Prospects for abundant and inexpensive natural gas have aircraft manufacturers reassessing the options for future fuels, particularly for the military where both energy security and affordability could trump any desire to reduce emissions by moving away from fossil fuels.
Once hailed as a breakthrough weapon with the potential to reshape the close-quarters battlefield, the XM25 Counter Defilade Target Engagement system has fallen victim to U.S. budgetary woes.
The latest sensor to record the effects of roadside blasts on soldiers is the Integrated Blast Effect Sensor Suite (Ibess) from the Georgia Tech Research Institute. The system, worn by soldiers and installed in vehicles, acquires integrated, time-tagged blast data for analysis. Blasts cause injuries, but their exact effects can be unclear. The soldier system is in a pouch (see photo) that attaches to body armor between the shoulders. It has two sensors for the back and two for the front of the body that record directional data and other information.
Rafael Advanced Defense Systems of Israel has unveiled an addition to its Spice series of aerial bomb-guidance systems. This time, however, the Spice 250 (Spice means smart, precise impact, cost-effective) is a unitary weapon that offers significantly enhanced standoff precision-strike capabilities. Weighing just 127 kg (248 lb.), the bomb is capable of penetrating hardened bunkers. Importantly, it allows attackers to engage targets while out of range of enemy missile defenses.
Defense Vehicle Dynamics, the U.K. Defense Ministry's annual land warfare event here for the military and contractors, was more about cost-savings and consolidation than new equipment, given the drawdown from Afghanistan and the ongoing recession.
Rear Adm. Thomas Rowden Director of Surface Warfare, U.S. Navy Age: 56 Birthplace: Washington Education: U.S. Naval Academy, 1982; M.A. in National Security and Strategic Studies, U.S. Naval War College
Adm. Jonathan Greenert, chief of U.S. naval operations, exuded confidence as he assured U.S. and Asian media representatives that he is not concerned with development of the Chinese DF-21 anti-ship ballistic missile (ASBM). “It hasn't affected the way we operate in the region,” Greenert said during a briefing at the recent International Maritime and Defense Exhibition (Imdex) here.
U.S. Pacific Command (Pacom), in conjunction with Australia, has deployed a logistics tracking system that improves interoperability between their respective forces and helps assure faster, more coordinated responses to humanitarian crises and other contingencies. U.S. officials say the Pacific Radio Frequency Identification System also promotes collaboration and integration across the Asia-Pacific region. The system makes usse of radio frequency identification (RFID) to read bar codes, a technology that retailers and others routinely use to track goods, Air Force Brig.
The U.S. Defense Department's High Frequency Active Auroral Research Program (Haarp) is closed, at least for right now, marking an end to one of the military's more notorious research facilities. Haarp—near Gakona, Alaska—was used by researchers to study the ionosphere. The facility, which comprises of 360 radio transmitters and 180 antennas, can accelerate electrons in the ionosphere, essentially “heating” the upper atmosphere and allowing scientists to conduct experiments.
Operational tactics that have been developed in the past decade among Western forces often owe their origins to asymmetric warfare. One such tactic—wide-area aerial persistent surveillance (Waaps)—evolved from U.S. Air Force missions in Afghanistan. Waaps is now finding acceptance among Israeli strategists. It leads efforts by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) to provide air and ground elements with the ability to remotely monitor wide areas and use resulting intelligence to assess situations and act against enemies in timely and decisive ways.
The U.S. Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (Darpa) has achieved a milestone in fiber-optic design with development of a hollow air-filled core that forces light to move through channels of air instead of glass. As a result, light properties significantly increase. The hollow-core fiber is reportedly the first to maintain properties in three key areas.
Northrop Grumman demonstrated that a new active, electronically scanned array antenna it developed for the B-2 bomber can establish and maintain communications with an orbiting advanced, extremely high frequency communications satellite operated by the U.S. Air Force.
Israel fully expects Iran to deploy a long-range cruise missile, according to a leading Israeli expert on missile defense. Speaking in Washington on July 19, Israel Air Force Brig. Gen. (ret.) Uzi Rubin said that the weapon will be based on the technology of Russia's Kh-55 (see photo), several of which were illegally transferred to Iran from Ukraine in 2001. “The trick is developing a small jet engine with low fuel-consumption,” Rubin said, adding that Iran has options for a guidance system.
The U.S. Army has lead status in development of a Digital Manufacturing and Design Innovation (DMDI) Institute that is expected to change how the military develops parts and equipment. The Army's Manufacturing Technology Program, managed by its Research, Development and Engineering Command of Aberdeen Proving Ground, Md., is overseeing the DMDI initiative, with input from the Air Force, Navy, nine federal agencies and industry.
The Royal Navy laid the keel for the sixth Astute-class submarine at a ceremony July 18, at Barrow-in-Furness, Scotland, where the boats are built by prime contractor BAE Systems Maritime Submarines. The new submarine, HMS Agamemnon, is the sixth of seven boats in the class. Astute submarines will replace the Royal Navy's Trafalgar-class boats. Two are completing sea trials: HMS Astute, which was launched in 2007; and HMS Ambush, launched in 2011. Three others—Artful, Audacious and Ansom—are in various stages of construction.
The Spanish navy has been identified as the first customer for Saab's Skeldar rotary-wing unmanned aerial system (UAS). Saab was awarded a €2.5 million ($3.07 million) contract on June 26, but did not announce the deal until July 11 and did not initially disclose the customer. The agreement, understood to be a service contract, was concluded by the Spanish navy's supply and transport directorate.
Researchers at the U.S. Army's Research, Development and Engineering Command are evaluating the benefits of adding carbon nanotubes to specific locations within helicopter rotor blades as well as to the composite matrix that is used in their manufacture. A key goal would be to increase energy dissipation at the interface of the nanotubes and the composite matrix, and thus improve vibration-damping characteristics with few—or no—compromises in flight performance. The effort seeks to resolve trade-offs between dynamic stability and vibration.
The Undersea Defense Technology (UDT) conference and show here in June marked a break from previous years when much of the focus was on large and sophisticated remotely operated underwater vehicles and submarines. This time a number of small and medium-sized companies were showing novel, low-cost systems for littoral security.
A more robust and maturing sensor network for the U.S. missile defense architecture is allowing planners to expand the options for an enhanced kill vehicle (KV).
Airspace access is the holy grail for an unmanned-aircraft industry seeing wartime demand winding down and looking to civilian uses for continued growth.
Rolls-Royce's association with India began in 1932, with Gypsy engines on the first Tata Aviation aircraft. Today, Rolls-Royce has 1,300 engines in service there. Kishore Jayaraman, president of Rolls-Royce India, discusses his company's future plans with Aviation Week's Jay Menon. AW&ST: Can you elaborate on any specific plans for Rolls-Royce in India in the next five to ten years?
