Defense Systems

Army trains soldiers to operate mine-clearing robot in Afghanistan

Soldiers from U.S. reserve units are receiving training on a robotic system known as the M160 M4 that uses a flail to trip hidden improvised explosive devices in preparation for their deployment to Afghanistan.

Defense Systems

Navy CANES receives Milestone C approval for limited production and deployment

The Navy’s Consolidated Afloat Network and Enterprise Services (CANES) program received its Milestone C acquisition decision memorandum from Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition, Technology and Logistics Frank Kendall on Dec. 14.

Defense Systems

ViaSat gets Navy order for communications terminals

ViaSat has received a delivery order from the Navy to furnish terminals that will enable high-capacity digital data and voice communications capabalities for U.S. military platforms.

Defense Systems

Calling for a national-level doctrine for the cyber era

The modern cyber era demands a national-level doctrine that can be adopted by government agencies, armed forces, private-sector organizations and individual citizens alike to establish a collective sense of purpose for our cybersecurity.

Defense Systems

Rockwell Collins will complete TTNT waveform development under AFRL contract

The Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) awarded Rockwell Collins an $18 million contract to complete the development and qualification of the Tactical Targeting Network Technology (TTNT) waveform.

Defense Systems

Army tests BAE's Phoenix radios in advance of mid-tier network radio competition

BAE Systems says that its Phoenix-2C radios successfully provided tactical networking capabilities during Army exercises related to the just-concluded Network Integration Evaluation (NIE) 13.1, enabling soldiers to communicate more than 20 kilometers, double the mid-tier network requirement.

Defense Systems

Army to establish doctrine for countering enemy UAS

Participants in an Army planning session held at Fort Sill, Okla., discussed doctrine and training necessary for countering enemy UAS threats.

Defense Systems

Intelligent Software Solutions wins $593M AF software deal

Intelligent Software Solutions has won an Air Force software contract potentially worth up to $593 million over five years.

Defense Systems

Commander's dashboard to address soldier suicides

In response to an increase in soldier suicides, the Army will introduce in February a first-generation online software application called the Commander's Risk Reduction Dashboard.

Defense Systems

Army cyber program explores ways to breach sealed networks

A number of U.S industry and military labs are exploring methods that would allow the military to inject data and infect systems with destructive viruses into ironclad networks that are not connected to the Internet

Defense Systems

Cubic buys special ops training provider

Cubic has acquired the Special Operations Forces training business of NEK Advances Securities Group for $52 million in an all-cash transaction.

Defense Systems

DARPA, Raytheon partner on small satellite imaging project

The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency has awarded a $1.5 million contract to Raytheon to tackle the initial phase of the Space Enabled Effects for Military Engagements program.

Defense Systems

Navy CIO says new efficiencies have saved $100 million so far

New Department of the Navy (DON) information technology efficiencies have so far saved $100 million, a start on what the Navy’s CIO office says its goal to cut $2 billion from the Navy’s overall budget, according to DON Chief Information Officer Terry Halvorsen.

Defense Systems

Sierra Nevada will provide counter IED jammers to be worn by individual soldiers

The U.S. Army Contracting Command has awarded a $56.5 million contract for the production of Individual Counter Radio Controlled Improvised Explosive Device Electronics Warfare (ICREW) systems, referred to as “Baldr” systems.

Defense Systems

Airborne ISR supplemented by XTAR’s commercial X-band service

XTAR, a commercial provider of satellite services in the X-band frequency, reports that it has contracted for 100 MHz of bandwidth worth more than $8 million over the past year.

Defense Systems

EMP weapons now a reality

An event took place October 2012 in the Utah desert that escaped the attention of most. Boeing successful tested an electro-magnetic pulse (EMP) device mounted within a missile.

Defense Systems

Army Medical Command to move to DISA-run enterprise email

The U.S. Army Medical Command (MEDCOM) will begin full deployment of the Defense Enterprise Email (DEE) service provided by the Defense Information Systems Agency (DISA) beginning Jan. 7, 2013.

Defense Systems

Man-portable military electronics market worth $2.77 billion in 2013

The global market for man-portable military electronics will be worth $2.77 billion in 2013, according to ASD Reports, a market research firm.

Defense Systems

History made when X-47B UCAS taxis for first time on an aircraft carrier

Sailors aboard the aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman and personnel from the Navy Unmanned Combat Air System program office (PMA-268) integrated test team made history Dec. 9 when they taxied an X-47B Unmanned Combat Air System (UCAS) demonstrator aircraft for the first time aboard a carrier at sea.

Defense Systems

There’s a new military occupational specialty: Cryptologic Network Warfare Specialist

The military is looking for 500-600 soldiers to fill an initial need as Cryptologic Network Warfare Specialists (35Q), a new military occupational specialty (MOS) established this autumn.