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UNITED KINGDOM AND NATO
13 Dec 24. British Army Market Exploration Seeks Revolutionary Uncrewed Systems. The UK’s Defence and Security Accelerator (DASA) has launched a new Market Exploration called ‘Air Launched Effects: Revolutionary Deployment Systems’. Run on behalf of the British Army, this Market Exploration is seeking to identify Uncrewed Systems (UxS) with extended range capabilities.
The aim is to discover cutting-edge UxS technologies at Technology Readiness Level (TRL) 4 or above that could potentially be deployed within the next 12 months.
Current events have demonstrated the importance of UxS in modern conflict and have shown that relatively low-cost UxS solutions can defeat more expensive systems. The UxS space is evolving at a rapid pace and, therefore, platforms and components must undergo rapid iterations to keep up with the latest battlefield adaptations and requirements. This Market Exploration reflects the growing importance of uncrewed systems in defence strategies and the need for agile, innovative solutions in the face of evolving global security challenges.
Do you have an innovation that could be of interest to the British Army? Read the full Market Exploration document and submit a proposal.
What technologies is this Market Exploration seeking?
The British Army is actively pursuing cutting-edge technologies to enhance their operational capabilities. A key initiative of this endeavour is the development of an uncrewed Deep Recce Strike platform capable of operating at ranges greater than 80 kilometers. This platform should also be able to deliver shorter-range one-way effectors onto designated targets.
In addition to its strike capabilities, the system needs to have the ability to incorporate sophisticated Intelligence, Surveillance, Target Acquisition, and Reconnaissance (ISTAR) functionalities. These features will enable the identification of dynamic targets and facilitate post-strike Battlefield Damage Assessment (BDA).
The British Army is seeking a solution that allows for rapid development, testing, production, deployment, and iterative improvement. To ensure longevity and adaptability, the platform should feature a modular design, providing resilience against advancements in Counter Electromagnetic Warfare (EW) and Artificial Intelligence (AI) technologies. Particular emphasis is placed on maintaining operational effectiveness in EW-contested and GPS-denied environments.
Innovation capabilities that only rely on the supply chains of the UK and its allies are preferred.
UK Ministry of Defence Guidance – Market Exploration Document: Air Launched Effects: Revolutionary Deployment Systems
- Summary
On behalf of the UK Ministry of Defence (MOD), DASA is running a Market Exploration to identify technologies from across industry at Technology Readiness Level (TRL) 4 or above or ideally capable of integration within the next 12 months.
The information obtained from this Market Exploration will be reviewed to identify technology areas suitable for further research and development, as well as potential procurement opportunities. At this stage, there is no commitment to launch a subsequent competition.
Details of your submission will not be shared outside of UK MOD.
- Background
The British Army is pursuing a goal to double its lethality by 2027 and triple it by 2030. As part of this drive, there is a strong focus on developing new and novel technologies to be integrated into the wider force.
Current worldwide events have demonstrated the importance of UxS in modern conflict. Relatively low-cost UxS solutions can defeat more exquisite systems. This increases survivability of personnel and other crewed platforms.
The UxS space is evolving at a rapid pace. Therefore, platforms and components must undergo rapid iterations to keep up with the latest battlefield adaptations and requirements.
- What we want
The British Army is seeking an uncrewed Deep Recce Strike platform capable of operating at ranges greater than 80km. This platform should also be able to deliver shorter-range one-way effectors onto targets identified by the User.
A further requirement is an Intelligence, Surveillance, Target Acquisition and Reconnaissance (ISTAR) capability for identifying dynamic targets and conducting Battlefield Damage Assessment (BDA) following effect delivery.
The User requires the ability to rapidly develop, test, produce, operate, and iterate the system. The platform should be modular to provide resilience against technological advancements in Counter Electromagnetic Warfare (EW) and Artificial Intelligence (AI). Focus should be given to operating successfully within EW contested and Global Positioning System (GPS) denied environments.
Details of supply chain resilience should be included in your submission.
A forecast cost indicator of the platform and associated software/modular add-ons is requested for consideration.
We are keen to seek innovation capabilities that predominantly rely on the supply chains of the UK and its allies.
- What we don’t want
- Technologies below TRL 4 are not required as this does not typically support integration within a 12-month timeline unless this can be shown in the submission.
- We are not interested in literature reviews, paper-based studies, consultancy or non-technical solutions.
- How to submit a Market Exploration Submission to DASA
Responses to this Market Exploration must be submitted via the DASA submission service, for which you will need to register. We recommend you use a Google Chrome browser to access the DASA submission service.
You will be asked for a title and short summary of your innovation, along with questions related to your organisation, your idea and technology maturity. We are seeking to understand what and how much further development is required for a complete solution to meet requirements, or whether a combination of separate solutions is required. The information you provide will assist in developing a statement of requirements for potential future activities.
Submissions must be submitted by Midday 12:00 (GMT) on 4 February 2025. We are unable to accept any submissions after this point.
Please only provide details of one product/capability per submission. If you have a number of potential solutions, please submit multiple forms.
If you have any questions please email with “Air Launched Effects: Revolutionary Deployment Systems Market Exploration” in the subject line. (Source: UAS VISION/UK Defence and Security Accelerator )
13 Dec 24. BAE Systems (UK), Leonardo (Italy), and Japan Aircraft Industrial Enhancement Co Ltd (JAIEC), have reached an agreement to form a new company under a business joint venture for the Global Combat Air Programme (GCAP), subject to regulatory approvals. The agreement builds on the strong trilateral government, defence, and industrial cooperation between the UK, Japan, and Italy on GCAP since it was established in December 2022. The new joint venture will be accountable for the design, development and delivery of the next generation combat aircraft and will remain the design authority for GCAP for the life of the product, which is expected to go out beyond 2070.
BAE Systems, Leonardo, and JAIEC will each hold a 33.3% shareholding in the new joint venture: bringing together the combined strengths and expertise of three leading companies and marking a pivotal moment for the international aerospace and defence industry.
Charles Woodburn, BAE Systems Chief Executive, said: “Today’s agreement is a culmination of many months working together with our industry partners and is testament to the hard work of everyone involved in this strategically important programme.
“The new business will bring together the significant strengths and expertise of the companies involved to create an innovative organisation that will lead the way in developing a next generation combat air system, creating long-term, high value and skilled jobs across the partner nations for decades to come.”
Roberto Cingolani, Leonardo Chief Executive Officer and General Manager, said: “This agreement is the result of an intensive journey made possible by pooling our mutual and shared experiences. This partnership not only enhances our technological capabilities but also reinforces our commitment to global security and innovation.
“Today, we are paving the way for the development of a new era in Aircraft Systems and Multi-domain scenarios, fostering long-term sustainable growth for the economies of the involved countries.”
Kimito Nakae, President of JAIEC said: “As we now embark upon the exciting and important journey towards the success of GCAP, I acknowledge that the way might not always be simple and straightforward. However, I believe that through continuing the strong spirit of trilateral cooperation and collaboration that we have fostered up to this point, we will not only deliver the GCAP on time but also at a level that exceeds all of our expectations.”
The new joint venture will have operations and joint teams working in each of the partner nations. It will be headquartered in the UK, to ensure maximum alignment and collaboration with the GCAP International Government Organisation (GIGO) which will also be headquartered in the UK. Both entities will work together to support cost-effective and timely programme delivery, including a 2035 aircraft in-service date.
GCAP is a hugely significant programme for the security and economic prosperity of each nation and, through effective knowledge and technology transfer, it will help to evolve and deliver important sovereign combat air capability in each nation for generations to come.
- The joint venture is expected to be established by the middle of 2025.
- It will undertake the design and development of the GCAP aircraft and will subcontract the manufacturing and final assembly of the aircraft to BAE Systems, Leonardo, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries and the wider supply chain.
- The joint work of the programme is designed to maximise and grow industrial capability in each of the nations, with design, development, manufacturing and production elements evenly distributed among nations.
- The first CEO of the joint venture will be from Italy.
10 Dec 24. Thousands of jobs in doubt over military helicopter contract. Nearly 3,000 roles at a factory in Somerset may be at risk if ministers do not press ahead with procurement plans Fears are mounting over the future of a helicopter factory in Somerset as confusion reigns over the status of a vital government contract. Close to 3,000 jobs at the Yeovil manufacturing plant may be at risk if ministers fail to press ahead with the so-called New Medium Helicopter (NMH) procurement, which is intended to replace older Puma models. While the Ministry of Defence (MoD) revealed last month that the existing supply of RAF Puma helicopters will be retired in March, it has yet to award a £1bn contract to replace the outgoing fleet. Leonardo, the Italian defence giant responsible for running the factory in Somerset, is currently the sole bidder involved in the NMH procurement. mHowever, the delay is fuelling concerns that minsters may scrap the NMH order entirely and make do with other helicopter types, plunging Leonardo’s Somerset site into crisis. It comes as the Government evaluates the future of outstanding military projects as part of an ongoing defence review.
The Unite union said its General Secretary Sharon Graham recently met with Defence Secretary John Healey and urged him to press ahead with the order.
She said: “We have had the Government’s statement of intent for the defence sector. Now we need to see some action.
“These are highly skilled workers and a further delay in awarding this contract would have disastrous consequences for the long term future of this factory.”
Responding to questions about the order in Parliament, Defence Procurement Minister Maria Eagle said no decision is imminent.
She said that while there are no plans to modify the NMH tender, an appraisal process will continue through next year, after which a contract will be awarded subject to Government approval.
However, an industry source said concern is mounting that the MoD may recommend utilising helicopters such as the Chinook for a wider array of missions.
That would allow the NMH project to be scrapped and money diverted to other programmes, aiding Rachel Reeves’s efforts to save bns of pounds across Government departments.
The source said: “There is no way they can procure everything they want to procure.
“So the question is, will the NMH order even happen at all? With the defence review coming, nobody really knows anything.
“It would be a ridiculous stretch to substitute Chinooks for Pumas to fly three people around, but that’s one of the possibilities and it fits with the idea of reducing the number of helicopter types.”
In announcing last month that the Pumas – which have been in service since the early 1970s – would be withdrawn, the MoD also placed an order for six H145 Jupiter helicopters from Airbus that will take over their role in Cyprus and Brunei.
Airbus had previously expressed an interest in the Puma defence contract, although pulled out of the bidding process earlier this year after claiming the terms of the tender weren’t sufficiently attractive.
Sikorsky Aircraft, a US-based rival, also withdrew – leaving just Leonardo in the running. The weaponsmaker currently produces the AW149 helicopter at its site in Yeovil.
Bruno Even, Airbus Helicopters boss, said earlier this year: “We took the decision to withdraw only after concluding that we could not provide long-term returns to our business, address the requirements in terms of social value and industry capacity and still have a fair chance to win.
“But we are not the only ones to take this decision, which questions the current set of requirements.”
Had Airbus succeeded in securing the contract, it had vowed to build a new factory in Broughton, Flintshire, creating hundreds of jobs in the process.
While the MoD originally sought up to 44 aircraft as part of the £1bn contract, that number is understood to have been reduced to to around 25, including the six ordered from Airbus.
The Chancellor has said she will only unveil her plans for military spending once the defence review is completed next year. However, she has vowed to increase defence spending to 2.5pc of GDP.
The Government declined to comment. (Source: Daily Telegraph)
10 Dec 24. Enhancing UK Biosecurity: DASA Launches Microbial Forensics Competition.
DASA and UKMFC seek novel technology options to enhance the UK’s Microbial Forensic capability.
- DASA has launched a new Themed Competition: Future-proofing Biosecurity by Strengthening the UK’s Microbial Forensic Capability
- This competition is funded by Dstl for the UK Ministry of Defence (MOD)
- The total possible funding available for this competition is £1 m (excluding VAT).
- Competition closes midday on Tuesday 18th February 2025 (GMT)
On behalf of the Defence Science and Technology Laboratory(Dstl), the Defence and Security Accelerator (DASA) is pleased to launch a new Themed Competition called Future-proofing Biosecurity by Strengthening the UK’s Microbial Forensic Capability. The competition is being run in response to the 2023 UK Biological Security Strategy which aims to implement a UK-wide approach to biosecurity that will strengthen deterrence and resilience to a spectrum of biological threats.
Dstl is leading the creation of the United Kingdom Microbial Forensics Consortium (UKMFC) which is being developed in support of the Detect Pillar of the Biological Security Strategy. It will comprise a network of biosurveillance laboratories from all four nations of the UK, operating under a One Health doctrine. This competition seeks novel technology options or technical approaches that can directly support the UKMFC initiative.
The total possible funding available for this competition is £1 m (excluding VAT). We are looking to fund a minimum of 4 and up to 10 projects, each up to a maximum value of £250,000. The deadline to submit a proposal is midday (GMT) on 18 February 2025. Submit via the DASA Online Submission Service.
Background
The aim of the competition is to strengthen UK capability in the field of Microbial Forensics. Novel technology options are required to function within the context of the UKMFC laboratory network; an appropriately resourced, high technological infrastructure, staffed by subject matter experts in biosurveillance. Innovations that either augment current approaches (e.g. increasing the speed and / or opportunity for anomaly detection through genomics) including novel uses of technology platforms or that provide completely new avenues for a Microbial Forensic investigation are of interest.
Any new capability should not increase the risks encountered in the day-to-day activities of a laboratory, or significantly increase the financial burden encountered by a laboratory (above normal investment patterns). There is no interest in technology development that would provide a solely mobile Microbial Forensic capability or enhance a laboratory’s ability to simply identify a pathogen.
Dstl provides expert scientific advice and deployable capabilities which directly support resolution of some of the most challenging national security incidents: those involving explosive, chemical or biological materials. Dstl hosts the UK’s only sovereign Chem-Bio capability used to analyse and understand the world’s most deadly pathogens and biological weapons.
What are the technology challenges we would like addressed?
There is particular interest in funding new research in the following areas:
- Computational tools that improve the opportunity to detect anomalies in genome sequencing data, including evidence of biological engineering.
- Technologies that allow the identification and / or computational analysis of other omic signatures for novel Microbial Forensic capabilities.
Ideally any new capability would be agnostic of the sector, sample type, and class or type of biological agent being analysed. However, technical approaches that are specific to certain types or classes of biological agent may be considered. We are also interested in proposals that develop or repurpose existing technologies used in other scientific disciplines.
We are looking for innovations that will form the basis of the next generation of Microbial Forensic capability, potentially enhancing our ability to use any branch of science under the omics banner in a Microbial Forensic investigation, and fundamentally improve our understanding of an encountered pathogen.
Learn more about the competition and submit a proposal here.
Supporting events
Thursday 9 January 2025
A dial-in webinar providing further detail on the problem space and a chance to ask questions in an open forum. If you would like to participate, please register on the Eventbrite page here.
Wednesday 15 and Tuesday 21 January 2025
There will also be one-to-one teleconference sessions on 15 and 21 January giving you the opportunity to ask specific questions to the competition team in a closed forum. Registration details for these sessions will be published the day after the dial in webinar session, i.e. on 10 January 2025. Booking will be on a first come first served basis.
Please attend the dial-in session on 9 January 2025 or reach out to your local Innovation Partner if you have more general questions on DASA the application process.
Submit a proposal
We want novel ideas to enhance the UK’s Microbial Forensic capability. Can you provide innovative solutions? If so, please read the full competition document and submit a proposal.
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/future-proofing-biosecurity-by-strengthening-the-uks-microbial-forensics-capability
(Source: https://www.gov.uk/)
EUROPE
10 Dec 24. Type 26 “down selected” for Norway’s future frigate. New Labour government “actively supporting” the promotion of Type 26 and Type 31 frigate designs in international navies.
The UK’s Type 26 programme is well underway, with the first-in-class HMS Glasgow (pictured) undergoing outfitting. Credit: UK MoD/Crown copyright
The UK’s Type 26 frigate design has been “down selected” by Norway for its future frigate platform, according to the UK government, with the Royal Norwegian Navy seeking options to replace the remaining four Fridtjof Nansen-class frigates with up to six new warships.
In a parliamentary written response on 9 December 2024, UK Defence Procurement Minister Maria Eagle stated the Ministry of Defence and the Department for Business and Trade were “actively supporting” the promotion of the Type 26 and Type 31 general purpose frigate “to other navies around the world” with similar requirements.
“The Type 26 has been down selected as one of four options for the Norwegian Future Frigate competition,” Eagle stated.
The Type 26 design has already won export deals with its design to be used by Canada and Australia for their respective frigate programmes, with the UK Royal Navy expected to introduce eight City-class Type 26 frigates into service from 2028-2035 in a bid to reverse a steep decline in surface combatant numbers.
Norway wants to join existing production line
In mid-November, Norway’s Ministry of Defence announced that it had invited France, Germany, the UK, and US to “discussions on strategic partnership” for new frigates for the Royal Norwegian Navy.
“The new frigates represent the largest acquisition planned for the Norwegian Armed Forces in the coming years. Norway is an important maritime nation in Nato, and through this and other maritime investments we will be strengthening both national and allied security,” said Norwegian Minister of Defence, Bjørn Arild Gram.
In June 2024 the Norwegian Parliament passed the new Long-Term Plan for the Norwegian Armed Forces, which calls for the acquisition of a minimum of five, optionally six new anti-submarine warfare (ASW) frigates with embarked anti-submarine helicopters.
A Norwegian MoD release stated that the plan stressed that the new frigates are not to be procured as stand-alone vessels, but through a” long-term and mutually beneficial strategic partnership with a close ally” with strategic interests closely aligned with those of Norway.
The strategic partnership was to include “joint acquisition, operation, maintenance, continuous development and upgrades of the new frigates” throughout their service life.
In addition, to limit the need for upgrades of the Fridtjof Nansen-class, Norway is also looking to accelerate the acquisition by joining an existing production line for such vessels.
Norway’s future frigate: assessing the options
With the need to join an existing production line, and the ASW requirement, the options for Norway appear to be set, based on the countries it has invited for discussions.
Option 1: UK
For the UK, the Type 26 programme provides both an ASW-specific platform, a growing international supplier base in Australia and Canada, and an active production line, with the recent steel cutting for the fifth-in-class HMS Sheffield taking place at BAE Systems’ shipyard in Scotland.
Crucially, the Type 26 has been designed with a reduced acoustic signature and incorporates a combined diesel and gas (CODAG) turbine propulsion system, with integrated electric motors.
The other UK frigate currently under development, Babcock’s Type 31, also has an active production line but is not an ASW-specific design, instead being a general-purpose warship.
Option 2: France
France meanwhile can offer the FDI light frigate, currently in production for French and Greek navies, and described by Naval Group as being a multi-purpose platform able to conduct a full range of maritime and naval duties, including anti-submarine warfare.
The FDI design provides for more conventional combined diesel and diesel (CODAD) propulsion configuration. It is the smallest of the four possible options, displacing some 4,500 tonnes.
Option 2: Germany
Germany’s offering will likely be centred on its F126 frigate, of which six are planned to be introduced into the Germany Navy in replacement of the F123 Brandenburg-class frigates.
The F126 design is the largest of the four options either confirmed or thought likely contenders. Credit: Damen via German Ministry of Defence
Construction of the first-in-class F126 frigate Niedersachsen began in December 2023 and due to be delivered in December 2028. The design calls for the use of a combined diesel-electric and diesel propulsion configuration.
Option 4: US
Finally, the US, which abandoned naval frigates in favour of the development of the ill-fated twin-variant Littoral Combat Ship programme, is returning to the space with the introduction of the Constellation class, a heavily adapted variant of the European FREMM platforms.
However, design issues continue to plague the programme, which is seeing the concurrent conclusion of the platform design phase alongside the start of construction of the first-in-class USS Constellation.
The design is a combined diesel-electric and gas layout and intended to be a more multi-purpose frigate in keeping with the US Navy’s requirements. Along with the UK’s Type 26, the Constellation comes in between Germany’s F126 and France’s FDI, displacing around 7,500 tonnes.
(Source: naval-technology.com)
06 Dec 24. US offers Viper, Black Hawk helicopters to Slovakia in revised pitch. As Slovak officials ponder the purchase of new attack helicopters, the country’s Deputy Prime Minister and Defense Minister Robert Kaliňák has announced Bratislava has received two new offers from the United States, allowing the nation to choose between 12 AH-1Z Viper helos and 12 upgraded UH-60 Black Hawk copters.
“Now it is important to make a decision in an efficient and quick manner. I think that we will have the results of these analyses in the coming days,” Kaliňák said, as quoted by the state-run news agency TASR.
Last July, the U.S. State Department approved a tentative foreign military sale of 12 Vipers, manufactured by Bell, to Slovakia for an estimated $600m. This represented a solid increase compared with the initial offer of $340m pitched to the previous Slovak government. That discount was partly due to the fact that a contract with Pakistan, the initially envisioned recipient of the aircraft, had fallen through.
Meanwhile, as Slovakia’s incumbent Cabinet has hesitated to buy the Viper copters, Ukrainian officials have intensified their lobbying in Washington to secure the helos for their defense against Russia.
The Slovak military currently operates a fleet of nine UH-60 Black Hawks manufactured by Sikorsky, a subsidiary of Lockheed Martin.
Kaliňák said there is a significant difference between the original $340m Viper offer and the current price of the helicopters, which exceeds €550m ($582m). (Source: Defense News)
USA
11 Dec 24. CDAO and DIU Launch New Effort Focused on Accelerating DOD Adoption of AI Capabilities. Today, the Chief Digital and Artificial Intelligence Office (CDAO) in partnership with the Defense Innovation Unit (DIU) announced the formation of a new AI Rapid Capabilities Cell (AI RCC) focused on accelerating DoD adoption of next-generation artificial intelligence (AI) such as Generative AI (GenAI). The AI RCC will be managed by the CDAO and will be executed in partnership with DIU. The AI RCC will lead efforts to accelerate and scale the deployment of cutting-edge AI-enabled tools, to include Frontier models, across the Department of Defense.
This announcement comes as the CDAO sunsets Task Force Lima, the Department’s initiative focused on harnessing the power of GenAI. The AI RCC will build upon the findings, and focus on executing pilots in the primary use case areas identified by Task Force Lima. These areas are:
- Warfighting: Command and Control (C2) and decision support, operational planning, logistics, weapons development and testing, uncrewed and autonomous systems, intelligence activities, information operations, and cyber operations
- Enterprise management: financial systems, human resources, enterprise logistics and supply chain, health care information management, legal analysis and compliance, procurement processes, and software development and cyber security
The executive summary of Task Force Lima’s findings can be found on CDAO’s website.
“The US commercial sector is at the cutting edge when it comes to artificial intelligence, and digital solutions,” said Chief Digital and AI Officer Dr. Radha Plumb. “We need an all-hands-on-deck approach to accelerate development and deployment of these tools for the Department of Defense to responsibly harness the tremendous promise of AI in everything from financial management to logistics to operations planning to autonomous systems.”
“DIU’s role is bringing the very best commercial tech to bear to meet critical warfighter problems with the focus, speed, and scale required to meet the strategic imperative,” said Doug Beck, Director of DIU. “Our partnership with CDAO, and collaboration on the Rapid Capabilities Cell, will allow us to shape critical AI initiatives in a way that incorporates the standards, policy, and requirements from the beginning. The result will help us scale the tech faster and more reliably, and will also help change the way the Department thinks about software development and delivery tempo for the future.”
The AI RCC will initially be resourced with approximately $100M in FY 2024 and FY 2025 for pilot efforts that apply generative AI models to priority use cases, and investments in foundational AI infrastructure and tools. In partnership with other parts of the Department, industry, and academia, CDAO and DIU will take a rapid experimentation-based approach to the AI pilots, consistent with the CDAO and DIU’s Open DAGIR construct and use all available agile acquisition approaches.
Additional details about planned pilots, infrastructure investments, and other AI-focused efforts can be found in the linked fact sheet.
About the CDAO and DIU
CDAO is the Department of Defense’s (DoD) organization responsible for the acceleration of the department’s adoption of data, analytics, and artificial intelligence (AI). It has the mission of providing enterprise-level infrastructure and services, as well as scaling proven secure digital and AI-enabled solutions for enterprise and joint use cases. CDAO leverages relevant dual-use commercial technologies and novel operating models to enable all DoD organizations to quickly develop, test, integrate and deliver secure, data, analytic, and AI capabilities to achieve their missions.
DIU is the DoD’s organization responsible for leading the adoption of commercial technologies to solve warfighter problems for strategic impact at speed and scale, in support of the National Defense Strategy. It serves as the principal liaison between the DoD and the national security innovation base, and with its companies and investors, and coordinates and advises efforts within the DoD, and with interagency and international partners, on matters related to the development, procurement, and fielding of commercially derived technology. (Source: U.S. DoD)
11 Dec 24. Perceptronics, announced the award of a follow-on contract by the Air Force Life Cycle Management Center (AFLCMC) for the development of advanced Electronic Warfare (EW) mission systems. This contract expands on previous AFLCMC EW development efforts and includes further implementation and flight test of U.S. Government EW software frameworks. These frameworks standardize data processing and techniques delivery within a Sensor Open System Architecture (SOSA)-aligned hardware and software system, fully Open Mission System (OMS) compliant for seamless integration with USAF platforms. This effort also advances the application of Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning (AI/ML) algorithms to the processing of radio frequency (RF) emitters, culminating in systems integration and flight demonstration in an open architecture pod in operationally representative environments. (Source: BUSINESS WIRE)
REST OF THE WORLD
06 Dec 24. Cuashub.com said today that the Head of Canadian JCO announces $19m in available grants. At the Counter-UAS Technology USA Conference, Colonel Chris Labbé, Head of the Canadian Joint C-UAS Office (JCO), announced the launch of the IDEaS NORAD Modernization S&T Contest, a grant program offering up to $19m to advance innovative solutions in areas critical to NORAD’s modernization.
Speaking to attendees, Col. Labbé highlighted the urgency of advancing counter-UAS capabilities and emphasized the significance of technological interoperability between Canada and its allies.
“This is one of our innovation pathways that we have in the Canadian Armed Forces and Department of National Defense,” he said. “Essentially, we’ve got $19 m in grants that are available for round one funding for proposals at Technology Readiness Levels (TRLs) 1-6. There’s multiple topic areas, including quantum. But out of the five areas, counter-UAS is one of those.”
Canada’s focus on innovation
The contest, part of Canada’s broader effort to modernize NORAD through innovative technology, seeks proposals in key areas such as drone interceptors, wide-area sensing for counter-UAS, cost-effective counter-swarm measures and kinetic effectors.
It is open to Canadian educational institutions, incorporated Canadian companies and Canadian government organizations. Col. Labbé also noted that foreign companies can participate by incorporating in Canada, noting a recent success story from a company outside of Canada.
“At the last sandbox, there was a company that was not from Canada, [that] decided to incorporate. They did really, really well, and they left the event with a m-dollar grant because they made the decision to incorporate in Canada before registering for the sandbox,” Col. Labbé shared.
The IDEaS program provides a platform for innovators to develop their concepts, with successful projects advancing through multiple funding rounds.
Col. Labbé stressed the importance of a strategic and agile approach to advancing counter-UAS capabilities and addressing modern threats, saying:
“We know counter-UAS capabilities are urgently needed. We know that we need a new approach. We can’t do business like we have been for the last 20-25 years, because otherwise, technology that we field will become rapidly obsolete.”
Col. Labbé noted that the JCO will have a mandate to deliver capabilities under a comprehensive program approach, using an agile governance framework. This will be done in partnership with joint partners, industry and Canada’s closest allies, with the IDEaS program aimed at furthering these efforts.
https://cuashub.com/en/content/head-of-canadian-jco-announces-19-m-in-available-grants/ (Source: https://cuashub.com/)
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Since 1946, Industrial Electronic Engineers, IEE, has specialized in the design, test, support and fielding of display products for use in demanding military and aerospace applications throughout the world. IEE has developed an extensive product portfolio that today includes enhanced flat panel displays, smart displays and handheld devices.
From rapid prototyping of custom designs to full-scale production runs, IEE, produces displays with advanced features like low-latency video processing, high-bright and NVIS backlighting, and lightweight rugged enclosures. Their SWaP-C products employ the latest lightweight composite materials; low power, high performance integrated ARM processors; standard Ethernet and USB communication, in a low cost, highly producible design.
In-house California facilities include optical bonding, clean rooms for display assembly, a dark room for optical measurements and environmental chambers for pre-compliance and customer acceptance testing. On-site manufacturing includes PCB assembly and flow soldering. IEE has manufactured handheld, in-vehicle, airborne and naval LCD displays for all military branches as well as leading aerospace firms both domestically and internationally.
IEE is ISO 9001:2015 and AS9100D certified.
IEE’s Advantage:
- Direct control of critical process steps that reduce cost, decrease production lead times and improves life-cycle management
- Unique advantage to serve to both smaller quantity, highly custom displays needs as well as high volume production outputs
- Expert in delivering the best value in form and fit replacement by modifying existing COTS products to meet legacy requirements
- Leading the next generation avionics efficiencies by leveraging open architectures and common software standards
- Field-proven, pre-engineered displays minimize lead-time and non-recurring engineering costs.
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