Nouvelles

By: Aaron Mehta WASHINGTON — In the early days of the Pentagon's Defense Innovation Unit Experimental, then-Defense Secretary Ash Carter stressed that the “experimental” part of the unit was vital, a sign that the Silicon Valley outreach hub could remain flexible. “DIUx is, after all, an experiment, as well as a pathfinder,” Carter said in 2016, following a relaunch of the group after a frustrating first year. “We created it so we could try new approaches, learn what works and what doesn't, and iterate until we get it right. And we'll keep iterating together and learning from each other as we go forward.” Now, three years after its founding, it appears the experiment is over. Deputy Secretary of Defense Patrick Shanahan on Thursday announced that the office will now be known only as the Defense Innovation Unit, formally dropping the “experimental” part of the title. In a memo, Shanahan called the group a “proven, valuable asset” for the department and said the name change is a testament to my commitment to the importance of its mission.” “Removing ‘experimental' reflects DIU's permanence within the DoD. Though DIU will continue to experiment with new ways of delivering capability to the warfighter, the organization itself is no longer an experiment,” Shanahan wrote. “DIU remains vital to fostering innovation across the Department and transforming the way DoD builds a more lethal force.” It's a vote of confidence that will be welcomed by the now-DIU team and its supporters, after a year where many wondered about the future of the office. Since its creation, DIUx reported directly to the defense secretary — until February of this year, when it was rolled under the undersecretary of defense for research and engineering. Raj Shah, who led the group for the last two years, stepped down earlier this year as the office's leader; a search for his full-time replacement is ongoing. And three years after the office was formed, some have questioned what exactly the group has accomplished. Full article: https://www.defensenews.com/pentagon/2018/08/09/experiment-over-pentagons-tech-hub-gets-a-vote-of-confidence/

Proposal to create new military service requires approval from Congress Faced with growing competition and threats from Russia and China, the White House on Thursday said it will create the U.S. Space Force as a sixth, separate military service by 2020. Vice-President Mike Pence told a Pentagon audience that the plan fulfils President Donald Trump's vow to ensure America's dominance in space — a domain that was once peaceful and uncontested that has now become crowded and adversarial. "Now the time has come to write the next great chapter in the history of our armed forces, to prepare for the next battlefield where America's best and bravest will be called to deter and defeat a new generation of threats to our people, to our nation," said Pence. "The time has come to establish the United States Space Force." Trump marked Pence's announcement with a tweet. Trump has called for a "separate but equal" space force, a complicated and expensive move that requires congressional approval. On Thursday, Pence said the administration will work with Congress on the plan and outline a budget next year. Defence Secretary Jim Mattis has endorsed steps to reorganize the military's space war-fighting forces and create a new command, but has previously opposed launching an expensive, new service. A new branch of the military would require layers of bureaucracy, military and civilian leaders, uniforms, equipment and an expansive support structure. Full article: https://www.cbc.ca/news/world/pence-trump-us-space-force-plan-1.4779217

WASHINGTON -- Five university-industry teams have been selected for the Defense Enterprise Science Initiative, known as DESI, Defense Department officials announced today. DESI is a pilot program supporting university-industry research collaboration focused on accelerating the impact of basic research on defense capabilities. DESI's goals are twofold, officials said. First, it seeks to foster sustainable university-industry partnerships to identify and apply new discoveries and knowledge on existing capabilities and address technological gaps. DESI also aims to charter a new pathway to accelerate the transfer of basic research to innovative technologies and complement the department's other basic research programs such as the Vannevar Bush Faculty Fellowship, the Multidisciplinary University Research Initiative and the Defense University Research Instrumentation Program. “Programs like DESI are vital to foster collaboration in the research ecosystem and accelerate the transition of ground-breaking basic science to transformative capabilities,” said Dr. Bindu Nair, deputy director for basic research. “I look forward to seeing how these teams can help us address our unique and challenging defense problem sets.” Each team will receive up to $1.5 million over two years to further fundamental knowledge and understanding in the context of end-use applications. Full Article: https://www.defense.gov/News/Article/Article/1595382/dod-announces-desi-awards-for-university-industry-collaborations/

Lindsay Bjerregaard Oerlikon is partnering with Boeing and Lufthansa Technik to research standardization and qualification of additive manufacturing processes. Oerlikon is pairing up with major aerospace players to make additive manufacturing (AM) a more feasible option for industrialization. The Swiss technology and engineering group has signed agreements this year with Lufthansa Technik (LHT) and Boeing to collaborate on research into ways AM for aerospace can be more easily standardized and qualified. The most recent of these agreements is the memorandum of understanding (MoU) with LHT, which aims to establish “robust and repeatable processes for AM in the aircraft MRO industry.” According to a spokesperson for Oerlikon, the collaboration's research seeks to understand what process variability exists when the same component geometries are built on the same machine using the same powder batch, heat treatment, testing conditions and build parameters in different global locations. Oerlikon and LHT will print these components using an Oerlikon-produced IN718 powder alloy on identical printers at LHT Hamburg and Oerlikon's locations in Charlotte, North Carolina and Barleben, Germany. Once the variables are identified, the study's objective is to understand how they can be controlled to achieve repeatable processes—which will ensure that all parts meet quality requirements and reduce the cost of recurring quality validation, according to Oerlikon. The company says this repeatability could also provide potential savings in procurement, warehousing and supply chain management. For now, the partnership is set for a one-year period, but the companies say the scope and timeframe is likely to increase. Meeting the challenges of qualifying AM materials and processes for aerospace is also at the heart of Oerlikon's collaboration agreement with Boeing. The five-year agreement, which was signed in February, seeks to develop standard materials and processes for metal-based AM. The collaboration's research will initially focus on industrializing titanium powder bed fusion AM. The companies say that in addition to meeting qualification challenges, it will enable them to “provide a route for the adoption of AM with a qualified supply chain that achieves quality and cost targets.” Full Article: https://www.mro-network.com/emerging-technology/studies-seek-industrialize-additive-manufacturing-aerospace

By: Jen Judson HUNTSVILLE, Ala. — Missile defense leaders within the Pentagon as well as Congress are pushing for more missile defense capability in space and the Missile Defense Agency Director Gen. Samuel Greaves laid out a rough idea of what a space-based missile defense sensor layercould look like. The missile defense community has been talking “seriously” about a sensor layer in space “actively over the last year,” Greaves said in an August 8 speech at the Space and Missile Defense Symposium. While many decisions still have to be made regarding requirements definitions, development paths and the acquisition process, “the key thing,” Greaves said, “is that there is serious consideration and support being given to the need to deploy these space sensors because we must do so.” Greaves laid out a very rough sketch of what the agency is looking for to build a robust sensor layer. First, the MDA might use something like a current system from the U.S. Air Force — the Overhead Persistent Infrared OPIR Global Scanning system — to alert and characterize activity in space, essentially “to be the bell ringer if something is going on,” Greaves said. Full Article: https://www.defensenews.com/digital-show-dailies/smd/2018/08/08/mda-director-provides-rough-sketch-of-possible-space-based-missile-defense-sensor-layer/

By: Andrew Chuter LONDON — Britain's defense exports recorded a massive 53 percent uptick in 2017, figures released by the government show. The Defence Security Organisation posted the figures, without any fanfare, on their website at the end of last month, showing British defense companies secured exports valued at £9 billion ($11.59 billion) last year; it's the second largest annual export success in the last decade. The defense sales figures bounced back from a poor performance in 2016 when associated exports totalled £5.9 billion. “The U.K.'s strong performance equates to a third-placed ranking globally, up from fourth in 2016, and is a considerable achievement,” said the DSO. The British success came against a background of a surge in defense exports globally. The DSO said total overseas sales by countries around the world reached a 10-year high at around $98 billion in 2017. Full Article: https://www.defensenews.com/global/europe/2018/08/08/uk-reports-massive-uptick-in-defense-exports/

Christopher Woody\ Researchers are looking at ways to lighten the load troops carry in the field and better regulate their temperatures. Synthetics like artificial spider silk are one material they're looking at for that purpose. Scientists have often found military applications in strange substances found in nature or made in labs. The silk spiders produce is tougher than Kevlar and more flexible than nylon, and Air Force researchers think it could it could be key to creating new materials that take the load and heat off troops in the field. Scientists at the Air Force Research Lab and Purdue University have been examining natural silk to get a sense of its ability to regulate temperature — silk can drop 10 to 15 degrees Fahrenheit through passive radiative cooling, which means radiating more heat than it absorbs, according to an Air Force news release. Those researchers want to apply that property to synthetics, like artificial spider silk, which is stronger than Kevlar, the polymer typically used in body armor, and more flexible than nylon. Enhancing body armor and adding comfort for troops is one of many improvements hoped for by a team led by Dr. Augustine Urbas, a researcher in the Functional Materials Division of the Materials and Manufacturing Directorate. "Understanding natural silk will enable us to engineer multifunctional fibers with exponential possibilities. The ultra-strong fibers outperform the mechanical characteristics of many synthetic materials as well as steel," Urbas said in the release. "These materials could be the future in comfort and strength in body armor and parachute material for the warfighter." https://www.businessinsider.com/military-scientists-want-to-use-spider-silk-for-body-armor-parachutes-2018-8

Pat Host The United Kingdom plans to work closely with US industry as it develops its next-generation Tempest fighter jet concept, according to the UK defence secretary. “We have a great tradition at producing the best fighters in the world and we have a great tradition of having that national sovereign capability, and we are never going to be wanting to surrender that,” Gavin Williamson told an audience on 7 August at the Atlantic Council think tank in Washington. “In terms of actually working with international partners, we're very open to it.” Williamson announced the Tempest concept in mid-July at the UK Farnborough International Airshow. The Tempest team currently comprises BAE Systems, Leonardo, MBDA, and Rolls-Royce. The United Kingdom wants a Tempest business case by the end of the year, a final investment decision by 2025, and the aircraft flying by 2035. The United States is home to leading fighter jet companies Lockheed Martin and Boeing. Lockheed Martin is developing the fifth-generation F-35 Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter (JSF), developed the fifth-generation F-22 Raptor, and supports the F-16 Fighting Falcon while Boeing supports the F-15 Eagle. The United Kingdom is a partner on the F-35 programme. There is already international interest in Tempest. Japan has approached the United Kingdom about participating, having had an “exchange of opinions” about the possibility of a joint air combat project. Japan is looking to replace its Air Self-Defense Force's (JASDF's) Mitsubishi F-2 fighters. https://www.janes.com/article/82256/uk-welcomes-us-participation-in-tempest-fighter-jet-concept

CAE a annoncé aujourd'hui qu'elle investira 1 milliard $ CA en innovation au cours des cinq prochaines années pour demeurer à l'avant-garde du secteur de la formation. L'un des principaux objectifs de l'investissement est de financer le projet Intelligence numérique, un projet de transformation numérique visant à développer la prochaine génération de solutions de formation pour l'aviation, la défense et sécurité, et les soins de santé. En partenariat avec le gouvernement du Canada et le gouvernement du Québec, le projet permettra à CAE de continuer à jouer un rôle clé pour améliorer la sécurité du transport aérien, la préparation aux missions des forces de défense et la capacité du personnel médical à sauver des vies. Les autres avantages consistent notamment à réduire l'empreinte environnementale en aviation et à répondre à la demande mondiale en équipages. Le gouvernement du Canada et le gouvernement du Québec investiront, au total, un montant de près de 200 millions $ CA au cours des cinq prochaines années (150 millions $ CA pour le Canada et 47,5 millions $ CA pour Québec). Le premier ministre du Canada Justin Trudeau et le premier ministre du Québec Philippe Couillard se sont joints à la haute direction et aux employés de CAE pour l'annonce, qui souligne l'un des plus importants investissements en innovation dans le secteur de la formation en aviation à l'échelle mondiale. « En tant que puissance en innovation, CAE est à l'avant-garde du secteur de la formation et utilise la technologie numérique depuis des années. Cet investissement stratégique fera passer notre entreprise au niveau supérieur », a déclaré Marc Parent, président et chef de la direction de CAE. « En utilisant de nouvelles technologies, telles que l'intelligence artificielle, les mégadonnées, la réalité augmentée, ainsi que plusieurs autres, et en les appliquant à la science de l'apprentissage, nous révolutionnerons l'expérience de formation des pilotes, des équipages et des professionnels de la santé, en plus d'améliorer la sécurité. Nous nous engageons à investir 1 milliard $ CA au cours des cinq prochaines années afin d'aider CAE, le Québec et le Canada à se positionner en tant que chefs de file en technologie numérique. » Le projet Intelligence numérique transformera les produits et services de CAE afin de tirer profit des technologies numériques, qui s'étendent des mégadonnées à l'intelligence artificielle, en passant par l'infonuagique, la cybersécurité et la réalité augmentée/virtuelle. CAE développera sa prochaine génération de technologies de formation pour l'aviation, la défense et sécurité, et les soins de santé, tout en utilisant son vaste réseau de formation et son écosystème de données. Le projet comprend trois principaux secteurs d'activités : le développement d'une technologie numérique évoluée, la transformation numérique de la formation et de l'expérience utilisateur, ainsi que les installations d'innovation et de collaboration de CAE. CAE mènera le projet Intelligence numérique au Canada en utilisant ses laboratoires de recherche et développement, ainsi que ses installations d'essais et d'intégration. Dans le cadre du projet, CAE développera un campus d'innovation dans son établissement de Montréal en transformant ses espaces de travail, ses laboratoires et ses processus afin de permettre une meilleure innovation et collaboration. Au cours du projet Intelligence numérique, CAE collaborera et développera conjointement des solutions technologiques avec des petites et moyennes entreprises de partout au Canada et qualifiera plus de 150 nouveaux fournisseurs novateurs au pays. CAE collaborera également avec plus de 50 institutions postsecondaires et centres de recherche. Le projet devrait créer et maintenir des milliers d'emplois hautement spécialisés à CAE au Canada et au sein de la chaîne d'approvisionnement établie au Canada de CAE. CAE emploie approximativement 4 000 personnes dans 18 établissements au Canada et plus de 5 000 dans le reste du monde. Les investissements des gouvernements sont sujets à la finalisation des ententes. Article complet: https://www.cae.com/fr/nouvelles-et-evenements/communique-de-presse/cae-poised-to-revolutionize-pilot-aircrew-and-healthcare-professional-training-by-investing-c1-billion-over-five-years-in-innovation/