Sponsored By Oxley Developments
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02 Sep 21. ARC, Inc. Embarks on Data Fusion Project for the U.S. Army Under AI-Based Weapon Sensing for JADC2 Contract. Last month, Armaments Research Company, Inc. (ARC) announced a new 5-year, $60m Small Business Innovative Research (SBIR) Phase III contract, awarded by the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) and General Services Administration (GSA) as part of the military’s ‘Joint All-Domain Command and Control’ (JADC2) project portfolio. Today, ARC announced Task Orders 1 and 3, the first projects to be delivered under the ‘Indefinite Delivery, Indefinite Quantity’ (IDIQ) contract. These projects will focus on fusing data from its miniaturized AI-enabled edge computing sensors with other battlefield data sources to transmit decision-quality information to tactical forces through mobile and mixed reality platforms.
The projects will leverage machine learning to create richer data insights and optimize information sharing among soldiers. Frontier technology emerging from priority programs, including Integrated Visual Augmentation System (IVAS), Next Generation Squad Weapon (NGSW), and Nett Warrior, will be integrated into core soldier equipment for a seamless user experience. Ultimately, the development effort aspires to ensure the right information is transmitted to the right warfighter at the right time and is visualized through the right medium for more effective response to ground threats.
“The most exciting and rewarding aspect of this project is its origin,” says Michael Canty, ARC’s Chief Executive Officer. “This project began with soldier-centric design: Special Operations Command (SOCOM) and conventional force end users collaborating with us to create features that would solve their pain points. Fortunately, Army program offices found value in that approach.”
ARC technical solutions and case studies are available for individual demonstration. Interested parties are invited to visit armaments.us and contact for more information.
About Armaments Research Company, Inc.: Founded in 2016, ARC is a privately-owned, top-secret-cleared, Washington D.C.-based technology firm, led in tandem by pioneering technology experts and combat-tested military veterans. ARC’s original solutions were developed under DARPA and National Science Foundation sponsorship, leveraging state-of-the-art internet-of-things (IoT) and machine learning (ML) technologies to transform weapons into information nodes or ‘sensors’ and arm Commanders with advanced, real-time decision support. (Source: BUSINESS WIRE)
02 Sep 21. New Power- & Ground-only VPX Backplanes from Elma Increase Flexibility, Reduce Development Time for Embedded Systems.
Ideal for system designs based on open standards
Technology Highlights:
- Flexibility to meet VPX, OpenVPX, CMOSS, HOST, SOSA, custom requirements
- Handle data rates up to 100 GB for high-speed system development
- With or without apertures to accommodate modern RF, optical connectors
Elma Electronic Inc. has expanded its line of power- and ground-only VPX backplanes to include flexible design options that meet the needs of today’s high-speed, open standards-based system architectures. These include OpenVPX, CMOSS- and HOST-compliant hardware as well as systems aligned to The Open Group Sensor System Open Architecture™ (SOSA) Technical Standard or even custom designs. System designers can cost-effectively test and build open standards-based embedded systems and reduce development time using the new backplanes. Available with or without apertures, they accommodate a range of high-speed RF and optical connectors. The expanded range of power- and ground-only backplanes are designed for next-gen data rates of 40 Gbps and up to 100 Gpbs.
Ram Rajan, Sr. VP of Engineering with Elma Electronic Inc, said, “For an embedded designer moving a system to market, development time and ease of use are critical. By freeing up all available pins during system development, these new power- and ground-only backplanes enable rapid test and retest of different profile configurations.”
Aside from the pins assigned for 3.3V, 5V and 12V power, and the defined ground and utility planes, all pins are user-defined. The rear connectors are all fully populated and can be accessed with Elma’s slot-to-slot or slot-to-I/O bulkhead cable assemblies for system development.
About Elma Electronic Inc.
Elma Electronic Inc. is a global manufacturer of commercial, industrial and rugged electronic products for embedded systems and application-ready platforms – from components, embedded boards, backplanes, chassis and enclosures, power supplies, to fully integrated subsystems.
With one of the widest product ranges available in the embedded industry, Elma also offers standard and custom cabinets and enclosures as well as precision components such as rotary switches/encoders, LEDs, front panels and small cases.
Elma leverages proven technology based on VITA, PICMG, and other standards-based architectures (i.e. OpenVPX, SOSA™, VME, CompactPCI Serial, COM Express and PCIe/104). Elma is also actively engaged in designing solutions for applications requiring smaller footprints.
Elma Electronic manages entire projects from initial system architecture to specification, design, manufacturing and test through its worldwide production facilities and sales offices. The company serves the mil/aero, industrial, research, telecom, medical and commercial markets and is certified to ISO 9001 and AS 9100.
With U.S. headquarters in Fremont, Calif., the company maintains multiple sales, engineering and manufacturing operations in Atlanta, Ga., and Philadelphia, Pa.
31 Aug 21. DARPA Transitions Next-Generation Phased Array System to Support Future Defense R&D. DARPA today announced that a first-of-its-kind sensor system developed under the Arrays at Commercial Timescales – Integration and Validation (ACT-IV) program has transitioned to the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) for continued advancement and experimentation. Northrop Grumman, the primary research team on the ACT-IV program, facilitated the transition of the advanced digital active electronically scanned array (AESA) to the Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in Dayton, OH.
ACT-IV is a novel multifunction AESA system that is capable of simultaneously performing different operations, such as radar, electronic warfare (EW), and communications functions, at different modes. At the system’s core is an advanced semiconductor device – or common module – fabricated in commercial silicon that was originally developed by DARPA’s Arrays at Commercial Timescales (ACT) program. Now concluded, the ACT program sought to shorten phased array design cycles and simplify the process of upgrading fielded capabilities. The ACT common module – a digitally-interconnected building block from which large systems can be formed – was developed as a more efficient alternative to substantial undertakings with traditional monolithic array systems. In addition to the ACT module, the ACT-IV system employs a computational model capable of efficiently receiving and computing on the significant amounts of input data generated by each module.
“With the ACT-IV program, we were able to realize the vision of ACT by developing an advanced sensor system with ACT common modules,” said Tom Rondeau, the program manager leading ACT-IV. “The resulting system went through extensive testing and demonstrations to validate its capabilities, proving out a sixth-generation array with a scalable, customizable core that could work across varied application spaces. Transitioning the ACT-IV system to AFRL will enable continued exploration of digital, multifunctional RF technologies for defense needs.”
Another critical aspect of the ACT-IV program was the creation of a third-party developer community to enable continued use and advancement of the technologies. Teams from government research labs and university-affiliated research centers developed a curriculum and training program that provides developers and researchers with the necessary knowledge and know-how to continue building on the work of the ACT-IV program. The growing community has already generated a number of tools and applications, including a more agile software development model for RF phased arrays. At the Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, the ACT-IV system will become a Department of Defense (DoD)-wide asset for testing and experimentation with new modes of radar, communications, sensing, and EW. The software, algorithms, and capabilities developed on the program will also transition to next-generation multifunction RF systems to support advanced defense development programs and a future open-architecture environment. (Source: ASD Network)
01 Sep 21. NSA awards $2bn high-performance computing contract. The U.S. National Security Agency awarded Hewlett Packard Enterprise a $2bn contract for high-performance computing capabilities the agency needs to meet its artificial intelligence and data analytics requirements, the company announced Wednesday.
Under the 10-year contract, the intelligence agency will pay to use HPE’s high-performance computing technology as a service. As part of the contract, HPE will build a new service that includes a combination of its Apollo data storage system and ProLiant servers, “which ingest and process high volumes of data, and support deep learning and artificial intelligence capabilities,” according to a company press release.
The contract award will provide NSA with the a secure and flexible platform to “meet their growing data management needs,” the press release stated.
“Implementing artificial intelligence, machine learning and analytics capabilities on massive sets of data increasingly requires High Performance Computing (HPC) systems” said Justin Hotard, senior vice president and general manager, HPC and Mission Critical Solutions (MCS) at HPE. “Customers are demanding HPC capabilities on their most data-intensive projects combined with easy, simple, and agile management.”
The company said NSA could access the service starting in 2022.
(Source: glstrade.com/Defense News)
01 Sep 21. Flying Ship & PROBOTEK to Deliver Smart Robotic Wing-in-Ground-Effect Maritime Vessels. The Flying Ship Technologies, Corp. and PROBOTEK have signed an agreement to work collaboratively and jointly integrate PROBOTEK’s proprietary technologies and software into Flying Ship’s ground effect vessels to enable smart, safe and green autonomous and semi-autonomous operations with realtime vessel system monitoring and reactive collision avoidance.
“PROBOTEK’s experience integrating operationally proven artificial intelligence and BVLOS control operation systems will be a critical asset for Flying Ships,” said Flying Ship CEO, Bill Peterson. “The Flying Ship team is one hundred percent committed to safety and reducing greenhouse gas emissions through our all-electric vessels. We look forward to working with PROBOTEK to integrate secure and reliable navigation systems that are interoperable with the European maritime logistics network.”
“Flying Ship is an exciting and innovative entrant into the logistics market,” said PROBOTEK CEO, George Delaportas. “Our capabilities in artificial intelligence and mission-critical software platforms are a natural fit for their autonomous ground effect vessels.”
This agreement will also assist the joint teams to pursue a market of potential customers and investors more effectively.
“Flying Ship and PROBOTEK will work together on financial support to develop the vessel in Greece,” said Flying Ship Executive Vice President and COO, Gus Bateas. “Our ultimate goal is to enhance connectivity among the Greek islands and the mainland through safer and more reliable on-time cargo delivery to an increased number of delivery points.”
“The huge number of Greek islands creates strong demand for a distributed maritime logistics network that is fast, cost effective, and green,” said PROBOTEK COO, Panagiotis Apostolopoulos. “There’s an incredible business opportunity to improve the quality of life for people through better delivery options for perishable goods, like groceries, medicine, and retail items.” (Source: UAS VISION)
31 Aug 21. Texas Military Department opens 3D-printed barracks. The Texas Military Department (TMD) plans to house up to 72 Texas National Guard members in a newly constructed 3D-printed barracks. Working with Austin-based construction company ICON and AFWERX, the Air Force’s innovation incubator, TMD designed and built the first “innovative training barracks” at the Camp Swift Training Center in Bastrop, Texas. By 3D printing the 3,800 square-foot bay-style building, TMD delivered the barracks faster and at one-third the cost of traditional construction methods. The barracks, which will be fitted with communal bathrooms and showers, will be the largest 3D-printed structure in North America and is expected to last for decades. Designed by Logan Architecture and structurally engineered by Fort Structures, the barracks were printed using ICON’s Vulcan construction system between December 2020 and April 2021. Ordinarily, 3D printing uses a digitally-generated design to manufacture thin layers of material that are stacked on top of each other, eventually forming a physical object. Here, a construction-scale printer deposited streams of polymer concrete to create the foundation and walls of the barracks. The end product is said to be capable of withstanding extreme weather conditions including natural disasters. In addition, the structure will be more sustainable than conventional construction material and resilient to more common issues such as mold or water intrusions, ICON Co-Founder Evan Loomis said. The Texas National Guard plans to build more 3D-printed barracks at Camp Swift and around the state, including ones in Camp Bowie, Camp Maxey and potentially Camp Mabry, TMD Maj. Gen. Tracy Norris told Stars and Stripes. The 3D-printed facilities may also be deployed in forward locations for expeditionary forces, where the technology can potentially reduce time, cost and construction risks, TMD officials said. (Source: Defense Systems)
31 Aug 21. Microelectronics supply chain challenges and zero trust. The Defense Department’s concerns about supply chain security have only increased over the past year as the COVID-19 pandemic has exposed manufacturing challenges. But when it comes to microelectronics, better risk assessment to breed better policy.
“We are facing, not just the after effects of COVID, but as we look forward we see the effects of…instability added into the supply chain over the next several decades,” said Rep. Mikie Sherrill (D-N.J.), vice chair of the House Armed Services Subcommittee on Tactical Air and Land Forces and a former Navy helicopter pilot, during an Aug. 23 Hudson Institute virtual event on microelectronics, naming environmental threats, weather, politics and economic policies that counter U.S. interests as potential instabilities.
“In the defense industry, we have put it on the backs of so many of the manufacturers, so many of the purchasers and suppliers to keep track of the supply chain and drill down on where things come from,” Sherrill said. “The Defense Department has got to do a lot better at assessing the risk — the country has to do a lot better at assessing the risk — so we really can make good policy decisions.”
There’s been an increased focus on microelectronics and semiconductor manufacturing in recent National Defense Authorization Acts, primarily addressing reshoring efforts and scoping security concerns.
The House Armed Services Committee recently concluded a probe into defense supply chain issues. The Defense Supply Chain Task Force, which Sherrill was on, found that DOD’s small market presence in semiconductors and microelectronics “impedes direct access to corporate data required to fully and independently assess” the microelectronics supply chain.
But securing these tiny, intricate chips essential to weapons systems and computing devices is another story. Victoria Coleman, chief Scientist for the Air Force, said part of the solution is embracing zero trust, which DOD has begun to embrace, “removes the focus of attention from the process that was used to create something.”
“It’s a little bit like deciding to buy a stroller for your child. Would you buy a stroller that you had never been tested, but it came out of a factory that is well known for making strollers? Most people wouldn’t. So we need to replace faith in [the] process with faith in the product that comes out of that.”
Coleman suggested building safety cases for better cybersecurity, taking a cue from the safety critical systems community, which includes protocols for aircraft manufacturers and medical equipment, such as diagnostic or treatment machines that use high radiation levels.
“For each one of those systems, that community has to build something that I call a safety case, which is a logical argument that lays out the criticality of the various functions that the system contains. Depending on this criticality, there have to be mitigations. There has to be test data …analytical data, and all of that comes together in a safety case,” Coleman said at the Aug. 23 event.
“I think when we think about zero trust as an approach to get us out of this hole, I think we need to start thinking about assurance cases for all these systems that take into account, not only about the product parameters, but also in the case of the DOD, the context within which it gets embedded.”
Coleman stressed that cyber vulnerabilities in these systems were virtually guaranteed and stressed resilience as the main line of defense.
“Let’s build them in such a way that they’re actually resilient,” she said. “So when these things hit us, we can contain the infection and we can contain a lot of breakage, so that it doesn’t spread to the whole system.” (Source: Defense Systems)
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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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