Sponsored By Oxley Developments
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21 Oct 21. Curtiss-Wright Debuts “Supply Chain Proofed” Safety Certifiable Rugged Graphics Module for Airborne Platforms. Curtiss-Wright’s Defense Solutions, a leading supplier of rugged safety certifiable solutions engineered to succeed, has announced the latest addition to its portfolio of DO-254 / DO-178C safety certifiable commercial off the shelf (COTS) products with the introduction of the V3-717, a rugged 3U OpenVPX high performance graphics processor module. Expanding Curtiss-Wright’s support for the modular open system approach (MOSA), the V3-717 adds hardware-accelerated graphics with video encode/decode hardware acceleration to Curtiss-Wright safety certifiable processor cards, such as the rugged V3-1708 and V3-152 3U OpenVPX modules. Based on the well-known and proven AMD Radeon™ E8860 embedded Graphics Processing Unit (GPU), this multi-head modular open systems approach (MOSA) based graphics card is designed for systems with Design Assurance Level (DAL) A process assurance where AC/AMC 20-152A (RTCA DO-254/EUROCAE ED-80 DAL-A) is the means to compliance. The Radeon E8860 has established a long record of success in safety critical applications, with deployment in numerous avionics programs for many years. What’s more, the device is supported with well-proven software drivers. These advantages deliver a significant Time To Market risk reduction for new safety critical avionics programs, while providing a competitive advantage when compared to alternative GPU devices. In this period of supply-chain uncertainty, Curtiss-Wright’s large inventory of Radeon E8860 devices and its industry-leading lifecycle management services for long life defense and aerospace programs make the V3-717 ideally suited to support new safety critical avionics programs. The V3-717 is an active product, with no part changes, for which availability is scheduled to continue through 2026. With higher performance graphics processing than previous generations of GPU and advanced features such as video encoding, the V3-717, is designed for use in critical DO-254 airborne applications with demanding graphics requirements such as degraded visual environment (DVE) and mission displays.
“With the introduction of our new V3-717 Graphics Module, Curtiss-Wright further demonstrates its commitment to deliver reliable, high performance safety-certifiable COTS solutions, supported with proven software drivers and safety certifiable APIs,” said Chris Wiltsey, Senior Vice President and General Manager, Curtiss-Wright Defense Solutions division. “The V3-717, backed with well-sourced, well established Radeon E8860 GPU devices and unmatched lifecycle management services, delivers significant program risk reduction while speeding time to market for safety certified avionics systems.”
The V3-717 is supported by a suite of CoreAVI® software drivers and is supported by the embedded industry’s longest component supply program. These graphics drivers are aligned with the FACE™ standard. Safety certifiable graphics software APIs supported by the V3-717 include OpenGL® SC 1.0.1 and OpenGL SC 2.0. The OpenGL SC 2.0 API include EGL 1.4 and can support the EGL compositor extension. DO-254 and DO-178C certification artifact kits, available from Curtiss-Wright, ease platform certification, speed time to market, and significantly reduce the cost and risk of developing safety certifiable electronics subsystems for commercial and military aviation platforms.
The Trusted Proven Open Standards Leader
Curtiss-Wright is an active contributor to the definition and advancement of open standards in support of MOSA. Curtiss-Wright has been a leading contributor to the VITA Standards Organization (VSO) that oversees the definition of the OpenVPX, PMC, XMC, and FMC form factor standards. This makes Curtiss-Wright ideally positioned to work with customers and help guide the development and success of their open standards-based applications.
To find out more about this powerful graphics module, download the V3-717 product sheet here.: https://www.curtisswrightds.com/products/computing/gpgpu-graphics-video/3u-vpx/vpx3-v3-717.html?utm_campaign=PR-C5ISR-V3-717-1021&utm_medium=email&utm_source=Eloqua
21 Oct 21. LDRA Plug-In Brings Tool Suite Into Jenkins for Agile Development in Automotive and Aerospace. The integration makes system-level automated testing and verification easier for embedded software developers by presenting detailed results in Jenkins.
LDRA, the leading provider of automated software verification, source code analysis and test tools, today announced a plug-in that brings the capabilities of the LDRA tool suite into the Jenkins automation server for continuous integration (CI) for agile software development. Jenkins automates and manages the build process and connects build and version control systems with quality management and automated testing processes for large-scale system-level software projects. LDRA has long linked to Jenkins to enable developers to analyze, track test and verification fulfilment, and measure code quality. Now, developers can view LDRA results directly in Jenkins, saving time and reducing development costs associated with building systems that must meet rigorous standards such as the automotive industry’s ISO 26262.
“Continuous integration is a key part of agile workflows, so using the LDRA tool suite to generate certificate-grade artifacts at every check-in or daily helps developers stay on track and move faster through feature development cycles,” said Ian Hennell, LDRA operations director. “With LDRA fully integrated into the Jenkin’s interface, the process is smoother and LDRA results, such as code review analysis and the severity of violations, are easier to access.”
LDRA Brings Certification Management to Jenkins for Large-Scale Automotive Project Control
Managing large-scale safety-critical systems, which often require a global array of components and technology providers, is a difficult and costly process, especially when development teams span continents, languages and time zones. This LDRA/Jenkins solution offers developers the ability to track productivity and build process efficiency while easing certification challenges and improving software quality. Defects are identified earlier in the software development life cycle, saving significant time and costs of identifying errors later.
By verifying standards conformance, the LDRA tool suite helps companies demonstrate their systems meet rigorous certification standards, such as DO-178C(Software Considerations in Airborne Systems and Equipment Certification) and ISO 26262 (Road Vehicles – Functional Safety). Specifically, the LDRA tool suite provides static and dynamic analysis, requirements traceability, verification, testing and automated documentation.
In addition to tracking the progress of static analysis activities and code quality, the reporting features of Jenkins pulls essential information, such as how many test cases have passed and failed, from LDRA’s documentation process into the Jenkins dashboard to provide a concise summary. When test cases fail, developers can be informed via email or a web-based interface so they can take prompt corrective action. To maintain development efficiency, Jenkins continues to gather information as the baseline changes so test regression can be performed independently of normal developer activities.
“Instead of following links to LDRA results, developers can directly view trend graphs within Jenkins for static analysis violations and other findings,” Hennell added. “Being able to view these LDRA findings without needing to move to another application further facilitates the issues we’ve long aimed to solve—managing certification challenges and improving software quality.”
Learn more by watching the video “Performing code review with Jenkins and the LDRA tool suite” to see how Jenkins and the LDRA tool suite work in tandem to find and fix coding rule violations to comply with the BARR-C:2018 standard.
21 Oct 21. Arqit and Blue Bear Collaborate on Security of Autonomous Systems. Partnership in live operational scenarios to solve security challenges of autonomous systems. Arqit Quantum Inc. (“Arqit”), a global leader in quantum encryption technology, has entered into an agreement with Blue Bear Systems Research Ltd. (“Blue Bear”), a pioneering supplier of unmanned and autonomous systems for defence and civil customers. The agreement will see the two companies jointly demonstrate the implementation of Arqit’s quantum encryption capabilities on Blue Bear unmanned systems in the critical land, maritime and aerospace domains.
Blue Bear has a variety of next generation unmanned and autonomous systems that are already deployed with its defence customers, and the application of QuantumCloudTM will provide Arqit’s provably secure encryption across its range of products. The Blue Bear Smart Connect™ avionics, which rapidly converts basic vehicles into highly autonomous vehicles tasked via its Centurion™ Swarm Mission System, will host QuantumCloud™. Blue Bear’s solutions use a communication architecture which is multi-layer with communication bearers ranging from SATCOMs, terrestrial datalinks to 5G. Its specific focus over the last twelve years is Multi-Domain Integrated operations, which optimise use of unmanned air, ground and maritime vehicles, and manned-unmanned teaming.
Blue Bear CEO Dr Yoge Patel said: “Arqit’s security solution is a superb addition to Blue Bear’s 5th generation modular, Open Architecture avionics solutions, which have accrued many flight hours for both singleton UAS and swarm UAS operations in highly complex use cases. We have been awaiting feasible solutions to robustly secure unmanned operations for many years and QuantumCloudTM offers all the attributes we seek.”
Arqit Founder, David Williams added: “Partnering with Blue Bear to apply QuantumCloud™ on autonomous systems in live environments is a great opportunity to demonstrate to new defence customers that Arqit has solved the security layer problem in the Joint All Domain Command and Control mission.”
About Arqit
Arqit Quantum Inc. (“Arqit”) supplies a unique quantum encryption Platform-as-a-Service which makes the communications links of any networked device secure against current and future forms of attack – even from a quantum computer. Arqit’s product, QuantumCloud™, enables any device to download a lightweight software agent of less than 200 lines of code, which can create encryption keys in partnership with any other device. The keys are computationally secure, one-time use and zero trust. QuantumCloud™ can create limitless volumes of keys in limitless group sizes and can regulate the secure entrance and exit of a device in a group. The addressable market for QuantumCloud™ is every connected device.
On 3 September 2021, Arqit completed its business combination with Centricus Acquisition Corp. (“Centricus”) a special purpose acquisition company. The combined company has retained the name Arqit Quantum Inc. Arqit trades on Nasdaq under the ticker symbols “ARQQ” and “ARQQW”.
21 Oct 21. BAE Systems welcomes University of Nottingham as latest strategic academic partner. The University of Nottingham and BAE Systems have formalised a strategic partnership which will see the organisations collaborate on developing new and innovative digital manufacturing technologies. A recognised leader in Industry 4.0 technologies, the University has extensive capabilities including additive layer manufacturing, lightweight materials, metrology and digital approaches to design and manufacture, as well as sustainable energy and power management systems.
Professor Andy Schofield, Programme & Technology Integration Director, within BAE Systems’ Air Sector, said: “We’ve had a strong partnership with the University of Nottingham for a number of years, with our teams working closely together to jointly develop next generation manufacturing capabilities that will transform the future of aircraft production.
“We look forward to deepening our relationship and exploring how the University’s world-class Industry 4.0 knowledge and research capabilities can be applied to other areas of our business.”
Professor Svetan Ratchev, Cripps Professor of Production Engineering and Director of the Institute for Advanced Manufacturing at the University of Nottingham, said: “Formalising our strategic partnership will allow us to translate the latest research results into industrial applications, develop new technologies and deliver major societal, environmental and economic impact. It will also provide our students with more exciting opportunities to gain valuable industrial experience, enhance their knowledge and develop their future careers.”
Confirmation of the formal partnership follows a sustained period of successful collaboration in key technological areas such as ‘cobotics’, which enables people and robots to work in co-operation on complex tasks. This was born from the Integrated Autonomous Assembly Demonstrator, which prototyped robotic assembly of aircraft structures and used data from digital designs to optimise manufacturing processes. The University of Nottingham led this work with input from the Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre.
Nottingham and the Company’s other strategic university partners are also active in research into sustainability, particularly in energy management. This is of great importance to BAE Systems, with the business setting a target to achieve net zero greenhouse gas emissions operations across its operations by 2030 and will also support the development of sustainable technologies for its customers.
BAE Systems continues to develop its UK university partnerships, with Nottingham becoming the Company’s sixth strategic university partner. This builds on existing partnerships with Cranfield University, the University of Birmingham, the University of Manchester, the University of Southampton and the University of Strathclyde.
20 Oct 21. US Army’s ‘Dragon’s Lair’ Opens to All Military Services. The US Army soldier innovation program dubbed “Dragon’s Lair” is set to open to U.S. service members across all services and units. Last November, the Army’s XVIII Airborne Corps at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, initiated the Dragon’s Lair program, a “Shark Tank”-style competition in which soldiers from across the Army pitched their innovations to a panel of civilian tech experts and military leaders. The XVIII Airborne Corps has run five “episodes” of the program since. For Episode 6, scheduled for Dec. 6 at Fort Bragg, the competition will solicit innovations from the Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, Space Force and Coast Guard. The program has become a popular point of entry for soldier-driven innovations and was even mentioned by Army Secretary Christine E. Wormuth during an Oct. 14 news conference at the Association of the United States Army annual meeting in Washington, D.C. “The Dragon’s Lair program on Fort Bragg is so important, as it allows soldiers to bring new ideas to the command,” Wormuth said. Dragon’s Lair has introduced a new mobile application for organizing and coordinating land and ranges; easier methods for moving generators around a motorpool; and change to the Army’s policy on sexual harassment assault and response prevention. Military leaders hope opening the program to all units and military services will introduce even more innovations.
“Good ideas reside everywhere across the military,” Army Col. Joe Buccino, producer of Dragon’s Lair, said of the new episode. “Innovations are not limited to soldiers; service members across the force solve for inefficiencies in their daily lives. We want to uplift and resource those innovations.”
To submit an idea for consideration for Episode 6, service members must register on the Dragon’s Lair website, provide a description of their innovation, and explain the inefficiency that’s being addressed. While the website requires creation of an account, it does not require a common access card and can be accessed on a civilian computer, laptop, iPhone or android.
“The more information submitted, the easier it will be for the Dragon’s Lair panel to ‘see’ the innovation,” Buccino said. “The innovation can be anything from a new policy for quality of life to a tech-based product — and everything in between. It’s the full spectrum of the idea. This is unbounded innovation.”
Innovations must be submitted by noon on Nov. 15 for consideration to move forward to Dragon’s Lair. From there, the Dragon’s Lair panel, a group of 17 leaders at Fort Bragg, will select seven ideas to move forward to the program. The Army will send these 15 innovators to Fort Bragg to make their pitches to a panel of experts and military leaders.
At Dragon’s Lair, each service member will have 10 minutes to present his or her innovation, followed by 20 minutes to answer questions from the panel. Following this, the panel will determine which ideas will be accepted for Army implementation. Service members whose ideas are accepted for implementation will be awarded an Army Meritorious Service Medal, a four-day pass, and a slot in the U.S. military school of their choice. (Source: US DoD)
20 Oct 21. Rohde & Schwarz extends portable analyzer frequency ranges up to 44 GHz. New base models for the rugged R&S Spectrum Rider FPH analyzers take spectrum analysis capability up to 44 GHz. They combine the functionality of benchtop instruments and the lightweight portability of a handheld instrument, with intuitive features to make high performance measuring on the go fast and simple. Rohde & Schwarz has extended its popular R&S Spectrum Rider FPH family with the introduction of new base models offering measurement frequencies up to 44 GHz. A new 44 GHz model has been added to the existing R&S FPH models having measurement frequencies from 5 kHz to 6, 13.6, and 26.5 GHz. In addition, three new versions with tracking generators are available with measurement frequencies up to 13.6, 26.5 and 44 GHz.
The R&S Spectrum Rider FPH was the industry’s first handheld spectrum analyzer to deliver solid RF performance for measurements in the field and in the lab. Large buttons and multi-touch gesture screen make it very easy to operate. New higher frequency models enable the versatile R&S Spectrum Rider to perform a broader range of measurement tasks. With high sensitivity of –160 dBm and measurement accuracy of typically 0.5 dB between 10 MHz and 3 GHz, the R&S Spectrum Rider offers class-leading RF performance. The new models support field applications such as verification of 5G, broadcast, radar, defence and satellite communications links.
Weighing just 3.2 kg for 44 GHz model, the R&S Spectrum Rider is optimised for mobile use. Its battery lasts up to 4.5 hours, making it the most lasting 44 GHz handheld spectrum analyzer for field task. The backlit keypad allows users to work in the dark, and the non-reflective display supports a daylight mode for improved readability in direct sunlight.
This handheld spectrum analyzer family boasts a large-format capacitive touchscreen that makes it easy to intuitively adjust settings such as frequency, span and reference level, and to set markers. Plus, large buttons and a practical multifunction wheel facilitate operation with gloves in outdoor environments. The analyzer can be remotely controlled via USB, or LAN and, for even more convenience, the R&S MobileView app for iOS or Android provides seamless remote control of the device.
The R&S Spectrum Rider spectrum analyzers are part of the R&S Essentials portfolio. All models are now available from Rohde & Schwarz and selected distribution partners.
19 Oct 21. TE Connectivity’s Unmanned Power connector solves the challenge of signal and power for UAVs and commercial drones.
High-power connector offers up to 80 amps per contact and mix power flexibility.
TE Connectivity (TE), a world leader in connectivity and sensors, recognized the critical need for a reliable and durable connector which can balance both signal and power capabilities for unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV). TE’s newly launched Unmanned Power (UMP) connector offers up to 80 amps per contact and is available as a power or mixed signal/power connector. The growth of UAV usage in the industrial and aerospace markets and increased need for high power connectors drove TE’s engineers to design the UMP connector to solve the challenge.
Current market connectors commonly used in UAV and commercial drones have experienced challenges with amp rating, connector size and mixed signal variations, often having to sacrifice one benefit for the other. TE’s UMP connector is designed to provide a reliable contact interface that safely delivers power or both power and signal to control rotors, battery systems and power distribution systems of unmanned vehicles.
“We used our aerospace and automotive experience to design our UMP connectors with stronger materials proven in harsh environments and reliable contact interfaces while still considering weight and density,” said Taylor Fitzpatrick, product manager for TE’s Aerospace, Defense and Marine division. “With a variety of connector configurations and solder-free options, TE’s UMP connector has what power distribution designers need for their platforms without sacrificing reliability.”
TE’s UMP connectors withstand harsh environments using:
- high temperature materials
- crimp pigtail assembly (with high grade flexible silicone wire)
- integrated power (with two or three position power options)
- mixed signal options
- a smaller bulkhead mount (compared to competing connectors)
For more product configuration information, visit https://www.te.com/usa-en/about-te/news-center/unmanned-power-connectors.html
19 Oct 21. Geo-location startup, Naurt, has today announced full public access to a game-changing software set to unlock the future of hyper-precise location tracking. Following a year of beta testing with a pilot group of high-profile local and international businesses and governments, Naurt has now made their first-of-its-kind software accessible to any and all businesses around the globe. The startup’s plug-and-play toolkit currently has no direct competitors and promises to deliver 45 times more accurate location data when used indoors or outdoors and across borders.
Current Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) technology – what most people think of as GPS or SatNav – simply cannot ensure accuracy in built-up areas where even a reasonably large tree can make pinpointing an exact location impossible. Even in open spaces, industries that rely on knowing where something is in relation to something else are still using outdated technology that is good enough at best.
Naurt’s software does not replace the satellite location services businesses currently use. Instead, it simply integrates seamlessly with it and fixes the problems that cause the location data to be inaccurate. Where businesses might currently be able to pinpoint a location to within around 20 metres, integrating Naurt could improve accuracy to within centimetres.
Jack Maddalena, Co-founder and CEO of Naurt commented: “Naurt is making geo-location ultra precise. Standard satellite location services are no longer fit for purpose and are costing businesses and people time, money and safety. We have created the world’s first platform that is able to improve on this without the need for extra hardware. The work we are doing will be transformational for people and businesses around the world”.
In a recent pilot for a large micro-mobility company, Naurt corrected location fixes by an average of 14.6 metres with a maximum correction of as much as 78 metres. Enabling their fleet with Naurt software made it possible for the company to expand into extremely built-up cities that would have previously been out of the question. There will soon be a scooter on every street corner as the micro-mobility trend builds momentum globally. However, many cities will refuse to invite these companies onto their streets if they cannot guarantee the level of safety only Naurt enablement can ensure.
In practical terms, Naurt has already improved one of the largest food delivery companies in the world by 40%. Despite unprecedented growth in the last mile delivery market recently, major players still rely on location data that is miles away from accurate. Innovation has halted in similar areas such as micro-mobility, autonomous construction, drone delivery and smart city design as a result of inadequate tracking capabilities.
Naurt is making waves in the micro-mobility sector, helping companies win bids through passing safety legislation and enabling them to expand into previously untouchable places. A Naurt-enabled fleet can enforce parking zones (no more scooter litter), throttle speeds in no-go zones and offer smart lane detection. Naurt has helped micro-mobility companies improve their location fixes by an average of 40% during beta testing, eliminating what is known as GNSS drift, so customers and charge teams can track scooters down to the lamp post they are leaning against.
“Put simply, your on-demand food delivery service cannot accurately estimate when your pizza will arrive or guarantee that it will be hot when it does. The restaurant cannot tell how far away your driver is or whether to wait before firing up the oven. That means your driver will wait longer when they arrive at the restaurant and fit in less deliveries that evening as a result. Once your pizza is en route, you can only track its progress through vague updates like “on it’s way”, “around the corner” or “nearby” leaving you hanging out the window or loitering by the door waiting for them to get your location wrong – just like last time. But all that is about to change” added Jack Maddalena.
Naurt’s mission is to unlock innovation by providing an essential enabler without which rapid progress in sectors that rely on GNSS would simply not be possible. The startup will remove a significant barrier to breakthroughs in emerging technologies and industries such as self-driving cars, automated construction, drone deliveries, last mile logistics, micro-mobility and more.
Jack Maddalena said: “Naurt’s innovation enables a diverse sphere of enterprises to improve their solutions, unlock opportunities and break into new markets. We have seen the impact of our work with our customers who, through intelligent location data, are identifying revenues in ways once thought impossible. Here at Naurt, we can imagine a future where there is a new technological revolution based on location hyper-precision and we believe strongly that Naurt is the company to make this happen.”
19 Oct 21. Leonardo’s Newest Plate Reader Solution Makes ALPR/ANPR Technology More Affordable.
- This economical system answers a need for agencies of all size
- Solar power and cellular modem eliminate the need for electrical and communications infrastructure
At Milipol Paris 2021, the leading event for Homeland Security and Safety, Leonardo, the manufacturer of the highly advanced ELSAG Plate Hunter® automatic license plate recognition (ALPR/ANPR) technology for law enforcement, announced a new, autonomous license/number plate reader that delivers an economical means of deploying ALPR/ANPR in cities and neighborhoods—a solution that answers a specific request from customers. The solar-powered, pole-mounted, all-in-one ELSAG® Street Sentry is a low-cost system and a key component of Leonardo’s initiative to make ALPR/ANPR technology accessible for agencies of all sizes.
“It makes the force-multiplying benefits of our ALPR affordable, even for small agencies. Couple that with our industry-leading support and it’s never been a better time to start or grow your ALPR program.”
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Leonardo’s ELSAG Street Sentry expands Leonardo’s robust ecosystem of ALPR/ANPR solutions deployed by law enforcement to aid a myriad of public safety objectives, dramatically increasing officers’ productivity by finding suspect vehicles quickly. “Street Sentry is a game-changer,” said Jason Laquatra, general manager of Leonardo’s U.S. subsidiary Selex ES Inc. “It makes the force-multiplying benefits of our ALPR affordable, even for small agencies. Couple that with our industry-leading support and it’s never been a better time to start or grow your ALPR program.”
The ELSAG Street Sentry reads plates 24/7 on city and neighborhood streets to identify suspect vehicles and provide data to officers for real-time interdiction and investigations. Agencies can install it at a single location or at multiple sites to create an ALPR/ANPR safety net in their community. Street Sentry seamlessly incorporates into existing ELSAG ALPR/ANPR networks or performs effectively on its own. This solar-powered solution will be attractive to agencies with green initiatives.
Leonardo’s mission is to continually advance ALPR/ANPR technology to help federal, state, and local law enforcement combat vehicle-related crime. The new ALPR/ANPR solution is part of a wider Leonardo offering portfolio which includes advanced command and control and intelligence solutions able to support effective and coordinated law enforcement operations on the field, in normal and emergency conditions, thanks to the integration of professional communication solutions. “Our long history of ALPR development helps us to build strong partnerships with agencies globally,” said Laquatra. “Every solution we bring to market is purpose-built and field-tested for the quality and dependability required for the critical rigors of law enforcement, and we’re excited about the opportunities Street Sentry brings to the safety of our communities.” (Source: BUSINESS WIRE)
18 Oct 21. US and UK research labs collaborate on autonomy and AI. Integrated artificial intelligence technologies to support the armed forces are being developed as part of an international partnership agreement. The Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL), in partnership with the UK’s Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (Dstl), have demonstrated for the first time the ability for the US and the UK to jointly develop, select, train, and deploy state-of-the-art machine learning algorithms in support of the armed forces of each of the 2 nations. This research is designed to support adjacent collaborating US and UK brigades with enduring wide-area situational awareness. It aims to improve decision-making, increase operational tempo, reduce risk to life, and reduce manpower burden. The dual in-person and virtual demonstration was hosted jointly at AFRL’s Information Directorate in Rome, New York, and at Dstl’s site near Salisbury on 18 October 2021. The demonstration highlighted integrated artificial intelligence (AI) technologies across the 2 nations, showcasing the ability to share data and algorithms through a common development and deployment platform to enable the rapid selection, testing, and deployment of artificial intelligence capabilities. The event was made possible by a UK and US Partnership Agreement concerning autonomy and artificial intelligence collaboration, established in December 2020. This was the first of a rotational series of events to be hosted by the joint and international signatories of the Autonomy and Artificial Intelligence Collaboration (AAIC) Partnership Agreement.
Leadership participants from both the US and the UK attended in person, with virtual participation by attendees from all services and the United States Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering (OUSDR&E).
The AAIC Partnership Agreement effort is led by the United States Department of the Air Force (with AFRL as the lead agency for the US Air Force) in partnership with OUSDR&E, the US Navy and Army, and the UK’s Dstl.
Dr Robert W Sadowski, US Army DEVCOM, said:
We are dedicated to getting robotics and autonomous systems capability into the hands of the warfighters.
Advances in robotics and autonomy will make our formations more capable and mission-ready while providing protection to our warfighters through unprecedented stand-off while enabling enhanced lethality on the battlefield.
The 4-year partnership agreement includes objectives to accelerate joint UK/US development and sharing of AI technology and capabilities. It spans from foundational research in test verification and validation, to AI algorithm research and development, to joint experiments advancing the joint all-domain command and control capabilities of both nations.
Dr Lee M Seversky, AFRL lead for the demonstration and the US Project Agreement, said:
The October 18 event demonstrated how the UK and US can integrate AI technology to create the first end-to-end machine learning research, development, and deployment ecosystem, enabling rapid data sharing, algorithm development, evaluation, and deployment.
AI will play a critical role in accelerating decision making to meet the pace and scale of the future battlespace.
During the demonstration, the simulated scenario focused on how the UK and US can cooperate and share AI capabilities to support the ‘close’ fight. Where both countries operate in adjacent areas, they are able to share data, AI algorithms and capability tightly during mission execution.
The demonstration brought together key technologies from both nations. The UK’s Model Cards are able to present to a commander the ability to quickly understand, explore, and select appropriate machine learning (ML) models to deploy in mission. The US StreamlinedML is a government-owned, extensible open platform to quickly build ML workflows, train and evaluate ML models, and deploy them regardless of the source or ML software stack use – taking advantage of the best of breed ML technology spanning commercial, academia and government.
Dstl’s Todd Robinson heads up the UK element to the project, and said:
This collaboration with AFRL and the US services is crucial to drive the very latest AI technology into military operations and innovative research in both nations.
The demonstration is just the first step toward our ambition of deploying novel AI that can learn in the field into an experimental trial environment, something that hasn’t been done before and is only possible due to this collaboration.
The demonstration successfully showed the integration of 15 state-of-the-art machine learning algorithms, 12 UK and US datasets, 5 automated ML workflows for training and retraining models based on mission needs, and the ability deploy the models as a service to target end users and platforms.
This is the first of a series of joint technical and operation experiments planned under the 4 year partnership agreement. (Source: https://www.gov.uk/government)
11 Oct 21. Curtiss-Wright’s Defense Solutions, a leading supplier of rugged modular open systems approach (MOSA) solutions engineered to succeed, introduced two new natural convection-cooled system solutions designed in compliance with the U.S. Army CCDC C5ISR Center’s CMOSS standard and aligned with the SOSA Technical Standard 1.0.
In support of its commitment to lead the industry in delivering rugged MOSA solutions, Curtiss-Wright announced the new CMOSS/SOSA Starter Kit (CSSK). Designed for use on ground combat vehicle (GCV) platforms, the CSSK speeds the development and demonstration of CMOSS/SOSA solutions by providing a pre-integrated 4-slot SWaP-optimized 3U VPX system that combines a VICTORY network module (Aligned with SOSA Profile: 14.4.14 DP/CP Switch), A-PNT module (Aligned with SOSA Profile: 14.9.2 Radial Clock), single board computer (aligned with SOSA Profile: 14.2.16 I/O Intensive) and 3U VPX power supply unit.
Curtiss-Wright also announced its new 8-Slot CMOSS/SOSA aligned Enclosure that provides a highly configurable rugged platform for Ground Mobile and GCV environments. The powered chassis features 8 3U OpenVPX slots, all of which are aligned with the SOSA Technical Standard 1.0. It features one External I/O slot, one I/O Intensive Compute Slot, four Generic Payload slots, one Data Plane/Control Plane Switch Slot, and one Radial Clock Slot that supports Assured-PNT functionality.
Curtiss-Wright’s new CMOSS chassis are designed to meet the U.S. Army PEO Ground Combat Systems (GCS) Standardized A-Kit / Vehicle Envelope (SAVE), a new standard that defines internal mounting and physical interfaces for connecting CMOSS systems and radios to platforms. These fan-free chassis are ideal for use in Ground Combat Vehicle, and Tactical Wheeled Vehicle Platforms, as well as high performance ground or rotary wing processing applications.
“Curtiss-Wright is leveraging its industry leading MOSA hardware and system integration expertise to bring the widest range of CMOSS and the SOSA Technical Standard 1.0 aligned solutions to market,” said Chris Wiltsey, Senior Vice President and General Manager, Curtiss-Wright Defense Solutions. “In support of the DoD’s mandate for MOSA-based solutions, our new CMOSS/SOSA Starter Kit and 8-Slot CMOSS/SOSA aligned rugged chassis help ground vehicle system designers rapidly get started on demonstrating and fielding their new applications and delivering new capabilities to the warfighter.”
About the CSSK:
The CMOSS/SOSA Starter Kit packages best-in-class system building blocks in a ready-to-run 28V powered 3U OpenVPX chassis. This compact enclosure is pre-integrated with:
- VPX3-687: VICTORY Network
- Integrated Ethernet switch module provides 1GbE VICTORY network capabilities to the platform.
- VPX3-673: A-PNT
- Integrated A-PNT card has integrated CSAC, IMU, and GBGRAM Type-II SAASM/M-Code receiver. External network-enabled sensors can also be added and integrated with the pntOS software.
- VPX3-1260: Intel 8th Gen Xeon Processor
- Integrated Intel 8th Gen Xeon E-2276ME SBC provides general-purpose processing for hosting battle management software (JBC-P/MMC), in addition to other applications, in a virtualized environment.
About the 8-Slot CMOSS/SOSA Technical Standard 1.0 aligned 3U OpenVPX Chassis:
The new 8-Slot CMOSS/SOSA aligned powered enclosure provides the highest functional density available using natural convection cooling. It accommodates a wide range of capability and I/O, with little-to-no modification, enabling this enclosure to be part of the A-kit, or fixed infrastructure, hardware for all Army ground vehicles. All of the 8-Slot Chassis’ slots are aligned to the SOSA Technical Standard 1.0. They support one External I/O slot, one I/O Intensive Compute Slot, four Generic Payload slots, one Data Plane/Control Plane Switch Slot, and one Radial Clock Slot providing Assured-PNT functionality. It also provides Dual Power Supplies and supports load sharing. Software support includes Curtiss-Wright’s Embedded Chassis Manager.
11 Oct 21. Curtiss-Wright’s Defense Solutions, today announced that its PacStar® business, a leading developer and supplier of advanced communications solutions for the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD), has introduced an enhanced version of its popular PacStar 451 rugged, small form factor network server. Now, with support for Intelligent Platform Management Interface (IPMI), the new PacStar 451-NR enables users to remotely set-up and manage their tactical server hardware, greatly easing and speeding ease of use and deployment. Media resources, such as DVDs, USB drives and ISO files can be accessed using a remote keyboard, video and mouse (KVM) over IP networks, eliminating the need for the operator to be physically present.
The enhanced PacStar 451-NR also adds the industry’s highest density support for high-speed NVMe storage. The server now hosts three NVMe drives, two packaged in removable cartridges, measuring only 1” x 2.5” housing up to 4TB drives. The PacStar 451 module can run standalone or be rapidly integrated into a larger PacStar 400-Series based packaging solution, which can support up to 9 PacStar 400-Series modules in a 4RU form factor.
“Our PacStar business consistently sets the industry standard for bringing the latest enterprise-class network and compute performance to rugged, SWaP-optimized solutions designed to deliver optimal performance in harsh battlefield environments,” said Chris Wiltsey, Senior Vice President and General Manager, Curtiss-Wright Defense Solutions division. “The new PacStar 451-NR server provides a perfect example, newly enhanced to provide more and faster storage while speeding deployment with IPMI remote network management support.”
“We are committed to delivering the highest-performance compute and networking solutions at the tactical edge of the battlefield,” said Peggy Miller, Senior General Manager, PacStar Business Unit, Curtiss-Wright Defense Solutions division. “Our customers are seeking high-performance, rugged solutions to support system hyperconvergence on the move. With its remote management capability and super-fast, high-density storage, the PacStar 451-NR is designed to provide the easiest-to-use communications solutions for the warfighter. Combined with our IQ-Core® Software, PacStar 400-Series products provide maximum visibility into network operations and management, speeding the deployment of applications at the edge, to ensure access to advanced technology, even in a disconnected, intermittent and limited environment.”
About the PacStar 451-NR
PacStar 451-NR Small Server Module is a high-performance virtualization platform in a compact, quick setup, rugged form factor. It is equipped with Intel® Xeon® D processors providing either 8, 12, or 16 physical CPU cores, up to 128 GB RAM, 10 GigE SFP+ networking, and more than 8TB NVMe storage. Capable of hosting a vast array of applications, virtualized network functions, storage, analytic and cybersecurity technologies, PacStar 451 delivers this industry-leading performance in a 2.5 lb., MIL-STD tested platform for flyaway, command post, ground vehicle and aircraft applications.
Powering CSfC Networking Solutions
The PacStar 451 recently completed cryptographic and cybersecurity testing in accordance to the Common Criteria Evaluation and Validation Scheme (CCEVS) with Cisco Adaptive Security Virtual Appliance (ASAv) 9.12. certified with Cisco Adaptive Security Virtual Appliance (ASAv) 9.12. The successful completion of Common Criteria certification extends the servers’ full firewall functionality for use in classified networking solutions and enables customers to obtain or renew an Authorization to Operate (ATO). PacStar 400-Series servers with Cisco ASAv deliver a range of rugged, small form-factor networking appliances for use as a traffic filtering firewall and VPN gateway. These solutions are optimal for a wide variety of tactical and expeditionary use cases that require network protection and encryption of data-in-transit – including use in classified networks protected by commercial solutions.
11 Oct 21. Curtiss-Wright Defense Solutions Introduces New Starter Kit System and 8-Slot OpenVPX™ Chassis to Speed Development of CMOSS/SOSA Technical Standard 1.0 Aligned Solutions. Curtiss-Wright’s Defense Solutions, a leading supplier of rugged modular open systems approach (MOSA) solutions engineered to succeed, today announced that it is collaborating with NI (formerly National Instruments) to bring advanced high-performance Software Defined Radio technology to deployed applications aligned with The Open Group Sensor Open Systems Architecture™ (SOSA) and U.S. Army’s C5ISR/EW Modular Open Suite of Standards (CMOSS) technical standards. Curtiss-Wright’s new VPX3-E320 Ruggedized Universal Software-Defined Radio module, developed under agreement with NI, is the first fully rugged OpenVPX variant of the popular Ettus Research USRP E320 SDR solution, enabling applications developed in the lab to be seamlessly transitioned to mission hardware. The conduction cooled 3U OpenVPX module speeds and eases the integration of critical SDR capabilities, such as deployed SIGINT, tactical communications, and reconfigurable jamming, into platforms deployed in harsh environments.
“Reflecting our commitment to be the industry leader in delivering best-in-class CMOSS and SOSA aligned solutions, our innovative agreement with NI enables us to be the first to bring the functionality of the Ettus Research USRP E320 software defined radio to open architecture OpenVPX systems,” said Chris Wiltsey, Senior Vice President and General Manager, Curtiss-Wright Defense Solutions. “In support of the DoD’s mandate for MOSA-based solutions, our VPX3-E320 SDR 3U OpenVPX module provides system designers with a compelling choice for deploying rugged battlefield communications capabilities.”
“Dominance of the electromagnetic spectrum has never been more critical to mission success. NI is committed to accelerating the transition of new communications and EW capabilities from concept to laboratory to the warfighter,” said Luke Schreier, Senior Vice President and General Manager of NI’s Aerospace, Defense, and Government Business Unit. “Our collaboration with Curtiss-Wright on the VPX3-E320 provides system designers with a direct path to migrate IP from NI prototyping hardware to mission systems.”
About the VPX3-E320
Developed under agreement with NI, Curtiss-Wright’s VPX3-E320 SDR module is an OpenVPX functional equivalent variant of the Ettus Research USRP E320. The module is fully compatible with the USRP Hardware Driver (UHD) and features a flexible 2 x 2 MIMO RF Agile Transceiver with 12-bit ADCs and DACs. The board supports tunable bandwidths from 200 kHz to 56 MHz over a frequency range from 70 MHz to 6 GHz. As part of the product roadmap, Curtiss-Wright will add a “step-down” converter to this board to accommodate frequencies down to 30 MHz for use on combat net radios. Baseband signal processing uses a Xilinx Zynq 7045 System-on-Chip FPGA to deliver accelerated FPGA computations and software-based processing using its dual-core Arm® CPU. Device configuration can be accomplished with the NI USRP UHD, either through GNU Radio or with common programming languages such as Python or C++. Applications previously developed on the USRP E320 will port directly to the VPX3-E320.
The VPX3-E320 module’s backplane I/O is designed for alignment with the latest RF system implementation standards, including CMOSS, the Vehicular Integration for C4ISR/EW Interoperability (VICTORY), and Modular Open RF Architecture (MORA). Designed for superior durability and reliable operation in harsh environments, the VPX3-E320 incorporates Curtiss-Wright’s industry-leading rugged hardware design and validation practices to meet the stringent requirements of the most demanding front-line conditions.
19 Oct 21. ADEX 2021: KAI working on MUM-T capability for its armed helicopters. Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) has confirmed that it is working on providing its newest armed helicopters with a manned-unmanned teaming (MUM-T) capability. At the Seoul International Aerospace & Defense Exhibition 2021 (ADEX 2021) held from 19 to 23 October, the company showcased a model of the Surion Marine Attack Helicopter (MAH) fitted with an enlarged stub wing-type structure mounting four canisters, each of which is designed to launch either a small unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) or a loitering munition. KAI’s Surion MAH will be developed to meet a Republic of Korea Marine Corps (RoKMC) requirement for 20–24 such rotorcraft. The country’s Defense Project Promotion Committee decided in April that the development and acquisition project, which has been provisionally budgeted at KRW1.6trn (USD1.44 bn), is expected to begin in 2022 and be completed by 2031. The aircraft is aimed at enhancing the service’s amphibious assault capabilities, particularly in the northwestern islands near the inter-Korean border, by providing aerial fire support, among other things. The helicopter must be compatible for operations alongside the KAI MUH-1 Marineon helicopter, which is in RoKMC service. A scale model of the MAH was displayed for the first time at ADEX 2019. (Source: Janes)
19 Oct 21. DefenderShield Introduces the Faraday Line – The Only Signal-Proof Bags with Full Wireless Protection From 5G Cyberattacks. DefenderShield® has launched its new cybersecurity technology—the Faraday Line—your last line of defense from hacking, tracking, and cyberattacks. DefenderShield’s unmatched Security and Privacy Series uses its Ultra Armor™ shielding technology, the only military-grade shielding lab-tested to block the entire accessible 5G spectrum and all wireless frequencies up to 90 GHz.
Other Faraday bags can only block up to 40 GHz, if that. As 5G continues to expand in consumer and commercial applications beyond 50 GHz, devices are left vulnerable to cyberattacks with higher frequency bands.
DefenderShield’s signal-proof Faraday products range from phone and laptop sleeves to duffel bags, lined with 360° wireless shielding to ensure complete protection from radiofrequency hackers.
Enclosing your devices in these products will instantly suspend all network communication, including radio-frequency identification, near-field communication, cellular (1G-5G), GPS, WiFi, and Bluetooth. It will also block 100% of RFID tags like contactless payment, electronic passports and IDs.
As 5G technology expands and develops, the rate of cybercrimes is only expected to increase.
“Maintaining privacy for individuals is vital in today’s age where so many cybercriminals will utilize frequency hacking to gain access to devices within a short distance,” says James R. McQuiggan, CISSP (Certified Information Systems Security Professional). “To effectively protect [devices] and one’s privacy, keeping the device inside [Faraday] cages prevents external threats from attacking the device.” McQuiggan is a Security Awareness Advocate for KnowBe4 and Valencia College professor.
Even when not in use, any personal or business device can be wirelessly tethered to a hacker’s phone, and sensitive data can be stolen and stored on an outside server. This leaves individuals, nations, and enterprises at a higher risk of radio-based attacks.
DefenderShield CEO Daniel DeBaun, a telecommunications engineer and executive for over 30 years at Bell and AT&T labs, collaborated with expert alloy manufacturers to develop the Ultra Armor™ shielding used in DefenderShield’s Faraday Line.
About DefenderShield:
DefenderShield is a world recognized e-commerce health and wellness technology company. Co-founded in 2011 by former telecom engineer Daniel DeBaun and his son Ryan DeBaun, DefenderShield’s mission is to improve digital wellness and reduce the harmful effects of technology. Its Faraday Line is the newest addition to its online product offerings that block electromagnetic frequencies (EMF) from mobile devices and wireless networks. (Source: BUSINESS WIRE)
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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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