Defense Systems

NRO satellite programs remain 'in the green,' director says

The director of the National Reconnaissance Office says that the nation's classified satellite fleet is in good shape and so are the development programs in motion to produce a new generation of spacecraft to collect data on U.S. adversaries.

Defense Systems

US military receives new satcom terminals for tactical units

Raytheon will deploy advanced tactical terminals for satellite communications for the U.S. military with increased capacity to transmit voice, data and video and help warfighters achieve greater situational awareness.

Defense Systems

Global Hawk ground station to cover international variants

A common ground station under development for Air Force and Navy versions of Northrop Grumman's Global Hawk also will be able to control NATO and other international variants of the high-altitude unmanned aerial vehicle.

Defense Systems

iPads to provide backup for Marines in Afghanistan

One Cobra pilot took it upon himself to prove to his superiors the benefits of iPads in battlefield communications and targeting when ground troops are in need. The risk paid off, and might influence long-term helicopter tech.

Defense Systems

White House might have interfered with general's testimony

Air Force Gen. William Shelton has told lawmakers during a classified briefing earlier this month that the White House tried to persuade him to change his testimony to make it more favorable to a company with ties to a key Democratic donor.

Defense Systems

Predator UAV crashes in northwestern Pakistan

An armed Predator unmanned aerial vehicle belonging to the United States crashed in Pakistan's rugged northwestern tribal district of Waziristan Sept. 18 as a result of a technical malfunction.

Defense Systems

Pentagon orders more high-capacity satellites

Boeing announced Sept. 13 that it has won a $1.1 billion Air Force satellite contract, which makes the win the fourth major satellite contract the defense contractor has landed in the past two years.

Defense Systems

Fix for GPS interference found, LightSquared says

LightSquared says it has at last proved unfounded the criticism that high-precision global positioning cannot coexist alongside its planned cellular network.

Defense Systems

US, Australia treaty first to address cyber defense

The United States and Australia have added cyberattacks to the 60-year-old ANZUS mutual defense treaty, which stipulates that the two nations will back each other if attacked.

Defense Systems

Nation's cyber strategy is 'broken,' USCYBERCOM commander says

The United States' current cyber strategy doesn't properly equip cyber professionals to do their jobs, and it is causing "the greatest theft that we've seen in history," said Gen. Keith Alexander, commander of the U.S. Cyber Command.

Defense Systems

Army exercise to synchronize manned-unmanned aircraft

The Army's Manned-Unmanned Systems Integration Capability series, which starts Sept. 15 at Dugway Proving Ground, will highlight the advantages of using both manned and unmanned aircraft in joint-battlefield operations.

Defense Systems

Navy awards contract for 28 Fire Scouts

Defense contractor Northrop Grumman wins contract to supply 28 Navy Fire Scouts.

Defense Systems

Army to dedicate new C4ISR center at Aberdeen

The Aberdeen Proving Ground will hold back-to-back ceremonies Sept. 15 to mark the completion of the transfer of 11 organizations to the facility as part of the Base Realignment and Closure process and also the establishment of the C4ISR Materiel Center of Excellence at the proving ground.

Defense Systems

Navy drones offer advantages, but won't replace manned aircraft

Unmanned aircraft systems offer clear advantages to naval forces conducting certain types of missions, but they cannot replace the judgment a trained pilot can bring to bear in a particularly challenging situation.

Defense Systems

K-Max drone awaits orders for Afghanistan

After passing a Marine Corps evaluation, a drone manufactured by Lockheed Martin should be ready for use in Afghanistan this fall.

Defense Systems

Inaugural Defense Systems Summit to focus on network security

The Sept. 7 Defense Systems Summit will center on defense of military and critical national networks, featuring guests Robert Carey, deputy assistant secretary of defense, DOD, and Richard Hale, chief information assurance executive, DISA, to name a few.

Defense Systems

Army picks Android for Nett Warrior device

The Army has tapped Android to provide what some observers are calling wearable computers as part of its Nett Warrior program.

Defense Systems

Planners of Bin Laden raid relied on long-range comms node

The Defense Department was able to draw on sophisticated capabilities involving long-range communications and intelligence planning in the run up to the assault on Osama Bin Laden's compound in Pakistan.

Defense Systems

Air Force, Boeing sign new WGS satellite contract

The Air Force has awarded Boeing a $1.1 billion contract to expand the constellation of satellites that belong to the Wideband Global Satcom system.

Defense Systems

Air Force orders mobile Global Broadcast Service suites

The Air Force has awarded a contract with a potential value of $900 million over five years to General Dynamics C4 Systems to furnish ground terminals that will deliver critical information via voice, data and video to mobile users on the battlefield.