Defense Systems

Final GPS II satellite goes into orbit as Air Force gets ready for GPS III

With ULA launching the last of the second generation, the service awards Lockheed a contract to help the transition to the next generation.

Defense Systems

DOD office looks to field weapons faster

The Strategic Capabilities Office is working on rapid deployment of autonomous weapons and an "arsenal plane."

Defense Systems

Bill introduced to address capability gaps in EW

Sens. Mark Kirk and Kirsten Gillibrand introduced legislation to speed up acquisition and provide funding flexibility for fielding electronic warfare capabilities.

Defense Systems

DOD plans to invest $600M in unmanned underwater vehicles

Secretary of Defense Ashton Carter told sailors that the Defense Department big plans for UUV over the next five years.

Defense Systems

Report details deficiencies in UAV testing

A recent annual report to Congress by the office of Operational Test & Evaluation details areas in which the services have missed the mark in mitigating vulnerabilities and deficiencies in tests of UAVs.

Defense Systems

Report outlines cyber activity from top U.S. adversaries

The security firm CrowdStrike details cyber activity globally in 2015, with focuses on Russia, China, North Korea and Iran.

Defense Systems

DOD to invest heavily in cyber, although details are murky

Secretary Carter said the department will spend $7 billion in 2017 on cyber, but leaders are being coy about how the money will be spent.

Defense Systems

Air Force develops prototype for skin-ID sensor

A system developed by the Sensors Exploitation Research Group at the Air Force institute of Technology differentiates human skin from other materials, and can aid id search, rescue and surveillance.

Defense Systems

DARPA looks to develop a high-res brain-computer interface

The NESD program aims to communicate with up to a millions neurons at a time, in a device the size of a couple of stacked nickels.

Defense Systems

IARPA wants to improve human/machine forecasting

The agency's Hybrid Forecasting Competition is intended to improve how humans and computers interact on geopolitical and geoeconomic analysis.

Defense Systems

Army developing a universal control for all of its drones

The TOGA system will reduce the number of pilots required while better integrating ISR with its tactical network.

Defense Systems

ULA's Air Force launch contract under scrutiny

The Air Force is considering early termination of a launch support contract option, as Sen. John McCain renews a push to ban use of the Russian-made RD-180 engine.

Defense Systems

Stratcom pushes a unified approach to joint spectrum operations

During a recent gathering hosted by Strategic Command, officials from across the military discuss developing an Electromagnetic Battle Management system.

Defense Systems

Navy putting $49.8M into upgrading its EW test center

AAI Corp. will perform test environment system upgrades to the division's Naval Air Warfare Center Weapons Division's Electronic Combat Simulation and Evaluation Laboratories.

Defense Systems

SPAWAR's strategic plan focusing on cyber

The plan, among other things, calls for advanced cyber capabilities, a clear structure for cyber leadership and ready access to data.

Defense Systems

Navy, Air Force looking for new electronic warfare tech

Recent proposals point to continued interest in innovative offensive and defensive capabilities.

Defense Systems

Creative challenge seeks ways to counter small drones

The Mitre Corp. is running a contest for companies and individuals to demonstrate solutions that can be deployed in urban environments to detect and interdict small UAVs.

Defense Systems

Russia's cyber aggression is in European Command's crosshairs

In an update to the theater strategy, Gen. Phillip Breedlove listed deterring Russian aggression as the top priority for the command.

Defense Systems

Managing the chaos of portable networks

Networks-on-the-go are essential against asymmetric adversaries, but they pose intriguing management challenges.

Defense Systems

Report details the threat of small, commercial drones

A recent report documents the myriad ways non-state groups, from individuals to terrorists to activists, are using unmanned air, ground and maritime systems.