Griffon, Textron advance in Army’s Future Tactical UAS competition

On the same subject

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  May 11, 2020 | International, Aerospace

  Here are a few of the experiments hitching a ride on the Air Force’s secret space plane

  Nathan Strout When the secretive X-37B space plane returns to orbit on May 16, it will be carrying more experiments than it has on any previous mission, including one that will transmit solar energy from space to the ground via microwave energy. "The X-37B team continues to exemplify the kind of lean, agile and forward-leaning technology development we need as a nation in the space domain," said U.S. Space Force Chief of Space Operations Gen. John "Jay" Raymond. "Each launch represents a significant milestone and advancement in terms of how we build, test, and deploy space capabilities in a rapid and responsive manner." The unmanned X-37B, which returned from its last and longest flight in October, is scheduled to launch May 16 from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida. While an earlier Space Force launch of a GPS III satellite was delayed due to the COVID-19 situation, the X-37B launch has remained on track. Despite being launched by the Space Force, the X-37B remains an Air Force platform. The military has been elusive about what the Boeing-built space plane has been doing on its various missions, beyond noting that it has been used for a number of on orbit experiments. The vehicle has spent a cumulative 2,865 days on orbit, with its last flight being the longest at a record breaking 780 days. In a May 6 press release, the Space Force opened up about some of the experiments that would hitch a ride into orbit aboard the X-37B, most notably one that will deliver solar power to the ground from space via radio frequency microwave energy. That experiment is likely related to the Air Force Research Laboratory's Space Solar Power Incremental Demonstrations and Research (SSPIDR), an effort to collect solar energy with high-efficiency solar cells, convert it to radio frequency, and then beam it to earth. That technology could provide an uninterrupted energy source to expeditionary forces at forward operating bases that have limited access to traditional power sources. “The Space Solar Power Incremental Demonstrations and Research (SSPIDR) Project is a very interesting concept that will enable us to capture solar energy in space and precisely beam it to where it is needed,” Col. Eric Felt, director of AFRL's Space Vehicles Directorate, said in an October statement on the effort. “SSPIDR is part of AFRL's ‘big idea pipeline' to ensure we continue to develop game-changing technologies for our Air Force, DoD, nation, and world.” AFRL has awarded Northrop Grumman a $100 million contract to support space-based experiments supporting SSPIDR. The X-37B will also deploy the FalconSat-8, an educational small satellite developed by the U.S. Air Force Academy that will carry five experimental payloads. Also on board will be two National Aeronautics and Space Administration experiments that will study the effects of radiation and the space environment on seeds used for food products. One reason the vehicle will carry more experiments than prior mission is the attachment of a new service module to the aft of the spacecraft, which will host multiple experiments. “This launch is a prime example of integrated operations between the Air Force, Space Force, and government-industry partnerships,” said Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. David Goldfein. “The X-37B continues to break barriers in advancing reusable space vehicle technologies and is a significant investment in advancing future space capabilities.” https://www.c4isrnet.com/battlefield-tech/space/2020/05/07/here-are-a-few-of-the-experiments-hitching-a-ride-on-the-air-forces-secret-space-plane/

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  August 31, 2020 | International, Aerospace, Naval, Land, C4ISR

  Armaments consortium launches new path to field high-tech prototypes

  By: Joe Gould WASHINGTON ― The National Armaments Consortium, along with the DoD Ordnance Technology Consortium and Army Contracting Command-New Jersey, is taking steps to fast-track their armament prototyping efforts, it was announced Thursday. A year after the Army's high-profile reorganization to more quickly field cutting-edge weapons technologies, the Charleston, South Carolina-based National Armaments Consortium ― made up of 900 companies and academic institutions ― wants to better sync with both the government's increased demand and its actual bandwidth for turning research into prototypes. Pentagon modernization efforts have prioritized, in recent years, long-range precision fires, hypersonic and extended-range missiles, and anti-jam GPS devices ― all of which fall in the lane of the armaments consortium, said National Armaments Consortium Executive Director Charlie Zisette. “Armaments is kind of where the rubber hits the road for our war fighter because we're dealing with everything in the kill chain, protection and survivability,” Zisette told Defense News. “All of these things created a fairly large demand signal for modernization of our systems and components.” The 20-year-old NAC is one of a growing number of Pentagon-sponsored consortia that work to translate the government's notional requirements into technological breakthroughs and business opportunities. Consortia members will work with the government through collective “other transaction agreements” or “other transaction authorities.” These OTAs have become a popular tool to allow the government to communicate more openly about its needs and to work with nontraditional defense contractors whose innovations the Department of Defense wants to harness. According to Zisette, the NAC has 650 active projects at various stages to solve tough problems like developing a new heat-resistant composite material, new types of explosives and a complex long-range precision artillery system. So far this year, its efforts have led to 150 new-start acquisition programs, half awarded to “non-traditionals.” Historically, the NAC would release one annual solicitation based on government requirements, and host one annual collaboration event for NAC members to tout their technologies and ask government representatives about requirements. NAC also hosts a members-only online collaboration portal along similar lines. But something had to change. Amid the DoD's modernization efforts, the NAC has grown such that there would be 350 government solicitations and upward of 1,400 whitepapers, almost simultaneously. It was a “huge bow wave” that overwhelmed the procurement, legal and program staffs involved, Zisette said. “It became too much for the Department of Defense, so we were seeing our award-cycle times getting stretched out,” he said. “We realized we had to level that workload out: put in more agreements officers and contracts specialists so we could ... get quickly through the process itself.” The NAC unveiled Thursday it will initiate faster deadlines to develop prototypes, but it will also move to monthly solicitation releases and three virtual collaboration events per year instead of one. Other consortia will often either deal with requirements on an annual or ad hoc basis, meaning they're emailed out as they're developed. To Zisette's knowledge, no other DoD-sponsored consortia have monthly solicitation releases like the NAC is planning, but the idea for tri-annual events was something Zisette borrowed. “The total model will be a pathfinder,” he said, “but absolutely leveraging some of the best practices and input from across the department.” https://www.defensenews.com/2020/08/27/armaments-consortium-launches-new-path-to-field-high-tech-prototypes/

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  October 9, 2019 | International, Naval

  Babcock secures MOD gun system automation contract

  October 7, 2019 - Babcock International has secured a three year contract, with two year optional extension, for the Gun System Automation (GSA) 9 in-service support contract with the Ministry of Defence supporting the Royal Navy. Operating jointly from our South West facilities at Devonport and Portsmouth – specialising in warship support – this contract will provide support for all aspects of GSA9 support including Electro Optical Gunfire Control System (EOGCS), the Electro Optical Sensor Platforms (EOSPs), the Quick Pointing Devices (QPD) and below decks equipment of six Control Consoles, Gun Allocation Subsystem, Gunnery Check Fire System and two Maintenance and Analysis Facilities (MAF). Through GSA9, Babcock will deliver critical services to the Royal Navy's T45 Destroyers and manage a portfolio of sub-contractors and suppliers. Richard Drake, Managing Director Babcock DST, said: “Babcock is uniquely positioned to support the defence industry through our proven weapons expertise. By combining our comprehensive technical knowhow and joining multiple equipment's together, we are well placed to deliver a superior capability for the Royal Navy.” Babcock's end-to-end solution, backed by more than a century of maritime heritage, is trusted to deliver in support of naval gunnery programmes. View source version on Babcock: https://www.babcockinternational.com/news/babcock-secures-mod-gun-system-automation-contract/