13 octobre 2024 | International, Aérospatial
17 décembre 2020 | International, Aérospatial
Space Force selects new prototype consortium manager
WASHINGTON — The U.S. Space Force has found a new manager for its expanded prototyping organization — the Space Enterprise Consortium — which will oversee $12 billion in awards for space-related projects over the next 10 years.
The Space and Missile Systems Center's Space Development Corps selected National Security Technology Accelerator, known as NSTXL, to manage its SpEC Reloaded portfolio to adopt ever-evolving innovations before they're outdated. SMC expects to issue the award on Dec. 31, following a required 30-day congressional notification period.
Launched in 2017, SpEC has doled out prototyping awards for everything from new ground systems to a Link 16-enabled space vehicle that shows the location of friendly and enemy forces. SpEC has reduced contract award timelines by 36 percent, grown membership by 55 percent year over year to 441 members, and awarded 80 prototype efforts cumulatively valued at $856 million, according to SMC.
“There's no question that SpEC has been an overwhelming success for the government programs that have utilized it to accelerate their prototyping, and for the consortium members to gain a better understanding on the USSF's architectural direction,” said Col. Tim Sejba, program executive officer for SMC's Space Development Corps.
Perhaps most importantly, SpEC provides an opening for nontraditional companies to begin working with the Department of Defense on space systems. SpEC helps connect vendors with organizations including the Space Rapid Capabilities Office or even the intelligence community's National Reconnaissance Office using other transaction authorities.
OTAs allow “us to get on contract much faster than traditional approaches,” SMC head Lt. Gen. John Thompson said in November. “In addition, the vehicle really lowers the bar for nontraditional contractors to become part of national security space efforts, makes it easier for them to get in the door. In fact, 350 of those 430 members of the consortium are really nontraditional contractors or academic organizations.”
The Space Force awarded the initial $100 million SpEC management contract to the Advanced Technology Institute in 2017 to manage the consortium through November 2022. However, the consortium's early success convinced the Space Force to revamp the effort with a significantly larger budget and an increased focus on cybersecurity.
“We are honored to contribute to U.S. space advancement,” NSTXL CEO Tim Greeff said. “This has been a very successful program thus far, and we look forward to taking it to next level to unlock more value for the U.S. military by engaging more nontraditional defense companies and bringing great innovation to the nascent Space Force.”
NSTXL also supports the U.S. Army's Training and Readiness Accelerator (TReX), the Navy's Strategic & Spectrum Missions Advanced Resilient Trusted Systems (S2MARTS), and the Defense Technical Information Center (DTIC) Energy OTA.
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10 juillet 2019 | International, Autre défense
MOD to develop cutting-edge laser and radio frequency weapons
From: Ministry of Defence, Defence Science and Technology Laboratory, and The Rt Hon Penny Mordaunt MP The Ministry of Defence is developing cutting-edge laser and radio frequency weapons which have the potential to revolutionise the battlefield The state-of-the-art weapons systems, known as Directed Energy Weapons (DEW), are powered solely by electricity and operate without ammunition. The systems could be fuelled by a vehicle's engine or a generator, significantly reducing their operating costs and providing unprecedented flexibility on the frontline. In a Prior Information Notice (PIN) published this week, the MOD announced it is seeking to develop three new DEW demonstrators to explore the potential of the technology and accelerate its introduction onto the battlefield. The laser weapons systems deploy high energy light beams to target and destroy enemy drones and missiles. Radio Frequency weapons are designed to disrupt and disable enemy computers and electronics. Defence Secretary Penny Mordaunt said: Laser and Radio Frequency technologies have the potential to revolutionise the battlefield by offering powerful and cost-effective weapons systems to our Armed Forces. This significant investment demonstrates our commitment to ensuring our Armed Forces operate at the forefront of military technology. The new systems are expected to be trialled in 2023 on Royal Navy ships and Army vehicles but, once developed, both technologies could be operated by all three services. The Armed Forces will use these exercises to get a better understanding of DEW, test the systems to their limits and assess how they could be integrated with existing platforms. The MOD aims to invest up to £130m in this package of Directed Energy Weapons, including the construction of the demonstrators, the creation of a new Joint Programme Office and the recruitment of personnel to manage the programme. These demonstrators are part of the MOD's “Novel Weapons Programme” which is responsible for the trial and implementation of innovative weapons systems to ensure the UK remains a world leader in military technology. They are expected to reach the frontline within 10 years. The MOD already has plans for initial trials of laser weapons systems, with the Dragonfire demonstrator commissioned by the Defence Science and Technology Laboratory to be tested later this year. The Dragonfire represents a world-first in laser weapons technology, combining multiple laser beams to produce a weapons system that is more powerful than its predecessors and resistant to the most challenging environmental conditions. The MOD also has over 30 years' experience in Radio Frequency DEW, during which time the UK has become a world leader in developing new power generation technologies and a global hub for the performance testing and evaluation of these systems. https://www.gov.uk/government/news/mod-to-develop-cutting-edge-laser-and-radio-frequency-weapons
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25 janvier 2021 | International, Aérospatial
L’armée face aux enjeux de la « guerre spatiale »
Le Figaro analyse les enjeux de défense liés à la maîtrise de l'espace, à l'heure où près de 90 États disposent d'au moins un satellite en orbite. Selon le CNES, 2 200 satellites en fonctionnement sont aujourd'hui en orbite autour de la Terre. L'augmentation est exponentielle: en dix ans, le nombre de satellites opérationnels a plus que doublé, notamment sous l'impulsion des acteurs privés du «New Space», tels que SpaceX. La France a établi une doctrine militaire et un commandement de l'espace en 2020, avec deux objectifs : des capacités de connaissance et, à moyen terme, de défense active. « La clé, c'est détecter, identifier, agir », explique le général Lavigne, chef d'état-major de l'armée de l'Air et de l'Espace. Des capacités de suivi sont développées : pour la France, l'approche du satellite franco-italien de télécommunication militaire Athena-Fidus en 2017 a ainsi été détectée par le système GeoTracker, développé par ArianeGroup, équipé de huit télescopes au sol. L'armée veut aussi se doter de moyens de défense active. En 2023, elle doit lancer le démonstrateur Yoda, qui sera capable d'accompagner des satellites en orbite géostationnaire. Au sein du CSpO (Combined Space Operation), la France cherche aussi depuis un an à établir avec ses partenaires des Five Eyes (États-Unis, Royaume-Uni, Canada, Australie, Nouvelle-Zélande) et de l'Allemagne un « code de bonne conduite ». Dans un entretien accordé au Monde, les chercheurs Marc Julienne et Isabelle Sourbès-Verger décryptent par ailleurs la montée en puissance de la Chine dans le domaine de l'espace, et ses enjeux militaires. Le Figaro et Le Monde du 25 janvier