| Military & Aerospace Electronics Magazine, October 2006 Articles |
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October 2006
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Covert communiqué coming through loud and clear
COTS suppliers in the defense industry collaborate with systems integrators to further electronic-warfare and signals-intelligence technologies.
FPGAs enhance military signal-processing applications
Field-programmable gate arrays have become commonplace on signal-processing boards for defense applications such as radar and sonar.
BAE Systems applies military technology to commercial airliner defense system
BAE Systems’s JetEye infrared missile-beating countermeasure system, which takes advantage of military-derived technologies, has entered the third phase of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) counter-man-portable air defense systems (C-MANPADS) program.
ESC awards $589 million AOC weapon-system integrator contract
The U.S. Air Force Electronic Systems Center’s 350th Electronic Systems Group at Hanscom Air Force Base, Mass., awarded a $589 million contract to Lockheed Martin Corp. to serve as the Air and Space Operations Center (AOC) Weapon System Integrator (WSI), aiding the government’s management, integration, fielding, and sustainment of the AOC weapon system.
DARPA launches Sandblaster helicopter avionics program
Scientists at the U.S. Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) in Arlington, Va., are launching a helicopter avionics program called Sandblaster to help pilots fly safely in zero-visibility conditions such as dust, fog, rain, and snow.
Coast Guard San Francisco investigates communications systems for crisis events
The U.S. Coast Guard Sector in San Francisco and other military agencies are investigating technologies to build ad-hoc emergency communications systems quickly in the wake of disasters like Hurricane Katrina that bring down commercial telephone, radio, and computer networks.
Lockheed Martin to build $16 million Border Enforcement Solutions Center for SBInet initiative
Lockheed Martin Corp. of Bethesda, Md., is investing $16 million over two years to build a Border Enforcement Solutions Center (BESC) in support of SBInet, the Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) multiyear plan to secure America’s borders.
In Brief
BAE Systems gains F-35 JSF production contract to deliver EWCS
The U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) and F-35 Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) program partner Lockheed Martin of Bethesda, Md., have awarded BAE Systems of Nashua, N.H., a contract to begin low-rate production of the JSF.
Submarine threat heats up in the Middle East
The Israeli navy’s purchase in August of two more sophisticated attack submarines, which experts say are capable of firing nuclear-tipped cruise missiles that can hit targets in Iran, highlights an emerging and dangerous submarine arms race in and around the Middle East.
Northrop Grumman plans for fourth-generation LITENING AT aircraft targeting pods
Engineers at Northrop Grumman Corp. Defensive Systems segment in Rolling Meadows, Ill., are planning for new fourth-generation enhancements to the company’s LITENING AT precision targeting and sensor system deployed with the U.S. Air Force Reserve Command, U.S. Air National Guard, U.S. Marine Corps, and U.S. Air Force Air Combat Command.
Advanced Photonix to explore feasibility of terahertz technology for military applications
Electro-optics engineers at Advanced Photonix Inc. in Ann Arbor, Mich., are determining the feasibility of using terahertz (THz) technology for defense applications under terms of Small Business Innovative Research (SBIR) contracts with the U.S. Office of Naval Research and with the U.S. Air Force.
Electro-optics Briefs
Intelligence in three dimensions: we live in a 3-D world, and so should computers
Intelligent three-dimensional vision systems do work, yet their reputation for in-the-field use has been more science fiction than fact.
Suppliers of military connectors feel the pressure for increased performance, smaller size, and lighter weight
Pressure to reduce size, weight, and price to accommodate advances in systems designs is driving the market for military electronic and electro-optic connectors, not only for connecting subsystems, but also for connecting boards and modules inside boxes, industry experts say.
How do you fight against a low-tech enemy that uses paper and couriers?
It’s encouraging to see how fast the electronics that support signal intelligence (SIGINT) are progressing.
Asia-Pacific region nears 70 percent share of worldwide power-supply and power-management IC market
The Asia-Pacific region accounted for 68.6 percent of a $9 billion worldwide power-supply and power-management integrated-circuit (IC) market in 2005, according to market forecaster Venture Development Corp. (VDC) in Natick, Mass.
Growth stagnates in the DC-DC converter market
Several “unrelated and some unexpected culprits” have conspired to torpedo expectations for growth this year in the worldwide DC-DC converter module market, say experts at the Darnell Group market research firm in Corona, Calif.
Ethernet switch revenue to reach $17.7 billion in 2009
The market for 10-Gigabit Ethernet switches is on a strong growth track and should continue in hot demand through 2010, according to analysts at market researcher In-Stat in Scottsdale, Ariz.
Battery-life testing capability for TETRA radios
Aeroflex Inc. in Wichita, Kan., is offering a TETRA energy economy mode (EEM) option for the Aeroflex 3900 series analog and digital radio test sets.
Rugged RS485/RS422 transceivers operate as fast as 20 megabytes per second with low EMI
Linear Technology Corp. in Milpitas, Calif., is offering the LTC2856/LTC2857/LTC2858 low-power RS485/422 transceivers, operating on 5-volt supplies.
Miniature high-stability 5 by 3.2 millimeter temperature-compensated crystal oscillator
>Rakon Limited in Auckland, New Zealand, is offering a very-high-stability temperature-compensated crystal oscillator (TCXO) in a 5-by-3.2-millimeter package.
Digital recorders with removable drives
Heim Data Systems Inc. in Belmar, N.J., is offering the GSR “DE” series of data recorders with removable drives for high-security missions involving the acquisition of sensitive data.
QML Q and V versions of SpaceWire Physical Layer Transceiver
Aerospace Colorado Springs in Colorado Springs, Colo., is offering QML Q- and V-quality production versions of the company’s UT200SpWPHY01 SpaceWire Physical Layer Transceiver.
MIL-STD-1553/ARINC 429 USB 2.0 interface
Data Device Corp. in Bohemia, N.Y., is offering a multiprotocol USB 2.0 interface for MIL-STD-1553 and ARINC 429 databus applications.
Remote I/O, wireless or wired monitoring and control
G3 Technologies Inc. in Louisburg, Kan., is offering a remote I/O device as an economical solution to meet a variety of I/O requirements in supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA), and industrial process control.
Mid-power 48 Vin micro modules
Vicor Corp. in Andover, Mass., is adding six mid-power Micro DC-DC converters to the 48 volts DC input family: a 50-watt model at 3.3 volt and 75-watt models at 12, 15, 24, 28, and 48 volts.
Attenuator relay design improves performance in ultraminiature package
Teledyne Relays in Hawthorne, Calif., is offering the A152 electromechanical attenuator relay that blends the attenuator circuit and bypass path inside the relay.
Embedded antenna for next-generation RFID readers
TECOM Industries Inc. in Thousand Oaks, Calif., is offering a new embedded antenna for RF identification (RFID) readers.
Portable satellite loop test translator combines test translator and block downconverter
Tampa Microwave in Tampa, Fla., is offering the portable quad-band (C, X, Ku, and Ka) loop test translator, a field communications testing tool that provides a test translator and block downconverter in one transportable package.
Flexible liquid-tight conduits that shield against EMI and RFI
Zero Ground LLC in Woodridge, Ill., is offering three types of flexible liquid-tight conduits designed for wiring applications requiring shielding effectiveness from electromagnetic and radio frequency interference.
DHS employs GTS command and control system to boost border patrol efforts
Executives at the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Customs and Border Protection (CBP) in Southeastern Arizona opted to bolster the border-security system with FusionCommand technology Global Technical Systems (GTS) of Virginia Beach, Va.
Space Data Corporation supplies near-space communications system to U.S. Air Force
The U.S. Air Force Space Command Space & Missile Systems Center’s Development and Test Wing at Kirtland Air Force Base, N.M., required a method of communication for the area 65,000 to 135,000 feet above the Earth, known as “near space.”
Space Micro computer joins Air Force ANGELS Nanosatellite program
The Air Force Research Laboratory’s (AFRL) Space Micro Space Vehicles Directorate at Kirtland Air Force Base, N.M., needed considerable computer power for its Autonomous Nanosatellite Guardian Evaluating Local Space (ANGELS) satellite program.
Crystal Group contributes technology to NASA’s Space Video Gateway system
NASA executives investigated computer server technologies for the International Space Station (ISS), and selected the CS900 server from Crystal Group Inc. in Hiawatha, Iowa.
Australian military deploys Mediaware for North West Shelf UAV trial
The Australian Department of Defence (ADF), in preparation of its North West Shelf unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) surveillance trials, sought a digital video-exploitation system.
DRS Technologies contracted to design environmental-control equipment for U.S. Army
Members of the U.S. Army’s Communications-Electronics Command (CECOM) Acquisition Center - Washington in Alexandria, Va., looked to DRS Technologies Inc. in Parsippany, N.J., when they required improved environmental-control units (IECUs).
NASA orders SAW-based RFID system from AirGate Technologies
NASA management investigated radio-frequency identification (RFID) technologies and tools for an undisclosed application at the Johnson Space Center in Houston.
U.K. Ministry of Defence installs Smiths Aerospace sensor systems in Future Lynx helicopters
The United Kingdom Ministry of Defence (MOD) needed an electronic solution for monitoring the health and performance of its Future Lynx helicopters by AgustaWestland, with offices in Italy, the United Kingdom, and the United States.
U.S. Navy Destroyers enhance situational awareness
The U.S. Navy often updates its Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyers with the latest technologies to maintain warfighting efficiency and readiness.
Lockheed Martin taps Spectrum’s SDR-3000 for SCA-enabled waveform development
Lockheed Martin Corp. in Bethesda, Md., needed a commercial-off-the-shelf SCA-enabled reconfigurable processing solution for a next-generation communications program.
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