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11 Apr 19. New era for high performance defence computing draws closer. Defence Industry Minister Linda Reynolds and Assistant Minister for Defence David Fawcett have announced the construction of a specialised Defence High Performance Computing Centre at the DST site in Edinburgh, South Australia.
Minister Reynolds and Senator Fawcett today announced that Defence was in the final stages of procuring a head contractor to deliver the works on the $68m project.
“Defence Science and Technology provides Defence and national security agencies with scientific advice and innovative technologies to meet Australia’s defence and security challenges,” Minister Reynolds said. “High performance computing, or supercomputing, plays a vital role in the design, development and analysis of modern weapon systems and national security systems, including our future ships and other major defence platforms.”
The specialised facility, dubbed the Defence High Performance Computing Centre (DHPCC), will provide the Defence Science and Technology Group (DST) and broader Australian Defence Organisation (uniformed and civilian) with a secure capability to conduct ‘high fidelity modelling and simulation’.
Senator Fawcett said the supercomputing capability of the DHPCC is intended to support Defence’s major acquisitions through their life cycle.
The DHPCC works are being delivered as a single work package. The works include a dual purpose facility collocated within a single building of approximately 8,930square metres gross floor area (GFA) and comprising:
- A new high security/high integrity (HS/HI) HPC data centre capability;
- Secure visualisation and auditorium facilities;
- Dedicated DST secure meeting, training and laboratory facilities; and
- Associated car parking.
The centre – or Project D9541 – will also host ‘visualisation capability and training facilities’, according to tender documents.
“Consistent with the Defence Policy for Industry Participation, the head contractor will develop a Local Industry Capability Plan to maximise the opportunities for local businesses to be involved in the project, both directly through sub-contract packages and indirectly through manufacturing, supply and transportation of the equipment and materials,” Senator Fawcett explained.
“The works will deliver the new fit-for-purpose facility. The head contractor will also be responsible for procuring and managing subcontractors to construct the works.”
Construction is anticipated to commence in mid-2019 for completion in late 2020. (Source: Defence Connect)
10 Apr 19. To win underground, look for lessons in this Icelandic lava tunnel. Caves are not the best place to fly a drone. The walls are irregular, the signals that make remote control easy are difficult if not impossible to work underground, and the drone itself could get lost and stuck somewhere difficult to retrieve. However, with the right drone, and the right conditions, cave mapping becomes an ideal drone task. Think of it: LIDAR sensors can map the interior of unexplored chambers and keep the drone away from collisions. Autonomy can work without a need for remote piloting. And most of all: it’s far easier to first send a drone where people haven’t been then it is to send a person.
There are military implications for this – and we’ll get to them momentarily – but consider first the scientific use case. Drones that can map caves would prove valuable for underground mapping, in places inhospitable, inaccessible to humans, or just plain under-explored. Techniques built to fly drones in caves on Earth could inform drones deployed on future robotic expeditions to the Moon or Mars or elsewhere with visible entrances to lava tubes.
A research team from SETI Institute, Mars Institute at NASA’s Ames Research Center, space robot maker Astrobotic, and Geo Travel Iceland flew a hexacopter inside Iceland’s Lofthellir lava tube. The science itself is, again, fascinating, but it’s the application in other domains that is our particular interest. Focusing purely on the mapping, the flight at Lofthellir showed how a special navigation and mapping system, built for GPS-denied environments, was able to plot out the interior of the cavern.
These are many of the same characteristics sought after by agencies such as DARPA that are presently exploring how the military can operate in underground environments. Designing for GPS denied spots is at least as useful on other worlds as it is in caves on this one. Autonomy is one of the better ways around this hurdle. Mapping the interior of spaces creates useful information for anyone hoping to maneuver inside or plan around the underground environment. Inasmuch as this cave mapping is built on commercial technology, it can be adapted to military missions.
The limitations are not insignificant. Getting the data from the drone to the computers that process it and render it useful for humans takes some work. Operating underground is a challenge by itself. Operating underground at military speeds and with hazards of battle likely require not just effective tools, but fast ones. The maps plotted, too, may not have all the information needed for people who are going to follow the drone down the unfamiliar tunnel, and an assumption of more knowledge than exists could prove risky.
Still, most of the expected underground environment of future conflicts is likely human-built, so designing drones to map, say, an unfamiliar subway line should be a hair easier than plotting out an unknown lava tube. (Source: C4ISR & Networks)
10 Apr 19. Microsoft worked with Chinese military university on AI. Group’s Asia research arm published papers on tech that could be used for surveillance. One of the co-authored papers described an artificial intelligence method to recreate detailed environmental maps by analysing human faces, which experts say could have clear applications for surveillance and censorship. Microsoft has been working with a Chinese military-run university on artificial intelligence research that could be used for surveillance and censorship. Three papers, published between March and November last year, were co-written by academics at Microsoft Research Asia in Beijing and researchers with affiliations to China’s National University of Defense Technology, which is controlled by China’s top military body, the Central Military Commission. Samm Sacks, a senior fellow at the New America think-tank and a China tech policy expert, said the papers raised “red flags because of the nature of the technology, the author affiliations, combined with what we know about how this technology is being deployed in China right now”.
“The [Chinese] government is using these technologies to build surveillance systems and to detain minorities [in Xinjiang],” she added. The US government is currently debating whether research collaborations, particularly in sensitive areas such as artificial intelligence and augmented reality, should be subject to harsher export controls. [The Chinese government] sees natural language processing as a way to enable censorship at scale Elsa Kania, Center for a New American Security Adam Segal, director of cyber space policy at the Council on Foreign Relations, a think tank, said: “US-China academic partnerships are increasingly under the microscope as the FBI focuses on the threat of espionage from students and scientists, and the Defense Department [focuses] on the possibility that frontier technologies might eventually make their way to the PLA [the Chinese military].” Last week, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology cut ties with telecoms group Huawei and launched an “elevated risk” review process for its Chinese collaborations.
Microsoft said its “researchers, who are often academics, conduct fundamental research with leading scholars and experts from around the world to advance our understanding of technology”. It added: “In each case, the research is guided by our principles, fully complies with US and local laws, and . . . is published to ensure transparency so that everyone can benefit from our work.” One of the papers co-authored by Microsoft and researchers affiliated with the NUDT described a new AI method to recreate detailed environmental maps by analysing human faces, which experts say could have clear applications for surveillance and censorship.
The paper acknowledges that the system provides a better understanding of the surrounding environment “not viewed by the camera”, which can have a “variety of vision applications”. Pedro Domingos, a professor of AI at the University of Washington, said: “Let’s suppose I’m an intelligence agency and I have pictures of people of interest; I can use the system to tell something about the place they’re in that they didn’t realise they were giving away.” Microsoft’s research arm in Beijing has collaborated on at least two other papers with NUDT researchers, including in the area of machine reading — a way for computers to understand online text. “Machine reading comprehension may not seem directly concerning but it could be used for censorship, which is an interest of the Chinese government,” said Elsa Kania, a Chinese military technology expert and a fellow at the think-tank the Center for a New American Security. “They see natural language processing as a way to enable censorship at scale.” The papers underscore Microsoft Research’s long-running links to Chinese military-funded academia, including its operation of several “tech clubs” for students at Chinese universities known to have military links including NUDT, Beihang University and Harbin University of Technology.
The US commerce department is currently seeking public comment to help identify emerging technologies that are essential to US national security, because they may enable intelligence collection, weapons of mass destruction, or terrorist applications, or could provide the US with a qualitative military or intelligence advantage, according to law firm White and Case. Recommended FT Magazine Yuan Yang Small cracks in China’s Great Firewall “[These papers are] at the centre of a perfect storm with . . . issues top of mind as the US is redrawing its relationship with China,” said Ms Sacks. “Firstly, there is a massive overhaul of the export regime, and emerging and foundational technology, particularly AI, is a considered category under that. Because this is open academic research, the question is to what extent is the Chinese government exploiting the openness . . . and extensive history of joint partnerships,” she added. (Source: FT.com)
09 Apr 19. The Certifiable Ground Control Station (CGCS) from General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. (GA-ASI) was used to control the complete flight of an MQ-9B SkyGuardian – including takeoff and landing – on March 12th. This is the first time the CGCS has been used to control an entire end-to-end flight of a Remotely Piloted Aircraft (RPA).
“Controlling takeoff and landing was the last step in a progression of flight milestones for the CGCS,” said David R. Alexander, president, GA-ASI. “Our vision is that MQ-9B will be the first RPA certified to fly in national and international airspace. To achieve that goal, our GCS needs to be type-certified, as well. Completing an end-to end flight was an important step in achieving that ultimate goal.”
The flight originated from the Yuma Proving Grounds in Yuma, Arizona. The CGCS features a Pro Line Fusion® integrated avionics system from Collins Aerospace, the Abaco FORCE2 flight computer, as well as all the weapons and payload controls for MQ-9B. The CGCS architecture provides separation between flight and mission critical functions. Flight critical functions are performed using off-the-shelf avionics and flight computers running GA-ASI’s certifiable DAL B software. The mission critical functions are separated and run alongside GA-ASI’s proven Advanced Cockpit payload and weapons equipment.
09 Apr 19. Applied Artificial Intelligence (AI) is the theme for this year’s “AI Fest”, an annual conference hosted by the Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (Dstl) that explores the implications of AI for Defence and Security.
The conference will be held on 5th June 2019 in Basingstoke and will bring together Science and Technology (S&T), procurement and the end user communities and will showcase examples of how AI is being used to tackle Defence and Security Challenges. Speakers from the MOD and key external partners will be providing a range of perspectives using real case studies to illustrate the successes and challenges of delivering AI into operational use. In addition, suppliers from industry, academia and subject matter experts are invited to the event to showcase the very latest AI technology and capabilities they have to offer.
Dr Steven Meers, Dstl’s Head of AI Lab, said: “AI is one of the most exciting and rapidly developing areas of Science and Technology. Understanding how to responsibly exploit the benefits, but also how to counter the threats presented by AI, is a critical issue for the Defence and Security community; this is an area where we need to ensure we are working closely with our suppliers both in industry and academia. By broadening our supply base we will improve access to the best AI solutions for Defence and Security. There will be a lot to see at the event, including a large exhibition area with demonstrations and stands hosted by a wide variety of suppliers from academia, SMEs and larger defence contractors.”
The event is expected to attract more than 400 attendees including military end users, MOD capability planners & acquisition staff, as well as Dstl scientists and engineers along with international partners. AI Fest is a great opportunity for the community to understand better how to adopt AI in a manner that makes us all safer and more secure.
The conference is set to run in two halves, the morning session forming the main conference session with a number of presentations to all government attendees. The afternoon session will be broken out into eight separate syndicates to cover a wide variety of topics at greater depth – attendees will be signing up to these in advance of the conference.
Throughout the lunch interval attendees will explore the supplier exhibition area, which will remain open during the afternoon syndicate session slots. To register your interest or to take part in the event as a supplier, contact the AI lab team at . Closing date 18th April 2019.
08 Apr 19. US Soldiers, Marines try out new device that puts ‘mixed reality,’ multiple functions into warfighter’s hands. US Soldiers, Marines and special operators have spent the past few weeks on live fire ranges and rushing through shoot house drills in small teams here all while seeing likely what is the immersive, interconnected future of close combat and potentially a way to finally merge technological advances to make the grunt as combat capable as the best trained fighter pilots. The Integrated Visual Augmentation System, or IVAS, has gotten some amount of hype as being an advanced set of goggles, one day a sunglasses-sized device that will provide next-level night and thermal vision while also adding in layers of other actions such as navigation and targeting. Developers are hoping for much more.
The IVAS, like many military programs now, aims to be an interchangeable platform. That means that an array of other devices, software programs and capabilities would flow through the system, tailored through preferences by individual troops.
The core of what’s happening with the device relies on mixed reality. Essentially, software providing visual symbols in the user’s field of view. More augmented reality than virtual reality. The user still sees the real world but can add and enhance what they see in their view.
While that might mean cool graphics and 360-degree experiences for video gamers, educational programmers and researchers, it can mean life or death for soldiers or Marines.
“No other piece of equipment has had this kind of impact since the introduction of night vision,” said Undersecretary of the Army Ryan McCarthy, a former Ranger. “This takes night vision to the PhD level.”
McCarthy and Army Vice Chief of Staff Gen. James McConville told reporters that while full production and fielding decisions will have to follow prototyping and testing, they expect to have a usable device in the troops’ hands within the next 18 to 24 months.
First they’ll have to integrate all of the capabilities, sensors and options already in the Army’s research and development entities. Along the way there will need to be cyber security elements built in and ruggedization trials.
“This has to be used in the woods, in tough conditions,” McConville said. “We want the system to operate and thrive in combat conditions.”
The enabling aspects hold a lot of promise for the dismounted ground troops.
“This allows us to do really the type of fighting which is the way the Army fights,” McConville said. “Coordinating the fires in effect with the infantry on the ground. If you know where you’re at and you know where the enemy is and you have key communications, you’ll get the overmatch.”
Military Times saw a demonstration of the prototype technology, supported by Microsoft’s HoloLens project. At the recent event, three users were permitted to answer questions on their feedback using the IVAS.
The physical piece of the system will include goggles wirelessly connected to a small computer and a camera on their primary weapon. Those devices will communicate wirelessly within the squad on either radio frequency or wireless internet. In some scenarios they will be linked to cloud computing and in others to local network or data storage.
During the demonstration, developers walked users through early variations they’re working on with soldiers and Marines from immersive navigational modes that show the user’s location as well as the real-time location of squad or teammates in blue. Each member can also drop digital symbols on a shared map, marking enemy locations or other items.
At the same time, the map view gives a constant heading for compass readings. Troops can overlay point markers, phase lines and locations of friendly units.
And when they remove the map from their vision, the markers remain, glowing atop the real world in front of them.
The same lens technology allows for advanced, white phosphorous screen viewing – no more night vision green glow – and a variety of thermal options, from white to black to outline modes.
During the demonstration a developer walked behind a set of plants to show how the thermal view would immediately highlight a concealed person through body heat signature.
Views were clear enough to identify clothing types, weapons and other items at close range, much like advanced Forward Looking InfraRed cameras used in many vehicle and aircraft viewfinders to see through fog and in conditions too dark for standard night vision.
Army Staff Sgt. Nicholas Schneider, with the 82nd Airborne, wants to see the device ready for use in real-world missions but noted that it can be used for types of mission prep that are not possible now.
For example, troop-leading procedures that involve rehearsals for a real-time mission.
“We might not know what a compound looks like but we can predict, take Google images and build something off of that,” he said. “To take that and implement it into the IVAS is a huge boost to our rehearsal.”
Schneider and Marine Cpl. Anthony Olcott, with 2nd Battalion, 2nd Marines, both explained that it’s common for him and his soldiers to use multiple devices, from navigational tools to night vision goggles to smartphones to achieve some of the same capabilities.
“Thermals, compass, protractor, After Action Review boards, all in one,” Olcott said.
Olcott also commented on features that would allow troops to design the types of rooms and reconfigure them for different scenarios.
Right now, engineer tape, grass drills or empty barracks rooms are sometimes all that’s available to train fire team and squad tactics.
“You can only clear out the laundry room so many times,” Olcott said.
Schneider said one feature of the early prototype was helpful that he could see friendly teammates on the other sides of walls while in the shoot house, increasing his situational awareness and avoiding simulated fratricide.
They’ve been able to give feedback already.
USER FEEDBACK
Developers told reporters that they’re working to use military grid coordinates in updated versions of displays. Olcott and Schneider said they’ve been asking for things they’re not even sure whether developers can deliver yet.
For instance, some of the enemy avatar movements are not exactly realistic. They’re too “video game like,” the pair said.
“We’re asking for more patterns of life from enemy avatars. Can they move around the house, can they do this or that?” Schneider said.
The IVAS is being built to also be used during daylight conditions. It’s a wear all the time device, officials said. (Source: C4ISR & Networks)
09 Apr 19. Hydrogen could unlock UAV endurance boost, say US Navy academics. Key Points:
- Researchers are to test claims that Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) powered by hydrogen fuel cells have six times the endurance of battery-only models
- If the claims are verified, the roll-out of fuel cell technologies will have “wide ranging operational impacts” for the US fleet
Staff and students at the US Naval Postgraduate School (NPS) are to explore the comparative performance of UAVs powered by hydrogen fuel cells and conventional batteries. The institution has issued a request for quotes for a rotary-wing UAV equipped with a hybrid-electric propulsion system consisting of a fuel cell ‘stack’ plus batteries, with a maximum take-off weight (including payload) of 14kg. (Source: IHS Jane’s)
08 Apr 19. US Army To Look For IVAS Data Capability, As Officials See First Headset Prototypes This Month. With the Army getting ready to see the first demonstrations of its future augmented reality headset this month, officials said Monday the service is looking for a capability required to analyze data collected by the new training and simulation tool. The Army will release Request for White Papers to gather industry input on providing a Tactical Integration Center (TIC) Capability prototype for the Integrated Visual Augmentation System (IVAS).
“The overall goal of the IVAS TIC [prototype] is to develop a Command, Control, Computers and Communications system that can analyze both technical integration and user experience of the IVAS,” officials wrote in the notice. Microsoft [MSFT] previously received a $479m contract to develop IIVAS, and senior leadership is set to see the first prototypes and receive a demonstration of the new technology this month. Officials are prepared to ask industry to describe three subsystems for the IVAS TIC capable of processing the increasingly large amounts of training data expected to be gathered by the new headset. The subsystems include an information visualization system, a Controlled Mission Area sensing system and a Dynamic Mission Site to monitor and sense IVAS performance.
“Each IVAS TIC IOC prototype subsystem will consist of an array of computing, electronics, software, network, and sensing components to assess and visualize both squad operations and IVAS technical performance along the domains of technical integration and soldier acceptance,” officials wrote in the notice.
Under Secretary Ryan McCarthy in March called IVAS a top priority for the Army as the service looks to deliver a new headset to soldiers that is capable of placing units in simulated training environments.
“We’re very excited about this because it brings such enormous amount of capability to soldiers. You’ll have a pair of goggles, and it will be day and night sight. You can put an interface in there. We can pump synthetic training into there, so you can do practice. But it’s the same device they’re going to use in combat,” McCarthy said. “But the most exciting part about it is that we’re going to capture performance data on soldiers. We’re going to see what was their heart rate going through that door, their marksmanship, what were they looking at.” The project has received pushback from Microsoft [MSFT] employees who argue the project is taking existing technology, the HoloLens augmented reality headset, and developing it into a weapon. The Sensors, Communications, and Electronics Consortium is set to lead the TIC prototype effort for IVAS. (Source: Defense Daily)
08 Apr 19. Earlier this year, Raytheon Company (NYSE: RTN) demonstrated a land-based expeditionary version of its Joint Precision Approach and Landing System for the first time to U.S. Air Force, Navy and Marine Corps officials at Marine Corps Air Station, Yuma, Ariz.
“The need for precision landings in harsh environments isn’t limited to one military service and one airplane,” said Matt Gilligan, vice president at Raytheon’s Intelligence, Information and Services business. “JPALS can help any fixed or rotary-wing aircraft land in rugged, low-visibility environments at austere bases worldwide.”
The proof-of-concept event showed how the GPS-based system, which is currently used to guide F-35Bs onto ships in all weather, could be reconfigured into a mobile version to support landings in a traditional airport setting.
During the demonstration, F-35B pilots used the JPALS system on the jet to connect with the expeditionary system on the ground from 200 nautical miles away. From there, the system guided the pilot to a designated landing point on the runway.
Expeditionary JPALS supports the U.S. Air Force’s desire to use more austere, bare-base locations for future flying operations.
Currently in five transit cases, it could be repackaged for a variety of small transit vehicles transportable by C-130. Once on the ground, the system can be fully operational in under 90 minutes.
08 Apr 19. Spark Cell challenge winner develops device for night refuelling. US Air Force (USAF) 9th Special Operations Squadron MC-130J Commando II instructor loadmaster staff sergeant and Spark Cell winner Jeremie Anderson has developed a device to assist with night refuelling missions. The innovation seeks to change the way loadmasters execute the mid-air refuelling mission. During the mission, loadmasters on board an MC-130J aircraft use colours that come from small coloured lenses hanging off parachute cords to communicate when to execute instructions. Loadmasters shine a light through these lenses to project the corresponding colour to the user aircraft. This communication will aid the user on when to go, stop and wait.
Anderson said: “A lot of our lenses, as they get old and the sun hits them, they fade, so our aircraft that are getting fuelled are left wondering which colour was shown by us loadmasters.”
This hinders communication as the user aircraft would be left ‘second-guessing what was about to happen’.
“Anderson submitted the project to the Cannon Air Force Base ‘Spark Cell’ challenge, which is designed to drive innovation at squadron level across the base.”
Anderson felt the need to change the tried-and-true process to address the inherent problem. Anderson first designed a prototype for an all-in-one device that features multiple buttons. The device has the ability to shoot different coloured lights out depending on the button that was pressed. It essentially serves as a flashlight with built-in colours and removes the need to track down and use any lens.
Anderson submitted the project to the Cannon Air Force Base ‘Spark Cell’ challenge, which is designed to drive innovation at squadron level across the base.
The programme involves collaboration with airmen to identify problems and develop solutions to resolve them.
He is now working on plans of rolling out the device to all MC/HC-130 squadrons across the USAF. He has also identified a proper fitting battery for the device and will proceed to the next phase, which involves pushing out test models. (Source: airforce-technology.com)
08 Apr 19. New Collins Electric Aircraft Lab Has High-Voltage Engine Goals. A new $50m high-voltage lab, “The Grid,” being built by Collins Aerospace here, will serve as the design and testing center for developing a 1-megawatt (MW) motor, motor controller and battery system for a hybrid electric demonstrator aircraft. Executives from Collins Aerospace provided a tour of their existing aircraft power and electronic systems manufacturing and testing site and discussed plans for The Grid with media on April 4. Collins Aerospace CEO Kelly Ortberg said the company wants to use the lab to start designing and testing hybrid electric propulsion technologies for next generation business, commercial, military and urban air mobility aircraft. Collins expects to have the 25,000-square foot facility’s four independent modular electric power systems labs fully operational by 2021. The first mission for engineers at The Grid will be to support the development of a hybrid electric power system for Project 804. That project will see the re-engine of a hybrid-electric X-plane by UTC’s new startup-like organization, United Technologies Advanced Projects (UTAP). The Project 804 team is using a Bombardier Dash-8 that will feature a two-megawatt hybrid-electric engine on one side as its future demonstrator aircraft. During a presentation of what The Grid will look like in the future, Ortberg discussed new research results produced by UTC showing how they expect the use of hybrid electric and eventually fully electric aircraft power to improve fuel efficiency and reduce aviation carbon emissions.
“Our internal UTC studies indicate that commercial electric and hybrid electric propulsion could reduce by aircraft noise by up to 85 percent, can improve fuel consumption by up to 40 percent, can reduce carbon dioxide emissions by more than 20 percent and reduce airline operating and maintenance costs by up to 20 percent,” said Ortberg.
The $50m lab by Collins is part of a larger $150m investment Collins wants to make in the development of electric aircraft systems over the next three years. While the four independent labs will not collectively become fully operational until 2021, the Grid will have initial capability for testing electric aircraft propulsion within the next 12 months, according to Tim White, president of power and controls for Collins Aerospace.
White, who spoke with reporters after the press conference, said Collins will leverage its experience providing electrical power systems for the most electric commercial aircraft currently in service today, Boeing’s [BA] 787. The 787 is equipped with six Collins Aerospace generators collectively generating nearly 1.5 megawatts of electrical power, replacing many of the aircraft’s traditional hydraulics and pneumatic power systems. However, a major goal for the Grid will be to go well beyond the 270 voltages of electric power utilized by the 1.5MW of power that the 787’s generators are capable of producing, according to White, who was the chief engineer for electric power on the Dreamliner. That will require the use of more robust dynamometers—instruments that measure the power output of an engine—to evaluate the type of motor, controller and battery system being developed for Project 804 at the Grid in the future.
“On the 787, those are megawatt class dynamometers, we’ll have double the capacity dynamometers for the grid, testing up to 2 MW of power. The other critical infrastructure change, most aircraft today, the voltage levels for those systems are up to 270 volts, and so this lab will have a capability of testing components at the kilo-volt level for aircraft,” said White. (Source: Defense Daily)
08 Apr 19. HENSOLDT, the leading independent sensor house, is launching a new flight data recorder, which combines the latest sensor technologies in an extremely compact design so that flight, video and audio data can be recorded. Thanks to its extremely reduced weight, dimensions and energy consumption, it is for the first time possible to equip light aircraft and UAVs, but also business jets and small helicopters. The new flight data recorder SferiRec LCR (Lightweight Crash Recorder) contains all the necessary sensors for recording such data as altitude and direction, engine temperature and speed as well as the pilots’ voices. The fact that it weighs around one kilogram only means that HENSOLDT’s LCR is the lightest of its kind in the market. The product combines all the recording functions (cockpit voice, flight data and crash protected memory), which have up until now been performed by different devices. Furthermore, the maintenance data can be read to an easily accessible SD card.The system’s sensors include an integrated microphone for ambient noise, a three-axis gyroscope, a three-axis accelerometer, a temperature sensor, a GPS receiver and an air pressure sensor. The new product is certified to ETSO-2C197 (ED-155). HENSOLDT has been developing and producing flight data recorders for military aircraft and helicopters for more than 30 years, e.g. for the Tornado combat aircraft, the P-3C Orion maritime reconnaissance aircraft, as well as for helicopters of the type NH90 and Tiger or even the UH-1D and the CH-53.
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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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