Sponsored by Blighter Surveillance Systems
www.blighter.com
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29 Jul 21. DroneShield Expands into Brazil. DroneShield Ltd (ASX:DRO) (“DroneShield” or the “Company”) has commenced expansion into the Brazilian market. As part of the entrance into the Brazilian market, DroneShield has received formal approval from Anatel, the Brazilian National Telecommunications Agency responsible for issuing the concession of new radio frequencies. Following the approval earlier this month, the Company has now sold a quantity of its DroneGun Tactical units to Brazilian Government.
Oleg Vornik, DroneShield CEO, commented, “Brazil is a large and sophisticated market for military and security equipment, and we are pleased to commence active presence in the country, deploying equipment to the customers. We look forward growing our presence in Brazil with the urgent counterdrone requirements mirroring what we are seeing in other countries.”
29 Jul 21. Elta and Hensoldt team up for German ballistic missile defense radar. Germany’s Hensoldt has won a contract to supply new radars to the country’s military, according to a July 26 statement from the sensor specialist, with Israel Aerospace Industries also contributing toward the ultimate goal of modernizing Germany’s ballistic missile defense capabilities. The €200m (U.S. $236m) contract comes in the wake of a June deal with IAI subsidiary Elta Systems to supply 69 tactical mobile radars to Germany’s land forces. Both deals were signed with the Federal Office of Bundeswehr Equipment, Information Technology and In-Service Support.
The latest contract is for four long-range radars as part of the Hughes Air Defence Radar Nachfolgesystem program. Elta and Hensoldt previously cooperated on submarine capabilities, but this is the first time they have worked together on radars, said Amir Dan, Elta’s naval radars marketing team lead.
He told Defense News that Elta’s work with Hensoldt on the radars provides an opportunity for IAI to have a local partner and increases its chances of winning future European contracts. According to Elta, some of the workshare and capability to produce some radar elements will occur in Germany.
“Germany is a key country for defense systems, and Israel can offer what we have and this opportunity of experience and knowledge into that arena of ballistic missile defense,” Dan said.
Elta is known for making the radar used with Israel’s Iron Dome air defense system, and in 2019 the company sold $125m worth of ELM-2084 radars to the Czech Republic. The radar for Germany will be slightly larger, with a range going out hundreds of kilometers, however the company did not specify the precise range.
Germany’s place in the overall air defense picture across Europe and NATO countries is important, according to a joint statement from both companies. “Since the threat to Europe from long-range weapons has existed for years, there is agreement among the European countries that a protective shield consisting of their own and NATO systems must be established or expanded,” Elta noted. Prior research at the Joint Air Power Competence Centre, which is sponsored by 16 NATO members, has looked at both land-based radars for Germany and the role that its Navy could adopt for sea-based ballistic missile defense.
“In relevant international panels and conferences, Germany has not only supported sensor development but also — at least in the long-term — encouraged building-up a maritime European BMD capability,” Elta said.
Hensoldt said the Hughes Air Defence Radar Nachfolgesystem system operates in the S-band, allowing for more precise target acquisition compared to other systems.
Germany and Israel have a close defense relationship, with the former’s ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems supplying new Sa’ar 6 corvettes to the latter. Additionally, Israeli firm Rafael Advanced Defense Systems has worked with Germany on a “glass battlefield” project, and the company has sold its Trophy active protection system to equip German tanks. (Source: Defense News)
28 Jul 21. SHOTOVER Debuts M1 Surveillance at APSCON 2021. Visit Booth 813 June 28-30 at the New Orleans Ernest N. Morial Convention Center to Preview the M1 Surveillance. SHOTOVER, a manufacturer of high-performance aerial imaging systems coupled with the most advanced and easy-to-use real-time augmented reality mapping software, announced today the launch of its new M1 Surveillance camera system. A first in airborne public safety, the M1 features the latest in large format color sensor technology, delivering unprecedented daytime clarity and revealing nighttime detail. The system’s high magnification zoom optics outclass traditional spotter-equipped systems with 4K broadcast detail enabling greater stand-off distances during far-reaching missions.
Further increasing situational awareness, the M1 Surveillance comes equipped with SHOTOVER’s real-time augmented reality software and comprehensive mission management solutions. Regardless of the weather elements or time of day, operators can pinpoint vehicle locations, suspects, coordinates and much more. Additional custom features designed for surveillance include a proprietary 3D compass for accurate feature size measurements, multiple orientation views, perimeter mapping and geo-markers for highlighting locations and landmarks.
The M1 Surveillance is the first product launch from SHOTOVER Systems after a recent merger between Churchill Navigation and SHOTOVER Camera Systems. “SHOTOVER’s mission is to provide our customers with comprehensive solutions in a single package backed by support they can count on day or night, said SHOTOVER CEO Tom Churchill. “The M1 Surveillance is a tightly integrated solution fit to meet the complex needs of today’s mission-oriented aircraft.”
Featuring the award-winning 6-axis design the company is well-known for, the M1 Surveillance delivers a superior range of movement and unmatched look-down capability. Additionally, the modular system design accommodates future resolution growth and the insertions of new technologies and software updates. Exclusive system benefits include the ability to take 12MP or 24MP digital photographs, portrait mode video layout and optional cloud-based video management for live-streaming, reviewing and archiving video content.
About SHOTOVER
SHOTOVER is a leading developer of high-performance camera systems, real-time augmented reality software, and mission management solutions for a wide range of markets including public safety, defense, and homeland security. The company’s product range offers users a seamless end-to-end solution while delivering an unprecedented level of control, versatility, and ease of use in a compact package backed by world-class service and support. SHOTOVER is online as http://www.shotover.com (Source: PR Newswire)
28 Jul 21. Jet-Powered Coyote Defeats Swarm in US Army Tests. Raytheon Missiles & Defense, a Raytheon Technologies business, successfully defeated a swarm of drones with its reusable Coyote Block 3 non-kinetic effector during a U.S. Army test. The demonstration moves the variant closer to deployment.
Derived from the expendable Coyote loitering munition, the Block 3 utilizes a non-kinetic warhead to neutralize enemy drones, reducing potential collateral damage. Unlike its expendable counterpart, the non-kinetic variant can be recovered, refurbished and reused without leaving the battlefield.
“This test demonstrates the effectiveness of Coyote to counter complex, unmanned aircraft systems,” said Tom Laliberty, vice president of Land Warfare & Air Defense at Raytheon Missiles & Defense. “As a non-kinetic variant, we’re offering an effective weapon against the threat and value to the Army in the form of an affordable, reusable asset.”
During the test, the Coyote engaged and defeated a swarm of 10 drones that differed in size, complexity, maneuverability and range. It achieved several significant firsts:
- Air-to-air non-kinetic defeats;
- Survivability, recovery, refurbishment and reuse during the same test event;
- Successful launch from the Coyote Block 2 system;
- Extended range engagements, communication and KuRFS radar track. (Source: UAS VISION)
28 Jul 21. US AFCEC begins delivery of upgraded imaging systems to EOD units. The new system will improve EOD’s capabilities to view internal contents of suspicious packages, IED and unexploded ordnance.
An explosive ordnance disposal technician stitches multiple x-ray images together using the Guardian 12 Digital Radiographic X-ray system July 22 at Eglin Air Force Base. Credit: USAF / Samuel King Jr.
The US Air Force (USAF) Civil Engineer Center’s (AFCEC) Readiness Directorate has started delivering upgraded imaging X-ray systems to explosive ordnance disposal (EOD) flights.
The AFCEC delivered the first of 53 portable Vidisco Guardian 12 Digital Radiographic X-ray systems to Hill Air Force Base in Utah, US. The centre will deliver the remaining systems over the next five years.
Concurrently, AFCEC will continue organising training events to familiarise personnel with the new imaging system.
Vidisco Guardian 12 Digital Radiographic X-ray system is designed to improve EOD’s capabilities by enabling them to view internal contents of suspicious packages and identify improvised explosive devices (IEDs) and unexploded ordnance. Unlike previous systems, Guardian 12 leverages digital technology to detect explosives. The system combines the capabilities of the off-the-shelf systems that are currently in use. It is lightweight and can be easily transported for fly away missions.
Furthermore, the system can work in temperatures ranging from -14°F to 140°F.
AFCEC EOD logistics lead Dave Hodgson said: “The new system essentially consolidates all the capabilities of previous systems.
“It meets all of the requirements necessary to support the mission.”
Recently, the first training event was held at Eglin AFB, Florida. EOD flights from three Florida bases, Eglin, Hurlburt Field and Tyndall, participated in the training and received the delivery of the new systems.
The procurement of the new imaging systems was an Air Force Installation and Mission Support Center collaborative effort between AFCEC and the Air Force Installation Contracting Center’s 772nd Enterprise Sourcing Squadron.
Hodgson added: “We’re committed to ensuring our EOD forces have the training, equipment and resources required to accomplish their duties in garrison and down range.
“The new systems will allow airmen to conduct missions safely, rapidly and effectively.” (Source: airforce-technology.com)
27 Jul 21. French Navy Tests Laser C-UAS Air-Defense System. Following the lead of the U.S. Navy, the French Navy will soon begin testing a laser-based anti-drone system for point defense, which would give it a new option for keeping its maritime assets safe from low-cost, explosives-laden drones and small craft. Armed or bomb-laden drones are ubiquitous in modern combat, and drone surface craft have played a prominent role in at least one ongoing conflict, the Yemeni Civil War. French defense company CILAS has come up with one way to counteract these threats. Its HELMA-P laser platform can track drones in flight and shoot them down with a small two-kilowatt laser. It can be operated by a single user, and it has an effective range of about half a nautical mile, roughly on par with a standard Phalanx Close-In Weapons System. Despite its capabilities, it is small enough to fit handily into a shipping container for easy transport.
CILAS has been testing the laser system on target drones in France since last year, and it has shot down about three dozen so far. After the last trials finished on July 7, French armed forces minister Florence Parly said that given the promising results, the system deserved a test aboard a French Navy vessel.
In a statement, the Marine Nationale said that the HELMA-P turret has shown its capability on land, and it will be assessed aboard one of the service’s vessels in 2022. After an initial series of experiments to ensure that the system runs properly in the marine environment, the service will take it to sea and test it against live drones.
“The Navy is interested in laser weapons because combat ships have very high computing power, space, a lot of energy and refrigeration capacities which predispose them to receive high power lasers,” the service said. “These systems are capable of destroying or damaging many threats by controlling the effects and being able to renew the engagement without limitation.”
The Marine Nationale did not name the vessel selected for the trial, but a photo accompanying the announcement showed the FS Forbin, the first of the new Horizon-class air-defense frigates.
The U.S. Navy has tested a more powerful anti-drone laser system, LaWS, aboard the amphibious transport dock USS Ponce. The German Navy is also testing a surface-to-air laser in the 20kW class with technology provided by Rheinmetall, and the next step will be a yearlong trial phase onboard the frigate Sachsen. (Source: UAS VISION/Maritime Executive)
27 Jul 21. AERTEC’s TARSIS 75 Adds Laser Designator. The TARSIS 75 UAS produced by AERTEC, the international technology company specialized in aeronautics and defence, has just carried out a flight campaign at the facilities of the El Arenosillo Experimentation Centre (CEDEA) for the Spanish Ministry of Defence. This is the first time in Europe that a laser designator that complies with the STANAG 3733 standard has been integrated into a Class I unmanned system.
The system is gyro-stabilised and incorporates pulsed laser designator capability, in addition to ISR capabilities based on electro-optical and mid-band infrared sensors to locate and identify targets at long range, both in day and night-time operations. Currently no other UAS operator or manufacturer in Europe has successfully integrated a STANAG 3733 compliant laser designator into a Class I unmanned system.
This new capability will be very useful for artillery fire support missions where laser guided weapons are used and is in addition to the artillery fire correction capability already implemented in the TARSIS 75. In addition, AERTEC is developing in parallel guided weaponry for UAS, which will complement the designator capability and provide full strike capabilities.
TARSIS continues to be a category leader in ISR (Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance) capabilities related to the protection of the Armed Forces, both for fixed installations and convoy escort. Thanks to this new technological milestone achieved by the TARSIS 75, Class I tactical unmanned systems can now also enter the scenario of this type of operations.
This campaign has been carried out within the framework of the RAPAZ Programme promoted by the Ministry of Defence’s Directorate-General of Weapons and Materials (DGAM – Dirección General de Armamento y Materiales).
27 Jul 21. Logos Technologies Successfully Flight Tests SPRITE Multi-Sensor Pod for Office of Naval Research. Logos Technologies LLC, a leading developer of wide-area motion imagery (WAMI) systems, announced today that, with the successful test flight of the Spectral and Reconnaissance Imaging for Tactical Exploitation (SPRITE) POD earlier this year, has met all the goals of its five-year contract with the Office of Naval Research.
A U.S. military version of the company’s platform-agnostic Multi-Modal Sensor Pod (MMSP), SPRITE was flown on a manned Cessna 337 Super Skymaster.
“We had SPRITE flying between four and five hours a day for a whole week,” said Chris Stellman, lead principal scientist and program manager for Logos Technologies. “We were able to use SPRITE’s sensor modalities to detect signatures of interest, process that data on the fly, and stream it down in real time to users on the ground.”
The SPRITE pod houses an ultra-light Logos Technologies RedKite WAMI sensor, a high-definition spotter camera, and commercial shortwave infrared hyperspectral sensor. In addition, SPRITE contained a palm-sized Multi-Modal Edge Processor (MMEP), also developed by Logos Technologies, to process the deluge of raw data being produced by all three sensors, in real time, and cross cue between the sensors.
“The MMEP is the brains of the SPRITE pod,” Stellman said. “It’s what makes data actionable to the warfighter and searchable to the analyst.”
Though the Office of Naval Research contract required a specific set of sensors, the MMSP is very flexible regarding the payloads it can house. For example, instead of a hyperspectral sensor, it could include LIDAR or a signals intelligence package, depending on customer need. And at the upcoming Association of the United States Army (AUSA) Annual Meeting & Exposition, in Washington, D.C., Logos Technologies will be showcasing the now-proven SPRITE pod and talking to interested parties about the MMSP. (Source: BUSINESS WIRE)
27 Jul 21. DIU awards Anduril Industries contract for counter-drone AI technology. Pentagon’s Silicon Valley outreach arm awarded Anduril Industries a five-year contract worth up to $99m that makes the company’s counter-drone artificial intelligence technology available across the military, the company announced Tuesday.
The award from the Defense Innovation Unit will provide the military with counter unmanned aircraft system capabilities that can defend forces from “hobby drones to those flown by state actors,” according to the defense technology company. The technology uses the company’s Lattice artificial intelligence operating system and a network of sensors to autonomously detect, classify and track targets.
The deal will allow the Army, Navy, Air Force and Marines to purchase the counter-drone solutions as a service, meaning Anduril will manage and sustain the systems that a customer purchases. Anduril’s suite of autonomous c-UAS solutions ingests surveillance data to detect, track and alert military users to potential threats. That system has been used for base security at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar.
Anduril Chief Revenue Officer Matthew Steckman said service contract will allow customers to take advantage of continuous innovations to “keep pace with the threat that state and non-state unmanned systems present.”
“Because the services will be buying C-UAS as a service, Anduril will be able to provide a range of systems based on a particular threat profile instead of a one size fits all model,” Steckman said. “We can also focus on continuous-development and continuous-release of our software operating system, ensuring that the warfighter is always getting the best tech.”
Anduril and DIU worked from prototype to production in 18 months, a timeline faster than tedious yearslong acquisition processes that hamper the Pentagon’s ability to work with smaller companies and startups. Steckman said the partnership is an example of how the Pentagon can successfully work with nontraditional contractors and speed up acquisition timelines.
Anduril said it demonstrated its capabilities in multiple combat assessments and competitive test events.
“This award is precisely the kind of contract vehicle DOD should be issuing to help companies bridge the Valley of Death,” Steckman said, referring to a common problem where promising technologies fail to integrate into programs of record. “Working together, Anduril and DIU were able to move from prototype to production in just 18 months, including a rigorous meritocratic testing and assessment period. This process is repeatable, and it is one the Department should do more.” (Source: Defense News)
27 Jul 21. Laird Thermal Systems Launches OptoTEC™ OTX/HTX Series of Miniature Thermoelectric Coolers for High-temperature Optoelectronics. The high-performance OptoTEC™ OTX/HTX Series offers superior heat pumping capacity in an extremely small footprint. Laird Thermal Systems has launched the enhanced OptoTEC™ OTX/HTX Series of miniature thermoelectric coolers designed for high-temperature environments found in telecom, industrial, autonomous and photonics applications. Featuring next generation thermoelectric materials, the OptoTEC OTX/HTX Series offers a 10% boost in cooling capacity, greater temperature differential and higher efficiency than standard thermoelectric coolers.
The high-performance, solid-state cooling devices are specifically designed to control the temperature of heat-sensitive optoelectronic components used in laser diodes, optical transceivers, LiDAR, CMOS and Infrared Range (IR) sensor applications.
Optoelectronic devices, such as laser diode packages, can reach operating temperatures as high as +85°C in an outdoor or air restricted environment. Whether used for fiber optics in telecommunications, industrial processing, or autonomous systems, temperature stabilization is key to maintaining the laser diodes’ peak performance and ensuring long-life operation. Thermoelectric coolers utilize the Peltier effect to keep sensitive optical components below their maximum operating temperature. By reversing polarity, thermoelectric coolers have the ability to heat or cool, which allows for a temperature control accuracy of up to ±0.01°C under steady state conditions.
In footprints as small as 3 X 4 mm, the OptoTEC OTX/HTX Series offers high heat pumping capacity and improved temperature stability for optoelectronic applications with tight geometric space constraints. Offering up to 10 Watts of cooling power, the OptoTEC OTX/HTX series maintains a temperature differential ΔTmax (Qc = 0) of up to 82°C with a hot side temperature at 50°C. The product series has passed Telcordia GR-468 CORE qualification to withstand harsh mechanical and environmental test standards and manufacturing process controls have been enhanced to ensure high repeatability and long-life operation.
“Temperature stabilization of optoelectronic components in high temperature environments is no easy task,” said Andrew Dereka, Thermoelectrics Product Director at Laird Thermal Systems. “Our OptoTEC OTX/HTX series uses new thermoelectric materials and enhanced process controls to meet the demands of the optoelectronics industry by offering higher cooling performance in a miniature form factor”
The OptoTEC series is available in two versions. The OTX thermoelectric cooler is designed for operating temperatures up to 120°C while the HTX thermoelectric cooler uses a higher temperature construction to operate in temperatures up to 150°C. Custom configurations are available to accommodate metallization, pre-tinning, ceramic patterns, and solder posts. The OptoTEC OTX/HTX Series is available from several authorized distributors. For more information or to buy now, visit our website.
27 Jul 21. U.S. Army’s Sentinel A4 Radar Program Receives Orolia M-Code Solution. Orolia Defense & Security Delivers M-Code Enabled Timing & Sync to Lockheed Martin. In September 2019, Lockheed Martin was awarded a contract to develop the U.S. Army’s Sentinel A4 system, an air and missile defense radar that will provide improved capability against dynamic threats. The following November, Orolia Defense & Security announced the availability of M-Code Military GPS receivers in its flagship SecureSyncd – the first Defense Information Systems Agency (DISA) approved time server.
In May 2021, Orolia delivered a shipment of M-Code enabled SecureSync mission timing and synchronization units to Lockheed Martin, marking another key milestone for the Army program. SecureSync with M-Code provides enhanced resilient positioning, navigation and timing (PNT) capabilities and improved resistance to existing and emerging GPS threats, such as jamming and spoofing.
Lockheed Martin selected Orolia’s SecureSync M-Code as the system’s resilient time and frequency reference solution in part due to its modular, open architecture – the same characteristics that are the cornerstone of the radar’s design – making integration a simple process and ensuring future upgrades.
“As a trusted Lockheed Martin partner, Orolia is proud to support the development of the Sentinel A4, which will be a key asset to our warfighters for decades to come,” said Hironori Sasaki, President of Orolia Defense & Security. “Making M-Code available now in a readily configurable and scalable form factor is a critical step in advancing our forces out in the field, whether in the air or on the ground,” Sasaki added. The next-generation of U.S. military systems are fortified with M-Code, and Orolia leads the industry in M-Code solutions for Navigation Warfare (NAVWAR) environments.
27 Jul 21. EU-Backed Crown Consortium To Develop AESA Based Multifunction RF System. Setting a foundation for the next-generation multifunction radio-frequency (RF) system based on Active Electronically Scanned Arrays (AESA) technology is the task of the CROWN consortium. CROWN – a European active electronically scanned array with Combined Radar, cOmmunications, and electronic Warfare fuNctions for military applications – is an $11.8m project set to run over 30 months.
Founded as a result of a call for proposals for ‘Electromagnetic Spectrum Dominance’ under the EDA-managed EU Preparatory Action on Defence Research (PADR) in 2019, an international consortium of 11 participants from seven countries has been established.
The CROWN consortium is coordinated by Indra (Spain) and brings together 11 leading industry members, research centres and an SME from seven EU countries: Indra (Spain), Thales (France), Office National d’Etudes et de Recherches Aerospatiales – ONERA (France), Hensoldt Sensors (Germany), Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft (Germany), Saab (Sweden), Totalforsvarets Forskningsinstitut – FOI (Sweden) Nederlandse Organisatie voor Toegepast Natuurwetenschappelijk Onderzoek – TNO (Netherlands), Leonardo (Italy), Elettronica (Italy) and Baltijos Pazangiu Technologiju Institutas – BPTI (Lithuania). The project will examine critical technologies, R&T activities on system and component level and will look to design, manufacture and test a small-scale prototype. The PADR was established by the European Commission in 2017 to assess and demonstrate the added-value of EU supported defence research and technology (R&T). According to the EDA: “It paved the way for a proper European Defence Programme to come as part of the European Defence Fund (EDF), under the EU’s Multiannual Financial Framework (2021-2027).” (Source: Armada)
27 Jul 21. Silentium Defence wins $7.4m passive radar contract from Australian Army. Adelaide-based Silentium Defence has secured a $7.4m contract from the Department of Defence to supply its MAVERICK M-series passive radar system to the Australian Army for capability development and evaluation activities.
Silentium’s MAVERICK M-series is the first high-performance, low-power, soldier-portable, covert radar system for air defence, land, and maritime surveillance. It provides critical sovereign capability for the ADF and its allies and an undeniable advantage in the air, land, and maritime domains – the ability to see without being seen.
Dr James Palmer, CEO Silentium Defence said, “the battlespace continues to evolve, and we see greater penetration of new, unmanned aerial systems alongside traditional threats that put our troops, operations, and assets in harm’s way.
“Comprehensive situational awareness with sufficient time to act has never been more critical,” he added.
“Our MAVERICK M-series passive radar system, designed in collaboration with Defence provides that awareness without compromise. This is true world class technology, developed right here in Australia.”
A complementary or replacement technology to traditional surveillance systems, MAVERICK M-series passive radars use existing energy in the environment (e.g. broadcast television signals) as their transmission source. As it does not emit, it does not highlight the user’s presence or create a radiation hazard, making it quick, safe, and easy to deploy, even in densely populated environments.
Unlike traditional active radar systems, passive radar does not require spectrum allocation to operate which makes it more cost effective to deploy in a world where spectrum is increasingly expensive and elusive to secure.
MAVERICK M-series is part of Silentium Defence’s broader passive surveillance product suite that includes other high-performance sensor systems for critical Space Domain Awareness and Air Traffic Management and addresses a combined $19bn global market opportunity. (Source: Rumour Control)
23 Jul 21. Harnessing Digital Agility on Northrop Grumman’s G/ATOR program. On the modern, dynamic battlefield, agility and connectivity are decisive advantages. Agile and networked warfighters who rapidly adapt to changing adversary tactics, techniques and technologies in real time can outmaneuver and win.
The same goes for the weapon systems those warfighters employ. Modern, software-defined weapon systems that feature multi-functionality and adaptability are needed so that they can continually evolve to counteract new threats.
A Digital-First Sensor
The Marine Corps’ premier air defense radar, the AN/TPS-80 Ground/Air Task Oriented Radar (G/ATOR) – developed and produced by Northrop Grumman – is one such weapon system. A digital-first sensor, the AN/TPS-80 cyclically receives capability updates with every software load. Its hardware is being improved too – such as transitioning to higher-performance gallium nitride (GaN) semiconductor components from gallium arsenide (GaAs) and by adding transmit/receive modules for longer-range capability.
Northrop Grumman invested in the AN/TPS-80 to become even more agile by creating a digital transformation roadmap and completing initial versions of a digital model or “digital twin” where new software or engineering changes can be developed, demonstrated and deployed in a virtual environment before fielding.
“We’re embracing digital transformation throughout the system lifecycle to deliver solutions with the agility, speed and affordability that our customers require while pushing the bounds of physics,” said Mike Meaney, vice president, land and maritime sensors, Northrop Grumman. “With integrated digital technologies and models, and investments in creating a digital twin, what previously could take years to deploy to the field can be reduced to hours.”
This adaptability of the AN/TPS-80 was demonstrated in a number of field trials and system tests conducted over the past year. At a U.S. government test range, engineers assessed the radar’s ability to withstand varying electronic attack techniques. Northrop Grumman’s engineering team was able to detect and respond to those electronic attacks by implementing countermeasures through software updates in mere hours as compared to days.
The AN/TPS-80 is in full-rate production for the Marine Corps. The service recently awarded Northrop Grumman $236.9m for eight additional systems.
Value of Connectivity
When multifunction sensors like AN/TPS-80 are securely networked together instead of operating independently, situational awareness and mission effectiveness is significantly enhanced for warfighters operating across all domains. This connectivity goes beyond Marine Corps operations by delivering a 360-degree, multi-dimensional view of the airspace to all of the services.
In the context of the government’s Joint All Domain Command and Control (JADC2) initiatives, all radars operating in theatre – regardless of which service owns them – become a sensing node in the larger, multi-domain warfighting internet of military things (IoMT).
“Creating a secure, open and truly integrated communications network architecture will be critical to maintaining the strategic advantage needed in the age of data-driven conflict,” said Jenna Paukstis, vice president, communications solutions, Northrop Grumman. “Northrop Grumman’s leading advanced networking and sensor technologies will be foundational elements to helping the DOD create this interoperability through rapid deployment of capabilities to realize its vision for JADC2.”
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Blighter Surveillance Systems is a world-leading designer and manufacturer of best-in-class electronic-scanning ground-based radars, surveillance solutions and Counter-UAS systems. Blighter’s solid-state micro-Doppler products are deployed in more than 35 countries across the globe, delivering consistent all-weather security protection and wide area surveillance along borders, coastlines, at military bases and across critical infrastructure such as airports, oil and gas facilities and palaces. Blighter radars are also used to protect manoeuvre force missions when deployed on military land vehicles and trailers, and its world-beating multi-mode radar represents a great leap in threat detection technology and affordability for use in a variety of scenarios.
The Blighter range of radar products are used for detecting a variety of threats, from individuals on foot to land vehicles, boats, drones and low-flying aircraft at ranges of up to 32 km. Blighter Surveillance Systems employs 40 people and is located near Cambridge, UK, where it designs, produces and markets its range of unique patented solid-state radars. Blighter prides itself on being an engineer-led business committed to providing cost-effective and flexible solutions across the defence, critical infrastructure and national security markets.
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