Sponsored by Blighter Surveillance Systems
www.blighter.com
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15 Nov 21. Thales launches the latest member of the Ground Master family radar portfolio, the GM400 Alpha. Thales Ground Master 400 Alpha, taking long-range air surveillance to the next level.
- • With 5 times more processing power, an increase in instrumented range of more than 10% (515km) and advanced artificial intelligence capabilities, Thales launches its latest Ground Master family member – the Ground Master 400 Alpha (GM400α).
- • A game changer for air surveillance – the GM400 Alpha, a 3D long-range radar, provides the highest update rate on the market for full surveillance missions.
- • Thanks to its high mobility, high availability, easy upgradeability and seamless integration, the GM400 Alpha offers armed forces with a valuable tool to gain tactical advantage, detecting all types of threats early providing precious minutes for decision-making and action.
Thales launches the latest member of the Ground Master family radar portfolio, the GM400 Alpha. An unprecedented 3D long-range air surveillance radar, with 5 times more processing power, an extended range of 10% (up to 515 km), upcoming advanced artificial intelligence algorithms and enhanced cybersecurity features, it offers the most trusted radar on the market for long-range air surveillance.
Given the multitude of threats in constant evolution, building a reliable, accurate, up-to-date Recognized Air Picture (RAP) is becoming a challenge. To maintain airspace sovereignty, Forces need to rely on assets that provide superior situational awareness at all times.
Leveraging on years of successful GM400 field experience, GaN technology and surveillance capabilities, Thales’ GM400 Alpha allows operators to detect all threats at short and long-range at all times and at all levels.
Featuring digital stacked beam technology, the GM400 Alpha detects targets from fast jets andmissiles, to hovering helicopters and UAVs. A unique feature of the GM400 Alpha is the detection and tracking of threats such as tactical UAVs flying close to the ground, hiding in the clutter near the radar, while simultaneously detecting and tracking higher-altitude targets, such as fighter-bombers at ranges of up to 515 km.
By applying the latest processing technology, 5 times more powerful, as well as advanced detection algorithms, the radar can process large amounts of complex data. The result is an immediate improvement in detection range, up to 515 km or 278 NM, representing an increase of coverage surface of more than 20% compared to GM400, with no change to the energy required by the transmitter or receiver parts of the radar. The increase of processing capacity also provides the opportunity to include upcoming new capabilities using advanced artificial intelligence algorithms as well as enhanced cybersecurity features.
“Already supporting 17 nations around the world, the Ground Master 400 radar family is a reliable and proven partner for air surveillance. The GM400 Alpha’s software design and processing architecture make it easy to upgrade current fielded GM400 systems, ensuring the radars’ resilience to emerging threats. Some of our customers have already started the upgrade process of their GM400.” Serge Adrian, Senior Vice President Surface Radars activities, Thales.
13 Nov 21. At the Dubai Airshow, General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. (GA-ASI) will have a number of capabilities on display in booth #1470, including its STARE (System for Tasking And Real-time Exploitation) system. STARE provides a common operating picture for operators of GA-ASI Unmanned Aircraft Systems by integrating and displaying the wide area of surveillance information gathered by GA-ASI platforms.
“STARE brings together data from a variety of external multi-domain data feeds, as well as tactical data from Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance aircraft,” said Darren Moe, senior director of Automation, Autonomy, and Artificial Intelligence (A3I) for GA-ASI. “With UAS platforms, such as our MQ-9B, STARE is emerging as the ideal platform to decipher and disseminate the information for decision makers. “
A new part of STARE is the Optix platform from General Atomics’ Commonwealth Computer Research, Inc. (CCRi), a company GA acquired earlier this year. Optix enables STARE users to visualize real-time and historical data from numerous sources on Optix’s moving map display. It enables “Big Data” processing and analytics that take the multitudes of information and turn it into usable knowledge. Optix combines, correlates, and streamlines multiple sources of intelligence data so the user can observe both strategic and tactical data sources and track information.
Anomalous Behavior alerts are generated using artificial intelligence to automatically look for activities or behaviors of interest. Some example behaviors are nefarious maritime activities such as vessel-to-vessel transfers, not broadcasting AIS, and economic exclusion zone (EEZ) violations. When these are detected, alerts are generated on the map. The goal of all of this is to decrease the number of people required to monitor and decipher all of the various feeds.
13 Nov 21. Sentient teams up with Airborne Technologies and Phoenix Aerospace to launch AW-139 ViDAR SCAR Pod and UAE base for sensor integration. UAE showcased as world launchpad for ViDAR SCAR (Self Contained Aerial Reconnaissance) Pod debuting AW-139 day/night pod and UAE selected as airborne AI sensor centre of excellence for integration with manned helicopters and fixed wing aircraft. Sentient Vision Systems announcement at Dubai Airshow stand (No. 1916), Dubai Air Show (14-18 November 2021)
You may have been approached by my colleague Fahed, or already received embargoed information from us, but just to cover all the bases, please find attached press release for your consideration.
If you or a colleague are visiting Dubai Airshow, we are lining up discrete interviews with Richard Glynn-Jones, Head of EMEA Business Development and Brent Bergan (US business development director and ex US Coast Guard) on the stand (No. 1916) from the Australian search and surveillance specialist company, Sentient Vision Systems to update you on the latest Optical Radar (VMS-5 ViDAR Maritime Surveillance, Day/Night Optical Radar pod) that can autonomously detect small objects on the sea surface over very wide areas, by day and night.
Please let me know if you would like an interview slot, during the first three days. Following the show we will be able to provide online interviews to discuss this and other plans for development of the ViDAR programme.
We also have some exciting news of collaboration with partners to develop a centre of excellence for sensor integration in the UAE and plans to gain share in the airborne ISR Market valued at US$ 25.7 Billion in 2020 and expected to reach a value of US$ 34.20bn by 2026.
The military focus on the region is also interesting in the context of a number of initiatives including the recent call for Gulf Countries to Boost ISR, Sensors To Better Eye Iran
This airborne system, which has already received great interest from many Gulf countries, including UAE, has proven its capability as both a Search and Rescue (SAR) and a maritime search and surveillance tool, with demand for support of a wide range of missions growing globally, including drug interdiction, anti-piracy and illegal fishing detection.
It has successfully been integrated aboard many manned and unmanned, fixed-wing and rotary wing platforms. This is the debut for the AW-139 helicopter sensor pod.
11 Nov 21. RADA Receives $5m in Initial Pre-Orders for its Advanced exMHR Radar Platform.
The exMHR is a next generation advanced tactical radar for the maneuver force and broadens RADA’s addressable market significantly
— RADA Electronic Industries Ltd. (NASDAQ: RADA) (TASE: RADA) announces the receipt of production orders and commitments from customers, totaling $5m, for its new and innovative exMHR radar platform. This new software-defined radar platform is in advanced integration and testing stages, while field tests and demonstrations are scheduled to commence in early 2022. Deliveries to customers will commence in mid-2022.
Dov Sella, RADA’s CEO, commented, “We are highly encouraged with the confidence and trust that our customers have put in us, by placing orders for production deliveries while lab tests are still ongoing. Over two years ago, given the evolving threats to maneuver forces and critical infrastructure, we identified the need for tactical radars with extended ranges and increased accuracy, and have developed the exMHR in record time. It demonstrates the uniqueness of our ‘RADA Inside’ business model, which translates market needs into our off-the-shelf products using internal resources, and then delivering these new best-value products quickly into the hands of our customers. We are currently finalizing the production line in parallel to prototype testing and plan to have our serial production capability for this new radar ready by mid-2022.”
Continued Sella, “This new product broadens our Total Addressable Market (TAM) significantly and builds on our strong market-leading competitive advantage. Furthermore, our main customers are surfacing the ‘solutions-as-a-service’ approach to getting military COTS systems fast, and we are highly inclined to exploit this market trend. All in all, we are very excited with the strong potential ahead and over the coming years and we expect that the exMHR will become another major growth engine for us.”
The exMHR is a cutting-edge software defined, multi-mission 4D AESA pulse-Doppler radar platform. It is focused on Short-Range Air Defense (SHORAD), Counter-UAS, Counter-Rockets, Artillery and Mortars (C-RAM) and gap-filling operational missions. Its unique antenna topology, along with sophisticated signal processing and algorithms, enable the exMHR to demonstrate extended fire-control tracking accuracies along with multipath and clutter handling and suppression. Supporting on-the-move operation, it provides the maneuver force with comprehensive air defense and active defense solutions with unmatched SWaP-C superiority. (Source: PR Newswire)
12 Nov 21. At the Dubai Airshow, HENSOLDT will focus on its broad range of sensor technologies in the airborne solutions domain. The sensor solutions are deployed on various platforms, including helicopters, aircraft and unmanned aerial vehicles. Come and visit us at Stand no 1039.HENSOLDT will present its airborne multi-mission surveillance radar PrecISR, along with other HENSOLDT sensors such as the ARGOS II electro-optical gimbal, which can be seamlessly integrated into the new Xplorer Mission System. Helicopters and fixed-wing aircraft are protected by the Airborne Missile Protection Suite AMPS, whilst the modular Kalaetron electronic warfare system provides warning against radar threats, but can also be used for strategic Signals Intelligence in an enhanced configuration. Also, on display is HENSOLDT’s Mode 5-capable IFF portfolio together with avionics equipment such as crash recorders and tactical data links. The European solutions provider will also be presenting its counter-UAV (Unmanned Aerial Vehicles) system Xpeller for 24/7 protection from illicit intrusions of UAVs over critical areas – even at long ranges. The system is highly modular and combines numerous sensors (radar, electro-optics, direction finders) and target neutralization effectors such as jammers and drone catchers through a single Command and Control (C2) system.
HENSOLDT will also showcase its Twinvis passive radar which allows an airspace to be monitored over a radius of up to 250 kilometres, without itself emitting radar signals. Mobile, and unobtrusively integrated into a small van or off-road vehicle, this radar’s possible uses are almost unlimited.
A Virtual Reality (VR) application will be on display showing operational scenarios from the HENSOLDT portfolio including its Ground Based Air Defence (GBAD) and Air Traffic Management (ATM) solution. The GBAD simulation features the TRML4-D Multi-Functional Air Surveillance and Target Acquisition Radar System. The ATM solution includes the ASR-NG air traffic control radar, the MSSR 2000 ID secondary radar, Twinvis passive radar and the Xpeller counter-UAV system for glide path and airport perimeter surveillance and drone defence. Visitors to the stand can wear the VR headset and can be part of the immersive military simulation experience.
10 Nov 21. D-Fend Solutions showcased its unique detection, accurate location and cyber mitigation capabilities in Oslo, Norway, during the three-day counter-drone exercise led by INTERPOL and the Norwegian police.
D-Fend Solutions, the leader in radio frequency (RF), cyber-based, counter-drone takeover technology, today announced that its flagship product, EnforceAir, detected, identified and accurately located multiple unmanned aerial systems (UASs), took control of a drone and safely landed it during the final program of a joint, three-day exercise led by INTERPOL, an international organization promoting global law enforcement cooperation, and the Norwegian Police.
The event was held at Oslo Gardermoen Airport in Norway, while the airport was operating. Avinor (the airport owner), the Norwegian Communications Authority, the Civil Aviation Authority and UAS Norway helped ensure a high standard of testing and facilitated the continuity of airport operations.
The exercise included law enforcement personnel, academics and industry experts from Europe, the U.S. and Israel, with a goal of testing and evaluating 17 drone countermeasures in a live airspace environment.
The first two days of the event focused on detection and location counter-drone capabilities. During the exercises, EnforceAir detected unique communication signals used by multiple drones, without producing false positives. EnforceAir also decoded telemetry signals to determine types of drones and extract drone positioning with GPS accuracy.
Rain was falling on day three, which focused on rogue drone mitigation. D-Fend Solutions successfully showcased its cyber-takeover technology. Within 2 seconds and without a prior calibration flight, EnforceAir took over a fast, non-static drone that utilizes an advanced and popular radio protocol. D-Fend’s system reprogrammed the drone to fly along a two-point, predefined flight path and landed it in a safe zone, highlighting the full control and continuity that are facilitated by EnforceAir.
During the event, D-Fend Solutions featured two agile deployment kits: High-Altitude Tactical and Vehicle.
“It was an honor for D-Fend Solutions to participate as the only cyber-takeover vendor at this important counter-drone exercise, which will help lead to a safer future for airports worldwide,” said Yaniv Benbenisti, D-Fend Solution’s President & Chief Product Officer. “EnforceAir cyber technology is deployed at major international airports and aviation hubs and is designed to perform well in sensitive environments, regardless of weather, and preserve continuity. It empowers airport security personnel to operate their own authorized drones, even during the mitigation of unauthorized drones, and does not disrupt airports’ communication or navigation systems.”
About D-Fend Solutions
D-Fend Solutions is the leading counter-drone takeover technology provider, enabling full control, safety and continuity during rogue drone incidents across complex and sensitive environments, to overcome both current and emerging drone threats. With hundreds of deployments worldwide, EnforceAir, the company’s flagship offering, focuses on the most dangerous drone threats in military, public safety, airport, prison, major event and critical infrastructure environments. D-Fend Solutions’ technology has been chosen as best-in-class and is in deployment at high-tier U.S. government agencies – including with U.S. military, federal law enforcement and homeland security bodies – as well as major international airports globally. EnforceAir autonomously executes RF, cyber-takeovers of rogue drones for a safe landing and outcome, ensuring the smooth flow of communications, commerce, transportation, and everyday life. (Source: PR Newswire)
10 Nov 21. Dubai Airshow: Nir-Or, IMCO Group’s subsidiary, will present the LAD: Avionics 20″ x 8″ wide display airborne application. Nir-Or will also present its latest displays that were specially developed and provided to the Israeli Air Force for the F-16, F-15, and AH-64 Helicopters. Nir-Or, a subsidiary of IMCO Industries Ltd. (Tel Aviv Stock Exchange TASE: IMCO), will present the next generation of its Large Area Display (LAD) 20″ X 8″ for glass cockpit at the Dubai Airshow. As a prime system integrator, Nir-Or specializes in integrating hardware and software solutions into real-time embedded systems for the Defense sector, focusing on LCD displays for glass cockpit, avionics systems, and Rugged Computer Systems. LAD (Large Area Display) is a main flight display with full dual-redundant screens showing both avionics panel and other flight or mission-specific operational features. Specially designed for airborne applications, LAD provides a dynamic viewing range, from full sunlight reading to night operation with NVG compatibility. Featuring an illuminated bezel Keyboard with optical multi-Touch screen functionality and showing both graphic symbology and other flight-specific operational features, Nir-Or’s LAD supports multiple video inputs to meet mission needs.
Alongside the LAD Display, Nir-Or will present other leading displays and solutions at the Dubai Airshow, including Large Area Display Demonstrator for the Black Hawk, a glass cockpit program for ALH helicopters, and AH–64 Apache Gunner display that was specially upgraded for the Israel air force.
Nir-Or’s CEO, BG. (Ret.) Roy Riftin:” offering a complete and advanced turnkey project for defense applications at Land, Air, and Naval, Nir-Or is happy to present its cutting-edge displays’ technology that was uniquely designed for airborne applications at the Dubai Airshow.”
Nir-Or, a subsidiary of IMCO Industries Ltd. (Tel Aviv Stock Exchange TASE: IMCO), designs, develops, manufactures, and integrates innovative electronic systems and products for a vast range of defense applications at Land, Air, and Naval. Converting ideas into prototypes, and prototypes into fielded, operational products, the company’s wide-ranging capabilities cover all aspects of electronic-based military and para-military solutions. Nir-Or’s solutions include Multi-dimensional Situational Awareness, AI-powered, Video systems (Video Servers, Ruggedized Displays and Camera Clusters) for APCs and other designated military platforms.
09 Nov 21. Sierra Nevada Corp delivers two EMARSS aircraft with Mission Enhancement Kits to US Army. Beechcraft King Air 350ERs integrated with Sierra Nevada Mission Enhancement Kits for the US Army’s Enhanced Medium Altitude Reconnaissance and Surveillance System fleet of aircraft. The US Army has procured 16 King Air 350ER MEKs. SNC delivered the ninth system in November. (Sierra Nevada Corp) Sierra Nevada Corp (SNC) has delivered two Beechcraft King Air 350ERs integrated with Mission Enhancement Kits (MEKs) to the US Army for its fleet of Enhanced Medium Altitude Reconnaissance and Surveillance System (EMARSS) aircraft, according to a 3 November company statement. The King Air 350ER MEK reduces aircraft weight, increases engine performance, and lowers the overall sound signature to improve the platform’s capabilities in high-altitude areas. The King Air 350ER MEK also enables operations on shorter runways, making the aircraft more suitable for a wider variety of operational environments. The US Army has procured 16 King Air 350ER MEKs. SNC delivered the ninth system in November, totalling three deliveries for 2021. SNC has not responded to a request for comment at the time of publication. A request for comment was made to the US Army, too, prior to publication. (Source: Jane’s)
09 Nov 21. Royal Moroccan Air Force receives Thales GM400 radar. Thales has successfully delivered its Ground Master 400 (GM400) to the Royal Moroccan Air Force (RMAF) after a site acceptance test. The delivery took place in July this year as part of a contract signed in 2019. It represents a milestone as the radar marked its 100th deployment across the globe in September. GM400 is a mobile radar system proposed by ThalesRaytheonSystems (TRS) and developed by Thales. TRS is a 50:50 joint venture between Raytheon and Thales. Thales Land and Air Systems executive vice-president Christophe Salomon said: “With the Ground Master 400, the Royal Moroccan Air Force has a decisive advantage in terms of territorial protection and air surveillance.
“Thales is a long-standing partner of the Kingdom of Morocco, and this deployment testifies national authorities’ continuing confidence in Thales.
“We are proud to have reached the 100th milestone of the Ground Master family, a game-changing family of radars for superior situational awareness with a solid reputation for performance and reliability for national sovereignty.”
GM400 was the first radar of the GM product family, followed by mid-range radar GM200, used for conducting both air surveillance and air defence missions.
The systems can be deployed easily and support the identification of threats at long range and low altitudes.
The first Ground Master family of radars was delivered in 2010. It is also currently operational with the armed forces of Canada, France, Germany, Malaysia, Finland and Slovenia.
Last year alone, Thales recorded the sale of more than 24 GM radars. (Source: airforce-technology.com)
09 Nov 21. The European Defence Agency (EDA)-supported Counter-IED Exercise Bison Counter 21, being hosted by the Italian Army in Sardinia ends today. Around 650 counter-IED teams from 10 EU member states – Austria, Belgium, the Czech Republic, France, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Slovenia, Spain, and Sweden – together with representatives from Norway and the United States took part in the three week exercise. The exercise scenario revolved around a multinational operation such as those conducted by NATO, the EU and the United Nations. It encompassed a wide range of C-IED challenges which required participants to engage in “planning in joint task force headquarters , military search, route clearance and weapons intelligence, to combat engineering” according to an EDA statement. Tasks included: Explosive Ordnance Disposal/Improvised Explosive Device Disposal (EOD/IEDD), manual neutralisation techniques and technical exploitation. Skills and assets tested included: military search, military working dogs, combat engineering, route clearance, Explosive Ordnance Disposal/Improvised Explosive Device Disposal (EOD/IEDD), EOD Divers, EOD Manual Neutralisation Techniques (MNT) Teams, Weapons Intelligence Teams (WIT) and Level 2 Technical Exploitation, and a fully manned and operational laboratory. Exercise Bison Counter allowed several of the EDA’s own projects to be brought together including the Joint Deployable Exploitation and Analysis Laboratory (JDEAL), the European Centre for Manual Neutralisation Capabilities (ECMAN) and the Military Search Capability Building (MSCB). The EDA will launch a new project (Cat B) in early 2022 involving 13 member states that will see the formation of a permanent expert team to plan subsequent Bison Encounter exercises scheduled for 2023, 2025 and 2027. Previous C-IED exercises were staged in the Netherlands (2013) and Sweden (2016). (Source: Armada)
08 Nov 21. Israel’s Elbit to make land surveillance system for Cyprus. The governments of Israel and Cyprus signed an agreement Thursday to develop a land surveillance system that would see Elbit Systems create the platform. The deal was signed by Yair Kulas, the head of the Israel Defense Ministry’s Directorate for International Defense Cooperation, known as SIBAT, and his Cypriot counterpart. The Israeli ministry would not provide more information, including the contract value. But Lt. Col. Christos Pieris, a spokesperson for the Cypriot Defence Ministry, was quoted by Bloomberg as saying the system would be developed over three years for a value of $32m. Elbit would not confirm that information. Kulas met with the secretary of the Cypriot Defence Ministry, Andreas Louka, and the Israeli government said they discussed the “expansion of defense cooperation between the respective defense establishments.” Cyprus released a similar statement. Reports have surmised the system will be for the Green Line in Cyprus, which divides the island between the Turkish-administered northern part and the government of Cyprus. As such, the contract has received attention in Turkey. Israel-Cyprus relations have grown in recent years. Israeli drone-maker Aeronautics also reportedly sold drones to Cyprus in 2019. And in June 2020, Israeli Foreign Minister Gabi Ashkenazi met his Cypriot counterpart, Nikos Christodoulides, to discuss increased trilateral energy cooperation with Greece — a reference to an Eastern Mediterranean pipeline agreement. In February 2021, then-Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met Cyprus President Nicos Anastasiades to discuss opportunities for working on “peace and security” issues. Additionally, Israeli commandos have trained in Cyprus, and there were recent reports about a joint military drill in Israeli media. (Source: Defense News)
08 Nov 21. Airbus and Northrop Grumman Lead Team Seeking to shape NATO’s Future Surveillance and Control. New Atlantic Strategic Partnership for Advanced All-domain Resilient Operations (ASPAARO) brings together nine companies with world-leading capabilities Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE: NOC) and Airbus Defence and Space, together with seven industrial players, have established ASPAARO, the Atlantic Strategic Partnership for Advanced All-domain Resilient Operations. ASPAARO will bid to undertake the Risk Reduction and Feasibility Studies (RRFS) for the NATO Support and Procurement Agency as part of the Alliance Future Surveillance and Control (AFSC) programme. The feasibility studies are a key milestone in the AFSC programme which aims to support NATO and NATO nations as they consider the Alliance’s future tactical surveillance, command and control capabilities after the current Airborne Warning and Control System (AWACS) fleet reaches the end of its service life in 2035. Following the delivery of a High-level Technical Concept in 2020 by three of the team members (Airbus, Lockheed Martin and MDA Ltd.), Airbus continues to support NATO in the concept stage of the AFSC programme together with Northrop Grumman and a strong transatlantic team including Lockheed Martin (US), BAE Systems (UK), KONGSBERG (Norway), MDA (Canada), GMV (Spain), Exence (Poland) and IBM (US). ASPAARO offers an unparalleled set of skills and capabilities that will address the threats of today and tomorrow and will fulfil the Alliance’s requirements across all domains. The industry team will leverage its multi-domain concepts, advanced technologies and integrated designs to pave the way to a fully interoperable architecture between NATO nations while further driving innovation through combined access, investments and experience.
“Cutting-edge surveillance and control systems are at the heart of ensuring NATO’s continued operational success to which we are fully committed to. We feel privileged to support this strategic programme for NATO by leveraging our experience and capabilities in multi-domain operations, surveillance and intelligence. With this transatlantic teaming, we are offering our commitment to provide the Atlantic Alliance with the most powerful technological solutions to ensure it stays ahead of the curve in tomorrow’s multi-domain-driven theatres of operation.” said Michael Schoellhorn, CEO of Airbus Defence and Space.
Northrop Grumman President of Aeronautics Systems Tom Jones emphasized ASPAARO’s focus on the NATO customer’s mission requirements. “ASPAARO brings together the best industrial capabilities across the NATO community to address increasingly vital surveillance and command and control needs. In a rapidly evolving threat environment NATO needs the strategic advantage that advanced surveillance and control provides; ASPAARO is committed to delivering those unmatched capabilities to the NATO AFSC programme.” A decision on the contract award for the Risk Reduction and Feasibility Studies for NATO AFSC is expected in 2022.
08 Nov 21. FAA to carry out drone detection tests at business airports in four states to help shape future policy. Atlantic Metropolis Worldwide Airport, NJ, is the latest US airport to test drone detection technology led by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). The airport invited Hearst TV Nationwide Investigative Unit to observe the tests. Currently, the FAA does not permit airports to purchase their own detection methods, although it reports an increase in drone sightings around airports. The agency is conducting tests at five business airports at locations in Washington, Ohio, Alabama and New York over the next 18 months under the leadership of Leesa Papier, Director of the FAA’s Nationwide Safety Applications and Incident Response unit.
For more information visit: www.faa.gov (Source: www.unmannedairspace.info) (Source: www.unmannedairspace.info)
04 Nov 21. Hensoldt uses AI-based decision making to defend against simulated swarm of unmanned systems. The sensor solution provider Hensoldt is developing new AI-based decision-making processes for military operations as part of the “GhostPlay” project. This is intended to support military action at the tactical level at the highest operational speed using a synthetic simulation environment. The subject of the research will be, among other things, the extent to which military operations and decisions can be accelerated by AI and what opportunities and risks arise from this. This will include an examination of how AI-based decision support can support the sensor-effector network of a swarm of unmanned systems in complex missions to suppress enemy air defences (SEAD) and how the interaction of the individual components of a defence system can be optimised. At the same time, the ethical aspects that need to be taken into account will be investigated. The innovative technology project, conducted in cooperation with Helmut Schmidt University, Hamburg, will run until the end of 2024 and is funded by the Centre for Digitisation and Technology Research of the Bundeswehr (DTEC.Bw). Hensoldt brings to this technology project its experience with the application of AI mechanisms in the evaluation of reconnaissance data, with the networking of sensors and effectors, and with simulation techniques in product development and resource management. Hensoldt leads a strong team with 21Strategies GmbH for AI-based decision algorithms in the finance and defence environment, Borchert Consulting & Research AG for strategy, concept and scenario development and the Fraunhofer Institute for Communication, Information Processing and Ergonomics (FKIE) for sensor data fusion and technology consideration. For more information visit: www.hensoldt.net (Source: www.unmannedairspace.info)
03 Nov 21. CACI unveils two counter-unmanned aircraft developments at AUSA annual meeting. CACI International announced two new technologies to mitigate threats from unmanned aircraft systems during the AUSA Annual Meeting and Exposition in Washington on 11-13 October, 2021. The next generation CORIAN 2.0 system and new CORIAN Tactical system, are part of CACI’s SkyTracker suite of counter-unmanned aircraft system (C-UAS) technology, combining the latest generation of sensors and effectors for a complete range of autonomous threat coverage. According to a company press release, CORIAN 2.0, the next generation fixed-site multi-sensor platform expands on existing CORIAN technologies with improved mechanical design, capability advancements, and integration with other phenomenology. These enhancements extend the range of system effectiveness, provide the ability to guard against multiple, simultaneous threats from standoff distances and easily integrate with other systems, including command and control systems such as forward area air defence command and control (FAAD C2). CORIAN Tactical, the new system offering both fixed and on-the-move protection against sUAS threats, secures airspace and critical infrastructure in environments ranging from dense population areas to remote locations. With a tailorable and scalable configuration, low size, weight, and power (SWaP) and precise capabilities, the ruggedized system offers expanded mission options that can be installed in less than an hour. CACI’s SkyTracker Technology Suite is a family of systems that detect, track, classify and defeat Group 1-5 UAS threats. The technology portfolio enhances operational awareness across high-level UAS threat groups and within a layered defense construct across numerous environments. For more information visit: www.caci.com(Source: www.unmannedairspace.info)
02 Nov 21. Dedrone announces citywide airspace security deployment in southern Europe. Dedrone reports a successful implementation of a citywide airspace security deployment in Southern Europe. Dedrone protects people, property, and information from drone threats across large footprint areas like cities, airports, and power plants. A major metropolitan city in Southern Europe has deployed less than a dozen DedroneSensors to detect, track and locate drones and their pilots across the city centre. The protected area includes internationally renowned tourist destinations, corporate and shopping districts, residential areas, and a port encompassing 50 square kilometers, says the company press release. The high-security stakes for cities prompted Dedrone has developed a citywide capable airspace security solution for urban environments to protect civilians and infrastructure against unauthorized drones and offer law enforcement and local governments drone protection. This citywide deployment follows short-term installations in European capital cities, including Berlin. Active today, the Dedrone Southern European city installation was launched in November 2020, revealing between 120-200 alerts of unauthorized drone activity per day and a 60% increase of unauthorized drone activity over the last six months. Dedrone collaborates with local governments to develop a centralized, smart airspace security network that monitors cooperative and non-cooperative drone traffic. Dedrone’s Airspace Security-as-a-Service model enables local governments to access airspace intelligence and insights as a utility across the monitored area. Dedrone smart city offering will continue to roll out to additional cities in Europe and the U.S. in 2021 and 2022. To enable cities to achieve smart airspace security, DedroneTracker fuses data from a network of sensors, using an AI/Machine Learning platform to produce critical drone activity information and situational awareness for law enforcement and security personnel guarding large public arenas. In February 2021, Dedrone announced a Remote ID offering, designed to enable customers to automatically receive both US and EU Remote ID data through DedroneTracker as Remote ID regulations go into effect. Nearly 300 drones are currently in the Dedrone database and can be detected regardless of their cooperation with local Remote ID or other drone data broadcasting systems. Dedrone offers an open platform enabling a layered-approach implementation with a single pane of glass view. Today, Dedrone supports dozens of approved integrations including sensors, Command & Control (C2) systems, alerting solutions, Unmanned Traffic Management (UTM) systems, and mitigation technologies so organizations can use technologies to meet individual site needs and easily integrate into their existing security infrastructure. For more information visit:www.dedrone.com (Source: www.unmannedairspace.info)
08 Nov 21. Thales Ground Master family of radars celebrates a milestone – 100th deployment worldwide for protection of national airspace.
- This September 2021, the Ground Master radar family celebrates its 100th deployment worldwide following a site acceptance test for a Ground Master 400 by the Royal Moroccan Air Force.
- Renown for outstanding reliability, unmatched performance and high mobility, the Ground Master radar family plays a critical role in air surveillance and defence worldwide.
- With its full digital architecture, the Ground Master family detects current and future air threats, at ranges of up to 500km, with superior low altitude detection, including slow moving UAV’s.
Thales delivered its 100th radar from the Ground Master family – a Ground Master 400 (GM400) to Morocco end July 2021, under a contract signed in 2019 with the Royal Moroccan Air Force (in addition to a previous order placed in 2013).
Away from the front lines, the resurgence in geostrategic confrontations between the world’s major powers has significantly increased demand for airspace protection solutions. In addition to hypersonic missiles and theatre ballistic missiles, unmanned air vehicles (UAVs) now also constitute a threat to airspace sovereignty. Modern UAVs can defy detection by traditional radar systems, and adversaries can exploit the low speed and coordinated attack capabilities of these vehicles to saturate the airspace in a conflict. Easy-to-deploy Ground Master (GM) tactical radars have become a crucial asset for detecting threats at long range and at low altitude.
Since the first delivery in 2010, the Ground Master family of radars is constantly adapting to ever evolving threats, in particular UAV’s at low altitude. The GM radars’ digital architecture enables flexibility to innovate and anticipate new emerging challenges such as innovative algorithms mitigating the impact of wind turbines, whilst continuing to offer the best performance in the market in the long-run. This agility to adapt has made the GM radars, one of the best in class in its category, with outstanding sales records enabling the successful sale of more than 24 GM radars in 2020 alone.
Designed to offer unprecedented deployability and survivability, the long-range and mid-range GM versions fit into compact 20 ft containers with built-in lifting systems, and offer excellent redeployment times. Fixed versions of the family are also available for countries planning a permanent air surveillance infrastructure to protect their national airspace.
“With the Ground Master 400, the Royal Moroccan Air Force has a decisive advantage in terms of territorial protection and air surveillance. Thales is a long-standing partner of the Kingdom of Morocco, and this deployment testifies national authorities’ continuing confidence in Thales. We are proud to have reached the 100Th milestone of the Ground Master family, a game changing family of radars for superior situational awareness with a solid reputation for performance and reliability for national sovereignty” Christophe Salomon, Executive Vice President, Land and Air Systems, Thales.
08 Nov 21. DroneShield and DIN call for RF disruption proposals. Sydney company DroneShield and the NSW Defence Innovation Network (DIN) are partnering to deliver next-generation drone signal disruption. The DIN has called for expressions of interest (EOIs) from member universities to participate in Stage 1, the initial proof of concept stage, of a portfolio of wireless UAV disruption projects. Closing Date for EoIs is 15 November. This first stage is worth up to $100,000, fully funded by DroneShield and has a three-month timeframe. DroneShield will provide the successful research organisation with sample data for three wireless protocols as an IQ stream. The research organisation will develop innovative wireless disruption algorithms to disrupt protocol communications successfully. The intention is for the research organisation to take a ‘Smart Jamming’ approach whereby the algorithm is based on an assault on vulnerabilities, for example, error correction checksums, messages related to acknowledgements, synchronisation channels, time slots. DroneShield can provide insight into existing research into both detection and disruption of provided protocols.
The successful research proposal should clearly address and demonstrate the following features:
- Ability to provide disruption algorithms that maximise radiated power efficiency, i.e. energy-efficient sophisticated jamming rather than barrage jamming (required)
- Flexibility in application towards near-peer protocols, i.e. the possibility that the algorithm might be able to disrupt near-peer protocols, to maximise the chances that it can be a more scalable algorithm that can be easily adapted to different signals of interest (preferred)
No security clearance is required.
This is expected to lead to Stage 2 of the project with up to $500,000-worth of funding from the Australian Research Council or a similar body, running for 6-9 months from approximately mid-2022. This stage will focus on maturity and expansion of the IP developed in Stage 1.
DroneShield aims to acquire the funding support to complete Stage 2, expanding the number of protocol disruption algorithms.
For further information go to the DIN web site: https://defenceinnovationnetwork.com/droneshield-eoi/ (Source: Rumour Control)
03 Nov 21. F-35 structural durability bolstered with new Australian imaging technology. The LTS-640V is a digital imaging machine little bigger than a DSLR camera that provides real-time imagery that helps quantify material stress and detect fatigue cracks that could prove dangerous if unchecked.
The Australian invention is the first of its kind, providing real time fusion of stress and visible spectrum imaging – in effect merging the visible with the invisible.
The capability it provides will allow for a potentially more streamlined certification process, and should help eliminate some of the surprises that can occur during testing of a new aircraft structure.
The technology was developed in collaboration with scientists at the Australian Department of Defence where a prototype of this technology has helped support sustainment of the F/A-18 Classic Hornet, and more recently provided Lockheed Martin Aeronautics with valuable new information during structural certification testing of the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter.
The LTS-640V is designed to be used during the certification stage before an aircraft is approved for commercial or military use.
According to a spokesperson for the Department of Defence, the inspection approach is based on the ‘thermoelastic effect’.
“Put simply, when you squash something it heats up, when you stretch something it cools down,” the DoD spokesperson said.
“Think of magic spray which is often used to treat sports injuries – it’s the stretching or expansion of the gas as it leaves the aerosol can that provides the cooling effect.
“Unlike magic spray, however, the temperature changes we’re dealing with are tiny, thousandths of a degree, but we can still detect them, and quite easily using the advanced algorithms at the core of this technology.”
This capability has a significant role to play in helping aircraft designers and operators better understand how an airframe performs under load.
“The technology can improve our ability to quantify stresses, particularly in structurally critical areas where traditional technologies have very limited capability,” the DoD spokesperson added.
The design team at 1MILLIKELVIN have transformed this groundbreaking capability into a robust commercial product with with $275,000 of grant funding.
The new technology has been used to support the Classic Hornet and has demonstrated how it can improve the way designers validate modelling of complex airframe components in the F-35 full scale durability test program, according to Kheang Khauv, managing director of 1 MILLIKELVIN, manufacturer of the LTS-640V technology.
“We are looking to help streamline and improve structural validation processes across the global defence and aeronautics industries,” Khauv said.
“We are proud our advanced technology is making a contribution to Defence capability.”
Potential applications of the technology extend well beyond aviation, with potential customers including a wide range of industries both in Australia and around the world.
Total grants so far are $75,000 from the Victorian government (Boost your business program), $150,000 from the Advanced Manufacturing Growth Centre and another $50,000 from the Defence Science Institute, which is part of the Australian Defence Science and Universities Network Australian Defence Science and Universities Network. (Source: Defence Connect)
05 Nov 21. NightFighter X: The Royal Marines’ new counter-UAV system. The new portable counter-UAV system delivers defence against a wide range of drones and other unmanned vehicles. Air defence troops from 30 Commando Royal Marines have been showing off their new counter UAV (unmanned aerial vehicle) system – the NightFighter X – during training in the deserts of California. Royal Marines deployed with the Littoral Response Group (South) for training in the deserts and even defeated their US Marine Corps (USMC) counterparts in a peer-on-peer scenario. According to manufacturer SteelRock Technologies, the NightFighter X is “a fully integrated portable counter-UAV system that delivers highly effective threat-neutralising performance against a wide range of drones and other unmanned vehicles”. It says the NightFighter X uses advanced ‘hybrid effector’ technology to neutralise drones. The ‘class-leading’ system, SteelRock Technologies said, is optimised for single or dual user operation and has a range in excess of 2.5km. The new counter-UAV system has been designed to be customised to meet a wide range of military, civilian and security applications. The highly portable ‘one-piece’ solution has built-in electronics and ‘hot swap’ battery technology, said to be ‘ideal’ for covert deployment. (Source: forces.net)
05 Nov 21. Raytheon and ONR conduct demonstrations of radar sensing software. The distributed sensing networks will help the US Navy defend against emerging threats. Raytheon Missiles & Defense and the Office of Naval Research (ONR) have partnered and successfully conducted demonstrations of the Network Cooperative Radar (NCR) programme. The programme is aimed at developing an advanced radar system that helps achieve the distributed sensing networks’ objective of the US Navy. It seeks to provide the fleet with electromagnetic (EM) manoeuvre capabilities in support of the US Navy’s Distributed Maritime Operations (DMO) concept. According to the company, the software updates for SPY-6 radar will help the service to better defend against emerging threats. During the demonstration, two surface-based radar emulators used the distributed sensing capabilities to detect the targets.
US Navy Integrated Warfare Systems programme executive officer rear admiral Seiko Okano said: “SPY-6 will provide an unprecedented level of protection to naval forces, and software updates like this demonstrate that it’s only getting better. Programmes like NCR ensure SPY-6 will be the backbone of our distributed sensing capabilities in the future.”
According to Raytheon, cooperative radars work together using distributed sensing capabilities to provide a complete view of objects within an intended area of coverage.
Raytheon Missiles & Defense Advanced Technology vice-president Colin Whelan said: “NCR furthers the development of our next-generation software-defined apertures. The continued development of capabilities demonstrated by NCR will ensure SPY-6 remains the most advanced naval radar in the world.”
In July last year, Raytheon delivered the first AN/SPY-6(V)1 radar array to US Navy for deployment on the DDG 51 Flight III-class ship. (Source: naval-technology.com)
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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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