Modus Operandi wins Army contract
Officials at the U.S. Army Communications-Electronics Command (CECOM) at Fort Monmouth, N.J., awarded Modus Operandi in Melbourne, Fla., with a Phase III Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) contract for complex software maintenance work. The company “will supply technology and services for improving the development, management, and sustainment of complex software systems, such as the Guardrail Common Sensor intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance system, says Stewart Fenick, the Army’s technical representative on the contract. “Targeted improvements will focus on three primary themes: maturing organizational capabilities, improving project oversight, and leveraging advanced tools and technologies.” This includes an integrated asset suite and supporting services - including processes, training, methodologies, and tools, involving the company’s Wide Area Virtual Environment (WAVE) collaboration software. The Army co-sponsored WAVE development under previous SBIR contracts. Key aspects of WAVE relating to this contract are its ability to break down barriers to enterprise information, manage knowledge assets, facilitate collaboration, and deliver critical metrics for decision support and performance management. For more go online at www.modusoperandi.com.
Elbit Systems to supply imagery intelligence systems
Officials at Elbit Systems Ltd. in Haifa, Israel, reported that its subsidiary Elop will supply advanced Imagery Intelligence Systems (IMINT) to various customers at a total value of more than $100 million. Elop produces optoelectronic systems and intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance systems, with advanced research and development capabilities covering the spectrum from the research and development stage, through production, to integration of complex systems.
Nanotechnology IC sales to reach $172 billion by 2014
Future integrated circuits (ICs) using nanotechnology are forecast to grow at an average annual growth rate of 69.4 percent over the next decade, from $12.3 billion in 2009 to $172.0 billion by 2014, according to a study by FTM Consulting Inc. and distributed by KMI Research Inc. of Nashua, N.H. The study, Nanotechnology: Worldwide IC Market, projects that the general-purpose digital chips, such as microprocessors, will be the largest segment at $96.4 billion by 2014. “Nanotubes will become the future silicon for chips in the future,” says Frank Murawski, author of the study. The other major chip category, memory chips, will be slightly smaller at $75.6 billion by 2014. “The majority of these memory chips will be based on MRAM (magnetic random access memory) nanotechnology at that time,” Murawski says. “The nanotech chip market represents the building block for future commercial and consumer electronic products.” For additional information contact Richard Mack by phone at 401-243-8113 or go to the KMI’s Web site at www.kmiresearch.com.
Lockheed Martin delivers first warfighters' simulation system to U.S. Army
Officials at Lockheed Martin in Orlando, Fla., delivered its first computer-based Warfighters’ Simulation (WARSIM) system to the U.S. Army to support training of brigade, joint, and coalition-level commanders and staffs. The delivery, Army Program Executive Office for Simulation Training and Instrumentation (PEO STRI), is the first in a series scheduled through 2006 to help the Army meet its training needs. WARSIM, developed under a contract initially awarded in 1996, simulates all levels of conflict - from a major theater of war to stability and support operations. It can support single, multilevel, and large-scale distributed exercises for U.S. Army, joint, and coalition training. Lockheed Martin developed laptop, transportable, and battle simulation center configurations of WARSIM that can be tailored for specific training needs. The program is valued at more than $330 million through 2007.
Anteon to analyze Air Force structures
Officials at Anteon International Corp. in Fairfax, Va., will conduct research, development, and demonstrations of new aerospace structural technologies for the U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base. The estimated ceiling value of this contract, if all options are exercised, is $24 million. “Anteon is proud to support the Air Force under the Structural Technology Evaluation and Analysis Program (STEAP),” says Joe Kampf, Anteon president and chief executive officer. “The ability to support new aerospace structural technologies is key to the development of new warfighter capabilities and advancing the Air Force’s mission.” For more information go online at www.anteon.com.
J-UCAS X-45A demonstrates beyond-line-of-sight remote control
The Joint Unmanned Combat Air Systems (J-UCAS) X-45 program transferred control of its X-45A air vehicle to a control station nearly 900 miles away, and back again, completing its first beyond-line-of-sight flight test on Dec. 9, 2004, DARPA officials say. During the 46-minute flight, command and control of Boeing’s J-UCAS air vehicle, AV-1, was successfully transferred, via UHF SATCOM, from an operator at NASA Dryden Flight Research Center on Edwards Air Force Base, Calif., to a mission control operator at Boeing’s Seattle, Wash., facility. The operator in Seattle then controlled the aircraft for approximately six minutes. During this time, the Seattle operator sent four airspeed and altitude command changes to the vehicle, before handing back control to the Edwards mission control station. “This flight was an essential step toward proving the systems capability to smoothly transfer command and control of the air vehicles between mission control elements,” says Capt. Ralph N. Alderson, program manager. “During future missions, these distributed control elements could be housed on air bases or aircraft carriers around the world.” More information can be found at www.darpa.mil/j-ucas.
