In Brief

DRS to provide rugged workstations for Army and Marine Corps ground systemsSystems integrators at General Dynamics Communications Systems in Taunton, Mass., are asking engineers from DRS Technologies Inc. to produce rugged computers for several different U.S. Army and Marine Corps ground force modernization applications. Experts from the DRS Electronic Systems unit in Gaithersburg, Md., and DRS Laurel Technologies unit in Johnstown, Pa., will provide Explorer MP rugged portable multi-platform workstations for Army and Marine Corps digital battlefield applications. DRS is doing the work under terms of a $1.6 million contract. The DRS Explorer MPs are portable UltraSPARC IIi computers that run Combat Information Systems (CIS), Geographic Information Systems, fire control, and digital mapping applications, as well as other programs, company officials say. For more information contact DRS Electronic Systems by phone at 301-921-8100, by fax at 301-977-6158, by post at 200 Professional Drive, Gaithersburg, Md. 20879, or on the World Wide Web at http://www.drs.com/. — J.K.Army desert exercise puts TRW's FBCB2 command-and-control software through its pacesU.S. Army specialists have tested the TRW Force-21 Battle Command Brigade and Below (FBCB2) software during an April exercise in the California desert to demonstrate how this battlefield-digitization technology can help make soldiers safer and more effective than they are today. The Division Capstone Exercise last spring pitted the non-digitized opposing force of the National Training Center at Fort Irwin, Calif., against two digitized brigades equipped with FBCB2-produced Version 4 Applique+ computers (Pentium 3 class machines running Version 3.3.3 of FBCB2 software). TRADOC personnel noted how the FBCB2 software quickly enabled commanders to change troop movement in a matter of minutes digitally rather than by voice data and paperwork, which can take longer and with far less precision, TRW officials say. The FBCB2 software has more than a million lines of code. Initial operational test and evaluation of FBCB2 is set for December. — J.K.RADA Electronic Industries to supply ground debriefing stations for Israeli air forceRADA Electronic Industries Ltd. of Netanya, Israel, is supplying the Israeli air force (IAF) with RADA Ground Debriefing Stations (GDS) for the nation's F-16 A/B fighter squadrons. RADA officials are working under terms of an Israeli air force contract worth about $700,000. The GDS processes the compiled flight data and operation parameters recorded onto the analog video, and reproduces a 3-D view of the actual air combat situation including all participating aircraft. This reproduction synchronizes with the video and audio recordings and enables users to project all displays for mass briefing and debriefing. RADA is developing the next generation GDS to enable digital video technology, company officials say. For more information contact RADA by phone at +972 9 8921111, by fax at +972 9 8855885, by e-mail at [email protected], by post at 7 Giborei Israel St., Netanya (North) Israel, or on the World Wide Web at http://www.rada.com/. — J.K.AIM introduces networked databus analyzers for MIL-STD-1553, ARINC429 and STANAG3910Engineers at AIM of High Wycome, England, are introducing client-server software for testing the MIL-STD-1553, ARINC429 and STANAG3910 aircraft databuses. This software enables users to test and simulate several different MIL-STD-1553, ARINC429, and STANAG3910 buses remotely over an Ethernet LAN from a Windows based PC. It gives several different users access to multiple streams to perform real-time simulation, monitoring, recording, and physical bus playback of avionics buses over the network remotely, company officials say. The network software is called PBA-NET (for MIL-STD-1553 & STANAG3910) and PAA-NET (for ARINC429). The PBA-NET and PAA-NET software enables a client PC to control one or multiple Avionics Databuses using a graphical user interface. For more information contact Douglas Ullah, director of sales and marketing at AIM, by phone at 011-44 1494 446844, by fax at 011 44 1494 449324, by e-mail at [email protected], or on the World Wide Web at http://www.aim-online.com/.Telesat Canada looks to Lockheed Martin for new telecommunications satellite projectTelesat Canada, the Canadian satellite operator, is hiring Lockheed Martin Commercial Space Systems of Sunnyvale, Calif., to build and launch an A2100 geosynchronous satellite that will provide direct broadcast services across Canada. The satellite, designated Nimiq 2, is a high-power Ku/Ka-band satellite with 32 active 24 MHz Ku-band transponders with 120 watt power amplifiers, and a Ka-band payload that will provide broadband services. The spacecraft, which will orbit at 91 degrees west longitude, will have a minimum service life of 12 years. For more information contact Lockheed Martin Commercial Space Systems by phone at 408-742-4321, by post at 1111 Lockheed Martin Way, Sunnyvale, Calif. 94089-1212, or on the World Wide Web at http://www.lmcommercialspace.com/. — J.K.Thales releases redesigned Ruggedizer for VME single-board computersExperts at Thales Computers in Raleigh, N.C., have redesigned their Ruggedizer technology that weighs less and has an increased temperature range from -40 to 85 degrees Celsius, Thales officials say. The Ruggedizer technology, only available on Thales Computers' boards, is deployed in radar systems on fighter planes, sonar systems in ships, submarines, helicopters, and communication systems in aircrafts, trucks, and tanks. The redesigned Ruggedizer uses the same commercial-off-the-shelf (COTS) boards as the S class commercial range, and uses a new thermal material that enables better heat transfer between board and Ruggedizer, Thales officials say. The Ruggedizer is milled out to fit the entire topside of the board. A thermal material, with no electrical conduction, transfers heat from the components to the drain that also provides high shock and vibration resistance. For more information contact Thales by phone at 919-231-8000, by fax at 919-231-8001, by post at 1203 New Hope Road, Raleigh, N.C. 27610, or on the World Wide Web at http:// www.thalescomputers.com/. — J.M.White to supply solid-state memory modules for European Fighter AircraftWhite Electronic Designs Corp. in Phoenix received a contract worth more than a million dollars to provide solid-state memory modules for the European Fighter Aircraft (EFA). This contract is for packaged memory devices used in defense response computing systems on board the aircraft, company officials say. The Typhoon jet fighter is from a consortium of the United Kingdom, Germany, Italy, and Spain. Its design and production involves companies such as BAE Systems, Alenia, and the European Aeronautic Defence and Space Co. — better known as EADS. For more information contact White Electronic Designs by phone at 602-437-1520, by fax at 602-437-1731, by post at 3601 E. University Drive, Phoenix, Ariz. 85034, or on the World Wide Web at http://www.whiteedc.com/. — J.K.Northrop Grumman launches navigation systems division with former Litton assetsNorthrop Grumman Corp. is launching a Navigation Systems Division in Woodland Hills, Calif., which combines several elements of the former Litton Advanced Electronics Systems business unit that Northrop Grumman acquired earlier this year. The Navigation Systems Division These businesses include Guidance and Control Systems and Aero Products, Woodland Hills; Integrated Systems, Northridge, Calif.; Litton Systems Canada, Toronto; and three foreign subsidiaries, LITEF, Freiberg, Germany; TELDIX, Heidelberg, Germany; and Litton Italia, Pomezia, Italy. For more information contact the Northrop Grumman Navigation Systems Division by phone at 818-715-4040, by post at 5500 Canoga Ave., Woodland Hills, Calif. 91367-6698, or on the World Wide Web at http://www.northropgrumman.com/. — J.K.