY COMPLETED TESTS

The Bayraktar TB3 UAV has successfully conducted 25 flight tests to date. Having completed a total of 196 hours of flight during test flights, the Bayraktar TB3 has successfully passed the High-Altitude System Performance Tests many times by flying above 30,000 feet altitude. The Bayraktar TB3 UAV, which has successfully completed tests measuring system and endurance performance, is powered by TEI’s indigenous PD-170 engine.

FIRST TAKEOFF FROM TCG ANADOLU IN 2024

The Bayraktar TB3 UAV will be the world’s first armed unmanned aerial vehicle capable of taking off from- and landing on short-runway vessels like TCG Anadolu with its foldable wing structure. Selçuk Bayraktar, Baykar’s Chairman and Chief Technology Officer, announced that they plan to start tests with TCG Anadolu for Bayraktar TB3 within 2024.

The capabilities that Bayraktar TB3 will possess will be an important innovation for unmanned aerial vehicles in this class. With beyond-line-of-sight communication capability, the indigenous UAV will be controllable from very long distances. Thus, with reconnaissance-surveillance, intelligence, and the attack missions it carries out against overseas targets with its smart munitions, it will have a multiplier effect on Türkiye’s deterrent power.

EXPORT CHAMPION

Baykar, which has self-financed all its projects since its establishment, obtained 83% of its total revenue from exports since the beginning of the UAV R&D process in 2003. According to the Turkish Exporters Assembly’s (TIM) 2021 and 2022 data, Baykar became the top exporter in the defense and aerospace sector.

The Defense Industry Agency announced that Baykar was the top exporter within the sector in 2023 with $1.8 bn. Baykar, which generated more than 90% of its revenue from exports in recent years, single-handedly accounted for one third of the defense and aerospace sector’s exports in 2023. Export agreements have been signed with a total of 34 countries –including 33 countries for the Bayraktar TB2 UAV and 9 countries for the Bayraktar AKINCI UCAV. (Source: UAS VISION)

 

03 Apr 24. X-FAB Enhances Image Sensor Performance Through Back-Side Illumination. Presenting a foundry route to medical, automotive and industrial customers that combines boosted sensitivity, larger pixel size and more extensive sensor area.

X-FAB Silicon Foundries SE, the leading analog/mixed-signal and specialty foundry, has just announced a major addition to its optical sensor offering. Aimed at use in next generation image sensor fabrication, the company is now able to provide a back-side illumination (BSI) capability in relation to its popular XS018 180nm CMOS semiconductor process.

Through BSI, imaging devices’ performance characteristics can be significantly enhanced. It means that the back-end process metal layers do not block the incident light from reaching the pixels, increasing fill factors by up to 100%. This is highly beneficial in situations of low-level illumination – as higher pixel light sensitivity can be achieved. BSI also offers the added advantage of significantly reducing the crosstalk between neighboring pixels, due to shorter light paths, leading to better image quality. Though small-pixel BSI solutions for 300mm wafers with high-volume consumer usage are commonplace, there are very few options available for image sensors with stitched large-pixel arrangements for 200mm wafers, especially when additional customizations are required. The new X-FAB BSI capability brings new possibilities, allowing customers with even the most demanding application expectations to be served – such as those involved in X-Ray diagnostic equipment, industrial automation systems, astronomical research, robotic navigation, vehicle front cameras, etc.

Leveraging the XS018 platform, which offers high readout speeds and exhibits low dark currents, image sensors with multiple epi options will be produced. An ARC layer can be added and then tuned in accordance with particular customer requirements. The accompanying X-FAB support package covers a full workflow from initial design through to the shipment of engineering samples, with a comprehensive PDK included.

“BSI technology has become increasingly prevalent in modern imaging devices, thanks to its ability to boost image quality by placing light-sensitive elements closer to the light source and avoiding unwanted circuitry obstructions. This is proving very useful in environments where light is limited,” states Heming Wei, Technical Marketing Manager for Optical Sensors at X-FAB. “Though much of this uptake has been within the consumer electronics sector, there are now numerous opportunities emerging in the industrial, automotive and medical markets. Via access to X-FAB’s BSI foundry solution, it will now be possible for these to be properly attended to, with a compelling offering being provided that brings together heightened sensitivity, enlarged image sensor dimensions and bigger pixel capacities too.”

 

28 Mar 24. AFRL Rome to receive funding for C-UAS high-speed imaging technology research. US Congresswoman Elise Stefanik has announced that she has secured over USD415 m in funding for the Air Force Research Lab in Rome (AFRL Rome), New York, in Fiscal Year 2024. AFRL Rome works in the fields of surveillance, reconnaissance, quantum information science and intelligence. Through the Further Consolidated Appropriations Act, Congresswoman Stefanik delivered several congressional funding increases for AFRL Rome, including USD2 m for counter-unmanned aerial systems (C-UAS) high-speed imaging technology. AFRL scientists and engineers have already developed a suite of C-UAS technologies, designed to detect and defeat drones without interfering with military and civilian systems. In addition, the funding includes USD10 m for UAS traffic management and advanced air mobility enhancements. For more information:www.afrl.af.mil (Source: www.unmannedairspace.info)

 

29 Mar 24. CILAS to provide lasers to Paris Olympics and Paralympics C-UAS programme. Laser specialist CILAS will supply two high-energy lasers to the French army to help secure the skies above the 2024 Paris Olympic and Paralympic Games. The company will also provide operational training for its HELMA-P lasers as part of the contract.

The HELMA-P system is capable of detecting, identifying, tracking and neutralising drones and other targets. It can operate in urban areas and has a range of one to seven kilometres.

The announcement follows a test exercise by the French Air and Space Force for the Parade anti-drone programme in Coubertin earlier in March. The Parade contract was awarded in 2022 to Thales and CS Group who lead a consortium of small and medium sized French companies.

In addition to the Helma-P lasers, the complete anti-drone system includes a drone interceptor and a jamming rifle.

For more information: www.cilas.com (Source: www.unmannedairspace.info)

 

02 Apr 24. Cuashub.com said today that Elbit Unveils 3rd Generation Anti-Drone System. Last week, Elbit Systems Ltd., an Israeli defense electronics company, showcased its latest iteration of the ReDrone anti-drone system, marking the third generation of its advanced version. Over recent years, the escalation in drone-related threats has spurred an increased demand for solutions addressing this issue, with particular interest in Elbit’s advancements in this field. ReDrone integrates a suite of systems designed to detect and counter threats effectively. These systems encompass the Actively Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) DAiR 3D multi-mission radar, boasting advanced capabilities, sensors for detecting communications signals, and the COAPS-L advanced electro-optics systems. Collectively, these components yield a comprehensive aerial overview and enable sophisticated electronic attack capabilities, all seamlessly orchestrated through a unified command and control application. ReDrone can detect and identify multiple targets concurrently within secured areas. Furthermore, it can track and neutralize hostile drones, regardless of environmental factors such as day or night, urban or open terrain, and varying weather conditions. Its versatility extends to a spectrum of defense tasks, including safeguarding airports, military installations, and strategic sites, securing borders and convoys, and protecting forces deployed on the battlefield. https://cuashub.com/content/elbit-unveils-3rd-generation-anti-drone-system/?_hsmi=300823108&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-_gtGnHa_44CetfxdVqC5HKcHkJrgWliZYh05riJi2lawgPXM37GjJLbWnocrRr_r3UeFsBSzmKDiQq9pYy87l06dmg2eWaAcnvS9Dh2yifUdP699c#utm_campaign=C-UAS%20Hub%20General&utm_medium=email&utm_content=300823108&utm_source=hs_email (Source: https://cuashub.com/)

 

29 Mar 24. US Defence Budget signed into law – C-UAS spending rises across the services. President Joe Biden has signed into law six fiscal 2024 spending bills, including one containing USD824.5bn for the Defense Department, according to the National Guard Association (NGA). According to the US Senate Committee on Appropriations, the bill fully funds the budget request for counter-small UAS and provides more than USD177 m above the budget request, including for Counter Uncrewed Aerial Systems (CUAS) Group 3 Defeat Acceleration, 5G-enabled drones, and high energy laser atmospheric study and prototype systems.

“Congress technically missed a deadline of midnight Friday to send the appropriations package to the White House, but still averted a partial shutdown of the federal government,” said the NGA. “The Pentagon can now launch the initiatives and procure the key weapons systems it had planned for this year.”

The US Army’s 2025 budget request includes USD13.5m for hand-held C-UAS devices to equip a division and USD54.2 m for backpack-size jammers, according to press reports. Other C-UAS items on the budget include:

  • USD117.4m total for C-UAS equipment for the US Army
  • USD3.8m for directed energy systems for the US Navy
  • USD369m for ground based air defence
  • USD110m for Iron Dome air defence systems for the US Air Force.

For more information

https://comptroller.defense.gov/Portals/45/Documents/defbudget/FY2025/FY2025_p1.pdf

https://www.appropriations.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/fy24_defense_bill_summary.pdf

https://www.ngaus.org/newsroom/dod-finally-has-fiscal-2024-spending-plan

(Source: www.unmannedairspace.info)

 

02 Apr 24. Vampire at sea: L3Harris eyes maritime version of counter-drone system. L3Harris Technologies is eyeing a maritime mission for its mobile counter-drone system, with the company doing early design work to create a Vampire payload that could be mountedon an unmanned surface vessel.

In early 2023, L3Harris announced it had received $40 m from the Pentagon to build 14 truck-mounted Vampire sets — or Vehicle Agnostic Modular Palletized ISR Rocket Equipment — to send to Ukraine. Each kit includes a WESCAM MX-10 RSTA targeting sensor and an Advanced Precision Kill Weapons System rocket and launcher.

Several media outlets reported in February that Ukrainian forces shot down a Russian Shahed drone with the Vampire counter-unmanned aerial system weapon.

Jon Rambeau, the president of L3Harris’ Integrated Mission Systems, told Defense News in a March interview that he had received user feedback that the system had been successful in taking out the Russian drones that have most troubled Ukrainian forces.

The company is now looking at, first, “can more of that capability be provided in Ukraine for that c-UAS mission,” he said, particularly in light of the “single-digit millions of dollars” cost per Vampire unit.

And second, he said, “how could you take a Vampire kit and put it on a small unmanned surface vessel and deploy that in the ocean as part of layered approach to defending shipping and military ships?”

The U.S. Navy and other global forces are struggling to keep the Red Sea region safe amid ongoing attacks by Houthi forces in Yemen. The Houthis have shot cruise missiles, ballistic missiles and drones at targets at sea and ashore, leaving naval forces to determine which ones to let fly harmlessly into the sea, which ones to engage with expensive defensive missiles, and which to try to take out using cheaper guns.

Leaders have lamented not yet having laser weapons onboard ships, which could address some of this cost challenge.

Rambeau did not specifically address which customer might use this maritime Vampire or in which geographic area. Both the Houthis in the Red Sea and the Russians in Ukraine are using the same Iran-made attack drones, meaning Vampire would be applicable in both settings.

Asked about ongoing discussions with a customer to pursue a maritime Vampire payload, Rambeau said, “it’s more conceptually, could you do this? Yes we could. Could you do some preliminary design work? Yes we can. So we’ve done some of that, and now there’s discussion [on] how fast could we field that and what would that look like, what would it cost, when could we get them.”

Whereas the original Vampire system was mounted on and launched from the back of a pickup truck, putting the same rocket launcher on a small unmanned surface vessel is a bit more challenging.

“Making sure that the vessel as sufficient stability to withstand the thrust of the rocket as it leaves the launcher; making sure that the vector of the exhaust from the rocket isn’t damaging part of the vessel itself — so just some of the configuration, orientation, stability” issues to work through, Rambeau said. “But we think all of those things are manageable.”

Even as it mulls the maritime application, L3Harris will continue improving its Vampire system. Rambeau said the user feedback from Ukraine showed the need for greater training upfront, as well as improving the sensor suite.

He noted the original goal was to get a basic product out rapidly and cheaply, with L3Harris always intending to upgrade to better sensors that allow operators to see farther out and better detect and track potential drone threats. (Source: C4ISR & Networks)

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RADAR, EO/IR, C-UAS, NIGHT VISION AND SURVEILLANCE UPDATE

March 28, 2024 by

Sponsored by Echodyne

 

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28 Mar 24. UK looking for electro-magnetic counter-drone tech for troops. The Ministry of Defence (MOD) has published a tender notice for the procurement of Counter-Uncrewed Air Systems (C-uAS), with a specific focus on “Electro-Magnetic DETECT and/or DEFEAT (EMDaD) capabilities and associated equipment”.

This initiative, led by the ‘Dismounted Close Combat (DCC) Team’, is aimed at enhancing the defensive capabilities of the Dismounted Close Combat Soldier through the introduction of advanced military electronic systems designed to counter drone threats.

The tender outlines a Framework Agreement contract expected to extend over a “seven-year period”, with an estimated value of up to “£38.75 million, excluding VAT”. This contract is poised to include multiple products from a variety of suppliers.

Published on 27 March 2024, the tender specifies a project delivery timeline from “31 July 2024 to 31 July 2031″, with a submission deadline for interested parties set at “17:00 on 15 May 2024″.

The tender document states that “an e-auction will not be utilised for this procurement, and potential suppliers’ personal situations may influence their eligibility”. After the award of the Framework Agreement, the MOD plans to “obtain technical data on proposed products, which will then be subject to rigorous trials and assessments either by the authority itself or a designated third party”.

Furthermore, the MOD intends to award a service contract to a single UK-based supplier for the trial and assessment of all equipment procured under the framework. This contract, pursued separately, is aimed at consolidating the evaluation process, ensuring a thorough assessment of the equipment’s efficacy.

The tender also highlights that the “cyber risk level associated with this project has been assessed as Very Low”, ensuring potential suppliers are aware of the security expectations and requirements.

Interested suppliers are urged to “register their interest and obtain full details of the procurement exercise” via the MOD’s e-Tendering system, underlining the MOD’s commitment to transparency and inclusivity in its procurement processes.

(Source: UKDJ)

 

28 Mar 24. New Estonian night vision devices to help against “significantly” larger enemy.

Estonia has ordered thousands of Argus FS MK2 night vision devices. (Photo: Estonian Centre for Defence Investments)

Argus is a family of Mil-Spec I2 multipurpose monocular systems that can be operated handheld or head-, helmet- or weapon-mounted.

The Estonian Defence Forces has begun to receive Theon Sensors’ Argus (Fail Safe) FS MK2 night vision devices in an effort to provide a tactical advantage against what is described as “an enemy [which] significantly outnumbers” Estonian forces.

The Argus systems, manufactured by the Greek company which was selected from among 16 bidders, were delivered to the forces by the Estonian Centre for Defence Investments (ECDI).

Lt Col Riho Juurik, head of the logistics department at the headquarters of Estonian Defence Forces, said: “Considering our enemy is known to significantly outnumber us, we must seek our advantage in other areas, such as superior training, higher situational awareness, and, of course, a technological edge.”

The system was described in a statement announcing the start of deliveries as “a significant progression in conducting operations under limited lighting”.

“Its reduced weight and improved night vision capabilities are qualities our national defenders will certainly welcome.” the statement continued.

The devices will equip approximately 10,000 soldiers.

Shephard Defence Insight noted there were two versions available: Argus LW (Light Weight) and Argus FS (Fail Safe with 100% shut off mechanism). The systems have have 4+2° of adjustment and both versions are offered with or without manual gain control.

Head and helmet mounts support ambidextrous operation and feature a quick-release dovetail mechanism, collimated LoS, randomly bridged to dual binocular configuration and optional long-range laser illuminator.

(Source: Shephard)

 

29 Mar 24. USN Delivers 1st P-8A Poseidon Aircraft for Increment 3 Block 2 Modifications. The U.S. Navy delivered the first P-8A Poseidon aircraft to be modified with Increment 3 Block 2 capabilities to Boeing on March 27, enabling the fleet to be outfitted with the full anti-submarine warfare (ASW), anti-surface warfare (ASuW), and intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) capabilities outlined in the P-8A program’s evolutionary acquisition strategy.

The P-8A is the Department of Defense’s only long-range full-spectrum ASW, cue-to-kill platform, with substantial armed ASuW and networked ISR capabilities.  Increment 3 Block 2 provides a significant upgrade to the P-8A airframe and avionics systems, and includes new airframe racks, radomes, antennas, sensors, and wiring. The modification incorporates a new combat systems suite with an improved computer processing and higher security architecture capability, a wide band satellite communication system, an ASW signals intelligence capability, a track management system, and additional communications and acoustics systems to enhance search, detection and targeting capabilities.

“Increment 3 Block 2 brings the capability that the P-8A was made for. These modifications will allow aircrews to search, locate and track the most advanced submarines in the world, enabling the fleet to pace the threat with the required capability and capacity to win the fight,” said Capt. Erik Thomas, program manager for the Maritime Patrol and Reconnaissance Aircraft program office, PMA-290. “This delivery demonstrates the PMA-290 team’s outstanding work ethic, professionalism and dedication to the fleet.”

Increment 3 Block 2 related modifications will begin at Boeing’s Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul hangar at Cecil Airport in Jacksonville, Florida. The first fleet aircraft modification is expected to be complete in January 2025.

“P-8A Increment 3 is the next step in the spiral evolution of Poseidon. By design, and through the efforts of NAVAIR and industry teaming, Increment 3 Block 2 represents the baseline configuration the Navy needs to address tomorrow’s high-end threat,” said Rear Adm. Adam Kijek, Commander, Patrol and Reconnaissance Group/Patrol and Reconnaissance Group Pacific.

In response to evolving threats around the world, future P-8A modifications will be implemented via a sequence of rapid capability insertion efforts that build upon this new Increment 3 Block 2 baseline.

As of March 2024, U.S. Navy fleet squadrons have taken delivery of 119 P-8A aircraft. P-8A active duty and reserve squadron transition training is complete for all 14 fleet squadrons and one fleet replacement squadron.  In addition, the P-8A fleet has flown for more than 503,783 flight hours and recorded more than 440,558 landings.

PMA-290 manages the acquisition, development, support and delivery of the U.S. Navy’s maritime patrol and reconnaissance. (Source: ASD Network)

 

27 Mar 24. Aselsan’s AESA radar makes maiden flight. Aselsan revealed on 16 March that its domestically developed active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar made its maiden flight onboard a Turkish Air Force Lockheed Martin F-16 Fighting Falcon combat aircraft.

The test was performed on 15 February aboard a test aircraft that also featured a mission computer developed by Aselsan.

The radar was designed with gallium nitride (GaN)-based chip technology, and has capabilities such as automatic target recognition, multiple target tracking, terrain mapping, distance measurement, automatic altitude determination, under-cloud surveillance with synthetic aperture radar, automatic target classification with artificial intelligence-supported algorithms, wideband radar spectrum monitoring, directional electronic jamming, and more effective guidance for air-launched munitions. Technical specifications of the radar were not disclosed.

Aselsan general manager Ahmet Akyol announced that the radar will operate in manned platforms F-16 Özgür, Hürjet, Kaan, as well as the Akıncı, Kızılelma, and Anka-3 unmanned platforms.

For more information on Turkey’s domestically developed AESA radar, please seeTurkish Air Force receives modernised F-16 aircraft.

(Source: Janes)

 

28 Mar 24. Hensoldt developing new Bushbaby 200 surveillance system. Fresh after launching its Bushbaby 100 electro-optical surveillance system at the World Defence Show in Saudi Arabia last month, Hensoldt South Africa is finishing development of its new Bushbaby 200.

The Bushbaby series has designed to be cost effective and modular, able to accept a range of day and thermal cameras as well as a laser rangefinder. Hensoldt is looking at adding a laser designation capability in the future.

The original Bushbaby was launched in 2020 as a land-based long-range imaging system for persistent surveillance, allowing the operator to identify and track intrusions, smugglers, terrorists, drones or any other conventional or asymmetric threat.

During the World Defence Show in February, Hensoldt South Africa launched the Bushbaby 100, with medium-range multi-sensor surveillance capabilities for a wide range of defence, security and civil applications.

The Bushbaby 100 is a compact, rugged and medium-range multi-sensor system for stabilised surveillance and target geo-location, according to Hensoldt. It was designed to be lightweight, versatile, able to be used from man-portable tripod setups to mobile deployments and static installations. Low price is a key selling point.

Designed for agile day and night observation applications, the Bushbaby 100 system offers a field-swappable sensor-module for various applications. In standard configuration it provides a clear video feed from a 4K electro-optical (EO) sensor along with a compact medium wavelength infrared (MWIR) MWIR sensor and optional laser rangefinder. A gyrostabilised 2-axis system keeps the Bushbaby 100 steady.

The latest Bushbaby 200 is a long-range version and features a Kenis thermal imager-based electro-optical system borrowed from the Argos aerial gimbal range.

Hensoldt Optronics’ Leon Potgieter told defenceWeb the Bushbaby 200 is ideal for long range land surveillance, such as of borders or coastlines. The system is able to geolocate objects and record object date and imagery.

The Bushbaby 200 was displayed for the first time at a military attaché demonstration day held by SVI Engineering at its Pretoria East facilities on 13 March. Fitted to a temporary tripod, the Bushbaby 200 was displayed alongside Hensoldt South Africa’s Bushbaby 100, which was fitted to an SVI Max 3 armoured vehicle.

Both sensors can be added to vehicles or fixed observations sites. The Bushbaby 100 is man portable at 10 kg but the Bushbaby 200 is more ideal mounted for stability at long range and 38 kg weight.

The Bushbaby is non-ITAR, like the majority of Hensoldt South Africa’s products. The system’s modular design allows easy customisation and upgrades with additional sensors, with envisioned integration with radar, AI, RF and signals intelligence.

It complements the company’s other surveillance capabilities, including radar and electro-optical sensors. Hensoldt South Africa’s combined radar and electro-optical surveillance system is, for example, protecting nearly two thousand rhinos in the world’s largest rhino conservancy.

One of Hensoldt’s key portfolio areas is border security solutions, with Hensoldt South Africa having the vision to be the main turnkey solution provider for border authorities. (Source: https://www.defenceweb.co.za/)

28 Mar 24. Elbit Demonstrates its ReDrone C-UAS Systems in Eastern Israel. Israeli defense company Elbit Systems recently unveiled the formidable capabilities of its ReDrone Modular, Multi-Mission, Multi-Sensor Counter Unmanned Aerial Systems (C-UAS) Solution. This cutting-edge system is designed to detect, identify, track, and neutralize drone threats effectively.

The demonstration, held in Eastern Israel, showcased the system’s prowess against various types of drones, including multi-rotor and fixed-wing UAVs. The ReDrone boasts a multi-layered defense mechanism, incorporating both soft-kill measures such as Jamming/Take-over and hard-kill measures like projectiles and missiles. This comprehensive approach ensures robust protection against UAS threats in diverse environments.

Officials from Elbit Systems highlighted the system’s versatility, emphasizing its ability to be deployed in mobile, portable, transportable, vehicular, or fixed configurations. This adaptability allows for seamless integration into a wide range of settings, including airports, ports, prisons, government facilities, borders, and military bases.

A key feature of the ReDrone is its SIGINT Passive RF Detection and DF subsystem, which utilizes fast wideband SDR receivers and DF antenna arrays to detect drones within an impressive range of up to 8 km with 360° coverage. This capability enables the system to identify and classify detected drones based on their transmission protocols, including popular ones like DJI Lightbridge and DJI OcuSync.

Elbit Systems has developed a proprietary Smart Machine algorithm that can identify unknown drone RF transmissions, enhancing the system’s effectiveness against evolving threats. The system’s RF Jamming subsystem employs a combination of wideband SDR units and high-power amplifiers to neutralize communication between the drone and its operator, as well as its navigation system (GNSS). This capability disrupts hostile drones’ ability to carry out their missions effectively.

The ReDrone’s radar, operating in the X-Band (9-10 GHz), utilizes advanced Software Defined AESA technology equipped with Artificial Intelligence capabilities. This radar system can detect, identify, and track thousands of objects simultaneously, including agile, compact targets, with real-time performance. (Source: UAS VISION/Military Leak)

 

27 Mar 24. photonixFAB Consortium now open for first prototyping.

New customer engagement portal enables early technology access

Pushing ahead with the European Union (EU) funded photonixFAB initiative, the consortium partners have taken the first step on the path to industrialize the European silicon photonics value chain by providing early access to R&D and small-scale manufacturing through technology partners.

Announced in mid-2023, photonixFAB aims to elevate Europe’s global standing in silicon photonics by championing its exceptional value chain. The initiative draws together the continent’s most innovative enterprises within the photonics sector (each supplying their own specific proficiencies), along with highly respected research establishments.

The customer engagement portal will be pivotal in facilitating early engagement with clients as photonixFAB progresses – enabling initial technology evaluations and consultations to be conducted. It will provide users with a consolidated access point, so that they can explore the breadth of possibilities available. Consequently, early product development may begin while the various technologies/services encompassed by photonixFAB are being transferred to an industrial environment over the course of 2024 to 2026.

Those using the intuitive web-based platform will learn about the different capabilities offered by the respective members of the photonixFAB consortium. After deciding on which technologies/services are needed, they will then be directed to the relevant partners, so that dialogue with them can be initiated. As a result, work can commence sooner on developing the concept and creating prototypes, as well as moving to small volume fabrication.

Examples of the capabilities that customers can initiate will include prototyping in relation to SiN via LIGENTEC and SOI through imec, as well as for InP chiplets by working with SMART Photonics. There will also be the packaging expertise that PHIX Photonics Assembly offers for both SiN and SOI processes, plus early technology access for InP micro-transfer printing on SiN/SOI supplied directly by X-FAB and supported by SMART. PDKs based on Luceda’s EDA tool are available through the technology partners.

According to Youssouf Guerfi, Project Coordinator for photonixFAB (X-FAB): ”Substantial progress is already being witnessed on photonixFAB, with valuable contributions being made by all of the consortium members. The customer engagement portal is an important milestone in our ongoing journey with this initiative. Using the portal, customers will be able to find the correct partners and start carrying out the preliminary stages of their photonic projects, to be ready to benefit from full-scale production in the future.”

”We are seeing a great deal of interest in the European-based silicon photonics value chain that photonixFAB represents. This launch signifies that we are now open for business and projects can get underway, so no time is wasted. It means that we can accelerate engagement activity and customers can get ahead of the game,” adds Joni Mellin, Business Line Manager for Photonics at X-FAB.

Visit the photonixFAB customer engagement portal here: https://www.photonixfab.eu/technologies-services

 

26 Mar 24. Kopin Partners with BlueHalo for the Development of New Advanced Simulated Binoculars & Monoscope Products. Kopin Corporation (NASDAQ: KOPN) a leading provider of application-specific optical solutions and high-performance micro-displays for defense, enterprise, consumer, and medical products, today announced it has been awarded a contract from BlueHalo LLC (BlueHalo) for the design, development, and production of advanced simulated binoculars and monoscope products for use in their Advanced Stinger Trainer (AST) system. Both products will significantly increase performance over those currently available in similar systems and add to Kopin’s well-established line of Training & Simulation products.

BlueHalo’s next-generation AST – a fully immersive Man-Portable Air Defense System (MANPADS) – provides Stinger teams with operational and tactical training in various virtual environments against multiple air threats. Kopin’s products, which are driven by a computer image generator, will incorporate a positional/directional tracking sensor to provide a realistic simulation of the equivalent fielded products. They utilize Kopin’s high-performance high-resolution color organic light emitting diode (OLED) display to provide near eye-limiting resolution and will be coupled with Kopin’s custom viewing optics to provide outstanding visual performance.

This initial contract award provides for development and fielding in the first of what is expected to be upgrades of multiple training installations, supporting numerous armed forces over the next several years. BlueHalo has developed Stinger training facilities for the U.S. Army Air Defense School at Fort Sill, OK; the North Dakota Army National Guard in Grand Forks; and the U.S. Marine Corps at Camp Pendleton, CA and Cherry Point, NC. In December, the BlueHalo team was awarded a $30 m contract from the Netherlands Ministry of Defense Materiel and IT Command to develop and deliver an AST system at Lieutenant General Best Barracks in Vredepeel, Netherlands.

“Military training systems are experiencing a significant increase in demand as many of the world’s armed forces react to current world events, providing their personnel the opportunity to develop required operational skills through realistic virtual training while limiting costly and logistically complex live fire testing,” stated Bill Maffucci, the Kopin’s Senior Vice President of Business Development and Strategy. “These new simulated binoculars incorporate the very latest in Kopin’s display technology to facilitate highly realistic training for U.S. and NATO forces. We are pleased that Kopin is expanding our customer base with new partners like BlueHalo who has trusted Kopin with developing and producing these critical systems.”

About Kopin

Kopin Corporation is a leading developer and provider of innovative display and optical technologies sold as critical components and subassemblies for defense, industrial and consumer products. Kopin’s technology portfolio includes ultra-small Active-Matrix Liquid Crystal displays (AMLCD), Liquid Crystal on Silicon (LCOS) displays and Organic Light Emitting Diode (OLED) displays, a variety of optics, and low-power ASICs. For more information, please visit Kopin’s website at www.kopin.com.

About Blue Halo

BlueHalo is purpose-built to provide industry-leading capabilities in the domains of Space, C-UAS and Autonomous Systems, Cyber, and AI/ML. BlueHalo focuses on inspired engineering to develop, transition, and field next-generation capabilities to solve the most complex challenges of our customers’ critical missions and reestablish our national security posture in the near-peer contested arena. Learn more at www.bluehalo.com. (Source: BUSINESS WIRE)

 

26 Mar 24. US Army’s new all-domain sensing team to wrangle sensor architecture. The U.S. Army’s new team designed to allow the service to see deeply into a battlespace will initially work toward creating an architecture of sensors as well as processing and disseminating the enormous amount of data collected from those sensors, according to Army Futures Command leader Gen. James Rainey.

The All-Domain Sensing Cross-Functional Team will grow out of the Assured Positioning, Navigation and Timing/Space CFT, taking its current staff and director, Michael Monteleone, and expanding the mission to focus on broad deep-sensing capabilities.

The APNT/Space CFT has “solved the very hard problem and that is transitioning to [program managers] and [program executive offices] now, so that created some headspace,” Rainey said March 26 at the Association of the U.S. Army’s Global Force Symposium.

Monteleone and four to five newly created billets will be added in Washington, D.C., because “that is kind of the center of gravity of all-domain sensing,” Rainey said. However, the majority of the team will remain in Huntsville, Alabama, where APNT/Space CFT was based.

The All-Domain Sensing CFT is expected to reach initial operational capability within six months, Rainey added.

While many details aren’t yet finalized, Rainey said the team will “work on the sensing architecture inside the Army and inside the joint force.”

“We have found ourselves in a situation where we actually don’t have a sensing problem, we have a ‘doing something’ with all the sensing that is happening problem across the joint force,” he explained.

Another area of focus includes processing and disseminating data coming off of a large proliferation of different sensors in order to rapidly make sense of the battlefield, which in turn helps leaders quickly make operational decisions, Rainey said.

“The Army cannot continue to build human analysts to keep up with the amount of data. We have to bring [artificial intelligence] and machine learning to bear,” he added. “Not to replace humans, but how do we take a thousand pictures that might be a tank and get it down to 10 or 100 that then our humans can discern?”

Rainey noted that industry can help.

Deep sensing will also improve reconnaissance and surveillance as well as long-range fires targeting.

Platforms could also include things like high-altitude, fixed-wing, solar-powered platforms, other unmanned aircraft or crewed spy planes with more capable sensors. The Army is experimenting with all of these capabilities.

The service is currently reviewing capabilities like high-altitude balloons to determine where they might reside within formations and how units might use them at places like the National Training Center at Fort Irwin, California. For example, the Army is experimenting with high-altitude balloons at the service’s major experimentation capstone event Project Convergence this month.

The Army will continue to review and evolve cross-functional teams as it continues to modernize and take programs from development into fielded systems.

Army Futures Command, which was established more than five years ago to tackle the service’s toughest modernization challenges, set up cross-functional teams to focus on different capabilities the service needs to fight in a multidomain environment against high-end threats and advanced adversaries.

The original teams focused on long-range precision fires; next-generation combat vehicles; future vertical lift; the network; positioning, navigation and timing; air and missile defense; soldier lethality; and the Synthetic Training Environment. The idea was to convene a whole range of Army officials, from training and doctrine writers to sustainment experts to acquisition officers to system operators, to ensure the success of a program. (Source: Defence Connect)

 

25 Mar 24. US Army seeks industry white papers to support robotic C-UAS platform capability. The U.S. Army’s Rapid Capabilities and Critical Technologies Office (RCCTO) has issued a Request for White Papers (RFWP) to support the Army Futures Command (AFC) team to find and prototype integrated solutions for robotics in order to develop and manage a human-machine integrated formation (H-MIF) architecture that will guide emerging Robotics and Autonomous Systems (RAS) capabilities.

“This team will utilize demonstrations, prototyping, testing and evaluations of existing and new technologies using soldier touch points that will enable valuable warfighter feedback with the systems to enable lessons learned and drive system improvements. The team will address current robotic safety limitations that do not support an operational leave behind capability. They will fully characterize and address any issues associated with the network and command and control (C2) aspects of robotic systems, their payloads, and H-MIF interaction requirements.

“They will define priorities and consistent requirements paths for robotic payloads; align operational use cases with the maturation roadmap of enabling technology and the robotic behaviors; and promote rapid procurement of the latest industry RAS and enabler investments to fill critical technology gaps.”

“The RCCTO invites interested entities to provide comments, inputs, and technical write ups for products/solutions that could meet or exceed these objectives for a Counter-small Unmanned Aerial System (C-sUAS) solution/capability that will be integrated into robotic platforms as part of the overarching H-MIF deliverable. “

Deadline for response is April 12, 2024. For more information: https://sam.gov/opp/fe2e3740dd224458b9afe95dc3fdc358/view

(Source: www.unmannedairspace.info)

 

26 Mar 24. USAF’s TU-2S Dragon Lady 1078 soars again.  The U-2 aircraft has been resurrected at Beale Air Force Base following repairs.

TU-2S Dragon Lady 1078, affectionately known as the “Silver Dragon,” emerged from a nearly three-year maintenance hiatus, soaring again above the skies of Beale Air Force Base.

Following a flightline accident in April 2021, which rendered the aircraft immobile with wing damage, 1078 underwent extensive repairs.

Unlike the usual procedure of transferring aircraft to US Air Force Plant 42 in Palmdale, California, for Program Depot-level Maintenance (PDM), the decision was made to conduct the restoration entirely at Beale. This led to a collaborative effort between a small team of Lockheed Martin technicians and personnel from the Air Force Life Cycle Management Center (AFLCMC) Detachment 4.

According to GlobalData’s intelligence on the US defence market, the US Air Force has 26 U-2S electronic warfare aircraft in its fleet. The US Air Force started acquiring the aircraft from Lockheed Martin in 1957.

For the first time since 2014, the U-2’s silver hue entered the skies before undergoing its customary black paint job. Lt. Col. Joshua, 1st Reconnaissance Squadron student flight commander, highlighted the significance of 1078’s restoration, emphasising its role in enhancing aircraft availability for U-2 pilots, particularly in light of recent retirements and losses within the fleet.

The restoration process included a series of tests, from taxi tests to high-altitude pressure suit flights, ensuring the aircraft’s readiness for service. (Source: airforce-technology.com)

 

26 Mar 24. Cuashub.com said today that Robotican and Elsight Partner on BVLOS Counter-UAS Mission. Robotican, a prominent autonomous robotics and drone innovator, and Elsight Ltd, a renowned leader in uncrewed system connectivity solutions, have joined forces to enhance connectivity in Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS) counter Unmanned Aerial Systems (Counter-UAS) military and defense operations.

Military and defense entities worldwide have incorporated Counter-UAS technologies into their arsenals to detect and thwart adversarial drones. A standout example is Robotican’s Goshawk, a fully autonomous drone proficient in executing interception missions by intercepting adversary drones mid-flight (Surgical Discreet C-UAS mitigation). Its autonomous capabilities encompass in-flight target detection, precise tracking, secure locking, target pursuit, and capture.

Elsight’s Halo, a platform providing robust and secure connectivity through multi-link bonded communications, enhances the Goshawk’s flight performance. This platform creates a bonded tunnel utilizing links from LTE, 5G, SatCom, and RF channels, ensuring continuous uptime and connection between the drone (UAV or UAS) and the ground control station.

“Even in regions with minimal signal coverage, Elsight’s Halo can provide a quick and consistent connection between the Goshawk aircraft and its control station,” said Robotican’s CEO Hagai Balashi. “Elsight’s Halo system delivers the most solid LTE link that Robotican had ever experienced, in addition to high-quality data streaming. The Halo performed seamless handover of the aircraft control from one pilot to another, thereby reducing the risk of C2 failure significantly.

“Elsight is proud to partner with Robotican in its dedication to maintain safe skies with its Goshawk system, an exceptional example of hostile drone interception capabilities,” said Yoav Amitai, Elsight’s CEO. “By working together, we have significantly accelerated the ‘detect, react, and eliminate’ process by enhanced situational awareness.”

https://cuashub.com/content/robotican-and-elsight-partner-on-bvlos-counter-uas-mission/?_hsmi=299790971&_hsenc=p2ANqtz–swqXYqC57bLORRtOjyQa78yhIapcmfDTtm8cZ3QMrpuvwvV5UvdhkPwZVpbB_k7jzeoe_1f399AXYAKvvFMkTvOq6tn4UyPtnpn_wA8jbp7ntOaY#utm_campaign=C-UAS%20Hub%20General&utm_medium=email&utm_content=299790971&utm_source=hs_email (Source: C-UAS Hub)

 

25 Mar 24. Teledyne FLIR Awarded by Northrop Grumman for Supplier Excellence.

“Teledyne FLIR has helped to advance national security solutions and achieve mission success,” said Matt Bromberg, Corporate Vice President, Global Operations Northrop Grumman. “Northrop Grumman’s supplier partners connect and protect the warfighter, defining what is possible in the battlespace because of our shared commitment to the highest industry standards across the defense industrial base.”

Recognized for Resilience Excellence, Teledyne FLIR was instrumental in aiding Northrop Grumman with manufacturing and distribution goals as the industry works to support Department of Defense customers and other commercial entities.

“To be recognized by Northrop Grumman, one of the world’s premier aerospace and defense technology companies, is a tremendous honor,” said Dan Walker, Vice President, Teledyne FLIR. “Teledyne FLIR is dedicated to meeting the production-scale delivery needs of our customers with the highest performance standards, and to receive the Northrop Grumman Resilience Excellence Award is a testament to the teamwork and perseverance Teledyne FLIR employees give every day.”

To learn more about Teledyne FLIR’s infrared technology for critical defense, industrial, and commercial missions, visit www.flir.com/oem.

 

19 Mar 24. USAF seeks commercial satcom for KC-135 fleet. The US Air Force (USAF) is seeking commercial satellite communications (satcom) options for its fleet of KC-135 aerial refuellers, with plans to allow these aircraft global, real-time access to the Pentagon’s classified and unclassified networks. USAF officials issued an initial list of strategic requirements to industry for the KC-135 Commercial Satellite Communication Access to Non-Secure Internet Protocol Router (NIPR) and Secure Internet Protocol Router (SIPR) Networks (CANS) programme on 12 March. While programme officials at Air Force Materiel Command (AFMC) are keeping details of the new CANS requirements under wraps, service leaders plan to hold an inaugural industry day for defence, satcom, and information technology companies looking to participate in the CANS programme, according to a 12 March solicitation. The impetus for the CANS programme is to drive NIPR and SIPR connectivity to the wing and squadron level within AFMC, to “increase aircraft situational awareness communication, improve mission planning, … [and] to send flight or mission changes” to the onboard command-and-control (C2) node in near real-time, the 12 March solicitation stated. (Source: Janes)

 

22 Mar 24. VITEC Debuts at Milipol Asia-Pacific with TOUGH Video Solutions. VITEC, a market-leading provider of IPTV, will showcase how its latest streaming technologies deliver superior video quality at exceptionally low bitrates at Milipol Asia-Pacific, Booth 1615 (3-5 April 2024, Sands Expo, Singapore). As a leader in the Intelligence, Surveillance, Target Acquisition and Reconnaissance (ISTAR) technology community, VITEC will demonstrate its military grade TOUGH portable HEVC & H.264 streaming encoders as well as the EZ TV ISR™ content management solution, designed for government and military applications.

“The APAC region has a fast-moving defense and security landscape, and we’re thrilled to showcase our innovative video solutions at Milipol Asia-Pacific for the first time,” says Jamie Hind, Regional Director APAC, VITEC. “VITEC has enjoyed ongoing success in defense, security and government projects in the region, and we are committed to expanding our presence to further serve the market. We look forward to demonstrating why we are best placed to deliver video streaming solutions with our class-leading encoding, decoding and content management offerings designed to withstand harsh environments and extreme conditions.”

VITEC’s TOUGH range of encoders – comprising MGW Diamond TOUGH, MGW PICO+ Tough, MGW PICO TOUGH and MGW Nano TOUGH – are low power and ultra-compact rugged appliances to capture and stream low bandwidth, low latency Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) video generated by manned and unmanned land, sea or air vehicles in extreme conditions. VITEC’s flexible and scalable range extends from pocket-sized encoders to high-efficiency multi-channel HEVC encoders to cater to many situations and deliver HEVC HD and 4K resolution with HDR support at low bandwidth consumption.

Also on show is EZ TV ISR™, allowing users to process, archive, index, manage and share tactical video and metadata content. Its secure and reliable architecture – which meets Information Assurance and Cyber-Security requirements – enables government and military entities to quickly exploit and process live and recorded video assets and improve collaborative workflows. EZ TV ISR™ can be rapidly deployed in the field or in a secure, hosted site to serve as the central interface for managing live and recorded contents.

 

22 Mar 24. Group Captain Gary Darby Announced As Keynote Speaker at Counter UAS Technology Europe 2024. Group Captain Gary Darby, Head of the UK MOD’s Joint C-UAS Office, has been unveiled as the keynote speaker for the upcoming Counter UAS Technology Europe Conference set to take place on 16-17 April 2024 in London. The Counter UAS Technology Europe Conference is the premier event dedicated to exploring the latest advancements in C-UAS programmes and solutions across the UK and allied nations. Group Captain Gary Darby’s keynote address is anticipated to provide valuable insights into the UK Ministry of Defence’s preparations for the ever-evolving UAS threat landscape – emphasising their commitment, leadership, and transformative influence on the industry. During an interview with SAE Media Group, Group Captain Gary Darby expressed, “I’ve been to several SAE Media Group’s C-UAS Conferences over the past 2 years and developed a brilliant network of industry, academic and military colleagues, most of whom I now consider friends. It is these relationships on the personal level that will be key moving forward as we fight the C-UAS battle. Quite honestly, I couldn’t have done that, established my network, without this conference.” The UK MoD signed a £56 m contract to enhance Ukraine’s air defence capabilities through counter-UAS measures last year. This highlighted these solutions as a top priority for leading militaries to ensure the safety and security of personnel and equipment in modern conflicts.

Attendees will also receive exclusive insights from Nataliia Kushnerska, Chief Operating Officer of Ukraine’s Brave1, on how they are leveraging tech clusters to rapidly establish a C-UAS advantage at a time of conflict.

Designed to safeguard critical national infrastructure domestically and protect deployed personnel overseas, this event serves as a catalyst for progress in the C-UAS sector.

Limited tickets remain, secure your ticket today.

Counter UAS Technology Europe 2024 is proudly sponsored by…

  • Lead Sponsor: Aaronia
  • Gold Sponsors: Advanced Protections Systems, BlueHalo, Echodyne, Northrop Grumman, Roke, Sentrycs, and Weibel Scientific
  • Sponsors and Exhibitors: Anduril, D-Fend Solutions, DRS RADA, Edgesource Corporation, Hensoldt, L3Harris Technologies, Leonardo, MSI Defence Systems Ltd, OSL Technology, QinetiQ, Robin Radar Systems, and TUALCOM. (Source: ASD Network)

 

22 Mar 24. US testing Stryker-mounted lasers in Iraq amid Middle East drone boom. The U.S. military is tinkering with high-energy lasers in Iraq as part of a broader effort to refine directed-energy weapons and more effectively counter drones, according to the leader of Central Command. The Army earlier this year sent several laser weapons mounted to Stryker combat vehicles to the Middle East. It was unclear at the time exactly where the prototypes were stationed, but the move was in advancement of the service’s short-range air defense goals.

Gen. Michael Kurilla, the CENTCOM boss, on March 21 told Congress he has “three 50-kilowatt lasers that are Stryker-based” inside Iraq “right now.” Experiments are underway, he added, to identify their best application. He did not disclose preliminary results. A request made to the command for additional information was not immediately answered.

High-energy lasers and related high-power microwave weapons are capable of downing incoming threats in unorthodox ways and at a fraction of the cost of traditional munitions. Lasers can fire at the speed of light and burn holes through material, but are susceptible to weather conditions and particles in the air, such as sand. Microwaves can fry electronics en masse, but their efficacy is stunted at greater distances.

Both are considered critical elements of layered defense, or having multiple countermeasures ready to thwart different threats in different situations.

“Directed energy is not the panacea,” Kurilla said at the House Armed Services Committee hearing. “What I tell all the services: Give me systems, we will experiment with them, and we will tell you if it works in a real, live environment.”

The Army is increasingly concerned with overhead threats, including unmanned aerial vehicles that can spy on troops, augment targeting and deliver explosives. A drone attack in late January killed three Americans at Tower 22 in Jordan, near the Syrian border.

U.S. Rep. Doug Lamborn, a Colorado Republican, urged Kurilla during the committee hearing to take advantage of directed energy wherever he can. At least 31 directed-energy initiatives are underway across the military, according to a National Defense Industrial Association study.

“I know it’s not perfected yet, but it has great capabilities against drones and things like that currently,” Lamborn said. “I’d hate to see a repeat of Tower 22, for instance.”

(Source: Defense News Early Bird/Defense News)

 

25 Mar 24. AIM Defence engaged to deliver deployable directed energy for ADF. The Australian Defence Force has contracted Melbourne-based laser developer AIM Defence to produce a deployable directed energy system for use against drones. The $4.9m contract represents the first time the ADF has acquired a directed energy prototype for ongoing field-based counter-drone trials and evaluation. The Fractl:2 DE system is powerful enough to burn through steel and precise enough to track and shoot down a drone travelling at 100km/h a kilometre or more away, according to AIM Defence.

Portable and battery powered, Fractl:2 can shoot down over 50 drones per charge and can be plugged into a wall socket for continuous operation. It has the added advantage of near-zero usage cost as light-based energy replaces ammunition.

“Countering drones and other autonomous weapons systems has emerged as one of the most critically needed capabilities for militaries worldwide,” according to AIM Defence co-founder Jessica Glenn.

“For the past four years, AIM Defence has been working with Australia’s defence innovation ecosystem to build a cost-effective, high-precision and deployable directed energy system.

“Fractl:2 is the culmination of that effort.”

The Fractl:2 relies on the company’s enhanced eye safety tactical directed energy laser which limits the blinding risk associated with typical one-micron systems – making it vastly safer in the field than comparable high-power laser systems. (Source: Defence Connect)

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Echodyne is a U.S. designer and manufacturer of advanced commercial radar solutions for defense and national security applications. The company’s proprietary metamaterials electronically scanned array (MESA®) architecture, a rare breakthrough in advanced radar engineering, leverages a physics-design approach to adapt conventional materials and deliver unexpected and beneficial behavior. The result is a solid-state, low-SWaP unit coupled with advanced software capabilities that delivers superior radar performance and unparalleled data integrity, radically improving system performance and enhancing safety for people and machines. With leading positions in counter-UAS, force protection, base security, and portable ISR, Defense Agencies and Suppliers rely on Echodyne radar for extraordinary accuracy and consistent, reliable operation. For more information, please visit: Echodyne.com.

 

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RADAR, EO/IR, C-UAS, NIGHT VISION AND SURVEILLANCE UPDATE

March 22, 2024 by

Sponsored by Echodyne

 

www.echodyne.com

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21 Mar 24. RTX’s Raytheon Lower Tier Air and Missile Defense Sensor detects and engages complex target. Raytheon, an RTX (NYSE: RTX) business, today announced that its Lower Tier Air and Missile Defense Sensor, or LTAMDS, continues to advance through its U.S. Army test program with another successful live-fire event. Military leaders from seven nations were on-site to witness the radar’s capabilities and performance first-hand.

This was the fourth live-fire demonstration for the advanced, 360-degree radar known as LTAMDS. The series of exercises, increasing in complexity, effectively demonstrate the radar’s performance and integration with the Integrated Battle Command System, or IBCS. For this latest live fire, a cruise missile surrogate was launched, flying at high altitude, high speed and at a long range in an operational environment. LTAMDS acquired and tracked the target, passed track data to IBCS and LTAMDS guided a PAC-3 Missile Segment Enhancement (MSE) missile to intercept.

“The advanced capabilities of LTAMDS outpace the global threats of today and tomorrow and allied forces are watching its progress intently,” said Tom Laliberty, president of Land & Air Defense Systems at Raytheon. “The solid performance of the radar against these complex and realistic threats validates the radar’s design and demonstrates how this capability will transform the air and missile defense mission.”

The program achieved significant developmental testing milestones in 2023, including the previous air breathing threat and ballistic missile live fires and the completion of CY23 contractor verification testing. Throughout, LTAMDS has met complex test objectives and demonstrated initial technical capability within its primary sector.

Six LTAMDS radars are currently progressing through full sector integration and test activities simultaneously at multiple government and Raytheon test sites. In 2024, rigorous testing will continue, leading up to fielding a 360-degree, full sector capability within the calendar year.

LTAMDS is the next generation air and missile defense radar for the U.S. Army. A 360-degree, Active Electronically Scanned Array radar, powered by Raytheon-manufactured Gallium Nitride, LTAMDS provides dramatically more performance against the range of threats, from manned and unmanned aircraft to cruise missiles, ballistic missiles and hypersonics.(Source: Google/RTX)

 

22 Mar 24. Skyborne completes US DOD contract for drone targeting.

Brisbane aerospace company Skyborne Technologies has successfully completed its first US Department of Defense contract for the US Marine Corps Warfighting Laboratory.

Under the six-month agreement, Skyborne developed a “slew-to-cue” semi-autonomous targeting assistance using aided target recognition feature for the Cerberus man-portable armed unmanned aircraft system, according to a company statement published on 21 March.

The targeting assistance is expected to deliver organic strike capability at the tactical level and has been demonstrated in Australia to the US Marine Corps (USMC) Warfighting Laboratory’s (MCWL) Robotics and Artificial Intelligence branch.

Skyborne Technologies chief executive officer Dr Michael Creagh said the capability significantly enhances accuracy and reduces operator input to effectively hit targets with a stand-off distance.

“I think we surprised ourselves at the level of improvement the AiTR gives the Cerberus strike system,” Dr Creagh said.

“What started as a ‘nice-to-have’ concept has essentially become the core of the entire targeting process.

“Everyone was speechless when the first shot in the demonstration hit dead-centre of the target.

“We’ve been incredibly impressed with the USMC and MCWL throughout the project. They are forward leaning to get their warfighters the best competitive advantage that they can.”

The Cerberus man-packable system is capable of delivering organic precision offensive support and returning to the operator for reloading at the tactical level.

Skyborne Technologies chief business officer Adrian Dudok said the project has demonstrated the step change capability from other concepts like dropping grenades from small UAS and loitering munitions.

“The project has demonstrated the Cerberus is not only a new class of small armed UAS, but an AI-enabled platform capable of delivering precision fires from a greater stand-off distance and therefore out of visual and acoustic detection,” Dudok said.

Athena AI, Skyborne Technologies partner company, delivered the artificial intelligence target recognition software to provide target and tracking information onboard the Cerberus unmanned aircraft system edge processor.

“MCWL’s experimentation with state-of-the-art autonomous systems exemplifies our commitment to harnessing innovative technologies that enhance our tactical capabilities, ensuring our Marines are better equipped, more agile, and always a step ahead on the battlefield,” said MCWL Robotics and AI branch head Major Steven Atkinson.

Skyborne was originally able to perform inaugural aerial firing demonstration with its Cerberus UAV platform in Queensland during 2021. During that testing, the UAV’s five-shot 40mm grenade system was able to fly and fire the unique tri-tilt rotor man-packable weaponised UAV with an aerial firing activity for a US Army audience. (Source: Defence Connect)

 

21 Mar 24. HENSOLDT UK gains Type Approval for its Manta NEO X band radar. Sensor solutions provider HENSOLDT UK announces the successful completion of Type Approval for its latest Manta NEO X band radar system, designed specifically for the commercial shipping market.

Issued by TÜV SÜD BABT, the Type Approval certificate confirms that the Manta NEO X band radar system complies with the Marine Equipment Directive for Shipborne Radar Equipment CAT 1 and CAT 2 with Chart Option. This approval encompasses the entire radar system, including the Kelvin Hughes radar display and software, Manta NEO X band radar sensor, and antenna.

The Manta NEO X band radar delivers superior target separation and long-range resolution using CHIRP pulse compression and beam sharpening technology. Equipped with the latest technology, the Manta NEO solid-state X band radar ensures exceptional reliability and lower through-life costs eliminating the need for magnetron replacements. Its versatility makes it suitable for a wide range of vessels, from workboats to large tankers and cruise ships.

In extreme weather conditions, the Manta NEO X band radar system guarantees simplicity, visibility, and safety. Its solid-state technology enhances efficiency and enables rapid start-up. Additionally, compatibility with the renowned Kelvin Hughes Multifunction Displays ensures seamless integration and ease of use.

“Building on the heritage of the Kelvin Hughes Manta series, this Manta NEO radar system offers a combination of superior detection performance, versatility, high reliability, and cost-effectiveness,” said Adrian Pilbeam, Head of Radar and Naval Solutions at HENSOLDT UK. “Customers can expect significant benefits, making it the ideal solution for commercial vessels of all kinds.”

 

20 Mar 24. Aselsan unveils low-frequency towed active sonar system.   

Aselsan has revealed its low-frequency towed active sonar, releasing a promotional video showing the system aboard the Powhatan-class fleet ocean tug, A-590 TCG Inebolu, during the trials.

Known as Düfas, the sonar is designed to be used by surface combatants for long-range anti-submarine warfare and surveillance. The system comprises a low-frequency towed active array, a low-frequency towed passive triplet array, separate winches for both active and passive arrays, signal processing and power cabinets, and an operator console.

If the ship is equipped with torpedo countermeasure systems, Düfas can provide a further countermeasure against torpedoes by informing the best tactic for evasion.

Aselsan states that the system has 360º omnidirectional transmission, bistatic/multistatic sonar architecture, and selectable pulse type and pulse length capabilities. In active mode it can automatically detect and localise targets, and in passive mode it can automatically detect, track, and classify torpedoes in long range. (Source: Janes)

 

19 Mar 24. Anti-Drone Units to Keep Paris 2024 Olympics Safe. Security is the Paris 2024 Olympics’ hottest topic and France intends to leave no stone unturned as it prepares to secure the Games with the help of anti-drone units.

The military base of Villacoublay just outside Paris will be the home of an anti-drone coordination centre where police, gendarmerie and army officers will work hand in hand to contain the threat posed by drones.

“Drones can be used to carry out a protest, or with a terrorist intent,”

General Arnaud Bourguignon, General Officer in charge of air and anti-drone protection for the Games, told reporters last week.

“We’ve seen that it was easy to use a drone for other purposes and turn it into a weapon.”

Officers will monitor air traffic during the Olympics and will be able to identify drones – either with radar or pictures sent by officers on the ground at the Olympic sites.

Some of the drones will be identified as ‘friends’ while others will be neutralised. Officers will use one of the 15 heavy anti-drone units, which feature a radar, cameras and a jamming antenna and can neutralise a drone kilometres away.

At their disposal will also be anti-drone rifles, which scramble the radio signal of a drone or take them down by laser. Not all drones will need to be scrambled though.

“Some drones are being used by the media, but also to referee some events, so we cannot just ban them altogether,” said Bourguignon.

Although France has never been subject to a drone-led attack, the country was the target of Islamist attacks which involved a simultaneous assault by gunmen and suicide bombers on entertainment venues and cafes in Paris in Nov. 2015. The Olympics will be held from July 26-Aug 11.

(Source: UAS VISION/Yahoo!news)

 

18 Mar 24. Paris 2024 Security Includes an Anti-Drone Coordination Center. In a little over four months, a worldwide audience will be focused on the Paris 2024 Olympics, which will take place from July 26th to August 11th at venues in Paris and throughout France. Security planning for the event began soon after Paris was awarded the games in 2017, and it was announced Thursday during a press conference that it will include an anti-drone coordination center.

The world has changed dramatically since Paris last hosted the Olympic Games in 1924. Although pilotless airborne vehicles existed in 1924, such as Britain’s Aerial Target (1917) and the Kettering Bug (1918) aerial torpedo, the systems were not technologically mature. They were likely not considered a security threat at the post-Great War event.

Security at any modern Olympic Games is always a high-profile topic, and the Paris 2024 Olympics are no exception. France is no stranger to non-state actors conducting attacks on its soil, with the multi-venue terrorist Paris attacks of 2015 that killed at least 130 people and wounded over 350 not long in the past.

At the upcoming games, France will seek to balance security while showcasing its beautiful cities, landscape, and culture to the rest of the world. In commenting on the security for the opening ceremony last year, former Olympic champion and President of the Paris 2024 Organising Committee for the Olympic and Paralympic Games, Tony Estanguet commented on the security for the opening ceremony, “When France organizes the Games — the last time was 100 years ago — it does so with ambition.” Estanguet continued, “It’s a challenge to organize a ceremony with these conditions but, again, it’s the biggest audience that France will ever have had, the most beautiful showcase. Our responsibility is to create dreams, to show how incredible this country is.”

During Thursday’s press conference, officials announced that the military base of Villacoublay, just outside Paris, will be the home of an anti-drone coordination center where police, gendarmerie, and army officers will work together to contain the threat posed by drones.

During the summer event, officials will monitor air traffic, including authorized drones, such as those used by the media. According to news outlets such as Reuters, security officials will have various technologies available, including anti-drone guns, radars, cameras, and radio frequency (RF) jamming technology.

General Arnaud Bourguignon, responsible for air and anti-drone protection for the Games, highlighted the dual potential of drones to be utilized for peaceful protests or terrorist activities during a press briefing.

Currently, drone manufacturer DJI’s GEO Zone Map shows the entire area in and around Paris as an “Enhanced Warning Zone.” In these zones, pilots will be prompted by GEO at the time of flight to unlock the zone using the same steps as in an Authorization Zone; however, a verified account or an internet connection is not required at the time of your flight.

https://cuashub.com/content/paris-2024-security-includes-an-anti-drone-coordination-center/?_hsmi=298604518&_hsenc=p2ANqtz–kdHBRm0Wo2vNYen_oR3_ywbwEP976D32xPLnL0TfPoHCTO3aYy7fPRIuv_zaFQZdFDQjcEom03w7Dd8DVFwDSlyZrJWEaFK6sKoSsM1M8CXnsAxA#utm_campaign=C-UAS%20Hub%20General&utm_medium=email&utm_content=298604518&utm_source=hs_email (Source: https://cuashub.com/)

 

17 Mar 24. US Navy to host industry day on April 1, C-UAS technologies on the agenda. The US Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA) Program Executive Office Integrated Warfare Systems (PEO IWS) has announced its 2024 Industry Day scheduled for April 1, 2024. The theme for the PEO IWS Industry Day is “Delivering Capability and Enabling Fleet Readiness.” The event will take place at the Fairmont Washington DC Georgetown Hotel, 2401 M Street NW, Washington DC 20037. A robust all-day schedule features topics relevant to the direction and partnership opportunities of PEO IWS.

The final agenda topics include:

  • PEO IWS’s Strategic View
  • PEO IWS’s Counter Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS)
  • PEO IWS’s Evolving Cyber Readiness
  • PEO IWS’s Role in Fleet Readiness and Sustainment
  • Panel Discussions with PEO IWS Technical Leaders
  • Networking with PEO IWS Technical Leaders
  • Small Business & Small Business Innovation Research
  • Prize Challenge
  • Public/Private Partnership
  • Cyber & New Approaches to Difficult Problems
  • Strategic Systems Programs (SSP)
  • Surface Electronic Warfare Improvement Program (SEWIP) Overview & Information Session

The agenda is available in the event website at https://peoiws.stemrocks.net/industry2024

For more information

https://sam.gov/opp/b1d9622ca7f0459d9ceaa2a01a935e20/view

(Source: www.unmannedairspace.info)

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Echodyne is a U.S. designer and manufacturer of advanced commercial radar solutions for defense and national security applications. The company’s proprietary metamaterials electronically scanned array (MESA®) architecture, a rare breakthrough in advanced radar engineering, leverages a physics-design approach to adapt conventional materials and deliver unexpected and beneficial behavior. The result is a solid-state, low-SWaP unit coupled with advanced software capabilities that delivers superior radar performance and unparalleled data integrity, radically improving system performance and enhancing safety for people and machines. With leading positions in counter-UAS, force protection, base security, and portable ISR, Defense Agencies and Suppliers rely on Echodyne radar for extraordinary accuracy and consistent, reliable operation. For more information, please visit: Echodyne.com.

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RADAR, EO/IR, C-UAS, NIGHT VISION AND SURVEILLANCE UPDATE

March 15, 2024 by

Sponsored by Echodyne

 

www.echodyne.com

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10 Mar 24. US Army seeks suppliers of Titan and Dronebuster C-UAS systems for export to foreign partners.

The United States Army Aviation and Missile Command (AMCOM), Redstone Arsenal, Alabama, anticipates a requirement to provide Titan™ Counter Unmanned Aerial Systems (C-UAS) in support of foreign partners.

According to a request published on the US government tender portal sam.gov:

“The contractor shall be capable of delivering at least three (3) Titan™ C-UAS systems to ensure mitigation of control, video, and navigation signals. Each system requires:

  • Two (2) main Titan units with fitted cases
  • One (1) User Guide
  • Four (4) Smart Cards (2 primary, 2 spare)
  • One (1) 2590/5590 Battery Power Cable
  • One (1) 8-foot LAN cable
  • One (1) 50-foot LAN cable
  • One (1) GETAC user-interface tablet with AC adapter cord
  • One (1) Standard Frequency Antenna – 2.4/5.8GHz receive/transmit
  • One (1) Standard Frequency Antenna – GPS
  • One (1) Standard Frequency Antenna – WiFi
  • One (1) Extended Frequency Antenna Kit (433/868/95 MHz, 1.2GHZ receive/transmit antenna) with fitted case.
  • One (1) main unit power supply

“The overall requirement includes software and machine learning upgrades, customer support and training, and a hardware warranty. On-site Operator Training with Interactive Electronic Technical Manuals (IETM), and spare parts are also required.”

AMCOM Redstone Arsenal has also issued a requirement to provide Dronebuster® Block 3/B, Block 4, and/or Block 4Fixed Site (FS), Counter Unmanned Aerial Systems (C-UAS) equipment.

“The contractor shall be capable of delivering 20 each C-UAS systems (Dronebuster®) used to defeat Commercial Off the Shelf (COTS) drones. Each Dronebuster® Kit shall include:

One (1) Dronebuster® (Block 3B, Block 4, or Block 4FS) and the following items appropriate for the Dronebuster® version ordered:

  • One (1) Combat Sling
  • One (1) Battery Charger, Li-Ion
  • Two (2) Batteries, Li-Ion, 7.2VDC
  • One (1) User’s Manual
  • One (1) Quick Reference Card
  • One (1) Shipping Case

“Additional User Manuals and Quick Reference Cards may be required based on quantity of Dronebuster® Kits purchased.”

Deadline for responses to both requirement is April 5.

For more information: https://sam.gov/opp/746bfcf14e7e4574b1f762efbe115a30/view; https://sam.gov/opp/725c25f837624130954441c4c1ed816f/view

(Source: www.unmannedairspace.info)

14 Mar 24. Revamped KC-46 vision system slipping into 2026, nearly two years late. The rollout of the Boeing KC-46A Pegasus tanker’s new remote vision system will likely slip into 2026, placing it nearly two years behind schedule, according to the Air Force’s top acquisition official.

Andrew Hunter, assistant secretary for acquisition, technology and logistics, told the House Armed Services subcommittee on seapower and projection forces that schedule pressures on the vision system, known as RVS 2.0, are placing in doubt the most recent goal of releasing it to the fleet by October 2025. As a result, RVS 2.0 could end up being nearly two years late.

Hunter indicated the FAA’s airworthiness certification process — the completion of which will officially close out the system’s design approval — is one of the factors again delaying RVS 2.0. Boeing and its primary subcontractor, Collins Aerospace, are the main companies working on RVS 2.0.

“There is some schedule pressure there,” Hunter told lawmakers during a March 12 hearing on the service’s proposed fiscal 2025 budget. “Depending on the completion of the FAA airworthiness certification process, I cannot guarantee you that we would be in a position to field [RVS 2.0] in ‘25. It may be ‘26 – and that is actually likely, I think it will probably field in ‘26.”

Boeing declined to comment and referred Defense News’ queries to the Air Force, which has not yet responded to follow-up questions.

RVS 2.0 will replace the KC-46′s original, troubled Remote Vision System, which does not respond quickly enough to sun and shadows and sometimes produces a distorted image. The Air Force fears that a faulty vision system could lead boom operators to accidentally damage receiving aircraft with the refueling boom.

It will use a series of sensors, screens and 4k ultrahigh-definition cameras to allow the KC-46′s boom operators a 3D, full-color picture as they guide refueling booms into receiving aircraft.

RVS 2.0 was supposed to be released in March 2024. But in October 2022, the service confirmed that schedule had slipped 19 months, largely due to supply chain problems affecting the project’s subcontractors.

Boeing said at the time that parts shortages had led to longer lead times for computing equipment and other technology needed for RVS 2.0. The FAA and Air Force’s airworthiness certification processes also were factors in that delay, Boeing and the Air Force said in 2022.

Hunter also said the KC-46 is still not completely cleared to refuel A-10 Warthog attack aircraft, due to a longstanding issue with the stiffness of its refueling boom and the A-10′s thrust.

It’s not impossible for the KC-46 to refuel an A-10, Hunter said, but “it’s not a particularly good idea to do it on a routine basis, and therefore, we don’t.”

Hunter said the Air Force has enough KC-135 Stratotankers in its fleet to safely operate A-10s wherever it needs.

Boeing is also working on a redesigned actuator for the KC-46′s boom that would allow safe refueling of the A-10.

The Office of the Director, Operational Test and Evaluation said in its fiscal 2023 annual report that the new boom actuator’s flight testing could start later this year, with flight testing of RVS 2.0 expected to start in 2025.

Hunter also told lawmakers he believes the improved video clarity of RVS 2.0 will open up new opportunities to add autonomous capabilities in the KC-46′s refueling operations. And the Air Force could introduce more autonomous capabilities in the KC-46′s cockpit to reduce the pressure on pilots, he said, who can become “task-saturated” during the “dicier” moments of the refueling process.

The Air Force expects to have 102 KC-46s in its fleet by the end of this year, and 118 by the end of 2025. The service is now on contract with Boeing for 139 KC-46s, and plans to buy 179 in all. (Source: Defense News)

 

14 Mar 24. Cuashub.com said today that Green Sands Exercise Prepares Troops for Overseas Threats. The United States Army Central (ARCENT) is addressing the emerging threat of unmanned aerial system attacks through its two-part Green Sands training initiative. The first part, Green Sands “CONUS” (Continental United States), conducted domestically from Feb. 9 to Mar. 5, focuses on establishing the foundation for Base Defense Operation Centers. The second phase, Green Sands “Heavy,” occurs overseas at the ARCENT Training and Readiness Center. This phase aims to train Base Defense Operation Centers (BDOC) crews for the Relief in Place/Transfer of Authority at their respective outstations in Iraq and Syria.

Green Sands training, initially conducted for the first time last year at Camp Buehring, Kuwait, integrates Counter-Unmanned Aerial Systems (CUAS) into BDOCs. This integration is achieved through classroom instruction, command post exercises within a BDOC setting, and a virtual live fire exercise specifically focused on CUAS.

The 44th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, part of the 42nd Infantry Division in the New Jersey Army National Guard, will undergo both training iterations before taking on the force protection mission for Combined Joint Task Force Operation Inherent Resolve in Iraq and Syria in the spring of 2024.

In a Green Sands first, subject matter experts with the 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division (Light Infantry), currently responsible for force protection throughout the CJTF-OIR region, provided the course instruction, relaying theater-specific lessons learned, best practices, successful counter-UAS integration techniques, and quick action drills to better equip the 44th IBCT transitioning into the region.

“Enemy UAS threaten our Soldiers, service members, and our partners in the CENTCOM AOR [United States Central Command area of responsibility],” said Lt. Gen Patrick D. Frank, USARCENT commanding general. “For the last nine months, USARCENT has implemented CENTCOM’s Green Sands Counter-UAS training initiative by preparing Base Defense Operations Centers throughout the theater through dynamic threat UAS scenarios, multiple iterations, and live fire training.”

In addition to Green Sands training, the 44th IBCT is concurrently finalizing its post-mobilization training in collaboration with the 5th Armored Brigade and 174th Infantry Brigade, guided by First Army Observer, Coach/Trainers. This comprehensive process involves a series of validations, ultimately culminating in a Mission Readiness Exercise.

The Green Sands training includes:

  • Introduction to BDOC crew roles and responsibilities
  • Instruction in airspace coordination, investigation process, and datalinks
  • Forward Area Air Defense Command and Control (FAAD C2) and Correlated Defense System of Systems Simulation hands-on training
  • Observation of a low, slow, small UAS integrated defeat system live-fire to instill confidence in kinetic systems

“As we conclude our Green Sands CONUS training, it’s evident that the skills honed here are indispensable,” said Lt. Col. Omar Minott, 44th IBCT deputy commanding officer. “Recent drone attacks underscore the critical need for this training. By mastering counter-drone techniques, we not only protect ourselves but also ensure readiness for future threats. Together, we mitigate risks and safeguard our service members’ safety and mission success.”

Apart from the Green Sands training provided by ARCENT and CENTCOM, the Joint Counter Small Unmanned Aerial Systems (C-sUAS) University at Fort Sill provides a two-week operator’s course. This program concentrates on the operations of the Joint C-sUAS Office evaluated C-sUAS systems.

Once complete with pre-deployment training and Green Sands Conus, the 44th IBCT BDOC crews will further test their CUAS knowledge at Green Sands Heavy overseas. Safe travels!

https://cuashub.com/content/green-sands-exercise-prepares-troops-for-overseas-threats/?_hsmi=297777275&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-86WL8nmaZW3x5uaKlhtV_tcMzSIlbNGC4ExsuaAscL7k62itrGIVOGhxYe9dnXcIe4UzGRc_3XAWzjIiFWk-3XQIYthIykQeNBFR1onCoMQFa9yyk#utm_campaign=C-UAS%20Hub%20General&utm_medium=email&utm_content=297777275&utm_source=hs_email (Source: https://cuashub.com/)

 

14 Mar 24. Cuashub.com said today that Echodyne Integrated into Kongsberg’s IRIS Terminal. Kongsberg Geospatial (KG), developer of the IRIS Terminal and IRIS GCS airspace deconfliction solutions, has partnered with Echodyne, the radar platform company, to accelerate and extend Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS) operations for Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) applications. The collaboration will provide enhanced situational awareness to Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS) operators by visualizing all airspace movement, cooperative and noncooperative, to ensure safe and reliable UAS operations.

IRIS Terminal, now in its second generation, has been adapted from its defense origins to the enterprise UAS sector for visualizing airspace traffic and controlling uncrewed systems in its GCS format. Ownership, cooperative, and non-cooperative traffic are all visualized inside IRIS Terminal’s multiple viewing configurations, along with useful features such as Detect-and-Avoid (DAA) sensor footprints, terrain awareness, or potential conflict warnings. Where the same aircraft produces multiple tracks (one track per sensor), IRIS Terminal’s ‘smart correlator’ feature correlates these multiple tracks into one single track to ensure the user interface (UI) remains uncluttered and the operator can focus on the work at hand.

Radar uniquely captures all airspace movement, regardless of weather or lighting conditions, and Echodyne’s patented metamaterials electronically scanned array (MESA®) radars create an exceptionally detailed picture of airspace movement. Proven in Defense and National Security markets, Echodyne’s patent-protected MESA radar extends electronically scanned array (ESA) performance to civilian security and airspace management applications at COTS (commercial off-the-shelf) price points for the first time. Adding Echodyne radars as pre-integrated components for IRIS enables Kongsberg’s customers to rapidly extend operations by combining extraordinary radar accuracy with market-leading visualization tools for managing enterprise-scale UAS operations.

“The benefits of combining market-leading data and spatial visualization capabilities with radar images showing such great detail of the airspace are enormous,” said Leo McCloskey, VP of Marketing, Echodyne. “AAM applications requiring BVLOS approvals need to present the safety case for comprehensive airspace situational awareness and this collaboration delivers that for customers.”

“We couldn’t be more driven to forge this collaboration between two UAS industry leaders and are excited about the BVLOS prospects to arise from this new relationship,” said Thomas Jimenez, Market Director for UAS at Kongsberg Geospatial. “Leveraging EchoGuard inside IRIS Terminal is truly the marriage of performance solutions to provide Electronic Observers with robust airspace deconfliction tools. Ground-based EchoGuard DAA is our starting point, and we are very excited about the potential of EchoShield and more complex onboard solutions in the near future.”

https://cuashub.com/content/echodyne-integrated-into-kongsbergs-iris-terminal/?_hsmi=297777275&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-96YD1ow5RuuzrbnNQ-hooxUJqPzIFZGLp-oHCrvpZNQtiKr8QGU38oofjddZvHFOrz7_0jesl6vMres8pl8_OBg5JPTFgJeKmBbzxIJiCCb2wLjCU#utm_campaign=C-UAS%20Hub%20General&utm_medium=email&utm_content=297777275&utm_source=hs_email (Source: https://cuashub.com/)

 

14 Mar 24. India Successfully Tests VSHORADS Air Defense System Against UAV Targets. India’s Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) recently conducted a successful flight test of the Very Short-Range Air Defence System (VSHORADS). The test, which took place on February 28, saw the VSHORADS missile effectively engaging high-speed unmanned aerial targets off the coast of Odisha.

The trial, conducted off Odisha’s coast, marked a pivotal moment for India’s indigenous defense technology. The VSHORADS missile, designed to counter aerial threats in close proximity, showcased its prowess in intercepting high-speed unmanned aerial targets across various scenarios.

The success of this test underscores the DRDO’s commitment to advancing India’s defense capabilities through cutting-edge research and development. With increasing threats from unmanned aerial systems, the VSHORADS test signifies a crucial step toward bolstering India’s air defense mechanism. As the nation continues to prioritize indigenous defense manufacturing, such achievements reaffirm India’s position as a formidable player on the global defense stage.

The VSHORAD, short for Very Short-Range Air Defense, is a short-range air defense system designed to protect against nearby aerial threats. Originating from India, it is classified as both a Short-Range Air Defense (SHORAD) system and a man-portable air defense system (MANPADS).

Characterized by its lightweight and portability, the VSHORADS weighs approximately 20.5 kg and measures 2 meters in length. With a diameter of 90 mm and a wingspan of 32 cm, it is designed for easy transport and deployment in the field. Its propulsion system is powered by a dual-thrust rocket motor, allowing it to reach a maximum speed of Mach 1.5. Its operational range extends from 250 meters to 7 kilometers, with a maximum flight altitude of 3,500 meters.

The VSHORADS is equipped with a dual-band infrared imaging guidance system, allowing it to detect and track aerial targets with precision. Its detonation mechanism relies on an adaptive proximity fuze, ensuring maximum effectiveness upon impact. This system can be launched from a tripod or weapon platform, providing operational flexibility in various environments.

The success of the VSHORADS test against high-speed unmanned aerial targets off the coast of Odisha represents a significant milestone in India’s quest for self-reliance in defense technology. It paves the way for further advancements in air defense systems, ensuring the safeguarding of Indian airspace against emerging threats.

Photo: The VSHORADS missile, designed to counter aerial threats in close proximity, showcased its prowess in intercepting high-speed unmanned aerial targets – DRDO

(Source: UAS VISION/Army Recognition)

 

14 Mar 24. Cuashub.com said today that Oklahoma National Guard Leans Forward With Technology Training. The Oklahoma National Guard (OKNG), in coordination with multiple industry partners from across the state, carried out a test showcasing the advanced capabilities of unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) at Camp Gruber Training Center on February 22, 2024, the Defense Visual Information Distribution Service (DVIDS) recently reported.

This initiative underscores the National Guard’s commitment to adapting to evolving battlefield technologies, which include integrating artificial intelligence and countering unmanned systems threats, among numerous other emerging technologies.

The primary objective of this program is to prepare and train the OKNG alongside civilian aerospace industry experts and local partners to bolster mission readiness in future aviation and aerospace technologies.

The program is a collaborative platform involving military, civilian, and academic entities. Initiatives such as the counter-UAS and drone school aim to strengthen the readiness and capability of the OKNG to address both domestic and military contingencies in a dynamic environment.

“There’s so much aviation industry that’s coming to Oklahoma, if not already here,” said Brig. Gen. Colby Wyatt, director of the joint staff, Oklahoma National Guard. “It’s a matter of tapping into some of those industries and finding out what it is that they’re doing.”

“Being a former infantryman, they need to know how to survive on the battlefield with something like the new technologies that are coming out,” said Wyatt. “As we work on the minor things, we’re looking for solutions to counter and protect our Soldiers on the battlefield.”

The collaboration at CGTC involved industry partners from various organizations, including the Oklahoma Aerospace Institute for Research and Education (OAIRE), Oklahoma Aerospace and Aeronautics Commission, Oklahoma Department of Commerce, Office of Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering (OUSD R&E), and the FutureG program.

“Oklahoma has a really rich aviation history, and we’ve got the academic and federal partners here that are leading that beyond-visual-line-of-sight capability and advanced air mobility testing environment,” said Col. Shane Riley, director of military support, Oklahoma National Guard. “They’re looking for those Soldier touchpoint resources to help develop that architecture out—and we, the Oklahoma National Guard, have those capabilities.”

Riley emphasizes that the mission of the National Guard requires close coordination and relationship building to ensure readiness for both natural disasters and potential future battlefields.

“Unique missions that the National Guard has is our domestic response capability,” said Riley. “And what we are seeing out there in the interagency environment today–police departments, fire departments, the power company–are all starting to use drones and unmanned systems to do critical functions.”

The OKNG has a dual mission: supporting interagency responses to serve the people of Oklahoma and collaborating with local civilian and academic agencies in the rapidly evolving industry. Through these collaborations, the OKNG aims to enhance its readiness and capabilities, ensuring a more effective response in times of need.

https://cuashub.com/content/oklahoma-national-guard-leans-forward-with-technology-training/?_hsmi=297970005&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-_4RP2leh_KYvmbASDl44OmkBnsujZ2qFzdb7bFNJXlxLtXOKozO41yJVQISXLs0yfRjUCkUE1fWy4h3jNy4FUTTbbQ6DCL2eO3UE2qGk8U4xssHn8#utm_campaign=C-UAS%20Hub%20General&utm_medium=email&utm_content=297970005&utm_source=hs_email (Source: https://cuashub.com/)

 

13 Mar 24. Lockheed Martin UK supports British Army demonstration of UK technologies at multinational experimentation event. Lockheed Martin has showcased UK sovereign technologies developed by British engineers in support of the British Army’s participation in ‘Project Convergence,’ an event held over the last few weeks to demonstrate next-generation deterrence technologies to an international audience in the United States.

SkyKeeper, a Battlespace Management Command and Control system developed in Ampthill, Bedfordshire, and Indago 4, a TIQUILA programme uncrewed air system (UAS) developed by Skunk Works engineers and containing advanced surveillance technology developed by engineers in Havant, Hampshire were demonstrated to key allies including Australia, France, Japan, New Zealand and the U.S. by the British Army, supported by Lockheed Martin technicians from both locations.

Paul Livingston, Chief Executive, Lockheed Martin UK said: “This event offers an opportunity to show how home-grown UK defence technologies can address lessons currently being learned in Ukraine, while helping our international allies develop and integrate advanced capabilities for multi-domain operations.”

SkyKeeper is an evolution of the British Army’s in-service Land Environment Air Picture Provision (LEAPP) capability, which has been deployed with the British Army during both the Iraq and Afghanistan conflicts and has also been used to help protect the British public and dignitaries at high-profile global events hosted in the UK, including COP26 and G7 Summits. LEAPP has recently gone through an upgrade programme which enables it to communicate via Link 16, allowing enhanced situational awareness data sharing among NATO and allied nations.

“Project Convergence (PC) is an excellent opportunity to experiment with new concepts and de-risk future capabilities alongside allied partners. As part of our presence at PC, we have demonstrated LEAPP in a box, showcasing how the system can be adapted for greater flexibility, mobility, and agility. Iterative development of LEAPP is enabling 7 Air Defence Group to sustain a military advantage of this critical capability against an ever-evolving threat landscape,” said Colonel Chris Coton, Commander 7 Air Defence Group.

Lockheed Martin was also invited by the British Army to integrate TIQUILA with Project ZODIAC. Project ZODIAC is transforming how the Army undertakes data-led decision making in the land environment to gain operational advantage and is committed to integrating all battlefield sensor capabilities including new capability delivered by the TIQUILA UAS programme.

Indago 4, one of the small uncrewed air systems which forms part of the UK’s TIQUILA intelligence, surveillance, tracking and reconnaissance UAS programme, took to the skies during Project Convergence. TIQUILA UAS features sophisticated targeting, and automated target and threat recognition, enabled by the latest artificial intelligence technology.

 

13 Mar 24. Qatari land forces display Boxer with counter-UAV capability.   The Qatar Emiri Land Forces (QELF) stand at the DIMDEX 2024 show held in Doha from 4 to 6 March included a Boxer 8×8 armoured vehicle that has been modified to enable it to shoot down small unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). A Qatari general told Janes that his service is in the process of receiving 10 of the specially modified Boxers. The Boxer was armed with the RCT30 unmanned turret, the standard armament on the German Army’s Puma tracked infantry fighting vehicle (IFV), but also fitted with what a representative of the Franco-German company KNDS described as a passive radio frequency sensor. He said that this can identify the locations of common types of commercial drones in the vicinity of the vehicle but did not go into detail about how it works. (Source: Janes)

 

11 Mar 24. DIMDEX 2024: Iran reveals details of airborne synthetic aperture radar. Iran displayed a synthetic aperture radar (SAR) that it has developed for unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) during the DIMDEX 2024 show held in Doha from 4 to 6 March.

The SAR has a monopulse flat-plate slotted-array antenna and was labelled as both the S-811 and S-813, with Iranian officials refusing to identify which one it was.

An Arabic-language brochure provided details of both types, saying they can provide high-resolution images at long ranges in all light and weather conditions. It also claimed they have ground moving target indicator (GMTI) and micro-motion target indication (MMTI) modes.

Weighing 40 kg and drawing 500 W of power, the S-811 is the smaller one and was said to have a maximum detection range of 40 km, a resolution of 1 or 2 m, and a swath width of 1–5 km. (Source: Janes)

 

11 Mar 24. AVT’s CM234 Gimbal Designed for TUAS Missions.

Incorporating high-quality imagery and four-axis stabilisation in less than 6.6kg, the CM234 from AVT Australia delivers the highest performance of imaging capabilities for the lowest SWaP in its class.

The CM234 gimbal combines seven sensor configurations in a compact gyro-stabilised imaging system weighing just under 6.6kg. With four-axis active stabilisation, the CM234 offers greater accuracy in intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) and target acquisition operations while providing superior situational awareness to operators.

The CM234 delivers innovative and powerful imaging technology that is ideal for a range of current and future tactical uncrewed aircraft system (TUAS) missions.

Accurate detection and identification – The CM234 combines seven sensors in a compact, four-axis payload. With 4-axis mechanical stabilisation, the CM234 delivers highly accurate detection and identification of an object at maximum zoom, facilitating long-range DRI and allowing the operator to maintain a safe stand-off distance.

Long-range ISR capabilities – The CM234 includes two HD EO sensors, one MWIR sensor, one SWIR sensor, a laser range finder, a laser target designator, and a laser pointer all in one lightweight package. The system also offers advanced mechanical and electronic stabilisation, object tracking, and geo-referencing capabilities to excel across mission sets.

Long-Endurance Operation – On-board video encoding and processing minimises additional hardware to keep the total payload weight under 6.6kg. This extends flight time and delivers enhanced video for operators to facilitate maximum operation.

The CM234 epitomises cutting-edge technology with its compact design and array of sensor capabilities and laser payloads. Delivering unmatched performance in a small size, weight, and power package, the CM234 sets a new standard for precision and versatility in surveillance and reconnaissance systems. (Source: UAS VISION)

 

09 Mar 24. Central Command’s Kurilla eyes drone-countering lasers for Middle East. Development and deployment of directed-energy weapons would enhance defense across the Greater Middle East, where Iran-backed militants are targeting U.S. troops with missiles and explosive drones, according to the leader of U.S. Central Command.

Army Gen. Michael Kurilla told lawmakers on March 7 that he would “love” to have the Navy deploy more directed-energy arms capable of downing drones. Having supplemental directed energy on hand, he added, would also mean expending fewer U.S. missiles, which can cost ms of dollars a pop. Iranian drones being funnelled to extremist groups can cost thousands of dollars each.

“The bigger concern is if you start talking about swarms. We need to continue to invest in things like high-power microwave to be able to counter a drone swarm that is coming at you,” Kurilla said during the Senate Armed Services Committee hearing in Washington. “Nothing is 100%. At some point the law of statistics will come up. You have to have a layered defense.”

High-energy lasers and microwave weapons are capable of zapping overhead threats in ways dissimilar to traditional munitions and at a fraction of the cost. Lasers can fire at the speed of light and punch holes through material, while microwaves can fry electronics at a distance, rendering tech obsolete. Both are considered a critical element of layered defense, or having multiple countermeasures ready to thwart different threats in different situations.

The Defense Department has for decades pitched money into directed-energy weapons, an average $1 bn annually in the past three years, according to the Government Accountability Office, a federal watchdog.

At least 31 directed-energy initiatives are underway across the department, with some more mature than others. Among them are Lockheed Martin’s High Energy Laser with Integrated Optical-dazzler and Surveillance, or HELIOS, installed aboard the Navy destroyer Preble in 2022, and Epirus’ Leonidas, delivered to the Army in 2023 in furtherance of its Indirect Fire Protection Capability.

Bringing such systems to fruition — let alone mass production — has proven tricky. Aside from their technological complexity, laser- and microwave-based weaponry demand precious components and materials such as germanium and gallium.

Kurilla on Wednesday said the Army “sent us some directed-energy mobile short-range air defense” that are being experimented with. He provided no details about initial results. The service dispatched four Stryker-mounted 50-kilowatt laser prototypes in February, Breaking Defense reported.

Militants across the Greater Middle East have in recent months conducted more than 175 attacks on U.S. and allied forces. A drone strike in Jordan, at the Tower 22 installation near al-Tanf garrison, killed three troops in January. A Houthi missile attack on a commercial ship in the Gulf of Aden this month killed three crew members, as well, and forced an evacuation of the vessel.

“This is not the same central region as last year,” Kurilla said. “Iran’s expansive network of proxies is equipped with advanced, sophisticated weaponry, and threatens some of the most vital terrain in the world with global and U.S. implications.” (Source: Defense News Early Bird/Military Times)

 

11 Mar 24. Cuashub.com said today that AeroDefense Accelerates Drone Detection Network Development. Last week, AeroDefense announced that the company had received a Tactical Funding Increase (TACFI) contract valued at $1,794,999.96 from AFWERX. This contract is dedicated to advancing AirWarden’s Collaborative Drone Detection Network (CoDDN), specifically addressing critical challenges within the Department of the Air Force (DAF). Representing cutting-edge technology, this development signifies a noteworthy achievement in airspace security. CoDDN facilitates seamless collaboration among various Department of Defense (DOD), state, and local entities, fostering enhanced situational awareness and a swift, unified response to unauthorized drone activities.

In 2022, AeroDefense successfully concluded an AFWERX Direct to Phase II (D2P2) Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) contract. This collaborative effort included commitments from two wings stationed at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst (JBMDL), aimed at adapting the company’s permanently installed drone detection sensors for increased mobility and military deployment.

Network Will Expand the Sharing of Sensor Data

AirWarden’s sensors operate as an exclusive network solely accessible to the system owner. The development of the CoDDN extends the capabilities established in the D2P2, facilitating connectivity among different types of AirWarden detection equipment and fostering collaboration among diverse agencies and units. Essentially, end users from various agencies and units can share detection and sensor data, enabling a cooperative response to shared threat intelligence in a secure and controlled manner.

As an integral component of the CoDDN initiative to assess connectivity among previously independent sensor systems, JBMDL is set to deploy fixed sensor systems at McGuire Air Force Base and the adjacent Fort Dix, the largest federal prison in the United States. In addition, JBMDL will extend protection to Lakehurst, the naval component of the base. Spanning over twenty miles from east to west, the base houses more than eighty mission partners and 40 mission commanders. With an expanded drone detection coverage incorporating a collaborative platform, JBMDL enhances its airspace awareness and streamlines joint responses to drone threats.

The Air Force Research Laboratory and AFWERX have collaborated to streamline the SBIR and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) process. This partnership aims to enhance the small business experience by expediting proposal-to-award timelines, broadening opportunities for small businesses, and eliminating bureaucratic overhead through ongoing improvements in contract execution processes.

In 2018, the DAF introduced the Open Topic SBIR/STTR program, expanding the spectrum of innovations funded by the DAF. On September 13, 2023, AeroDefense continued its journey, which commenced in 2020 with the original SBIR award, to develop and deliver innovative capabilities contributing to the strengthening of the national defense of the United States of America.

https://cuashub.com/content/aerodefense-accelerates-drone-detection-network-development/?_hsmi=297657970&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-8WokhmoEM7AexK5wl_SfzSLA0qljUlcAxOPfCpILghfgA-Ky9zX3FUK8s6KJD-AxPEN6ZVAx1Yt4f1j1waSGbXnND9a_4h96aOwj_nOVL6lx16x5w#utm_campaign=C-UAS%20Hub%20General&utm_medium=email&utm_content=297657970&utm_source=hs_email(Source: https://cuashub.com/)

 

11 Mar 24. Cuashub.com said today that Edgesource Releases Whitepaper on AeroScope Upgrade Module.

Last week, Edgesource released an informative whitepaper on the recently released AeroScope upgrade module to provide consumers with much-needed information for consideration.

The AeroScope is a comprehensive DJI-specific drone detection platform that rapidly identifies UAV communication links, gathering real-time information such as flight status, paths, and other information. This monitoring data stream helps users make an informed threat assessment of drone pilots and drone activities.

To recap, DJI pulled their popular AeroScope product from their website last year. This move followed rumors that the company would no longer manufacture the product.

In the latter part of 2023, the company introduced updated AeroScope firmware and dispatched hardware “upgrade modules” to their dealers for customer distribution.

This whitepaper presents an overview of security risks and considerations related to the AeroScope system, the upgrade module, and DJI drones. The document elaborates on the functionality of a DJI drone system and its interactions with AeroScope.

The whitepaper can be found on Edgesource’s website at the following: Edgesource AeroScope Whitepaper. The link can also be found at the bottom of this page. The paper was created in collaboration with Steve Tisseyre of Aerial Defence, Ltd., David Kovar of URSA, Inc., and Mario Behn of NATO NCIA.

https://cuashub.com/content/edgesource-releases-whitepaper-on-aeroscope-upgrade-module/?_hsmi=297657970&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-_bsUekHrISA20vzDUjBcMFzeQw3IFuQVLX98rxh_Nbzi_6UsqR5fiEg66ueNMfyP5DvBYqtgw9RkDWYVZM6o4XvSEKy2TIJUJRLLa0gFK0WO9Rut0#utm_campaign=C-UAS%20Hub%20General&utm_medium=email&utm_content=297657970&utm_source=hs_email (Source: https://cuashub.com/)

 

11 Mar 24. Cuashub.com said today that CENTCOM Commander: Invest in High Power Microwave. On March 7th, General Michael E. Kurilla, Commander of United States Central Command (CENTCOM), testified before the United States Senate Armed Services Committee. He was accompanied by General Michael E. Langley, Commander of United States Africa Command (AFRICOM).

During his testimony, General Kurilla responded to a question from Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) regarding the ability of “small, cheap drones to swarm and to strike targets because of their number and because of the difficulty of detecting them…”

Gen. Kurilla- Invest in High Power Microwave

Kurilla acknowledged that small drones are one of the top threats because they are inexpensive, precision-guided weapons. Kurilla explained, “The bigger concern is if you start talking about swarms. Swarms, so we need to continue to invest in things like high powered microwave to be able to counter a drone swarm that is coming at you.

General Kurilla continued, “But when you look at things like the Coyote missile has been very effective. I mean, nothing is 100 percent. And at some point, the law of statistics will come up to you. You have to have a layered defense. And there are — certain systems cost more than others. What we want to get to also is directed energy, where it costs a dollar or $2 a round. We do have those right now in the Middle East that the Army has provided us.”

Earlier in his testimony before the Armed Services Committee, General Kurilla mentioned the layered defense concept and the need for effective but less expensive drone defense options, “So, we do want to get. It’s a layered defense, whether that’s on a ship or it’s on a base. We do have directed energy. The Army’s transformation and contact forward, they’ve sent us some directed energy, mobile, short-range air defense that we are experimenting with right now over in the Middle East. I would love to have the Navy produce more directed energy that can shoot down a drone so I don’t have to use an expensive missile to shoot it down. But what’s worse than not having that expensive missile shoot it down is hitting that $2bn ship with 300 sailors on it.”

CENTCOM Shoots Down Almost 30 Drones on March 9th

Following the testimony from General Kurilla, CENTCOM reported a busy weekend protecting freedom of navigation in the Red Sea area. Between the hours of 4:00 a.m. and 8:20 a.m. (Sanaa time), Iranian-backed Houthi terrorists conducted a large-scale uncrewed aerial vehicle (UAV) attack on maritime assets in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden.

CENTCOM and coalition forces identified the one-way attack (OWA) UAVs and determined that they presented an imminent threat to merchant vessels, U.S. Navy, and coalition ships in the region. U.S. Navy vessels and aircraft, along with multiple coalition navy ships and aircraft, shot down 28 OWA UAVs. There were no reports of damage to commercial ships or U.S. Navy or coalition ships.

These actions followed a deadly week in the Red Sea when an anti-ship ballistic missile launched from terrorist-controlled areas of Yemen struck the M/V True Confidence, a Barbados-flagged, Liberian-owned bulk carrier transiting the Gulf of Aden. The missile impacted the vessel, resulting in three fatalities from the multinational crew, at least four injuries—three of which are in critical condition—and substantial damage to the ship.

https://cuashub.com/content/centcom-commander-invest-in-high-power-microwave/?_hsmi=297657970&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-89kOyiZSDNxhMwLcJzV3qpjdukE9L0X1R_KGPnRZWsYJBX9q0K3XmQDYlKNoC2lPDN5foZmdTJ3HCm9ERs7D4IaBRYEzmFqo_sgKqn7rFM0MXFlk4#utm_campaign=C-UAS%20Hub%20General&utm_medium=email&utm_content=297657970&utm_source=hs_email(Source: https://cuashub.com/)

 

08 Mar 24. Cuashub.com said today that Counter-Drone Technology: A Review. Counter-Drone Technology: A Review is a research paper by Higinio González-Jorge, Enrique Aldao, Gabriel-Fontenla-Carrera, Fernando Veiga-López, Eduardo Balvis and Eduardo Ríos-Otero.

Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs), commonly called drones, have witnessed a substantial increase in their application across civilian and military domains due to their versatility and cost-effectiveness. Nevertheless, this technology’s irresponsible use or malicious operation poses potential risks to public safety and individual privacy. Counter-drone systems have been developed in response to this threat, encompassing technologies for detecting, positioning, and neutralizing these UAVs. This paper reviews various commercial counter-drone systems, exploring the technologies behind detection, tracking, and classification and the soft and hard kill mitigation strategies.

Publication Date– February 2024

Counter-Drone Technology: A Review contains the following major sections:

  • Introduction
  • Commercial counter drone solutions
  • Technology behind detection, tracking and identification
  • Technology behind mitigation
  • Conclusion

This is an open-access article distributed under the Creative Commons

Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

C-UAS Hub does not own this content and provides a link for users at the bottom of the page to access it in its original location. This allows the author(s) to track important article metrics related to their work. All credit goes to its rightful owner.

https://cuashub.com/content/counter-drone-technology-a-review/?_hsmi=297388921&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-99UsYRPwi2lqchMZlAlyE3DgRewYkWrXcLekIjrbMOp3oYs-BMrbUncp47spNWdESx-Y_jHOkM__i_UhriRLWfQZOufRw71e4HKRC9OCKeX9p0qjM#utm_campaign=C-UAS%20Hub%20General&utm_medium=email&utm_content=297388921&utm_source=hs_email (Source: https://cuashub.com/)

 

08 Mar 24. Cuashub.com said today that Combining Spectrum Imagery using Machine Learning. Combining Visible and Infrared Spectrum Imagery using Machine Learning for Small Unmanned Aerial System Detection is a research paper by Vinicius G. Goecks, Grayson Woods, and John Valasek of Texas A&M.

The demand for technology and solutions to counter commercially available small unmanned aerial systems (sUAS) is on the rise. Advances in machine learning and deep neural networks for object detection, combined with the reduced cost and power requirements of cameras, have paved the way for promising vision-based solutions in sUAS detection. However, relying solely on the visible spectrum has posed reliability challenges in low-contrast scenarios, such as when sUAS fly beneath the treeline or against bright light sources. As an alternative, utilizing long-wave infrared (LWIR) sensors, which capture the relatively high heat signatures emitted by sUAS during flight, can generate images that effectively distinguish the sUAS from its background.

Nonetheless, compared to the readily accessible visible spectrum sensors, LWIR sensors exhibit lower resolution and may generate increased false positives when subjected to heat sources like birds. This research suggests a solution by combining the strengths of LWIR and visible spectrum sensors through machine learning for the vision-based detection of small unmanned aerial systems (sUAS). By leveraging the heightened background contrast provided by the LWIR sensor and synchronizing it with the relatively enhanced resolution of the visible spectrum sensor, a deep learning model was trained to detect sUAS even in challenging environments.

Publication Date– April 2020

Combining Visible and Infrared Spectrum Imagery using Machine Learning for Small Unmanned Aerial System Detection contains the following major sections:

  • Introduction
  • Related Work
  • Methods
  • Results and Discussion
  • Conclusion
  • Limitations and Future Work

There are no noted distribution limitations of this document. C-UAS Hub does not own this content and provides a link for users at the bottom of the page to access it in its original location. This allows the author(s) to track important article metrics related to their work. All credit goes to its rightful owner.

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08 Mar 24. Cuashub.com said today that Questions to Ask When Researching Counter-UAS Systems. Questions to Ask When Researching Counter Unmanned Aircraft Systems (Counter-UAS) is a public domain document authored by the Department of Homeland Security Science and Technology Directorate (DHS S&T).

This document was authored for Department of Homeland Security components and other entities with counter-UAS authorities to build a more comprehensive understanding of the nuances, capabilities, and limitations of counter-UAS or counter-drone detection technologies. These questions do not address the legal authorities required to operate drone detection and mitigation technologies.

For additional information regarding legal authorities in the United States, please visit Advisory on the Application of Federal Laws to the Acquisition and Use of Technology to Detect and Mitigate Unmanned Aircraft Systems.

Questions to Ask When Researching Counter Unmanned Aircraft Systems contains the following major sections:

  • General C-UAS
  • Radar Sensor
  • Passive Radio Frequency Sensor
  • Electro-Optical/Infrared Sensor
  • Acoustic Sensor

This is a public domain document. It can be downloaded through the link at the bottom of this page.

Use the information from this document to check out the products and services on C-UAS Hub and ask questions of the knowledgeable and experienced companies found on the website.

https://cuashub.com/content/questions-to-ask-when-researching-counter-uas-systems/?_hsmi=297388921&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-8801RQyLqszUzTsqzCtbsqi2ozS63uafOicRXhmqL-rPcFqX_sN8boCzzV6ASmmbQre4XR2lORBm70EIter_lWdbPaRyYkGgkFljWIMg3wo2qDReA#utm_campaign=C-UAS%20Hub%20General&utm_medium=email&utm_content=297388921&utm_source=hs_email (Source: https://cuashub.com/)

 

08 Mar 24. Northrop Grumman, AIDC seek to upgrade Taiwan E-2K fleet. Northrop Grumman and Aerospace Industrial Development Corporation (AIDC) have announced a partnership to collaborate on a possible upgrade of Taiwan’s Northrop Grumman E-2K Hawkeye airborne early warning and control (AEW&C) fleet.

According to AIDC, the Republic of China Air Force (RoCAF) requires a strengthening of its reconnaissance, search, and early warning capabilities to offset the growing obsolescence of its E-2K fleet. Janes assesses that any proposed upgrade will seek to improve the existing E-2Ks to the E-2D Advanced Hawkeye standard.

AIDC describes the RoCAF’s E-2K force as “an important player” in Taiwan’s airspace defence, as the aircraft is used to provide “aerial surveillance and command-and-control functions” while “effectively monitoring the surrounding airspace and identifying enemies”.

“The aircraft and [its ability to] provide tactical guidance are of great importance to maintaining Taiwan’s national security and defensive airspace,” AIDC said. “As the [E-2K’s] service life increases, if [Taiwan] can purchase new E-2D aircraft in the future and upgrade the E-2K fleet to the latest configuration, it will strengthen the air force’s reconnaissance, search, and early warning capabilities.”

An upgrade will also “facilitate fleet management and solve the problem of disappearing business sources”, AIDC added.

AIDC and Northrop Grumman said they signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) on 23 February at the 2024 Singapore Airshow to support possible future upgrade plans for the E-2K.

Janice Zilch, vice-president, multi-domain command and control (MDC2) programmes, Northrop Grumman, told Janes on 7 March that the MOU “establishes a partnership between Northrop Grumman and AIDC as we jointly seek opportunities to support Taiwan’s requirements for the future of their E-2K fleet, whether acquisitions or upgrades”. (Source: Janes)

 

08 Mar 24. US Army Selects Anduril and Palantir to Deliver TITAN Deep Sensing Capability for Long Range Fires. Anduril Industries announced today that the company is part of the team selected by the Army to develop and manufacture the Tactical Intelligence Targeting Access Node (TITAN) ground station system, the Army’s next-generation deep-sensing capability. The industry-defining team, led by Palantir Technologies, is made up of the nation’s leading traditional and non-traditional contractors. Under the partnership, Anduril will spearhead hardware design, development, and scaled manufacturing across 10 TITAN vehicles.

TITAN is a vehicle-mounted expeditionary ground station that will accelerate and simplify the Army’s ability to access and process massive volumes of Space, High Altitude, Aerial, and Terrestrial sensors to provide actionable targeting information for enhanced mission command and long range precision fires. TITAN will reduce sensor-to-shooter timelines by enhancing the automation of target recognition and geolocation from multiple sensors, updating the common intelligence picture that brings actionable targeting information to the tactical edge.

“Winning wars of the future is about software-defined, hardware-enabled capability. We have significant expertise in delivering flexible, modular, and expeditionary C4 solutions, and we are proud to partner with Palantir to deliver a highly capable, ruggedized, usable, and integrated solution that will enhance precision on the battlefield,” said Tom Keane, Senior Vice President of Engineering at Anduril. “TITAN is purpose-built for software and comes equipped with the required power, communications, cooling, and compute infrastructure to handle the most intense software workloads while optimizing for ease of operation. With extensive experience developing and manufacturing software-defined hardware systems for austere environments, we look forward to leveraging advanced design, engineering, and manufacturing approaches for the next tranche of vehicle systems, building on the techniques that enabled us to deliver the initial TITAN prototype in months. By leveraging commercial manufacturing best practices, as well as prior expertise delivering thousands of software-defined, hardware-enabled systems through full-rate production, Anduril stands ready to produce TITAN at scale.”

During the previous Competitive Prototyping Phase, Anduril spearheaded the design and manufacturing of a full working prototype vehicle. That prototype underwent rigorous testing during a five-month evaluation period to assess the system’s technical performance and usability across a series of test events replicating relevant operational scenarios. Those soldier touchpoints involved a combination of manned, overhead, and ground based ISR platforms spanning joint service technologies, validating system performance in fusing sensor data from disparate sources at the tactical edge.

Anduril is part of a broader team made up of the nation’s best traditional and non-traditional contractors that share the Army’s imperative to build continuously evolving and innovative systems. By emphasizing openness, interoperability, and modularity, the team will deliver modern capabilities to the warfighter at rapid speeds. This best-in-class offering is scalable, adaptable, and designed for the needs of a rapidly evolving threat environment. (Source: ASD Network)

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Echodyne is a U.S. designer and manufacturer of advanced commercial radar solutions for defense and national security applications. The company’s proprietary metamaterials electronically scanned array (MESA®) architecture, a rare breakthrough in advanced radar engineering, leverages a physics-design approach to adapt conventional materials and deliver unexpected and beneficial behavior. The result is a solid-state, low-SWaP unit coupled with advanced software capabilities that delivers superior radar performance and unparalleled data integrity, radically improving system performance and enhancing safety for people and machines. With leading positions in counter-UAS, force protection, base security, and portable ISR, Defense Agencies and Suppliers rely on Echodyne radar for extraordinary accuracy and consistent, reliable operation. For more information, please visit: Echodyne.com.

 

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RADAR, EO/IR, C-UAS, NIGHT VISION AND SURVEILLANCE UPDATE

March 8, 2024 by

Sponsored by Echodyne

 

www.echodyne.com

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08 Mar 24. First Fixed-Wing VTOL Integration of Long-Range Dual Sensor System. Australian drone technology company Carbonix, LiDAR sensors and systems provider RIEGL and the innovative manufacturer of high-quality image capture software and hardware solutions Phase One have announced what they believe to be a significant milestone for aerial surveying and data acquisition.

The three companies have successfully joined forces and flown the RIEGL VUX-120 and Phase One iXM 100 medium format camera on Carbonix’s pioneering fixed-wing VTOL platform. The combination of these highly sophisticated pieces of equipment is used in the field of remote sensing and geospatial data collection, serving critical use cases across the linear infrastructure and mining sectors.

Carbonix has proven the capability of the combined sensing platform in Australia and the US covering more than 12,000 hectares in a single mission. Being able to capture large scale detailed colourised 3D models of the infrastructure and terrain, proves the game-changing impact of this combined technology in commercial operations.

The integration underscores Carbonix’s unparalleled long-range platform capability, setting it apart as the first in the industry to accommodate and operate multiple survey-grade, high-resolution sensors concurrently.

Harnessing the calibrated Phase One/RIEGL pair’s cutting-edge sensing capability will enable Carbonix customers to access a multitude of benefits including:

  • High-Density Data: The platform offers superior resolution and colourisation, enabling the capture of high-density data crucial for precise analysis and insights.
  • Operational Efficiency: With the ability to deploy multiple sensors in a single flight, Carbonix maximises operational velocity and efficiency by streamlining data collection processes.
  • Extended Endurance: Carbonix drones have extended flight durations, resulting in substantial cost reductions of up to 80% compared to both multi-rotor and manned aviation alternatives.
  • Vast Coverage: With a scanning capacity of more than 12,000 hectares or a linear distance coverage of up to 400 km per single mission, Carbonix drones enable comprehensive area mapping at an unprecedented scale.

Carbonix CEO Philip van der Burg said Carbonix’s commitment to pushing the boundaries of innovation is accelerated by collaboration.

“The partnership with RIEGL and Phase One puts Carbonix at the forefront of remote sensing technology, empowering critical sectors with multi-modal information crucial for decision-making, planning, and monitoring,” he said.

“By harnessing the synergy between LiDAR’s precise 3D data, and photographic imaging’s detailed surface, colour, and texture information, we can provide a holistic solution that enables users to see enhanced details about their asset, assess environmental conditions, and create digital twins with unprecedented accuracy.

This collaboration underscores our commitment to innovation and customer satisfaction, as we continue to push boundaries and shape the future of geospatial data collection and analysis.”

RIEGL Australia Managing Director Glenne Blyth said the partnership was pushing the boundaries of aerial imaging and mapping.

“This collaboration is a big step forward for how we gather data from the sky, bringing us closer to a future where aerial surveys can be done with less risk to operational personnel, greater mobility and increased frequency,” he said.

Director of Product Management, Unmanned at Phase One, Michael Messerschmidt, underscored the significance of scalability in the integration of drone-collected images and LiDAR data.

“This project and collaboration between technology leaders proves that there is a path forward for how the collection of images and LiDAR data using drones can be scaled to even the largest areas,” he said.

“In an accelerated and dynamic world, scalability is the key to keeping the digital world up to speed with the rapid changes in the real world.”

(Source: UAS VISION)

 

07 Mar 24. Norway exercises option for additional TPY-4 radars. The Norwegian Defence Materiel Agency (NDMA) is procuring three additional TPY-4 multimission ground-based radars from Lockheed Martin after exercising a contract option with the company. According to an announcement by the NDMA on 3 March, the additional radars will be stationed in Senja, Målselv, and Nordkapp to enhance surveillance in the northern region of the country. In November 2022 Norway contracted Lockheed Martin to deliver eight TPY-4 radars, with an option for further three systems under the ‘P 2078 Air Surveillance Radars’ programme. The programme involves replacing the country’s ageing SINDRE II RAT-31SL radars, with a total of NOK2–4 bn (USD189–378m) allocated in 2015 for the procurement. Out of the eight radars originally ordered, five are being installed at new sites, while the remaining three will be stationed at existing locations. The first radar is due to be installed in Gyrihaugen, Norway, by the end of 2025. Deliveries were initially scheduled to conclude by 2030; however, this has been extended because of the contract option being exercised, the NDMA said. (Source: Janes)

 

06 Mar 24. France, Germany Ground Alerter radar set for MLU. France and Germany’s Ground Alerter 10 (GA 10) anti-mortar radar will receive a mid-life upgrade (MLU) to bolster its capabilities and address obsolescence. The Organisation for Joint Armament Cooperation (OCCAR) will manage the MLU, with a contract totalling EUR15m (USD16.2m) expected to be awarded in early 2024, the authority detailed in its 2024 business plan published on 5 March. Manufactured by Thales, GA 10 is a two-dimensional omnidirectional ultra-high frequency (UHF) passive multistatic counter-rocket, artillery, mortar (C-RAM) radar system. It comprises a tripod-mounted circular-array antenna and an associated radar electronics processing unit, which when combined, can localise the point of impact and launch point of RAM threats. GA 10 can be used as a standalone system or deployed in a netted configuration. The radar can detect mortars within an 8 km range, extending to 30 km for larger aircraft with a radar cross-section of 5 m². When networked with multiple units, the radar achieves an accuracy of 150 m. (Source: Janes)

 

07 Mar 24. Thermal Imaging Optics for Defense Applications. Defense Advancement showcases Ophir Optronics’ high-performance IR thermal imaging lenses and optical elements for SWIR, MWIR, LWIR defense thermal imaging applications.

Ophir Optronics, an MKS Brand, is a leading designer and manufacturer of high-performance IR thermal imaging lenses and optical elements for SWIR, MWIR, LWIR defense thermal imaging applications including long-range, low-SWaP products.

DA is delighted to welcome Ophir Optronics on board as a supplier partner, and we will be highlighting their unique solutions and capabilities across our channels over the next 12 months.

We’ve just launched the company’s Defense Advancement supplier profile, which has been written and built by our team in collaboration with the company.

The profile showcases the company’s products, spanning the entire infrared spectrum including LWIR, MWIR, SWIR and NIR, with a comprehensive range of options including fixed, manual, and motorized focus, and continuous zoom including long-range and low-SWaP products.

Read on to find out about a selection of Ophir Optronics’ solutions:

Long-range MWIR, LWIR & SWIR zoom lenses

Ophir Optronics’ long-range zoom lenses are ideal for ISR (intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance) applications on land, at sea and in the air, as well as security and counter-drone systems.

The rugged lenses have been engineered for superior performance even under the harshest battlefield conditions, and feature accurate line-of-sight (LOS) performance and MTF close to the diffraction limit.

Ophir Medium Wave IR (MWIR) lenses provide crisp image over the full zoom range, with MTF close to the diffraction limit. The lenses are suitable for a wide range of commercial, surveillance, and homeland security applications.

The Ophir SWIR & NIR 25-250mm f/5.5 (NFOV) f/4.0 (WFOV) continuous zoom lens is a low-Size, Weight, and Power (SWaP), compact lens, for the newly introduced 5μm SXGA, as well as for 10μm SXGA, and 15μm VGA SWIR detectors.

Low-SWaP Fixed & Manual Focus and Continuous Zoom Lenses

Ophir offers a wide range of compact, lightweight and low-power fixed-focus, manual focus, and zoom lenses for high-resolution thermal imaging and sensing applications.

These low-SWaP lenses are ideal for incorporation into military platform and system designs with size and weight limitations such as small aircraft and unmanned systems, as well as dismounted soldier applications such as hand-held thermal imagers and thermal weapon sights.

The LightIR thermal imaging zoom lenses are designed for use in a wide range of reduced SWaP applications, including unmanned aerial systems (UAS), unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV), and aircraft vision systems.

Advanced IR lens coatings for naval & maritime ISR

Ophir has developed an advanced hydrophobic coating for IR lenses that provides unparalleled water repelling and ensures the utmost in clarity for naval and maritime surveillance and security applications. AquaShieldIR is designed to withstand extremes of weather, salt spray and humidity, overcoming the obstacles faced at sea by traditional coatings.

Rigorously tested for durability and longevity, AquaShieldIR surpasses the requirements of the MIL-STD-810 standard, and allows naval and maritime personnel to accurately detect and identify targets and objects of interest even in the harshest coastal and marine environments.

Learn more >>

To find out more about MKS Ophir’s high-performance IR thermal imaging lenses and optical elements, please visit the company’s profile page: https://www.defenseadvancement.com/company/mks-ophir/

(Source: https://www.defenseadvancement.com/)

 

06 Mar 24. British Airborne soldiers do some smart shooting with new sight that helps smash drones. Airborne soldiers have been issued with a new smart optical sight that uses artificial intelligence to help them shoot down drones more efficiently.

Members of 16 Air Assault Brigade were the first to receive the new SmartShooter Smash fire control system.

The Smash sight gives soldiers a high probability of destroying small Uncrewed Aircraft Systems (UAS) that are trying to locate and target their positions.

Troops from across the brigade have been testing the new sight at Fingringhoe Ranges near Colchester.

They have been training as counter-UAS specialists and will then go back to their units and pass on their skills to their colleagues.

The Smash sight is mounted on the standard issue SA80 L85 A3 assault rifle and uses image processing software to detect a UAS in the sight’s field of view.

It then displays a box around the target, tracks and predicts its movement, and only allows the rifle to be fired when it is aligned to make a successful hit.

Warrant Officer Class 2 Joe Cooke, who runs the brigade’s small arms training, said: “The ongoing conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East have really shown the threat and capabilities of UAS.

“Our current option to target a drone is to just shoot at it, and they are small and mobile targets that are very hard to hit.

“The Smash sight increases the probability of a hit, reducing the amount of ammunition used.

“It’s about efficiency, and it also offers a surveillance capability to detect drones that soldiers might not have been spotted.

“We’ve got medics and signallers on this course who because of their role don’t use their rifles as much as infantry, and they are shooting with an accuracy that they have never achieved before.”

Another soldier training with the new sight is Lance Corporal Harry Howes, a driver with 13 Air Assault Support Regiment Royal Logistic Corps, who was full of praise for the Smash sight.

LCpl Howes said: “The Smash sight is a simple piece of kit to use. It just takes a few goes to get used to how it works.

“You still pull the trigger, but the system fires the rifle when it is most confident of a hit – which it gets!” (Source: forces.net)

 

07 Mar 24. Cuashub.com said today that AirData Adds Public-Facing Data Features for Public Safety.

Adding to the drone airspace awareness picture and helping bridge the gap between communities and public safety agencies, AirData‘s public-facing data option, employed by public safety agencies throughout the United States, presents a proactive resolution for community-focused police departments and public safety agencies.

The use of drones by public safety agencies worldwide has provided them with a potent tool to enhance existing capabilities, reduce response times, increase safety, and increase personnel presence. Community discussions surrounding these programs emphasize the importance of public accountability and transparency. In collaboration with community-invested agencies, AirData has joined forces to introduce the Public Portal, a robust new tool to foster public trust and engagement.

AirData provides a platform for managing drone fleets and live streaming and incorporates detailed data tracking as a fundamental feature. Law enforcement agencies can share flight information publicly through their personalized AirData Public Portal websites. These platforms offer transparent access to the flight paths and locations of public safety operations, allowing the public to search for missions based on address or time period. The shared data is customized for each department’s needs and can be automatically filtered to ensure confidentiality. AirData has collaborated with pioneering agencies like Chula Vista PD, Sacramento PD, and Las Vegas Metro PD, leveraging their expertise to develop and advance the Public Portal program to promote safer and more community-focused policing.

Agencies face the crucial challenge of balancing concerns related to privacy, officer safety, and operational security with the imperative of cultivating public trust and engagement. AirData addresses these considerations through robust backend features that allow agencies to tailor parameters to suit their operations. A key feature is the ability to customize the time period before sharing flight information, providing a broad security layer. Additionally, individual pilots have granular control over data sharing through checklists and flight tags. For instance, pilots engaged in sensitive missions can maintain confidentiality by promptly completing a post-flight checklist using the AirData UAV mobile app.

“Implementing AirData’s Public Portal into our UAS program has revolutionized the way we share our drone operations with the community,” said Detective Steven Oscar, Program Coordinator and Chief UAS Pilot at LVMPD. “It’s transparent, user-friendly, and bridges the gap between technology and public trust. With real-time data sharing, we’re not just flying drones; we’re fostering an environment of openness and accountability. AirData has enabled us to elevate our program’s transparency to new heights, ensuring our community is always in the loop and fully aware of the benefits our UAS initiatives bring.”

AirData Adds Public-Facing Data Features for Public Safety

(Source: https://cuashub.com/)

 

06 Mar 24. US Army chooses Palantir to build next-generation targeting system. The U.S. Army selected Palantir Technologies to develop the Tactical Intelligence Targeting Access Node — a next-generation, software-centric ground system.

Under the $178m deal, announced March 6, Denver-based Palantir will build 10 TITAN ground stations, designed to help the Army connect data-gathering sensors from across multiple domains to shooters in the field to support advanced beyond-line-of-sight targeting.

“We are thrilled to move into the next phase to deliver these revolutionary capabilities to our warfighters,” Col. Chris Anderson, the Army’s project manager for intelligence systems and analytics, said in a statement. “TITAN provides game changing technologies on how we collect, process and disseminate intelligence across the battlefield, providing us a decisive edge in supporting Multi-Domain Operations.”

The award follows a three-year design and prototyping phase that pitted Palantir’s system against one developed by RTX, formerly Raytheon. The firms’ designs were refined based on regular feedback from Army users, including a demonstration last summer that assessed technical performance and usability.

Bryant Choung, Palantir’s senior vice president for defense solutions, said the program’s emphasis on incorporating feedback through regular demonstrations, or soldier touchpoints, has helped ensure the company’s winning system includes the capabilities most needed in the field.

“The way that the Army has structured this has allowed them to field this type of innovative technology incredibly rapidly, but while making sure that we’re getting that feedback from soldiers to make sure that we’re on the right track,” he told C4ISRNET in a March 5 interview.

The U.S. Army plans to buy 10 Palantir-built TITAN prototypes, depicted above. (Palantir)

That soldier input will continue over the next two years as Palantir further refines its TITAN prototype.

Palantir plans to deliver all 10 systems in that timeframe, Choung said. That includes five advanced variants, which will integrate with tactical trucks like the Family of Medium Tactical Vehicle Fleet’s M1083, and will be able to take in space sensor data.

The company will also build five basic variants that will be installed on the Army’s Joint Light Tactical Vehicle. While it won’t have the direct space downlink, the basic version will have access to data from space sensors.

Choung noted that because the systems are software-heavy and designed for modularity, the company can continue to upgrade each variant based on the Army’s needs. In its statement, the service noted that the contract covers “the integration of new technologies.”

By 2026, the Army will decide whether the capability will transition into full production. The service hasn’t yet determined how many units it will ultimately buy, but Choung said the company estimates it will be in the range of 100 to 150 systems.

Palantir’s subcontractor team on the effort includes Northrop Grumman, Anduril Industries, L3Harris, Pacific Defense and Sierra Nevada Corporation.

Anduril said in a statement that it will play a role in TITAN’s hardware design and development as well as scaled manufacturing.

“With extensive experience developing and manufacturing software-defined hardware systems for austere environments, we look forward to leveraging advanced design, engineering, and manufacturing approaches for the next tranche of vehicle systems, building on the techniques that enabled us to deliver the initial TITAN prototype in months,” said Tom Keane, senior vice president of engineering at Anduril. (Source: Defense News)

 

07 Mar 24. Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE: NOC) is partnering with Palantir USG, Inc. on the newly awarded Tactical Intelligence Targeting Access Node (TITAN) ground system for the U.S. Army. The program supports one of the Army’s key modernization imperatives by using artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) to enhance the automation of target recognition and geolocation and integrate data from multiple sensors to reduce sensor-to-shooter timelines.

Northrop Grumman will partner to:

  • Lead design maturation of the TITAN Advanced and Basic vehicle shelters leveraging its capabilities in complex, forward-deployed ground systems.
  • Ensure production readiness to deliver 10 initial TITAN prototypes with capability to scale-up to program needs.
  • Integrate, test and deploy TITAN systems to the Army, providing actionable targeting information for enhanced mission command and long-range precision fires.
  • Expert:
  • Aaron Dann, vice president, strategic force programs, Northrop Grumman: “Northrop Grumman’s extensive experience in large-scale system integration will help enable mission success and provide information superiority for our warfighters in complex operating environments. Our work on TITAN continues our long history of supporting our nation’s need for actionable intelligence when and where it matters most.”
  • Details:
  • TITAN is a ground system that has access to space, high altitude, aerial, and terrestrial sensors to provide actionable targeting information for enhanced mission command. TITAN will enable the Army to fuse, correlate, and integrate intelligence data from a rapidly expanding series of sensors providing operational forces a full picture of their surroundings. This robust capability allows real-time decision making that will substantially increase the accuracy, precision, and effects of long-range precision fires.
  • Northrop Grumman is a leading global aerospace and defense technology company. Our pioneering solutions equip our customers with the capabilities they need to connect and protect the world, and push the boundaries of human exploration across the universe. Driven by a shared purpose to solve our customers’ toughest problems, our employees define possible every day.

 

04 Mar 24. Indra and Edge Group Sign an Agreement to Develop and Manufacture Next-Gen Radars in UAE.

  • Agreement will give the new Abu Dhabi-based JV access to a non-NATO, non-EU pipeline of orders for almost 300 sophisticated radar systems, and will significantly expand its capabilities in the advanced radar solutions business for air, land, and sea
  • With this agreement, Indra will increase strategically and accelerate the technological and commercial development of its radars business with new opportunities in high growth international markets, a key objective of its new Strategic Plan

EDGE Group today formalised a new Joint Venture (JV) agreement with Spain’s Indra Sistemas (Indra), a world-leading information technology and defence systems company with a footprint in over 140 countries worldwide, and a significant player in major European programs such as the Eurofighter and the Future Combat Air System (FCAS), among others. The agreement, signed in Madrid by EDGE Managing Director & CEO, Hamad Al Marar, and Jose Vicente de los Mozos, CEO of Indra, will see the new Abu Dhabi-based JV develop and manufacture next-generation radar systems in the UAE, opening a pipeline of orders for approximately 300 advanced radar solutions. The new business will be granted prime rights for current and future non-NATO and non-EU orders awarded to Indra.

H.E. Faisal Al Bannai, Chairman of EDGE, said: “We see tremendous value in building relationships which will spur growth and bring tangible benefits to all parties. Our new joint venture with Indra, as a global market leader in the field of advanced radar technologies, will enable us to combine the strengths of both companies to create an entity which will become a major industry-player in this sector. We are confident that this strategic partnership will prove to be a highly successful one.”

Marc Murtra, Chairman of Indra, said: “This agreement between the two companies can create one of the world’s leading players in the field of radar technology and is a step forward in Indra’s international expansion strategy. With strategic initiatives such as this, we are making decisive steps in key vectors of our Strategic vision 2024-2026: technological leadership, international growth and partnerships building “.

The JV will place a strategic focus on the continued development of sophisticated technologies, innovation, and global market expansion by targeting untapped and fragmented non-NATO markets outside of the European Union. EDGE will bring its commercial strength and technology building blocks, while Indra will enhance the new company’s capabilities by transferring technology, and shifting some engineering, commercial, and manufacturing capabilities to the JV.

Speaking at the official signing ceremony at the Ministry of Defence in Madrid, EDGE Group Managing Director & CEO, Hamad Al Marar, said: “This new joint venture with one of Europe’s top three defence technology players in this sector will enable EDGE, in partnership with Indra, to significantly expand and diversify the scope of its offerings through knowledge sharing, and the development and manufacture of advanced radar systems to customers around the world.

“In line with our strategy for growth through mutually beneficial partnerships, we are fully committed to this venture, which will be built on both companies’ existing reputation for excellence, and which will enable us to combine our strengths to drive innovation, develop sovereign capabilities, and expand market reach, while contributing to the technological advancement and economic growth of the UAE, and Spain.”

José Vicente de los Mozos, CEO of Indra, said: “The JV between Indra and EDGE Group will be recognised for its capacity for innovation and the use of the most sophisticated technologies. This JV will help us to expand our geographical reach and our international mindset in our Defense business and will increase our proximity to the global clients. We in Indra are convinced that this JV will create new significant business opportunities in new markets. This agreement is one more asset of the Industrial and Strategic Plan “Leading the Future” that will be presented on March 6th, a decisive strategic transformation milestone for Indra”

The JV will also focus on building a team of highly-qualified personnel in the UAE, particularly in sales and engineering roles, by leveraging local Emirati, as well as global talent, ensuring sustainable operational excellence and innovative output. (Source: ASD Network)

 

05 Mar 24. Iran displays Gaza-armed ISTAR UAV with new details. The Iranian defence industry displayed its multirole Gaza-armed intelligence, surveillance, target acquisition, and reconnaissance (ISTAR) unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) at the DIMDEX 2024 exhibition held in Doha, Qatar, from 4 to 6 March.

The Gaza UAV is a turboprop-powered remotely piloted aircraft (RPA) designed for military and civilian missions. It has an endurance of over 24 hours at minimum payload, with a maximum speed of 350 km/h, a cruising speed of 215 km/h, and a loitering speed of 190 km/h. It can operate up to an altitude of 35,000 ft and features a 500 kg payload capacity.

The weight of the UAV is 1,650 kg without fuel, and it can carry 1,500 kg of fuel. It is powered by a turboprop engine with 750 hp. The UAV has a maximum take-off weight (MTOW) of 3,100 kg, including all the payloads. It has a rate of climb of 1,500 ft/min. (Source: Janes)

 

05 Mar 24. Vision Research, a leading manufacturer of digital high-speed imaging systems, announces the release of its Phantom Miro® C321 Air high-speed camera for airborne testing applications. This 2-megapixel camera leverages the rugged and field-proven design of the Phantom Miro C321 vehicle crash test camera to meet manned and unmanned airborne testing requirements. Specifically, its high frame rates and many advanced imaging features expand testing opportunities while offering unparalleled data security and meeting strict specifications related to environmental durability, EMI and avionics power.

The C321 Air achieves 1,480 frames per second (fps) at full HD (1920 x 1080) resolution and up to 94,000 fps at reduced resolutions. Because airborne tests often require lower frame rates, it unlocks additional testing opportunities for researchers while providing detailed, higher-quality images. The new camera also features a 10-micron pixel size for high sensitivity, low noise and high dynamic range to capture critical test events with minimal motion blur.

“We’re thrilled to introduce the Phantom C321 Air to the airborne testing community,” says Kevin Gann, Vice President of Research and Development at Vision Research. “Our customers in the defense and aerospace fields need to conduct critical stores separation tests in demanding environments. As the high-speed camera market leader, Vision Research has the reputation, experience and knowledge to provide a differentiated camera that meets the most stringent demands of the airborne environment.”

The C321 Air satisfies aerospace-specific specifications including one of the most difficult tests, the vibe test (MIL-STD 810H, Method 514.8, Category 12 (Jet), up to 26 Grms). The camera is also temperature tested to -55˚C, includes conformal-coated boards to protect against humidity and offers a removable CFast solid-state drive (SSD), secured with a double-action latching door. Users can download shots to the flash in-flight, saving multiple captures from a mission.

Key Specifications of the Phantom C321 Air

-Small, compact form factor

-HD resolution (1920 x 1080)

-Throughput: 3 Gpx/s image capture

-Max frame rate at full resolution: 1,480 fps

-Max frame rate at reduced resolution: 94,000 fps

-Operational temperature range: -55˚ to +50˚C

-Programmable I/O to easily configure signals

-Designed to meet MIL-STD 810H, 704 and 461 standards (complete testing pending)

-16GB RAM with memory partitioning capabilities

-CFast and auto-save features for securely storing multiple shots

To learn more about Phantom high-speed cameras, visit phantomhighspeed.com.

 

04 Mar 24. Denmark launches competition to replace coastal radars. Denmark has launched a EUR220m (USD238.4m) competition to replace its coastal radars in Bornholm and Skagen as well as on the Faroe Islands.

Three new Fixed Air Defence Radar (FADR) systems will be procured, each comprising a 3D phased-array Primary Surveillance Radar (PSR), Secondary Surveillance Radar (SSR) with all civilian and military interrogation modes, and Monitor and Control Units for both local and remote control of the radar system, according to a contract notice published on 1 March on the European Union tendering website.

The active electronically scanned array (AESA) FADRs must operate in the L or S frequency band, have an instrumented range of at least 256 n miles in rotating mode, and incorporate the latest proven transmitter technology such as gallium nitride.

Along with this, the systems must have a ‘stop-and-stare’ mode to extend their range, update rate, and accuracy, and be capable of detecting tactical ballistic missiles. It should also be possible to monitor and control the FADRs from multiple remote facilities separate from the FADRs, the contract notice detailed. (Source: Janes)

 

04 Mar 24. EDA develop an AESA radar prototype for FCAS programme. The Indra-led consortium brings the radar closer to operational readiness for the French, German and Spanish Future Combat Air System programme.

Spain’s leading defence supplier, Indra, has led a European Defence Agency (EDA) consortium to the end of a development project lasting more than two-and-a-half-years.

Launched in July 2021, the European Commission funded €10m ($10.8m) to develop an Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) radar system that also provides electronic warfare and communications functions for military applications.

Bringing together 11 other companies, research centres, and small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) from seven European countries, the project is known as ‘CROWN’ – a loose abbreviation for ‘Combined Radar, cOmmunications, and electronic Warfare fuNctions.’

CROWN focuses on the innovative concept of a multi-functional radio frequency (RF) system, which aims at substantially enhancing future defence capabilities, with specific focus on AESA for crewed and uncrewed aerial platforms.

Notably, Indra serves as one of three industry co-ordinators alongside Airbus and Dassault Aviation for the Future Combat Air System (FCAS) programme. France, Germany and Spain will jointly develop an aerial system, including a sixth generation fighter jet alongside collaborative swarming drones.

EDA’s multi-functional AESA radar system may be applied to these FCAS uncrewed aerial vehicles given the system is lightweight and compact and provides a range of capabilities in the field.

The final meeting focused on the main topics developed within the CROWN project and the results achieved. Particularly, CROWN demonstrated the different Building Blocks designed during the project and the performance of the demonstrator in a controlled anechoic chamber environment.

This project also determined necessary investments and outlined research activities essential for further developing a Technology Readiness Level 7 prototype demonstration in an operational environment.

CROWN included, in particular, two connected activities focusing on research and devlopment assessment on critical technologies in pursuing a future European multi-function RF systems on system and component level.

Follow-on activities aiming at producing an EU prototype by the end of 2027 are recommended, also exploiting the EDF framework.

(Source: Google/airforce-technology.com)

 

28 Feb 24. IWI – Israel Weapon Industries – a member of the SK Group (founded by Mr. Samy Katsav), and a global leader in the production of combat-proven small arms for military, police, law enforcement agencies, and governmental entities around the world, has unveiled its new Micro Folding Battle Sight. IWI’s MFBS represents a unique design which addresses the challenge of combining co-witness back up iron sights with higher reflex sights alongside various accessories on the Picatinny rail. It is specifically developed to conserve the valuable space on the rail without compromising the availability of back-up sights, thus ensuring weapon reliability and functionality whenever needed and under any environmental conditions.

The micro folding back up sight offers exceptional co-witness capabilities while taking up minimal space on any Picatinny rail. The MFBS sights can be lifted and folded when needed, in line with operational needs, and have a narrow profile in relation to the width of the Picatinny rail. They can be adapted to a range of high reflex sights and accompanying tall means, with a low cross section in the folded position. As such, the sights do not interfere with the other means placed on the weapon.

Designed to seamlessly complement most well-known sights on the market, the new compact sight folds backwards, ensuring maximum rail space without hindering the use of the AR charging handle. The Micro Folding Battle Sights offer ultimate versatility. They can be adjusted with a simple tool, which makes field modifications easy, and are offered with or without tritium inserts. The front sight is offered in a narrow profile for sights without tritium inserts. The rear sight is designed with a quick modification between small and large apertures. The MFBS are designed for the field and meet both NATO and MIL-STD drop tests.

Ronen Hamudot, Executive VP Marketing and Sales of the SK Group said: “IWI developed the MFBS after identifying the need for detachable, durable sights, that arose from the field. Introducing the MFBS to the market represents our commitment to clients to provide comprehensive solutions, and to expanding our offering”. (Source: www.joint-forces.com)

 

04 Mar 24. Cuashub.com said today that Safeware Adds SkySafe’s Airspace Management & Intel Platform. Safeware, a renowned distributor of innovative solutions and services to first responders, educational facilities, and government and industrial workers, has announced the addition of SkySafe‘s drone airspace management and intelligence platform to its portfolio of solutions. This partnership enhances Safeware’s range of safety products and technical services for customers in the industrial, government, federal, and response markets. The SkySafe solution joins other prominent brands in Safeware’s offerings, including 3M, 5.11, Honeywell, and Kappler.

The FAA reports over 900,000 registered drones in the United States, and the global commercial drone market is expected to reach $58.4 bn by 2026. To address the growing need to distinguish authorized drones from potential threats, SkySafe offers a cloud-based platform. This platform is considered the most comprehensive market, offering real-time and historical UAS identification, activity tracking, and telemetry data. It is particularly beneficial for teams responsible for safeguarding cities, infrastructure, the public, and campuses.

“Airspace security and management is a growing area of concern for Safeware customers, and we are pleased to be able to offer SkySafe’s technology to combat this growing threat,” said Connie Stallings, Strategic Vendor Relations Manager at Safeware.

“We are pleased to partner with Safeware to bring the SkySafe solution to an expanded network of government and private facilities that prioritize the growing threat of airspace management,” said Melissa Swisher, Senior Vice President of Global Partnerships and Alliances. “This partnership will allow existing Safeware customers to purchase SkySafe through a trusted partner that they have an established relationship with.”

The collaboration between SkySafe and Safeware leverages SkySafe’s top-tier drone intelligence platform and Safeware’s proficiency in national cooperative contracts. Together, they provide their customers a leading solution in the market for risk and security threat mitigation.

To learn more about SkySafe’s capabilities around event and corrections facilities, register for an exclusive webinar with leaders from SkySafe and Safeware on March 28th.

Don’t miss important industry news, updates, and resources! Sign up for the C-UAS Hub Newsletter!

Post Image- Light show at the 2020 Dubai Expo (Image Credit: envatoelements by photoyasya)

https://cuashub.com/content/safeware-adds-skysafes-airspace-management-intel-platform/?_hsmi=296681902&_hsenc=p2ANqtz–6DZHDpi-zcK-XY9CRq5VQAc4WNPbqiLoMS5xeBUbS_11N182CaihYQ7TpmgLoupcjsJX4ApTHB_m6UCP32q7qGSCmfJHCHKNNKwNtwZ-ZdqHi2oI#utm_campaign=C-UAS%20Hub%20General&utm_medium=email&utm_content=296681902&utm_source=hs_email (Source: https://cuashub.com/)

 

01 Mar 24. Merger LRF XP35: Compact and Powerful. Premiering at Outdoor Classics 2024, the Merger LRF XP35 is the most compact binocular by Pulsar, featuring the widest field of view in its category and an extremely sensitive thermal sensor. The Merger LRF XP35 is the latest addition to the Merger line of digital thermal binoculars, known for its European quality, ergonomics, and the comfort of observation. As the most compact and lightweight model of the line, it features a staggeringly wide field of view (17.8°). This allows you to comfortably scan vast areas for far greater distances with both eyes without eye fatigue.

The Merger LRF XP35 is equipped with our signature European-made Lynred sensor with NETD <25 mK thermal sensitivity. This guarantees a highly detailed image with superb sharpness and quality even in adverse conditions. The new model comes with a built-in laser rangefinder that measures distances of up to 1,000 yards. With a detection range of up to 1,500 yards, these binoculars enable users to assess environments and find heat signatures quickly and error-free.

Like all models in the Merger line, the Merger LRF XP35 is powered by a dual battery system – one internal and one replaceable – providing up to 9 hours of continuous operation.

To learn more about the Merger LRF XP35, please visit this link.

Pulsar invites you to visit us at IWA Outdoor Classics 2024 to test and see all the new devices firsthand! We will be located at Stand 3A-621. See you in Nuremberg!

 

29 Feb 24. US Navy expeditionary forces eye counter-drone, offensive unmanned ops. The Navy Expeditionary Combat Command enables the rest of the fleet, providing port security, naval construction, mine clearance, salvage diving and more. But as the community thinks about how to modernize to keep up with evolving technology and unpredictable threats, it’s mulling adding a new tool to the toolkit: operating offensive, lethal drones.

Rear Adm. Brad Andros, the commander of NECC, told Defense News he’s been tasked with drawing up ideas for the “NECC of the future,” in line with a broader Navy Force Design 2045 effort.

Using the Maritime Expeditionary Security Forces as an example, he said over the last two decades they evolved from a riverine force into one that now conducts escort missions and port security operations.

“They’ve got to develop into creating a bastion for the ships and submarines” on patrol or even in combat overseas. The 2000 attack on Arleigh Burke-class destroyer Cole highlighted the importance of scanning the waters for asymmetric threats — in that case, a bomb-laden small boat — but current events show this maritime security force will have to keep an eye out for unmanned boats as well as unmanned drones in the air and unmanned craft under the water, too.

If the Maritime Expeditionary Security Forces will have to become counter-unmanned experts to conduct their mission, “while I’m at it, why don’t I just be able to do the offensive side of it as well?”

Andros said this led to a larger conversation about NECC’s role, partially inspired by current events.

“Taking what we’re seeing in the Black Sea, taking what we’re seeing in the Red Sea: how do we become that dilemma-creator?” he said.

Ukrainian forces have been able to alter what activities Russian ships can conduct in the Black Sea based on their shore-based drone operations. Similarly, the Houthi forces ashore in Yemen have severely restricted shipping in the Red Sea due to their shore-based attacks.

In both cases, the forces didn’t need to be at sea on expensive ships; they have been effective controlling a confined body of water from land.

Andros said the Marine Corps is pursuing its own version of this with the Expeditionary Advanced Base Operations concept. He said NECC wants to find a way for its force to be additive to what the Marines are doing.

If done right, though, he said NECC could free up a capital ship from having to protect a confined body of water, assuming the U.S. had the right agreements in place to put NECC forces on the ground.

Andros acknowledged this is a departure from NECC’s traditional work, but it may be necessary to have offensive capabilities in order to adequately create a safe haven for U.S. ships and subs overseas.

Navy Expeditionary Combat Command today is “built on protect: law enforcement and patrolling,” the admiral said.

To go after these offensive capabilities, he said the command would have to look into what technical skills the sailors would need for this work, ensure the right ratings and structures are in place to man these units, and realign resources to equip these sailors with offensive drones and other systems.

“It’s not a wholesale change, but it’s enough of a tweak that it’s got to be very deliberate, and it’s going to probably be a good five- to seven-year process to get after it,” Andros said.

Equipment reset

As part of the modernization effort, Andros is looking at NECC’s mismatched gear and considering resetting the inventory.

The force has done a lot of acquisition outside the formal capability development process so it could move fast, he said. It typically bought things that were commercial-off-the-shelf, not expensive, and in small quantities.

As a result, there’s not always commonality throughout the whole NECC force, creating a particular challenge for the sailors tasked with maintaining them.

Asked what he wanted from industry as NECC considers this equipment reset, Andros said the two most important things are that capabilities are packaged into small form factors, and that unit-level sailors can repair themselves.

Andros anticipates increasingly operating in locations without a mature logistics infrastructure, which makes the ability for the sailors to fix their own gear pivotal. He noted that configuration management — ensuring all the radios are common, all the drones are common, and so on — is important for maintainability and one of the reasons NECC is considering this gear reset.

Rearming ships at sea

NECC already has the ability to reload missiles into ships’ vertical launching system cells from ashore or from a barge at the pier, through its Navy Expeditionary Logistics Support Group.

But the idea of being able to reload VLS cells at sea has taken on a new importance in the last year, after Navy Secretary Carlos Del Toro highlighted it as a key gap the Navy needed to fill to prepare for a potential war in the Pacific.

So expeditionary reload teams from NECC have been called in as subject matter experts during testing, including an August 2023 demonstration involving destroyer Porter and Lewis and Clark-class dry cargo ship William McLean.

This took place during the Large Scale Exercise 2023 event, which Andros said was important.

“At the tactical level — the humans doing it, taking an object, swinging it over and putting it in — we’re good,” he said, even if the specific systems being tested as part of Del Toro’s effort are new.

But who would command and control this evolution — who would call for the rearm-at-sea to take place, who would be in charge of safety, who would actually operate the cranes and more — still hasn’t been decided. Incorporating this evolution into a major fleet exercise allowed fleet leaders to start working through some of those questions, he said.

As for whether his NECC sailors would ultimately be the ones to embark on Military Sealift Command ships and conduct the rearming themselves, or if MSC would train its crews to operate the cranes, Andros said, “either way is fine by me, just as long as whoever does it is certified to operate the equipment.” (Source: Defense News Early Bird/Defense News)

 

04 Mar 24. Wing develops multi-layered approach to detect and avoid at Dallas Fort-Worth. Wing has developed a multi-layered detect & avoid system to enable the drone services company to safely integrate aircraft into complex airspace, according to a company blog.

Wing drone operations in the Dallas Fort-Worth area operate within airspace referred to as the “Mode C Veil”, while all Wing operations take place below 400 feet in populated areas where most traditional aircraft are not permitted to fly.

Wing also leverages technology to actively detect and avoid other air traffic. Most traditional aircraft within the Mode C Veil are required to utilize Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B), a system that broadcasts their location and flight data. Wing’s automated drones and the company’s pilots in command constantly monitor this real-time data stream. When needed, the drones can pause take off and automatically adjust their flight paths to maintain safe distances. Another action the drone can take is to land proactively, directing the drone to designated “preferred landing zones” away from populated areas and traffic, and gently landing on the ground. This is similar to how cars can pull over to the side of the road, when needed, says Wing, adding another layer in the mitigations to help promote safety.

Wing’s trained pilots in command (PICs) continuously monitor the airspace and can intervene during a drone flight if needed to initiate a contingency landing. Wing personnel are also prepared for swift retrieval of landed drones.

Wing says responsible drone integration is key to unlocking the potential of this technology, creating a future where efficient delivery seamlessly coexists with traditional air traffic. For more information visit: www.wing.com (Source: www.unmannedairspace.info)

 

01 Mar 24. Belgium expands network of ground stations to support low level surveillance. Cooperation between SafeSky, Avionix Engineering and experts of the Open Glider Network are cooperating to establish a low-level surveillance network.

Since the beginning of 2024, three air sports federations have started to deploy a network of ground stations/receivers in Belgium. The aim is to make air traffic electronically visible, ie eConspicuous, to all pilots in the sky.

The Belgian Ultralight Federation, the Flemisch Glider Federation and the Association of Motorized Flightclubs, invested EUR15,000 in the purchase of 21 receivers (ground stations/antennas) to be installed by the aeroclubs at Belgian airfields.

The aim is to cover the entire Belgian airspace at low altitudes. With this project, all EC systems are becoming federated into one source and made available for free to more than a dozen in-flight software and hardware. Non-commercial pilots will no longer fly without awareness of other possible conflicting aircraft.

All signals collected by the project’s ground stations are sent to a network. That network processes this data according to a new European standard (ADS-L) and makes it usable and accessible to a whole range of devices, apps and applications that pilots can use. This can be done via an ordinary smartphone or tablet. SafeSky, a Belgian company founded by six pilots, has developed a special app for this purpose that makes the data accessible in the air via a special internet protocol, using only a smartphone or tablet. For more information visit: www.skeydrone.aero

(Source: www.unmannedairspace.info)

 

28 Feb 24. Canada seeks industry proposals for C-UAS technology development funding. Under the Innovation in Defence Excellence and Security (IDEaS) programme, the Canadian Departmnent of National Defence (DND) has launched Window 2 of its Counter Uncrewed Aerial Systems Concept Development project.

Seeking to answer the question “How might we detect and/or defeat micro and mini UAS with systems that can be integrated into the broader military command and control system,” IDEaS will provide funding of up to CAD 500,000 for innovative C-UAS concepts over a period of up to nine  months. There is a potential for further funding of up to CAD 2 m should concepts be found successful and promising by DND and Canadian Armed Forces.

Innovators are invited to submit developmental C-UAS concepts for the defeat of micor and mini UAS by 15 April. Application details, further information and a frequently asked questions resource are available through the link below.

The results of Window 1, in which winners received funding of between CAD 200,000 and 500,000, included ThinkSOLN Corporation, Institut National d’Optique, AGILE Electromagnetics Incorporated and C-CORE.

For more information: Counter Uncrewed Aerial Systems Concept Development – Canada.ca (Source: www.unmannedairspace.info)

 

03 Mar 24. US Army issues RFI to industry for CUAS turreted gun capability. The United States Army Aviation and Missile Command (AMCOM), Redstone Arsenal, Alabama, anticipates a requirement to provide a Counter Unmanned Aircraft Systems (CUAS) turreted gun-based capability (Notice ID PANRSA-24-P-0000-001618).

According to a posting on the US government sam.gov procurement website:

“The purpose of this announcement is to gain knowledge of interest, capabilities, and qualification of businesses to compete and perform a hybrid type contract with fixed price and cost reimbursable requirements. This announcement supports the Federal Acquisition Regulation Part 10 Market Research requirement.

“The Integrated Fires Rapid Capabilities Office -International (IFRCO-I) plans, coordinates and synchronizes programmatics, logistics, training, and technical management of international systems of systems, delivering emerging and rapid development Short Range Air Defense and Counter Unmanned Aircraft Systems capabilities to foreign partners.

“The contractor shall be capable of designing, documenting, manufacturing, and integrating a CUAS gun-based solution.

Requirements include:

  • The system shall have the ability to engage and destroy UAS using a cannon with rapid fire and automatic aiming controlled by an operator.
  • The system shall be mobile (e.g., vehicle mounted).
  • The system shall have a command and control system capable of displaying air tracks and passing tracks to the gun system.
  • The system shall have an active radar.
  • The system shall have means of Electro-Optical and InfraRed (EO/IR) detection.
  • The system shall be able to raise the sensor and communication suite above a 10-meter tree line.
  • The system shall have a radio meshnet.

The Government requests information on the following system aspects:

  • Caliber and type of ammunition and gun to include percussion or electrical priming and performance data against Group 3 UAS (20-600kg gross takeoff weight).
  • Proposed turret and relevant technical specifications, (i.e., Size, Weight, Power, and Cost [SWaP-C], slew rate and acceleration, stability, environmental testing conducted).
  • Interfaces between system components.
  • Ability of the system to receive and external track.
  • Proposed radar model and relevant technical specifications (i.e., SWaP-C, detection range against a -15dBsm target moving at less than 127 m/s, with false alarm rate and track continuity information, spinning vs. staring, band, and number of simultaneous tracks).
  • On the move capability.
  • Proposed EO/IR camera and relevant technical specifications (i.e., SWaP-C, detection, classification, and identification range against a rear mounted piston engine against a Group 3 target).
  • Emplacement and displacement time and any performance degradation for incomplete setup still capable of executing basic missions.
  • Number of rounds per engagement (average) and number of rounds carried on system.
  • Platform that the system is integrated onto, i.e., commercial truck, HMMWV, FMTV, etc.
  • Recommended logistics concepts with anticipated costs for two years of sustainment (spares and services).
  • Proposed data rights assertions.”

Deadline for responses is March 22, 2024

For more information: https://sam.gov/opp/e24821b54fc3424fb0fe93f2c101f1bb/view

(Source: www.unmannedairspace.info)

 

04 Mar 24. Drone Band introduces FPV drone attachment for mid-capture of rogue drones. Drone Band has introduced a 3D printed first-person view (FPV) drone attachment called “the Crown” designed for mid-air capture of multicopter drones. Reusable, scalable and weighing under 100g, the Crown is designed to be compatible with a wide range of FPV drones and can reach up to 10km.

The Crown has been developed to address the problem of malicious drone operators retaining their drones. Once a malicious drone is detected, the FPV drone pilot deploys a hunter drone equipped with the Crown attachment. Guided by the pilot, the hunter drone manoeuvres towards the target drone. Upon contact, the Crown captures the target drone, disconnects from the hunter drone, and deploys a parachute for a controlled descent. An arrest wire may be deployed to transport the captured drone to a designated safe landing location.

While the drone’s capture serves as a deterrent, its apprehension also provides valuable intelligence for identifying the operator and discerning their intentions, says the company.

The legal framework for using the Crown varies, depending on national regulator rules. According to Drone Band, permission for its use may be granted, accompanied by specific restrictions, depending on the qualifications held by the operating drone pilots and the organisation they represent.

Drone Band expects the Crown to have a variety of applications and is targeting sales at event organisers, prisons, transport operators, police, landowners and private security firms. The company is seeking angel investors, beta testers and early adopters.

For more information: www.drone.band (Source: www.unmannedairspace.info)

 

04 Mar 24. Neil Brown Ocean Sensors, Inc. (NBOSI), a pioneer in research-quality conductivity-temperature sensors for mobile marine platforms, launches its latest innovation ahead of Oceanology International in London. The new integrated CTD Sensor promises to redefine underwater data collection, addressing an increasing demand for smaller, more capable unmanned underwater vehicles (UUVs) in various industries.

The UUV landscape is undergoing a transformative shift, driven by technological advancements, artificial intelligence (AI), and machine learning (ML). As vehicles are getting smaller, while growing in numbers and enhancing their capabilities, there is an increasing demand for compact, affordable, yet highly accurate sensors. This demand is unprecedented and continuously expanding.

NBOSI has been at the forefront of this evolution since 2004, specializing in sensors for mobile marine platforms, capitalizing on the company’s 120 years of combined field experience specific to the ocean environment. The company’s response to industry trends aligns with the global growth forecast for the UUV market, projected to reach $8.14 bn by 2030.

The integrated CTD sensor represents a leap forward in UUV technology, offering a compact, palm-sized design that provides research-quality temperature, salinity, depth, and sound speed measurements. Dr. Dave Fratantoni, NBOSI’s CEO, highlights the advantages of the new sensor, emphasizing “simplified maintenance, faster recalibration, and superior data quality.”

Key advantages of NBOSI’s integrated CTD sensor include streamlined installation and maintenance. By eliminating the internal electronics board, NBOSI has made sensor integration, routine calibration, spares management, and field replacement a breeze, reducing operational complexities for UUV fleets.

Customers can get direct sound speed and ocean density data in real-time with the precision pressure sensor, ensuring accurate data without burdening the vehicle’s CPU.

The rugged and large-aperture flow-through design of the sensor not only offers class leading hydrodynamic performance, but also eliminates the need for an energy-consumptive and noise-producing pump.

Design flexibility has been built in from the start with certain sensor variants featuring a bulkhead connector on the cell. This provides end-users with greater vehicle and systems design freedom, and operational flexibility, optimizing UUV deployments for maximum efficiency. As a further bonus, the new integrated CTD sensor maintains identical form factors and dimensions to existing NBOSI CT sensors, ensuring backward-compatibility.

Over the past 18 months NBOSI has contributed to cutting-edge projects globally, from mine-hunting vehicles in Japan to deep brine pool studies in the Gulf of Mexico. The company’s technology is a critical component of the HII REMUS 300, foundational for the US Navy’s Lionfish SUUV program.

Looking ahead, Fratantoni expresses confidence in NBOSI’s ability to adapt to the evolving needs of the industry: “As UUVs continue to shrink in size, NBOSI’s compact sensors are poised to play a crucial role in meeting the industry’s demands. The company’s commitment to strategic focus and sensor versatility establishes NBOSI as a key player in the rapidly expanding UUV industry”, he concluded.

The launch of the integrated CTD sensor ahead Oceanology International 2024 marks a significant milestone for NBOSI, reinforcing its position as a leader in underwater technology. The company invites industry professionals to get in touch to discuss the future of underwater data collection.

Contact NBOSI to arrange a meeting at Oceanology International 2024.

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Echodyne is a U.S. designer and manufacturer of advanced commercial radar solutions for defense and national security applications. The company’s proprietary metamaterials electronically scanned array (MESA®) architecture, a rare breakthrough in advanced radar engineering, leverages a physics-design approach to adapt conventional materials and deliver unexpected and beneficial behavior. The result is a solid-state, low-SWaP unit coupled with advanced software capabilities that delivers superior radar performance and unparalleled data integrity, radically improving system performance and enhancing safety for people and machines. With leading positions in counter-UAS, force protection, base security, and portable ISR, Defense Agencies and Suppliers rely on Echodyne radar for extraordinary accuracy and consistent, reliable operation. For more information, please visit: Echodyne.com.

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