16 Aug 10. Lockheed Martin has successfully conducted the first flight of the F-35 Electro-Optical Targeting System (EOTS) on the Cooperative Avionics Test Bed (CATBird) platform. EOTS maturation on the CATBird is the final step prior to integration on the BF-4, the first mission systems-equipped F-35 test aircraft.
“The CATBird’s dynamic flight environment provides the first opportunity to test and evaluate how EOTS integrates into the F-35’s fused sensor architecture,” said Rich Hinkle, program director of F-35 EOTS at Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control. “After three years of rigorous testing on the Sabreliner aircraft, EOTS is more than ready for CATBird integration and we’re excited to reach this important milestone.”
The CATBird, a modified 737 aircraft, contains an actual F-35 cockpit and test stations to perform real-time analysis as mission systems are evaluated. The CATBird also provides the capability to fuse sensor information, which mimics how the F-35’s fused sensor architecture will offer pilots higher quality, shared sensor information compared with legacy platforms’ federated sensor architectures. During the current Block 1.0 software system test, EOTS operated in an integrated mode and collected aircraft navigation data for sensor alignment.
25 Aug 10. Lockheed Martin successfully identified and tracked four live targets during a test of its Multi-Mission Signal Processor (MMSP) being fielded as part of the Aegis next-generation Ballistic Missile Defense (BMD) capability. The MMSP is part of the Navy’s Advanced Capability Build 12 system, intended to help combine next-generation Aegis BMD and anti-air warfare (AAW) capabilities in an open combat system architecture. “This is our second demonstration of the MMSP capability, and both have successfully shown its abilities to detect and track targets,” said Allan Croly, director, Naval Radar Programs, for Lockheed Martin’s Mission Systems and Sensors business unit. “MMSP allows our customers to track threats that would have gone undetected with lesser capabilities.” The first demonstration conducted earlier this year showcased the radar’s AAW capability while this test focused on the radar’s BMD capability. Both were conducted using an augmented Aegis system at the Navy’s land-based test facility, the Vice Admiral James H. Doyle Combat Systems Engineering Development Site in New Jersey. Additional testing will occur through 2011.
23 Aug 10. The Pentagon has put a Lockheed missile contract on hold until the company fixes flawed safety devices and assembles its newest interceptor missile, according to the head of the US Missile Defense Agency. Lieutenant General Patrick O’Reilly said Lockheed will not receive the new missile defence contract until it rectifies and starts assembling the interceptors. Lockheed is a year behind schedule for delivering the first 24 missiles, and is under a second contract to deliver another 24 missiles, according to Bloomberg. The new contract, worth more than $400m, is for a third batch of missiles, O’Reilly said.
The interceptor is one of the main components of the new missile defence, which was planned to be deployed in the Middle East against Iran’s medium and long-range ballistic missiles. (Source: airforcetechnology.com)
25 Aug 10. Dr. A Sivathanu Pillai, CEO and MD of BrahMos Aerospace and Chief Controller from Defence Research Lab DRDO says that the air force version of BrahMos cruise missile will be ready by 2012. Speaking to the media persons in Bangaluru on Wednesday, Pillai said tests are conducted to mount Brahmos supersonic missiles on Sukhoi 30 MKi. He informed that the missile weight has to be reduced; the booster needs to be tested and integrated with the pilot controls. The final flight test with Brahmos attachment will be tested in India by 2012, he added. Pillai also disclosed that there are plans to test the underwater launch capabilities of Brahmos for our Submarines. Reacting to a question Pi