Sponsored by Blighter Surveillance Systems
www.blighter.com
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04 Jul 19. Aegis ashore, NORFORCE and an integrated Aussie BMD and A2/AD network. With the increasing proliferation of advanced ballistic and cruise missile threats in the Indo-Pacific, the Australian mainland has never been more exposed – meanwhile, the cost effectiveness of contemporary anti-access/area denial (A2/AD) systems provides valuable enhancements for defending the continent and enhancing the nation’s strategic buffer in the region.
From the earliest days of cruise and ballistic missiles, the evolution of technology between defence and offence has been a game of cat and mouse, with technology empowering both attacker and defender serving to create a constant state of tactical and strategic flux.
The advent of multiple independently targetable re-entry vehicles (MIRV) during the Cold War and the rise of hypersonic ballistic and cruise missiles in recent years have constantly undermined efforts to develop a reliable, cost-effective and survivable missile defence system and capabilities. In response, the US, Russia, China, India, Israel and France have all invested heavily in developing a range of land, air and sea-based missile defence technologies and systems.
While fanciful programs like the Reagan administration’s Strategic Defence Initiative (SDI) postulated the use of space-based systems, namely laser-armed satellites, as a cost effective and survivable missile defence system, the collapse of the Soviet Union and the costs associated with developing such technologies pushed even the US to the limits of its financial and industrial capabilities.
However, the complexity of missile variants, combined with speed, improved manoeuvrability and re-targetable systems has required a layered approach to tactical and strategic missile defence, adding both cost and complexity to missile defence countermeasures. Meanwhile, the increasing focus on the development of integrated air and missile defence and A2/AD systems, largely by China in the South China Sea (SCS) provide interesting avenues for developing a similar system across Australia’s north.
Australia’s geographic isolation and size presents a series of operational and strategic challenges for implementing a layered system of continental defence, nevertheless, there has been an introduction of increasingly capable ballistic missiles throughout the region, most recently with announcements of a successful precision guided long-range ballistic missile by North Korea and the increasing capability of China’s own ballistic and cruise missile systems.
Combining JORN and Aegis ashore
JORN has long served as a key force multiplier for the ADF, providing unprecedented over-the-horizon surveillance capabilities to monitor contingencies and co-ordinate responses to the north of the continent. Combining this capability with the growing power of integrated air and missile defence systems, in unison with advanced, multi-domain ‘shooters’, provides traditional ‘defence in depth’.
Aegis ashore meanwhile provides a highly capable missile defence system – building on the successful integration to the Aegis combat system on US, Australian, Japanese and South Korean warships while incorporating ‘shoot down’ capabilities and interoperability with a range of ‘sensor’ and ‘shooter’ platforms including the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter, E-7A Wedgetail, P-8A Poseidon, Hobart Class and Hunter Class and the recently announced $2bn LAND 19 Phase 7B program.
Deployed in both Japan and parts of eastern Europe – Aegis ashore serves as a potent tactical and strategic force multiplier and ‘goal keeper’ enabling freedom of movement for air, land and sea-based assets throughout the theatre despite increasingly advanced and prolific ballistic and cruise missile systems fielded by adversaries like Russia, China and North Korea.
Combining the over-the-horizon surveillance capabilities of JORN – estimated to be capable of providing wide area surveillance at ranges of 1,000 to 3,000 kilometres – with the capabilities of Aegis can be used to form a key strategic integrated air and missile defence (IAMD) system for the long-range defence of the Australian mainland.
Further supporting the broader integration of these systems is the introduction of the $1bn AIR 6500 program, which is designed as a joint battle management system that will interconnect the many disparate platforms, systems and sensors across the air, land, space, electromagnetic and cyber domains into a collaborative environment that provides shared situational awareness of the battlespace and the ability to rapidly plan responses to threats.
NORFORCE and roving IAMD
Formed in 1981, NORFORCE and its supporting Regional Force Surveillance Units (RFSU) are employed to provide surveillance and reconnaissance across the remote areas of Northern Australia – specifically focusing on an area of 1.8 million square kilometres and encompasses the Northern Territory and the Kimberley region of Western Australia.
The mobility of LAND 19 Phase 7B provides the perfect opportunity for NORFORCE to be shaped into the inner tier of the continental IAMD network – rapidly deployable and positioned throughout remote parts of northern Australia with the networked interoperability as part of the growing ADF ‘system of systems’.
This mobile nature and the inner-tier capabilities of the LAND 19 Phase 7B systems was explained by Raytheon Australia managing director, Michael Ward, at the announcement of the selection of the National Advanced Surface to Air Missile System (NASAM) in early 2019: “LAND 19 will provide the inner tier of the air and missile defence capability with the Hobart Class providing the outer tier of the national air and missile defence. As a result of this, Raytheon can say that the integration centre will be focused on force protection with a focus on supporting Australian industry content and we are proud to say that our solution for LAND 19.”
The NASAMS acquisition aims to bring a transformational change to the Army’s existing force protection capability, including a progression from man-portable GBAD capability to a fully networked and distributed system, these advancements allow the Army to counter complex air threats beyond visual range and significantly increases protection coverage for Australian soldiers.
As a potential further development, Australia could also look to equip NORFORCE with a mid-range IAMD system, like the Lockheed Martin Terminal High Altitude Area Defence (THAAD) system at semi-permanent ‘bare bases’ building on the precedent established by existing ‘bare base’ infrastructure like RAAF Bases Scherger, Curtin and Learmonth.
Aegis ashore and A2/AD
The intrinsic link between Aegis and platforms like the Mk 41 vertical launch systems (VLS) based onboard Aegis equipped destroyers and frigates in Australian and allied navies provides incredible opportunity for the nation to establish its own A2/AD network that penetrates well into the Indo-Pacific – while also drawing on the incredible interoperability, sensor fusion and strike capabilities of existing and developing platforms.
The commonality of the Mk 41 system, combined with the development of increasingly potent long-range anti-ship missile systems including the Kongsberg/Raytheon Naval Strike Missile/Joint Strike Missile family, the Lockheed Martin AGM-158C Long Range Anti-Ship Missile (LRASM) and upgraded variants of the Raytheon Tomahawk cruise missile all provide viable, cost effective A2/AD capabilities.
Furthermore, the commonality of air and missile defence systems like Evolved SeaSparrow Missile (ESSM), SM-3 and SM-6 systems and interoperability of said platforms with both Aegis and the Mk 41 VLS further enhance both the A2/AD and IAMD capabilities of the broader network, but Aegis ashore in particular.
AIR 6500 and knitting the system together
AIR 6500 and Plan Jericho serve as the basis for Australia’s pursuit of a complex, IAMD system responsible for providing a range of capabilities – ranging from tactical air and missile area defence for forward deployed Army expeditionary units, through to a layered, continental air and missile defence system.
Additionally, the increasing interoperability and commonality of data links and platforms operated by Australia and key regional allies like the US, Japan and Korea all serve to enhance the development of an IAMD network covering vast swathes of the Indo-Pacific – while also enabling platforms operating throughout the region to provide both ‘sensor’ and ‘shooting’ solutions across the region.
Each of these platforms form part of an intricate jigsaw puzzle, each filling a unique purpose within the broader ‘joint force’ concept – coming together to form an integrated tapestry of capabilities. As part of this, the ADF will also acquire ground-based active electronically scanned array radars from around 2020, expanding Australia’s access to air and space situational awareness information, including through space-based systems.
These platforms, operating individually, serve an important role within the broader ‘joint force’ concept of the future ADF – however, when integrated, these capabilities serve as part of the development of a broader integrated air and missile defence and A2/AD system responsible for establishing a complex, ‘defence in depth’ network capable of shifting Australia’s role in the region. (Source: Defence Connect)
03 Jul 19. Robots compete to hunt snipers in Navy challenge. The snipers were perched around the hockey rink in Florida. As its human handlers exited through a side of the rink, a counter-sniper team robot into position, before unleashing foam orbs on its turreted foes. A succession of teams passed through, each trying to best both the defenders and their competition, armed with an arsenal you could find in a toy store. Even with comical armaments, there are still lessons for the future of war from foam orb live fire exercises.
Held March 22, the Panama City Division of the Naval Surface Warfare Center’s 2019 Director’s Cup was designed to see if autonomous robots could perform a simulated anti-sniper mission. It’s a task that is, in theory, well suited for robots, whose sensors can read the environment differently than human eyes and whose artificial bodies lack the soft fleshy bits that snipers like to target. For the robots to be effective at the mission, they need to complete a set of fixed tasks: navigate the space, find the snipers, place shots on target, and return to where it had launched. In addition, teams were detracted points from their score for hitting objects other than the target and for each shot after the first 10 on a target, with score bonuses available for more quickly completing the challenge.
Launched by the Center in 2015, the competition takes place every other year and requires teams to create and field “a fully autonomous, artificially intelligent, ground-based vehicle to neutralize a dangerous battlespace.” (A secondary goal of the competition is fostering teamwork among the teams tasked with building the robots.)
While the ammunition was nerf and the battlefield abstracted, the exercise was designed to showcase full autonomy, leaving humans to set the machines in motion and then get out of the way as they performed target identification and shooting. Each team used a Clearpath Robotics Jackal uncrewed ground vehicle as the basis for their robot. Prior competitions required the teams to build both hardware and software from scratch for the robot; with the same standard robot body, the 2019 teams were able to focus on the autonomous features of robot fighting.
Besides the basic robot body, the teams outfitted their jackals with a range of sensors, including LMS-111 laser sensors, inertial measurement units, ZED stereo cameras for image identification, NVIDIA Xavier processors, and “an Arbotix-M microcontroller for classification, control and neutralization of a target,” according to Clearpath.
For armament, the robots sported Nerf Rival Nemesis guns, with a 100-round capacity. Or at least, that was the basis for what they were supposed to use. The ammunition remained the same across teams but the actual gun was subject to interpretation.
How those parts were all integrated together varied team to team. One team mounted the stereo camera directly above the barrel of their Nerf gun. Another mounted two Nerf guns on individual turrets in special 3D-printed casings. The winning team chose to largely eschew the Nerf design, building a custom hopper and using brushless motors with velocity control for greater accuracy. Like beetles iterating around a similar body, the range of options for robots on the same chassis was surprisingly varied.
All told, this was a small-scale competition with a goofy weapon in a low-stakes format. It is iteration in this space, as the tools of autonomy become cheap and the means of implementing autonomy become more available, that will make autonomous machines a more durable presence on the battlefields of the future. Targeting systems, navigation algorithms, target distinction and learning how to place the precise number of shots on target? These are the precursors to lethal autonomy, the laboratory experiments and field tests. The Nerf guns add a goofy, almost cartoony aesthetic to the whole affair, but the gun is the easiest part of a robot to change. (Source: Defense News)
03 Jul 19. Rostec unveils Sapsan-Bekas mobile C-UAV system. Avtomatika Concern, a subsidiary of the state-owned Russian corporation Rostec, took the opportunity at the Army 2019 exhibition, held in Kubinka near Moscow from 25-30 June, to showcase its new Sapsan-Bekas mobile counter-unmanned aerial vehicle (C-UAV) system. According to the manufacturer, the Sapsan-Bekas C-UAV system can detect small UAVs with a radar cross-section of 0.01m 2 or 0.1m 2 at ranges of up to 4.5km and 8.1km, respectively. It can then track detected threats and spoofs on their guidance systems up to 6km away.
The Sapsan-Bekas comprises three subsystems – an electronic detection and direction-finding unit, a radar and electro-optical/infrared (EO/IR) tracking device, and an electronic warfare (EW) device. Rostec’s executive director, Oleg Evtushenko, said that the Sapsan-Bekas can suppress both civil- and military-grade UAVs.
“The system engages drones working in a band between 400 MHz and 6 GHz and functions in both manual and automatic modes,” Evtushenko explained. “It is mounted on a mobile platform that features high maneuverability, which is important for both civil and military customers.”
The Sapsan-Bekas’ Luch EW system is designed to suppress a UAV’s navigation, control, and data transfer channels, conducting simultaneous jamming in 11 RF bands. The device can discriminate targets and can enable registered UAVs to remain operational within its jamming range. (Source: IHS Jane’s)
03 Jul 19. SRC buys US firm SAZE to boost radar R&D capabilities. US-based defence research and development (R&D) company SRC has acquired SAZE to augment its customer and product portfolio. Established in 2012, SAZE is involved in radar research and development. With the acquisition, the company has now become a subsidiary of SRC. Before the completion of this transaction, SAZE served as a subcontractor for its new owner.
SAZE will now operate as a subsidiary under SRC Ventures. The transaction also involves the transfer of 11 SAZE employees. These employees will continue to operate from their company’s office in Maryland, US.
SRC CEO Paul Tremont said: “This venture will bring new capabilities to our extensive radar knowledge base. The result will be an accelerated timeline for delivering systems to our warfighters. This will be a great synergy of R&D cultures and we look forward to having SAZE employees join the SRC enterprise family.”
The company will focus on leveraging SAZE’s technology to develop life-saving systems for the defence of the armed forces.
SAZE founder and managing member Toby Aylesbury said: “We’re excited to be part of such a well-respected company. SRC has been one of the top radar developers for decades and we’ve always admired their innovation. After working with them in the past, our employees are eager to be part of the team and help develop new systems to protect our troops.”
Last month, SRC received a contract from BAE Systems to build and deliver common electronic attack receiver (CEAR) systems that are capable of performing real-time analysis of countermeasures for true-to-life training against radio frequency threats.
The system is used in testing military aircraft’s ability to detect and defeat real-world threats.
The company is also a supplier of AN/TPQ-50 LCMR counterfire radar system to the US Army for 360° surveillance for early warning and location of rocket, artillery and mortar threats.
In April, SRC won a position on the $37bn US Army Responsive Strategic Sourcing for Services (RS3) indefinite-delivery, indefinite-quantity contract. (Source: army-technology.com)
03 Jul 19. Strategic USAF Bases Receive Counter-UAS Systems. Several US Air Force installations with strategic assets are now armed with systems to protect against small unmanned aircraft that might loiter nearby.
Steve Wert, the Air Force’s digital program executive officer helping to roll out counter-UAS systems, said the service had fielded initial capabilities to an undisclosed number of US Strategic Command and Air Force Global Strike Command sites. Speaking at an Air Force Life Cycle Management Conference recently in Dayton, Ohio, Wert described the new systems as “a command-and-control capability integrated with some detection and some jamming,” but did not mention kinetic attacks.
“Much more work to do,” he said. “We’re finding the typical problems you will find on some bases. In order to have a radar providing detection, you actually have to build a tower. Building towers is hard because you have to do environmental assessments.”
The systems provide “a composite suite of options” to sense and defeat drones attempting to enter restricted airspace around nuclear, space, electronic warfare, long-range strike, and missile defense resources, Air Force spokeswoman Laura McAndrews said.
“The concept of ‘tailored and layered defense’ provides the ability to execute kinetic solutions, such as traditional ballistic rounds and capture nets, coupled with other countermeasures that disrupt the operator’s ability to navigate drones in our restricted airspace,” she said.
The Air Force and Army are also collaborating on using 40 mm ammunition with nets that deploy and wrap around the drones to bring them down.
“We’ve had some recent success working with the Army on kinetic defeat, successful test round firings,” Wert said. “The idea of a net round is probably a good solution, but that system’s becoming accurate enough where the training rounds are directly hitting UAVs, so very good results there.”
In May, Pentagon acquisition chief Ellen Lord told reporters Defense Department officials were concerned that military personnel weren’t aware of their options for addressing UAVs and the services weren’t sharing their ideas. Combatant command representatives and acquisition officials meet each month to discuss the right way forward. That’s generated a list of counter-UAS systems in the DOD with details on their maturity, how many are deployed, and how they are used, Lord said. The Air Force is also working toward laser and microwave weapons for that purpose. The FAA already regulates how and where small UAS are allowed to fly, though those rules are evolving in collaboration with the Pentagon, which called the issue a high priority earlier this year.
“I really do think of these UAVs as something that’s low-cost, it’s easy to manipulate,” then-acting Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan told the Senate Appropriations Committee in May. “We need to develop the capabilities and the rules because, quite frankly, this airspace is shared by so many different authorities, so it’s as much about rules to operate in space as it is the technologies to defeat them.”
Over the past few years, Defense Department officials have pointed to instances of enemy combatants dispatching small drones for strike and intelligence-gathering in the Middle East and of unmanned aerial vehicles lingering near high-end aircraft. US Strategic Command did not answer how many little aircraft have been spotted lately or if the number is growing.
“So far, they’ve been incidental activities,” STRATCOM boss Gen. John Hyten said at a 2017 Senate Armed Services Committee hearing. “But the fact that they’re occurring, and then if you watch what is happening overseas in the [US Central Command theater] with the use of lethal UAVs and the use of UAVs for surveillance on the part of a terrorist adversary, I’m very concerned that those same kind of UAVs could be employed against our weapon storage facilities, especially on the nuclear weapon storage facilities.”
Air Combat Command chief Gen. Mike Holmes in 2017 also noted two incidents that interfered with operations on the same day and required reports to Air Force leadership. Conventional military assets need similar policies and protections as STRATCOM has put in place over the past few years, allowing workers to track and engage drones when needed, he argued.
“At one base, the gate guard watched one fly over the top of the gate shack, tracked it while it flew over the flight line for a little while, and then flew back out and left,” Holmes said. “The other incident was an F-22 . . . had a near collision with a small UAS, and I don’t have anything that I can do about it.” (Source: UAS VISION/Air Force Magazine)
01 Jul 19. The Salem, Illinois Police Department has deployed the FACT Duty™ Weapon-Mounted Camera (WMC™) from Viridian® Weapon Technologies to all of its sworn officers. Viridian and the police department of Salem will hold a joint press conference on Tuesday, July 2 at 10:00 am at the Salem City Hall located at 101 South Broadway Avenue, Salem IL, 62881. The FACT Duty fits standard police duty weapons and holsters and records automatically, providing an unobstructed view from the end of an officer’s firearm. The need for this product continues to be validated in current events throughout the United States.
“We explored body cameras, but ultimately chose Weapon-Mounted Cameras,” said Police Chief Sean Reynolds. “We found out about these [FACT Duty WMCs] while researching body cams. I was intrigued and ordered one unit for our department to test.
“We used it in several low-light, no light and other scenarios and really liked the performance. The video is clear and the audio is great. I pitched the FACT Duty to the council because of the limited data storage required, lower initial costs and the fact that there won’t be an obstruction if we have an officer-involved shooting.”
Viridian created an important category for law enforcement with the introduction of the FACT camera. This advanced Weapon-Mounted Camera provides an unobstructed view of critical use-of-force events from the end of the firearm, addressing limitations officers can face with body cameras. Over 500 agencies have been in the process of testing and implementation of the Viridian WMC since it became available last year.
The highly advanced WMC employs a 1080p full-HD digital camera with a microphone and 500 lumen tactical light. Viridian’s proprietary INSTANT-ON® technology automatically activates the camera and microphone whenever the officer draws the firearm from its holster. Not only does this eliminate risk of failure to manually turn on the camera during a critical event, but it also keeps the officer from fumbling with cumbersome equipment.
“Our FACT Duty is truly standalone—and the need it fills in law enforcement is so important,” said Viridian President and CEO Brian Hedeen. “We’ve been able to get this in the hands of so many departments, and seeing the difference it makes is encouraging. The FACT Duty WMC is the only product specifically designed to capture Officer Involved Shootings (OIS).
“The technology achieves this in a manner that is not cost prohibitive, requires no manual step or extra training in the field, doesn’t add to administrative duties or processes and even provides a tactical advantage to officers. At Viridian, we pride ourselves on our independence and our innovation—and we’re happy Chief Reynolds has supported and the City of Salem has approved something so important to modern policing.”
Easy Purchase and Implementation
FACT WMCs do not require the purchase of supplemental equipment or services and are designed exclusively to answer the needs of today’s officers. The WMC generates just a small fraction of the data to manage compared to other law enforcement recording options because it only records when the officer’s weapon is drawn.
After the purchase of the WMC, there are no maintenance fees, monthly charges or other significant expenses required. This results in significantly lower comparative data management costs than other evidentiary camera systems. The FACT Duty is a one-and-done solution for law enforcement administrators and purchasing departments.
The WMCs fit on existing standard-issue firearms and fit seamlessly in multiple duty holster platforms, making it easy for implementation by any law enforcement agency. The cameras feature a recording time of over three hours to handle virtually any scenario. They also incorporate secured data access and are easily rechargeable. Body and dash cameras were not designed to capture officer-involved shootings. However, Viridian WMCs were designed specifically for this purpose.
02 Jul 19. Seven Technologies Group offers “glimpse into the future” at 3CDSE. UK defence manufacturer, Seven Technologies Group (7TG), is inviting attendees to witness a “glimpse into the future” at its stand (111) at the forthcoming Three Counties Defence & Security Expo (3CDSE), July 17. The company, which has more than 40 years’ experience developing intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) systems to the law enforcement, special forces and border control sectors across the globe, is not only showcasing its latest LREOS-HD camera system but will also be offering exclusive insight into i7ense, a front-end autonomous surveillance platform that infers intelligence from front-end sensor data.
Jason Sierra, 7TG sales director, said: “i7ense combines existing sensors, apps and AI technology into a single forward processing box to provide an advanced surveillance and activation solution. It will absolutely change the way the military and law enforcement sectors do business.
“i7ense has been in R&D for many years and we are thrilled to be looking to roll it out by the end of 2019. AI is already changing the way in which the civil and defence sectors think about the future and at 3CDSE, where aptly this year’s theme is ‘innovation’, we will offer a glimpse into the future – it is limited only by your imagination.”
Through a suite of sensors and apps that monitor facial recognition, behaviour, temperature, audio and seismic conditions, i7ense monitors critical changes to pre-set parameters. Everything is done at source so there is no need for operator intervention or compression of data, which could potentially compromise outcomes.
Advanced tactical surveillance involves multiple teams operating a range of independent technical systems, i7ense combines those independent systems to perform these numerous tasks simultaneously and autonomously, in one single system.
Visitors to the stand will also get to see LREOS-HD in action. This long range electro optic, HD system is used in applications such as fixed and mobile border control, rural surveillance, perimeter protection, intelligence collection and delivers top-quality coverage in the harshest of environments.
Jason added: “Our electro-optic range of cameras have been successfully deployed in many environments, but it’s i7ense that we are really excited about. There is nothing like it on the market, with AI delivering intelligence not information.
“Not only will it help to free up much-needed operational resource in the control room and surveillance man hours, it’s quicker, reduces human error and is more accurate than anything we have seen before.
“And, it’s an adaptable framework, so we work with our customers to help integrate i7ense into their systems or we provide a tailor-made solution incorporating our hardware.”
01 Jul 19. US Army seeks range of DroneDefender C-UAS equipment. The US Army Contracting Command, Redstone Arsenal, on behalf of Counter, Rocket, Artillery, Mortar Project Directorate, requires the procurement of the following in support of Foreign Military Sales Case: 7U-B-UAA.
- 40 each DroneDefender V1lF Systems (P/N: B-DD-021-LFE10)
- 40 each DroneDefender Test Pucks (P/N: B-DD-TP1)
- 40 each DroneDefender V1LF Training DVDs (P/N: B-DD-TP-021)
- 13 each DroneDefender V1LF Field Service Kits (P/N: B-DD-FSK-021-LFE10)
Solicitation Number: W31P4Q-19-R-0084
Deadline for responses: 12 July 2019
Responsible agency: US Department of the Army
(Source: https://www.unmannedairspace.info)
28 Jun 19. Russian defence company “starts tests on space-based drone tracking.” Russia’s Fort Russ news agency reports that Russian defence company RTI Systems, which specializes in research in the area of radiolocation and telecommunications, has begun tests on a space-based drone tracking system.
“The Radiotechnology Institute AL Mints, a member of the RTI group of companies, is developing technologies for the creation of radar complexes, intended for space radar observation systems of the Earth’s surface and near-Earth space, which detection of targets flying at low altitude,” the press service said. “In 2018, flight tests of aircraft radar systems for remote sensing of the Earth were successfully conducted ,” the statement added.
According to the news service the company specified that innovative methods of detecting moving objects and super-resolution algorithms were implemented during area scanning.
“The new technical capabilities create new markets for remote sensing services. The unique hardware, software and algorithmic solutions applied by RTI scientists at the radar complex… will enable us to solve completely new problems for our customers,” said Maksim Kuzyuk, director-general of the holding company.
https://www.fort-russ.com/2019/06/the-end-of-drones-russia-prepares-to-launch-drone-detecting-satellites/ (Source: https://www.unmannedairspace.info)
01 Jul 19. AirMap and CerbAir to Collaborate on Counter UAS Integration. CerbAir, a European manufacturer of Counter-Unmanned Aerial Systems (C-UAS) solutions, and AirMap, a global airspace intelligence platform for drones, have announced their collaboration to provide integrated, comprehensive solutions for low-altitude airspace safety and security.
Following the worldwide growth in the use of UAS, or drones, there has been a significant increase in drone-related incursions reported at airports, sensitive sites and events. With today’s announcement, CerbAir and AirMap are responding to the urgent need to combine efficient UAS traffic management with reliable protection from rogue or accidental drone intrusions.
As an integrated system, the technology and services of CerbAir and AirMap produce a comprehensive suite of UAS management and detection solutions. AirMap’s UAS Traffic Management (UTM) Platform enables public authorities and airspace managers to deliver safety-critical services such as registration, airspace information, authorizations, and traffic management to UAS operators in low altitude airspace. CerbAir’s DroneWatch technology assures detection and characterization of unregistered drones, and its Direction Finding, Azimuth, and optional Electronic Countermeasure functions enable authorities to identify and immediately address unauthorized UAS and their pilots.
“UAS technology will only reach its full potential if low-altitude airspace is safe, secure, and managed. Unlocking the full economic and societal benefits that drones can provide requires management of registered and authorized drone operations as well as detection of unregistered or bad actors. Combining AirMap’s UTM technology and services with CerbAir’s C-UAS solutions is a natural fit,” said AirMap EVP of Global Business Development Larry Berkin.
“Recent UAS-related disturbances at major airports and intrusions over critical infrastructures or events, are vivid proof of the necessity of uniting C-UAS solutions with UAS traffic management. The combination of AirMap’s UTM and CerbAir’s DroneWatch systems is a much-needed advance in the field of airspace security,” said CerbAir CEO and Co-founder Lucas LeBell. (Source: UAS VISION)
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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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