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24 June 21. Defence extends funding for high-profile quantum computing project. After making a breakthrough in quantum computing and additively manufactured materials, two international research collaborations led by Australian universities have seen their projects extended by two years with funding from Defence’s Next Generation Technologies Fund (NGTF).
The Australian project teams will receive $2m each to expand work under the Australia–US Multidisciplinary University Research Initiative (AUSMURI) program.
Griffith University, the University of Technology Sydney, and the University of New South Wales are creating knowledge that may one day enable error-tolerant quantum computers.
The University of Sydney is working to create more robust and available materials through additive manufacturing.
According to Dr David Kershaw, chief science engagement and impact division, through the project on Quantum Control Based on Real-time Environment Analysis by Spectator Qubits, Griffith University and its Australian partners have provided ground-breaking advances in quantum sensing and control in collaboration with the US team, led by Duke University.
“With their grant extension, by 2022 the project is expected to benefit the Quantum Assured Positioning, Navigation and Timing STaR Shot and may enhance distributed sensor arrays on battlefields of the future,” Dr Kershaw said.
“The University of Sydney’s project on Microstructure Control in Metal Additive Manufacturing generated new scientific knowledge and has been instrumental in the establishment of a world-class additive-manufacturing facility in Australia.”
The project’s outcomes are expected to support rapid in-field repairs of aerospace and land vehicle structures and at-sea repairs of maritime vessels. The University of Sydney is collaborating with another group of high-profile US universities, led by the University of Tennessee.
“The grant extensions demonstrate the research strength of Australian universities in the international arena and support Australian researchers collaborating with global innovation networks to address high-priority topics for defence capability,” Dr Kershaw said.
Both projects have significant Defence and wider commercial benefits.
The NGTF seeks research and development proposals from Australian universities, small to medium enterprises, publicly funded research agencies and defence industry to support defence capability, investing a total of $25m over the nine years of the AUSMURI program.
(Source: Defence Connect)
24 June 21. Teledyne e2v Announces Versatile Development Kit for Signal Chains Using Quad-Channel ADC Devices. Teledyne e2v has expanded the scope of engineering support accompanying its popular EV12AQ60x analog-to-digital converter (ADC) series. The new EV12AQ600-FMC-EVM development kit will be an invaluable tool for those implementing mixed-signal subsystems. Intended for prototyping work relating to avionics, military, space, telecommunications, industrial and high energy physics applications, this kit may be used for evaluating the operation of the company’s EV12AQ600 and EV12AQ605 12-bit quad-channel ADCs. It means that engineers can quickly construct functioning prototypes and check that the expected operational parameters can be achieved.
Each EV12AQ600-FMC-EVM board features either an EV12AQ600 or an EV12AQ605 device, along with four single-ended signal inputs and a FMC connector for interfacing with an appropriate programmable logic device. In addition, a high-speed internal clock (supporting 6.4GHz operation), a 12V-rated power supply unit and an ESIstream serial interface have also been incorporated, plus provision for the connection of an external clock and a temperature monitor.
The new development kit adds a further dimension to the existing portfolio of hardware based on the EV12AQ60x series. This also includes the previously introduced demo kit and the multi ADC synchronisation kit, both of which have built-in FPGAs. By the EV12AQ600-FMC-EVM allowing engineers to add their own relevant FPGA, consistent with what will be specified in their actual system, it is possible for them to begin creating the necessary code at the prototyping stage. This means that they don’t have to start again from scratch after the prototyping work has been completed. The kit is compatible with a wide variety of FPGA plug-in boards from different vendors. In particular with the alpha data evaluation board for XQRKU060 along with an example code for ESIstream implementation dedicated to this board. By utilizing the ESIstream interface, there is the possibility for multiple kits to be synchronized together to assist with the development of more complex arrangements, such as phased-array antennas and suchlike.
The cross-point switch integrated into the EV12AQ60x series is a unique element. Through this, the cores of each EV12AQ600 and EV12AQ605 ADC can be used to sample independently of one another or interleaved together. This results in a 1.6GSps sampling rate when in 4-channel mode, a 3.2GSps rate in 2-channel mode, or a 6.4GSps rate across a single channel. The bit rate and the input analog bandwidth can also be adjusted as required.
23 June 21. DARPA’s PROTEUS completes successful experimentation with USMC. PROTEUS includes a set of visual software training and experimentation tools.
Screen shots from DARPA’s PROTEUS logistics wizard (left) and the electromagnetic spectrum operations (EMSO) wizard (right) show the visualization of the battlespace to enable development of novel concepts of operations (CONOPS) and tactics, techniques, and procedures (TTPs) for Marine expeditionary urban operations. Credit: Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency.
The US Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency’s (DARPA) Prototype Resilient Operations Testbed for Expeditionary Urban Scenarios (PROTEUS) has completed testing with the marines.
The five-day experimentation was carried out this spring with marines from 1st Battalion, 2nd Marines at Camp Lejeune in North Carolina.
DARPA Strategic Technology Office PROTEUS programme manager John Paschkewitz said: “Using the PROTEUS software, marines were able to visualise and manipulate their electromagnetic footprint, apply logistics support automation, and obtain quantitative analytics on the effectiveness of force packages and tactics in real time.
“PROTEUS brings the power of multi-domain force package and CONOPS (concept of operations) development to the platoon, company, and battalion.
“In terms of thinking about the future fight, where you have to be sensitive to your electromagnetic emissions or seek to employ unmanned assets in effective ways, PROTEUS is a powerful tool.”
With the completion of testing, DARPA has transferred PROTEUS to the Marine Corps Warfighting Laboratory (MCWL) in Quantico, Virginia.
Launched in 2017, PROTEUS includes a set of visual software training and experimentation tools.
These tools allow squad to battalion level Marines to explore and develop new multidomain fighting concepts, integrate ‘emerging capabilities’ and use them in ‘realistic expeditionary combat scenarios’.
PROTEUS has three core components ULTRA, COMPOSER and Parametric Data Service (PDS).
ULTRA is a virtual test environment that serves as a tactical multidomain operations military sandbox for experimentation and analysis.
COMPOSER is a dynamic composition engine called that includes EMSO and logistics wizards that automate equipment loadout and plan real time development.
PDS ensures that the models, maps, and other elements of ULTRA and the COMPOSER wizards are ‘authoritative’.
The MCWL Experiment Division and DARPA’s PROTEUS team worked with the marines to ‘explore and assess’ future infantry battalion task organisations, force packages, and tactics.
PROTEUS provided ‘unique insights’ in support of the US Marine Corps’ (USMC) Force Design 2030. (Source: naval-technology.com)
24 June 21. Plant Monitoring and Diagnostics Insights to Support DOE-Funded Project SAFARI. Curtiss-Wright Corporation (NYSE: CW) today announced that it has been selected to participate in Project SAFARI, a U.S. Department of Energy-funded project to develop Digital Twin technology for advanced nuclear reactors. Project SAFARI is one of nine initiatives under the Generating Electricity Managed by Intelligent Nuclear Assets (GEMINA)program sponsored by the Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy (ARPA-E). ARPA-E GEMINA projects aim to transform operations and maintenance systems in the next generation of nuclear plants through the development of specialized Digital Twin technology.
“As an industry-leading supplier of advanced plant monitoring and diagnostic systems, Curtiss-Wright is uniquely positioned to participate in the next generation of advanced nuclear reactors and other Generation IV projects,” said Lynn M. Bamford, President and CEO of Curtiss-Wright Corporation. “We are proud to share our broad and diversified nuclear plant monitoring experience and insight in support of the DOE’s Project SAFARI.”
Curtiss-Wright’s technologies are installed in every nuclear power plant in North America and thousands of power generating units worldwide. Our large installed base is supported by strong customer relationships.
For Project SAFARI, Curtiss-Wright will collaborate with a multidisciplinary team – comprised of the University of Michigan, Idaho National Laboratory, Argonne National Laboratory, and Kairos Power – to develop Digital Twin technology that would allow new nuclear power plants to be constructed and operated more efficiently for increased reliability, safety, and cost savings.
23 June 21. Northrop CEO: To beat China, US must step up investments in advanced computing. The United States is at risk at falling behind China in the realm of computing, Northrop Grumman’s top executive said Wednesday.
China has not yet caught up with the United States in most areas of advanced military technology, and the U.S. industrial base is well positioned to retain its edge, said Northrop CEO Kathy Warden, speaking during an event hosted by the Council on Foreign Relations. But one sector that is “particularly problematic” is China’s growth in advanced computing, including in the development of artificial intelligence and applications used to process and interpret large amounts of data.
“If there were an area I would point to where that capability has shrunk to an alarming state, that would be the one that I would highlight,” Warden said. “It’s not an area that the U.S. has been investing significantly in in previous years.”
There are signs that might be changing under the Biden administration, she said.
The Pentagon boosted funding in its fiscal 2022 budget request for a variety of areas closely related to advanced computing. It aims to spent $2.3bn on microelectronics, $398m for 5G network capability and $874m on artificial intelligence.
President Joe Biden’s proposed $2.3trn infrastructure package also includes $50 bn for domestic research and production of semiconductors. That investment would match spending on semiconductors made through the CHIPS Act, which became law as part of the 2021 defense authorization bill. (The bill’s entire name is “Creating Helpful Incentives to Produce Semiconductors for America Act.”)
Warden said the bipartisan support for the act shows “strong progress being made” to incentivize semiconductor production in the United States. Currently, companies in China, Taiwan and South Korea lead in the manufacturing of advanced semiconductors and other microelectronics.
“Having the ability to control a supply chain in semiconductor and chip production could become a national imperative,” she said. “And we don’t want to wait until a conflict puts us into a position where it is a national imperative to realize that we don’t have the necessary capacity under U.S. control. That doesn’t mean it needs to all be onshore, but we do need to have clear access deep into the supply chain for semiconductors.”
While microelectronics are used in commercial products such as smartphones and personal computers, Warden argued that private industry is not incentivized to develop and manufacture the novel, advanced chips and semiconductors needed to ensure the U.S. military’s superiority.
Warden likened U.S. spending on microelectronics to investments made by the Pentagon during the 1950s and 1960s, which ultimately resulted in the invention of GPS and major advances in computers — both of which ultimately filtered to the commercial sector.
“I would submit that those [technologies] would not have matured at the rate they would have if we didn’t have strong government [research and development] spending,” she said. “And we certainly wouldn’t have found competitive differentiation from a national security perspective … if they’d have all originated in the commercial space because they would have been in the hands of all nations more simultaneously.” (Source: C4ISR & Networks)
24 June 21. Penn State University Acquires World Leading SPEE3D Metal 3D Printing Technology. Penn State University have acquired SPEE3D’s high-speed metal 3D printing technology, bringing new research and development opportunities to Additive Manufacturing in the U.S. Penn State University’s latest investment into a LightSPEE3D Cold Spray metal 3D printer will allow the institution to advance its Additive Manufacturing (AM) capability. The Applied Research Laboratory adopting SPEE3D’s high-speed metal 3D printing technology as the latest tool for new research and development opportunities in the U.S.
“Our collaboration with SPEE3D is an excellent addition to our current capabilities in Metal Additive Manufacturing and Cold Spray. We are looking forward to developing and applying SPEE3D technology to meet the materials and manufacturing challenges of the US Navy, DoD and the industrial base.” Tim Eden, Ph.D., Head of the Material Science Division at The Applied Research Laboratory at Penn State University and Professor of Engineering Science and Mechanics.
SPEE3D’s high-tech metal 3D printers run at a supersonic speed 100 to 1000 times faster than traditional metal 3D printing methods. The metal 3D printers leverage cold spray technology which can produce industrial quality metal parts in just minutes, rather than days or weeks. Making SPEE3D’s metal 3D printing machines the fastest and most economical additive manufacturing capability in the world. Through SPEE3D’s recent Australian Army field trials, it is also the world’s only proven deployable metal 3D printing technology. The company’s LightSPEE3D and WarpSPEE3D machines are robust enough to operate in austere environments such as the field of combat, on base, or at sea, making them an ideal expeditionary solution for building components on demand at the point of need.
Tim Eden, Ph.D., alongside Janice Bryant of the Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA) Technology Office will use the award-winning technology at Penn State University to conduct research into the advancement and development of additive manufacturing equipment within the U.S.
“NAVSEA is excited about the potential of SPEE3D technology to bridge the gap between cold spray and metal additive manufacturing,” added Janice Bryant, Expeditionary and Sustainment Technology Manager. The Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA) Technology Office champions the timely transition of emerging technologies into ships, submarines and the communities that design, build and maintain them – resulting in a more affordable and capable Fleet.
The Applied Research Laboratory of Penn State University is a Department of Defense designated University Research Centre. Its purpose is to conduct essential research, developments, and systems engineering in support of the nation’s priorities. For over 70 years, it has offered significant advanced research and development services to America’s Defense, industry, and education communities. Developed in Australia, SPEE3D’s printer technology at Penn State University provides the institution the capability to expand their field of research and deliver real-world Additive Manufacturing solutions to industry stakeholders.
“Having our LightSPEE3D metal 3D printer at Penn State University’s Applied Research Laboratory is quite exciting for SPEE3D. This partnership will no doubt allow the institution to develop leading research within the field, enabling them to work at the forefront of the industry,” states Byron Kennedy, CEO of SPEE3D.
More information on SPEE3D’s technology, including videos and case studies are available at: https://spee3d.com/
22 June 21. Wave Engine wins USAF contract to develop its air-launched vehicle. In 2019, DARPA invested in the company’s propulsion technology for UAV applications.
Awarded by the US Air Force (USAF) Armament Directorate, the contract is part of the USAF’s efforts to develop technologies that support future aviation and aerial combat.
The company will focus on advancing its vehicle product and demonstration. The latest award follows a competitive process.
VALP multi-mission air-launched vehicle uses Wave Engine’s proprietary engine technology to provide jet performance and Full Authority Digital Electronic Control (FADEC).
It is designed to showcase affordable and high-performance propulsion for future aerial vehicles.
Wave Engine Corporation CEO Daanish Maqbool said: “The future of aircraft is smaller, more capable and more affordable.
“The aviation industry has long been stymied by the lack of high-performance engines for small aircraft, and we are here to break through this barrier.
“We’re proud to receive this highly competitive award from the USAF to bring forth this propulsion technology and help define the aviation landscape of the future.”
Wave engines use pressure waves to operate that are produced by intermittent combustion inside a hollow tube.
The company’s propulsion technology helps reduce the cost and complexity of jet propulsion, enabling its use on a range of aviation platforms.
In 2019, the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) awarded a $2.85m contract to Wave Engine to continue engine development for high-performance UAV applications.
The following year, Wave Engine’s propulsion system powered the first manned aircraft flight. (Source: airforce-technology.com)
22 June 21. NATO hopes to launch new defense tech accelerator by 2023. In less than two years, NATO hopes to have its own, modified version of the U.S. Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) up and running.
Alliance members agreed at the 31st annual summit, held June 14 in Brussels, to launch a new initiative dubbed the Defence Innovation Accelerator of the North Atlantic, or DIANA, meant to speed up trans-Atlantic cooperation on critical technologies, and help NATO work more closely with private-sector entities, academia and other non-governmental entities.
The goal is to have DIANA reach initial operating capability (IOC) by 2023, David van Weel, assistant secretary-general for emerging security challenges, said at a Tuesday virtual roundtable with reporters. By next year, the hope is to have “the initial parts … starting to come up into fruition,” he added.
In the long term, DIANA will have headquarters both in North America and in Europe, and link to existing test centers throughout NATO member countries that will be used for “validating, testing, and co-designing applications in the field of emerging and disruptive technologies,” van Weel said. DIANA will also be responsible for building and managing a network meant to help relevant startups grow and support NATO’s technology needs via grant programs.
The focus will be on national security and defense purposes, and DIANA will not ask for or solicit companies’ intellectual property, van Weel noted.
While he singled out artificial intelligence, big-data processing, and quantum-enabled technologies, DIANA is meant to support all seven of the key emerging and disruptive technologies — or EDTs — that NATO has identified as critical for the future. The other four include: autonomy, biotechnology, hypersonics and space.
Sometimes a technology company may not realize that their product could be viable for the defense community, he added.
One key component of DIANA will be a trusted capital marketplace, where smaller companies can connect with pre-qualified investors who are interested in supporting NATO’s technology efforts. Ensuring that investors are vetted ahead of time will allow NATO to ensure “that the technology will be protected from illicit transfers,” van Weel said.
The fund is modeled after a The U.S. Defense Department set up its own trusted capital marketplace in 2019 as a tool that then-DoD acquisition czar Ellen Lord said could help encourage domestically based venture capitalists to fund national security and defense projects. That marketplace served as inspiration for the announced NATO trusted capital marketplace, per the alliance.
Members also agreed for the first time to build up a venture capital fund to support companies developing dual-use and key technologies that could be useful to NATO, and which will be optional for member-nations to participate in. The NATO Innovation Fund, as it’s called, would have a running time of about 15 years to start, and would be underwritten by about 70m euro (about $83m) per year, per van Weel.
The goal is not for NATO headquarters or for its member-nations to run the innovation fund, he noted. “The actual running of a venture capital fund, we believe, should be done by companies that have a broad range of experience in the field.” He cited the U.S.-based capital venture firm In-Q-Tel as an example of the type of partner NATO would seek to run the “day-to-day” business of the fund.
“I read somewhere that NATO is not a bank—we’re not,” van Weel said. “But it will be the nations providing the funds, and giving the general direction.”
These two initiatives of a technology accelerator and innovation fund are “hopefully going to … bring the alliance forward into the 21st century,” van Weel said.
NATO has previously invested in information technology (IT) and software through the NATO Communications and Information Agency (NCIA), but the difference with the innovation fund, and DIANA, is that the alliance wants to better connect with early-stage startups, rather than larger software companies or traditional defense firms, van Weel said.
“DIANA is not about taking over innovation for the NATO enterprise,” he said. “It’s a different community, and requires different funding mechanisms and different types of engagement.”
These two initiatives have been long awaited and demanded by NATO observers, and versions of both a “DARPA-like” technology accelerator and an alliance-wide investment bank were included in a 2020 list of recommendations by NATO’s advisory group on emerging and disruptive technologies.
But it is still early days. While the IOC goal is 2023, “step one is we want to know from allies what they want to offer to DIANA,” van Weel said. Once the NATO Innovation Fund has its participating members, for example, a charter will be set up that will lay out the funding models, rapid contracting processes, and leadership guidelines.
“We are trying to do this as fast as we can,” van Weel assured, but then noted, “we do want to get it right, because … with the startup community, you only get one chance.” (Source: C4ISR & Networks)
22 June 21. U.S. Air Force Selects Electra for Ultra-Short Takeoff Aircraft Development. Unique Configuration Strengthens Commercial Advanced Air Mobility Markets. The U.S. Air Force (USAF) has signed a contract with Electra.aero to strengthen advanced air mobility markets through the development of hybrid-electric propulsion systems for electric ultra-short takeoff and landing (eSTOL) aircraft.
“Electra is thrilled to be working in tandem with the U.S. Air Force and its innovative Agility Prime team to accelerate the tech transition of eSTOL into the commercial marketplace. These next-gen, low-carbon systems will solve several critical defense-related capability gaps while leveraging affordable commercial marketplace solutions,” says Ben Marchionna, Electra’s Director of Technology & Innovation.
Hybrid-electric systems are poised to transform how the USAF powers the fight of the future through game-changing energy efficiency improvements. They are also a fundamental enabler of sustainable aviation at-scale and commercial advanced air mobility markets – for both vertical and ultra-short takeoff and landing aircraft.
Agility Prime’s Deputy Lead, Major John “Wasp” Tekell, adds, “Agility Prime is excited to partner with Electra on their recent Phase II SBIR contract award. We look forward to exploring the unique capabilities of this design while continuing to accelerate the electric aviation industry.”
Electra’s first propulsion system produces 150 kW (200 HP) of electrical power and comprises a small gas turbine and several custom components including a gearbox, generator, rectifier, control system, and software. Ground testing is planned this year followed by flight testing on the company’s technology demonstrator aircraft in 2022. That aircraft, which carries two people and can take off and land in distances as short as 100 feet, will use this hybrid-electric turbogenerator to power eight electric motors and charge a custom battery system during flight.
Electra’s first commercial product, with FAA certification planned in 2026, is designed to carry up to seven passengers and a pilot as far as 500 miles. It will serve urban and regional air mobility markets, sustainability-focused airline operations, “middle mile” cargo logistics, and air ambulance services. (Source: PR Newswire)
22 June 21. New OpenVPX blade server provides advanced security and data center-class processing. Next-generation edge processing technology enables advanced AI applications, autonomous platforms and smarter missions. Mercury Systems Inc. (NASDAQ: MRCY, www.mrcy.com), a leader in trusted, secure mission-critical technologies for aerospace and defense, today announced the EnsembleSeries™ HDS6705 blade server, the embedded computing industry’s most powerful, general-purpose processing 6U OpenVPX™ blade server with built-in security for the most demanding aerospace and defense applications. For applications needing the same built-in security protections in a more balanced performance/watt configuration, the EnsembleSeries LDS6708 single board computer is also available.
“We’re putting an end to the industry assumption that embedded computing solutions can’t provide both advanced security and high performance without compromising one or the other,” said Joe Plunkett, vice president and general manager, Mercury Embedded. “Not only can you get security and data center-caliber processing capability from a single 6U OpenVPX module, but you can also deploy it in the harshest, most space-constrained environments at the tactical edge. Our Gen 4 BuiltSECURE™ pre-integrated security technology, designed and developed in trusted and accredited facilities, provides our customers the assurance that critical mission data remains safeguarded against adversarial threats. It’s another example of how Mercury provides secure capabilities, delivered uncompromised.”
HDS6705 blade servers are powered by artificial intelligence (AI)-enabling Second Generation Intel® Xeon® Scalable processors and feature advanced ruggedization and high-speed switch fabric interconnect technologies that deliver secure multifunction processing capability. The blade servers are optimized for size, weight, power and cooling to enable the data center-class processors to operate at maximum performance while delivering the highest meantime between failure. An OpenVPX™ architecture makes the blades ideal building blocks for developing software-agnostic embedded AI-capable processing systems, and a SOSA-aligned design approach enables rapid modernization — both of which reduce program cost and offer scalability and interoperability.
Designed, manufactured, coded, and supported in the USA from DMEA-accredited facilities, Mercury’s secure rackmount and embedded processing solutions safeguard valued technology, critical IP and confidential data against adversarial threats even when a host system has been compromised. EnsembleSeries HDS6705 blades are expected to be available in the second quarter of CY2022 in conduction-cooled, Air Flow-By™ and Liquid Flow Through options. The lower-density EnsembleSeries LDS6708 6U OpenVPX single board computer, which offers best-in-class physical security protections along with the reliability of Intel’s Xeon E and Core™ i7/i5/i3 processing performance at a lower power requirement, will also be available in early CY2022.
Mercury envisions, creates and delivers innovative technology solutions purpose-built to meet their customers’ most pressing high-tech needs. For additional information or purchase inquiries, visit the HDS6705 or LDS6708 product pages, or contact Mercury at (866) 627-6951 or .
21 Jun 21. Japan reveals digital development plan for F-X fighter. The Japanese Ministry of Defense (MoD) has outlined a commitment to apply digital engineering techniques and technologies in the development of the country’s next-generation F-X fighter aircraft.
The MoD told Janes that the move to introduce such digital methods is part of a wider effort on the F-X programme to achieve enhancement in quality and efficiency across the design, development, production, and sustainment of the aircraft.
The MoD said the effort is also aligned with modern fighter aircraft practices in countries such as the United States and the United Kingdom, from companies which are expected to be involved in the development of the F-X fighter.
“Digital transformation has the potential to make a significant impact on every phase of research and development (R&D), mass production, and maintenance of defence equipment,” a spokesperson from the MoD told Janes.
The spokesperson added that both the MoD and the Japan Self-Defense Forces (JSDF) “recognise the importance of a deep understanding” about digital engineering, and are working to integrate such capabilities with the aim to be able to “efficiently acquire and operate superior equipment”.
By way of example, the spokesperson pointed to the MoD’s ongoing project to conduct research on applying open systems architecture (OSA) – through which systems are interoperable and connectable – to the development of onboard F-X mission systems such as fire control, navigation, communications, and electronic warfare.
“Applying OSA enables us to enhance the fighter aircraft’s expandability so that future upgrades of subsystems can be made at low cost and in a short period of time without major refurbishment. We intend to apply this technology to the F-X,” the spokesperson said. (Source: Jane’s)
21 June 21. LDRA, the leading provider of automated software verification, source code analysis, test tools, and consultancy services, today announced it has been approved as one of the first six Future Airborne Capability Environment™ (FACE) Verification Authorities (VA). With designated FACE VA status, LDRA is empowered to provide independent FACE conformance verification for customers in the aerospace and defense industry.
“The approval of LDRA as a FACE VA underscores our commitment to supporting the adoption of the FACE Technical Standard,” said Ian Hennell, Operations Director, LDRA. “LDRA is uniquely positioned in offering verification authority services in tandem with industry standard tool suites. This helps to reduce the cost of developing and verifying FACE conformant software, while also improving software quality through lifecycle traceability, automated code analysis, and software verification.”
The approval builds upon FACE VA experience within the LDRA Certification Services (LCS) team, which can also boast significant experience and expertise in standards conformance and airworthiness, including DO-178B/C delivery and certification. LCS offers FACE software suppliers a comprehensive set of Unit of Conformance (UoC) certification support services, including FACE VA Service and FACE Conformance Tool-based support.
The LCS VA role begins when the UoC supplier submits a Software Verification Package that includes the Statement of Conformance, Conformance Verification Matrix (CVM) Verification Evidence, Binaries and the Data Model. The LCS team will then determine conformance, primarily by meeting the appropriate criterial in the Conformance Verification Matrix (CVM).
Building on the LDRA Tool Suites
LDRA’s industry-first tool suites for FACE Conformance and Software Quality automates test execution and reporting of the FACE VA evidence and processes, and traceability to the FACE Technical Standard and the Conformance Verification Matrix. The tool suites enforce FACE coding standards to ensure FACE Conformant API calls, while unit testing capabilities create harnesses to test the I/O interface of the UoC.
“LDRA tools have been used on hundreds of Level A certifications in accordance with DO-178, while LCS have a 10 year track record of leading FAA and EASA commercial aerospace certifications,” Hennell observed. “LDRA is a member of the FACE Technical Working group, Business Working group, the Enterprise Architecture Airworthiness subcommittee, and the FACE VA community of practice (CoP), and is a regular participant in the FACE Technical Interchange Meetings. We have the expertise and experience to underpin the successful development of a conformant UoC.”
Availability of products and services
LCS FACE VA services are available now. Visit the LDRA FACE page for more information about LDRA FACE tool suites and services, or www.opengroup.org/face for more information about the FACE standard. Contact for more information or download a free 30-day trial of the LDRA tool suite.
21 June 21. Supercharging science: an open letter from Dstl chief executive. Science lab urges best minds in industry, academia, engineering, science, and technology to work with UK specialists to combat future threats.
Register for Supercharging Science: working with Dstl as part of the UK science superpower; https://www.adsgroup.org.uk/events-list/supercharging-science-working-with-dstl-as-part-of-the-uk-science-superpower/
To the UK’s scientists, technologists, engineers, innovators, researchers, and academics.
I am calling on each and every one of you to think about how your work contributes to keeping our families, friends, and communities secure, safe, and prosperous – and to consider working with the organisation I lead, Dstl, to supercharge that effort.
In the starkest circumstances, coronavirus has demonstrated the crucial role that science and technology plays in keeping our loved ones out of harm’s way.
Likewise, the immense efforts of millions of people from across the nation – including everyone from the researchers developing vaccines to the technicians and analysts processing testing samples – has shown us what we can achieve at breakneck speed when we work together.
Post-COVID, we all have high ambitions for what our United Kingdom can achieve. And Dstl, the science inside UK defence and security, is at the forefront of that effort. The Prime Minister has set this country the challenge of securing science superpower status by 2030 – and we are accelerating our efforts.
As part of an unprecedented uplift to the defence budget, Dstl plans to spend in the region of an extra £1bn with you over the next 4 years to tackle the threats we face beyond COVID-19.
These threats are many – from hostile states and terrorist groups through to global challenges such as pandemics and climate change. We’ll be advancing our work in artificial intelligence, cyber, space, autonomy and robotics, and casting our net further as we invest in emerging technologies of the future.
Dstl is a proven national asset – but we cannot counter the threats of the future alone. The world is changing, and we are changing with it.
Today, I am particularly calling on those who have not worked with us before to check us out and see how we can work together.
We need to harness the power of science, technology, engineering and innovation from across the private and academic sectors – from the individual inventor, to tech start-ups and beyond. As well as funding to fast-track your innovation, we offer access to our world-class scientists and facilities, the chance to work with the potential users of your technology, and the opportunity to make a difference by keeping our country safe and prosperous.
We are embarking on the most ambitious programme in Dstl’s 20-year history. The challenges are significant but if we get this right the rewards will be extraordinary.
I ask you to join us at our supplier event Supercharging Science on 22 July 2021 to hear more about our plans and the opportunities there are for you.
You can find out more and sign up to attend by visiting the registration site: https://www.adsgroup.org.uk/events-list/supercharging-science-working-with-dstl-as-part-of-the-uk-science-superpower/
This is an incredibly exciting time not just for Dstl but for the whole UK science and technology community.
Together, let’s do something special.
Doug Umbers, Interim Chief Executive, Defence Science and Technology Laboratory. (Source: https://www.gov.uk/)
18 June 21. Verizon wins $495m contract for DoD research network. The U.S. Department of Defense awarded Verizon Public Sector a $495m contract to deliver the network that connects 200 research labs and supercomputer locations, the company announced. Verizon will provide the department with switches, routers, firewalls and “edge compute” capabilities for the department’s Defense Research and Engineering Network and its High Performance Computing Modernization Program, according to the June 17 announcement. The contract has a four-year base with three two-year options.
“Our managed services solutions will create a next-generation user experience for research teams utilizing the DREN platform while also enhancing security across the network,” said Jennifer Chronis, senior vice president for public sector at Verizon.
The Defense Research and Engineering Network is a high-speed fiber optic network that allows military supercomputers and researchers to collaborate on research, development, test and evaluation efforts. The High Performance Computing Modernization Program, or HPCMP, provides advanced computing capabilities to the DoD’s research, development, test and evaluation community. Last year, HPCMP purchased two new supercomputers as part of a pivot to accommodating increased demand for data analytics.
According to the Verizon release, the network will allow research teams to be “brought together in near real time to develop and test big data analyses, artificial intelligence, machine learning and simulations, helping to tackle complex problems from climate change and pandemic response to next generation autonomous defense systems.”
“The network will move beyond the challenge of recurring investment and high effort technology revolutions so that multidisciplinary teams may consume technical enhancement and innovation on a continuous, evolutionary basis with increased transparency to day-to-day operations,” the release stated. (Source: Defense News)
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Oxley Group Ltd
Oxley specialises in the design and manufacture of advanced electronic and electro-optic components and systems for air, land and sea applications within the military sector. Established in 1942, Oxley has manufacturing facilities in the UK and USA and enjoys representation worldwide. The company’s products include night vision and LED lighting, data capture systems and electronic components. Oxley has pioneered the development of night vision compatible lighting. It offers a total package incorporating optical filters, equipment modification, cockpit and external lighting along with fleet wide upgrade services including engineering, installation, support, maintenance and training. The company’s long experience of manufacturing night vision lighting and LED indicators, coupled with advances in LED technology, has enabled it to develop LED solutions to replace incandescent and fluorescent lighting in existing applications as well as becoming the lighting option of choice in new applications such as portable military hospitals, UAV control stations and communication shelters.
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