September 7, 2018 | International, Aerospace, C4ISR
BY PATRICK TUCKER
DARPA's new research in brain-computer interfaces is allowing a pilot to control multiple simulated aircraft at once.
A person with a brain chip can now pilot a swarm of drones — or even advanced fighter jets, thanks to research funded by the U.S. military's Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, or DARPA.
The work builds on research from 2015, which allowed a paralyzed woman to steer a virtual F-35 Joint Strike Fighter with only a small, surgically-implantable microchip. On Thursday, agency officials announced that they had scaled up the technology to allow a user to steer multiple jets at once.
“As of today, signals from the brain can be used to command and control ... not just one aircraft but three simultaneous types of aircraft,” said Justin Sanchez, who directs DARPA's biological technology office, at the Agency's 60th-anniversary event in Maryland.
More importantly, DARPA was able to improve the interaction between pilot and the simulated jet to allow the operator, a paralyzed man named Nathan, to not just send but receive signals from the craft.
“The signals from those aircraft can be delivered directly back to the brain so that the brain of that user [or pilot] can also perceive the environment,” said Sanchez. “It's taken a number of years to try and figure this out.”
In essence, it's the difference between having a brain joystick and having a real telepathic conversation with multiple jets or drones about what's going on, what threats might be flying over the horizon, and what to do about them. “We've scaled it to three [aircraft], and have full sensory [signals] coming back. So you can have those other planes out in the environment and then be detecting something and send that signal back into the brain,” said Sanchez.
The experiment occured a “handful of months ago,” he said.
It's another breakthrough in the rapidly advancing field of brain-computer interfaces, or BCIs, for a variety of purposes. The military has been leading interesting research in the field since at least 2007,. And in 2012, DARPA issued a $4 million grant to build a non-invasive “synthetic telepathy” interface by placing sensors close to the brain's motor centers to pick up electrical signals — non-invasively, over the skin.
But the science has advanced rapidly in recent years, allowing for breakthroughs in brain-based communication, control of prosthetic limbs, and even memory repair.
March 20, 2023 | International, Other Defence
The United States is authorizing another $350 million in military aid for Ukraine, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on Monday, as Kyiv builds up its arsenal for an anticipated counter-offensive against Russian forces.
July 9, 2020 | International, Aerospace, Naval, Land, C4ISR, Security
ARMY BFBC LLC, Bozeman, Montana, was awarded a $138,335,455 modification (P00005) to contract W912PL-20-C-0002 to modify the existing electrical attributes (closed-circuit TV, linear ground detection system and shelters) on the Barry M. Goldwater Range, Yuma 10/27 design-build border infrastructure project. Work will be performed in Yuma, Arizona, with an estimated completion date of June 29, 2021. Fiscal 2020 military construction (Army) funds in the amount of $138,335,455 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Albuquerque, New Mexico, is the contracting activity is the contracting activity. Venegas JV Inc.,* Ponce, Puerto Rico, was awarded a $45,000,000 firm-fixed-price contract to support the advanced contract initiative for emergency temporary roof repairs for the eastern region of Puerto Rico. Bids were solicited via the internet with eight received. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of May 31, 2027. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Omaha, Nebraska, is the contracting activity (W9128F-20-D-0032). Power Instrumentation Services,* Vega Baja, Puerto Rico, was awarded a $45,000,000 firm-fixed-price contract to support the advanced contract initiative for emergency temporary roof repairs for the western region of Puerto Rico. Bids were solicited via the internet with eight received. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of May 31, 2027. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Omaha, Nebraska, is the contracting activity (W9128F-20-D-0033). MDJ Contracting Inc.,* Dallas, Texas (W911S7-20-D-0006); Olgoonik Specialty Contractors LLC,* St. Robert, Missouri (W911S7-19-D-0007); Reese Equipment Co. LLC,* Dixon, Missouri (W911S7-19-D-0008); and Vazquez Commercial Contracting LLC,* Kansas City, Missouri (W911S7-19-D-0009), will compete for each order of the $42,000,000 firm-fixed-price contract for construction requirements at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri. Bids were solicited via the internet with 11 received. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of July 7, 2023. U.S. Army Field Directorate Office, Fort Eustis, Virginia, is the contracting activity. BAE Systems Land and Armaments L.P., San Jose, California, was awarded a $10,066,599 modification (P00140) to contract W56HZV-15-C-0099 for technical support services for the Bradley Fighting Vehicle family of vehicles, the Multiple Launch Rocket System carrier and the M113 Armored Personnel Carrier family of vehicles. Work will be performed in San Jose, California; Sterling Heights, Michigan; and Phoenix, Arizona, with an estimated completion date of July 26, 2021. Fiscal 2020 research, development, test, and evaluation (Army) funds in the amount of $10,066,599 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Detroit Arsenal, Michigan, is the contracting activity. BAE Systems Land and Armaments L.P., San Jose, California, was awarded an $8,488,692 modification (P00138) to contract W56HZV-15-C-0099 for technical support services for the Bradley Fighting Vehicle family of vehicles, the Multiple Launch Rocket System carrier and the M113 Armored Personnel Carrier family of vehicles. Work will be performed in San Jose, California; Sterling Heights, Michigan; Phoenix, Arizona; Temple, Texas; and York, Pennsylvania, with an estimated completion date of July 2, 2021. Fiscal 2018 Army working capital funds; fiscal 2019 operations and maintenance (Army) funds; fiscal 2018 and 2020 weapons and tracked combat vehicle procurement (Army) funds; and fiscal 2020 research, development, test and evaluation (Army) funds in the amount of $8,488,692 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Detroit Arsenal, Michigan, is the contracting activity. NAVY MNDPI Pacific JV, Honolulu, Hawaii, is awarded a $99,000,000 maximum amount, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity, architect-engineer contract for architect-engineer services for various structural, waterfront and other projects at locations under the cognizance of Naval Facilities Engineering Command (NAVFAC) Pacific. No task orders are being issued at this time. Work will be performed at various Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force and other government facilities within the NAVFAC Pacific area of responsibility including but not limited to, Guam and the Commonwealth of the Northern Marianas Islands (70%); Australia (10%); Japan (10%); and Hawaii (10%). The work of architect-engineer services include, but are not limited to, the execution and delivery of military construction (MILCON) project documentation (Department of Defense Form 1391); functional analysis and concept development workshops; design charrettes; design-build request for proposal; design-bid-build design contract documents; technical surveys and reports including concept and engineering studies, site engineering investigation, topographic survey, geotechnical investigation, hazardous material survey, munitions of explosive concern survey, hydrographic survey and others; construction cost estimates; collateral equipment buy packages; comprehensive interior design including structural interior design and furniture, fixtures and equipment; and post construction award services. The term of the contract is not to exceed 60 months and work is expected to be completed by July 2025. Fiscal 2018 MILCON (planning and design) contract funds in the amount of $10,000 are obligated on this award and will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. Future task orders will be primarily funded by MILCON (planning and design). This contract was competitively procured via the Navy Electronic Commerce Online website and two proposals were received. The Naval Facilities Engineering Command Pacific, Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii, is the contracting activity (N62742-20-D-0004). Appleton Marine Inc.,* Appleton, Wisconsin, is awarded a $23,375,696 firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity, cost-plus-fixed-fee contract for the replacement of up to 35 Navy slewing arm davits (SLADs), associated test reports and spare parts for each SLAD, and 11,300 hours of engineering support services for the Naval Surface Warfare Center, Philadelphia Division. Work will be performed in Appleton, Wisconsin (80%); and onboard Navy ships in the following locations: Norfolk, Virginia; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Mayport, Florida; Everett, Washington; San Diego, California; Williamsburg, Virginia; Pearl Harbor, Hawaii; Yokosuka, Japan; and Rota, Spain (20%), as determined on individual task orders. Work is expected to be completed by July 2025. Fiscal 2020 other procurement (Navy) funding in the total amount of $2,256,000 will be obligated at time of award and will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The contract was competitively procured as a small-business set-aside via the beta.SAM.gov website and two offers were received. The Naval Surface Warfare Center, Philadelphia Division, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, is the contracting activity (N64498-20-D-4018). DEFENSE LOGISTICS AGENCY Valley Apparel LLC, Knoxville, Tennessee, has been awarded a maximum $9,894,000 modification (P00002) exercising the first one-year option period of a one-year base contract (SPE1C1-19-D-1172) with two one-year option periods for working parkas. This is a firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract. Location of performance is Tennessee, with a July 14, 2021, ordering period end date. Using service is Navy. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2020 through 2021 defense working capital funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Troop Support, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. *Small Business https://www.defense.gov/Newsroom/Contracts/Contract/Article/2268131/source/GovDelivery/
June 11, 2018 | International, Aerospace
By Oriana Pawlyk Robins Air Force Base has been selected to host an elite system that will fuse intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance sensor data from around the world, the Air Force announced Wednesday. The Georgia base, which currently hosts the E-8C Joint Surveillance Target Attack Radar System aircraft, or JSTARS, will be home to the next-generation Advanced Battle Management System, the service said in a release. "We must adapt our capability to survive in the changed threat environment and move swiftly to advanced battlefield management and surveillance," said Air Force Secretary Heather Wilson. "The critical capabilities at Robins allow us to leverage key expertise and accelerate toward the network needed for contested environments." The ABMS is intended to replace the current JSTARS fleet, which will keep flying until the mid-to-late 2020s. The network, which fuses the data from hundreds of sensors to provide situational awareness for combatant commanders across the globe, will function "as [a] decentralized system that draws on all domains," said Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. David Goldfein. "This is an important step as we move forward with a resilient and survivable network to ensure we are ready to prevail against changing threats," Goldfein said in the release. The network will leverage air and space systems and will include "a fusion center and associated supporting activities," the service said. "In addition, the network will also include some remotely piloted aircraft at Robins with sensors capable of collecting and transmitting information from the battlefield." Officials have said RPAs such as MQ-9 Reaper aircraft would be used to plug into such a network for additional situational awareness. Sens. Johnny Isakson and David Perdue, both Republicans from Georgia, were optimistic but cautious about the announcement Wednesday. They have previously voiced concerns over the Air Force's plan to cancel the JSTARS recapitalization program in favor of the ABMS. "We welcome any and all new missions that the Air Force is willing to bring to Robins, and I will continue to work with the Air Force as the implementation of this plan proceeds," Isakson said in a joint statement with Perdue. "In the meantime, I urge Secretary Wilson to work with us to ensure that there will be no capabilities gap that could put our warfighters at risk during the transition to this new system." Perdue added, "This additional new mission at Robins will be critical to fulfilling President Trump's National Defense Strategy and provides for the new Advanced Battle Management System." Both senators in August said they were "alarmed" to find out earlier that month that the Air Force might pursue "alternative intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance platforms" instead of procuring a JSTARS replacement. The service in 2016 launched a $6.9 billion request for proposal for the engineering, manufacturing and development phase of the upgraded aircraft. It had planned to buy 17 new aircraft. In February, during the Air Force's fiscal 2019 budget rollout briefing, service officials said they were scrapping the initiative. The current JSTARS fleet is capable of developing, detecting, locating and tracking moving targets on the ground. The Air Force on Wednesday said there is no intent to reduce manpower at Robins as it transitions to ABMS. Lawmakers want to ensure there is no capability gap for troops on the ground as the service moves from the E-8C to the ABMS system. In April, the House Armed Services tactical air and land forces subcommittee in its markup to the fiscal 2019 National Defense Authorization Act said it will cap funding for the ABMS program until the Air Force restores the JSTARS recapitalization contract. The HASC passed its version of the fiscal 2019 bill on May 10. But members of the Senate Armed Services Committee have hinted they are open to the Air Force's effort to invest in a more survivable system than the JSTARS, which could be shot down. "There's a recognition in the Senate bill that we don't want to retire aircraft too quickly before a replacement capability arises such that we end up with a gap," an SASC staffer told Defense News on May 30. But "we do not direct them to proceed with the recap out of concerns with survivability, which we share with the department." The Senate is poised to vote on the bill in coming weeks. https://www.military.com/dodbuzz/2018/06/07/air-forces-new-battle-management-system-will-be-based-robins.html