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27 Sep 18. IBCS tracks and engages air targets during three-week exercise. Northrop Grumman’s Integrated Air and Missile Defense (IAMD) Battle Command System (IBCS) has completed another round of Soldier Check Out events (SCOEs), demonstrating the system’s ability to detect, track, and simulate air target engagements during testing at White Sands Missile Range in New Mexico. IBCS is a mobile ad hoc network that will link sensors and shooters on the battlefield, regardless of the system’s manufacturer, as nodes can come in and out of the network at will. IBCS is an element of the US Army’s Integrated Air and Missile Defense (IAMD) programme. The complete IAMD capability is expected to undergo a ‘Milestone C’ production decision in 2020. (Source: IHS Jane’s)
28 Sep 18. AT&T and Dedrone Team to Protect Against Malicious Drones. AT&T and Dedrone, a San Francisco-based drone detection technology startup, are teaming up on a drone detection solution that helps protect military bases, venues, cities, and businesses, from malicious drones. As drones become more prominent, so does the misuse of the emerging technology. According to the Federal Aviation Administration¹, people purchased roughly 3 million drones worldwide in 2017. More than 1 million drones have been registered in the U.S. This creates a new avenue and threat vector for the community. Dedrone detects drones of all kinds, including commercial, consumer and military-grade, as well as autonomous drones. The airspace security platform uses Internet of Things (IoT) sensors and LTE connectivity to detect, classify, mitigate, and localize drone-based threats.
“Physical security and cybersecurity are equally important when safeguarding an entire ecosystem,” said Michael Zeto, Vice President and General Manager of Smart Cities, AT&T. “Malicious drones pose an aerial threat for the community, for businesses and for the people that live and work there. With Dedrone, we’re helping to protect customers and citizens from this type of risk.”
Since 2014, Dedrone has been working with correctional facilities, public utilities, and other organizations to help protect their lower airspace from drone incursions.
AT&T is the sole LTE connectivity provider for Dedrone’s drone detection solution.
The software-centric platform identifies approaching drones by means of radio frequency, visual, radar, and other sensor data. Analysis of sensor data then reliably classifies approaching drones and finds their locations. It then triggers alarms to alert security staff.
The wide area and early detection capabilities allow public safety agencies to react quicker and more efficiently. It can also be integrated with other counter measures to help protect the public, such as building management and alarm systems.
“AT&T provides a reliable platform for Dedrone customers to connect our technology to their security ecosystem, and use Dedrone analytics to understand their lower airspace activity,” shares Joerg Lamprecht, CEO and co-founder of Dedrone. “Working with AT&T helps ensure that Dedrone technology is integrated into smart cities to prevent drone intrusions.”
AT&T is also utilizing drone technology itself. AT&T started investigating the use of drones a few years ago and has since started using drones for tower inspections, carrying our customers’ live LTE communications at events, and providing connectivity at scale to first responders and consumers. (Source: UAS VISION)
27 Sep 18. Maritime Rescue System With Low-Interference Radar. The German research institute cluster Fraunhofer Institut für Hochfrequenzphysik und Radartechnik, the University of Applied Sciences Aachen and Raytheon Anschütz are developing a sea rescue system based on a low-interference radar in the SEERAD publicly funded joint project. For this purpose, compact and cost-effective transponders are being developed which send back a frequency-doubled radar signal which is received and evaluated by a harmonic radar system which is also to be developed. This signal is not superimposed by the otherwise typical interference caused by reflections from waves. This means that shipwrecked or small lifeboats drifting in the water can be reliably located at long distances of up to approx. 10 km, even in heavy seas. The system consists of small transponders in life jackets or life rafts/lifeboats, for example, which reflect the radar signals of future ship radars equipped with an extension module and thus indicate the exact position of shipwrecked persons in the water. (Source: ESD Spotlight)
28 Sep 18. SA tech company to boost sovereign capabilities with next-gen radar. Minister for Defence Christopher Pyne announced a new research agreement between Defence Science and Technology (DST) Group and Adelaide-based Daronmont Technologies to explore next-generation technology options for Defence applications, building on two decades of collaboration. This research and development agreement will focus on high-technology electronics and software intensive systems, significantly boosting the capability of the Australian Defence Force. Daronmont Technologies was recently awarded a $7.9m Defence Innovation Hub contract to build a prototype radar capability to replace ageing infrastructure.
“Daronmont Technologies is a highly innovative company with a strong track record of converting technology into capability for Defence. I congratulate Daronmont on this new agreement, which builds on more than 15 years of technology co-operation with Defence,” Minister Pyne said.
DST and Daronmont collaborated on the successful development of the Surface-wave Extended Coastal Area Radar (SECAR) that enables Defence and Australian Border Force to better monitor Australia’s northern coastline.
SECAR resulted in the development of the first indigenous HF surface radar system with proven detection performance. The system has the capability to provide surveillance coverage of key areas of Australia’s northern approaches.
The SECAR system provides an affordable solution to the detection and tracking of surface vessels and low flying aircraft. SECAR can be integrated as part of any radar or situational awareness network with potential for the following applications:
- Around the clock, all weather 24/7 coastal surveillance;
- Surface/airborne targets;
- Trip-wire for other assets;
- Remote operation and monitoring;
- Protection of fisheries resources;
- Protection of off-shore assets (e.g. oil rigs);
- Protection from illegal entry;
- Sea state monitoring; and
- Ship traffic control.
SECAR was developed as a bistatic (separate transmit and receive sites) radar, which provides greater range for the same power as monostatic radars and eliminates ‘blind zones’. The system can be remotely operated and is capable of detecting both air and surface targets simultaneously.
This new research agreement will partly support the Defence Innovation Hub contract and information integration technologies. The research agreement was signed by Chief Defence Scientist Dr Alex Zelinsky and Ben Norris, CEO of Daronmont Technologies, at the recent Land Forces event.
When announcing the collaboration agreement at Land Forces 2018, CEO Ben Norris said, “I am excited to continue the long standing partnership with DST exploring where this agreement will lead into the future. Daronmont Technologies is a proven system integrator with a pedigree in signal processing and RF engineering.”
Daronmont Technologies is a wholly Australian owned defence industry SME specialising in design, engineering, integration and support of complex high technology electronics and software-intensive systems. (Source: Defence Connect)
27 Sep 18. Mini Sensor For Airborne Systems. Semi-Conductor Devices (SCD) will launch its Sparrow-Blackbird 640 MWIR Sensor at AUSA 2018. The low-SWaP MWIR Sparrow has a 10μm pitch VGA FPA, which is significantly smaller than common existing VGA solutions, enabling the user to reduce the overall size and weight of the system optics, thereby lowering overall system SWaP. The Sparrow enables implementation of new operational capabilities for a wide range of applications that would otherwise have to rely on larger, heavier sensors that consume a lot of power, and at a higher cost. Such applications include hand-held sensors, tactical UAV mini payloads, armored vehicle sights, sniper thermal weapon sights, perimeter security sensors and more. Additional capabilities of the Sparrow include a digital ROIC, a linear cooler with high-reliability and performance, integrated smart electronics which support the cooler, FPA control and built-in image processing, such as NUC, BPR, DRC, noise reduction and more.
“We are proud to present for the first time the Sparrow, which is one of the latest additions to the SCD Blackbird family, with 10μm-pitch mature technology,” says Dan Slasky, SCD’s CEO. “The Sparrow is a cost-effective video core solution, offering high-quality thermal vision for many applications. Due to its extremely compact size and very low weight (just 300gr), it will open up new opportunities for our customers, providing them with an advanced, uncompromised operational performance solution.
The Sparrow will also enable stand-off operation from tactical platforms, engaging long-distance targets earlier, thus leveraging the overall platform and force performance.” (Source: ESD Spotlight)
27 Sep 18. Echodyne Approved for Final Round of Silicon Valley Innovation Program. Echodyne, the manufacturer of innovative, high-performance radars for securing critical infrastructure and guiding autonomous machines, announced today that it has been selected to advance to the final phase of the prestigious Silicon Valley Innovation Program (SVIP), sponsored by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Science and Technology Directorate (S&T). The company’s work in the program focuses on border surveillance.
Echodyne provides advanced MESATM radars for securing critical infrastructure, borders, public spaces, and smart cities. Its radars offer an unprecedented degree of 3-D situational awareness, detection, and tracking of ground and air intrusions and threats.
“We are pleased to be recognized by DHS S&T for our innovative approach to addressing border security challenges,” said Eben Frankenberg, CEO of Echodyne. “We look forward to the next and final phase of the SVIP program to continue to demonstrate our innovative radar capabilities.”
The final phase of the project is expected to be completed in early 2019. (Source: BUSINESS WIRE)
27 Sep 18. Locally developed CATS EO/IR system enters Turkish inventory on Anka-S UAV. Turkish firm Aselsan’s Common Aperture Targeting System (CATS) has entered the inventory of the Turkish Air Force (TAF), Ismail Demir, director of the Turkish Defence Industries Directorate (SSB), announced on his Twitter account on 25 September. The CATS electro-optical/infrared (EO/IR) reconnaissance, surveillance, and targeting system will be carried by the TAF’s satellite-controlled Anka-S unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) and is expected to gradually replace the US-made FLIR Systems Star SAFIRE 380-HLD EO/IR payloads on Turkey’s Anka UAVs. Demir also tweeted on 19 September that, with the delivery of two Anka-Ss to the Turkish Air Force Command (TAFC), the number of these UAVs entering the TAF inventory since the beginning of this year has reached eight. It is assumed that these Anka-Ss are still fitted with Star SAFIRE 380-HLD payloads rather than Aselsan’s CATS. (Source: IHS Jane’s)
25 Sep 18. Cubic offers more realistic training with Artillery Mission Training System. Cubic has developed a new training system that fills a gap in individual and collective artillery training, and has delivered its first concept demonstrator to the British Army’s Royal School of Artillery (RSA). Alastair Parkinson, programme manager for Cubic’s Project Pantheon for training on a range of indirect fire systems, told Jane’s that current safety regulations in the United Kingdom are so restrictive that training on artillery is unrealistic. Soldiers are rarely able to carry out full live-fire drills with varying ammunition, charges, and fuses. ‘Dry’ weapons drills with dummy rounds require the round to be extracted after each firing sequence, so training is conducted with imaginary rounds. Artillery is also unable to participate in live force-on-force training as weapons are currently not instrumented. Indirect fire effects in a tactical engagement simulation (TES) system are achieved by exercise control injecting the effect through the instrumentation. “None of the drills associated with operating, manoeuvring, or fighting the artillery platform are carried out, and supported units do not suffer the real friction of live artillery support. Real problems of availability, movement, and logistics should be present in live training but aren’t,” Parkinson noted.
The Artillery Mission Training System (AMTS) was developed to overcome these problems, enabling proper weapons drills and full participation in instrumented live training. The initial version has been developed for the 105mm L118 Light Gun. The wireless appliqué system consists of a sensor, the Cubic Instrumented Measurement Unit (CIMU), mounted on the gun barrel that calculates the weapon elevation and bearing; a sensor in the barrel to detect the charge and fuse that has been loaded; and a replica firing box that is identical in form and fit to the real thing. (Source: IHS Jane’s)
25 Sep 18. Thales reveals Acusonic vehicle-based gunshot detection. Thales showcased its Acusonic vehicle-based acoustic gunshot detection system at the DVD 2018 exhibition in September, after the system was selected earlier in the year for the British Army’s new Ajax armoured fighting vehicle family in a GBP3.7m (USD4.8m) deal.
Rhys Parry, sales manager for Thales UK defence mission systems, told Jane’s that Acusonic was developed leveraging Thales maritime sonar technology. It consists of one or more low-profile acoustic detector heads together with tracking software. The detector head contains microphones and an accelerometer that detect the supersonic sound of an incoming round and the muzzle blast of the weapon. The software algorithms then provide the range and bearing of the firing point. The system will detect small arms and cannon fire.
Parry said that if only the supersonic noise is detected the system will provide two alternative range and bearing solutions, but if the muzzle blast is also detected it provides a 99% detection rate with a location accuracy of ±4%. Detection range is up to 2 km, with accurate location up to 400 m. Numerous firing positions can be tracked simultaneously.
The results are displayed on a screen, either as a standalone solution or integrated into the vehicle architecture or a battle management system. There are ethernet, TCP/IP, and generic vehicle architecture (GVA) interfaces. The system can also be integrated with a remote weapon station and provide a slew-to cue capability.
Multiple Acusonic detector heads can be installed on a single platform to overcome acoustic shadowing and ensure 360° coverage; there will be three heads on the Ajax platforms. The system can also be integrated with electro-optic/infrared (EO/IR) sensors to reduce the false-alarm rate. Parry said a vehicle noise filter to improve performance had also been developed for the Ajax contract. (Source: IHS Jane’s)
25 Sep 18. Lockheed Martin develops generic 8×8 SkyKeeper C2 module. Lockheed Martin UK (LMUK) has developed a generic 8×8 mission module for its SkyKeeper battlespace management command-and-control (C2) system, which was showcased at the DVD 2018 exhibition in September. The new mission module is designed for easy installation in the crew compartment of an 8×8 armoured fighting vehicle (AFV) without the need to remove the seats. The lightweight twin-workstation configuration only requires a power supply and access to communications; it does not breach the perimeter of the vehicle. Transfer to another vehicle if necessary is therefore relatively simple. SkyKeeper currently provides the core of the British Army’s Land Environment Air Picture Provision (LEAPP) capability, integrated with the Saab Giraffe Agile Multi-Beam (AMB) 3D surveillance radar. Located at formation headquarters level, this provides a fused recognised air picture (RAP) utilising Link 16, together with integrated weapon engagement management. The module will be integrated with the new Saab Giraffe1X stacked beam 3D radar, mounted on the vehicle roof. This has a digital beam-forming active electronically scanned array (AESA) antenna, an elevation coverage of more than 70°, a rotation rate of 60 rpm, and a claimed instrumented range of 75km. It has a capacity for more than 100 air tracks and 200 surface tracks. The radar weighs less than 300 g and the roof mounting contains a scissor lift, which can elevate the antenna to 3 m. The mounting baseplate is designed for installation on generic vehicle mounting points. Integration with the internal module only requires a power and signal line. Graeme Forsyth, programme manager for LMUK, told Jane’s that while the range of the 1X radar would be less than the Giraffe AMB this was a deliberate decision to trade range for speed and mobility. (Source: IHS Jane’s)
26 Sep 18. Russian Army Trains in Counter-UAV Tactics. The Southern Military District (YuVO) of the Russian Ministry of Defense is developing new counter-unmanned aerial vehicle (C-UAV) tactics, according to the MoD. Special mobile C-UAV teams have already been integrated into all formations of the district.
“The main task of those teams is the detection and elimination of various UAVs,” the MoD said.
The YuVO C-UAV units are now being trained to protect airfields against drone swarms, using electronic warfare (EW) systems and other assets. The C-UAV specialists detect reconnaissance UAVs and unmanned combat aerial vehicles (UCAVs) flying at various altitudes and send target data to air defense systems and EW complexes. The R-934BMV and R-330Zh Zhitel (Dweller) EW systems intercept drones and suppress onboard devices that send multimedia information. “Once an UAV is detected, EW systems suppress it, neutralizing all optoelectronic subsystems. It is a less expensive method compared with hard-kill elimination,” a military source from YuVO told TASS.
It should be mentioned that the district also trains its hard-kill C-UAV component.
“The Pantsir-S (NATO designation: SA-22 Greyhound) self-propelled anti-air gun-missile (SPAAGM) systems and the Tor-M2 (NATO designation: SA-15 Gauntlet) short-range air defense (SHORAD) systems practice to engage drones at a distance of up to 10 km, using surface-to-air missiles (SAMs),” the MoD said. The YuVO C-UAV teams are also being trained to engage UAVs, using small arms. “During a recent exercise, a counter-drone unit utilized its organic small arms to engage a UAV flying at an altitude of 150 m. The vehicle was shot down,” the military source said.
The district is trying to hammer out new comprehensive C-UAV tactics that would allow the troops to engage all types of tactical drones.
“The complex use of all types of C-UAV assets ensures the best results,” Commander of YuVO Aviation and Air Defense Major General Vladimir Dyatlov told media.
It should be mentioned that Russian defense industry invests largely in the development of tactical C-UAV systems. For instance, the ZALA Aero company, a subsidiary of Rostec`s Kalashnikov Group, recently unveiled its new Zont (Umbrella) man-portable C-UAV device and an updated variant of the REX-1 anti-drone EW rifle that could suppress Wi-Fi and satellite navigation signals.
The troops also employ C-UAV experience gathered during the counter-terrorism operation in Syria.
“We have seen several attempts to strike the Russian contingency in Syria by UCAVs. In late August-September, the troops deployed at the Humaymim airbase shot down some 30 kamikaze drones that were armed with improvised explosive devices (IEDs),” the source said.
The Russian military employed new C-UAV tactics during the ‘Vostok 2018’ (East 2018) exercise. In particular, the soldiers used the REX-1 electronic rifles and some EW systems.
It should be mentioned that the armed forces are shoring up their hard-kill C-UAV capabilities. The troops operate the Pantsir-S SPAAGM system that is believed to be the most cost-effective hard-kill anti-drone weapon. (Source: UAS VISION/Army Recognition)
24 Sep 18. Rheinmetall demonstrates Skyranger counter-UAV capabilities. Key Points:
- Skyranger shot down jet UAVs with its 35 mm gun firing AHEAD air burst munition
- The demonstration illustrated the “Patriot and Below Concept”, which also includes NASAMS
Rheinmetall demonstrated its Skyranger system’s capabilities to counter unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) at its Ochsenboden firing range in Switzerland on 18–19 September. The system, consisting of a Boxer 8×8 vehicle with an Mk4 turret equipped with a 35 mm Oerlikon Revolver Gun and an electro-optical (EO) tracking sensor, shot down a jet UAV by firing a 24-round burst of advanced hit efficiency and destruction (AHEAD) air burst munition on 18 September and another UAV of the same type with only three rounds on 19 September.
Rheinmetall Air Defence product manager Michael Gerber said placing the tracking sensor on the turret with the gun increases the precision of the system compared with aligning the two if they were separate. The Boxer with an Mk4 turret can carry 252 ready-to-fire rounds fired at a rate of 1,000 per minute.
The test firings were conducted using only Skyranger’s tracking function as the search function will only be ready in two years’ time, according to Gerber. Command and control was provided from a shelter by a Norwegian Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile System (NASAMS) fire distribution centre (FDC) together with a Skymaster system. Fabian Ochsner, vice-president of Rheinmetall Air Defence, said the UAVs could be targeted when intersecting the beacons from two Aaronia passive emitter locators.
The destruction of the jet UAV was preceded by Skymaster queueing an Oerlikon GDF009 EO unmanned twin 35mm gun to shoot down a quadricopter UAV seen by the FDC. (Source: IHS Jane’s)
17 Sep 18. RAN’s second Air Warfare Destroyer to enter service in late October. The second of the Royal Australian Navy’s (RAN’s) three Hobart-class air warfare destroyers (AWDs) will enter service on 27 October, Minister for Defence Christopher Pyne has announced. The announcement was made as NUSHIP Brisbane (with pennant number 41) arrived for the first time at its home base of Fleet Base East – at Sydney’s Garden Island – on 10 September. The move comes after the 146.7 m-long ship, which began builder’s sea trials in November 2017, was officially handed over to the RAN on 27 July. Australia’s first AWD, HMAS Hobart, was accepted and commissioned into service in 2017, while the third ship, Sydney , was launched at Osborne in May and is set to be handed over to the RAN in December 2019 following sea trials. The RAN’s Adelaide-class (US Oliver Hazard Perry design) frigates, of which only two remain in service, are being retired to make way for the Hobart-class AWDs, which provide the service with an improved warfighting capability. Based on Navantia’s F-100 Alvaro de Bazan-class frigate design (with a number of Australian-specific modifications), the Hobart class deploys the Aegis combat system incorporating the AN/SPY 1D(V) phased array radar. (Source: IHS Jane’s)
25 Sep 18. Chassis Plans, known for its combat proven technology, is now shipping their industry leading twin BFX displays.
“Because of the system’s proven ruggedness, compact 2U size and 24-inch high definition display, the US Navy’s next generation Littoral Combat Ships (LCS) are now using it in their onboard testing stations,” says Mike McCormack, CEO and Founder of CP. “Our BFX displays provides a lot of viewing space into just a small 2U, 19-inch rack. In addition, the BFX is ideal for deployable transit case integration where both image quality and display toughness are required.
The BFX offers rugged, military grade, high performance, 2U rackmount LCD panel displays with two 24-inch TFT LCD displays with per panel resolution of 1920×1200. 1000:1 contrast ratio, and 4ms response time. Both display screens are offered with bonded cover glass with anti-reflection and EMI surface treatments for MIL-STD-461G certification. The BFX1-241 model is optimized for reliable operation in extreme outdoor and challenging environments and can operate in widely varied temperatures (0°C to 50°C / -25°C to 60°C). The BFX displays support a wide range of video resolutions – from 640×480 all the way up to 1920×1200; video inputs include VGA, DVI Dual Link, HDMI, DVI-D and NTSC/PAL/SECAM video as well as Composite Video and S-Video. Additional Features: System Information, OSD position, scaling to fill screen and fill to aspect ratio, OSD timeout, factory reset, OSD menu transparency, Horizontal & Vertical image inversion, Picture in Picture, Picture by Picture variable positions. RS-232 or Ethernet command and control. Other functions and options include up to 10 bit per color, 16.7 million colors, On Screen Display (OSD) menu, Image Scaling: Up scaling to fit input to panel resolution. Image Control features include Auto configuration, Brightness, Contrast, Clock, Phase, Color temperature, Image position, Saturation, Hue, Gamma. In addition to its outstanding video performance, the BFX displays include 2 integrated, water resistant speakers. Chassis Plans’ BFX displays can operate on a range of power sources – including universal input 85 to 245 VAC MIL-STD-1275/704 28 VDC, with options for 12VDC and 400Hz AC input as well.
24 Sep 18. A better way for drones to see their targets. Navy meteorological experts aren’t just trying to get a better weather forecast. “We are trying to fix battlespace awareness for warfare commanders,” said Asya Andrews, the Navy’s chief aerographer’s mate. As the leading chief petty officer with Strike Group Oceanography Team at Naval Base Coronado in San Diego, Andrews is part of a team working to introduce highly-advanced precision meteorological tools to improve warfighter capability and protect ISR assets. The team recently unveiled a weather prediction system to improve the National Unified Operational Prediction Capability (NUOPC), which helps to determine weather models for the military. “This should allow us to better identify extreme features, things like severe weather. It also makes the terrain more influential in the model: Mountains act like mountains, instead of like rolling hills. It’s a higher level of precision,” said Kevin LaCroix, weather services technical lead at the Naval Meteorology and Oceanography Command at Stennis Space Center in Mississippi.
That higher degree of accuracy doesn’t just tell forecasters the likelihood of rain. It tells military commanders how to make best use of their sensors and other ISR assets, whose function can be disrupted by inclement weather.
“The forecaster can be more confident in telling the commander that an ISR asset placed here will or will not see the target. You can even be proactive: Tell me the places you want to look at, and I’ll tell you where you will be most likely to be able to collect your intel on a given day,” LaCroix said. “If we assume ISR assets are in high demand, this offers us a chance to maximize their use.”
Improved targeting
Climate conditions can wreak havoc on military intel. Understanding the weather in minute and granular detail is a hedge against possible disruption.
“Cloud ceilings play a big role in ISR. For the blue force to have the advantage, if you have a ceiling at 500 feet and a ScanEagle at 1,000 — that’s not very effective. You need a cloud-free line of site. The same is true for targeting. When we use a UAV to light up a target for a fighter jet, they need that clear line of site,” Andrews said.
Temperature likewise can have an impact on targeting sensors. “What’s the outside temperature versus what’s the temperature of the target? That plays an ISR role as well. If you are trying to target a certain part of a building, not everything holds or releases heat in the same way, so knowing the surrounding temperature is important,” Andrews said. “Which way is the wind blowing? If it’s blowing across cool water before it gets to an area, that is going to impact the electro-optic sensors of a UAV. If you have a cool wind blowing, that target may not show up as well against that background.”
The newly released enhancement, a probabilistic numerical weather prediction system, offers a new way to synthesize data culled from multiple sources. It’s a way of automating the analytic process to get a more accurate picture from a wider range of samples.
“It takes the observations from all these ships, the land stations, the buoys and the air stations, and feeds them into a single model,” Andrews said. “What you get is a forecast from zero to 100 percent on the likelihood of any given weather event occurring. You’ll get readings for wind, pressure, humidity.”
Weather experts draw a distinction between deterministic and probabilistic models.
“Deterministic forecasting can say there is going to be a hurricane here with winds of 50 knots, and then that doesn’t happen. It’s precise, but it’s wrong,” LaCroix said. “The probabilistic model says it will happen sometime during this window, and it will be in this range of strength. We know the real answer will fall in there.”
For ISR purposes, the important point is that the probabilistic model will be more likely to give you a clear head’s up when things are about to take a turn for the worse.
“What this method is really good at is identifying outliers,” LaCroix said. “If you think there is going to be an extreme event, you get some confidence around that. If the weather is going to definitely be different, this model can forecast that.” (Source: Defense News Early Bird/C4ISR & Networks)
24 Sep 18. The Common Infrared Countermeasure system achieves Milestone C, signifying maturity and production readiness. Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE: NOC) teamed with the U.S. Army to develop the Common Infrared Countermeasure (CIRCM) system, and after undergoing a rigorous testing process to ensure system readiness for the demands of combat operations, the CIRCM system has achieved Milestone C. This critical milestone, awarded by the Department of Defense Milestone Decision Authority, marks the end of the development and testing phase and enables the beginning of production and deployment.
CIRCM is a lightweight system that uses laser energy to defend aircraft against advanced infrared missiles. It has a modular open systems architecture designed to evolve to defeat emerging infrared threats.
To achieve Milestone C, Northrop Grumman has worked closely with the Army to thoroughly test CIRCM. The system has undergone thousands of hours of laboratory, flight and free flight missile testing to verify its performance in a range of realistic combat scenarios. Throughout the process, CIRCM demonstrated its ability to protect aircrews by countering threats.
“With the achievement of Milestone C, we have collectively taken an important step toward getting this critical, life-saving technology to the warfighter,” said Bob Gough, vice president, land and avionics C4ISR division, Northrop Grumman. “The CIRCM capability is mature, reliable and has proven to be mission-effective.”
Northrop Grumman’s infrared countermeasures systems have been installed on more than 1,500 aircraft, representing more than 80 different aircraft types, including large and small fixed-wing, rotary wing and tilt-rotor platforms.
21 Sep 18. US Navy demonstration converts heat into sound. The US Navy has demonstrated a sonar made from carbon nanotubes, called a thermophore, that takes heat and converts it into sound without any moving parts. The demonstration was conducted using a small unmanned underwater vehicle (UUV) during the annual Advanced Naval Technology Exercise (ANTX) held at the Naval Undersea Warfare Center (NUWC) Newport Division, Rhode Island. The carbon nanotubes heat up quickly, but they do not retain much heat, so they have high thermal conductivity, Louis Carreiro, senior scientist at NUWC, told Jane’s.
“They can heat quickly and cool quickly but by the same token the amount of heat they retain is very small, so they have a low heat capacity,” he said. (Source: IHS Jane’s)
24 Sep 18. Dedrone Launches Drone Swarm Detection Capabilities. Dedrone, a developer of drone detection software, has announced the launch of DroneTracker 3.5, which detects, localizes, and tracks simultaneous drones to protect against advanced drone threats. DroneTracker 3.5 software, hosted in the cloud or on-premise, uses Dedrone’s DroneDNA database to recognize and classify RF, WiFi, and autonomous drones approximately one kilometer away from a protected site.
DroneTracker 3.5 brings significant enhancements for customers including:
- Localization of multiple drones and remote controls: In the event of multiple drone intrusions, also known as a “swarm,” DroneTracker 3.5 uses RF Sensors and video cameras to provide simultaneous detection, including a redesigned alert screen for handling multiple alerts.
- Video recording evidence via automated pan-tilt-zoom tracking of drones: As drones maneuver through the airspace, certain PTZ cameras will now be prompted by DroneTracker 3.5 to automatically mimic the movement, providing increased visual awareness of the vehicle’s identifying features and payload. In the case of multiple drones, DroneTracker 3.5 will prompt the PTZ camera to intelligently coordinate their behavior.
- Map and visualization updates: DroneTracker 3.5 now integrates a point of interest (POI) marker with a tactical overlay on the user’s map, including real-time calculation of distance and movement of multiple targets. DroneTracker 3.5 supports street, satellite and hybrid maps, allowing for users to view drone alerts and movement on the map of their choice. Together, these updates and improvements make the Dedrone solution the most reliable and accurate drone detection, classification platform for security professionals to protect critical assets.
“Security professionals are now looking beyond the single drone threat and understanding that drone pilots with intent to harm can easily coordinate efforts and use multiple drones at once to covertly spy or interrupt critical operations,” shares Joerg Lamprecht, CEO and co-founder of Dedrone. “DroneTracker 3.5 provides forensic data of drone activity that can be used to secure protected assets, people, and infrastructure from unwanted drones.”
Dedrone’s software is a machine learning network using information from a proprietary database, DroneDNA. DroneTracker gathers intelligence from various sensors, including radio frequency and Wi-Fi scanners, microphones, and cameras, DroneTracker 3.5 can detect drones over a mile away from a protected site and determines the communications protocol of the drone, its flight path and the location of the pilot. Once a drone is detected, the software alerts security personnel and can be integrated to deploy a passive security measure or defeat technology. (Source: UAS VISION)
21 Sep 18. Jemez Technology Introduces Eagle-i Enterprise™ Perimeter Surveillance Platform. Jemez Technology introduced the Eagle-i Enterprise™ perimeter video surveillance platform for critical infrastructure protection. An extension of the company’s innovative Eagle-i Edge® software technology, the system provides scalable, best-in-class surveillance capability that has been successfully deployed in government and commercial security environments around the world. It also includes new, patented Scene Synthesis™ machine-learning technology for enhanced situational awareness, detection accuracy, and operating range.
The Eagle-i Enterprise platform has been certified with FLIR® Systems, Inc.(NASDAQ: FLIR) FB- and FC-Series thermal security cameras for both wide-area and long-range detection. FLIR’s advanced thermal cameras, combined with Jemez’s leading-edge Eagle-i Enterprise software, become highly-accurate smart sensors without the need for supplemental lighting, even in difficult weather conditions. The result for customers is precise, 24/7 wide-area, long-range detection capability to optimally leverage security teams while significantly lowering infrastructure and operational costs.
Eagle-i Enterprise provides turnkey event integration with access control relay panels, IoT devices, and leading video management systems, including OnSSI Ocularis 5, for unsurpassed real-time protection. The new offering and integration will be introduced September 23-27, 2018, in Las Vegas, Nevada at the Global Security Exchange (GSX), formerly the ASIS Annual Seminar and Exhibits, in OnSSI booth 2263.
“We are pleased to be working with Jemez to provide reliable, thermal security cameras for our customers needing precise real-time monitoring and situational awareness for mission-critical asset protection,” said Travis Merrill, President of the Commercial Business Unit at FLIR. “Having provided perimeter and threat-detection technologies since 1978, our thermal imaging solutions have become an industry standard for 24-hour perimeter protection for critical infrastructure and industrial applications.”
“Our customers depend on Jemez Technology solutions to keep people and key assets safe—by preventing loss from criminal activity or business downtime. Eagle-i Enterprise™ is ideal for critical infrastructure protection, including coverage of large-footprint facilities that are difficult to secure with conventional perimeter technologies. Combined with FLIR thermal IR cameras, this solution represents best-in-class perimeter detection and tracking capability, saving our clients money and resources,” said Al Perez, President of Ariel Technologies.
About Jemez Technology
Jemez Technology provides state-of-the-art video surveillance technology delivering dramatically enhanced perimeter and area surveillance for critical asset and infrastructure protection. The company was founded by former scientists from the Los Alamos National Laboratory, bringing decades of national security experience to its products and services. (Source: BUSINESS WIRE)
21 Sep 18. OpenWorks Partners with Liteye Systems for North America. OpenWorks Engineering Ltd and Liteye Systems Inc., have formed an exclusive partnership to support military, law enforcement and security authorities with their counter-UAS missions; The two companies are joining forces to offer an integrated low-collateral-damage C-UAS defeat layer to Liteye’s already successful counter unmanned systems offerings. Liteye are specialists in the development and deployment of a range of counter-UAS products and systems. Having already deployed fully integrated detect, track and defeat systems with US military customers since 2016, Liteye is continually striving to enhance its system’s capabilities and work with its customers in support of their evolving missions.
“To be affective in the ongoing battle against unmanned systems the solution must be adaptive and able to include different layers of ability.” stated Kenneth Geyer, CEO of Liteye. “OpenWorks SkyWall 100 and 300 offerings provide us with yet another defeat capability in our offering, providing the end-users with options.”
OpenWorks developed the world famous SkyWall net capture products, that have already been deployed operationally to protect heads of state, highly-sensitive sites and critical national Infrastructure around the world. SkyWall allows the operator to physically capture the UAS target in a net; a unique non-ECM UAS defeat capability. Teamed with Liteye’s solutions these systems can now be integrated into a larger defensive umbrella of radars, cameras, RF sensing, and electronic warfare capabilities. This highly-capable team will support all existing SkyWall customers and offers new users access to SkyWall products directly from Liteye’s base in Colorado. The partnership forms as further SkyWall100 contracts are signed by US authorities and shows the teams commitment to support US- based users.
“Like SkyWall, Liteye’s solutions have been defending lives and critical infrastructure on the battlefield since 2016 and we are happy to join their team in North America.” James Cross, Director of Openworks stated. “We know our SkyWall products we assist them in that mission for years to come.”
SkyWall300 is the latest SkyWall system, that offers autonomous and remotely operated net capture. It will be demonstrated this week and in weeks to come at a number of high-profile military events such as BlackDart 18. The Skywall 300 will be available for deployment in early 2019. (Source: UAS VISION)
20 Sep 18. Dedicated drone tracker can now detect swarming robots. For every military innovation, there is an equal and opposite reaction. Tanks are met with anti-tank missiles, planes are met with anti-air missiles, uncrewed aerial vehicles are met with dedicated counter-UAS lasers. But drones, specifically smaller, cheaper drones, guided by swarming AI, can scale like software, overwhelming traditional defenses that match one-to-one countermeasures to airframes. Dedrone, a drone detection company, hopes to start changing that exchange in favor of the defense, with the announcement of new drone detection software that can track swarms.
Dedrone has been in the drone detection business for a while. It signed a $400,000 contract with the Pentagon’s Defense Innovation Unit earlier this year. This new update is version 3.5 of their software, which can find and track drones at a distance of up to a mile from the sensor. Once detected, radiofrequency sensors and cameras follow the incoming drone, record its movements and then plott those movements on a user-friendly map. For swarm detection, this update expands that capability to include simultaneous tracking of multiple drones. A demonstration video shows it follow five drones at once.
To develop the new swarm-tracking update, Dedrone says it worked closely with a NATO military to “align this technology with their needs, as well as other militaries facing these threats,” according to a spokesperson. The automated detection capabilities are trained on a proprietary database of drone information through machine learning, which suggests the detection tool may improve its capabilities on its own.
Detecting the drone is still just step one to stopping the drone, and for now, most of the counter-drone tools require a one-to-one countermeasure to drone ratio, be it a missile, a dedicated laser, or even a dedicated jamming rifle. Better detection for now means a better way to allocate those limited resources in defense of a sensitive area. Should swarms scale up, detection will remain part of the solution, but counter-drone arsenals will need a weapon that can blast multiple bodies in a swarm out of the sky at once. (Source: C4ISR & Networks)
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Blighter® Surveillance Systems (BSS) is a UK-based electronic-scanning radar and sensor solution provider delivering an integrated multi-sensor package to systems integrators comprising the Blighter electronic-scanning radars, cameras, thermal imagers, trackers and software solutions. Blighter radars combine patented solid-state Passive Electronic Scanning Array (PESA) technology with advanced Frequency Modulated Continuous Wave (FMCW) and Doppler processing to provide a robust and persistent surveillance capability. Blighter Surveillance Systems is a Plextek Group company, a leading British design house and technology innovator, and is based at Great Chesterford on the outskirts of Cambridge, England.
The Blighter electronic-scanning (e-scan) FMCW Doppler ground surveillance radar (GSR) is a unique patented product that provides robust intruder detection capabilities under the most difficult terrain and weather conditions. With no mechanical moving parts and 100% solid-state design, the Blighter radar family of products are extremely reliable and robust and require no routine maintenance for five years. The Blighter radar can operate over land and water rapidly searching for intruders as small a crawling person, kayaks and even low-flying objects. In its long-range modes the Blighter radar can rapidly scan an area in excess of 3,000 km² to ensure that intruders are detected, identified and intercepted before they reach critical areas.
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