Defense Systems

Space plane to make house calls for satellite repairs

The Air Force this week will test the flight capabilities of a new generation of unmanned space planes designed to transport satellite components to space, reports John Reed at Defense News

Defense Systems

Air Force gets helping hand with cyber defense

Booz Allen and Hamilton Inc. has won a pair of contracts that total approximately $34.2 million to help the Air Force strengthen its cyber defense capabilities, the Defense Department has announced.

Defense Systems

What's up in space?

The Air Force Space Command is developing a variety of space-based monitoring systems to improve situational awareness.

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.