RADAR, EO/IR, C-UAS, NIGHT VISION AND SURVEILLANCE UPDATE

Sponsored by Blighter Surveillance Systems

www.blighter.com

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19 Sep 21. BATTLESPACE Editor Julian Nettlefold caught up with Angus Hone CEO of Blighter Surveillance Systems at DSEI.

How many radars have you supplied across the world?

“We have supplied over 600 units to 35 countries in four variants, A-400, C-UAS radar, B-400 , Ground Surveillance, C-400, Coastal Surveillance radar, and the A-800, 3D radar.

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.”

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.

10 Sep 21. MOD awards £3.8m contract for advanced base protection system. Programme TALOS, overseen by Strategic Command’s innovation hub (jHub), helps to rapidly bring new technology into defence. A £3.8m contract to trial an advanced base defence system has been awarded to the American company Anduril Industries through Strategic Command’s jHub. The system uses an advanced operating system, which is assisted by AI, and a network of sensors to autonomously detect, classify, and track potential threats. It uses a combination of sentry towers, ground sensors and drone technology to alert personnel of any intrusion on the ground or in the air and then presents options for personnel to respond. The system has the capacity to add different sensors and autonomously offers options to respond, depending on the threat. The contract was awarded as a part of Programme TALOS, a MOD programme focused on accelerating a defence-wide approach to integrated command and control (C2). The system has been offered through a new subscription model, meaning the software and hardware will be updated with the latest technology whilst also being maintained for operational use.This approach ensures that defence is equipped with the latest cutting-edge technology whilst also allowing the jHub to work with the company to trial and deploy new technology as it is developed. It forms part of the jHub’s work towards a Sustainable Tech Adoption Model (STAM), which is looking into different ways of working with industry to procure new capabilities. Programme TALOS previously experimented with counter ground intrusion towers at the UK’s overseas base in Akrotiri, Cyprus, to see whether the systems could be integrated into the existing C2 network. This next step allows the UK to continue to develop advanced, multi-domain, integrated force protection technology.

General Sir Patrick Sanders, Commander of UK Strategic Command, said, “This state-of-the-art technology will give our serving men and women help by identifying and assessing external threats in nanoseconds. The artificial intelligence at the heart of this system has great potential to protect our people and sites. It’s another success for our innovation team at jHub, working closely with Anduril to help create a bespoke system, from idea to implementation at pace, to meet the specific requirements of our Armed Forces.” (Source: https://www.gov.uk/)

19 Sep 21. Anduril, based in California, USA, was exhibiting at DSEI. Their team of experts come from Oculus, Palantir, SpaceX, Tesla and Google exploiting breakthroughs in consumer and commercial technology to radically evolve our defense capabilities.

Anduril products incorporated into the UK order include:

Sentry Tower

Sentry towers are equipped with the latest sensor and networking technology, using Lattice to fuse data from across the electromagnetic spectrum — from thermal to visible to RF. With a compact footprint, hardened onboard processing and solar power architecture, Sentry can be rapidly deployed and sustained with minimal maintenance in austere conditions.

Sensor fusion and object detection are performed onboard in real-time, only sending user-filtered data for optimized communication and cognitive loads. Sentry is extensible and can be customized with mission-specific equipment ranging from sensors to EchoGuard radar, power sources.

The Anduril Sentry Tower supplied to the UK incorporates an Ecodyne EchoGuard is ideal for monitoring both ground and air approaches to national borders. With ultra-low C-SWaP and rich data output, EchoGuard offers primary sensor performance without the cost. Used on fixed autonomous towers, the radar provides range and accuracy for slewing identification sensors. Truly man-portable, radar data is a force multiplier and increases agent safety in remote or temporary missions.

Ghost 4 sUAS

Ghost 4 is an autonomous VTOL sUAS that operates on the Lattice AI platform. Ghost 4 is modular, man-portable, waterproof, and combines long endurance, high payload capacity and a near-silent acoustic signature for a wide variety of mission capabilities.

Ghost 4 is designed and manufactured in the US to meet the needs of our military users. Ghost 4 provides real-time surveillance, intelligence, and reconnaissance capabilities, creating a clearer common operating picture which enables service men and women make more informed decisions.

19 Sep 21. Echodyne was exhibiting at Counter Terror showing their full range of lightweight advanced radars. Eben Frankenberg, co-founder and CEO and Leo McCloskey, VP Marketing briefed BATTLESPACE Editor Julian Nettlefold on developments of the Echodyne product range and said that their radars were already on over 30 C-UAS systems worldwide.

In August, The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Science and Technology Directorate (S&T) awarded $454,099 to Echodyne Corporation of Kirkland, Washington, to continue critical research and development on new radar systems using metamaterials. DHS awarded the funds through a Phase 5 Other Transaction Agreement with S&T’s Silicon Valley Innovation Program (SVIP).

Previous Echodyne efforts with SVIP have focused on the development of an innovative Metamaterials Electronically Scanning Array (MESA®) radar for use in a variety of border security applications. MESA uses metamaterials to build a new architecture for fully electronic scanning radar systems with high fidelity and fast directional changes—with much lower cost, size, weight, and power.

“The Echodyne radar was a key sensor in the successful U.S. Customs and Border Protection Autonomous Surveillance Towers Program. This Phase 5 award will allow S&T and DHS to explore new use cases for the MESA radar in Counter-Unmanned Aircraft Systems scenarios. This is a great opportunity to explore new applications of this proven technology and increase the impact of SVIP’s investment to reach more DHS users.” Eben Frankenberg said.

S&T will begin integrating the radar with other sensors into a system-of-systems that will be tested later this year to evaluate its ability to detect and track small unmanned aircraft systems.

About SVIP

SVIP is one of S&T’s programs and tools to fund innovation and collaborate with the private sector to advance homeland security solutions. Companies participating in SVIP are eligible for up to $2 million of non-dilutive funding over four phases to develop and adapt commercial technologies for homeland security use cases.

Echodyne now produces a whole suite of advanced radars from Border Security thru UAVs to Vehicle and C-UAS radars.

Border Security Radar

Unauthorized border crossings by ground, sea, or air threaten national security across the globe. Yesterday’s fixed surveillance towers were large, expensive, and left vast expanses of borders unprotected. The portable kits were anything but portable.

Today’s innovative autonomous towers benefit from Echodyne’s 3D radar surveillance capabilities to anchor their sensor suite. Powerful radar data cues multi-spectral cameras to create real-time situational awareness of air, ground, and marine domains. The same powerful and highly portable radar on a tripod or vehicle acts as a robust and cost-effective force multiplier for field agents.

EchoGuard is ideal for monitoring both ground and air approaches to national borders. With ultra-low C-SWaP and rich data output, EchoGuard offers primary sensor performance without the cost. Used on fixed autonomous towers, the radar provides range and accuracy for slewing identification sensors. Truly man-portable, radar data is a force multiplier and increases agent safety in remote or temporary missions.

The products and improvements include:

EchoGuard International. The new EchoGuard radar has RoHS3 construction and is compliant with CE Radio Equipment Directive (RED) compliance for EU customers, per Type Examination Certificate per 2014/53/EU Radio Equipment directive.
EchoGuard spectrum expansion. Many jurisdictions allow for RadioLocation use at 24.05-24.25 GHz, and EchoGuard now has a new product variant to address these markets.
Improved radome. A ruggedized radome designed to withstand 1.5 joules of impact energy without altering the radar’s form factor.
Lightweight Deployment Kit (LDK). With customer demand running high for a lightweight system, the new LDK is designed to fit 10 hours of Intelligence, Surveillance, & Reconnaissance (ISR) activity, including radar, computer, and batteries, into a military backpack weighing <20 lbs.
Firmware updates. All Echodyne radars are software-defined, and this update includes enhanced stability and greater ease of use and functionality.
New waveform ideal for slow velocity resolution. Driven by customer demand, the new waveform is designed to detect and track very slow movement, like stealthy human walking, at greater than 1.5 miles.
RadarUI update. We have significantly upgraded our radar user interface with extended product line support and faster field deployment for easy radar visualization.

“We continue to find excellent customer traction for our high-performance radars and are excited to add these new products and enhancements to the EchoGuard family,” said Eben Frankenberg, CEO of Echodyne. “Our breakthrough radars are now embedded in advanced situational awareness and weapons systems, force protection, base and asset 3D perimeter surveillance, and critical infrastructure security. We are scaling our business to not only meet demand but to become the leading radar manufacturer for a range of current and future defense and security applications. There is a lot more to come and we’re excited about our next phase.”

Portable ISR Radar

Until now, high-performance 3D ESA radar was not feasible for portable ISR needs. But with its ultra-low SWaP and a rugged solid-state design, EchoGuard is a truly man-portable high-performance radar — less than ten kilograms total system carry weight for ten hours of battery powered field use.

Whether deployed standalone or integrated with additional sensors (optical/thermal), EchoGuard’s actionable radar data enhances ISR, acts as a force multiplier, and contributes to improved intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance.

EchoGuard achieves mission objectives at COTS pricing. With ultra-low SWaP, EchoGuard is ideal for discrete deployments and maximum situational awareness of ground and air movement.

Base Security & Force Protection Radar

3D radar is an essential perimeter surveillance sensor for sensitive facilities and high-risk locations. EchoGuard’s ultra-low SWaP-C, built-in interference mitigation, and extensive software-defined masking capabilities make it easy to network multiple radars around a single site or perimeter, delivering 3D perimeter surveillance with robust coverage and low false alarms.

Rich data output from the radar precisely cues EO/IR sensors for visual tracking and object confirmation, ensuring timely security response. Echodyne radars offer unrivaled data integration options for robust ground and air domain surveillance with extraordinary accuracy – all at commercial prices.

EchoGuard is a breakthrough 3D ESA radar that delivers uncompromising performance for base, asset, and infrastructure security. Easily integrated to video management systems, EchoGuard slews EO/IR sensors for eyes on object confirmation of the threat and offers the ranges required for optimal response time.

Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Radar

UAVs offer unprecedented new capabilities for defense and homeland security missions. For UAVs to operate safely, however, they will require powerful detect-and-avoid systems based on radar.

EchoFlight is an airborne ESA radar designed specifically for detect and avoid systems. With true 3D beam steering and sequential lobing super resolution, it provides reliable airspace awareness to ensure UAS mission success.

EchoFlight is an airborne radar designed for airspace detect-and-avoid on unmanned aircraft. With rich-data output choices for onboard or ground-controlled guidance and unique hooks for integration with other sensors, like ADS/B, EchoFlight is ideal for detecting and tracking cooperative and non-cooperative aircraft to enhance mission safety. For MALE/HALE flights that might use commercial airspace, EchoFlight provides unrivaled airspace situational awareness in all weather conditions.

Unmanned Ground Vehicle Radar

A key area of innovation in both the defense and technology industries is the development of UGVs capable of intelligently navigating any environment (especially harsh off-road environments). Traditional automotive radar is insufficient for autonomous driving even on well mapped modern roadways, and alternatives, such as Lidar, lose performance quickly when environmental conditions deteriorate.

EchoDrive is a first-of-its-kind high-resolution imaging radar specifically designed for the highest levels of machine perception and vehicle autonomy. Grand challenges like autonomous vehicles require new ways of thinking about sensing. Our approach to cognitive AV radar is outlined in our whitepaper, Highly Adaptive Radar for Cognitive Imaging.

EchoDrive is a sophisticated radar inspired by the way the human eyes, ears, and brain combine to understand their surroundings. Today’s sensors for unmanned ground vehicles (UGV) are primarily static with one-way data flows, from sensor through fusion to decision and action. But when the data is inconclusive, how can the AV perception stack disambiguate the driving scene? Dynamic control of sensor resources, similar to how humans move their eyes to focus on areas of ambiguity, will improve performance for optionally-manned or unmanned ground vehicles.

Custom Radar Subsystems

Echodyne’s patented MESA technology is a platform for developing unique electronically scanned array subsystems for non-Echodyne radar systems. We partner with leading defense contractors to provide unique high-performance components for select programs of record.

At the conclusion of the product brief, Eben Frankenberg, said that Echodyne was launching a brand new radar at AUSA. The Editor was given a sneak preview by Leo McCluskey, and it’s certainly impressive but we were sworn to secrecy!

14 Sep 21. Fortem Technologies Conducts Counter Drone Test For Department Of Defense Customer. Fortem SkyDome® system and TrueView® radar prevailed in highly complex urban environment set up by Defense Innovation Unit.

— Fortem Technologies, leaders in airspace security and defense for detecting and defeating dangerous drones, announced successful performance in detecting small UAS (unmanned aircraft systems) before a team of U.S. Government evaluators based on an Irregular Warfare Technical Support Directorate (IWTSD) requirement in May 2021. The event focused on testing various counter UAS systems including the Fortem SkyDome® system, TrueView® radar and DroneHunter®. Already a Fortem customer, the Defense Innovation Unit (DIU) created a test environment to determine how well various counter drone systems would perform in urban environments that make it difficult to detect potential threat UAS. The results of the event proved that Fortem’s technology provides the U.S. Government with a scalable end-to-end solution for detecting, tracking, identifying, and mitigating unlawful drone activity.

This five-day event, which took place near the New Orleans Super Dome Champion’s Walk Plaza and along the Mississippi River, was executed by a combined team of the U.S. Army’s C51SR Center Unique Mission Cell (UMC), IWTSD, and DIU. The Fortem SkyDome System and TrueView radar successfully detected and tracked multiple small UAS targets maneuvering around high-rise buildings with real-world vehicle and pedestrian traffic in the background, all within a noisy radio frequency environment. This “clutter environment” put the TrueView radar sensors to the test, having to isolate the signatures associated with a small UAS and present them to an operator. This environment, along with periods of rain and wind, allowed Fortem Technologies to showcase the capabilities of its technology and to deliver the most accurate results of its real-time performance.

“The ability to have the SkyDome system filter out a vessel traffic on the water as it moved across the field of view, was impressive to watch and really underscored the true power of our sensors,” said George Mayor, Fortem Technologies’ lead engineer. “It was also great to see the DroneHunter reliably capture target drones over the Mississippi in a scenario that would easily challenge other detection and mitigation systems.”

To support the event, Fortem Technologies Inc. deployed their SkyDome System and the DroneHunter. The SkyDome System consists of their low-cost and small form factor TrueView Radar. Fortem’s TrueView radar is the world’s most advanced, compact, high-performance radar system for detecting airborne objects. SkyDome system software provides real-time intrusion detection to identify, monitor, classify, and, if necessary, provide physical remediation of malicious or uncooperative drones while avoiding collateral damage. Deep integration between DroneHunter and TrueView radar makes it possible to autonomously detect, pursue, capture, and tow away any dangerous or malicious drones with no collateral damage.

The results of the experiment will inform the Department of Defense on the progression of detection technology in the urban environment while also providing valuable data to the commercial companies that support their technology development. (Source: PR Newswire)

15 Sep 21. Leonardo fine-tunes its 757 jetliner converted into a Tempest test rig. Leonardo has announced more details of the 757 test bed aircraft it will use in the Tempest program, including a 28 ton payload for equipment and six locations for sensors. Dubbed Excalibur, the aircraft has been remodeled with a pointed nose to mimic the likely Tempest design by Leonardo’s partner, UK firm 2Excel.

“On-board, scientists and engineers will test futuristic sensors and communications for the Future Combat Air System that the UK and its international partners are developing to fly into service in 2035,” Leonardo said in a statement released during the London DSEI show.

“Excalibur will provide the real-world environment necessary for the latter stages of development of the complex, integrated sensors, non-kinetic effects and communications Leonardo is developing,” it added.

The firm, which partners BAE Systems, Rolls Royce and MBDA on the UK led program, said it expected Excalibur to be used by other international flight test programs, manned and unmanned.

The aircraft, it said, could “be used to complement the development of uncrewed technology, including acting as a control hub for uncrewed platforms undergoing test.”

The aircraft was the product of two years of work by Leonardo and 2Excel on the design, the firm said, adding it hoped it would help “cut by half the cost and time needed to build a combat aircraft.”

Flying at 42,000 ft, the aircraft will cruise at 0.8 Mach and reach 0.86 Mach with a range of 3,900 nautical miles.

Air Commodore Jez Holmes, head of the Royal Air Force’s Rapid Capabilities Office, lauded the progress of the flight test aircraft (FTA) program during a panel discussion at the London defense exhibit.

“I think the critical point for me is, in particular, when we look at sensors, it’s important that we test them in a representative environment,” he said. “They often will work perfectly on the testbed, and on the bench and in the labs.” The performance is more challenging when placing them in combat-like, cluttered environs, he added.

“So it’s a great endeavor from my perspective and I’m really pleased to see it moving ahead,” Holmes said. (Source: Defense News)

14 Sep 21. Italy joins UK development of next-generation Eurofighter Typhoon radar.

The world-leading ECRS Mk2 radar, designed and built by Leonardo for integration onto the Eurofighter Typhoon by BAE Systems, will be the most advanced reprogrammable radar system ever produced for a combat aircraft
A team of engineers from Leonardo’s Nerviano, Milan-based radar site is joining the Mk2 development team at Leonardo’s Edinburgh site
The ECRS Mk2 Industrial Joint Team remains open to further international participation. As part of its offer of the Eurofighter Typhoon, the UK has extended an invitation to Finland to join the programme

Italy has joined the UK’s development of the new European Common Radar System Mark 2 (ECRS Mk2) radar for the Eurofighter Typhoon. The first stage of collaboration, to take place this Autumn, will see a team of engineers from Leonardo’s Nerviano, Milan-based radar site join the Mk2 development team at Leonardo’s Edinburgh site.

The move represents the first step towards Italy’s full participation in the ECRS Mk2 programme. This formation of what is known as the “Industrial Joint Team” (IJT) follows the approval of a ‘Statement of Principles’ (SoP) document by the UK and Italian Ministries of Defence.

The ECRS Mk2 radar, currently being designed and built by Leonardo for integration onto the Eurofighter Typhoon aircraft by BAE Systems, will be at the cutting edge of advanced fighter radar technologies. It features a multi-functional array (MFA) that will give Typhoon a world-leading reprogrammable electronic warfare capability, including wide band electronic attack, in addition to traditional radar functions. This means that it can find and then blind an adversary’s radar, increasing the Eurofighter Typhoon’s lethality and survivability, and the survivability of other systems.

RAF Chief of the Air Staff, Air Chief Marshal Sir Mike Wigston said: “Last September, the Ministry of Defence announced our continued investment in the final design stages of the ECRS Mk2 programme; in addition, the Integrated Review committed to the full integration of this world-leading capability onto Typhoon. I am delighted that Italian colleagues will now join Leonardo’s Edinburgh and Luton teams, bringing together our collective skills to deliver this essential capability at pace, both to benefit Typhoon and to underpin the technology growth into the Future Combat Air System.”

RAF Chief of Staff (Capability), Air Vice-Marshal Linc Taylor said: “The ECRS Mk2 programme will deliver a world-class radar and electronic warfare capability for the Royal Air Force’s Typhoon fleet. Its development remains on schedule for integration onto Typhoon as part of the Phase 4 Enhancement, ensuring that the backbone of our Combat Air capability remains at the cutting-edge of technology, capability, and survivability. ECRS Mk2 was designed from the outset to be reprogrammable and exportable, providing operating nations strategic sovereignty of their system and its associated mission data via an open and adaptable architecture.”

The focus of the team of Italian engineers will be to contribute towards the successful development of the ECRS Mk2, while at the same time acquiring system design capabilities that will ensure that the Italian MOD has sovereign control over the new radar system at every stage of its operational life. One of the key tenets of the Eurofighter Typhoon programme is that its mission data is open and reprogrammable by national operators, ensuring complete sovereign control of the combat air system.

Specifically, in regards its offer of the Eurofighter Typhoon to Finland, the UK has extended an invitation to join the ECRS Mk2 radar programme, which would include embedding Finnish industry and military personnel within the ECRS Mk2 development team. The country would therefore enjoy capability alignment with the Royal Air Force in a partnership that would deliver both military and industrial benefits.

The ECRS Mk2 programme continues to progress at pace and on schedule with initial system hardware being delivered to BAE System Warton in 2022 for aircraft integration and flight trials.

15 Sep 21. Raytheon To Demo Mine Hunting Sonar For Royal Navy. Raytheon executives say they will team up with Atlas Electronics to demonstrate their sonar off the coast of Scotland at an industry exhibition dubbed WISE-X. Raytheon is planning to demonstrate its mine hunting sonar off the coast of Scotland later this year, during a mine countermeasures exercise hosted by the UK’s Royal Navy. The company’s demonstration, which will take place in October, is expected to continue into next year as part of an ongoing effort from the UK known as the Wilton Industry Show and Experiment for Mine Countermeasures, also dubbed WISE-X. Raytheon UK will demonstrate the AQS-20C mine hunting sonar using an autonomous vessel from Atlas Electronics, company executives told Breaking Defense on Monday as part of the DSEI conference being held in London this week.

“This is all a part of the bigger picture to prove to the [Royal] Navy that there are alternatives out there which can meet their full requirements, and that we can actually go forward, hopefully, in a competition in about four or five years’ time to provide equipment for the Royal Navy to do their mine hunting,” said Geraint Evans, a business development executive for Raytheon’s UK branch.

The AQS-20C, a towed side-scan sonar, is already being bought by the US Navy for the Littoral Combat Ship’s mine countermeasures mission package. Raytheon has delivered 10 sonars to the Navy to date and is on contract to upgrade 10 legacy systems to the latest configuration, Frank Linkous, a Raytheon executive for undersea warfare systems, said during the same interview.

The set-up Raytheon described for the demonstration in Scotland — their towed sonar attached to an unmanned surface vessel — is similar to the arrangement the US Navy is preparing to deploy as part of the LCS mission package. The US program, dubbed the Unmanned Influence Sweep System, combines Raytheon’s sonar and an unmanned surface vessel, dubbed the MCM USV. The service also plans to integrate a mine neutralization payload called Barracuda.

The Navy plans to conduct a full and open competition this year for the contract to produce the MCM USV, according to the service’s budget justification documents. A full and open competition to produce the mine hunting payload for MCM USV is planned for fiscal year 2022.

While the demonstration represents a very nascent stage in the Royal Navy’s procurement process for a new mine hunting capability, the prospects of the US and UK buying the same sonar has benefits for both countries. The UK stands to benefit from the testing and development already done by Raytheon and Naval Sea Systems Command to date. For the US, having an allied partner procure the system could help reduce modernization and future procurement costs if both countries decide to advance the technology. (Source: Breaking Defense.com)

16 Sep 21. HGH to protect European military air base from drone incursions. French infra-red security specialist HGH has announced new contract for a military airbase surveillance system, exploiting new functionalities of the CYCLOPE video analysis software integrated in HGH’s SPYNEL infrared panoramic surveillance cameras, says the company.

According to a company press release: “With an important activity on runways, around hangars and other critical zones military air bases consist of large outdoor areas protected by perimetric fences. Security breaches can happen and such critical sites can be the target of potential attacks, pushing ministries of defence to acquire accurate perimeter security sensors able to detect multiple threats at a long distance.

“A European MOD recently signed a contract with HGH to equip a military base with a SPYNEL-S 6000 IR Panoramic sensor for 24/7 surveillance of the perimeter. SPYNEL long range surveillance solutions are fully passive technologies, meeting the requirements of military air bases to avoid radar disturbances. Other advantages that led the MOD to the signing of this contract are the possibility to provide, with one single camera, a long-distance panoramic surveillance where many PTZ cameras would have been installed. Perimeter security of the entire site is ensured both inside and outside the security fences.

“Multiple threats are detected, tracked and classified in real-time, from intruders to drones or small animals, allowing for a very low false alarm rate while keeping a high reactivity. Finally, the customer wanted a new security sensor that could be fully integrated with their control system and VMS software, which is possible with SPYNEL’S CYCLOPE software.” (Source: www.unmannedairspace.info)

16 Sep 21. US Army seeks C-UAS concepts for “challenging dense urban environments.” The US Army has issued a “Defense-in-Depth Experiment (DiDEX) 3 Request for Information (RFI)” to industry, academia, individuals, and laboratories to submit technology white papers addressing innovative technologies and capabilities that can be used in challenging dense urban environments.

The TSOA DiDEX 3 event is executed to improve operational security, force protection, and survivability. The TSOA team identifies potential vulnerabilities in emerging technologies including performance degradation in contested environments, interoperability, adaptability, and training/ease of use through live experiment venues.

“The TSOA DiDEX 3 will focus on challenges presented by

(1) detecting, tracking and defeating sUAS in a dense urban environment and

(2) integrating counter-UAS (c-UAS) systems into a single common operating picture (COP).

After reviewing the technology submissions, the Government may invite select candidates to participate in a TSOA field experiment/assessment venue in which we evaluate the capability as applied to the Warfighter, its technical limitations and vulnerabilities through an enemy perspective.

TSOA DiDEX 3 will be conducted 6- 10 December 2021 in Austin, TX

Tender number: TSOA-DIDEX3

Deadline: October 1, 2021 (Source: www.unmannedairspace.info)

13 Sep 21. US homeland security department selects Cobalt Solutions in SBIR Phase II drone detection programme. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) programme has awarded USD750,000 to Texas-based small business Cobalt Solutions to develop a detection and tracking sensor system that can identify nefarious small unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) in an urban environment. The Phase II award follows a successful demonstration by Cobalt Solutions of its 5G Passive Radar UAS Tracking and Targeting (5G-PRT) sensor system in Phase I. Cobalt plans to develop its Urban Canyon Detection Tracking and Identification of Small UAV solution under Phase II to provide an affordable, passive and easily deployable system that leverages already available commercial 5G signals to detect and track small UAS in urban canyon environments. At the completion of the 24-month Phase II contract, SBIR awardees will have developed a prototype to demonstrate the advancement of technology, spearheading the potential for Phase III funding. Under Phase III, SBIR performers will seek to secure funding from private and/or non-SBIR government sources, with the eventual goal to commercialize and bring to market the technologies from phases I and II.

“Cobalt’s technology increases the number of exploitable drone signatures for detection and tracking,” said Dr. Jeff Randorf, DHS S&T engineering advisor and SBIR topic manager. “As more 5G mmWave transceivers are deployed in city centers, the ability to detect and track drones in complex urban geometries becomes easier, while not contributing to an already crowded radio frequency spectrum.”

“It is inevitable that as technology evolves, so do new threats,” said Dusty Lang, DHS SBIR director. “The SBIR programme is an innovative tool that provides critical early-stage funding to small businesses to develop technologies that can be utilized by industry and advance research and development in support of DHS technology needs.”

For more information visit: www.dhs.gov (Source: www.unmannedairspace.info)

17 Sep 21. Vitec gave BATTLESPACE Editor Julian Nettlefold a brief on their products including the MGW Diamond Tough Encoders recently supplied to the Canadian Armed Forces to upgrade its fleet of LAVs with rugged, reliable and versatile encoders. An MGW Diamond Tough encoder will be installed in the hulls of 550 LAVs, 509 of which will have an additional units installed in their rotating turrets.

MGW Diamond is a small, power-efficient quad channel HD or one channel 4K HEVC video encoder ideal for field-based applications. It features a powerful encoding engine with the ability to output up to eight streams simultaneously. MGW Diamond is ideally suited to any multichannel application where stringent size, weight and power (SWaP) characteristics are demanded. MGW Diamond captures up to 4x 3G/HD/SD-SDI or Composite inputs and streams live up to 8 channels, addressing diverse applications within sports, enterprise, defense and surveillance markets. Featuring Ultra High Definition and High Definition range (HDR) support, MGW Diamond can capture and stream 4K60p HDR10 or HLG video from either its 4x3G-SDI or 12G-SDI inputs.Featuring Time-Synchronized Playback, MGW Diamond and MGW Ace Decoder ensure perfect synchronization of multiple independent IP streams for house of worship, remote production, or any live application where IP streams must be played back in sync.

For data-sensitive applications, the MGW Diamond supports KLV / STANAG metadata ingest from various sources (SDI, IP or Serial), real-time image cropping and video scaling, Forward Error Correction (FEC) streaming and JITC compliant output streams. It packs all the needed capabilities for delivering any type of Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR) or Situational Awareness (SA) video generated by ground vehicles, manned or unmanned airborne platforms and marine vessels.

MGW Diamond is available either as a portable appliance featuring impressive size, weight and power (SWaP) characteristics or as an openGear card for easy integration within production studios, broadcast facilities or corporate server room (up to 10 decoders can be hosted in the openGear chassis). Both product versions provide best-in-class video quality over a rich and industry-standard audio/video connectivity.

15 Sep 21. General Dynamics links with Dedrone to produce expeditionary C-UAS kit. General Dynamics reports it has developed a new counter-Unmanned Aerial Systems Expeditionary Kit, providing highly mobile C-UAS coverage for remote security requirements, in partnership with Dedrone. “This ruggedized solution allows users to rapidly deploy and setup C-UAS detection to assess UAS threats within a mission Area of Responsibility (AOR) in less than an hour with no tools required,” according to a company statement.

The Counter-Unmanned Aerial System Expeditionary Kit allows users to rapidly deploy and setup Counter-UAS detection to assess threats in less than an hour with no tools required. The full kit consists of an Operational Node, Hub Node, and Remote Nodes.

Dedrone’s DroneTracker software, hosted in the cloud or on-premise, uses Dedrone’s DroneDNA database to recognize and classify RF, WiFi, and autonomous drones. RF sensors provide customers the ability to identify drones intruding into monitored airspace, gain early detection of drones, classify drone characteristics and log incidents. Dedrone’s DedroneDefender counter-UAS device quickly disrupts the adversary’s control of the UAS, neutralizing it and minimizing risk to public safety and damage to the drone. For more information https://gdmissionsystems.com/electronic-warfare/counter-uas (Source: www.unmannedairspace.info)

14 Sep 21. US Air Force expands counter UAS research with addition of DDS sense and detect know-how. The US Air Force Research Lab (ARFL) is due to absorb the technologies acquired by the Defense Digital Service (DDS) to sense and detect small Unmanned Aerial Systems (sUAS), according to a report by Fedscoop and UAS Vision. According to the article, DDS’ drone-sensing capabilities will be transferred to ARFL’s counter sUAS programme known as Negation of Improvised Non-State Joint Aerial (NINJA), including DDS’ high-fidelity long-range sensor and user interface for integrating sensors by 20 September 2021. The transition comes after the two organisations signed a memorandum of understanding in April to collaborate on counter-sUAS work. DDS was developed as a testbed for innovative technologies at the Department of Defense (DoD). New systems are tested there before being transferred to a more permanent home — as will happen in this case with AFRL. DDS hopes that moving its counter-sUAS sensor capabilities to the Air Force will allow the program to “thrive and evolve” with continued development, procurement strategy and temporary sustainment of the products until a program of record is identified, according to the spokesperson.

Katie Olson, acting director of DDS said: “One of DDS’s superpowers is the ability to rapidly build, buy and deploy the best in technology that can be scaled to meet the needs of the DOD and the broader defense community.

“Since adding CUAS as a portfolio in early 2020, our technical experts have been able to rapidly test and deliver best-in-class capabilities that support the warfighter’s need for real-time detection and tracking of CUAS threats for mitigation. Transitioning these capabilities to AFRL enables their evolution and growth and allows them to continue to support and modernize the DOD defensive posture.”

During the early days of the pandemic, DDS was noted for using its sUAS detection capabilities in helping secure the Navy’s COVID-19 floating hospitals off the coasts of New York and Los Angeles.

DDS, led by its Rogue Squadron team, will continue to work in the counter-sUAS space with a focus on rapid response while maintaining the partnership with AFRL for any sensing and detection needs.

The Air Force’s NINJA programme is “a fielded, affordable, and software-adaptable system capable of taking control of or disabling” inexpensive, commercially available drones. The Air Force is looking to move NINJA into a programme of record in the near future.

Air Force Research Lab earlier this year issued a request for proposals for a USD490 m contract looking for businesses that can help prototype counter-sUAS technology.

For more information visit: www.fedscoop.com (Source: www.unmannedairspace.info)

15 Sep 21. Rincom adds AI drone classification to London Heathrow C-UAS capabilities. Rinicom Intelligent Solutions (RIS) reports it has been added to the list of counter-UAS (C-UAS) products under the aegis of Operational Solutions Ltd (OSL) protecting the skies above London/Heathrow airport. RIS manufactures the SkyPatriot InSight AI drone classification module. It functions in combination with an optical drone detection system; taking captured images as its input and analysing them to classify the drone type (eg DJI Phantom 4 or Parrot Anafi).

Jonathan Coen, Director of Security at Heathrow said: “We’re investing in this new cutting-edge technology which will enhance our capabilities in the detection and deterrence of drones in and around our airfield.”.

For more information: https://www.rinicom.ai/post/ris-supports-heathrow-airport-security (Source: www.unmannedairspace.info)

15 Sep 21. DSEI 2021: new military C-UAS technologies show lighter, long-range more lethal capabilities. This year’s Defence and Security Event International (DSEI) exhibition marked further progress in counter-UAS technologies being able to detect and mitigate small drone threats at long range.

Blighter Surveillance Systems launched its A800 3D multi-mode drone detection radar at DSEI 2021; the radar uses 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.

According to the company:

“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. The radar’s main function is to detect and locate consumer ‘hobby’ drones in 3D space. The radar’s optimised air security mode provides a unique ability to search for low-slow-small (LSS) threats caused by the misuse of small drones including the commonly used ‘DJI Phantom’ style quadcopters. An Artificial Intelligence based micro-doppler target filtering feature helps to reduce false alarms and improve the detection of multicopter and winged drones.”

Blighter was recently selected to provide advanced integrated B400 series target acquisition radars for a fleet of Armoured Fighting Vehicles.

HENSOLDT introduced its newly developed ‘Quadome’ radar system for naval surveillance and target acquisition at the show. The dual-mode, multi-mission surveillance radar features fast detection and tracking of small, slow and fast targets offers a reliable and stable air picture, with fast track initiation to support longer effector keep-out range. The new-generation radar features the latest gallium nitride (GaN)-based active electronically steered antenna (AESA) technology and is software-defined.

“‘Quadome’ features two main operational modes to simplify operator interaction and to reduce operator workload. Surveillance mode is used for general surface and air surveillance while the self-defence mode is employed for high-threat situations and target engagement, with helicopter support continuously available in either mode.”

Another naval C-UAS unit making its debut at the show is the METIS Aerospace SKYPERION marine drone detection system, which provides early warning of drone incursions by identifying and locating RF data signals on vessels at sea, anchorage or in port. The system features autonomous detection, alerting tracking and identification; advanced warning of multiple threats with low false alarms; a simple user interface; remote monitoring and integration with an RF jamming module.

Elsewhere, IXI launched its wide-angled static counter-consumer drone system which provides up to 360 degree interdiction of consumer UAS and other target emitters. It operates at ranges of up to 5000 metres. DAT-CON displayed its newly-enhanced Lynx integrated radar, long range observation system and high power radio frequency jammer, now capable of detecting small drones at 5km and larger drones at 20km ranges, according to company officials. Finally, AEI Systems displayed its Venom low recoil anti-drone gun, designed for remote weapon station integration – on light reconnaissance vehicles and fast patrol boats, available to customers without having to go through the ITAR process. (Source: www.unmannedairspace.info)

13 Sep 21. Lynred launches Galatea MW, a compact, lightweight and low power infrared detector. Lynred’s latest SWaP (size, weight & power) IR detector gives greater autonomy to handheld devices and battery powered equipment. Lynred showcased Galatea MW at DSEI. Lynred, a leading global provider of high-quality infrared detectors for the aerospace, defense and commercial markets, today announces the launch of Galatea MW, one of the most compact and low power consumption infrared (IR) detectors on the market. Its SWaP (Size, Weight and Power) design enhances the autonomy and performance of battery powered devices.

Galatea MW, which optimizes the balance between performance and miniaturization, is well suited for applications where payload or mobility is critical. These include Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs), Unmanned Ground Vehicles (UGVs) and tactical infantry, such as Thermal Weapon Sights or Handheld Thermal Imaging (HHTI) equipment.

“With rising demand for surveillance systems and portable solutions for defense applications, Galatea offers the perfect combination of performance and miniaturization. It presents the best in SWaP features for the infrared detector market,” said Jean-Yves Dussaud, chief marketing officer at Lynred. “Besides its small form factor, Galatea MW is easy to integrate, compatible with existing optics and user-friendly in every aspect. Initial feedback from customers underscores the confidence we have in the strong potential of this product. We look forward to showcasing this exciting solution at DSEI in London this week.”

Market applications

Galatea MW aims at providing solutions for any device where miniaturization, battery life and weight matter in defense and surveillance applications.

One of the most critical areas is equipment for soldiers. As military tactical HHTI are becoming increasingly central to achieving strategic objectives in field operations, they need to be reliable and optimized for power management. Equipment that is easily portable is key to enhancing soldier mobility.

Product advantages

To enable an overall reduction in equipment payload and a gain in mission autonomy Lynred has optimized Galatea, a cooled 15-micron mid-wavelength IR detector, in three key areas:

Low power consumption < 3 DC watts, to reduce battery size and lower its weight
Lightweight < 230g, to improve portability and mobility
Equivalent volume ~230cm³ (~96x50x48 mm), to ease integration and improve ergonomics

Other product features

MW Blue – 3.6 µm -4.2 µm
Time to operation: < 3 mins
Cryogenic Cooler: RMs1 (THALES Cryogenic)
Compact dewar
Integrated proximity card
Cooler regulation card

About Lynred

Lynred and its subsidiaries, Lynred USA and Lynred Asia-Pacific, are global leaders in designing and manufacturing high quality infrared technologies for aerospace, defense and commercial markets. It has a vast portfolio of infrared detectors that covers the entire electromagnetic spectrum from near to very far infrared. The Group’s products are at the center of multiple military programs and applications. Its IR detectors are the key component of many top brands in commercial thermal imaging equipment sold across Europe, Asia and North America. The organization is the leading European manufacturer for IR detectors deployed in space.

www.lynred.com

17 Sep 21. Defense Digital Service to Transfer C-UAS Tech to Air Force. The Defense Digital Service (DDS) is planning to transfer its technologies to sense and detect small unmanned aerial systems to the Air Force Research Lab at the end of the month. AFRL’s NINJA counter-sUAS program will absorb DDS’s drone-sensing capabilities, including its high-fidelity long-range sensor and user interface for integrating sensors, by Sept. 30, a DDS spokesperson told this publication.

The transition comes after the two organizations signed a memorandum of understanding in April to collaborate on counter-sUAS work.

DDS was developed as a testbed for innovative technologies at the Department of Defense. New systems are tested there before being transferred to a more permanent home — as will happen in this case with AFRL. DDS hopes that moving its counter-sUAS sensor capabilities to the Air Force will allow the program to “thrive and evolve” with continued development, procurement strategy and temporary sustainment of the products until a program of record is identified, according to the spokesperson.

“One of DDS’s superpowers is the ability to rapidly build, buy and deploy the best in technology that can be scaled to meet the needs of the DOD and the broader defense community,”

said Katie Olson, acting director of DDS, in a statement.

During the early days of the pandemic, DDS was noted for using its sUAS detection capabilities in helping secure the Navy’s COVID-19 floating hospitals off the coasts of New York and Los Angeles.

DDS, led by its Rogue Squadron team, will continue to work in the counter-sUAS space with a focus on rapid response while maintaining the partnership with AFRL for any sensing and detection needs.

The Air Force’s NINJA program — short for Negation of Improvised Non-State Joint Aerial system — is “a fielded, affordable, and software-adaptable system capable of taking control of or disabling” inexpensive, commercially available drones. The Air Force is looking to move NINJA into a program of record in the near future.

Air Force Research Lab earlier this year issued a Request For Proposals for a $490 m contract looking for businesses that can help prototype counter-sUAS technology. (Source: UAS VISION/FEDSCOOP)

13 Sep 21. Garuda Aerospace is developing 4-layer counter drone system, says company founder. Indian drone operator Garuda Aerospace is developing a 4-layer counter drone system according to a report by Indian Aerospace & Defence Bulletin. The system is going through final stages of testing and there should be a version ready for deployment by the end of the year. Agnishwar Jayaprakash, CEO & founder of Garuda Aerospace, was discussing the potential of the Indian drone market and Garuda’s contribution with the newspaper.

Responding to a question about the company’s defence activities, said Garuda has worked with the Army Design Bureau & the NDRF and the Army which support the armed forces. There are further applications which concern national security which are under wraps. Garuda Aerospace says it is prioritizing the defence forces to keep the country safe.

For more information visit:

www.iadb.in

www.garudaaerospace.com (Source: www.unmannedairspace.info)

08 Sep 21. US Navy equips surface fleet with Northrop Grumman counter drone system. The US Navy is using the Drone Restricted Access Using Known Electromagnetic Warfare system (DRAKE) built by Northrop Grumman, across the Navy’s surface fleet, according to reports published in USNI News and UAS Vision.

“What this essentially does is it works like a normal jammer. So whenever we have a drone that gets a little bit too close, or flies somewhere that it shouldn’t be, or is in any way, shape or form a risk to us, we can just turn on our DRAKE and the DRAKE will basically keep it from coming close to the ship,” Gunner’s Mate Kyle Mendenhall told reporters aboard USS Kansas City (LCS-22) last month. “So it projects basically like an umbrella. So when the drone flies in, this will just cut off the signal.”

The system can be used both off battery power and plugged into the ship. DRAKE was originally mounted on HUMVEES and used to prevent improvised explosive devices (IED) from detonating in Iraq and Afghanistan.

With the ability to emanate both high-band and low-band signals, the DRAKE system effectively places a shield around the ship by disconnecting the signal between the operator and the UAV, therefore preventing the drone from coming too close. Operators of the DRAKE can wear the system as a backpack and move around the ship. Kansas City, which has not yet had to use the blocking capability, has multiple DRAKE systems aboard.

“If we encounter a [drone] that happens to come up on the forward-end of the ship, up near the foc’sle, and then it just decides to bolt and go to the aft end on the flight deck, I can just pick this backpack up, I can run to the flight deck and I still keep blocking that signal to make sure the drone stays away from us,” Mendenhall told reporters.

The DRAKE system can also be configured based on the geographical location in which a ship is operating.

The DRAKE system is constantly in use aboard the ship to detect drones, though it’s not always emanating the signals required to block a UAV.

“Every duty section has these available to them. So these are always able to be implemented at any time,” Mendenhall said.

“It’s hard to detect which direction a drone comes from and they can come from the water side and we would never see it, so we always will have one that’s operating to be able to detect and deter.”

In the continental United States, Mendenhall needs authority from the ship’s commanding officer to use the system, but can employ DRAKE if a threat arises. “If it’s something that we deem a threat, I can turn it on no big deal, and I will backfill basically the chain of command,” he said.

The ship’s anti-terrorism watch officers have the necessary authority to use the blocking system.

This is not the first system a US Navy ship has used to block a drone threat. During a transit through the Strait of Hormuz in 2019, amphibious assault ship USS Boxer (LHD-4) downed an Iranian drone that came too close. Boxer was likely using an anti-Unmanned Aerial System Marine Air Defense Integrated System (MADIS) that was mounted on a Marine Corps MRZR to take down the drone, USNI News reported at the time.

(Image: Northrop Grumman Electronic Warfare)

For more information visit: www.usni.org (Source: www.unmannedairspace.info)

16 Sep 21. Qioptiq Photonics Division of Excelitas achieves carbon-neutral status. Excelitas Technologies subsidiary, Qioptiq Photonics GmbH & Co. KG, has been certified as a carbon-neutral company in recognition of its commitment and efforts to mitigate climate change. This distinction is awarded to companies that address their carbon impact on three levels: those who determine the levels of their greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions based upon scientific, third-party assessment; then put controls in place to reduce their carbon emissions, and finally those who also choose to support carbon reduction projects to further offset their greenhouse impact.

All greenhouse gases emitted by Excelitas Technologies’ subsidiary Qioptiq Photonics GmbH & Co. KG in Germany were calculated by independent, third-party environmental sustainability consultants in accordance with the official Greenhouse Gas Protocol guidelines. The company has launched several initiatives to minimize its own GHG emissions. As part of energy management alone, more than 1180 tons of CO2 have already been eliminated over the period from 2015 to 2019. Additional measures include photovoltaic systems for on-site renewable energy generation, e-charging stations for company and employee vehicles, the gradual conversion of the company vehicle fleet to electric and hybrid vehicles, purchasing energy-efficient machinery and equipment, large-scale conversion to energy-efficient LED lighting, and reduction of disposable packaging materials in company cafeterias. The catalog of measures will be continuously reviewed and augmented moving forward.

To offset the remaining emissions that cannot be avoided, Excelitas purchased climate protection certificates for the year 2021 to support funding for the following projects, all certified by Verified Carbon Standard (VCS), the world’s most widely used voluntary GHG program:

Reforestation in Uruguay
Forest protection in Brazil
Hydropower in Brazil

“Climate change is a global issue and Excelitas has made this commitment in our German operations to contribute to sustainability and help reduce the global CO2 output,” said Dr. Robert Vollmers, Excelitas Vice President Operations, Commercial Optics. “Projects in emerging and developing countries help to improve economy, social conditions and ecology, while also helping to realize the sustainability goals of the United Nations. For emerging and developing countries, emissions trading is a key driver for the transfer of clean technologies and sustainable economic development,” Vollmers continued.

According to the principle of the “Clean Development Mechanism” (CDM) described in the Kyoto Protocol, greenhouse gases that are emitted in one place on earth and cannot be avoided should be saved by climate protection projects in other places. To finance this objective, companies can purchase certificates for corresponding climate protection projects. Each certificate represents one ton of CO2 saved by the respective project. There are numerous climate protection projects worldwide, most of which support renewable energy.

“Sustainability is critical to our global future,” said David Nislick, Excelitas Technologies CEO. “We have recognized that voluntary emission reductions and the compensation of unavoidable emissions are essential to effectively counteract climate change. And since tangible action is critical to global change, we are funding important climate work that honors our commitment to reducing carbon output and leading by responsible corporate citizenship.”

16 Sep 21. iRayUSA, a Texas-based designer, manufacturer and distributor of premium thermal night vision devices is proud to announce the US availability of a new infrared laser rangefinder module, the ILR-1000, from InfiRay Outdoor. The IRL-1000 has been designed to work seamlessly with all InfiRay Outdoor RICO Mk1 Series thermal imagers, ranging targets out to 1,000 yards with pinpoint accuracy. Weighing less than 9 ounces, the IRL-1000’s slim aluminum body secures neatly onto the RICO Mk1 Series thermal imagers through a quick connect system that is both intuitive and easy to use.

The IRL-1000 features two ranging modes, a single ranging and a continuous ranging mode, that can be cycled between. When paired together, the IRL-1000 communicates with the hosting RICO Mk1 Series thermal imager to instantly display the distance to ranged targets. The distance to the ranged target is clearly visible on the RICO Mk1 Series’ display screen, alleviating the need to estimate distances.

“Over the last year, our design team and partners have worked tirelessly in the development of the ILR-1000 and we could not be happier with the results,” stated Angelo Brewer, Director of Operations, iRayUSA. “Range estimation at night has historically been problematic for hog and predator hunters alike. The IRL-1000, paired with our RICO Mk1 riflescopes, takes the guesswork out of range estimation,” continued Brewer.

The IRL-1000 is available now for a suggested price point of $799 through the authorized iRayUSA dealer network. As with all iRayUSA products, the IRL-1000 comes with a 5-year warranty that includes a 1-week turnaround process. A full list of IRL-1000 specifications and an authorized dealer locator can be found on the iRayUSA website, www.irayusa.com .

Prospective dealer interested in learning more about the iRayUSA dealer programs can contact iRayUSA by emailing or completing a dealer inquiry request on the iRayUSA website, https://irayusa.com/become-a-dealer/.

5-Year Warranty with 1-Week Turnaround Process

At iRayUSA we are first and foremost hunters and users of our products, and we understand that failure is not an option. One of our primary objectives at iRayUSA is to greatly improve the customer service level for the end user. We accomplish this through offering our industry-first 1-week repair guarantee, and by only working with highly qualified Authorized Dealers. During the published warranty period, iRayUSA will repair or replace, at its discretion, any optic that becomes defective from normal use. If we cannot repair an optic in less than one week, we will offer a replacement in like or better condition.

10 Sep 21. Danish defence ministry to participate in small drone operations at UAS test centre at HCA Airport. The Danish Ministry of Defense plans to establish a competence centre for smaller drones at Hans Christian Andersen Airport, according to UAS Denmark. The airport hosts Denmark’s International Test Center for drones, UAS Denmark, where Naviair is testing an Unmanned Traffic Management (UTM) platform.

The establishment of the centre supports the strong competencies that are rooted in and around HCA Airport and UAS Denmark when it comes to drone technology and drone flying. We are proud of the fact that the Danish Ministry of Defense has chosen to locate the competence center at HCA Airport and UAS Denmark.

The Danish Minister of Defense, Trine Bramsen, HCA Airport’s chairman of the board, Kim Kenley, and Odense’s mayor, Peter Rahbaek Juel, visited the airport to make the announcement.

For more information visit: www.uasdenmark.dk (Source: www.unmannedairspace.info)

16 Sep 21. RAAF’s P-8A Poseidon fleet completes modification programme. The 12-month modification programme will support future upgrades to the platform. The Royal Australian Air Force’s (RAAF’s) fleet of Boeing-made P-8A Poseidon fleet has successfully completed an extensive modification programme. The project, which will support future capability upgrades, took place over a period of one year and was completed in July.

The P-8A Poseidon aircraft A47-006 was the final aircraft under modifications at RAAF’s Edinburgh Base in South Australia.

Boeing carried out the 12-month programme alongside P-8A Enterprise personnel.

The P-8A Enterprise includes Boeing Defence Australia, Airbus Australia Pacific, No 92 Wing, and the Surveillance and Response Systems Program Office.

According to No 92 Wing Group Captain wing commander John Grime, the recent suite of modifications included wiring upgrades to expand and improve the mission systems fitted to the aircraft.

Other modifications included interoperability enhancement, as well as networking for air-to-air, air-to-ship, and air-to-ground communications.

Grime added: “The P-8A fleet is now future-proofed and ready for the technical upgrades that lie ahead. (Source: airforce-technology.com)

13 Sep 21. The British Ministry of Defence Employed Rafael’s DRONE DOME to Defend the G7 Summit from Drone, UAV threats. Earlier this year, in June 2021, the British Ministry of Defence employed Rafael’s DRONE DOME counter-UAV system to protect world leaders during the G7 Summit in Cornwall, England from unmanned aerial threats. Three years ago, Britain’s Defence Ministry purchased several DRONE DOME systems which it has successfully employed in a multitude of operational scenarios, including for protecting both the physical site and participants of this year’s G7 summit. Rafael’s DRONE DOME is an innovative end-to-end, combat-proven counter-Unmanned Aerial System (C-UAS), providing all-weather, 360-degree rapid defence against hostile drones. Fully operational and globally deployed, DRONE DOME offers a modular, robust infrastructure comprised of electronic jammers and sensors and unique artificial intelligence algorithms to effectively secure threatened air space. DRONE DOME’s advanced technology allows it to effectively address drone and UAV threats through detection, identification, and neutralization. When DRONE DOME identifies a threat, it allocates the target to the laser, locks onto the target, tracks it, and carries out either a soft or hard-kill with its unique, integrated laser technology. This laser system operates reliably in any weather condition, and results in minimal environmental damage. Additionally, DRONE DOME’s artificial intelligence capabilities, along with the advanced laser and sensor systems, provide a more precise picture of the incoming threat. This additional information allows the system both to detect and identify specific threat elements more accurately and engage and neutralize the target faster and more efficiently. The system’s flexibility across military and civil applications offers advanced protection for manoeuvring forces, sensitive facilities, border protection, as well as increasingly vulnerable civilian targets like airports and other public facilities.

Meir Ben Shaya, Rafael EVP for Marketing and Business Development of Air Defence Systems: “Rafael today recognizes two new and key trends in the field of counter-UAVs, both of which DRONE DOME can successfully defend against. The first trend is the number of drones employed during an attack, and the operational need to have the ability counter multiple, simultaneous attacks; this is a significant, practical challenge that any successful system must be able to overcome. The second trend is the type of tool being employed. Previously, air defense systems were developed to seek out conventional aircraft, large unmanned aerial vehicles, and missile, but today these defense systems must also tackle smaller, slower, low-flying threats which are becoming more and more autonomous. Today’s threats pose a significant challenge for SIGNT and radar systems which are predominantly built to seek larger, more conventional targets. These new threats require hard-kill solutions, which is precisely why Rafael developed its laser interception system now integrated into DRONE DOME.”

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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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RADAR, EO/IR, C-UAS, NIGHT VISION AND SURVEILLANCE UPDATE

EXHIBITIONS AND CONFERENCES

VETERANS UPDATE

MANAGEMENT ON THE MOVE