Defense Systems

Air Force plans to spend $4B on Global Hawk drone program

Northrop Grumman will maintain and modernize the long-range ISR aircraft over the next five years.

Defense Systems

Nanosatellites could provide future battlefield communications

The Space and Missile Defense Command is testing small satellites that could deliver over-the-horizon voice, data and imagery.

Defense Systems

Air Force to certify SpaceX for launches by June

The Space and Missile Command has amended a research agreement streamlining EELV certification.

Defense Systems

UAS-at-sea program produces a couple of practical spinoffs

Offshoots from the DARPA/ONR Tern program could speed up launch and recovery, and boots ships' ISR and communications range.

Defense Systems

Next-generation GPS satellite ready for testing

GPS III is maneuverable, more resistant to jamming and can be upgraded.

Defense Systems

Problems ahead for Navy's carrier-based drone program

Disagreement over whether UCLASS's primary role should be surveillance or strike has caused significant delays in the program, according to a GAO report.

Defense Systems

Future soldiers could be part of the Internet of Things

The recent Mad Scientist Conference addressed the idea of embedding sensors into humans to help produce "sentient" data.

Defense Systems

Antisatellite race heats up with China, Russia

The Air Force is exploring new antisatellite technologies -- but keeping quiet about which ones -- in response to Chinese tests and Russia's hard line.

Defense Systems

Army awards $3.9 billion deal for Rifleman radios

Thales and Harris will compete for order of up to 193,276 of the software-defined radios, designed to take tactical communications to dismounted soldiers.

Defense Systems

U.S.-Japan pact bolsters ties in cyber, space and ISR

The agreement announced this week calls for greater information sharing and mutual defense.

Defense Systems

Navy extends UAV range with first in-flight refueling

The X-47B becomes the first drone to refuel in flight, while the Triton tests out a more powerful new search radar.

Defense Systems

Undersea GPS could guide submerged drones in the deep

A DARPA program wants to seed the ocean with the acoustic equivalent of GPS satellites, so underwater vehicles don’t have to surface to get an exact fix.

Defense Systems

TI targets sensors with system-on-chip

Texas Instruments claims its SoC reduces size, cuts power consumption and outperforms FPGA's programmable chip technology

Defense Systems

Navy awards $89M contract for submarine communications

Raytheon will deliver 25 of the high data rate systems for Navy and U.K. subs.

Defense Systems

How technology has changed intelligence collection

Advancements have enabled signals intelligence to supersede relying on human sources in the field, but progress has come with shortcomings of its own.

Defense Systems

DARPA wants to plumb the depths of an underwater Internet

The agency is looking for technologies to expand high-bandwidth communications and networking below the surface.

Defense Systems

Army awards $36M deal for tactical communications support

General Dynamics will produce and repair components of the Warfighter Information Network-Tactical Increment 1 network.

Defense Systems

Army says intelligence system is getting easier to use

The service plans to reduce complexity and improve training for DCGS-A, which has met with criticism and resistance from users.

Defense Systems

Special forces aiming to lock down BlackBerry 10 devices

The command wants an "integrity agent" to ensure devices can operate in a trusted state and resist any kind of tampering.

Defense Systems

Reusable rocket race heats up with Vulcan

ULA rolls out a new U.S. rocket with reusable components, while SpaceX again narrowly fails to recover a spent launcher.