21 août 2018 | International, Terrestre
If you find self-driving cars impressive today, think about Army trucks that can drive themselves off-road, in a war zone, less than three years from now.
For all the Army's embrace of high technology, the service still wants the lead vehicle in the convoy to have a human driver, at least at first. But the unmanned trucks that follow behind will need to stick to the trail without relying on street signs, lane markings, pavement, or GPS. They might not even have a clear line of sight to the vehicle ahead of them, which may turn a corner in a city or disappear into a cloud of dust driving cross-country. En route, they have to avoid not only pedestrians, animals, and vehicles, like civilian self-driving cars, but also rubble, rocks, trees, and shell holes. And they have to avoid solid obstacles without stopping every time they see tall grass, a low-hanging branch, or a dust cloud in their path — the kind of common-sense distinction that's easy for humans but very hard for computer vision.
But the Army is confident it can be done. Army Secretary Mark Esper has publicly enthused about the technology after riding in a prototype, saying it could both free up manpower for the front line — most troops work on logistics and maintenance, not in combat units — and save lives from roadside bombs and ambushes — to which supply convoysare particularly vulnerable.
After years of tinkering, the Army has accelerated its Automated Ground Resupply (AGR) program by spinning off something called the Expedient Leader-Follower demonstration. Contractors are currently installing Robotic Research LLC's computer brains and sensors on 10 Oshkosh M1075 PLS (Palletized Loader System) trucks that'll be used for safety certification tests in 2019. They'll convert 60 more to self-driving vehicles in time to equip two Army transportation companies in 2020.
While the two units' main job will be to demonstrate the technology works in field conditions, “if they get called to deploy, they will deploy with the vehicles,” said Alberto Lacaze, president of Robotic Research, in an interview with me yesterday. “That could happen fairly quickly.”
Exactly when the large-scale demo starts in 2020 is still a moving target, based mainly on how 2019's safety testing goes, said Pat Williams, VP for Army and Marine Corps programs at Oshkosh Defense. It's the Army's call on whether to compress the timeline, he told me, but “there's interest in pulling that left where possible.”
Full article: https://breakingdefense.com/2018/08/army-wants-70-self-driving-supply-trucks-by-2020
3 février 2022 | International, C4ISR
Nasittuq Corporation, an Inuit majority-owned corporation, has been awarded a Government of Canada contract to operate and maintain the North Warning System (NWS). The NWS is a joint U.S.-Canadian air defence early warning radar system for North America, managed by the North American Aerospace De
12 février 2024 | International, Sécurité
This company-financed project represents investment volume in the €300 million range. Rheinmetall is therefore shouldering the entire cost of constructing the factory, with no government involvement
6 juillet 2020 | International, Naval
Haifa, Israel, July 1, 2020 – Elbit Systems Ltd. (NASDAQ: ESLT, TASE: ESLT) (“Elbit Systems” or “the Company”) announced today that it was awarded a contract valued at approximately $53 million to provide and integrate intelligence suites onboard vessels of the Navy of a country in Southeast Asia. The contract will be performed over a two-year period. Under the contract Elbit Systems will equip several vessels with suites that provide the capability to perform complex reconnaissance missions, generating an operational picture of the air, surface and underwater domains. Elbit Systems will supply and integrate comprehensive suites comprised of an array of systems from across the Company's maritime portfolio, including: AES-212 electronic intelligence systems, NATACS naval tactical communication intelligence systems and jamming capabilities, SPECTRO XRTM electro-optical payloads, M670 hull mounted sonars, TRAPS towed reel-able active/passive sonars, underwater communication systems and combat management systems. The program also includes maritime radars and satellite communication capabilities. In addition, the Company will provide training services. Elad Aharonson, General Manager of Elbit Systems ISTAR Division, said: “There is growing demand for our maritime solutions. I believe that the unique combination of a diverse portfolio of operational systems and groundbreaking technological innovation enables us to effectively address the evolving needs of maritime forces.” About Elbit Systems Elbit Systems Ltd. is an international high technology company engaged in a wide range of defense, homeland security and commercial programs throughout the world. The Company, which includes Elbit Systems and its subsidiaries, operates in the areas of aerospace, land and naval systems, command, control, communications, computers, intelligence surveillance and reconnaissance (“C4ISR”), unmanned aircraft systems, advanced electro-optics, electro-optic space systems, EW suites, signal intelligence systems, data links and communications systems, radios, cyber-based systems and munitions. The Company also focuses on the upgrading of existing platforms, developing new technologies for defense, homeland security and commercial applications and providing a range of support services, including training and simulation systems. For additional information, visit: https://elbitsystems.com/ , follow us on Twitter or visit our official Facebook, Youtube and LinkedIn Channels. Contacts: Company Contact: Joseph Gaspar, Executive VP & CFO Tel: +972-4-8316663 j.gaspar@elbitsystems.com Rami Myerson, Director, Investor Relations Tel: +972-77-2946403 rami.myerson@elbitsystems.com David Vaaknin, VP, Brand & Communications Tel: +972-77-2946691 david.vaaknin@elbitsystems.com IR Contact: Ehud Helft Gavriel Frohwein GK Investor Relations Tel: 1-646-688-3559 elbitsystems@gkir.com View source version on Elbit Systems Ltd: https://elbitsystems.com/pr-new/elbit-systems-awarded-53-million-contract-to-supply-and-integrate-intelligence-suites-to-a-navy-in-southeast-asia/