Defense Systems

Army grapples with sensor overload

The military pushes for plug-and-play tools to improve sensor-to-shooter situational awareness.

Defense Systems

Afghanistan tests limits of unmanned sensors

The rural nature of Afghanistan is creating a huge demand for intelligence information and also serving as a proving ground to test new sensors designed to detect enemy threats and locations, reports David Fulghum at Aviation Week.

Defense Systems

Moving at the 'speed of war' is Air Force ISR unit's goal

Air Force ISR Agency Commander Maj. Gen. Bradley Heithold discusses the challenge of ISR processing, exploitation and dissemination, in addition to coordinating with the Air Force Cyber Command and discerning lessons of the Sentinel Focus ‘10 exercise.

Defense Systems

Air Force names new chief information officer

Brig. Gen. Ian R. Dickinson will head up communications and information activities at Headquarters Air Force Space Command.

Defense Systems

Dickinson named Air Force Space Command CIO

Brig. Gen. Ian Dickinson has been assigned to serve as director of communications and information and chief information officer of the Air Force Space Command, the Defense Department has announced.

Defense Systems

Predator, Reaper to undergo ground station upgrade

General Atomics Aeronautical Systems will furnish the Air Force with an open-architecture ground control system for its Predator and Reaper unmanned aircraft under a $26.6 million contract, reports Graham Warwick at Aviation Week.

Defense Systems

Does the military have too many drones?

The military might be taking on more unmanned aircraft than it can handle.

Defense Systems

Air Force rules target BlackBerry security

The Air Force will put in place this month strict rules and regulations governing how its personnel are allowed to use Air Force-issued BlackBerry smart phones as a way to improve security associated with the devices.

Defense Systems

Air Force awards space launch support contract

ManTech International Corp. will provide system engineering and integration services to the Air Force under a prime 10-year contract that has an initial value of $15.6 million and a total value of $160 million.

Defense Systems

U-2 spy plane played key role in Afghanistan operation

U.S., NATO and Afghan forces recently involved in the largest joint military operation of the eight-year war in Afghanistan received a helping hand locating improvised explosive devices from the U-2 spy plane, reports Christopher Drew at the New York Times.

Defense Systems

Next-gen tactical radios garner NSA approval

Program has been in the works for six years and will bring next-generation technology to the warfighter.

Defense Systems

Air Force to get high-def flight simulators

The Air Force has awarded L-3 Communications LLP a $20.9 million contract option to build another technologically advanced F-16 Mission Training Center.

Defense Systems

Boeing readies UAS flight demonstrations

Boeing Co. will conduct a first flight to two different unmanned aircraft systems in the next 10 months as part of the company’s initiative to get its UAS business back on track, reports Amy Butler at Aviation Week.

Defense Systems

Air Force wants to fuse C2 across domains

The Air Force Research Laboratory is inviting contractors to submit white papers on revolutionary information technologies that can advance the integration of command and control capabilities across cyber, air and space domains.

Defense Systems

Planners mull air-sea warfare in unmanned age

Nobody's quite sure how to wage and win an air-sea battle,and that's emerged as a topic of discussion by military planners and budget officials, reports Bill Sweetman in Aviation Week’s Ares Blog.

Defense Systems

Air Force finally details NETCENTS-2 requirements

The Air Force wants to implement network-centric systems and common standard data within the service and the Global Information Grid.

Defense Systems

Military still gives thumbs down to thumb drives

Despite relaxing the all out ban on using portable storage devices on Defense Department computer systems, it appears thumb drives will not return to the military services anytime soon.

Defense Systems

Air Force picks contractor to enhance GPS ground control

Raytheon Co. has won an initial contract from the Air Force worth $886 million to develop a new element of the Global Positioning System that will improve the accuracy of information from GPS satellites.

Defense Systems

NETCENTS-2 stalls with new delays

A series of delays has kept the Air Force’s Network Centric Solutions-2 program in a holding pattern. Two of the four request for proposals expected at the end of January have still not emerged, and the remaining RFPs might be months away.

Defense Systems

Air Force, IBM plan to demonstrate secure cloud computing

The Air Force and IBM plan to develop and demonstrate a secure cloud computing infrastructure capable of supporting defense and intelligence networks.