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14 août 2014 4 14 /08 /août /2014 07:20
Raytheon and UMass Lowell establish institute to inspire technology innovations and knowledge sharing

 

 

TEWKSBURY, Mass., Aug. 12, 2014 /PRNewswire

 

Raytheon Company (NYSE: RTN) and the University of Massachusetts Lowell have announced an agreement to establish a joint research facility focused on the advancement of innovative technologies in a collaborative, state-of-the-art institute. Raytheon is committing $3 million with options to $5 million throughout the next 10 years for establishment of this research facility. 

The Raytheon-UMass Lowell Research Institute (RURI) will feature state-of-the-art laboratories and classrooms that will serve as a launchpad for collaboration and learning among UMass Lowell faculty and students and Raytheon employees to benefit both organizations in the pursuit of federal research funding. It will also provide UMass Lowell students with opportunities for research projects and employment opportunities at Raytheon.

"The creation of the RURI presents a tangible opportunity to advance the research and the learning of technologies under development for students and employees alike and will inspire future engineers and drive innovation," said Dan Crowley, president of Raytheon's Integrated Defense Systems business.

"We look forward to bringing the expertise of our top-notch faculty together with researchers from Raytheon. This new partnership is just one example of how UMass Lowell is leading the way in collaborating with industry to power innovation and the economy in Massachusetts and beyond," said UMass Lowell Chancellor Marty Meehan. "This institute will also provide our students with the kind of real-world experience that is one of the hallmarks of a UMass Lowell education."

"As a co-directed, co-located research environment, the RURI signifies a unique opportunity for Raytheon's university partnerships," said Mark E. Russell, Raytheon vice president of Engineering, Technology and Mission Assurance. "The RURI will serve as an extension of our current research capabilities and represents a resource across the Raytheon enterprise for the study of advanced materials and flexible circuit technologies, such as printable electronics and nanotechnology."

Initial research will focus on future technologies for radar and communication systems and could expand into other areas as needed. The institute will leverage UMass Lowell's strengths in printed electronics and nanotechnology that align with Raytheon's strategic technology needs including high-frequency printed conformal antennas, carbon-based transistors and photonic devices.

The RURI will be located in the Mark and Elisia Saab Emerging Technologies and Innovation Center, an $80 million, 84,000-square-foot research facility on the UMass Lowell campus that is home to cutting-edge research in a variety of science and engineering disciplines. The center – one of nine new buildings opened by the university since 2009 – was constructed to provide not only UMass Lowell faculty and students with the most advanced research facility of its kind north of Boston, but to also support collaboration with businesses from startups to world leaders like Raytheon.

The building's fourth floor will be specially equipped to house the institute, which will be co-directed by Dr. Christopher McCarroll of Raytheon and UMass Lowell Prof. Craig Armiento, Ph.D., a faculty member in electrical and computer engineering in the university's Francis College of Engineering.

 

About UMass Lowell
UMass Lowell is a national research university located on a high-energy campus in the heart of a global community. The university offers its 17,000 students bachelor's, master's and doctoral degrees in business, engineering, education, fine arts, health, humanities, liberal arts, sciences and social sciences. UMass Lowell delivers high-quality educational programs, vigorous hands-on learning and personal attention from leading faculty and staff, all of which prepare graduates to be ready for work, for life and for all the world offers. www.uml.edu

 

About Raytheon
Raytheon Company, with 2013 sales of $24 billion and 63,000 employees worldwide, is a technology and innovation leader specializing in defense, security and civil markets throughout the world. With a history of innovation spanning 92 years, Raytheon provides state-of-the-art electronics, mission systems integration and other capabilities in the areas of sensing; effects; and command, control, communications and intelligence systems, as well as cyber security and a broad range of mission support services. Raytheon is headquartered in Waltham, Mass. For more about Raytheon, visit us at www.raytheon.com and follow us on Twitter @Raytheon.

 

 

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14 août 2014 4 14 /08 /août /2014 07:20
Northrop Grumman Awarded $300 Million Contract to Continue Air Force Weather Support

 

BELLEVUE, Neb. – Aug., 13 2014 – Northrop Grumman Corporation

 

Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE:NOC) has been awarded an indefinite delivery, indefinite quantity contract valued at up to $300 million to continue helping U.S. Air Force Weather (AFW) deliver a full range of terrestrial and space environmental information, products and services to military users worldwide.

 

The Air Force, Army, special operations forces and others rely on AFW environmental information and forecasts for mission planning, combat operations by military units in the field, and airfield and flight operations.

 

Under the Systems Engineering, Management and Sustainment (SEMS) III contract, Northrop Grumman will continue to facilitate enterprise-level systems engineering, systems management and sustainment services. In addition, the company will support scientific projects, the transition of new capability to operations, logistics analysis and management, and testing and fielding support. The company has been the prime contractor for SEMS since 2002.

 

Northrop Grumman's SEMS work includes supporting AFW's continuing enhancement of existing systems, development of enterprise-level distribution methods that use network-centric services, expanding on-demand capabilities and fully integrating environmental domain data from land, sea, atmosphere and space sensors.

 

"We are very pleased to build upon our strong partnership with the Air Force Weather community as we work together to implement the government's single baseline architecture for the future," said Linnie Haynesworth, vice president and general manager, Intelligence Systems and Reconnaissance division, Northrop Grumman Information Systems. "The Northrop Grumman SEMS team ensures all systems are operational and available, enabling the Air Force to provide the continuous, complete and current weather information that is so critical to our military for mission success. We have a long history of delivering strong performance and are dedicated to increasing performance levels to satisfy existing and emerging missions while reducing total cost of ownership."

 

Supported systems include the Weather Data Analysis, Point Analysis Intelligence System and Air Force Weather Web Services, which provide timely data and services to warfighters making critical operational decisions; the Space Weather Analysis and Forecast System, which characterizes the near earth electrical and magnetic fields for global Defense Department space operations and communications; and operational numerical weather modeling systems including the Land Information System, Weather Research and Forecast Model, Cloud Depiction and Forecast System II, and AFWA Coupled Assimilation and Prediction System to analyze and predict environmental conditions worldwide for mission planning, current operations and post-strike analysis.

 

The SEMS III contract was awarded by the 55th Contracting Squadron, based at Offutt Air Force Base. Work will be performed primarily at the Air Force Weather Agency, also headquartered at Offutt. AFWA runs the strategic center for weather for the Air Force and supplies all weather-related information to the Air Force, Army, other Defense Department activities, the intelligence community and many civilian agencies.

 

Northrop Grumman was first awarded SEMS in 2002, initially tasked with consolidating the Air Force's weather systems to reduce the costs of maintaining individual weather systems. Under related contracts, the company has supported the Air Force's weather mission for more than 25 years.

 

Northrop Grumman is a leading global security company providing innovative systems, products and solutions in unmanned systems, cyber, C4ISR, and logistics and modernization to government and commercial customers worldwide. Please visit www.northropgrumman.com for more information.

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14 août 2014 4 14 /08 /août /2014 07:20
U.S. Army M-1A2SEPv2s and Romanian tanks during an exercise in Germany in May 2014

U.S. Army M-1A2SEPv2s and Romanian tanks during an exercise in Germany in May 2014

 

Aug 12 by David Axe – War is boring

 

A taxonomy of armored vehicles, volume four — the tricked-out M-1

 

The U.S. occupation of Iraq is over. The Afghanistan war is winding down. Today America faces “emerging threats in an increasingly sophisticated technological environment,” according to Gen. John Campbell, the Army vice chief of staff.

For the U.S. ground combat branches that means a renewed emphasis on fast-moving armored warfare. The Army and Marines are dusting off heavy vehicles that played a minor role in Iraq and Afghanistan.

In this series, we spotlight some of the more obscure, weird and lamented armored behemoths. The battle wagons of a new era of warfare. The focus of this volume — the Army’s latest M-1 tank … with all the bells and whistles.

 

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14 août 2014 4 14 /08 /août /2014 07:20
Warship "Survivability"

 

12 Aug 2014 by Lazarus - informationdissemination.net

 

Much of the recent discussion of the current Littoral Combatant Ship (LCS) program and the proposed new frigate FF(G)X involves the “survivability” of both classes. Numerous senior civilian and uniformed officials have called for the FF(G)X to be “more survivable” than the current LCS. Casual observers may not know how much information goes into determining this feature of a warship design. Before the Second World War and for some time after, “survivability” was primarily concerned with how many “hits” of a certain size projectile a warship could sustain and still be mission capable. In the postwar era, the concept of survivability changed based on a new ethos in surface combatant design, the advent of nuclear weapons, and advances in detection, communication, weapons, and countermeasure technologies. In fact, a warship’s active and passive defenses against attack from aircraft, cruise missiles and underwater weapons have effectively replaced armor and other elements of physical resistance to damage, making a warship’s “survivability” more akin to a combat aircraft than past combatants.

 

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13 août 2014 3 13 /08 /août /2014 20:35
AUS: Conclusion of the Australia-United States Ministerial Consultations
Left to Right - Aus Minister for Defence: David Johnston, US Secretary of State: John Kerry, Aus Minister for Foreign Affairs: Julie Bishop, and US Secretary of Defense: Chuck Hagel
 
13.08.2014 Pacific Sentinel
 
I (David Johnston: Minister for Defence) hosted my US counterpart, Secretary of Defense, Chuck Hagel, in Sydney for the 29th Australia-US Ministerial Consultations (AUSMIN) and bilateral discussions.
 
This was the second AUSMIN that Secretary Hagel and I have participated in together and the first time I have hosted Secretary Hagel in Australia.
 
Australia is committed to our Alliance relationship with the US, which remains the cornerstone of Australia’s strategic and security architecture. After more than 60 years, our Alliance remains as strong and relevant as ever.
 
During AUSMIN talks on Monday and Tuesday with the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Julie Bishop, and the US Secretary of State, John Kerry, we discussed the strength of the Australia-US Alliance relationship and noted the significant progress made since last year’s meeting.
 
 
We signed a legally-binding agreement to facilitate the full implementation of the US force posture initiatives in northern Australia.
 
The Force Posture Agreement will provide a robust policy, legal and financial framework for the force posture initiatives. This important new agreement will facilitate the full implementation of the US Marine Corps and US Air Force initiatives in northern Australia that were agreed between our two countries in 2011.
 
The force posture initiatives are an expression of Australia’s support for a strong US presence in the region and their implementation was a central topic of discussions at AUSMIN.
 
During AUSMIN we also agreed to several new initiatives that will strengthen and enhance our security and defence cooperation.
 
We welcomed Japan’s efforts to make a greater contribution to international peace and stability. We agreed to enhance trilateral security and defence cooperation with Japan, including through the Trilateral Strategic Dialogue and further developing existing trilateral exercises.
 
In recognition of the growing threat posed by ballistic missile proliferation, we examined options for potential Australian contributions to regional Ballistic Missile Defence. I also accepted Secretary Hagel’s offer to send a team of experts to Australia to assess potential Australian contributions to the regional Ballistic Missile Defence capability.
 
In addition, we discussed our shared commitment to fostering global security and stability. We reaffirmed our commitment to completing a full international investigation into the origins of the attack against Malaysian Airlines flight MH17 in the Ukraine.
 
We also acknowledged the important contributions our defence personnel have made together to global security, including in Afghanistan. We agreed on the importance of maintaining the hard-won interoperability gains from over a decade of operations, particularly for our Special Forces.
 
We also discussed naval cooperation and asked our respective officials to develop practical options to enhance training and exercising in Australia and the region.
 
On Monday, Secretary Hagel and I conducted a bilateral meeting and participated in a roundtable event with leading Australian strategic commentators.
 
We also conducted a wreath laying in Hyde Park, in recognition of our shared sacrifices in every major war since World War I.
 
The wreath laying was attended by the Secretary of the Department of Defence, Mr Dennis Richardson, the Vice Chief of Defence Force, Vice Admiral Griggs, and Commander of US Pacific Command, Admiral Locklear.
 
Today I am travelling to Darwin to meet with Australian soldiers and members of the US Marine Corps rotational force at Robertson Barracks.
 
Robertson Barracks is home to the US Marine Corps rotational presence in northern Australia.
 
This year’s Marine rotation involves around 1150 US Marines, up from 250 Marines in 2013. The rotation also includes four helicopters and a range of vehicles and equipment. Larger rotations better position both nations to work with regional partners on common contingencies such as humanitarian assistance and disaster relief.
 
I thank Secretary Hagel for his visit to Australia, and for our robust and productive conversations during his time here.
 
A copy of the Final AUSMIN 2014 Communiqué (PDF) is available.
 
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13 août 2014 3 13 /08 /août /2014 20:20
Monstermind: le redoutable antivirus de la NSA

 

13/08/2014 Par Lefigaro.fr (AFP)

 

Le lanceur d'alerte Edward Snowden a affirmé que l'Agence de sécurité nationale américaine (NSA) disposait d'un logiciel antivirus capable de contre-attaquer automatiquement, sans aucune intervention humaine, contre des pirates informatiques, même si ces représailles ne sont pas toujours adéquates.

 

Une arme redoutable

 

Selon l'ancien consultant de la NSA, aujourd'hui réfugié en Russie, cet antivirus nommé "MonsterMind" est une arme redoutable: il permet, en cas d'attaque par des pirates informatiques contre des intérêts américains, de mener automatiquement des représailles contre l'ordinateur hébergeant l'adresse à l'origine de l'attaque, a-t-il expliqué dans une longue interview au magazine Wired parue aujourd'hui. Ce sont les premières révélations publiques concernant cet antivirus.

 

Mais selon Edward Snowden ce type de réponse automatique pose problème car des pirates informatiques habiles font transiter leurs attaques par le biais d'adresses internet de façade. Or MonsterMind s'attaquera en représailles à cette adresse tierce, au lieu de remonter vers les vrais coupables. "Vous pouvez avoir quelqu'un en Chine, par exemple, qui lance une attaque en la faisant transiter par une adresse en Russie. Et alors nous nous retrouvons à contre-attaquer et à nous en prendre à un hôpital en Russie" qui n'est pour rien dans l'attaque originale, a regretté Edward Snowden.

 

Le déclic de Snowden

 

Au cours de cette interview, qui s'est étalée sur plusieurs jours à Moscou, durant lesquels le lanceur d'alertes s'est montré gai et détendu, Edward Snowden a également expliqué quel avait été le déclic qui l'avait poussé à faire fuiter des centaines de milliers de documents concernant la sécurité américaine. Selon lui, après des mois durant lesquels il était de plus en plus mal à l'aise au vu des activités de la NSA, des déclarations malhonnêtes devant le Congrès de James Clapper, directeur du renseignement national, l'ont poussé à agir. Au cours de cet entretien devant des élus en mars 2013, James Clapper avait affirmé que la NSA ne collectait pas "sciemment" d'informations sur les Américains.

 

"Je crois que je lisais ça dans le journal le lendemain, on en parlait avec les collègues et je leur disais: Tu peux croire ça ?", raconte Edward Snowden. Celui-ci relate que ses collègues ne semblaient pas choqués, mais que lui craignait de s'enfoncer dans un système de plus en plus "diabolique", ce qui l'avait poussé à agir. Enfin, Edward Snowden pense que dans les milliers de documents qu'il a fait fuiter, et qui n'ont pas encore tous été exploités, dorment encore certainement des documents qui pourraient compromettre encore davantage les services du renseignement américain.

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13 août 2014 3 13 /08 /août /2014 17:20
U.S. special forces trying to determine effectiveness of its propaganda efforts

 

August 13, 2014 David Pugliese

 

The Pentagon’s Special Operations Command will conduct a social research program in Colombia to help shape future propaganda efforts, USA Today is reporting. It cites newly released military records.

 

More from the article:

 

It is the latest in a series of SOCOM attempts to gauge the effectiveness of its propaganda programs, which have been under attack in Congress and lost some of their funding in the last year.

 

The Global Research Assessment Program, SOCOM documents show, will hire an outside contractor to develop and conduct a poll in Colombia to gauge which propaganda arguments are the most effective.

 

The program will identify and analyze target audiences for propaganda, determine which programs work the best and then send the results to command officials and others with an interest in the results, the documents show.

 

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13 août 2014 3 13 /08 /août /2014 16:30
OSI Maritime Systems to Deliver WECDIS Systems to the Turkish Navy

 

August 12, 2014 1 David Pugliese

 

OSI Maritime Systems says it will deliver its WECDIS systems to the Turkish Navy.

 

Here is the news release:

 

Burnaby, BC, Canada – OSI Maritime Systems (OSI) is pleased to announce the signing of contracts to provide the Turkish Navy with OSI’s world leading Warship Navigation System, which includes ECPINS-W software.  These systems will be installed on two Landing Ship Tanks and two Rescue and Towing Ships for submarines.

 

OSI has previously delivered systems to the Turkish Navy MILGEM Corvette program.

 

About OSI

 

OSI Maritime Systems has been providing advanced integrated navigation and tactical solutions to military customers for over 20 years.  As a pioneer of Warship Electronic Chart Display and Information Systems (WECDIS), the company has grown to be a leading provider of integrated navigation and tactical solutions designed for naval and maritime security operations.  The company develops and delivers integrated bridge systems for warships, integrated dived navigation systems for submarines, and C2 systems for small craft.  OSI currently has 16 naval customers from around the world with over 500 warships and submarines operating with its world leading integrated navigation and tactical solutions.

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13 août 2014 3 13 /08 /août /2014 16:20
SBIRS GEO-1 satellite. (Lockheed Martin)

SBIRS GEO-1 satellite. (Lockheed Martin)

 

Aug. 13, 2014 - By MARCUS WEISGERBER – Defense News

 

HUNTSVILLE, ALABAMA — The Pentagon needs to fundamentally change the way it buys satellites in an effort to lower costs as US defense spending contracts, a top Air Force general said.

The military oftentimes spends between $3 billion and $5 billion to design, develop and test new satellites, Lt. Gen. John Hyten, vice commander of Air Force Space Command, said. Those so-called non-recurring engineering costs come before DoD buys an operational satellite.

"We should not have to spend billions of dollars in non-recurring engineering … to build these kinds of satellites," Hyten said Tuesday while speaking at the annual Space and Missile Defense Symposium.

 

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13 août 2014 3 13 /08 /août /2014 16:20
SB1-Defiant Photo Tamir Eshel  Defense-Update

SB1-Defiant Photo Tamir Eshel Defense-Update

 

August 12, 2014, Washington – Sikorsky Aircraft Corp.

 

SB>1 Defiant expected to fly in 2017

 

Sikorsky Aircraft Corp., a subsidiary of United Technologies Corp. (NYSE: UTX), and Boeing (NYSE: BA) have been selected to build a helicopter for the U.S. Army’s Joint Multi-Role Technology Demonstrator Phase 1 program (JMR TD), paving the way for the next generation of vertical lift aircraft.

 

The U.S. Army Aviation Technology Directorate (AATD) selected the Sikorsky-Boeing team to continue the development of the SB>1 Defiant, a medium-lift helicopter configured to Sikorsky’s X2™ coaxial design, through flight testing. First flight for the program is expected in 2017.

 

“Defiant will use Sikorsky’s proven X2 technology to overcome aircraft design challenges, which will be critical requirements on future vertical lift aircraft,” said Mick Maurer, Sikorsky president. “The Sikorsky-Boeing team’s integrated approach has created a unique blend of expertise, innovative spirit and customer commitment that are unmatched in the industry. The complementary capabilities of each team member have delivered a design that will provide the best future vertical lift solution to the U.S. Army, and the flexibility of our design makes it suited for naval applications as well. This is a major leap forward.”

 

The Defiant aircraft will feature counter-rotating rigid main rotor blades for vertical and forward flight, a pusher propeller for high-speed acceleration and deceleration, and an advanced fly-by-wire flight control system.

 

“Our team brings leadership and new ways of thinking to aircraft development,” said Shelley Lavender, president of Boeing Military Aircraft. “As the original equipment manufacturers for both the Black Hawk and Apache helicopters, we bring tremendous technological breadth and depth to the customer. I believe our technical capabilities and experience in development and flight testing of complex rotorcraft systems were a key factor in the customer’s decision.”

 

To date, Sikorsky and Boeing collectively have delivered more than 3,000 helicopters to the Army in support of its challenging missions.

 

The JMR TD program supports the Department of Defense’s Future Vertical Lift (FVL) program to deliver the next generation of vertical lift aircraft with greater performance, reliability and affordability. The Defiant aircraft packages evolutionary technologies in a new, innovative and affordable design that flies faster, farther and with more payload.

 

The JMR TD Program offers Sikorsky and Boeing the opportunity to partner with the U.S. Government in demonstrating the maturity of advanced and enabling future vertical lift technologies. Sikorsky and Boeing formed their JMR team in January 2013, and each company has invested significantly in the program.

 

Sikorsky Aircraft Corp., based in Stratford, Connecticut, is a world leader in aircraft design, manufacture and service. United Technologies Corp., based in Hartford, Connecticut, provides high-technology products and support services to the aerospace and building systems industries.

 

A unit of The Boeing Company, Boeing Defense, Space & Security is one of the world's largest defense, space and security businesses specializing in innovative and capabilities-driven customer solutions, and the world’s largest and most versatile manufacturer of military aircraft. Headquartered in St. Louis, Boeing Defense, Space & Security is a $33 billion business with 56,000 employees worldwide. Follow us on Twitter: @BoeingDefense

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13 août 2014 3 13 /08 /août /2014 16:20
AARGM Advanced Anti-Radiation Guided Missile - photo ATK

AARGM Advanced Anti-Radiation Guided Missile - photo ATK

 

Aug 11, 2014 ASDNews Source : Alliant Tech Systems, Inc (ATK)

 

ATK, a world leader in precision-guided weapons, missile products and rocket motors, has been awarded a contract valued at $96.2 million by the U.S. Navy for the third full-rate production lot of the Advanced Anti-Radiation Guided Missile (AARGM). The contract covers AARGM and Captive Air Training Missiles for the U.S. Navy and Italian Air Force.

"AARGM continues to provide significant advanced capabilities to those who protect our nation each and every day," said Bill Kasting, vice president and general manager of ATK's Defense Electronic Systems division. "We look forward to continuing to provide this critical weapons system on schedule and on budget to the U.S. Navy and our allies."

 

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13 août 2014 3 13 /08 /août /2014 12:40
Les USA démentent qu’un de leurs sous-marins ait été expulsé de mer de Barents

 

13 août 2014. Portail des Sous-Marins

 

Les informations selon lesquelles un sous-marin de l’US Navy aurait été chassé le 7 aout dernier des eaux russes par un avion russe de lutte anti-sous-marine, sont faux, ont déclaré lundi des responsables de l’US European Command (EUCOM).

 

« Il n’y a rien de vrai dans cette histoire : il n’y avait pas de sous-marin américain dans la région, » explique un communiqué de l’EUCOM.

 

« Nous ne savons pas ce qu’il en est pour d’autres pays, mais il n’était pas américain. Nous n’avions rien dans une région frontalière le jour en question. »

 

Le communiqué de l’EUCOM fait suite à des articles publiés au cours du week-end, selon lesquels les forces ASM russes avaient chassé un sous-marin américain de la classe Virginia de la mer de Barents.

 

Référence : US Naval Institute (Etats-Unis)

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13 août 2014 3 13 /08 /août /2014 07:20
Airborne Laser Mine Detection System on Maiden Deployment

 

12 août 2014 US Navy


The Navy's Airborne Laser Mine Detection System, or ALMDS, is making its maiden deployment in the 5th fleet area of responsibility

 

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12 août 2014 2 12 /08 /août /2014 12:20
Dillon Aero M134D Minigun Demo

 

May 2013 Dillon Aero demo, 70,000+ rounds fired

 

The Dillon M134D Gatling Gun is the finest small caliber, defense suppression weapon available.  It is a six barreled, electrically driven machine gun chambered in 7.62mm NATO and fires at a fixed rate of 3,000 shots per minute.  Gatling Guns typically feed from a 3,000 or 4,000 round magazine. They are capable of long periods of continuous fire without threat or damage to the weapon making them an excellent choice for defensive suppression.

 

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12 août 2014 2 12 /08 /août /2014 07:20
DRS to overhaul, provide logistics services for USAF cargo loaders

Halvorsen 25K loader at work. (USAF photo)

 

Aug. 7, 2014 By Richard Tomkins (UPI)

 

Cargo loading systems used by the U.S. Air Force are to receive overhaul and logistics services from DRS Technologies over a 10-year period.

 

Halvorsen 25K aircraft cargo loaders used by the U.S. Air Force are to receive depot-level overhaul and logistics support from DRS Technologies Inc.

 

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12 août 2014 2 12 /08 /août /2014 07:20
Electronic Weapons: Caesar Turns Into Nero

 

August 4, 2014: Strategy Page

 

In mid-2014 the U.S. Army successfully tested a UAV operating as an electronic warfare (EW) aircraft. Specifically an army MQ-1C Gray Eagle UAV carried two pods containing jamming equipment previously only used in manned aircraft. The MQ-1C was able to safely carry and operate the jammers without screwing up its own electronics and communications. The pods were repackaged versions of the electronic jamming equipment normally used on manned MC-12 aircraft. This gear fit into two pods designed to be carried and operated from the MQ-1C. The two pods are called NERO (Networked Electronic Warfare, Remotely Operated).

 

The original system had been installed in Beechcraft King Air twin engine commercial aircraft. That system was designed for electronic warfare and reconnaissance against irregular forces (terrorists, specifically those found in Afghanistan and Iraq). The Beechcraft King Airs performed like a heavy (Gray Eagle, Predator, or Reaper) UAV. The MC-12 was crammed with vidcams, electronic sensors, jammers, and radios. This ensemble of gear was called CEASAR (Communications Electronic Attack with Surveillance And Reconnaissance). The MC-12 could spend hours circling an Afghan or Iraqi battleground, keeping troops on the ground aware of enemy walkie-talkie and cell phone use, including the location of these devices and translations of what is being discussed. The MQ-1C has vidcams as standard equipment so its two-pod version of CAESAR has everything but the vidcams.

 

Moving most of the Caesar electronics to a UAV is part of a trend. As effective as the King Air is, UAVs are cheaper to operate and can stay up longer. Military use of the King Air in the United States (where Beechcraft is located) began in the early 1970s, when the U.S. Army adopted the King Air as the RC-12 and then used it for a wide variety of intelligence missions ever since. Israel then developed its own versions (the Tzufit). But the Israelis had different needs and they eventually developed a King Air equipped to deal with Palestinian terrorists who had declared war on Israel in 2000. In the last decade Israel developed an intelligence collection version of the King Air that the U.S. eventually adopted in 2010 as the MC-12 CEASAR. Now the MC-12, like many other manned recon aircraft, are being replaced by UAVs.

 

The recent test of NERO involved the pods being carried for 32 hours and for twenty of those hours the jammers were at full power. That jamming shuts down most radios and cell phones and was used in Iraq and Afghanistan on the MC-12s to deny the enemy use of their wireless communications and using cell phones to remotely detonate bombs. There are no plans to install the pods on smaller (than the 1.4 ton MQ-1C) UAVs because of the weight and power requirements of the pods.

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12 août 2014 2 12 /08 /août /2014 07:20
Talon rocket is fired from a naval platform. (Photo by Raytheon)

Talon rocket is fired from a naval platform. (Photo by Raytheon)

 

TUCSON, Ariz., July 31, 2014 /PRNewswire

 

Raytheon Company (NYSE: RTN) and MD Helicopters, Inc. successfully fired four TALON laser guided rockets from the MD 530G armed aerial scout (AAS) helicopter during a series of tests at Yuma Proving Ground, Ariz.

"This test further demonstrates the maturity of the TALON Laser Guided Rocket weapon system as a complement to MD's AAS platform," said Darryl Kreitman, Raytheon TALON program director. "These test shots included four firings showcasing TALON's versatility over the entire firing envelope with direct hits for all events."

TALON LGR is a low-cost, digital semi-active laser guidance and control kit co-developed with the United Arab Emirates. TALON's guidance section integrates directly to the front of the legacy 2.75-inch Hydra-70 unguided rockets while its unique tail kit replaces the legacy Hydra-70 wraparound tail kit.

"In just a few months, Raytheon worked closely with MD to integrate TALON onto the MD 530G, subjecting the helicopter and rocket to number of realistic mission profiles," said Kreitman.  "The successful testing once again demonstrated TALON's precision guidance capabilities."  

This latest successful firing and subsequent original equipment manufacturer certification of TALON follows the recent certification in April for air worthiness release of the weapon on the Apache AH-64D/E attack helicopter.

During TALON's development program and test program, Raytheon completed more than 35 TALON firings from the AH-64D Apache, which has resulted in a solution that is ready for the international direct commercial sales customers today.

 

About TALON
Raytheon's TALON requires no hardware or software modifications to the launcher or aircraft platform for any aircraft that fires 2.75-inch Hydra-70 unguided rockets using the standard M260/261 launchers.  TALON's architecture and ease of employment make it a low-cost, highly-precise weapon for missions in urban environments, as well as counter insurgency and swarming boat defense missions.  TALON is fully compatible with existing airborne and ground laser designators.

 

About MD Helicopters
MD Helicopters, Inc. (MDHI), a Lynn Tilton company, is a leading manufacturer of commercial, military, law enforcement and air-rescue helicopters. The MDHI family of rotorcraft is world renowned for its value, versatility and performance. The MD Helicopters family includes the twin-engine MD Explorer, and single engine versions of the MD 500E, MD 520N, MD 530A, MD 530F, MD 530G, MD 540A and MD 600N. The innovative NOTAR system for anti-torque control with no tail rotor is used exclusively by MD Helicopters to provide safer, quieter, smoother, and confined-area access capability. The company is based in Mesa, Arizona. For more information about MDHI, visit www.mdhelicopters.com.  

 

About Raytheon
Raytheon Company, with 2013 sales of $24 billion and 63,000 employees worldwide, is a technology and innovation leader specializing in defense, security and civil markets throughout the world. With a history of innovation spanning 92 years, Raytheon provides state-of-the-art electronics, mission systems integration and other capabilities in the areas of sensing; effects; and command, control, communications and intelligence systems, as well as cyber security and a broad range of mission support services. Raytheon is headquartered in Waltham, Mass. For more about Raytheon, visit us at www.raytheon.com and follow us on Twitter @Raytheon.

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12 août 2014 2 12 /08 /août /2014 07:20
7th Boeing GPS IIF Delivered to Orbit and Operational

 

CAPE CANAVERAL AIR FORCE STATION, Fla., Aug. 2, 2014 – Boeing

 

Third launch this year in Boeing-Air Force GPS modernization effort

 

A Boeing [NYSE: BA] Global Positioning System (GPS) IIF satellite, launched late yesterday, has sent the signals to controllers that confirm it is currently operating properly within the constellation that millions of people rely on for timing and navigation information.

 

GPS IIF-7 was launched aboard a United Launch Alliance Atlas-5 rocket from Cape Canaveral. It is the seventh of 12 such satellites Boeing has built for the U.S. Air Force, and the third on-orbit delivery this year.

 

“We are providing our Air Force partner and GPS users with a steady supply of advanced GPS IIFs,” said Craig Cooning, president of Boeing Network & Space Systems. “Our robust launch tempo requires vigilance and attention to detail, and mission success is our top priority. We continue to partner with the Air Force and ULA to effectively execute the launch schedule.”

 

Boeing and the Air Force will complete the full on-orbit checkout of the satellite next month. The GPS IIFs offer improved signal accuracy, better anti-jamming capability, longer design life and the new civilian L5 signal.

 

GPS IIF-8, slated for launch during the fourth quarter, arrived at Cape Canaveral on July 16 to undergo final launch preparations.

 

A unit of The Boeing Company, Boeing Defense, Space & Security is one of the world's largest defense, space and security businesses specializing in innovative and capabilities-driven customer solutions, and the world’s largest and most versatile manufacturer of military aircraft. Headquartered in St. Louis, Boeing Defense, Space & Security is a $33 billion business with 56,000 employees worldwide. Follow us on Twitter: @BoeingDefense.

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12 août 2014 2 12 /08 /août /2014 07:20
Despite Delays, New US Navy Sub Headed for On-Time Delivery

Pre-Commissioning Unit North Dakota (SSN 784) sits moored at the graving dock of General Dynamics Electric Boat prior to its christening ceremony on Nov. 2 in Groton, Conn. (Lt. j.g. Phillip Chitty / US Navy)

 

Aug. 11, 2014 - By CHRISTOPHER P. CAVAS- Defense News

 

WASHINGTON — The building program of the US Navy’s Virginia-class submarines has an outstanding reputation, both for keeping to cost and for on-time delivery. There’s even a modest competition between the two shipyards that build the subs to see who can shave off more time of the contractual delivery date.

Bets are off, however, for the North Dakota, the 11th and newest unit of the class. The submarine is the first of the Block III version, with the most significant design changes to date — that led to delays that were acknowledged in the spring. The Navy hoped to continue the march of early deliveries and begin the sub’s first round of sea trials in mid-April, but it was apparent more time was needed to resolve a number of problems.

 

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11 août 2014 1 11 /08 /août /2014 18:09
Ukraine: le Canada envoie 32 tonnes d'équipement militaire

 

KIEV, 11 août - RIA Novosti

 

Le Canada a envoyé 32 tonnes d'équipement militaire pour 5 millions de dollars canadiens (3,4 M EUR) à l'Ukraine, a annoncé lundi à Kiev le Service ukrainien des gardes-frontières.

 

"L'administration du Service d'Etat ukrainien des gardes-frontières a reçu le 8 août des équipements pour 5 millions de dollars canadiens", a indiqué le service dans un communiqué.

 

Un avion de l'Armée de l'air canadienne s'est posé vendredi à l'aéroport Borispol de Kiev. Il a acheminé 32 tonnes d'équipements - gilets pare-balles, kits sanitaires, casques de combat, tentes, sacs de couchage, lunettes balistiques - destinés aux gardes-frontières engagés dans l'opération spéciale dans l'est de l'Ukraine.

 

Les autorités de Kiev mènent depuis le 15 avril une opération militaire d'envergure visant à réprimer la révolte qui a éclaté dans le sud-est de l'Ukraine suite au renversement du régime du président Viktor Ianoukovitch le 22 février. Les hostilités ont déjà fait plus d'un millier de morts parmi les civils et entraîné d'importantes destructions. La Russie qualifie cette opération de punitive et appelle les dirigeants ukrainiens à y mettre fin.

 

Le président de la Rada suprême (parlement) Alexandre Tourtchinov a antérieurement déclaré que Kiev n'avait reçu aucune aide militaire et technique étrangère depuis le début de l'opération spéciale. Toutefois l'Occident a annoncé son intention d'aider les forces ukrainiennes. Le ministre ukrainien de l'Intérieur Arsen Avakov a distribué début juillet des gilets pare-balles et des casques conformes aux normes de l'Otan aux combattants de la Garde nationale. Les Etats-Unis ont envoyé aux forces armées ukrainiennes 300.000 rations, des pompes à essence, des barbelés, des batteries et des pièces de rechange pour les automobiles, des jumelles et des moyens de télécommunication. Les unités spéciales ukrainiennes Omega et Vega ont reçu des uniformes de fabrication allemande.

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11 août 2014 1 11 /08 /août /2014 16:20
EA-18G Growler aircraft. (US Navy)

EA-18G Growler aircraft. (US Navy)

 

August 11, 2014: Strategy Page

 

Between May and June 2014 the U.S. Navy conducted tests using a Nimitz class carrier off the coast of California to determine if there was any benefit in expanding the EA-18G "Growler" electronic warfare aircraft squadron on each Nimitz class ship from five aircraft to eight. The tests were a success and the navy is trying to use that success to get Congress to provide cash to buy another 33 EA-18Gs to expand the squadrons on all the large carriers. The navy has enough support in Congress to get some additional EA-18Gs but defense budgets are being cut and there are too many worthy (or not) projects seeking cash that is not there anymore. The EA-18G manufacturer would like to keep production going into 2017 but it looks like they’ll be lucky to keep the line going into 2016.

 

Meanwhile the navy is getting some money for EA-18G upgrades. In 2013 that included new communications technology that allows the EA-18G to share data instantly with other EA-18Gs and other types of aircraft (combat and support, like E-2 and E-3 AWACS). The new capability is JTIDS (Joint Tactical Information Data System). Development (by the U.S. Air Force) of this system began 30 years ago and mature examples of the technology only began showing up in the last decade. JTIDS is a datalink that gives the pilot complete and real-time situation reports, showing what other pilots (and planes like the E-3) are seeing. Pilots who tested JTIDS reported drastic increases in their situational awareness (a “sense of where you are”). For example, during combat training exercises pilots with JTIDS had a 4-to-1 kill ratio in their favor against pilots without JTIDS.

 

Noting results like this the navy began adopting JTIDS, not only to improve the capabilities of its own aircraft but also to improve data sharing with air force warplanes, which often carry out joint operations with the navy. JTIDs is just one of several new technologies navy aircraft will need to get their “combat Internet” working. The EA-18G was the first navy aircraft to test JTIDS because the EA-18G is designed to work with air force and navy aircraft as the EA-18G now provides electronic warfare support for both services.

 

 EA-18G saw combat for the first time over Libya in 2011 and got to use a lot of its high tech gear in combat for this first time. This included the ALQ-99 radar jamming pod and an APG-79 phased array (AESA) radar, which also has some jamming capability (via the right software) as well as the ability to fry electronics. It was suggested that the EA-18G might have done this to some Libyan armored vehicles.

 

It was only in 2007 that the navy received its first operational (as opposed to developmental) EA-18G and in 2008 the first EA-18G squadron entered service. In early 2014 the hundredth EA-18G was delivered and there are only 17 to go on the original order. Meanwhile the U.S. Air Force and Marine Corps are planning on developing an electronic warfare version of the new F-35, or use a UAV, if the EA-18Gs are not plentiful or powerful enough to provide all the electronic protection needed in future wars.

 

The EA-18Gs have replaced the aging navy EA-6Bs that long provided electronic protection against enemy radars and missiles for navy and air force aircraft. The air force retired their EF-111 electronic warfare aircraft in 1998, on the assurance that the navy would get the EA-18G into service before the EA-6Bs died of old age. The older 27 ton EA-6B carries a crew of four, while the highly automated 29 ton EA-18G will have only 2 people on board. The EA-18G carries up to 5 electronic warfare pods, plus 2 AMRAAM air-to-air missiles and 2 anti-radiation (HARM) missiles. It may be the last manned aircraft to handle the EW job. UAVs are becoming more capable and will eventually take over this dangerous task.

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11 août 2014 1 11 /08 /août /2014 16:20
USS Abraham Lincoln receives final mast section

USS Abraham Lincoln's (CVN 72) levels 010 and 011 being replaced. Photo US Navy and Huntington Ingalls Industries

 

11 August 2014 naval-technology.com

 

The US Navy's fifth Nimitz-class nuclear-powered aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72) has received the 38ft upper mast section as part of its refuelling and complex overhaul (RCOH), at Huntington Ingalls Industries' Newport News Shipbuilding.

 

The installation marks a major milestone in the ship's RCOH programme.

 

Newport News Navy programmes vice-president Ken Mahler: "Since we began the refuelling complex overhaul, we've been working side-by-side on this project to recapitalise and modernise the entire ship, such that when she returns to service, Lincoln will continue to be one of the most capable and formidable ships in the world."

 

During the RCOH process, the company replaced the original round mast pole with a modified, tapered square pole, to increase strength and keep electrical piping systems enclosed.

 

The square pole includes waist-high rails and easier access to all areas via internal ladders.

 

The RCOH process, which is performed as part of the navy's $2.6bn cost-plus-incentive-fee contract awarded in April 2013, also includes the refuelling of the ship's reactors, painting of the hull, an upgraded system and a complete recapitalisation.

 

Armed with three Raytheon GMLS Mk29 eight-cell launchers for Nato Sea Sparrow surface-to-air missiles, the 317m-long Nimitz-class ships can accommodate more than 6,000 personnel and cruise at a maximum speed of over 30k.

 

Upon the scheduled redelivery in October 2016, the 102,000t USS Abraham Lincoln will continue to operate for another 25 years.

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11 août 2014 1 11 /08 /août /2014 07:45
Les Etats-Unis renforcent les capacités de la Marine burundaise

 

02/08/2014 Pana

 

Bujumbura, Burundi - La Marine burundaise a réceptionné, jeudi, un don matériel composé de 21 moteurs pour vedettes rapides de la part du gouvernement américain pour faciliter les patrouilles sur le lac Tanganyika, apprend-on de source sécuritaire à Bujumbura.

 

Les militaires burundais n’étaient pas jusque-là suffisamment outillés pour faire face aux cas de vol de moteurs et leurs accessoires, de téléphones portables et d’argent sur les pêcheurs par des pirates et autres bandes armées organisées qui sévissent fréquemment sur le Lac Tanganyika.

 

Selon le ministre burundais de la Défense nationale et des Anciens combattants, le général Pontien Gaciyubwenge, avec l'appui des Américains, la donne va changer en ce qui concerne la navigation sur le très stratégique Lac Tanganyika qui sert également de transport de personnes et de marchandises aussi bien à l’importation qu’à l’exportation.

 

Le lac sert de frontière naturelle et poreuse par endroits entre le Burundi et ses voisins de la République démocratique du Congo, de la Tanzanie et de la Zambie, sur une superficie de plus de 30.000 kilomètres carrés.

 

Au-delà de cette aide ponctuelle, les Américains apportent encore de l’expertise et des moyens matériels à la force de défense nationale quand il s’agit de se préparer et de déployer des contingents dans des missions de maintien de la paix à l’étranger, comme en Somalie et en République centrafricaine.

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11 août 2014 1 11 /08 /août /2014 07:35
Le Japon et les Etats-Unis vont développer en commun un drone sous-marin

 

8 août 2014 portail des Sous-Marins

 

Le ministère japonais de la défense et l’US Navy prévoient de lancer un projet commun de recherche afin de développer un drone sous-marin pouvant mener pendant 30 jours des activités de surveillance et d’alerte, a appris le quotidien japonais The Yomiuri Shimbun.

 

Les 2 pays souhaitent en particulier développer une pile à combustible pour le drone sous-marin. La principale mission du drone sera de recueillir des informations sur la marine chinoise qui accélère la modernisation de ses sous-marins.

 

Le ministère japonais de la défense prévoit de dépenser environ 25 millions $ pour ce projet, entre 2014 et 2018.

 

Le drone sous-marin, d’une longueur de 10 m, sera conçu pour pouvoir rester en plonger pendant environ 30 jours.

 

Référence : Asia News Network

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11 août 2014 1 11 /08 /août /2014 07:20
Air Transportation: DC-9 Gets Out Of The Navy

 

August 10, 2014: Strategy Page

 

The U.S. Navy recently retired its last C-9B transport aircraft. The C-9s are actually DC-9 airliners converted to serve as 23 C-9A medical evacuation aircraft for the air force and 29 C-9B convertible personnel/cargo aircraft for the navy and marines. There were also three converted to be VC-9C VIP transports for the Department of Defense and two were purchased by Kuwait as C-9Ks. All of these have now been retired except for two C-9Bs still in use by the marines. The C-9 weighed 49-52 tons (depending on type) and could carry up to 16 tons of cargo or over 120 passengers. The C-9 entered service in the 1960s and 70s although the navy bought twelve second hand DC-9s in the 1980s and converted them to C-9s. 

 

The DC-9 was very popular once it entered service in 1965. Nearly a thousand were built before production ceased in 1982. The DC-9 continued in production as the MD-80, MD-90 and Boeing 717 until 2006. Over 2,400 of all models were produced and hundreds are still in service. But the navy wanted a replaced for the C-9 and in 2001 the navy received its first C-40A transport. The navy has received a dozen C-40s so far. The C-40 is actually a Boeing 737-700C commercial aircraft. The plane entered service in 2001, and 19 have been built, eleven for the navy. The 78 ton aircraft carry 121 passengers, or eight cargo pallets (or a combination of both, usually three pallets and 70 passengers.) Max range is 5,600 kilometers. It normally carries a crew of five (two pilots, one crew chief, one loadmaster and one transport safety specialist, which is what the navy calls a flight attendant). When carrying just cargo, the flight attendant does not come along.

 

The C-40A is operated by navy reservists, and is mainly used to rush needed parts or personnel to where the fleet needs them. The C-40s also replaced the C-137 (a military version of the 148 ton B-707.) The navy is also using the 737 as the basis for its new P-8 maritime reconnaissance aircraft. The C-40 experience had a lot to do with the P-8 decision.

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