Sponsored By Oxley Developments
www.oxleygroup.com
———————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————-
10 May 24. GEA collect data from XA100 engine to inform NGAD programme. All the data collected from the XA100 will be used to help develop the US Air Force’s future air propulsion for the Next Gen Air Dominance programme. General Electric Aerospace (GEA) completed the next series of testing of its XA100 adaptive cycle engine – the data from this test will inform engineers in developing the next-generation fighter aircraft. In November 2023, GEA reported that its XA100 engine finished additional testing in partnership with the US Air Force (USAF) after completing all adaptive engine transition programme testing the previous year. This initiative will develop propulsion capabilities throughout the rest of the decade. The insights gained from this testing could help the Next-Generation Adaptive Propulsion (NGAP) programme – the engine that will go on to power the USAF’s sixth-generation fighter jet, a central crewed platform within the service’s Next Generation Air Dominance (NGAD) programme. In February 2024 Pratt & Whitney, an RTX company, successfully conducted a crucial evaluation of its NGAP solution in collaboration with the USAF ahead of a detailed design review. The future fighter will operate alongside autonomous Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) as part of a hybrid formation. The US Government recently down selected two vendors to deliver the CCAs: Anduril and General Atomics.
XA100 informs the future fighter engine
XA100 is an adaptive cycle engine, which means the aircraft engine is deigned to operate efficiently under different flight conditions. It provides a high-thrust mode for maximum power and can automatically alternate to a high-efficiency mode to extend mission range.
Put simply, the engine offers 30% more range, 2% more thermal management and 20% more acceleration, GEA says.
“Every additional terabyte of data we gather off this real-world engine puts GEA and our military in a better position to deliver cutting-edge aviation capabilities to the warfighter,” said Amy Gowder, president and CEO, GEA Defense and Systems.
As part of NGAP, GEA has a second adaptive engine in development, the XA102, which completed a major design review in December 2023. XA102 will continue toward a prototype engine test. The combination of digital design and learnings from GEA’s first adaptive cycle engine will allow XA102 to deliver the required propulsion performance key to enabling future air dominance capabilities. (Source: airforce-technology.com)
09 May 24. Amprius Technologies, Inc. (“Amprius” or the “Company”) (NYSE: AMPX), a leader in next-generation lithium-ion batteries with its Silicon Anode Platform, today announced it will supply its state-of-the-art SiMaxx™ safe cells to complete the development and qualification for the U.S. Army’s next-generation Wearable Battery pack.
One of the recent U.S. Army demands has been for wearable battery technology – powerful solutions in relatively lightweight and compact packages that soldiers can safely carry and wear. The U.S. Army has been working to revolutionize power solutions for dismounted soldiers by introducing a next-generation battery pack with significantly higher energy density than current solutions. When integrated into a battery pack, the SiMaxx™ safe cells will approximately double the energy density of existing solutions, significantly extending mission time for soldiers on the battlefield.
“This battery pack integration marks a significant advancement in enhancing on-the-ground power solutions for the U.S. Army,” said Dr. Kang Sun, CEO of Amprius Technologies. “Our SiMaxx™ safe cells, known for their high energy density and safety features, will play a crucial role in enhancing mission time and reliability for dismounted soldiers.”
This development in battery technology for the U.S. Army represents a substantial progression in wearable battery technology and underscores the importance of innovation in supporting the modernization efforts for our soldiers in the field.
The SiMaxx™ safe cells were developed as part of the U.S. Army-funded Manufacturing Technology (ManTech) program, an industrial preparedness effort focused on scaling critical Army-wide manufacturing requirements. In July 2023, Amprius SiMaxx™ safe cells successfully passed the rigorous safety and performance requirements of MIL-PRE-32383 (Military Performance Specification). In January 2024, Amprius successfully completed its scale-up manufacturing initiative under ManTech, which included the delivery of SiMaxx™ safe cells. (Source: BUSINESS WIRE)
07 May 24. TE Connectivity (TE), a world leader in connectivity and sensors, has introduced its NanoRF 75 Ohm coax/optical hybrid modules. This solution is engineered to help meet the high-speed, high-density requirements of next-generation video capture and processing in aerospace, defense and marine applications.
The NanoRF 75 Ohm module features a 75-ohm matched impedance in both contact construction and interface, minimizing signal loss during cable transitions. This technology facilitates high-quality signaling and supports the high-speed protocols essential for rapid video processing. Additionally, the connectors feature spring-mounted backplane contacts, providing float to help ensure accurate contact alignment and reliable, low-loss signal transmission, even under extreme conditions.
“We wanted to expand upon the success and reliability of our existing NanoRF 50 Ohm solution to meet the market needs for high-speed video applications,” said Kevin Pasquarette, product manager. “Consequentially, we developed the NanoRF 75 Ohm product line, which has been adopted in the VITA standards.”
The NanoRF 75 Ohm module offers a first-of-its-kind blend of high-speed coaxial and fiber-optic connections for video signals up to 18 GHz, all within a small form factor compatible with existing VPX architectures. Its compliance with standards including VITA 65.0, 65.1, 67.3 and the SOSA™ (Sensor Open Systems Architecture) Technical Standard simplifies implementation and facilitates system upgrades.
Key Benefits:
- Enables high-speed video processing and data transmission.
- Minimizes signal loss through 75-ohm matched impedance contacts.
- Helps ensure reliable connectivity in harsh environments.
- Allows seamless integration of coax and fiber optics in a compact package.
- Compatible with prevailing industry standards for simplified implementation.
09 May 24. US Marine Special Ops Evaluates Armed Robotic Dogs for Future Combat Roles. The United States Marine Forces Special Operations Command (MARSOC) is currently assessing the potential of armed robotic “dogs” developed by Ghost Robotics and armed with Onyx Industries’ weapon systems. These quadrupedal unmanned ground vehicles (Q-UGVs) equipped with AI-targeting rifles are undergoing a rigorous evaluation process to determine their suitability for various military applications, including reconnaissance, surveillance, and remote engagement.
The robotic dogs tested are not autonomous weapons but function under the strict oversight of human operators, requiring explicit human approval before firing. This is in line with the Department of Defense’s commitment to keeping a human in the loop in decision-making processes involving lethal force. The technology incorporated into these robots includes Onyx’s SENTRY remote weapon system (RWS), capable of detecting and tracking potential targets through an advanced AI-enabled digital imaging system. (Source: https://www.sofx.com/)
07 May 24. Ensign-Bickford chooses Boomi. Global, diversified science and technology company uses the Boomi Enterprise Platform to manage unprecedented growth, connect international sites, support global operations, and automate critical business processes
Boomi™, the intelligent integration and automation leader, today announced that international science and technology conglomerate Ensign-Bickford Industries (EBI) is using the Boomi Enterprise Platform to manage unprecedented growth, connect international sites, support global operations, and automate critical business processes.
Since its founding in 1836, EBI has gradually expanded the company’s market presence to include aerospace and defense, pet food, and agricultural science. This type of organic growth made it necessary to expand EBI’s capability to maintain enterprise-level system integrations, particularly with its IFS enterprise resource planning (ERP) platform.
With the ultimate goals of reduced costs, greater productivity, improved work-life balance, and a better customer experience, EBI had several major projects in mind. These included automating the payroll process using Workday and ADP, integrating IFS (ERP) to the Equans manufacturing execution system (MES) to support shop floor operations, and creating a data pipeline delivering SAP Concur travel and expense (T&E) data to IFS on a daily basis, a formerly manual task performed monthly.
EBI selected the Boomi Enterprise Platform for the IFS-Boomi connector, which works with IFS REST APIs. This allows Boomi and EBI to retrieve daily T&E data from SAP Concur and load it into IFS, streamlining the process for other business units to load various data types.
“Since our inception, EBI has been able to expand and evolve in new areas, allowing us to participate in businesses that are relevant to the future of the world and have multigenerational growth prospects. But, this also created an integration challenge and hundreds of hours of manual work for our employees,” said Brendan Kehoe, CIO, Ensign-Bickford Industries Inc. “With Boomi, we’ve been able to connect core systems and automate workflows to drive operational efficiency in areas like manufacturing, finance, and human resources, helping us to reduce costs and improve the experience across employees and customers. Now, we are set up to continue our growth and expansion with businesses that share our core set of values.”
Before Boomi, EBI was using legacy processes that only loaded T&E data once per month, rather than the needed daily load that would allow business units to track financial activity throughout the month. The monthly manual process was time consuming and had many potential points of failure, ultimately consuming over 100 hours of manual work annually.
Since implementing the Boomi Enterprise Platform, EBI has achieved cost savings, enhanced productivity, improved work-life balance, and increased customer satisfaction. The Boomi-Concur T&E integration eliminated 75% of potential failure points, reducing time spent on troubleshooting. The integration further minimized manual work by 95% and eliminated 100% of manual effort required before T&E data is loaded in IFS.
Boomi’s integration with the Workday-to-ADP payroll has greatly reduced the potential for errors and the number of hours needed from finance and human resources. Similar metrics are expected for EBI’s other efforts to automate and improve business processes.
“With today’s rapid pace of technology and constant market evolution, legacy practices just don’t cut it anymore – especially when an organization is charting growth. To keep pace, integration and automation are key, and that’s where Boomi came in for EBI. Our solutions approach provided a solid foundation for integrations, and ultimately freed up employees for more valuable, business-critical work,” said Josh Rutberg, Chief Customer Success Officer at Boomi.
07 May 24. Going further for longer: DASA launches new £3.1m Themed Competition.
DASA seeks innovations to enhance operational advantage through improved self sufficiency and energy innovation
- DASA has launched a new Themed Competition: Delivering operational advantage via improved self-sufficiency and operational energy innovation
- Funded by the UK Ministry of Defence (MOD) Chief Scientific Advisor (CSA)
- Total funding available is £3.1m (excluding VAT)
- Competition closes midday 2 July 2024 (BST)
The Defence and Security Accelerator (DASA) is pleased to launch a new Themed Competition called ‘Delivering operational advantage via improved self-sufficiency and operational energy innovation’. This competition is funded by the UK Ministry of Defence (MOD) Chief Scientific Advisor (CSA).
We are seeking proposals for novel technologies that will enable defence to achieve greater self-sufficiency and operational endurance for a deployed force, allowing the force to be more resilient, agile and self-sustaining. The aim is to increase deployed self-sufficiency and endurance across the maritime, land and air domains whilst reducing logistical burden and optimising power and energy.
Solutions to this competition’s challenges will need to be in the form of technologies e.g. machinery, equipment, items of subsistence etc. either singular or in a system. We will also consider novel technologies which could reduce the environmental risks and impact of defence’s activities.
Background and vision
Recent military campaigns have shown that contested logistics can severely hinder operations and compromise combat effectiveness. Identifying and adopting holistic, efficient and effective support and sustainability solutions quickly is essential to ensure the resilience of defence.
In addition to increased endurance through self-sufficiency (of which energy can be a part) increased endurance can also be achieved through optimising power and energy.
The perfect example of a self-sufficient force of the future is one that does not require external input to conduct its range of activities, regardless of the environment. This is achieved by managing and recycling the resources outlined in the challenge areas in line with the principles of a circular economy ultimately moving towards self-sufficiency.
Do you have a suitable innovation? Read the full competition document and accompanying challenge details document and submit a proposal.
Key dates and funding
- The total possible funding available for all successful bids to this competition is £3.1m (excluding VAT).
- The maximum value of a proposal is £500,000. We expect to fund between 5 and 20 proposals of between £50,000 and £500,000 in value
- The deadline to submit a proposal is midday on 2 July 2024 (BST)
Supporting events
Launch webinar
Tuesday 21 May 2024 13:00 – 15:00 (BST)
This webinar offers the opportunity to find out more about this DASA competition and the chance to ask the team questions in an open forum.
Register now on the Eventbrite page: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/delivering-operational-advantage-via-improved-self-sufficiency-tickets-803030133747?aff=oddtdtcreator
1-2-1 sessions
A series of 10 minute one-to-one teleconference sessions, giving you the opportunity to ask specific questions to the competition team. If you would like to participate, please register on the relevant Eventbrite page and find a convenient time slot. Booking is on a first come first served basis.
Challenge areas
This competition has seven challenge areas.
Please ensure you read the accompanying challenge details document in full to understand the requirements of each challenge.
Please select one challenge for your proposal:
Challenge 1:
Food – feeding the winning edge
Challenge 2:
Water – harvest and recycle water with increasing efficiency
Challenge 3:
Materiel – reducing the supply chain burden
Challenge 4:
Waste – trash into treasure
Challenge 5:
Platform Power & Energy – enduring energy
Challenge 6:
Platform Thermal Management – keeping cool for persistent power
Challenge 7:
Deployed Power & Energy – energy fuels persistence
For all proposals you will be asked to demonstrate awareness of possible linkages to other challenges and the impact your solution may have on them in order to highlight benefits and disadvantages.
Submit a proposal
This competition is seeking proposals that will enable defence to achieve greater self-sufficiency and operational endurance. If you think you have an innovation that meets one or more of the competition challenges, we would love to hear from you.
Do you have a suitable innovation? Read the full competition document and accompanying challenge details document and submit a proposal: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/delivering-operational-advantage-via-improved-self-sufficiency; chrome-extension://efaidnbmnnnibpcajpcglclefindmkaj/https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/663a17121c82a7597d4f31ee/Challenge_Detail.pdf
(Source: https://www.gov.uk/)
07 May 24. Bittium Supplied NATO’s DIANA Test Centres with World-Class Tactical Communications Technology as Part of the Research Infrastructure. Bittium has supplied NATO’s DIANA (Defence Innovation Accelerator for the North Atlantic) test centres with software defined radio based Bittium Tactical Wireless IP Network™ (TAC WIN) system and Bittium Tough SDR™ soldier and vehicle radios. The new technology test centres will be established at VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland’s sites in Otaniemi, Espoo and University of Oulu. The state-of the-art products, which provide broadband tactical communications and are used for example by defense forces in different countries, will be part of the research infrastructure of the test centres.
NATO’s DIANA test centres help companies of NATO countries to strengthen their technological expertise and competitiveness. The test centres offer tools for technology development, and the technology themes of the test centres are related to next-generation communication systems, 6G technology, cybersecurity, and quantum and space technologies.
The research infrastructure and experts provided by the test centres will allow companies to evaluate their own concepts and technologies and get support to develop them. The test centres will consist of comprehensive research facilities and equipment, as well as top-level expertise in the sector. Bittium’s products will be used to build communications networks in the test centres. In the test networks, TAC WIN system’s extensive features for integration as well as the broadband Bittium TAC WIN Waveform™ used by both the TAC WIN system and Tough SDR radios, enable, among other things, multiple services to run simultaneously.
Bittium Tactical Wireless IP Network™
Bittium Tactical Wireless IP Network (TAC WIN) is a software-defined radio (SDR) based wireless broadband network system intended for military and public safety use. With the system, MANET (mobile ad hoc network), link, and connection networks can be formed into one logical IP network quickly, no matter what the location is. Bittium TAC WIN is compatible with existing fixed and wireless network infrastructures. The core of the system is a tactical router that enables users to freely form both wired and wireless broadband data transfer IP connections. The tactical router also enables connections to different types of terminals and other communication systems in order to connect them into a single communication network. In addition to the router, the system comprises three types of radio heads, and each radio head covers its own frequency band area and can be used for flexible formation of optimized network topologies for different communication needs. All the products of the system are designed for harsh conditions, and thanks to the system’s automated functions, the implementation of the system can be done quickly. Due to the software-based functionality of the Bittium TAC WIN system, it can be easily updated with additional performance, which allows it to be developed and maintained cost-efficiently throughout the whole lifespan of the system.
More information: Bittium TAC WIN system
Bittium Tough SDR™ product family
Bittium Tough SDR product family of tactical radios consists of Bittium Tough SDR Handheld™, tactical handheld radio for individual soldiers, and Bittium Tough SDR Vehicular™, tactical radio for vehicle installations. The Tough SDR radios help to produce and share real time situational awareness to all levels of the organization. This improves the performance and the effectiveness of the tactical troops, and leading the troops is easier based on the up-to-date situational awareness and more reliable connections. The uniquely wide range of frequency bands in the radios improves combat survivability. Using several waveforms, even simultaneously, improves compatibility and enables operations on different levels and missions. Together with the software-defined radio based Bittium Tactical Wireless IP Network™ (TAC WIN) system, used for forming a broadband mobile IP backbone network, it is possible to bring broadband data and voice to all mobile troops across the battlefield.
More information: Bittium Tough SDR Handheld radio and Bittium Tough SDR Vehicular radio
NATO DIANA
DIANA is NATO’s innovation accelerator, bringing together innovators from member states to support NATO’s technological leadership, defend its one bn citizens and maintain peace and security. NATO established DIANA to help develop dual-use technologies that meet security and defense challenges. DIANA supports companies working on solutions in key sectors identified by NATO member states.
More information: DIANA website: https://www.diana.nato.int/index.html
06 May 24. Deutsche Aircraft Chief Operating Officer, Nico Neumann, handed over the model UpLift aircraft to the Chairwoman of DLR Executive Board, Prof. Dr.-Ing. Anke Kaysser-Pyzalla, in Braunschweig, Germany. The D328® UpLift flying testbed, a collaboration between Deutsche Aircraft and the German Aerospace Center (DLR), will showcase cross-industry German aerospace capabilities, setting the stage for groundbreaking advancements in the German aviation industry.
By leveraging the expertise and resources of key stakeholders, the aim of this partnership is to drive innovation in the pursuit of sustainable aviation.
In September 2023, during the German National Aviation Conference (Nationale Luftfahrtkonferenz) in Hamburg, the UpLift D328® test platform was unveiled to the general public.
The UpLift aircraft will continue to undergo significant transformation as a flying testbed until the end of 2025, when it will be used as part of the research into the climate impacts of aviation, particularly greenhouse gases and non-CO2 effects.
In less than two months, at ILA Berlin 2024, Europe’s largest aerospace trade fair and a global meeting point for industry pioneers, the flying testbed will be showcased at the DLR stand, alongside a model of the interior modifications, including flight test instruments. During this event, industry partners will have the unique opportunity to discuss future research projects.
Funded by the German government and led by DLR, the UpLift Program will pave the way for climate-friendly flights which will benefit the global aviation industry. By providing the flying testbed, Deutsche Aircraft has contributed to this shared vision for the future of aviation and the pursuit of near climate-neutral flying.
A second life for the legacy D328®: Pioneering research towards climate-friendly aviation
As the Type Certificate Holder of the D328® family, Deutsche Aircraft is proud that the D328-100 mod 20 was selected as the flying test laboratory for the UpLift Program. This recognition underscores Deutsche Aircraft’s commitment to advancing future technologies.
Nico Neumann, COO of Deutsche Aircraft, expressed his enthusiasm, stating, “The D328® UpLift will enable the aviation industry to mature new technologies to make an early impact. This learning curve, based on smaller aircraft, is crucial for scaling technologies.”
The Chairwoman of the DLR Executive Board, Prof. Dr.-Ing. Anke Kaysser-Pyzalla, emphasised the importance of the D328® UpLift research aircraft in DLR’s research fleet, “The role of this flying test laboratory is to pave the way for a climate-friendly aviation and a closer collaboration within the aviation industry.”
Dr. Jasmin Eberharter, Head of Strategy, and Industrial Relations at Deutsche Aircraft, remarked, “The challenges that the aviation industry is facing requires a common vision and collaborative efforts with all stakeholders. UpLift will represent a blueprint to jointly demonstrate the feasibility of our industry’s strategic roadmap towards sustainable and near climate neutral aviation.”
Head to the UpLift website to find out more about how the aviation industry and the German government are collaborating for the future of sustainable aviation. This initiative is a step forward to maturing tech, proofing impact, scaling future solutions and supporting the development of new ideas into real flight conditions.
07 May 24. Flare Bright’s Software-Enhanced Navigation System (SENS) achieves industry-leading navigation accuracy by preventing “runaway” inertial navigation drift. SENS significantly reduces navigation error accumulation, transforming exponential navigation error growth to linear. This creates an ideal complement to visual or LiDAR navigation systems which rely on stable estimates between position fixes.
Leveraging ubiquitous, robust inertial sensors, our system delivers exceptional performance across diverse terrains and conditions. SENS operates effectively in featureless environments, zero visibility conditions, and even over water bodies, ensuring unwavering navigation accuracy.
As a lightweight software solution, our system integrates seamlessly with any existing drone platform without impacting weight or payload capacity. Our software-centric approach unlocks significant cost savings for operators by allowing drone OEMs to utilise less expensive Inertial Navigation Systems (INS) while maintaining exceptional accuracy.
Conrad Rider, CTO, emphasises: “This is a true embodiment of AI innovation. It aligns with our mission to reduce the cost of autonomy by shifting capabilities from hardware to software – replacing bulky and expensive components with low-cost alternatives coupled with intelligent software modules”
———————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————-
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.
———————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————–