www.oxleygroup.com
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13 Sep 18. Digital Engineering Strategy Streamlines How Defense Systems Are Designed, Official Says. While the 2018 National Defense Strategy directs reform as one of its key efforts, the Defense Department is undergoing considerable change in how it does business — including how it improves the outcome of national defense systems. The recently released Digital Engineering Strategy modernizes the practices of developing DoD’s defense systems and prioritizes speed of delivery to be able to fight and win the wars of the future, Michael D. Griffin, undersecretary of defense for research and engineering, wrote in the strategy’s forward. The strategy directs the services and DoD agencies to begin implementing digital engineering and those plans are expected by the end of December, he said. DoD requires robust engineering practices to develop the weapons systems the nation needs to maintain superiority against threats from adversaries worldwide, the strategy’s introduction reads.
“DoD faces the challenge of balancing design, delivery and sustainment of complex systems with rapidly changing operational and threat environments, tight budgets and aggressive schedules,” the introduction says.
To ensure the United States maintains its technological superiority, “DoD is transforming its engineering practices to digital engineering, incorporating technological innovations into an integrated, digital, model-based approach,” the introduction reads.
What is Digital Engineering?
Digital engineering does not reinvent the wheel, but rather optimizes engineering practices, according to Philomena Zimmerman, DoD’s deputy director of engineering tools and environments. Digital engineering is about using models and computer resources together to do engineering tasks, such as design, analysis, prototyping and experimentation with concepts, she explained.
“The easy way to think about it is it’s a lot like a video game world. But in our video-game world, we can do very large concepts, such as moving vehicles around on a battlefield and we can also go into very detailed work, such as [documenting] friction caused by wind flow going over turbine blades,” Zimmerman said.
Like an email thread captures information as it is sent to and from recipients, digital engineering allows people to view up-to-date engineering information for a project, in a community-sharing environment.
Models, Computer Data
A model — such as a picture, blueprint or spreadsheet — is shared on a computer, which combines data about a project, Zimmerman said.
“That allows different acquisition domain experts, whether an engineer, design engineer, sustainment engineer, or a power engineer, to collaborate on the problem using the same relevant data,” she said.
Because digital engineering allows people working on the same project to move in the same direction toward the same objective, the approach eliminates duplication, which saves time and costs. “You also reduce errors, because you’re not doing things multiple times,” Zimmerman said.
DoD also is working with the private sector and academia worlds on its strategy, she said.
While not entirely new, digital engineering techniques have been used in many programs — for example — Air Force A-10 aircraft upgrade on its wings; design support for the Ford-class aircraft carriers, future vertical lift analysis. Such an approaches help maintain connectivity between the different engineering, acquisition, and operational activities, such as sustainment, Zimmerman said.
Confronting Global Threats
With today’s numerous global threats, digital engineering helps battle cyber concerns, terrorism and new technology developed by near-peer competitors Russia and China, she noted.
For example, if a particular underwater threat to ship hulls exists, protections to include cyber capabilities can be put in place with digital engineering, Zimmerman said.
“By understanding complex system interactions,” she added, “we can now start to model them and we can get to [Defense Secretary James N. Mattis’] speed of relevance.” (Follow Terri Moon Cronk on Twitter: @MoonCronkDoD)
13 Sep 18. Thailand’s Defence Technology Institute to Digitalise Armed Forces’ Capabilities with Thales. Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) signed between Defence Technology Institute (DTI), Datagate and Thales for further collaboration in digital communications systems – First common project dedicated to upgrading Royal Thai Army’s existing fleet of Armored Personal Carrier (APC) – Thales will progressively transfer knowledge and technology to DTI with industrial support from Datagate, Thales’ key industrial partner in Thailand
The digital revolution has opened up a world of possibilities for armies by allowing them to use the best technology to outsmart opponents. Precise and secure digital radio communication is essential for soldiers in the battlefield to communicate critical information, make quick decisions, react to future threats and get the edge in the battlefield. As the Royal Thai Army seeks to digitalise its capabilities for network-centric operations, Thales, Datagate (Thales’ key industrial partner) and the Thai Defence Technology Institute (DTI) have signed a Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) to further enhance collaboration in the Communications domain for military vehicles application. The MoA follows a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed in September 2017 which paved the way for Thales and DTI to collaborate closely in research and development related to air defence and digital communications systems. With this new agreement, the first common project for all parties will be dedicated to the upgrade of the Royal Thai Army’s existing fleet of Armored Personal Carrier (APC).
The MoA focuses on upgrading the APCs with a C5I (Computerised, Command, Control, Communications and Combat Information) operational solution, integrating both VHF and HF combat net radios, a Battle Management System (BMS) for tactical command and control, and vehicle electronics integration. To develop expertise in Thailand, Thales will progressively transfer technology and knowledge to DTI, enabling, at the end, the capability for Thailand to design, integrate and validate C5I systems on any local platform.
Coupled with training courses focused on programming, robust digital vehicle architecture, manufacturing, maintenance and services, Thales supports the long-term ambitions of the Thai government to grow its capabilities in the high-end digital domain. This agreement further underscores Thales’ commitment to supporting Thailand 4.0, with one of its objectives being the development of local Thai capabilities in the defence industry, through knowledge and technology transfer.
“Thales is always looking to empower local capabilities in the defence industry so that they may continually develop technologies and take these innovations to greater heights. Additionally, we are glad to partner with Datagate and DTI and are fully supportive of DTI becoming Thailand’s Vehicle Infrastructure Design Authority for military vehicle application.” Massimo Marinzi, Country Director, Thales in Thailand. (Source: ASD Network)
11 Sep 18. FLIR Systems Acquires Acyclica. FLIR Systems, Inc. (NASDAQ: FLIR) announced today that it has acquired Acyclica, Inc., a leading developer of software for automotive roadway and intersection data generation and analysis. Acyclica’s solutions provide high-resolution, real-time traffic information to transportation department end-users to make roads safer, reduce congestion, and improve overall efficiency and performance of thoroughfares. Based in Denver, Colorado, Acyclica delivers cloud-based analytics of data generated from proprietary technology and from other sensing sources, such as visible and thermal cameras, roadway sensors, radars, and intersection signals. The Acyclica solution is utilized by transportation departments across the globe to get a clear, accurate, and actionable view of their roadway infrastructure to improve traffic flow and safety. Acyclica’s APIs allow for easy integration into third-party Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) systems, including FLIR ITS cameras, which are currently offered with Acyclica technology on board.
“Acquiring Acyclica is a key step for our ITS business in that it adds a new sensing platform and a data analytics software element to our mission to provide complete and valuable traffic optimization solutions for our global transportation system customers,” said James Cannon, President and CEO of FLIR. “The great efficiencies that are created with these ITS systems fits our mission of improving livelihoods and adds to our broader smart and safe city solutions. Additionally, we feel the capabilities of the Acyclica team in data analytics and software platforms is scalable across numerous other FLIR businesses.”
The Acyclica business will be part of FLIR’s ITS division within FLIR’s Commercial Business Unit. FLIR anticipates this transaction to be neutral to 2018 net earnings.
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Oxley Group Ltd
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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