Enabling technologies for military & aerospace electronics engineers
Computers
SGI systems help power satellite stations for SBIRS
Aerojet officials in Sacramento, Calif., are using NUMAflex modular technology from Silicon Graphics Inc. (SGI) in Mountain View, Calif., to power mobile satellite stations.
The stations are for the U.S. Air Force's Space-Based Infrared System (SBIRS), the country's next-generation ballistic missile early warning system.
Under the contract, SGI experts will provide 18 SGI Origin 3000 series servers and 27 SGI Onyx 3000 series visualization systems that will be collocated in the mobile satellite ground stations. The SGI Origin 3000 series servers will be used as the front-end of the mission for the ground stations from SBIRS satellites high above the earth. The SGI Onyx 3000 series systems will graphically display the data for U.S. military operators.
"With the latest addition of the 18 SGI Origin 3000 series servers and 27 SGI Onyx 3000 series systems, SGI will continue its dominance in this cutting-edge area of military information technology," says Anthony Robbins, president of SGI Federal.
Each of the mobile satellite ground stations will include two next-generation SGI Origin 3000 series servers (one for redundancy) and three ruggedized SGI Onyx 3000 series visualization systems.
SGI NUMAflex modular technology, is a brick-style system for constructing small to very large systems from a common set of building blocks. SGI NUMAflex enables users to build the optimum configuration one component at a time and adopt new technologies that map to their specific business or research needs. — J.M.
For more information on NUMAflex or Silicon Graphics contact Gregory Slabodkin by phone at 301-595-2618, by email at [email protected], or on the World Wide Web at http://www.sgi.com.
Software
WireX Wins DARPA contract to advance intrusion detection
Officials at the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) in Arlington, Va., have asked experts at WireX Communications in Portland, Ore., to develop technology in three different areas of information security.
The scope of the WireX contract is to make advances in the three principle areas of intrusion detection, response reasoning, and system adaptation.
DARPA chose WireX's Autonomix proposal as part of DARPA's Autonomic Information Assurance (AIA) program. Autonomix will enhance AIA by hardening individual components to turn vulnerabilities into safe intrusion detection sensors.
Autonomix will also provide technologies to facilitate the easy management of intrusion detection situational awareness.
DARPA officials awarded WireX a three-year, $1.6 million DARPA contract under the AIA program. — J.M.
For more information on Autonomix and WireX contact Kimberly Davidson by phone at 503-222-9660, by mail at 920 SW 3rd Avenue, Suite 100, Portland, Ore. 97204, by email at [email protected], or on the World Wide Web at http://www.wirex.com.
Software
DISA uses Logicon for Information assurance
Officials at the U.S. Defense Information Systems Agency (DISA) in Washington have selected Logicon Inc., a Northrop Grumman company in Herndon, Va., to be one of the prime contractors of information assurance (IA) services through a multiple award contract with U.S. Department of Defense (DOD).
"Work in information assurance has blossomed in the past five years," says Lois Chadbourne, program manager at Logicon. "Since we've been involved in information assurance and related activities since 1973, Logicon anticipated this trend. Now, we have a specific contract vehicle for these tasks within the DOD."
Information assurance protects and defends information and information systems by ensuring their availability, confidentiality, integrity, authentication, and non-repudiation. This includes providing for the restoration of information systems by incorporating protection, detection and reaction capabilities.
As a prime contractor, Logicon will apply two of its key capabilities — systems integration and moving leading technology into operational environments. More than 20 companies are on Logicon's team, giving it the benefit of niche expertise from smaller companies and the depth of product offerings available from larger companies, Logicon officials say.
Logicon's Information Solutions unit will lead the contractor team. Work on the program will be performed primarily in the Washington area, but will also extend to various DOD locations worldwide.
The information assurance/information technologies capabilities contract, also known as "I Assure," is an indefinite delivery/indefinite quantity program concentrated on IA services.
Logicon is one of 11 contractors selected by DISA for the multiple award contract, which includes three base years and four one-year options. The total value of the contract to all contractors is $1.5 billion. — J.M.
For more information on Logicon contact the company by phone at 703-713-4000, by mail at 241 Dulles Corner Park, Suite 800, Herndon, Va. 20171, or on the World Wide Web at http://www.logicon.com.
