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27 Jul 23. Australia down-selects SitaWare for critical C2 elements of the Australian Army. First pass approval of LAND 200 Phase 3 Battlefield Command Systems project names Systematic as a sole-source tenderer for Tranche 1 Battle Management System – Command and Control (BMS-C2) software applications. Systematic is proud to announce that the Australian Defence Force has confirmed its intention to down-select elements of the SitaWare suite of battle management software (BMS) to support the first Tranche of LAND 200 Phase 3 project.
Under Tranche 1, Systematic has been asked to tender its SitaWare Headquarters and SitaWare Frontline BMS to support command-and-control (C2) functions for the Australian Army across a limited number of critical fixed, static, and mobile locations for deployment at battlegroup and above. This includes mounting SitaWare in C2 variants of the Australian Army’s Thales Bushmaster and Hawkei Protected Mobility Vehicles (PMV), as well as Mercedes-Benz G-Wagons.
“Choosing SitaWare Headquarters and SitaWare Frontline for use in the Australian Army’s critical C2 platforms in this first Tranche will deliver unrivalled situational awareness, as well as battlefield management and planning. Its use by other countries in the Five Eyes alliance will also help to facilitate interoperability across all domains,” David Horton, Systematic’s Vice President for the Asia-Pacific Region, said.
“This decision comes after extremely rigorous testing and evaluation of SitaWare by the Australian Army during the selection and deployment as an interim BMS (iBMS) solution, to ensure they had a fit-for-purpose and future-proof solution. SitaWare’s commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) design means that it is regularly updated, is well supported, and requires minimum development work for it to meet Australian requirements. The open architecture of the platform also means that users can integrate other hardware and software through our software development kit (SDK).” Horton added.
SitaWare was originally purchased as a Track Management Capability in 2019 and announced as an iBMS for the Australian Army in 2021. Army rapidly fielded SitaWare Headquarters, and deployed it on a number of major exercises, leveraging the platform’s Variable Message Format (VMF) Gateway to ingest and share data around the battlespace.
SitaWare is in use in over 45 nations globally, supporting battle management and situational awareness from dismounted soldiers through to joint operational headquarters. Systematic’s most recent development for the platform, SitaWare Insight, helps to integrate the intelligence and planning cycles. It leverages advanced tools such as artificial intelligence (AI), to manage and exploit big data, and provide commanders with critical insights into the battlespace.
26 Jul 23. SitaWare secures lucrative Army Battle Management System contract. The Capability Acquisition & Sustainment Group (CASG) has revealed that Systematic’s SitaWare software has been announced as the sole-source winner for Army’s new digital command and control battle management system.
The decision comes following the first pass approval of LAND 200 Phase 3 Battlefield Command Systems project in mid-July which is designed to improve the security and performance of Defence’s tactical communications network and battle management systems.
Defence said the implementation of this new battlefield command and control system “will increase the speed and quality of decision making, which is essential to success in military operations. The new system will also improve communication and coordination within Army and between the land, sea, air, space, and cyber elements of the Australian Defence Force”.
The SitaWare suite offers C4ISR solutions for battle management across the entire battlespace – on land, at sea, in the air, or in the joint domain.
Systematic’s SitaWare suite of capabilities provides a combat proven, commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) software, delivering command-and-control capabilities and seamless interoperability, which will enable Defence to share information with coalition partners.
Defence will issue an open tender for an integration partner for the Battlefield Command Systems project in 2023. This open tender provides opportunities for Australian companies to fulfil this role.
This decision comes following the contentious scrapping of Elbit’s combat management system in service with the Australian Army in March 2021 following its failure to achieve stringent Defence’s ICT security standards.
A second tranche of the project is scheduled to deliver enhancements to the tactical communications network and consider additional battle management systems. (Source: Defence Connect)
25 Jul 23. Babel Street and Boeing Intelligence & Analytics Announce Expanded Partnership to Further Enhance Think, Analyze, Connect Application with Advanced AI and Data Analytics. Babel Street, the world’s leading technology partner for advanced identity intelligence and risk operations, and Boeing Intelligence & Analytics (BI&A), a pioneer in the creation and delivery of intelligence, analytics, and cyber solutions, today announced their expanded partnership. This powerful combination is set to further enhance the capabilities of the Think, Analyze, Connect (TAC) application in providing military decision-makers with strategic and tactical intelligence in conflict zones, including the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict.
The TAC application, led by BI&A on behalf of the US Government, will leverage Babel Street’s Rosette to provide multilingual text analytics, integrating enhanced publicly and commercially available information from Babel Street’s Insights platform to augment traditional intelligence collection. The result is more comprehensive and verifiable, all-source analysis delivered through a single pane of glass.
“The expanded collaboration with Babel Street brings us closer to realizing our vision of a safer world,” said Roxanne Wood, CEO and President of Boeing Intelligence & Analytics. “Babel Street’s proven technology, combined with our experience in developing and delivering advanced solutions, will undoubtedly result in a more robust, versatile tool for intelligence analysis and military decision-making.”
BI&A has worked with Babel Street for several years since they integrated Rosette Text Analytics for data enrichment inside BI&A’s internal research laboratory known as i3 Lab. The successful integration resulted in improved searches on text data sources, providing deep insights from large volumes of diverse, multilingual content while drastically reducing the time required to derive these critical insights.
The newly expanded partnership between Babel Street and BI&A aims to extend the boundaries of this integration, infusing OSINT into analysis for extended situational awareness and a more comprehensive view of data analysis.
“Our partnership with BI&A signifies an essential advancement in military decision-making processes. The Babel Street Insights platform is specifically designed to navigate the complex terrain of modern identity intelligence and risk operations with a systematic three-step approach: Match, Analyze, and Score,” said Michael Southworth, CEO of Babel Street. “The integration of this sophisticated, AI-powered technology into the TAC application swiftly provides decision-makers with actionable intelligence, ensuring national security.”
This development comes on the heels of Babel Street’s recent strategic partnership with the Institute for the Study of War (ISW), further showcasing the transformative potential of the company’s technology in providing in-depth intelligence from diverse sources.
With this expanded collaboration, Babel Street and BI&A are poised to revolutionize the capabilities of the TAC application, aiming to provide the US Government and other institutions with a powerful tool for real-time, collaborative analysis and improved decision-making. (Source: BUSINESS WIRE)
25 Jul 23. SOSA aligned, Cybersecurity-enabled U-C8500 from Aitech Ideal for High Performing Applications in SWaP-C Environments. Production-ready 3U VPX SBC qualified through successful environmental testing.
U-C8500 Highlights
- Aligned with SOSA technical standard for improved time to market
- Highly integrated SWaP-C-optimized 3U VPX SBC
- Successful environmental testing moves SBC into production
- Enhanced high performance graphics for AI/ML applications using integrated GPGPU
- AiSecure advanced cybersecurity framework
Aitech Systems, a leading provider of rugged boards and system level solutions for military, aerospace and space applications, has announced that its SOSA aligned U-C8500 3U VPX SBC has successfully passed environmental qualification testing.
Aligned with The Open Group Sensor Open Systems Architecture (SOSA) Technical Standard, Aitech’s U-C8500 is based on Intel’s ground-breaking SWaP-C optimized Tiger Lake UP3(TGL-UP3) SoC, which combines a high-performing CPU with a strong internal GPU and an advanced Image Processing Unit. The SBC also incorporates highly integrated memory technology (LPDDR4X) for better graphics processing performance as well as high-speed PCIe Gen4 and 10 Gbps Ethernet.
The combination of the U-C8500’s high-performing technologies facilitates artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) processing capabilities in a wide range of rugged military and aerospace data-sensitive applications.
Alex Trigoub, Director of Board Level Product Line for Aitech, noted, “AI in military electronics continues to grow in complexity. Developed specifically with faster memory, PCIe and Ethernet connectivity, as well as to optimize SWaP-C and align with DoD MOSA initiatives, the U-C8500 is capable of processing large amounts of data without any loss of performance, while staying within an optimized power envelope. This combination ensures the SBC can meet the demands of military systems today and makes it capable of handling the needs of next-gen military technology tomorrow.”
Designed from the ground up with security in mind, the U-C8500 provides a comprehensive cybersecurity framework – AiSecure, which includes both standard and advanced system protection. The inherent security features enable both firmware and data protection as well as prevent reverse engineering and tampering with system integrity, while allowing secure transmission and storage of sensitive data.
Now that the U-C8500 has completed successful environmental qualification testing, the SBC can be effectively incorporated into several harsh military and aerospace applications that need highly integrated functionality and unique SWaP-C optimization to provide reliable data processing. These environments include unmanned aerial vehicles and unmanned ground vehicles (UAV/UGV), cockpit/display and mission computers, digital signal and image processing as well as signal intelligence (SIGNT) and electronic warfare (EW).
The U-C8500 is part of Aitech’s U-C850X series that combines the three pillars of modern data processing on the same board: CPU, iGPU and optional large FPGA. Potential future enhanced variants include the U-C8501 (with PCIe Switch for enhanced Expansion Plane and XMC connectivity), the U-C8502 (with integrated Xilinx MPSoC FPGA) and the U-C8503 (with integrated TSN Endpoint).
About Aitech:
With 40 years of experience, Aitech is a global digital electronics manufacturer with expertise in providing reliable, rugged embedded systems for the harshest, most unforgiving environments in military, aerospace and space applications. We enable the world’s leading companies to expand their most revolutionary explorations and push the boundaries of innovation across sea, land, air, and space.
We provide COTS products based on multiple open standard architectures, including SOSA, FACE, VPX, CompactPCI, etc., such as single board computers, I/O, memory and graphics boards, PMC/XMCs and sub-system enclosures, with over 100,000 boards and custom integrated systems delivered to take on the most challenging projects in the harshest environments and succeed. As a pioneer in space applications, Aitech offers proven space pedigree with trillions of miles flown in a variety of space missions without a single failure.
25 Jul 23. Lockheed Martin’s new Dry Combat Submersible reaches IOC.
DCS uses a lock-in/lock-out technology enabling special forces operators to get in and out of the vehicle while submerged and undetected.
Lockheed Martin’s Dry Combat Submersible (DCS), which was manufactured for US Special Operations Command, has reached initial operating capability (IOC) last month, according to a recent announcement by the original equipment manufacturer (OEM) on 24 July 2023.
Lockheed designed the DCS to transport a special operations team to their destination and enables personnel to arrive discreetly to their desired exit point.
The unique capability that sets the submersible apart is its lock-in/lock-out technology, which enables US special operators to get in and out of the vehicle while traversing long distances entirely submerged and undetected.
Additionally, Special Operations Forces will be safe to travel long distanced below the surface of the ocean without a wetsuit and without exposure to the elements.
Lockheed manufactures the DCS at its Palm Beach, Florida facility. Sustainment operations will include lifecycle support, post-delivery logistics support, pilot and special operator training, and training equipment to ensure the safe and effective operation of the new capability in future special forces efforts.
“The DCS provides safe, clandestine delivery for occupants over long distances in a completely dry environment and features a lock-in and lock-out chamber.
“Occupants arrive at the mission warm, rested, hydrated and ready, making this vessel a key advantage in mission success,” Gregg Bauer, C6ISR Vice President and General Manager at Lockheed Martin, stated.
The DCS adds to the global underwater warfare market
The ‘Global underwater warfare systems market’ was valued at $4.9bn in 2022 and is projected to grow at a compound annual growth rate of 3.41% by 2032. GlobalData expects it to reach $6.8bn by 2032 and cumulatively value $64.9bn over the forecast period.
The market is expected to be dominated by the Sonar segment, which accounts for 58.8% of the market, followed by Torpedo segment with 13.5% share. The Asia-Pacific dominates the sector with a share of 35.3%, followed by Europe and North America, which shares of 30.0% and 24.6%, respectively.
Submersibles provide little to Special Force operations as the market is dominated by systems that provide particular capabilities, such as tracking, mapping, and torpedo strikes. However, Lockheed Martin’s DCS has entered an untapped potential use case for submersibles, which validates the OEM’s assertion that the submersible’s IOC is a “milestone [that] represents a transformational capability for US Special Operations Command forces in Maritime and Undersea Systems.” (Source: naval-technology.com)
25 Jul 23. Patents signal: aerospace leads land and maritime in domain patents publications. GlobalData intelligence shows the aerospace sector as a leading domain for patents across the global defence industry.
Each week, Army Technology’s journalists analyse data on patent filings and grants that illustrate innovation trends in our sector. These patent signals show where the leading companies are focusing their research and development investment, and why. We uncover key innovation areas in the sector and the themes that drive them.
This new, thematic patents coverage is powered by our underlying Disruptor data which tracks all major deals, patents, company filings, hiring patterns and social media buzz across our sectors.
Aerospace remains the most common sector for patents-related publications in the defence industry compared to land and maritime with 230,784 filings and grants over the past three years, more than four times the combined total of the other two traditional domains at 25,371 and 26,844 respectively.
According to analysis by GlobalData, mentions of the aerospace sector are second only to those of the combined aerospace and defence sector (323,925) with maritime and land coming eleventh and thirteenth on the global rankings for patents mentions.
Other notable defence-related sector for patents includes C4isr and electronic warfare (74,685), weaponry (39,741), and uncrewed (19,896). Semiconductors was listed as a fourteenth in the number of defence-related patent publications in the past three years with 22,983 registered.
The semiconductor sector has been a key topic in the defence sector in recent years as China maintains its stance to retake neighbouring Taiwan, which is the world’s leading semiconductor manufacturer. Beijing has been increasingly hawkish towards Taiwan, which it sees as a breakaway province, and sees ‘reunification’ as a non-negotiable goal of its foreign policy.
In June this year, the Japanese Government offered to buy out JSR, a leading semiconductor equipment manufacturer and ley element of the technology’s supply chain. (Source: airforce-technology.com)
24 Jul 23. US DoD must stop neglecting ‘Agile software development.’
US DoD’s ‘Agile’ software development guidelines are not used across all weapons programmes; this has led to a decade long acquisition process.
The Government Accountability Office (GAO) has found that the US Department of Defense (DoD) does not ensure that all of its weapon system programmes adhere to its new ‘Agile software acquisition’ programme guidelines. The DoD’s ability to respond to threats is increasingly determined by its rapid development and deployment of software, as much as its responsibility to acquire tangible military assets like platforms and ammunition.
The department has been undergoing a modernisation strategy for more readily deployable, or ‘Agile software’. Since 2020, the DoD established six acquisition pathways – or sets of policy and guidance – that are tailored to the type of capabilities being acquired. The department requires programmes on its software pathway to use requirements processes tailored to support
‘Agile’ is intended to deliver working software to users in less than a year and add capability iteratively based on user needs. In contrast, the DoD’s earlier acquisition model, known as its ‘waterfall approach’, could take over ten years to deliver software and involves greater risk.
However, the requirement processes used by weapon programmes developing software on a different pathway generally do not incorporate the Agile principles. By not incorporating Agile principles into requirements processes, these programmes risk developing capabilities that may not reflect changing user needs or threats.
This neglect comes down to DoD failing to issue corresponding guidance for weapon programmes using Agile software development on other pathways. As a result, programmes on other acquisition pathways, such as those developing new aircraft or ships, may not be positioned to conduct effective oversight of iteratively delivered software capabilities.
Software acquisition as a threat to the Rules-Based Order
If some critical weapon system programmes fall through the cracks by continually using the legacy waterfalll approach, this could negatively impact the ability of the US and its allies to maintain the Rules-Based Order around the world.
Let us consider the widely used F-16 aircraft as an example. GlobalData intelligence tells us that global spending on the F-16 A/B will increase from $87m to $115m between 2023 and 2025; F-16 C/D will increase from $626m to $1.9bn between 2023 and 2026.
As tensions increase in the geopolitical environment, the US and its allies are attempting to curtail Russia and China’s encroachment of national sovereignty and repudiation of a US-led liberal international order.
Part of the efforts to confront states such as Russia and China is Nato’s unprecedented information, knowledge and skills exchange, which would include software for interoperable systems for joint missions. With this in mind, may Nato air forces employ the American-made F-16 fighter fleets to deter Russia in the alliance’s air policing across its eastern flank in and around Baltic airspace.
If critical weapon systems and platforms such as the F-16 lack deployable software, then the US and all of its allies may be at risk of a considerable disadvantage comapred to the autocratic states that are mobilising every part of their society.
The UK and Denmark, among other nations, are currently training Ukrainian pilots to use the F-16 fighter jet in anticipation of the aircraft’s induction int the Ukrainian Air Force. (Source: army-technology.com)
25 Jul 23. Leonardo wins €614m for EDF research and development.
The defence company won 74% of EDF’s €832m allocated funds in 18 projects spanning radar, tactical transport and space-based early-warning systems.
Leonardo has won 18 research and development (R&D) projects, spanning all five defence domains, predominantly aerospace, under the European Defence Fund (EDF) Work Programme 2022 (WP22).
The EDF awarded the pan-European defence company 74% of all allocated funds, about €614m ($679.3m) out of €832m.
EDF is the European Commission’s flagship for promoting defence co-operation through competitive and collaborative projects, which cover the entire R&D cycle. EDF contributes to the EU’s strategic autonomy and supports the creation of a more competitive and integrated European defence technological and industrial base.
The total EDF funds are allocated by the EU, which are then distributed among 41 winning projects, against 134 proposals submitted by companies across 26 European countries, plus Norway. Italy was awarded funding for a total of 31 projects.
Leonardo – with significant contributions from the group’s subsidiaries and investees and Labs/Cloud Computing – won funding for R&D activities in 11 categories across the electronics, aircraft, cyber and space sectors, leading with the TIRESYAS (Technology Innovation for euRopEan radar SYstem ApplicationS) programme.
TIRESYAS
This project relates to the study of a new family of multi-domain (air-sea-land) sensors that share both architectural solutions for hardware components and software functions, in order to fulfill different missions for different application domains.
Tapping into the digital transformation across defence, this European venture will make use of algorithms based on artificial intelligence.
Leonardo will co-ordinate a group of 29 European entities, including: Thales, Indra, Hensoldt, Saab and Italian entities such as CNIT and other Italian small-to-medium sized enterprises specialised in the field. The total value of the project is about €15m and will last 36 months.
ASETT
The Future Air System for European Tactical Transportation (ASETT) will analyse the specifications and market opportunities for the development of a new fixed-wing platform for military tactical transport.
The feasibility study aims to conduct analysis over the need to replace tactical transport aircraft in the fleets of EU member states in the 2030-40 period. The project will also identify opportunities for co-operative development.
Funded by EDF for €30m over 18 months, the project, led by Airbus, will involve 11 member states and 33 European partners.
ODIN’S EYE II
The multinatiOnalDevelopment INitiativefor a Space-based missile earlY-warning architecture II (ODIN’S EYE II) will contribute to the further development of the European space-based missile early-warning architecture already launched under the European Defence Industrial Development Programme in 2020.
The goal of the member states is to develop a common warning capability to respond to current and future threats to EU security. The project, co-ordinated by OHB System AG, involves 38 European partners, will last 36 months and have a total value of about €96m. (Source: airforce-technology.com)
25 Jul 23. ESEN GöRDES Vision Based Navigation System Successfully Demonstrated on Schiebel CAMCOPTER S-100.
ESEN GöRDES Vision Based Navigation (VBN) System was successfully demonstrated on the Schiebel CAMCOPTER S-100 Unmanned Air System (UAS). Equipped with GöRDESTM, the CAMCOPTER S-100 UAS proved it can successfully operate in a GPS-denied environment.
ESEN General Manager Cem Uğur and SCHIEBEL Chairman Hans Georg Schiebel welcomed
GöRDES, which can be integrated into various (rotorcraft, multi-copter and fixed wing) platforms, from mini Unmanned Air Vehicles (UAV) to MALE UAVs, has proved its capability to provide accurate navigation data under GNSS-denied environments. GöRDESTM was specifically developed to provide a solution for GNSS jamming and spoofing. As conflicts around the world increase, GNSS jamming is more frequently used to prevent rival UAS operations.
Furthermore, GNSS jamming is increasingly becoming a problem for civilian users of GNSS. UAS that are subject to jamming, generally depend on inertial navigation methods, that drift due to their nature. In such circumstances, GöRDES is an effective alternative solution to continue a safe flight. (Source: UAS VISION)
25 Jul 23. MilDef and UMS SKELDAR launch future-ready Remote Pilot Station console. MilDef and UMS SKELDAR now launch a bespoke Remote Pilot Station (RPS) console that provides optimal workspace, functionality, and improved ergonomics for Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS) operators. MilDef has designed, developed, and manufactured a bespoke working pilot console for UMS SKELDAR’s V-200 platform, who in turn will deliver the UAS and consoles for maritime defense forces.
There is a significant demand for unmanned aerial vehicles in the defense sector. UMS SKELDAR’s UASs are designed for various missions, including surveillance, reconnaissance, and electronic warfare. With MilDef’s console the partners will provide the most ergonomically intuitive workspace for flight operators in terms of functionality. The console accommodates two operators – one for the Pilot in Command (PIC) and the other for the payload operator.
“With our experience in design of operator consoles suited to challenging environments, we are proud to have been selected as partner to UMS SKELDAR. The increased demand for unmanned vehicles is also reflected in the need for remote controls RPS solutions that offer great flexibility and reduce pilot fatigue, an area where our company can combine our expertise in bespoke hardware as well as systems integration, ensuring the best possible solution for end users. As we venture deeper into the realm of controlling unmanned drones and air capabilities, we strengthen our total defense offering and prove our role in digitalizing the battlefield,” says Daniel Ljunggren, CEO MilDef Group.
“We are grateful for MilDef’s invaluable contribution in creating a console that perfectly meets our customers operational needs. We both understand the importance of catering to our clients’ unique operational requirements, mission objectives and desired functionalities, and they have understood the need for this console to provide an optimal workspace for flight operators. We appreciate MilDef’s commitment and ability to deliver exceptional solutions,” says UMS SKELDAR’s Vice President of Business Development, Richard Hjelmberg.
The UMS SKELDAR V-200 is a medium-range Vertical Takeoff and Landing (VTOL) UAS that incorporates multiple sensors, an extensively proven heavy fuel engine and efficient maintenance procedures. UMS SKELDAR is a joint venture between Saab and UMS AERO Group, Europe’s leading provider of remotely piloted aircraft systems, including the NATO-aligned
24 Jul 23. New Systematic contract supports German Armed Forces with future digitalisation. The Bundeswehr has taken a leap forward in its digitalisation transformation programme with the signing of a significant framework agreement with Systematic. The new agreement, which is a seven-year maintenance contract, represents a major milestone in the digitalisation efforts of the Bundeswehr, as it will ensure their SitaWare software is kept up-to-date with the ever-evolving product roadmap.
Systematic’s SitaWare Headquarters, an interoperable C4ISR software solution, and SitaWare Frontline, a battle management application designed for the tactical level, as well as IRIS military messaging products are already in use in Germany, and implemented, as part of the Mission Enabling Service Bundeswehr [MESBw].
“It is a huge commitment from the Bundeswehr to its on-going digitalisation,” said Sven Trusch, Managing Director of Systematic’s German subsidiary. “Today, SitaWare Headquarters and SitaWare Frontline are available to a large number of users through MESBw.
“We are delighted to be continuing our work with the Bundeswehr through this contract, which represents both the strength of our existing partnership, but also our ongoing commitment to the future of the German Armed Forces.”
One notable advantage of the agreement is that it also grants the Bundeswehr an opportunity to influence Systematic’s future roadmap for the SitaWare Suite. Their insights, requirements, and feedback will play a pivotal role in shaping the development of future iterations and updates to the products.
Moreover, this collaboration will have a significant impact on the broader SitaWare community of more than 50 user nations, of which 15 are NATO alliance member states. With the Bundeswehr’s active involvement, the SitaWare Suite will continue to evolve and address the operational needs of diverse defence forces, promoting enhanced interoperability, streamlined command and control capabilities, and optimised situational awareness.
“We are honoured to have the Bundeswehr’s trust and confidence in our software,” added Mr Trusch. “Their partnership and influence on our future roadmap will have far-reaching benefits for the whole SitaWare community.”
24 Jul 23. Honeywell (NASDAQ: HON) announced today it is launching a new KX 200 navigation and communications system designed to meet the needs of pilots operating next-generation cockpits. The KX 200 is an easy installation upgrade for the older KX 155 and KX 165 systems. The system also has been enhanced to ensure it meets European pilots’ needs by offering 25khz or 8.33khz frequencies and is compatible with 14-volt and 28-volt systems.
The new KX 200 is a fully digital navigation and communications system that offers improved performance, utilizes an intuitive high-resolution color LCD display, incorporates a 50-channel memory preset function and is compatible with existing indicators and installed BendixKing equipment. This product will also be compatible with the new Honeywell Anthem cockpit for future capabilities and safety enhancements.
“We redesigned the new KX 200 with ease of installation in mind,” said Andrew Barker, vice president, Integrated Avionics, Honeywell Aerospace. “The upgrade requires minimal or no aircraft downtime. Operators and owners of this new system will not have to worry about changing their navigation and communications systems if they decide to upgrade their existing cockpits.”
The KX 200 will be commercially available in Q4 2023. Please visit Honeywell BendixKing Permanent Pavilion at EAA AirVenture Oshkosh 2023 (booth #289-292), in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, where the KX 200 system will be showcased.
21 Jul 23. United Grows Its Electric Battery Portfolio with Investment in EPS. United today announced an investment in Electric Power Systems, a company producing battery technology that can potentially be used for a broad suite of aerospace applications. Rather than producing battery cells, the company’s compatible module technology can be adapted to support a variety of batteries, optimizing performance and safety. The versatility of the technology could allow United to consider EPS’s modules for a number of near-term applications, and as part of its longer-term operations that support decarbonization. This is United’s second investment in electric battery technology, after sodium-ion battery-maker Natron.
“Typically, we’ve had a clear vision of how to integrate sustainability investments into our operations. What makes EPS’s technology different and exciting is the scope of operational possibilities where we have the option to deploy it today and, in the future, to help electrify and decarbonize our operations,” said United Airlines Ventures President Michael Leskinen. “United’s best roadmap to reaching net zero carbon emissions by 2050, without relying on traditional carbon offsets, is by using every tool at our disposal – that includes the potential use of EPS’s impressive portfolio of electric aircraft powertrain solutions, including high-performance power electronics, and energy storage systems.”
Electric Power Systems aims to provide a whole battery “ecosystem” for aviation, from the packs on aircraft to charging stations on the ground. This in turn is designed to keep costs low and provide rapid charges without degrading the life of the battery. Key to the entire proposition of electric aviation is designing a battery that can store a high amount of energy with as little weight as possible. If a battery is too heavy, it makes an aircraft uneconomic compared to conventional fossil fuel-powered planes.
“We are excited to collaborate with United Airlines Ventures as we continue to advance electric aviation technology,” said Nathan Millecam, CEO of Electric Power Systems. “United’s investment will enable us to scale our operations and expedite the development of our cutting-edge powertrain solutions. By working together, our aim is to revolutionize air travel and build a more sustainable future for the industry.”
United is exploring options to move its pilot training academy, Aviate®, away from internal combustion-powered training aircraft to electric ones. EPS’s powertrain could serve as the core propulsion system for a family of future electric aircraft concepts, starting with an electric trainer and scaling to larger variants as technology advances.
Additionally, United has more than 12,000 pieces of motorized ground equipment across its operations, of which about one third are currently electric. EPS’s battery modules could potentially be deployed in support of several uses, including:
- Charging electric ground equipment
- Charging anticipated future electric aircraft such as electric air taxis
- Electrified auxiliary power unit (APU) start products
- Electrified cold-chain storage product for cargo containers
United’s Commitment to Net Zero Emissions by 2050
United aims to be 100% green by reducing its GHG emissions 100% by 2050, without relying on traditional carbon offsets. In addition to the UAV Sustainable Flight FundSM, United has launched a SAF purchasing program called the Eco-Skies Alliance and established a venture fund – United Airlines VenturesSM – to identify and invest in companies and technologies that can decarbonize air travel. These strategic investments include carbon capture, hydrogen-electric engines, electric regional aircraft and air taxis. In May 2023, United received validation of our 2035 near-term emissions reduction target from the Science-Based Targets Initiative (SBTi) to reduce our carbon intensity 50% by 2035 from a 2019 base year. This year, United became the first U.S. airline to show customers an estimate of each flight’s carbon footprint in their search. (Source: PR Newswire)
21 Jul 23. Full Readout of the Defense Innovation Board Summer Meeting in Washington, D.C. On July 18, Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III hosted Defense Innovation Board Chair Michael Bloomberg and members for their third quarterly meeting for Fiscal Year 2023 at the Pentagon in a closed, classified session to discuss ways to leverage U.S. technological leadership to prepare the Department for the challenges of the 21st century.
During the session with Secretary Austin, DIB members discussed study recommendations presented by task force chairs Mac Thornberry on “An Innovation Strategy for the Decisive Decade” and Dr. Will Roper on “Terraforming the Valley of Death.”
The DIB members emphasized the need for a culture of innovation that fosters experimentation, risk-taking, and the delivery of cutting-edge capabilities to the warfighter, and outlined new paradigms and processes for DOD to be a better partner with the non-traditional start-up sector. They also discussed how to bridge the valley of death with organizations like the Office of Strategic Capital and how to apply best practices from broader Department innovation organizations.
Secretary Austin noted the importance of the National Defense Strategy and of building enduring technological advantage by working with the commercial technology sector, academia, and with the innovation ecosystems of our Allies and partners. The secretary also emphasized the critical importance of tapping into larger pools of talent who are inspired to work in national security.
Following the meeting, Secretary Austin thanked the board members for dedicating their time and expertise toward improving innovation in the Department of Defense and asked them to continue fostering new ideas for how to lower barriers to innovation in DOD.
The DIB members also had a chance to meet with other senior leaders – Defense Innovation Unit Director Doug Beck, Chief Digital and Artificial Intelligence Officer Dr. Craig Martell, Principal Director for Trusted AI and Autonomy Dr. Kim Sablon, and Chief of Staff of the Air Force and nominee for Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. C.Q. Brown Jr. – to discuss how the Department is leveraging cutting-edge disruptive technologies.
For more information on the DIB or the meeting, please visit the DIB website: https://innovation.defense.gov/
Click here to watch the livestream of the unclassified public meeting
You can also read the board’s studies at: https://innovation.defense.gov/Portals/63/DIB_Terraforming%20the%20Valley%20of%20Death_230717_1.pdf
https://innovation.defense.gov/Portals/63/DIB_An%20Innovation%20Strategy%20for%20the%20Decisive%20Decade_230717_1.pdf(Source: U.S. DoD)
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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.
https://oxleydevelopments.cmail20.com/t/t-l-cdhkulk-yujhutkljd-r/
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.
https://oxleydevelopments.cmail20.com/t/t-l-cdhkulk-yujhutkljd-y/
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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