A recent analysis by U.S. Missile Defense Agency (MDA) assessing the proposed Israeli upper-tier alternatives including Arrow 3 and the planned land-based SM-3, determined that "the Arrow 3 alternative may have a reduced life cycle cost and potentially, offer better performance to meet Israel's requirements," confirmed Lieutenant General Patrick J. O’Reilly, Director of the MDA. "The design of Arrow 3 promisses to be an extremely capable system, more advanced than what we have ever attempted in the U.S. with our programs" Gen. O'Reilly told the U.S. House of Representatives Armed Services subcommitee for strategic forces. "This has to do with the seekers that have greater flexibility and other aspects, such as propulsion systems - it will be an extremely capable system" he said.
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Monday, May 25, 2009
Analysts Plug Laser Anti-Mortar Systems
Fielding non-chemical, electrically generated Solid State Laser (SSL) technologies that can act as a deterrent against both guided and unguided mortar fire should be a priority for Pentagon planners, several think tank analysts said May 20 on Capitol Hill.
Center for Strategic and Budgetary Assessments (CSBA) analyst Tom Erhard warned that in future conflicts, guided mortars could be “the next IED,” referring to the improvised explosive devices that have become insurgents’ top weapon in Iraq and Afghanistan.
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Center for Strategic and Budgetary Assessments (CSBA) analyst Tom Erhard warned that in future conflicts, guided mortars could be “the next IED,” referring to the improvised explosive devices that have become insurgents’ top weapon in Iraq and Afghanistan.
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Darpa Plans Triple-Target Missile Demo
A new program to develop a high-speed, long-range airborne weapon that can engage aircraft, cruise missiles and air defenses is part of the U.S. Defense Advanced Projects Research Agency's $3.25 billion Fiscal 2010 budget request.
The Triple Target Terminator (T3) would be carried internally or externally on fighters, bombers and unmanned aircraft, allowing them to switch between air-to-air and air-to-surface capability and increasing the variety of targets engaged on each sortie.
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The Triple Target Terminator (T3) would be carried internally or externally on fighters, bombers and unmanned aircraft, allowing them to switch between air-to-air and air-to-surface capability and increasing the variety of targets engaged on each sortie.
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In Hot Pursuit of Fusion (or Folly)
Here in a dry California valley, outside a small town, a cathedral of light is to be dedicated on Friday. Like the cathedrals of antiquity, it is built on an unrivaled scale with unmatched technology, and it embodies a scientific doctrine that, if confirmed, might lift civilization to new heights.
“Bringing Star Power to Earth” reads a giant banner that was recently unfurled across a building the size of a football stadium.
The $3.5 billion site is known as the National Ignition Facility, or NIF. For more than half a century, physicists have dreamed of creating tiny stars that would inaugurate an era of bold science and cheap energy, and NIF is meant to kindle that blaze.
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“Bringing Star Power to Earth” reads a giant banner that was recently unfurled across a building the size of a football stadium.
The $3.5 billion site is known as the National Ignition Facility, or NIF. For more than half a century, physicists have dreamed of creating tiny stars that would inaugurate an era of bold science and cheap energy, and NIF is meant to kindle that blaze.
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$6.5M to Argon for DARPA Robust Surface Navigation Program
DARPA’s Robust Surface Navigation (RSN) program will allow American warfighters to geo-locate and navigate effectively when GPS is unavailable due to hostile action (e.g. jamming) or blockage by structures and foliage. After successfully completed Phase 1, Argon ST in Fairfax, VA received a $6.5 million contract for Phase 2A, with options for Phases 2B and 2C.
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Saturday, May 23, 2009
Scientists Patent Corrosion-Resistant Nano-Coating for Metals
Scientists at the U.S. Department of Energy’s Brookhaven National Laboratory have developed a method for coating metal surfaces with an ultrathin film containing nanoparticles — particles measuring billionths of a meter — which renders the metal resistant to corrosion and eliminates the use of toxic chromium for this purpose. The scientists have been awarded U.S. Patent number 7,507,480 for their method and the corrosion-resistant metals made from it. The technology is available for licensing.
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Aurora Flight Sciences' solar powered UAV flies
Its first test objective was the collection of data on its aerodynamic performance and the solar cells. The next step for SunLight Eagle is to fly longer at higher altitudes.
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Raytheon to upgrade Phalanx tech
The U.S. Navy has contracted Raytheon to provide upgrades on a computer-controlled weapons system that defends naval vessels from enemy threats.
U.S. company Raytheon was contracted by the Navy to support upgrades for the Phalanx Close-In Weapon Systems. Under the $259.9 million deal, Raytheon will overhaul 40 of the sea-based Phalanx variants and 17 Centurion Land-Based systems.
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U.S. company Raytheon was contracted by the Navy to support upgrades for the Phalanx Close-In Weapon Systems. Under the $259.9 million deal, Raytheon will overhaul 40 of the sea-based Phalanx variants and 17 Centurion Land-Based systems.
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Trialling Hypersonic Flight at Woomera
Next-generation air vehicles with the potential to dramatically reduce inter-continental travel times are now one step closer to reality with the successful completion of preliminary hypersonic flight trials at the Woomera Test Range.
The Minister for Defence Science and Personnel, the Hon. Warren Snowdon MP, today congratulated the Defence Science and Technology Organisation (DSTO) and the US Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) on the results of their recent joint hypersonic flight trial.
"Hypersonics is the study of flight exceeding approximately five times the speed of sound, and this trial has successfully tested the flight and mission control systems that will be used in future experiments," Mr Snowdon said.
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The Minister for Defence Science and Personnel, the Hon. Warren Snowdon MP, today congratulated the Defence Science and Technology Organisation (DSTO) and the US Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) on the results of their recent joint hypersonic flight trial.
"Hypersonics is the study of flight exceeding approximately five times the speed of sound, and this trial has successfully tested the flight and mission control systems that will be used in future experiments," Mr Snowdon said.
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Island Start for Royal Navy's World-Leading Carrier Comms System
A mock-up of an island superstructure that will house some of the most powerful ship-borne communication systems ever seen is being constructed on the Isle of Wight. Report by Steve Moore.
The launch of HMS Queen Elizabeth - the first of two new aircraft carriers - may be six years away, but work is progressing on a vital part of it deep in the heart of the Isle of Wight. When the vessel puts to sea she will break the mould in many ways, not least in her cost efficiency.
Central to her success - and that of the second carrier HMS Prince of Wales due in service towards the end of the next decade - will be her mission system. The system, which will use 1,740km of fibre optic cable and 14,000 items of equipment, underpins her war-fighting capability. It will support voice and data services needed to effect command and control along with management of aircraft and protection of the ship through sensors and radars.
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The launch of HMS Queen Elizabeth - the first of two new aircraft carriers - may be six years away, but work is progressing on a vital part of it deep in the heart of the Isle of Wight. When the vessel puts to sea she will break the mould in many ways, not least in her cost efficiency.
Central to her success - and that of the second carrier HMS Prince of Wales due in service towards the end of the next decade - will be her mission system. The system, which will use 1,740km of fibre optic cable and 14,000 items of equipment, underpins her war-fighting capability. It will support voice and data services needed to effect command and control along with management of aircraft and protection of the ship through sensors and radars.
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Ceramic Fuel Cells launches new modular generator product - BlueGen
Ceramic Fuel Cells Limited (ASX/AIM: CFU) today officially launched a new modular generator product.
The new unit – called BlueGen – is a ‘mini power station’ for homes and other buildings. It produces low emission electricity and hot water, reducing greenhouse gas emissions and saving on home energy bills. About the size of a dishwasher, the BlueGen unit converts natural gas to electricity and heat via ceramic fuel cells.
The Company plans to make the BlueGen product available in Victoria from early 2010. The Company is in discussions with potential local manufacturing partners. The Company is also in discussions with potential purchasers of the BlueGen product in other markets including Europe and North America.
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The new unit – called BlueGen – is a ‘mini power station’ for homes and other buildings. It produces low emission electricity and hot water, reducing greenhouse gas emissions and saving on home energy bills. About the size of a dishwasher, the BlueGen unit converts natural gas to electricity and heat via ceramic fuel cells.
The Company plans to make the BlueGen product available in Victoria from early 2010. The Company is in discussions with potential local manufacturing partners. The Company is also in discussions with potential purchasers of the BlueGen product in other markets including Europe and North America.
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Compact Discs Enter the Fifth Dimension
Better clear a shelf in your basement for that high-end Blu-ray DVD player you just bought. Researchers report that they can boost the amount of data stored on a disc 10,000-fold by using gold nanoparticles. If commercialized, the technology could allow a single disc to hold as many as 300 movies or 250,000 songs.
Today's CDs and DVDs store data as a string of pits burned into a narrow spiral track in plastic discs. Although less of a commercial success, holograms boost data-storage capacities by storing data in three dimensions. In an effort to kick things up a notch, researchers led by Min Gu, an optoelectronics expert at Swinburne University of Technology in Hawthorn, Australia, added two additional dimensions: the color of light used to write and read the data and the light's polarization, or the direction of its electric field.
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Today's CDs and DVDs store data as a string of pits burned into a narrow spiral track in plastic discs. Although less of a commercial success, holograms boost data-storage capacities by storing data in three dimensions. In an effort to kick things up a notch, researchers led by Min Gu, an optoelectronics expert at Swinburne University of Technology in Hawthorn, Australia, added two additional dimensions: the color of light used to write and read the data and the light's polarization, or the direction of its electric field.
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SUV nuke detector will avert covert attack, company claims
A turbo-charged engine, 21-inch wheels, Bluetooth, and 600-watt THX speakers are fine, but for the SUV owner who desires everything, how about a Mobile Nuclear Radiation Detection System?
Raytheon is offering the Sports Utility Vehicle-Based Radiation Detection System, which uses advanced spectroscopic technology to detect and identify nuclear radiation, whether sitting put or on the move.
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Raytheon is offering the Sports Utility Vehicle-Based Radiation Detection System, which uses advanced spectroscopic technology to detect and identify nuclear radiation, whether sitting put or on the move.
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Pentagon Seeks High School Hackers
High school hackers, crackers and digital deviants: Uncle Sam wants you.
As part of a government information security review released as early as Friday, White House interim cybersecurity chief Melissa Hathaway likely will mention a new military-funded program aimed at leveraging an untapped resource: the U.S.' population of geeky high school and college students.
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As part of a government information security review released as early as Friday, White House interim cybersecurity chief Melissa Hathaway likely will mention a new military-funded program aimed at leveraging an untapped resource: the U.S.' population of geeky high school and college students.
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Thursday, May 21, 2009
Network Attack Weapons Emerge
Devices to launch and control cyber, electronic and information attacks are being tested and refined by the U.S. military and industry in preparation for moving out of the laboratory and into the warfighter's backback.
It's a part of a technology race that is already well underway. The Russian attack on Georgia last year showed weaknesses in some combat areas, but not in cyberwarfare, say U.S. analysts.
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It's a part of a technology race that is already well underway. The Russian attack on Georgia last year showed weaknesses in some combat areas, but not in cyberwarfare, say U.S. analysts.
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Hydrogen Vehicles Drive from Mexico Border to Canada
National Hydrogen Association announced the beginning of the 1,700 mile 2009 Hydrogen Road Tour. For nine days starting May 26, Americans and Canadians in 28 cities between southern California and Vancouver, British Columbia will have a unique opportunity to see what the transportation future holds for with the launch of a nine-day caravan of clean, efficient hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicles.
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Additional airborne satellite communications systems for USAF
Boeing has announced that it has received a $3.4 million follow-on contract to provide the U.S. Air Force with 46 additional Combat Track II airborne satellite communications systems.
Boeing has delivered nearly 500 Combat Track II kits to the Air Force since 2001 in an ongoing effort to provide airborne intelligence systems for cargo and bomber aircraft that enhance situational awareness, increase aircrew survivability and improve airframe effectiveness. The total value of the systems currently in use is approximately $38 million.
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Boeing has delivered nearly 500 Combat Track II kits to the Air Force since 2001 in an ongoing effort to provide airborne intelligence systems for cargo and bomber aircraft that enhance situational awareness, increase aircrew survivability and improve airframe effectiveness. The total value of the systems currently in use is approximately $38 million.
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Metal Storm Launches New MAUL Weapon
Metal Storm Incorporated (MSI) has announced today that it is launching its latest lightweight weapon system, the GLH1851 Multi-shot Accessory Under-barrel Launcher (MAUL(tm)), at the International Infantry and Joint Services Small Arms System Symposium in Las Vegas, Nevada.
The MAUL(tm) is an ultra-light shotgun attachment that fits under the barrel of an individual combat weapon, including the M-4 and M-16 rifles. It provides a range of less lethal, lethal and door breaching capabilities as an integrated, lightweight accessory to the user's main combat weapon.
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The MAUL(tm) is an ultra-light shotgun attachment that fits under the barrel of an individual combat weapon, including the M-4 and M-16 rifles. It provides a range of less lethal, lethal and door breaching capabilities as an integrated, lightweight accessory to the user's main combat weapon.
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DARPA awards phase II for RSN program
The U.S. Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency awarded Argon ST Inc. a phase II contract for continued work on the Robust Surface Navigation program.
U.S. company Argon was awarded the contract from the DARPA Strategic Technology Office following the company's successful completion of a phase I award. Under the approximately $6.5 million deal, Argon will continue development of algorithms to support a global positioning system for the RSN program.
U.S. company Argon was awarded the contract from the DARPA Strategic Technology Office following the company's successful completion of a phase I award. Under the approximately $6.5 million deal, Argon will continue development of algorithms to support a global positioning system for the RSN program.
DARPA awards phase II for RSN program
The U.S. Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency awarded Argon ST Inc. a phase II contract for continued work on the Robust Surface Navigation program.
U.S. company Argon was awarded the contract from the DARPA Strategic Technology Office following the company's successful completion of a phase I award. Under the approximately $6.5 million deal, Argon will continue development of algorithms to support a global positioning system for the RSN program.
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U.S. company Argon was awarded the contract from the DARPA Strategic Technology Office following the company's successful completion of a phase I award. Under the approximately $6.5 million deal, Argon will continue development of algorithms to support a global positioning system for the RSN program.
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The New Onboard Systems Tell-All Know-It-Alls
In September 2007, Gulfstream announced PlaneConnect, a system option for PlaneView, the Honeywell Primus Epic avionics suite configured for Gulfstream, in which a central maintenance computer (CMC) begins to record fault codes or exceedances from aircraft components from the moment of weight-off-wheels, then automatically radios the information to the ground when the airplane begins a descent to its destination. By July 2008, about nine months after the initial announcement, some 10,000 downlinks had been received from 135 large-cabin aircraft (currently G350 through G550).
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Planning Begins for F136 Flight Tests
The General Electric/Rolls-Royce team developing the F136 alternate engine for the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter has begun flight clearance work for the start of the test program in early 2011, despite being targeted for cancellation for the third time in the latest U.S. defense budget.
The GE-RR team met formally with Lockheed Martin, the F-35 Joint Program Office (JPO), the U.S. Air Force and Navy at Evendale, Ohio, for flight-clearance technical review meetings May 13-14. The meetings coincided with the resumption of tests on the F136 at GE’s Altitude Test Cell 43 in Evendale, following modifications to the bearing system.
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The GE-RR team met formally with Lockheed Martin, the F-35 Joint Program Office (JPO), the U.S. Air Force and Navy at Evendale, Ohio, for flight-clearance technical review meetings May 13-14. The meetings coincided with the resumption of tests on the F136 at GE’s Altitude Test Cell 43 in Evendale, following modifications to the bearing system.
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Wednesday, May 20, 2009
GD wins second order to integrate US Army “Prophet Enhanced” system into military vehicles
A team led by General Dynamics C4 Systems has received a new, $3 million delivery order from the U.S. Army to integrate the Prophet Enhanced tactical signals intelligence system into Medium Mine Protected Vehicles (MMPV). The order is in support of a Department of Defense requirement that is providing additional intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance capabilities to the U.S. military. MMPVs equipped with the Prophet Enhanced system will be delivered to the U.S. Army in October 2009.
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Hitachi Announces Super-Powered Lithium Ion Battery
New Hitachi battery offers 1.7 times more power while being smaller and lighter than previous generations.’
One of the key areas of research for alternative power sources for vehicles is in batteries. As batteries become more powerful, smaller, and lighter, the range of electric and hybrid vehicles will increase making them more viable alternatives for drivers.
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One of the key areas of research for alternative power sources for vehicles is in batteries. As batteries become more powerful, smaller, and lighter, the range of electric and hybrid vehicles will increase making them more viable alternatives for drivers.
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Cute Pocket-Sized Robot Could Change Urban Warfare
Consumer- and military-robot manufacturer iRobot has made a little "cousin" of its famous Packbot that's small enough to fit in a pocket, weighs less than a pound, clambers almost anywhere and forms ad-hoc wireless networks with its kin.
It's been made under a Pentagon contract to develop "LANdroids," small, automatically networking communications and surveillance robots.
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It's been made under a Pentagon contract to develop "LANdroids," small, automatically networking communications and surveillance robots.
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Next-Gen Ultrasound
Micromachined transducer probes for ultrasound scanners should provide prenatal images that are even sharper than those new parents now get to see. The pictures, though, may never be as crisp as the one in this fanciful photo-illustration.
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Engine Defects Threaten Su-30 Fleet
Russian engineers have determined that the April 26th crash of one of the two prototypes of the Russian Su-35 fifth generation fighters, was an "engineering defect" in one of the two AL-41 engines. The engine failed during takeoff.
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Can "Terminators" Actually be our Salvation?
We might be able to design robotic soldiers that could be more ethical than human soldiers.
Asaro concludes that the use of autonomous technologies such as robot soldiers is neither “completely morally acceptable nor completely morally unacceptable” according to the just war theory formulated by Michael Walzer.
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Asaro concludes that the use of autonomous technologies such as robot soldiers is neither “completely morally acceptable nor completely morally unacceptable” according to the just war theory formulated by Michael Walzer.
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Beaver-tailed robot mimics tree-climbing insects
Here's another offering from Boston Dynamics' zoomorphic line: the RiSE V3, a multi-legged, beaver-tailed robot that can skitter along the ground, shimmy up a pole, and then quietly cling there and stare at you.
The legs are powered by a pair of electric motors and equipped with small surgical needle micro-claws, which allow the unit to dig into and climb up textured, convex, cylindrical structures at a rate of 21 centimeters per second, or just under a half a mile an hour.
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The legs are powered by a pair of electric motors and equipped with small surgical needle micro-claws, which allow the unit to dig into and climb up textured, convex, cylindrical structures at a rate of 21 centimeters per second, or just under a half a mile an hour.
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High-Tech Response to Rocket Attacks
The NBS C-RAM is specifically designed to defeat the threat which rocket, artillery and mortar attacks pose to Bundeswehr units deployed in hazardous areas of operation. The Bundeswehr will be the world's first army to possess an effective defence against this kind of asymmetric threat, which is particularly prevalent in Afghanistan.
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