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17 Aug 22. Russian Anti-Drone EW System Attacked by Ukrainian Drone.
A video circulating on social media shows the moment a Ukrainian-operated drone hits an advanced Russian anti-drone system.
The unmanned aerial vehicle drops a bomb on an RLK-MC-A (ROSC-1) “Valdai” system, which is supposed to help Russian troops detect and destroy enemy drones.
The system is not attacked by a Bayraktar or Switchblade 600 military drone, but by a civilian model modified for military operations. The incident suggests either that Valdai cannot intercept small drones like those produced by DJI, or that it is malfunctioning.
The anti-drone system was developed by the Lianozovo Electromechanical factory. Work on the project began in 2016, and the system entered Russian military service in 2021.
The video was filmed from what likely was a small commercial drone rigged for dropping attached munitions. Similar devices see widespread use in the conflict, employed on both sides by both regular Ukrainian and Russian armed forces and various volunteer, paramilitary and guerilla units.
The drone appears to be dropping three modified hand grenades – RKG-3 or a similar model – with additional fins attached. The grenades explode around one of the subsystems of the station.
The question of what exactly attacked still remains. According to the description under the original video, it was “Silok”, an electronic warfare system designed to locate and disable drones at the distance of up to 4 kilometers (2.5 miles).
Some components of the system visible in the video – particularly the electronic control and radio monitoring subsystem, a tripod-mounted cuboid component which seemed to be the main target – indeed resemble the “Silok”.
However, on the left side of the video another subsystem of the complex is visible: a subsystem of radio-electronic control. Its shape appears to be different to that of Silok, implying that the complex might be the ROSC-1, a different electronic warfare system. Its resemblance with the system in the video was noticed by Twitter account Ukraine Weapons Tracker.
Manufactured by Almaz-Antei, a major Russian arms corporation, the ROSC-1 was introduced in 2021 and is one of the latest Russian anti-drone systems.
According to the manufacturer, it was specifically designed to disable various kinds of small and medium UAVs, such as the commercially-available DJI Mavic and DJI Spark and military-grade RQ-11B Raven and RQ-7 Shadow.
Various documentation of the ROSC-1, available online, claims that it is capable to detect and disable small drones at the distance of up to 10 kilometers.
The question remains whether the system in the new video is indeed the ROSC-1. The most identifiable part of the system – a control module, which can be mounted on a truck or in a shipping container – is not visible in the video.
It also calls into question if an operational or even complete system was attacked. While the two subsystems visible in the video indeed constitute a lucrative target and may have sustained substantial damage from the shrapnel thrown around by the grenades, the control module, a much larger and arguably more important target, remains absent.
Nevertheless, a Ukrainian attack on one of Russia’s top electronic warfare systems is a highly interesting development, and the fact that it was conducted by the exact type of weapon it was designed to counter gives it an additional importance. (Source: UAS VISION/Aerotime Hub; Ukraine Weapons Tracker)
17 Aug 22. DeTect, Inc Announces World’s First Dual-Function Bird and Drone Radar System. DeTect Inc has announced the introduction of the world’s first dual function bird and drone radar operational on US Military Installations – MERLIN BDR-DDR. Developed for real-time, tactical operational birdstrike avoidance, MERLIN now has TRUE3D for simultaneous bird and drone detection capabilities.
The proven technology can be integrated with radar-directed electro-optic, infrared (EOIR) camera system and DroneWatcher RF-DR radiofrequency drone detection & interdiction. The system comes in a fixed or mobile design, fully self-contained with all system hardware, software and integration included.
Recently returned from installing the system at a US Air Force Base in California, Project Manager Mike Bierman said
“The dual configuration is a game changer for air bases and commercial airports that can now have a two-in-one system for tracking both birds and drones. DeTect’s dynamic multibeam TRUE3D radar scans and updates target data across the entire 3D volume, continually out to 5+ km in all weathers 24/7.” (Source: UAS VISION)
16 Aug 22. AEye Announces Partnership with Booz Allen Hamilton to Advance Software-Defined Lidar in Aerospace and Defense Applications.
- To Support Expanding Aerospace and Defense Engagements, AEye Opens Dedicated Engineering and Sales Office in Florida; Appoints Industry Veteran Steve Frey to Lead Team
AEye, Inc. (NASDAQ: LIDR), a global leader in adaptive, high-performance lidar solutions, today announced a partnership with Booz Allen Hamilton, one of the Department of Defense’s premier digital system integrators and a leader in data-driven artificial intelligence, to productize and drive adoption of AEye’s technology for aerospace and defense (A&D) applications.
With the accelerated activity in these markets, the company also announced the opening of an office in Florida’s “Space Coast” region, and the hiring of veteran defense systems engineering leader Steve Frey, a Lockheed Martin and L3Harris Technologies alum, as its vice president of business development for A&D.
AEye and Booz Allen Collaborate on AI-Driven Defense Solutions
“Aerospace and defense applications must be able to see, classify, and respond to an object in real time, at high speeds, and at long distances. AEye’s 4Sight™ software-definable lidar system, with its adaptive sensor-based operating system, uniquely meets these challenging demands,” said Blair LaCorte, CEO of AEye. “We are collaborating with Booz Allen Hamilton to optimize its real-time embedded processor perception stack. This aligns with Booz Allen’s digital battlespace vision for an information-driven, fully integrated conflict space extending across all warfighting domains, enabled by technology like artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning (ML), and edge computing to realize information superiority and achieve overmatch.”
Booz Allen has developed a client toolkit for assessing the performance of machine learning and artificial intelligence, fusing data from multiple sensors – including lidar, camera, and radar – and virtualizing perception data for optimized mapping onto embedded processors to fully support situational awareness for the military. This toolkit accelerates AEye’s 4Sight Intelligent Sensing Platform time-to-market into the Aerospace & Defense markets.
“Information warfare will drive tomorrow’s battles, and wars will be won by those who maintain superior situational awareness provided by critical technologies like AI and ML,” said Dr. Randy M. Yamada, Booz Allen vice president and a leader in the firm’s defense solutions portfolio. “Given this, AI must not be an afterthought, but rather a solution that can keep up with the challenging demands of DOD requirements. Booz Allen will enable AEye’s adaptive, software-defined architecture that greatly expands the utility of AI and ML for defense applications, which we believe will be a game-changer.”
AEye’s 4Sight sensors are capable of long-range detection, exceeding one kilometer, are flexible enough to track a bullet at 25,000 frames per second, and can either cue off of other sensors or self-cue, subsequently adapting to place high-density regions of interest around targets. These capabilities, enabled by 4Sight’s in-sensor perception, greatly expand the utility of AI and ML for defense applications and, ultimately, save lives.
Beyond defense, there are many types of applications that require real-time transformation of raw data into actionable information. As such, AEye plans to leverage the perception stack advancements being developed in conjunction with Booz Allen into various edge computing environments with its automotive and industrial customer base.
AEye’s Origins
The executive team has deep roots in aerospace and defense. Founder Luis Dussan spent much of his career designing sensor systems, remote sensing, information, surveillance, targeting, and reconnaissance systems for mission-critical military operations at Lockheed Martin and Northrop Grumman. He founded AEye in 2013, adding engineers from NASA, Lockheed, the US Air Force, and the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) to create AEye’s 4Sight lidar platform for software-driven intelligent sensing.
“Our collective defense industry experience is encapsulated in our systems approach, and how we uniquely meet the challenge of building better, safer perception for safety-critical applications,” said Dussan. “That’s why we designed software-configurability into the hardware, and created a solid-state design which produced robust adaptive hardware to endure harsh and varying environmental conditions. These are all critical requirements for aerospace and defense, and cornerstones in the designs that we build at AEye.”
Aerospace and Defense Industry Veteran to Lead New Space Coast Office
AEye’s Aerospace and Defense business will be led by Steve Frey, a highly respected industry leader with more than 35 years of experience in optics, photonics, systems engineering, and technical team leadership. The majority of Frey’s career was spent at Lockheed Martin, where he designed and later oversaw, as the Director of Applied Research, the development of advanced IR imaging systems, laser systems, missiles, advanced targeting algorithms, and other mission-critical defense projects.
At Lockheed, Frey worked hand-in-hand with Dussan on developing leading-edge defense technology, including remote sensing using lasers and photonics, and ensuring that technology’s usability in the battlefield. Following Frey’s time at Lockheed, he held engineering leadership roles in the commercial and defense and space industry at FAZ Technology, Ocean Optics, and L3Harris Technologies, before joining AEye.
The company has established a Space Coast office in the Melbourne-Palm Bay region, which provides a physical presence near the most prominent aerospace and defense companies in the world. Frey hasn’t wasted any time staffing up the office. He quickly brought on a team of ten software, systems, mechanical, electrical, and firmware engineers, averaging two decades in aerospace and defense experience apiece. Collectively, the group has worked on safety critical systems, including those for airborne infrared imaging, missiles, and helicopters, at companies including Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman, L3Harris Technologies, Ocean Optics, and Stryker.
AEye’s Florida office opening follows the company’s earlier expansion into Europe, Japan, and Korea. The company now has more than 100 patents filed globally, spanning four continents and more than 10 countries, and is the first and only lidar company to validate its sensor’s performance through a leading third-party testing service. (Source: ASD Network)
16 Aug 22. DroneShield Releases DroneSentry-C2 Command-and-Control System Update. DroneShield is pleased to announce it has released the latest v8.0.0 version of its DroneSentry-C2 Command-and-Control System. Both secure cloud-hosted and on-premises editions of the DroneSentry-C2 software receive quarterly software updates, which include upgrades to DroneShield’s edge computing server (SmartHub), computer vision AI engine (DroneOptID) and sensor fusion (ComputeNode) components of the system.
This major update of DroneSentry-C2 includes security improvements including patches for zero-day vulnerabilities, bug fixes and performance improvements.
Major upgrades include:
- Integration of additional FLIR Thermal Cameras: Adding to the suite of cameras integrated into the DroneSentry-C2, the FLIR Ranger HDC MS 1200 and Ranger HDC MR Electro-Optical (EO) and Infra-red (IR) capable cameras have been integrated as plug and play options. Optical DroneOptID computer vision models have been refined for thermal cameras.
- Integration of the RfPatrol: When paired with compatible MANET-radios the wearable RfPatrol drone detector can now provide near real-time drone detection alerts and sensor location data fully integrated into the common operating picture of the DroneSentry-C2 user interface. This provides situational awareness across multiple RfPatrol devices in the field from a single map view.
- Usability improvements: User feedback has been incorporated to improve the usability of settings such as radar masking, RF filtering, flexible sensor setup and drone detection display. These improvements greatly reduces average setup time, cognitive burden, and time needed for training.
- Video Labelling: Video recordings can now be labelled for the purposes of feedback to DroneShield for DroneOptID AI Model training.
- Streamlined Analytics: Historical data is now intelligently filtered and low-value data is deleted. This reduces the amount of storage required for on-premises users and reduces cognitive burden on operators viewing analytics.
- Video tracking and optical model improvements: DroneOptID enhancements include improved optical drone tracking and identification.
Angus Bean, DroneShield’s Chief Technology Officer, commented, “This major software update, incorporates a substantial amount of end-user feedback, which enhances all facets of the DroneSentry-C2 system including user experience, performance, security, and the number of integrated sensors and effectors. DroneShield is uniquely positioned as a bleeding edge technology manufacturer of individual sensors, as well as a systems integrator, enabling our team to optimise the ecosystem experience for our end users.”
09 Aug 22. Counter drone company Shield joins Frozen Dagger Antarctic expedition team. Counter Unmanned Aerial Systems (C-UAS) company Shield has joined the Frozen Dagger team, an attempt to traverse the Antarctic continent unaided and unsupported. At 1,950km the distance is nearly 500km longer than any other successful solo crossing. Shield will support training, expedition activities and document the journey. Shield C-UAS solutions are designed to support field service representatives and training activities to develop C-UAS capabilities.
The Frozen Dagger project is supporting the Royal Marines charity and the Rock2Recovery charity. For more information visit: www.frozendagger.co.uk
(Source: www.unmannedairspace.info)
12 Aug 22. Belgian defence agency C-UAS project team issues request for information to equip military bases. The Belgium defence agency has issued a Request For Information (RFI) by the – Direction Générale Material Resources – Division Marchés Publics – Section Land Systems – Sous-section Programmes.
The Directorate General of Material Resources (DGMR) of the Belgian Ministry of Defence is in the final stages of preparing a tender for the purchase of a Counter Unmanned Aircraft System (C-UAS System) for the security of military air bases.
Participants preferably have a NATO S3CRET security accreditation when participating in the tender, the purpose of having it already is to keep the project implementation period as short as possible. As the granting of security accreditation is a national competence, a letter from the BEDEF C-UAS project team justifies this request. Applicants are kindly invited to respond to the RFI by 30 September 2022.
Reference number: MRMP-L/P-23LP201-F52-F52
Deadline for submissions: 30 September 2022
For more information visit: https://www.mil.be/ (Source: www.unmannedairspace.info)
08 Aug 22. Autonomous Flight Technologies develops low-cost target for counter drone tests. The Tactical High Reconnaissance Aerial Evasive Target (T.H.R.E.A.T) developed by Autonomous Flight Technologies is designed to provide a target for Counter-Unmanned Aerial Systems (C-UAS) test activity. Developed by Autonomous Flight Technologies, T.H.R.E.A.T is designed to be flown over federal test sites instead of higher cost consumer-rated drones. The company’s initial target audience is prime contractors with the goal of becoming compliant with government performance requirements, says a UAS Vision report.
According to Autonomous Flight Technologies, THREAT is not reliant upon being connected to the internet or a cloud-based service. It is point to point between the aircraft and ground station. The data stream is also encrypted for complete security. All materials are sourced based on keeping costs low, as well as utilizing recycled plastics. By reducing cost, budgets for expendable targets can be stretched to allow for more testing within a static budget, reports Autonomous Flight Technologies.
The equipment uses common 18650 Lithium-Ion battery cells. If pushed past their limits, these safety features help prevent thermal runaway events and uncontrollable battery fires. They also provide long duration flight for their size and weight, trading high performance for flight duration allows this sUAS to fly farther and stay on station for extended durations.
The airframe consists of carbon fibre plate and tube, as well as printed 3d components. It can be flown via hands on radio control, ground station with telemetry data link, or a hybrid of both. The base model of THREAT is simply a flight capable airframe with localization and telemetry capability.
For more information visit: www.autonomousflight.us
(Source: www.unmannedairspace.info)
15 Aug 22. Northrop Grumman Corporation’s (NYSE: NOC) AN/TPS-80 Ground/Air Task Oriented Radar (G/ATOR) multifunction sensor successfully detected and tracked multiple cruise missile threats simultaneously during a recent live-fire test at White Sands Missile Range, New Mexico. G/ATOR successfully tracked each target immediately after launch and passed relevant information in real time to intercept numerous cruise missile targets from multiple angles.
The tests were part of the U.S. Marine Corps’ mid-tier acquisition rapid prototyping effort, known as the Ground Based Air Defense Medium-Range Intercept Capability (GBAD MRIC), a developmental program established to protect high-value areas and assets from airborne threats such as cruise missiles and aircraft.
“During this test event, the AN/TPS-80 demonstrated a combination of performance capabilities during a realistic representation of an adversary attack,” said Michael Hahn, director, advanced land radar solutions, Northrop Grumman. “G/ATOR is an expeditionary radar and is unrivaled in its ability to simultaneously provide weapons quality tracks on numerous, concurrent airborne targets while maintaining 360-degree surveillance coverage. The software-defined nature of the AN/TPS-80 was critical in rapidly developing and demonstrating this advanced capability in support of challenging threat scenarios to support the Marine Corps.”
The rapid emplacement and displacement of the AN/TPS-80 means troops can quickly stand up this mission capability in the field, perform the mission, and rapidly move assets to avoid vulnerability of enemy targeting. Unlike traditional sensors, multifunction systems like G/ATOR consolidate multiple capabilities into a single sensor, decreasing the size, weight and power requirements. G/ATOR is one piece of the solution providing the joint forces with an operational picture and deep breadth of data to operate in today’s contested environment, in support of the Marine Corps’ Force Design 2030 strategy.
The GBAD MRIC program, led by the USMC, integrates existing systems — specifically, G/ATOR and the Common Aviation Command and Control System (CAC2S) — with components of the Israeli Iron Dome System including the Tamir interceptor to provide integrated surveillance and coverage.
11 Aug 22. UK to test Sierra Nevada’s high-flying spy balloons. Sierra Nevada Corp., the world’s 54th largest defense contractor in the Defense News annual ranking, will provide the U.K. with high-altitude uncrewed balloons to be used for surveillance and reconnaissance.
The U.S. aerospace company headquartered in Sparks, Nevada, will demonstrate the balloons’ capabilities as part of a U.K. Ministry of Defence’s Project Aether assessment phase contract, according to an Aug. 10 press release from the company. The contract is valued at as much as £100m (U.S. $121m) and comes amid similar investments in the technology from U.S. lawmakers.
The U.K. project looks to address the country’s need for communication systems that are rapidly maneuverable for long-duration missions that require minimal resupply or maintenance. Ayse Caglar, a spokesperson for Sierra Nevada did not immediately return a phone call seeking comment.
“SNC has a long history of rapid development, integration and worldwide deployment of C5ISR systems across all domain environments,” said Tim Owings, the company’s executive vice president, in a statement. “We are very pleased to demonstrate SNC’s legacy of success with these types of autonomous systems to the MOD and continue expanding our footprint within the U.K.”
The U.K. ministry announced the project in December, saying it was seeking “an uncrewed stratospheric communications and intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) capability with a global reach in near-real time.”
With their minimal weight, high-altitude balloons have attracted attention for their ability to remain in the air for long periods of time while conducting surveillance operations as well as their potential capability to track hypersonic weapons.
Across the pond, U.S. lawmakers have also signaled their interest in the technology. The Senate version of the National Defense Authorization Act for FY23 puts $15 m toward stratospheric balloon research. The bill also includes an additional $10.2 m for high-altitude balloons for SOUTHCOM as an “unfunded requirement” — or wish-list item — under its classified programs list.
Gen. Laura Richardson, commander of SOUTHCOM, told the House Armed Services Committee in March that the command is interested in operationalizing resilient, energy-efficient platforms that reduce emissions, such as high-altitude balloons.
The U.S. military has been exploring potential uses for balloons for years. In 2019, the military conducted surveillance tests using high-altitude balloons made by SNC across midwestern states, according to documents filed with the Federal Communications Commission.
The balloons, which could reach the stratosphere at altitudes of up to 65,000 ft, were said to be tested to see if they could be used for the surveillance of narcotic trafficking and homeland security threats. According to Pentagon budget justification documents, the U.S. project that tested the balloons concluded in FY 2021.
The Army has also explored the possibility of using high-altitude balloons to provide beyond-line-of-sight capabilities and has tested the technology at its White Sands Missile Range in New Mexico.
Demonstrations of SNC’s surveillance balloons for Project Aether are expected to take place later this year. (Source: Defense News Early Bird/Defense News)
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Blighter Surveillance Systems is a world-leading designer and manufacturer of best-in-class electronic-scanning ground-based radars, surveillance solutions and Counter-UAS systems. Blighter’s solid-state micro-Doppler products are deployed in more than 35 countries across the globe, delivering consistent all-weather security protection and wide area surveillance along borders, coastlines, at military bases and across critical infrastructure such as airports, oil and gas facilities and palaces. Blighter radars are also used to protect manoeuvre force missions when deployed on military land vehicles and trailers, and its world-beating multi-mode radar represents a great leap in threat detection technology and affordability for use in a variety of scenarios.
The Blighter range of radar products are used for detecting a variety of threats, from individuals on foot to land vehicles, boats, drones and low-flying aircraft at ranges of up to 32 km. Blighter Surveillance Systems employs 40 people and is located near Cambridge, UK, where it designs, produces and markets its range of unique patented solid-state radars. Blighter prides itself on being an engineer-led business committed to providing cost-effective and flexible solutions across the defence, critical infrastructure and national security markets.
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