Military Aerospace Articles Feed

Radar sensor fusion to protect Army base camps and improve counter-battery fire is thrust of Army RFI

Thu, 17 May 2012 12:12:00 GMT

ABERDEEN PROVING GROUND, Md., 17 May. 2012 U.S. Army researchers are reaching out to industry for fresh innovative ideas about radar sensor fusion and related technologies in support of the Army's Multi-function Radars for Integrated Area Defense (MyRIAD) project. MyRIAD seeks to use Army networks to enhance sensor coverage to protect Army base camps with to provide base camp protection and defense in several operating environments using existing, modified, and emerging radar systems.

The U.S. Army Communications-Electronics Research, Development, and Engineering Center (CERDEC) Intelligence and Information Warfare Directorate (I2WD) at Aberdeen Proving Ground, Md., issued a request for information Monday (RFI W15P7T12RA231) for the MyRIAD Common Operating Picture and Multi-Source Tracker initiative -- otherwise known as MyRIAD COP MST -- that asks industry for white papers on the best ways to implement radar sensor fusion with the radar systems the Army has now and will have in the near future.

Current Army radar systems are stove-piped and layer intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) information inadequately to provide commanders with battle-space awareness, Army researchers say. The ideas is that by capitalizing on available networks, the Army can provide increased capability to the warfighter without increasing the number of deployed radar transceivers.

The MyRIAD COP MST project seeks to improve overall system of systems sensor performance by adapting each radar's coverage depending on available transceivers. In addition, MyRIAD will combine airborne and ground-based sensors to enhance situational awareness.

Key objectives include:

-- generating a common operating picture that blends counter-fire target acquisition (CTA), air surveillance (AS), and ground moving target indicator (GMTI) sensor data into one display;

-- using existing networks to consolidate planning for counter-fire radar systems;

-- using Army data networks to make the most of sensor coverage from radar systems operating in the same area, as well as to enable cross-cueing capability among radar installations; and

-- fusing data from several co-located CTA, AS, and GMTI radar systems to improve counter-fire weapons accuracy.

Army researchers want sensor-fusion proposals that involve non-proprietary, open standards, modular architecture, and scalable approaches.

Graphical user interfaces (GUIs) for track visualization should provide situational awareness and mission planning capabilities, and GUIs should be de-coupled from the fusion engine to provide maximum flexibility.

Industry responses to this RFI should describe detailed technical solutions, two-year cost estimates, license fees, any rationale for using non-standard interfaces, and cost, schedule, and technical risks.

Send responses no later than 18 June 2012 to by e-mail at MYRIADRFI@mi.army.mil, or by post to U.S. Army, RDECOM, CERDEC, I2WD, Bldg. 6005, APG, MD, 21005, ATTN: RDER-IWR-RS(MyRIAD).

For questions or concerns contact the Army's Stephen Winkler by phone at 410-417-0060, or by e-mail at MYRIADRFI@mi.army.mil.

More information is online at https://www.fbo.gov/notices/40f49f9ef04f60829af626dcb963bfb1.

Follow Military & Aerospace Electronics and Avionics Intelligence news updates on Twitter

Dual-processor PICMG 1.3 single-board computer for military and aerospace introduced by Trenton

Thu, 17 May 2012 06:00:00 GMT

Posted by John Keller

GAINESVILLE, Ga., 17 May 2012. Trenton Technology Inc. in Gainesville, Ga., is introducing the BXT7059 dual-processor PICMG 1.3 single-board computer for military, aerospace, industrial automation, and telecommunications applications. The BXT7059 embedded computing board for military embedded systems has the Intel Xeon processor E5-2400 family, formerly code named Sandy Bridge-EN, as well as the Intel C604 chipset.

Options include processors with 8, 6, or 4 execution cores per processor. PCI Express links from the board’s processors support PCI Express 3.0, 2.0 and 1.1 system I/O card interfaces. Enhancements include Intel Turbo Boost, Intel advanced management, and Intel vector extensions.

Features include: 32-nanometer processor die; six DDR3 96-gigabyte DIMMs; two SATA/600 ports, four SAS/SATA ports; integrated TPM 1.2; eight USB ports; three Gigabit Ethernet interfaces; on-board video and graphics; and PCI Express link expansion.

For more information contact Trenton Technology online at www.trentonsystems.com.

Follow Military & Aerospace Electronics and Avionics Intelligence news updates on Twitter

Rockwell Collins selects Green Hills Software INTEGRITY-178B tuMP multicore operating system for the RQ-78B Shadow UAV

Thu, 17 May 2012 05:00:00 GMT

SANTA BARBARA, Calif., 17 May 2012. Rockwell Collins has selected the INTEGRITY-178B tuMP multicore operating system by Green Hills Software, a provider of high assurance operating systems, for use in their mission computer for the RQ-7B Shadow Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV). The Rockwell Collins GPC-3000 Mission Computer will host the INTEGRITY-178B time-variant unified multi processing (tuMP) capabilities using the Freescale QorIQ P4080, an eight-core processor.

The INTEGRITY-178B enables multiple independent safety- and/or security-critical applications to execute on a multicore operating environment in a predictable and bounded manner. The operating system and the operational environment it provides are configurable so that interference between applications is prevented or controlled such that the interference can be accurately predicted and accounted for.

Time-variant unified multi processing defines groupings (called affinity groups) of how cores will be utilized by one or more applications, with the grouping of cores and applications being permitted to vary over time. Sets of affinity groups are scheduled independently of other sets of affinity groups, allowing time-lines that correspond to application requirements and also permit other sets of affinity groups to be developed that can make use of any of the time windows where cores are not being used. Any new application or extension of an existing application can make use of the unallocated execution time across the multicore processor. INTEGRITY-178B tuMP extends partitioning support beyond single-core processors, allowing flexible capability to be used to host multiple applications while preserving resources for application growth.

EASA approves Max-Viz EVS-1500 enhanced vision system for use in Eurocopter helicopters

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:57:00 GMT

PORTLAND, Ore., 16 May 2012. the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) has given SRC approval for the installation and operation of the Max-Viz, Inc., a designer of enhanced vision systems, EVS-1500 infrared enhanced vision system on several Eurocopter twin-engine helicopter models.

The Eurocopter EC135 T1, T2, T2+, P1, P2, & P2 are included in the EASA supplemental type certificate (STC). The Max-Viz Enhanced Vision System is currently operational on an emergency medical services-configured EC135 owned by Hélicoptères De France, which serves customers in Normandy.

Swiss Air Rescue also operates 11 Agusta 109s fitted with the EVS, while the LPR, a Polish government agency responsible for medevac transports, has equipped its 23 EC135 helicopters with the Max-Viz EVS-1500.

Max-Viz enhanced vision systems are also approved by the EASA for Bell helicopter models 206, 407, 212 and 412. Max-Viz EASA certifications include Agusta helicopters and fixed-wing airframes including the Diamond DA50s and King Airs. An EASA STC for the Dauphin helicopter is also currently under development.

The EC135 EASA STC installation kit for the Max-Viz EVS-1500 is available through Max-Viz from TeamAtkins International and Rotor & Aircraft on EC135s operating under EASA jurisdiction.

Navy looks to VersaLogic to provide PC/104 embedded computer for lightweight torpedo prototype

Wed, 16 May 2012 11:52:00 GMT

Posted by John Keller

NEWPORT, R.I., 16 May 2012. U.S. Navy underwater weapons experts needed a PC/104-based stackable embedded computer for a prototype torpedo designed by experts at the Naval Undersea Warfare Center (NUWC) in Newport, R.I. They found their solution from VersaLogic Corp. in Eugene, Ore.

NUWC torpedo designers announced their intention Wednesday to award a sole-source, firm-fixed-price contract to VersaLogic for a PC/104 stack computer to provide guidance, weapons and power control, and data collection for a NUWC prototype torpedo.

Although the specific torpedo prototype has not been mentioned, NUWC designed the NUWC Light prototype lightweight torpedo to investigate different design factors in future lightweight torpedoes such as the Navy's current Mk 54 lightweight torpedo.

The amount of the upcoming NUWC contract to VersaLogic for the PC/104 stackable computer has yet to be negotiated. VersaLogic is the only company that can provide this kind of military embedded systems support because most of the components in this particularly PC/104 stack computer are proprietary to VersaLogic, Navy officials say.

This kind of stackable PC/104 embedded computer already are in use for prototype torpedoes, and Navy officials say it is imperative that their engineers use the exact systems to maintain continuity in torpedo testing.

The Navy's transition in recent years from an emphasis on open-ocean warfare against a perceived threat from the then-Soviet Union, to shallow-water littoral operations in coastal waters and harbors has ramped-up research on the most appropriate torpedoes for shallow-water operations.

The Mk 54, built by the Seapower Capability Systems segment of the Raytheon Co. Integrated Defense Systems in Portsmouth, R.I., was co-developed by Raytheon and the Navy in the 1990s to compensate for weaknesses perceived in the Navy's Mk 50 and Mk 46 lightweight torpedoes.

The Mk 50 was considered to be too expensive to use against submarines other than the top-of-the-line Soviet fast attack submarines of the day, while the Mk 46 did not perform as well in shallow-water littoral areas as it did in the open ocean, for which it was designed.

Raytheon and Navy experts agreed the newer Mk 54 lightweight torpedo should combine the Mk 50's homing capability and warhead with the Mk 46 propulsion system. Lightweight torpedoes typically are launched from surface ships and aircraft, while their heavyweight cousins, like the Mk 48 torpedo, are for launch from submarines.

PC/104 embedded computers stack one on top of the other, rather than plug into conventional backplanes, and so are suitable for use in the tubular shape of a prototype torpedo system.

For more information contact VersaLogic Corp. online at www.versalogic.com, or the Naval Undersea Warfare Center at www.navsea.navy.mil/nuwc.

Follow Military & Aerospace Electronics and Avionics Intelligence news updates on Twitter

3U VPX rugged graphics board with NVIDIA CUDA GPGPU for military embedded systems introduced by GE

Wed, 16 May 2012 05:30:00 GMT

Posted by John Keller

HUNTSVILLE, Ala., 16 May 2012. GE Intelligent Platforms in Huntsville, Ala., is introducing the GRA112 3U VPX rugged graphics board for demanding graphical applications that require a general-purpose graphics processing unit (GPGPU), such as intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR), radar, and sonar.

The GRA112 is a rugged solution that stands up to extremes of shock, vibration, temperature, and contaminants. It is appropriate for applications that are SWaP-constrained such as unmanned vehicles.

The GRA112 features a 384-core NVIDIA Kepler architecture-based EXK107 GPU, as well as 2 gigabytes of GDDR5 memory. GE engineers designed the embedded computing card as a technology-insertion upgrade to the company's GRA111 graphics board for military embedded systems.

The GRA112 features the latest PCI Express Gen 3 interconnect. GE's GPUDirect Peer-to-Peer technology allows data to stream onto the GPU, resulting in a 25x or more decrease in transfer latency from sensors to GPUs. This frees CPU resources and memory and enables GPUs to run time-sensitive applications such as electronic warfare.

The NVIDIA EXK107 GPU features the company's CUDA parallel computing architecture. The 384-core GPU can run as fast as 622 billion floating point operations per second (gigaFLOPS), 64 gigabytes per second internal memory bandwidth, and 16 gigabytes per second external PCI Express bandwidth.

Kepler is the latest generation of GPU technology from graphics specialist NVIDIA in Santa Clara, Calif. Availability of the pin-compatible GRA112 also provides a technology insertion upgrade path for users of the MAGIC1 rugged display computer.

For radar processing, double-precision floating point hardware mitigates the influence of artifacts introduced by single-precision processing. For video processing, the GRA112's aids video stitching and sensor fusion in wide-area surveillance applications that use data from several sensor types.

The GRA112 offers dual independent channels for driving RGB analog component video, digital DVI 1.0, and HDMI. In addition, the GRA112's video input capability allows integration of sensor data using RS170, NTSC or PAL video formats.

For more information contact GE Intelligent Platforms online at www.ge-ip.com, or NVIDIA at www.nvidia.com

Follow Military & Aerospace Electronics and Avionics Intelligence news updates on Twitter

On-demand satellite photos of the battlefield, coming to a handheld device near you

Tue, 15 May 2012 14:20:00 GMT

THE MIL & AERO VIDEO BLOG, 15 May 2012. Scientists at the U.S. Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) are prodding industry to find ways of providing on-demand satellite photos of the forward edge of battlefields quickly and at a price competitive with unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), as John Keller reports this week in the Mil & Aero video blog.

Army seeks situational-awareness intelligence capability for small units on the leading edge of battle

Tue, 15 May 2012 12:21:00 GMT

Posted by John Keller

ABERDEEN PROVING GROUND, Md., 15 May 2012. U.S. Army researchers are asking industry for ideas on how to enhance the situational awareness of small units such as companies, platoons, and squads operating on the forward edge of the battlefield that today generally do not have access to a wide variety of real-time intelligence.

Officials of the Army Contracting Command at Aberdeen Proving Ground, Md. (ACC-APG), issued a sources-sought notice (W15P7T12RA230) Friday for the Proactive Situational Awareness program to identify companies able to extend a common operating picture of the battlefield to small units that typically have limited time to gather important intelligence information, and that have little or no staff-level intelligence expertise.

Critical tactical intelligence data today may not reach small units quickly, which can result in surprise attacks, Army researchers say. The ACC-APG is responsible for acquiring next-generation equipment related to command, control, communications, computers, intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (C4ISR).

ACC-APG officials want to use existing and emerging technologies within the Army Intel cloud architecture to provide actionable intelligence to small units operating at the forward edge of the battlefield by extending the cloud computing capabilities of the Distributed Common Ground System-Army (DCGS-A).

Essentially, Army researchers want to create a company-level micro cloud to provide mobile intelligence and analysis capabilities at the lower command levels, as well as integrate intelligence and operations applications and data. Researchers also want intelligence-based threat inference, real-time tips and cues, and advanced sensing for the squad. An Army squad typically has nine or 10 soldiers, a platoon has 26 to 50 soldiers, and a company has 80 to 225 soldiers.

The DCGS-A -- the Army's component of the Pentagon's Distributed Common Ground/Surface System -- is an intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) enterprise for gathering, analyzing, and distributing information across all Army echelons.

The latest version of DCGS-A connects commanders to hundreds of intelligence data sources, and integrates human intelligence, full-motion video, cloud computing, and new intelligence applications through the OZONE network, which also will provide two-way communications to link intelligence and command systems for visual information and decision support.

The Proactive Situational Awareness project seeks to provide:

-- an integrated system that includes analysis and alerting tools;

-- micro cloud computing to support operations and intelligence collaboration in real time at the company level; and

-- sensor data integration with common sensor interface, data correlation, data feed into squad tips and cues framework, and integration into the DCGS-A cloud.

The project seeks industry ideas on how to add analysis and alerting tools and micro cloud computing to the DCGS-A system.

Companies interested in participating in the Proactive Situational Awareness program should provide the Army with ideas, cost estimates, software licensing rights, and how proposed solutions might be used in an Army program of record.

Respond no later than 1 June 2012 by e-mail to proactiverfi@mi.army.mil. The subject line should read Proactive Situational Awareness RFI. The Army guarantees no contract awards based on this request for information.

For questions or concerns, contact the Army's Alexander del Rosario by phone at 443-861-4658. More information is online at https://www.fbo.gov/notices/7266d672582bc782ce927258093cbc26.

Follow Military & Aerospace Electronics and Avionics Intelligence news updates on Twitter

Rugged Cisco PMC module for military ad-hoc networking on the move introduced by X-ES

Tue, 15 May 2012 05:15:00 GMT

Posted by John Keller

MIDDLETON, Wis., 15 May 2012. Extreme Engineering Solutions (X-ES) in Middleton, Wis., is introducing the XPedite5205 PCI mezzanine card (PMC) embedded computing router module hosting Cisco IOS IP Routing software for mobile ad hoc networking for military and emergency response.

The XPedite5205 embedded services router (ESR) extends the Cisco enterprise infrastructure beyond the reach of traditional fixed-network infrastructure for military embedded systems, oil and gas, mining, smart grid, transportation, and public safety applications.

The XPedite5205 ESR has Cisco Mobile Ready Net capabilities to provide secure data, voice, and video communications to stationary and mobile network nodes across wired and wireless links. When combined with UHF, VHF, Wi-Fi, and other radio links, the combination can create mobile, wireless ad hoc networks, without requiring a connection to central infrastructure, company officials say.

The XPedite5205 can be retrofitted into deployed VME, CompactPCI, VPX, and custom systems with an available or open PMC site.

The module has the Freescale Power Architecture processor; four integrated 10/100/1000 Ethernet ports; runs Cisco IOS Release 15.2GC; support for the Cisco Unified Communications Manager Express (CME); Cisco Mobile Ready Net, which allows for mobile ad hoc networking and Radio Aware Routing (RAR) with Dynamic Link Exchange Protocol (DLEP); on-board hardware acceleration and encryption; integrated threat control using Cisco IOS Firewall, Cisco IOS Zone-based Firewall, Cisco IOS intrusion prevention system (IPS), and Cisco IOS content filtering; identity management using authentication, authorization, and accounting (AAA) and public key infrastructure; and conduction- or air-cooling.

For more information contact X-ES online at www.xes-inc.com

Northrop Grumman's Infrared Missile Warning System enters full rate production

Tue, 15 May 2012 05:15:00 GMT

ROLLING MEADOWS, Ill., 15 May 2012. The NexGen Infrared missile warning system (MWS), a system Northrop Grumman Corp. (NYSE:NOC) designed, built and tested protection system for C-17, EC-130J, HC/MC-130J and other Air Force aircraft, was authorized for full rate production by the U.S. Air Force.

Infrared MWS use the infrared radiation that missiles release in order to detect missiles. Unlike ultra violet MWS, an infrared system does not necessarily require the missile's motor to be burning in order to detect threats. In addition, infrared MWS allow for directional information for deployment of decoys and evasive maneuvers.

Northrop Grumman's IRCM systems are now installed or scheduled for installation on many military aircraft across the Department of Defense to protect different types of large fixed-wing transports and rotary-wing platforms from infrared missile attacks.

HGH Infrared Systems to produce IR cameras for use in Afghanistan

Tue, 15 May 2012 05:00:00 GMT

BOSTON, Mass. 15 May 2012. HGH Infrared Systems, a designer of optical and infrared systems based in Cambridge, Mass., will produce 25 IR Revolution 360 cameras in the next year as part of the Persistent Ground Surveillance System (PGSS) program. This order is part of a $5.8 million contract from the U.S. Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division-Lakehurst, NJ. This comes after 20 cameras were acquired to insure Forward Operation Base protection on 80 foot Wide-Area-Surveillance towers deployed in Afghanistan.

The HGH IR Revolution 360 infrared camera system uses thermal imaging to monitor activities in a 360 degree field of view. The IR sensor operates in the 8 to 10 micrometer spectral range, and automatically detects and tracks targets in range.

The IR Revolution 360 features a cooled thermal imaging sensor that rotates continuously at 1 revolution/sec for 360 degree coverage of an area. The camera provides 12 Megapixel panoramic images in darkness and adverse weather conditions. This technology operates as an optical radar coupled with analytics.

The data feed provided by the IR Revolution 360 is used by warfighters to pinpoint targets in the and gather forensics intelligence on insurgents or terrorists operating on the ground.

More than 50 IR Revolution 360 cameras have been deployed worldwide to date.

High-performance embedded computing (HPEC) builds momentum as GE establishes HPEC center of excellence

Mon, 14 May 2012 17:33:00 GMT

Posted by John Keller

BILLERICA, Mass., 14 May 2012. GE Intelligent Platforms in Huntsville, Ala., is establishing a High Performance Embedded Computing (HPEC) Center of Excellence (CoE) at the company's advanced software development center in Billerica, Mass. The company's HPEC CoE will focus powerful, flexible intelligent systems for military and aerospace embedded computing, company officials say.

Although the HPEC CoE, which opened in April, will be operated by and for embedded computing designers at GE Intelligent Platforms, the center also will gain significant benefit from GE's corporate research and development activities.

The GE HPEC CoE joins other recently established high-performance embedded computing center of excellence. Curtiss-Wright Controls Defense Solutions, for example, opened its Continuum High Performance Embedded Computing (HPEC) Center of Excellence (CoE) in October 2010 to focus on large-node digital signal processing (DSP) for military embedded systems.

The Curtiss-Wright HPEC CoE, located at the company's headquarters in Ashburn, Va., concentrates on DSP clusters including heterogenous combinations of field-programmable gate array (FPGA) and central processing unit (CPU) elements, A/D and D/A conversion, I/O, interconnects, fabrics, middleware and libraries.

GE's new HPEC center of excellence will help company experts enhance their existing range of HPEC solutions designed harsh demanding environments such as military deployments, company officials say. GE offers HPEC board-level solutions, -subsystems, and software development that takes advantage of GE's AXIS Advanced Multiprocessor Integrated Software.

The goal of GE's HPEC CoE is to help develop high-technology-readiness-level (TRL) commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) embedded computing, as well as custom systems. The center also offers consulting services, and will create application-focused algorithms.

"Establishing this new Center of Excellence allows us to create a single point of contact for our customers," says Jay Swenson, director of military and aerospace marketing and business at GE Intelligent Platforms.

The definition of high-performance embedded computing, or HPEC, is somewhat open to debate. Some experts contend that HPEC primarily involves software for large clusters of embedded processors. Others say HPEC simply refers to higher-performance embedded computers than typically are found on the open market.

High-performance computing (HPC) typically refers to parallel processing techniques for running complex application programs. The term applies especially to systems that function at speeds in excess of 1 trillion floating point operations per second (teraflop). Although some of the most common HPC users are scientific researchers, the military also relies on HPC for complex applications.

An embedded system, meanwhile, is a computer that controls functions within a larger system, with microcontrollers or digital signal processors (DSP) embedded as part of a complete device. In aerospace and defense applications, high-performance embedded computers, which increasingly are labeled intelligent systems, often handle complex sensor processing in applications like radar, sonar, electronic warfare, and signals intelligence.

GE Intelligent Platforms provides Intel- and PowerPC-based single board computers and multiprocessor boards, as well as rugged COTS NVIDIA CUDA general purpose graphics processing unit (GPGPU) products for defense applications.

For more information contact GE Intelligent Platforms online at www.ge-ip.com.

Follow Military & Aerospace Electronics and Avionics Intelligence news updates on Twitter

RF and microwave amplifiers and mixers for military sensors and SATCOM introduced by Hittite

Mon, 14 May 2012 10:39:00 GMT

Posted by John Keller

CHELMSFORD, Mass., 14 May 2012. Hittite Microwave Corp. in Chelmsford, Mass., is introducing two RF and microwave amplifiers and three mixers for microwave & millimeter wave radios, military sensors, test & measurement equipment, and satellite communications (SATCOM) applications operating at frequencies from 24 to 46.5 GHz.

The HMC1040LP3CE is a self-biased gallium arsenide (GaAs) monolithic microwave integrated circuit (MMIC) low-noise amplifier (LNA) that operates between 24 and 43.5 GHz and delivers 23 dB gain, 2.2 dB noise figure, and offers output IP3 as high as +22 dBm.

The component consumes 70 milliamps of power from a 2.5-volt power supply while the output P1dB rating of +12 dBm enables it to serve as a LO driver. The HMC1040LP3CE has I/Os that are DC blocked and internally matched to 50 Ohms, and is housed in a 3-by-3-millimeter QFN plastic package.

The HMC1016 is a four stage GaAs pseudomorphic high electron mobility Transistor (PHEMT) MMIC medium power amplifier die that operates between 34 and 46.5 GHz. The device provides 22 dB of gain, +26 dBm of saturated output power, and 17 percent PAE from a 6-volt supply. With output IP3 as high as +37 dBm, the HMC1016 is for high-linearity applications in point-to-point radio, as well as for military and space applications. The wideband driver amplifier occupies less than two square millimeters.

The HMC1041LC4 and HMC1042LC4 are compact I/Q MMIC mixers that cover RF frequencies from 17 to 27 GHz and from 15 to 33.5 GHz respectively. Each mixer uses two double-balanced mixer cells and a 90 degree hybrid, and is fabricated in a GaAs metal semiconductor field effect transistor (MESFET) process.

These integrated converters can be used as either image reject mixers or as single sideband upconverters with conversion losses as low as 9 dB. The HMC1041LC4 and HMC1042LC4 come in 4-by-4-millimeter QFN packages and require no external components.

The HMC1043LC3 is a special-purpose triple balanced mixer that accepts 16 to 22 GHz at the IF port and 26 to 32 GHz at the RF port. The HMC1043LC3 exhibits excellent LO/RF, LO/IF and 2 LO/IF isolation due to optimized balun structures, and requires no external components. The HMC1043LC3 operates with LO drive levels as low as 9 dBm from 7 to 11 GHz, and is for upconversion and downconversion in satellite transponder applications. The HMC1043LC3 is housed in a compact 3-by-3-millimeter QFN package and requires no external matching components.

For more information contact Hittite Microwave online at www.hittite.com.

Follow Military & Aerospace Electronics and Avionics Intelligence news updates on Twitter

Army wants ideas from industry on how to place communications and EW systems on vehicles without co-location interference

Sun, 13 May 2012 13:44:00 GMT

Posted by John Keller

ABERDEEN PROVING GROUND, Md., 13 May 2012. U.S. Army radio frequency (RF) experts are reaching out to industry for ideas on how to place RF communications and electronic warfare (EW) systems near one another on vehicles without causing RF interference.

The Communications-Electronics Research Development and Engineering Center (CERDEC) of the Army Research Development and Engineering Command at Aberdeen Proving Ground, Md., issued a sources-sought notice (W15P7T12RA229) last week asking companies to identify themselves tat are able to provide mitigation techniques, for co-located communications systems and EW systems.

Army researches are interested in investigating all classes of deconfliction solutions -- not just those that to date have been successful in reducing EW and communication interference -- and test them for the best solutions. Researchers want to hear from companies with technology that can mitigate interoperability issues caused by co-located communications and EW systems.

Researchers are interested in solutions involving algorithms, protocols, techniques, or processes. Solutions not only must maintain the full capability of communications systems and EW systems when co-located on a vehicle, but also should be applicable to existing communications and EW systems.

CERDEC researchers say industry should consider developing an optimization algorithm or hardware and software process to enable future communications and EW systems to collaborate on the most appropriate deconfliction action.

Companies interested should respond no later than 31 July 2012 with detailed descriptions of how offerings will assess the deconfliction solutions and develop techniques including hardware and software to mitigate the communications and EW spectral conflicts.

Companies should provide the names, telephone numbers, fax numbers, street addresses and e-mail addresses for program, technical and cost points of contact. Qualified vendors must have expert knowledge of Army communications systems or electronic warfare systems and possess a U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) secret facility clearance. Based on submissions, Army researchers may conduct a conference or one-on-one discussions with industry at Aberdeen Proving Ground.

To respond, e-mail information to the Army's Ken Roman at ken.r.roman@us.army.mil. For questions or concerns, contact Ken Roman by phone at 443-861-0129, or by e-mail at ken.r.roman@us.army.mil. Send responses electronically to the Army Single Face for Industry (ASFI) at https://acquisition.army.mil/asfi.

More information is online at https://www.fbo.gov/notices/bad81b5f0ec3b18ddb845a5051eb61be.

Follow Military & Aerospace Electronics and Avionics Intelligence news updates on Twitter

Boeing looks to Vision Systems for helmet-mounted displays for jet fighter aircraft pilots

Sun, 13 May 2012 12:18:00 GMT

Posted by John Keller

SAN JOSE, Calif., 13 May 2012. Combat aircraft designers at the Boeing Co.Defense, Space & Security segment in St. Louis needed helmet-mounted displays for jet fighters. They found their solution from Vision Systems International LLC (VSI) in San Jose, Calif. Boeing awarded VSI a $32 million contract for the Joint Helmet Mounted Cueing System (JHMCS) for U.S. Navy and Air Force jet fighter pilots, as well as for combat aircraft operating in Finland, Australia, Belgium, Canada, and Switzerland.

This JHMCS buy is for the Boeing F/A-18 Hornet strike fighter and the Lockheed Martin F-16 jet fighter. VSI will provide Boeing with the JHMCS full-rate production lot eight. Deliveries are to be through 2013.

The JHMCS enables pilots "to maintain eyes-out while viewing critical information on the helmet visor," says VLSI President Phil King. The JHMCS helps jet fighter pilots fire the AIM-9X Sidewinder heat-seeking air-to-air missile as part of the High-Off-BoreSight (HOBS) system that enables pilots to aim onboard weapons at enemy aircraft by pointing their heads at the targets.

In an air-to-ground role, pilots use the JHMCS with targeting sensors and smart weapons to attack surface targets. In all roles, images and symbology are projected onto the JHMCS visor to provide the pilot with aircraft status information, targeting data, weapons status, and threat warning information no matter where the pilot is looking.

The idea is to enhance pilot situation awareness throughout the mission. In a dual-seat aircraft, each crew member can wear a JHMCS helmet, perform operations independently of each other, and have continuous awareness of where the other crew member is looking, Boeing officials say.

The JHMCS has a magnetic helmet-mounted tracker determines where the pilot's head is pointed, and combines that capability with a miniature display system on the helmet's visor. The head tracker and visor display can aim sensors and weapons wherever the pilot is looking.

The JHMCS can the pilot airspeed, altitude, target range, and other information while the pilot looks outside of the cockpit. To attack a ground target, the pilot can acquire the target with a sensor and note it's location on the helmet display, or use the helmet display to cue sensors and weapons to a visually detected ground target.

Since targets may be located at high-off-boresight line-of-sight locations in relation to the shooter, the system delivers a short-range intercept envelope that is larger than other air-to-air weapons. The helmet also can be datalinked to hand visually detected targets from one aircraft to another.

VSI is a joint venture among Elbit Systems of America, and Rockwell Collins, and has produced more than 4,500 JHMCS for the F-15, F-16, and F/A-18 aircraft.

For more information contact VSI online at www.vsi-hmcs.com, or Boeing Defense, Space & Security online at www.boeing.com/bds.

Follow Military & Aerospace Electronics and Avionics Intelligence news updates on Twitter

Water-resistant Ethernet connectors for harsh outdoor environments introduced by CONEC

Sun, 13 May 2012 05:15:00 GMT

Posted by John Keller

GARNER, N.C., 13 May 2012. American CONEC Corp. in Garner, N.C., is introducing water-resistant Ethernet I/O port connectors with a special flange-mount for deployment in harsh environments such as security and surveillance equipment, GPS systems, communications, industrial machinery, and test and measurement equipment.

The die-cast nickel-plated IP67-rated water-resistant connectors enable designers to use popular data ports in harsh-environments. The connectors come in Cat5e or Cat6e configurations for increased protection from contamination and moisture, as well as for mechanical stability, temperature resistance, vibration immunity, and EMI/RFI shielding, CONEC officials say.

"These compact connectors offer a robust solution to extreme weather conditions or the hazards of factory processes, yet remain fully compatible with standard cables and interconnect products," says Peter Persico, technical support specialist at CONEC.

The flange-mounted IP67-rated RJ45 connector with gold-plated contacts can be front or rear-mounted to a maximum panel thickness of 3.20 millimeters, and operates in temperatures from -40 to 85 degrees Celsius. The connectors have a 1/6th turn bayonet coupling, and are operable with gloved hands.

The RJ45 connectors seal out dust and weather with a silicone ring seal that creates a watertight connection to the panel. For more information contact CONEC online at www.conec.com.

Follow Military & Aerospace Electronics and Avionics Intelligence news updates on Twitter

Mercury releases 10 Teraflop ISR Subsystem Capability

Sat, 12 May 2012 05:15:00 GMT

CHELMSFORD, Mass., 12 May 2012. Mercury Computer Systems, Inc. (NASDAQ: MRCY), a provider of ISR and EW subsystems based in Chelmsford, Mass., has released StreamDirect, a method for delivering streams of sensor data to specialized coprocessors such as general purpose graphics processing units (GPGPUs).

StreamDirect, designed for use in areas such as military embedded systems, enables transfers from the I/O sensors directly to the GPGPUs, supporting over 10 teraflops (TFLOPS) of processing capability in a rugged OpenVPX system. StreamDirect has been deployed in previous Mercury products, but it is now being made available in Mercury's standard product, the 6U OpenVPX GSC6201. The GSC6201 is a carrier card that uses industry-standard GPGPU MXMs and is designed to accept those based on the NVIDIA Fermi and Kepler architectures.

StreamDirect enables direct communication of data from the source, such as a sensor input device, into a coprocessor's memory, such as a GPGPU, without intermediate storage in the CPU. Most systems that use GPGPUs have to first pass the data to a CPU's memory and then transfer the same data from the CPU's memory to the GPGPU. StreamDirect eliminates the copy step, creating a high-bandwidth DMA channel between the sensor and the GPGPU. StreamDirect uses Mercury's POET/ICS technology and NVIDIA GPUDirect to provide a system-wide communication capability that enables applications such as EO/IR, radar, cyber and electronic warfare to benefit from quicker data delivery.

To keep up with the advances in GPGPU innovations, Mercury is using the MXM form factor to deliver GPGPU technology in a rugged OpenVPX module. The GSC6201 can be upgraded to other GPGPU architectures, such as the embedded Kepler MXM, when they are available.

NVIDIA CUDA, OpenCL and Mercury's Scientific Algorithm Library (SAL) software development platforms are supported on the GSC6201, offering processing functions based on open standards, cross-platform support, and porting of legacy applications to leverage parallel stream processing with GPGPUs.

The GSC6201 is available in commercial and rugged versions including air- and conduction-cooled configurations. Mercury offers StreamDirect for NVIDIA GPGPUs as well.

For more information contact Mercury online at www.mc.com

Boeing QF-16 aerial target completes first flight test

Sat, 12 May 2012 05:00:00 GMT

JACKSONVILLE, Fla., 12 May 2012. Boeing Co. [NYSE: BA] and the U.S. Air Force completed the first manned flight of the QF-16 Full Scale Aerial Target (FSAT) on May 4 at Cecil Field in Jacksonville.

The flight was part of an Air Force contract awarded in March 2010 that represented Phase I of the initial engineering, manufacturing and development of the QF-16, with options to buy up to 126 FSATs.

QF-16s are F-16 Fighting Falcons that are modified for use as a target. Any unneeded parts, such as the Vulcan six-barrel 20mm cannon, are removed and additional hardware is installed that allows the QF-16 to fly in an unmanned mode while under the control of a ground-based control system such as the Gulf Range Drone Control System at Tyndall Air Force Base, Fla., or the Drone Formation Control System at White Sands Missile Range (WSMR), N.M.

The functional check flight of the F-16, under control of a Boeing test pilot validated the aircraft's performance with the QF-16 drone modification package installed. During the test phase in Jacksonville, a GRDCS mobile trailer with portable transmission towers will provide communications between the flight controller and other personnel on the ground and the QF-16 pilot.

The QF-16s are a higher-performing aircraft than the QF-4 they replace, QF-16s are able to travel at speeds in excess of Mach 2 and maneuver more tightly, and represent fourth-generation targets. They will be flown manned or unmanned within a controlled range and equipped to evaluate how U.S. fighters and weapons will operate against potential opponents.

Boeing will deliver six QF-16 test aircraft to Tyndall in October for additional testing over the Gulf Range. After the conclusion of these tests Boeing will support government flight testing from Holloman Air Force Base, N.M., over the WSMR complex.

DARPA seeks to develop small reconnaissance satellites that are cheaper to build than UAVs

Fri, 11 May 2012 12:37:00 GMT

Posted by John Keller

ARLINGTON, Va., 11 May 2012. Scientists at the U.S. Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) in Arlington, Va., want to make relevant battlefield imagery available to front-line warfighters in real time using constellations of temporary and inexpensive orbiting satellites that are launched quickly enough to support fast-moving military operations.

The DARPA Tactical Technology Office (TTO) released a broad-agency announcement (DARPA-BAA-12-35) Wednesday for the Space Enabled Effects for Military Engagements (SeeMe) program that aims to provide useful on-demand imagery directly to the lowest-echelon warfighter in the field from small low-cost satellites.

The SeeMe satellites would help clear away the fog of war by filling gaps in battlefield situational awareness before, during, and after military engagements, DARPA officials say. Companies interested in participating have until 29 June 2012 to submit proposals.

The SeeMe program would provide reliable persistent-surveillance data to front-line forces using small, short-lived, very-low-cost satellites operating at low altitudes that are networked to fielded military communications systems and handheld devices. Satellites should cost no more than $500,000 each, not counting launch and ground-support operations.

DARPA experts say they expect to award several initial SeeMe contracts, and the total cost of the program's first phase will be about $45 million.

The SeeMe short-duration satellite constellations would compensate for today's weaknesses in gathering situational-awareness data that today does not provide the lowest-echelon warfighters with on-demand satellite imagery due to the unavailability of satellite overflight opportunities, lack of information distribution channels, priority conflicts, and classification restrictions.

At the same time, terrorists and other enemy forces have access to commercial imagery information that gives them an advantage. The SeeMe program would give small U.S. squads and fire-teams reliable information in remote and beyond-line-of-sight conditions, DARPA officials say.

Rather than using expensive high-orbit reconnaissance satellites that are tasked remotely and their products analyzed through a centralized organization, the SeeMe program would use short-lived low-cost satellites would provide large global coverage at lower cost than a set of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) flying simultaneously over several theaters per day, DARPA officials say.

SeeMe satellites would be designed based on cost, rather than on performance, and would seek to revolutionize the existing satellite-development model to cut costs to a fraction of manned or unmanned aircraft -- primarily using commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) components.

SeeMe satellites also would use non-traditional RF and optical apertures and imagery processing techniques, as well as innovative manufacturing and rapid launch systems to match the speed of military operations.

The SeeMe program is coordinating with the DARPA Airborne Launch Assist Space Access (ALASA) program, which aims to drive down launch costs with revolutionary technologies and operations approaches to create affordable launch capability for small satellites to low-altitude orbits.

The combined SeeMe and ALASA programs will culminate in an on-orbit demonstration in 2014 or 2015 of a constellation of 24 SeeMe satellites operating in low orbits between 125 and 185 miles above the Earth.

The program seeks to deliver a constellation of small reconnaissance satellites within 90 days order at a cost of about $12 million -- a fraction of the cost of an existing UAV. SeeMe satellites would provide persistent coverage of any point on the Earth with no coverage gaps greater than 90 minutes, and would last for at least 45 days.

The preliminary phase of the SeeMe program is to last for 14 months, while the second phase of the program would last for 15 months and demonstrate a production run of at least six satellites. The third phase would last a year and produce a constellation of 24 satellites.

For questions or concerns, contact the SeeMe program by e-mail at DARPA-BAA-12-35@darpa.mil, or by fax at 703-516- 8725, Attention: DARPA-BAA-12-35. Proposals may not be submitted by fax or e-mail. The SeeMe program manager is David Barnhart.

Those interested should send proposals in writing and on CDROM by post no later than 29 June 2012 to DARPA/TTO Attn: DARPA-BAA-12-35 30, 675 North Randolph St., Arlington, Va., 22203-2114.

More information is online at https://www.fbo.gov/spg/ODA/DARPA/CMO/DARPA-BAA-12-35/listing.html.

100-to-120-Watt eighth-brick DC-DC converters for embedded computing introduced by Murata Power

Fri, 11 May 2012 07:30:00 GMT

Posted by John Keller

MANSFIELD, Mass., 11 May 2012. Murata Power Solutions Inc. in Mansfield, Mass., is introducing the UWE series 100-to-120-Watt eighth-brick DC-DC converters for embedded computing applications, instrumentation subsystems, and military embedded systems. The open frame isolated DOSA-compatible power electronics devices provide an efficiency of typically 91.5 percent, which requires no forced-air cooling in most applications.

The UWE series uses industry-standard through-hole package, and measures 2.3 by 0.9 by 0.39 inches, The single-output units offer nominal outputs of 3.3, 5, or 12 volts DC. The device operates in temperatures from -40 to 85 degrees Celsius.

The converters accommodate a 4:1 input voltage range from 18 to 75 volts DC around a nominal 48 volts DC. Line regulation is kept within plus-or-minus 0.25 percent voltage output and load regulation is a maximum of plus-or-minus 0.2 percent voltage output.

On-board remote sense inputs compensate for line voltage errors at high output currents. A trim function provides the ability to adjust outputs plus-or-minus 10 percent of nominal output voltage to compensate for line losses.

Input to output isolation is 2,250 volts DC. Protection features include input under voltage, output short circuit, over current, and over temperature. An optional baseplate is available for conduction-cooled applications.

For more information contact Murata Power online at www.murata-ps.com.

Follow Military & Aerospace Electronics and Avionics Intelligence news updates on Twitter

Canada receives final Lockheed Martin CC-130J Super Hercules military transport aircraft

Fri, 11 May 2012 05:15:00 GMT

MARIETTA, Ga., 11 May 2012. The Royal Canadian Air Force accepted the 17th Lockheed Martin [NYSE: LMT] CC-130J Super Hercules, completing an order placed in December 2007. The aircraft will be flown to Canadian Forces Base Trenton in the near future.

The original contract called for all 17 aircraft to be delivered by the end of 2012. The first CC-130J was accepted in June 2010.

The Lockheed Martin CC-130J Super Hercules is a four-engine turboprop military transport aircraft. The CC-130J has a range of 3,262 miles and can carry 42,000 lbs. The aircraft is currently operated by many different militaries, including Australia, Canada, the United States, Denmark, Israel and several others.

Lockheed Martin has delivered more than $350 million in Industrial and Regional Benefits (IRB) to Canadian industry as a result of the Government of Canada's procurement of the CC-130J aircraft and In-Service Support.

GE Intelligent Platforms introduces the SBC325 3U VPX single board computer

Fri, 11 May 2012 05:00:00 GMT

HUNTSVILLE, Ala., 11 May 2012. GE Intelligent Platforms announced their new rugged single board computer (SBC) based on 3rd Generation Intel Core quad core processor technology. The SBC325 uses the 3U VPX form factor and is designed for military and aerospace applications such as command/control, ISR (intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance), radar/sonar and signal processing.

3rd Generation Intel Core processors can maintain full performance at more elevated temperatures than the previous generation, offering an opportunity for the development of new capabilities in small form factor applications.

The SBC325 can be used with a mezzanine XMC/PMC site for flexibility and expandability or a quad fat-pipe (x16 PCI Express) for connectivity to general-purpose computing on graphics processing units (GPGPUs), making it suitable for many different High Performance Embedded Computing (HPEC) applications.

The new OpenVPX platform is 100% compatible with the previous two generations in GE's 3U VPXcel3 family, allowing for a simple upgrade path for existing users.

The SBC325 is available in five build levels, from benign (air cooled) to fully rugged (conduction cooled).

The SBC325 is initially offered with the 2.1GHz Intel Core i7-3612QE processor featuring Intel Advanced Vector Extensions (Intel AVX), up to 8GBytes of DDR3 memory and a solid state disk drive of up to 32GBytes capacity. It also features a range of I/O options including Gigabit Ethernet, SATA, USB and audio.

Operating systems that the SBC325 supports are Windows 7, Open Linux, Wind River Linux and VxWorks.

For more information on the SBC325 visit GE here.

Marine Corps picks 10 companies to supply as much as $775 million in computer equipment over next five years

Thu, 10 May 2012 08:31:00 GMT

Posted by John Keller

QUANTICO, Va., 10 May 2012. U.S. Marine Corps leaders are choosing 10 information technology (IT) companies to compete for contracts collectively worth as much as $775 million over the next three to five years to provide commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) military computer equipment as part of the Marine Corps Common Hardware Suite (MCCHS) program, which the Marine Corp put in place to meet the service's IT hardware requirements.

Officials of the Marine Corps Systems Command in Quantico, Va., identified the 10 MCCHS equipment providers on Tuesday, which will supply rugged and commercial-grade laptop and tablet computers, computer workstations, and servers for Marine Corps use within the United States and during overseas military operations.

The 10 MCCHS providers are Blue Tech Inc. in San Diego; CDW-G in Vernon Hills, Ill.; Countertrade Products Inc. in Arvada, Colo.; Dell Inc. in Round Rock, Texas; GTSI Corp. in Herndon, Va.; Intelligent Decisions Inc. in Ashburn, Va.; Iron Bow Technologies in Chantilly, Va.; a team of Integration Technologies Group Inc. (ITG) in Falls Church, Va., and ePlus Inc. in Herndon, Va.; NCS Technologies Inc. in Gainesville, Va.; and World Wide Technology Inc. in St. Louis.

These companies will bid on Marine Corps computer buys over the next three years, with two potential additional years possible. The companies will provide COTS computer systems, including ruggedized and non-ruggedized desktops and laptops, as well as servers and related computer equipment and accessories. Each of the 10 MCCHS suppliers received an indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity, multiple-award contract.

MCCHS equipment, will provide standardized computing equipment and worldwide integrated logistics support for Marine Corps and U.S. Navy operating forces at the lowest possible cost through centralized procurement, Marine Corps officials say.

The MCCHS program over the next five years could purchase as many as 141,838 general-purpose workstations, 103,792 general purpose laptop computers, 20,345 high-performance laptop computers, 20,235 all-in-one computers, 15,860 netbook computers, 15,860 light-weight laptop computers, 15,860 slate computers, 7,880 ruggedized tablet computers, 7,220 commercial-grade tablet computers, 4,760 rugged slate computers, 3,200 lightweight laptop computers, 3,145 semi-ruggedized touchscreen laptop computers, 2,300 departmental 3U and 4U rack-mount servers 1,595 deployable 1U rack-mount servers, 1,560 entry 2U rack-mount servers, 885 high-performance workstations, 520 1U workstations, 200 specialty blade 10U rack-mount servers, and 45 ruggedized ultra-mobile touchscreen PCs.

The MCCHS program calls for some specialization in COTS computing equipment to meet military needs. For example, no item may contain embedded Bluetooth, and must provide the ability to disable wireless that transmits or receives any information over RF signals.

In addition, no device may have firmware based tracking or anti-theft software, and all laptop computers must have a Trusted Platform Module (TPM), version 1.2 or greater. MCCHS equipment users also must be able to disable any internal microphones, and no device may contain a built-in camera or any other imaging devices.

For more information contact the Marine Corps Systems Command online at www.marines.mil/unit/marcorsyscom.

Department of Homeland Security officials select five companies for Tactical Communications program

Thu, 10 May 2012 08:00:00 GMT

ORLANDO, Fla., 10 May 2012. U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) officials have selected five technology firms from a group of 20 to compete for future task orders through its new Tactical Communications (TACCOM) program. Lockheed Martin [NYSE:LMT] is among the five to compete for TACCOM tasks in all five of the program's core areas. The two-year program has three option years and a potential ceiling value of $3 billion for all awardees.

DHS officials intend to procure, through the indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity (IDIQ) program, vital tactical equipment engineering, operations, and maintenance services to support reliable, public-safety communication for its missions at the state and local levels. Contractors may be asked to provide equipment or engineering services to gain increased interoperability.

"Protecting national security requires good tactical communication for situational awareness and coordination," says June Shrewsbury, vice president of technical services within Lockheed Martin's Global Training and Logistics business.

Other federal agencies, such as the Departments of Interior, State, Justice, and the White House Communications Agency, can also use the TACCOM IDIQ contract vehicle to acquire equipment and services.

Radiation-hardened DC-DC converter for orbital and deep-space applications introduced by VPT

Thu, 10 May 2012 05:30:00 GMT

Posted by John Keller

BLACKSBURG, Va., 10 May 2012. VPT Inc. in Blacksburg, Va., is introducing the radiation-hardened SVGA0515 series point of load DC-DC converter for use in the extreme environment of space. VPT experts have qualified the SVGA0515 to MIL-PRF-38534 Class H and Class K.

The rad-hard SVGA series functions as a non-isolated, regulated buck converter that steps down the voltage at the point of use in distributed power systems headed for low-, medium-, and geosynchronous Earth orbits, as well as for deep-space missions.

The power electronics device delivers as much as 50 Watts of output power, is radiation hardened to 100 kilorads (Si) including enhanced low dose rate sensitivity (ELDRS), and is characterized to SEE of 85 MeV-cm2/mg.

VPT guarantees the performance of the SVGA0515S in space systems by design through worst-case analysis, use of radiation-hardened components, and radiation lot acceptance testing (RLAT) of semiconductor components. The SVGA comes in hermetically sealed metal cases, company officials say.

For more information contact VPT online at www.vpt-inc.com.

Follow Military & Aerospace Electronics and Avionics Intelligence news updates on Twitter

Northrop Grumman to provide Fire Scout UAVs to Navy

Thu, 10 May 2012 05:00:00 GMT

SAN DIEGO, Calif., 10 May 2012. The U.S. Navy has placed an order for three additional Northrop Grumman MQ-8B Fire Scout unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) and one ground control station. The order is valued at $25.7 million.

MQ-8B Fire Scout is an unmanned autonomous helicopter designed for U.S. Navy situational awareness and precision targeting. The unmanned aircraft is based on the Schweizer Model 333 two-seat manned helicopter from Schweizer Aircraft Corp. in Horseheads, N.Y. It can autonomously take off and land on any aviation-capable warship and at unprepared landing zones.

The MQ-8B Fire Scout vertical takeoff and landing tactical unmanned aerial vehicle (VTUAV) has a modular mission payload of electro-optical and infrared sensors, as well as a laser pointer and laser rangefinder, which enable the aircraft to find, track, and designate targets and perform battle damage assessment. The MQ-8 also can act as a communications node for network-centric warfare.

The unmanned helicopter uses the Tactical Control Segment (TCS) software from the Raytheon Co. Intelligence and Information Systems business, the FLIR Systems BRITE Star II electro-optical and infrared (EO/IR) payload, and the Northrop Grumman COBRA multi-spectral mine detection payload. The aircraft also carries the Tactical Common Data Link (TCDL) from Cubic Corp. to relay real-time wide-band imagery and other information.

Northrop Grumman is currently working on a contract to outfit the MQ-8B with a weapons system, the Advanced Precision Kill Weapon System laser-guided 70 mm rocket, under a $17 million contract awarded to the company in 2011 by Naval Air Systems Command. The weapons system is supposed to be operational on the Fire Scout in 2013.

Work for this order will be completed before 2014 and will take place at Northrop Grumman facilities in Moss Point, Miss., and San Diego, Calif.

General Dynamics acquires wireless network component provider IPWireless Inc

Wed, 09 May 2012 05:15:00 GMT

FALLS CHURCH, Va., 9 May 2012. General Dynamics (NYSE: GD) has executed a definitive agreement to acquire IPW Holdings, Inc., the parent company of 3G and 4G LTE wireless broadband network equipment provider IPWireless, Inc. The value of the transaction has not been disclosed.

The acquisition has been approved by the boards of directors of both companies and is subject to normal regulatory review. The transaction is expected to be completed in the third quarter of 2012.

IPWireless develops 3G and 4G wireless broadband and broadcast solutions, including chipsets, devices and complete network infrastructure solutions, based on 3GPP, a widely used mobile standard. IPWireless also produces wireless-network components, user devices and end-to-end systems, making tools such as real-time fingerprint identification and high-resolution video more available. The company has customers in sectors such as government, consumer electronics, and more.

IPWireless is based in San Francisco and has approximately 90 employees worldwide.

When the transaction is completed, IPWireless will be renamed General Dynamics Broadband and will operate as a subsidiary of General Dynamics C4 Systems, which is based in Scottsdale, Ariz. General Dynamics C4 systems designs, manufacturers and delivers communications systems, command and control systems and operational hardware to customers within the U.S. Department of Defense, federal and civilian agencies, the intelligence community and international customers.

Curtiss-Wright Controls VPX3-685 router begins common criteria certification

Wed, 09 May 2012 05:00:00 GMT

ASHBURN, Va., 9 May 2012. Curtiss-Wright Controls Defense Solutions (CWCDS), a business unit of Curtiss-Wright Controls, has announced that the VPX3-685 rugged embedded secure ethernet router has been accepted for Common Criteria certification under the Communications Security Establishment Canada's (CSEC) Common Criteria Evaluation and Certification Scheme (CCS). The evaluation is already underway and the company expects the router to complete the EAL2+ (Evaluation Assurance Level 2) certification in the next three to four months.

Common Criteria is an internationally recognized set of guidelines (ISO 15408), which define a framework for evaluating security features and capabilities of information technology (IT) security products. The standard consists of several predetermined evaluation assurance levels. Common Criteria allows vendors to have their products tested against a chosen level by an independent third-party testing laboratory. The Common Criteria Mutual Recognition Agreement (CCRA) is a pact which allows Common Criteria evaluations to be recognized by all participating countries, regardless of where the evaluation was completed. There are currently 26 countries involved in the CCRA, including the United States and Canadian governments.

Common Criteria establishes Protection Profiles that describe which types of Information Assurance (IA) protections are applicable to different product types. Curtiss-Wright has adopted the Network Device Protection Profile (NDPP) as a network Switch and Router, and will augment this profile with the security functionality of an embedded Firewall and a Network Intrusion Detection System (IDS).

The VPX3-685 is also currently undergoing a FIPS 140-2 government security evaluation process to validate the cryptographic functionality of the product against certain standards. FIPS 140-2 is a computer security standard made by the U.S. government to accredit crytographic modules.

The VPX3-685 is a rugged OpenVPX-compliant 3U VPX module that can be configured with up to 20 gigabit Ethernet interfaces. It can also provide two 10Gb/s Ethernet ports to support switch-to-switch expansion, dual-redundant networks, or for architecting high-performance 10Gb/s network backbones. The board incorporates the functionality of a switch, router, firewall, VPN/IPSec encryption device, and an IDS system. The VPX3-685 is a military embedded system designed for applications such as land vehicles and airborne systems where size, weight and power (SWaP) are concerns.

The VPX3-685 allows for the integration of secure gigabit switching and routing into embedded systems designed for harsh environment applications. Targeting IPv4/v6 Intra-Platform Networks (IPNs), the VPX3-685 is designed to prevent unauthorized access to information. It can be used to secure a data storage network, protect data across wireless or wide-area networks, or to defend mission critical applications from attacks in the forms of viruses, IP Spoofing, Denial of Service (DoS), and Trojan Horses. CWCDS designed the VPX3-685 to incorporate a hardware-accelerated SNORT engine for Intrusion Detection and Protection. CWCDS provides regular IDS signature updates as well.

The VPX3-685 Secure Router is the newest addition to CWCDS' family of board and stand-alone switch/router products.

Curtiss-Wright Controls delivers rugged airborne integrated processor subsystems under defense contract

Tue, 08 May 2012 08:00:00 GMT

CHARLOTTE, N.C., 8 May 2012. Curtiss-Wright Controls Inc. won a defense contract to provide processor subsystems for an airborne program. Curtiss-Wright Controls engineers are integrating the company’s rugged commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) processor boards, customer-supplied software, and a third-party payload into a custom, Curtiss-Wright chassis.

Curtiss-Wright Controls engineers are also performing environmental stress screening (ESS) of the integrated subsystem under the $3 million contract. Deliveries, which have already begun, are expected to continue through mid-2012.

Curtiss-Wright Controls staff are manufacturing products for this agreement at the company’s facility in Littleton, Mass.

Goodrich to provide air data, ice detection and other systems for KC-390 military transport aircraft

Tue, 08 May 2012 05:15:00 GMT

CHARLOTTE, N.C., May 8, 2012. Embraer has selected Goodrich Corp. (NYSE: GR), a supplier of systems and services to aerospace and defense companies, to provide the air data system, ice detector, windshield ice protection controller, and the fuel quantity gauging and control system for the Embraer KC-390 military transport aircraft. Initial hardware deliveries are expected to begin in 2013. The systems will be provided by Goodrich's Sensors and Integrated Systems teams in Minnesota and Vermont.

The air data system includes SmartProbe products and total air temperature sensors. The SmartProbe system combines an air data computer and multi-function air data probe functionality into a single unit, providing air data parameters to the aircraft's flight control system, pilot displays and other air data dependent systems.

The ice detectors advise flight crews of ice build-up for activation of the aircraft's ice protection system.

The fuel quantity gauging and control system provides data on the fuel quantity on the aircraft. The system is designed for flight deck control of both on-ground and in-flight fueling and defueling. Test and fault detection capabilities are integrated into the system.

Goodrich had previously been selected to design and manufacture electro-hydrostatic actuators (EHAs), electro-backup hydrostatic actuators (EBHAs), actuator electronics and electrical controls for the primary flight control system of the aircraft.

The KC-390 is a medium-size, twin-engine, jet-powered military transport aircraft that is being developed by Embraer. The aircraft will be capable of operating from semi-prepared and short runways. The first prototype of the KC-390 is expected to be produced in 2014.

Additional funding for Terahertz quality control system given to Advanced Photonix

Tue, 08 May 2012 05:00:00 GMT

ANN ARBOR, Mich. 8 May, 2012. The U.S. Air Force is investing in a quality control system for the stealth coating on the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) aircraft by exercising a $1.5 million option on a SBIR Phase II contract. The option funds the development and field deployment of a prototype terahertz (THz) non-contact quality control system by Advanced Photonix, Inc. (NYSE Amex: API), a supplier of optoelectronic products.

During this phase a prototype handheld scanner/transceiver will be used as an attachment to the existing T-Ray 4000 platform. The system will measure the step and gap dimensions hidden under the surface of the stealth coatings utilized on a F-35 aircraft. The system is non-contact, so it does not require surface preparation, and has over one thousandth of an inch precision.

Terahertz radiation can be used to image through materials yielding high spatial resolution and has the ability to resolve both time and amplitude information. It is safe for humans and can provide spectroscopic information, as well as produce images.

The T-Ray 4000 features interchangeable fiber-coupled heads that deliver a picosecond duration TD-THz pulse that allows high-speed scanned images to be produced.

Completion of the current contract will lead to Phase III, where systems will be deployed in production at Lockheed Martin's facility and repair depots around the world. The system can also can be used on other military visually obscured fit sensitive applications.

Boeing completes parachute test of CST-100 crew capsule

Mon, 07 May 2012 08:00:00 GMT

WASHINGTON, 8 May 2012. The Boeing Company has completed the second parachute drop test for its Crew Space Transportation (CST) spacecraft. This latest parachute test comes as part of the company’s effort to develop commercial crew transportation capabilities to ferry U.S. astronauts to and from low-Earth orbit (LEO) and the International Space Station (ISS).

During the test, a helicopter lifted the CST-100 crew capsule to roughly 14,000 feet above the Delmar Dry Lake Bed near Alamo, Nev. Staff initiated a drogue parachute deployment sequence, and deployment of the main parachute. The capsule descended to a smooth ground landing that was cushioned by six inflated air bags, demonstrating the performance of the landing system.

"Boeing's parachute demonstrations are a clear sign NASA is moving in the right direction of enabling the American aerospace transportation industry to flourish under this partnership," Ed Mango, NASA's commercial crew program manager, says. "The investments we're making now are enabling this new path forward of getting our crews to LEO and potentially the space station as soon as possible."

Boeing engineers designed the company's CST system to be a reusable, capsule-shaped spacecraft capable of taking up to seven people, or a combination of people and cargo, to and from low-Earth orbit, including the space station. HDT Airborne Systems of Solon, Ohio, designed, fabricated, and integrated the parachute system, including the two drogue parachutes. ILC Dover of Frederica, Del., designed and fabricated the landing air bag system.

The first test, held on 3 April 2012, validated the architecture and deployment of the parachute system, characterized pyrotechnic shock loads, confirmed parachute size and design, and identified potential forward compartment packaging and deployment issues. The company inspected and re-packed the full parachute system for this second test.

"This second parachute drop test validates Boeing's innovative system architecture and deployment plan," says John Mulholland, vice president and program manager of Boeing Commercial Programs. "Boeing's completion of this milestone reaffirms our commitment to provide safe, reliable and affordable crewed access to space."

The company has scheduled additional tests to be performed in 2012 that will provide more data on elements of the spacecraft's design.

The company selected United Launch Alliance's Atlas V rocket for initial CST-100 test flights. Boeing's spacecraft was designed to be compatible with a variety of expendable launch vehicles.

GE Aviation invests in electrical power technology for commercial, military use

Mon, 07 May 2012 08:00:00 GMT

POMPANO BEACH, Fla., 7 May 2012. GE Aviation (NYSE:GE) has expanded into a new facility in Pompano Beach, Fla., which includes a 30 percent increase in square footage and a research and development (R&D) lab for the advanced development of silicon carbide (SiC)-based power conversion products for air, land, and sea-based platforms.

The 30,000-square-foot facility at 2705 Gateway Drive in Pompano Beach includes a new lab capable of providing increased capacity for developing, testing, and manufacturing advanced electrical power conversion products employed on civil and military platforms.

“This new facility enables us to continue work on GE-developed SiC technology, with the potential of reducing the weight on an aircraft by more than 400 pounds," says Vic Bonneau, president of Electrical Power for GE Aviation Systems. “GE is committed to Florida and is investing approximately $20 million in program work and R&D related to our Pompano Beach facility over the next five years.

“An important part of our strategy is to aggressively invest in the kinds of technologies that will solve large problems for our customers 10 years from now,” Bonneau adds. GE's SiC power devices will help airlines create more passenger and storage space, while meeting an increased demand for electrical power on the plane.

GE Aviation has 40 employees at the Pompano Beach facility who design and manufacture high-end, military-grade power supplies, including custom and standard power conversion and control products. GE currently has approximately 4,300 employees in Florida.

Taiwan to receive four UH-60M Black Hawk helicopters

Sun, 06 May 2012 05:00:00 GMT

Stratford, Conn., 6 May 2012. Sikorsky Aircraft Corp., an aircraft manufacturer based in Stratford, Conn., will convert four UH-60M Black Hawk helicopters to a specific configuration for Taiwan. The contract for this work is valued at $43.2 million and was awarded by the U.S. Army Contracting Command.

The UH-60M Black Hawk is a four-bladed, twin-engine, medium-lift utility helicopter. It has been in service with many different militaries and entered production in 2006.

Work for this contract will be performed at Sikorsky's facility in Stratford, Conn. Work is expected to be completed by November 2014.

Air Force launches second AHEF satellite

Sat, 05 May 2012 05:30:00 GMT

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla., 5 May 2012. The U.S. Air Force launched the second Advanced Extremely High Frequency (AEHF) military communication satellite, built by a Lockheed Martin [NYSE: LMT] team, from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station aboard a United Launch Alliance (ULA) Atlas V rocket.

The first AEHF satellite was launched in 2010 after a four year delay caused by the National Security Agency not delivering cryptographic equipment in time for the launch schedule. The AEHF satellites will provide improved communications for warfighters and will be operated by the 4th Space Operations Squadron at Schriever Air Force Base, Colo. AEHF will also serve international partners including Canada, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom.

A single AEHF satellite provides greater total capacity than the entire Milstar constellation. Individual user data rates will be increased five-fold, permitting transmission of military communications, such as video, battlefield maps and targeting data. In addition to its tactical mission, AEHF also provides the communications links to national leaders including presidential conferencing.

The AEHF team includes the U.S. Air Force Military Satellite Communications Systems Directorate at the Space and Missile Systems Center, Los Angeles Air Force Base, Calif. Lockheed Martin Space Systems Company, Sunnyvale, Calif., is the AEHF prime contractor, space and ground segments provider as well as system integrator, with Northrop Grumman Aerospace Systems, Redondo Beach, Calif., as the payload provider.

Lockheed Martin is currently under contract to provide four AEHF satellites and the Mission Control Segment. The program has begun advanced procurement of long-lead components for the fifth and sixth AEHF satellites as well.

Thales to provide inertial navigation system and GPS for KC-390 military transport aircraft

Sat, 05 May 2012 05:15:00 GMT

NEUILLY, France. 5 May 2012. Embraer Defence and Security have selected Thales to provide the Inertial Navigation System (INS) and the GPS of the KC-390 military transport aircraft.

Thales' High Performance Inertial Reference System (HPIRS) is a civil certified product that meets military performance standards. The system provides navigation capabilities and performances; allowing military aircraft to conduct missions flying in all weather conditions. The information the system provides included all the reference localization such as 3D position, 3D velocity, attitudes, true and magnetic heading, angular rates and linear accelerations.

The Thales HPIRS features modular design that enables it to be installed on a large range of civil and military aircraft.

The KC-390 is a medium-size, twin-engine, jet-powered military transport aircraft that is being developed by Embraer. The first prototype of the KC-390 is expected to be produced in 2014.

In face of growing cybersecurity threats, DOD enlists Lockheed Martin

Sat, 05 May 2012 05:00:00 GMT

VALLEY FORGE, Pa., 5 May 2012. The Department of Defense (DOD) is constantly under attack by hackers who would like to access confidential information, steal identities and share DOD secrets. In order to combat this new threat, Lockheed Martin (NYSE:LMT) will be teaming with the Department of Defense Cyber Crime Center (DC3).

The company has been selected to deliver technical, functional, and managerial support to the DC3. The work will be conducted through a task order awarded by the General Services Administration’s Federal Systems Integration and Management Center. The task order has a value of up to $454 million if all options are exercised.

The DC3 sets standards for digital evidence processing, analysis, and diagnostics for any DOD investigation that requires computer forensic support to detect, enhance, or recover digital media, including audio and video. The center assists in criminal, counterintelligence, counterterrorism, and fraud investigations of the Defense Criminal Investigative Organizations (DCIOs) and DOD counterintelligence activities.

Because of its importance, the DOD is targeted by cyber criminals ranging from terrorists to spies to identity thieves. The methods of attack are varied, which lends importance to proper investigation and prevention.

Lockheed Martin’s scope of work will include digital and multimedia forensics examination, analysis, research, development, test and evaluation, information technology and cyber analytical services. The work will be conducted at DC3 headquarters in Linthicum, Md.

Embraer chooses Ethernet-based flight recorders from Curtiss-Wright for Legacy 500 business jet flight testing

Fri, 04 May 2012 07:30:00 GMT

Posted by John Keller

CITY OF INDUSTRY, Calif., 4 May 2012. Aircraft manufacturer Embraer S.A. in São José Dos Campos, Brazil, needed rugged data acquisition and flight data recorder technology for the Legacy 500 business jet. They found their solution from Curtiss-Wright Controls Avionics & Electronics in City of Industry, Calif.

Curtiss-Wright has completed delivery of the company's Acra KAM-500, Acra multi-role recorder, and Acra network switch subsystems to Embraer for the Legacy 500's network FAA certification program under terms of a $5 million contract. Acra Control Ltd. designed the avionics components, and Curtiss-Wright Controls acquired Acra Control in mid-2011.

The test aircraft for the Legacy 500 network FAA certification program was rolled out last December, and is preparing for flight testing this fall. Shipments of equipment sets for flight certification were finished last December.

Embraer avionics engineers are moving from traditional pulse code modulation (PCM) to Ethernet-based technology, so they chose Curtiss-Wright Controls to provide their company's first Ethernet flight certification program, Curtiss-Wright officials say. The Ethernet-based flight recorder will help provide the FAA with performance results from dual Ethernet and PCM data streams.

The move to modern data acquisition and data recorder systems will enable Embraer to record all network data and respond to engine, avionics, or other issues quickly, Curtiss-Wright officials say.

The Curtiss-Wright Controls Acra business unit is part of its Avionics & Electronics division. For more information contact Curtiss-Wright Controls Avionics & Electronics online at www.cwc-ae.com.

Follow Military & Aerospace Electronics and Avionics Intelligence news updates on Twitter

3U CompactPCI single-board computer with Freescale QorIQ P2041 microprocessor introduced by NAI

Fri, 04 May 2012 05:30:00 GMT

Posted by John Keller

BOHEMIA, N.Y., 4 May 2012. North Atlantic Industries (NAI) in Bohemia, N.Y, is introducing the 75SBC4 one-slot 3U CompactPCI low-power single-board computer with dual high speed slots for configurable I/O interface expansion for demanding, space-constrained and resource-limited military embedded systems.

Powered by the 1.2 GHz Freescale QorIQ P2041 Power Architecture processor, the 75SBC4 embedded computing board offers digital I/O that includes discrete, differential, and TTL/CMOS digital; analog I/O that includes A/D, D/A, RTD, and strain gage; motion control and sensor interfaces that include synchro/resolver, LVDT, RVDT measurement and simulation, and encoder/counter; and communications interfaces that include serial RS-232/422/423/485, CANBus, MIL-STD-1553, and ARINC 429/575.

The 75SBC4 configured with as many as two modules enables systems integrators to manage, monitor, and process sensor interfaces. For more information contact North Atlantic Industries online at www.naii.com.

Follow Military & Aerospace Electronics and Avionics Intelligence news updates on Twitter

Final Lockheed Martin F-22 Raptor jet fighter delivered to Air Force

Fri, 04 May 2012 05:00:00 GMT

MARIETTA, Ga., 4 May 2012. Lockheed Martin [NYSE: LMT] leadership delivered the 195th, and last, F-22 Raptor to the U.S. Air Force.

This final Raptor joins the U.S. Air Force fleet of 187 operational F-22s and will join other F-22s in the Air Force's 3rd Wing at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska. In all, Lockheed Martin has delivered 195 F-22s to the Air Force beginning in 1997, with eight Raptors used as test aircraft.

The F-22 Raptor is a fifth generation fighter aircraft that uses stealth technology. Designed as an air superiority aircraft, the F-22 Raptor is capable of conducting electronic warfare and performing air-to-air and air-to-ground combat. All F-22s feature Pratt & Whitney F119 engines that allow them to achieve speeds greater than Mach 1.5 without afterburners.

F-22s are assigned to seven U.S. bases. Operational F-22 aircraft are assigned to Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Va.; Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska; Holloman AFB, N. M.; and Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii. Flight testing takes place at Edwards AFB, Calif., Operational tactics development continues at Nellis AFB, Nev. Pilot training takes place at Tyndall AFB, Fla.

Data Link Solutions to provide MIDS low volume terminals for Taiwan

Fri, 04 May 2012 05:00:00 GMT

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa, 4 May 2012. The Taiwanese military ordered Data Link Solutions' multifunctional information distribution system low volume terminals (MIDS LVT) in a $9.4 million contract.

The MIDS LVT provides airborne, ground and maritime links for communication on the battlefield. It features secure, jam-resistant connectivity for digital data and voice communications and provides a distributed network with control service and NATO interoperability. The terminal features pseudo-random frequency hopping over 51 frequencies and can have an expanded data rate of 2 megabits per second. The MIDS LVT uses two antennas to trasmit and receive data. The terminal also features encryption and navigation capabilities.

The MIDS LVT is also compatible with the Joint Tactical Information Distribution System, an older version of the MIDS that is seen in some legacy systems. Used on many different vehicles, the MIDS LVT can be deployed for ground, airborne and maritime applications.

The contract was awarded under the Foreign Military Sales Program, with 50% of the work occurring at Data Link Solutions' Wayne, N.J. facility and 50% occurring at Data Link Solutions' Cedar Rapids, Iowa facility. Work is expected to be completed by the end of 2014.

Kontron introduces seven embedded computing boards based on 3rd Generation Intel Core microprocessors

Thu, 03 May 2012 10:37:00 GMT

Posted by John Keller

ECHING, Germany, 3 May 2012. Embedded computing expert Kontron in introducing seven computer boards for military embedded systems and other embedded computing applications that feature the quad-core 3rd Generation Intel Core microprocessor, the long-awaited advanced processor from Intel formerly known as Ivy Bridge that was announced in April.

Kontron is offering COM Express basic, Flex-ATX, Mini-ITX, AdvancedMC, 3U and 6U CompactPCI, and 3U VPX CPU boards based on the Intel Core i7-3615QE and Core i7-3612QE, and are for military, avionics, industrial-control, and medical applications, Kontron officials say.

Kontron's computer boards also support as much as 16 gigabytes of dual channel DDR3 memory, Gigabit Ethernet, SATA, PCI Express 3.0, and USB 3.0. The AdvancedMC processor is for MicroTCA and AdvancedTCA based telecommunications applications.

The Intel 3rd Generation Core i7 processor is based on 22-nanometer 3-D tri-gate transistor technology. Kontron boards with this processor provide as much as 20 percent enhanced computing power and as much as 40 percent increased performance per Watt compared to designs based on the 2nd generation Intel Core processors, company officials say.

The improved Intel Advanced Vector Extensions (AVX) floating point instruction set is appropriate for aerospace and defense signal processing applications.

Other advancements of the 3rd Generation Intel Core processors include integrated Intel HD Graphics 4000 that features more than 16 execution units, and native support of three independent digital display interfaces.

An MPEG-2 hardware decoding unit helps decode several HD videos in parallel. The processors support the Intel Flexible Display Interface (FDI), DirectX 11, OpenGL 3.1 and OpenCL 1.1.

For more information contact Kontron online at www.kontron.com.

Follow Military & Aerospace Electronics and Avionics Intelligence news updates on Twitter

Lockheed Martin to provide orbital operations support of GPS IIR/IIR-M satellites

Thu, 03 May 2012 05:15:00 GMT

NEWTOWN, Pa., 3 May 2012. Lockheed Martin (NYSE:LMT) has been awarded an $8.4 million contract to provide orbital operations support of the GPS IIR/IIR-M satellite constellation.

The support provided will be data evaluation, daily technical support and continuing space segment to the control segment interface. The work will be competed by February 2013 and will take place at Lockheed Martin's facilities in Newtown, Pa.

The last GPS IIR/IIR-M satellite was launched in 2009. Since then the GPS IIR/IIR-M constellation has entered into its sustainment phase, where it will continue to provide 3-D position, velocity and timing information to military and civilian users until it is eventually replaced by the GPS III program.

The GPS III, which will succeed the GPS IIR/IIR-M, is currently expected to launch its first satellite in 2014.

The GPS III program will replace aging GPS satellites while improving capability to meet the needs of military, commercial and civilian users worldwide. The satellites will deliver greater accuracy and improved anti-jamming power while enhancing the spacecraft’s design life and adding a new civil signal designed to be interoperable with international global navigation satellite systems.

C4I launches new Advanced Multi-Interface Interoperable Communications System product

Thu, 03 May 2012 05:00:00 GMT

RESTON, Va., 3 May 2012. C4i recently released the latest product in its SwitchplusIP communications suite. The Advanced Multi-Interface Interoperable Communications Systems (AMICS).

The product is a communications hub designed for rapid deployment with a wide range of communication assets, such as tactical Air Defense Systems, Military Air Traffic Control and homeland security tactical response.

The AMICS provides a VoIP based communications system allowing numerous disparate communications systems to be linked together at a particular location, supporting both manned and unmanned operations.

The system helps remove boundaries between differing communication types with features such as Press-to-Talk and conferences available from telephone handsets to both conventional and two-way radios. This product, which comes in a 10RU transit case, is an evolution of C4i's Mobile Incident Response Trailer (MIRT), released at the end of 2011, which provides similar communications system packaged in a towable 6x9 trailer format.

The AMICS format offers flexibility for transportation in vehicles or aircraft and adds redundancy with all core components duplicated for mission critical applications. The system is can connect hundreds of communications assets at a single site as well as be networked with other similar nodes to provide a distributed system of systems solution.

C4i has delivered its SwitchplusIP VoIP technology to markets such as Air Defense and Air Traffic Control for over six years.

Four-channel serial Front-Panel Data Port (FPDP) interface PMC/XMC module introduced by GE

Wed, 02 May 2012 07:33:00 GMT

Posted by John Keller

HUNTSVILLE, Ala., 2 May 2012. GE Intelligent Platforms in Huntsville, Ala., is introducing the SPR507B four-channel serial Front-Panel Data Port (FPDP) interface PMC/XMC module for military embedded systems such as sonar or radar signal processing systems that gather inputs from several sensors for back-end processing. The module can help embedded computing designers save several chassis slots, GE (NYSE:GE) officials say.

The board uses a Xilinx Virtex-6 field-programmable gate array (FPGA) to move data as quickly as 4.25 gigabits per second per link, or a total bandwidth across its four ports of about 1.4 gigabytes per second. The SPR507B also can be deployed in confined spaces that subject to extremes of heat, shock, and vibration. The SPR507B includes one gigabyte of high-speed on-board storage in a FIFO (individual per channel) configuration programmable in depth.

The module is available in PCI Mezzanine Card (PMC) format for legacy systems or in Express Mezzanine Card (XMC) format for modern systems. The SPR507B can take inputs from optical fibers as long as six miles with the choice of single mode fiber.

The SPR507B FPGA-centric design also enables designers to make future updates of the board's serial FPDP implementation by upgrading the FPDP specification as a firmware update.

For more information contact GE Intelligent Platforms online at www.ge-ip.com.

Follow Military & Aerospace Electronics and Avionics Intelligence news updates on Twitter

STAR Dynamics and General Dynamics reveal new radar

Wed, 02 May 2012 05:15:00 GMT

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz., 2 May 2012. General Dynamics C4 Systems and STAR Dynamics Corp. recently demonstrated an X-band Space Time Adaptive Radar (XSTAR) system's ability to track the launch and flight of a multi-stage test missile. The tracking information captured and recorded by the XSTAR system is useful to engineers and scientists for developing and testing airborne products and weapons systems traveling at very high speeds, including munitions, rockets, missiles, bombs and aircraft.

General Dynamics and STAR Dynamics are working together to modernize instrumentation radar systems on military and government test ranges. Combining radar systems from STAR Dynamics with General Dynamics' manufacturing and logistics and maintenance support, XSTAR instrumentation radar systems deliver test-data accurately and in detail.

For the demonstration, the XSTAR radar tracked a test missile traveling over than 5,000 mph through all three stages of deployment. The XSTAR radar tracked and recorded the various stages of the missile's launch, separation of the first and second stage boosters and payload deployment, as well as debris that separated from the missile.

The XSTAR radar system can track and collect detailed test data on one or more flying objects that require time, space and position measurements used for system test and evaluation. XSTAR radar systems' design and software-based architecture incorporates commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) equipment, which enables individual radar systems to be customized based on a user's needs.

The XSTAR system fact sheet can be found here: Fact Sheet

Lockheed Martin to provide Air Force with C-130J training devices

Wed, 02 May 2012 05:00:00 GMT

BETHESDA, Md., 2 May 2012. Lockheed Martin [NYSE: LMT] received a $156 million contract from the U.S. Air Force to provide new training devices to accommodate the growing number of C-130J aircrews and maintainers.

Lockheed Martin will develop 24 new training devices and provide program management and engineering services under the U.S. Air Force’s C-130J Maintenance and Aircrew Training System II (JMATS II). The devices will include weapons systems, enhanced integrated cockpit systems, loadmaster fuselage and loadmaster part-task trainers along with cargo handling system training aids.

The C-130J Super Hercules is a four-engine turboprop military transport aircraft. The C-130J is the newest version of the Hercules, with the previous version being the C-130. THe C-130J features a range of 3,262 miles and can carry up to 42,000 lbs.

The U.S. Air Force Air Combat Command, Air Mobility Command and Special Operations Command will use the devices for C-130J initial qualification and refresher training. The trainers are expected to be delivered by 2016 to Cannon Air Force Base, N.M.; Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Ariz.; Dyess Air Force Base, Texas; Hurlburt Field, Fla.; Kirtland Air Force Base, N.M.; Little Rock Air Force Base, Ark.; Moody Air Force Base, Ga.; and Ramstein Air Base, Germany.

The work will be managed at Lockheed Martin’s Marietta, Ga. and Orlando, Fla., locations.

Lockheed Martin has managed the C-130J Maintenance and Aircrew Training System since 2000 to provide training devices and support services, including aircrew and maintenance personnel instruction, program operations and engineering services. In August 2011, the Air Force awarded Lockheed Martin the first phase of the JMATS II program to provide weapons systems training devices.

Agilent boosts expertise in high-speed communications test with acquisition of Centellax

Tue, 01 May 2012 10:55:00 GMT

Posted by John Keller

SANTA CLARA, Calif., 1 May 2012. Executives of test and measurement specialist Agilent Technologies Inc. (NYSE:A) in Santa Clara, Calif., plan to enhance the company's expertise in test products for high-speed communications with their announced acquisition of the test and measurement business of Centellax in Santa Rosa, Calif.

Centellax officials say their company designs and manufactures affordable high-performance test instruments, test accessories, and components for electrical and optical path signal integrity testing. Agilent designs and manufactures electronic and bio-analytical measurement instruments for telecommunications, wireless research and development, and production.

Centellax combines the best in millimeter-wave engineering and high-speed digital design, Agilent officials say. The company's include modular building blocks for <10G, 10G, 14G, 28G, 56G, and 100G applications. The Centellax design team develops traveling wave amplifiers and mixed-signal designs. Centellax also specializes in high-performance, easy to use designs.

Agilent and Centellax signed a definitive agreement for the Agilent acquisition, which is subject to customary closing conditions and should be completed by mid-May. Financial details were not disclosed. Centellax's component business is not part of the transaction.

The Centellax test and measurement business will augment Agilent's current position and ongoing investments to cover all requirements in digital I/O and optical transceiver test from deep characterization in R&D to cost-effective test in manufacturing up to 32G and beyond, Agilent officials say.

For more information contact Agilent online at www.agilent.com, or Centellax at www.centellax.com.

Follow Military & Aerospace Electronics and Avionics Intelligence news updates on Twitter

Lockheed Martin to produce counterfire radars for Army

Tue, 01 May 2012 09:00:00 GMT

SYRACUSE, N.Y., 1 May 2012. The U.S. Army awarded Lockheed Martin [NYSE: LMT] $391 million in production orders for a new radar system that provides protection from rocket, mortar and artillery fire.

The orders represent two contract options for a total of 33 AN/TPQ-53 (Q-53) counterfire target acquisition radars, formerly designated the EQ-36, to be delivered by the end of 2014. The options include spares, testing and training materials. If all options are exercised, 38 additional low- and full-rate production systems could be added and the total contract value would be over $800 million.

The radar system provides target location of indirect fire systems with enough accuracy for counterfire. The Q-53 is designed to operate with the CRAM system and the future Indirect Fire Protection Capability System. Mounted on a five-ton truck, the Q-53 can be rapidly deployed, automatically leveled and remotely operated with a laptop computer or from a fully equipped climate-controlled command vehicle.

Lockheed Martin won the competitive development contract for the EQ-36 radar in 2007. The Army awarded the company an accelerated contract for 12 initial production systems in July 2008 and a contract with options for an additional 20 systems in April 2010. In fall of 2010, the Army began deploying EQ-36 systems to combat in Iraq and Afghanistan. Lockheed Martin submitted its bid for this current contract in September 2011.

Work on the Q-53 radar contract will be performed at Lockheed Martin facilities in Syracuse, N.Y., Moorestown, N.J., Akron, Ohio, and Clearwater, Fla.

Emerson CPCI7203 rugged 3U CompactPCI single-board computer receives Cisco verification for network-centric military uses

Tue, 01 May 2012 07:54:00 GMT

Posted by John Keller

TEMPE, Ariz., 1 May 2012. The CPCI7203 rugged 3U CompactPCI embedded computing board from Emerson Network Power in Tempe, Ariz., has received Cisco verification for secure unified communications in federal agencies and military embedded systems. The embedded computing board finished interoperability verification testing for the Cisco Unified Communications Manager for government agencies and network-centric defense applications, company officials say.

Cisco validation “will enable quicker and easier transition from legacy deployed PBX systems and simplify maintenance to help reduce total cost of ownership,” says Paul Virgo, marketing director for the Embedded Computing business of Emerson Network Power. “In today’s security-conscious environment, the ability to collaborate with encrypted communications is more important than ever.”

Cisco Unified Communications Manager Release 8.6.1 is completing certification at the Joint Interoperability Test Command (JITC), which allows it to operate on U.S. Department of Defense communications networks. It enables defense agencies to manage their communications quickly and conveniently in order to focus on mission-critical tasks.

The Emerson Network Power 3U CPCI7203 single-board computer uses the Intel Core i7 integrated dual-core processor, and is suitable for harsh environments. On-board memory includes as much as eight gigabytes of soldered ECC DDR3 memory and the air-cooled variants also support 256 kilobytes of non-volatile memory and 4 gigabytes of MicroSD flash. Conduction-cooled variants offer a high density 1.8-inch solid-state drive for data storage.

For more information contact Emerson Network Power online at www.EmersonNetworkPower.com/EmbeddedComputing.

Follow Military & Aerospace Electronics and Avionics Intelligence news updates on Twitter

Raytheon's Patriot and JLENS systems perform integration test

Mon, 30 Apr 2012 19:34:00 GMT

TEWKSBURY, Mass., 30 April 2012. Two Raytheon Co. (NYSE: RTN) systems, the Joint Land Attack Cruise Missile Defense Elevated Netted Sensor System (JLENS) and the Patriot Air and Missile Defense System, demonstrated their ability to work together to detect, track and shoot down a test target during an exercise at the Utah Training and Test Range.

The JLENS surveillance system was evaluated on its ability to detect and track a long-range threat and then cue the fire control radar. In turn, the fire control system was evaluated on its ability to track and transmit target data to Patriot computers. All data from the exercise will be analyzed against test parameters.

JLENS is a long-endurance, over-the-horizon sensor system that is designed primarily to detect and track hostile cruise missiles; however, it is also capable of detecting and tracking low-flying aircraft and unmanned aerial systems. JLENS also incorporates the capability to detect and track ballistic missiles, large caliber rockets and surface targets on land and sea. A JLENS system, called an orbit, consists of two tethered 74-meter aerostats, one with a surveillance radar and with a fire control radar, connected to mobile mooring stations and communications and processing groups. The aerostats elevate the radar and communications systems to 10,000 feet. The surveillance radar provides 360-degree coverage and the fire control radar provides sectored precision tracking.

A JLENS orbit can remain operational in the air for 30 days at a time.

The Patriot Air and Missile Defense System, the other major player in the integrated fire control exercise, is a component in the air and missile defenses of 12 nations. Patriot is effective against a full range of threats, including enemy aircraft; tactical ballistic missiles; cruise missiles; and unmanned aerial systems (UAS).

Raytheon is the prime contractor for JLENS and domestic and international Patriot systems, as well as systems integrator for Patriot Advanced Capability-3 missiles.

Concurrency done wrong

Mon, 30 Apr 2012 17:04:00 GMT

NASHUA, N.H., 30 April 2012. For this week's Military & Aerospace Electronics report, Skyler Frink discusses what causes an expensive mistake in the production of F-35 Joint Strike Fighters.

Raytheon's Patriot and JLENS systems perform integration test

Mon, 30 Apr 2012 14:19:00 GMT

Navy moves large, long-endurance UUV project forward with machine autonomy contract to Hydroid

Sun, 29 Apr 2012 18:01:00 GMT

Posted by John Keller

ARLINGTON, Va., 29 April 2012. The U.S. Office of Naval Research (ONR) in Arlington, Va., plans to award a $5.9 million three-year sole-source contract to Hydroid Inc. in Pocasset, Mass., to develop an autonomy testing system for the future Large Displacement Unmanned Underwater Vehicle Innovative Naval Prototype Technology (LDUUV INP) program, which seeks to develop machine autonomy and long-endurance propulsion systems for large unmanned underwater vehicles (UUVs).

Hydroid uses the uses the company's Remote Environmental Measuring Units (REMUS) unmanned underwater vehicle (UUV) as autonomy testing system for LDUUV INP technology. The vehicle-control architecture is the same in the LDUUV and REMUS autonomous underwater vehicles, ONR officials point out. This makes it easy to move software from one vehicle to the other. Hydroid is a subsidiary of Kongsberg Maritime AS in Kongsberg, Norway.

ONR's LDUUV INP project seeks to develop a large unmanned submarine able to operate in the open ocean and in coastal waters and harbors on missions lasting more than 70 days to gather intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) information. The LDUUV INP program is in place to develop UUV autonomy and long-endurance propulsion systems for large UUVs.

The LDUUV is to be a pier-launched and recovered large unmanned submersible able to operate in the open ocean and conduct over-the-horizon sensor missions in coastal waters and harbors.

Autonomy involves autonomy software, computer hardware, and sensors. Endurance, meanwhile, pertains to UUV propulsion technology that can operate independently for tens of hours to months. Each effort to develop autonomy technologies and endurance technologies will have two phases.

The future LDUUV must be able to avoid all vessels in its area of operations, including fishing boats. Development challenges include detecting and avoiding undersea stationary and moving obstacles, as well as path planning algorithms to minimize energy consumption while avoiding obstacles; detecting, locating, and identifying surface vessels; determining the intent of detected surface vessels; and detecting and avoiding all kinds of fishing nets and fishing gear, including mono-filament and twine nets which are difficult to detect. Once outside the specified areas, human operators may intervene over satellite links if necessary.

Hydroid makes three different REMUS models. Among the most popular is the REMUS 6000, which is 12.6 feet long, 28 inches in diameter, and weighs 1,900 pounds. This UUV can dive to depths of nearly 20,000 feet. The REMUS 6000 has the same software and electronics systems in the REMUS 100 UUV.

Powering the REMUS 6000 is an 11-kilowatt-hour rechargeable lithium-ion battery pack in two pressure housings, with eight-hour charge time. The UUV can operate on missions lasting as long as 22 hours, and has a direct-drive DC brushless motor and two-blade propeller. It's typical speed is 5 knots.

The REMUS 6000 navigates with its long-baseline transducer, upward-looking-transducer, and acoustic Doppler current profiler (ADCP) inertial navigation unit. Standard sensors include side scan sonar, as well as conductivity and temperature sensors.

For more information on the upcoming Hydroid contract contact ONR's Vanessa Seymour by phone at 703-696-4591, or by e-mail at vanessa.seymour@navy.mil. More information is online at https://www.fbo.gov/spg/DON/ONR/ONR/12-SS-0014/listing.html.

For further information contact Hydroid Inc. online at www.km.kongsberg.com/hydroid, or the Office of Naval Research at www.onr.navy.mil.

Follow Military & Aerospace Electronics and Avionics Intelligence news updates on Twitter

Raytheon chooses Mercury for infrared sensor-processing subsystem for helicopter situational awareness

Sun, 29 Apr 2012 17:51:00 GMT

Posted by John Keller

CHELMSFORD, Mass., 29 April 2012. Infrared sensors experts at the Raytheon Co. Space and Airborne Systems segment in El Segundo, Calif., needed an advanced sensor processing subsystem for the multi-function image processor in the Raytheon Advanced Distributed Aperture System (ADAS), which provides spherical situational awareness to helicopter crews. They found their solution from Mercury Computer Systems Inc. in Chelmsford, Mass.

Mercury (NASDAQ:MRCY) will provide an application-ready subsystem and integration services as part of Raytheon’s Multi-function Image Processor (MIP) on ADAS.

Mercury is providing a sensor processing subsystem that uses heterogeneous processing that includes field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs) general-purpose graphics processing units GPGPUs, and graphics pipeline processors (GPPs) connected to high-speed switch fabrics.

The standards-based OpenVPX system is designed for future technology insertion for processing or handling sensors or modalities, Mercury officials say.

The ADAS works by mounting several high-resolution infrared sensors around the helicopter enable helicopter pilots and air crews to "look through" the airframe for 360-degree situational awareness.

Imagery from ADAS sensors links to helmet-mounted displays, and provides crew members with information customized to their separate roles. A 3D audio system issues threat alerts and crew communications from the direction of their source. The ADAS is to help improve safety at low altitude, in poor visibility, and in hostile environments.

ADAS makes key functions such as night vision, hostile fire indication, and infrared search and track interoperable with onboard countermeasures, and determines the intended target of inbound guided weapons and small arms fire to help helicopter pilots avoid these threats. ADAS also is suited to the demands of covert operations.

Future functions under consideration for integration with ADAS on manned or unmanned aircraft include radar, laser warning, terrain and obstacle databases, and advanced targeting, Raytheon officials say.

Raytheon is enhancing the Advanced Distributed Aperture System together with the U.S. Army's Research Development and Engineering Command; Communications-Electronics Research, Development and Engineering Center; and Night Vision and Electronic Sensors Directorate. Mercury's Services and Systems Integration team will do the technology integration.

For more information contact Mercury Computer Systems online at www.mc.com, or Raytheon Space and Airborne Systems at www.raytheon.com. More information on the ADAS is at www.raytheon.com/capabilities/products/adas.

Follow Military & Aerospace Electronics and Avionics Intelligence news updates on Twitter

MIL-STD-1553-compatible three-stub box coupler for commercial and military avionics introduced by Beta Transformer

Sun, 29 Apr 2012 17:43:00 GMT

Posted by John Keller

BOHEMIA, N.Y., 29 April 2012. Beta Transformer Technology Corp. in Bohemia, N.Y., is introducing the BXC-A-3 low-cost three-stub box coupler that is compatible with the MIL-STD-1553 1-megabit-per-second avionics databus. The BXC-A-3 is for system development, laboratory, test, and flight line applications.

The coupler delivers reliable MIL-STD-1553 data bus performance in a miniature size by using Beta's MIL-PRF-21038 transformers. The BXC-A-3 operates in temperature from -55 to 130 degrees Celsius. Beta Transformer is a subsidiary of Data Device Corp. (DDC) in Bohemia, N.Y.

Beta Transformer specializes in high performance military, commercial, and space-level magnetic components, and has developed transformers including the DSS series for data bus communications. For more information contact Beta Transformer Technology online at www.bttc-beta.com.

Follow Military & Aerospace Electronics and Avionics Intelligence news updates on Twitter

Northrop Grumman to upgrade electronic attack pods for Air Force

Sat, 28 Apr 2012 05:15:00 GMT

HERNDON, Va., 28 April 2012. The U.S. Air Force has awarded Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE:NOC) a $52.8 million, 27-month engineering and manufacturing development (EMD) contract to upgrade its electronic attack (EA) pods. The program has a potential value of $480 million including EMD, a low-rate initial production phase (LRIP) and five production options.

Northrop Grumman's solution, an upgraded ALQ-131 EA pod, is fully capable of operating in support of A-10, C-130, F-15 and F-16 aircraft and aircrews. The ALQ-131 EA is a modernized version of the United States Air Force AN/ALQ-131 jammer pod. A key electronic warfare capability of the new pod is the digital radio frequency memory which is designed to make 4th generation aircraft survivable in a 5th generation air warfare scenario.

The new electronic warfare pod is expected to achieve initial operational capability (IOC) by 2014.

Northrop Grumman has delivered more than 500 digital radio frequency memories which are installed on F-16s and other modern fighter aircraft. The company has more than 60 years of experience in electronic warfare protecting B-1, B-52, F-15, F-16, F-18, F-35 and SR-71 aircraft and aircrews.

SAIC to produce Battle Force Tactical Network for Space and Naval Warfare Systems Command

Sat, 28 Apr 2012 05:00:00 GMT

MCLEAN, Va., 28 April 2012. Science Applications International Corp. (SAIC) [NYSE: SAI] has been awarded a prime contract by the U.S. Space and Naval Warfare Systems Command (SPAWAR) to produce the Battle Force Tactical Network (BFTN) system. The contract has a one-year base period of performance, four one-year options, and a contract value of approximately $57 million, if all options are exercised. Work will be performed in Sterling, Va.

The BFTN system will offer network connectivity using the High Frequency (HF) and Ultra High Frequency (UHF) radio spectrum. The hardware being used for the BFTN system will be Commercial-off-the-shelf (COTS) hardware and Government-Furnished Equipment (GFE) software to provide data connectivity. The system will use Internet Protocol (IP) for communication. The BFTN system will connect surface ships, submarines, aircraft and the naval shore.

As the Navy's Information Dominance Systems Command, SPAWAR designs, develops and deploys communications and information capabilities. The BFTN system provides connectivity to the maritime operational environment for Navy and joint forces. Under the contract, SAIC will provide engineering and technical services in support of BFTN systems, as well as production of BFTN rack systems.

Power-efficient COM Express computer on module with Intel Atom introduced by Kontron

Fri, 27 Apr 2012 05:30:00 GMT

Posted by John Keller

ECHING, Germany, 27 April 2012. Kontron AG in Eching, Germany, is introducing the COMe-cCT6 COM Express compact computer-on-module based on next-generation Intel Atom processors with 32-nanometer technology. The company’s energy-efficient multicore module for cost- and power-sensitive applications like kiosks and digital signs.

The module in three multicore performance levels. Compared to embedded computing applications based on previous generations of Intel Atom, it offers twice the graphics capability, as much as 28 percent higher processor performance, and half of the processor thermal design power.

The module measures 95 by 95 millimeter. Integrated decoding hardware keeps processor load to a minimum when decoding 1080-pixel videos, and runs on a 4.75-to-20-volt DC power supply. Power management Intel Deeper Sleep and Intel Rapid Start Technology. The module also enables connected usage in which an instant Internet connection is available.

The Kontron COMe-cCT6 has as much as 4 gigabytes of fast on-board DDR3 800/1600 system memory, integrated Intel Graphics Media Accelerator 3600/3650, HDCP support via HDMI 1.3a, and DisplayPort 1.1. Systems designers can connect monitors via the common LVDS and VGA interfaces.

The board offers two SATA II 300-megabyte-per-second interfaces, eight USB 2.0 ports, Gigabit Ethernet, and three PCI-Express x1 lanes. On-board flash memory is available as an option. Software support includes Wind River VxWorks 6.8, Linux, Windows XP, XPe, WEC 7 and WES 7 where Windows 8 support is planned.

For more information contact Kontron online at www.kontron.com.

Follow Military & Aerospace Electronics and Avionics Intelligence news updates on Twitter

Advanced Photonix to ensure quality of stealth coatings on F-35 Joint Strike Fighters

Fri, 27 Apr 2012 05:30:00 GMT

ANN ARBOR, Mich., 27 April 2012. Advanced Photonix, Inc. (NYSE Amex: API) announced it has been awarded a follow on 21 month contract from the Air Force for $1.5M to provide terahertz process control instrumentation to support production of the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter (JSF).The contract is a commercialization pilot program (CPP) award to ensure the quality of specialty stealth coatings applied by Northrop Grumman to a sub-system on the F-35. The purpose of the CPP is to accelerate the transition of Small Business Innovation Research funded technologies to Phase III production and deployment purchases by the DoD.

Previous Phase I and II contracts demonstrated feasibility in the lab and in Northrop Grumman's facility. This contract funds further application and system development culminating in delivering two production units for deployment on the manufacturing floor by the end of 2013. Once completed, the system will consist of the T-Ray 4000 control unit which is connected to a miniature terahertz (THz) transceiver via an umbilical up to 100 meters in length mounted onto an existing robot arm within a paint booth. The fiber-optic coupled THz technology employed features small, freely positionable, lightweight sensors. A hand-held version that would allow measurement on cured coatings without the robot is also planned.

The proposed system and software will function as a real-time sensor for applying the sprayed-on stealth coating on the F-35 for the Air Force and can also be used for other coatings of interest to the Army and Navy.

Terahertz radiation can be used to image through materials yielding high spatial resolution and has the ability to resolve both time and amplitude information. It is safe for humans and can provide spectroscopic information, as well as produce images.

The T-Ray 4000 features interchangeable fiber-coupled heads that deliver a picosecond duration TD-THz pulse that allows high-speed scanned images to be produced.

Boeing to enhance information services capabilities with acquisition of Inmedius

Fri, 27 Apr 2012 05:15:00 GMT

SEATTLE, 27 April 2012. Boeing [NYSE: BA] announced that it has signed an agreement to acquire Inmedius, a provider of software applications and services for managing and sharing information and learning content. Inmedius will be integrated into Boeing subsidiary Continental DataGraphics (CDG) in support of Boeing's Digital Airline strategy.

Inmedius offers applications and services to create, manage, capture and deploy information and learning assets. Inmedius also provides content management services to customers.

The acquisition will enable Boeing to offer an expanded portfolio of technical services and solutions for aerospace, defense and manufacturing markets. Inmedius solutions will also bring new efficiencies to technical content management across Boeing's commercial and defense programs.

Inmedius has approximately 75 employees and is headquartered in Pittsburgh, PA, with field office locations in Maryland and Colorado and the U.K. and India. It has a customer base drawn from commercial aerospace and defense businesses, including Boeing and Airbus, as well as other manufacturing and service industries. Inmedius President and CEO Gary L. Schaffer will continue to lead the business, reporting to CDG President and CEO David Malmo.

Inmedius is a privately held company and terms of the acquisition have not been disclosed. The acquisition is expected to be completed by the second quarter of 2012.

NASA officials select DynCorp for $176.9 million contract to provide aircraft maintenance

Fri, 27 Apr 2012 05:00:00 GMT

FALLS CHURCH, Va., 27 April 2012. DynCorp International won a NASA contract, potentially worth $176.9 million, to provide aircraft maintenance and operational support services at various locations, including Ellington Field at NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston; NASA's Langley Research Center in Hampton, Va.; NASA facilities in El Paso, Texas, and Edwards Air Force Base, Calif.; and worldwide locations as required.

The fixed-price-award-fee/cost-plus-award-fee contract has a $46.6 million base contract. It begins June 1, spans one year and four months, and includes two two-year option periods.

DynCorp staff will perform such services as engineering, support for flight operations, maintenance, repairs, and alterations to aircraft, component parts, and support equipment. Additional services include: spaceflight readiness training, airborne research and development, and flight test support.

First two Astrium Galileo satellites begin full-orbit operation

Fri, 27 Apr 2012 05:00:00 GMT

PARIS, France, 27 April 2012. The first two Galileo In-Orbit Validation (IOV) satellites built by Astrium have begun full in-orbit operations. The satellites passed a series of in-orbit tests following their launch on the first Soyuz flight from the Guiana Space Centre, French Guiana on 21 October 2011.

The satellites are the first two of four IOV satellites developed by Astrium for the Galileo system - Europe’s global navigation satellite system that will provide a global positioning service under civilian control. The first two spacecraft will be joined in orbit later this year by the third and fourth IOV satellites, which are also being manufactured under Astrium’s leadership. Once in orbit, these four satellites will validate the Galileo system - four satellites are the minimum required to provide positioning information in three dimensions.

A team under the leadership of Astrium in Germany designed and manufactured the satellites, with Astrium in the UK developing and integrating the satellites’ navigation payloads.

The Galileo system will offer services to users in various domains, including commercial, safety and security, science and leisure, including services for safety-critical applications such as civil aviation, emergency services and security. Consisting of 30 spacecraft in Medium Earth Orbit and associated ground infrastructure, the system will be gradually built up over time.

In addition to leading the development of the Galileo IOV satellites, Astrium is involved in the Galileo Ground Segment and System activities. Astrium recently signed a $97.1 million contract from ESA on behalf of the EU to be the prime contractor for the Galileo Full Operational Capability Ground Control Segment. The Ground Control Segment (GCS) contract covers the provision of the facilities for the operation of the Galileo constellation and is led by an Astrium team out of the UK.

The definition phase and the development and In-Orbit Validation phase of the Galileo programme were carried out by the European Space Agency (ESA) and co-funded by ESA and the European Commission.

The Full Operational Capability phase of the Galileo programme is managed and funded by the European Commission. The Commission and ESA have signed a delegation agreement by which ESA acts as design and procurement agent on behalf of the Commission.

Rugged 3U OpenVPX CPU board based in 3rd Generation Intel Core processor introduced by Curtiss-Wright

Thu, 26 Apr 2012 08:19:00 GMT

Posted by John Keller

ASHBURN, Va., 26 April 2012. Curtiss-Wright Controls Defense Solutions in Ashburn, Va., is introducing the VPX3-1257 3U OpenVPX single-board computer with the quad-core 3rd-Generation Intel Core i7-3612QE processor, which was introduced this week. The embedded computing board is for harsh-environment, air- and conduction-cooled aerospace and defense applications.

The Intel 3rd-Generation Core microprocessor previously was known as Ivy Bridge, and delivers a significantly improved thermal profile, enabling greater cooling for the extended temperature ranges necessary for many military embedded systems such as unmanned aerial and ground vehicles, tactical aircraft, armored vehicles, and rugged naval systems.

The VPX3-1257 has "a thermal footprint never before obtained with earlier generation processors," says Lynn Bamford, senior vice president and general manager of Curtiss-Wright Controls Defense Solutions.

The 3rd Generation Intel Core i7 processor has a reduced power footprint compared to earlier generations of the chip, Intel officials say. The VPX3-1257 is backward-compatible with the Curtiss-Wright VPX3-1256, which based on the Intel Core i7-2715QE processor.

The latest Intel Core i7-3612QE processor not only offers reduced power at a similar clock speed, but also delivers the improved performance per Watt required by size, weight, and power (SWaP)- constrained applications, company officials say.

The board offers on-board I/O, x8 PCI Express Gen2 fabric, and XMC mezzanine module expansion. The VPX3-1257 comes in air- and conduction-cooled configurations. Performance features include 8 to 16 gigabytes of high-bandwidth DDR3 SDRAM (1333 MHz), dual Gigabit Ethernet, USB 2.0 ports, DVI, SATA, and an XMC site supported with eight lane of PCI Express. Software support includes Windows WES7, Linux, and VxWorks.

For more information contact Curtiss-Wright Controls Defense Solutions online at www.cwcdefense.com.

Follow Military & Aerospace Electronics and Avionics Intelligence news updates on Twitter

BAE Systems to deliver electronic warfare, missile warning capabilities for Saudi Arabian fighter jet upgrade

Thu, 26 Apr 2012 05:00:00 GMT

NASHUA, N.H., 26 April 2012. BAE Systems won a $367 million contract to deliver 70 Digital Electronic Warfare Systems (DEWS)/Common Missile Warning Systems (CMWS), which will be used to upgrade F-15S fighter jets in support of the Royal Saudi Air Force.

The DEWS integrated digital electronic warfare system brings advanced radar warning and countermeasure capabilities to both legacy and new platforms. It provides situational awareness, offensive targeting support, and self-protection.

“Through these efforts the Kingdom’s existing fighter F-15 fighter aircraft will match the capabilities of the next generation of F-15 SA fighter jets currently in development,” says John Nyilis, product line director at BAE Systems. “Our DEWS/CMWS product can be modified for a wide variety of platforms, providing our customers with the ability to ensure system commonality.”

BAE Systems will deliver the DEWS/CMWS system to Warner Robins Air Logistics Center in Georgia under a Foreign Military Sale to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Work will be performed in Nashua, N.H.; Totowa, N.J.; and Austin, Texas and is scheduled to be completed by November 2018.

Boeing delivers second set of P-8A training devices to Jacksonville Naval Air Station

Thu, 26 Apr 2012 05:00:00 GMT

ST. LOUIS, Mo., 26 April 2012. The Boeing Co.[NYSE: BA] delivered a second set of P-8A Poseidon training devices to the U.S. Navy on March 29 at Naval Air Station Jacksonville, Fla. The delivery consisted of an Operational Flight Trainer (OFT), a Weapons Tactics Trainer (WTT) and four Electronic Classrooms.

The WTT features five mission-crew workstations and five instructor-operator stations. It will be used to train mission crew members to operate the P-8A Poseidon maritime surveillance aircraft's sensor and communications systems, as well as to control and deploy its weapons.

The full-motion, full-visual OFT is derived from the commercial Next-Generation 737 full-flight simulator, just as the P-8A Poseidon aircraft is a derivative of the Next-Generation 737 aircraft. It can be used as a stand-alone trainer or be paired with the WTT to comprise a full P-8A Weapons Systems Trainer.

Boeing will deliver seven more OFTs and four more WTTs (for a total of nine and six), plus two Part-Task Trainers and more than two dozen classrooms and attendant courseware, to the Navy's training facility in Jacksonville by the end of 2013. Boeing delivered the first of 13 low-rate initial production P-8A Poseidon aircraft to the U.S. Navy on March 4. The Navy currently plans to purchase 117 P-8A aircraft to replace its P-3 fleet.

The P-8A Poseidon is a long-range aircraft that can perform a variety of missions. It can conduct anti-submarine warfare and anti-surface warfare while acting as an intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance aircraft.

Gain free advice from FAA Designated Engineering Representative in free Webinar

Wed, 25 Apr 2012 17:37:00 GMT

NASHUA, N.H., 25 April 2012. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Designated Engineering Representative (DER) Joe Wlad is answering questions and offering insight and advice to avionics developers about RTCA’s DO-178C objectives. Register and sign in to the free Webinar now at http://video.webcasts.com/events/pmny001/viewer/index.jsp?eventid=41998&adid=ws.

“An Environment to Help Avionics Developers Meet DO-178C Objectives” is an educational Webinar discussing how avionics developers can harness simulation to meet new guidance published in DO-178C.

Join the Webcast online to listen and pose questions to:

Joe Wlad, FAA DER and Senior Director of Aerospace and Defense at Wind River
Wlad is responsible for all safety-critical and secure products in the Aerospace and Defense markets. Wlad has over 25 years of safety-critical systems design, development, test, and evaluation experience including work at LynuxWorks, Intermetrics Inc., McDonnell-Douglas Aircraft Company (in the MD-11 Test and Certification organization), and United Airlines' B747 Fleet engineering and modification organization.
Wlad has also worked for Trimble Navigation as an Engineering Manager in development and FAA approval of military GPS sensors. He is a FAA DER for Systems and Equipment and Software, is an active private pilot and has co-authored three patents on Global Positioning System integrity functions. Mr. Wlad holds a B.S. in Aerospace Engineering from the University of Buffalo and a MBA from Santa Clara University.

Eddie Glenn, Senior Marketing Manager at Wind River
Glenn has over 23 years of experience in the embedded software industry. He started his career developing safety-critical software for the aviation industry and was involved in the development of DO-178B. Prior to Wind River, Glenn was director of product management and marketing at Virtutech for 5 years. He spent nearly 14 years at Rational Software in a variety of roles including safety-critical RTOS engineer, marketing engineer, product manager, and product marketing manager. Glenn has a bachelor’s degree in computer science and electrical engineering from the University of Virginia, and an MBA from the University of Oregon.

Free Webinar on meeting DO-178C objectives in avionics designs

Wed, 25 Apr 2012 13:30:00 GMT

NASHUA, N.H., 11 April 2012. The staff of Avionics Intelligence invites avionics professionals to take part in a free Webinar on Thurs., 26 April at 11 am EDT. Register today at http://video.webcasts.com/events/pmny001/viewer/index.jsp?eventid=41998&adid=ws.

“Simics: An Environment to Help Avionics Developers Meet DO-178C Objectives” is an educational Webinar discussing how avionics developers can harness the power of Wind River Simics to meet new guidance published in DO-178C.

Wind River Simics is a full-system simulator used by software developers to simulate virtually any target hardware--from a single processor to large, complex, connected electronic systems. The simulation enables the target software (board support package, firmware, real-time operating system (RTOS), middleware, and application) to run on a virtual platform the same way it does on the physical hardware.

The historic methods of achieving compliance may no longer be acceptable, admits a Wind River executive. DO-178C requires more rigor in the areas of requirements and verification, he adds.

Attendees will learn the following in the free Webinar:
•   How nuances in DO-178C guidance may impact certification processes for avionics developers
•   Capability overview of the Simics full system simulation environment with highlights of unique capabilities relevant to addressing DO-178 objectives
•   Details on Simics features that transcend hardware test platform capabilities to solve more rigorous DO-178C verification requirements
•   How Simics can help developers standardize their processes and satisfy requirements-based testing, coverage analysis and robustness verification more easily

Wind River is a provider of aerospace and defense embedded software solutions, providing mission-proven trusted platforms for systems demanding safety and security with high performance. Wind River provides federated and integrated modular avionics solutions certified to RTCA DO-178 for safety-critical applications.

Speakers include:

Joe Wlad, FAA DER and Senior Director of Aerospace and Defense at Wind River
Wlad is responsible for all safety-critical and secure products in the Aerospace and Defense markets. Wlad has over 25 years of safety-critical systems design, development, test, and evaluation experience including work at LynuxWorks, Intermetrics Inc., McDonnell-Douglas Aircraft Company (in the MD-11 Test and Certification organization), and United Airlines' B747 Fleet engineering and modification organization.
Wlad has also worked for Trimble Navigation as an Engineering Manager in development and FAA approval of military GPS sensors. He is a FAA DER for Systems and Equipment and Software, is an active private pilot and has co-authored three patents on Global Positioning System integrity functions. Mr. Wlad holds a B.S. in Aerospace Engineering from the University of Buffalo and a MBA from Santa Clara University.

Eddie Glenn, Senior Marketing Manager at Wind River
Glenn has over 23 years of experience in the embedded software industry. He started his career developing safety-critical software for the aviation industry and was involved in the development of DO-178B. Prior to Wind River, Glenn was director of product management and marketing at Virtutech for 5 years. He spent nearly 14 years at Rational Software in a variety of roles including safety-critical RTOS engineer, marketing engineer, product manager, and product marketing manager. Glenn has a bachelor’s degree in computer science and electrical engineering from the University of Virginia, and an MBA from the University of Oregon.

VXS/VME, CompactPCI, and AdvancedMC boards based on Intel 3rd Generation Core processors introduced by Concurrent

Wed, 25 Apr 2012 10:58:00 GMT

Posted by John Keller

WOBURN, Mass., 25 April 2012. Concurrent Technologies Inc. this week is introducing three embedded computing products based on the newly announced Intel 3rd Generation Core microprocessor -- the VX 91x/01x 6U VXS/VME single-board computer, the PP 93x/x1x single slot air-cooled 6U CompactPCI single-board computer, and the AM 92x/x1x Advanced Mezzanine Card (AdvancedMC).

These announcements are part of an industrywide flurry of product announcements since Monday when Intel Corp. in Santa Clara, Calif., announced its 3rd Generation Core microprocessor family, formerly known as Ivy Bridge, which is based on 22-nanometer fabrication technology and promises faster performance than the 2nd Generation Intel Core microprocessors that had been code-named Sandy Bridge.

The Concurrent Technologies VX 91x/01x 6U VXS/VME single-board computer, which complies with the VITA 41.x standard, has enhanced processing and graphics from the quad-core Intel Core i7-3615QE or the quad-core Intel Core i7-3612QE processors. The board is designed to provide a plug-and-play upgrade path for users of earlier generations of Concurrent 6U VXS/VME embedded computing products for military embedded systems for data acquisition, instrumentation, control systems, and signal processing.

The 3rd generation Intel Core processors offer enhanced graphic and processing capabilities resulting in an increase of as much as 15 percent in CPU performance and an increase of as much as 50 percent in graphics performance. The 3rd generation Intel Core processor extends itself to support compute-intensive applications by providing support for OpenCL.

The VX 91x/01x supports as much as 16 gigabytes of ECC DDR3 SDRAM, and offers configurable PCI Express fabric interface supporting 1 x8, two x4, 1 x4 + 1 x4 at Gen 1 or Gen 2 data rates, dual Gigabit Ethernet, dual SATA600, dual PMC / XMC slots, dual serial RS232/422/485 ports, six USB 2.0 ports, dual independent display ports, on-board CompactFlash, and optional 2.5 inch hard drive.

The VX 91x/01x is available in three temperature grades: 0 to 55 degrees Celsius (N-Series); -25 C to 70 C (E-Series); and -40 C to 85 C (K-Series). The boards also come in two ruggedized grades: ruggedized conduction-cooled -40 C to 85 C (RC) and ruggedized air-cooled -40 C to 75 C (RA).

The Concurrent Technologies PP 93x/x1x is a single-slot air-cooled 6U CompactPCI single-board computer with the 3rd generation Intel Core processors. The board has front and rear I/O interfaces, has as much as 16 gigabytes of ECC SDRAM, and is designed to provide an upgrade path for earlier generations of 6U CompactPCI products.

The board has as two 100 MHz PCI-X PMC or XMC x4/x8 PCI Express sites, 1x RS232, 2x Gigabit Ethernet, 3x USB 2.0 sites, and 4x SATA interfaces. The front panel supports as much as 3x USB 2.0 interfaces, 2x Gigabit Ethernet, optional DVI-I graphics and optional RS232 interface. For application and data storage there is an on-board site for a CompactFlash module and an on-board option for a SATA600 2.5-inch disk drive.

The board can operate as a system controller board, a peripheral board. or as a satellite blade. Support is also provided for PICMG 2.16 (Ethernet fabric), PICMG 2.9 (IPMI) and PICMG 2.1 (hot swap); the CompactPCI backplane interface operates at 33/66 MHz PCI signalling speeds.

The PP 93x/x1x is for military and medical applications and scales from commercial temperature grade 0 C to 55 C (N-Series) through to extended temperature grade -40 C to 85 C (K-Series).

For more information contact Concurrent Technologies online at www.gocct.com.

Follow Military & Aerospace Electronics and Avionics Intelligence news updates on Twitter

General Dynamics to provide FAA with air traffic control radios

Wed, 25 Apr 2012 05:30:00 GMT

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. 25 April 2012. General Dynamics C4 Systems, a business unit of General Dynamics (NYSE: GD), received a contract from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) for radios that allow air traffic control personnel to communicate with commercial and military aircraft throughout the National Airspace System (NAS). The 10-year, indefinite delivery, indefinite quantity contract has a potential value of $363 million if all options are exercised. General Dynamics received a $6 million initial award to qualify and certify the radios for operation in the NAS.

The contract is part of the FAA's Next Generation Air-Ground Communications (NEXCOM) Segment 2 program, which includes replacing outmoded air traffic control (ATC) air-to-ground radios with radios using the latest in communications technology. The software-defined CM300/350 VHF and UHF air traffic control radios will provide Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) capabilities along with ground-to-air communications.

General Dynamics first delivered the CM-series UHF and VHF air traffic control radios to the FAA in 1992 and has delivered over 13,500 CM300/350 Version 1 UHF radios as part of the NEXCOM UHF contract awarded in 2001.

Lockheed Martin to develop new variant of the GMLRS

Wed, 25 Apr 2012 05:15:00 GMT

DALLAS, Texas, 25 April 2012. Lockheed Martin [NYSE: LMT] has received a $79.4 million contract from the U.S. Department of Defense to develop a new variant of the Guided Multiple Launch Rocket System (GMLRS) that incorporates a new warhead.

Under the terms of the contract, the GMLRS Alternative Warhead Engineering and Manufacturing Development Program will run 36 months, and will focus on system performance, warhead qualification and producibility. The alternative warhead for the GMLRS is unitary and will perform as a drop-in replacement for the currently fielded Dual-Purpose Improved Conventional Munition warhead.

The GMLRS is an all-weather, precision-guided rocket.

During live-fire testing by the U.S. Army, the ATK-designed Alternative Warhead demonstrated that it meets performance and mission requirements and matches current weapon flight characteristics without major modifications to the existing GMLRS delivery system.

X-ES announces support for third generation Intel Core i7 processor across product line

Wed, 25 Apr 2012 05:00:00 GMT

MIDDLETON, Wis. 25 April 2012. Extreme Engineering Solutions, Inc. (X-ES) is supporting the third generation Intel Core i7 processor across eight industry-standard form factors - COM Express, 3U VPX, 6U VPX, 3U CompactPCI, 6U CompactPCI, VME, air-cooled PrPMC/XMC, and conduction-cooled PrPMC/XMC. The XPedite7470 3U VPX Single Board Computer (SBC) and XCalibur4401 6U CompactPCI SBC are the first X-ES products available to support the third generation Intel Core i7 processor.

Third generation Intel Core i7 processors provide higher performance and lower power compared to 2nd generation Intel Core i7 processors. 3rd generation Intel Core i7 processors also include Intel HD Graphics with DirectX 11, which supports OpenGL 3.1 and OpenCL 1.1. Initially, X-ES products are available with the quad-core Intel Core i7-3615QE, 2.3GHz and the quad-core Intel Core i7-3612QE, 2.1GHz.

Because of the lower power consumption of the 3rd generation Intel Core i7 processors, quad-core 3rd generation Intel Core i7 processors are more easily supported in conduction-cooled applications. As with all Intel processors used in X-ES designs, the 3rd generation Intel Core i7 processors are on Intel's embedded roadmap for at least 7 years of availability.

X-ES plans on supporting dual-core versions of 3rd generation Intel Core i7 processors when they become available as well.

For data sheets, visit the links below.

XPedite7470

XCalibur4401

Northrop Grumman, ATK complete flight backplane section of NASA's Webb Telescope

Wed, 25 Apr 2012 05:00:00 GMT

WASHINGTON, 25 April 2012. Engineers at Northrop Grumman Corp. in Redondo Beach, Calif., and ATK in Magna, Utah, have completed the center section of the backplane structure that will fly on NASA's James Webb Space Telescope.

Construction of the center section marks an important milestone in the telescope's hardware development. The backplane supports the telescope's beryllium mirrors, instruments, and thermal control systems.

Northrop Grumman won a contract from NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Md., to design and develop Webb's sunshield, telescope, and spacecraft. ATK manufactured 1,781 composite parts for the center section using lightweight graphite materials and advanced manufacturing techniques, says a company representative.

"Completing the center section of the backplane is an important step in completing the sophisticated telescope structure," explains Lee Feinberg, optical telescope element manager for the Webb telescope at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Md. "This fabrication success is the result of innovative engineering dating back to the technology demonstration phase of the program."

The center section is the primary mirror backplane support structure and the first of the three sections of the backplane to be completed. The center segment will hold Webb's 18-segment, 21-foot-diameter primary mirror virtually motionless. Measuring approximately 24 by 12 feet and weighing 500 pounds, the center section of the backplane meets thermal stability requirements.

The backplane holds the alignment of the telescope's optics through the rigors of launch and over a wide range of operating temperatures, which reach as cold as -406 degrees Fahrenheit. During science operations, the backplane precisely keeps the 18 primary mirror segments in place, permitting the mirrors to form a single shape to take sharp images.

The Webb telescope is a joint project of NASA, the European Space Agency, and the Canadian Space Agency.

Embedded computing based on Intel Ivy Bridge processor continue to roll out with Mercury 6U and 3U VPX products

Tue, 24 Apr 2012 19:58:00 GMT

Posted by John Keller

CHELMSFORD, Mass., 24 April 2012. Mercury Computer Systems Inc. in Chelmsford, Mass., is introducing the Ensemble series 6U OpenVPX LDS6524 and the 3U OpenVPX SBC3512 embedded computing modules based on the 22 nanometer 3rd generation Intel Core processor family, which formerly has been known as Ivy Bridge.

The new Mercury computer boards are for intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR), electronic warfare, and similar military embedded systems that require rugged, digital signal processing capability.

The Mercury (NASDAQ: MRCY) LDS6524 uses the quad-core Intel Core i7-3615QE processor, while the SBC3512 uses the quad-core Intel Core i7-3612QE processor. Intel introduced its 3rd Generation Core, or "Ivy Bridge," processors this week. Mercury designed the OpenVPX modules to deliver improved performance per Watt.

The 3rd Generation Intel Core processor family supports a higher maximum clock speed at the same power dissipation compared to prior-generation products. Systems designers using embedded computing products from Mercury based on the 2nd Generation Intel Core i7 processor can upgrade without expensive software recoding or system-level redesign. Performance can be controlled with software features in the Intel Core processor that reduce power dissipation during run-time.

"Higher performance combined with the Intel AVX processing capability on the four cores meets signal processing requirements as well as the computing needs of traditional, embedded real-time applications," says Matt Langman, director of marketing, Intel Intelligent Systems Group.

Mercury offers building block types to enable systems designers to configure OpenVPX systems to optimize their applications. The mobile-class LDS6524 can be combined with Mercury's server-class Intel Xeon E5-2600 family-based HDS6601 to maximize the number of processors in the OpenVPX system while also configuring the right amount of I/O for the application.

The LDS6524 and SBC3512 are available now and can be configured in air-cooled or conduction-cooled rugged versions. For more information contact Mercury Computer Systems online at www.mc.com.

'Intelligent systems' is replacing 'embedded systems' in branding and industry consciousness

Tue, 24 Apr 2012 07:20:00 GMT

THE MIL & AERO VIDEO BLOG, 24 April 2012. Don't look now, but the term "embedded systems" may be headed for the endangered species list. Instead, industry is settling on a new description for board-level computers that control larger applications: "intelligent systems." The new term refers to advanced embedded computing systems that can make judgments on their own, rather than simply following orders.

Northrop Grumman moves forward with MQ-8 unmanned helicopter upgrades in potential $262.3 million contract

Tue, 24 Apr 2012 07:00:00 GMT

Posted by John Keller

PATUXENT RIVER NAS, Md., 24 April 2012. Engineers from the Northrop Grumman Corp. Aerospace Systems sector in San Diego will develop and build two unmanned helicopters, as well as six MQ-8 Fire Scout unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) as part of the vertical take-off and landing tactical unmanned aerial vehicle (VTUAV) endurance upgrade rapid deployment capability, under terms of a potential $262.3 million contract announced Monday.

MQ-8B Fire Scout is an unmanned helicopter for U.S. Navy situational awareness and precision targeting. The unmanned aircraft is based on the Schweizer Model 333 two-seat manned helicopter from Schweizer Aircraft Corp. in Horseheads, N.Y. It can autonomously take off and land on any aviation-capable warship and at unprepared landing zones near battlefields.

The contract, awarded by U.S. Naval Air Systems Command at Patuxent River Naval Air Station, Md., is to develop, build, and test two vertical take-off and landing tactical unmanned aerial vehicles (VTUAVs), build six air vehicles, and provide spare parts in support of the VTUAV endurance upgrade rapid deployment capability effort.

The 9.4-foot tall, 3,150-pound MQ-8B Fire Scout can reach speeds of up to 125 knots, and altitudes of 20,000 feet. It’s capable of continuous operations that provide coverage up to 110 nautical miles from the launch site.

The MQ-8B Fire Scout vertical takeoff and landing tactical unmanned aerial vehicle (VTUAV) has a modular mission payload of electro-optical and infrared sensors, as well as a laser pointer and laser rangefinder, which enable the aircraft to find, track, and designate targets and perform battle damage assessment. The MQ-8 also can act as a communications node for network-centric warfare.

Northrop Grumman builds the MQ-8 Fire Scout at a facility at Trent Lott International Airport in Moss Point, Miss., which opened in 2006.

Northrop Grumman has demonstrated MQ-8 Fire Scout radar capability to detect and track several targets with a Telephonics RDR-1700B radar system. The Fire Scout eventually will be armed with gun pods, Hydra 70-millimeter rocket pods, and small missiles.

On the Northrop Grumman MQ-8 Fire Scout team are Cubic Defense Applications -- communications; FLIR Systems Inc. -- Brite STAR II payload; GE Intelligent Platforms -- vehicle management computer; Kearfott Inc. -- guidance and navigation; Lockheed Martin Corp. -- ship integration; Raytheon Co. -- tactical control system; Rockwell Collins -- avionics; Rolls-Royce Corp. -- engine; Sierra Nevada Corporation -- unmanned common automatic recovery system; and Schweizer Aircraft Corp. -- airframe.

The MQ-8 Fire Scout is 30 feet long, 9.4 feet tall, can fly as fast as 125 knots to altitudes of 20,000 feet, and has a rotor diameter of 27.5 feet.

On the current contract, Northrop Grumman will do the work in Moss Point, Miss.; San Diego; and Yuma, Ariz., and should be finished in May 2014.

For more information contact Northrop Grumman Aerospace online at www.as.northropgrumman.com, or Naval Air Systems Command at www.navair.navy.mil.

Follow Military & Aerospace Electronics and Avionics Intelligence news updates on Twitter

GE IP introduces three new rugged single board computers

Tue, 24 Apr 2012 05:15:00 GMT

HUNTSVILLE, Ala., 24 April 2012. GE Intelligent Platforms announced three new rugged single board computers (SBCs) based on 3rd Generation Intel Core processors. The SBC625, XVR15 and XCR15 bring processing power, graphics capability, I/O bandwidth and functional density to customers developing and deploying industrial and mil/aero applications. These include C4ISR, radar/sonar and signal processing.

The new SBCs are fully compatible with their predecessors. Some of these new COTS boards also offer support for USB 3.0. Power consumption/heat dissipation are identical to those of preceding products.

The SBC625, XCR15 and XVR15, designed for 6U VPX, CompactPCI and VME systems respectively, are available in five build levels, from benign (air cooled) to fully rugged (conduction cooled).

The SBC625, XVR15 and XCR15 are offered initially with the 2.3GHz Intel Core i7-3615QE processor featuring Intel Advanced Vector Extensions (Intel AVX), up to 16GBytes of DDR3 memory and a solid state disk drive of 16GBytes capacity. These capabilities are offered together with a range of I/O options including Gigabit Ethernet, SATA, DVI, VGA and audio. Provision of two mezzanine XMC/PMC sites enables flexibility and expandability. Supported operating systems include Windows 7, Open Linux, Wind River Linux and VxWorks.

To view the fact sheets visit the links below.

XCR15
XVR15
SBC625

Raytheon to upgrade Navy air traffic control radars

Tue, 24 Apr 2012 05:00:00 GMT

MARLBOROUGH, Mass., 24 April 2012. The U.S. Navy has purchased two radar systems from Raytheon (NYSE: RTN) as part of a continuing effort to replace analog air traffic control systems with digital technology. The new radars will be installed at military bases in New River, N.C., and Quantico, Va.

The Digital Airport Surveillance Radar (DASR) ASR-11 is a fully digital, solid-state radar that has been implemented in the U.S. National Airspace System (NAS). The radars have been deployed to more than 130 sites throughout the world.

The ASR-11 provides primary surveillance radar coverage up to 60 miles and secondary surveillance radar coverage up to 120 miles. It provides the air traffic controller with aircraft detection and weather information. The primary radar is being manufactured in Waterloo, Canada, while the secondary radar will be made in the United States and United Kingdom.

Analog radars are steadily being replaced as part of the NAS Modernization Program, which involves upgrading legacy air traffic control systems with digital technology to enable the Navy to keep pace with changing Federal Aviation Administration guidelines and standards for terminal radar approach controls.

The digital radar is also part of Raytheon's recently introduced Mobile Air Traffic Control system, which provides air traffic services when existing infrastructure has been damaged or does not exist.

VPT to move headquarters, research and development to Virginia Tech Corporate Research Center

Mon, 23 Apr 2012 14:13:00 GMT

BLACKSBURG, Va., 23 April 2012. VPT Inc., a HEICO company (NYSE:HEI.A) (NYSE:HEI), broke ground on its new headquarters facility in Blacksburg, Va. The new facility, which will also serve as VPT’s research and development center, will be located in the Virginia Tech Corporate Research Center.

VPT officials intend to move to the new location in the fourth quarter and do not expect the move to affect VPT’s manufacturing operations, located in a separate facility.

“We are pleased to be expanding into this state-of-the-art research facility,” says Dr. Dan Sable, president of VPT. “We’ve grown appreciably over the last several years and the time is right to invest in the next phase of our corporate success. The new facility will offer several new amenities to enhance our R&D capabilities as we continue to develop new power conversion technologies for the avionics, military, and space markets.”

The Virginia Tech Corporate Research Center is the recipient of the 2010 Outstanding Research/Science Park Award by the Association of University Research Parks (AURP).

Mini piezoelectric accelerometer for jet engine and helicopter vibration testing introduced by Meggitt

Mon, 23 Apr 2012 08:54:00 GMT

Posted by John Keller

SAN JUAN CAPISTRANO, Calif., 23 April 2012. Meggitt Sensing Systems in San Juan Capistrano, Calif., is introducing the model 2220E miniature piezoelectric accelerometer for high-temperature vibration measurements in applications such as aircraft engine ground vibration testing, automotive and aerospace component durability testing, auxiliary power unit (APU) monitoring, and helicopter health and usage monitoring systems (HUMS) testing.

The 2220E operates in temperatures as hot as 260 degrees Celsius, weighs 3.1 grams, and has a compact size to keep loading effects to a minimum. The design Meggitt's proprietary piezoelectric crystal sensing element in annular shear mode for sensitivity stability over time.

Signal ground is connected to the outer case of the unit. When used with its supplied isolated mounting screw assembly, the accelerometer is electrically isolated from ground. The transducer uses a centrally located thru bolt, allowing for 360-degree cable orientation. It may also be adhesive mounted, and requires no external power source for operation.

Units are also hermetically sealed, and also can be used in applications such as in-laboratory shaker table component vibration testing and large manufacturing machinery and equipment vibration monitoring.

The sensor comes with a specially designed low-noise coaxial cable. For more information contact Meggitt Sensing Systems online at www.meggittsensingsystems.com.

Follow Military & Aerospace Electronics and Avionics Intelligence news updates on Twitter

Navy looks to Enablence Technologies to fabricate photonic integrated circuits for high-speed optical communications

Sun, 22 Apr 2012 13:27:00 GMT

Posted by John Keller

SAN DIEGO, 22 April 2012. Optical communications experts at the U.S. Space and Naval Warfare Systems Command (SPAWAR) Systems Center Pacific in San Diego are looking to optical network specialists at Enablence USA Components in Fremont, Calif., to fabricate photonic integrated circuits for advanced high-speed naval optical communications. Enablence USA Components is part of Enablence Technologies Inc. (TSX VENTURE:ENA) headquartered in Toronto.

SPAWAR officials on Thursday announced a plan to award a sole-source contract to Enablence to fabricate photonic integrated circuits for optical-to-electrical-to-optical conversion in optical networks. The amount of the contract has yet to be negotiated.

Enablence is a specialized developer for access network solutions, such as high-capacity FTTx and multiservice access systems for high-bandwidth networks. The company fabricates optical chip technologies for carrier-grade architectures and vertically integrated subsystems. The company operates foundries dedicated to polymer, silica-on-silicon, and III-V materials (InP/GaAs platforms) for photonic wafer processing.

Enablence specializes in active component design, manufacturing, and fabrication, of products ranging from miniature transceivers to large-scale optical circuits. The waveguide process at Enablence can be customized for performance and yield, from the wafer level to individual bare die handling and testing.

The Enablence integrated Planar Lightwave Circuit (PLC) optical chips, components, and subsystems are for next-generation high-capacity communications systems for access, metro, and long haul networks. The company's custom and off-the-shelf integrated modules and subsystems help provide communications functionality in small sizes at speeds as fast as 100 gigabits per second.

The company provides technologies that can add as many as 88 high-speed communications channels to one optical fiber and manage speeds to 100 gigabits per second on each channel.

SPAWAR delivers high-end Navy information technologies to the fleet and other U.S. Department of Defense warfighters. As the Navy’s Information Dominance Systems Command, SPAWAR develops and deploys advanced communications and information capabilities. SPAWAR-developed products and services transform ships, aircraft, and vehicles from individual platforms into integrated battle forces, with advanced information and communications capabilities among naval forces, Marines, joint forces, federal agencies, and international allies.

SPAWAR is the Navy’s technical lead for C4ISR, and provides the hardware and software to connect warfighters at sea, on land, and in the air -- from the initial research and development, to acquisition and deployment, to operations and logistics support.

For more information contact Enablence Technologies online at www.enablence.com, or SPAWAR at www.spawar.navy.mil.

Follow Military & Aerospace Electronics and Avionics Intelligence news updates on Twitter

Lockheed Martin to oversee extensive avionics repair and overhaul on Navy MH-60R and MH-60S helicopters

Sun, 22 Apr 2012 06:00:00 GMT

Posted by John Keller

PHILADELPHIA, 22 April 2012. Helicopter avionics and subsystems experts at the Lockheed Martin Corp. Mission Systems & Sensors (MS2) segment in Owego, N.Y., will perform extensive maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) on cockpit avionics for the U.S. Navy MH-60R Seahawk and MH-60S Knighthawk utility helicopters that are based aboard surface warships.

Lockheed Martin received a $61.4 million contract Thursday to repair and overhaul 182 weapons replacement assemblies and shop replaceable assemblies for the common cockpit of the MH-60R and MH-60S helicopters. Lockheed Martin also will repair and overhaul the electronic support measurement receiver processor on the MH-60R helicopter, as well as the organic airborne mine countermeasure on the MH-60S.

The MH-60R and MH-60S are special Navy variants of the Sikorsky UH-60 utility helicopter. The MH-60R is for anti-submarine warfare (ASW) and other kinds of maritime warfare, and has a secondary search and rescue capability.

The MH-60R carries the latest version of the Light Airborne Multi-Purpose System (LAMPS) avionics suite, as well as the Aircraft Survival Equipment (ASE) package, the multi-spectral targeting system (MTS) forward-looking infrared sensor (MTS-FLIR), an advanced airborne fleet data link, and advanced airborne active sonar.

The MH-60R has a glass cockpit common to the MH-60S and other Seahawk versions, which substitute digital avionics displays for a complex collection of dials. The helicopter also has Mk-54 air-launched torpedoes and Hellfire missiles.

The MH-60S Knighthawk, meanwhile, is deployed aboard amphibious assault ships and fast combat supply ships for troop transport, vertical replenishment, and a secondary search-and-rescue role. The helicopter carries the ALQ-144 infrared jammer, and in the future will have the AQS-20A mine detection system and an airborne laser mine detection system (ALMDS) for identifying submerged threats in coastal waters.

Awarding the contract are officials of the Naval Supply Systems Command Weapon Systems Support activity in Philadelphia. Under terms of the contract, Lockheed Martin will oversee work by several different defense companies to repair and overhaul a variety of avionics subsystems on the MH-60R and MH-60S helicopters. Work should be finished by spring 2015.

Among the contractors working with Lockheed Martin on this helicopter MRO contract are:

-- Hamilton Sundstrand Aerospace in Phoenix;
-- the Northrop Grumman Corp. Electronic Systems segment in Salt Lake City;
-- Telephonics Corp. in Farmingdale, N.Y.;
-- GE Aviation Systems in Grand Rapids, Mich.;
-- the Navy Fleet Readiness Center Southwest in San Diego;
-- Flightline Systems in Victor, N.Y.; and
-- Kaman Aerospace in Middletown, Conn.

For more information contact Lockheed Martin MS2 online at www.lockheedmartin.com/us/ms2, or the Naval Supply Systems Command Weapon Systems Support activity at www.navsup.navy.mil.

Follow Military & Aerospace Electronics and Avionics Intelligence news updates on Twitter

Rugged video-management system for military and commercial avionics applications introduced by Curtiss-Wright

Sun, 22 Apr 2012 05:30:00 GMT

Posted by John Keller

ASHBURN, Va., 22 April 2012. Curtiss-Wright Controls Defense Solutions in Ashburn, Va., is introducing a 2U 19-inch rack-mount video-distribution system for video management and recording in military and commercial aviation applications. The VRD1-AC, a version of Curtiss-Wright's VRD1-CC, integrates switching, recording, and network distribution of high-definition (HD) video in a standard rack-mount unit.

The VRD1-AC offers capability that previously required either several different standard units, or expensive customized systems, Curtiss-Wright officials say. For applications that must display several video streams at once, the VRD1-AC has a real-time scaling engine that positions four inputs into one video stream for viewing, recording, or distribution.

The VRD1-AC has 18 video inputs with switching, scaling and windowing. Inputs include six RGB analog/DVI digital inputs of resolutions as fine as 1,920 by 1,200 pixels at 60 frames per second, with support for STANAG 3350; six HD-SDI/3G-SDI digital streams of resolutions to 1,080 by 1,080 pixels; six composite analog; and CVBS/PAL/NTSC.

The unit has 12 video outputs: six RGB analog/DVI digital with resolutions to 1,020 by 1,200 pixels at 60 frames per second; six HD-SDI/3G-SDI digital with resolutions to 1,080 by 1,080 pixels at 60 frames per second; four audio inputs and outputs in addition to 3G-SDI embedded audio; and advanced video scaling, standards conversion, picture-in-picture and dual/quad display output.

The VRD1-AC uses MPEG4 H.264 video compression and decompression; has as many as HD channels in real-time; network video distribution of raw and compressed video; Def Stan 00-82l RTP and UDP; four Gigabit Ethernet ports; video and audio recording with metadata; solid-state storage support for as many as two removable drives; industry-standard audio and video connectors; auto switching 110V/230V 50Hz/60Hz AC power supply input; CE and FCC Part 15 Class A Device conformance and marking; remote control over a network using XML-RPC API; and built-in self-test and status monitoring.

For more information contact Curtiss-Wright Controls Defense Solutions online at www.cwcdefense.com.

Follow Military & Aerospace Electronics and Avionics Intelligence news updates on Twitter

Curtiss-Wright Controls Defense Solutions releases dual LED backlit version of AVDU-2655 Multi-Function Display for NVG applications

Sat, 21 Apr 2012 05:15:00 GMT

ASHBURN, Va., 21 April 2012. Curtiss-Wright Controls Defense Solutions (CWCDS), a business group of Curtiss-Wright Controls, has announced the availability of a new advanced performance option that enhances night flying and daylight display readability on a member of its Skyquest family of rugged displays for deployed airborne vehicles. CWCDS now offers a new dual backlight variant of its rugged Skyquest AVDU-2655 10.4” LED display. The new dual backlight option provides a very high brightness, full color image readable in direct sunlight during daytime operations, and with the use of a switch, a fully filtered display for NVG operations. This performance enhancement makes the AVDU-2655 display useful for defense, aerospace and law enforcement night flying applications where Night Vision Goggles (NVG) are required.

The AVDU-2655, initially introduced to the market in 2010, has been deployed in numerous aerial vehicles. The display comes standardly equipped with touchscreen control, two high definition (HD) inputs, multiple analog inputs, and a serial interface to communicate with external devices such as moving maps.

Traditional NVG filtering is achieved by fitting a filter to the full display area. This “bolt-on” filter approach dims the image and adds an undesirable green tint that is visible in both daytime and nighttime operations. CWCDS’s dual LED backlit Skyquest displays eliminate the filter from the front of the screen. Instead, the filtering occurs in the backlight located behind the LCD. A simple toggle switch enables the selection of either white daylight LEDs or green NVG-filtered LEDs which are integrated in the backlight within the display. This approach provides the user with control over the type of light emitted from the screen. The result is a very high brightness, full color image readable in direct sunlight during daytime operations and a fully filtered display for NVG operations.

Dual LED backlit Skyquest displays provide a number of advantages over older cathode tube technology. Because they use solid state devices instead of glass tubes, the LED displays are more rugged because potential issues associated with the mounting of glass tubes and shock breakage are eliminated. Also, LED displays, which offer highly precise brightness control, enable the system integrator to create different lighting regimes for different application areas.

The AVDU-2655 provides multiple video inputs including HD-SDI, composite video, S-Video (Y/C), RGB Video or STANAG 3350/B/C, providing compatibility with most brands of stabilized airborne camera systems and mapping systems.

General Dynamics to provide IT services for Army Information Technology Agency

Sat, 21 Apr 2012 05:00:00 GMT

FAIRFAX, Va. 21 April, 2012. General Dynamics (NYSE: GD) has been awarded a contract by the Defense Information Systems Agency (DISA) for the U.S. Army Information Technology Agency (USAITA) to support the Services Directorate Enterprise Data Center Enterprise Backup, Mainframe and Server Services Program at the Pentagon. Theone-year contract with one option year has a potential value of $20.2 million if all options are exercised.

Under the contract, General Dynamics will provide unclassified and classified mainframe computerized processing for ITA users worldwide, as well as management of server and application hosting and storage services. The company will also define metrics to measure performance and develop a design solution to migrate the directorate to a service-oriented architecture framework.

General Dynamics has supported the USAITA at the Pentagon in several facets for over 15 years.

Micro robot designer ReconRobotics boosts automated guidance expertise with acquisition of Xollai LLC

Fri, 20 Apr 2012 08:52:00 GMT

Posted by John Keller

EDINA, Minn., 20 April 2012. Executives of ReconRobotics Inc. in Edina, Minn., which specializes in micro robots like the Recon Scout Throwbot for military and law-enforcement applications, are enhancing their company's expertise in automated guidance system technology with their acquisition of Xollai LLC in St. Paul, Minn. Xollai made its name by creating an advanced automated guidance technology for unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs).

“This strategic acquisition will give us access to technologies that solve unmet needs in our current markets, as well as entirely new solutions in advanced manufacturing, image processing, and unmanned aerial systems," says Alan Bignall, president and chief executive officer of ReconRobotics.

ReconRobotics executives say they will integrate Xollai into its product engineering and design operations by the end of this month, and maintain Xollai’s headquarters.

Xollai is a systems engineering firm with intellectual property in automated guidance technology, optics-based autonomous control systems, and image processing and recognition. Xollai won the 2011 Architect of Defense award from the Defense Alliance of Minnesota, which represents defense companies in the Midwest.

ReconRobotics specializes in tactical, micro-robot systems. The company’s Recon Scout Throwbot can provide immediate situational awareness and standoff distance to warfighters and law enforcement, and help protect them from hidden threats.

For more information contact ReconRobotics online at www.reconrobotics.com, or Xollai at http://xollai.com.

Follow Military & Aerospace Electronics and Avionics Intelligence news updates on Twitter

AeroVironment improves situational awareness, fidelity, target tracking with Mantis modular, gimbaled UAV sensor payload

Fri, 20 Apr 2012 05:45:00 GMT

NASHVILLE, 20 April 2012. AeroVironment Inc. (NASDAQ:AVAV) has unveiled a miniature, gimbaled sensor payload—combining a high-resolution color and infrared thermal video sensor and a laser illuminator in a multi-axis sphere capable of continuous pan—on the RQ-11B Raven small unmanned aircraft system (UAS).

A gimbaled sensor payload enables a higher level of visual fidelity and continuous observation of an item of interest regardless of the air vehicle’s flight direction. Flight algorithms enable the air vehicle to manage its own flight path based on what the user wants to see, rather than requiring the user to control both the air vehicle and the sensor separately.

The new payload replaces two separate Raven system payloads previously required for day and night operation: one with a stationary electro-optical sensor, the other with a stationary infrared sensor.

The new payload will be a standard component of future Raven systems and available as an upgrade for currently fielded units. Upgrading existing digital Raven systems to accommodate the new payload requires a software update to each air vehicle and ground control station.

The new payload is one of four products in AeroVironment’s “Mantis” suite of gimbaled sensor payloads for commercial applications, including unmanned aircraft systems, manned aircraft, ground vehicles, and watercraft.

“Operators rely on the portable Raven system to provide critical, live aerial video that gives troops situational awareness, whenever and wherever they need it. Our new mini-gimbal payload significantly increases the Raven system’s capability and can be quickly and easily integrated into the thousands of digitally enabled air vehicles already deployed. The net result is a more capable solution for protecting and serving the warfighter for a fraction of the cost of a new system,” says Tom Herring, AeroVironment senior vice president and general manager of its Unmanned Aircraft Systems business segment.

Latching Micro-D connectors for cable connections in aerospace and defense applications introduced by Omnetics

Fri, 20 Apr 2012 05:15:00 GMT

Posted by John Keller

MINNEAPOLIS, 20 April 2012. Omnetics Connector Corp. in Minneapolis is introducing the Latching Micro-D cable connectors for quick cable connections to rack and panel equipment in military, aerospace, and medical applications. The Latching Micro-D connector features a squeeze-latch system that is small and light weight.

The military connectors have a 0.5-inch pitch, and have passed shock and vibration testing -- including pull tests that exceeds 100-pound pull forces. The push-and-latch design, which is designed to reduce time and effort in plugging a Micro-D connector into a circuit, eliminates the use of screw drivers and hand tools.

Miniature instruments for unmanned vehicle systems, optical surveillance, and portable electronics often require quick connect and disconnect methods not readily available before the Latching Micro-D connector, Omnetics officials say.

The Latching Micro-D connector offers options for connecting inside the instrument, including PC board lead frames and direct wiring. Omnetics uses a one piece beryllium copper flex pin design, plated with nickel and gold for service that operates in the full military temperature range from -55 to 125 degrees Celsius.

Wired connectors include 26 AWG Teflon insulated copper wire that provides as much as three amps per line. Wire count and cables can be designed into custom back-shells for long-range ruggedized service.

Cable systems include braided shields to reduce electro-magnetic interference and cross talk. Digital signals from optical surveillance systems, low voltage differential signals, and low-current power supplies are candidates for the Latching Micro-D connector. Systems designers can convert old jackscrew designs by adding a latching adapter to existing Micro-D connectors.

For more information contact Omnetics online at www.omnetics.com.

Follow Military & Aerospace Electronics and Avionics Intelligence news updates on Twitter

Boeing to produce additional laser JADAM sensors for Navy

Fri, 20 Apr 2012 05:15:00 GMT

ST. LOUIS, 20 April 2012. The Boeing Company [NYSE: BA] received a $12.5 million contract from U.S. Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR) on March 12 for 1,116 Laser Joint Direct Attack Munition (Laser JDAM) sensors. This is NAVAIR's third Low Rate Initial Production order for its Direct Attack Moving Target Capability (DAMTC). It follows an $8.3 million NAVAIR order for 700 laser sensors on Jan. 31.

Deliveries for both laser sensor contracts will begin in April and continue through February 2013.

JDAM is a guidance kit that converts existing unguided free-fall bombs into near precision-guided weapons. Laser JDAMs have added the capability to prosecute moving targets, maritime threats and other relocatable targets of opportunity. The JDAM kit is modular so that the product can mature with a variety of other technological upgrades, such as wing kits that triple its range, improved immunity to GPS jamming, and an all-weather radar sensor.

Boeing completed the development and testing cycle for its Laser JDAM less than 17 months after it was identified as an operational need in early 2007. The company delivered the first production laser sensor kits to the U.S. Air Force in May 2008 and to the U.S. Navy in October 2008. Laser JDAM was employed by the Air Force in combat in Iraq in August 2008. NAVAIR's first Low Rate Initial Production order under DAMTC was a March 2011 contract for 700 Laser JDAM kits.

Since starting JDAM production in 1998, Boeing has built more than 230,000 JDAM tail kits in its St. Charles, Mo., facility on time for use by the U.S. Department of Defense and 26 international militaries.

Pentagon accepts MAINGATE wideband networking waveform into Joint Tactical Radio System library

Fri, 20 Apr 2012 05:00:00 GMT

MARLBOROUGH, Mass., 20 April 2012. The Department of Defense has accepted Raytheon Co.'s (NYSE: RTN) Next Generation Mobile Ad hoc Networking Waveform (NMW) into the government's Joint Tactical Radio System (JTRS) library.

Being accepted into the JTRS library allows other companies to port the waveform to their own radios.

This represents the first time a waveform not developed under JTRS or a legacy program has been accepted into the library.

The waveform, which powers the Mobile Ad hoc Interoperability Network GATEway (MAINGATE) radio system, was developed in conjunction with the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency over the last 12 years and is used in the MAINGATE family of radios. MAINGATE was developed to meet the Army's need for a high capacity backhaul mobile networking radio solution, in addition to enabling interoperability with coalition forces.

MAINGATE, with the NMW waveform, has been in operational use with deployed forces for over than two years. As demonstrated during a Network Integration Evaluation exercise at Fort Bliss, Texas, NMW provided high bandwidth capacity for communication. It has been demonstrated as a viable replacement for the canceled JTRS Ground Mobile Radio program.

Radiation-hardened DC-DC converter power supplies for satellite applications introduced by Microsemi

Thu, 19 Apr 2012 16:11:00 GMT

Posted by John Keller

ALISO VIEJO, Calif., 19 April 2012. Microsemi Corp. in Aliso Viejo, Calif., is introducing the SA50-28 family of radiation-hardened single-, dual-, and triple-output DC-DC converters for military and commercial satellites that require protection against naturally occurring total-dose ionized radiation, which can hurt system performance.

The 50-Watt Microsemi (Nasdaq: MSCC) rad-hard power supplies come in surface-mount packaging and have 28-volt input. The SA50-28 power electronics devices enable designers to make the most of board real estate because their packaging and weight density are similar to hybrid alternatives, Microsemi officials say.

Microsemi's rad-hard DC-DC converters have an isolated power supply that can drive point-of-load (POL) converters, which help step down power to devices like customizable system-on-chip (cSoC) and field programmable gate arrays (FPGAs). The power supplies also have an isolated synchronization scheme to manage system noise spectra.

Microsemi qualified space products include converters, customizable system-on-chip solutions, MOSFETs, rectifiers, switching diodes, transistors and zeners in standard and customized space versions.

For more information contact Microsemi online at www.microsemi.com.

Follow Military & Aerospace Electronics and Avionics Intelligence news updates on Twitter

U.S. Air Force orders Minotaur I Space Launch Vehicle from Orbital

Thu, 19 Apr 2012 05:30:00 GMT

DULLES, Va., 19 April 2012. The U.S. Air Force has exercised an option order for a Minotaur I space launch vehicle from Orbital Sciences Corp. (NYSE:ORB) to support the ORS-3 “Enabler” mission for the Operationally Responsive Space (ORS) Office of the Department of Defense.

This most recent Minotaur I space launch vehicle ordered by the Air Force will be launched from the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport (MARS) facility at NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility at Wallops Island, Va., in 2013.

The Minotaur I four-stage solid fuel space launch vehicle uses Minuteman rocket motors for its first and second stages. It reuses government-owned motors that have been decommissioned as a result of arms reduction treaties.
To date, Minotaur I has conducted 10 missions with a 100 percent success rate, delivering 32 satellites into orbit, while the entire Minotaur product line has established a perfect 23-for-23 mission record.

“We are very pleased to continue to provide cost-effective military space missions for the U.S. Air Force,” explains Ron Grabe, Orbital’s executive vice president and general manager of its Launch Systems Group. “For the past 15 years, the Minotaur program has provided highly reliable and affordable launchers that combine government-owned propulsion systems with commercial rocket technology to support Department of Defense and other U.S. government space missions.”

The Enabler mission will be the fifth Minotaur I rocket to be launched from the MARS facility, following the TacSat-2, NFIRE, TacSat-3, and ORS-1 missions conducted from the Eastern Virginia launch site in 2006, 2007, 2009, and 2011, respectfully.

Orbital’s Minotaur product line was originally developed under the U.S. Air Force’s Orbital/Suborbital Program (OSP). The initial five-year OSP contract was awarded to Orbital in 1997, followed by the 10-year OSP-2 contract in 2002. The Minotaur product line includes both space launch vehicles and long-range suborbital vehicles for missile defense and other specialized missions.

Minotaur vehicles are the only proven launchers currently capable of supporting the Department of Defense’s evolving ORS launch requirements and are also specifically designed to be capable of launching from all major U.S. spaceports, including government and commercial launch sites in Alaska, California, Florida, and Virginia, says a spokesperson. All Minotaur rockets share standardized avionics and subsystems, to ensure reliability and cost-effectiveness.

The Minotaur I space launch configuration combines Orbital’s commercial launch vehicle technologies, including upper-stage rocket motors, structures, avionics and other elements, with government-supplied lower-stage rocket motors. It can place approximately 1,300 lbs. into low-Earth orbit.

Second communications satellite for United Arab Emirates ready for launch

Thu, 19 Apr 2012 05:15:00 GMT

BAIKONUR, Kazakhstan, 19 April 2012. Y1B, the second satellite of the United Arab Emirates’ space communications program prepared for launch on a Proton launcher from Baikonur in Kazakhstan.

Composed of two satellites and a ground segment, the Yahsat project is a commercial and military satellite communications system built by Astrium and Thales Alenia Space (TAS) for the Al Yah Satellite Communications Company (Yahsat). Based in the UAE, Yahsat is a satellite communications operator in the Middle East, Africa, South West Asia and Europe. The Yahsat system will offer commercial solutions, including HDTV broadcasting, internet trunking via satellite, corporate data networks, and internet services for public and private users, as well as secure communications.

Astrium is responsible for the final integration of the two satellites and for delivery in orbit. Thales Alenia Space provided the payloads and is responsible for the space segment, including the launch of the satellites.

Astrium Services, with its partner Thales Alenia Space, is responsible for the ground segment, which consists of a network of ground terminals, and for a management system which provides remote control of all system hardware.

Astrium Services, in association with Thales Communication and Security, is also in charge of operating this system, providing ground segment maintenance and of training Emirati operators over a five-year period.

Y1B will deliver communications in Ka-band for both commercial and governmental users. It will provide internet services for public and private users in the Middle East, Africa and South West Asia with Ka-band multi spot-beam technology, achieving bandwidth supply through 61 narrow spot beams. The governmental mission will bring an increase in the total capacity available for the UAE secure communications over the Middle East, complementing the Y1A satellite.

Raytheon Griffin Missile fires from RAM launcher

Thu, 19 Apr 2012 05:00:00 GMT

NATIONAL HARBOR, Md., 19 April 2012. The U.S. Navy fired Raytheon Co.'s (NYSE: RTN) Griffin B missile from a Rolling Airframe Missile (RAM) launcher.

During the demonstration, which took place late in the fourth quarter of 2011, a Griffin was fired from a land-based RAM launcher at a static target more than 3 kilometers (approximately 2 statute miles) away. The weapon, guided by GPS and laser, scored a direct hit on the target.

The Griffin missile is integrated on the C-130 Harvest Hawk. Griffin A is an aft-eject missile designed for employment from non-conventional platforms such as the C-130 aircraft. Griffin B is a forward-firing missile that launches from rotary- and fixed-wing aircraft and ground-launch applications.

The Griffin is used to engage targets via a graphic interface and guide the weapon to the target using GPS coordinates or laser designation. The user can choose to engage the target with height of burst, point detonation or fuze delay.

DARPA seeks to wean smart weapons off GPS with hybrid inertial navigation system-on-a-chip

Wed, 18 Apr 2012 18:34:00 GMT

Posted by John Keller

ARLINGTON, Va., 18 April 2012. Navigation and guidance experts at the U.S. Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) in Arlington, Va., are trying to reduce the military's reliance on Global Positioning System (GPS) satellite guidance for advanced munitions, mid- and long-range missiles, and other weapons by creating a navigation-system-on-a-chip that combines traditional and atomic inertial guidance technology.

DARPA released a broad agency announcement (DARPA-BAA-12-44) Monday for the Chip-Scale Combinatorial Atomic Navigator (C-SCAN) program, which seeks the co-integration of inertial navigation sensors with different kinds of physics on one micro-scale inertial measurement unit (IMU), which address challenges of long-term drift, dynamic range, and component start-up time.

Potential applications for these kinds of advanced navigational sensor chips are smart weapons, positioning, targeting, navigation, and guidance.

DARPA microelectronics researchers want to develop a integrated navigation chip that not only combines inertial sensors with dissimilar-yet-complementary physics into one system on a chip, but also does not rely on signals from GPS satellites.

Military reliance on GPS signals for precision positioning, navigation, and timing (PNT) information is crucial for a wide range of military weapons, DARPA officials point out. Yet when GPS is inaccessible due to component or system malfunction or enemy jamming, only on-board IMU technology can guide the weapon to its target.

DARPA wants industry to explore how shrink and fabricate atomic sensors together with high-performance solids-state inertial sensors. The chip should be no larger than 20 cubic centimeters and consume no more than one Watt of power.

DARPA experts say they plan to award several research contracts for the C-SCAN program, which is part of DARPA’s micro-PNT (microtechnology for positioning, navigation, and timing), the goal of which is to develop technologies for self-contained chip-scale inertial navigation and precision guidance that could eliminate the dependence on GPS or any other external signals for uncompromised navigation and guidance of military weapons.

Today's state-of-the-art microscale inertial instruments can provide the precision necessary for missions for only 30 seconds or less, DARPA officials explain. The micro-PNT program is developing chip-scale, small size, weight, power, and cost, inertial sensors for missions ranging from minutes to hours.

Micro-PNT work revolves around chip-scale precision timing devices and inertial sensors, including chip-scale atomic clocks, chip-scale primary atomic clocks, solid-state oscillators, silicon accelerometers, vibratory rate gyroscopes, rate integrating gyroscopes, electrostatically levitated spinning mass gyroscopes, and micro nuclear magnetic resonance gyroscopes.

Despite micro-PNT work to date, challenges remain. Vibratory gyroscopes can achieve the required level of bandwidth and frequency of measurements, for example, but they have limited resolution and poor long-term stability. Atomic sensors have excellent resolution and bias stability, but are limited in bandwidth and generally do not allow high-frequency measurements.

The warm-up and integration times for different type of clocks and inertial sensors, moreover, also vary broadly, from seconds for mechanical vibratory devices to tens of minutes for atomic devices.

An IMU device for weapons guidance must warm-up period and reach its optimal readout characteristics quickly. The expected turn-on time of the Hellfire air-to-surface missile, for example, is about five seconds. Achieving 20 minutes of free inertial guidance is a major technological challenge.

For the C-SCAN program, DARPA scientists particularly are interested in technologies involving combinatorial chip-scale clock; cold-atom technology on the micro-scale; chip-scale nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) gyroscopes; and IMU based on cold-atom interferometry.

Current versions of atomic inertial sensors suffer from several drawbacks, such as extremely long warm-up time (tens of minutes), long integration time to reach an optimal reading (thousands of seconds), and instrumentation that is very complex, bulky, and power hungry, DARPA officials say.

In contrast, solid-state inertial sensors are very compact (tens of cubic millimeters), with short warm-up times (seconds), fast integration times (seconds), and low power consumption (milliwatts). In addition, solid-state sensors can be instrumented with exceptional responsiveness, large bandwidth, and a broad dynamic range of operation. However, the major drawback of solid-state inertial sensors is the loss of long-term bias and scale-factor stability.

Companies interested should send abstracts to DARPA no later than 16 May 2012, and full proposals no later than 10 July 2012. For questions or concerns contact Andrei Shkel, the DARPA C-SCAN program manager, by e-mail at DARPA-BAA-12-44@darpa.mil.

More information is online at https://www.fbo.gov/spg/ODA/DARPA/CMO/DARPA-BAA-12-44/listing.html.

Follow Military & Aerospace Electronics and Avionics Intelligence news updates on Twitter

Harsh-environment connector helps designers link IP67 components with IP20 controls

Wed, 18 Apr 2012 11:04:00 GMT

Posted by John Keller

GERMANTOWN, Wis., 18 April 2012. WAGO Corp. in Germantown, Wis., is introducing the 756 series M12 socket Ethernet adapter that WAGO designed to simply linking machine-mount IP67 components with IP20 controls. The D-Coded M12 connector provides tool-free terminations with a traditional cable-based RJ45 Ethernet socket that routes data through a screw-locking M12 connector.

The harsh-environment connector comes in right-angle (756-9503) and straight (756-9504) variants. The M12 provides Class D transmission performance to 100 MHz, and are 360-degree shielded to Category 5 standards.

“The adapter supports this flexibility for access to the latest Ethernet-based IP20 controls and rapidly evolving IP67 systems," says WAGO Product Manager Charlie Norz.

Network-based configuration helps to streamline machine-building and control applications for industries such as packaging, food and beverage, and pharmaceutical, WAGO officials say. This approach also economizes device maintenance, minimizing service for difficult-to-access applications such as roof-mounted level control devices on top of silos.

WAGO’s Speedway 767 IP67 system takes controls out of the cabinet and to applications via rugged controllers and modules. Firmware enables Speedway to process as many as 1,000 instructions within 150 microseconds. Three all-8-channel digital I/O modules (DIO) and a controller enable Speedway 767 to match the performance of an IP20 system while retaining the IP67 hallmarks of strength and modularity.

For more information contact WAGO online at www.wago.us.

Follow Military & Aerospace Electronics and Avionics Intelligence news updates on Twitter

DOD chooses Reality Mobile's RealityVision for mobile video deployment of 4G LTE with Navy pilot of Oceus Networks' Xiphos solution

Wed, 18 Apr 2012 05:30:00 GMT

HERNDON, Va., 18 April 2012. Reality Mobile has been awarded a subcontract with Oceus Networks to provide real-time mobile video collaboration solutions to the U.S. Navy. The company's flagship product, RealityVision, was selected as part of a pilot for a new Navy portable maritime Command and Control (C2) system.

The award is as a subcontractor to Oceus Networks, under a contract for a pilot being conducted over the next year with the Kearsarge Expeditionary Strike Group, homeported in Norfolk, Va. RealityVision will be part of the Xiphos tactical cellular solution which will provide high capacity secure wireless broadband for real time access to Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) data for intra-ship communications over the horizon, and inter-ship communications via commercial hand-held devices.

RealityVision allows for the sharing of live video, data and GPS tracking through commercially available hardware, smart phones, tablets, PCs, cameras, and any system (including cellular, tactical, Wi-Fi and satellite networks) currently being used for mobile communication. Any information seen in the field or on a PC screen - including UAV or drone feeds in a TOC or NOC - can be shared.

RealityVision's mobile technology allows for real-time video and visual data collaboration. The system was designed from the ground up to support the enterprise, leveraging a flexible architecture, modular components and open standards to meet the requirements of enterprise and government customers.

Northrop Grumman demonstrates threat tracking system on surface vessel

Wed, 18 Apr 2012 05:15:00 GMT

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va., 18 April 2012. A team of Northrop Grumman Corp. (NYSE:NOC) engineers recently demonstrated the capability of the Silent Watch Electro-Optical Infrared (EO/IR) Distributed Aperture System (DAS) to enable a surface vessel to sense and track threats.

The Silent Watch EO/DAS was originally designed and developed by Northrop Grumman to provide 360-degree situational awareness for F-35 pilots. The threat warning system may soon provide situational awareness for manned and unmanned surface and submarine platform applications.

The maritime applications of the EO/DAS involved the placement of multiple EO/IR sensors onboard the Sperry Star III research vessel, a Northrop Grumman Naval and Marine Systems surface ship test vehicle. The test demonstration proved that, when employed at sea, high resolution, near-real-time images generated by Silent Watch can be displayed and relayed to friendly forces.

Aboard the Sperry Star III, Silent Watch tracked surface and airborne targets autonomously. The system uses multiple sensors to provide a hemispherical (360-degree) day or night picture. It can autonomously detect and track surface ships and aircraft along with potential threats such as ballistic and cruise missiles.

Raytheon to produce more Aegis Radar equipment

Wed, 18 Apr 2012 05:00:00 GMT

NATIONAL HARBOR, Md., 18 April 2012. The U.S. Navy awarded Raytheon Company (NYSE: RTN) a $106.4 million modification to a previously awarded contract for the production of Aegis-related equipment, including the AN/SPY-1(D)V radar transmitter and MK99 Mod 14 Fire Control System.

The work will support DDG 116, the next planned ship of the Arleigh Burke-class of destroyers, as well as the Aegis Ashore missile defense system. Raytheon's AN/SPY-1 radar transmitters and MK99 Fire Control System, both elements of the Aegis system, have been in production for over 30 years as part of the U.S. Navy's Aegis shipbuilding program.

The AN/SPY-1 and the MK99 are currently aboard the U.S. Navy's fleet of cruisers and destroyers, as well as Japanese Kongo-class destroyers, Spanish F-100-class frigates, and South Korean KDX-111 King Sejong the Great-class destroyers. The AN/SPY-1 radar will also be deployed by the Royal Australian Navy's future Air Warfare Destroyer. Raytheon Australia serves as the combat systems integrator for AWD.

Work on this contract will be performed at Raytheon IDS' Surveillance and Sensors Center, Sudbury, Mass.; Seapower Capability Center, Portsmouth, R.I.; and Integrated Air Defense Center, Andover, Mass.

Air Force chooses nine companies to share in potential $6.9 billion for military IT contracts

Tue, 17 Apr 2012 13:34:00 GMT

Posted by John Keller

MAXWELL AFB, Ala., 17 April 2012. U.S. Air Force information technology (IT) experts are awarding military IT contracts worth a potential $6.9 billion to nine computer companies to provide computer networking and data-processing equipment for network-centric warfare operations worldwide. The deals with these nine companies are firm-fixed-price, multiple-award, indefinite-delivery, and indefinite-quantity (IDIQ) contracts.

The contract to these nine companies, announced Monday, will provide for commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) computer and networking equipment to support the Internet Protocol Network, Air Force officials say.

The kinds of network-centric equipment and support the companies will provide include networking equipment; computer servers; data storage; computer peripherals; multimedia devices and software; licenses for software not included on other enterprise licenses; and identity management and biometric hardware and software.

The nine companies are:

-- Ace Technology Partners LLC in Arlington Heights, Ill.;

-- Blue Tech Inc. in San Diego;

-- FedStore Corp. in Rockville, Md.;

-- General Dynamics Information Technology in Needham, Mass.;

-- Global Technology Resources Inc. in Denver;

-- GTSI Corp. in Herndon, Va.;

-- Iron Bow Technologies LLC in Chantilly, Va.;

-- M2 Technology Inc. in San Antonio, Texas; and

-- Red River Computer Co. in Claremont, N.H.

Equipment, software, and services these companies will provide under terms of the contract will support the U.S. military Global Information Grid (GIG) architecture; Defense Information Infrastructure; Air Force, and Defense Communications Systems info-structure for computer networks; and telecommunications network mission areas.

The companies selected will do the work at Air Force facilities worldwide, and should be finished by mid-2022. Awarding the contract were officials of the 754th Electronic Systems Group at the Gunter Annex of Maxwell Air Force Base in Montgomery, Ala.

The military services use IDIQ contracts acquire supplies and services when the exact times and exact quantities of future deliveries are not known at the time of contract award. A multiple-award contract confirms that several different companies are qualified to a general type of work. This type of contract puts into effect the government’s preference for multiple awards for IDIQ-type contracts to make the most of competition and choice for supplies and services.

The contract numbers for this award are: Ace Technology Partners, FA8771-12-D-1020; Blue Tech, FA8771-12-D-1021; FedStore, FA8771-12-D-1022; General Dynamics Information Technology, FA8771-12-D-1023; Global Technology Resources, FA8771-12-D-1024; GTSI, FA8771-12-D-1025; Iron Bow Technologies, FA8771-12-D-1026; M2 Technology, FA8771-12-D-1207; and Red River Computer, FA8771-12-D-1028.

Serial FPDP XMC and Compact PCI modules introduced by Pentek for radar processing and signals intelligence

Tue, 17 Apr 2012 12:21:00 GMT

Posted by John Keller

UPPER SADDLE RIVER, N.J., 17 April 2012. Pentek Inc. in Upper Saddle River, N.J., is introducing two quad Serial Front Panel Data Port (FPDP) high-speed data communications modules featuring the Xilinx Virtex-6 field-programmable gate array (FPGA) for military embedded systems such as military radar signal processing and signals intelligence.

The 71611 Express Mezzanine Card (XMC) and the 7811 native PCI Express card Serial FPDP modules provide four channels of serial communication with aggregate data transfer capability of as much as one gigabyte per second.

These embedded computing modules are for applications that must deliver high-speed data between systems or from sensors to a data acquisition system over extended distances. A user-configurable Virtex-6 FPGA enables systems designers to extend the factory installed Serial FPDP functions for custom signal processing of inbound and outbound data streams.

The 71611 can be installed on any XMC carrier in VPX, PCI Express, and CompactPCI embedded computing systems. The 71611 has two gigabytes of DDR3 SDRAM for FIFO memory buffering of DMA packets and an optional PMC P14 connector for custom I/O through 20 pairs of LVDS connections to the FPGA. The 7811 native PCI Express card can be installed on any motherboard with PCI Express card slots.

Both modules support Gen2 PCI Express and offer a range of Virtex-6 devices so developers can add additional FPGA IP to match custom processing requirements. The Virtex-6 is for modulation/demodulation, encoding/decoding, encryption/decryption and channelization of signals for transmission and reception.

The Models 71611 and 7811 are compatible with the VITA 17.1 Serial FPDP specification in all modes, and support 1.0625, 2.125 and 2.5-gigabaud rates and options for multi-mode and single-mode optical interfaces.

For more information contact Pentek online at www.pentek.com.

Follow Military & Aerospace Electronics and Avionics Intelligence news updates on Twitter

GPS III system exchanges satellite commands and data between simulator and development site

Tue, 17 Apr 2012 05:30:00 GMT

Newtown, Pa., 17 April 2012. Raytheon Company (NYSE: RTN) and Lockheed Martin [NYSE: LMT] have successfully completed an integration milestone between Raytheon's Global Positioning System (GPS) Next Generation Operational Control System (OCX) and Lockheed Martin's GPS III satellite system.

On February 2, the joint team exchanged satellite commands and telemetry data between the GPS III satellite simulator in Newtown, Pa., and the OCX development site in Aurora, Colo. The integration of the two sites will facilitate development testing of the OCX system and allow risk reduction testing of the ground-satellite interface in a test-like-you-fly configuration.

The GPS III program will replace aging GPS satellites while improving capability to meet the needs of military, commercial and civilian users.

General Dynamics and U.S. Navy introduce model of unmanned, minehunting, undersea vehicle

Tue, 17 Apr 2012 05:15:00 GMT

NATIONAL HARBOR, Md. 17 April 2012. Representatives from the U. S. Navy's Program Executive Office, Littoral Combat Ships Unmanned Maritime Systems Program Office and General Dynamics unveiled a quarter-scale model of the Surface Mine Countermeasure Unmanned Undersea Vehicle (SMCM UUV), named "Knifefish," at the Navy League's Sea-Air-Space Exposition being held at the Gaylord National Resort. Knifefish is a heavyweight-class, minehunting, unmanned undersea vehicle designed for deployment by forward operating forces, and will be a part of the Littoral Combat Ship Mine Countermeasures Mission Package.

The SMCM UUV system will allow Navy commanders and sailors to detect and identify mines in high-clutter underwater environments, including mines that are suspended in the ocean, resting on the sea floor or buried. Additionally, it will gather environmental data that can provide intelligence support for other mine warfare systems.

Knifefish recently completed a system requirements review on schedule and will progress through the preliminary design review in May of this year. Knifefish is expected to obtain initial operational capability in 2017.

The development and manufacturing work on this program is performed in Greensboro, N.C., Fairfax, Va., Quincy, Mass., Braintree, Mass., and Panama City, Fla.

Raytheon delivers dual-frequency sonar to U.S. Navy

Tue, 17 Apr 2012 05:00:00 GMT

NATIONAL HARBOR, Md., 17 April 2012. Raytheon Company (NYSE: RTN) completed delivery of the electronics for the AN/SQQ-90 tactical sonar suite, the complex sonar for the first ship of the U.S. Navy's DDG 1000-class multimission destroyer. The AN/SQQ-90 tactical sonar suite, a dual-frequency hull-mounted sonar of the Navy's surface fleet, will provide broad warfighting coverage to the DDG 1000.

The AN/SQQ-90 comprises the AN/SQS-60 hull-mounted mid-frequency sonar; the AN/SQS-61 hull-mounted high-frequency sonar; and the AN/SQR-20 multi-function towed array sonar and handling system. Raytheon is the AN/SQQ-90 systems integrator, bringing together the functionality of the suite's sonar system elements. Through automation and unique information management, DDG 1000's AN/SQQ-90 can be operated by one-third the crew of current Aegis platforms.

Raytheon delivered the sonar electronics pre-assembled and integrated into an Electronic Modular Enclosure (EME).

EMEs are large subsystem assemblies that package the shock mitigation, electromagnetic interference protection, thermal conditioning, security and vibration isolation for commercial off-the-shelf electronics integrated inside. The sonar electronics EME contains the assembled, integrated and tested electronics to power and control the ship's hull-mounted sonar, including the transmit/receive amplifiers and associated processors that distribute signals and data to the ship's command center.

DC-DC converter from ConTech offers as much as 20 Watts of regulated output power

Mon, 16 Apr 2012 10:01:00 GMT

Posted by John Keller

CONCORD, Calif., 16 April 2012. ConTech in Concord, Calif., is introducing the QMJ series of DC-DC converters. The QMJ power electronics devices offer as much as 20 Watts of regulated output power. The series offers a 4:1 input range with nominal input voltages of 24 volts DC and 48 volts DC. Single outputs offered are 3.3, 5, 12, and 15 volts DC. Dual outputs are +/-12 and +/-15 volts DC. The power converters come in 1-by-1-inch packages.

The QMJ series operates with efficiencies as high as 90 percent. Features include remote on/off, output trim, and short circuit protection. The operating ambient temperature range of the QMJ is -40 to 70 degrees Celsius with no de-rating.

The unit is encapsulated with a thermally conductive potting compound in a six-sided metal case for improved thermal performance in still-air environments. The QMJ series is RoHS compliant.

For more information contact ConTech online at www.contech-us.com.

Follow Military & Aerospace Electronics and Avionics Intelligence news updates on Twitter

Military fiber laser specialist Nufern wins military contracts for 46 weapons-grade fiber laser amplifiers

Mon, 16 Apr 2012 09:11:00 GMT

Posted by John Keller

EAST GRANBY, Conn., 16 April 2012. Military fiber laser specialist Nufern in East Granby, Conn., has received several contracts on competitively-bid programs to build 46 compact fiber laser amplifiers with power stronger than one kilowatt for several government weapons-grade laser projects, Nufern officials say.

To produce a weapons-grade system, laser output power must be increased without introducing additional optical phase noise and modal instability. Tens of subapertures, each driven with a multi-kilowatt coherently combinable fiber laser amplifier, eventually could enable 100-kilowatt-class laser systems for precision strikes against ground and air targets

This technology will enable the practical use of high-power lasers on a broad spectrum of military platforms without degradation of their original missions. Coherently combinable single-mode fiber-based systems can provide overall laser efficiencies greater than 35 percent, while maintaining near-diffraction-limited beam quality, Nufern officials say.

The Nufern laser amplifiers, to be delivered later this year, are for development and testing of coherent optical phased array and spectrally combined array technologies that enable scalable laser weapons that are 10 times lighter and more compact than existing high-power chemical laser systems, company officials say.

Nufern optical fibers, optical fiber gyroscope coils, fiber lasers and amplifiers. For more information contact Nufern online at www.nufern.com.

Follow Military & Aerospace Electronics and Avionics Intelligence news updates on Twitter

Lockheed Martin to adapt submarine combat systems for network-centric warfare operations at sea

Sun, 15 Apr 2012 09:40:00 GMT

Posted by John Keller

WASHINGTON, 15 April 2012. The Lockheed Martin Corp. Mission Systems and Sensors (MS2) segment in Washington is moving ahead with a U.S. Navy program to create common, open-architecture system-of-systems electronic designs aboard most Navy submarines to facilitate interoperability during joint operations with integrated fighting forces.

Lockheed Martin won a $21.9 million contract modification Friday for systems engineering and integration in support of the Navy's Submarine Warfare Federated Tactical Systems (SWFTS) program, which seeks to enable submarines to join integrated fighting forces in coastal areas and harbors, as well as in the open ocean. Awarding the contract are officials of the Naval Sea Systems Command in Washington.

SWFTS is composed of all submarine combat system subsystems, mainly consultation, command, control, communications, computers, and intelligence to provide for the overall architecture integration of submarine subsystems into one combat system for naval battle group interconnectivity.

The Submarine Warfare Federated Tactical System (SWFTS) is a system of systems composed of tactical and support subsystems, each of which is developed under an independent business model. SWFTS is the engineering umbrella to integrate and deliver these subsystems as one system.

SWFTS has become common to four of the five classes of submarines, enabling a cost reduction in maintaining independent systems and an increase in efficiency. SWFTS is an engineering and management program to allocate and test warfare requirements across subsystems, and is not an acquisition program.

SWFTS integration results when independent systems are integrated into a larger submarine system that delivers capabilities greater than the sum of the capabilities of the constituent parts. Separate systems retain individual program management.

The goal is to enable submarines to support network-centric warfare and join integrated fighting forces in coastal areas and harbors, as well as in the open ocean for battle group operations; strike warfare; intelligence collection and surveillance; indication and warning; electronic warfare; special warfare; mine warfare; anti-submarine warfare; and anti-surface ship warfare.

Previously, the Navy had five different combat systems on five different submarine classes -- the Los Angeles-class fast-attack submarine (SSN 688), the improved SSN 688, the Seawolf-class fast attack submarine (SSN 21), the Ohio-class cruise-missile submarine (SSGN 726), and the Virginia-class fast attack submarine (SSN 774).

The SWFTS program developed a common architecture for these five different classes of submarines based open architectures and commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) components and subsystems, which not only transformed submarines from stand-alone vessels to nodes in combat networks, but also saved hundreds of millions of dollars, Navy officials say. The SWFTS programs approach focuses on open system interface standards and widely available commercial computer resource products.

As a result, all Navy submarines except the Ohio-class ballistic missile submarines (SSBN 726) contain the same basic set of subsystems and information architecture with some variations to accommodate different sensors and mission capabilities.

The SWFTS program has installed external Internet protocol (IP) communications capability aboard Navy attack and cruise-missile submarines to enable network-centric strike, anti-submarine warfare, intelligence and reconnaissance, special operations, and anti-ship missions.

IP capability also enables chat, e-mail, and web services to exchange information among submarine crew members and mission stations with several different security levels, based on the sensitivity of the missions at hand the subsystems being used.

The SWFTS net-centric design approach serves to enhance interoperability among joint forces and the combatant commanders by enabling authenticated, trusted, and verified information to be shared among authorized users, applications, and weapon systems.

For more information contact Lockheed Martin MS2 online at www.lockheedmartin.com/us/ms2, or Naval Sea Systems Command at www.navsea.navy.mil.

Air-cooled PrPMC/XMC embedded computing module for military embedded systems introduced by X-ES

Sun, 15 Apr 2012 06:30:00 GMT

Posted by John Keller

MIDDLETON, Wis., 15 April 2012. Extreme Engineering Solutions (X-ES) in Middleton, Wis., is introducing the XPedite5600 air-cooled PrPMC/XMC embedded computing module based on the Freescale Semiconductor quad-core QorIQ P2041 processor for military embedded systems, as well as for industrial and communications applications that require a high-performance PowerPC processor on an industry-standard mezzanine module.

The XPedite5600 is for designs using the Processor PMC and Express Mezzanine Card (PrPMC/XMC) processor installed on a carrier baseboard. The mezzanine board offers an upgrade path to a higher-performing processor mezzanine subsystem.

XPedite5600 features include Freescale P2040 or P2041 processor with four PowerPC e500mc cores at speeds to 1.5 GHz; air-cooled PrPMC/XMC form factor; as much as eight gigabytes of DDR3-1333 ECC SDRAM; x4 PCI Express Gen2 XMC interface or 32-bit PCI PMC interface; one front panel and three rear I/O Gigabit Ethernet ports; two front panel and two rear I/O RS-232/422/485 serial ports; one front panel and one rear I/O USB 2.0 ports; two rear I/O SATA 3-gigabyte-per-second ports; Linux, Wind River VxWorks, and Green Hills Integrity BSPs.

For more information contact X-ES online at www.xes-inc.com.

Follow Military & Aerospace Electronics and Avionics Intelligence news updates on Twitter

GMS designers say they have found a way to deploy high-end computer servers in a mobile vetronics architecture

Sun, 15 Apr 2012 06:00:00 GMT

Posted by John Keller

RANCHO CUCAMONGA, Calif., 15 April 2012. Embedded computing experts at General Micro Systems (GMS) Inc. in Rancho Cucamonga, Calif., say they have developed vetronics computing technology for military combat vehicles and similar military embedded systems that has true high-capacity server performance in a rugged, conduction-cooled package for mobile electronic warfare, signals intelligence, communications intelligence, and other demanding vetronics applications.

This rugged mobile server technology comes with the introduction of the GMS SCZ91X Zeus super-server, which GMS experts say offers systems designers an eight-fold performance improvement over any other existing vetronics embedded computing, as well as security of data and operations through a trusted computing platform.

"We took high-performance server chips from Intel and put them in a rugged environment with server-class memory," says Ben Sharfi, president and chief executive officer of General Micro Systems in an interview with Military & Aerospace Electronics.

"We took a 120-Watt computing engine and our patent-pending cooling, and gave it 96 gigabytes of RAM -- with plans to expand memory to twice that," Sharfi told Military & Aerospace Electronics. "The processor has six virtual cores with hyperthreading, plus six completely isolated share-nothing architecture I/O subsystems -- one for each subsystem and one for each core. Each I/O is independent of the other virtual machines."

Sharfi explains that his engineers at GMS designed the Zeus super server for vetronics applications in response to military and industry needs for a server that can run several different applications on different operating systems simultaneously without interrupting the main processor or operating system.

At the heart of the GMS Zeus mobile vetronics server is the Westmere-EP processor -- the most powerful Xeon 5600 processor from Intel, Sharfi explains. the Zeus is based on six physical CPU cores with hyperthreading for a total of 12 cores. Each core operates at speeds as fast as 2.4 GHz, with the ability to run in TurboBoost mode at speeds as fast as 2.67 GHz.

Each guest and core runs in uninterrupted operation with the Westmere-EP's integrated memory controller and high-speed memory, Sharfi says.

The Zeus vetronics embedded computer, Sharfi says, replaces dedicated processing systems or single-level servers, and can run several independent guest operating systems concurrently through a hypervisor or virtual machine manager.

"Everybody's system in the rugged market today is, at best, Intel Core i7 based, and at best will have 16 gigabytes of RAM," Sharfi says. "this is an industry-first true server, not a workstation, that truly replaces six independent pieces of hardware."

The Zeus vetronics server architecture should be of particular interest to vetronics designers who are trying to stuff all manner of computing equipment and sensors in the back of a Humvee or similar small or medium-sized vehicle.

"All that big box that used to be mounted in the back of the Humvee, right behind the guy's neck blowing heat, now that's mounted under the vehicle frame under the seat," Sharfi says. "This will shrink vetronics by 800 to 1,000 pounds, and all the heat is under the seat and conducting to the frame, and away from the crew."

The ECC RAM in the Zeus server supports as many as 1,333 mega transfers per second (MTS) to/from the CPU, has a host CPU I/O and six virtual machine I/O (VMIO) sites, two removable 2.5-inch solid-state drives, and one mSATA drive for a local boot device.

Zeus also conforms to Trusted Platform Module (TPM) guidelines, which describe a hardware-based system that can encrypt or scramble data to seal applications and the operating system from malware, hackers, or inadvertent corruption. The system also can block the computer from starting detected unsecured devices. "It is absolutely critical that each and every time a system is turned on that nothing has changed since its last use," Sharfi explains.

The Zeus supports the most common Hypervisors by VMware, Wind River, and Microsoft, and can be shipped with operating systems such as Windows 7, Linux, and VXWorks already installed.

For more information on the Zeus vetronics server architecture contact General Micro Systems online at www.gms4sbc.com.

Follow Military & Aerospace Electronics and Avionics Intelligence news updates on Twitter

Boeing to improve Massive Ordnance Penetrator bombs

Sat, 14 Apr 2012 05:30:00 GMT

ST. LOUIS, Mo., 14 April 2012. Boeing was awarded a $98.8 million contract to procure an enhanced threat response redesign for the Massive Ordnance Penetrator (MOP) as a quick reaction capability program. The contract was awarded by Eglin Air Force Base, Fla.

The MOP is a 30,000 lb, 20.5 foot long and 31.5 inch wide, GPS-guided bomb. It is designed to destroy targets that are deep underground such as tunnel facilities and bunkers. The weapon was originally meant to penetrate 200 feet underground before detonating. The massive bomb can be carried aboard the B-52 Stratofortress or the B-2 Spirit bombers.

The program, which originally started as the "Big BLU" program in 2002, has been in the works for 10 years. The Air Force has received 16 MOPs as of November 2011. In February of this year Boeing was awarded a $18 million contract for accelerated MOP effort, regression testing and a fuze risk reduction effort.

Work on this new contract will take place at the Boeing's St. Louis facility and is expected to be completed by March 30 of 2014.

Boeing hands off controls of 4th WGS satellite to U.S. Air Force

Sat, 14 Apr 2012 05:15:00 GMT

EL SEGUNDO, Calif., 14 April 2012. Boeing [NYSE: BA] announced today that the U.S. Air Force accepted control of the fourth Wideband Global SATCOM (WGS) military communications satellite on April 11, after the spacecraft passed several weeks of on-orbit tests.

WGS-4 was launched Jan. 19 from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Fla., aboard a United Launch Alliance Delta IV rocket. It is the first spacecraft in the program's upgraded Block II series, which includes a new radio frequency (RF) bypass that supports the transmission of data at rates approximately three times greater than those currently available on Block I satellites.

On-orbit testing demonstrated the functionality of WGS-4's communications payload features by passing test signals through each of the satellite's 19 antenna beams. The tests also verified WGS-4's beam-steering functions.

Boeing performed the on-orbit testing from the company's Mission Control Center in El Segundo and from government facilities in central California. Air Force operations personnel at Schriever Air Force Base in Colorado are conducting additional tests and preparing to move WGS-4 into its operational position. The satellite is expected to go into service this summer.

WGS satellites are built on the Boeing 702HP platform, which features xenon-ion propulsion, deployable thermal radiators, and triple-junction gallium-arsenide solar arrays. The WGS communications payload has the ability to interconnect terminals that operate in different frequency bands and to reposition coverage beams. WGS supports missions including tactical communications to and between ground forces, and relaying data and imagery from airborne intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance platforms.

Raytheon to develop next-generation Gallium Nitride devices

Sat, 14 Apr 2012 05:00:00 GMT

TEWKSBURY, Mass., 14 April, 2012. Raytheon Co. (NYSE: RTN) was awarded an 18-month, $1.8 million contract by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) to develop next-generation Gallium Nitride devices bonded to diamond substrates. The technology, Thermally Enhanced Gallium Nitride (TEGaN), seeks to increase the power handling capability of GaN devices by at least three times.

TEGaN enables transistors and monolithic microwave integrated circuits (MMICs) to achieve their full performance potential by reducing thermal resistance. TEGaN acts as a multiplier for GaN's unique qualities, which may reduce the cost, size, weight and power of defense systems. Over the course of the 18-month contract, Raytheon seeks to develop and test TEGaN's capabilities and establish a path to technology insertion into military systems.

GaN's unique qualities allow radar, electronic warfare and communications systems to be smaller, more affordable and highly efficient.

Work for this contract will be performed by Raytheon IDS' Advanced Technology group at the Integrated Air Defense Center in Andover, Mass. The group specializes in contract research and development programs, particularly multifunction radar frequency systems and advanced semiconductors.

BAE to provide SkeetIR thermal monoculars to U.S. Special Operations Command

Fri, 13 Apr 2012 14:34:00 GMT

MANCHESTER, N.H., 13 April 2012. BAE will be providing U.S. Special Operations Command (USSOCOM) forces with the SkeetIR thermal monocular in a $11 million contract.

The SkeetIR is weapons mountable and is roughly credit card sized. It features an operation runtime of over 3 hours while weighing 6.5 oz. The water-resistant thermal monocular also includes still photo capability, digital video output, a digital magnetic compass and operates in low-light, dust and smokey conditions.

The thermal device can be used in clip-on, handheld, and helmet mount modes and for visual augmentation for image intensified devices.

General Dynamics IT to support the 160th Signal Brigade

Fri, 13 Apr 2012 05:30:00 GMT

FAIRFAX, Va., 13 April 2012. General Dynamics Information Technology, a business unit of General Dynamics (NYSE: GD), has been awarded a contract by the U.S. Army's Network Enterprise Technology Command to support the 160th Signal Brigade. The five-year contract has a value of $64.5 million if all options are exercised.

The 160th Signal Brigade provides the U.S. Central Command with enterprise communications capabilities for missions throughout Southwest Asia and the U.S. General Dynamics will carry out administrative, information assurance, cyber security and operations functions, as well as provide power and facilities engineering, logistics services and IT networking and transmission expertise to aid the 160th Signal Brigade as it provides theater-level communications for the U.S. Central Command. Work for this contract will be performed in Kuwait, Qatar and Afghanistan.

Derco Aerospace aims at avionics intermittent faults with IFDIS fault-detection system

Fri, 13 Apr 2012 05:30:00 GMT

Posted by John Keller

MILWAUKEE, 13 April 2012. The repair services segment of Derco Aerospace Inc. in Milwaukee is offering intermittent fault detection & isolation system (IFDIS) capability to help identify and isolate intermittent faults in aircraft electrical components.

Intermittent faults are among the most difficult and frustrating avionics maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) issues because these problems show up every now and then, are extremely difficult to replicate and isolate, and can take long periods of work before the problems are fixed. Even after extensive maintenance, these intermittent faults often crop up again later.

"Traditionally, aircraft maintainers have scrapped electrical components where the source of intermittent faults could not be identified," explains Mike Gajewski, technical sales manager at Derco parent company Sikorsky Aerospace Services (SAS). Derco is an SAS Avionics Center of Excellence (ACoE).

"IFDIS’s capability to easily detect faulty aircraft electrical components offers our commercial and military customers a savings in both time and money while improving aircraft availability," Gajewski says. "Defective components can be repaired and expedited back into reliable service."

Derco Aerospace is an FAA-certified repair center for overhaul of aircraft components and accessories. The company has an 80,000-square-foot facility with modern testing systems, tooling, and fixtures. Derco has been supporting the C-130 transport aircraft and other transport and fighter aircraft for more than 30 years.

For more information contact Derco Aerospace online at www.dercoaerospace.com.

Follow Military & Aerospace Electronics and Avionics Intelligence news updates on Twitter

BAE to support Typhoon jets for United Kingdom

Fri, 13 Apr 2012 05:15:00 GMT

WARTON, England, 13 April, 2012. BAE Systems has received a contract worth $587.8 million to support the fleet of Typhoon jets. The five-year support contract will provide a range of engineering services.

The in-service support agreement, known as Contract 1, will introduce efficiencies by bringing together a number of legacy contracts and proposed new work into an overarching umbrella contract.

This work will provide the test and evaluation infrastructure for the future air-to-air and air-to-ground Typhoon capability enhancements announced in the Strategic Defence and Security Review (SDSR). The contract will also underpin the day-to-day support to air force operations across four nations (Germany, Italy, Spain and UK).

Typically the type of engineering support will involve query answering and investigations following customer operations. There are ongoing studies on how to improve availability and reliability to maximize flying hours and reduce cost. Emerging operational requirements for Typhoon will also be covered.

The BAE Systems element of this contract is part of the wider support contract which was awarded to the Eurofighter partner companies through NETMA (NATO Eurofighter and Tornado Management Agency). NETMA is the prime customer and management body for the four-nation Eurofighter Typhoon weapon system.

Intel ATOM-based COM-Express Mini embedded computing module introduced by Advantech for industrial applications

Fri, 13 Apr 2012 05:15:00 GMT

Posted by John Keller

TAIPEI, Taiwan, 13 April 2012. Advantech in Taipei, Taiwan, is introducing the SOM-7565 COM-Express Mini module for small-form-factor embedded systems and low-power handheld and portable devices in transportation, factory, medical, and point-of-sale applications. The 84-by-55-millimeter computer mezzanine board -- about the size of a business card -- is powered by the Intel Atom processor N2600.

The SOM-7565 complies with the COM R2.0 type 10 specification for small-form-factor embedded computing applications. The computer on module consumes about eight Watts during heavy loading with its dual-core processor.

The SOM-7565 comes with soldered onboard memory and a solid-state drive to reduce the effects of shock and vibration. The Advantech iManager provides a suite of programmable APIs such as multi-level watchdog, hardware monitor, and other interfaces.

Features include PICMG COM R2.0 Type 10 pin-out compatible Mini module for Intel Atom processors N2600; Intel gfx support for DX9 and OGL 3.0; supports for 18-bit LVDS, HDMI/DVI/DisplayPort; onboard 2-gigabyte DDR3 800 memory and 4-gigabyte solid-state drive; support for 3 PCI Express x1, 1 SATAII, 8 USB2.0, Gigabit Ethernet, LPC, SMBus, and I2C Bus; and support for Advantech iManager 2.0 and software APIs.

For more information contact Advantech online at www.advantech.com.

Boeing introduces updated Geospatial Data Management Tool, DataMaster 5.1

Fri, 13 Apr 2012 05:00:00 GMT

ARLINGTON, Va., 13 April 2012. Boeing [NYSE: BA] today announced the release of DataMaster 5.1, an advanced version of its geospatial data tool that offers defense and Intelligence Community customers improved map, terrain and full-motion video management.

DataMaster 5.1 is available to new Boeing customers as well as to current customers with active DataMaster subscriptions. It includes more support for imagery, maps and terrain, including National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency Raster Product Format and Digital Terrain Elevation Data, video text tagging, a content manager for control of the situational awareness view that provides a 3-D geospatial display of the collection, and compatibility with Windows 7, RHEL 5 64-bit and Solaris 64-bit operating systems.

DataMaster is a suite of commercial-off-the-shelf (COTS) products and capabilities from the Boeing Intelligence Systems Group that allows users to retrieve, convert and manage image and geospatial information from resources around the world.

Amphenol gets UL certification for 1,000-volt capacity in company's Helios H4 PV power connector

Thu, 12 Apr 2012 05:15:00 GMT

Posted by John Keller

SIDNEY, N.Y., 12 April 2012. Officials of Amphenol Industrial Global Operations in Sidney, N.Y., have certified the company's Helios H4 PV connector to 1,000 volts, per Underwriters Laboratories Inc. (UL) in Durham, N.C.

This UL rating enables Amphenol users to design these power connectors in to existing and new systems that require high voltage without increasing cable size, Amphenol officials say.

The increase in voltage rating enables systems designers to create high-voltage systems with a low percentage of voltage drop. It also decreases the use of copper and the dollar per watt through electrical efficiency.

The dual-rated (UL/TUV) PV connector features Amphenol's RADSOK technology. The Helios H4 is compatible with industry standard connectors. Designed for applications that use solar inverters, combiner boxes, and installers, the H4 connector helps feed power from a solar panel into an inverter or combiner box.

The connector features quick snap lock mating for panel mount installation and termination to either box. The connector meets NEC 2008 requirements without the need for extra locking collars or locking sleeves.

The RoHS-compliant connector is available in four different gauges including 14 AWG rated at 32 A, 12 AWG rated at 40 A, 10 AWG rated at 44 A and 8 AWG rated at 65 A. For more information contact Amphenol online at www.amphenol-industrial.com.

Follow Military & Aerospace Electronics and Avionics Intelligence news updates on Twitter

Thales' Civil Aircraft Simulation and Training Business sold to L-3

Thu, 12 Apr 2012 05:15:00 GMT

NEW YORK, N.Y., 12 April 2012. L-3 Communications (NYSE: LLL) announced that it has entered into an agreement to acquire the assets of Thales Training & Simulation Ltd's civil aircraft simulation and training business. The purchase price is approximately $132 million and will be funded with cash on hand.

Headquartered in Crawley, United Kingdom, the business employs approximately 400 people. It is a manufacturer of commercial flight simulation equipment, with an installed base of more than 540 simulators. The business also operates a training center in Asia. Its civil aircraft simulators are compliant with U.S. Federal Aviation Administration, European Aviation Safety Agency and International Civil Aviation Organization regulations.

The acquisition is anticipated to be completed in the summer of 2012, subject to customary closing conditions and regulatory approvals, and will be structured as an asset purchase for income tax purposes. The acquisition is expected to be immediately accretive to L-3's results of operations.

L-3 officials hope to strengthen their existing military training and simulation by adding full flight simulation capabilities and entering the civil market.

Pending the completion of this transaction, Thales Training & Simulation will be integrated into the L-3 Link Simulation & Training organization, which is part of L-3's Electronic Systems Group.

SAIC selected to provide C4ISR hardware and services for DOD

Thu, 12 Apr 2012 05:00:00 GMT

MCLEAN, Va., 12 April 2012. Science Applications International Corp. (SAIC) (NYSE: SAI) was awarded a task order by the Space and Naval Warfare Systems Center (SSC) Atlantic for a full range of command, control, communications, computers, intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (C4ISR) engineering and integration services associated with tactical vehicles for any U.S. Department of Defense or other agency customer. The task order has a value of approximately $36 million and was issued under the single-award, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity (IDIQ) C4I Vehicle Integration contract.

SSC Atlantic provides knowledge to joint warfighters and peacekeepers through development, acquisition, and life-cycle support of effectively integrated command, control, communications, computers, combat systems, intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance, information technology and space capabilities.

Under this task order, SAIC will provide C4ISR capabilities integration services and support to the U.S. Marine Corps, U.S. Navy, U.S. Army, U.S. Air Force, and the Joint Program Office (JPO) for mine-resistant, ambush-protected (MRAP) vehicles, including coalition forces on the JPO/Space and Naval Warfare Systems Command directive. This effort is intended to support MRAP, the MRAP-all terrain vehicle (M-ATV), other tactical wheeled vehicles, and the 401st Army Field Support Brigade's combined M-ATV underbody improvement kit missions. SAIC will also provide post-fielding life-cycle support designed to keep C4ISR systems components operational and ensure training for military units in the operation of these systems and upgrades.

DOD orders MIDS JTRS radio systems from ViaSat and Data Link Solutions

Wed, 11 Apr 2012 14:59:00 GMT

SAN DIEGO, Calif., April 11 2012. The Space and Naval Warfare Systems Command (SPAWAR) has placed a $31.5 million delivery order with ViaSat and a $25.8 million delivery order with Data Link Solutions for Multifunctional Information Distribution System Joint Tactical Radio Systems (MIDS JTRS), which were recently approved for full production and fielding.

The MIDS JTRS is a 4-channel radio that has been certified by the U.S. National Security Agency and is designed to run the Link 16 waveform and up to three additional communication protocols, including the Airborne Networking Waveform (ANW). The terminal can also host and provide the necessary computer processing to run routing and vehicle specific applications.

MIDS is a secure, jam-resistant digital radio that provides Tactical Air Navigation (TACAN), Link-16, and J-Voice to aircraft, ships, and ground forces. The MIDS JTRS software-defined radio is a JTRS-capable version of MIDS designed to be a form, fit, and function replacement for earlier-model MIDS terminals, which provide information and situational awareness via data and voice within the JTRS network.

Security for the MIDS JTRS is provided by the ViaSat designed Crypto Sub-System (CSS) embedded in the terminal. The CSS is a programmable crypto module based on the multi-channel PSIAM commercial off-the-shelf component design that can be programmed to perform Type 1 cryptographic functions.

MIDS JTRS has obtained initial operational capability (IOC) on the Navy and Marine Corps F/A-18E/F Super Hornet, the U.S. Air Force E-8C Joint Surveillance and Target Attack Radar System (STARS) aircraft, and the Air Force RC-135 Rivet Joint surveillance aircraft.

The first MIDS JTRS terminal was delivered to the Naval Air Wareface Center (NAWC) in June 2009, where it was used for developmental flight testing on an F/A-18. The first limited production order for MIDS JTRS terminals was less than a year later, in January 2010.

Work on these two contracts is expected to be finished by February 2014. The work will be performed in Carlsbad, Calif.; Melbourne, Fla.; Gilbert, Ariz.; Wayne, N.J.; Cedar Rapids, Iowa and other sites in the U.S.

Harris wins $400 million contract to replace legacy U.S. Special Operations radio equipment

Wed, 11 Apr 2012 11:38:00 GMT

Posted by John Keller

MAC DILL AFB, Fla., 11 April 2012. Leaders of the U.S. Special Operations Command at MacDill Air Force Base, Fla., are looking to military radio communications experts at the Harris Corp. (NYSE:HRS) RF Communications Division, Rochester, N.Y., for a $400 million program to upgrade hand-held Joint Tactical Radio Systems (JTRS) for Special Operations forces in the field.

Special Operations Command awarded Harris RF a $400 million maximum-five-year contract Tuesday for a capital equipment replacement program that aims to swap out Special Operations Command's legacy AN/PRC-148 Multiband Inter/Intra Team Radio (MBITR) and AN/PSC-5D Multi-Band/Multi-Mission Communication Terminal with the newer Harris AN/PRC-152(V) 5/6, AN/PRC-152A(V)1/2, and AN/PRC-117G (V) 3(C) software-defined radios.

The Harris AN/PRC 152 Falcon III multiband, multimission handheld radio complies to the JTRS Software Communications Architecture (SCA) and is software upgradeable. It operates at frequencies from 30 to 512 MHz, and has extended frequency coverage to 520 MHz, and from 762 to 870 MHz, has Sierra programmable encryption.

The Harris Falcon III handheld works with the fielded Single-Channel Ground and Airborne Radio Systems (SINCGARS), VHF/UHF AM and FM, and optional Have Quick radios, has an optional APCO-P25 waveform for interoperability with civilian authorities, tactical satellite communications (SATCOM) capability, and optional embedded GPS receiver.

The Harris AN/PRC-117 is a JTRS SCA-compliant, Type-1 secure tactical radio with high-bandwidth simultaneous voice, data, and combat net radio capabilities. Its high-bandwidth capability enables applications such as streaming video, simultaneous voice and data feeds, collaborative chat, and connectivity to secure networks.

The AN/PRC-117G operates in the 30 MHz to 2 GHz frequency bands, is software upgradeable. It works with SINCGARS, Have Quick II, VHF/UHF AM and FM, High Performance Waveform (HPW), and MIL-STD-188-181B SATCOM, uses the Harris Adaptive Networking Wideband Waveform (ANW2) for high bandwidth data operation, and operates off one standard battery while maintaining peak transmit power of 10 Watts VHF and 20 Watts UHF.

The Harris AN/PRC-117 and AN/PRC-117G will replace the Thales AN/PRC-148 Multiband Inter/Intra Team Radio and the Raytheon AN/PSC-5D Multi-Band/Multi-Mission Communication Terminal in the Special Operations Command communications arsenal.

The Thales AN/PRC-148 MBITR tactical software-defined radio was developed for Special Operations Command in the 1990s to replace heavy manpack radios, has been in production since 2000, and has been in use with NATO forces around the world.

The Raytheon AN/PSC-5D is a lightweight multi-band/multi-mission terminal for tactical line-of-sight voice and data communications in the VHF and UHF frequency spectrum with frequency-agile modes, SATCOM, Demand Assigned Multiple Access (DAMA), and maritime operation. The radio has embedded encryption, as well as SINCGARS and Have Quick I and II operation modes.

Special Operations forces are responsible for short-duration strikes and other small-scale offensive actions; special Reconnaissance; unconventional warfare; foreign internal defense; civil affairs operations; counter terrorism; psychological operations; information operations; counter-proliferation of weapons of mass destruction; security force assistance; counter insurgency operations; and other activities specified by the president or secretary of defense.

For more information contact Harris RF Communications online at http://rf.harris.com, or U.S. Special Operations Command at www.socom.mil.

Follow Military & Aerospace Electronics and Avionics Intelligence news updates on Twitter

Rugged XMC module for sensor interfacing, and traffic aggregation shipping from X-ES

Wed, 11 Apr 2012 10:06:00 GMT

Posted by John Keller

MIDDLETON, Wis., 11 April 2012. Extreme Engineering Solutions (X-ES) in Middleton, Wis., is shipping the XPort3301 dual 10GBASE-T 10 Gigabit Ethernet Express Mezzanine Card (XMC) module for remote sensor interfacing, traffic aggregation, storage, data center networks, and similar embedded computing applications that require high-bandwidth communications.

The XPort3301 is engineered to scale from an air-cooled commercial version that operates in temperatures from 0 to 55 degrees Celsius for commercial embedded computing, to a rugged conduction-cooled version that operates in temperatures from -40 to 85 C for military embedded systems.

With 10GBASE-T support, the XPort3301 provides 10 Gigabit Ethernet communications over standard Category 6A cables and RJ-45 connectors. An eight-lane PCI Express 2.0 XMC interface on the XPort3301 provides the bandwidth necessary to move data at line speed between the dual 10 Gigabit Ethernet interfaces and the host processor.

Features of the card include Intel X540 dual 10 Gigabit Ethernet controller; dual 10GBASE-T 10 Gigabit Ethernet front panel (RJ-45) or rear (P16) interfaces; support for legacy 100BASE-TX and 1000BASE-T operation; x8 PCI Express 2.0 interface to the host module per VITA 42.3; optional support for IEEE1588 or Precision Time Protocol (PTP); support for conduction or air cooling; and software support that includes Linux, VxWorks, and Windows drivers.

For more information contact X-ES online at www.xes-inc.com.

Follow Military & Aerospace Electronics and Avionics Intelligence news updates on Twitter

Intel Atom-based PC/104 single-board computer for security and data conversion introduced by WinSystems

Wed, 11 Apr 2012 05:15:00 GMT

Posted by John Keller

ARLINGTON, Texas, 11 April 2012. WinSystems Inc. in Arlington, Texas, is introducing the PXM-C388-S PC/104 single board computer powered by an Intel 1.66 GHz Atom processor for designs that need several video input data streams and high speed A/D conversion in security, industrial, data acquisition, and machine-to-machine communications applications.

This embedded computing board adds the Stackable Unified Modular Interconnect Technology (SUMIT) I/O expansion connector onto a PC/104 expandable embedded systems board. The CPU board for military embedded systems operates in temperatures from -40 to 85 degrees Celsius, and has PC/104 (ISA) and SUMIT AB expansion connectors to add self stacking I/O modules.

The PXM-C388 CPU board has as much as two gigabytes of DDR3 systems memory; PXM-C388 I/O interface with Gigabit Ethernet port; simultaneous CRT and LVDS flat panel video support; eight USB 2.0 ports; four serial COM ports; SATA controller; PATA controller for the CompactFlash socket; 24 lines of digital I/O; and HD audio.

The PXM-C388-S requires 5 volts of power and typically draws 2.5 amps. It supports power savings modes which will reduce the standby current to 270 milliamps. The board is RoHS-compliant. Software support includes Linux, Windows, and other x86-compatible real-time operating systems.

For more information contact WinSystems online at www.winsystems.com.

Follow Military & Aerospace Electronics and Avionics Intelligence news updates on Twitter

General Dynamics to produce gun systems for F/A-18E/F

Wed, 11 Apr 2012 05:15:00 GMT

CHARLOTTE, N.C. 11 April 2012. General Dynamics Armament and Technical Products, a business unit of General Dynamics (NYSE: GD), has been awarded a $7.8 million contract modification from the Naval Air Systems Command for production of more than 20 F/A-18 E/F 20mm gun systems for the Super Hornet fighter aircraft.

The F/A-18 E/F gun system consists of a lightweight, six-barrel 20mm M61A2 Gatling gun with a closed-loop rotary linkless feed system. The system has a maximum firing rate of 6,000 shots per minute and serves as the aircraft's last line of defense in close-in aerial engagements.

The program will be managed from the General Dynamics Technology Center in Williston, Vt. Production work will be completed at the General Dynamics facility in Saco, Maine.

U.S. Air Force selects Boeing to upgrade B-1 navigation system

Wed, 11 Apr 2012 05:00:00 GMT

OKLAHOMA CITY, Oklahoma, 11 April 2012. Boeing [NYSE: BA] has received a $55.3 million production contract from the U.S. Air Force to upgrade the B-1 Lancer navigation system. The upgrade will replace the original navigation hardware with a new ring laser gyro system.

Under the three-and-a-half year contract, Boeing will deliver hardware modification kits and perform retrofits at Dyess Air Force Base in Abilene, Texas, and Ellsworth Air Force Base in Rapid City, S.D. Initial aircraft modification is scheduled to begin in January 2013 and be completed by mid-2015.

Development program flight tests were completed on July 13, 2011. Boeing will begin purchasing upgrade kits immediately.

MIDS JTRS software-defined radio terminal gets DOD go-ahead for full production and fielding

Tue, 10 Apr 2012 16:49:00 GMT

Posted by John Keller

SAN DIEGO, 10 April 2012. U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) officials have approved the Multifunctional Information Distribution System Joint Tactical Radio System (MIDS JTRS) terminal for full production and fielding.

MIDS is a secure, jam-resistant digital radio that provides Tactical Air Navigation (TACAN), Link-16, and J-Voice to aircraft, ships, and ground forces. The MIDS JTRS software-defined radio is a JTRS-capable version of MIDS designed to be a form, fit, and function replacement for earlier-model MIDS terminals, which provide information and situational awareness via data and voice within the JTRS network.

Officials of the Joint Program Executive Office for the Joint Tactical Radio System (JPEO JTRS) in San Diego approved the MIDS JTRS for full production April 4 in an acquisition decision memorandum.

Two companies manufacturer the MIDS JTRS -- ViaSat Inc. in Carlsbad, Calif.; and Data Link Solutions Inc. in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, which is a joint venture of the BAE Systems Electronic Systems segment in Wayne, N.J., and Rockwell Collins in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.

MIDS JTRS is a software-defined networking terminal certified by the U.S. National Security Agency (NSA) at Fort Meade, Md. MIDS JTRS is certified with the Link-16 waveform and equipped with Link-16 enhanced throughput (ET) and Link-16 frequency remapping (FR), as well as three additional channels for future waveforms that fighting forces need.

MIDS JTRS soon attain initial operational capability (IOC) on the Navy and Marine Corps F/A-18E/F Super Hornet fighter-bomber; the U.S. Air Force E-8C Joint Surveillance and Target Attack Radar System Joint-STARS) aircraft, and air Force RC-135 Rivet Joint surveillance aircraft.

"The DOD now has a MIDS JTRS terminal that meets warfighter needs and provides a growth path for next generation networking waveforms for airborne, ground, and maritime warfighting,” says Navy Capt. Scott Krambeck, the MIDS program manager.

The JTRS is a developing and open-architecture of software-defined radios and radio waveforms that enable several different radio types to interoperate. Waveforms refer to the software that gives JTRS radios their functionality.

For more information contact the JPEO JTRS online at www.public.navy.mil/jpeojtrs, ViaSat at www.viasat.com, or Data Link Solutions at www.datalinksolutions.net.

Follow Military & Aerospace Electronics and Avionics Intelligence news updates on Twitter

The Situational Awareness Gap

Tue, 10 Apr 2012 12:44:00 GMT

NASHUA, N.H., April 10, 2012. Data on the battlefield is more plentiful than ever. In this week's Military & Aerospace Electronics Report Skyler Frink looks into the difference between the information a dismounted and mounted soldier have access to.

Army and Lockheed Martin prepare for production of advanced laser-guided Hellfire missile

Tue, 10 Apr 2012 09:07:00 GMT

Posted by John Keller

REDSTONE ARSENAL, Ala., 10 April 2012. U.S. Army officials are working with Hellfire Systems LLC in Orlando, Fla., to prepare for production of one of the latest versions of the Hellfire missile, which is launched from helicopters, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), ground vehicles, and fixed sites against armored combat vehicles and other high-value targets.

The Army awarded Hellfire Systems an $8.7 million contract modification Monday for long lead parts for the AGM-114R Hellfire II Romeo RX missile, which will use a semi-active laser guidance system and an integrated blast fragmentation sleeve warhead to engage targets that previously needed several Hellfire variants.

Hellfire System is a venture of the Lockheed Martin Corp. Missiles and Fire Control segment in Orlando, Fla. At one time it involved the Boeing Defense, Space & Security segment in St. Louis, but Boeing has not been involved in Hellfire missile development and production for several years, Lockheed Martin officials say. The AGM-114R, or "Romeo," version of the Hellfire missile is to enter service late this year. The AGM-114R is to replace the AGM-114K, M, N, and P variants of the Hellfire missile.

Originally developed as an anti-tank missile for the Army's AH-64 Apache attack helicopter, the Hellfire missile has become one of the most versatile munitions in the U.S. arsenal. It can launch from fixed-wing aircraft and helicopters, UAVs such as the Predator and Reaper, as well as from surface vessels and land-based sites.

The AGM-114R will be guided by homing in on the reflected light of a laser designator. Other versions of the Hellfire are radar-guided fire-and-forget weapons. The Hellfire missile weighs 106 pounds, and has high-explosive variants designed to destroy tanks and other armored vehicles, and blast fragmentation versions designed to destroy trucks, antenna sites, concentrations of enemy troops, and other soft targets.

Development of the AGM-114R Hellfire missile became necessary after the Pentagon cancelled the Joint Common Missile (JCM) project, which was to replace Hellfire, as well as the AGM-65 Maverick air-to-ground missile.

Pentagon officials are considering developing a new Hellfire replacement called the Joint Air to Ground Missile (JAGM), but there is no guarantee the new missile will survive the federal budget battles in Washington. The JAGM would replace Hellfire, Maverick, and the BGM-71 TOW missile.

The U.S. Army Aviation & Missile Command in Redstone Arsenal, Ala., is in charge of developing the Hellfire missile and its variants. This latest contract modification was awarded by the Army Contracting Command on behalf of Army Aviation & Missile Command.

For more information contact Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control online at www.lockheedmartin.com/us/mfc, or the Army Aviation & Missile Command at www.army.mil/amcom.

Follow Military & Aerospace Electronics and Avionics Intelligence news updates on Twitter

EPIC-format single-board computer based on single- and dual-core Intel Atom introduced by VersaLogic

Tue, 10 Apr 2012 07:58:00 GMT

Posted by John Keller

EUGENE, Ore., 10 April 2012. VersaLogic Corp. in Eugene, Ore., is introducing the Iguana low-power EPIC-form-factor single-board computer powered by the dual-core Intel Atom D525 and single-core Atom D425 processors for embedded computing applications with substantial I/O requirements that draw low power in the range of 9 to 12 Watts.

The rugged single-board computer is available in versions for military embedded systems that operate in -40 to 85 degrees Celsius and meet MIL-STD-202G for shock and vibration. Optional rugged latching Ethernet connectors are for extremely harsh environments. Transient voltage suppression (TVS) devices on critical I/O ports provide enhanced electrostatic discharge (ESD) protection.

For graphics performance the Iguana supports DirectX 9c, OpenGL 1.5, MPEG-2 decoding, and adaptive interlacing. A single-channel LVDS flat panel interface and an analog VGA video interface support several display modes. An optional adapter supports dual VGA operation.

The EPIC form factor, which measures 4.5 by 6.5 inches, is an industry standard for embedded computing that aims at an industrial-quality computer board sized between the PC/104-Plus and EBX standards. EPIC, which stands for Embedded Platform Industrial Computing, supports PC/104 and PC/104-Plus expansion, as well as high speed serial buses like PCI Express.

The Iguana has eight analog inputs, four analog outputs, and 16 digital I/O lines. System I/O includes dual Gigabit Ethernet with network boot capability, as much as two gigabytes DDR3 RAM, six USB host ports, four serial ports, SATA interface with support for two devices, and HD audio.

Removable flash storage is provided via CompactFlash socket, eUSB interface, and a PCI Express Mini Card socket. The PCI Express Mini Card socket also accommodates plug-in Wi-Fi modems, GPS receivers, MIL-STD-1553, Ethernet channels, and other mini expansion cards.

A PC/104-Plus expansion site provides plug-in access to a wide variety of expansion modules. The SPX expansion interface provides additional plug-in expansion for low-cost analog, digital, and CANbus I/O.

The Iguana features an American Megatrends (AMI) UEFI BIOS with OEM enhancements. The field-reprogrammable BIOS supports custom defaults, USB booting, and other application functions. Software support includes Windows, Windows Embedded, Linux, VxWorks, and QNX.

This new product is RoHS compliant, and is customizable, even in low OEM quantities. Customization options include latching Ethernet headers, pass-through PCI and ISA connectors, bolt-on heat plate, conformal coating, revision locks, custom labeling, and customized testing and screening.

For more information contact VersaLogic online at www.VersaLogic.com.

Follow Military & Aerospace Electronics and Avionics Intelligence news updates on Twitter

PT Dirgantara Indonesia orders six Eurocopter EC725 helicopters to customize and deliver to Indonesian Air Force

Tue, 10 Apr 2012 05:15:00 GMT

JAKARTA, Indonesia, 10 April 2012. A contract was signed between Eurocopter and PT Dirgantara Indonesia/Indonesian Aerospace for the supply of six EC725. These aircraft will be received in 2014, whereupon Indonesian Aerospace will customize and deliver these combat search and rescue configured helicopters to the Indonesian Air Force under a contract signed with the Indonesian Ministry of Defence last month.

The Eurocopter EC725 is a long-range tactical transport helicopter. It is a twin-engined helicopter and is often used for troop transport, search and rescue and casualty evacuation missions.

Eurocopter currently has over 600 rotary-wing aircraft currently in service throughout Africa and the Middle East. Eurocopter helicopters are performing a full range of missions in daily service, from homeland defense and security to law enforcement, VIP transport, utility and offshore airlift for the oil and gas industry.

Northrop Grumman to provide SCORPION unattended ground sensors to U.S. Army

Tue, 10 Apr 2012 05:00:00 GMT

CINCINNATI, Ohio, 10 April 2012. The U.S. Army has awarded Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE:NOC) a contract to provide SCORPION and SCORPION II Unattended Ground Sensor (UGS) systems to protect soldiers with a remote persistent unattended surveillance capability for improved situational awareness and actionable intelligence.

The primary function of SCORPION is to provide persistent surveillance for situational awareness, remote area monitoring and perimeter security.

Under the terms of this indefinite delivery indefinite quantity contract, Northrop Grumman will provide SCORPION and SCORPION II wired and wireless UGS systems and support services over a five-year period.

SCORPION II is a persistent autonomous surveillance system for force protection and intelligence gathering. The systems use seismic, magnetic and/or passive infrared sensors to cue long range, short range and point blank-range thermal or day cameras to detect and assess potential threats. SCORPION II combines wireless day and night imagery performance with reduced size and weight, making portability and concealment faster, safer and lower in power consumption and lengthening mission life.

Northrop Grumman to assist in Army Private Cloud program

Mon, 09 Apr 2012 15:12:00 GMT

MCLEAN, Va., 9 April 2012. Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE:NOC) has received an Army Private Cloud (APC2) contract by the U.S. Army.

Northrop Grumman is one of five companies selected to compete for the fixed facility task order awards under the APC2 program. The indefinite delivery, indefinite quantity contract is valued at $249.8 million, collectively, over a one-year base period with four one-year options.

APC2 will be the Army's preferred vehicle to consolidate data centers and establish private clouds to provide on-demand provisioning for storage and systems.

Under the terms of the contract, Northrop Grumman will provide cloud computing consulting services, information assurance, application migration support, cloud operations and maintenance, service delivery and support, and provisioning of fixed data center solutions to Army customers and other federal and Defense Department agencies. This will include providing infrastructure-as-a-service, platform-as-a-service, and software-as-a-service operations hosted through contractor owned/contractor operated, government owned/contractor operated, and hybrid-cloud models.

Fort Belvoir, Va. Army Contracting Command in Rock Island, Ill., is the contracting agency.

Handles and panels for 3U, 6U, 9U, and custom embedded computing boards introduced by Pixus

Mon, 09 Apr 2012 11:39:00 GMT

Posted by John Keller

WATERLOO, Ontario, 9 April 2012. Pixus Technologies in Waterloo, Ontario, is introducing handle and panel sets in various styles for embedded computing boards for military embedded systems and other embedded computing applications. The handle and panel sets come in 3U, 6U, 9U, and custom sizes.

The Pixus handle and panel sets feature IEEE handles often used in CompactPCI, VME64x, and OpenVPX applications. The panels are 4HP for 0.8-inch boards, 5HP for 1-inch boards, and up to 12HP for power supply unit (PSU) versions and special requirements. 6HP and 8HP also are common sizes.

The panels have offset spacing options as required by some of the Eurocard-based specifications. Pixus also offers IEC handle and panel sets for VME and other applications, as well as low-profile handles for telecom and PSU boards.

The injector and ejector handles are ergonomically designed and rugged, with custom color options. They come in hot-swap, non-hot-swap, EMC, latching, and non-latching options. Also optional are microswitches for live insertion applications. Elecrostatic discharge (ESD) pins are standard to dissipate static charges before complete insertion of the board, PSU, or other device.

Panel customization is optional, including various high-precision milling or stamped cutouts. Silkscreen, painting, and digital printing also are optional.

For more information contact Pixus Technologies online at www.pixustechnologies.com.

Follow Military & Aerospace Electronics and Avionics Intelligence news updates on Twitter

European Space Agency, ON Semiconductor to develop next-generation star tracker CMOS image sensor

Mon, 09 Apr 2012 05:00:00 GMT

PHOENIX, 9 April 2012. ON Semiconductor (Nasdaq:ONNN), a supplier of silicon solutions for energy-efficient electronics, and the European Space Agency (ESA) are jointly developing High Accuracy Star Tracker 3 (HAS3). The next-generation complementary metal-oxide semiconductor (CMOS) image sensor (CIS) is designed to be a 1280x1280-pixel, radiation-tolerant CMOS image sensor featuring low read noise and 14-bit performance.

The HAS3 sensor will support multiple windowing, will be available in a fully hermetic sealed package, and will have the option for backside illumination. Applications for the HAS3 device will include star trackers, sun sensors, and other scientific applications.

ON Semiconductor’s existing HAS2 CIS, developed and qualified under the General Support Technology Program of the ESA, is designed for Attitude and Orbit Control (AOCS) space applications. The device features an array of 1024 x 1024 active pixels and supports on-chip, non-destructive readout and multiple windowing.

The next-generation HAS3 being jointly developed with the ESA is expected to equip a new generation of APS Star Tracker.

“The company recognized that the HAS2 image sensor is a key component in multimillion-dollar programs for which no acceptable replacement exists today for our customers. To support our customers and partners, the company made the decision and financial investment to secure sufficient wafer inventory to cover both our existing order backlog and the potential future demand for these HAS2 products from Plessey. We are proud to be a part of the ongoing development of advance image sensor technology supporting the aerospace market,” says Vince Hopkin, vice president of digital, mil-aero, and CMOS image sensor products at ON Semiconductor.

“ESA have been working diligently with ON Semiconductor to secure and maintain the supply of the HAS2 image sensor. We are very pleased with the level of procured wafer stock and are convinced that this is more than sufficient for the foreseeable future. ESA is looking forward to the continued collaboration with ON Semiconductor to monitor and safeguard the supply of these components while simultaneously developing the next-generation products,” says Stephen Airey of the ESA’s Control Systems Division.

Navy's laser-based Airborne Laser Mine Detection System enters final development before full-scale production

Sun, 08 Apr 2012 20:29:00 GMT

Posted by John Keller

PANAMA CITY, Fla., 8 April 2012. U.S. Navy undersea warfare experts are working together with designers at the Northrop Grumman Corp. Aerospace Systems segment in Melbourne, Fla., to move an important laser-based mine-detection system to its final developmental phase before full-scale production.

The Navy awarded Northrop Grumman Aerospace a $27.1 million contract modification Thursday to begin low-rate initial production (LRIP) of the Northrop Grumman AN/AES-1 Airborne Laser Mine Detection System (ALMDS). Awarding the contract were officials of the Naval Surface Warfare Center Panama City Division in Panama City, Fla.

The AN/AES-1 ALMDS electro-optical system, which will be among the first airborne organic mine countermeasure (OMCM) systems fielded, is designed to detect, classify, and pinpoint floating and near-surface moored mines using a light detection and ranging (LIDAR) imaging sensor attached to the side of a Navy MH-60S helicopter.

The system, which will be part of the mine countermeasures (MCM) mission package on the new Littoral Combat Ship (LCS), is designed for rapid wide-area reconnaissance and assessment of anti-ship mines in coastal waters, harbors, confined straits, choke points and amphibious assault areas where aircraft carriers and expeditionary strike groups must operate.

The ALMDS uses pulsed laser light and streak tube receivers housed in an external equipment pod on the MH-60 helicopter. These lasers are designed to search the water column from the surface to about 40 feet in depth -- the area where mines are the biggest threats and coincidentally where mine-hunting sonar systems are least effective. The system takes an image of the entire near-surface water column potentially containing mines.

The ALMDS projects a pulsed wide 538-nanometer blue-green laser beam into the water and samples at rates greater than 100 per second. This wavelength of blue-green laser “can penetrate water much better than other wavelengths. It goes a long way down,” says John Horton, head of the mine warfare systems department at the U.S. Naval Surface Warfare Center in Panama City, Fla.

ALMDS is capable of day or night operations without stopping to stream out or recover equipment and without towing any equipment in the water. It uses the forward motion of the aircraft to generate image data negating the requirement for complex scanning mechanisms.

The system is contained in a pod mechanically attached to the MH-60S with a standard Bomb Rack Unit 14 (BRU-14) mount and electrically via a primary and auxiliary umbilical cable to the operator console. Data is stored on a mass memory unit, and the ALMDS operator's console is common to all MH-60S AMCM systems.

Low rate initial production (LRIP) represents the first small-quantity production of a weapons system for field testing to determine if the system actually performs to requirements. It is the last phase of development before full production.

On the current contract, Northrop Grumman will do the work in Melbourne, Fla.; Tucson, Ariz.; St. Charles, Mo.; Irvine, Calif.; San Clarita, Calif.; and Edgewood, N.Y., and should be finished by April 2014. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year.

For more information contact Northrop Grumman Aerospace online at www.as.northropgrumman.com, or Naval Surface Warfare Center Panama City Division at www.navsea.navy.mil/nswc/panamacity.

Telcordia to provide Army with mobile vetronics communications and computing environment

Sun, 08 Apr 2012 20:23:00 GMT

Posted by John Keller

WARREN, Mich., 8 April 2012. U.S. Army vetronics researchers are working with engineers at Telcordia Technologies Inc. in Piscataway, N.J., to develop an affordable communications and computing environment for Army vehicles under terms of an upcoming contract from the Army Contracting Command. Telcordia specializes in mobile, broadband, and enterprise software.

Army officials announced their intention last week to award Telcordia Technologies a sole-source contract for the Mobile Computing Application Platform (MCAP) Phase V. The contract, which has yet to be negotiated, will be awarded on behalf of the Army Tank Automotive Research, Development and Engineering Center (TARDEC) in Warren, Mich.

Army researchers are asking Telcordia Technologies to provide a sustainable, mobile, vehicle-centric, low cost, integrated, distributed communications and computing environment by linking together commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) products to reduce vetronics development, acquisition, and sustainment costs.

The upcoming contract calls for Telcordia Technologies to provide as many as 7,500 man-hours of engineering services over 12 months to build, test, demonstrate, and install MCAP Phase V software and equipment. MCAP is for the National Guard and emergency responders carrying out homeland defense and civil support missions.

For questions or concerns about this sole-source contract, phone Army contract specialist Michael Ivkov at 586-282-9754, or contracting officer Pamela Grozdon at 586-282-9751. More information is online at www.fbo.gov/index?s=opportunity&mode=form&tab=core&id=619f816cb0f2864632051e6b1d928731.

For additional information contact Army TARDEC online at http://tardec.army.mil, or Army Contracting Command at www.acc.army.mil.

Follow Military & Aerospace Electronics and Avionics Intelligence news updates on Twitter

Rugged, waterproof land-mobile radio that meets military specifications introduced by Icom

Sun, 08 Apr 2012 20:05:00 GMT

Posted by John Keller

BELLEVUE, Wash., 8 April 2012. Icom America in Bellevue, Wash., a portable F3031S series portable mobile radio with military-grade construction, compliance to military specifications, and features for outdoor use. The entry-level radio offers waterproof protection, quick communications access, and is designed to be offered at an affordable price, Icom officials say.

The 5-Watt portable two-way radio meets MIL-STD 810 specifications and offers dependable waterproof protection against inclement weather and outdoor elements. Receiving an IP67 rating against dust and water, the F3031S portable radio withstands water submersion of one-meter for 30 minutes.

A waterproof lithium-ion battery pack runs about 17.5 hours and has been designed for extremely cold environments. Dust-tight construction keeps out powder dust, sand, mud, and other debris. The radio is designed for land-mobile applications such as landscaping, agriculture and facilities management.

The F3031S portable features 128 memory channels with eight zones and an eight-character alphanumeric LCD. Two-Tone, five-Tone, CTCSS, and DTCS is built-in. Selective calling and ANI features-including push-to-talk (PTT) ID, radio check (RX only) and stun/revive (RX only)-are programmable with built-in MDC 1200 signaling.

Emergency transmission is accessible using a red button on the radio's top panel. The man-down function, with optional UT-124R unit required, automatically sends an emergency signal when the transceiver is left in the horizontal position for a predetermined amount of time. Similar to the man down function, the lone worker function alerts a coworker or dispatcher if the radio has not been operated for a set duration.

For more information contact Icom America online at www.icomamerica.com.

Follow Military & Aerospace Electronics and Avionics Intelligence news updates on Twitter

Insitu ScanEagle UAV completes hydrogen-powered fuel cell flight test

Fri, 06 Apr 2012 05:15:00 GMT

BINGEN, Wash., 6 April 2012. Insitu Inc., a subsidiary of Boeing (NYSE: BA), announced that its ScanEagle unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) successfully completed its first hydrogen-powered fuel cell flight during a two-and-a-half-hour flight test. The hydrogen-powered fuel cell solution was implemented as a modular upgrade to the runway-independent, expeditionary Group 2 ScanEagle UAV.

The collaboration between Insitu, Naval Research Laboratory (NRL) and United Technologies (UTC) took UTC's 1500 Watt (2 HP) fuel cell and integrated it with NRL's hydrogen fueling solution into a ScanEagle propulsion module. Then, in three days, that propulsion module was fully integrated into the ScanEagle UAV at Insitu's facilities in Bingen, Wash.

The approach used in the hydrogen-powered fuel cell solution costs less than today's gas and heavy fuel solutions in UAVs. The solution also weighs less than traditional engines. Reducing aircraft weight increases payload capacity, so propulsion approaches like this will enable ScanEagle UAVs to carry heavier payloads while reducing costs.

The Department of Defense recently laid out its vision for the role that fuel cells will play in improving mission capability. Looking forward, Insitu is collaborating with the Air Force Research Lab to flight test a fuel cell on the Integrator UAV later this year.

Raytheon Small Tactical Munition Phase II completes initial flight test

Fri, 06 Apr 2012 05:00:00 GMT

TUCSON, Ariz., 6 April 2012. Raytheon Co.'s (NYSE: RTN) Small Tactical Munition Phase II scored a direct hit on a target during the weapon's first guided flight test.

During the February test at Yuma Proving Ground, Ariz., a Raytheon Cobra unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) released the STM Phase II in flight. After safely separating from the UAV, the weapon used both GPS/INS and semi-active laser to guide to the target.

STM Phase II is a 13.5-pound, 22-inch long, precision-guided, gravity-dropped bomb specifically designed for employment from manned and unmanned aircraft systems.

The STM Phase II has both GPS/INS and digital semi-active laser guidance.

STM Phase II is more than 2 inches shorter than the Phase I design and has foldable fins and wings, enabling two weapons to be placed inside the U.S. military's common launch tube. STM Phase II's modular assembly will also make the system easier to manufacture on a large scale.

Lockheed Martin to deliver MH-60R/S cockpits, integrated systems under $1 billion U.S. Navy contract

Fri, 06 Apr 2012 05:00:00 GMT

WASHINGTON, 6 April 2012. Lockheed Martin (NYSE:LMT) in Bethesda, Md., won from the U.S. Navy a five-year, $1.05 billion contract to provide more than 200 digital cockpits, integrated mission systems, and sensors for the Navy’s MH-60R Romeo and MH-60S Sierra helicopters, designed and manufactured by Sikorsky Aircraft in Stratford, Conn.

The contract includes: 162 cockpits, integrated missions systems, and sensors for MH-60R anti-surface and anti-submarine warfare helicopter, as well as 62 digital cockpits for Sierra aircraft, used for ship-to-ship cargo resupply, search and rescue, and close-in defense of Navy ships.

"U.S. Navy crews operating the 300-plus MH-60 Romeo and Sierra helicopters already in the fleet understand just how critical these aircraft are to protecting our ships from surface and undersea threats," says Rear Adm. Paul Grosklags, U.S. Naval Air Systems vice commander. "This contract represents the Navy's commitment to build and field the most technologically advanced maritime helicopter fleet in the world."

"This contract award ensures uninterrupted, on-time deliveries of the MH-60R and MH-60S helicopter to the U.S. Navy fleet," explains Dan Spoor, vice president of aviation systems for Lockheed Martin's Mission Systems & Sensors business. "Plus the multi-year structure, versus an annual contract, allows us to provide our customer with more than 10 percent savings annually, surpassing Pentagon cost predictions."

Lockheed Martin engineers in Owego, N.Y., will provide the digital cockpit common to the MH-60R and MH-60S, and integrate the mission systems and sensors aboard the MH-60R helicopter.

Ohmite aims to be one-stop shop for rugged electronics thermal management with Wakefield acquisition

Thu, 05 Apr 2012 06:00:00 GMT

Posted by John Keller

CHICAGO, 5 April 2012. Executives of the Heico Companies LLC, a holding company in Chicago for businesses involved in manufacturing, construction, and industrial services, has acquired electronics thermal management specialist Wakefield Solutions Inc. in Pelham, N.H., to boost Heico's expertise in electronics cooling technologies.

Heico officials primarily are interested in combining Wakefield Solutions expertise in thermal management with Heico-owned Ohmite Manufacturing Co. in Arlington, Heights, Ill., which specializes in power resistors for high-current, high-voltage and high-energy uses in military, avionics, transportation, medical, and general industrial applications.

"This acquisition will provide the power electronics market with a one-stop shop for complete thermal solutions," says Steve Frediani, group president of Heico's Ancra Group of companies, which owns and operates Wakefield and Ohmite.

The acquisition of Wakefield, which designs and builds thermal management solutions such as extruded heat sinks, active cooling components, stamped and low power heat sinks, and precision compression mounted clamp systems, will complement Ohmite's resistors, company officials say.

For more information contact the Heico Companies online at www.heicocompanies.com, Wakefield Solutions at www.wakefield.com, or Ohmite Manufacturing at www.ohmite.com.

Photron aims camera that shoots at 12,500 frames per second at defense and ballistics research

Thu, 05 Apr 2012 05:30:00 GMT

Posted by John Keller

SAN DIEGO, 5 April 2012. High-speed camera specialist Photron Inc. in San Diego is introducing the Fastcam SA-X that shoots photos as quickly as 12,500 frames per second at 1,024-by-1,024-pixel resolution, for defense and aerospace research, ballistics imaging, combustion research, shock waves and detonation applications, and other activities that require visualization of complex high speed phenomena.

The Fastcam SA-X camera has as much as 64 gigabytes on-board memory, as well as light sensitivity at 25,000 ISO monochrome measured to ISO standard 12232 Ssat specification. The electro-optics device has a 20-micron pixel size with 12-bit A/D converter, dual high speed gigabit Ethernet interface, automated camera triggering, and frame synchronization to external devices, including non-stable frequencies.

An optional keypad or Photron's Photron Fastcam Viewer (PFV) software can control the camera. A capping shutter is included for automated image calibration. A software development kit is included to integrate the camera with user-specific software and wrappers for MATLAB and LabVIEW.

For more information contact Photron online at www.photron.com.

Follow Military & Aerospace Electronics and Avionics Intelligence news updates on Twitter

Bell Helicopter to replace Kiowa Warrior helicopter cabins

Thu, 05 Apr 2012 05:30:00 GMT

FORT WORTH, Texas, 5 April 2012. Bell Helicopter, a Textron Inc. (NYSE: TXT) company, announced that as part of the OH-58D Wartime Replacement Cabin program it has received a contract for the non-recurring engineering and a "new metal" OH-58D cabin. This contract is the latest in a series that have continually added additional Kiowa Warrior helicopters to address attrition rates with the United States Army Kiowa Warrior fleet.

This contract addresses airframe attrition, age, and refreshes the engineering and manufacturing planning for the OH-58D air vehicle. Bell Helicopter was previously taking older A-model cabins and remanufacturing them into D-model cabins; this contract addresses airframe age by providing a completely new metal cabin.

The Wartime Replacement Aircraft Cabin program was started by the Army to replace wartime losses suffered by the OH-58D as it obtained over 2 million fleet hours, including 800,000 combat hours.

Rockwell Collins to provide support for U.S. Army Special Operations helicopters

Thu, 05 Apr 2012 05:15:00 GMT

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa, 5 April 2012. Rockwell Collins has received a $17.2 million contract renewal to provide replacement parts for its Common Avionics Architecture System for the U.S. Army's Special Operations Aviation Regiment (SOAR).

The Life Cycle Contractor Support award provides Performance Based Logistics (PBL) support for all Rockwell Collins Cockpit Management System (CMS) and Common Avionics Architecture System (CAAS) components and associated peripheral equipment.

These programs guarantee spare parts and access to technology.

U.S. Army officials name prime contractors under $1.78 billion Warrior Enabling Broad Sensor contract

Thu, 05 Apr 2012 05:15:00 GMT

FREDERICKSBURG, Va., 5 April 2012. Officials at the U.S. Army Research, Development, and Engineering Command (RDECOM) Communications-Electronics Research, Development, and Engineering Center (CERDEC) have selected six prime contractors to provide engineering support and technology assistance under the Night Vision and Electronics Sensors Directorate (NVESD) Warrior Enabling Broad Sensor (WEBS) support contract.

WEBS, totaling $1.78 billion, will provide sensor technology engineering, administrative and operations support, field technology assistance, test and evaluation, and engineering support and services for night-vision and electronic sensors systems and the rest of the sensor research and development community.

EOIR Technologies Inc., a portfolio company of The White Oak Group, is among the primes selected, reveals Dr. Joe Mackin, president and CEO of EOIR Technologies.

As "The Army's Sensor Developer," CERDEC NVESD conducts research and development to provide U.S. land forces with advanced sensor technology to dominate the 21st century digital battlefield, says a spokesperson. The Army's CERDEC NVESD innovates in the fields of optical electronics and thermal imaging for weapons targeting, electronic surveillance, and other mission-critical military applications.

MD Helicopters announces new scout helicopter, the MD 540F

Wed, 04 Apr 2012 18:48:00 GMT

Nashville, Tenn., April 4, 2012. MD Helicopters released details of its new single engine turbine scout helicopter, the MD 540-F. The 540F is an upgrade to the MD 530F, featuring a six bladed, fully articulated rotor blade system made up entirely of composite material and a more rugged landing skid built for heavier take-off and landing weights.

The MD 540F will be equipped with a fully integrated digital glass cockpit. Information will be displayed to the pilot on large, multi-function color displays and director onto the pilot's eyes using a Helmet Display and Tracking System (HDTS). The weapons system will include fixed forward firing rockets and guns, laser guided rockers and Hellfire missiles. The 540F also features a targeting FLIR with laser designator.

The 540F will be able to carry a lightweight weapons platform with 4 stations, allowing mixes of guns, rockets and missiles to be carried simultaneously.

Development of the MD 540F is ongoing and flight tests have commenced. Certification is projected for the first quarter of 2013.

AAI Unmanned Aircraft Systems and Bell Helicopter pool resources for manned unmanned operations capability development laboratory

Wed, 04 Apr 2012 13:34:00 GMT

Hunt Valley, Md., 4 April 2012. Bell Helicopter and Textron Systems operating unit AAI Unmanned Aircraft Systems, both Textron Inc. (NYSE: TXT) companies, have teamed up to develop a Manned Unmanned Operations (MUMO) Capability Development Labotatory in Huntsville, Ala. to enable software and hardware-in-the-loop (HWIL) development test capability using operationally relevant systems specific to manned unmanned teaming.

This MUMO Capability Development Laboratory will serve as a research and development tool to support the U.S. Army Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) vision and roadmap objectives for manned unmanned UAS operations in the future.

This new MUMO Capability Development Laboratory will be both adjacent to, and operationally connected with, the Shadow Tactical UAS HWIL system integration lab (SIL). This laboratory is being expanded to house a Kiowa Warrior OH-58D baseline simulation facility that will conjoin the Shadow HWIL SIL.

The combined laboratory will provide an interoperable MUMO simulation environment to support individual operator requirements for UAS and rotorcraft mission crew requirements.

Construction is underway, and the facility is expected to be opened later this year.

Northrop Grumman selected to provide mission computers for U.S. Navy H-1 helicopter upgrades

Wed, 04 Apr 2012 13:09:00 GMT

WOODLAND HILLs, Calif., 4 April 2012. The U.S. Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR) has signed a direct contract with Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE:NOC) to provide mission computers for UH-1Y and AH-1Z helicopters. The contract is worth $8.9 million.

Under the contract, Northrop Grumman will provide Gen II mission computers to the U.S. Marine Corps Light Attack Helicopter Program (PMA-276).

The dual mission computers are the center of Northrop Grumman's Integrated Avionics System (IAS) that powers the helicopters' glass cockpits. The computers provide control of the IAS, interface with the tactical moving map, and display information. Data is shown on four different displays. The IAS and mission computers feature open, modular architecture to allow for system upgrades and insertion of new technologies. Northrop Grumman also provides the operational flight program software that controls the IAS.

The mission computers will be used on the UH-1Y and AH-1Z helicopters that make up the Marine Light Attack Helicopter Squadrons.

MD Helicopters announces new scout helicopter, the MD 540F

Wed, 04 Apr 2012 12:36:00 GMT

Modular Gimbaled Sensor Payload for RQ-11B Raven small UAV released by AeroVironment

Wed, 04 Apr 2012 11:53:00 GMT

Nashville, Tenn., April 4, 2012. AeroVironment unveiled a new miniature gimbaled sensor payload for the RQ-11B Raven small UAV.

The modular payload includes high-resolution color and an infrared thermal video sensor, as well as a laser illuminator integrated into a multi-axis sphere capable of continuous pan. The new payload will become a standard component of future Raven systems and will be sold as an upgrade for previously fielded units. Upgrading existing digital Raven systems to accommodate the new payload requires a software update to each vehicle and ground control station.

The new payload is one of four products offered in AeroVironment's "Mantis" suite of gimbaled sensor payloads.

A gimbaled sensor payload allows continuous observation of an item of interest regardless of the air vehicle's flight direction. The new payload also replaces two separate Raven system payloads that were previously required for day and night operation, one with an electro-optical sensor and the other with an infrared sensor.

In addition, flight algoritihms allow the air vehicle to manage its own flight path based on what the user wants to see, rather than requiring the user to control both the air vehicle and the sensor separately.

This gimbaled sensor payload marks the fourth upgrade for the Raven system since its introduction in 2003, following the release of AeroVironment's digital data link (DDL) to replace the Raven system's original analog communication modules.

Programmed to retaliate: Apache helicopter senses small arms fire, shoots back within seconds

Wed, 04 Apr 2012 07:40:00 GMT

THE MIL & AERO VIDEO BLOG, 4 April 2012. The U.S. Army and Boeing are working together to fit the AH-64D Apache attack helicopter with the WeaponWatch ground-fire-detection system, which senses muzzle flashes from pistols and rifles, and instantly points the Apache's missiles, rockets, and machine gun on the offending shooter, which will make the modern Apache even more lethal, as John Keller reports this week in the Mil & Aero Video Blog.

Follow Military & Aerospace Electronics and Avionics Intelligence news updates on Twitter

Raytheon starts work on latest version of Sidewinder air-to-air missile for Korea and Saudi Arabia

Wed, 04 Apr 2012 07:14:00 GMT

Posted by John Keller

PATUXENT RIVER NAS, Md., 4 April 2012. U.S. Navy aviation officials are awarding the Raytheon Co. Missile Systems segment in Tucson, Ariz., a $97.1 million contract modification for air-to-air missiles and missile training equipment for the governments of Korea and Saudi Arabia.

The contract, awarded late last week by the Naval Air Systems Command at Patuxent River Naval Air Station, Md., calls for Raytheon to provide 139 AIM-9X block II tactical missiles for Korea and Saudi Arabia; 139 block II active optical target detectors for Korea and Saudi Arabia; 33 block II captive air training missiles for Saudi Arabia; and 47 containers for Korea and Saudi Arabia.

The contract combines an $85.3 million purchase for Saudi Arabia and an $11.8 million purchase for Korea under the Foreign Military Sales Act.

The AIM-9 Sidewinder is a heat-seeking, short-range, air-to-air missile for fighter aircraft and attack helicopters. AIM stands for air intercept missile. The latest version of the Sidewinder, the AIM-9X, entered service in November 2003, largely in response to the advanced Russian AA-11 Archer missile and advanced Russian infrared countermeasures.

The AIM-9X uses an imaging infrared focal plane array (FPA) seeker with 90-degree off-boresight capability, compatibility with helmet-mounted displays such as the Joint Helmet Mounted Cueing System (JHMCS), and 3D thrust-vectoring control system for increased turn capability.

With the JHMCS, pilots can lock the AIM-9X missile's seeker on to targets simply looking at them. The AIM-9X provides improved look-down-into-clutter -performance against the infrared countermeasures. The block II version of the missile adds lock-on-after-launch capability with a datalink, so pilots can launch the missile first and then direct it to its target afterwards.

For more information contact Raytheon Missile Systems online at www.raytheon.com/businesses/rms, or Naval Air Systems Command at www.navair.navy.mil.

Follow Military & Aerospace Electronics and Avionics Intelligence news updates on Twitter

Tools to overlay maritime radar information on shipboard digital nautical charts introduced by Cambridge Pixel

Wed, 04 Apr 2012 06:30:00 GMT

Posted by John Keller

LITLINGTON, England, 4 April 2012. Cambridge Pixel in Litlington, England, is introducing the SPx-ECDIS radar kit to enable systems integrators building Windows-based electronic chart display and information systems (ECDIS) for commercial ships to add radar interfacing, scan conversion, chart display, target tracking, a Global Positioning System (GPS) interface, as well as record and replay into their ECDIS solutions.

ECDIS integrates and displays information from electronic navigational charts and digital nautical charts with other navigational sensors such as radar to provide continuous position and navigational safety information.

Cambridge Pixel introduced the SPx-ECDIS kit in response to new International Maritime Organisation regulations taking effect this July that require most large passenger ships, tankers, and cargo vessels to integrate ECDIS into bridge procedures. As many as 45,000 ships will be fitted with ECDIS between 2012 and 2018, Cambridge Pixel officials say.

Cambridge Pixel's SPx-ECDIS kit contains many of the components necessary to build a system. The radar interface is based on the HPx-200C PCI card or HPx-200Ce PCI Express card, and works with a wide range of radar signal types, company officials say.

For radar display, the SPx-ECDIS has a radar scan converter that presents a plan position indicator (PPI) radar display image with configurable view, color, brightness, persistence, and trail history. The scan converter provides options for combining the radar with underlay/overlay graphics from navigational charts.

The kit enables the ECDIS to handle the radar, or provide S57 chart display capability. The built-in target tracker processes the radar video to extract and follow targets of interest. The acquisition of targets can be manual or automatic. The areas of target acquisition can be programmed as latitude/longitude polygons or the software can use a built-in map database to support acquisition of targets at sea, while suppressing video returns over land.

For more information contact Cambridge Pixel online at www.cambridgepixel.com.

Follow Military & Aerospace Electronics and Avionics Intelligence news updates on Twitter

U.K. Ministry of Defence selects ITT Exelis night-vision devices under $33 million contract, force modernization initiatives

Wed, 04 Apr 2012 05:15:00 GMT

ROANOKE, Va., 4 April 2012. ITT Exelis (NYSE:XLS) won a $33 million Foreign Military Sales (FMS) contract to provide the United Kingdom Ministry of Defence (MOD) with its Generation 3 night-vision technology for soldiers in training and combat. The company will provide the Head Mounted Night Vision System (HMNVS), a variant of the U.S. military AN/PVS-14 monocular, with deliveries to begin in the second quarter of 2012 and be completed by 2016.

“We are excited to provide our Generation 3 Pinnacle product to the UK MOD, a strong international ally, in support of its force modernization initiatives,” says Nick Bobay, vice president and general manager of the ITT Exelis night-vision business area.

The U.K. MOD’s HMNVS will provide enhanced resolution for target recognition and identification from an auto-gated image intensifier tube (I²), used to specify maximum tube performance for export purposes. An auto-gated I² tube helps protect the tube during use in high light conditions and provides clearer output in adverse operational conditions, such as dust or fog.

Flight mission computers for Marine Corps UH-1Y and AH-1Z helicopters to come from Northrop Grumman

Tue, 03 Apr 2012 18:46:00 GMT

Posted by John Keller

WOODLAND HILLS, Calif., 3 April 2012. U.S. Navy helicopter experts needed mission computers for UH-1Y utility helicopter and U.S. Marine Corps AH-1Z attack helicopter. They found their embedded computing solution from the Northrop Grumman Corp. Navigation Systems Division in Woodland Hills, Calif.

The U.S. Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR) at Patuxent River Naval Air Station, Md., has signed $8.9 million contract direct contract with Northrop Grumman (NYSE:NOC) to provide Gen II mission computers for UH-1Y and AH-1Z helicopters.

The dual mission computers are the heart of Northrop Grumman's Integrated Avionics System (IAS) that powers the helicopters' glass cockpits. The mission computers provide centralized avionics control, interface with the tactical moving map, and display situational awareness and health monitoring.

Additionally, the IAS and mission computers feature open, modular architecture to enable system upgrades and rapid insertion of new technologies. Northrop Grumman also provides the operational flight program software that controls the IAS.

The mission computers will be on the UH-1Y and AH-1Z helicopters that make up the Marine light attack helicopter squadrons. Critical mission data is shown on four displays.

The H-1 Upgrade program is replacing aging AH-1W and UH-1N helicopters with upgraded UH-1Y and AH-1Z aircraft to enhance commonality, reliability, and maintainability. The upgraded helicopters have 100 percent software commonality through Northrop Grumman's IAS and the same operational flight program.

For more information contact Northrop Grumman Navigation Systems online at www.es.northropgrumman.com, or Naval Air Systems Command at www.navair.navy.mil.

Follow Military & Aerospace Electronics and Avionics Intelligence news updates on Twitter

Army National Guard chooses tactical RF downlink from Cobham for fleet of UH-72 helicopters

Tue, 03 Apr 2012 11:03:00 GMT

Posted by John Keller

CARLSBAD, Calif., 3 April 2012. Officials of the U.S. Army National Guard needed RF downlink technology for the Guard's fleet of Eurocopter UH-72 Lakota helicopters. They found their solution from the Cobham plc Tactical Communications and Surveillance segment in Carlsbad, Calif.

Cobham is providing the Army National Guard with an RF downlink package that includes a dual-channel high-resolution video data link with frequency modulation (FM) and coded orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (COFDM) links, which enable Guardsmen on the ground to use handheld receivers to see what the helicopter's camera is viewing with its onboard sensors.

The RF downlink system is part of a security and support mission equipment package designed to enhance the National Guard's law-enforcement and state-response capabilities. The Cobham RF downlink has a range as far as 30 miles, and can help National Guard members read details of a license plate from a mile away, Cobham officials say.

The Army National Guard is receiving 108 UH-72 upgraded Lakota helicopters as part of this security and support program and will use them to support law enforcement search and rescue, homeland defense, drug interdiction, and border patrol.

"Only two days after receiving updated helicopters, the Louisiana National Guard used the system in a counter-drug operation," says Steve Schaefer, vice president of Cobham Tactical Communications and Surveillance. "We provide the crucial link between the ground and air, helping increase the safety of the agents on the ground and enabling forces to stay one step ahead of dangerous and tense situations."

For more information contact Cobham Tactical Communications and Surveillance online at www.cobham.com.

Follow Military & Aerospace Electronics and Avionics Intelligence news updates on Twitter

Multi-display controller board for radar and video surveillance introduced by MEN Micro

Tue, 03 Apr 2012 07:56:00 GMT

Posted by John Keller

AMBLER, Pa., 3 April 2012. MEN Micro Inc. in Ambler, Pa., is introducing the G214 3U CompactPCI Serial multi-display controller board based on the AMD Radeon processor architecture for video surveillance in control rooms and simulators, radar processing, video imaging, and other embedded computing applications that require general purpose graphics processing units (GPGPUs).

The peripheral board for military embedded systems can control as many as six high-resolution displays. In a pure CompactPCI Serial configuration, the single-board computer can control as many as seven multi-display boards with four ports each, totaling 28 different displays for applications that require several screens networked on one system. Displays can be merged into one large picture or deliver different contents.

The peripheral board uses AMD's Radeon E6760 graphics processing unit operating at 600 MHz that also features a programmable 3D graphics engine supporting Microsoft DirectX 11. This board comes with a third generation unified video decoder that enables dual HD decoding of H.264, VC-1, MPEG4 and MPEG2 compressed video streams.

The G214 comes with four DisplayPort 1.2 interfaces that each has a maximum resolution of 4096 by 2560 pixels at 60 Hz and a color depth of 24 bits per pixel. It can also be equipped with a wider front panel that offers two additional DisplayPorts each with a resolution of 2560 by 1600 pixels.

Six single-instruction, multiple-data (SIMD) parallel-processing engines combined with 80 processing elements provide 480 shaders at 576 billion floating point operations per second.

Power consumption is a maximum of 35 Watts, with a mean time between failures logged at more than 150,000 hours according to IEC/TR 62380. The board can withstand as much shock as 50 m/s2 for 30 ms as well as 1 m/s2 (functioning) and 7.9 m/s2 (lifetime) of vibration from 5 Hz to 150 Hz.

The board operates at temperature 0 to 60 degrees Celsius. For more information contact Men Micro online at www.menmicro.com.

Follow Military & Aerospace Electronics and Avionics Intelligence news updates on Twitter

Vulcan Flex Circuit Corp. to provide flexible circuits to L-3 Communications, Fuzing, and Ordnance Systems

Tue, 03 Apr 2012 04:15:00 GMT

LONDONDERRY, N.H., 3 April 2012. Vulcan Flex Circuit Corp. (VFCC), a division of Vulcan Electric Company and a provider of flexible circuits, rigid-flex circuits, and circuit assemblies to aerospace and defense customers, won a $2.7 million contract to deliver flexible circuits to L-3 Communications, Fuzing, and Ordnance Systems (L-3 FOS). The contract award supports a proximity fuze developed by the U.S. Army Armament Research Development and Engineering Center (ARDEC) at Picatinny Arsenal in New Jersey and manufactured by L-3 FOS in Cincinnati, Ohio.

VFCC has been supporting L-3 FOS on this program for over 15 years from initial product development, prototyping, and qualification, to high-rate production, says a spokesperson.

"We look forward to continuing to provide L-3 FOS with superior service and support on this and the many other programs we share with them," says Al Wasserzug, director of corporate development.

Rugged smartphones blend with information security, anti-tamper for secure battlefield communications

Mon, 02 Apr 2012 16:11:00 GMT

Posted by Skyler Frink

SPECIAL REPORT, 2 April 2012. Rugged smartphone technology is joining forces with information security, anti-tamper technology, and secure cloud computing to create manageable battlefield communications infrastructure that is more effective than ever before.

It’s tough to get information out to the front lines, even in today’s heavily networked battlefield. With so much important information flying around on networks it is still the people who need it most that are the ones who are the hardest to reach. Fortunately, the solution to these information woes just may be sitting on the shelves of the local Best-Buy.

Smart phones are ubiquitous in today’s society. Everyone from business people to teenagers has them and knows what they can do. They link people to whatever commercial carrier network they choose and give unprecedented functionality in a small package. For these reasons militaries around the world are looking into putting secure cell phone technology into the hands of soldiers on the front lines.

Still, distributing military cell phones is far more complicated than simply making a trip to the electronics store. Before deploying cell phones to warfighters, military authorities must ensure that cell phones that may carry classified or sensitive information have appropriate security so the enemy cannot steal valuable information or inject false information into the networks. Anti-tamper capability also must be involved so a lost cell phone does not give away its secrets.

For those on the front lines, however, the extra effort necessary to introduce cell phones to the battlefield will be worth it. While a cumbersome laptop or a difficult-to-store tablet computer might hinder a warfighter on the battlefield, a secure cell phone may enable a soldier not only to enhance his mobility, but also helping the soldier obtain and share crucial information over military networks.

Security

Equipping soldiers with cell phones that operate on military networks and store data requires a secure way for the devices to communicate and a way to render them useless should they be lost or captured. The U.S. military still is hotly debating what security standards will be necessary.

Bill Guyan, vice president of programs and strategy for DRS Tactical Systems Inc. in Melbourne, Fla., explains the security situation. “There was a time about a year and a half ago when the answer to encryption was yes, that type 1 encryption would be the mandatory battlefield standard for all communications. Since then, for a lot of different reasons -- some of it being clarification of policy regarding the security of data on the battlefield and the drive to rapidly get new technology to the field faster -- a number of different alternate approaches have come to the floor.

“The near-term requirements for handhelds, the requirements that we're expecting to happen in the middle of this year, is for smart phone technology with no security whatsoever," Guyan continues. "The smart phone will connect to one or more types of radios, some of which might have security capabilities.”

Official military cell phone guidelines still are in the works, however, and many different groups are scrambling to produce a standard that will protect military communications and still allow for fast communication times. "The NSA is working directly and openly with industry to work out what the parameters of the secure interface will be," says David Howgill, product manager of the Government Solutions Group at TeleCommunication Systems Inc. (TCS) in Annapolis, Md. "There will be standards coming in the near future that will be developed between industry that will be derived from best practices in industry and the government will adapt them further.” Howgil says he expects the standards to have a minimum of 256 bit encryption for voice and data.

Security for mobile devices comes from more than just encrypting communications; safeguards are necessary to prevent cyber-attacks. Rubin Dhillon, industry manager for military communications at GE Intelligent Platforms in Charlottesville, Va., stresses the need to protect military cell phones from network-based attacks. "Firewalls are key; having a robust firewall that is constantly updated is key," Dhillon says, adding that a device lacking a firewall is vulnerable to denial of service attacks and intrusion attempts.

Anti-tamper also has been a hot topic for military cell phones. Smart phones already feature password or pattern protection, but much more powerful means of anti-tamper are used by the military. Currently devices are able to be wiped remotely, and devices can encrypt their data storage and can erase the keys that enable data to be read remotely before wiping themselves clean of all information.

All of these protections are done through software, though external devices can be used to encrypt messages, protect systems or provide anti-tamper as well, enabling COTS devices to be used as effectively as a specially made piece of equipment. Having so many functions run through software also helps keep size, weight, and power (SWaP) as low as possible.

There’s an app for that

The draw of having computing devices for individual soldiers is versatility and situational awareness, which come as applications. COTS cell phones are being designed to be faster than ever and are capable of running sophisticated programs. Thanks to the volume of information being sent around the battlefield by unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), satellites, sensors, aircraft, ground vehicles, and soldiers, there are countless opportunities for applications to provide valuable service to the modern warfighter.

For example, the TerraSight program at SRI International Sarnoff in Princeton, N.J., provides a map that uses satellite imagery combined with video feeds from any devices in the area to give situational awareness to soldiers. Any areas where a video feed is available has the video overlaid on the map, giving warfighters not only awareness of terrain, but also of any activity in an area. In addition, controls can be issued to cameras using the application, enabling soldiers to remotely view an area immediately without having to interact with the chain of command.

Pre-existing applications also have use on the battlefield and can be adapted for the military. A business application called the Workforce Locator (WFL) from Sprint Nextel Corp. in Overland Park, Kan., enables users to geo-locate assets and other devices. Applications such as the WFL allow warfighters to be aware of friendly vehicles, sensors and dismounted soldiers who carry the technology. Smart phone applications constantly are being released and the ability to pick and choose from the millions of applications out there provides huge amounts of flexibility in a very mobile package.

Militaries are looking for any applications that provide situational awareness to soldiers in the field to empower the dismounted soldier. The value of making important information available to everyone in the field is one of the primary reasons cell phone technology is being pushed into service.

Constantly moving forward

New smart phones with even better capabilities are being released. Smart phones represent a hot market right now with the technology getting better by the month. This is an advantage for militaries, but there will need to be changes in how they purchase products to reap the benefits. “The technology itself and what you're able to do with the device moves forward very, very quickly," TCS’s Howgil explains. "That's a problem with government; they need to be able to use and adapt COTS products. A government program doesn't last one year or two years, it lasts five or ten years. The government will need the flexibility to move between platforms as technology advances. The true solution has to reflect that.”

DRS’s Guyan has insight into the U.S. government’s plan to adopt new technology more quickly. “Their plan is to buy less more often, and move the technology baseline every time they buy.” Rather than having the typical massive, multi-year procurement plans for technology they will make multiple smaller purchases while adopting the latest and greatest devices.

Cell phones already are being released with quad-core processors. Mobile technology is increasing by leaps and bounds as customers clamor for the lightest, longest-lasting, and fastest phones possible. Using such a strong industry enables militaries not only to take advantage of new technology, but also benefit from the rapidly falling costs. While quad-core phones are selling in the $700-to-$800 range, last year's smart phones have dropped to less than half their original price. Cost is extremely important for military cell phones, as the cost will be multiplied by the hundreds of thousands of warfighters who need to carry them. Modern smart phones weigh just a few pounds at their heaviest, and companies are engaged in a fierce competition to make the sleekest, smallest, and lightest phones possible.

Modern cell phones can connect to many different types of networks -- local-area networks (LANs), wide-area networks (WANs), you name it and a smart phone most often can connect to it. This provides even greater flexibility to soldiers by connecting secure smart phones with secure routers. Rather than dealing with satellite communications to get a video feed from a UAV, a smart phone connected via a router to a UAV can stream video at whatever speed the network allows without taking the time to communicate with satellites.

The ability to connect to various types of networks on the fly lets a soldier receive not just information from his own battlefield network, but also from whatever network they are in range of.

Secure cell phones

Modern smart phones by themselves are not rugged at all. Dropping can damage them, and most cell phone cases on the market are designed more for aesthetics than actual protection. However, there are COTS cases that meet military standards to toughen smart phones. This does add size and weight, but military rugged cases enable cell phones to go where the warfighter goes.

In addition to a lack of ruggedization, off-the-shelf smart phones are not designed to work with military equipment. Not all military networks run Internet Protocol (IP) as their transport layer, and that is the language smart phones speak. Smart phones also are not built to be interoperable with all military equipment. For instance, having an unsecure smart phone speak to a military radio is not something phones can generally do. To compensate for this problem, special cases with expansion capabilities have been designed, such as Scorpion H2 by DRS.

Battery life is another concern. Most smart phones are designed to work for the better part of a day with light use. Warfighters can be in the field for days or weeks at a time, and it is painful to carry extra batteries for the cell phone in addition to the other equipment. A soldier often must carry as much as 60 pounds of batteries if he is to be in the field for three days. Of course, the constant improvement of smart phones has resulted in some very long-lasting models, and there are modes on commercial phones that can preserve battery life.

Secure cloud computing

While secure cell phones are not yet ubiquitous on the battlefield, it is only a matter of time before they become so, with the focus that has been placed on it by militaries and industry. As a result, secure cloud computing technology may take a role on the battlefield side-by-side with secure cell phones.

"Generally speaking, the hot trend is for small cloud and virtualization," says Chris O’Rourke, senior technical marketing manager at Cisco Systems in San Jose, Calif. “In general it's a switch from specifically built computers to hypervisation without needing to deploy or provision per-service hardware. The folks looking forward see the value of virtualized services, as it offers promise from a SWaP reduction as well as flexibility at repurposing systems later without having to procure again.”

Employing cloud computing enables non-specialized computers such as secure cell phones to perform tasks by using virtual systems. Rather than carrying a device to do all the heavy lifting, the cloud enables a device to assign that task to a virtual machine. “The cloud is about developing applications that rely on central services and applications," Cisco’s O’Rourke explains. Ultimately, the goal of cloud computing in relation to secure cell phone technology is to give warfighters access to huge amounts of computing power and data through their devices.

“I hope that in five years the soldier will have the same access to the network that the mounted soldier enjoys," says DRS’s Guyan. "Today the mounted force operates with about 175,000 networked displays. They're able to message, have situational awareness, run multiple applications, and we're still trying to get those ones and zeroes off the platform and into the hands of the soldier. In five years I hope a soldier in his foxhole will have the same access to the network as a commander in his vehicle.”

Follow Military & Aerospace Electronics and Avionics Intelligence news updates on Twitter

Extender modules to test 6U and 3U VPX boards outside the chassis introduced by PCI Systems

Mon, 02 Apr 2012 14:22:00 GMT

Posted by John Keller

SUNNYVALE, Calif., 2 April 2012. PCI Systems Inc. in Sunnyvale, Calif., is introducing a family of 3U and 6U VPX embedded computing extenders for test and measurement of 6U VPX and 3U VPX embedded systems boards outside the chassis. The conduction-cooled extenders also fit into an air cooled chassis, PCI Systems officials say.

Active mezzanine boards are available for switching lanes to test error handling, re-driver mezzanines, and BusAnalyzer mezzanines to test eye patters for each lane and also test port speeds.

The 6U VPX Extender Gen2 module is built to extend a 6U VPX computer board while out of a chassis, providing access to all sides of the module for testing and debugging. The 6U VPX extender has a Tyco Multi-Gig RT-2 connector mini backplane to compensate for lack of a right angle female connector.

The module has a signal rate of 5 gigabits per second; controlled impedance of 100 Ohm differential pairs; LED power rail status monitoring; conformance to VITA 46 VPX and OpenVPX; alignment keying on both sides; and optional mechanical bracing.

Optional mezzanine boards include reddriver for add-on cards, redriver for CPU slot, I/O mezzanine, and bus analyzer 16 lane.

The 3U VPX Extender Gen2 extender modules also are built to extend a 3U or 6U VPX module out of a chassis, providing access to all sides of the module for testing and debugging. The modules have a Tyco multi-gig rt-2 connector mini backplane, signal rate of 5 gigabits per second; controlled impedance of 100 Ohms differential pairs; LED power rail status monitoring; conformance to VITA 46 VPX and OpenVPX; alignment keying on both sides of the extender; and optional mechanical bracing.

Optional mezzanines are reddriver for add-on cards; redriver for CPU slot; I/O mezzanine; and bus analyzer 16 lane switched lanes mezzanine.

For more information contact PCI Systems online at http://pcisystems.squarespace.com.

Follow Military & Aerospace Electronics and Avionics Intelligence news updates on Twitter

Secure cloud computing is aim of collaboration of LynuxWorks, TransLattice, and Fritz Technologies

Mon, 02 Apr 2012 12:02:00 GMT

Posted by John Keller

SAN JOSE, Calif., 2 April 2012. Three software companies that specialize in information security are working together to provide design and development tools for secure cloud computing systems for situations requiring secure hosting of applications, geographic redundancy of applications and data, and secure cross-domain transfer of information.

LynuxWorks Inc. in San Jose, Calif.; TransLattice Inc. in Santa Clara, Calif.; and Fritz Technologies Corp. in Sebastopol, Calif., are combining their technologies and expertise in a secure cloud computing tool called Secure, Enterprise, Cross-Domain, Unified, Resilient Environment (SECURE).

The SECURE tool combines the first-generation secure server-based separation kernel (SepKer) from Fritz Technologies; the LynxSecure 4.0 separation kernel from LynuxWorks, and the TransLattice Application Platform (TAP) application and data distribution tool from TransLattice.

The Fritz Technology SepKer tool blends trusted boot via the Trusted Platform Module (TPM) and administrative tooling that help host several domains and application missions whether in a data center, shipboard, airborne, or land-based deployment.

The TransLattice Application Platform (TAP) distributes the application and its data across several virtual machines and system platforms within a secure domain for non-stop operations even one or more components of the computing lattice. gets lost.

The LynxSecure separation kernel, meanwhile, maintains security while providing access to several classifications of information maintained in separate domains on one workstation or server, and helps share controlled data among domains.

The SECURE solution consolidates several applications onto virtual machines on one server while maintaining domain separation in the virtualization solution; reducing cost through hardware consolidation; deploying market-standard operating systems including Windows and Red Hat Linux; achieving high security standards for military deployments; and improving resilience with a lattice approach to application and data distribution, company officials say.

The SECURE solution uses the LynxSecure 5.0 virtualization tool from LynuxWorks, running on a standard x86-based server and offers secure virtual machine domains running unmodified guest operating systems including Linux, Solaris, and Windows.

The TransLattice Application Platform runs in one or several secure domains providing distributed application and data support. SECURE provides trusted boot using TPM and provides secure domain separation among unclassified, secret, and top secret domains with optional support for cross-domain transfer.

For more information contact LynuxWorks online at paste link phrase here, TransLattice at www.translattice.com, or Fritz Technologies at www.fritztechnologies.com.

F-35 program estimated to cost $1 trillion over 55 years

Mon, 02 Apr 2012 05:30:00 GMT

WASHINGTON, 2 April 2012. The Office of the Secretary of Defense issued the 2011 F-35 Selected Acquisition Report (SAR) to update Congress on the total cost estimates to develop, build, operate, upgrade, and maintain all aspects of the F-35 program and its military support infrastructure for the next 55 years. The total estimated cost, including adjustments for anticipated inflation, is $1.113 trillion.

“The cost projections estimated in the SAR are based on a number of variables that are subject to considerable fluctuation over the next 55 years, making the estimate inherently imprecise,” says a Lockheed Martin spokesperson. Read the aerospace and defense giant’s statement, as well as answers to questions about the F-35 aircraft, in the Avionics Executive topic center.

Raytheon procures parts for Indian Air Force Munitions Control Unit,

Mon, 02 Apr 2012 04:15:00 GMT

NEW DELHI, 2 April 2012. Raytheon Company (NYSE:RTN) is procuring components needed to build the Munitions Control Units (MCUs) for 126 Indian Air Force Jaguar Darin II attack aircraft. The MCU enables integration of modern weapons on legacy aircraft with little to no modifications to aircraft wiring and flight or stores management software. The compact MCU, able to be located in a weapons pylon or avionics bay of legacy aircraft, provides an interface between a legacy aircraft’s existing software and modern smart weapons.

"MCU will give the Jaguar the capability to employ smart or advanced weapons like the Joint Standoff Weapon, Maverick missile, Paveway precision-guided munition, and AIM-9M Sidewinder air-to-air missile," says Harry Schulte, Raytheon Missile Systems' vice president of Air Warfare Systems.

Raytheon won a contract to build the MCU in 2011, whereas funding was authorized in 2012.

Boeing to adapt WeaponWatch ground-fire acquisition system from Radiance to Apache attack helicopter

Sun, 01 Apr 2012 13:46:00 GMT

Posted by John Keller

FORT EUSTIS, Va., 1 April 2012. U.S. Army helicopter aviation experts are moving ahead with a program to fit special infrared sensors aboard the Boeing AH-64D Apache attach helicopter that detect and pinpoint enemy ground fire from rifles, pistols, rocket-propelled grenades (RPGs), and other infantry weapons and quickly train the Apache's weapons on sources of the hostile fire.

Officials of the Army Contracting Command's Aviation Applied Technology Directorate (AATD) at Fort Eustis, Va., announced their intention last week to award a sole-source contract to the Boeing Co. Defense, Space & Security segment in Tempe, Ariz., to fit ground-fire-detection systems on the Apache attack helicopter as part of the Army's Ground Fire Acquisition System (GFAS).

The contract to Boeing, which should be awarded sometime in June, calls for Boeing to adapt the WeaponWatch surveillance and detection system from Radiance Technologies Inc. in Huntsville, Ala., for the Apache's GFAS avionics. The amount of the contract has yet to be negotiated.

GFAS uses networked infrared sensors to detect muzzle flashes from ground fire, routes the information through the attack helicopter's onboard processors, and displays the location and distance of the shooters as an icon on the pilot's display screen.

This enables the Apache crew to train their on-board Target Acquisition Designation Sight/Pilot Night Vision Sensors (TADS/PNVS) onto the target, but it also transmits this targeting information to nearby troops on the ground.

Within seconds, Apache crews can train their helicopter's weapons on the hostile shooters. The AH-64D is armed with a 30-millimeter chain gun, AGM-114 Hellfire missiles and Hydra 70 rocket pods.

For this contract, the Army will provide Boeing with the Radiance Technologies WeaponWatch as government-furnished property (GFP). WeaponWatch can detect and classify small arms, RPGs, mortars, shoulder-fired missiles, tanks and artillery.

WeaponWatch can display threat type and location, cue imaging systems and weapons, and support a common operating picture in real-time using existing tactical radios and other military communications systems, Radiance officials say.

Rather than integrating the WeaponWatch-based GFAS system aboard the Apache attack helicopter by changing the rotorcraft's flight software and adding displays, the GFAS system uses a special processor to add this capability.

For more information contact Boeing Defense, Space & Security online at www.boeing.com/bds, Radiance Technologies at www.radiancetech.com, or the Army Contracting Command at www.acc.army.mil.

Navy chooses 6U VME single-board computers from GE for shipboard tactical training system

Sun, 01 Apr 2012 12:27:00 GMT

Posted by John Keller

HUNTSVILLE, Ala., 1 April 2012. U.S. Navy embedded computing experts needed 6U VME single-board computers for real-time data processing in the Navy's Battle Force Tactical Trainer (BFTT) that provides training and simulation capabilities to Navy ships. They found their military embedded systems solution from GE Intelligent Platforms in Huntsville, Ala.

GE won a $1.85 million Navy order for PowerXtreme Power7E single board computers -- one of a range of PowerXtreme 6U VME single board computers using PowerPC processor technology from Freescale Semiconductor in Austin, Texas. Although the Power7E no longer is a standard offering, GE still makes it available to existing customers, company officials say.

The BFTT is a flexible, interactive single ship-, group-, or force-level tactical combat system trainer to enhance naval combat readiness. BFTT provides training for complex modern shipboard combat systems.

For more information contact GE Intelligent Platforms online at www.ge-ip.com, or Freescale Semiconductor at www.freescale.com.

Follow Military & Aerospace Electronics and Avionics Intelligence news updates on Twitter

SAS HD connectors from TE Connectivity can double port density on PCI Express cards

Sun, 01 Apr 2012 11:10:00 GMT

Posted by John Keller

HARRISBURG, Pa., 1 April 2012. TE Connectivity in Harrisburg, Pa., is introducing Mini SAS HD connectors for Serial Attached SCSI (SAS 2.1); serial data transmission; Host Bus Adapter (HBA); redundant arrays of inexpensive disks (RAID); workstations; rack-mount server; servers; storage rack; high performance computers; and switches. The connectors are designed to double the port density of low-profile PCI Express cards and support 6- and 12- gigabit-per-second SAS applications.

The connectors for embedded computing applications, which include receptacle connector/cage assembly, and copper cable, gave been adopted for the SAS 2.1 standard and support SAS protocols for high-speed data transfer in storage area networks (SANS), data centers, and switching applications, TE Connectivity officials say. The Mini SAS HD interconnect complies with SAS 2.1 and SFF-8644 industry specifications.

The Mini SAS HD one-piece receptacle connector and cage assembly measures 12.5 millimeters wide, and enables users to double the port density of one low-profile PCI Express card as the assembly allows four 4x ports.

The Mini SAS HD direct-attach copper cables are offered with either four- or eight-channel cable plug configurations and combine TE Madison Cable brand 4-pair TurboTwin cables with dual exit cable connector backshells. Shielding consists of a foil wrap and copper braid.

The cable has an industry-compliant EEPROM signature that allows the host to identify the cable and automatically configure system settings. A pull-to-release latch and spring-loaded pull tab reduces the latch insertion force and increases its retention force. TE also offers a hybrid 4x Mini SAS HD to Mini SAS assembly for connecting next-generation systems with legacy systems.

For more information contact TE Connectivity online at www.te.com.

Follow Military & Aerospace Electronics and Avionics Intelligence news updates on Twitter

U.S. Department of Defense deploys Oceus Networks' Xiphos 4G LTE for Navy pilot

Sat, 31 Mar 2012 05:30:00 GMT

RESTON, Va., 31 March 2012. Oceus Networks announced that the U.S. Navy has selected the company's Xiphos mobile communications networking solution for a pilot for a new Navy portable maritime C2 system.

The pilot will be conducted over the next year with the Kearsarge Expeditionary Strike Group, homeported in Norfolk, Va. The Xiphos tactical cellular solution will provide wireless broadband for access to Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) data for intra-ship communications over the horizon, and inter-ship communications via commercial hand-held devices.

Oceus' mobile ruggedized networks can be placed aboard ships, installed in tactical warfighter vehicles, mounted on UAV's and other aerial vehicles, and can soon be soldier back-packed into austere environments.

The Xiphos family of ruggedized and mobile 4G LTE networks, more commonly known as full-featured cellular base stations, currently supports up to hundreds of simultaneous sessions, has data rates scalable from 37 to 350 Mbps, and has a terrestrial range up to 62 miles radius per node. The Xiphos family of systems are built on the 4G LTE commercial standards.

Lockheed Martin to conduct sustainment activities for F-22 Raptors

Sat, 31 Mar 2012 05:15:00 GMT

Fort Worth, Texas, 31 March 2012. Lockheed Martin [NYSE: LMT] has been awarded a $664 million modification contract to perform sustainment activities for the F-22 Raptor fleet for 2012.

The fleet, which consists of 187 jets, had its final jet built in December of 2011. No future procurements of F-22 aircraft are expected.

The F-22 raptor is a fighter aircraft that uses stealth technology. It is capable of conducting electronic warfare and performing air-to-air and air-to-ground combat.

Work for this contract will be performed at Marietta, Ga.; Fort Worth, Texas; Palmdale, Calif.; and Seattle, Wash and is to be completed by the end of 2012.

Embedded real-time operating system software secures military mission-critical data from growing threats

Fri, 30 Mar 2012 15:23:00 GMT

Posted by Courtney Howard

TECHNOLOGY FOCUS, 30 March 2012. The adoption of secure real-time operating system (RTOS) software and related embedded computing security software tools for military embedded systems continues to grow, driven by increased security threats and concerns, real and perceived.

Many pundits agree that the need for information security, especially for critical and classified data, as well as the computing and data storage systems on which it resides, has never been greater. Industry has responded with myriad innovations designed to deliver security and protection at not only the system level, but also at the embedded, component level.

“There is no single architecture, product, or capability that can protect against a continuously evolving threat landscape,” cautions Chip Downing, senior director of Aerospace & Defense at Wind River in Alameda, Calif. “Today’s connected systems need to integrate a wide range of capabilities to achieve continuous security in hostile network environments. Layered, proven security components, along with capabilities to update these system components, need to be integrated to enable continuous application and service availability, while maintaining the required security capability.”

A layered security approach to critical systems and components is just one of Downing’s recommendations to aerospace and defense enterprises and end users. The most important considerations in the selection of an RTOS for aerospace and defense applications, he says, are support for open standards, safety certification, security features, and virtualization support. If a system needs to meet high levels of safety and security assurance, systems designers must have a strategy to achieve these requirements, he says.

“Due to higher system complexity and compressed system budgets, an RTOS with commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) certification evidence is the wisest choice," Downing says. "COTS certification evidence removes significant certification risk whilst lowering program costs."

Aerospace and avionics

“Avionics and aerospace systems have requirements for safety-critical software, and now are requiring security to help prevent malicious fault conditions,” says Robert Day, vice president of LynuxWorks in San Jose, Calif. “DOD [U.S. Department of Defense] environments require security, especially when connected to other systems or networks, which is becoming the norm even in tactical deployments.”

“Some of the most efficient systems deployed today use embedded virtualization technology to create advanced partitioning strategies,” Downing admits. Partitioning enables the integration of multiple applications, using multiple operating systems, onto shared compute platforms. It also enables support for legacy applications, provides a basis for obsolescence management as systems evolve through their life cycle, enables the use of enterprise operating systems on traditional RTOS platforms, and reduces size, weight, and power (SWaP) in next-generation designs through platform sharing, he explains.

Support for modern hardware is a key characteristic to be usable in modern aerospace and defense systems, Day says. “The RTOS needs to support the latest hardware and CPU {central processing unit} technologies -- for example, multi-core and multi-CPU systems. Also, with system consolidation to meet new SWaP-C [size, weight, power, and cost] requirements, support for partitioned and virtualized systems is becoming very important, even in tactical DOD [U.S. Department of Defense] systems.”

Demands on operating systems is increasing, Wind River's Downing points out. “Next-generation systems will be using multi-core processors and, in many cases, heterogeneous multi-core processors that combine state-of-the-art technologies from different silicon IP vendors into a shared compute platform. Systems designers need the capability to pick the highest utility configuration of these processors, whether it is AMP, SMP, supervised, or hypervisor architectures,” Downing recognizes. “The complexity of these systems means that early prototyping and performance analysis is critical to enable the optimum configuration of processing cores and applications; this is best achieved through the use of advanced simulation environments.”

Day also stresses the importance of performance and determinism. “The RTOS needs to be able to react very fast to real-time events and, in many applications, make decisions without user intervention,” he says.

Portable workstations

Portable computing devices, especially laptop computers, can pose security nightmares for individuals, businesses, government organizations, and even entire nations. It is of little doubt why, then, portable workstations are the subject of much attention by today’s technology firms and aerospace and defense enterprises.

Engineers at European IT security specialist secunet Security Networks AG in Essen, Germany, have ported the Secure Inter-Network Architecture (SINA) Multilevel Workstation onto the latest version of the LynuxWorks LynxSecure separation kernel and hypervisor. Government agencies requiring secure separation of multiple networks on a single workstation and enterprise organizations that need to protect sensitive information against malicious threats can securely run multiple SINA sessions at multiple levels of security (MLS) on a single hardware platform. The solution isolates applications and networks into separate partitions to prevent dangerous software interactions and to thwart any zero day or unknown cyber attacks.

Network needs

A vast majority of today’s computing and data storage systems access or reside on a network; this is true even of battlefield environments and scenarios, both which are increasingly network-centric. The Distributed Common Ground System (DCGS), for example, is considered the backbone of the network-centric battlefield, providing access to time-sensitive, actionable intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) data.

“Our military and allies require relevant, accurate, and timely ISR support to provide commanders the information they need to fight and win counter-insurgency conflicts,” recognizes Judy Burke, vice president of indefinite delivery, indefinite quantity solutions in Lockheed Martin’s Global Training and Logistics (GTL) business in Orlando, Fla. “What’s critical about DCGS-A is that it enhances the speed, accuracy, and relevance of the information available to commanders to aid them in planning and conducting military operations.”

Lockheed Martin supports the U.S. Army’s Distributed Common Ground System (DCGS-A), connecting commanders with hundreds of intelligence data sources. The system’s advanced analytic tools help identify, track, and target hostile forces. Under a two-year task order won in 2011, company engineers are integrating and updating software that will become part of the DCGS-A’s fixed systems; mobile systems, such as those installed on High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicles (HMMWVs or Humvees); and embedded systems in the field. A number of the Army’s software programs will be integrated, such as ground station, sensor, and meteorological software, and Lockheed Martin will enhance the user interface.

“To respond to commanders’ most computer-resource intensive and challenging intelligence questions and scenarios, Lockheed Martin is bringing secure cloud edge nodes into the DCGS-A architecture in Afghanistan and Iraq,” Burke explains. “Recent advances in cloud computing technology have brought about an edge node capable of extending the cloud architecture. Because of the reach, we can provide advanced analytics capabilities and more storage capacity to remote locations.”

Mobile networking

Commanders and warfighters long have required mobile networks in theater, and long requested the use of a wireless network. Security concerns and technological hurdles previously prevented such implementations; however, technology firms are taking advantage of secure RTOSs to provide mobile networks in the field. The Trillium telecom protocol and application framework software from Radisys in Hillsboro, Ore., for example, is often run in an RTOS environment.

“Specifically in the aerospace and defense market, we are seeing a rapid uptake of both 3G WCDMA/HSPA+ [Wideband Code Division Multiple Access/High Speed Packet Access] and LTE [Long Term Evolution] mobile network systems for use in battlefield communications,” says Todd Mersch, director of Product Line Management at Radisys. “These deployments require the entire network, from radio access to core, to be run in small-form-factor, ruggedized platforms while still meeting the latency requirements for the air interface.

“For LTE, this relates to Layer 2 functions in the base station where all of the scheduling and data distribution on the air interface must be done within a one-millisecond window -- a system requirement with all elements needing to complete their work in that window,” Mersch clarifies. “So, when you combine the low latency and the small form factor, we have seen the use of commercial RTOS solutions as well as ‘bare metal’ operating environments by many of the chipset providers. In the end, we see an affinity toward commercial, as it balances the performance and serviceability aspects and has experienced an overall push for RTLinux, now that it has matured as a solution.”

Many customers are balancing the trade-off between high performance and low latency vs. serviceability and usability, Mersch adds. “Many RTOS implementations provide relatively limited debugging and management features, as these can impact the overall performance. Limitations or lack of these features can not only impact development schedules, but can also further impact serviceability under unique deployment conditions.”

The “bare metal” operating system (OS) approach is unlikely to survive, Mersch predicts. “It is simply too difficult to program and, more importantly, can be very difficult to debug an issue in the field. The performance benefits are outweighed by the serviceability challenges.”

Ground vehicles

Current combat vehicles, more often than not, carry more electronics systems and solutions than warfighters. The sensitive, mission-critical information that could be gleaned from vehicle-based electronics (vetronics) that are insufficiently protected and secured could jeopardize missions and lives.

General Dynamics UK engineers in London selected the Integrity RTOS from Green Hills Software in Santa Barbara, Calif., as the operating system for all the mission-critical computers they are developing for the British Army’s Scout Specialist Vehicle (SV). Green Hills Software's Multi integrated development environment (IDE) will also be used to build the application code that runs on top of the Integrity operating system on all the computer subsystems in the vehicle.

Variants of the Scout SV military armored vehicle -- including the Scout reconnaissance vehicle, Recce Armored Personnel Carrier, repair vehicle, and recovery vehicle -- will share an open electronic architecture, making the Scout SV fleet easier to maintain, simplifying training, and potentially lowering costs throughout the expected 30-year life of the vehicles. Four main electronic subsystems -- each with its own display for the driver, commander, and gunner (and one additional) -- on Scout SVs will employ Intel Core i5 and Core i7 multi-core architectures running Integrity. The critical subsystems include driving controls, defensive aids, navigation tools, friend or foe recognition, and visual displays, which can receive up to seven live video feeds.

Manned and unmanned avionics

Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) are important for ISR missions, and increasingly are targets of cyber terrorists and hackers. Modern software solutions are helping to secure drones, the technologies they employ, and the information they acquire.

Engineers at the Northrop Grumman Corp. Aerospace Systems sector in Redondo Beach, Calif., chose Wind River’s VxWorks RTOS for the U.S. Navy’s Unmanned Combat Air System Carrier Demonstration (UCAS-D) program, of which the new X-47B is part. Designers at GE Aviation in Evendale, Ohio, also selected VxWorks as the foundation for the backbone of UCAS-D computers, networks, and interfacing electronics, called the Common Core System. Northrop Grumman developers used VxWorks to create, deploy, and maintain critical applications, including safety-critical control systems, for the X-47B tailless unmanned aircraft.

Personnel at Lockheed Martin’s Mission Systems and Sensors Division (MS2) in Owego, N.Y., used the LynxOS RTOS and Luminosity Integrated Development Environment (IDE) from LynuxWorks in conjunction with the United Kingdom’s Airborne Warning and Control System (AWACS). AWACS aircraft provide an early-warning capability by tracking aircraft at extended ranges, as well as relay vital information to commanders on the ground.

Looking ahead

The future of RTOS technology is embedded virtualization, simulation, and a move to standardize security enhanced Android operating system for mobile devices like smart phones and tablet computers, Downing predicts. “We will continue to see multi-core platforms that integrate a wide range of RTOS, mobile, and enterprise operating system environments. This integration will blur the lines of the traditional RTOS industry, and force the suppliers to create highly adaptable, secure platforms that support a rapidly increasing evolution in embedded devices,” he says. “Hardware accelerators and enablers will assist in this transformation.

“The public release of the Security Enhanced (SE) Android project and associated source code is an important foundational step to add a new set of options to create secure Android devices,” Downing adds. “We’re seeing this with the National Security Agency’s move to standardize SE Android.”

David Kleidermacher, chief technology officer of Green Hills Software and Integrity Global Security LLC in Santa Barbara, Calif., is involved in “a firestorm of activity surrounding virtualization, and adding the ability to run Linux and Android on top of [Green Hills’] RTOS. In many ways, this is the future of the RTOS -- being able to handle mixed criticality requirements that include security, safety, and real-time critical applications alongside increasing requirements for rich multimedia and connectivity, app stores, GUIs, etc.”

Company list

CMX Systems
www.cmx.com

DDC-I Inc.
www.ddci.com

ENEA
www.enea.com

Express Logic
www.expresslogic.com

Green Hills Software
www.ghs.com

KADAK
www.kadak.com

LynuxWorks
www.lynuxworks.com

Mentor Graphics
www.mentor.com

Micrium
www.micrium.com

Microsoft Corp.
www.microsoft.com

OAR Corp.
www.rtems.com

OnTime Software
www.on-time.com

QNX Software Systems
www.qnx.com

Quantum3D
www.quantum3d.com

RadiSys
www.radisys.com

Red Hat
www.redhat.com

RTEMS
www.rtems.com

RTXC
www.quadros.com

Secunet
www.secunet.com

Space Shadow
www.spaceshadow.com

TimeSys
www.timesys.com

Wind River Systems
Wind River Systems www.windriver.com

Third-generation IP Mesh radio networking for controlling unmanned vehicles introduced by Cobham

Fri, 30 Mar 2012 06:00:00 GMT

Posted by John Keller

WHITELEY, England, 30 March 2012. The Cobham plc Tactical Communications and Surveillance segment in Whiteley, England, is introducing a new generation of Internet Protocol (IP) Mesh radios for military, law-enforcement, and commercial applications such as unmanned vehicles that need a self-healing mesh communications network combined with non-line of sight characteristics.

The Cobham IP Mesh radio nodes link together to transmit video, audio, and Global Positioning System (GPS) signals back to a central point. The mesh readjusts itself as nodes move, with no loss of bandwidth or performance, Cobham officials say. The latest IP Mesh radios are the company's third generation, and mini mesh products are available.

The latest Duo IP Mesh radios from Cobham offer point-to-point IP radio with fixed bandwidth for unmanned vehicle applications and IP Mesh radio networks as large as 12 nodes using bandwidth as fast as five megabytes per second in mobile or rapid deployment applications, company officials say.

The latest Cobham IP Mesh radio s offer encryption and security options, fixed-bandwidth options, and single-frequency camera control. For more information contact Cobham Tactical Communications and Surveillance online at www.cobham.com.

Follow Military & Aerospace Electronics and Avionics Intelligence news updates on Twitter

Army eyes glasses-free 3D display technology for future combat vehicles and unmanned vehicle control stations

Fri, 30 Mar 2012 05:52:00 GMT

Posted by John Keller

WARREN, Mich., 30 March 2012. U.S. Army vetronics researchers are canvassing industry to see which companies might be able to provide glasses-free 3D display technology, or autostereoscopic displays, and to determine if the time is right for a formal solicitation to acquire glasses-free 3D display technology for future armored combat vehicles or unmanned vehicle control stations.

The Ground Vehicle Robotics branch of the Army Tank Automotive Research, Development and Engineering Center (TARDEC) in Warren, Mich., on Wednesday issued a request for information (RFI: W56HZVRFI3D) as part of a market survey to assess the potential to obtain an autonomously adjustable autostereoscopic display system and test it on an Army vehicle.

The market survey is part of a potential TARDEC 3D Display Without Glasses and Head Tracking program. Autostereoscopy refers to displaying stereoscopic images without the aid of special headgear or glasses -- typically by using eye-tracking and multiple views so that the display does not need to sense where the viewer's eyes are located.

TARDEC officials are asking industry for detailed breakdown of the cost, schedule, and logistics necessary to develop and mature an autonomously adjustable autostereoscopic display system for manned and unmanned vetronics systems.

TARDEC researchers particularly are interested in glasses-free 3D display technologies that autonomously can vary the location of the viewer's eyes based on the viewer's head position as he moves.

The system should be able to track the user's lateral head position automatically relative to the display, and the viewable area of the display should be at least 17 inches. The daylight readability of the display should be 300 to 1,000 nits.

Companies interested in participating in the market survey should send system descriptions, system costs, and development plans no later than 30 April 2012. TARDEC officials caution that this is not a formal solicitation, and no contract awards will result directly from this request for information.

Place responses containing unclassified or secret information on a DVD and send it via registered mail. The outer package label should read: US Army RDECOM/TARDEC, 6501 E. Eleven Mile Road, MS 263, ATTN: Security Office, Warren, MI 48397-5000, and the inner label should read: US Army RDECOM/TARDEC, 6501 E. Eleven Mile Road, MS 263, ATTN: Lisa Lynch/RAP Team, Warren, MI 48397-5000.

For questions or concerns, phone TARDEC's Jon Neill at 586-282-9595, or e-mail TARDEC's Lisa Lynch at lisa.m.lynch@us.army.mil. More information is online at https://www.fbo.gov/notices/9bb1c6c88d5e223160bb9175da3569cd.

Follow Military & Aerospace Electronics and Avionics Intelligence news updates on Twitter

United Kingdom orders eighth Boeing C-17 Globemaster III

Fri, 30 Mar 2012 05:15:00 GMT

LONG BEACH, Calif., 30 March, 2012. Boeing [NYSE: BA] announced that the UK Ministry of Defence has signed an agreement for the acquisition of one C-17 Globemaster III, bringing the Royal Air Force (RAF) fleet of the airlifters to a total of eight. Boeing is scheduled to deliver the eighth C-17 later this year.

RAF C-17s had surpassed 50,000 flight hours in December 2009, when the UK announced its intent to purchase a seventh aircraft. By the time the seventh C-17 was delivered in November 2010, the fleet had logged more than 60,000 flight hours. The fleet has now surpassed 74,000 flight hours.

The RAF C-17s are operated by 99Squadron at RAF Brize Norton. C-17s are used to support Operation Herrick, the transport of equipment and troops to Afghanistan. RAF C-17s also delivered relief supplies following earthquakes in Haiti and Chile and provided humanitarian relief following floods in Pakistan.

As a member of the worldwide C-17 "virtual fleet," RAF C-17s are supported through the Boeing C-17 Globemaster III Integrated Sustainment Program, a Performance-Based Logistics agreement.

Boeing has delivered 241 C-17s worldwide, including 216 to the U.S. Air Force active duty, Guard and Reserve units. A total of 25 C-17s have been delivered to Australia, Canada, Qatar, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom and the 12-member Strategic Airlift Capability initiative of NATO and Partnership for Peace nations. India has 10 C-17s on order for delivery in 2013 and 2014.

Harris Corp to supply Falcon Tactical Radios to Australian Department of Defense

Fri, 30 Mar 2012 05:00:00 GMT

BRISBANE, Australia, 30 March 2012. Harris Corp. (NYSE:HRS) has received a $15.2 million order to provide the Australia Department of Defence with customer field support for Harris radios procured under its tactical radio modernization program.

Australia has procured, and will install and deploy, mounted and dismounted Harris Falcon III AN/PRC-152(C) multiband, multi-mode radios in vehicular and handheld configurations for line-of-sight and beyond-line-of-sight voice and data communications and Falcon II AN/PRC-150(C) manpack radios for high-frequency beyond-line-of-sight terrestrial communications. Both radios are being delivered to the Australian Defence Force (ADF) under the Joint Project 2072 Battlespace Communications program. Harris will provide support services to the ADF for these radios, including training, installation, maintenance, system integration and engineering.

The AN/PRC-152(C) is a JTRS Software Communications Architecture-certified and NSA Type-1 certified handheld radio, with more than 160,000 units shipped to U.S., NATO and other allied forces worldwide. The radio provides voice and data capabilities over the 30 MHz to 512 MHz frequency range and supports SINCGARS, Havequick II, VHF/UHF AM and FM, APCO P25 and both DAMA and the new Integrated Waveform for satellite communications. The Falcon II AN/PRC-150(C) is part of the Falcon family of HF radios and the only one to offer NSA-certified Type-1 information security. The radio covers the 1.6 MHz to 60 MHz frequency range and comes with a removable keypad/display unit.

Rugged quad-core Intel Core i7-based PC/104 single-board computer introduced by ADL Embedded Solutions

Fri, 30 Mar 2012 05:00:00 GMT

Posted by John Keller

SAN DIEGO, 30 March 2012. ADL Embedded Solutions Inc. in San Diego is introducing the ADLQM67PC-2715QE PC/104 quad core rugged single-board computer based on the 2nd generation Intel Core i7-2715QE processor for rugged and harsh environment military embedded systems such as radar and sonar processing, image signal processing, tactical command and control, surveillance and reconnaissance, transportation, and railways.

The embedded systems processor uses Intel's latest embedded computing two-chip device. This 2nd generation i7 Quad processor integrates Intel's HD Graphics 3000 engine with advanced vector extensions (AVX).

The ADLQM67PC has a discrete 16-bit digital I/O port as well as separate VGA, LVDS, HDMI, and Display Port interfaces. The ADLQM67PC also has 2x RS232 COM ports, 2x SATA 6 gigabits per second with RAID support, 8x USB 2.0, two bootable Gigabit Ethernet LAN, HDA 7.1, and type 1 bottom-stacking PCI Express/104 V2.01 supporting Gen2 throughput of 5 GT/s.

For more information contact ADL Embedded Solutions online at www.adl-usa.com.

Follow Military & Aerospace Electronics and Avionics Intelligence news updates on Twitter

VSI to deliver, support Night Vision Cueing Displays for U.S. Air Force, U.S. Navy pilots

Fri, 30 Mar 2012 04:30:00 GMT

SAN JOSE, Calif., 30 March 2012. Vision Systems International (VSI), maker of advanced helmet-mounted displays (HMDs) for tactical aircraft, won a $19.8 million contract to deliver and provide engineering support for Night Vision Cueing Display (NVCD) systems. VSI personnel are expected to deliver 100 NVCD systems by Nov. 2013 under this NVCD low-rate initial production lot two (LRIP-2) contract. VSI engineers are also modifying the HMD test set to accommodate additional NVCD capability.

"With this award, additional front line U.S. pilots will have access to technology that delivers Joint Helmet Mounted Cueing System capability to night missions," says Phil King, VSI’s president. VSI's NVCD technology will be integrated into domestic Joint Helmet Mounted Cueing System (JHMCS) platforms for use on U.S. Air Force F-15 and F-16 planes, as well as Navy F/A-18 JHMCS-equipped aircraft.

VSI is a joint venture between Elbit Systems of America, a subsidiary of Elbit Systems Ltd. (NASDAQ:ESLT) and Rockwell Collins (NYSE:COL). VSI has produced more than 4,500 joint helmet mounted cueing systems (JHMCS) for the F-15, F-16, and F/A-18 aircraft. VSI is also under contract to deliver the Fifth Generation HMDS for the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter. VSI produces JHMCS II HMDs for multiple aviation platforms, including fighters, light attack, military airlift, and trainers.

Consensus may be building in Congress to halt automatic defense budget cuts, says AIA president

Thu, 29 Mar 2012 19:25:00 GMT

Posted by John Keller

ARLINGTON, Va., 29 March 2012. Threatened automatic cuts in the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) budget, which would take place if Congress fails by the end of this year to make additional federal budget cuts or tax increases would hollow out our military, endanger our troops and stop economic recovery dead in its tracks, Marion C. Blakey, president and chief executives officer of the Aerospace Industries Association (AIA) trade group in Arlington, Va., said today.

The congressionally approved 2011 Budget Control Act calls for across-the-board defense budget cuts to begin on 1 Jan. 2013 if Congress fails to cut spending, increases taxes, or both to reign-in budget deficits. The law calls for Congress to cut defense spending by $500 billion over 10 years if lawmakers cannot reach agreement on budget targets, which looks increasingly likely.

Defense experts say automatic defense cuts, or "sequestration," could put a stop to U.S. Air Force plans for a new long-range jet bomber, a new Army tactical vehicle, and could reduce the U.S. Navy's fleet of aircraft carriers lower than the current 11 vessels.

The AIA's Blakey, in a statement released today, says a bipartisan consensus is emerging that the sequestration cuts imposed by the Budget Control Act are a cure worse than the disease.

"More deep cuts to defense investments could cost over a million jobs and create enormous economic dislocation in thousands of communities across the country just as economic recovery is finally taking root," Blakey wrote. "In addition, these cuts would cede American leadership in a host of critical technologies, allowing our enemies to close the gap in stealth flight, air defenses, unmanned vehicles and surveillance and reconnaissance."

Consensus may be building slowly in Congress to head-off sequestration and spare the DOD budget even larger cuts next year than have been proposed by the Obama Administration, Blakey says.

"Voices as diverse as International President of the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers Tom Buffenbarger and Senator Jon Kyl have spoken eloquently on this subject. Speaking in the Capitol and writing in the opinion pages today, Mr. Kyl and his colleagues Sens. Rubio, Ayotte, McCain, Graham, Cornyn, Inhofe, and Vitter powerfully sounded the alarm," Blakey says.

In remarks at RAND this morning, House Armed Services Committee Ranking Member Adam Smith also flagged this issue - asked when the impact of budget sequestration would be felt, he said "It's now!" Blakey says.

"The sequestration hammer falls in just 278 days," Blakey points out. "In both chambers of Congress, strong efforts are underway to find a solution to this looming crisis, and we appreciate all of these efforts. But it's long past time to act."

For more information contact the AIA online at www.aia-aerospace.org.

Follow Military & Aerospace Electronics and Avionics Intelligence news updates on Twitter

Altera Stratix V FPGA-based network processing card for network analytics introduced by Nallatech

Thu, 29 Mar 2012 18:33:00 GMT

Posted by John Keller

CAMARILLO, Calif., 29 March 2012. Nallatech in Camarillo, Calif., is introducing the PCIe-385N field-programmable gate array (FPGA) network processing card for offloading processor-intensive tasks in embedded systems applications. The PCIe-385N is based on the Altera Stratix V FPGA and offers PCI Express 8-lane Gen3 bandwidth in a half-length PCI Express card.

The Nallatech PCIe-385N is for real-time network processing and algorithm-acceleration applications, including network monitoring, analytics, filtering, and data retention. The FPGA is coupled to two SFP+ ports supporting 1- and 10-Gigabit Ethernet, 10-gigabit SONET, and various OTU standards to 2f.

The PCIe-385N features 2 banks of DDR3 SDRAM providing as much as 16 gigabytes coupled to the Stratix V FPGA. The compact form factor is the same size as a standard network card, allowing for integration into servers.

For more information contact Nallatech online at www.nallatech.com.

Follow Military & Aerospace Electronics and Avionics Intelligence news updates on Twitter

Honeywell to upgrade several kinds of Air Force bomber, fighter, utility, and surveillance aircraft

Thu, 29 Mar 2012 11:38:00 GMT

Posted by John Keller

TINKER AFB, Okla., 29 March 2012. U.S. Air Force aircraft and avionics experts are looking to the Honeywell International Inc. Aerospace sector in Tempe, Ariz., to provide maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) for 11 types of Air Force combat, utility, cargo, surveillance, and refueling aircraft under terms of a $73.2 million contract announced Tuesday.

Honeywell Aerospace will overhaul and repair, as well as provide spare parts for, avionics and other systems on the Air Force A-10 Thunderbolt II close-air-support jet, B-1 Lancer strategic bomber, B-52 Stratofortress strategic bomber, C-130 Hercules utility turboprop, C-135 Stratolifter cargo jet, C-141 Starlifter cargo jet, C-5 Galaxy cargo jet, E-3 Sentry airborne warning and control system (AWACS) aircraft, F-15 Eagle jet fighter, F-16 Falcon jet fighter, and KC-135 Stratotanker mid-air refueling aircraft.

Awarding the contract were officials of the Air Force Oklahoma City Air Logistics Center at Tinker Air Force Base, Okla., which provides depot maintenance for Air Force sophisticated weapon systems. The Center modifies, repairs, and manages logistics for a variety of bombers, refuelers, and reconnaissance aircraft.

The KC-135 is a modified Boeing 707 passenger jet that provides mid-air refueling for a wide variety of aircraft; the A-10, better-known as the Warthog, provides close-air support for infantry; the B-1 supersonic bomber can deliver conventional and nuclear bombs in heavily defended areas; the B-52 high-altitude bomber can deliver conventional or nuclear warheads; the C-130 is one of the most versatile utility aircraft and can deliver cargo and troops, as well as provide infiltration and exfiltration of Special Forces, provide close-air support for troops on the ground, provide mid-air refueling for Special Forces helicopters, and provide combat search and rescue.

The C-135, C-141, and C-5 are strategic airlifter cargo jets of various sizes for carrying troops, equipment, and even large armored combat vehicles; the E-3 is an intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) radar aircraft that provides large-area air surveillance and combat air traffic control during combat operations; the KC-135, which also is a modified Boeing 707 passenger jet, essentially is a gas station in the sky that provides mid-air refueling for a wide variety of fixed-wing aircraft.; and the F-15 and F-16 are air-superiority jet fighters and fighter-bombers.

On the current contract, Honeywell will do the work in Tempe, Tucson, and Phoenix Ariz., as well as in Torrance, Calif., and should be finished by April 2014.

For more information contact Honeywell Aerospace online at www51.honeywell.com/aero, or the Oklahoma City Air Logistics Center at www.tinker.af.mil/units.

Follow Military & Aerospace Electronics and Avionics Intelligence news updates on Twitter

Northrop Grumman to supply air traffic communications system for military base in Afghanistan

Thu, 29 Mar 2012 05:30:00 GMT

LONDON, 29 March 2012. Northrop Grumman Corp.'s (NYSE:NOC) Europe-based air traffic management systems subsidiary, Northrop Grumman Park Air Systems, has been awarded a contract by the NATO Consultation, Command and Control (NATO C3) Agency to provide a second air traffic control receiver site for Kandahar Air Base, Afghanistan.

Kandahar Airfield has been maintained by NATO since 2006 and is a key logistics hub used by NATO forces in Afghanistan. It is now one of the busiest single-use runways in the world.

The receiver site will house 16 VHF/UHF radios for the air base. Due to the urgent NATO operational requirement, the radios have been supplied and installed in a matter of weeks. The equipment has successfully been installed onsite and is now fully operational, accomplished well within the expected schedule.

This contract follows on from the previous installation of the complete air traffic communications solution for the Kandahar Air Base in 2010. Park Air Systems has worked with NATO for more than 20 years to provide communication solutions.

Park Air Systems, based in Peterborough, U.K., and in Oslo and Horten, Norway, supplies communication, navigation and surveillance systems for air-space operations worldwide.

Military-grade Virtex-6Q FPGA introduced by Xilinx that operates in temperatures from -55 to 125 C

Thu, 29 Mar 2012 05:00:00 GMT

Posted by John Keller

SAN JOSE, Calif., 29 March 2012. Xilinx Inc. in San Jose, Calif., is introducing the defense-grade Virtex-6Q field-programmable gate array (FPGA) for major military and aerospace applications such as avionics, electronic warfare, missiles and munitions, military communications, and intelligence surveillance reconnaissance (ISR) systems.

Officials of the U.S. National Security Agency (NSA) found the Xilinx Security Monitor (SECMON) IP core in the defense-grade Virtex-6Q provides anti-tamper protection.

These devices together with the SECMON IP core provides a secure embedded computing processor military embedded systems designs in critical anti-tamper applications. The Xilinx secure solution also is appropriate for applications such as commercial avionics.

The programmable anti-tamper solution for the Xilinx Virtex-6Q FPGAs complements anti-tamper system applications overall to protect critical technology as instructed by DOD 5200.39m, Xilinx officials say. Software, IP, documentation, methodologies, working groups, and expertise support is available from Xilinx for anti-tamper implementation.

The Virtex-6Q FPGA also has easy to verify anti-counterfeiting features such as visual identification and confirmation of product authenticity.

Defense-grade Virtex-6Q devices offer mask set control, ruggedized packaging, high-temperature environmental operation and long product life. The FPGAs are fabricated on 40-nanometer dual-oxide process, and are available in versions that operate in temperatures from -40 to 100 degrees Celsius, as well as in the full-military temperature range of -55 to 125 C.

For more information contact Xilinx online at www.xilinx.com.

Follow Military & Aerospace Electronics and Avionics Intelligence news updates on Twitter

Harris Corp to provide communications, command and control system to Middle East

Thu, 29 Mar 2012 05:00:00 GMT

ROCHESTER, N.Y., 29 March 2012. Harris Corp. (NYSE:HRS) has received $14.3 million in orders to provide a communications, command and control system to a country in the Middle East.

This country is acquiring the system, consisting of Falcon III tactical radios and accessories, to deliver wideband networking capabilities to its security forces. As part of the system, Harris will provide the customer with Falcon III RF-7800M Multiband Networking Radios, RF-7800W High-Capacity Line-of-Sight Radios and RF-7800S Secure Personal Radios, along with networking components, accessories and spares.

The system integrates a suite of software-defined radios from the Harris Falcon III RF-7800 family. This includes the RF-7800S, a soldier, body-worn radio for full-duplex voice and data communications over 2 kilometers; RF-7800M for wideband mobile ad-hoc networking, and RF-7800W High-Capacity Line-of-Sight Internet Protocol radio for backhaul data communications.

Harris RF Communications is a supplier of secure radio communications and embedded high-grade encryption solutions for military, government and commercial organizations. The company's Falcon family of software-defined tactical radio systems encompasses manpack, handheld and vehicular applications. Falcon III is the next generation of radios supporting the U.S. military's Joint Tactical Radio System (JTRS) requirements, as well as network-centric operations.

Rugged tablet computer by InHand for military and industrial uses weighs 1.5 pounds

Wed, 28 Mar 2012 06:00:00 GMT

Posted by John Keller

SAN JOSE, Calif., 28 March 2012. InHand Electronics Inc. in Rockville, Md., is introducing the 1.5-pound Hydra-T3 rugged tablet computer for military, medical, or other industrial or commercial uses. The rugged tablet is powered by InHand’s Fury embedded computing board based on the Texas Instruments DaVinci DM3730 microprocessor.

The InHand rugged tablet has a 7-inch Pixel Qi WSVGA sunlight-readable display with analog resistive multi-touch capabilities with automatic brightness control and display rotation, as well as four programmable buttons, volume buttons, and a power button. InHand introduced the Hydra-T3 rugged tablet computer this week at the Design West conference and trade show in San Jose, Calif.

The rugged tablet resists the effects of extreme temperatures, fluid contaminates, solar radiations, fungus, and fluid immersion, and offers Qi wireless battery charging, expansion/port dock, 5-megapixel camera, digital microphone, speaker outlets, vibration for haptic feedback, WiFi, Bluetooth and GPS.

The rugged tablet runs for as long as 10 hours on a full battery charge, and offers Qi wireless battery charging of the 37WHr redundant 3.7-volt Lithium Polymer battery. Software support includes Android 2.3, Ubuntu 10.10, and Windows Embedded Compact 6.

The rugged computer comes with 256 megabytes of DDR2 memory, 512 NAND Flash and memory options: 1 gigabyte of DDR2, and as much as 16 gigabytes of eMMc Flash memory. The computer measures 8.42 by 5.92 by 0.98 inches, and operates in temperatures from -40 to 85 degrees Celsius.

The machine meets MIL-STD-810G and MIL-STD-461F, and has been tested for water immersion at a depth of one meter for 30 minutes, as well as 26 four-foot drops. For more information contact InHand Electronics online at www.inhand.com.

Follow Military & Aerospace Electronics and Avionics Intelligence news updates on Twitter

Air Force prepares industry for potential avionics and systems upgrades to C-130 utility aircraft

Wed, 28 Mar 2012 05:30:00 GMT

Posted by John Keller

WRIGHT-PATTERSON AFB, Ohio, 28 March 2012. Aircraft systems experts at the U.S. Air Force Aeronautical Systems Center (ASC) at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, are reaching out to industry to find companies able to perform major avionics and systems upgrades to enhance the capabilities and design for continual improvements of three versions of the U.S. Air Force Lockheed Martin C-130J four-engine turboprop transport aircraft.

The Fixed-Wing Branch of the ASC Special Operations Forces (SOF) and Personnel Recovery Division issued a request for information (RFI: ResearchDevelopmentandIntegrationforHCMC_AC130J) on Monday for a potential C-130J upgrade and technology insertion program. Of primary interest are the HC-130J search-and-rescue aircraft, the MC-130J special-operations aircraft, and the AC-130 ground-attack aircraft.

Work would involve analysis, study, planning, design, development, prototype, qualification, flight test, draft modification instructions, operations and maintenance publications updates, trial kit installation (TKI), and program documentation. Air Force officials caution this RFI is not yet a formal solicitation.

The HC-130J is an extended-range, search and rescue (SAR) and combat search and rescue (CSAR) version; the MC-130 is a special mission version for infiltration, exfiltration, and resupply of special operations forces, as well as for mid-air refueling of special operations helicopters and tiltrotor aircraft; and the AC-130 is a gunship version with heavy armament for ground-attack.

Upgrades and technology insertion for the HC-130J, MC-130J, and AC-130J aircraft would involve hardware component and subsystem development and test; software development, test, and investigations; and planning for organizational, intermediate, and depot-level maintenance.

Maintenance planning would documents and test equipment; certification and verification; defining spare parts requirements; defining training system; updating logistics support; supporting manufacturing readiness assessments (MRAs); eliminating hazardous materials; systems engineering; kit prototyping; flight testing; and solutions to current and future parts obsolescence.

Companies interested should describe their capabilities and provide a brief synopsis of their ability to upgrade these three versions of the C-130J aircraft. Respond no later than 11 April 2012, to the Air Force's Katherine Hamblin by e-mail at Katherine.Hamblin@wpafb.af.mil, or by post at Bldg 46, 1895 Fifth Street, WPAFB OH 45433-7200.

For questions or concerns, contact Katherine Hamblin by phone at 937-255-3594, or by e-mail at Katherine.Hamblin@wpafb.af.mil. For technical questions contact the Air Force's John Dyson by e-mail at John.Dyson@wpafb.af.mil.

More information is online at http://www.fbodaily.com/archive/2012/03-March/28-Mar-2012/FBO-02705498.htm.

Follow Military & Aerospace Electronics and Avionics Intelligence news updates on Twitter

Israel Aerospace Industries unveils upgraded UMT, UAV mission simulator

Wed, 28 Mar 2012 05:30:00 GMT

Israel, 28 March, 2012. Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) recently introduced the UMT UAV (Unmanned Aerial Vehicle) Mission Trainer.

UAV are an important element in the modern battlefield in the air, ground and sea, in the tactical as well as strategic levels. In order to meet the growing need for UAV high-capability simulators the UMT was developed. UMT addresses the needs of UAV operational personnel (pilots, observers, payload operators and external pilots) at all training stages. As such, it provides team and multi-team training as well as inherent brief, debrief and trainees management capabilities.

UMT is designed to enable the operator in training to control the UAV flight as well as operate its systems in a professional manner. UMT systems simulate operational scenarios in which a separate or coordinated operation is required as well as control of various payloads, changing targets and extreme weather conditions.

Various avionics and payload modules are integrated in UMT's design with off-the-shelf commercial systems and specially developed IAI's products, including the unique IOS (Instructor Operating Station). UMT's architecture is based on modular components that can be replaced and upgraded. It allows connection to other HLA based trainers and execution of multi-training scenarios.

IAI develops UMT simulation systems tailored for specific customer requirements. UMT enables training for a variety of UAVs by different manufacturers.

U.S. Navy selects Northrop Grumman to develop atom-based magnetic sensor for antisubmarine warfare

Wed, 28 Mar 2012 05:15:00 GMT

WOODLAND HILLS, Calif., 28 March 2012. Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE:NOC) has been selected by the Office of Naval Research to develop a cost-effective atom-based magnetic sensor, or magnetometer, for antisubmarine warfare operations.

The magnetometer will be part of a magnetic anomaly detection system mounted on helicopters, unmanned aerial vehicles or submarines. Whether in the air above the ocean or underwater as part of a towed array, the magnetometer will sense disturbances in the earth's magnetic field due to metallic objects in the vicinity, which can indicate a nearby submarine.

Under a three-year $1.75 million contract, Northrop Grumman is being tasked to develop a magnetometer that is smaller, lighter and more accurate than current magnetic sensor technologies. Additionally, the goal of the project is to make it more affordable and efficient.

Boeing and Elbit Systems partner for distributed simulation project for Super Hornet aircraft

Wed, 28 Mar 2012 05:00:00 GMT

SANTIAGO, Chile, 28 March 2012. The Boeing Co. [NYSE: BA] and Elbit Systems are collaborating on a joint distributed simulation project that will link a Boeing F/A-18E/F Super Hornet simulator in St. Louis with an AEL Avionics Laboratory simulator in Porto Alegre, Brazil.

The effort brings together Boeing and Elbit in order to demonstrate current simulation and network technology as well as the capabilities of the Super Hornet. The demonstration will also explore the potential for other technology collaborations, such as Super Hornet interoperability with Brazilian fighter aircraft. The distributed simulation project is expected to be completed this summer.

Boeing and Elbit Systems are developing a plan for technology exchange in the areas of simulation and avionics support for Brazil's F-X2 program. Earlier this month, Boeing and Elbit Systems signed a Memorandum of Understanding that supports the development of advanced avionics capabilities in Brazil that will be introduced to AEL Sistemas. Elbit was selected to provide the Large Area Display (LAD) system that will be part of a cockpit system to be offered on Boeing fighter aircraft, such as the F/A-18E/F Super Hornet and the F-15 family of aircraft, including the Silent Eagle. As a supplier to Boeing fighter aircraft programs, Elbit, through Boeing, is investing in the development of cockpit avionics capabilities at AEL Sistemas.

Elbit representatives recently met with the Boeing Super Hornet team in St. Louis to begin outlining working plans for developing the avionics and the LAD.

The Boeing and Elbit teams also have begun exploring potential opportunities for other systems and support activities that would benefit AEL Sistemas and Brazilian industry in the near term and for the life cycle of the aircraft.

Radar acquisition and scan conversion system on a 6U VME board introduced by Curtiss-Wright

Wed, 28 Mar 2012 05:00:00 GMT

Posted by John Keller

ASHBURN, Va., 28 March 2012. Curtiss-Wright Controls Defense Solutions in Ashburn, Va., is introducing the SoftScan/1905 embedded radar acquisition and scan conversion system that combines a rugged 6U VME single-board computer based on the Intel Core i7 processor, XMC-710 graphics controller mezzanine card, and the Curtiss-Wright SoftScan radar scan conversion software for radar acquisition, radar processing, and display as a complete embedded solution.

The system's display controller supports dual-head graphics output on DVI-I single-link (dual-head output) or dual-link (single-head output), with resolutions as fine as 1,600 by 1,200 pixels (single link) or 2,560 by 1,600/2,048 by 2,048 pixels (dual-link, single head).

The SVME/DMV-1905 VME64x embedded computing board for military embedded systems supports as much as 8 gigabytes of SDRAM. The Intel Core i7 processor enables the board to handle applications with demanding storage, data logging and sensor processing needs, such as radar and other demanding digital signal processing.

The SoftScan software runs on PCs for application development and on embedded computers for system deployment. It relies on graphics processing unit (GPU)-accelerated algorithms for scan-conversion while off-loading the host processor, which enables the board's main processor to concentrate on computationally demanding application code.

SoftScan radar scan conversion supports polar format radar data input via its network interface from a Curtiss-Wright radar video processor server or via an optional on-board Osiris radar acquisition PCI mezzanine card.

The card supports plan position indicator, a-scan, and b-scan display formats with rapid pan and zoom. SoftScan's proprietary algorithms eliminate holes or spokes in the displayed image at any range or zoom level, Curtiss-Wright officials say, and displays all single point targets. Users may create several windows, each displaying several radar sources. All windows are movable and resizable in real time.

SoftScan essentially is a set of libraries that enable users to create applications with one or more windows that render radar video in PPI, A-scan or B-scan format. Chart and track symbology video also can be added as overlay and underlay layers. The API provides real-time control of all radar display characteristics from window sizing and zooming to programmable fade and color parameters.

For more information contact Curtiss-Wright Controls Defense Solutions online at www.cwcdefense.com.

Follow Military & Aerospace Electronics and Avionics Intelligence news updates on Twitter

L-3 Link Simulation & Training wins Naval Air Warfare contract to build Royal Malaysian Air Force F/A-18D tactical trainer

Tue, 27 Mar 2012 09:00:00 GMT

ARLINGTON, Texas, 27 March 2012. L-3 Link Simulation & Training (L-3 Link) won a Naval Air Warfare Center Training Systems Division contract to build an F/A-18D Tactical Operational Flight Trainer (TOFT) for the Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF).

The F/A-18D TOFT will include two cockpits, one for the pilot and another for the weapons systems officer, and simulate formation flight, suppression of enemy defenses, reconnaissance, forward air control, close air support, air refueling, emergency procedures, and day and night strike missions. Each cockpit features L-3 Link’s immersive, 360-degree, high-definition SimuSphere HD-9 visual display, helping maximize RMAF F/A-18D aircrew training and readiness. By combining high-definition databases, image generation systems, physics-based processing, and a visual system display, SimuSphere HD-9 supports real-world day and night out-the-window visual cueing and high-fidelity cockpit sensors.

Night operations will be supported by the use of actual flight night-vision goggles stimulated with real-world effects, including halos, light blooms, and weapon launches and detonations. The TOFT will also include Link’s brief/debrief system and an instructor/operator station.

The F/A-18D TOFT will be integrated with a correlated visual system database that encompasses all of Malaysia. The trainer marks the 18th F/A-18 TOFT L-3 Link will deliver to an international customer. The F/A-18D TOFT is scheduled for delivery during the first quarter of 2014 to an RMAF base in Butterworth, Malaysia.

“This state-of-the-art F/A-18D Tactical Operational Flight Trainer will leverage proven simulation technologies we have fielded to the U.S. Navy and other international F/A-18 customers,” says Leonard Genna, president of L-3 Link.

NCI wins share of seven-year, $1.9 billion U.S. Air Force Design Engineering and Support Program funds

Tue, 27 Mar 2012 08:15:00 GMT

RESTON, Va., 27 March 2012. NCI Inc. (NASDAQ:NCIT), a provider of information technology (IT), engineering, logistics, and professional services and solutions to U.S. Federal Government agencies, won a prime contract under the U.S. Air Force Design Engineering and Support Program (DESP III). This seven-year contract has a ceiling value of $1.9 billion and may be used by Air Force and other U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) agencies.

Managed by the Air Force Materiel Command, DESP III is a follow-on indefinite-delivery, indefinite-quantity (IDIQ) contract to DESP I and DESP II and covers technology insertion, reliability and maintainability, deployability improvements, environmental and safety compliance, depot manufacturing and/or repair process improvements, and information management system and process model development.

DESP III directly supports Air Force efforts to operate and maintain legacy platforms through obsolescence mitigation, modernization, and technology insertion. NCI has been a prime in the DESP program since 2000. NCI is one of 26 companies awarded a DESP III contract.

“NCI is proud of our track record of bringing innovation to the warfighter through agile, responsive, and customized solutions. This contract award recognizes our engineering excellence and provides the platform for delivering solutions that increase the performance, operational life, and sustainment of mission-critical Air Force systems,” says Brian Clark, NCI’s president.

Rugged DC-DC power converters for railways and distributed power introduced by Wall

Tue, 27 Mar 2012 07:55:00 GMT

Posted by John Keller

EXETER, N.H., 27 March 2012. Wall Industries Inc. in Exeter, N.H., is introducing the DCHBW200 series DC-DC power converters for harsh-environment applications in railway systems, military embedded systems, wireless networks, industry control systems, semiconductor equipment, distributed power architectures, as well as telecommunications and data communications.

The power electronics devices deliver as much as 240 Watts and is packaged in an industry-standard 2.40-by-2.28-by-0.50-inch half-brick. The DCHBW200 power brick series consists of 3.3-, 5-, 12-, 15-, 24-, 28-, and 48-volt DC single-output models that operate over 4:1 input voltage ranges of 9 to 36, 16.5 to 75, and 43 to 160 volts DC.

The power bricks have efficiency of as much as 91 percent, soft start, adjustable output voltage, remote sense, 2250VDC I/O isolation, and positive remote on/off control. All models in the DCHBW200 series are RoHS compliant and have UL60950-1, EN60950-1, IEC60950-1, and EN50155 safety approvals.

The DCHBW200 series of DC-DC power converters have no minimum load requirements, operate over a case temperature range of -40 to 115 degrees Celsius, and have a mean-time-between failures (MTBF) rating of 1.01 million hours using Bellcore TR-NWT-000332 and 74,160 hours using MIL-HDBK-217F.

These converters are also protected against short circuit, over voltage, over current, and over temperature conditions, and offer several different options, including negative logic remote on/off, terminal blocks, case pin, sync pin, pin lengths, heat sinks, thru-hole inserts, and DIN rail clip.

For more information contact Wall Industries online at www.wallindustries.com.

Follow Military & Aerospace Electronics and Avionics Intelligence news updates on Twitter

Visiongain: Indian defense market to continue rapid, dynamic expansion

Tue, 27 Mar 2012 07:30:00 GMT

LONDON, 27 March 2012. India's strong and dynamic growth in military spending will continue through the next decade, as the Indian government seeks to fulfill ambitious defense modernization plans. India will spend $38.51 billion on defense in 2012, according to Visiongain’s latest report, “The Indian Defence Market 2012-2022.”

"Despite the continued existence of restraints on the market such as slow tender processes and a dominant state sector, huge opportunities exist for a wide variety of defense firms. Those who are willing to work within the Indian government framework for indigenization of production will find themselves in a potentially long-term and lucrative arrangement," says the report’s author.

Visiongain analysts provide forecasts for the period 2012-2022 in terms of value (US$) for the Indian defense market, which is broken down into revenue and capital expenditure, as well as for eight submarkets that together form the overall capital expenditure figure. The report provides profiles of leading public, private, joint venture, and international companies operating within the market, and includes interviews with experts in the field of Indian defense, providing specialist insight alongside Visiongain analysis.

Companies Listed

ABG Shipyard Limited (ABG)

Adcom Military Industries

Advance Tech Control Pvt Ltd

AgustaWestland

Airbus, Airspace Infrastructure Private Ltd

Alenia Aermacchi

Alenia Aeronautica

Allen Reinforced Plastics Pvt Ltd

Alpha Design Technologies Pvt Ltd

Alpha Phazotron Radar Equipment Systems

Anjani Technoplast

Antonov

Armaris

Ashok Lelyand Defence Systems Ltd (ALDS)

Ashok Leyland

Asta Microwave Products Limited

Aubert Duval

Automotive Coaches and Components Ltd

Avadi Heavy Vehicle Factory

Aviazapchast Plc

Aviotech Lld

Axis Aerospace and Technologies (AAT)

Babcock Group

BAE Systems

BAE Systems BAEHAL Software Ltd

BAE Systems Bofors AB

BAE Systems India Pvt Ltd

BAE Systems Land and Armaments Group

BAEHAL Software Ltd

Barco NV

Barracuda Camouflaging Ltd

Berretta

Bharat Dynamics Limited

Bharat Earth Movers Limited (BEML)

Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL)

Bharat Electronics Limited OP Financials

Bharat Electronics Limited Optronic Devices Ltd

Bharat Forge

Bharat Shipyard

Boeing Company

Boeing Defence Space and Security (BDS)

BP Solar

BrahMos Aerospace

Bumar Group

Bumar Ltd

Bushmaster Firearms International Llc

CADES Digitech Pvt Ltd

CAE Inc

CAE India Pvt Ltd

Chemring Group

CMC Ltd

Compania Espanola de Sistemas Aeronauticos (CEPA)

Corporation Zaschchita

Coyard

Dassault Aviation

Dassault Group

Dassault Systemes

Data Patterns India Pvt Ltd

DCNS India

Defence Land Systems

Defence Land Systems India

Denel Pty

Diehl Defence

Direction des Constructions Navales Services (DCNS)

DMD Group

DRS Technologies

Dynamatic Technologies Ltd

EADS Airbus

EADS Cassidian

EADS Eurocopter

EADS P2I 'Warszawa-Okecie' SA

Edgewood India

Edgewood Technologies Pvt Ltd

Edgewood Ventures Llc

Elbit Systems Electro Optics

Elbit Systems Ltd

ELTA Systems Ltd

Embraer

EON Infotech

European Aeronautic, Defence and Space Company (EADS)

Fincanteri SpA

Finmeccanica SpA

Flash Forge India Pvt Ltd

FN Herstal

Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers Limited (GRSE)

General Dynamics C4 Systems (GDC4S)

General Dynamics Corporation

General Dynamics Land Systems (GDLS)

General Dynamics UK (GDUK)

General Electric

General Electric Medical Systems

Goa Shipyard Ltd

Godrej & Boyce Manufacturing Company Ltd

Godrej Group

Grob Aircraft

HAL Edgewood Technologies Pvt Ltd

HALBIT Avionics Pvt Ltd

Hartzell Propellors

HATSOFF Helicopter Training Pvt Ltd

Hawker Beechcraft Corporation

HBL Nife Power Systems

HCL Aerospace & Defence

HCL Technologies

Heavy Engineering Corporation

Heckler & Koch

Hinduja Automotive

Hinduja Group

Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL)

Hindustan Opticals

Hindustan Shipyard

Honeywell Automation India Ltd (HAIL)

Honeywell Avionics

Honeywell International Inc.

Honeywell Technology Solutions (HTSL)

Honeywell Turbo Technologies (HTT)

Howaldswerke Deutsche Werft (HDW)

ICICI Bank

Ilyushin Jsc

INCAT

Indo-Russian Aviation Ltd

Infotech Enterprises Ltd

Infotech HAL Ltd

ntermarine

International Aero Manufacturing Pvt Ltd

Israel Aerospace Industries Ltd (IAI)

Israel Weapons Ltd

Jupiter Aviation Logistics (JAL)

Jupiter Strategic Technologies Pvt (JST) Ltd

Kalyani Group

Kamov Jsc

Kangnam

Kawaski

KEW Industries Ltd

Kirloskar Brothers Ltd

Korean Aerospace Industries (KAI)

KPB Tula

Krauss-Maffei Wegmann GmbH & Co. (KMW)

Larsen & Toubro Ltd (L&T)

LIG NEX1

Lockheed Martin Corporation

Lockheed Martin India Private Ltd

Magellan Aerospace Corporation

Magnum Aviation

Mahindra & Mahindra (M&M)

Mahindra Satyam

Max Aerospace and Aviation Limited

Mazagon Dock Limited (MDL)

Mazagon-Pipavav Ltd

MBDA Systems

Memory Electronics Pvt Ltd

Merlin Hawk Associates

Michelin

Microcon

Mikoyan

Mishra Dhatu Nigam Limited (MIDHANI)

MKU

Multirole Transport Aircraft Ltd

Multitone Mobile Communications Company

Navatina

Nelco

Northrop Grumman Corporation

Nova Integrated Systems Ltd

NPO Mashinostroyeniya Jsc

Panhard General Defence

Paramount Group

Pawan Hans

Pearson Engineering

Phazotron Corporation

Pilatus Aircraft

Pipavav Defence & Offshore Engineering Company Ltd

Pipavav Shipyard Limited (PSL)

Pratt & Whitney (P&W)

Premium AEROTECH GmbH (PAG)

Punj Lloyd Ltd

QuEST Global Engineering

Rafael Advanced Defence Systems Limited

Ramoss India Ltd

Rayazan SIP

Raytheon Company

Raytheon India

Raytheon Integrated Defense Systems

Reliance Group

Reliance Industries Ltd

Rheinmetall Air Defence

RK Machine Tools

RMX Bridport Defence Systems Pvt

Rolls Royce Defence & Aerospace

Rolls Royce Group Plc.

Rolls Royce Overseas Holdings Ltd

Rolta India Limited

Rolta Thales

Rosoboronexport

Rostvertol

Russian Aircraft Corporation (RAC/MiG)

Saab AB

Saab Dynamics

Safran Group

Samtel Display Systems Ltd (SDS)

Samtel Group

Samtel Group India

Samtel HAL Display Systems Ltd (SHDS)

Samtel Thales Avionics Ltd

SangYong Motor Company

Seamless Group

SEC Industries Pvt Ltd

Selex Communications

Selex Galileo

Serial Innovations

Setforge

Shrilakhsmi Cotsyn Corporation

Shrilakshmi Defence Solutions Ltd (SLDS)

SIGMA Microsystems

SIGT Pvt Ltd

Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation

Singapore Technologies Kinetics

Skanda Aerospace

Snecma (Societe Nationale d'Etude et de Construction de Moteurs d'Aviation)

Snecma HAL Aerospace Pvt Ltd

Soltam Systems

Southern Group Industries

Speck Systems

SQuAD

Steel Authority of India Ltd

Sukhoi Jsc

Sunlight Systems

Svipja Technologies

Tamil Nadu Industrial Development Corporation Ltd (TIDCO)

Tandon Group

Taneja Aerospace & Aviation Ltd

Tata Advanced Materials (TAM)

Tata Advanced Systems (TAS)

Tata BP Solar

Tata Communications

Tata Consultancy Services (TCS)

Tata Elxi Ltd

Tata Group

Tata HAL Technologies Ltd

Tata Industries Ltd

Tata Motors

Tata Power Company

Tata Power Strategic Electronics Division (SED)

Tata Technologies

Tata Teleservices

Tatra

Tatra Sipox

TDA Armaments

Telcom

Textron Systems Corporation

Thales Group

Thales International India Pvt Ltd

Thales Softw

are India Pvt

TIL Tractors India Ltd

TS Kisan & Co. Pvt Ltd

TSL Defence Technologies Pvt

Turbomeca

Turbomeca India Engines Pvt Ltd

UAC Transport Aircraft

Ukrinmash

United Aircraft Corporation (UAC)

United Aircraft Corporation Transport Aircraft (UAC-TA)

United Technologies Corporation (UTC)

Ukraineexport

Uralvagonzavod Scientific Industrial Corporation Plc

Vecima

VEM Technologies

VXL Technologies

Walchandnagar Industries Ltd

Wartsila India

WFEL

Wipro Technologies

Zen Technologies

Military still adjusting to new technology

Tue, 27 Mar 2012 05:30:00 GMT

NASHUA, N.H., 27 March 2012. In this week's Military & Aerospace Electronics Report Skyler Frink reports on how the U.S. Military is handling Geotagging and adapting to new technologies.

Yahsat orders phased array antenna systems from Boeing

Tue, 27 Mar 2012 05:15:00 GMT

WASHINGTON, 27 March 2012. The Boeing Company [NYSE: BA] has finalized a firm-fixed-price contract with Al Yah Satellite Company (Yahsat), a United Arab Emirates-based multipurpose satellite operator, to design and build active electronically steered phased array antenna systems for aircraft. The value of the contract has not yet been disclosed.

The small, Ka-band phased-array SATCOM antenna system allows customers to take advantage of the significant increase in bandwidth offered by next-generation Ka-band satellites to transport data from aircraft in flight to the ground network, and vice versa. Boeing developed these communications antenna technologies to improve the capability of platforms to remain networked while mobile.

Built upon heritage Ku-band systems that have been operational for more than a decade, Boeing's latest Ka-band phased array system uses electronically controlled beams to transmit and receive signals from Ka-band satellites.

The antennas are being designed in Kent, Wash., and will be produced at the Boeing Strategic Manufacturing Center in El Paso, Texas.

New-production patriot missile system by Raytheon debuts with flight test

Tue, 27 Mar 2012 05:00:00 GMT

TEWKSBURY, Mass., 27 March 2012. Raytheon Company (NYSE: RTN) completed a system-level guided flight test of the new-production Patriot at White Sands Missile Range, N.M. The modernized Patriot aims to meet the warfighter's current and future air and missile defense requirements.

The system-level test used new-production major end items (radar, Guidance Enhanced Missile-Tactical [GEM-T] missile, launching station, Information Coordination Central, and Engagement Control Station) against a long-standing performance scenario to verify system capability.

In the guided test flight, the system searched, detected and tracked an air-breathing, flying target, which the GEM-T missile engaged and destroyed. This scenario was chosen by Raytheon and the U.S. Army for its ability to provide a rigorous test of all aspects of the Patriot system. This builds on the test of the first new ground-up production GEM-T missile announced last October.

Bandwidth demands of radar and signals intelligence create pressure to refresh XMC and FMC mezzanine board standards

Mon, 26 Mar 2012 19:54:00 GMT

Posted by John Keller

PRODUCT INTELLIGENCE, 26 March 2012. Embedded computing designers for demanding digital signal processing (DSP) subsystems in military embedded systems like radar, electronic warfare (EW), and signals intelligence (SIGINT), are making broad use of I/O mezzanine boards in the XMC and FMC form factors, yet engineers are worrying that tomorrow's applications -- and even some of today's -- are finding modern mezzanine modules inadequate for the task.

"We are running out of SerDes and LVDS connections down to the board," explains Marc Couture, director of product management at the Mercury Computer Systems microwaves and digital solutions segment in Salem, N.H. "We're starting to run out of pins." SerDes stands for serializer/deserializer, while LVDS stands for Low-voltage differential signaling.

XMC is short for Express Mezzanine Card, while FMC is short for FPGA Mezzanine Card. FPGA refers to programmable processor chips called field-programmable gate arrays. The XMC and FMC are decedents of the once-popular PCI Mezzanine Card (PMC), which has become inadequate for high-throughput DSP applications.

The PMC was designed to provide PCI I/O throughput in a small add-on board that enhanced economy and flexibility by providing standard I/O functionality. VME and PCI board manufacturers have been attracted to implementing I/O with mezzanine boards so they are not forced to redesign their products simply to change out the I/O. Systems designers can evolve their systems to meet growing throughput demands simply by adding different kinds of mezzanine boards.

The XMC version of the PMC adds high-speed switch fabric interconnects for today's VPX, CompactPCI, and other high-throughput single-board computers. The FMC, meanwhile, enables systems architectures to design-in FPGA-based I/O by providing direct links to the FPGA on the mezzanine card.

Until recently, XMC and FMC modules have been adequate for even some of the most demanding DSP applications, but some experts in the embedded computing industry are starting to wish for even more capability than the modern XMC and FMC mezzanine boards can offer.

"In the future there will be a need to refresh the XMC and FMC standards," explains Steve Edwards, chief technology officer for COTS solutions at the Curtiss-Wright Controls Defense Solutions segment in Ashburn, Va. "Applications these are fitting into today, like radar, EW, and SIGINT, are really driving data requirements and bandwidth."

Edwards uses an example of the U.S. Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) Autonomous Real-time Ground Ubiquitous Surveillance-Infrared (ARGUS-IR) program, which is under development at the BAE Systems Electronic Systems segment in Nashua, N.H. For this and other new persistent-surveillance systems, "there are huge amounts of I/O coming into the card."

Other factors in the embedded computing industry also are converging to drive the need for increased bandwidth in XMC and FMC modules. Edwards says the latest generations of analog-to-digital (A/D) and digital-to-analog (D/A) converters require fast serial interconnects.

"We are starting to run out of connectivity," Edwards says. "We have a need for a mezzanine card associated with FPGAs, but which has even more serial connections."

In addition, an anticipated transition to optical computing, which moves data throughout the system with optical fiber or free-space lasers instead of electrical cabling, is expected to ratchet-up the pressure on mezzanine board throughput.

"We keep trying to move more data," says David Pepper, product manager and technologist at GE Intelligent Platforms in Charlottesville, Va. I'm surprised we haven't had to adopt optics yet, but it will happen. You just won't be able to push the data over copper," says Pepper, who works out of the GE office in Huntsville, Ala.

It isn't only throughput needs that are driving needs to refresh XMC and FMC standards. Some designers worry about the reliability of the standard XMC connector when subjected to heavy levels of shock and vibration found in many aerospace and defense applications, explains Aaron Lindner, engineering manager at Extreme Engineering Solutions Inc. (X-ES) in Middleton, Wis.

Adds Mercury's Couture, "the XMC connector doesn't fare well with multiple re-insertions. You run down the MTBF [mean time between failures] every time you remove one of those things."

XMC and FMC mezzanine card manufacturers

4DSP Inc.
Reno, Nev.
800-816-1751
www.4dsp.com

AcQ InduCom
Oss, The Netherlands
+31 (0)412 641922
www.acqinducom.com

Acromag Inc.
Wixom, Mich.
248-624-1541
www.acromag.com

Acquitek
Massy, France
+33 1 60 13 52 73
www.acquitek.com

ADLINK Technology Inc.
New Taipei City, Taiwan
+886-2-8226-5877
www.adlinktech.com

AdvancedIO Systems Inc.
Burnaby, British Columbia
604-331-1600
www.advancedio.com

Aitech Defense Systems Inc.
Chatsworth, Calif.
818-700-2000
www.rugged.com

Alacron Inc.
Nashua, N.H.
603-891-2750
www.alacron.com

Alpha Data
Edinburgh, Scotland
+44 131 558 2600
www.alpha-data.com

ALPHI Technology Corp.
Tempe, Ariz.
480-838-2428
www.alphitech.com

APC Technology
Stepney, Australia
+61 (8) 8363 0400
www.apctechnology.com.au

Astek Corp.
Colorado Springs, Colo.
719-260-1625
www.astekcorp.com

Ballard Technology Inc.
Everett, Wash.
425-339-0281
www.ballardtech.com

BittWare Inc.
Concord, N.H.
603-226-0404
www.bittware.com

BVM Ltd.
Southampton, England
44 (0)1489 780144
www.bvm-store.com

Concurrent Technologies Inc.
Woburn, Mass.
1 781 933 5900
www.gocct.com

Connect Tech Inc.
Guelph, Ontario
519-836-1291
www.connecttech.com

CSP Inc.
Billerica, Mass.
978-663-7598
www.cspi.com

Curtiss-Wright Controls Defense Solutions
Ashburn, Va.
703-779-7800
www.cwcembedded.com

Cyclone Microsystems
New Haven, Conn.
203-786-5536
www.cyclone.com

Dallas Logic Corp.
Plano, Texas
972-924-8575
www.dallaslogic.com

Data Device Corp. (DDC)
Bohemia, N.Y.
631-567-5700
www.ddc-web.com

Data Patterns Pvt. Ltd.
Chennai, India
+91 44 2483 7460
www.datapatternsindia.com

Delphi Engineering Group Inc.
Costa Mesa, Calif.
949-515-1490
www.delphieng.com

DSS Networks Inc.
Lake Forest, Calif.
949-716-9051
www.dssnetworks.com

Dynamic Engineering
Santa Cruz, Calif.
831-457-8891
www.dyneng.com

Dynatem Inc.
Mission Viejo, Calif.
949-855-3235
www.dynatem.com

EKF Elektronik GmbH
Hamm, Germany
+49 (0)2381/6890-0
www.ekf.de

Elma Electronic Inc.
Fremont, Calif.
510 656-3400
www.elma.com

Embedded Planet
Warrensville Heights, Ohio
216-245-4180
www.embeddedplanet.com

Emerson Network Power Embedded Computing
Tempe, Ariz.
602-438-5720
www.emersonnetworkpower.com/en-US/Brands/EmbeddedComputing

Engineering Design Team (EDT Inc.)
Beaverton, Ore.
503-690-1234
www.edt.com

Epiq Solutions
Schaumburg, Ill.
847-598-0218
http://epiqsolutions.com

Excalibur Systems Inc.
Elmont, N.Y.
800-645-1553
www.mil-1553.com

Extreme Engineering Solutions (X-ES)
Middleton, Wis.
608-833-1155
www.xes-inc.com

Faster Technology LLC
Katy, Texas
281-391-5482
www.fastertechnology.com

Gateworks Corp.
San Luis Obispo, Calif.
805-781-2000
www.gateworks.com

GE Intelligent Platforms
Charlottesville, Va.
434-978-5000
www.ge-ip.com

General Dynamics Canada
Ottawa
613 596-7000
www.gdcanada.com

General Standards Corp.
Huntsville, Ala.
256-704-8341
www.generalstandards.com

GET Engineering Corp.
El Cajon, Calif.
619-443-8295
www.getntds.com

Hilscher Gesellschaft für Systemautomation mbH
Hattersheim, Germany
+49 (0)6190 9907-0
www.hilscher.com

Industrial Computers Inc.
Ann Arbor, Mich.
800-992-4007
www.eindustrialcomputers.com

Industrial PC Inc.
Indianapolis, Ind.
888-255-5508
www.industrialpc.com

Innovative Integration
Simi Valley, Calif.
805-578-4260
www.innovative-dsp.com

Interface Concept
Quimper, France
+33 (0)2 98 57 30 30
www.interfaceconcept.com

Interphase Corp.
Plano, Texas
214) 654-5000
www.iphase.com

IOxOS Technologies
Gland, Switzerland
+41 (0)22 364 76 90
www.ioxos.ch

Kontron USA
Poway, Calif.
888-294-4558
http://us.kontron.com

LeCroy Corp.
Chestnut Ridge, N.Y.
845-425-2000
www.lecroy.com

Lyrtech RD
Quebec City, Quebec
418-877-7710
http://lyrtechrd.com

Mango DSP
Norwalk, Conn.
203-857-4008
www.mangodsp.com

MEN Mikro Elektronik GmbH
Nürnberg, Germany
+49-911-99 33 5-0
www.men.de

Mercury Computer Systems Inc.
Chelmsford, Mass.
978-256-9713
www.mc.com

N.A.T. GmbH
Bonn, Germany
+49-228 965 864 0
www.nateurope.com

Nallatech
Camarillo, Calif.
805-383-8997
www.nallatech.com

Nexus Technology Inc.
Nashua, N.H.
877-595-8116
www.nexustechnology.com

Nolam Embedded Systems Inc.
Haifa, Israel
972 54 54 22 803
www.nolam.com

North Atlantic Industries Inc.
Bohemia, N.Y.
631-567-1100
www.naii.com

One Stop Systems Inc.
Escondido, Calif.
760-745-9883
www.onestopsystems.com

PCI-Systems Inc.
Sunnyvale, Calif.
408-625-1090
http://pcisystems.squarespace.com

Pentek Inc.
Upper Saddle River, N.J.
201-818-5900
www.pentek.com

Performance Technologies Inc. (PT)
Rochester, N.Y.
585-256-0200
www.pt.com

Pinnacle Data Systems Inc.
Groveport, Ohio
614-748-1150
www.pinnacle.com

RadiSys Corp.
Hillsboro, Ore.
503-615-1100
www.radisys.com

Rastergraf Inc.
Redmond, Ore.
510-849-4803
www.rastergraf.com

Red Rock Technologies Inc.
Tempe, Ariz.
480-483-3777
www.redrocktech.com

Robotic Systems Integration
Chicago
312-541-2600
www.roboticsys.com

RTD Embedded Technologies Inc.
State College, Pa.
814-234-8087
www.rtd.com

Sabtech Industries Inc.
Yorba Linda, Calif.
714-692-3800
www.sabtech.com

SANBlaze Technology Inc.
Littleton, Mass.
978-679-1400
www.sanblaze.com

Signalogic
Dallas
214-349-5551
www.signalogic.com

Spectracom
Rochester, N.Y.
585-321-5800
www.spectracomcorp.com

Sterling Electronic Design
Valencia, Calif.
661-295-7145
www.sterlingelectronicdesign.com

Sundance Digital Signal Processing Inc.
Reno, Nev.
775-827-3103
www.sundancedsp.com

Symmetricom Inc.
San Jose, Calif.
888-367-7966
www.symmetricom.com

Systerra Computer
Hannover, Germany
+49 (0)511 9666-737
www.systerra.de

Technobox Inc.
Lumberton, N.J.
609-267-8988
www.technobox.com

TechSAT GmbH
Poing, Germany
+49 (8121) 703-0
www.techsat.com

Techway S.A.S
Courtaboeuf France
+33 (0)1 64 53 37 90
www.techway.eu

TEK Microsystems Inc.
Chelmsford, Mass.
978-244-9200
www.tekmicro.com

TEWS Technologies GmbH
Halstenbek, Germany
+49 (0) 4101 4058 0
www.tews.com

Themis Computer
Fremont, Calif.
510-252-0870
www.themis.com

Vigilant Products
Stuart, Fla.
772-419-0503
www.vigproducts.com

Unitronix Pty Ltd
Cooranbong, Australia
+61-2-4977-3511
www.unitronix.com.au

Vadatech Inc.
Henderson, Nev.
702-896-0332
www.vadatech.com

Xembedded
Ann Arbor, Mich.
877-944-1942
www.xembedded.com

XycomVME
Hornsby, Australia
+61 2 9482 4000
www.xycom.com.au

Certification tool to help avionics software engineers meet FAA and EASA requirements introduced by LDRA

Mon, 26 Mar 2012 16:30:00 GMT

Posted by John Keller

SAN JOSE, Calif., 26 March 2012. The LDRA Certification Services (LCS) segment of LDRA Ltd. in Wirral, England, is introducing FAA/EASA certification safety-critical software verification tools for avionics software development that must meet the requirements of the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA).

The LCS tool helps developers of avionics embedded computing software meet certification requirements such as Aircraft & Systems Development (ARP-4754A); Safety Assessment (ARP-4761); Integrated Modular Avionics (DO-297); Flight Electronic Hardware (DO-254); Flight Software (DO-178B/C); and Ground Systems (DO-278/A).

LDRA introduced the certification tool this week at the DESIGN West conference and trade show in San Jose, a component of the Embedded Systems Conference.

The LCS tool addresses commercial and military projects for meeting airworthiness certification requirements, including management, planning, staff training, development, verification.

LDRA offers integration of the LDRA tool suite and Simulink from The MathWorks to enable avionics designers to gain model and target-execution coverage.

Additional LCS support for FAA/ESEA certification is offered by two LDRA tool qualification support packages: Code Coverage TQSP -- the LDRA tool suite with an MC/DC code coverage validation test suite; and Static Analysis TQSP -- the LDRA tool suite with a coding rules validation test suite.

For more information contact LDRA online at www.ldra.com, or the DESIGN West show at www.ubmdesign.com.

Follow Military & Aerospace Electronics and Avionics Intelligence news updates on Twitter

Embraer chooses AdaCore GNAT Pro Ada software tool for AMX jet fighter-bomber avionics upgrades

Mon, 26 Mar 2012 14:47:00 GMT

Posted by John Keller

SÃO JOSÉ DOS CAMPOS, Brazil, 26 March 2012. Avionics experts at the Embraer S.A Defense and Security segment in São José dos Campos, Brazil, are choosing the GNAT Pro Ada software development environment from AdaCore in New York to develop real-time and embedded computing software in a major upgrade the Embraer AMX jet fighter-bomber.

Embraer military avionics designers will use the AdaCore GNAT Pro tool together with the VxWorks real-time operating system (RTOS) from Wind River Systems in Alameda, Calif., to develop flight-critical software for the AMX upgrade. Ada is used in several military and commercial aircraft, as well as in other military embedded systems.

The AMX fighter-bomber is a ground-attack jet for close air support and reconnaissance. It was built until 1999 by AMX International, an Italian-Brazilian joint venture. The Brazilian and Italian air forces fly the AMX attack jet. The Brazilian air force designates the aircraft as the A-1.

Embraer is upgrading the aircraft to keep the 53 aircraft in the Brazilian air force in operation for another two decades, AdaCore officials say. The AMX upgrade will install state-of-the-art avionics, weapons, and sensors.

Embraer avionics designers chose the Ada high-order software programming language for the AMX upgrade because of Ada's use in developing mission-critical avionics systems. Ada is part of flight-critical systems for commercial and military fly-by-wire aircraft.

Embraer avionics designers are using Ada for the language's strong typing, modular packages, run-time checking, parallel processing tasks, synchronous message passing, protected objects, and select statements, AdaCore officials say.

For more information contact AdaCore online at www.adacore.com, Embraer Defense and Security at www.embraerdefensesystems.com, or Wind River Systems at www.windriver.com.

Follow Military & Aerospace Electronics and Avionics Intelligence news updates on Twitter

Navy chooses Behlman to supply power supplies for ASW and anti-ship surveillance and targeting

Mon, 26 Mar 2012 07:30:00 GMT

HAUPPAUGE, N.Y., 26 March 2012. Behlman Electronics Inc., a provider of power products for military, industrial, and commercial shipboard, airborne, and mobile applications, has won an additional order for its Model 00389 commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) power supplies for U.S. Navy’s airborne anti-submarine and anti-ship surveillance and targeting systems.

Behlman’s Model 00389 COTS switch mode power supply is a rugged, reliable unit designed and built for military applications and to meet the requirements of MIL-STD-704A and RTCA-DO160, as well as MIL-Standards 901, 810C, 167, and 461C/D. The power supplies have proven their reliability and performance in airborne naval systems and on shipboard and mobile applications, says a representative.

“By providing one of our standard, commercial off-the-shelf power supplies to meet the Navy’s specific military requirements, our COTS program saves tax payers the many millions of dollars required for custom designing, engineering and manufacturing,” says Ron Storm, Behlman’s vice president of marketing and sales.

Model 00389 power supplies operate from 115/200 volts AC +/-20% at 360 to 440 Hz, and provide eight DC outputs of varying power. Other features include superb specs for Load and Line Regulation, PARD-Ripple and Noise, Over-voltage Protection, Short-circuit Protection, Current Limit, extreme Operating and Storage Temperatures, and high mean time between failures (MTBF), in a compact chassis measuring 12 inches long by 7 inches wide by 2.38 inches high.