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04 Nov 22. HENSOLDT flight recorder: lightweight with high performance.
New product for light aircraft, light helicopters and drones receives EASA certification. Sensor solutions provider HENSOLDT is launching a new flight recorder that combines the latest sensor technologies in an extremely compact design to record flight, data link, video and audio data. The SferiRec®LCR100 has now received ETSO (European Technical Standard Approval) certification for aircraft equipment by the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA). Due to its extremely low weight, volume and power consumption, the new flight recorder makes it possible to equip light aircraft and drones, as well as business jets and light helicopters.
Christoph Ruffner, Head of the Spectrum Dominance & Airborne Solutions Division at HENSOLDT, said: “HENSOLDT is making an important contribution here to increasing aviation safety. With a powerful flight recorder like the LCR100, not only can data analysis after an aviation accident help to prevent future accidents; critical situations can also be processed afterwards in a fact-based and professional manner using the available data.”
The SferiRec LCR100 flight recorder has a large number of interfaces with different data formats to record hundreds of parameters. These include altitude, position, speed, engine data to name but a few. With a weight of one kilogram, HENSOLDT’s LCR is currently the lightest device of its kind on the market. The combined recorder unites all recording functions that were previously distributed among different devices. In addition, flight data as well as maintenance data can be read out on an easily accessible SD card. The integrated sensors include a built-in microphone for ambient noise, three-axis gyroscope and accelerometer, a temperature sensor, a GPS receiver and an air pressure sensor.
The SferiRec LCR100 is the first flight recorder to be qualified and approved according to the certification requirements of ED-155 and ETSO-2C197 in Europe.
HENSOLDT has more than 35 years of experience in the development and supply of flight recorders. More than 1000 recorders of various types have been produced and delivered for platforms such as GE-Tornado, Tiger, NH90, P3C Orion and the German Armed Forces helicopter fleet with UH-1D, Sea King, Sea Lynx, CH-53, BO105 and the KZO drone. HENSOLDT holds a number of important patents in this field. In particular, HENSOLDT has developed unique and leading know-how in the miniaturisation of certified crash-proof storage units.
04 Nov 22. Altitude Angel’s GuardianUTM Platform to Power the First Middle East UAS Test Centre. Altitude Angel has been chosen to provide the UTM (unified traffic management) services to the Middle East’s first-ever test site for unmanned aerial systems & counter unmanned aerial systems which has been officially opened in Jordan.
Managed by Deep Element, a Jordanian company specialised in the design, development, and integration of UAS solutions and powered by Altitude Angel’s solutions, the test site will help advance understanding, both technical and regulatory, around the integration of UAS into Middle East airspace.
Launched in March 2021, GuardianUTM Enterprise is an intuitive, cost-effective platform which has been developed to support international, regional, and local airports, airfields, and test facilities to manage on and off-site drone operations, safely and securely.
On being asked to deliver the foundation UTM platform for the state-of-the-art facility, Richard Parker, Altitude Angel, CEO and founder, said:
“It is exciting to see this bold and positive initiative being taken by the Kingdom to further the advancement and integration of UAS into the airspace across the Middle East.
“We’re looking forward to working closely with the team at Deep Element to enable an open, safe, reliable, strong and vibrant drone economy across the region.”
The launch of the test site signifies a major milestone in the Kingdom’s enablement of commercial and government drone operations, supporting the integration of UAS into the national airspace and providing a living lab for the development of future policies, trainings, certifications, and UAS and CUAS validations.
The site will deliver a wide range of services and benefits to all UAS companies and partners, assisting them in the development of strategic operations and safety risk management plans, while also allowing them to test new UAS and CUAS technologies which will unlock the potential for medical and commercial drone deliveries throughout Jordan and beyond.
The UAS test site was officially inaugurated during a series of successful test flights on Friday, 28 October, which included the Kingdom’s first-ever drone delivery and drone inspection flights. During the drone delivery test, a VTOL drone successfully delivered medical supplies from the test site to a targeted location near Kharrana Castle southwest of the Azraq Wetlands—the first such utilisation of a UAS flight in the region.
Brigadier General Dr. Yousef Alkhatib, Deep Element, Chairman, added:
“The inauguration of this UAS test site is a momentous occasion for the Kingdom, demonstrating the continuous elevation of our national capabilities across all levels. As the first country in the Middle East to develop such state-of-the-art facilities, Jordan is once again indicating its readiness to take a leading role in ensuring the security, stability, and advancement of our region. We’re thrilled to have one of the industry’s pioneers in Altitude Angel providing its UTM technology for the test site” (Source: UAS VISION)
02 Nov 22. Sikorsky and DARPA’s Autonomous Black Hawk® Flies Logistics and Rescue Missions Without Pilots on Board. Sikorsky, a Lockheed Martin company (NYSE: LMT) and the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) have successfully demonstrated to the U.S. Army for the first time how an uninhabited Black Hawk helicopter flying autonomously can safely and reliably perform internal and external cargo resupply missions, and a rescue operation.
Performed Oct. 12, 14 and 18 as part of the U.S. Army’s Project Convergence 2022 (PC22) experiment, the flights show how existing and future piloted utility helicopters could one day fly complex missions in reduced crew or autonomous mode. This would give Army commanders and aviators greater flexibility in how and when aircraft and pilots are used, especially in limited visibility or contested environments.
Why It Matters
Sikorsky is partnered with DARPA to develop autonomy technology that will exponentially improve the flight safety and efficiency of rotary and fixed-wing aircraft. Sikorsky’s autonomy system, known as MATRIX™ technology, forms the core of DARPA’s ALIAS (Aircrew Labor In-cockpit Automation System) project.
“We believe MATRIX technology is ready now for transition to the Army as they look to modernize the enduring helicopter fleet, and acquire Future Vertical Lift aircraft,” said Igor Cherepinsky, director of Sikorsky Innovations. “In addition to increasing flight safety and reliability, MATRIX technology enables survivability in high tempo, high threat 21st Century Security environments where Black Hawk helicopters operate today, and DEFIANT X® and RAIDER X® helicopters could operate in the future. Uncrewed or reduced crewed helicopters could safely perform critical and lifesaving missions day or night in complex terrain and in contested battlespace.”
The Yuma Details
During PC22 Technology Gateway, the Sikorsky and DARPA team showed how the optionally piloted Black Hawk helicopter with no humans on board can deliver a large quantity of blood product unharmed by flying low and fast above ground level using the terrain to mask its signature; resupply troops with an external load; and re-route mid-flight to evacuate a casualty.
To begin the flight demonstrations, pilots flew and landed the Black Hawk aircraft, then activated the MATRIX system to give full control to the flight computer. When the pilots exited, the helicopter autonomously completed the following mission demonstrations:
- Long-endurance Medical Resupply: The Black Hawk aircraft flew 83 miles while loaded with 400 units of real and simulated blood – totaling 500 pounds. On reaching 40 miles from its initial take-off point, the helicopter descended into a valley as low as 200 feet above ground level at 100 knots.
- Cargo Delivery and Casualty Evacuation (combined mission): The helicopter lifted off with a 2,600-pound external load attached to a 40-foot sling, and flew at 100 knots for 30 minutes toward a designated landing zone. While in flight, the helicopter was redirected, simulating a scenario in which a threat needed to be neutralized near the primary landing site. Sikorsky demonstrated how a ground operator with a secure radio and tablet can take control of the uncrewed helicopter, command it to release its sling load, and then land to evacuate a casualty from a nearby location. Once the manikin on a litter was secured inside the cabin, the ground operator launched the aircraft. During the return flight, a BATDOK health monitoring device integrated with the helicopter’s communications system relayed the patient’s vitals in real-time to a ground-based medical team.
What’s Next
The PC22 demonstrations were the second set of uninhabited Black Hawk flights this year. Sikorsky and DARPA will continue to work toward the transition of this technology for military operations, such as aircrew support and operations, logistics and medical resupply, casualty evacuation, and commercial applications such as firefighting, cargo and urban air mobility. For more information visit, www.lockheedmartin.com/matrix.
01 Nov 22. AFCENT’s New Task Force 99 Begins Drone Experiments. U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) is standing up task forces in hopes of harnessing new technology in innovative ways. The command wants to augment its modest military footprint in the region and to counter potential adversaries.
In mid-October, the Air Force’s component, Task Force 99, came online, according to CENTCOM and Air Forces Central (AFCENT). The effort is small for now but is part of a broad effort to boost invention across all U.S. services in the region.
Drones have been a ubiquitous part CENTCOM’s operations in the 21st century. U.S. unmanned aerial systems have been a symbol of America’s Global War on Terror, performing reconnaissance and strikes in support of U.S. military efforts. In recent years, U.S. forces have faced threats from cheaply produced ISIS- and Iranian-made drones targeting U.S. troops and their allies.
“That threat of things coming in from the air, I think, makes the need even more important, and it makes it more urgent,” CENTCOM spokesperson Col. Joe Buccino said.
A small team is carrying out the main Task Force 99 effort at AFCENT’s headquarters at Al Udeid Air Base, Qatar, experimenting with variable payloads on small drones. There is also a two-person “satellite innovation cell” at Ali Al Salem Air Base, Kuwait. Both groups plan to grow their numbers. The service has not identified what the ultimate goal of the program will be.
“I’m trying to give them as much of a blank slate as I can,”
Lt. Gen. Alexus G. Grynkewich told reporters in September at AFA’s Air, Space, & Cyber Conference when he announced Task Force 99, originally known as Detachment 99.
The unit is part of a push throughout CENTCOM under Gen. Michael “Erik” Kurilla, who took command in April. CENTCOM says it is a top-down effort to support bottom-up ideas.
The effort began in 2021 with the Navy’s Task Force 59 under the leadership of Vice Adm. Charles “Brad” Cooper, who is Grynkewich’s Navy counterpart in the region.
Cooper’s U.S. Fifth Fleet has turned to a network of seaborne drones to monitor the waters around the Arabian Peninsula. Task Force 59 made international headlines in early September when two of its Saildrone unmanned vessels were briefly seized by Iranian warships before being returned without their cameras.
With the release of the 2022 National Defense Strategy, the Middle East is now deemed to be a lesser priority than China and Russia. CENTCOM’s forces, however, are still supporting and advising Iraqi and Syrian partners as part of the counter-ISIS campaign, Operation Inherent Resolve. Since the region is no longer the primary focus of American military strategy, it must make the most of its current resources.
“We do have to maximize our manned systems,” Buccino said. “We do have to maximize the infrastructure we’ve got. Innovation will allow us to do that.”
Grynkewich said he hopes cheap drones can help free up some of his manned aircraft in addition to offering new capabilities, though he has not set any firm requirements.
The ultimate plan for Task Force 99 has yet to be spelled out. AFCENT and CENTCOM insist this is by design, and that using small drones in new ways in an active combat zone will lead to advances and failures.
“The region is ripe for experimentation,” Buccino said. “We’ve got actual drones and rockets, targeting our infrastructure, our troops. We’ve got kinetic activity.”
The Task Force 59 and Task Force 99 efforts will eventually be combined in some form, according to CENTCOM. The command declined to provide further details.
The Army has its own Task Force 39 in the “concept phase,” according to Buccino.
“This is a priority of the CENTCOM Commander Gen. Kurilla, innovating using these platforms in a different way,” Cooper told reporters Oct. 12. “It’s not random that Task Force 59 been modeled with Task Force 99, and that we would link together in synchronized efforts.” (Source: UAS VISION/Air & Space Forces Magazine)
02 Nov 22. SKELDAR V-200 Performs SESAR Programme Detect and Avoid System Demonstrations. UMS SKELDAR successfully performed live flight demonstrations using an innovative Detect and Avoid System capable of automatically manoeuvring the UA around intruder aircraft.
The demonstrations have proven the capability of the system when it encountered both cooperative and non-cooperative collision course scenarios as part of the European Detect and Avoid System development, led by Saab.
The demonstrations have shown the real-world capabilities of the Detect and Avoid (DAA) System on-board the SKELDAR V-200 and included live intruder encounters made by a crewed lightweight aircraft. The system used is based on the European DAA concept and technology, which has been developed over many years for both military and civil use. It is currently being further developed in the European Defence Funds program EUDAAS and going through validation as part of the European future of air traffic management programme, SESAR.
Both programmes are considered an integral component to not only advance technological development, but to also prove the safety of Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS) which in turn would unlock the possibilities for multiple types of civilian UAS operations. The system is also being standardized by the European Organization for Civil Aviation Equipment (EUROCAE). The aim of the entire work is to have a complete working solution with global interoperability.
The project has received funding from the SESAR Joint Undertaking (JU) under grant agreement No 874474, alongside significant support and funding from Saab and national research and development funds. The JU receives support from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme and the SESAR JU members other than the Union.
UMS SKELDAR’s DAA programme manager, Björn Sjögren explains:
“The Detect and Avoid System is an important step towards the integration of operating several air vehicles, manned and unmanned in the same airspace. It will enable numerous applications in the future where unmanned systems will play a key role in the civilian, law enforcement as well as military sectors. Combining the sensors for detection, such as EO/IR, AIS, ADSB, active and passive radars, are already increasing the situational awareness for the operator. Adding an avoid system that can propose manoeuvres to “remain well clear” from others or engaging automatic manoeuvring in a later stage to avoid collision using and coordinating with known standards adds another security layer for both manned and unmanned vehicles. A DAA system that contributes to safe flights will soon enable UASs to operate safely in shared airspace with both manned and unmanned aircraft, significantly expanding the flexible use of these vehicles and their operations”
“We are delighted to be a part of this ground-breaking programme,” continues Bjorn Sjögren from UMS SKELDAR. “The flight demonstration enabled us to showcase the innovative Detect and Avoid System in a real scenario and was a complete success. This technology will ultimately enable a future of enhanced autonomy and safety in unmanned aviation, with the goal to enable the SKELDAR V-200 to become fully operational in civilian airspace.” (Source: UAS VISION)
01 Nov 22. Thales rolls out new PLI navigation system. Thales Visionix, part of Thales Defense & Security Inc, is developing a position location information (PLI) navigation system for dismounted users in Global Positioning System (GPS)-denied or degraded environments, and demonstrated its progress at the Association of the United States Army (AUSA) 2022 annual convention in Washington, DC, in October.
When fully developed the new system, called the InterSense IS-1500, will also be used to upgrade the Scorpion augmented reality (AR) pilot’s head-mounted display (HMD), Richard Madison, research and development (R&D) manager, motion tracking, for Thales Visionix, told Janes.
The Scorpion HMD is in use with the US Air Force, Air National Guard, and army on different fixed- and rotary-wing platforms. (Source: Janes)
31 Oct 22. Ansys Announces the Launch of Ansys Gateway powered by AWS.
Ansys (NASDAQ: ANSS) announced availability of Ansys Gateway powered by Amazon Web Services (AWS), which allows customers to use popular Ansys products in one unique workspace on AWS – helping simplify access to faster, more flexible, and highly scalable engineering solutions. Ansys Gateway powered by AWS is available in AWS Marketplace and makes it possible for customers to easily access, subscribe and configure Ansys applications from a single location. Customers will also benefit from the accelerated performance of Ansys applications enhanced on AWS.
Ansys Gateway powered by AWS features on-demand access to Ansys applications and high-performance computing (HPC) resources on the cloud.
Ansys Gateway powered by AWS features on-demand access to Ansys applications and high-performance computing (HPC) resources on the cloud as part of a strategy designed to make simulation software more affordable. Customers can manage and control computer-aided design (CAD) / computer-aided engineering (CAE) cloud consumption and costs on AWS while taking advantage of the scalable hardware and compute capacity. This offering provides seamless cloud support for both Ansys applications as well as other popular CAE/CAD software. With control over their hybrid architecture, customers can bring their own licenses to Ansys Gateway powered by AWS and easily manage user access, permissions, data and security.
With Ansys Gateway powered by AWS, customers gain instant, intuitive access to Ansys applications. In addition to reducing time to market, customers can reduce costs by paying for cloud resources only when they are being used.
“We were surprised by how easy and seamless it is to switch from our internal cluster to the cloud with Ansys Gateway powered by AWS,” said Steve Collie, aerodynamics coordinator at Emirates Team New Zealand. “We can quickly set up a workstation or cluster and select the best hardware. We can replace our hardware every day if we want, instead of replacing physical resources every four years. It’s fast and intuitive to switch back and forth from cluster to cloud as our needs change.”
“Our goal at Ansys has always been to make simulation accessible to as many startups, students and businesses – large and small – as possible. Providing easy, affordable access to Ansys’ solutions makes greater innovation and efficiency possible for all of our customers,” said Shane Emswiler, senior vice president of products at Ansys. “By working with AWS, we are able to allow broader access to HPC by bringing down the traditional hardware barriers that have limited innovation for many of our customers.”
“Working together with the company, we are excited about the launch of Ansys Gateway powered by AWS,” said Bill Vass, vice president of engineering at AWS. “Now, customers can access and deploy Ansys’ portfolio through AWS, helping customers remove barriers to scale globally, perform more simulations, and innovate faster.”
/ About Ansys
When visionary companies need to know how their world-changing ideas will perform, they close the gap between design and reality with Ansys simulation. For more than 50 years, Ansys software has enabled innovators across industries to push boundaries by using the predictive power of simulation. From sustainable transportation to advanced semiconductors, from satellite systems to life-saving medical devices, the next great leaps in human advancement will be powered by Ansys. (Source: PR Newswire)
31 Oct 22. Pentagon seeks additive manufacturing to spur hypersonic development. The Pentagon wants to use an advanced technology process known as additive manufacturing to design and build hypersonic weapon and vehicle systems that can operate in extreme conditions.
As the U.S. Department of Defense looks to field its first hypersonic capability in fiscal 2023, officials emphasize the need to shore up the industrial base and ensure programs can smoothly transition from development to production. Through an initiative called Growing Additive Manufacturing Maturity for Airbreathing Hypersonics, or GAMMA-H, it’s targeting materials and processes used to build systems that travel and maneuver above Mach 5.
In a request for proposals issued Oct. 28, the department asked companies large and small, as well as academia, to submit prototype proposals for developing hypersonic components using additive manufacturing, which leverages computer-aided design software and often advanced materials to build components.
“We need to be pushing the envelope with materials produced using the additive manufacturing process,” Kevin DeVries, deputy director of the Office of the Secretary of Defense’s Manufacturing Technology Program, said in a statement. “The science has proven it’s possible, but the practice is not widespread enough. GAMMA-H will encourage further adoption of groundbreaking technology.”
Because the parts used to build hypersonic systems must operate under extreme conditions, they require advanced specifications and materials that can withstand high temperatures and other mechanical stress. The premise of GAMMA-H is that additive manufacturing techniques could help improve the quality of those parts and reduce the number of components needed to build a vehicle or weapon.
The Navy is leading the effort in partnership with the Manufacturing Technology program office. Proposals are due Dec. 12, and the department aims to move through the selection process quickly, though it gave no timeline.
Speaking during the Defense News conference in September, Pentagon acquisition executive Bill LaPlante said the department and its industrial base need to focus on addressing these types of manufacturing challenges to prepare for increased production.
“You have very difficult materials issues, thermal management issues, aerodynamics issues,” he said. “And so, production is an art. And when you haven’t done it before or you haven’t done it for a long time, you have to relearn it.” (Source: Defense News)
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Oxley Group Ltd
Oxley offer a range of Military Marine NVG friendly LED lighting that includes navigation lights and controls, flight deck landing lights and interior compartment lighting. Our lighting products are used by Navies around the world including our own Royal Navy on UK Aircraft Carriers, Canadian Frigates, Swedish Submarines, Australian Surface vessels and Submarines, on board French Naval Carriers and in Naval Gun Turrets.
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The technology is extremely energy efficient and built robustly, with proven long life. The lighting is NVG friendly, dimmable and programmable to allow for operations with aircraft pilots using military night vision goggles. They offer superior design giving high reliability for the most demanding environments with high sealing and the ability to meet the most stringent EMC standards.
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Oxley are proud to say that we are working in partnership with SeaKing to enable a control panel to be offered with our LED Navigation Lighting. All of Oxley navigation lights have been specifically developed for vessels over 50 metres.
Contact Marcus Goad on 07850 917 263 for more information or to arrange samples.
Oxley specialises in the design and manufacture of advanced electronic and electro-optic components and systems for air, land and sea applications within the military sector. Established in 1942, Oxley has manufacturing facilities in the UK and USA and enjoys representation worldwide. The company’s products include night vision and LED lighting, data capture systems and electronic components. Oxley has pioneered the development of night vision compatible lighting. It offers a total package incorporating optical filters, equipment modification, cockpit and external lighting along with fleet wide upgrade services including engineering, installation, support, maintenance and training. The company’s long experience of manufacturing night vision lighting and LED indicators, coupled with advances in LED technology, has enabled it to develop LED solutions to replace incandescent and fluorescent lighting in existing applications as well as becoming the lighting option of choice in new applications such as portable military hospitals, UAV control stations and communication shelters.
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