Defense Systems

MILCOM to focus on attaining the full value of networks

The MILCOM 2011 conference, "Networks: Attaining the Value," will be held Nov. 8-10 in Baltimore, Md., and Defense Systems staff will be on site to provide detailed coverage of presentations made by featured speakers.

Defense Systems

Small, tactical systems fill aerial coverage gap

The Defense Department is sending more small unmanned aircraft to the war zone to plug gaps in intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance coverage.

Defense Systems

Army to outfit combat teams with networking radios

The Army is expanding its efforts to field networking waveform radios for its brigade combat modernization teams through the award of a $66 million contract to outfit eight teams with AN/PRC-117G radios.

Defense Systems

Army to deploy micro-grid system to meet green goals

L-3 Westwood has won an Army contract to furnish an energy-saving, micro-grid system that the service will use in theater to meet its environmental goals.

Defense Systems

Next stop for Army mobile devices: Tablet central

The Army is building on the popularity of smart phones in the field with further testing and expansion of the use of tablets for a range of applications.

Defense Systems

Army makes mission command-on-the-move key goal of NIE

Army Brig. Gen. Randal Dragon, commanding general, Army Brigade Modernization Command, discusses Network Integration Evaluation 12.1 and mission command-on-the-move.

Defense Systems

Army to test wall-scaling robot in Afghanistan

U.S. forces in Afghanistan in the near future might be able to use a robot that can leap over high walls to explore inside compounds and provide views through its built-in camera of possible threats that might lie inside.

Defense Systems

Signal regiment moves to COTS to improve efficiency

The Army Signal Corps will move to commercial off-the-shelf systems under new strategy to reduce manpower and improve training.

Defense Systems

Two-legged robot almost ready for military duty

Boston Dynamics, the company that developed the quadrupedal BigDog robot designed to carry troops' gear, is putting the finishing touches on a two-legged, headless robot that goes by the name Petman.

Defense Systems

Army streamlines tactical comms capabilities

Open-market technology and pressures on defense spending force changes in tactical combat communications.

Defense Systems

Army creates project office to manage fixed-wing aircraft

The Army has activated a project office specifically to oversee all Army fixed-wing aircraft rather than having them operated independently by individual organizations and major commands.

Defense Systems

Army lists achievements of manned-unmanned aircraft demo

The Army's Manned Unmanned Systems Integration Capability exercise demonstrated the ability of all of the manned and unmanned systems involved to exchange video with each other and also the ability of operators to control the UAS payloads of the larger unmanned aircraft using universal ground stations and remote video terminals.

Defense Systems

Army, AAI collaborate on UAS payload development

AAI Unmanned Aircraft Systems has delivered a small and a miniature UAS to the Army's Communications-Electronics Research, Development and Engineering Center that will be used to help develop various payloads for three classes of the UAS.

Defense Systems

Army launches core financial management system worldwide

The Army's General Fund Enterprise Business System is now serving Army organizations and functions around the globe that have nearly 40,000 users.

Defense Systems

MRAP crews to get radios for satcom on-the-move

The Army and the Marine Corps have placed orders totaling $20 million for Harris' Falcon III AN/PRC-117G manpack radios and adapters for use in Mine Resistant Ambush Protected vehicles to achieve satcom-on-the-move capability.

Defense Systems

Army chooses contractor for UAS support services

The Army has awarded a five-year contract with options potentially worth $105 million to Aerodyne to furnish engineering and support services to the service's Unmanned Aircraft Systems Project Office.

Defense Systems

DOD runs interoperability tests on commercial JTRS radios

JTRS program engineers recently tested several commercial radios' ability to operate through the Soldier Radio Waveform.

Defense Systems

DOD ponders next steps after GMR cancellation

The JTRS program will replace the canceled Ground Mobile Radio with an existing commercial radio.

Defense Systems

Switchblade UAV would perform human-kill missions

A small unmanned aerial vehicle designed to sneak up on a human target and then dive bomb the person will soon be part of the Army's arsenal.

Defense Systems

Intell data sharing requires high degree of cooperation

Sharing geospatial intelligence data requires a focus on standards, improved processes and safeguards that protect secure data.