Sponsored by Blighter Surveillance Systems
www.blighter.com
————————————————————————-
17 Mar 22. UK gets approval to buy missile defenses from U.S.. The U.S. State Department said it approved on Thursday the potential sale of a $700m missile defense system to the United Kingdom.
The approval comes amid a surge in requests for European countries to purchase more U.S.-produced weaponry as the Russian invasion of Ukraine drives an increasingly uncertain security outlook.
The British government, which likely began negotiating the deal long before the invasion of Ukraine three weeks ago, seeks to buy a ballistic missiles defense radar and two command and control battle management and communications systems made by Lockheed Martin Corp. (LMT.N)
The State Department noted the sale would support U.S. foreign policy goals “by improving the security of a NATO Ally that is a force for political stability and economic progress in Europe.”
(Source: Reuters)
16 Mar 22. Teledyne FLIR Introduces Neutrino SX12 ISR1200 MWIR Camera with Zoom Lens for Ground ISR.
- With a high-definition mid-wavelength infrared (MWIR) camera and continuous zoom (CZ) optics, the Neutrino Ground ISR series offers superior performance for integration with intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) systems
Teledyne FLIR, part of Teledyne Technologies Incorporated, today introduced the Neutrino SX12 ISR1200, the first model in the new Neutrino Ground ISR series of high-performance, MWIR camera modules with integrated CZ optics. The HD MWIR system combines a Teledyne FLIR MWIR camera module and 120mm to 1,200mm CZ optics with industry-adopted imaging electronics from InVeo Designs LLC to provide a best-in-class ISR solution with low-switching-cost for defense and industrial integrators.
Based on Teledyne FLIR focal plane array (FPA) technology, near diffraction-limited optics, and a long-life linear Stirling cooler with 25,000 hour MTTF, the Neutrino SX12 ISR1200 offers 1280×1024 resolution with 12µm pixel size. It also features dual-parallel outputs using a 60Hz Camera Link base with 1080P30 HD-SDI or 720P60 HD-SDI, ideal for tracking, turbulence mitigation, and artificial intelligence. The SX12 ISR1200 is a turnkey system that is ideal for integration with ground-based, long-range ISR, perimeter surveillance, border surveillance, and counter-unmanned aircraft systems (C-UAS).
“The Neutrino Ground ISR series joins the Neutrino IS series of MWIR camera modules with integrated CZ optics, offering defense and industrial integrators shortened time-to-market and reduced project risk thanks to its familiar imaging components and off-the-shelf design and delivery,” said Dan Walker, vice president, product management, Teledyne FLIR. “All Neutrino series systems are classified under US Department of Commerce jurisdiction as EAR 6A003.b.4.a and are not subject to International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR).”
The long focal length CZ lens was developed and is produced by the Teledyne FLIR team, formerly of New England Optical Systems (NEOS), which joined FLIR in 2019. The system provides autofocus, focus, and boresight retention through zoom, and it is factory optimized for each integrated system. The lens, the MWIR camera module, and imaging electronics are all designed and manufactured in the United States. (Source: ASD Network)
15 Mar 22. Silentium Defence to provide passive radar to Australian Navy. Australia’s Silentium Defence has secured a contract with the Royal Australian Navy (RAN) to test its MAVERICK passive radar across a range of maritime applications, company official told Janes .
Dr James Palmer, CEO of Silentium Defence, told Janes on 11 March that “this is a gated process to design, install, and evaluate” the MAVERICK passive radar systems in the maritime domain.
“It’s part of a long-term strategic partnership that has already begun, aligned with our government’s recognition of passive radar as a sovereign industrial capability priority (SICP),” he added.
“Passive radar can be used in line with most uses of active radar in early warning and surveillance,” Palmer said, adding that passive radar “is applicable to all classes of vessels”.
“We are just working through a trials programme to work out the most applicable application to each vessel,” he said. (Source: Janes)
15 Mar 22. Echodyne Radars Selected for U.S Army Force Protection Program. Echodyne, the radar platform company, announced today that Advanced Technology Systems Company (ATSC), the prime contractor for the US$191m Indefinite Delivery, Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) contract for the U.S. Army’s Security Surveillance System (SSS) program of record and a leader in Force Protection Systems and Border/Maritime Surveillance Systems has received its first order for Echodyne radars to be used under the SSS program. The IDIQ contract has a 5-year base period, with a 3-year option to extend the period of performance. Following extensive testing during the design and development phase of the program, Echodyne radars have been selected as a component of the security system. The initial order for 46 EchoGuard radars was delivered in December 2021.
“Echodyne radars are on the cutting edge of what’s possible with radars today – our technology is constantly outperforming industry expectations, shepherding in a new era of situational awareness,” said Eben Frankenberg, CEO of Echodyne. “We look forward to supporting ATSC
as they deliver advanced security solutions under the SSS program.”
Radars are an essential component of a robust security solution, providing increased detection ranges and early warning of potential ground and air threats. With Echodyne’s breakthrough
metamaterials electronically scanned array (MESA) technology in the mix, the security system is enhanced with robust 4D data on the approaching object, whether human, vehicle, boat, or drone.
Echodyne serves customers across the defense, national security, and critical infrastructure protection markets worldwide. Its radars are a core component for counter-UAS, border security, and base and perimeter surveillance solutions.
For additional details, please visit echodyne.com. For additional details about ATSC, please visit www.atscva.com.
About Echodyne
Echodyne, the radar platform company, designs and delivers high-performance compact, solid-state radars based on the company’s patented Metamaterials ESA (MESA®) technology. Ideally suited for defense, security, machine perception, and autonomy, Echodyne’s commercially priced electronically scanned array radars are used by defense and government agencies, autonomous developers, and security integrators for counter-UAS, borders and perimeter security, critical infrastructure protection, unmanned aerial vehicles, and autonomous vehicles. Privately held, the company is based in Kirkland, Washington, and is backed by Bill
Gates, NEA, Madrona Venture Group, Vulcan Capital, Vanedge Capital, and Lux Capital among others. For more information, please visit: Echodyne.com.
09 Mar 22. Hensoldt to integrate reconnaissance mission system on two DA62 MPP aircraft. Hensoldt has received an order from Qinetiq GmbH to supply its ARGOS-II HD electro-optical (EO) infrared system and EuroNAV control and evaluation software on two Diamond DA62 MPP multipurpose platform aircraft, Hensoldt announced on 9 March.
A Hensoldt spokesperson told Janes that the ARGOS-II and EuroNav capabilities form an EO reconnaissance system, which is part of Hensoldt’s ‘MissionGrid’ platform: a scalable network of airborne sensors and data fusion applications.
According to the company, the systems “will be pre-integrated by Hensoldt and [integrated] by QinetiQ for [intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance] services and training of national and international [joint terminal attack controller] customers and operators with the DA62 MPP aircraft, manufactured by Diamond Aircrafts Industries, Austria”.
The spokesperson confirmed that systems would be pre-integrated on the aircraft in the second half of this year but they were unable to provide information regarding the customers and total value of the contract. (Source: Janes)
11 Mar 22. Army Green Berets from the 1st Special Forces Group conducted two weeks of hands-on experimentation with Project Origin Unmanned Systems at Dugway Proving Ground. Engineers from the U.S. Army DEVCOM Ground Vehicle Systems Center were on site to collect data on how these elite Soldiers utilized the systems and what technology and behaviors are desired. Project Origin vehicles are the evolution of multiple Soldier Operational Experiments. This GVSC-led rapid prototyping effort allows the Army to conduct technology and autonomous behavior integration for follow-on assessments with Soldiers in order to better understand what Soldiers need from unmanned systems. For the two-week experiment, Soldiers with the 1st Special Forces Group attended familiarization and new equipment training in order to develop Standard Operating Procedures for Robotic Combat Vehicles. The unit utilized these SOPs to conduct numerous mission-oriented exercises including multiple live-fire missions during the day and night. The live-fire operations employed the M240 and M2 machine guns and the MK19 automatic grenade launcher.
“These live fire operations were critical to determining the military utility of the Robotic Combat Vehicle unmanned technology,” said Todd Willert, GVSC’s project manager for Project Origin. “The unit was successful with integrating the systems into their formation for both offensive and defensive operations.”(Source: Janes)
11 Mar 22. US Lawmakers call for IVAS procurement cuts, US Army weighing implications. US Army acquisition officials are examining the proposed fiscal year (FY) 2022 omnibus spending bill to determine how Integrated Visual Augmentation System (IVAS) procurement cuts and proposed restrictions will affect programme plans, according to the service’s Assistant Secretary for Acquisition, Logistics, and Technology, Doug Bush. Congress has unveiled the omnibus spending bill that provides USD728.5bn in discretionary defence spending this year, and as of 10 March, the House and Senate had the legislation, and it will be sent to the White House for President Joe Biden’s signature. Appropriators that drafted the compromise bill said they will cut USD394m
from the army’s USD854m IVAS procurement request, and the accompanying report explains that “developmental challenges and increased testing requirements” prompted them to transfer USD55m from the ‘other procurement’ account over to the IVAS research, development, test, and evaluation account. (Source: Janes)
08 Mar 22. Milrem Robotics and MSI Defence jointly exhibit mobile C-UAV solution at the World Defense Show. Autonomous systems developer Milrem Robotics once again joined with with weapons company MSI Defence Systems to present a mobile, unmanned kinetic C-UAV unit at the World Defense Show 6-9 March 2022 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The two companies exhibited together at DSEI 2021 in London when Milrem Robotics’ THeMIS unmanned ground vehicles (UGV) was integrated with MSI-DSL’s Remote Weapon Systems (RWS) and Electrical Optical Sensor Systems. The mobile, unmanned C-UAS systems is capable of carrying payloads from 7.62 to 30 mm including the Northrop Grumman M230 cannon and Thales LMM missiles. It is also be able to find and engage larger air threats as well as ground targets.
The unmanned C-UAS platforms are designed to provide protection for both tactical and static sites for deployed assets and critical infrastructure. For more information visit: www.milrem.com
(Source: www.unmannedairspace.info)
————————————————————————-
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.
————————————————————————