February 16, 2023 | International, C4ISR
NATO members line up to join new space-based data collection effort
Sixteen governments, plus alliance invitees Sweden and Finland, have so far joined the initiative.
September 29, 2020 | International, Aerospace, C4ISR
Global Hawk UAS Capabilities Enhanced with New Sensors
Northrop Grumman has enhanced its Global Hawk high-altitude long-endurance unmanned aerial system (UAS) with the addition of two new sensors. The MS-177 multi-spectral camera system provides additional high-resolution imaging capabilities, while the increment 1 upgraded AN/ASQ-230 system delivers enhanced signals intelligence (SIGINT) collection.
The MS-177 multi-spectral camera system provides multiple channels of intelligence collection in both visible and infrared bands, giving the Global Hawk collection coverage in areas that cannot easily be reached by other means. Fielding of the AN/ASQ-230 increment 1 enhances Global Hawk's ability to deal with expanded electronic threats.
Global Hawk's combination of autonomy, range, endurance and payload, and an average aircraft age of under nine years, make the UAS a valuable asset for domestic and international customers with critical ISR collection requirements. The system is uniquely positioned for additional missions that connect joint forces as one, including persistent high-capacity backbone, pseudo-satellite communications coverage, and joint all-domain command and control.
Leslie Smith, vice president of the Global Hawk division at Northrop Grumman, commented: “Ongoing improvements to Global Hawk underscore Northrop Grumman's commitment to the United States Air Force's ISR mission and reducing costs through agile development and leveraged solutions. New and improved payloads flying on our young, yet proven fleet of aircraft will allow our partners to deploy high value, networked assets to monitor adversaries while not risking the lives of military personnel well into the 2040s.”
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May 19, 2020 | International, Aerospace, C4ISR
Airbus fera les comsats de l'Union européenne
L'Agence européenne de défense attribue à Airbus Defence and Space le contrat de communications par satellites pour les missions militaires et civiles de l'Union européenne et de ses Etats membres. Thé'tres d'opérations extérieures Airbus Defence and Space assurera les communications par satellites pour les missions militaires et civiles de l'Union européenne et de ses Etats membres pendant quatre ans. Le contrat, attribué par l'Agence européenne de défense, est d'un montant estimé à plusieurs de dizaine de millions d'euros. Dénommé « EU SatCom Market », le contrat comprend la fourniture de communication par satellites (en bandes de fréquence C, Ku, Ka et L), la vente et la location de terminaux ainsi que la fourniture de solutions « clé en main » notamment sur les thé'tres d'opérations extérieures. Pour ce contrat, Airbus Defence and Space s'est associé à Marlink pour la fourniture de certains de ces terminaux et de certains services en bandes L et Ku. 20 ministères de la Défense européens Le contrat « EU SatCom Market » permet aux Etats membres de l'Union européenne de centraliser leurs besoins de communications par satellites, et d'obtenir de façon coordonnée un accès plus économique et performant à ces services. Les trente deux membres du projet « EU SatCom Market », qui comptent vingt ministères de la Défense européens, ont ainsi aujourd'hui la possibilité de s'équiper rapidement et efficacement de solutions et de services satellitaires, via l'AED qui fournit ce type de services depuis 2012. Déployables partout dans le monde Ces solutions de communication par satellites peuvent être déployées partout dans le monde. En particulier, elles jouent un rôle primordial dans le cadre de missions européennes civiles et militaires de maintien de la paix et de la sécurité, ou de développement et coopération technico-économique. Elles sont également mis en œuvre avec succès depuis plusieurs années pour plusieurs forces armées de pays membres de l'UE. https://air-cosmos.com/article/airbus-fera-les-comsats-de-lunion-europenne-23095
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August 10, 2020 | International, Aerospace
Alaska-based long-range ballistic missile defense radar fielding delayed by a year
By: Jen Judson WASHINGTON — The fielding of a U.S. Air Force radar to detect ballistic missile threats, currently being installed at Clear Air Force Station, Alaska, is delayed by roughly a year, according to a recent Government Accountability Office report. Information provided by the Missile Defense Agency in June to the GAO indicated all construction and integration activities for the Long Range Discrimination Radar had stopped in March due to the coronavirus pandemic. While initial fielding was planned for fiscal 2021 and transfer to the Air Force was planned for fiscal 2022, the service is now expected to take ownership of the operational radar in late fiscal 2023. “We did have some fallback in developing and delivery of systems because it requires people to be in close, confined spaces and sitting at computer terminals working through really tough problems like the development of an algorithm,” MDA Director Vice Adm. Jon Hill said at the virtually held Space and Missile Defense Symposium on Aug. 4. MDA shut down radar installation efforts due to the COVID-19 pandemic, entering a “caretaker status,” Hill said. “That requires additional work. I mean, you've got a radar that is being built in a tough environment like Alaska — you can't just stop. You have to go in and make sure the radar arrays are protected,” he added. The LRDR is an S-band radar that will not only be able to track incoming missiles but also discriminate the warhead-carrying vehicle from decoys and other nonlethal objects for the Ground-Based Midcourse Defense System, which is designed to protect the continental U.S. from possible intercontinental ballistic missile threats from North Korea and Iran. Lockheed Martin is LRDR's manufacturer. The program, according to the GAO report, wrapped up its system prototype assessment in an operational environment in FY19, which showed the hardware and software was mature ahead of full-rate manufacturing. That assessment was delayed from FY18, the report noted, after testing took longer due to “required antenna reconfigurations and software fixes to complete.” The fixes resulted in a cost overrun of $25 million and caused a delay in completing a developmental step associated with satellite tracking expected in FY18, according to the report. “While construction was ongoing in [FY19], the program was monitoring risks that could threaten the upcoming transfer of LRDR custody and ownership to the government,” the report stateed. “Specifically the program was focusing on manufacturing of the Array Panels, Sub Array Assembly Suite modules, and Auxiliary Power Group cabinets, as well as ensuring integration on site.” Those issues “depleted schedule margin on the path towards the transfer,” which was scheduled for the fourth quarter of FY20, according to the GAO, and the transfer of LRDR custody to the government was pushed back to the first quarter of FY21 due to radar component production issues. “The good news is construction is back up and running,” Hill said, “and we are delivering those arrays that are going into low-power and high-power testing later this year, so we are pretty excited about that.” According to the GAO, the current test plan for LRDR has just one flight test scheduled in the third quarter of FY21, after two ground tests. The report does not clarify if the pandemic has caused a delay in these tests. The GAO indicated concern about conducting two ground tests before the program's only flight test, as it “increases the likelihood that the models will not be accredited when testing is complete.” As a result, “the performance analysis and the majority of the model validation and accreditation will have to be made concurrently, just prior to the LRDR Technical Capability Declaration,” scheduled for the third quarter of FY21, the report stated. “This increases the risk of discovering issues late in development, which could result in performance reductions or delivery delays.” https://www.defensenews.com/digital-show-dailies/smd/2020/08/07/alaska-based-long-range-ballistic-missile-defense-radar-fielding-delayed-by-a-year/