US Army makes largest helicopter award in 40 years

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  January 10, 2019 | International, C4ISR

  Parsons acquires geospatial intelligence provider OGSystems

  By: Mark Pomerleau California-based Parsons Corp. announced Jan. 8 it has acquired OGSystems, which provides advanced technologies in geospatial intelligence, big data analytics and threat mitigation. According to a press release, the move follows “a series of strategic investments” and is the third acquisition by Parsons in the last 14 months. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. OGSystems' main customers include the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency, the National Reconnaissance Office, and Special Operations Command. The company's VIPER Labs and Immersive Engineering techniques were the catalysts for deployment of geospatial systems and software, embedded system threat analytics and cloud engineering solutions, the release stated. “OGSystems will expand our position in critical markets, including space operations, cybersecurity, critical infrastructure, and beyond,” Carey Smith, Parsons' chief operating officer, said. “Parsons' existing artificial intelligence and cloud computing expertise will augment OGSystems' support for customers demanding more efficiency in analyzing overwhelming volumes of geographic imagery and data.” Parsons' last major acquisition, in May 2018, was Polaris Alpha, which provides innovative mission solutions for complex defense, intelligence, security customers and other U.S. federal government customers. Parsons noted at the time that its artificial intelligence, signals intelligence and data analytics expertise supporting defensive and offensive cybersecurity missions will be expanded by integrating Polaris Alpha's machine learning, data, video, multi-source analytics and automated reasoning technologies. Moreover, Polaris Alpha's portfolio of electromagnetic warfare, signals intelligence, space situational awareness and multidomain command and control technologies will “significantly increase the scale and scope of Parsons' capabilities and customer relationships.” “Parsons' strategy is focused on disruptive, differentiated technologies demanded in high-growth, mission-oriented programs in the defense, intelligence, and critical infrastructure sectors,” Chuck Harrington, Parsons' chairman and CEO, said following the acquisition of OGSystems. “The actionable intelligence that geospatial imagery and data analytics brings to Parsons' portfolio through OGSystems is a game changer. Whether informing our national security customers' mission planning or designing tomorrow's resilient smart city, Parsons now brings deeper intelligence expertise to the challenge.” https://www.c4isrnet.com/industry/2019/01/09/parsons-acquires-geospatial-intelligence-provider-ogsystems

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  August 22, 2019 | International, Land

  Raytheon delivering wireless TOW missiles to US Army

  TUCSON, Ariz., Aug. 21, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Raytheon Company (NYSE: RTN) will deliver additional tube-launched, optically tracked, wireless-guided missiles for the TOW® weapon system under a $101 million U.S. Army contract announced by the U.S. Department of Defense on May 10, 2019. The weapon system transitioned to wireless guidance in 2010 and is being produced for the Army, U.S. Marines and international customers. The TOW weapon system, with the multi-mission TOW 2A, TOW 2B Aero and TOW Bunker Buster missiles, is a long-range, heavy assault-precision anti-armor, anti-fortification and anti-amphibious landing weapon system used throughout the world. "TOW gives soldiers the upper hand in battle," said Sam Deneke, Raytheon Land Warfare Systems vice president. "The system easily defeats opponents at long range in main battle tanks, fortified bunkers or moving armored vehicles." The TOW missile will remain in the Army's inventory until at least 2034. Raytheon has delivered over 700,000 TOW weapon systems to U.S. and allied forces. https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/raytheon-delivering-wireless-tow-missiles-to-us-army-300905247.html

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  June 3, 2019 | International, C4ISR

  The Army wants to talk to anyone, anytime, anywhere

  By: Mark Pomerleau As the Army moves forward with its multipronged network modernization, the branch has set its sights on servicewide communications capabilities integrated from top brass down to the smallest tactical units. Army leaders expressed the need for technologies to enable units' communication from the tip of the spear down to systems in vehicles and at command units. “The ‘integrated' part of ‘integrated tactical network' is making sure we don't field a set of stovepiped capabilities that do not provide the robust capability that we think we want for the future fight,” Maj. Gen. David Bassett, program executive officer for Command, Control, Communications-Tactical, told C4ISRNET. “We've got to field this as an integrated capability. It's not just about focusing on one piece or the other. We've got to work it all together along with network operations tools that help soldiers employ those system.” The Army's integrated tactical network (ITN) is described as a mix of existing programs of record and commercial off-the-shelf capabilities that allow a unit to communicate in congested environments and provide situational awareness. The network also feeds into programs such as the Command Post Computing Environment (CPCE). CPCE is a web-enabled system that will consolidate disparate command post tools, programs and tasks and help the Army to react faster than the enemy. This includes the Tactical Ground Reporting System (TIGR), Global Command and Control System-Army (GCCS-A), Command Web and Command Post of the Future (CPOF). This uniform interface will be available from the command post to ground vehicles to dismounted soldiers, allowing each to upload and share information in a centralized database. During exercises last year, soldiers worked through how to identify targets on the ground and pass that information through the network via vest-mounted tablets and a Google Maps-type function. “Target acquisition from an operator's perspective starts in the ITN. Then it will make its way eventually to CPCE if we can get the ITN and CPCE to talk to each other, which is definitely the next bridge line for these systems,” Maj. John Intile, executive officer for 1st Battalion, 508th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 82nd Airborne Division, told C4ISRNET during a battalion event at Camp Atterbury, Indiana. The Army's fire support Command and Control (C2) system, Advanced Field Artillery Tactical Data System (AFATDS), is slated to be incorporated in CPCE after the first round of aforementioned systems. “While the integrated tactical network in our first line of effort is focused on the lower echelon war-fighting units, the Command Post Computing Environment ... is really done at the corps and down trace units,” Maj. Gen. Peter Gallagher, director for the network cross-functional team, told C4ISRNET. https://www.c4isrnet.com/c2-comms/2019/05/31/the-army-wants-to-talk-to-anyone-anytime-anywhere/