Shield AI to let Hivemind software fly three more aircraft

On the same subject

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  January 15, 2021 | International, Aerospace

  US Air Force downselects Northrop Grumman for F-16 electronic warfare suite

  by Pat Host The US Air Force (USAF) has downselected Northrop Grumman as the sole contractor to complete final project efforts to provide the electronic warfare (EW) suite for the service's Lockheed Martin F-16 Fighting Falcon fleet. Northrop Grumman spokesman Stephen Lamb said on 11 January that the company was selected in 2019 to develop a prototype internally mounted EW suite and digital radar warning receiver for F-16s. Northrop Grumman, he said, is performing on this contract. L3Harris was also competing under this contract. However, L3Harris spokesperson Kristin Jones said on 12 January that the company was not selected to move forward. This EW suite will protect pilots from radio frequency (RF)-guided weapons by detecting, identifying, and defeating advanced threat systems, according to a company statement. Northrop Grumman's solution uses common building blocks and architecture. Lamb said the company has combined its ultra wideband radar warning receiver technology with a lightweight processor and digital transmitter modules to provide effective protection. Northrop Grumman will deliver and demonstrate a safety of flight-qualified prototype to meet customer requirements under this other transaction agreement (OTA) contract, and is working toward its fielding. Lamb said the OTA period of performance ends in mid-2021. https://www.janes.com/defence-news/news-detail/us-air-force-downselects-northrop-grumman-for-f-16-electronic-warfare-suite

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  September 17, 2018 | International, Aerospace

  Skilled worker, parts shortages still hurting Hornet and Growler maintenance, government watchdog finds

  By: David B. Larter A shortage of skilled workers and repair parts is causing backlogs in maintenance depots for Hornets and Growlers, creating headwinds in the Navy's efforts to put more aircraft in the air, the Government Accountability Office found. The Navy, which is chipping away at a readiness crisis among its fighters and electronic attack aircraft, is being hampered by a lack of skilled workers and capacity, specifically at depots on the West Coast at Whidbey Island, Washington, and Lemoore, California. Furthermore some parts needed to repair the Hornets and Growlers were manufactured by suppliers who have gotten out of the business, significantly slowing the process and forcing the Navy to cannibalize parts on aircraft to offset the delays, the September report found. One challenge pointed out by the GAO is the distance between where aircraft are based and maintained and where parts are repaired for the E/A-18G Growlers. The Growlers, largely based at Whidbey Island, many of the components that need fixing must be repaired at the depots in Lemoore. “However, according to officials, Lemoore's depots have limited capacity to repair these aircraft, creating a maintenance backlog,” the report found. The issue of manufacturers getting out of the business was at least in part caused by the Navy's shorting of repair parts accounts during Obama-era budget cuts. A recent study found that between 2011 and 2015, as many as 17,000 suppliers left the defense industry. The Vice Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Bill Moran discussed the supplier issues with Defense News in April, saying stable funding should get suppliers to come back into the pool. Full article: https://www.defensenews.com/naval/2018/09/15/skilled-worker-parts-shortages-still-hurting-hornet-and-growler-maintenance-government-watchdog-finds

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  July 24, 2023 | International, C4ISR, Security, Other Defence

  ‘It’s all about logistics’: US Marines test Force Design in Pacific

  The 13th Marine Expeditionary Unit spent seven months in the vast region experimenting with different technologies and platforms.