Sponsored by Blighter Surveillance Systems
www.blighter.com
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03 Aug 21. Blighter to showcase A800 3D multi-mode radar at DSEI 2021. Blighter Surveillance Systems (‘Blighter’, www.blighter.com) the British designer and manufacturer of electronic-scanning radars and surveillance solutions, will be showcasing its innovative A800 3D multi-mode drone detection radar at DSEI 2021. DSEI is taking place from Tuesday 14th September to Friday 17th September at the ExCeL exhibition centre in London. Blighter will be displaying its equipment on Stand H2-866 in the ADS Group UK Pavilion.
Blighter’s A800 radar (www.blighter.com/a800) offers an innovative ground-based solution to threat detection, utilising multi-mode surveillance capability usually reserved only for large-scale radar systems and packaging it into a smaller, more flexible radar with a maximum range of 20km. The A800 3D multi-mode radar is ideally suited to border and perimeter surveillance, capable of being mounted to fixed towers and masts, as well as to land vehicles and mobile surveillance trailers. This will be the first time that the A800 will be available to view in person.
As with the majority of industry, Blighter’s appearance at DSEI will be their first in-person event in over a year, and it follows a year of exciting developments for the Cambridgeshire-based SME. Recently, Blighter cemented its position in South Korea by affirming its partnership with South Korean integration and certification firm Dt&C (www.dtnc.co.kr), a relationship which has been a vital part of Blighter’s consolidation of its position in the South Korean market.
Blighter Co-Founder and CTO Mark Radford gave a presentation to the first C-UAS Industry Action Group established by the UK Home Office’s Joint Security and Resilience Centre (JSaRC), offering his insight into the role of radar in C-UAS and highlighting the importance of information sharing between C-UAS providers and Government. Mark’s whitepaper on the capabilities of Blighter’s innovative multi-mode radar was also published, explaining the advantages conferred by the A800 3D multi-mode radar.
Most recently, Blighter was selected to provide advanced integrated B400 series target acquisition radars for a fleet of Armoured Fighting Vehicles, demonstrating the company’s agility in providing the versatile systems required for such a demanding and mobile role, and in July Blighter’s US partner JGW Group also delivered demonstrations of the highly mobile A400 series radars’ ability to detect and track sUAS targets.
Angus Hone, CEO of Blighter Surveillance Systems said, “We are excited to showcase our best-in-class Ground Surveillance Radars at our stand in the ADS Group UK Pavilion. We are looking forward to displaying our cutting-edge A800 3D multi-mode radar which will be available to view in person for the first time and we will be on-hand to brief stakeholders on its detection capabilities.”
02 Aug 21. Leading Edge VCSEL Technology Inside the Wilcox RAID Xe. Utilizing the latest Vertical Cavity Surface Emitting Laser (VCSEL) technology, the Wilcox Ruggedized Aiming/Illumination Device-Enhanced, commonly referred to as the RAID Xe™, provides the end user with an enormous advantage over currently deployed laser sighting systems (The ‘Xe’ defines the device as being enhanced with networking capabilities). The majority of current laser sighting systems utilize the standard Edge Emitting Lasers (EEL) or Light Emitting Diodes (LED) which are dated laser technology. Because the lasers on the VCSEL are discharged perpendicular to the surface, this allows for thousands of focused beams to be checked and aligned to produce a single, more predictable and controlled laser beam.
The advantages of which are:
- Superior laser beam quality
- No beam ‘Speckles’ associated with dated laser technology
- Beam uniformity with no ‘Dead’ spots while in the IR Modes
- Enhanced beam clarity and distance allowing for the positive identification and engagement of potential targets during night time operations
The Wilcox RAID Xe advantages highlight its own compelling value and lethality! The RAID Xe also offers the end user with the several tactical advantages due to the units overall size, weight and unique features. With a weight of approximately 137 grams (without the single C123 Battery), and the overall width and length of about a typical business card, the RAID Xe doesn’t fatigue the end user while aiming their weapon nor require excessive rail space once mounted. The RAID Xe is the only laser sighting system which is equipped with a 40-degree LED Room illuminator for Close Quarter Combat (CQB) missions, where the use of the aiming and IR lasers would be hazardous. This additional feature allows end users to check and secure hallways and rooms, while not over saturating these specific areas with laser beams.
The RAID Xe system was designed utilizing end user experience and feedback. The need for a smaller, lighter and stronger laser aiming device was our goal and the RAID Xe answered the mail. With the additional features noted and the ability of the end user to identify and engage targets quicker and at further distances due to the superb VSCEL suite of lasers keeps our end users safer in stressful, hostile environments. The Wilcox RAID Xe is a complete ‘Turn-Key’ solution for any environment where reliability, quick target acquisition and identification are required for successful outcomes, it truly is State of the Art in laser sighting systems. (Source: AMR)
03 Aug 21. IAI details its role in Bundeswehr air defence radar procurement from Hensoldt. Israel Aerospace Industry (IAI) has provided Janes with details of its role in the Bundeswehr’s procurement of the Hughes Air Defence Radar (HADR) Nachfolgesystem (Follow-on System, NF). IAI and Hensoldt announced in press releases on 29 and 26 July, respectively, that the Bundesamt für Ausrüstung, Informationstechnik und Nutzung der Bundeswehr (BAAINBw), Germany’s Federal Office of Bundeswehr Equipment, Information Technology and In-Service Support, has awarded Hensoldt a contract for the delivery and installation of HADR NF long-range radars. To fulfill the contract, Hensoldt is co-operating with IAI subsidiary Elta Systems on ballistic missile defence (BMD)-capable long-range radars. Hensoldt said it would be responsible for the integration, certification, and long-term support of the radars, with IAI adding that Elta would supply “concept proven, market perfected systems”. IAI valued the contract at EUR200m (over USD237m). IAI told Janes on 2 August that Elta planned to leverage its experience in air surveillance and BMD radar systems with the its Multi-Mission Radar (MMR), Green Pine, and Spectra systems. It said the HADR NF system is based on fully digital operational multi-mission, multi-function radar, modified to meet Luftwaffe requirements. IAI added that the new radar systems delivered by Elta and Hensoldt would take into account NATO requirements and standards, allowing simple and easy integration into NATO. IAI pointed out that Elta airborne reconnaissance and other systems are already connected to NATO and that Hensoldt systems are interoperable with the alliance. The first radar is to be delivered in less than two years and all systems in around five years, including installation at Luftwaffe bases. (Source: Jane’s)
05 Aug 21. VITEC to showcase MGW Pico+ TOUGH video encoder at DSEI 2021. VITEC, a proven key player within the Intelligence, Surveillance, Reconnaissance and Situational Awareness arena, will showcase its range of Full Motion Video (FMV) technologies at DSEI 2021 (stand H6-162), 14-17 September 2021. Designed to stand up to the rigours and mission critical nature of military and government operations, VITEC’s product line at the show includes the new military-grade MGW Pico+ TOUGH, a robust and compact credit card sized encoder, providing H.264 HD/SD as well as the latest H.265/HEVC compression for intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) applications. MGW Pico+ TOUGH will be making its European debut at DSEI 2021, alongside other products from the VITEC portfolio, including MGW Diamond TOUGH and FITIS.
“For ISR missions, drones or unmanned aircraft are widely used to provide live tactical video to command centres. In such applications where network bandwidth constraints are commonplace, ensuring best video quality at low bitrate is key, as well as providing optimized Size, Weight and Power (SWaP) equipment,” says Richard Bernard, Senior Product Manager, VITEC. “With MGW Pico+ TOUGH, our second-generation pocket size encoder, VITEC delivers a SWaP optimized, ruggedized portable appliance featuring low bitrate HEVC encoding perfectly suited to military applications. We are excited to showcase our leading products to customers in person once again in a safe and secure environment at DSEI 2021.”
Additionally, on show will be VITEC’s MGW Diamond TOUGH, a fanless, power-efficient quad channel HEVC and H.264 HD/SD encoder in a rugged enclosure suited to delivering any type of ISR or Situational Awareness (SA) video generated by ground vehicles, airborne platforms and marine vessels in extreme environments. The easy-to-integrate encoder provides exceptional contrast and brightness in any conditions thanks to its HDR support (High Dynamic Range) and delivers advanced HEVC compression allowing users to stream HD/SD video (up to 1080p60) with up to 50% bandwidth savings compared to current H.264 standards.
DSEI visitors will also be able to see VITEC’s encoder and decoder pairs, capable of streaming from any video source (HD / SD, Analog / Digital) including KLV Metadata (STANAG4609). Users can carry out real-time image cropping and video scaling, Forward Error Correction (FEC) streaming and JITC compliant output streams. A further addition to the VITEC stand at DSEI will be FITIS, a rapidly-deployed, end-to-end FMV solution for processing, archiving, indexing, managing and disseminating tactical ISR video and metadata content. It enables government and military entities to quickly process and exploit live and recorded video assets to create actionable, real-time intelligence.
“VITEC is a key player within the ISR and Situation Awareness space,” adds Mark Rushton, Business Development Director, VITEC. “In our domain, one of the challenges is to deliver video streams from the field. Bandwidth constraint is key in the scenario, where Sat link is very important due to geographic constraints. The more data you send, the more you expose yourself to packet loss, data corruption, and dramatically increased operating costs. Our solutions allow users to compress the video signal at a very high level without degrading the video quality for the operators.”
03 Aug 21. US Navy’s New Triton Drone Getting Close to Taking Over for Older Patrol Aircraft. The Navy’s new MQ-4C Triton drones hit a new development milestone last week, the Navy’s project manager announced Tuesday.
Capt. Dan Mackin, the naval program manager for the Triton program, said that a new configuration of the drone, loaded with more sensors, had its first flight last Thursday over Southern Maryland. The drone’s newly installed cameras and signals intelligence collection systems “are performing better than expected at this point,” Mackin said at a press conference at the annual Sea Air Space conference today.
The Northrop Grumman-made unmanned aerial vehicle, or UAV — an enhanced variant of the RQ-4 Global Hawk — is part of the Navy’s Broad Area Maritime Surveillance program and boasts next-generation sensors specially engineered for seafaring operations.
Despite the production milestones, the program’s costs have grown in recent years. A Government Accountability Office (GAO) report found that projected Triton development costs had increased 61% from $3.5bn in 2009 to nearly $5.7bn in October 2018.
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The Triton, which made its first flight in 2013, can stay airborne for more than 24 hours and fly 8,200 miles, according to Northrop.
Triton’s new configuration, known as IFC 4 (Integrated Functional Capability 4) or the multi-int (multi-intelligence) capability, is a critical part of the Navy’s plans for maritime patrol, according to slides shown at the press conference.
The slides noted that, once fully operational, the drone will replace many of the capabilities of the retiring EP-3 aircraft. The current fleet of Navy surveillance aircraft is rapidly aging, the last one having been delivered to the service in 1997.
Northrop’s program manager, Doug Shaffer, also argued that the platform would take some of the mission strain from the Navy’s P-8 aircraft, allowing the service to focus more on its anti-submarine mission.
Although still in development, two “fully operational aircraft” of an earlier equipment configuration already are flying out of Guam and Japan to support Navy missions in the Pacific region, Mackin said. The drones were initially deployed to Guam in January 2020 as part of an early operational capability (EOC) test.
Ultimately, the Navy plans to use the Triton in five areas or “orbits” around the world, according to Mackin. The aircraft will be based out of Guam; Sigonella, Italy; and locations on both coasts in the United States, Mackin said.
Northrop said the program expects to sell 68 aircraft to the Navy with the drones reaching initial operating capability in 2023, according to a press release.
“For the U.S. Navy, Triton is critical today and really indispensable tomorrow,” Mackin said. (Source: Defense News Early Bird/Military.com)
03 Aug 21. US Navy Plans Upgrades to Fly E-2Ds into the 2040s. With production coming to an end in four years, the Navy is working out a plan to sustain the E-2D Advanced Hawk command-and-control aircraft for at least another 30.
Upgrades include cockpit avionics and enhancements to mission systems, communication capabilities and cybersecurity to keep the “eyes of the fleet” open well into 2040 beyond, according to Capt. Pete Arrobio, who heads the Airborne Command and Control Systems Program Office at NAVAIR PMA-231.
The E-2D Hawkeye carrier-based, tactical battle-management, airborne early warning and command-and-control aircraft, is the more modern version of the Northrop Grumman-built E-2C
“Overall, our 2021 focus is to sustain all three type model series with a major focus on improving mission capable and fully mission capable E-2D aircraft,” Robbio said Aug. 3 at the Navy League’s annual Sea-Air-Space conference outside Washington, D.C.
Upgrades to the E-2D Advanced Hawkeye are done through a series of “delta system software configuration” enhancements that take about four years from initiation to deployment on the aircraft, Robbio said. The Navy is currently fielding DSSC 3 with version 3.1 rolling our later this calendar year. DSSC 3.1 introduces elements of the Joint Tactical Radio System (JTRS) and Link 16 so the E-2D will meet DoD-mandated cybersecurity standards in 2021, Robbio said.
“It allows the linking, coordinating, distributing and assessing the effects of targeting information at the tactical leading edge,” Robbio said.
With a new DSSC coming every two years, fiscal 2023 will see introduction of version 4, which brings improvements to data fusion, GPS and radar upgrades. Air Test and Evaluation squadrons
20 (VX-20) and 1 (VX-1) are currently taking the software package through developmental testing, Robbio said.
Two years later, DSSC 5 “includes upgrades that are vital to the warfighting effectiveness of the carrier strike group in an A2/AD environment,” he said. Most of the capability details are classified and could not be shared at the conference, he said.
“The E-2D is being asked to do more than originally anticipated and this is the build to reset the antiquated, obsolete architecture that provides us with many of the challenges that we have today,” he said.
The sixth software upgrade package will enable interoperability with the Joint All-Domain Command-and-Control (JADC2) system and the Naval Operational Architecture.
“Yes, the E-2D is still in production,” Robbio said. “It even has that new-aircraft smell. But the architecture and systems and components for this cockpit, as well as the back end, were designed when flip phones were on the stage; 2005.”
Topping the list is hardening the E-2D’s mission computer and displays against enemy cyber capabilities.
“There are risks that we can no longer accept,” Robbio said.
That will come as part of the Hawkeye Cockpit Tech Refresh, or HECTR, that brings the Hawkeye’s avionics up to modern standards and introduces a heads-up display for pilots.
A new Theater Combat ID and mission computer displays is designed with an open-systems architecture that should reduce the time it takes to devise and install future software upgrade packages, Robbio said.
“We just can no longer afford four to five years; that’s the duration it takes from idea to release on an E-2D,” he said.
Though it is not a requirement, the Navy also is considering an “improved landing mode” or ILM, for the E-2D to partially automate carrier landings as it has done with the precision landing mode, also called the “Magic Carpet” for F/A-18E/Fs and F-35Cs.
Adding ILM to the E-2, which is not a fly-by-wire aircraft and because of its ungainly mushroom-shaped radar, is more challenging, Robbio said. But with aerial refueling, E-2D missions could last up to nine hours in the future and fatigued crews would benefit from the capability as they attempt carrier landings in adverse weather and at night, Robbio said.
ILM is “not yet a requirement, but it’s going to be the fleet’s number-one request.”
The Navy currently has 48 E-2Ds with four more on the way before the end of calendar 2021.
The goal has been to maintain 22 mission-capable aircraft at all times with a goal of July 1, 2021. It met and bettered that goal in February, five months ahead of schedule, Robbio said.
A mission-capable E-2D is essentially a training aircraft that allows pilots to fly between two-point, land on and depart from an aircraft carrier, but cannot fly the airborne early warning mission.
“Fully mission capable is what wins the war,” Robbio said. “There are 11 fundamental systems on this platform that must be fully operational for this platform to do what it needs to do.”
The goal is to get have 22 fully mission capable aircraft in the fleet at all times by Sept 1. That represents a doubling of the “fully” mission capable fleet over the past two years, he said. Since February, the Navy has averaged 29 mission-capable E-2Ds.
Four dozen E-2Ds is enough for nine fleet and one fleet readiness squadron, each with five aircraft, Robbio said. Five of those squadrons are in the midst of transitioning from the E-2C to the D-model, which should be complete by fiscal 2027, Robbio said. Two of those squadrons have E-2Ds capable of aerial refueling.
The Navy has 26 E-2C Hawkeyes that are used solely for training and are scheduled for retirement by the end of fiscal 2026.
While the Navy’s E-2D requirement is 86 aircraft, the service is funded is funded for a total 78 Hawkeyes that should be fielded by 2025.
Three of nine E-2Ds have been delivered to the Japanese Self-Defense Force under a second multiyear contract. Japan already has four Hawkeyes in its inventory.
France in December signed letter of agreement to purchase three E-2Ds that should be delivered in fiscal 2027. Taiwan and Egypt also are in discussions to field the platform, Robbio said. All four countries already operate the legacy E-2C. (Source: Defense News Early Bird/Military.com)
03 Aug 21. SIG SAUER Electro-Optics Introduces The New KILO5K Rangefinder Packed With The Advanced Technologies of The New KILO K-Series.
SIG SAUER Electro-Optics is pleased to announce the next generation of the award-winning KILO laser rangefinders, with the KILO K-Series, and the introduction of the KILO5K rangefinder. This all-new groundbreaking family of rangefinders feature SIG SAUER’s proprietary LightWave™ DSP Gen II rangefinder engine with extended range XR technology, integration with the BaseMap™ app, on-board Applied Ballistics capabilities, and complete configurability with all SIG SAUER Electro-Optics BDX devices.
“The new KILO5K can range reflective targets up to 5,000 yards, trees up to 2,500 yards, and deer up to 2,000 yards,” said Andy York, President, SIG SAUER Electro-Optics. “In an industry first, these rangefinders allow users to range a tree, rock or deer and instantly drop waypoints into the BaseMap app to help navigation to that target, integrated BDX technology provides ballistic solutions out to 800 yards with Applied Ballistics Ultralite or will sync with external devices featuring Applied Ballistics Elite, and the K-Series now include a complete suite of onboard environmental sensors for real time ballistic solutions.”
The KILO5K 7 x 25 mm laser rangefinder monocular features the LightWave DSP Gen II engine with multiple target modes: Extended Range (XR) for distant targets, Fog mode to cut through fog, rain and snowy conditions, as well as First, Best and Last target modes. The rangefinder incorporates a vivid red segmented OLED display which provides range to target, elevation holdover and wind holds. All KILO K-Series rangefinders leverage Low Energy / Long Range Bluetooth 5.x for multipoint Bluetooth connections and improved connectivity to BDX enabled riflescopes and sights. The KILO5K ships with a black / grey carry pouch and lanyard.
The KILO K-Series rangefinders work with BaseMap to provide remote waypoints on ranged targets and can be fully configured with the SIG SAUER BDX App. BaseMap is the industry leading mobile and desktop mapping application providing hunters and outdoorsmen the tools and knowledge they need to plan, navigate, and share their outdoor adventures with easy to use, cutting-edge technology like 3D maps, Smart Markers, unlimited offline mapping, live location sharing and much more.
“We are extremely proud to bring remote marker technology to the BaseMap app with SIG SAUER Electro-Optics as our partner. Their dedication to both quality and innovation has proven why they continue to be the leader in the rangefinder and optics market. Having the ability to remotely mark the location of any distant object with accuracy through your rangefinder provides the outdoorsman options and advantages they’ve never had before; it’s one of those features you’ll wonder how you ever got by without it, and we are excited to partner with SIG SAUER Electro-Optics to make it happen,” added Jeff Balch, CEO, BaseMap, Inc.
KILO5K 7 x 25mm Rangefinder:
Reticle: Circle with milling grid
Display: Red segmented OLED, with Lumatic™ automatic brightness capability
Field of View: 6.78”
Eye Relief: 15mm (minimum)
Laser divergence: 1.3 MRAD
Run Time: 4000 Ranges Minimum
Waterproof Rating: IPX-4
Overall Length: 4.4 inches
Overall Height: 3 inches
Overall Width: 1.3 inches
Weight (w/magazine): 7.5 oz.
MSRP: $ 779.99
The SIG SAUER Electro-Optics KILO5K 7x 25 mm laser rangefinder is now shipping. To learn more about the KILO5K laser rangefinder monocular, or watch the product video, visit sigsauer.com.
28 Jul 21. New York Federal agencies release results of counter drone technology demonstration in Lower Manhattan. US Army Combat Capabilities Development Command (DEVCOM), in partnership with the New York Police Department, undertook a Counter Unmanned Aircraft (CUAS) material experiment in Lower Manhatten dense urban environment in October 2020. A report has now been published to release lessons learned, challenges for deploying CUAS in an urban environment, and equipment performance.
According to a press release by AeroDefense, five equipment vendors were invited to participate. Forty different UAVs were brought to the experiment.
Aerodefense provided its mobile drone capabilities including its RF-based AirWarden system temporary/portable and vehicle-based sensors that operate while in motion. AeroDefense did not know in advance flight paths, launch locations, or the type or number of drones to be flown and only knew the designated protection area. The host agencies used several different drones which varied in size. One was custom built and several were fit with 3D printed boxes to mimic a payload.
Dense urban environments challenge drone detection systems due to heavy Radio Frequency (RF) traffic and large obstructions. Complex structures that cause signal multipath and blockage issues necessitate high placement of equipment and typically cause radar systems to fail. Hardware must be discreet and easily portable as the area of protection can suddenly change in real-world scenarios.
According to a US Army article: “Officers from the New York Police Department Technical Assistance Response Unit flew 49 scripted small unmanned aircraft system trial flights, sometimes with multiple aircraft, and performing a host of intentional maneuvers: shooting straight up and down, scooting low between buildings, buzzing down alley ways and hovering next to courthouse buildings, over the course of two days.”
Antennas mounted on buildings and in vehicles were used to detect, track, identify and classify small unmanned aircraft systems in a dense urban environment. The sensors were designed to find the aircraft using either radar or by detecting the signals that were emitted during communications between the aircraft and their pilots.
Master Sgt. Matthew Gogas, Capability Developer for unmanned systems, 75th Ranger Regiment provided a similar assessment. “The range of RF frequencies and the tall buildings as obstacles provide numerous challenges for this technology to positively identify threats in the area compared to other environments where you’re basically out in an open field.” The challenge created by the various types of urban interference was fully expected. Consequently, the sensor providers did not come to pass, fail, win or lose, but to learn, explained Hesse.
The article quotes Roger Cutitta from the DEVCOM C5ISR Center: “One of the big benefits that was shown here today was the advantage of collaboration of sensors,” He gave an example of a UAV disappearing behind a building. If there was a passive sensor tucked away behind the building and set up to collaborate, it could relay that information so the geo-location of the UAS remained known.
Linda Ziemba, Founder and CEO of AeroDefense, said, “Our AirWarden system, developed in New York metro, has been deployed in a high RF stadium environment since 2018 and had previously proven effective in New York City’s Times Square, so we felt very confident going into the experiment. The AirWarden system’s ability to compete with all the RF noise and operate in motion, coupled with its ruggedized and compact hardware design make it a very unique and practical solution for DUEs.”
Federal, state, and local government agencies can request access to the report by emailing
For more information visit: www.aerodefense.tech (Source: www.unmannedairspace.info)
03 Aug 21. Triton takes flight in ‘highly upgraded’ multi-intelligence mode. The unmanned ISR platform has conducted test flights with new capability for the first time. Northrop Grumman has confirmed that its MQ-4C Triton — a high-altitude, long-endurance (HALE) platform, to be used for maritime ISR operations — has conducted its maiden flight with “highly upgraded” multi-intelligence configuration, referred to as integrated functional capability four (IFC-4).
The new feature is designed to enhance maritime situational awareness to better inform real-time decision making at tactical to strategic levels.
According to Northrop Grumman, the IFC-4 would enable the US Navy to retire the Lockheed Martin-built EP-3E Aries fleet, by assuming intelligence collection missions.
Doug Shaffer, vice president and program manager, Triton programs, said the bolstered platform would “completely revolutionise” maritime patrol and reconnaissance capability of customers — the US Navy and Royal Australian Air Force.
The US Navy is currently operating two Tritons in the Pacific as part of an early operational capability deployment, with the program expected to achieve initial operational capability (IOC) in 2023.
The Navy has committed to maintaining five 24/7 operational orbits with a planned 68-aircraft program of record.
Meanwhile, Australia is expected to receive the first of six to seven Triton air vehicles in 2023, with Northrop Grumman expected to begin building the airframe later this year.
Remotely flying out of RAAF Edinburgh, South Australia, the Tritons are capable of monitoring 5.2 million square kilometres in a 24-hour mission and seamlessly flying a round trip for sustained surveillance and in support of allied freedom of navigation operations in the South China Sea from the Northern Territory.
“The Multi-INT capability that the US Navy and Royal Australian Air Force have procured [allow] our forces to hold adversaries at risk and protect the peace which is so vital to our national interest,” Captain Dan Mackin, persistent maritime unmanned aircraft systems program manager, added. (Source: Defence Connect)
02 Aug 21. KAI to support Boeing in upgrading RoKAF’s E-737 AEW&C aircraft. Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) signed a KRW18bn (USD15.6m) contract with Boeing on 28 July to support the US company in upgrading the Republic of Korea Air Force’s (RoKAF’s) four Boeing E-737 airborne early warning and control (AEW&C) aircraft with new mission systems. The contract, which was announced by KAI on 30 July, formalises the company’s participation in the RoKAF’s ‘E-737 AEW&C Performance Improvement Project’, which is led by Boeing and includes upgrades to both the identification friend-or-foe (IFF) and Link 16 tactical datalink systems on the aircraft. Through this initial contract KAI is expected to win future orders for this project and participate in activities such as aircraft modification, function check, and flight test support, according to a 30 July report by South Korea’s Yonhap News Agency. KAI pointed out that its partnership with Boeing builds upon the experience matured during the ‘Peace Eye’ acquisition programme in 2006 when KAI oversaw the assembly and installation of the Northrop Grumman multifunction electronic phased-array (MESA) radar and electronic equipment onto the E-737s ahead of final handover of the aircraft to the RoKAF. Since 2011–12, the RoKAF has fielded four E-737s under its ‘Peace Eye’ programme. As reported by Janes, the E-737 performance improvement project was approved on 29 October 2020 by South Korea’s Defense Project Promotion Committee. At the time, the country’s Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) said that KRW490bn had been earmarked for the project, which is set to be completed by June 2025. The project is mainly aimed at enhancing interoperability during combined operations between South Korean and US forces. (Source: Jane’s)
27 Jul 21. US air base defence contract award to Parsons to feature Fortem counter drone technology. Counter drone specialist Fortem Technologies is part of the Parsons’ led consortium selected by the US Air Force to design, mature, procure, integrate, operate, and maintain Air Base Air Defense (ABAD) systems across the European and African continent areas of responsibility for the US Air Forces in Europe and Air Forces Africa. The new 10-year, USD953m indefinite delivery/indefinite quantity (IDIQ) effort will be performed at Ramstein Air Base, Germany.
The Parsons-led ABAD team includes Leidos, Science Applications International Corp (SAIC), SRC, Inc., Stellar Solutions, CUBRC, Darkblade, Leonardo, ELTA North America, Capstone Research, and Black River Systems. Additional industry teaming with Teledyne FLIR, Microsoft, RADA, Liteye, Fortem, and Rafael aims to leverage expanded technologies.
The Parsons team will focus on the maturation of an all-domain system comprised of commercial off-the-shelf and government off-the-shelf software and hardware technologies with an integrated design to protect existing and future air bases. Parsons touches every aspect of the all-domain battlespace: from space operations to edge computing and full-spectrum cyber; to ground-based command and control systems. The company’s proven operational capabilities will ensure all-domain superiority and information dominance to accelerate decision making in permissive through highly contested environments.
The Fortem SkyDone system is designed to detect, monitor, assess and mitigate drone threats. Components of the multi-layered sensor approach to C-UAS include TrueView radar, SkyDome Manager software and DroneHunter technologies. For more information visit: www.fortemtech.com www.parsons.com (Source: www.unmannedairspace.info)
02 Aug 21. India’s border security force considers counter drone technology to protect western region. The Times of India reports the India’s Director General of the border security force western command, SS Panwar, told reporters that the force is planning to acquire anti-drone technology as part of multiple techniques required to guard the borders. Panwar visited border outposts in Shahgarh bulge area of 108 battalion and took stock of operational readiness, effectiveness and other security arrangements. Battalion commandant Satyanand Pandey, sector north DIG Arun Kumar Singh and other company commanders briefed him about the entire border area. Addressing a soldier’s meet at Veerhill BOP, he warned them about the threat of drones and advised them to remain alert, says the report. For more information visit: www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com (Source: www.unmannedairspace.info)
02 Aug 21. USAF seeks contractors to support high power microwave C-UAS development programme. The Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) (Directed Energy Directorate (RD), High Power Electromagnetics (HPEM) Division (RDH), Kirtland AFB New Mexico, the US Air Force’s Center of Excellence for research in HPEM technology) is seeking industry support for its MJÖLNIR programme.
The objective of MJÖLNIR is to procure a single, near-production representative, cost-effective counter-unmanned aerial system (cUAS) that is suited to operational environments and performs at levels equal to or greater than AFRL’s existing Tactical High-Power Microwave Operational Responder (THOR) cUAS prototype. This prototype development intends to capitalize on earlier high-power microwave (HPM) systems and enable future transition to a program of record.
Access to MJÖNLIR Bidder’s Library may be requested and approved/provided by the Government.
Tender number: FA945121S0001Call0006
Deadline: 13 September 2021
For more information:
https://sam.gov/opp/2c558c4b0b3e40fdb7362553fc6d64f1/view (Source: www.unmannedairspace.info)
02 Aug 21. Chess Dynamics launches next generation Sea Eagle FCEO MKII. Chess Dynamics, the leading British surveillance, tracking and gunfire control specialist, has today announced the launch of Sea Eagle FCEO MKII at Sea Air Space in Maryland, USA. The next generation precision fire control electro-optical tracking director incorporates a mega-pixel panoramic situational awareness camera and fully digital architecture. Sea Eagle FCEO MKII enhances situational awareness, while maintaining relative positional awareness, for persistent target tracking and gunnery fire control.
Building on the success of the Sea Eagle family of naval electro-optical systems, Sea Eagle FCEO MKII is optimised for control of naval guns against air, surface and shore targets. In addition, the capability serves as a critical aid for security and search and rescue as well as infrared search and track (IRST), navigation and aircraft control. It can also be used in mine avoidance in non-tactical surveillance mode.
The stabilised and compact director benefits from a modular and all-weather design which reduces maintenance costs and improves reliability throughout the capability’s service life.
Graham Beall, Head of Business Development USA at Chess Dynamics, said, “Persistent situational awareness, visual target tracking and gunnery fire control has never been more essential in modern naval warfare. The Sea Eagle FCEO MKII incorporates the latest digital infrastructure and situational awareness cameras to deliver high resolution imagery and superior performance, both day and night. The capability’s integrated targeting, awareness and gunnery director makes the Sea Eagle FCEO MKII an essential tool for target identification and engagement in tactical mode.”
The Sea Eagle FCEO MKII will be available globally in 2022 and through Liteye Systems Inc. in the U.S.A.
30 Jul 21. Ultra successfully passes first-of-class sea acceptance trial. June 2021 marked a significant milestone for both Ultra and the UK Royal Navy; with Sonar 2150 successfully completing its first-of-class sea acceptance trial onboard HMS Portland. This success represents further validation of a new world-leading hull-mounted sonar, that aims to provide improved capability and paves the way for further performance proving activities later in the year.
The trial took place over a number of days at sea, operating the sonar, detecting and tracking the “target”. Despite somewhat challenging weather conditions, the Ultra trials team successfully proved both active and passive performance in conjunction with Royal Navy personnel.
The 2150 hull-mounted sonar, designed by Ultra, replaces the Sonar Type 2050, which has been in service with the Royal Navy since the 1990s. It incorporates a state-of-the-art user interface to improve operator effectiveness and usability. The digital control of the outboard array minimises interference, reduces ship cabling requirements, aiming to maximise reliability, and extends array maintenance intervals. The sonar will be fitted to Royal Navy Type 23 frigates.
As part of its ‘Sea Searcher’ hull-mounted sonar range, Ultra has developed two smaller and lighter weight variants of the Type 2150 for naval vessels up to 1,000 tonnes and 2,000 tonnes, respectively.
With state-of-the-art in-board processing and innovative user displays, this family of sonar systems provides a powerful anti-submarine warfare capability for patrol vessels, frigates and other vessels worldwide.
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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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