September 16, 2019 | International, Aerospace
The U.S. Air Force has identified a potential new design flaw with the KC-46A tanker and banned the fleet from carrying cargo or passengers until a solution is found and delivered.
Multiple cargo locks embedded in the floor of the aircraft released inadvertently during a recent operational test and evaluation flight, according to a statement by Air Mobility Command (AMC).
Air Force and Boeing officials are working to identify a solution to the problem, AMC says.
An uncommanded release of the cargo locks could allow pallets of cargo or passenger seats to shift position during flight, potentially changing the center of gravity of the aircraft.
In response, the Air Force generated the third unresolved Category 1 deficiency report charged to the KC-46 program, AMC says. A Category 1 deficiency reflects an identified risk that jeopardizes lives or critical assets.
The Air Force agreed to accept the first KC-46 last January despite two Category 1 deficiencies still pending.
Boeing is implementing an Air Force-funded design change to the actuator on the refueling boom to make it more sensitive to smaller receiver aircraft, such as A-10s and F-16s.
Meanwhile, Boeing has submitted a proposed redesign of the remote vision system (RVS) to correct what the Air Force calls a “rubber sheeting” affect that distorts the image on the visual display used by the boom operator during refueling operations. Boeing has agreed to pay for an RVS design that received approval by the Air Force.
https://aviationweek.com/defense/usaf-identifies-critical-new-kc-46-design-flaw
April 24, 2024 | International, Aerospace
The F-35 upgrades known as Technology Refresh 3 are now a year overdue and have halted deliveries of the newest fighter jets from Lockheed Martin.
May 20, 2021 | International, Aerospace
Le 18 mai, United Launch Alliance (ULA) a placé le satellite d'alerte avancée Sbirs-Geo 5 sur orbite de transfert géostationnaire. SBIRS GEO-5,construit par Lockheed Martin, est le 5ème et dernier satellite rejoignant l'OPIR (Overhead persistent infrared), une constellation équipée de puissants capteurs de surveillance. « Ces gardiens orbitaux 24h/24 et 7j/7 détectent les lancements de missiles, soutiennent la défense antimissile balistique, élargissent la collecte de renseignements techniques et renforcent la connaissance de la situation sur le champ de bataille », précise Lockheed Martin. Estimant que le monde est désormais « un endroit menaçant avec plus de 1000 lancements de missiles balistiques chaque année », Tom McCormick, vice-président de la zone de mission OPIR de Lockheed Martin Space, déclare que le système de satellites SBIRS constitue « le fer de lance de la défense antimissile » afin d'assurer la sécurité nationale et celle des forces armées américaines. Air & Cosmos du 20 mai
February 14, 2019 | International, C4ISR
By: Justin Lynch The new Pentagon artificial intelligence strategy serves as a roadmap for how the American military will embrace machine learning in future cyber operations, which could be a boon for companies who invest in the technology. Released Feb 12, the Pentagon's strategy shows how the American military will rely on artificial intelligence as a defensive tool. “We will increase our focus on defensive cybersecurity of hardware and software platforms as a precondition for secure uses of AI,” the Pentagon's new strategy states. “ In order to ensure DoD AI systems are safe, secure, and robust, we will fund research into AI systems that have a lower risk of accidents; are more resilient, including to hacking and adversarial spoofing.” A particular focus of the new strategy is researching “emergent effects,” which is what happens when two artificial intelligence systems interact. The Army's Aberdeen Proving Ground, for one, is conducting studies into how artificial intelligence can protect soldiers' tactical networks and communications from cyberattacks. The Pentagon's artificial intelligence strategy comes as both the American military and hackers have embraced machine learning for cyberattacks. According to an analysis by Fifth Domain, more than half of the new challenges and programs announced by the intelligence community's research arm in 2018 involve machine learning or predictive analytics, which represents a potential boon for cybersecurity researchers. In December, the Pentagon announced that Air Force Lt. Gen. Jack Shanahan would be head of a new artificial intelligence center. Hackers are using artificial intelligence during cyberattacks, Sam Curry, the chief security officer at Cybereason, a threat intelligence firm, told Fifth Domain. Curry said that a particular risk with artificial intelligence is the use of “second order chaotic systems,” where events cause data inputs to change, using the stock market as an example. “Second order systems with badly applied, overreacting machine learning are prone to exploitation,” Curry said. With the release of the artificial intelligence strategy, the Pentagon is attempting to combat significant investments in machine learning by other countries. “Other nations, particularly China and Russia, are making significant investments in AI for military purposes, including in applications that raise questions regarding international norms and human rights,” the strategy says. “The costs of not implementing this strategy are clear. Failure to adopt AI will result in legacy systems irrelevant to the defense of our people, eroding cohesion among allies and partners, reduced access to markets that will contribute to a decline in our prosperity and standard of living, and growing challenges to societies that have been built upon individual freedoms.” https://www.fifthdomain.com/dod/2019/02/13/what-the-pentagons-new-ai-strategy-means-for-cybersecurity/