PRODUCT INTELLIGENCE, 21 Feb. 2012.There’s one thing all electronics need, and that’s power. Power supplies and converters are important parts of the system they inhabit, and as such need to meet rigorous standards lest the entire system shut down for want, or excess, of power. Systems integrators who are looking to purchase power supplies and converters need to weigh reliability, weight, power and cost carefully.

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. Feb., 18, 2012. Using the Joint Tactical Radio System (JTRS) Handheld, Manpack, Small Form Fit (HMS) two-channel networking radio (AN/PRC-155), General Dynamics C4 Systems recently completed a demonstration of secure voice and data communications via the Mobile User Objective System (MUOS) satellite-communications waveform.

NEWTON, Mass., Feb. 16, 2012. DSP Development Corporation announced FFT and Matrix accelerator modules for DADiSP, the engineering spreadsheet designed specifically for technical data analysis.

WASHINGTON, 15 Feb. 2012. Leaders of the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) plan to spend at least $31.6 billion next year for activities related to command, control, communications, computers, intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (C4ISR), according to Pentagon budget documents released this week. The $31.6 billion the military plans to spend on C4ISR in fiscal 2013 is down 10.92 percent from the $35.47 billion in the Pentagon's current-year budget, and is down 16.8 percent from 2011 C4ISR spending levels.

SAN DIEGO, Calif., Feb. 13, 2012. The U.S. Navy has awarded Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE:NOC) $37 million for the Consolidated Afloat Networks and Enterprise Services (CANES) production and limited deployment phase.

ANNAPOLIS, Md., 12 Feb. 2012. Radio communications experts at ARINC Inc. in Annapolis, Md., are using supercomputers to help systems integrators design and analyze the performance of complex antennas. Complex Antenna Engineering and Analyses. The ARINC Advanced Systems Engineering and Integration Division has installed a Linux-based supercomputer to support engineering analyses for ARINC’s external customers. The company’s previous supercomputer also remains available.

ANNAPOLIS, Md., 12 Feb. 2012. Commercial aircraft operators may start using an air traffic management (ATM) communications technology called the FANS 1/A over HFDL (FOH), after officials of the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) approved FOH as a viable means of Air Traffic Service (ATS) communications. This means commercial aircraft may start using the global High Frequency Data Link (HFDL) network to communicate with air traffic controllers.

ARLINGTON, Va., 10 Feb. 2012. Military communications experts at the U.S. Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) in Arlington, Va., are asking for industry's help in providing pervasive, high-throughput military communications to deployed military units by using a mobile backbone that provides communications over long distances to military units on the move.

Wake Forest, N.C., Feb. 9, 2012. Connector distributor BTC Electronic Components announced the Glenair Series 77 class of environmental shrink boots. This series is known as the "Full Nelson" range.

ARLINGTON, Va., 8 Feb. 2012. Computer scientists at the U.S. Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) in Arlington, Va., are kicking off the agency's High-Assurance Cyber Military Systems (HACMS) program to safeguard civil and military embedded systems from hackers, computer viruses, and other cyber malware with an industry briefing 21 Feb. 2012 at the Capital Conference Center in Arlington, Va. The HACMS proposer's day is unclassified and voluntary, DARPA officials say.

TECHNOLOGY FOCUS, 8 Feb. 2012. Systems designers and systems integrators have openly admitted to treating connectors as something of an afterthought in years past. Today, however, connectors are often a central focus and concern for engineers championing efficient, effective, and innovative electronic systems for aerospace and defense applications.

BOHEMIA, N.Y., 7 Feb. 2012. Data Device Corp. (DDC) in Bohemia, N.Y., is introducing the BU-67401L low-power dual MIL-STD-1553 transceiver for avionics and other military networking and communications applications. the device measures 7 by 7 millimeters. The BU-67401L transceiver offers options for MIL-STD-1553A/B, MIL-STD-1760, and McAir compatibility to fit a wide range of ground and aerospace applications from mission computers and displays to ground vehicles and commercial aircraft.

WASHINGTON, 6 Feb. 2012. NASA officials overseeing the Edison Small Satellite Demonstration Program have issued a broad agency announcement (BAA) seeking low-cost, flight demonstration proposals for small satellite technology. The solicitation is limited to demonstrations of communications systems for small satellites, proximity operations with small satellites, and propulsion systems for CubeSat-scale satellites. The goal is to increase the technical capabilities and range of uses for the emerging category of spacecraft.

SOUTHAMPTON, Pa., 5 Feb. 2012. CW Industries in Southampton, Pa., is introducing a high-density rectangular connector for advanced missile systems, torpedoes, flight guidance systems, and related military electronics equipment. The CCM-20, 21, 22, and 23 series connectors are made of glass filled polyester with beryllium copper alloy contacts that are gold plated in the mating area, and offer enhanced retention and solderability features that meet MIL-DTL-28804, as well as NAVSEA 3164341 and 3164342.

TUCSON, Ariz., Feb. 4, 2012. The U.S. Navy completed developmental testing (DT) of the Raytheon Company (NYSE: RTN) Joint Standoff Weapon C-1. Developmental testing finished when the JSOW C-1 struck a moving ship target during the weapon's second flight test.

SAN DIEGO, Calif., Feb. 2, 2012. The U.S. Air Force has awarded Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE:NOC) a $47.2 million contract for the purchase and integration of two more Battlefield Airborne Communications Node (BACN) payloads on two existing Block 20 Global Hawk aircraft.

BANNOCKBURN, Ill., 2 Feb. 2012. Year-over combined orders for rigid printed circuit boards and flexible circuits manufactured in North America dropped for the 12th consecutive month in December, say analysts at IPC, the Association Connecting Electronics Industries in Bannockburn, Ill. Orders of U.S. and Canadian circuit boards and flexible circuits in December decreased 2.8 percent from the same month one year ago. Compared to the previous month, however, combined industry orders of North American circuit boards and flexible circuits in December were up by 8.7 percent, IPC analysts say.

HANSCOM AFB, Mass., 1 Feb. 2012. Radar experts at the U.S. Air Force Electronic Systems Center (ESC) at Hanscom Air Force Base, Mass., are reaching out to industry in the beginning of what may become a long-term project to modernize and upgrade three ageing ground-based ballistic missile warning radar systems -- PAVE PAWS, which is short for Phased Array Warning System; the Ballistic Missile Early Warning System (BMEWS); and the Perimeter Acquisition Radar Attack Characterization System (PARCS).