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31 Aug 23. MARSS continues to invest in KSA as it passes two-year milestone. MARSS’ Riyadh-based operations have grown significantly since establishing itself in the KSA in 2021; starting with a handful of employees and building to over 30 project managers, engineers, technicians and support personnel. This expanding regional presence enables MARSS to deliver and support defence, safety, and surveillance programmes across the Middle East.
MARSS KSA currently protects multiple sites across the Middle East. Most recently, a multi-site security programme which will serve nine critical infrastructure sites across the Middle East, all networked into a centralised national command centre (C2).
Such is the importance of the Saudi operation, the Riyadh office recently received a visit from the MARSS headquarters team, including senior female leaders from the Monaco HQ. The trip underlined the crucial strategic position the Middle East region has within the organisation, and how MARSS will continue to innovate in software and hardware development.
A key priority has been recruiting and developing Saudi employees, who now make up almost 50 per cent of the local team. One of these colleagues, along with a team member from the Philippines, recently completed a training trip to Spain, hosted by Thales, to learn new mechanical engineering skills for use on kinetic-effector systems, that can link into MARSS’ NiDAR platform.
MARSS also remains committed to supporting the veteran community, providing exciting employment opportunities. Currently, the KSA-based-company is comprised of over 20 per cent veterans.
Events play an important networking role for MARSS KSA. Members of the KSA team will be at DSEI, in London next month, while the next key event in the Middle East calendar is the World Defense Show in February 2024. There, the MARSS KSA team looks forward to welcoming partners, customers and other stakeholders, and to showcase the latest products and capabilities of NiDAR.
30 Aug 23. RTX receives DoD funding for GhostEye® MR radar development and experimentation. Raytheon, an RTX business, has been awarded $7 m to advance development and assessment of the company’s GhostEye® MR radar, an advanced medium-range sensor for the National Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile System, or NASAMS.
These are the first government contracts for GhostEye MR, a multi-mission radar designed and developed by Raytheon via internal research and development investments. Funding will support continued radar development and then an operational assessment at White Sands Missile Range later this year.
“This government support confirms the growing relevance and demand for the capabilities of GhostEye MR, as nations around the globe look to bolster their air defense,” said Tom Laliberty, president of Land & Air Defense Systems at Raytheon. “Partnering with DoD, Air Force, and Kongsberg, we will showcase the sensor’s range of capabilities against a multitude of emerging threats.”
The experiment at White Sands will assess the operational performance of GhostEye MR, with the radar providing effective surveillance cues and integrating with the combat-proven NASAMS air defense system. This follows the Strategic Developmental Planning & Experimentation (SDPE) office’s successful air base air defense experiment in Andøya, Norway, last September, which showcased NASAMS’ ability to engage and intercept various advanced aerial threats using multiple Raytheon missile types and Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace’s Fire Distribution Center, or FDC. The operational assessment in September will build upon the capabilities demonstrated in Andøya by utilizing the U.S. Air Force’s relevant command and control to link GhostEye MR with NASAMS’ FDC.
Funding consists of a contract from the U.S. Air Force Research Lab’s SDPE office and the Office of the Secretary of Defense’s Rapid Prototyping Program (RPP).
A member of Raytheon’s GhostEye family of sensors, GhostEye MR is an advanced medium-range multi-mission radar for NASAMS. The radar, introduced in 2021, provides increased range and altitude coverage to expand the defended-area capabilities of NASAMS. Additionally, GhostEye MR leverages commonality with the Lower Tier Air and Missile Defense Sensor (LTAMDS) that Raytheon is building for the U.S. Army.
30 Aug 23. Over £3.5m funding from Government to reduce the impact of offshore windfarms on UK Air Defence. Two projects have been awarded funding to develop windfarm mitigating prototypes and new funding announced to help the government accurately model the effectiveness of the different solutions.
- The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero and DASA has awarded £3.2m in funding to minimise the impact of offshore windfarms on UK Air Defence.
- The funding will be used to help develop prototype demonstrations of windfarm mitigating technologies such as new materials and sensor technology.
- A further competition has also launched today, with up to £500,000 in funding available for innovators with expertise in modelling and testing the effectiveness of different mitigation technologies.
Another significant boost to the UK’s renewable energy expansion has been delivered today, with fresh multi-m-pound Government funding and the launch of a new competition driving the move to minimise the impact of offshore windfarms on UK Air Defence surveillance.
Funding worth £3.2m has been awarded by the Defence and Security Accelerator (DASA), in partnership with the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ), to two projects aiming to demonstrate technologies which can mitigate offshore windfarms’ impacts and their interference on defence radar.
Alongside this a new £500,000 competition has been launched which will help companies find solutions to accurately model and test the effectiveness of these technologies.
This will help ensure the UK remains on course to reach its ambition of 50GW in offshore wind by 2030, whilst supporting and co-existing with our air defence capabilities.
The Windfarm Mitigation for UK Air Defence: Phase 3 Programme is funded by the government’s £1bn Net Zero Innovation Portfolio (NZIP) and is undertaken in partnership with the Royal Air Force (RAF), the Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (Dstl), and DASA.
Energy Security Secretary Grant Shapps said: “Putin’s illegal invasion of Ukraine has shown us how important it is to power more of Britain from Britain. Our offshore wind capability plays a huge role in delivering our energy security, with world’s four largest offshore windfarms in UK waters.”
“But with the war raging on, we need to make sure our energy security and our national security remain fully compatible. This funding will ensure our offshore wind works alongside our latest air defence technologies – boosting our defences through our military, and by delivering home-grown energy for our homes and businesses.”
The first winner of the funding today is LiveLink Aerospace, a Hampshire-based aerospace company, who have been awarded up to £1.3m in funding.
Their project will address the challenge of radar clutter caused by the rotating blades of wind turbines, which can degrade the performance of air defence radars and surveillance systems.
The firm’s work comprises of developing a series of small low-cost and robust passive air defence sensors, which do not emit any signals themselves, and therefore do not interfere with the radar returns from wind turbines.
The second winner is Trelleborg, an engineering firm based in Nottinghamshire, which has been awarded up to £1.8m in grant funding to deliver a project on the use of advanced materials in wind turbines to tackle radar interference. Trelleborg will use its existing expertise in manufacturing and engineering of stealth materials to deliver next-generation wind blades which will cause less interference with radars.
Key dates and funding
Also announced today, is up to £500,000 in funding now available for Stream 2 of Windfarm Mitigation for UK Air Defence: Phase 3.This phase seeks to provide funding for innovators with expertise in modelling and testing the effectiveness of different mitigation technologies, with the end goal of producing the best technology through the right combination of radar, materials and mapping software.
The deadline to submit a proposal is midday 24 October 2023 (BST).Read to full competition document to submit a proposal.
The Windfarm Mitigation for UK Air Defence Programme
As part of the UK’s renewable energy supply to achieve Net Zero goals, offshore wind energy will be essential. However, the installation of offshore windfarms may cause detrimental effects on the quality of data gathered from surveillance radars, which are crucial for the UK’s air defence detection capability.
The Windfarm Mitigation for UK Air Defence programme has been addressing this challenge area for several years. After the successful completion of Phase 1 and Phase 2, Stream 1 of Phase 3 was launched earlier this year. The primary objective of Stream 1 is to support prototype demonstration of the technologies that could mitigate the impact of windfarms on UK Air Defence.
Stream 2 aims to find innovative solutions that can accurately model and test the effectiveness of different mitigation technologies.
Wing Commander Kevin Walton, Co-Chair of the Ministry of Defence/Offshore Wind Industry Council Air Defence Mitigation Task Force said:
“The MOD is playing an active role in the UK’s efforts to build a greener, net-zero future.
“Offshore wind will play a central part in meeting our nation’s renewable energy needs and ensuring energy security for the UK. Complementing existing RAF work to mitigate the impacts of large-scale offshore windfarms on our current radars and the previous phases of this competition, this 2nd stream of Phase 3 of the innovation competition will play an important part in helping us to find the right combination of future solutions that will enable the long-term co-existence of windfarms and the UK’s air surveillance radars.”
Windfarm Mitigation for UK Air Defence Programme: Phase 3 – Stream 2
To support the decision making on further development of windfarm mitigation technologies, it is necessary to develop a model which can be used to objectively compare the funded solutions, determine their effectiveness in reducing the impact of proposed offshore windfarm developments and predict the consequences and benefits of combining solutions together.
For this competition, we are seeking models that can help assess the performance of different windfarm mitigation technologies to inform future policy decisions. The model should be able to assess the technologies and combinations against a set of specific metrics, data, and different scenarios.
Example scenarios include:
- Several military jets crossing over a windfarm
- A fast jet performing a turn over a windfarm
- A supersonic fast jet traversing a windfarm at high/low altitude
Example metrics include:
- Percentage of time over a windfarm that the target remains tracked
- Time to re-establish tracking if lost
- Delay of any tracking.
Read the full competition document for a more detailed breakdown of the competition’s requirements.
Supporting events
Dial-in session
12 September 2023 – A series of 20 minute one-to-one teleconference sessions, giving you the opportunity to ask specific questions. If you would like to participate, please register on the Eventbrite page.
Submit a proposal
Can you help DASA and DESNZ model the effectiveness of windfarm mitigation technologies? Read the full competition document to learn more and submit a proposal. (Source: https://www.gov.uk/)
30 Aug 23. Sensor solution provider HENSOLDT and ERA, a pioneering company specializing in Air Traffic Control (ATC) and passive surveillance systems for air surveillance, air defence and electronic warfare, announced their strategic partnership to drive the advancement of air surveillance and defence capabilities. This collaboration is a response to the insights gained from recent conflicts in Europe, emphasizing the need for cutting-edge technologies to enhance national and European security.
The primary objective of this partnership is to jointly offer the Passive Surveillance System VERA-NG to the German Luftwaffe. HENSOLDT and ERA will leverage their expertise to develop an integrated infrastructure solution based on the state-of-the-art VERA-NG system and HENSOLDT Passive Radar Twinvis technology. This means the combination of passive technologies Passive ESM Tracker (VERA-NG by ERA) and Passive Coherent Locator (Twinvis by HENSOLDT). Data of both systems can be fused to a deep integrated air picture. The two technologies complement each other perfectly. While VERA-NG is designed to detect active emissions from targets of interest at long range, targets do not have to emit signals for the passive radar Twinvis at a shorter range. Through this combination, a completely passive air picture can be created. This synergistic approach will provide an unprecedented level of passive surveillance capability, contributing significantly to future air surveillance and air defence systems.
The VERA-NG system is renowned for its excellence in real-time surveillance and reconnaissance capability in air, maritime and land domain with a track of proven references for NATO and ally countries.
“As leaders in our respective fields, HENSOLDT and ERA are committed to providing innovative and comprehensive solutions that address the evolving security landscape,” said Markus Rothmaier, Head of Naval & Ground Radars at HENSOLDT. “Our collaboration is founded on the shared vision of enhancing national security through advanced technologies, and we are confident that our integrated solution will set new benchmarks in passive air surveillance and defence.”
Both companies are poised to extend their collaboration beyond the German Luftwaffe, with plans to offer their integrated solution to other European customers. In a time where passive surveillance is increasingly recognized as a vital component of air defence systems, HENSOLDT and ERA are well-positioned to contribute significantly to the safety and security of European airspace.
“We are excited to join forces with HENSOLDT to further pioneer a new era of passive surveillance capabilities by combining our proven passive surveillance system VERA-NG with PCL-Twinvis technology,” remarked Ondrej Chlost, CEO of ERA. “The integration of our VERA-NG and Passive Radar Twinvis technology not only addresses the current challenges but also prepares us for the future needs of air surveillance and defence.”
The strategic collaboration between HENSOLDT and ERA marks a significant milestone in the advancement of air surveillance and defence technologies. As Europe continues to adapt to evolving security dynamics, this partnership promises to play a pivotal role in ensuring the safety and integrity of Germany, Europe and its allies.
29 Aug 23. VITEC to spotlight video solutions for situational awareness applications for Defence & Security workflows at DSEI 2023. VITEC, a leader in the Intelligence, Surveillance, Target Acquisition and Reconnaissance (ISTAR) technology community, will showcase its latest enhanced streaming technologies at this year’s Defence & Security Equipment International (DSEI) event at ExCeL London, 12-15 September. On show at stand H6-159 will be the versatile MGW Pico+ TOUGH encoder and MGW Diamond TOUGH encoder for ISTAR or Situational Awareness (SA) video, both featuring a new overlay capability. VITEC will also showcase FITIS™, a video content management solution for rapid deployment in the field. VITEC’s military-grade solutions enable the digitalisation and distribution of high-quality video to support a broad range of mission critical military and government applications.
“We are looking forward to showcasing our solutions at DSEI which provide the highest video quality at low bitrate – essential for ISTAR missions where drones and manned or unmanned vehicles are tasked with providing reliable live tactical video to command centres,” says Richard Bernard, Senior Product Manager, VITEC. “VITEC also prides itself on manufacturing optimized Size, Weight and Power (SWaP) equipment which is perfectly suited to challenging environments seen in military applications.”
The MGW Pico+ TOUGH is a compact power-efficient video encoder, designed for unmanned and manned vehicles to work in all environmental conditions, with an ultra-small airborne and marine certified enclosure. It overcomes network bandwidth constraints to ensure best video quality at low bitrate, and bitrate can be changed ‘on the fly’ as required. The credit card sized device weighs less than 400g and is the smallest, most power-efficient MPEG-4 H.264 HD/SD video encoder. With its new overlay capability, text and time can now be overlaid on video feeds to identify the camera source (Camera A/B/C or Front/Rear etc.) and to timestamp each frame of the video with a visual timecode.
Also featuring the overlay capability, the MGW Diamond TOUGH, a quad channel HEVC and H.264 HD/SD encoder. The fanless encoder – which features a rugged enclosure – allows for multi-channel low latency streaming supported by High Dynamic Range (HDR) for exceptional video contrast and brightness, making it exceptional for ISTAR or SA video generated in any conditions. In addition, the included next-generation HEVC (H.265) compression supports the reduction of network bandwidth utilisation by up to 50% compared to the current H.264 standards.
FITIS™ (Fully Integrated Tactical IPTV System) will also be showcased on the VITEC stand, allowing users to process, archive, index, manage and share tactical video and metadata content. Its secure and reliable architecture – which meets Information Assurance and Cyber-Security requirements – enables government and military entities to quickly exploit and process live and recorded video assets. The all-in-one solution can be rapidly deployed in the field or in a secure, hosted site to serve as the central interface for managing live and recorded IPTV. FITIS also offers editing and collaboration capabilities for analysing and sharing video assets with KLV/STANAG metadata.
More information on VITEC’s full line of products is available at www.vitec.com
29 Aug 23. Sentient’s AI-enabled ViDAR optical sensors soar on Edge Autonomy’s VXE30 “Stalker” UAS in successful live demonstrations. ViDAR – Sentient’s AI-enabled wide area motion imagery deployed for real-time maritime surveillance at the edge. Sentient Vision Systems (Sentient) has successfully completed live demonstrations of its AI-enabled ViDAR (Visual Detection and Ranging) payload deployed on Edge Autonomy’s VXE30 UAS. The VXE30 vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) solution is the latest and most advanced version of the “Stalker” series of small uncrewed aerial systems (sUAS) from Edge Autonomy. When coupled with Sentient’s ViDAR, the VXE30 provides a passive, wide area search capability, enabling it to serve a myriad of maritime operations. The joint capability will be on display at DSEI 2023, 12-15 September in London.
ViDAR, developed by Sentient, utilizes AI; Computer Vision, and Machine Learning integrated with Electro-Optic and Infrared (EO/IR) sensors to passively detect objects that are difficult to spot by the human eye or recognise on a conventional radar. With these enhanced capabilities, Stalker will be more capable of accurately detecting and locating people, objects, and vessels (day and night) far from the operator.
ViDAR has been deployed on intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance missions (ISR), maritime patrol and border protection, as well as search and rescue missions since 2015. ViDAR is proven to be effective in challenging maritime conditions up to Sea State 6 (very rough with waves 13 to 20 feet high/ 4 to 6 meters).
Sentient has successfully evolved ViDAR into a compact, lightweight, low power form factor—low SWaP (size, weight, and power) — suitable for deployment on small Group 2 / NATO Class 1 UAS such as the VXE30. Its successful integration onto the VXE30 demonstrates its broad operating envelope and ability to provide unprecedented long-endurance imaging capability in contested environments all around the world.
Joshua Stinson, Edge Autonomy’s Chief Growth Officer said, “The integration of ViDAR onto the VXE30 is an essential part of our UAS deployment program. ViDAR’s passive detection system will further the VXE30’s capabilities to remain undetected in a contested environment while carrying a powerful maritime detection sensor that provides a real-time picture of the maritime domain. This capability could make all the difference in a mission’s success.”
Paul Harris, Sentient’s VP of Business Development agreed and said, “We are delighted to be working with Edge Autonomy to demonstrate how effective ViDAR is at increasing the utility of the small and agile VXE30 for the challenges of the modern battlespace. We look forward to displaying our joint capabilities at DSEI.”
With close to 4,500 systems deployed, Sentient’s AI-enabled sensor edge solutions for wide area motion imagery are proven for detection in missions worldwide.
About Sentient Vision Systems www.sentientvision.com
Sentient Vision Systems specializes in passive, modular optical sensors for persistent, wide area motion imagery. Sentient’s artificial Intelligence (AI)-enabled edge solutions better detect and identify small objects in real time, on land and at sea. With more than 20 years of development in moving target indication, AI computer vision and machine learning, Sentient has deployed thousands of systems worldwide in the field of Intelligence, Surveillance, Search and Rescue, enhancing situational awareness, accelerating informed decisions, and saved numerous lives. Follow Sentient on LinkedIn , Vimeo, YouTube and Twitter
About Edge Autonomy www.edgeautonomy.io
Edge Autonomy is a leader in providing innovative autonomous systems, advanced optics, and resilient energy solutions to the U.S. Department of Defense, the U.S. Federal Civilian Agencies, allied governments, academic institutions, and commercial entities. Edge Autonomy draws on a 34+ year history of aerospace engineering, advanced manufacturing expertise, and technologically advanced manufacturing. With headquarters in San Luis Obispo, CA, and key production capabilities abroad, Edge Autonomy’s 400+ team members deliver results in multiple markets. Follow Edge Autonomy on LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter.
14 Jul 23. It was an absolute pleasure for the Editor to attend the dinner at Downing College Cambridge on Thursday to celebrate Thermoteknix Systems Ltd. Award of the distinguished King’s Award for Enterprise: International Trade, recognising significant and sustained growth in the company’s international trade.
Overseas sales for the company grew by 173%, over the last three-years, across key markets including the North America, Europe and Asia.
The tenacity and drive Dr Richard Salisbury has shown in driving these sales is a credit to him, his sons and his team, 3 Queen’s and one King’s Award is an outstanding achievement. Richard was a candidate for BATTLESPACE Businessman of The Year, harrowingly losing to Andrew Jankel in 2019. Even with the horrendous accident to his wife who it was a pleasure to meet at the dinner, Richard continued to manage this growth and development of the company.
The company has previously won the Queen’s Award for Enterprise: International Trade and is a two-time winner of the Queen’s Award for Enterprise: Innovation.
The Queen’s Award for Enterprise has been renamed following the Accession of King Charles III, emphasising his desire to continue Queen Elizabeth’s legacy (since 1965) of celebrating the achievements of outstanding UK businesses each year.
Commenting on winning the first King’s Award honour, founder and Managing Director of Thermoteknix, Dr Richard Salisbury said: “We are extremely honoured to receive this award and would like to acknowledge the hard work and commitment shown by our whole team in delivering outstanding results for our customers around the world in what continues to be fast-changing and challenging markets made all the more onerous during the COVID pandemic.”
Founded in 1982, Thermoteknix has sustained continued growth from its Cambridge headquarters, manufacturing and supplying advanced thermal imaging solutions to defence and security markets, and process monitoring.
“Thermoteknix remains at the forefront of thermal imaging and night vision technologies innovation and our continued success in such competitive markets demonstrates the impact of great British innovation, engineering and quality,” explained Dr. Salisbury.
Thermoteknix successfully exports to more than 70 countries around the world, with all products designed and manufactured at its state-of-the-art facilities in Cambridge.
The King’s Award for International Trade recognises outstanding growth in overseas earnings and rewards British companies for demonstrating steep year-on-year growth in overseas sales. The Awards celebrate the success of exciting and innovative businesses which are leading the way with pioneering products or services.
The King’s Award for Enterprise (formerly Queen’s Award) is the most prestigious award for UK businesses and is a globally recognised royal seal of approval for UK companies. The use of the distinguished King’s Award emblem is a recognised Royal endorsement.
The Editor was shown a new and exciting product which will be launched at DSEI, but the Editor was sworn to secrecy in revealing the details!
10 Aug 23. Shield AI Collaborates with Sentient Vision Systems to Offer AI-Enabled Wide Area Motion Imagery Capability. Shield AI, an American defense technology company building the world’s best AI pilot, and Sentient Vision Systems (Sentient), an Australia-based leader in AI-enabled passive wide area search, are pleased to announce a strategic collaboration aimed at delivering a wide area motion imagery (WAMI) solution for Department of Defense (DoD), Australian Defense Forces (ADF) and other international customers.
The companies will jointly develop and integrate a ViDAR-enabled, wide-area-search capability onto Shield AI’s V-BAT unmanned aircraft, which will enable Shield AI’s V-BAT to intelligently classify, track, and read-and-react to targets in dynamic missions. Shield AI plans to fly the capability on V-BAT next year.
“This work with our Australian partner, Sentient, is a unique opportunity to fuse the innovation prowess of two companies from allied countries on opposite sides of the world. Together, we are shaping the future of defense technology,” said Brandon Tseng, Shield AI’s President, Co-founder, and former U.S. Navy SEAL.
ViDAR is Sentient’s AI system, which uses an Electro-Optic or Infrared (EO/IR) sensor to detect and classify targets in the imagery stream that would be invisible to a human operator or to a conventional radar. With these enhanced capabilities, V-BAT will be even more proficient in executing the most challenging missions, offering a level of capability that significantly bolsters threat deterrence, thereby reinforcing international peace and security.
“Sentient is excited and proud to be working with Shield AI on this truly breakthrough solution,” said Mark Palmer, Sentient’s Chief Technology Officer. “We look forward to combining the AI expertise and operational understanding of our two great teams to deliver superior ISR capabilities for today’s rapidly changing defense and security environment.”
About Shield AI
Founded in 2015, Shield AI is a venture-backed defense technology company whose mission is to protect service members and civilians with intelligent systems. In pursuit of this mission, Shield AI is building the world’s best AI pilot. Its AI pilot, Hivemind, has flown a fighter jet (F-16), a vertical takeoff and landing drone (V-BAT), and a quadcopter (Nova). The company has offices in San Diego, Dallas, Washington DC and abroad. Shield AI’s products and people are currently in the field actively supporting operations with the U.S. Department of Defense and U.S. allies. For more information, visit www.shield.ai. Follow Shield AI on LinkedIn, Twitter, and Instagram.
About Sentient Vision Systems
Sentient Vision Systems specializes in passive, modular optical sensors for persistent, wide area motion imagery. Sentient’s artificial Intelligence (AI)-enabled edge solutions better detect and identify small objects in real time, on land and at sea. With more than 20 years of development in moving target indication, AI computer vision and machine learning, Sentient has deployed thousands of systems worldwide in the field of Intelligence, Surveillance, Search and Rescue, enhancing situational awareness, accelerating informed decisions, and saved numerous lives. For more information, visit www.sentientvision.com. Follow Sentient on LinkedIn, Twitter and YouTube.
09 Aug 23. Mercury Systems, Inc. (NASDAQ: MRCY, www.mrcy.com), a technology company that delivers processing power for the most demanding aerospace and defense missions, today announced it has completed delivery of the processing hardware for the U.S. Army’s first six Lower Tier Air and Missile Defense Sensor (LTAMDS) radars, being built by Raytheon, an RTX business.
LTAMDS is the Army’s newest air and missile defense sensor that will operate on the Army’s Integrated Air and Missile Defense network. LTAMDS is a 360-degree, Active Electronically Scanned Array radar that provides significantly more capacity and capability against the wide range of advanced lower-tier threats, including hypersonic missiles.
Mercury has provided radar processing systems to Raytheon for Patriot® radars since 2009. In 2019, Raytheon was chosen by the Army to deliver the first six LTAMDS radars, and Raytheon tapped Mercury to develop an expanded suite of advanced electronic systems that included the radar processing platform, the beamforming platform, ethernet switching hardware, and high-power amplifiers for the antenna array. In May, Mercury delivered the last of more than 160 hardware units that fulfilled its obligations under the proof of manufacturing contract.
“We are extraordinarily proud to meet our initial commitments to the LTAMDS program, which will play an enormous role in the safety and security of the United States and our allies for years to come,” said Mitch Stevison, EVP and President of Mercury’s of Mission Systems division. “The leading-edge processing technologies we pioneered for this program represent a major step forward for integrated air and missile defense.”
Mercury envisions, creates, and delivers innovative technology solutions purpose-built to meet its customers’ most pressing high-tech needs. For more information, visit mrcy.com.
02 Aug 23. German government selects HENSOLDT to study detect and avoid capabilities for airspace integration. Germany’s Federal Office of Bundeswehr Equipment, Information Technology and In-Service Support (BAAINBw) has commissioned HENSOLDT to undertake a demonstrator study for a detect and avoid system to enable a further step towards the safe integration of drones into controlled airspace, says the company press release.
BAAINBw has drawn up requirements for an investigation into the implementation of a gradual and full-scale airspace integration of the EURODRONE. For this, a DAA system is foreseeably necessary, which is to be advanced in a gradual series development.
In the run-up to this future development of a DAA system, HENSOLDT – as a long-standing partner of the German Armed Forces in the field of radar technology – has carried out risk-minimising national and European studies regarding the conception and design of a special radar sensor system for such a DAA system. The flight test campaigns carried out and the results obtained in the course of these studies in preparation for development are already proving the functional capability.
The “detect-and-avoid radar” is one of the decisive sensors in a complex DAA system on board unmanned aerial vehicles. It supports the calculation of evasive manoeuvres for collision avoidance by detecting, classifying and forming complete tracks of approaching objects in the airspace. Due to the multifunctional design of this radar, the requirements for integrating a weather radar function will also be taken into account and a possible perspective regarding the support of a separate landing aid will be opened up.
The currently commissioned study for the DAA radar includes the investigation of the technical feasibility of such a radar for the EURODRONE project, the verification with a near-series demonstrator as well as the risk minimisation for a future series development. Since the novel “detect-and-avoid radar” is a flight- and mission-critical component, the study deals in particular with the implementation of the safety requirements and the approval strategy at national and international aviation safety authorities (EASA, LBA) as well as the military organisations (LufABw). For more information visit: www.hensoldt.de (Source: www.unmannedairspace.info)
04 Aug 23. MBDA and brigkAIR launch Swarm Drone Challenge. MBDA Germany and incubator brigkAIR launched the Swarm Drone Challenge at an event in Munich on 3 August. Endowed with up to EUR50,000 in prize money, the challenge is open to enthuse and stimulate drone developers, operators and suppliers worldwide and aims to promote innovation and advances in artificial intelligence and machine learning. Registration for the competition is open until 29 September.
The challenge will run until a final in May 2024, shortly before the ILA Berlin Airshow, with an interim qualifying round in March offering multiple information events, networking opportunities and support. Teams will be invited to showcase new drone technologies in a variety of disciplines, including resilience of communications and network flexibility. C-UAS developers are expected to pay close attention to the progress of the challenge, offering as it does an insight into fresh operational thinking and technology strategy.
“We hope that participants in the Swarm Drone Challenge will spur each other on to top performance,” said Dr Franz Glatz, brigkAIR Managing Director. “With the Challenge, we want to contribute to establishing the Manching/Ingolstadt region as one of the most innovative centres for unmanned flight in Germany and Europe. The prototypes created can later give rise to business ideas and start-ups that are promoted and located here in the region. The Swarm Drone Challenge is intended to inspire people interested in technology to remain open to new technologies, regardless of profession or industry, in order to actively shape the future of Ingolstadt as a location for innovation”. For more information: www.brigkair.digital/sdc (Source: www.unmannedairspace.info)
03 Aug 23. MARSS to showcase NiDAR: AI-driven situational awareness technology at DSEI. MARSS, a technology leader protecting ms of lives around the world, is pleased to announce its attendance at DSEI in London, from 12-15 September 2023. MARSS will be showcasing its NiDAR platform, including CUAS capabilities, from a replica Command and Control centre, at stand H1-680.
UK-based MARSS will be bringing a Command and Control (C2) centre to the heart of DSEI. The replica X-JOC, MARSS’ all-new expeditionary C2, is operated using MARSS’ AI-enabled surveillance and security system, NiDAR, which is used to automatically detect, track, classify and respond to asymmetric threats, utilising on-board sensors and connected hardware.
Showcasing multi-domain situational awareness and a sensor agnostic approach, visitors will be able to experience first-hand the unique capabilities of NiDAR in a variety of scenarios.
MARSS will also be sharing its latest news and developments – including NiDAR’s debut on a NATO navy vessel and its latest high-profile projects from around the world. Also on display will be the all-new-and-improved RADiRguard perimeter detection system, and the most recent updates to MARSS’ CUAS Interceptor.
Rob Balloch, Senior VP Sales of MARSS Group, commented: “We are delighted to be showcasing the power of NiDAR and our CUAS technologies to visitors and delegations at DSEI London for the very first time.
“MARSS has been developing NiDAR and our Hybrid Intelligence approach to C2 for more than 15 years, and now our products are protecting people and critical infrastructure across the globe. With our technology breaking new ground, including NiDAR’s debut on a NATO navy vessel, and launching our expeditionary NiDAR X range of C2 solutions, we have a huge amount to show and share with visitors.”
Mike Collier, Business Development Manager NATO, added, “Our customised X-JOC container will allow visitors to get hands on with MARSS’ system and witness how we are revolutionising security with our proprietary Hybrid Intelligence approach.
“As a UK company, it is particularly special to showcase our technology to the home audience, in addition to international visitors, and we’re looking forward to demonstrating our range of intelligent surveillance and security solutions with exhibition delegates.”
04 Aug 23. HENSOLDT passive radar available as deployable variant.
“Twinvis” enables covert operation at long distances. Sensor solution provider HENSOLDT has developed a new version of its “Twinvis” passive radar, which is now being launched in a fully integrated shelter variant for military use as “Twinvis Military Sheltered”. So far, “Twinvis” has been available as a set-up kit for integration by the customer. A specially established production line at the German HENSOLDT site in Ulm enables the prompt call-off of systems in order to meet the requirements of existing and interested customers at short notice.
“Twinvis” is a passive radar based on the latest digital technology that can be used in long-range military airspace surveillance or, in the medium term, in civil air traffic control. A passive radar acts purely as a receiver, i.e. it does not transmit itself, and locates targets by evaluating reflected signals from existing third-party transmitters.
“Our fully automated, intelligent signal processing and sensor data fusion opens up an unprecedented possibility for armed forces to conduct covert operations at long range for a wide range of targets up to and including stealth threats. The ‘Twinvis’ is highly mobile and networkable in real time for this purpose. And it can do so either as an autonomously operating cluster of several distributed passive radars or paired with powerful air defence systems with active radar sensors,” says Markus Rothmaier, Head of Naval & Ground Radars at HENSOLDT.
The “Twinvis Sheltered” can be flexibly and easily deployed on military carrier vehicles and set up and dismantled in the field by just two people. A self-sufficient operation is possible, even without personnel on-site if required. The system has a high-performance antenna unit as well as processor and infrastructure components. The modular system architecture enables, among other things, the processing of multiple digital frequency bands, which offers procurers and users growth potential and the ability to plan incremental upgrades for the future. Several systems are under contract with customers inside and outside NATO.
Jul 23. British Army acquires SMARTSHOOTER’s SMASH fire control systems for Counter UAS missions. The British Army’s close combat soldiers will soon receive SMARTSHOOTER’s SMASH Smart Weapon Sight Fire Control System, a cutting-edge weapon sight that will give them a tactical advantage countering uncrewed aerial vehicles (UAVs).
An initial order for SMASH sights has been agreed under the new five-year Framework Agreement, worth up to £20 m for delivery to Operational readiness units across the Dismounted Close Combat (DCC) community by the end of this year.
Providing dismounted soldiers with the ability to achieve a high probability of a hit against micro and mini UAVs, SMARTSHOOTER’s SMASH technology enhances every mission’s effectiveness through the ability to accurately engage and hit ground, aerial, and naval, either static or moving targets during both day and night operations. Employing AI, computer vision and machine learning, the SMASH family of fire control systems include handheld operated, remotely controlled, and robotic systems, e.g., UGV, UAS, mounted systems that ensure precise hit capabilities, enhance forces’ situational awareness, and reduce costs – by significantly lowering training burden in both time and ammunition.
This kinetic Counter-Small Uncrewed Air Systems (C-sUAS) capability will initially be fitted to the SA80 A3 assault rifle and can also be fitted onto other in-service individual weapons. The contract Yorkshire-based Viking Arms Ltd, has the potential to allow further sights to be delivered over the next few years to dismounted close combat operators across the Army, Navy and RAF, based on operational and readiness commitments. This work contributes to sustaining the company workforce – supporting the Prime Minister’s priority to grow the economy.
Michal Mor, SMARTSHOOTER CEO: “We are delighted to cooperate with Viking Arms Ltd. for this significant project,. We are confident that the SMASH precision fire control systems that revolutionize the dismounted combatants’ battlefield effectiveness, are an ideal fit for the cUAS operational requirements of the British Army, providing a pin-point accurate kinetic interception capability that is not dependent on the user’s combat stress and in fact reduces their cognitive load.”
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Echodyne is a U.S. designer and manufacturer of advanced commercial radar solutions for defense and national security applications. The company’s proprietary metamaterials electronically scanned array (MESA®) architecture, a rare breakthrough in advanced radar engineering, leverages a physics-design approach to adapt conventional materials and deliver unexpected and beneficial behavior. The result is a solid-state, low-SWaP unit coupled with advanced software capabilities that delivers superior radar performance and unparalleled data integrity, radically improving system performance and enhancing safety for people and machines. With leading positions in counter-UAS, force protection, base security, and portable ISR, Defense Agencies and Suppliers rely on Echodyne radar for extraordinary accuracy and consistent, reliable operation. For more information, please visit: Echodyne.com
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