General Dynamics rolls out new TRX ground robot at AUSA

Sur le même sujet

• 

  26 avril 2018 | International, Aérospatial

  Fighter jet OEMs aim to keep pace with needed technology

  Chris Thatcher Fighter jet manufacturers are well aware that advances in technology can take years, if not decades, to introduce, creating a constant struggle to match the pace of technological change and the evolution of threats. In a panel discussion at the Aerospace Innovation Forum in Montreal last week, executives from Airbus, Boeing, Dassault Aviation and Saab described how a change from closed “black boxes” to more open mission architecture is allowing faster and easier acceptance of technology from wider sources. Wolfgang Gammel, head of combat aircraft for Airbus Defence and Space, acknowledged the need to be much faster to market with new technology. He noted the shift in focus from “kinetic weapons” to “data fusion and the cyber piece” now driving new capabilities, but said the goal has been to “keep flexibility” in the Eurofighter Typhoon to allow customers “to adapt the aircraft as threats change.” He also noted the wealth of data becoming available on all advanced fighters, and the ability to predict maintenance requirements, better manage costs and improve availability, all of which should impact the overall life of the airframe. Pontus de Laval, chief technology officer for Saab, said the life management approach to the Gripen JAS 39 has been continuous change rather than one large midlife upgrade. The version currently operated by the Swedish Air Force is “actually edition 20.” For the Gripen NG now undergoing flight tests for the Brazilian Air Force, the aim has been to make “continuous evolvement of the platform much easier,” he said. That has been achieved in part by separating flight critical and mission critical systems, to allow Saab and the customer to introduce new sensors and other capabilities without significantly affecting “systems that keep the aircraft flying.” By using virtualization of avionics to introduce software and hardware changes, Saab has also been able to minimize the effect of one on the other as upgrades are made. “Software kills you in big programs if you are not careful,” de Laval observed. The company has also recognized the role artificial intelligence and machine learning could play, especially on the future computing capacity of a fighter, and is investing about US$400 million in research to understand to prepare and capitalize. Boeing has long bet on incremental technology upgrades for the Super Hornet, providing a “roadmap forward” for the platform. But the Block 3 will introduce the Distributed Targeting Processor-Networked (DTP-N), an open mission system “to enable these future technologies,” said Troy Rutherford, director of the company's HorizonX program. From autonomy to AI, the user experience in the cockpit will change dramatically. Boeing too has invested heavily, seeking small start-up companies to develop these capabilities. “What plays over the course of time is the ability to adapt to the threat,” he said. Any new technology must reach a certain level of maturity before it can be integrated into an advanced fighter. Bruno Stoufflet, chief technology officer for Dassault Aviation, said the company has leveraged its Falcon family of business jets “to embark some demonstrations” of new capabilities. “There is a strong commitment of the French weapon agency to have a family of demonstrations in the future based on [the] Rafale.” That has opened the door to more research with small- and medium-sized business. Previously, Dassault collaborated more with academic teams or larger players in the aerospace and defence industries. “It has changed completely. We were asked to integrate more SMEs into our research programs...so now we understand what they can bring in research and innovation projects,” said Stoufflet. https://www.skiesmag.com/news/fighter-jet-oems-aim-keep-pace-needed-technology/

• 

  11 octobre 2019 | International, Aérospatial

  Sikorsky ratchets up robotic control of Black Hawk in runup to pilotless flight

  Sikorsky has dialed up the autonomous flight control system on an experimental UH-60A Black Hawk to where a pilot can “set it and forget it” during long surveillance missions, another step toward flying the aircraft remotely from the cabin or from the ground without pilots on board. To date, Sikorsky has put 54.5 flight hours on its optionally piloted vehicle (OPV) flight control system, which is designed as a kit that replaces all legacy mechanical controls in existing aircraft with its MATRIX autonomous fly-by-wire controls. It has also run about 30 hours on the ground in the UH-60A, one of the oldest Black Hawks in the Army's inventory, according to chief test pilot Mark Ward. During the first of MATRIX in a Black Hawk in May, Sikorsky focused on the direct mode control scheme, which means the fly-by-wire controls should fly and respond to pilot input like a conventional UH-60 Black Hawk, Ward said. Technically, the mode is “direct stick-to-head with stability augmentation in the loop.” “Direct mode is supposed to be, more-or-less the service mode or an emergency mode, but we found the aircraft behaved quite well throughout all the speed regimes in that mode,” he said. Sikorsky briefly paused the flight test program to “fine tune” some of the pilot control augmentation modes, “so that when we go to autonomy we're going to have a very mature system that goes from full-spectrum of pilot 100 percent in the loop, to autonomy 100 percent in the loop and everywhere in between,” he said. Test pilots have since ratcheted up computer control of the aircraft and expanded the flight envelope out to 150 knots indicated airspeed. Most interestingly, the test team is beginning to increase the level of flight control augmentation beginning with “direct mode.” In “rate command attitude hold” mode, the fly-by-wire system takes over more control of the aircraft, Ward said. That mode was tested through low-speed hover maneuvers out to 150 knots. “When you put a control input, you're controlling a rate or an attitude change and when you release the control, you're capturing that attitude,” he said. From there, test pilots increased autonomous control of the aircraft to the full authority control scheme, or FACS, in which “rather than commanding a rate, you're actually commanding a parameter, such as airspeed or altitude or heading using the control stick,” Ward said. “To change from one mode to the next is simply a button push away to go from direct to rate command, up to FACS and back down,” he said. “Think of full authority as being an ultra-stable ISR platform that is going to be holding flight parameters for very long periods of time,” he said. “You kind of want to set it and forget it. You're not turning knobs on a flight director. You are actually flying the aircraft with the control stick.” “Rate command is when you kind of want to . . . throw it around a little bit, you want to do some low-and-slow or low-and-fast maneuvering where you're going from stop to stop to complete a mission.” Sikorsky uses the phrase “optimally piloted vehicle” as well as “optionally piloted vehicle” when discussing OPV and MATRIX because the ultimate goal is to develop a system that can act as an autonomous co-pilot quietly but constantly aiding human operators during specific missions. The OPV kit is tailored to the UH-60, but is retrofittable onto the Army's entire helicopter fleet and Sikorsky's commercial S-92 and S-97 rotorcraft, according to Igor Cherepinsky, the company's director of autonomy. Sometime in 2020, Sikorsky will demonstrate that the system can be remotely piloted from both inside and outside the aircraft, he said. “We will show the world this system is capable of being operated from the ground,” he said. Sikorsky continues to demonstrate MATRIX on a modified S-76B called the Sikorsky Autonomy Research Aircraft (SARA). The aircraft, which has been in test since 2013, has more than 300 hours of autonomous flight. The company announced in March that its S-92 helicopter fleet update will include the introduction of phase one MATRIX technology, which will allow for autonomous landing. The U.S. Army has plans to outfit a UH-60M with the system but is about six months behind Sikorsky's OPV test program. “Our vision is, obviously, not to replace the pilots, but to augment the pilots,” Cherepinsky said. “Once we field the technology, we never want to see another controlled flight into terrain or degraded visual environment issue accident ever happen with any of our aircraft.” https://www.verticalmag.com/news/sikorsky-ratchets-up-robotic-control-of-black-hawk-in-runup-to-pilotless-flight/

• 

  25 février 2019 | International, Aérospatial, Naval, Terrestre, C4ISR, Sécurité, Autre défense

  Contract Awards by US Department of Defense - February 22, 2019

  AIR FORCE Aleut Field Services LLC, Colorado Springs, Colorado (FA2550-19-D-A001); MedVolt LLC, Colorado Springs, Colorado (FA2550-19-D-A002); Olgoonik Enterprises LLC, Colorado Springs, Colorado (FA2550-19-D-A003); Site Work Solutions, Denver, Colorado (FA2550-19-D-A004); Sky Blue RME JV LLC (a Joint Venture comprised of Sky Blue Builders, LLC and Rocky Mountain Excavating Inc.), Aurora, Colorado (FA2550-19-D-A005); and T1-Avery JV (a Joint Venture comprised of Tribal One Broadband Technologies LLC and Avery Asphalt Inc.), Centennial, Colorado (FA2550-19-D-A006), have each been awarded indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity firm-fixed-price contracts. The aggregate maximum amount for all six contracts is $200,000,000 with the companies having an opportunity to compete for individual orders. These contracts provide for construction and maintenance of roadways, bridges, sidewalks, parking areas, airfields and runways to include subsequent services which are typical activities that promote safe and efficient transportation. Work will be performed at various locations in Colorado to include Buckley Air Force Base, Cheyenne Mountain Air Force Station, Fort Carson Army Post (to include Piñon Canyon and the Pueblo Chemical Depot), Peterson Air Force Base, Schriever Air Force Base, and the U.S. Air Force Academy (to include the Farish Memorial Recreation Area, and the Bulls Eye Auxiliary Airfield). Work is expected to be complete by March 2026. No funds are being obligated at time of award. These contracts were the result of a competitive acquisition and fourteen offers were received. The 50th Contracting Squadron, Schriever Air Force Base, Colorado, is the contracting activity. Cyber Systems & Services Solutions, Bellevue, Nebraska, has been awarded a $17,436,173 firm-fixed-price and cost-plus-fixed-fee modification (P0007) to contract FA8773-18-D-0002 to exercise Option I for Defensive Cyber Realization, Integration, and Operational Support services. Work will be performed at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland, Texas, and is expected to be complete by Feb. 29, 2020. This modification is the result of a competitive acquisition and seven offers were received. Fiscal 2019 operations and maintenance funds in the amount of $9,244,750 are being obligated at the time of award. The 38th Contracting Squadron, Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland, Texas, is the contracting activity. ARMY Radiance Technologies Inc.,* Huntsville, Alabama, was awarded a $77,376,456 cost-plus-fixed-fee contract for system engineering technical and assistance services, space and cyberspace science and technology development support. Twenty-three bids were solicited with two bids received. Work will be performed in Redstone Arsenal, Alabama, with an estimated completion date of Feb. 27, 2024. Fiscal 2019 research, development, test and evaluation funds in the amount of $10,349,818 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Redstone Arsenal, Alabama, is the contracting activity (W9113M-19-F-0016). CK Power, St. Louis, Missouri,* was awarded a $23,426,448 firm-fixed-price contract for auxiliary power unit kits for the assembly of M8E1 Chemical and Biological Protective Shelters at Pine Bluff Arsenal, Arkansas. One bid was solicited with one bid received. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of Feb. 21, 2024. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Rock Island Arsenal, Illinois, is the contracting activity (W52P1J-19-D-3011). ACC Construction Co. Inc., Augusta, Georgia, was awarded a $10,718,591 firm-fixed-price contract for construction of a 12-story flight control tower. Bids were solicited via the internet with two received. Work will be performed in Fort Benning, Georgia, with an estimated completion date of Aug. 25, 2020. Fiscal 2015 and 2018 military construction funds in the amount of $10,718,591 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Savannah, Georgia, is the contracting activity (W912HN-19-C-3003). Weeks Marine Inc., Covington, Louisiana, was awarded a $9,900,000 modification (P00001) to contract W912P8-19-C-0010 for Mississippi River Southwest Pass maintenance cutterhead dredging. Work will be performed in Plaquemines Parish, Louisiana, with an estimated completion date of May 26, 2019. Fiscal 2018 operations and maintenance, Army funds in the amount of $9,900,000 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, New Orleans, Louisiana, is the contracting activity. NAVY Archer Western Federal JV, Chicago, Illinois (N69450-19-D-0907); B.L. Harbert International, Birmingham, Alabama (N69450-19-D-0908); The Haskell Co., Jacksonville, Florida (N69450-19-D-0909); The Korte Co., St. Louis, Missouri (N69450-19-D-0910); and Mortenson Construction, Minneapolis, Minnesota (N69450-19-D-0911), are each awarded an indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity multiple award design-build construction contract for construction projects located primarily within the Naval Facilities Engineering Command Southeast (NAVFAC SE) area of responsibility (AOR). The work to be performed provides for, but is not limited to, general building type projects (new construction, renovation, alteration, demolition, and repair work) including industrial, airfield, aircraft hangar, aircraft traffic control, infrastructure, administrative, training, dormitory, and community support facilities. These five contractors may compete for task orders under the terms and conditions of the awarded contract. Archer Western Federal JV is awarded the $24,774,660 initial task order for P427 Littoral Combat Ship Operational Trainer Facility at Naval Station Mayport, Florida. The remaining four contractors will be awarded $1,000 each to satisfy the guaranteed minimum. Work for this task order is expected to be completed by January 2021. All work on this contract will be within the NAVFAC SE AOR, which includes Florida (15 percent); Georgia (15 percent); Louisiana (14 percent); Mississippi (14 percent); South Carolina (14 percent); Tennessee (14 percent); and Texas (14 percent). The term of the contract is not to exceed 60 months, with an expected completion date of February 2024. Fiscal 2019 military construction (Navy); and fiscal 2019 operations and maintenance (Navy) contract funds in the amount of $24,778,660 are obligated on this award and will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. Future task orders will be primarily funded by military construction (Navy); operations and maintenance (Navy); and Navy working capital funds. The maximum dollar value for the five-year ordering period for all five contracts combined is $240,000,000. This contract was competitively procured via the Navy Electronic Commerce Online website, with 19 proposals received. Naval Facilities Engineering Command Southeast, Jacksonville, Florida, is the contracting activity. Oracle America Inc., Redwood City, California, is awarded $18,850,000 for fixed-price-level-of-effort task order M67854-19-F-7603 under a previously awarded indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract (M67854-17-D-7609) for continued post-deployment system support including, service management, service operations; production and pre-production system sustainment; solution development environment; enterprise training and training devices; product lifecycle support; and service transition for change requests and engineering change proposals. Work will be performed in Stafford, Virginia (50 percent); and Quantico, Virginia (50 percent), and is expected to be completed by Dec. 20, 2019. Fiscal 2019 operations and maintenance (Marine Corps) funds in the amount of $18,850,000 will be obligated at the time of award and will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The base was awarded on a sole source in accordance with Federal Acquisition Regulation 6.302-1- only one responsible source and no other supplies or services will satisfy agency requirements. The Marine Corps Systems Command, Quantico, Virginia, is the contracting activity. CIRCOR Naval Solutions LLC, Warren, Massachusetts, is awarded an estimated $13,294,404 requirements contract for a broad range of pump parts in support of refurbishment and maintenance of existing pumps installed on various Military Sealift Command vessels. Delivery of parts will occur at various locations on the East and West coast of the U.S., and is expected to be completed by Feb. 24, 2024. No funding will be obligated at the time of award. This contract was sole-sourced, with a proposal solicited via the Federal Business Opportunities website, with one offer received. The U.S. Navy's Military Sealift Command, Norfolk, Virginia, is the contracting activity (N3220519D9006). Coastal Enterprises, Jacksonville Inc., Jacksonville, North Carolina, is awarded an $8,260,289 modification under a previously awarded indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract (N40085-18-D-6113) to exercise Option One for grounds maintenance services at Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, and other outlying locations. The work to be performed provides for grounds maintenance services that will maintain mowing and trimming grass on road shoulders, ditches, bunkers, firing ranges, wet-lands and tank training sites. After award of this option, the total cumulative contract value will be $16,506.249. Work will be performed in Jacksonville, North Carolina. This option period is from March 2019 to February 2020. No funds will be obligated at time of award. Fiscal 2019 operations and maintenance (Marine Corps) contract funds in the amount of $1,882,643 for recurring work will be obligated on an individual task order issued during the option period. The Naval Facilities Engineering Command, Mid-Atlantic, Norfolk, Virginia, is the contracting activity. * Small Business https://dod.defense.gov/News/Contracts/Contract-View/Article/1765547/