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21 Nov 23. Modified Legacy 70 mm Rocket Becomes Drone Killer.
A rocket design first employed in the 1940’s as an aerial launched weapon has been adapted to engage unmanned aerial drones achieving an exceptional success rate as high as 100 percent.
The 2.75-inch or Hydra 70mm unguided rocket when converted with BAE Systems’ APKWS laser guidance kit turn it into precision-guided munition. The APKWS (Advanced Precision Kill Weapon System) is a Distributed Aperture Semi-Active Laser Seeker that is added to the mid-body of the rocket body allowing use of the standard warhead and fuse. With APKWS the target is “painted” by a laser-designator which the rocket seeker then homes-in on effectively striking with a demonstrated accuracy of greater than .5 meters.
Originally intended to provide a high precision engagement capability for helicopters and aircraft ground vehicle launch systems for the Hydra 70 have been introduced taking advantage of its lightweight and recoilless firing.
In June 2021 BAE Systems tested the Hydra 70 APKWS against an unmanned aerial system. Equipped with a proximity fuse warhead, the rocket successfully destroyed the Class 2 drone. Subsequent field firing tests have verified the systems capability to engage and neutralize both Class 2 and Class 3 UAS.
It further has the advantage of providing lock-on after launch and the ability to engage a target up to 5,000 meters distant in the current version (Nammo is developing a new rocket motor that could extend this to 12-15 km). Of particular combat value is that these systems retain the capability to effectively engage ground targets as well as drone treats.
A new fuse demonstrated in March 2023 further enhances this multi-purpose capability. A major plus is at US$30,000 the Hydra 70 APKWS is significantly less cost than other air-defence missiles. In fact, this rocket offers both helicopters and ground units with a readily available counter-drone capability.
The Hydra 70 APKWS has been configured as a stand-alone weapon system integrating a multi-rocket launcher, a stabilized electro-optic package with colour and thermal cameras and laser designator which can be installed on a vehicle.
L3Harris’s VAMPIRE is modular and designed to fit in any tactical or non-tactical vehicles with a flat mounting area. It has been even demonstrated in commercial pick-up bed. Fourteen VAMPIREs were purchased by the US Government to be delivered to Ukraine in 2023.
Another is the EAGLS C-UAS system by MSI Defense Solutions that features remote weapon station, MHR radar, electro-optical sensor, and a 70mm laser rocket launcher.
Invariant Corporation and HDT Global demonstrated a Containerized Weapon System (CWS) using the Arnold Defense LAND-LGR4 four-round 70mm rocket launcher mounted on a modified Commonly Remotely Operated Weapon Station II (CROWS II) which included a laser designator. Mounted in a container the system is elevated for operation and has mast mounted sensors. Already employed by the US Army armed with guns this new version can also provide C-UAS capability.
SAIC has also taken advantage of the Hydra 70 APKWS in its CUAS system which also incorporates a remote M240 machinegun and electronic warfare system. Reportedly the Invariant and SAIC solutions have been selected for deployment to Ukraine.
(Source: Armada)
23 Nov 23. Embraer delivers upgraded fifth E-99 aircraft to the Brazilian Air Force. Embraer (NYSE: ERJ, B3: EMB3) has delivered to the Brazilian Air Force (FAB) its fifth EMB 145 AEW&C aircraft, upgraded and designated as E-99M in the FAB. The aircraft has been updated to perform Airborne Early Warning and Control (AEW&C) functions, as well as participate in intelligence, surveillance, and airborne reconnaissance missions.
“The delivery of the fifth E-99 is an important milestone for the E-99M project. This is the first aircraft delivered in FOC (Full Operational Capability) configuration, with systems fully certified for use by the Brazilian Air Force for protecting the country and its national sovereignty,” says Bosco da Costa Junior, President and CEO of Embraer Defense & Security. The executive further states, “The four aircraft previously delivered will be upgraded so that they can fully perform all the missions for which they were designed.”
Developed utilizing the platform established by the successful ERJ 145 regional jet, the FAB’s E-99 is capable of detecting, tracking, and identifying targets in its coverage zone and transmit the information via Data Link. The aircraft conducts airspace surveillance, interception control and management, electronic intelligence, and border monitoring missions.
The E-99M aircraft now features an updated Erieye Radar and Command & Control (C2) systems. The aircraft will also include a new Electronic Warfare (Non-Communication – NCOM) systems, a new IFF Transponder, seven software-defined V/UHF radios, a new Mission Audio system with VoIP technology, and a new Mission Audio and Data recorder, as well as a Data Link function adapted to a new architecture. The interior of the aircraft has also seen an update to improve crew comfort and expand the operating capacity with five consoles redesigned and optimized for more efficient use of the upgraded systems.
The E-99M project is led by the Combat Aircraft Program Coordinating Committee (COPAC) together with Embraer and international suppliers such as SAAB, Aeroelectronica International (AELI), and Rohde & Schwarz. Atech, a subsidiary of Embraer, is participating in the project by developing part of the command-and-control system, as well as six mission planning and analysis stations which will provide training and development opportunities for the crews.
The EMB 145 AEW&C is also operated by the air forces of India, Mexico, and Greece.
20 Nov 23. Genesis launches Spectra Guardian tactical surveillance system with C-UAS capabilities. In a Linkedin post Nicole Valentine, Chief Executive Officer, Genesis Aerospace Solutions reports that the company has launched the SpectraGuardian tactical surveillance and operational safety system.
“SpectraGuardian combines advanced hyperspectral imaging with cutting-edge digital remote tower technology, offering unparalleled surveillance, security, and communication capabilities. Designed to address the evolving challenges in defense, commercial security, and disaster response, SpectraGuardian sets a new benchmark for situational awareness and operational efficiency,” said the post.
The system features:
- Advanced Hyperspectral Imaging: Offers detailed environmental analysis, threat identification.
- Integrated Digital Remote Tower Capabilities: Ensures air traffic management, crucial in both military and civilian contexts.
- Robust Counter-Drone Technology: Provides essential protection against the increasing threat posed by unmanned aerial systems.
- Versatile and Rapid Deployment: Engineered for quick setup and adaptability across diverse operational scenarios, including remote and austere environments.
- Enhanced Communication via VSAT: Guarantees secure, reliable, and global communication reach, essential for coordinating complex operations.
“SpectraGuardian is not just a technological innovation; it’s a strategic asset for military commanders, emergency response coordinators, and commercial security professionals. Its ability to provide real-time, detailed surveillance data and secure communication in challenging environments makes it an indispensable tool in the modern operational landscape.”
For more information
https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7132108428017033216/
(Source: www.unmannedairspace.info)
20 Nov 23. Blighter Surveillance Systems and Genetec supply C-UAS centre to UK airport. Blighter Surveillance Systems reports on Linkedin it has deployed its latest integrated solution, comprising BlighterView HMI and Genetec‘s unified security platform, Security Center, to a UK airport.
“This system, now in operation at a major UK airport, is designed to deliver intrusion protection and controlled zone monitoring across the entire airport premises, ensuring a comprehensive security shield. Security Center provides operators with a unified radar and camera feed through a single-pane-of-glass interface. This integrates seamlessly with the airport’s security infrastructure, enhancing overall situational awareness.” (Source: www.unmannedairspace.info)
22 Nov 23. Drones as weapons: Africa needs better data to anticipate risk. In October this year, Africa’s air force chiefs of staff and air force industry representatives gathered in Senegal. They agreed the continent urgently needed to develop sophisticated air defences in response to a growing threat – the proliferation of unmanned aerial systems (UAS), or drones.
Drones offer huge potential for Africa in terms of economic development and human security, such as monitoring weather patterns off Mozambique’s coast or delivering medicines to remote areas of Malawi. But technology can also be weaponised by unconventional forces. It shifts the balance of power away from states with the largest armies and arsenals, to insurgent groups or terrorist organisations. Drones have also become a favoured tool of criminal networks and lone actors.
Most media focus has been on the use of larger military drones by conventional armies and their impact on international humanitarian law. But commercial or hobbyist drones are becoming part of the toolkit of violent threat ‘actors’ not only in the Middle East and Russia-Ukraine, but also across Africa.
Like improvised explosive devices (IEDs), which ‘democratised’ war by lowering the costs of using lethal force for non-state entities, the psychological impact of a weaponised drone in the hands of an insurgent is perhaps as important as its physical impact.
It essentially amplifies a threat group’s potency by enabling it to control or deny territory from the air, or gather intelligence or propaganda material. In extreme cases, drones can be armed with explosives or other hazardous weapons that can be deployed by an aerial asset that is hard to detect. Recent reportage from Ukraine shows how hobbyist drones have been fitted with mechanisms allowing grenades to be dropped from the air.
The possible deployment of drone swarms has created a sense of urgency in policy circles
The global focus has been on the adaptation of hobbyist drones in Iraq, Syria, Yemen and now Gaza, with reports of Hamas using drones to attack Israel Defense Force observation towers, and deploying swarms of drones to target naval vessels. But militant groups in Africa including Boko Haram, Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) and al-Shabaab, appear to be watching and learning.
These groups are reportedly using their global and ‘dark networks’ (illegal and covert links) to acquire and modify drones, says Kerry Chávez, a political researcher at Texas Tech University and a fellow at the Modern War Institute at West Point. She told ISS Today that ‘network affiliations are the strongest predictors of adopting a drone programme.’
Given an active online community of hobbyist drone users, her ongoing analysis of social media platforms reveals that in Africa, ‘the role of transnational terror ties appears to be the main driver.’ That is, social media and messaging platforms associated with al-Qaeda and Islamic State ‘share the knowledge of UAS they acquired in the Middle East and diffuse it across their affiliates in the Sahara-Sahel.’
A systematic mapping of drone use by designated terrorist organisations in Africa still needs to be undertaken. However, a preliminary assessment by Reuben Dass of the Royal United Services Institute showed that the increased ‘affordability and accessibility’ of drone technology meant it posed ‘an increasing threat’ across Africa. This was true whether it was used for propaganda, intelligence, surveillance or reconnaissance purposes.
He reminds us that in 2022, ISWAP used quadcopter drones to shoot parts of a propaganda video showcasing its training camp in Nigeria. In July that year, ‘the surveillance drones used by ISWAP were spotted over the position of Nigerian government forces just before the group carried out an ambush on them.’ A similar use of drones for precision targeting suicide bombers has been widely documented in Mosul, northern Iraq.
The acquisition and type of drone appear to be influenced by the level of external support non-state actors receive, the amount of territory they control (particularly transport routes), and members’ technological know-how.
The possible deployment of drone swarms has created a sense of urgency in policy circles, with numerous United Nations resolutions and tabletop exercises with African policymakers among the target audience.
The Berlin Memorandum on Good Practices for Countering Terrorist Use of Unmanned Aerial Systems contains over two dozen recommendations that groups like the Global Counterterrorism Forum are pushing to get applied. Among them are risk management measures that incorporate possible UAS use into routine assessments using available intelligence and ‘lessons learnt’ from other settings.
Aviation authorities and private drone associations are resources for information exchange
The memorandum also proposes enhanced information sharing at regional and national level, and urges states to ‘develop crisis planning and mitigation measures’ and ‘vulnerability assessments’ for critical infrastructure, e.g. energy sources and communications infrastructure.
At a regional level in Africa, organisations such as the Intergovernmental Authority on Development and the Economic Community of West African States could effectively communicate knowledge and risk. At a national level, aviation authorities and private drone associations are also resources for information exchange.
The recorded incidents of drone deployments by Africa-based armed groups may be limited. However, the lack of documented evidence and scholarship – and of an international database enabling threats to be classified – surely leaves the continent vulnerable and ill-equipped to contribute to an evolving debate.
Written by Karen Allen, Consultant, ISS Pretoria.
Republished with permission from ISS Africa. The original article can be found here: https://issafrica.org/iss-today/drones-as-weapons-africa-needs-better-data-to-anticipate-risk (Source: https://www.defenceweb.co.za/)
21 Nov 23. Vision Products, LLC to Demonstrate Latest HMDs at I/ITSEC 2023. Vision Products, LLC, a leader in head/helmet mounted displays (HMDs) for military training & simulation, ground, and aviation applications, brings its innovative high resolution and wide field of view (WFOV) HMDs to the Interservice/Industry Training, Simulation and Education Conference (I/ITSEC) 2023. Vision Products will be demonstrating HMDs with full color resolutions from 1920 x 1200 to 3840 x 1200 and 2048 x 2048 per eye, with field of views from 62⁰ to over 147⁰.
I/ITSEC 2023 runs from November 27th through 30th at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Florida.
Demonstrations will include:
- NEW Zero Distortion, 2k Augmented Reality (AR) Eyepiece Demonstration with an eMagin 2048 x 2048 full color pixel OLED; 50° H x 40° V FOV at 120 Hz Update Rate
- NEW NVG-compatible eyepiece
- NEW Army Aircrew Augmented Reality Optics and Display System (A3RO DS-62/S) prototype with detachable night vision goggles (NVGs)
- SA-147 HMD WFOV Situational Awareness Demonstration with Variable Fields of View
- SA-147/S Out-the-Window San Francisco Fly-over Demonstration Driven by CATI’s X-IG® Image Generator and Database
- PilotVision™ Low-cost HUD that can be installed in any aircraft in less than a minute
- SA-62/S AR HMD Head Tracked Unity Demonstration
- SA-62/SM Monocular AR Eyewear Demonstration
An SA-62/S AR HMD with the Polhemus Viper head tracker using Unity will be demonstrated in the Polhemus booth.
Please stop by booth #628 for demonstrations and additional information. Conference information can be found at www.iitsec.org.
About Vision Products, LLC
Vision Products is a privately held small business and a pioneer in the development and deployment of innovative head- and body-worn solutions for commercial and government customers. Our products and technologies include augmented, virtual, and mixed reality systems; digital night vision products; and the development of systems for medical applications. Visit us at I/ITSEC 2023 booth #628 and at www.visionproducts.llc.
About Polhemus
Polhemus provides customers the power to break new ground through innovative, cost-effective enabling technologies for the real and virtual world, engineering and manufactures specialized 6DOF magnetic motion trackers delivering drift-free, high precision position and orientation measurements. Visit us at I/ITSEC 2023 booth #512 and at www.polhemus.com. (Source: BUSINESS WIRE)
22 Nov 23. L3Harris EC-37B redesignated as EA-37B. The US Air Force’s (USAF’s) newest electronic attack aircraft, the EC-37B, was redesignated as EA-37B to better comport with its mission, according to Air Combat Command (ACC).
“The EA-37B aircraft designation was selected to better identify the platform’s mission of finding, attacking, and destroying enemy land or sea targets,” ACC said in a 14 November statement.
The initial EC-37B designation was an extension of the Gulfstream G550 platform’s other uses. In the civilian world the aircraft is flown on executive transport missions, hence the ‘C’ for ‘cargo’ (though the aircraft rarely transports freight), while the ‘E’ designated the version as an electronic attack aircraft. The EA-37’s immediate predecessor, the EC-130, and other transports converted for electronic attack retained their ‘C’ designations and will continue to do so until their retirement, projected in 2026. The ‘EA’ designation was previously reserved for converted attack aircraft, notably the Boeing EA-18G and now-retired Northrop Grumman EA-6. (Source: Janes)
21 Nov 23. Rheinmetall Electronics UK’s Contract Award to Supply Trailblazer Camera System to UK Warrior IFVs. Rheinmetall has been awarded a contract by the UK Ministry of Defence to supply the Trailblazer driver’s view system for the Warrior infantry fighting vehicle fleet. Rheinmetall Electronics UK Ltd won the contract in an open competition and will now supply Trailblazers for a total of 359 Warrior infantry fighting vehicles. The order value is in the low double-digit m euro range.
The Trailblazer cameras will be used as a Rear Safety Camera System (RSCS) for the Warrior vehicle, providing a key safety feature for the driver to recognise terrain and personnel at the rear of the vehicle.
The camera proposed by Rheinmetall Electronics UK is also used as the PAX camera on the Boxer Mechanised Infantry Vehicle (MIV) – part of the vehicles complete local situational awareness system. The PAX model comprises an infrared camera with a 90° field of view giving coverage down to 0 Lux, allowing the driver a wide field of view across the width of the vehicle.
On the Boxer MIV programme, it has recently been independently confirmed that the Trailblazer system will be compliant to an internationally recognised functional safety standard (IEC 61508, within a SIL2 application).
Alongside delivery into the Warrior and Boxer MIV programmes, Rheinmetall Electronics UK are also providing the Driver Vision System on the Challenger 3 main battle tank programme. Boxer MIV and Challenger 3 represent two of the most important modernisation programs for the British Army. Selection of a common Trailblazer solution provides excellent coherence across the fleet.
As part of this programme, Rheinmetall Electronics UK will be delivering the latest, Third Generation Trailblazer solutions, which are fully software defined, Generic Vehicle Architecture (GVA) compatible and have already been qualified to safety and EMC standards, reducing risks around integration. The cameras support continuous, incremental updates, ensuring the capability remains evergreen.
Wayne Cranwell, Rheinmetall Electronics UK Head of Sales said: “Our solution to the Warrior RSCS requirement was founded on the mature design we provide into the Boxer MIV programme ensuring effective and safe rearward operations. Great to see that DE&S identified our proposal as the best value offer in this competition – this will keep this important British Army capability current for the remainder of its in-service lifetime.”
Richard Streeter, Rheinmetall Electronics UK Managing Director said: “It is heartening to see coherence developing across the UK fleet vehicle vision. This approach drives down integration and delivery risk and timelines as well as the total cost of ownership for the UK MoD. The Trailblazer Gen 3 solution was specifically developed to meet the demanding requirements of the UK Army and it will be great to see this system now also supporting the safety needs of the Warrior platform.”
Brigadier Matt Wilkinson, Vehicle Support Team Leader, Defence Equipment & Support (DE&S), said: “This safety critical upgrade to Warrior is being delivered at pace and with the principals of quality, supportability, and value for money at its heart. The DE&S Vehicle Support Team look forward to working with Rheinmetall Electronics UK in integrating this leading-edge technology to our in-service fleet of Armoured Infantry Fighting Vehicles over the next 12 months.”
21 Nov 23. China’s Anti-Drone Gun Debuts in Joint Drills with SE Asian Countries. The Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) deployed a new type of anti-drone gun during an ongoing multinational joint exercise with Southeast Asian countries, as China looks to address threats from small drones that have become common in recent conflicts around the globe, analysts said on Monday.
During the Aman Youyi-2023 joint drills being held in Zhanjiang, South China’s Guangdong Province, a type of portable drone reconnaissance and countermeasure system made its debut, China Central Television (CCTV) reported on Sunday.
Having an appearance like a rifle with a scope, the system can effectively detect, track, locate and recognize drones flying at low altitudes, according to the report.
The gun has a weight of 3.5 kilograms, and its lithium battery can support 120 minutes of use, allowing it to conduct directional interference against drones within 1.5 kilometers by forming an interference area of 17 degrees, CCTV reported.
After disrupting a target, the gun can have it landed or shot down, the report said.
With the rapid development of drone technology, not only regular militaries, but also terrorists and pirates have easy access to commercial level drones that can in effect play important roles in patrol, reconnaissance and even attack tasks, particularly first person view drones, a Beijing-based military expert who requested anonymity told the Global Times on Monday.
The application of such drones has been combat-proven in recent conflicts in other places around the world, the expert said, noting that these low-flying, slow-flying and small drones could become as common as pistols and rifles in infantry units.
The newly unveiled anti-drone gun is seemingly designed to counter these kinds of drones, the expert said.
Other types of new equipment that are participating in the joint drills include reconnaissance robots and through-wall radar systems, the PLA Daily reported.
Hosted by China and joined by Cambodia, Laos, Malaysia, Thailand and Vietnam, the Aman Youyi-2023 multinational joint exercise aims to enhance the participants’ operational capabilities in urban counter-terrorism and maritime anti-piracy operations, deepen military mutual trust and pragmatic cooperation and jointly safeguard regional peace and stability, the PLA Daily said.
The joint exercise highlights the joint deployment of multiple military services and branches, as it organizes counter-terrorism operations across multiple battlefields, be it land, sea or air, the report said.
(Source: https://www.defense-aerospace.com/ Global Times)
20 Nov 23. Patriot replacement radar defeats cruise missile in Raytheon test. The U.S. Army’s new missile defense radar defeated a cruise missile in a development test, RTX’s Raytheon said.
The company is the developer of the Lower Tier Air and Missile Defense Sensor, or LTAMDS, that will replace the service’s original Patriot air and missile defense radar with the capability to defeat ballistic missiles and other complex threats from all directions .
In the test, LTAMDS detected and tracked a cruise missile surrogate flying in a threat-representative path and passed data to the Northrop Grumman-developed Integrated Battle Command System, the brains of the Army’s air-and-missile defense architecture, Raytheon said in a statement Monday. IBCS directed a Patriot Advanced Capability-3 missile to fire and LTAMDS guided the missile to intercept the target, according to the company.
The testing will lead to LTAMDS achieving operational capability by the end of the year, Raytheon said.
The Army awarded a contract to Raytheon four years ago to build the new radar. The contract requires the company to deliver six of the systems.
“Seeing LTAMDS come to life is not only gratifying to the scores of experts who designed and developed it, but it reaffirms the commitment we made to deliver this exceptional radar to air defenders around the globe,” Tom Laliberty, company president of land and air defense systems, said in the statement.
All six radars under contract have been built, according to Raytheon, and are all in simultaneous testing at both U.S. government and company test sites.
Testing will continue in 2024 including environmental and mobility qualification, among other test events and will lead to a “full operational capability in the calendar year,” the statement said.
Split development
The Army has had to split development testing of LTAMDS into two phases. The radar has three arrays; a main one and two in the back that give it the ability to see threats from 360 degrees.
“Last year, when I first came on board, through some system engineering reviews, we realized that trying to do all 360 degrees of tracking was too much to take on at once,” Brig. Gen. Frank Lozano, the Army’s program executive officer for missiles and space, told Defense News in an interview earlier in 2023.
As a result, the first year of testing will focus on the main array and the second year, in 2024, will be dedicated to full-sector capability testing, incorporating the back two arrays, Lozano said. In addition to integration challenges, the program also faced supply chain delays caused by the Coronavirus pandemic.
The phased approach addresses a congressional mandate requiring the Army field an LTAMDS battalion of four sensors by December 2023.
The first unit equipped will receive “residual combat capability” that already exceeds legacy radar capability,” Lozano said.
The plan now is to conduct an operational assessment in the first quarter of fiscal 2025 that will lead to an Engineering and Manufacturing Development decision in FY25, according to Lozano.
The Army is also required to field three additional LTAMDS for the defense of Guam. And Raytheon is also signed on to produce LTAMDS radars for Poland as its first foreign customer for the new radar.
(Source: C4ISR & Networks)
20 Nov 23. Ukraine revealed as launch customer for SETAS. Ukraine was revealed as the launch customer for Hensoldt’s See Through Armour System (SETAS) at SAE Media Group’s Future Armoured Vehicles Survivability (FAVS) 2023 conference held in London from 13 to 15 November.
SETAS was selected as an option for the 18 Boxer-based Remote Controlled Howitzer (RCH) 155 self-propelled howitzers (SPHs) that Ukraine contracted from Krauss-Maffei Wegmann + Nexter Defense Systems (KNDS) in December 2022. Training on these vehicles is scheduled to begin in November 2024, followed by the delivery of the first serial production vehicles in the first quarter of 2025. (Source: Janes)
16 Nov 23. Germany’s PEGASUS passes critical design review. The Global 6000 business jet-based Persistent German Airborne Surveillance System (PEGASUS) has passed its critical design review (CDR), prime contractor Hensoldt announced on 16 November. The CDR, which was conducted by representatives of the Bundeswehr, was successfully completed two years after Hensoldt was contracted to develop the capability based on its Kalaetron signals intelligence (SIGINT) system. Lufthansa Technik is the programme partner, having procured the green airframe from Bombardier in Kansas, in the US, ahead of mission system integration in Hamburg, Germany. (Source: Janes)
17 Nov 23. FAA Investigating Drone Incident at the Ravens Game. Multiple news outlets report that the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) will investigate the unauthorized drone incident that delayed the Baltimore Ravens vs Cincinnati football game at M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore on Thursday. In addition to other flight restrictions that may apply, Notice to Air Mission (NOTAM) 0/0367 restricts drone operations within three (3) nautical miles (5.56 km) of sporting events such as the National Football League, Major League Baseball, NASCAR, and NCAA Division 1 football events. The flight restrictions are in place one hour before to one hour after the event. Per Associated Press reporting, when the drone breached the temporary flight restriction imposed by the FAA, the Maryland Stadium Authority reported that Maryland State Police and authority officials located the operator. The operator was instructed to land the drone promptly. According to the authority’s statement, the operator was unaware of the restrictions and lacked the necessary waiver to operate the drone in the stadium airspace during the game. Drone operators involved in unsafe operations or who pose a risk to other aircraft or individuals on the ground may be subject to fines surpassing $30,000 from the FAA. Additionally, their drone operator pilot certificates could be suspended or revoked. (Source: https://cuashub.com/)
17 Nov 23. Another Successful South Carolina Prison Drone Interdiction. On November 17, 2023, another successful South Carolina prison drone interdiction was reported by the Marlboro County Sheriff’s Office. The agency responded to a call at Evans Correctional Institution on Hwy 9 West regarding a drone flying a package over the prison. Before their arrival, South Carolina Department of Corrections (SCDC) prison officials reported that the drone was headed towards Saddle Brook Rd. Upon reaching the area, Deputies collaborated with SCDC Officials, who informed them that the drone had moved into the woods behind the prison.
With this information, a Marlboro County Deputy noticed a dark SUV emerging from behind the prison. Given the late hour and the nature of the call, a lawful traffic stop was initiated on the vehicle. Upon approaching, a drone was observed in the trunk area, prompting the request for additional Deputies.
Following an initial investigation and consultation with SCDC about the specifics of the dropped package, it was confirmed that the occupants were responsible for its delivery. The package contained various items deemed contraband in the prison system, including 100 grams of Marijuana and 55 grams of Methamphetamine. Additionally, a DJI Inspire 2 Drone was confiscated during the recovery.
The female driver, Jada Young, faced charges of Criminal Conspiracy and Introducing Contraband into a State Facility. The passenger, identified as Dorian Mallory, faced charges of Trafficking Methamphetamine (3rd Offense), Possession with Intent to Distribute Marijuana, Criminal Conspiracy, and Introducing Contraband into a State Facility.
At a bond hearing conducted on Friday, Young received a $10,000 Surety bond, while Mallory received a $175,000 Surety bond.
Two weeks before this incident, the same law enforcement agencies were involved in the successful apprehension of two individuals who were charged with trafficking of methamphetamines into the same correctional institution.
For additional information and resources related to the airspace awareness and protection challenge at prisons, jails, and correctional institutions, please visit the Corrections Counter-UAS sector page.
(Source: https://cuashub.com/)
16 Nov 23. Lockheed will deliver advanced TPY-4 radar to Air Force for evaluation. Lockheed Martin is preparing to send the U.S. Air Force its advanced TPY-4 radar for further evaluation, following months of internal testing and tweaks at company facilities in rural New York.
The software-defined sensor, capable of detecting and tracking everything from small drones to jets to ballistic missiles, is slated to replace the decades-old TPS-75 radar as part of the Three-Dimensional Expeditionary Long Range Radar effort, or 3DELRR.
The Air Force picked Lockheed’s technology last year, beating out an offering from Northrop Grumman. The service at the time cited production and sustainment costs as well as overall capability in its decision-making.
“One thing that’s great about the TPY-4, as an example, is it’s a software-defined radar upfront,” Steve Allen, Lockheed’s program director for ground-based air surveillance, told reporters during a Nov. 2 tour of the company’s test range and assembly lines. “When we have changes of targets, or what we’re looking for, it becomes a lot of ‘how do we change our software?’”
Allen said he expects the TPY-4 to be pushed to its limits once it’s handed off at Eglin Air Force Base in Florida, with the service determined to discover “what this thing can really, really do.” Testing is expected to begin in the summer.
The TPY-4 features an active electronically scanned array, often shortened to AESA, and is available in both fixed and mobile variants. The many pucks or nodules on its face allow for multitasking and digital reprogramming.
Lockheed announced the successful production of the first TPY-4 in May 2022. At least three were being worked on during the November tour.
International interest in the TPY-4 is strong, according to company leaders. The Norwegian military is awaiting a delivery after signing a contract months ago. Others are queueing — or at least window-shopping.
“There’s been a lot of countries that are very, very interested,” Allen said. “They’re waiting for the Air Force to, kind of, get through their process to say, ‘OK, we’re comfortable with the maturity level,’ before they take the next step.”
Lockheed is the world’s largest defense contractor when ranked by defense-related revenue, earning more than $63 bn in 2022, according to Defense News Top 100 analysis. (Source: C4ISR & Networks)
17 Nov 23. CSIS- Countering Small Uncrewed Aerial Systems.
Countering Small Uncrewed Aerial Systems is a report by the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), authored by Shaan Shaikh, Tom Karako, and Michelle McLoughlin.
This study focuses primarily on counter-small uncrewed aerial systems (C-sUAS) for the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD).
Publication Date- November 2023
Countering Small Uncrewed Aerial Systems has three sections:
The first section aims to offer a concise analysis of the sUAS threat. The second section provides readers with a review of the methods to detect and defeat sUAS. The third and final section outlines the C-sUAS development path in the U.S. from urgent need, to refinement, to institutionalization.
This summary is posted with CSIS’s permission.
C-UAS Hub does not own this content and provides a link for users at the bottom of the page to access it in its original location. This allows the author(s) to track important article metrics related to their work. All credit goes to its rightful owner.
Authors- Shaan Shaikh, Tom Karako, and Michelle McLoughlin
See Also-
Combined Arms Warfare and Unmanned Aircraft Systems
CSIS Online Event: A New Strategy for Countering Small Unmanned Aerial Systems. (Source: https://cuashub.com/)
16 Nov 23. New chip coated with man-made diamonds promises smaller, more powerful radars. Diamonds aren’t just forever. They’re also a great conductor of heat. A new type of semiconductor prototyped by DARPA and Raytheon promises to run much cooler than typical chips, a breakthrough that could lead to much better radars for warplanes, drones, and air defense systems.
Raytheon is getting $15 m to further develop these extra-cool gallium nitride, or GaN, semiconductors under DARPA’s Technologies for Heat Removal in Electronics at the Device Scale, or THREADS, program.
“The way we’re trying to achieve that is by integrating some of the world’s best thermal conductors right next to the hotspot in the device,” Matt Tyhach, Raytheon’s mission area director for next-generation sensors and microelectronics, told Defense One ahead of the announcement.
The conducting material? Diamond crystals grown onto chips with help from Diamond Foundry and Stanford. New breakthroughs in nanotechnology and lab-grown diamonds make it possible.
Diamond is one of the world’s best thermal conductors. In fact, if you took a diamond crystal wafer between your fingertips and touched the other end to an ice cube, the wafer would transfer the heat from your fingertips and melt the cube. That same property could lead to gallium nitride chips that require less cooling.
Gallium nitride is already a common component in radar systems, helping to maximize the power of the emissions that reflect off incoming threats. But like all electronics, heat can be a limiting factor. Enter diamond crystals.
“In terms of comparing thermal performance, today’s silicon carbine substrates have a conductivity of about 300 [Watts per meter-Kelvin]. The diamond is 2,000,” Tyhach said.
What could you do with much cooler gallium nitride semiconductors? Tyhach said DARPA is working on the applications. But in the same way gallium nitride enabled a new generation of radars that were smaller and more powerful than their predecessors, so could new semiconductor architectures enable drones or fighter jets with much more powerful radar and sensing ability, he said. That could leave more room for additional autonomy and allow the drone or jet to much more accurately perceive the world around them, letting them find targets or evade threats more easily.
The work will take place in Raytheon’s gallium nitride foundry in Andover, Massachusetts.
“The same foundry that makes that GaN wafers today will be used to make the devices for the THREADS program as well. So the fact that we’re doing research on the same tools of production really helps accelerate the period from development to transition,” Tyhach said. (Source: Defense One)
17 Nov 23. NSPA Announces Acquisition Strategy to Define A Future Airborne Early Warning and Control Capability. The NATO Support and Procurement Agency (NSPA) has announced its acquisition strategy for an initial Alliance Future Surveillance and Control (iAFSC) capability. Based on a US Foreign Military Sales (FMS) case, NSPA is taking steps towards acquiring 6 E-7A Airborne Early Warning and Control (AEW&C) Wedgetail aircraft manufactured by Boeing.
NATO’s current Airborne Warning and Control System (AWACS) fleet, a key surveillance and control asset, is scheduled to retire around 2035. iAFSC will deliver an initial element to mitigate the risk of airborne surveillance and control capability gap. The Wedgetail will be integrated, as one contributing element, to the overall Alliance Future Surveillance and Control (AFSC) system of systems capability.
The chosen iAFSC acquisition strategy plans to deliver the requirements defined by the NATO strategic commands and to meet operational needs of NATO and nations. The approach recognises the benefits of economies of scale, commonality and interoperability deriving from multinational acquisition of military off-the-shelf platforms. It also ensures a smooth transition from the existing capability across other lines of development and into the future.
NSPA announces acquisition strategy to define a future airborne early warning and control capability
Through a rigorous assessment process, NSPA, along with NATO and national experts, assessed industry’s responses to Requests for Information (RFI) and Price and Availability (P&A), as well as capabilities of firms identified on the NSPA Source File. This also involved defence industry research, including comparable AEW&C acquisition programmes in Australia, South Korea, Türkiye, the United Kingdom and the United States.
The Support Partnership Nations- (Belgium, Germany, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Romania, and the United States) and NSPA concluded that the Boeing E-7A AEW&C Wedgetail is the only known system currently capable of fulfilling the strategic commands’ essential operational requirements and key performance parameters and available for delivery within the timeframe required.
It is expected that the Wedgetail will reach Initial Operational Capability (IOC) in 2031.
In making the announcement during a meeting of the North Atlantic Council (NAC), Ms Stacy Cummings, NSPA General Manager commented: “This announcement marks a significant milestone in NATO’s ongoing efforts to enhance its readiness and capabilities in the years to come. NSPA’s acquisition strategy of a sole source, FMS, multinational solution is set to deliver a range of benefits that will bolster the Alliance’s ability to respond to evolving security challenges.”
“This announcement marks a significant milestone in NATO’s ongoing efforts to enhance its readiness and capabilities in the years to come. NSPA’s acquisition strategy of a sole source, FMS, multinational solution is set to deliver a range of benefits that will bolster the Alliance’s ability to respond to evolving security challenges,” said Ms Stacy Cummings, NSPA General Manager.
“Surveillance and reconnaissance aircraft are crucial for NATO’s collective defence and I welcome Allies’ commitment to investing in high-end capabilities. By pooling resources, Allies can buy and operate major assets collectively that would be too expensive for individual countries to purchase. This investment in state-of-the-art technology shows the strength of transatlantic defence cooperation as we continue to adapt to a more unstable world,” said Mr Jens Stoltenberg, NATO Secretary General
About NSPA:
The NATO Support and Procurement Agency (NSPA) is NATO’s lead organisation for multinational Acquisition, Support and Sustainment in all domains.
NSPA’s Headquarters is in the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg, with main operational centres in France, Hungary and Italy. The Agency employs over 1,500 staff and engages over 500 contractors Worldwide
(Source: https://www.defense-aerospace.com/ NATO Support and Procurement Agency)
17 Nov 23. Security analysis of drone systems. Security analysis of drone systems: Attacks, limitations, and recommendations is a report by Jean-Paul Yaacoub, Hassan Noura, Ola Salman, and Ali Chehab.
Recently, there has been a notable surge in the utilization of drones globally, driven by an increasing demand for their versatile applications. The widespread adoption of drones can be attributed to their capacity to address diverse user needs, offering a bird’s-eye view that can be activated in nearly any location and at any time. However, this surge in drone usage has brought about a concerning trend – the malicious use of drones by both criminals and cyber-criminals. The likelihood and frequency of such attacks are high, posing potentially dangerous and devastating consequences. Consequently, there is a pressing need for comprehensive detective, protective, and preventive countermeasures.
This survey explores the emerging threats associated with using drones in cyber-attacks and identifies countermeasures to mitigate these risks. The paper examines various nefarious applications of drones, detailing possible detection methods. It analyzes the exploitation of drone vulnerabilities within communication links, smart devices, and hardware, encompassing smartphones and tablets. Additionally, the paper provides an in-depth review of drone/Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) usage across multiple domains, including civilian, military, and terrorism, outlining different purposes.
Furthermore, the paper outlines a realistic attack scenario, illustrating how the authors executed a simulated attack on a specific drone following the hacking cycle. This review serves as a valuable resource for ethical hackers, offering insights into existing UAV vulnerabilities in both military and civilian domains and enabling the development of new techniques and technologies for enhanced UAV attack detection and protection. The document reviews various civilian and military anti-drone/UAV (detective and preventive) countermeasures.
Publication Date– May 2020
Security analysis of drone systems: Attacks, limitations, and recommendations contains the following major sections:
- Introduction
- Background and overview
- Domains of use
- Drone security, safety and privacy concerns
- Drone existing threats & vulnerabilities
- Drone existing cyber-countermeasures
- Anti-drone countermeasures
- Limitations and recommendations
- Conclusion
C-UAS Hub does not own this content and provides a link for users at the bottom of the page to access it in its original location. This allows the author(s) to track important article metrics related to their work. All credit goes to its rightful owner.
Authors- Jean-Paul Yaacoub, Hassan Noura, Ola Salman, and Ali Chehab
(Source: https://cuashub.com/)
17 Nov 23. Germany approves three more Poseidon MMAs. Germany is increasing its buy of Boeing P-8A Poseidon maritime multimission aircraft (MMA), with a further three aircraft approved by the country’s government.
Kommandeur Marineflieger, Sea Captain Broder Nielsen, confirmed the additional purchase on 17 November, saying, “The budget committee of the Bundestag has approved the procurement of three more P-8A Poseidons. A good and important decision for the operational capability of German naval aviation.”
News of the approval came some 17 months after Capt Nielsen’s predecessor, Capt Thorsten Bobzin, confirmed in June 2022 the plan to increase the Marineflieger’s Poseidon buy from five aircraft as part of a wider increase in the national defence budget, specifically the EUR100 bn (USD109 bn) Söndervermögen (special fund) uplift following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
While this increase will take the Marineflieger’s Poseidon fleet to eight airframes, German national media had previously said that as many as seven more aircraft might be added for a final fleet of 12, though this now seems unlikely given wider budgetary pressures.
The first five Poseidon aircraft will be delivered to Germany by the end of October 2024. (Source: Janes)
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