WASHINGTON, 21 Feb. 2012. The U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) budget for research, development, test, and evaluation (RDT&E) would continue its decline next year if Congress approves the DOD's fiscal 2013 request for $69.65 billion for military-related research. Next year's Pentagon RDT&E request is down nearly 14 percent from recent-year peak spending of $80.92 billion in 2010, according to DOD budget documents.

WOODRIDGE, Ill., Feb. 21, 2012. Hendrickson, a Boler Company, and AxleTech International, a General Dynamics (NYSE: GD) company, were recently awarded a contract from Navistar Defense, LLC, to equip 2,717 International MaxxPro Long Wheel Base (LWB) Mine Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) vehicles with independent suspension systems.

WASHINGTON, 20 Feb. 2012. Defense systems upgrades and technology-insertion programs, which are in place to keep today's military ships, ground, vehicles, aircraft, and other platforms in the field for as long as possible while improving system capability, represents a $14.44 billion market in the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) 2013 budget request submitted to Congress last week.

Nashua, N.H., Feb. 20, 2012. Skyler Frink reports on software currently available to warfighters, and looks into what future applications may be developed.

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz., 20 Feb. 2012. Engineers at General Dynamics C4 Systems have completed a demonstration of secure voice and data communications using its Mobile User Objective System (MUOS) satellite-communications waveform. A Joint Tactical Radio System (JTRS) Handheld, Manpack, Small Form Fit (HMS) two-channel networking radio (AN/PRC-155) running MUOS waveform software transmitted encrypted voice through a MUOS-satellite simulator to MUOS ground station equipment to be deployed in Sicily.

WASHINGTON, 19 Feb. 2012. U.S. Navy officials are looking to the Lockheed Martin Corp. Maritime Systems & Sensors (MS2) segment in Syracuse, N.Y., and partner Atlas Elektronik GmbH in Bremen, Germany, to build the Shipboard Mine Neutralization System-Seafox (SMNS-SF), as well as for refurbishing and overhaul of the AN/SQQ-32 Airborne Mine Neutralization System-Seafox (AMNS-SF), under terms of a $45.6 million contract awarded Friday.

HUNTSVILLE, Ala., Feb. 18, 2012. The U.S. Army Space and Missile Defense Command/Army Forces Strategic Command (USASMDC/ARSTRAT) successfully completed a flight test of the new Economical Target-1 (ET-1) at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla.

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.

WASHINGTON, 17 Feb. 2012. Electronic warfare and electro-optics-related countermeasures are shaping up to be among the few real growth areas of the Pentagon's fiscal 2013 budget, which the Obama Administration submitted to Congress this week. Leaders of the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) plan to spend $4.95 billion next year for electro-optic and electronic warfare work, which represents growth of 7.6 percent over the $4.6 billion DOD has budgeted for electronic warfare and electro-optics countermeasures this year.

TEWKSBURY, Mass., Feb. 17, 2012. Raytheon Company's (NYSE: RTN) Joint Land Attack Cruise Missile Defense Elevated Netted Sensor System (JLENS) recently completed Demonstration Test 1 (DT-1), proving its ability to track targets and integrate with fire control and tactical data link systems.

MONROVIA, Calif., 16 Feb. 2012. AeroVironment Inc. (NASDAQ:AVAV) won a $4,167,777 order from the U.S. Air Force for operational Switchblade loitering munition systems and services, engineering services, and operator training. AeroVironment will work with munition subcontractor ATK (NYSE:ATK) to produce and deliver the systems. 

PATUXENT RIVER, Md., Feb. 16, 2012. The Bell Boeing V-22 Program, a strategic alliance between The Boeing Company [NYSE: BA] and Bell Helicopter - Textron [NYSE: TXT], announced that the U.S. Marine Corps has taken delivery of the first MV-22 Osprey produced with the new Block C suite of design upgrades.

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.

WASHINGTON, 14 Feb. 2012. Officials of the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) plan to spend at least $5.78 billion to buy and develop unmanned vehicles and unmanned vehicle payloads next year, according to data in the Pentagon's budget documents released this week. This figure is down 13.14 percent from the same levels of spending this year, and is down 16.9 percent from unmanned vehicles procurement and research in 2011.

THE MIL & AERO VIDEO BLOG, 14 Feb. 2012. The Pentagon's proposed 2013 budget may not be the best news for military platforms like new plans, ships, and tanks, but among the brightest opportunities for aerospace and defense electronics suppliers involves military systems upgrades and technology insertion, with several new contracts and solicitations issued recently, reports John Keller this week in the Mil & Aero Video Blog.

SINGAPORE, Feb. 14, 2012. Raytheon Company (NYSE: RTN) has delivered the first international version of its APY-10 surveillance radar to Boeing. The radar will be installed on the P-8I aircraft Boeing is building for the Indian navy.

WASHINGTON, 13 Feb. 2012. Leaders of the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) propose spending $13.59 billion in federal fiscal year 2013 for procurement and research in military communications, electronics, telecommunications, and intelligence (CET&I) technologies. This level would represent a cut of 10.26 percent from current-year enacted levels of $15.14 billion, and a cut of 23.43 percent from 2011 levels of $17.75 billion, according to Pentagon budget documents released today.

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.