World’s First Through-Ice Location and Communication System

July 3rd, 2009

Source: Wireless Fibre Systems

Pioneering Scottish communication technology company, Wireless Fibre Systems Ltd (WFS), has joined up with the Norway-headquartered international marine electronics leaders, Kongsberg Maritime, to develop a wireless system for location of and communication with the company’s unmanned underwater vehicles in ice conditions.

The 1.8m€ TILACSys project (Through-Ice Location and Communication System) will run for 24 months and deliver a demonstrator system that will be the world’s first of its kind. It is being supported with investment from the UK’s Technology Strategy Board and the Research Council of Norway.

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DRS Technologies receives $49 million order for infrared sighting systems for US Army

July 3rd, 2009

Source: DRS Technologies

DRS Technologies has received a USD 49 million order from Raytheon to produce and supply advanced Second Generation Forward Looking Infrared (SGF) sighting systems and components for the US Army. Deliveries will run through January 2011.

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Northrop Grumman Delivers Second Demonstration Satellite for Space Tracking and Surveillance System

July 3rd, 2009

Source: Northrop Grumman

Northrop Grumman Corporation completed delivery of both Space Tracking and Surveillance System (STSS) demonstration satellites on June 25, 2009, when the second satellite arrived at the U.S. Air Force’s Cape
Canaveral Air Station for launch preparation. The company delivered the first STSS demonstration satellite on May 1, 2009.

“The U.S. Missile Defense Agency is developing the STSS because terrestrial-based sensor systems have inherent limitations to acquire and track missiles around the curvature of the earth,” said Gabe Watson, vice president and STSS program manager for the company’s Aerospace Systems sector. “STSS will provide persistent global tracking and support discrimination capabilities that significantly increase the effectiveness of the Ballistic Missile Defense System.”

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ViaSat Awarded $21 Million Lot 10 MIDS LVT Delivery Order

July 1st, 2009

Source: ViaSat

ViaSat has won a delivery order valued at approximately $21 million for Multifunctional Information Distribution System (MIDS) terminals from The Space and Naval Warfare Systems Command (SPAWAR), San Diego. MIDS provides greater situational awareness in combat for U.S. Navy, Air Force, Army, Marine Corps, and for U.S. defence partners by gathering information into a digital view of the battlefield.

The secure, high capacity, jam resistant wireless (non-satellite) system connects users with both digital data and digital voice communications. Delivery of Lot 10 units is expected to begin in July of next year and continue through the end of 2010.

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Lockheed Martin Awarded Concept Development Contract for US Air Force Space Fence

July 1st, 2009

Source: Lockheed Martin

The US Air Force has awarded Lockheed Martin a $30 million contract to begin concept development for Space Fence, a system of land-based S-Band radars and supporting operations centers that will detect and report on objects and debris orbiting the Earth. Lockheed Martin was one of three industry teams to receive contracts.

The Air Force Materiel Command’s Electronic Systems Center at Hanscom Air Force Base in Massachusetts leads the procurement for Space Fence, which is intended to significantly enhance space situational awareness as legacy systems in the Space Surveillance Network (SSN) are retired.

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Northrop Grumman Successfully Demonstrates CANES Capabilities

July 1st, 2009

Source: Northrop Grumman

The team led by Northrop Grumman Corporation validated the capabilities of its CANES Surface Platform Prototype for US Navy representatives during demonstrations
this month.

CANES, the Consolidated Afloat Networks and Enterprise Services, will streamline and update shipboard network systems to improve interoperability and affordability across the fleet, significantly reducing development, deployment and lifecycle costs.

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BAE Systems partners with Indra for Air Warfare Destroyer bid

July 1st, 2009

Source: BAE Systems

BAE Systems Australia has confirmed that it will partner with Spanish firm Indra to offer a proven Electronic Warfare (EW) sensor and countermeasure suite for Australia’s next generation Air Warfare Destroyers (AWDs).

The solution offers the lowest possible risk to the Royal Australian Navy being the same system that is already in use on the Spanish Navy’s F-100 class destroyers, on which the AWD design is based.

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NATO to deploy AWACS in Afghanistan

June 30th, 2009

by Max Hunter - Digital Battlespace Correspondent

NATO has just approved the immediate deployment of three to four Boeing E-3A Airborne Warning and Control System (AWACS) aircraft in Afghanistan as part of NATO’s air security agreement.

The mission, estimated to cost around 150 million euros annually, was announced following a defence ministers’ meeting in Brussels during 11-12 June, ‘in recognition of the significant increase in both civilian and military aircraft over Afghanistan and the lack of a ground-based radar network.’

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Cyberspace Thought Leaders Discuss Challenges Facing Nation’s First ‘Cyber Czar’

June 30th, 2009

Source: Harris

Lack of real power, entrenched government bureaucracy and the ever-shifting paradigm of cyberspace are just a few of the challenges that may face the country’s first Cybersecurity Coordinator, according to a panel of three nationally recognized cyber experts who spoke with reporters yesterday at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C.

Tom Davis, former  Congressman from Virginia and now director of Federal Government Affairs for Deloitte LLP; James Bamford, award-winning journalist and best-selling cyberspace book author; and Dale Meyerrose, the first Senate-confirmed chief information officer for National Intelligence and a retired Major General (USAF), presented a variety of perspectives on what the nation’s yet-unnamed ‘cyber czar’ will likely confront during his or her first 100 days.

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US Army Selects Northrop Grumman, Cobham Team To Provide VIS-X Vehicular Intercom Systems

June 30th, 2009

Source: Northrop Grumman
 
Northrop Grumman Cobham Intercoms LLC, a company formed by Northrop Grumman Corporation and Cobham, has been selected to provide the VIS-X Vehicular Intercommunication System Expanded for the US Army’s Communications and Electronics Command (CECOM).
 
Under the terms of this indefinite delivery/indefinite quantity (ID/IQ) contract, the NGCI team is required to be able to deliver up to 500 VIS-X systems per month during the first year following completion of First Article Testing and up to 2,000 systems per month in subsequent years. The total value of the 10-year ID/IQ contract has an anticipated not-to-exceed ceiling of $2.4 billion.

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Digital Battlespace
Peter Donaldson, DBS Editor

Peter Donaldson, Editor of Digital Battlespace magazine

As editor of this new title, Peter brings more than two decades of experience in aerospace and defence journalism to the role. He has served as Technology Editor of the Shephard Press magazines Defence Helicopter, RotorHub and Unmanned Vehicles. He also launched and served as Editor of several Shephard annual publications including the Military Helicopter Handbook, the Civil Helicopter Handbook, the Public Service Aviation Handbook, the Night Vision Handbook, the Electronic Warfare Handbook, the Digital Battlespace Handbook and the Simulation and Training Handbook. Peter also writes for the helicopter news website Rotorhub.com and the unmanned vehicles site UVOnline.com and has served as programme consultant for Shephard's Night Vision conference.


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