23 février 2023 | International, Aérospatial
Boeing will close Super Hornet production line in 2025
Boeing will close its Super Hornet production line in 2025, or 2027 if India selects the jet, after 30 years of building F/A-18E-Fs in St. Louis.
21 novembre 2018 | International, C4ISR
To maintain tech edge, US seeks export controls on AI
In just two words, the phrase “artificial intelligence” captures a deep techno-utopian promise, the notion that through craftsmanship humans can create learning and thinking machines outside the processes of organic life. AI is typically the realm of technologists and science fiction writers.
Now it is also in the world of export controls prohibitions and restrictions on technologies as overseen by the Department of Commerce.
In a proposed rule announced Nov. 19, the Bureau of Industry and Security wants to set out guidelines establishing “criteria for identifying emerging technologies that are essential to U.S. national security.” The stated goals of such controls are tied to both security and protectionism for existing American industry, especially the science, technology, engineering and manufacturing sectors.
The proposed rules encompass 14 technologies, covering brain-computer interfaces to advanced surveillance technology. Nestled in that list of technologies is “artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning technology,” which is further broken into 11 related tools.
Here is a list of all the kinds of AI that the new rules seek to put under Commerce export controls:
- Neural networks and deep learning (e.g., brain modelling, time series prediction, classification)
- Evolution and genetic computation (e.g., genetic algorithms, genetic programming)
- Reinforcement learning
- Computer vision (e.g., object recognition, image understanding)
- Expert systems (e.g., decision support systems, teaching systems)
- Speech and audio processing (e.g., speech recognition and production)
- Natural language processing ( e.g., machine translation)
- Planning (e.g., scheduling, game playing)
- Audio and video manipulation technologies (e.g., voice cloning, deepfakes)
- AI cloud technologies
- AI chipsets
Several of these are as much mathematical concepts, or processes, as they are distinct, controllable technologies. Others, like AI cloud technologies, suggest always-online servers, which by the very nature of the internet, are difficult to control within borders.
Tackling an entire technological field, especially one with as low a barrier to entry as coding, is a tricky proposition, even in the instances where the technology is clearly defined.
Why might the White House go through all this trouble?
“These revisions could compose an important element of a strategy of targeted countermeasures against the near-term threat posed by China's tactics for tech transfer and the long-term challenge of China's emergence as a powerhouse in innovation,” said Elsa B. Kania, adjunct fellow at the Center for New American Security.
“However, the revision of this traditional mechanism for today's challenges is inherently challenging, particularly when development is driven by commercial technologies.”
Unlike, say, controlling the components and designs of missiles in the Cold War, many of the technologies covered under these proposed rules have both commercial and military applications. We need not look abroad to find this. Project Maven, the tool Google created to process images collected from drones, was built on top of an open-source library. Identifying objects in images is hardly a military-specific task. Should companies within the United States be restricted in how they create, sell and share those same tools with researchers and commercial companies outside American borders?
“China's national strategy of military-civil fusion, which seeks to create and leverage synergies among defense, academic, and commercial technological developments in dual-use technologies, increases the ambiguity and uncertainty of tech transfer and collaboration,” Kania said.
“That is, the boundaries between defense and commercial technologies can become quite blurred as a result of the nature of these technologies and the Chinese government's strategy for their integrated development.”
Putting in place controls to hinder the free flow of AI between American companies and businesses abroad may mitigate that risk somewhat, but countries set on acquiring the tools can pursue research by other means, including technology transfers, espionage, theft through hacking, or even straightforward investment and acquisition. Staying ahead in artificial intelligence likely cannot be done through commerce restrictions alone.
“The U.S. must recognize that such controls may slow and hinder China's advances in these emerging technologies, but China's emergence as a powerhouse and would-be superpower in such emerging technologies will remain a critical long-term challenge,” Kania said. “We must not only pursue such defensive countermeasures, but also undertake a more offensive approach to ensuring future American competitiveness through investing in our own innovation ecosystem.”
https://www.c4isrnet.com/it-networks/2018/11/20/to-maintain-tech-edge-us-seeks-export-controls-on-ai
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8 octobre 2019 | International, Aérospatial, Naval, Terrestre, C4ISR, Sécurité
Contract Awards by US Department of Defense - October 07, 2019
ARMY Brasfield & Gorrie LLC, Birmingham, Alabama (W912HN-20-D-3000); Gilbane Federal JV, Concord, California (W912HN-20-D-3001); Hensel Phelps Construction Co., Orlando, Florida (W912HN-20-D-3002); Caddell Construction Co. (DE) LLC, Montgomery, Alabama (W912HN-20-D-3003); Archer Western Federal JV, Chicago, Illinois (W912HN-20-D-3004); and M.A. Mortenson Co., Minneapolis, Minnesota (W912HN-20-D-3005), will compete for each order of the $249,000,000 firm-fixed-price contract for design, build, construction, rehabilitation, maintenance, repairs, mechanical systems, plumbing, utility systems, structural, electrical, heating and air conditioning, instrumentation, security and safety areas of Government facilities. Bids were solicited via the internet with 20 received. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of Oct. 3, 2024. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Savannah, Georgia, is the contracting activity. AIR FORCE New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology, Socorro, New Mexico, has been awarded a $92,980,000 cost-reimbursement, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for Playas Electronic Attack & Cyber Environment research and development. This contract will define, develop and deploy cyber electronic warfare (EW) capabilities for research and development, evaluation, test and training in support of employment of cyber EW effects. This effort will provide a unique and enduring environment to support Department of Defense assets for the employment of cyber and EW effects. Work will be performed in Playas, New Mexico, and is expected to be completed by Oct. 7, 2026. Fiscal 2019 research and development funds in the amount of $5,298,000 are being obligated at time of award. The Air Force Research Laboratory, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, is the contracting activity (FA8650-20-D-1888). Linde Services LLC, New Providence, New Jersey, has been awarded a $77,000,000 hybrid firm-fixed-price, cost-plus-fixed-fee contract (FA7022-20-D-0002) with a cost reimbursable line item, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for the processing separation, and radio assay of atmospheric gas samples for elemental determination of sample components. This contract provides for laboratory analytical services and support services, including but not limited to, sample analysis, analytical technique advancement, special projects, computer software support. The location of performance is New Providence, New Jersey. The work is expected to be completed by Sept. 30, 2027. This award is the result of a sole-source acquisition. Fiscal 2020 operations and maintenance funding in the amount of $6,998,924 is obligated at the time of award. Headquarters Air Combat Command, Acquisition Management and Integration Center, Detachment 2 Operation Location, Patrick Air Force Base, Florida, is the contracting activity. DEFENSE LOGISTICS AGENCY Olgoonik Technical Services LLC, Anchorage, Alaska, has been awarded a maximum $13,314,408 modification (P00033) exercising the fourth one-year option period of a one-year base contract (SP3300-16-C-5001) with four one-year option periods for warehousing and distribution support services. This is a fixed-price-incentive contract with cost-reimbursement line items. Locations of performance are Alaska and California, with an Oct. 15, 2020, performance completion date. Using customer is Defense Logistics Agency. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2020 defense working capital funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Distribution, New Cumberland, Pennsylvania. NAVY Schuyler Line Navigation Co. LLC, Annapolis, Maryland, is awarded an $11,803,500 modification under a previously awarded firm, fixed-price contract (N32205-18-C-3508) to fund the first one-year option period. The option will continue to provide one U.S. flagged vessel (SLNC Goodwill) in support of the Department of Defense Logistics Agency Energy for the transportation of clean petroleum products in the Far East region. The current contract includes a 12-month base period, three 12-month option periods and one 11-month option period. Work will be performed in the Far East region, and is expected to be completed by Oct. 14, 2020. Fiscal 2020 working capital funds in the amount of $2,950,875 will be obligated at time of award and each quarter thereafter and will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. Fiscal 2021 working capital funds will be funded for the remainder of the option. Military Sealift Command, headquartered in Norfolk, Virginia, is the contracting activity (N32205-18-C-3508). https://www.defense.gov/Newsroom/Contracts/Contract/Article/1983019/source/GovDelivery/
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6 avril 2021 | International, Aérospatial
La version militaire de l’Airbus A330 remplacera les CC-150 Polaris de l’Aviation royale canadienne
Temps de lecture estimé : 2 minutes Alors que le gouvernement canadien était à la recherche d'avions pour remplacer les cinq avions de ravitaillement vieillissants de sa Force aérienne, le Canada, qui avait reçu une réponse à sa demande de Boeing, qui avait offert le KC-46, la version militaire du 767, a finalement choisi Airbus comme le seul fournisseur qualifié pour sa nouvelle flotte d'avions de ravitaillement en vol et d'avions VIP, rapportent les médias spécialisés.