Sponsored by Blighter Surveillance Systems
www.blighter.com
————————————————————————-
22 Jan 23. MSI-DS Ltd Announced First Sales of New TERRAHAWK VSHORAD System. On 22nd December MSI-DS Ltd announced first sales of the new TERRAHAWK VSHORAD land based mobile gun system on the London Stock Exchange. In the company’s half year results for the period ended 31st October 2022, MSI-DS Ltd made reference to continuing development of new military products and that during the period, company launched first land based mobile gun system incorporating unique ‘counter-drone’ capability, that had already attracted considerable attention in the international market. Further to this update, MSI-DS Ltd are pleased to announce that the company have signed a contract with an overseas customer to supply in 2023 a number of land based mobile gun systems, which are aptly named MSI-DS TERRAHAWK VSHORAD dual feed weapon systems – mobile air defence. The total contract value to the Company is £22.4m and we are aiming to fulfil the contract as soon as practicable. Revenues under the contract are expected to be recognised during the 2023 calendar year. (Source: MSI/LSE)
20 Jan 23. HENSOLDT develops SIGINT pod demonstrator for Eurodrone. Sensor solutions provider HENSOLDT is developing sensor equipment that can be integrated into a pod to give the recently commissioned Eurodrone a signals intelligence (SIGINT) capability. The sensor technology for reconnaissance of radio and radar signals is based on a combination of the latest technologies in digitisation, electronic beam steering and metallic 3D printing, some of which HENSOLDT has already developed in its “Kalaetron” product family. The contract for the implementation and testing of a SIGINT demonstrator worth approximately 15m euros has now been awarded by the Federal Office of Bundeswehr Equipment, Information Technology and In-Service Support (BAAINBw).
“From our experience with other SIGINT projects and our own technology programmes, we are in a position to offer a flexible SIGINT solution for the Eurodrone that can be integrated into a pod, but can also be used networked with other platforms,” says Christoph Ruffner, Head of the Spectrum Dominance & Airborne Solutions Division at HENSOLDT. In addition to the sensor suite itself, HENSOLDT is also developing a system architecture for integrating the SIGINT capability into the future mission system of the Eurodrone as part of this contract.
The “Kalaetron” product family is already being used in self-protection and signals intelligence systems by the German Armed Forces, among others. On its own initiative, HENSOLDT has already demonstrated its communications reconnaissance capabilities (C-ESM) in ground and flight tests. The core elements of the system are a fully digitalised, broadband receiver, an electronically controllable antenna and a condensed structure of the electronic components that was only made possible by metallic 3D printing. In combination, these elements allow the SIGINT equipment to be incorporated into a compact pod system that can be easily integrated into flying platforms, but also scaled for sea and land applications.
19 Jan 23. Regulus Cyber Launches Ring – a GNSS-Based C-UAS system. Regulus Cyber – an Israeli software-based GPS/ GNSS security solutions provider – is launching the first fully-operational, small-form-factor counter-UAS system using unique GNSS manipulation technology to defeat all UAS threats, including swarms, multi-direction attacks, dark drones, manually-piloted drones and 4G/5G drones. In a timely development given the use of drones to attack tanks in the current conflict, this groundbreaking Ring system uses proprietary, combat-proven GNSS manipulation to take control of the drone and deflect, hold or crash it, or force it to land. Whilst jamming requires several RF channels to be jammed to be successful, and can therefore inadvertently affect various other systems in the surrounding area, the GPS-disruption approach can be used to target and neutralize a single threat, or unlimited threats simultaneously, using very low-power transmission on a single channel, assuring low collateral damage only on the GNSS channel. The detection capabilities of the field-proven Ring R1 add-on include a detection range of up to 1.5 km and fast scanning of the RF spectrum, with minimum dead spots, for coverage that is more scalable and effective than other solutions. It has a minimal false-alarm rate and provides accurate classification of threat types – for example DJI or Parrot – with threat alerts based on profile matches. The Ring R1 is suitable for operation in multi-threat environments, and non-line of sight, bad weather and low visibility conditions. Already deployed by a leading army across various locations and platforms, the affordable, compact, lightweight and man-portable system is easy to operate and can be deployed and ready in less than ten minutes. “Red Button” effectiveness enables the operator to quickly react to any threat in the area using a simple mechanical switch interface, reducing the cognitive load and maintaining focus on the main mission and immediate threats. The high-precision, low-power system has a range of up to 5km in its basic configuration. Fully compliant with any privacy regulations, such as GDPR, Ring transmits but does not receive or record any target data. The system works out of the box, with no protocol reverse engineering and no whitelisting required. It is capable of manual or automatic operation, C2 based or mechanical, 24/7, and is effective either stand-alone or integrated with any detection system or C2 interface via a simple API. It can be used whilst stationary or on the move, on any relevant platform or location, and creates minimal RF footprint and low collateral damage.
“Drones today are inexpensive, highly available, practical and lethal,” says Yonatan Zur, CEO & Co-Founder of Regulus Cyber. “Drone attacks are difficult to detect or react to. There is a real and pressing need for forces to neutralize drones simply and effectively; we need only look at the current conflict in the Ukraine to see how they are being used to attack tanks and forces deployed in the field.
Regulus has developed a unique technology which, for the first time, can intercept most unmanned aerial systems, replacing jamming and cyber-hacking, which are complex to operate and might affect other systems and communications being used by the force.
Successfully tested against over 30 different platforms – including multi rotor and fixed wing, and naval and land-based threats – Ring has already been selected by defense, police, and HLS forces around the world, and has been Battle Proven with excellent performance in real-world conflicts, stopping real-world threats.” (Source: UAS VISION)
19 Jan 23. IDF trialling UAS in C-IED and C-UAS roles. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) has been trialling unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) in counter-UAS (C-UAS) and counter-improvised explosive device (C-IED) roles to improve force protection.
Working alongside Israeli company Xtend, the IDF Yahalom special operations engineering unit (SOEU) has been experimenting with the company’s Griffon C-UAS and Wolverine UAS over a four-year period to demonstrate their utility in a C-UAS and C-IED role, a platoon commander from the SOEU told Janes on 11 January.
For the C-UAS demonstration, the SOEU worked in collaboration with the US military to experiment with Griffon, a manportable quadcopter that kinetically intercepts aerial threats.
It achieves this by allowing the operator to perform “vision-assisted, semi-automated interceptions via expendable, disposable physical effectors that detach upon interception impact”, the company said.
During the C-UAS demonstrations, Griffon proved capable of intercepting both unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and balloons, achieving an 85% success rate. In one instance, the quadcopter successfully intercepted 20 “average-sized balloons”, the platoon commander said. (Source: Janes)
18 Jan 23. The Ministries of Defence of France, Italy and the United Kingdom, represented by OCCAR, have signed a contract renewal with Thales for the maintenance and support of the S1850M volume search radars in use by their Navies. Thales confirms its key position in maintaining operational availability of these radar systems and demonstrates its commitment to work more closely with its customers all over the world.
- Thales signed a service contract with OCCAR (Organisation for Joint Armament Co-operation) on behalf of the French, Italian and UK Navies. This new substantial service contract covers a period of 3 years, with an additional optional 2 years.
- As a trusted partner for the armed forces, Thales demonstrates the reliability and the endurance of its naval sensors such as the S1850m and its commitment to support navies.
- The S1850M Long Range Air Surveillance Radar is a derivative of the SMART L radar. 26 systems sold to leading European navies.
16 Jan 23. Raytheon preparing for more radar milestones after first at-sea test. Raytheon Technologies hopes to follow the successful at-sea testing of one version of its SPY-6 radar last month with wins on other variants later this year.
The SPY-6 was operated at sea for the first time ever in December, when future destroyer Jack H. Lucas departed the Ingalls Shipbuilding yard in Mississippi for its alpha trials, the first in a series of at-sea tests before a ship is delivered to the Navy. The Air and Missile Defense Radar, the SPY-6 V1 with four large radar faces, had to be tightly integrated with the Ingalls-built ship and the Lockheed Martin-made Aegis Combat System.
“Coming out of those trials, we really hit a home run with the performance of the radar out at sea, which the Navy is very, very excited about — to the point that they ended up ending the trials a day early because all the objectives were met early,” Mike Mills, the SPY-6 program director for Raytheon Missiles & Defense, told Defense News.
Mills said Raytheon and Lockheed Martin had been running a single radar face and combat system in land-based test centers in Moorestown, N.J., and at the Pacific Missile Range Facility in Hawaii for years, allowing the system to track “targets” over the ground and over the ocean.
“Getting into trials, a lot of that risk is already burned down. Really where you’re at now is, you’ve brought four faces together instead of one face,” Mills said.
He said there were a couple items the team saw during alpha trials — all software issues that can be addressed remotely — that they’ll have to fix before the next round of at-sea testing, as well as at-sea testing for the V2 and V3 radars later this year and into 2024.
“Everything that we’ve learned over the last couple years, we’re applying to all those future platforms. So that’s going to really pay off for the Navy’s test program … to get these things out to the fleet as quickly as possible,” Mills said.
The first of those tests will begin later this year.
The future amphibious transport dock Richard M. McCool Jr. has its V2 small rotating radar already installed, and the team at Ingalls will activate the radar in the next couple of months, Mills said. Once the radar and the combat system are up and running, the team can prepare for the first at-sea trials scheduled for late summer.
Up at HII’s Newport News Shipbuilding yard in Virginia, future aircraft carrier John F. Kennedy also has its V3 small fixed radar installed, even as final construction activities continue on the Ford-class carrier. Mills said he expects the ship construction team to be ready for Raytheon to integrate and activate the radar in the late summer or early fall, ahead of trials and the carrier’s expected delivery to the Navy in 2024.
The V2 and V3 systems use the same radar face, but the V2 uses a single rotating face and the V3 uses three fixed faces to achieve 360-degree coverage. Because the radar faces are the same, though, Mills said Raytheon has gotten a ton of data to inform both efforts after running the radar system at a test site in Wallops Island, Va., since April 2019. The radar there is connected to the Ship Self-Defense System, the combat system that runs on amphibious ships and aircraft carriers, also managed by Lockheed Martin.
Mills said there’s plenty happening with the SPY-6 radar this year beyond at-sea testing.
For the V4, the medium-sized, four-face radar being backfit onto the Flight IIA destroyers, Mills said the Navy and Raytheon are working through the step-by-step plan of ripping out an old SPY-1 radar and installing a new SPY-6. Several lessons have already emerged.
“When you de-install the SPY-1 hardware off the ship, the cutout on the deckhouse is a hair different for the SPY-1 than it is for the SPY-6. So what we did to overcome that challenge is we came up with an adapter plate design that goes on the back of the radar,” Mills explained, allowing the shipyard workers to place the new radar and adapter plate right into the hole left by the old radar instead of adding time and risk to the project by asking the repair workers to do more extensive work on the side of the ship.
Mills added Raytheon is expecting the Navy to put its first V4 backfit radars on contract in the next couple of months.
On V3, Raytheon has delivered all the below-deck equipment and two of the three faces to Marinette Marine for the first frigate. The third face will arrive in April, well ahead of when the shipyard will be ready to install it.
More broadly, Mills said the production line is humming along and ready to respond to any changes in the shipbuilding plan — including additional Flight III destroyers Congress asked the Navy to buy in fiscal 2023 and potentially beyond. Mills said the Navy was originally considering a much larger buy than what ended up being included in the five-year SPY-6 contract, so the production line and Raytheon’s suppliers are ready to scale up if needed to avoid bottlenecks.
Mills said the company is also in regular talks with international customers. “There’s a lot of interest,” he said based on ongoing talks with 10 countries. They’ll likely wait until the radar reaches initial operational capability in 2024, he added, but “that’s when the flood gates will open and they’ll start buying radars.” (Source: Defense News Early Bird/Defense News)
16 Jan 23. iRayUSA, a Texas-based designer, manufacturer and distributor of premium thermal night vision devices has announced 6 new InfiRay Outdoor thermal imaging product series that will be debuting at the 2023 SHOT Show. The new thermal imaging series include 4 new dedicated thermal imaging scope series, a thermal clip-on and a multifunction thermal imager.
InfiRay Outdoor’s new dedicated thermal weapon sights are the RICO HYBRID SERIES, a dual field-of-view RICO PRO, an all-new BOLT TL35 V2 and the compact RICO G-SERIES. In addition, the MATE SERIES thermal clip-on weapon sight, and the latest MINI MH25 V2 will be on display in InfiRay Outdoor’s booth inside the Caesars Forum, booth number 75625.
The newly released dedicated thermal scopes feature the latest in technology and sought-after user experiences, to include the all-new RICO HYBRID SERIES. The HYBRID fuses the capabilities of a thermal clip-on with those of a thermal weapon sight to create a new breed of dual-use thermal device. The HYBRID boasts a 2,400-yard thermal detection range as a dedicated sight with a custom reticle generator and an onboard ballistic solver. Additionally, the pixel density and extreme resolution of the HYBRID’s display allow it to be used as a clip-on with up to a 10X variable power scope.
Not to be outdone, RICO PRO features the most advanced dual field-of-view thermal weapon sight available on the commercial market. The RICO PRO allows for seamless optical transitions between wide and narrow field-of-view, while maintaining 100 percent of the sensors native 640×512 resolution.
Next, the all-new BOLT TL35 V2 builds on the success of its predecessor with an updated AMOLED display. The V2 also features an advanced crystal-clear audio recording feature, and an optional wireless laser rangefinder.
Finally, the latest generation of RICO G-SERIES all feature advanced image correction and automatic image optimization, courtesy of a MATRIX III processor. Within the G-SERIES, several models also have a built-in laser rangefinder.
For those who are looking for clip-on thermal weapon sights, the all-new MATE SERIES features a robust magnesium alloy housing that ensures a precise and repeatable transition when day turns into night. Additionally, the MATE SERIES also has a distortion-free display, and a removable control pad so you can create the perfect fit on your rifle.
InfiRay Outdoors’ newest option for helmet mounted thermal is the MINI MH25 V2. The MH25 V2 still features the compact and lightweight designed of its predecessor but now with an upgraded AMOLED display, an improved eyepiece, and an onboard video/audio recording feature.
“Each of the latest product offerings are the culmination of end-user feedback and a direct response to customer requests,” stated Angelo Brewer, Director of Operations, iRayUSA. “InfiRay Outdoor has continued to push the envelope of what is possible in the thermal imaging space, and we are happy to offer these products to the US commercial market through iRayUSA,” continued Brewer.
All the new product offerings will be available for purchase in the 1st quarter of 2023 through the authorized iRayUSA dealer network. As with all iRayUSA products, a 5-year warranty that includes a 1-week turnaround process is offered. For a full list of product specifications, and an authorized dealer locator, visit the iRayUSA website, www.irayusa.com.
Prospective dealers interested in learning more about the iRayUSA dealer programs can contact iRayUSA by emailing or completing a dealer inquiry request on the iRayUSA website, https://irayusa.com/become-a-dealer/.
5-Year Warranty with 1-Week Turnaround ProcessAt iRayUSA we are first and foremost hunters and users of our products, and we understand that failure is not an option. One of our primary objectives at iRayUSA is to greatly improve the customer service level for the end user. We accomplish this through offering our industry-first 1-week repair guarantee, and by only working with highly qualified Authorized Dealers. During the published warranty period, iRayUSA will repair or replace, at its discretion, any optic that becomes defective from normal use. If we cannot repair an optic in less than one week, we will offer a replacement in like or better condition.
About iRay USA
iRayUSA is a designer, manufacturer, and distributor of premium thermal night vision devices. Our company was established in 2020 by industry experts with more than a decade of experience in thermal sales, product development, and field use. We are proud of our industry experience and time spent in the field using thermal products, and that is what drives us to make the best products possible; products that we want to use as night hunters.
This commonality with our customer base is what sets iRayUSA apart from other manufacturers. It allows us to bring the most relevant products to market, as well as understand and provide the same level of customer support that we would want as end users ourselves.
Learn more about our products at: www.irayusa.com
Dealer inquiries can be submitted at: www.irayusa.com/become-a-dealer
16 Jan 23. EDA launches project to enhance automatic targeting technology. The initial phase of the €2m ATRIT project will be executed by a Rheinmetall-led consortium. The European Defence Agency (EDA) has launched a new project to enhance the automatic target/threat recognition, identification, and targeting for land systems (ATRIT).
Launched on 13 January, the project is valued at approximately €2m and has a performance period of 18 months.
This ATRIT effort is being managed by the EDA as a ‘Category-B project’, and co-funded by member nations and other participants interested in joining the project.
The programme aims to address future requirements of European militaries to equip their soldiers with more technologically effective platforms and weapon systems.
The project’s initial phase is being led by Germany and will involve the participation of other member nations including Greece, Norway, France, Poland, and the Netherlands.
This phase will be executed by a consortium led by German company Rheinmetall.
Other multi-nation companies in the consortium include France’s Safran and Thales, Germany’s Industrieanlagen-Betriebsgesellschaft (IABG), Greece’s Integrated Systems Development (ISD), Polish company PCO, the Netherlands Organisation for Applied Scientific Research (TNO) and Thales’ Dutch subsidiary, and Norway’s Rheinmetall.
Under this phase, the companies will work on the design system architecture and determine associated requirements to develop a cross-platform capacity for allocating military targets on the basis of their behaviour.
According to the EDA, ATRIT analysis will depend on different modules such as the integration of fused sensor information, target allocation, 360° situation awareness, human behaviour, and the presentation of fused data, including command, control, communications, computers, and intelligence (C4I) data, historical and real-time sensor data.
In the second step, the EDA aims to develop a physical demonstrator and test it in an operationally relevant environment.
The new platform is expected to feature enhanced software, better automatic target identification, and the capacity to fuse different sensor data to simplify it for use by warfighters.
(Source: army-technology.com)
13 Jan 23. France Awards Maritime Patrol Aircraft Study Contracts to Airbus, Dassault. France’s defense procurement agency, the DGA, announced on January 12 the earlier awarding on December 22 of a pair of 18-month, €10.9 m ($11.8m) contracts for the study of maritime patrol aircraft variants to Airbus and Dassault. The aim is to examine replacement options for the French Navy’s current fleet of 22 1990s-vintage Atlantique ATL2 maritime patrol aircraft operated from the Lann-Bihoue naval air base. A total of 18 units from this fleet are being upgraded to Standard 6 configuration thereby enabling the fleet to remain in service through 2032.
The variants being examined involve the Airbus A320neo and Dassault’s Falcon 10X platforms. The contract calls for each aerospace manufacturer to provide an economically attractive solution to the French Navy’s operational needs post-2030.
The future maritime patrol system – or “Patmar” as it is referred to by the DGA – is expected to replace the Atlantiques in the 2030s and, if the studies are deemed satisfactory, will result in a procurement program being launched in 2026. (Source: Google/https://dsm.forecastinternational.com/)
13 Jan 23. How South Korea plans to buoy its counter-drone capabilities.
In the early hours of Dec. 26, five North Korean drones entered South Korean airspace, with one traveling as far as the capital Seoul.
Although authorities claimed the UAVs did not fly near critical security facilities, the systems did operate above the country’s territory for several hours.
Defense forces failed to counter the threat, even after deploying fighter jets, attack helicopters and firing warning shots. The helicopters fired a combined 100 rounds, according to the Defense Ministry.
One fighter jet scrambled that day, a KA-1 light attack plane, crashed during takeoff; its two pilots safely ejected, defense officials said.
One drone returned to the North after three hours in South Korea, while the rest disappeared from South Korean military radars one after another, the Joint Chiefs of Staff said.
Following the incident, South Korea sent surveillance assets near and across the border to photograph key military facilities in the North, the Joint Chiefs said, without elaborating further.
Incidents like the one in late December present a national security threat to the South, as the drones flew long enough to potentially collect intelligence and take images. More alarming, however, is the fact that “South Korea has suffered similar drone incursions repeatedly — in 2014 and 2017, for example — and each time the military says it will improve its counter-drone systems,” according to David Hambling, a writer of drone warfare and technology topics.
North Korea is reportedly expanding its drone capabilities, with a United Nations report from 2016 estimating the country possessed about 300 drones of various types.
It’s unlikely the South’s military was unaware of those drone development efforts, but the “sophistication of the systems as well as their ability to swarm and evade detection” did come as a surprise, said Ken Gause, a North Korea expert with the U.S.-based Center for Naval Analyses think tank.
This suggests “North Korea has benefitted from outside technology, potentially from Russia or Iran,” Gause told Defense News.
Hambling also noted that Russia’s use of Iranian-made drones against Ukraine “is likely to encourage North Korea to increase efforts in this direction, posing an asymmetric threat which Seoul seems poorly prepared for.”
Failed countermeasures
Some experts agreed that South Korea’s failure to shoot down the drones in December simply comes down to the fact that unmanned aircraft are complex and difficult to counter — something that is especially true for smaller and faster UAVs.
“To begin with, air defenses are naturally designed to deal with threats from aircraft, cruise missiles and helicopters, which are all relatively large and fast,” Hambling said. “Many were previously designed to specifically filter out small, slow, low-flying objects, as there were almost invariable birds which would otherwise create many false alerts.”
Case in point: The morning after the Dec. 26 incident, South Korea preemptively deployed fighter planes to its border in response to what turned out to be a flock of birds.
As drones are typically smaller and generally contain fewer metallic elements than larger aircraft, they are “naturally stealthier with a smaller radar signature than larger aircraft, making them harder to detect,” Hambling explained.
Lt. Gen. Kang Shin Chul, South Korea’s chief director of operations at the Joint Chiefs of Staff, acknowledged in a televised statement following the Dec. 26 intrusion that the country lacks the ability to detect and strike small surveillance drones with wingspans less than 3 meters (9.84 feet). However, the South has radars and other assets to spot and shoot down larger combat UAVs.
“We have seen this in Saudi Arabia, Russia and Ukraine, all of which have had high-tech defenses penetrated by small, low-tech drones,” Hambling said. “South Korea is certainly not alone in suffering this kind of breach.” (Source: Defense News)
13 Jan 23. New Sonar For Navy Frigates Could Turn Any Ship into Submarine Hunter, Maker Says. Thales says its Advanced Acoustic Concepts towed sensors can be installed in just two days.
A sonar system being installed on new U.S. Navy Constellation-class frigates could also protect merchant ships during a conflict and give them the ability to search for submarines, according to the company that manufactures the technology.
The towed-sensor system is already being used by U.S. allies and could be quickly installed on non-military ships.
“It’s a modular system that can be placed on vessels of opportunity,” said Mark Bock, vice president for strategy and business development at Thales’ Advanced Acoustic Concepts.
At the Surface Navy Association conference in Arlington, Virginia, this week, the company showed off a video of the technology being installed on a commercial ship within 48 hours, turning the vessel into an anti-submarine “asset,” Bock said.
“We believe we can repeat that turnaround [time],” he said.
The company believes the sonar system could be loaded on a military cargo plane and quickly flown to a ship that needs it.
“This is not a concept that is new or developmental,” Bock said. “It’s a concept of how to rapidly address [anti-submarine warfare] capacity from a DOD or navy perspective.”
U.S. Transportation Command boss Gen. Jacqueline Van Ovost said in October that the military would rely heavily on commercial cargo ships and aircraft to replenish troops during a war in the vast spaces of the Pacific. Van Ovost said the command is looking at placing military advisors on merchant ships along with special communications gear that gives the ships a better picture of enemy locations.
Last March, the Navy said it would install Advanced Acoustic Concepts’ CAPTAS anti-submarine sonar on its Constellation-class frigates over similar Raytheon-made technology.
The sonar system is made up of a long cable that tows a sensor in the water that pings for submarines. Unlike the Navy’s current bow-mounted sonars, the so-called variable-depth sonar can be “placed at a depth that has the highest probability of getting a target acquisition,” Bock said.
Thales acquired Advanced Acoustic Concepts, a undersea technology joint venture it previously had with Leonardo DRS, in July. The acquisition, Thales said at the time, was to “increase its engineering and industrial footprint in the U.S. defense market, with reinforced U.S.-based teams and capabilities.”
The anti-submarine technology is already used on British, French, Spanish, and Chilean ships.
“You’re talking about a system that’s mature, has a track record, past performance record against targets,” Bock said.
One might ask whether linking a merchant ship to a military sensor network would make it more of a target. The classification of civilian vessels into legitimate targets and illegal ones is an unsettled area of international law; much depends on circumstances. The U.S. Navy’s own guidance indicates that merchant ships “incorporated into, or assisting in any way, the intelligence system of an enemy’s armed forces” may be “attacked and destroyed” by aircraft or surface warships “with or without prior warning.” (Source: News Now/Defense One)
16 Jan 23. Federal Chancellor Scholz visits sensor specialist HENSOLDT.
Company pledges support for the expansion of the Bundeswehr. Sensor specialist HENSOLDT has promised German Chancellor Olaf Scholz short- and medium-term supplies to expand the capabilities of the Bundeswehr. Commenting on the visit to HENSOLDT’s Ulm site, the Chancellor said: “Here in Ulm we can see how innovative and central components of defence electronics are developed and manufactured. The Hensoldt company thus contributes to Germany being a valued partner in alliance defence.”
HENSOLDT CEO Thomas Müller affirmed, “We demonstrated the performance and technological leadership of our sensor systems to the Chancellor during our tour. These systems are already protecting Ukraine today and we also supply them to the Bundeswehr and to our partner nations. HENSOLDT is always ready and able to help expand the capabilities of the Bundeswehr in the short and medium term.” As examples, he cited the Eurofighter’s electronic warfare capability, the “Pegasus” signals intelligence system and the TRML-4D radar as part of the IRIS-T air defence system. Müller emphasised: “The chancellor’s visit to a key German technology company with federal participation is a special recognition for all HENSOLDT employees of their work for the protection and security of our country.”
At HENSOLDT’s Ulm site, more than 2,500 employees are engaged in the development and production of radars and defence electronics systems. A large proportion of the employees are engineers and technicians, and around 240 trainees and dual students are undergoing training.
12 Jan 23. French defence department examines drone interceptor counter drone device that uses AI. France’s Armed Forces Ministry is to evaluate the development of a drone interceptor called Deeplomatics that proposes a surveillance network supported by artificial intelligence algorithms, according to a report by published by Opex360.
According to the article:
“The Defense Innovation Agency [AID] is financing several projects including Deeplomatics. This HEMISPACE project is led by the French SME Lerity, an optronics specialist, in cooperation with Inpixal, for image processing.
“The main objective is to have a demonstrator intended to validate the performance of the innovative HEMISPACE optronics concept by 2024,” says AID. Or before the Olympic Games in Paris. The challenge of this project is to improve the detection of drones in a “complex environment” such as the urban environment, knowing that current systems use electromagnetic devices likely to be disturbed.
“The innovative aspects relate firstly to the definition and distribution of detection channels and secondly to the two-level architecture of real-time detection and filtering processing,” explains AID. Concretely, it will therefore be a question of evaluating the demonstrator of a hemispherical optronic detection system of mini/micro drones, whether they evolve alone or in a swarm, in an urban environment and at distances greater than 1 km, it is to say “where electromagnetic means are sometimes less easy to implement”.
“This demonstrator will consist of two HEMISPACE systems. The first, equipped with “six channels”, will first be used to validate the performance of the optical detection, tracking and filtering algorithms in 2 dimensions. Then it will be associated with a second, equipped with three color channels in order to “evaluate its interest for the function of threats”. This will also make it possible to “validate, by providing distance information, the performance of the 3-dimensional filtering intended to […] reduce the rate of false alarms”, details the AID.
“Depending on the results, this system could be deployed “in all situations requiring the rapid deployment of a protection bubble, but also for the protection of critical infrastructure: airports, institutions, industrial and sports facilities”. It should be noted that Lerity believes that it would also be likely to participate in the “perimetric protection of surface ships”.
But according to the AID, it would be possible to extend the surface of an area to be monitored by networking several HEMISPACE modules. “Indeed, each module, based on a secure proprietary protocol, must make it possible to compile and correlate the output data of another module to expand the protection bubble,” she argues, concludes the article.
For more information visit: www.opex360.com (Source: www.unmannedairspace.info)
12 Jan 23. US government calls for C-UAS information to support mitigation of drone threats. The Department of Homeland Security is looking to learn more about the availability of counter-unmanned aircraft systems—or C-UAS—according to a request for information filed on 10 January 2023.
DHS requested industry information on the availability of C-UAS to “include the capability to detect, identify, classify, track and/or mitigate these threats.” The agency is looking for fixed-site and “rapidly deployable, mobile and single person-portable employment modes to provide situational awareness and mitigation capabilities for personnel in the field.”
The agency noted that such capabilities are necessary to address existing and future threats and gaps with UAS, and requested that products mentioned in the responses would have a technology readiness level and a manufacturing readiness level of at least six.
According to the RFI, desired capabilities will align with the agency’s mission and strategic goal of countering terrorism and homeland security threats. For example, related objectives include: collecting, analyzing and sharing actionable intelligence; detecting and disrupting threats; protecting designated leadership, events and soft targets; and countering weapons of mass destruction and emerging threats.
Specifically, DHS asked respondents to detail prediction, detection, identification, classification, tracking and response capabilities. This includes the ability for the C-UAS to: receive flight information intelligence and other historical information; find an unmanned airborne object within a defined time and volume of airspace in all weather circumstances all year long; pinpoint a detected Track of Interest with a unique identifier and aircraft characteristics; decide the level of threat, risk or intent of a detected ToI; continuously follow the movements of a ToI from detection to response; and use necessary resources to address a possible attack, according to the RFI.
Additionally, each C-UAS will be responsible for a specific coverage area, and the number of these deployed in each area will vary depending on need and availability. When a C-UAS is deployed, it will provide the operator with the aforementioned information.
DHS is looking for scalable, adaptable and flexible C-UAS configurations and C-UAS equipment—both hardware and software—that can be “easily operated by non-experts who have had minimal training.”
Responses are due via email to the contracting officer by Feb. 7 at 5pm ET. DHS will use responses for procurement planning purposes for a potential future award. Some vendors may be asked to perform a product demonstration.
Department of Homeland Security
NAICS Code: 541330 Engineering Services
(Image: Shutterstock)
For more information visit: www.nextgov.com;www.sam.gov
(Source: www.unmannedairspace.info)
15 Jan 23. USN re-issues RFI to industry for C-UAS systems to protect US Marine bases. The US Navy Department’s Program Executive Officer Land Systems (PEO LS), Program Manager, Ground Based Air Defense (PM GBAD) is looking for interested parties to address the United States Marine Corps’ (USMC) force protection installation security capability gap for the detection, identification, tracking, and defeat of small Unmanned Aircraft Systems (sUAS) operating within the vicinity of specific missions sets associated with USC Title 10, Section 130i. This original request for information (RFI) ( M67854-23-I-0001)was published on November 15, 2022 with a deadline of January 13. This new RFO was announced on January 11 2023 with a deadline of March 10, 2023.
According to the tender document:
“The purpose of this RFI is to seek potential solutions and feedback from industry and gather information on candidate non-developmental systems that are currently available to support a potential acquisition under the I-CsUAS program. The USMC (Government) wants to assess industry’s ability to provide and sustain a materiel solution within an accelerated acquisition schedule at an affordable cost, and to determine the technical and manufacturing maturity of candidate systems that provide capabilities desired for I-CsUAS as described in paragraph 3. This RFI constitutes market research in accordance with FAR Part 10 and is not an RFP. USMC is issuing this RFI, in support of PEO LS, to determine if any potential sources in industry have the capability to provide the support described herein.
“The Government is particularly interested in Industry recommendations and feedback to improve contract requirements, contract structure and type, performance metrics and incentives.
“Respondents who are interested are requested to provide the information that identifies their capability to meet or exceed technical and support requirements described herein:
- System must provide the entire kill chain (detect, track, identify and defeat) against Group 1 and 2 sUAS threats. The defeat aspect of the kill chain; however, will be via non-kinetic means.
A ‘non-kinetic’ defeat is defined as an electromagnetic, acoustic, or other signature disruption of an sUAS’ flight path short of using a kinetic defeat capability (such as drone-on-drone intercept, laser, or direct fire munition).
The system will be deployed on 20 Marine Corps installations within the Continental United States (CONUS) and 13 Marine Corps installations outside the Continental United States (OCONUS).
“Minimum system requirements: 24/7 detection in day/night, all-weather with multi-modal active and passive sensor payloads fusing all sensor data into a single operator view. It must have the ability to passively detect radio frequency (RF) signals associated with sUAS and defeat them. Also requires real time, automated object detection and identification to be able to autonomously detect, identify, classify, and track objects of interest (provide current and estimated minimum and maximum ranges).
“User interface technology is required to reduce operator workload. The user interface should allow the operator to respond or ignore based on the threat, rules of engagement, etc. The system must alert operators via notification on a user interface (computer or mobile device).
“How many objects can your system identify and track at one time? Are there any future plans to add additional capabilities to track more than currently stated? If there are future plans what is the anticipated timeline?
“After initial detection, how long does it take for the system to notify the user? How long after the detection does the system take to identify and classify a UAS?
“The capability will operate as part of layered defense solution and must integrate multiple sensors and fuse the data into a single, secure, operator view display. The system and the information that is processed by the system, shall be protected through the implementation of Committee on National Security Systems (CNSS) security controls.
“The system should have the ability to apply sensor fusion, Machine Learning (ML), and Artificial Intelligence (AI). The system should facilitate end-to-end sensoring including target handoff and track fusions. The Government differentiates and recognizes the definitional differences between sensor correlation and sensor fusion.
- The system must be modular and scalable (different sensors, etc.) to be able to provide an optimal system package for a given mission set at CONUS and OCONUS locations, based on Government provided intelligence, operator inputs, site surveys and vendors expertise of various available sensors. Provide pictures or drawings of the various system configurations.
“ What is your system’s anticipated/demonstrated rate of false positive identifications (alerting the user to a Group 1/2 UAS when the object in question is not a Group 1/2 UAS), and what is its anticipated/demonstrated false negative rate (a Group 1/2 UAS is operating within the system’s detection capabilities, but the user is not alerted) For more information: https://sam.gov/opp/c33f51666cc3473991ec58a55a05e431/view (Source: www.unmannedairspace.info)
11 Jan 23. Teledyne introduces Ranger R20SS-3D-XR radar with extensive small target detection capabilities.
Available as a fixed, portable or mobile unit, the Ranger R20SS-3D-XR air and ground surveillance radar launched by Teledyne FLIR Defense is a high-resolution target detection radar. Designed to provide full perimeter protection, the R20SS-3D-XR supports wide area coverage of 15km up to 90deg, and up to 360deg with pan-tilt or 4 panel system. According to Teledyne, it can detect up to 512 ground and airborne threats simultaneously and provides counter drone capability
Because it operates in the X-band, R20SS is minimally affected by adverse weather or precipitation. For more information visit: www.teledyne.com
(Source: www.unmannedairspace.info)
12 Jan 23. Skyfire and AeroVigilance announce partnership to offer counter drone consultancy. Consulting and training organisations Skyfire Consulting and AeroVigilance have partnered to help people and organizations understand the risks posed by uncrewed aircraft, and find solutions to enhance airspace awareness and security measures. The newly formed partnership combines decades pf real-world experience in both offensive and defensive drone missions to help proactively defend against threats.
According to the press release, the partnership reconnects Mike Rogers, Vice President of Public Safety for Skyfire with founders of AeroVigilance, Casey Flanagan and Tom Adams. The trio previously worked together at the FBI. This partnership aims to provide clients with a suite of solutions that includes training from industry experts, customized technology solutions, mentor support, policies, and procedures.
AeroVigilance recently launched C-UAS Hub, an online information resource for Counter-UAS and airspace awareness. The site features news, original articles, vendors, products, services, jobs, events, and a robust multimedia resource library.
AeroVigilance and Skyfire have announced a webinar on Counter-UAS offensive, and defensive solutions taking place on 1 February 2023.
For more information visit: www.cuashub.com (Source: www.unmannedairspace.info)
————————————————————————-
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.
————————————————————————