Defense Systems
MIDS JTRS terminal advances to full production
The U.S. military is moving a software-defined networking terminal that distributes information from the Joint Tactical Radio System into full production, and it will be fielded soon on several key Air Force and Navy weapons platforms.
Defense Systems
Will the Air Force ever catch up with its UAV data backlog?
It may be years before the Air Force has the human resources and tools in place to keep up with the enormous amounts of data gathered from its fleet of unmanned aerial vehicles and the sophisticated sensors that they employ on intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance missions, says Air Force Secretary Michael Donley.
Defense Systems
Looking for a sharper image with sensors for unmanned platforms
The military's shift to high-definition sensors requires many changes.
Defense Systems
Blue Devil Block 2 airship has friends in high places
A pair of influential U.S. senators are upset about Air Force plans to cut the 370-foot-long Blue Devil Block 2 airship program and have informed the Defense Department that they believe it would be "a significant failure to stop work and not deploy" the platform to Afghanistan.
Defense Systems
Nuclear force in need of C3 improvements, STRATCOM's Kehler says
STRATCOM's command, control and communications network is functioning at a less than an optimum level, Air Force Gen. Robert Kehler told the Senate Armed Services Committee.
Defense Systems
Mass layoffs loom large on defense industry horizon
The U.S. defense industry might experience hundreds of thousands of layoffs if members of Congress don't take action to head off an additional $500 billion in defense budget cuts that could take effect in January 2013, a top Pentagon official told Congress.
Defense Systems
Global Hawk has staunch defender in Congress
Rep. Jim Moran (D-Va.), a member of the House Appropriations defense subcommittee, says he will recommend continuing funding for the Global Hawk Block 30 unmanned aircraft, which the Air Force plans to put into storage as a key part of a comprehensive budget-cutting effort.
Defense Systems
Big data poses big challenge for military intelligence
As sensors continue to generate enormous volumes of data, DOD planners are struggling with techniques to ensure such data remains useful to warfighters.
Defense Systems
Winners and losers in the fiscal 2013 budget
It's been several weeks since the release of the fiscal 2013 defense budget, and heads are certainly still spinning in the Pentagon. Here are some of the winners and losers at each of the services.
Defense Systems
US cyber defense situation looks grim
The United States should call out Beijing for its relentless global hacking on the world stage, said an analyst at the Air Force Association's cyber conference.
Defense Systems
Intel community cloud faces bigger problems than security
Surprisingly, there are other more pressing concerns and barriers for intelligence agencies moving to the cloud.
Defense Systems
Air Force on verge of awarding streamlined NETCENTS-2
After a string of contracting delays, the Air Force is poised to complete the award of $24 billion in contracts for the much-anticipated Network Centric Solutions-2 in April.
Defense Systems
Revamped satellite launch schedule expected soon, Shelton says
The Air Force will soon release the terms of its revised multiple-year approach to purchasing launch services for military and intelligence satellites, says Gen. William Shelton.
Defense Systems
DOD must fix glitches in satellite programs, says GAO
The Defense Department continues to struggle on next-generation military satellite programs with such problems as cost overruns, shortages of ground-segment software and problems with beyond-line-of-sight terminals, reports the General Accountability Office.
Defense Systems
UAV connectivity top challenge with shift in terror war
The military will rely more frequently on commercial communications satellites for connectivity needed to operate unmanned aerial vehicles and provide the bandwidth required to handle more sophisticated sensors and the data they transmit.
Defense Systems
ITT Exelis gets GPS III satellite payload deal
ITT Exelis has won a $32 million contract to build the navigation payloads for the third and fourth Global Positioning System III space vehicles.
Defense Systems
Say what? Block 30 Global Hawk contract still in place
Northrop Grumman doesn't know when the Air Force is going to cancel its Block 30 Global Hawk program.
Defense Systems
WGS: Model satellite procurement with cost-cutting efficiencies
Once intended as a satellite project meant to plug a major gap in communications capabilities for the U.S. military, the Wideband Global Satcom constellation has emerged as the primary backbone for moving the Defense Department’s wideband data.
Defense Systems
Air Force set to upgrade key operations centers
Northrop Grumman will upgrade command and control capabilities for the Air and Space Operations Center Weapon System at eight sites.
Defense Systems