DARPA takes big step forward on X-plane that maneuvers with air bursts

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  March 25, 2021 | International, Aerospace, Naval, Land, C4ISR, Security

  Le Royaume-Uni annonce un vaste plan de modernisation de son armée

  Au Royaume-Uni, le ministre de la Défense, Ben Wallace, a détaillé ce lundi 22 mars son plan de refonte de l'armée. Près de 190 milliards de livres, soit plus de 220 milliards d'euros, seront investis dans les quatre prochaines années, avec un objectif : renforcer la cyberdéfense. Le Royaume-Uni entend donc investir dans les technologies de cybersécurité, créer une « constellation » de satellites de surveillance dans l'espace, mais aussi consolider sa force navale, avec notamment une flotte renforcée. Ces changements vont s'accompagner d'une baisse des effectifs. 4 000 personnes en moins d'ici 2025, soit 72 500 militaires, le chiffre le plus bas depuis trois cents ans. Ensemble de la presse du 23 mars 2021

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  June 19, 2019 | International, Aerospace

  Europe takes new step toward future combat jet

  France, Germany and Spain on Monday unveiled a next-generation combat jet for European air forces, an ambitious project aimed at bringing together the continent's disparate military forces while offering an alternative to American planes. The stealth jet is part of the Future Combat Air System (FCAS), which will also include drones, missiles and so-called "remote carriers" that can be used to deliver munitions, scramble communication networks or divert the attention of enemy defences. French President Emmanuel Macron attended the unwrapping of a full-scale model of the sleek delta-wing aircraft at the opening of the Paris Air Show in Le Bourget, just north of the French capital. The official cooperation accord launching the project was then signed by the French, German and Spanish defence ministers: Florence Parly, Ursula Von der Leyen and Margarita Robles. "This project now has a resolutely European dimension: Spain has officially joined the programme this morning," Parly said. Spain announced its participation earlier this year, but so far no other EU nations have signed on, though officials in Macron's office say talks are underway to bring other nations on board. Airbus and France's Dassault Aviation are leading the plane's development, aiming to have it operational by 2040, when it will replace the current generation of Rafale and Eurofighter jets. France's Safran is also developing a new motor for the plane that may include hybrid electric technologies, making the plane quieter while also lowering its heat signature, making it harder to detect. But Paris and Berlin have still to award an expected 150-million euro ($169-million) contract to begin work on a test plane that could start flying in 2026. Parly told journalists the contract is expected to be finalised by the end of this year. The new plane is a crucial test for Europe's ability to forge a joint operational command that could ensure its military sovereignty at a time of growing tensions with the US under President Donald Trump, who has put the solidity of the NATO alliance into question. Officials will have to win over several EU countries which are longstanding clients of American jets, and which may be tempted by Lockheed Martin's new F-35 stealth fighter. And the new European jet already has a rival on home turf—Britain's Tempest stealth fighter project, which has already garnered the support of Italy and the Netherlands. https://phys.org/news/2019-06-europe-future-combat-jet.html

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  August 15, 2019 | International, Aerospace

  DARPA Selects BAE Systems to Develop Machine Learning Capabilities for Space Situational Awareness

  BURLINGTON, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--BAE Systems has been awarded a Phase 2 contract to develop machine learning capabilities aimed to help the military gain better awareness of space scenarios for the U.S. Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA). The goal of DARPA's Hallmark Tools, Capabilities, and Evaluation Methodology (Hallmark-TCEM) program is to not only develop and evaluate tools and capabilities that increase an operator's understanding of space events, but also enhance the ability to select effective courses of action for any given situation. Space assets such as satellites are becoming increasingly important and relied upon by the Department of Defense for communications, surveillance, and security. As part of Hallmark-TCEM, BAE Systems' FAST Labs™ research and development team will build cognitive-based machine learning algorithms and data models aimed to give space operators the ability to identify abnormal activities and predict possible threats. The team will build on Phase 1 work of the program, and continue to leverage the decade-long development of the company's Multi-INT Analytics for Pattern Learning and Exploitation (MAPLE) technology with a solution called MAPLE Automates Joint Indications and Warnings for Cognitive Counter-Space (MAJICS). “Our technology builds data models based on normal activity and then ingests large amounts of real-time, streaming data to compare against the normal model and determine if any abnormal activity is occurring or will occur,” said Dr. John Hogan, product line director of the Sensor Processing and Exploitation group at BAE Systems. “By using this technology, we hope to reduce the operator's workload by providing a solution that will automatically predict space events such as launches or satellite movements based on millions of pieces of data, helping them make rapid decisions to avoid any potential threats.” BAE Systems' research on the Hallmark-TCEM program adds to the company's machine learning and artificial intelligence segment of its autonomy technology portfolio. The capabilities developed under the Hallmark-TCEM effort will be integrated into DARPA's Hallmark Software Testbed (Hallmark-ST) program. Work for the program will be completed at the company's facilities in Burlington, Massachusetts and Reston, Virginia. Contacts Paul Roberts, BAE Systems Mobile: 603-521-2381 paul.a.roberts@baesystems.com ww.baesystems.com/US @BAESystemsInc https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190813005129/en/