Aerospace & Defense

Textron Systems Acquires Crane Wireless Monitoring Solutions

admin — Fri, 09 Jul 2010 09:17:31 +0000

Textron Systems acquired Crane Wireless Monitoring Solutions (WMS), a leading provider of wireless sensor networks for force protection, border and base security applications, servicing the U.S. Military as well as homeland security and commercial customers. Known for its MicroObserver(R) unattended ground sensor (UGS) system, VantedgePoint(R) Remote Monitoring System, and its work for the U.S. Army, U.S. Air National Guard, U.S. Department of Energy and other customers, WMS will become part of Textron Defense Systems, an operating unit of Textron Systems. The Richardson, Texas-based team of approximately 25 people will be an operation within Textron Defense Systems’ Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) business line.

URS Awarded $95 Mln Unmanned Aircraft System Contract by U.S. Air Force

admin — Fri, 11 Jun 2010 02:56:27 +0000

URS Corporation has been awarded a contract to provide Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS) communications and maintenance support to the Air Force’s 432nd Wing at Creech Air Force Base in Nevada and the 49th Fighter Wing at Holloman Air Force Base in New Mexico. The five-year contract is valued at just over $95 million to URS.

The U.S. military UAV market is projected to grow at a CAGR of 10% between 2010 and 2015, says U.S. Military Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV) Market Forecast 2010-2015, a new research report from Market Research Media. The report finds that the annual U.S. military UAV market will surpass $12.7 Billion by 2015.

Under the terms of the contract, URS will provide communications, operations and maintenance support, and design, development and sustainment services for Unmanned Aircraft System Operations Center Support (UASOCS) mission systems. This program provides critical data, voice interconnectivity and video relays to enable pilots and sensor operators to fly and control UASs from centers worldwide.

URS Corporation (NYSE: URS) is a leading provider of engineering, construction and technical services for public agencies and private sector companies around the world. The Company offers a full range of program management; planning, design and engineering; systems engineering and technical assistance; construction and construction management; operations and maintenance; and decommissioning and closure services. URS provides services for power, infrastructure, industrial and commercial, and federal projects and programs. URS Corporation has approximately 42,000 employees in a network of offices in more than 30 countries.

U.S. Army Orders 63 Raven Unmanned Aircraft Systems for $11 Mln

admin — Thu, 13 May 2010 04:27:58 +0000

AeroVironment, Inc. has received an order valued at about $11 Mln under an existing contract with the U.S. Army. The order comprises 63 new digital Raven® small unmanned aircraft systems (UAS), services supporting the Army’s evaluation of the small UAS Family of Systems concept and additional engineering services. This order follows two recent orders:

On March 30, 2010, AV received a $7 Mln order for 51 digital Raven systems, initial spares packages and contractor logistics support for the U.S. Marine Corps.
On April 12, 2010, AV received an additional $12 Mln order for 216 retrofit kits to upgrade existing analog Raven systems with AV’s digital data link.

According to Market Research Media report U.S. Military Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV) Market Forecast 2010-2015 the U.S. military UAV market is projected to grow at a CAGR of 10% between 2010 and 2015, with a small UAS segment leading in growth rate. The report finds that the U.S. military UAV market will generate $ 62 Billion revenues over the period 2010 – 2015.

The Raven unmanned aircraft is a 4.2-pound, backpackable, hand-launched sensor platform that provides day and night, real-time video imagery for “over the hill” and “around the corner” reconnaissance, surveillance and target acquisition in support of tactical units. U.S. armed forces use Raven systems extensively for missions such as base security, route reconnaissance, mission planning and force protection. Each Raven system typically consists of three aircraft, two ground control stations and spares.

In addition to the Raven system, AV’s small UAS include Puma™ and Wasp™, which are also hand-launched and controlled by AV’s hand-held ground control station. Each aircraft in AV’s family of small UAS is interoperable and tailored to address a variety of operational user needs. AV’s UAS logistics operation supports systems deployed worldwide to ensure a consistently high level of operational readiness. AV has delivered thousands of small unmanned aircraft to date. International purchasers of Raven systems include Italy, Denmark, the Netherlands and Spain.

UAV Market: Longer Flight with New Extended Wing Design for Shadow UAV

admin — Mon, 19 Apr 2010 03:54:24 +0000

AAI Corporation, an operating unit of Textron Systems, a Textron Inc. (NYSE: TXT) company begins deliveries of the new extended wing kit for its Shadow Tactical Unmanned Aircraft Systems (TUAS). The U.S. Army has ordered 100 extended wing kits for distribution to Army and Marine Corps units. With this enhancement, the Shadow aircraft’s wingspan increases from 14 to 20 feet. This additional wingspan increases aircraft endurance from six to nearly nine hours and also allows to carry additional payloads.

U.S. Military UAV Market Will Surpass $12.7 Billion by 2015

admin — Fri, 09 Apr 2010 13:35:23 +0000

In a recently released market report “U.S. Military Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV) Market Forecast 2010-2015”
the US military Unmanned Aircraft Systems market is predicted to surpass $12.7 Billion by 2015.

By performing tasks such as surveillance; signals intelligence (SIGINT); precision target designation; mine detection; and chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear (CBRN) reconnaissance, unmanned systems have made key contributions to the military operations in Irqq and Afghanistan.

The market study covers the following segments:

Unmanned Aerial Vehicles by groups (by vehicle airspeed, weight, and operating altitude)
Payloads
Ground control equipment
R&D, tests and evaluation
Service, support and maintenance
Training
Data management

Defense Market Reports

admin — Sat, 20 Feb 2010 17:58:48 +0000

Market Research Media presents:

Market Research Media Ltd, a leading market research firm, provides strategic consulting and comprehensive market research reports and forecasts to assist governmental and corporate decision makers understand the dynamics of world’s technology markets. Fortune 500 companies, US Congress and EU government bodies and rely on our strategic insights.

DoD Contract for Long-Range Personnel Imager Awarded to Brijot Imaging Systems

admin — Sat, 20 Feb 2010 17:44:38 +0000

Brijot Imaging Systems, Inc., an industry leader in passive millimeter wave security checkpoint screening systems, announces today a contract award with a value of $3,651,000 from the Air Force Material Command, USAF located in Hanscom AFB, MA. Brijot will develop and deliver a prototype Long-Range Personnel Imager (LORPI). This contract award and project is sponsored by the Joint Improvised Explosive Device Defeat Organization (JIEDDO).

New Military Solution for Landmines And IEDs

admin — Sat, 30 Jan 2010 10:32:07 +0000

MineWolf Systems demonstrated a new mechanical solution developed specifically to meet the requirements of the US Army for operations in Iraq and Afghanistan. The solution is described in the company’s press release as “a machine robust enough to survive blasts from heavy anti-tank mines, yet mobile enough to be transportable in a 20ft ISO container or on a C-130 plane”.

The “Medium MineWolf” machine (MW 330) was presented for the first time in Munich’s city centre at the Military Engineering Summit, Europe’s largest gathering of military engineers, procurement officers and equipment and technology providers with over 150 attendees from all over the world looking for latest developments in military engineering.

This machine is the latest addition to the MineWolf product range, built in Germany in response to a specific requirement from the US Army for an area mine clearance system for operations in Afghanistan and Iraq. US forces are looking for a capability to safely and quickly clear open ground of land mines and unexploded ordnance while minimizing the risk to soldiers.

MineWolf Systems also demonstrated a sophisticated robotic arm attachment which can be mounted on any of their mine clearance vehicles to remotely deal with IED threats. Summit participants saw the robotic arm mounted on their smaller, remote controlled “Mini MineWolf” machine.

Successful Test of Advanced Precision Kill Weapon System (APKWS) p

admin — Sat, 30 Jan 2010 10:21:49 +0000

U.S. Marine Corps completed the integrated test phase of the Advanced Precision Kill Weapon System (APKWS) program Jan. 5, firing five rounds against stationary and moving targets. All five shots hit their intended targets within 2 meters of the laser designator’s spot. APKWS is a low-cost, low-yield alternative to other air-launched munitions currently in inventory. The system transforms a standard 2.75-inch unguided rocket into a smart, highly precise laser-guided missile. Because it uses standard launchers, APKWS requires no platform integration or aircraft modifications, and because it is loaded and fired just like a standard 2.75-inch rocket, very little additional aviator or ordnance crew training is required. Its design enables use of existing warheads, fuzes, and rocket motors, thus protecting government investment in existing inventory.

APKWS has been demonstrated off Marine Cobra and Army Kiowa helicopters, and can be fired from any helicopter that can launch 2.75-inch rockets, including the UH-1 Huey, and AH-64 Apache. The Navy recently announced its intention to investigate, in cooperation with the U.S. Air Force, the deployment of APKWS from fixed-wing platforms.

The Navy assumed acquisition executive oversight of the program in 2008 and has fully funded it for production. BAE Systems has been the APKWS prime contractor since 2006.

Elbit Systems Awarded $50 Million Orders for Airborne Laser Systems

admin — Sun, 24 Jan 2010 06:19:55 +0000

Elbit Systems Ltd. was awarded contracts in an aggregate amount of approximately $50 million to supply various types of laser based systems to the Israeli Ministry of Defense and to North American customers. The Israeli MoD will be supplied with laser systems, while in North America, Elbit Systems will supply two different customers with airborne laser systems. The orders were received by Elbit Systems Electro-Optics Elop Ltd. (Elop) and are to be delivered over the next two years.