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27 Dec 23. Beyond the Osprey: DARPA wants high-speed vertical takeoff X-plane. The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency is working with four companies to design an experimental vertical-takeoff-and-landing aircraft that can fly at speeds far faster than the V-22 Osprey.
The collaboration comes as the U.S. military considers how it might operate aircraft in areas that lack traditional runways.
DARPA calls its program SPRINT, for Speed and Runway Independent Technologies. In November, the agency awarded contracts to Aurora Flight Sciences, Bell Textron, Northrop Grumman and Piasecki Aircraft Corp. to start honing their ideas. The total value for these four deals, which cover the initial phase, could be worth $15 m to $20 m, depending on what options the agency exercises.
By spring of 2027, DARPA wants one of those companies to have finished designing and prototyping their aircraft, built it, and carried out its first flight.
Navy Cmdr. Ian Higgins, SPRINT’s program manager, said in a Dec. 15 interview that speed is one of the key requirements for this aircraft. When the SPRINT aircraft flies forward, DARPA wants it to reach speeds between 400 and 450 knots, or about 460 to 520 mph. The V-22 Osprey has a maximum speed of 270 knots.
“What we … want to be able to achieve is higher-end speeds,” Higgins said. “We’re going another 100-plus knots beyond [the Osprey], which itself challenges physics if you were just to use the propulsion system that’s in the Osprey.”
Higgins said the SPRINT aircraft also must be able to hover and be stable, transition between hovering and forward flight, and have a distributed power system during that transition that effectively powers all the propulsion systems. Higgins said SPRINT is not focusing on the survivability or potential payload of these concepts.
When it comes to achieving those goals, DARPA is giving the competing companies wide latitude. For example, he said, companies can decide whether their aircraft should be crewed or uncrewed, or flown autonomously or semi-autonomously.
“Right now, it’s all over the place,” Higgins said.
Concept art so far released suggests the range of strategies companies might employ for their SPRINT submissions. In a Nov. 27 release, Bell Textron revealed art showing an Osprey-like tiltrotor design on an apparently uncrewed aircraft, hovering above a platform at sea.
Bell said its SPRINT submission will blend a helicopter’s hover capability with the speed, range and survivability of a jet aircraft. The company also plans to leverage its previous work on high-speed VTOL technology. Bell is conducting risk-reduction testing of its folding rotor, integrated propulsion and flight control technologies at Holloman Air Force Base in New Mexico.
Aurora, a Boeing subsidiary, said in its own release that it is designing a high-lift, low-drag, fan-in-wing aircraft that uses a blended wing body and embedded engines for forward flight, as well as embedded lift fans linked to its engines for vertical flight.
The concept image Aurora released shows its aircraft’s proposed blended wing body, not far off from the Boeing X-48 design. Aurora said it is also using ideas from its Excalibur uncrewed aircraft, which used jet-borne vertical lift with electric lift fans that retract into the wing during forward flight.
The SPRINT contracts so far awarded cover the initial six-month conceptual design phase. By May 2024, the companies will have to convince DARPA that their concept will work and can lead to a first flight in 2027.
DARPA will then cut at least one contender and move to the next 12- to 15-month phase. At that point, DARPA expects the companies to have their preliminary design complete, and the field will be further winnowed.
The potential uses for high-speed vertical lift aircraft are vast, Higgins said. They could include use by special operations forces, and for mobility and logistics operations, personnel recovery, medical transport, and evacuation missions, he added — anything that requires an aircraft to quickly move in and out of unusual areas. And in a future war, Higgins said, the military might need aircraft able to take off and land from streets, open fields, cratered flightlines or other locations without traditional runways — and then get away quickly.
“It really does open up the possibility of [being used in] all those mission sets,” Higgins said.
Right now, the technologies that would be used for SPRINT aren’t earmarked for any existing project. Higgins acknowledged the project may not turn into anything, but he hopes the tech could one day be folded into a program of record.
“The beauty of DARPA is we pose these challenging problems that may or may not be achievable, and we see what the current state of the art is,” Higgins said. (Source: Defense News)
22 Dec 23. NASA Flies Drones Autonomously for Air Taxi Research. Researchers at NASA’s Langley Research Center in Hampton, Virginia recently flew multiple drones beyond visual line of sight with no visual observer. The drones successfully flew around obstacles and each other during takeoff, along a planned route, and upon landing, all autonomously without a pilot controlling the flight.
This test marks an important step towards advancing self-flying capabilities for air taxis.
“Flying the vehicles beyond visual line of sight, where neither the vehicle nor the airspace is monitored using direct human observation, demonstrates years of research into automation and safety systems, and required specific approval from the Federal Aviation Administration and NASA to complete,”
said Lou Glaab, branch head for the aeronautics systems engineering branch at NASA Langley.
It is safer and more cost effective to test self-flying technology meant for larger, passenger carrying air taxis on smaller drones to observe how they avoid each other and other obstacles.
NASA also is testing elements of automation technology using helicopters. These stand-in aircraft help NASA mature the autonomy well before self-flying air taxis are integrated into the skies.
“When you have multiple vehicles, all coming and going from a vertiport that is located adjacent to an airport or deep within a community, we have to ensure the automation technologies of these vehicles are capable of safely handling a high volume of air traffic in a busy area,” said Glaab.
Building upon past tests, the team successfully performed multiple flights using purchased ALTA 8 Uncrewed Aircraft Systems, also known as drones, with no visual observer and flew the drones beyond visual line of sight, referred to as “NOVO-BVLOS” flights.
The software loaded onto the small drones performed airspace communications, flight path management, avoidance with other vehicles, and more skills needed to operate in a busy airspace. This is imperative for what is envisioned with Advanced Air Mobility (AAM), where drones and air taxis will be operating at the same time on a routine basis.
The flight tests were observed from NASA Langley’s Remote Operations for Autonomous Missions control center while the drones took off and landed at the City Environment for Testing Autonomous Integrated Navigation test range.
NASA will transfer the new technology created during this project to the public to ensure industry manufacturers can access the software while designing their vehicles.
“NASA’s ability to transfer these technologies will significantly benefit the industry,” said Jake Schaefer, flight operations lead for the project. “By conducting flight tests within the national airspace, in close proximity to airports and an urban environment, we are table to test technologies and procedures in a controlled but relevant environment for future AAM vehicles.”
One of these technologies was ICAROURS, which stands for NASA’s Integrated Configurable Architecture for Reliable Operations of Unmanned Systems. This software provides an autonomous detect-and-avoid function and is part of the overall system to maintain “well clear” from other air traffic.
Another technology used was NASA’s Safe2Ditch system, which allows the vehicle to observe the ground below and make an autonomous decision on the safest place to land in the event of an in-flight emergency.
NASA’s AAM mission has multiple projects contributing to various research areas. This project, called the High Density Vertiplex, was specifically focused on testing and evaluating where these future vehicles will take off and land at high frequency, called vertiports, or vertiplexes, for multiple vertiports near each other, and the technology advancements needed to make this successful. (Source: UAS VISION/NASA / Bowman)
20 Dec 23. General Micro Systems (GMS), the world’s leading technology-independent supplier of computing engines in boxes, boards, and servers, today announced the launch of its rugged, military-focused X9 Spider Storage system intended for sensor data recorders, artificial intelligence AI datasets, “network” attached storage, and data payload “sneaker net” portable data movement. As a critical component within GMS’ X9 Spider Thunderbolt™ 4 technology-based open distributed computing architecture (DCA), this X9 Storage includes a 4- or 8-drive removable cartridge supporting secure, industry-standard 2.5-inch or M.2 solid state storage. The small form factor (SFF) system offers a massive 128TB (max) of removable storage capacity, CSfC or FIPS-140-2 secure encrypted SSDs, and up to 80Gbits/s of data I/O streaming.
“Next-generation AI, sensor fusion, and autonomous vehicle applications demand data capacities that far surpass traditional portable mass storage solutions,” said Ben Sharfi, CEO and chief architect, GMS. “The X9 Spider Storage module combines massive storage with over 5,000 mating cycles and ultra-fast Thunderbolt™ 4 In/Out ports inside fully sealed, ruggedized, and removable canister cartridges – the perfect choice to support harsh, demanding in-field data operations.” The drives can be configured in RAID array(s) for fault tolerance or data recorder striping, and have advanced sanitization options for modern cybersecurity requirements.
Built to deliver an unparalleled portable storage solution, X9 Spider Storage uses proven high-cycle, high-reliability connectors for the canister and a miniature SFF system size to enable any vehicle, system or personnel to easily move massive amounts of data between locations. As today’s military computing systems are essentially data collection and processing platforms – such as mission data transfer units, autonomous ground vehicles, unmanned aerial systems (UAS), and generative AI processors – storage solutions must meet significant data storage requirements while meeting size, weight and power (SWaP) constraints. As well, the data “pipes” delivering data to/from the drives must be fast enough to keep up with modern SSD read/write speeds.
Based on the GMS open Distributed Computer Architecture (DCA) of the entire X9 family of SFF modules, X9 Spider Storage highlights include:
- Highest SWaP high-performance rugged storage
- Only 6”x4.75”x2” at 2lbs.
- Provides up to 100W downstream power
- Ultra-high reliability removable canister cartridge with 5K mating cycles
- Supports quad NVMe™ (x4 PCIe) or SATA drives
- Alternatively, supports eight M.2 SSD drives
- Configurability as RAID 0/1 under host control; optional SATA controller
- Dual Thunderbolt 4 In/Out ports with 100W power delivery
- Fully sealed, rugged storage canister and locking lever with Tamper Proof Security
- Patent-pending QuadroLock™ active wedge lock technology, enabling multiple modules to be combined for thermal sharing while withstanding severe shock, vibration and harshness envelopes
Constructing Unique Data Storage Architectures
What makes X9 Storage unique and compelling is the amount of data carried in a single portable canister (up to 128TB), as well as the dual Thunderbolt™ 4 ports. An industry-standard interface jointly designed by Apple Computer and Intel, Thunderbolt 4 technology is a 40Gbits/s data “pipe” that carries multiple video streams, PCI Express data, 10Gbits/s networking, USB, and up to 100W of power. In X9 Storage, one Thunderbolt input port can be used for data read/write, while the second port can be used for daisy-chaining additional downstream X9 products—including one or more additional X9 Storage systems.
This creates unique architectures that expand a systems storage “array” into many removable canisters, or provides for fault tolerance and redundancy, or enables larger RAID arrays. The possibilities are limitless, all based on the X9 distributed computing architecture. Moreover, any COTS Thunderbolt device can be added to the system in a guaranteed plug-and-play fashion and each is immediately recognized by a system host CPU.
Cybersecurity features in X9 Storage protect data in several ways, easily integrating X9 Storage into a broader system architecture. FIPS-140-2 and CSfC drives support NSA-level encryption, plus host-level TPM and key handling provide security root-of-trust authentication. Anti-tamper sensors can interface with GMS SecureDNA™ at the drive, system, and CPU level for whole-system sanitization. Other custom features are available.
The X9 Spider Distributed System Advantage
The X9 Spider modular, scalable and distributed architecture reduces the development barriers to rugged high-performance computing, high-definition video, sensor processing, AI, battlefield edge processing, storage, display, and I/O. Housed within small, rugged enclosures with uncompromised performance per dollar per Watt, all X9 SPIDER products are modular, expandable, and scalable. The X9 Spider family supports Thunderbolt 4 technology and our patented LightBolt™ 40 Gbps connections in copper or fiber, with optional 100W per-port power for up-/down-stream sensors and system expansion.
“If you can’t fit a rackmount server with drives, the X9 Storage system is the battlefield choice. Secure CSfC or FIPS drives, flexible SSD options with RAID, high-speed box-level interconnects and exceptional fault tolerance make X9 Storage the only choice for on-the-battlefield, deployed high-density embedded storage,” Sharfi said. “These modules greatly enhance the capacity and reliability of data movement across the battlefield, giving system designers what they need to meet both performance and environmental requirements.”
19 Dec 23. Testing the Complexity of a Tiltrotor. The next generation of rotary-wing platforms is being developed to meet the challenges of civil mobility demands, providing increased speed, range and productivity to bridge the gap between conventional helicopters and fixed-wing platforms. The novelty and increased complexity of these platforms demand a great deal of testing. This is where the ATILLA project comes into play with its unique and complex tiltrotor wind tunnel testbed.
Next-generation fast rotorcraft are an important cornerstone in achieving Europe’s environmental and mobility objectives, including the target of achieving 90% of door-to-door travel within Europe within four hours. These unique rotary-wing platforms offer vertical take-off and landing capability combined with high-speed and long-range mission performance, providing benefits in passenger air transport and socially relevant missions such as search-and-rescue and emergency medical services. The Leonardo Helicopters Next Generation Civil TiltRotor Technology Demonstrator (NGCTR-TD) is one of two platforms being concurrently developed within the Fast Rotorcraft programme. The ATTILA project, led by Royal Netherlands Aerospace Centre (NLR), is an essential milestone in the future clearance for high-speed flight testing of the NGCTR-TD.
Challenges in dynamics
An aeroelastic instability involving coupled rotor, pylon and wing motion known as proprotor whirl flutter is one of the main drivers in the design of tiltrotor aircraft. This phenomenon typically limits the maximum forward flight speed that can be attained. The mechanical interplay between the wing/proprotor system and the complex aerodynamic environment make numerical prediction of the instability boundary notoriously difficult; experimental characterisation of the flutter behaviour is required for validating the methods employed for the design of the full-scale aircraft. The ATTILA project, which aims to develop and test a powered half-wing wind tunnel model of the NGCTR-TD, will provide the necessary experimental data.
Aeroelastic wind tunnel model design
As the consortium lead, NLR has been responsible for designing and manufacturing the ATTILA testbed and has acted as test director for the final data gathering test campaign. Unlike typical wind tunnel models, which are geometrically scaled, the ATTILA testbed was aeroelastically scaled, meaning that not only the geometry but also both the mass and stiffness of the main structural elements are tailored to reproduce the structural dynamics of the full-scale aircraft at the model scale. The multidisciplinary nature of the design has meant that no fewer than nine NLR departments were involved in the project over a five-year period.
Antonello Marino Team Leader – Hybrid Electric Regional Aircraft at the Clean Aviation Joint Undertaking: “Fully in line with the Horizon 2020 ambition, the ATTILA project allowed the development of new testing capabilities and competencies in Europe around complex and critical aero-elastic phenomena such as whirl-flutter. Implemented in the framework of the Clean Sky 2-Fast Rotorcraft System Demonstrator Platform and specifically contributing to the NGCTR-TD, the project has collected a huge amount of data that now will be carefully analysed by specialists and researchers for many purposes and, among others, it will support the Technology Demonstrator to safely perform flight test activities in 2024.”
Flutter test programme
The wind tunnel test activities, completed in November 2023, were carried out in the 6x6m test section of the DNW Large Low-speed Facility (LLF) wind tunnel in the Netherlands, with support from the German Aerospace Centre (DLR) and Leonardo Helicopters. The Structural Dynamics and System Identification team from DLR Göttingen provided online monitoring and forecasting of the modal properties (frequency and damping) of the testbed, as the instability boundary was incrementally approached during testing. Model piloting and data acquisition were done by a team from DLR Braunschweig, utilising systems and expertise developed over many years of operating experimental rotor systems in wind tunnels. Finally, as test co-directors and experts for tiltrotor dynamics and stability, Leonardo Helicopters guided the definition and execution of the test programme and performed semi-online analysis of the flutter mode frequency and damping trends using well-established industry methods.
Next steps
Following the successful completion of the test programme in November 2023, the consortium is hard at work to post-process the test data and perform initial correlations against numerical predictions. Multiple publications at technical conferences, including the Clean Aviation Forum, are planned in 2024 to disseminate the knowledge gained during the programme. The wealth of data obtained is expected to keep engineers busy for the foreseeable future until the ATTILA testbed can return to the wind tunnel to satisfy future tiltrotor research needs. (Source: ASD Network)
20 Dec 23. Cuashub.com said today that OAIRE Selects uAvionix as Primary Systems Integrator. The Oklahoma Aerospace Institute for Research and Education (OAIRE) has partnered with uAvionix to facilitate Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS) operations at Skyway Range.
uAvionix, a prominent provider of avionics solutions and infrastructure services for crewed and uncrewed aircraft, will play a pivotal role in the development of Skyway Range in Oklahoma. This flight test facility connects various key locations, including the Osage Nation and its Skyway36 Droneport in Tulsa, Oklahoma State University’s Unmanned Aircraft Flight Station near Stillwater, and two additional nodes within the region.
As part of the collaboration, uAvionix will deploy a centrally managed Command and Control (C2) system and a Detect and Avoid (DAA) system across multiple nodes. The company will also offer system integration services to the OAIRE team.
Each node within the network will be equipped with detect-and-avoid and unmanned traffic management systems. This includes radar, surveillance broadcast receivers, cameras, radios, and aviation weather monitoring systems, ensuring comprehensive coverage of aviation traffic in the area and maintaining airspace safety.
“The uAvionix team is excited to engage with OAIRE and partners on the deployment of this range near Tulsa, Oklahoma,” said Christian Ramsey, managing director for uAvionix. “Through our shared vision with OAIRE and our experience with uncrewed avionics, operations and aviation networks, we are confident this will become a very successful partnership.”
OAIRE operates under the umbrella of The Innovation Foundation at OSU, which is focused on advancing discoveries, commercialization, technology transfers, and partnerships. Elizabeth Pollard, CEO of The Innovation Foundation at OSU and president of Cowboy Technologies, said the corridor concept’s flexibility is adaptive to regulation changes and will serve as a reliable proving ground for technological breakthroughs and applications.
“Fueling innovation at the crossroads of academia and industry, Oklahoma State University embraces technology commercialization as a catalyst for progress,” Pollard said. “Transforming groundbreaking research into real-world solutions, not only shapes the future but also strengthens the bonds between knowledge and application, paving the way for a brighter tomorrow.” (Additional Info)
https://cuashub.com/content/oaire-selects-uavionix-as-primary-systems-integrator/?_hsmi=287261995&_hsenc=p2ANqtz–s0R2GJqLBW7iB9S-g7WjnXW4H2HMfxzXPVflfd3cC2g_ePHCX9q6VkIIWCILyk4icz61dLMiq–V9L4n18yF_2NlNL0O-Ws5Qd9gu0boYcN4_mMs#utm_campaign=C-UAS%20Hub%20General&utm_medium=email&utm_content=287261995&utm_source=hs_email (Source: https://cuashub.com/)
18 Dec 23. Chinese firms look to Malaysia for assembly of high-end chips, sources say. A growing number of Chinese semiconductor design companies are tapping Malaysian firms to assemble a portion of their high-end chips, keen to hedge risks in case the U.S. expands sanctions on China’s chip industry, sources said.
The companies are asking Malaysian chip packaging firms to assemble a type of chip known as graphics processing units (GPUs), according to three people with knowledge of the discussions.
The requests only encompass assembly – which does not contravene any U.S. restrictions – and not fabrication of the chip wafers, they said. Some contracts have already been agreed, two of the people added.
The people declined to disclose the names of the companies involved or to be identified, citing confidentiality agreements.
Seeking to limit China’s access to high-end GPUs that could fuel artificial intelligence breakthroughs or power supercomputers and military applications, Washington has increasingly placed restrictions on their sales as well as on sophisticated chip-making equipment.
As those sanctions bite and an AI boom fuels demand, smaller Chinese semiconductor design firms are struggling to secure sufficient advanced packaging services at home, analysts have said.
Some of the Chinese companies are interested in advanced chip packaging services, two people said.
Advanced packaging of chips can significantly improve chip performance and is emerging as a critical technology in the semiconductor industry. This sometimes involves the construction of chiplets where chips are packaged tightly to work together as one powerful brain.
Although not subject to U.S. export restrictions, it’s an area that can require sophisticated technology which the firms worry might one day be targeted for curbs on exports to China, the two people added.
Malaysia, a major hub in the semiconductor supply chain, is seen as well placed to grab further business as Chinese chip firms diversify outside of China for assembling needs.
Unisem (UNSM.KL), whose largest shareholder is China’s Huatian Technology (002185.SZ), and other Malaysian chip packaging companies have seen increased business and inquiries from Chinese clients, said one source who was briefed on the matter.
Unisem Chairman John Chia declined to comment on the company’s clients but said: “Due to trade sanctions and supply chain issues, many Chinese chip design houses have come to Malaysia to establish additional sources of supply outside of China to support their business in and out of China.”
Chinese chip design firms also see Malaysia as a good option because the country is perceived as being on good terms with China, is affordable, with an experienced workforce and sophisticated equipment, two of the sources said.
Asked whether accepting orders to assemble GPUs from Chinese firms could potentially provoke U.S. ire, Chia said Unisem’s business dealings were “fully legitimate and compliant” and the company did not have the time to worry over “too many possibilities”.
He noted that most of Unisem’s customers in Malaysia were from the United States.
The U.S. Department of Commerce did not respond to requests for comment.
Other big chip packaging firms in the country include Malaysian Pacific Industries (MPIM.KL) and Inari Amertron (INAR.KL). They did not respond to Reuters requests for comment.
Chinese companies are also interested in having their chips assembled outside China as that could also make it easier to sell their products in non-Chinese markets, said one source, an investor in two Chinese chip startups.
A MAJOR HUB
Malaysia currently accounts for 13% of the global market for semiconductor packaging, assembly, and testing and is aiming to boost that to 15% by 2030.
Chinese chip firms that have announced plans to expand in Malaysia include Xfusion, a former Huawei (HWT.UL) unit, which said in September it would partner with Malaysia’s NationGate (NATI.KL) to manufacture GPU servers – servers designed for data centres and which are used in AI and high-performance computing.
Shanghai-based StarFive is also building a design centre in Penang, and chip packaging and testing firm TongFu Microelectronics (002156.SZ) said last year it would expand its Malaysia facility – a venture with U.S. chipmaker AMD (AMD.O).
Offering an array of incentives, Malaysia has attracted multi-bn dollar chip investments. Germany’s Infineon (IFXGn.DE) said in August it would invest 5 bn euros ($5.4 bn) to expand its power chip plant there.
U.S. chipmaker Intel (INTC.O) announced in 2021 that it would build a $7 bn advanced chip packaging plant in Malaysia.
Chinese companies are not just choosing Malaysia. In 2021, JCET Group, the world’s third-largest chip assembly and testing company, completed an acquisition of an advanced testing facility in Singapore.
Other countries such as Vietnam and India are also seeking to expand further into chip manufacturing services, hoping to lure clients keen to minimise U.S.-Sino geopolitical risks. ($1 = 0.9272 euros) (Source: glstrade.com/Reuters)
19 Dec 23. Virtual testing conducted alongside live activity at AWE.
Dstl’s simulation capability, the Virtual Proving Ground, enabled users to test emerging technologies during a recent Army Warfighting Experiment.
The Virtual Proving Ground (VPG) uses synthetic environments to conduct human-in-the-loop experimentation. A team from the Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (Dstl) and industry partners used the VPG alongside Army Warfighting Experiment’s (AWE) live activity, providing evidence beyond the scope of the live experimentation.
The experiment ran over 2 weeks at Copehill Down with 2nd Battalion, The Royal Yorkshire Regiment from Experimentation and Trials Group (ETG). It also included embedded support from international partner nations.
It enabled users to get hands on experience with emerging capabilities exploring their employability, effect on cognitive load and early development of tactics, techniques, and procedures (TTPs). It generated evidence which could make the Army more:
- lethal
- agile
- resilient
- persistent
The evidence collected will shape the direction of future equipment programmes and is part of Dstl’s strategy to enabling operational advantage at pace.
AWE technologies were represented across 3 capability areas:
- optionally crewed vehicle (OCV) with a mounted 30mm cannon
- intelligence, surveillance, target acquisition, reconnaissance (ISTAR) uncrewed aerial systems (UAS)
- beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS) loitering munition (LM)
Find out more about Dstl’s work and how our expertise and cutting edge science and technology benefits the nation and our allies.
(Source: https://www.gov.uk/)
18 Dec 23. DOD Releases Microelectronics Commons FY24 Call for Projects to Catalyze U.S. Microelectronics Innovation. As part of the implementation of the CHIPS and Science Act and President Biden’s Investing in America agenda, the Department of Defense today announced the Microelectronics Commons (Commons) FY24 Call for Projects (CFP), which provides up to $280m to projects that support the domestic prototyping and fabrication of microelectronics, building a sustainable pipeline of domestically produced microelectronics for our military. The Commons CFP underscores the Department’s focus on delivering advanced technologies to the warfighter and developing the U.S. microelectronics manufacturing industry to bolster our nation’s military technological advantage. The Department anticipates project awards to occur in the third quarter of FY24.
“The U.S. military has an ever-increasing need for innovation in the microelectronics that underpin many of our modern weapon systems, including communications equipment, planes, tanks, long-range munitions, and sensors. This Call for Proposals is the next step in our effort to bridge the valley of death from ‘lab-to-fab,’” said Deputy Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering Dr. David Honey. “With participation from companies and universities across the nation, these projects will catalyze domestic production of advanced microelectronics that are vital to America’s national defense and economic competitiveness, supporting the goals set forth by the White House and the CHIPS and Science Act.”
In 2022, Congress passed and President Biden signed the CHIPS and Science Act into law to strengthen American microelectronics manufacturing, supply chains, and national security. Onshoring the design, manufacturing, packaging, and testing of microelectronics supports U.S. defense industrial base access to assured leading-edge technology which is essential to our warfighters’ platforms and weapons.
Today, microelectronics designs that are proven within U.S. universities and businesses of all sizes frequently do not enter large-scale production because the transition from laboratory to fabrication is notoriously difficult; a high technology readiness does not mean high manufacturability. The Commons is focused on easing this transition for microelectronics that are essential for our national security.
The Commons aims to ensure that the U.S. defense industrial base will have access to a robust pipeline of world-leading microelectronics produced in U.S. foundries, and the ability to shape that pipeline to address the future demands of our warfighters. U.S. businesses and universities will be able to demonstrate their microelectronics innovations at scale for DoD and commercial uses.
The eight Commons regional innovation hubs, which were announced by the Deputy Secretary of Defense Kathleen Hicks in September, are tasked with evolving laboratory prototypes into fabrication prototypes and strengthening the semiconductor workforce. There are currently greater than 380 organizations within the Hubs – more than 100 of which are academic institutions – spanning 35 states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico.
The $2 bn in total funding allocated to the Department for the Commons will be applied across six technical areas: Secure Edge/Internet of Things (IoT) Computing; 5G/6G Technology; Artificial Intelligence Hardware; Quantum Technology; Electromagnetic Warfare; and Commercial Leap Ahead Technologies.
The DoD is working closely with the Department of Commerce and other federal organizations on the design and implementation of our nation’s microelectronics strategy.
For more information, please visit the Commons website: MicroelectronicsCommons.org. (Source: U.S. DoD)
18 Dec 23. Flare Bright continues to fly high. Following initial funding from the Defence And Security Accelerator (DASA) to help get it off the ground, Flare Bright has won contracts from leading aerospace companies, the UK Ministry of Defence and the United States Department of Defense.
Using its software-enhanced Inertial Navigation System (INS), Flare Bright aims to solve the problem of what happens if GPS is denied during drone operations.
After successful initial DASA funding in 2021, to prove the concept of true autonomy in drones, Flare Bright was awarded a larger follow-up contract to provide the same autonomy in powered drones to give increased persistence and endurance. This project delivered a fixed-wing drone able to fly without GPS or any remote-control while being immune to jamming. A third DASA contract was absorbed into a Defence Science Technology Laboratory (Dstl) programme.
Since then, Flare Bright has shifted its focus from developing the drones, to developing advanced software that can be used in other companies’ existing and future drones, both aerial and undersea. Flare Bright has now established a thriving defence business.
Showcasing success
As well as early stage funding and business support, DASA invited Flare Bright to exhibit on its stand at the international defence and security exhibition DSEI 2021, an opportunity to showcase its cutting-edge project to a global audience of international governments, armed forces and industry leaders. One of the many visitors to DASA’s stand was then Secretary of State for Defence Ben Wallace MP, who took the opportunity to meet the Flare Bright team.
Flare Bright was back at this year’s DSEI 2023, in September, but this time with its own stand at the show.
In a post-DSEI 2023 LinkedIn post, Flare Bright wrote: “DASA mentioned us in warm terms in their DSEI wrap-up Press Release today: ‘DASA provided initial funding for Flare Bright’s autonomous nanodrone that captures aerial intelligence in the field. Afterward, Flare Bright shifted its focus to software development and has since established a thriving defence business.’ Always good to be talked about! And we at Flare Bright thank DASA in return for their support of us back in what we can now call the early days.”
Digital twin software
Key to Flare Bright’s success is its use of software modelling to create a ‘digital twin’ of an unmanned aircraft, or drone. The software model takes into account multiple variables including the drone’s aerodynamics, propulsion and fuel use to create a digital twin of the real aircraft. It then applies machine learning algorithms in a digital twin environment to solve sensing, navigation, control and optimisation problems.
The digital twin software, with its extremely accurate representations of all the aircraft’s performance data and parameters, is then uploaded into the real drone, which uses its own sensors to measure wind and other factors as it flies.
As a result, if GPS fails, or is denied by an adversary, the drone is able continuously to measure where it is by sensing speed and external conditions, taking into account its internal software model. This gives it a constant, highly accurate internal navigation ‘fix’ on its location.
As it does not require visual information it cannot be spoofed by an adversary, as happens regularly to drones in the Ukraine conflict.
Chris Daniels, Chief Commercial Officer of Flare Bright, explained that the company models the drone by breaking it down into many small digital pieces to create a physics model – a mathematical description of a system used to make testable predictions about its behaviour. he said:
Whatever data is produced internally we can measure and compare to the physics model, so that it flies as close as possible to reality,” he said.
When we put the software in the aircraft, it knows how fast it is flying over the ground and other parameters so that it can fix its position accurately.
Flare Bright’s process of analysing flight data is much cheaper to achieve the same results than conducting physical tests and it can also be used for other purposes. “As well as flying accurately in GPS-denied areas, it enables unique capabilities for drones such as, in-flight wind sensing, regulatory and safety case assurance and for test and evaluation purposes,” Chris said.
Small business, big impact
Currently, Flare Bright, a small enterprise based near Oxford and in London, is engaged on its fourth sprint project with the US Department of Defense, conducting trials of its technology in Spain, over water (so no visual navigation) and without GPS. It also has contracts with Dstl and the MOD.
Chris said that DASA’s initial funding was important to help Flare Bright’s innovation at an early stage: as non-equity money, it was critical, he explained.
Working with DASA also opened the doors to other organisations such as Dstl. “At our DASA end-of-contract demo day, there was a lot of interest in us from other organisations,” Chris said.
Thanks to that initial DASA funding, Flare Bright continues to look up. The company’s future involves adapting its expertise in fixed wing UAVs to other aircraft, rockets and projectiles. GPS denial in the air is becoming more prevalent due to deliberate action from adversaries, from solar weather and also difficult conditions on the ground, especially in urban areas. This solution to GPS-denied activity is a key part of the Generation After Next Alternative-Navigation sector.
But it is not just in the aviation sector where Flare Bright is flying high. The company has also been asked to use its machine learning digital twin expertise in both the maritime and subsea sector and for other optimisation tasks for a wide range of technologies. (Source: https://www.gov.uk/)
18 Dec 23. Pentagon Demos Point-of-Need Manufacturing Technologies for Cold Weather. Point-of-Need Manufacturing Challenge Demonstrates Technologies for Cold Weather Combat Effectiveness. The Office of the Secretary of Defense Manufacturing Technology Program showcased technologies that will keep servicemembers combat effective in extreme temperatures during a technology demonstration Dec. 4 -8 at the Cold Regions Research and Engineering Laboratory in Hanover, New Hampshire.
The event, which ManTech held with support from the Army Combat Capabilities Development Command, featured technologies generated by the U.S. Department of Defense’s Manufacturing Innovation Institute member companies that won the Point-of-Need Manufacturing Challenge held in March by proposing solutions to the Department’s operational constraints in extreme cold temperatures.
The six project demonstrations exhibited systems that could be deployed in a cold weather environment, closing supply chain gaps and enabling warfighters to manufacture and use critical equipment on demand in the harshest environments. The technologies were tested by members of the U.S. Army, U.S. Marine Corps, and Army National Guard. The technology featured in the event was manufactured using the following processes:
— Circuit Card Repair and Medical Brace Additive Manufacturing
— Cold Spray Metal Additive Manufacturing
— Metal Additive Manufacturing
— Blood On-Demand
— Therapeutic Agent Delivery System, a system that enables vaccines, medicine, and nutrition delivery to warfighters
— Cybersecurity for manufacturing systems including robotics and AM equipment
Defense officials from partner nations joined senior civilian and military leaders from the Office of the Secretary of Defense, military services, defense agencies, and Army National Guard to observe the event, underscoring the Pentagon’s priority to deliver cutting edge technology to the joint force.
“We don’t fight alone”, said Army Maj. Gen. Gregory Knight, the Vermont National Guard’s Adjutant General. “The partnerships are key.”
Other leaders who attended the event included Assistant Secretary of Defense for Science and Technology Dr. Steven Wax, DEVCOM deputy commanding general, Brig. Gen. David Trybula, and DOD ManTech Director Tracy Frost, who congratulated the developers on their accomplishments advancing defense technologies to meet the warfighters needs.
“Material performance in the cold is different,” said Wax. “We must understand this to adapt to support current operations.”
The Point of Need challenge winners have proven to be champions of research and innovation and are helping to maintain the United States military’s technological advantage. Ensuring the security of our nation requires providing the warfighter with a robust toolset in all environments.
“We don’t want ‘home games,’ which is why we prepare to operate in all environments,” Trybula said.
The members of the MIIs demonstrated rapid innovative solutions to challenging warfighter requirements. ManTech is investing nearly $2.5 m, while industry partners are contributing close to $700,000 in cost share. The technologies showcased at the event included:
Portable Manufacturing Station for a Self-Administrable Injectable Applicator
— MII: BioFabUSA; Manchester, N.H.
— Prime: DEKA Integrated Solutions; Manchester, N.H.
DEKA has developed a novel, hollow-microneedle-based intradermal delivery applicator for self-administering therapeutic agents. Through the DOD grant, DEKA will further the development of a portable, rugged manufacturing station that can fill the required therapeutic agent at a forward-operating base and then send the applicator forward to warfighters to administer vaccines and other needed therapeutic agents. This portable manufacturing station enables the low-cost, quick, and effective administration of needed therapeutic agents for viruses, allergens, and emerging threats without the need for skilled medical personnel in the field. A less-rugged version of this same manufacturing station can be used in a just-in-time manufactured hub-and-spoke distribution system to serve civilian needs across the United States.
Austere nField Repair
— MII: NextFlex; San Jose, Calif.
— Prime: nScrypt; Orando, Fla.
Using the nRugged tool, an integrated and rugged “factory in a box,” the project employs additive electronics and mechanical part manufacturing to replace and repair damaged hardware at austere points of need. Ultimately, nScrypt will demonstrate four stages of functionality: fabricating a replacement electronic printed circuit board, repairing a damaged printed circuit board, 3D printing a replacement mechanical part, and manufacturing a customized biomedical brace.
Intrepid Expeditionary 3D Printer
— MII: America Makes; Youngstown, Ohio
— Prime: Craitor; San Diego, Calif.
The Intrepid Expeditionary 3D Printer can print critical parts in the field. This project, led by Craitor, will utilize current capabilities as the foundation to de-risk manufacturing at the point of need through established standards and procedures and to form a framework for future manufacturing ecosystems. The project will occur over five phases with the objective of improving the confidence of operators, reducing the risk for prime manufacturers, and increasing the investment in the digital ecosystem by existing original equipment manufacturers.
Securing the Digital Backbone with Corsha’s Zero-Trust Platform for Machines
— MII: ARM; Pittsburgh, Pa.
— Prime: Corsha; Vienna, Va.
The Corsha platform manages cybersecurity challenges by addressing security limitations and providing zero-trust network access, even to legacy manufacturing equipment, thereby mitigating the risk of a security breach by implementing an additional, out-of-band layer of access control.
Demonstration of Use of Sciperio Austere Bioreactor to Produce Blood in a Forward Environment from CONUS Cryopreserved Starting Material
— MII: BioFabUSA; Manchester, N.H.
— Prime: Safi Biotherapeutics; Cambridge, Mass.
The ability to “manufacture” blood on demand and near the point of conflict eliminates both source and logistics concerns. This program leverages the current On-Demand Blood Program awarded to Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences and demonstrates the ability to deliver cryopreserved blood precursor cells that transport in a fraction of the volume of blood bags (think 1,000 units in an ammo box), and expansion and manufacture of blood on-site in an austere-capable bioreactor.
Expeditionary Manufacturing Unit for Battlefield Repair and Readiness
— MII: LIFT; Detroit, Mich.
— Prime: SPEE3D; Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, and Wilmington, Del.
SPEE3D’s 3D Metal Printing Technology is an industry proven, military tested, expeditionary, all-in-one solution. The system uses existing cold spray technology to create complex 3D parts quickly. SPEE3D’s technology has been demonstrated in operations in hot and hot-humid environments, including work with the United Kingdom and Australian militaries, the U.S. Navy Repair Technology Exercise 2022, and the U.S. Army’s Project Convergence 2022. The project goal is to successfully 3D-print metal parts in a sub-freezing environment that is equivalent in quality to the same parts printed, on the same technology, in a lab environment.
The DOD ManTech Program comprises investment programs operated out of the U.S. Military Services, Defense Logistics Agency, Missile Defense Agency, and OSD.
The OSD ManTech office is responsible for administering the DOD ManTech Program and manages two investment portfolios: the Manufacturing Science and Technology Program, and the DOD MIIs. The charter of these public-private partnerships is to advance research and development to promote innovation while modernizing U.S. military capabilities; grow manufacturing ecosystems to enhance the Nation’s competitiveness; and further education and workforce development for the jobs of the future.
(Source: https://www.defense-aerospace.com/US DoD)
15 Dec 23. Landing a Helicopter Safely at Sea. The Dutch Ship Helicopter Operational Limitations (SHOL) test methodology assists successful NH90 sea trials on board a German naval support vessel. It offers an effective approach to exploring operational capability for maritime operations involving naval helicopters.
In March 2023, the German Bundeswehr evaluated their NH90 Sea Lion operational capabilities on the combat support ship (EGV – Einsatz Gruppen Versorger) Bonn in the North Sea. The aim was to determine safe operational limits within which NH90 helicopters could take off and land on EGV-class ships. The “Dutch” method used for that purpose, initially developed by NLR in association with the Dutch Navy and further enhanced jointly with AeroMath, yielded significant savings in the length and costs of these sea trials.
Operational limits
Helicopters that operate on ships must consider factors such as the wind speed and direction, the ship’s movements and sea spray. The operational limits for safe landing – known as SHOLs – were traditionally determined solely by flight tests at sea. Such tests normally took four weeks and required 80 hours of flying time.
In the 1980s, however, the Dutch Navy commissioned NLR to develop a test method for substantially reducing the number of hours of testing at sea to reduce the resources needed for testing. Since then, the “Dutch” method has included testing ship models in the wind tunnel of DNW, German-Dutch Wind Tunnels, to establish airflow characteristics around ships. The second phase of the method consists of shore-based hover trials that expose helicopters to various wind directions and speeds on land. Once combined, the resulting candidate flight envelopes (i.e. the combination of the data obtained from wind tunnel tests and onshore tests) then has to be evaluated during sea trials. Factors that play a role include the ship’s speed and movements, the spray thrown up by waves and the visual reference and workload of the helicopter pilots.
Strategic ambition
The NH90 Sea Lion sea trials for EGV Bonn were completed along with Dutch partners NLR and AeroMath. A total of 306 landings were carried out, with an average of one landing every four minutes. During these first joint sea trials, approximately 30 flight hours were needed over a 5-day period while still ensuring maximum operational capability.
In summary, it was a pleasure to play a part in achieving maximum operational capability for the German Bundeswehr, thereby letting them focus on their primary marine safety task. The methodology can also be offered to navies of other friendly nations. The “Dutch” SHOL method reflects NLR and AeroMath’s strategic goal of enhancing the deployment capabilities of military platforms for defence purposes. (Source: ASD Network)
18 Dec 23. Distrelec, a trading brand of RS Group plc (LSE: RS1) and a global provider of product and service solutions for industrial customers, has expanded its portfolio with the addition of more than 100 industrial products from Molex, a global electronics leader and connectivity innovator. By making these products available to its extensive customer base, Distrelec is significantly strengthening its standing in the industrial automation sector.
Specifically, Distrelec will be offering six different Molex product options directly from its inventory, resulting in expedited lead times and next-day delivery in selected countries. The product options include mPm DIN valve connectors, MPIS passive junction boxes, GWconnect heavy duty connectors, as well as Brad mini-change, micro-change (M12) and nano-change (M8) connectors.
Noteworthy additions to the Distrelec portfolio include IP67-rated M12 circular straight-to-straight male-to-male connectors for use in industrial automation applications that require secure signals and current transmission. These connectors boast a double-ended industrial cordset, four poles and green 5m long Weld-Slag Oil-Resistant (WSOR) cable with 22 wire size (AWG). Similarly, Molex’s Brad M8 and M12 single-ended IP67-rated cordsets with knurled hex nuts feature five poles and female (straight) to pigtail orientation, with black 5m long 22 AWG unshielded WSOR cable.
David Wood, Head of Product Management and Supplier Marketing at Distrelec comments: “The addition of top-quality Molex interconnect solutions aligns with our dedication to meeting customers’ connectivity needs in the industrial automation, automotive and material handling sectors. These Molex products are designed for harsh environments, come in various termination styles and provide cost-effective benefits through a single-cable solution.”
18 Dec 23. Nomad Atomics’ gravity sensor could revolutionise ASW, minerals exploration. An Australian start-up company is poised to revolutionise the minerals exploration industry with a small device for precisely measuring gravity that is so sensitive it can detect even small ore bodies at greater depths than any other instruments in use.
The portable gravimeter developed by Canberra-based Nomad Atomics uses quantum sensing to precisely measure gravitation, but is little larger than a shoebox and rugged enough to cart around on exploration trips.
Potentially, a precise gravity sensor could also detect a submarine underwater by its gravitational signature, which would have huge strategic implications.
Nomad’s technology is based on a quantum technique called cold atom interferometry which is well understood by physicists and widely used in labs around the world, but usually requires bulky equipment that can’t be taken to the field.
The engineering behind the device – which enables it to be small as well as extremely accurate and sensitive – is unmatched by any competitors, says Nomad Atomics CEO Kyle Hardman who developed key parts of the technology at the Australian National University where he worked alongside co-founders Paul Wigley and Christian Freier.
This month the company won a sought-after venture prize at the Falling Walls science summit in Berlin, where judges noted that Nomad Atomics’ gravimeter could also used for monitoring groundwater, carbon dioxide sequestration and underground infrastructure – all by precisely measuring changes in the strength of gravity on the earth’s surface.
Dr Hardman says the next step is to develop a version of the gravimeter that works on a moving platform.
That goal is “within sight”, he says. “It could be flying on drones in two to three years.”
Another major goal for Nomad is to build accurate navigation systems that don’t rely on GPS signals, which are easily jammed. Jamming is occurring regularly in the wars in Ukraine and Gaza, disabling GPS.
If Nomad can make its gravitational sensor technology work on a drone, then it will also work as an accelerometer on a ship, aircraft or missile, accurately measuring changes in speed and direction. When this data is processed by a computer, it can give a precise location without using GPS signals. The demand from the military market for such a device would be enormous.
The company’s breakthrough was to successfully miniaturise it. Inside the gravimeter box is a vacuum chamber, an array of lasers, and about a bn atoms of rubidium. The lasers cool the rubidium atoms, assembling them into a little ball. Driven by gravity or acceleration, the ball moves and its movement is measured. The principle is simple enough but doesn’t, in itself, give much precision. The accuracy comes because it happens in an environment where the weird rules of quantum physics apply, which allow the measurements to be made with extreme accuracy.
The company currently has ten employers and will soon move to Melbourne to access a bigger pool of engineering and manufacturing talent. It plans to expand to about 30 employees as it builds its revenue stream from the resource industry.
”Our goal is to make enough money to scale without further investment,” Dr Hardman says. (Source: https://www.ex2.com.au/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.
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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