Enabling technologies for military & aerospace electronics engineers
Communications equipment
South Korea orders more AN/GRC-512(V) tactical radios from CMC Electronics
Military leaders of the Republic of Korea needed modern tactical radios for a variety of national defense tasks. They found their solution in the AN/GRC-512(V) radio from CMC Electronics, formerly BAE Systems Canada, in Ville Saint-Laurent, Quebec.
CMC Electronics received Korean purchase orders worth $18 million for the radios, which the company will supply from late 2001 to early 2002, CMC Electronics officials announced.
South Korean leaders chose the frequency hopping AN/GRC- 512(V) radio for their military communications modernization program in 1999. CMC officials say they expect the South Korean government to procure substantial quantities of the AN/GRC-512(V) radio over the next five to six years.
CMC Electronics partners with Huneed Technologies of South Korea on this radio project. Huneed engineers will manufacture portions of the radio under license and will be the prime contractor to the Republic of Korea.
The AN/GRC-512(V) electronic counter-countermeasures (ECCM) radio provides the operator with menu-driven keypad/display, software controlled built-in test capability, and is compatible with U.S. Mobile Subscriber Equipment and TRI-TAC systems, as well as EUROCOM systems.
The radios function in three bands: 225-400 MHz, 610-960 MHz, and 1350-1850 MHz. They also operate in temperatures between -40 and 55 degrees Celsius, and meet the guidelines of MIL-STD-810E and MIL-STD-461C. — J.K.
For more information contact CMC Electronics by phone at 514-748-3043, by fax at 514-748-3055, by post at 600 Dr. Frederik Philips Blvd., Ville Saint-Laurent, Quebec, Canada H4M 2S9, or on the World Wide Web at http://www.baesystems-canada.com/.
Design and development tools
Lockheed Martin chooses manufacturing-automation software from PTC
Manufacturing experts at the Lockheed Martin Corp. Aeronautics division in Fort Worth, Texas, needed automated program-management software to help them develop and manufacture the F-16 and F-22 jet fighter aircraft. They found their solution in the Windchill software suite from PTC of Needham, Mass.
Windchill supports manufacturers by helping them focus phases of a product's lifecycle ranging from concept and definition to production, service, maintenance, and retirement, PTC officials say. The software enables manufacturers to collaborate over the Internet with their customers, suppliers, and partners throughout product development and delivery, and helps them use enterprise expertise, customer knowledge, and supplier innovation, PTC officials say.
The software "will provide Lockheed Martin Aeronautics with a next-generation program management system to enhance our ability to manage the cost, schedule, and technical aspects of our aeronautics programs," says George Parker, Lockheed Martin IMF Project Manager.
"The software will provide our customers, program managers, Integrated Product Team leaders, partners, and suppliers with integrated real time visibility into the performance on our programs," he says.
Lockheed Martin awarded PTC a $1 million order for Windchill, PTC officials announced Feb. 23. Lockheed Martin experts purchased the software under the Integrated Management Framework (IMF) Project; a Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Initiative to provide a web based integrated program management capability for its next generation aircraft programs. — J.K.
For more information contact PTC by phone at 781-370-5000, by fax at 781-370-6000, by post at 140 Kendrick St., Needham, Mass. 02494, or on the World Wide Web at http://www.ptc.com/.
Computer peripherals
Raytheon chooses L-3 solid-state data recorder for Navy SHARP program
Systems integrators at the Raytheon Technical Services Co. in Vienna, Va., needed solid-state data recorders for the U.S. Navy Shared Reconnaissance Pod program, better-known as SHARP.
The solid-state Strategic/Tactical Airborne Recorders (S/TAR) from the L-3 Communication Systems-East division in Camden, N.J., met their needs.
This program, for which Raytheon is the prime contractor, will develop the next-generation pod based system for tactical reconnaissance, L-3 officials say. The first SHARP system will fly on the F/A-18 E/F Super Hornet fighter-bomber.
"This award was a highly competitive procurement, and after careful evaluation, L-3's offering provided the best overall value and performance to the U.S. Navy," says Raytheon's program manager, Davy Barbell. "We look forward to working with L-3 Communications on the SHARP program."
Under this contract, L-3 will build as many as 28 solid-state recording systems for engineering manufacturing development and low-rate initial production phases of the SHARP program, which has a potential of as many as 80 systems during production.
The family of S/TAR solid-state recorders provides storage capabilities from eight to 200 gigabytes of memory, data rates as fast as 1 gigabit per second, and are available in rugged units or embedded in customers' avionics components.
L-3 Communication Systems-East designs, develops, produces, and integrates communication systems and support equipment for commercial, space, ground, air, and naval operations. L-3 Communication Systems-East is a division of L-3 Communications. — J.K.
For more information contact L-3 Communication Systems-East by phone at 856-338-3000, by fax at 856-338-6014, by post at 1 Federal St., Camden, N.J. 08103, or on the World Wide Web at http://www.l-3com.com/cs-east/.
Software
Motorola to integrate new software on space shuttle avionics upgrade
Software engineers from the Motorola Integrated Information Systems Group in Scottsdale, Ariz., are helping develop cockpit avionics software design requirements for the upgrade of the NASA space shuttle.
Motorola won a $5 million contract from United Space Alliance LLC in Houston for the space shuttle software work. With options Motorola could earn as much as $30 from the job, company officials say. United Space is a joint venture of Lockheed Martin Corp. in Bethesda, Md., and Boeing Co. in Seattle.
United Space is upgrading the shuttle cockpit avionics to improve the flight crew's insight and understanding of the spacecraft's health and status during operations and improve the content and quality of control mechanisms available to the crew.
"The Command and Display Processor (CDP) software upgrade looks to maximize the flight crew's situational awareness of the shuttle's operations," says Jim Eyman, vice president and program manager for shuttle upgrades development at United Space.
"It is also being designed to reduce the workload of the crew, eliminating the need for them to wade through less critical information that is typically displayed in the cockpit," Eyman says. "Instead, the software will allow the crew to view what is important during critical points in a mission."
Thousands of advances in technology and enhanced designs that have been incorporated into the space shuttle since it was first launched 20 years ago have made it a safer, more powerful, and more efficient spacecraft today, Motorola officials say. Further improvements planned during the next five years are anticipated to make it even safer.
Among them is a next-generation "smart cockpit" to reduce the pilot's workload in an emergency and enable the crew to better focus on critical tasks. — J.K.
For more information contact Motorola on the World Wide Web at http://www.motorola.com/GSS/SSTG/.
Computers
Air Force chooses Itronix Pro laptop computer for flightline maintenance
U.S. Air Force aircraft maintenance personnel needed rugged laptop computers to help them with flightline monitoring and troubleshooting of combat jet aircraft. They found a solution in the X-C 6250 Pro computer from Itronix Corp. of Spokane, Wash.
Air Force officials are choosing the Itronix Pro for a variety of flightline maintenance tasks, ranging from the Air Force's new flightline maintenance documentation and logistics application to Joint Surveillance Target Attack Radar System aircraft maintenance at Robins Air Force Base, Ga.
"The Itronix Pro will drive all the Air Force's critical aircraft maintenance field activity using wireless technology 00 technical orders, troubleshooting, parts, and kit movement, logistics, functional testing, and more — at speeds far exceeding traditional desktop computers," says Mike Ortman, the Itronix director of marketing.
In flightline tests last August at Nellis Air Force Base, Nev., the Itronix Pro "performed consistently well throughout," states a report from the Air Force F-16 jet fighter system program office, "It did experience some degradation in direct sunlight, but the screen was readable and experienced no blackout areas."
The Nellis tests pitted the Itronix Pro against the Panasonic ToughBook and Amrel Rocky II PWS notebook computers. Direct-sunlight tests of longer than two hours subjected the machines to processor temperatures of 160 degrees Fahrenheit, and screen temperatures of 148 F, Itronix officials say.
The Itronix Pro, which weighs 6.9 pounds, features a 300 MHz GXm processor, and six to twelve gigabytes of hard disk storage.
The machine has a die-cast magnesium case, meets the environmental specifications of MIL-STD-810E, and is guaranteed to operate in temperatures from -4 to 140 F. — J.K.
For more information contact Itronix by phone at 509-624-6600, by fax at 509-626-4203, by post at 801 South Stevens St., Spokane, Wash. 99204, or on the World Wide Web at http://www.itronix.com/.
