19 août 2024 | International, Naval
Biden takes first ride in new Marine One as Sikorsky wraps delivery
The Sikorsky-made VH-92A Patriot helicopter will replace older presidential transportation helicopters as part of a phased transition.
12 septembre 2018 | International, Aérospatial
By: Stephen Losey
A series of one-day safety stand-downs across all flying and maintenance wings has given the Air Force several clues on how to correct a string of troubling — and sometimes fatal — aviation crashes and other mishaps, the service said Monday.
In a news release, the Air Force said the review identified six potential risks to aviation safety: stress caused by high operations tempos; a lack of time to properly focus on flying basics, mission activities and training; pressure to accept risk; a culture that pushes airmen to always execute the mission; decreased availability of aircraft; and the potential for airmen to become complacent when carrying out routine tasks.
The full report summary, provided at Air Force Times' request, also raised concerns about the increasing requirements on maintainers, and low experience in some operations and maintenance personnel.
The summary also cited “perception of ineffective training” as another area of concern.
Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Dave Goldfein ordered the stand-down in May, after several high-profile mishaps including the May 2 crash of a WC-130 Hercules that killed the nine Puerto Rico Air National Guardsmen aboard.
“The review proved tremendously helpful as we continue to seek both high levels of safety with intense and realistic training,” Goldfein said in the release. “As air superiority is not an American birthright, our training must continue to be challenging and meaningful. But I also want commanders to have the decision authority to determine how far to push.”
The service has distributed those findings to the field, the release said, and flying and maintenance leaders are using those findings to help guide their decisions.
The summary also cites the aging fleet of Air Force aircraft as a problem contributing to increased maintenance requirements and decreased aircraft availability.
The summary said that major commands provided the Air Force Safety Center with their aggregate feedback after completing their safety stand-downs, so senior leaders could find out what issues and concerns were identified across all wings.
The Air Force has already started putting plans into place to address airmen's concerns, including adding more support back to squadrons, reducing additional duties, “enhancing information processes for aircrew mission planning” and cutting staff requirements, according to the release.
19 août 2024 | International, Naval
The Sikorsky-made VH-92A Patriot helicopter will replace older presidential transportation helicopters as part of a phased transition.
13 juin 2019 | International, Aérospatial, Sécurité, Autre défense
NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The aerospace and defense (A&D) industry will be more affected by artificial intelligence (AI) than by any other major emerging technology over the next three years, according to Aerospace & Defense Technology Vision 2019, the annual report from Accenture (NYSE: ACN) that predicts key technology trends likely to redefine business. The study also underscores the growing importance of reskilling programs as a competitive lever. AI, comprising technologies that range from machine learning to natural language processing, enables machines to sense, comprehend, act and learn in order to extend human capabilities. One-third (33%) of A&D executives surveyed cited AI as the technology that will have the greatest impact on their organization over the next three years — more than quantum computing, distributed ledger or extended reality. In fact, two-thirds (67%) of A&D executives said they have either adopted AI within their business or are piloting the technology. Benefits of AI for the industry include enabling predictive analytics for maintenance; facilitating smart manufacturing with connected devices that provide real-time information to workers on the shop floor; providing advanced automation that enables the workforce to offload repetitive tasks; and enhancing real-time responses to customer issues and complaints, among others. “AI has the potential to be a major growth driver for the A&D industry,” said John Schmidt, global leader of Accenture's Aerospace & Defense practice. “However, AI technology is advancing faster than the pace at which many companies are adopting it. A&D executives need to find ways to accelerate their adoption of broader AI solutions that can deliver breakthrough outcomes by focusing not just on the technology but also on how they want to transform their workforce and capabilities.” Workforce Reskilling The importance of reskilling the A&D workforce to ensure success within companies is a prominent theme in the report. More than two-thirds (69%) of A&D executives believe that the speed at which members of the workforce move between roles and organizations has increased the need for reskilling in their organization. In addition, two-thirds (67%) of A&D executives believe that more than 40% of their workforce will move into new roles requiring substantial reskilling within three years. AI is both a cause for and a solution to workforce reskilling. For instance, aerospace specialists can now work alongside AI-assisted design technology to quickly cycle through countless design options and test configurations, with intelligent software learning and improving with each iteration. AI will also play a key role in identifying workers' hidden and adjacent skills and will help them reskill and retain displaced workers. “The rapid adoption of AI has triggered urgent calls for reskilling to prepare for a different way of working,” Schmidt said. “The majority of jobs will be reconfigured as people and intelligent machines collaborate. A&D leaders must reimagine the very nature of work and then build the right training to meet that vision.” Data & The Customer The report also notes the growing role of digital data and demographics and their role in the A&D industry. Nearly all (95%) of the A&D executives surveyed expect the amount of data their organization manages about their operators' digital demographics to increase over the next two years, with nearly three-quarters (74%) expecting it to increase either “significantly” or “exponentially.” The increase in available data could prove beneficial for A&D companies. For example, three-quarters (76%) of executives said that digital demographics give their organizations a new way to identify market opportunities for unmet customer needs. “Insights from digital demographics data allow A&D companies to create a new generation of offerings that foster an ongoing, trustworthy relationship with operators,” said Jeff Wheless, research lead for Accenture's Aerospace & Defense practice. “Maintenance solutions can be fine-tuned to an aircraft operator's specific operating environment or enhanced flight planning, which can maximize fuel savings and minimize greenhouse emissions.” About the Methodology Accenture's Aerospace & Defense Technology Vision 2019 report is based on responses from 113 aerospace and defense executives surveyed as part of the Accenture Technology Vision 2019. The research process for Accenture Technology Vision 2019, which is developed annually by the Accenture Labs and Accenture Research, included gathering input from the Technology Vision External Advisory Board, a group comprising more than two dozen experienced individuals from the public and private sectors, academia, venture capital firms and entrepreneurial companies. In addition, the Technology Vision team conducted interviews with technology luminaries and industry experts, as well as with nearly 100 Accenture business leaders. In parallel, Accenture Research conducted a global online survey of 6,672 business and IT executives to capture insights into the adoption of emerging technologies. The survey helped identify the key issues and priorities for technology adoption and investment. Respondents were C-level executives and directors at companies across 27 countries and 20 industries, with the majority having annual revenues greater than US$6 billion. About Accenture Accenture is a leading global professional services company, providing a broad range of services and solutions in strategy, consulting, digital, technology and operations. Combining unmatched experience and specialized skills across more than 40 industries and all business functions — underpinned by the world's largest delivery network — Accenture works at the intersection of business and technology to help clients improve their performance and create sustainable value for their stakeholders. With 477,000 people serving clients in more than 120 countries, Accenture drives innovation to improve the way the world works and lives. Visit us at www.accenture.com. https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190613005051/en
3 juillet 2018 | International, Naval, C4ISR
By: Maddy Longwell A research and development collaboration management company has been awarded a contract to helm a technology prototype consortium as part of a new acquisition process employed by the Space and Naval Warfare Systems Center Atlantic, in Charleston, South Carolina. SPAWAR awarded an other transaction authority to Advanced Technology International, of Summerville, South Carolina, for consortium management for SPAWAR's Information Warfare Research Project (IWRP). Under the contract, Advanced Technology International will manage a group of defense contractors who will complete projects for the government that address SPAWAR technology needs, and the consortium will facilitate competition for projects. Topics will be open to competition beginning in August 2018, the SPAWAR Systems Center Atlantic said. The contract is worth $100 million over three years. IWRP OTA is an acquisition tool that allows nontraditional industry partners to work with organizations across SPAWAR to prototype technology that supports naval information warfare capabilities. IWRP focuses on information technology areas such as cyberwarfare, cloud computing and data science. SPAWAR announced OTAs as an acquisition tool through the IWRP at an industry day in February 2018, where prospective offerors learned about OTA strategy and the technical scope of IWRP OTA projects. “The IWRP will allow us to take advantage of commercially developed capabilities that are keeping pace with emerging technologies; technologies and innovation that we cannot take advantage of in a [Federal Acquisition Regulation]-based contract environment,” said Chris Miller, executive director of SPAWAR Systems Center Atlantic. OTAs, which are not covered by the FAR, are a more flexible acquisition tool used by the Department of Defense. OTAs provide for the production of prototype systems. OTA contracts are mostly awarded to nontraditional defense contractors. OTA contracts enable departments under the Department of Defense to access commercial technologies that support the overall goal of IWRP, said SSC Atlantic Deputy Executive Director Bill Deligne, in a news release. “This mechanism is faster and more attuned to getting something quickly that we want today, as opposed to traditional federal acquisition,” Deligne said. https://www.c4isrnet.com/home/2018/07/02/the-navys-new-acquisition-tool-speeds-up-tech-prototyping/