UAVs and UCAVs

[SajeevJino]

Israel encrypts UAVs as cyberwar widens

Israel's military is expected shortly to take delivery of an advanced model of the Skylark 1 unmanned aerial vehicle that will be equipped with electronic jammers that will block efforts to intercept surveillance data.​

The move comes amid a sharp escalation in Israel's cyber operations against Iran's highly secret nuclear program, which the Jewish state believes is aimed at developing nuclear weapons, and growing Iranian expertise in counter-measures.

A senior officer in Israel's military intelligence warned Monday Israel's foes were stepping up their efforts to gather electronic intelligence on Israel's armed forces and military capabilities, The Jerusalem Post reported.

"We're seeing an improvement by the other side in its ability to gather intelligence Â"¦ the ability of a number of groups with varying capabilities to work against us," the officer said.

The 13-pound Skylark 1, developed by Elbit Systems, one of Israel's top electronic warfare specialists, has been supplied to army battalions as part of the Sky Rider Program aimed at providing combat unit commanders with real-time aerial surveillance capabilities.

The Skylark operation is part of a military-wide process to encrypt UAVs amid growing indications Israel's enemies can now hack into surveillance signals.

That process was initiated in 2010 after it became evident Hezbollah, the Iranian-backed Shiite movement in Lebanon and one of Israel's most formidable foes, had succeeded in intercepting Israeli drone data.

This was used to ambush an Israeli Special Forces raid inside Lebanon in September 1997.

When the Israeli commandoes of Flotilla 13, the navy's Special Operations unit, were ambushed near Ansariya in south Lebanon, the military believed Hezbollah had gotten lucky but did not have any advance warning of the raid.

Eleven of the raiders, including the unit commander, Lt. Col. Yossi Korakin, were killed in a running battle. The handful of survivors were rescued by helicopters.

It wasn't until August 2010, when Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah, claiming Israel had been involved in the February 2005 assassination of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri, publicly unveiled surveillance footage from an Israeli UAV in operation at the time of the Ansariya raid.

The Israeli military concluded the footage Hezbollah showed was genuine and had been intercepted during Israeli surveillance of the target zone prior to the actual nighttime raid that Hezbollah hailed as a major victory.

Nasrallah also displayed what he said were Israeli aerial surveillance tapes of routes used by Hariri between his Beirut residence and Parliament, claiming these indicated Israeli involvement in the assassination of Lebanon's most prominent statesman.

A U.N.-mandated special tribunal has indicted four members of Hezbollah, including two senior figures, for the suicide bombing that killed Hariri and 22 other people.

Hezbollah's ability to intercept Israeli UAV surveillance data undoubtedly benefited from major technological support provided by intelligence units of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, which maintains cells in Lebanon and inside Hezbollah.

The Shiite movement, which fought the Israeli army to a standstill in a 34-day war in the summer of 2006, is armed and heavily funded by Tehran.

Iran is Israel's primary adversary in the ever-expanding intelligence war and has been targeted in several cyberattacks, widely blamed on Israel and the United States, that began in 2009.

These began with the Stuxnet computer worm that sabotaged Iran's uranium enrichment process at its Natanz facility.

The most recent attack attributed to U.S.-Israeli intelligence was in April, when a more advanced super-virus, dubbed W.32 Flame, hit the control systems of Iran's oil export terminals.

Cyber experts say Flame, the most complex computer worm so far detected, is able to steal vast amounts of data.

U.S. officials say the cyberattacks are part of a systematic offensive by the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency and Israel's intelligence establishment against Iran.

But the Iranians are clearly making major advances in their cyber capabilities, suggesting Israel -- and the United States -- face a more sophisticated foe.

Iran captured an advanced U.S. UAV in December 2011, claiming it hacked into the craft's GPS guidance system and forced it to land.

The CIA-operated RQ-170 Sentinel is one of the United States' most valuable intelligence assets, crammed with advanced electronic systems.

Gen. Amir Ali Hajisadeh, commander of the IRGC's aerospace division, said April 23 his teams had cracked the U.S. codes and were building an Iranian version of the spy craft.

Israel encrypts UAVs as cyberwar widens

 

[LETHALFORCE]

Sagem tests UAV, announces contract

Sagem tests UAV, announces contract

Sagem of France reports new testing of its Patroller UAV and a new contract for infrared seekers used on missiles.

The announcements were made at the Eurosatory exhibition this week in Paris.

The Patroller is a long-endurance unmanned aerial system for surveillance, reconnaissance and intelligence missions. It is based on an aircraft that earned European Aviation Safety Agency certification and features technologies Sagem developed for the Sperwer Mk II tactical drone system used by France in Afghanistan.

Sagem said the Patroller, in the 1-ton class of UAVs, has a modular design allowing for pod-mounted payloads.

It can fly for as long as 30 hours at a maximum altitude of 25,000 feet.

In a series of recent tests it was configured for multi-sensor coastal surveillance and homeland security missions.

Sagem said the Patroller drone was equipped with a new version of the Sagem Euroflir 350 gyrostabilized optronic pod, including an HDTV channel, third-generation HD infrared channel and a laser rangefinder; an AIS receiver, enabling the real-time monitoring of maritime traffic over a large zone; and a beacon for detecting distress signals.

A total of 18 flight tests were performed to demonstrate the aircraft system's ability to fuse information from different sensors and successfully transmit the data to a coastal surveillance command-and-control center.

Sagem said the Patroller already transmits streaming video in the NATO Stanag 4609 standard, which was developed by Sagem and which is used by French army's Sperwer UAVs.

Complete test details weren't revealed but Sagem said they validated ease of system integration and successful system compatibilities of optronic and electronic sensors used on the unmanned aircraft.

On the contract front, Sagem is to supply Europe's MBDA with infrared seekers for Mica air-to-air missiles.

The Mica target seeker, which also functions as a sensor, provides tactical information to air crews through the use of high sensitivity imaging algorithms, bi-spectral imagery, automatic target acquisition and pre- and post- firing lock-on capabilities.

Nearly 200 Mica seekers were ordered by MBDA, Sagem said, but monetary value of the contract wasn't revealed.

The infrared system array used by the seeker was developed by a joint venture company, Sofradir, owned by Sagem and Thales.

More than 1,000 Mica IR seekers have been produced by the company for the French air force and navy aircraft.

More than 30,000 seekers have been produced for Magic, Mistral and VL Mica Vertical Launch missiles.

 

[LETHALFORCE]

Chavez reveals Venezuela has built first drone

Chavez reveals Venezuela has built first drone

President Hugo Chavez has revealed that Venezuela has made its first drone in partnership with Iran, Russia and China, and said Caracas plans to start exporting it soon.

"It is one of the three planes that we have manufactured here, and we are continuing to make them... not just for military use, (as) much of its equipment is for civilian use," Chavez said Wednesday during a meeting with top military and defense officials.

The drones were developed in cooperation with "Russia, China, Iran and other allied countries," he said in remarks broadcast on radio and television.

Designed as a surveillance tool, the machine "does not carry arms" and has a 100-kilometer (60 mile) sweep. It can fly solo for some 90 minutes and reach an altitude of 3,000 meters (9,000 feet)," said General Julio Morales, president of the state-run Venezuelan Military Industrial Company Cavim.

Chavez is a left-wing firebrand who often criticizes the United States, which has closely monitored for any signs of Iranian influence in Venezuela.

The United States -- which has controversially waged drone strikes remotely against suspected militants in Pakistan and Yemen -- expressed caution about Chavez's announcement.

"The Venezuelans make lots of extravagant claims. So do the Iranians," State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland told reporters Thursday in Washington.

"Our concern, obviously, would be with any breaking of international sanctions on Iran. And we will be most vigilant in watching how this goes forward," she said.

Another official in Venezuela said that the drone was assembled from parts made locally and built by engineers trained in Iran.

Measuring four meters (13 feet) long by three meters (10 feet) wide, the drone can transmit real time photographs and video, officials said. It is currently being modified so it can also carry out night flights.

Cavim is also developing guns such as the AK103 in partnership with Russia, grenades and munitions, as well as more pilotless planes.

"Of course we are developing a powder factory... a drone factory, of course we are doing it. We have the right, we wouldn't have it if we were a colony, but we are a free and independent nation," Chavez said.

A former military man, Chavez has been developing cooperation with several countries to boost the Venezuelan army.

 

[H.A.]

Unmanned K-Max transporter drone.

 

[LETHALFORCE]

Japan buys another Hyrdoid AUV system

Japan buys another Hyrdoid AUV system

Japan's Ministry of Defense has bought another Hydroid Remus autonomous underwater vehicle system for mine countermeasure operations.

The purchase of the Remus 600 brings the ministry's Hydroid AUV fleet to five vehicles, a statement from Hydroid's parent company Kongsberg Maritime said.

Christopher von Alt, president and co-founder of Hydroid, welcomed the contract.

"The Remus 600 is ideally suited for this application, as, when fully configured, its exceptional endurance allows it to operate underwater for long periods in varying depths of water," he said.

SEA Corp., Hydroid's representative in Japan, negotiated the Ministry of Defense contract.

Earlier this year the Japanese Defense Ministry purchased four Remus 100 systems for investigating and mapping seafloor dispersion of contaminants as well as mine countermeasure operations.

The Remus 100, weighing around 80 pounds, operates in coastal waters up to 100 meters -- 330 feet -- and also is used by the U.S. Navy, Hydroid says on its Web site.

Because is it suited to shallow waters, the 100 often is used for survey, security and clearance operations in harbors and also for fisheries work and scientific sampling.

The 600 version, designed with funding from the U.S. Office of Naval Research, is an endurance version of the 100 AUV and has an operating depth of 600 meters -- nearly 2,000 feet.

Hydroid also makes 1,500-meter and 3,000-meter versions.

The 600 is suited specifically to mine detection work including locating explosive devices and other undetonated ordnances as well as finding and classifying submerged objects.

Operating time for the 600 is up to 70 hours.

All Hydroid's AUV models have modular hull construction allowing them to be disassembled for reconfiguration, maintenance or shipping.

Hydroid's parent company, Kongsberg Maritime has an office in Houston and its headquarters in Kongsberg, Norway.

Kongsberg Maritime products include joystick systems, marine automation and information systems, navigational aids, propulsion control systems and tank gauging systems.

Hydroid was set up in 2001 specifically to manufacture, support and develop the Remus AUV systems originally developed by the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution.

At the time of Kongsberg's acquisition announcement of Hydroid in December 2007, the business had estimated sales of around $20 million.

Kongsberg paid around $80 million on a debt-free basis for Hydroid which is headquartered in Pocasset, Massachusetts, Kongsberg says on its Web site.

The Hydroid deal was done through Kongsberg's subsidiary Simrad North America, a manufacturer of underwater sonar and sound systems for fisheries and research.

Kongsberg said at the time that Hydroid's REMUS vehicles would complement Kongsberg Maritime's HUGIN AUV activity that began in 1995 as a joint project with the Norwegian Defense Research Establishment called FFI and StatoilHydro.

 

[H.A.]

US Navy Developing Flexrotor UAV for Small Ships

The Office of Naval Research is working on a long-range unmanned surveillance aircraft that can take off and land like a helicopter even in heavy seas and fit on vessels too small for larger drones.

The Flexrotor by Aerovel Corp. is still years away from being operational. But ONR and the craft's developers hope it can provide autonomous intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance coverage with less equipment and maintenance than its predecessors. So far, the project has received nearly $500,000 in ONR funding and developers are in the process of improving the transitions between vertical and cruise flight.

"Aircraft that can take off and land vertically and also have fast and efficient cruise flight are potentially useful platforms to operate from ships. They are also suited to operation from Marine Corps small-unit combat outposts," said John Kinzer, an ONR program officer.

The prototype has better endurance and range than earlier UAVs, allowing imaging, magnetometry, data relays, weather analysis and reconnaissance to be done in real time, Aerovel President Tad McGeer said. Production models are expected in 2013 or 2014.

Eventually, the Flexrotor may use different technologies to maneuver between platforms.

The Navy and Aerovel also are playing up the Flexrotor's use of an "automatic service platform" that does triple duty as a launchpad, recovery pad and maintenance station, removing the need for a catapult or snare required by drones with similar missions, such as Boeing's ScanEagle.

"Flexrotor has a much smaller footprint for launch and recovery equipment compared to the ScanEagle," Kinzer said. "This is always an issue for small ships, which "¦ have very limited storage space."

The Flexrotor is small enough to be carried without special equipment. Its wingspan is just less than 10 feet; it's slightly more than 5 feet long and weighs 42 pounds. It can reach speeds as high as 90 mph but cruises at 50 mph. It can stay airborne more than 40 hours.

If the Flexrotor enters service, it would likely be operated by enlisted sailors who use it in conjunction with manned systems. The Navy has set a 55-pound threshold for unmanned aircraft, with the heavier, more advanced aircraft flown by pilots and naval flight officers.

 

[H.A.]

Supersonic Mini-Drone Being Developed for US Military

Researchers at the University of Colorado are building the smallest supersonic jet engine ever made — and are attaching it to a 22lb UAV.

The drone research is being led by Dr. Ryan P. Starkey, a professor in the Department of Aerospace Engineering Sciences at UC Boulder. Starkey says his UAV could be used for a variety of purposes ranging from penetrating and analyzing storms to military reconnaissance missions. The idea is to develop a platform that works for missions that require long-distance, high-speed travel without placing human pilots in danger.

Some of the goals of his research project are to design, test, and eventually launch for production an unmanned aerial vehicle capable of:

1) Setting the world speed record,
2) Providing an in-situ resource for measurements and/or sensor deployment within or around hurricanes/tornadoes,
3) Sub-scale sonic-boom testing, and
4) Use as a military drone.

Starkey is also the founder of Starkey Aerospace Corporation a.k.a. Starcor (not to be confused with Stark Industries) a company designed to transition advanced propulsion research out of the Busemann Advanced Concepts Lab at the University of Colorado Boulder (CU) to government and industry. Starcor set out to not only push the boundaries of what is possible in propulsion but to rethink the traditional concept of an aerospace company.

The UAV is approximately 7ft long and 5ft wide, weighing 110 pounds when fully fueled, as such it currently has a limited range. While many companies are currently researching supersonic UAVs, only Starkey's prototype has perfected the necessary propulsion system.

 

[Payeng]

^^ Would be nice to know if it is a jet turbine or ramjet, if on after burner or not, will it be supercruising? range and payload.

 

[LETHALFORCE]

UAVForge Reveals Challenge Of Developing Perch And Stare UAV

UAVForge Reveals Challenge Of Developing Perch And Stare UAV


DARPA's UAVForge, a crowdsourcing competition to design, build and manufacture an advanced small unmanned air vehicle (UAV), set out to determine if a loosely-connected community of UAV enthusiasts could develop a militarily relevant back-pack portable UAV with specific capabilities. By using a crowdsourcing design approach, the effort sought to inspire innovation and creative thought by lowering barriers to entry and increasing the number and diversity of contributors.

More than 140 teams and 3,500 individuals from 153 countries and territories participated on UAVForge.net - the collaboration portal that hosted the year-long competition. UAVForge concluded recently with nine finalist teams demonstrating air vehicles in a fly-off event at Ft. Stewart, Ga.

The fly-off scenario, conducted on a training site, was a simulated military perch-and-stare reconnaissance mission, requiring vertical take-off, navigation to an area beyond the line of sight from the take-off location, landing on a structure and capturing video, and then returning to the starting point. While some teams were able to reach the observation area, none were able to land on a structure and complete the mission.

Persistent, beyond-line-of-sight, soldier-portable perch and stare intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) is a significant mission area of interest that shows promising capability, but hurdles of asset cost and complexity of use must be overcome.

"The teams brought creativity and enthusiasm to the competition," said Jim McCormick, DARPA program manager. "The competition was more constructive than you might expect; there were many examples of teams helping each other."

Since no team completed the fly-off event, the $100,000 prize will not be awarded, and a design will not be manufactured for further testing in a military exercise as originally envisaged.

 

[Kunal Biswas]

US Navy Closer to Landing UAV on Aircraft Carrier

Story Number: NNS120711-07
Release Date: 7/11/2012 12:16:00 PM

By Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Leona Mynes, USS Harry S. Truman Public Affairs

USS HARRY S. TRUMAN, At Sea (NNS) -- A team from the Navy Unmanned Combat Air System program office tested communication software for the Unmanned Combat Air System Carrier Demonstration (UCAS-D) program aboard the aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman (CVN 75) during its sea trials, July 7-10.

The UCAS-D program, based at the Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR) on Naval Air Station (NAS) Paxutent River, Md., is designed to demonstrate the ability for the unmanned, autonomous X47-B unmanned air vehicle (UAV) to launch from and land safely on an aircraft carrier.

Thirty-seven NAVAIR engineers and contract personnel were embarked on Truman to test UCAS-D unmanned aircraft and shipboard UCAS-D software.

"We are one of the first aircraft carriers in the fleet to have Navy UCAS-D equipment installed on board," said Lt. Cmdr. Chad Young, Truman's assistant air operations officer. "Its purpose is to communicate with the UCAS-D flight software on their unmanned aircraft."

The tests aboard Truman ensured shipboard UCAS-D software was interfacing properly with the unmanned aircraft's software using a surrogate aircraft, which was a contracted King Air.

"They are looking for confirmation that our systems are properly monitoring the unmanned surrogate aircraft," said Young. "This testing will eventually lead to unmanned aircraft landing on and launching from U.S. Navy aircraft carriers."

The software on board the King Air, an aircraft that is comparable to the Navy's C-12 Huron, was modified to include an accurate representation of X-47B on-board systems.

In June 2011, UCAS-D was tested aboard the aircraft carrier USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN 69) (Ike) using an F/A-18D Hornet.

"We're refining the system," said Lt. James Reynolds, UCAS-D surrogate project officer with Air Test and Evaluation Squadron 23 of NAS Patuxent River.

"During last year's tests on Ike, we found minor interfacing issues with the in-flight software aboard the Hornet, and have modified that software to be more similar to the software in the X-47B.

The King Air has more room on board compared to the Hornet, so we were able to include a better model of UAV software and more accurately test the software."

The NAVAIR team also tested shipboard UCAS-D software integration with Truman's Carrier Air-Traffic Control Center and primary flight control, said Reynolds.

"The testing went well," said Reynolds. "We accomplished all of our objectives and it was a very successful detachment. [The UAV] is certainly much closer to ready for prime time than it has been in the past."

Testing a new aircraft, especially one which is unmanned, is a slow process, said Reynolds. Initial UAV testing was completed in 2002, followed by more testing aboard USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72) in 2005.

"This is what developmental flight testing is all about," said Reynolds. "It's the small steps that make the big evolutions happen."

The UCAS-D program is scheduled to return to Truman for upcoming underway periods to conduct further tests.

"I think our effort makes the evolutionary steps necessary to arrive at a capability the Navy needs," said Reynolds. "There are challenges, but we are doing what it takes to achieve our goal."

Navy Closer to Landing UAV on Aircraft Carrier

 

[LETHALFORCE]

Russian drones can see obstacles

Russian drones can see obstacles


Russia may equip its drones with the so-called "technical vision" device that enables them to see and avoid obstacles, detect small-size objects and assess their potential danger. The system was created by a team of engineers at the Luch designer bureau, who say that it has no analogues in the world.

Installed onboard unmanned aircraft, it gives them capabilities that no other existing system can give, the bureau's deputy chief designer Yevgeny Andriyevsky told the Voice of Russia: "Drones fitted with such a system can do what none of the existing analogues is able to do. They can fly at the lowest possible altitudes over zones with tall buildings and over rugged terrain of which there are no reliable maps and where a flight planning error might lead to the loss of the plane."

The Luch-designed Vozdukhoplavatel (Aeronaut) drone is the only unmanned plane so far to have the "technical vision" system installed on it. But it is equally compatible with other types of drones. The small box-shaped device is stuffed with electronics, including a photo camera or a sensor that operates in infrared or radar bands and feeds all observation data into a special processing unit, Mr. Andriyevsky explained:

"The same unit processes all navigation data in real time and sends it to an operator on the ground, who either commands the drone to perform an evasive maneuver or this may happen automatically depending on the mode set by the operator."

The Vozdukhoplavatel drone complex with an ejection system, a ground control station, a hydro-stabilized, miniature photo camera weighing 500 g was created at the request of a government agency. With a maximum flying time of two hours and maximum range of 30 km, it could be of great use for security operations and in other fields. Yevgeny Andriyevsky:

"These include all kinds of emergencies when there is no time to obtain the electronic map of a certain area, or there are no reliable maps, for as you know, cartographic data becomes outdated pretty soon. Our drones can be used by the Interior Ministry over fast-expanding urban areas, as for example Moscow or St. Petersburg where high-rise construction proceeds at so rapid a pace that maps are unable to catch up with it."

Unmanned aircraft are robots, and as such they need sensors to be fit to do what they are supposed to. The obstacle avoidance system has successfully passed preliminary tests and may be recommended for use later this year.

 

[LETHALFORCE]

Drones: pros and cons

Drones: pros and cons


Recently, US human rights organization called "American Civil Liberties Union" filed in a suit against President Obama's administration. This organization demands that the president's administration should no more keep secret some details of its anti-terrorist operations in Afghanistan and Pakistan. Mainly, the human rights activists are worried about using drones in these operations.

The court has accepted their suit and started an investigation. This is not the first time that this issue becomes an apple of discord between the US authorities and human rights activists.

On the one hand, using drones has already allowed the US to deliver decisive strikes on the positions of Al Qaeda and Taliban militants in Afghanistan and Pakistan. On the other, it is no secret that rather often, peaceful civilians are killed in these operations as well.

However, the US authorities prefer to keep details concerning these operations secret, and it is not always clear who, in fact, were killed in an operation - militants or peaceful people.

The American Civil Liberation Union started its fight against using drones in anti-terrorist operations back in 2010. Referring to a law called "Freedom of Information Act", it demanded that the US authorities should publish documents which would tell more about under which principles the US commandment decides that these particular people are militants and have to be killed.

At present, President Obama and his administration are facing an uneasy choice of either to publish these documents or explain to the public why they are kept secret.

However, the US authorities have chosen to occupy a rather strange position. Lawyers who represent the interests of the US government in this case keep on saying that the very fact that the US uses drones in Afghanistan and Pakistan is dubious, although several high-ranking US officials, including Prosecutor General Eric Holder and President Obama himself, have recently acknowledged this fact several times.

It looks like the US government has again chosen to keep to the favorite tactics of the CIA - to be leaded by the so-called Glomar Doctrine.

The term "Glomar Doctrine" appeared after an incident in the early 1970s, when the CIA investigated the circumstances of the wreck of a Soviet submarine. For this investigation, they used a vessel called Hughes Glomar Explore - hence the name "Glomar Doctrine".

An article about these investigations was published in the Los Angeles Times newspaper. The readers wanted to know more details, but the government replied that it could not answer their questions, because this would demand revealing some secret information.

True, initially, using drones was really an effective measure of fighting against terrorists. But some circumstances have changed since then - and, at present, it has become ineffective.

The US air operations with the using of drones are, in fact, the reason why Pakistan is now one step from breaking its relations with the US. After several Pakistani servicemen were killed as a result of an US air attack, Pakistan blocked the road via which the US used to deliver cargos to and from Afghanistan. Now, the US has to look for some roundabout way to deliver them.

However, after an unsuccessful attempt of improving the relations with Pakistan, the US resumed the risky policy of using drones in Pakistani regions which border with Afghanistan.

But the scandal concerning drones is not the only evidence that President Obama does not want to - or, probably, cannot, for this or that reason, - fulfill the promises of his first pre-election campaign.

As you may remember, at that time, Mr. Obama promised that if he becomes president, he would free the country from the "heritage" of the bellicose George W. Bush. Mr. Obama promised that he would try to stop all the wars which Mr. Bush had started, and close the notorious prisons for POWs.

However, Mr. Obama's current presidential term is already close to its end, but the prisons have not been closed yet, and US drones still "mistakenly" kill Pakistani servicemen and civilians instead of terrorists.

We should dare to give some advice to Mr. Obama. It would be probably better for him to reveal the "top secret" information which the human rights activists are demanding from him. This can add some points to his popularity - something which he would surely appreciate on the eve of the coming presidential elections.

 

[Kunal Biswas]

MQ-9 crew chiefs with the 451st Expeditionary Aircraft Maintenance Squadron prepare a Reaper to launch for a night-time mission from Kandahar Airfield, Afghanistan, July 10, 2012.

4 X Hellfires
2 X LGB

 

[LETHALFORCE]

Lockheed Martin Procerus Technologies Unveils New Unmanned Quad Rotor Vertical Take-Off and Landing System

Lockheed Martin Procerus Technologies Unveils New Unmanned Quad Rotor Vertical Take-Off and Landing System


Lockheed Martin Procerus Technologies' new small vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) unmanned aircraft system gives warfighters, first responders and others in small, cluttered, urban environments an eye-in-the-sky in just minutes. The rugged, five-pound VTOL quad rotor, dual-sensor platform features an extended hover, perch and stare capability that provides military, civil and commercial customers with aerial reconnaissance in crowded areas unreachable by fixed-wing unmanned aircraft systems.

The VTOL's gimbal mount includes electro-optical and infrared sensors and a laser illuminator to provide continuous 360-degree panning capability.

"We are leveraging years of experience in building small, innovative avionics and payload technologies to develop an affordable and efficient VTOL solution," said Todd Titensor, senior manager of Lockheed Martin Procerus Technologies.

"Our system is quiet, can operate day or night in challenging weather conditions and has longer operating time than other VTOL platforms."

Equipped with the Lockheed Martin Procerus Technologies' proven Kestrel 3 autopilot, the compact, lightweight VTOL can be deployed in minutes and operate for up to 40 minutes.

The collapsible VTOL platform folds into a man-packable unit that requires no tools for assembly.

The VTOL system includes a wireless hand controller, which provides an easy-to-use interface for intuitive, untethered vehicle operation.

For full ground control station capabilities, the Virtual Cockpit v3.0 features a user-friendly 3-D map interface, powerful mission planning tools, in-flight re-tasking and full waypoint navigation.

The VTOL also can land and gather surveillance data from a remote location and then take off and return home.

Acquired in January 2012, Lockheed Martin Procerus Technologies is the developer of the Kestrel Autopilot avionics and Virtual Cockpit system for fixed-wing and rotary aircraft.

Additional products include small vertical take-off and landing platforms and OnPoint OnBoard vision systems for target tracking, stabilization, geo-location and terminal guidance applications.

 

[LETHALFORCE]

Boeing Team Demonstrates Expanded Control of Unmanned Aircraft Swarm

Boeing Team Demonstrates Expanded Control of Unmanned Aircraft Swarm


Boeing and the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory (JHU/APL) have demonstrated that an operator on the ground, using only a laptop and a military radio, can command an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) "swarm."

Despite limited flight training, the operator was able to connect with autonomous UAVs, task them and obtain information without using a ground control station.

The team conducted flight tests in Oregon for several days in June, using two ScanEagle UAVs manufactured by Boeing subsidiary Insitu and swarm technology developed by JHU/APL.

The technology allows UAVs to perform similarly to a swarm of insects, completing tasks more quickly and efficiently by communicating and acting together.

Boeing and JHU/APL conducted two tests last year in which dissimilar unmanned platforms across air, land and sea domains collaborated to autonomously conduct searches and communicate information.

"This swarm technology may one day enable warfighters in battle to request and receive time-critical intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance information directly from airborne UAVs much sooner than they can from ground control stations today," said Gabriel Santander, program director of Advanced Autonomous Networks for Boeing Phantom Works.

"Swarm network technology has the potential to offer more missions at less risk and lower operating costs."

The demonstrations are conducted under a collaborative agreement between Boeing and JHU/APL, a University Affiliated Research Center and a division of Johns Hopkins University that has been addressing critical national challenges through the innovative application of science and technology for nearly 70 years. It maintains a staff of about 5,000 on its Laurel, Md., campus.

UAV swarm technology is one of Boeing's many C4ISR capabilities that provide a seamless flow of information - from collection to aggregation to analysis - for customers' enduring need for situational awareness.

The breadth of these capabilities will be on display at the AUVSI Unmanned Systems North America 2012 conference and can be experienced online

 

[LETHALFORCE]

Lockheed Martin Performs First Ever Outdoor Flight Test Of Laser Powered UAS

Lockheed Martin Performs First Ever Outdoor Flight Test Of Laser Powered UAS


Lockheed Martin and LaserMotive have completed a series of flight tests of the Stalker Unmanned Aerial System (UAS) to further validate the performance of an innovative laser power system. These tests mark the first-ever outdoor flight of a UAS powered by laser.

Stalker is a small, silent UAS used by Special Operations Forces since 2006 to perform intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance missions. In a recent wind tunnel test, the UAS demonstrated 48 hours of continuous flight powered by this innovative laser system.

"This series of proof-of-concept tests took place in a remote desert location where environmental factors like wind and heat were constants. Not only did we demonstrate that the laser powered Stalker could perform well in this type of environment, we flew during both day and night without incident," said Tom Koonce, Lockheed Martin Skunk Works Stalker program manager.

"Ultimately we hope to provide our customers with remarkably long endurance to extend and expand the mission profiles possible for a small UAS like Stalker."

For the demonstration, the Stalker was fitted with a lightweight photovoltaic receiver and on-board power management hardware. The ground-based laser transmitter was based on LaserMotive's hardware developed for its winning entry in the 2009 NASA Centennial Challenge. Accomplishments of these proof-of-concept flights include:

+ Demonstrated net positive power to Stalker in flight, at ranges up to 600 meters.

+ Proved that the laser did not damage the Stalker and that the addition of the laser receiver did not impact its normal flight operations or aerodynamics.

+ Operated multiple test flights in a range of desert conditions (day and night, high temperatures, and strong winds), demonstrating the ruggedness of the Stalker-mounted laser receiver power system.

+ The beam director tracked the receiver for long periods, with centimeter accuracy at 500 meters, despite turbulence and aircraft maneuvers.

+ Met all operational and safety requirements, including coordination with the Laser Clearinghouse and flight operations.

"We're excited to work with Lockheed Martin to validate the ability of lasers to power Stalker in the field," said Tom Nugent, president of LaserMotive. "Wireless power via laser is an important emerging technology, and I look forward to continuing to work together to further prove this technology in future experiments."

 

[LETHALFORCE]

Israel sells Hermes UAVs in Latin America

Israel sells Hermes UAVs in Latin America

While Brazil develops its capability for producing high-tech unmanned aircraft system, its long-term Israel partner Elbit has secured another multimillion-dollar contract to supply its Hermes 450 and Hermes 900 drones to an unnamed Latin America country.

The recipient country wasn't named in Elbit's announcement from Haifa, Israel. It has been reported that the defense manufacturer previously supplied unmanned airborne system units to Chile and Mexico.

Embraer entered into a partnership with Elbit Systems Ltd. to share the technology that has enabled Elbit to expand its global markets for UAS units.

Elbit said it was awarded a contract valued at "many tens of millions of dollars" to supply a Latin American customer with a mixed fleet of Hermes 900 and Hermes 450 UAVs. The contract will run through the next two years, it said.

The deal includes universal ground control stations and a variety of payloads and capabilities including the electro-optics Elop Division's advanced payloads systems, the Elisra Division's intelligence COMINT systems, SAR/MPR multi mode radar and additional sensors.

Hermes 450, developed by Elbit, has been the back bone of the Israeli forces' operational UAV activity. The Hermes 450 UAVs have been used extensively in defense forces worldwide, including in active war zones and have accumulated more than 300,000 operational flight hours.

The Hermes 900 system builds on the vast operational experience accumulated by the Hermes 450. It offers a range of enhanced capabilities, from higher flight altitude of 30,000 feet to longer endurance and heavier weight payloads.

The system's unique structure enables it to carry a variety of payloads in various shapes and sizes for quick "conversion" between payload configurations.

Elad Aharonson, Elbit Systems UAS Division general manager said, "We are proud of the customer's decision to acquire a combined array of Hermes 450 and Hermes 900, joining several other Hermes 900 customers, including the Israeli Defense Forces."

"Hermes 900 is well positioned as a world-leading UAS, suitable for a wide variety of missions, from intelligence gathering, to perimeter and security missions. The unique capability of joint operation with the Hermes 450 offers seamless integration for existing users, further enhancing operational flexibility and cost effectiveness and eliminating the need for additional infrastructure or special training programs."

Last year Embraer revealed partial details of a new medium-altitude UAV being developed by its Harpia joint venture with Elbit Systems subsidiary AEL.

The Harpia UAV, unveiled in an earnings presentation by Embraer, bears little resemblance to Elbit's Hermes 450, which was acquired by the Brazilian air force in 2011.

Embraer and Elbit are also involved in a three-way partnership with Boeing on a range of unmanned craft.

Boeing is developing a high-altitude long endurance unmanned vehicle, the Phantom Eye while it offers small UAVs via the Insitu subsidiary.

The triangular relationship between Boeing, Elbit and Embraer coincides with Boeing's continuing pitch for its F-18 Super Hornet fighter to be adopted as Brazil's fighter of choice in its multibillion-dollar air force renovation program.

AEL Sistemas, the Brazilian subsidiary of Elbit, was chosen by Boeing to provide large cockpit displays for the F-15 and the F-18 fighters.

 

[LETHALFORCE]

Israel sells Hermes UAVs in Latin America

Israel sells Hermes UAVs in Latin America

While Brazil develops its capability for producing high-tech unmanned aircraft system, its long-term Israel partner Elbit has secured another multimillion-dollar contract to supply its Hermes 450 and Hermes 900 drones to an unnamed Latin America country.

The recipient country wasn't named in Elbit's announcement from Haifa, Israel. It has been reported that the defense manufacturer previously supplied unmanned airborne system units to Chile and Mexico.

Embraer entered into a partnership with Elbit Systems Ltd. to share the technology that has enabled Elbit to expand its global markets for UAS units.

Elbit said it was awarded a contract valued at "many tens of millions of dollars" to supply a Latin American customer with a mixed fleet of Hermes 900 and Hermes 450 UAVs. The contract will run through the next two years, it said.

The deal includes universal ground control stations and a variety of payloads and capabilities including the electro-optics Elop Division's advanced payloads systems, the Elisra Division's intelligence COMINT systems, SAR/MPR multi mode radar and additional sensors.

Hermes 450, developed by Elbit, has been the back bone of the Israeli forces' operational UAV activity. The Hermes 450 UAVs have been used extensively in defense forces worldwide, including in active war zones and have accumulated more than 300,000 operational flight hours.

The Hermes 900 system builds on the vast operational experience accumulated by the Hermes 450. It offers a range of enhanced capabilities, from higher flight altitude of 30,000 feet to longer endurance and heavier weight payloads.

The system's unique structure enables it to carry a variety of payloads in various shapes and sizes for quick "conversion" between payload configurations.

Elad Aharonson, Elbit Systems UAS Division general manager said, "We are proud of the customer's decision to acquire a combined array of Hermes 450 and Hermes 900, joining several other Hermes 900 customers, including the Israeli Defense Forces."

"Hermes 900 is well positioned as a world-leading UAS, suitable for a wide variety of missions, from intelligence gathering, to perimeter and security missions. The unique capability of joint operation with the Hermes 450 offers seamless integration for existing users, further enhancing operational flexibility and cost effectiveness and eliminating the need for additional infrastructure or special training programs."

Last year Embraer revealed partial details of a new medium-altitude UAV being developed by its Harpia joint venture with Elbit Systems subsidiary AEL.

The Harpia UAV, unveiled in an earnings presentation by Embraer, bears little resemblance to Elbit's Hermes 450, which was acquired by the Brazilian air force in 2011.

Embraer and Elbit are also involved in a three-way partnership with Boeing on a range of unmanned craft.

Boeing is developing a high-altitude long endurance unmanned vehicle, the Phantom Eye while it offers small UAVs via the Insitu subsidiary.

The triangular relationship between Boeing, Elbit and Embraer coincides with Boeing's continuing pitch for its F-18 Super Hornet fighter to be adopted as Brazil's fighter of choice in its multibillion-dollar air force renovation program.

AEL Sistemas, the Brazilian subsidiary of Elbit, was chosen by Boeing to provide large cockpit displays for the F-15 and the F-18 fighters.

 

[Kunal Biswas]

Lockheed Martin Performs Outdoor Flight Test Of Laser Powered UAS

Lockheed Martin and LaserMotive, Inc., have completed a series of flight tests of the Stalker Unmanned Aerial System (UAS) to further validate the performance of an innovative laser power system. These tests mark the first-ever outdoor flight of a UAS powered by laser.

Stalker is a small, silent UAS used by Special Operations Forces since 2006 to perform intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance missions. In a recent wind tunnel test, the UAS demonstrated 48 hours of continuous flight powered by this innovative laser system.

"This series of proof-of-concept tests took place in a remote desert location where environmental factors like wind and heat were constants. Not only did we demonstrate that the laser powered Stalker could perform well in this type of environment, we flew during both day and night without incident," said Tom Koonce, Lockheed Martin Skunk Works® Stalker program manager. "Ultimately we hope to provide our customers with remarkably long endurance to extend and expand the mission profiles possible for a small UAS like Stalker."

For the demonstration, the Stalker was fitted with a lightweight photovoltaic receiver and on-board power management hardware. The ground-based laser transmitter was based on LaserMotive's hardware developed for its winning entry in the 2009 NASA Centennial Challenge.

--------------------------------------


Accomplishments of these proof-of-concept flights include:

Demonstrated net positive power to Stalker in flight, at ranges up to 600 meters.

Proved that the laser did not damage the Stalker and that the addition of the laser receiver did not impact its normal flight operations or aerodynamics. Operated multiple test flights in a range of desert conditions (day and night, high temperatures, and strong winds), demonstrating the ruggedness of the Stalker-mounted laser receiver power system.

The beam director tracked the receiver for long periods, with centimeter accuracy at 500 meters, despite turbulence and aircraft maneuvers.

Met all operational and safety requirements, including coordination with the Laser Clearinghouse and flight operations.

------------------------------------

"We're excited to work with Lockheed Martin to validate the ability of lasers to power Stalker in the field," said Tom Nugent, president of LaserMotive.

"Wireless power via laser is an important emerging technology, and I look forward to continuing to work together to further prove this technology in future experiments."

http://www.prnewswire.com/news-relea...165271226.html

 

[LETHALFORCE]

First Flight of the Long Endurance Multi-Intelligence Vehicle

First Flight of the Long Endurance Multi-Intelligence Vehicle

Northrop Grumman and Hybrid Air Vehicles Limited announce the successful completion of the first flight of the U.S. Army's Long Endurance Multi-Intelligence Vehicle (LEMV) in historic Lakehurst, N.J., the birthplace of the nation's storied military airship past. The LEMV, a first-of-its-kind airship, took to the sky at 6:49 p.m. Eastern time and flew for more than 90 minutes over Lakehurst Naval Air Station.

In the shadows of the century old Hangar One, this major milestone represents the commencement of the flight test program, and demonstrates that Northrop Grumman and its industry partners have successfully developed the world's largest, most-persistent, lighter-than-air optionally piloted aircraft.

"The entire U.S. Army/Northrop Grumman industry team has done an outstanding job working through a technically challenging program, demonstrating strong teamwork to achieve this first flight milestone," said Alan Metzger, vice president and program manager of Long Endurance Multi-Intelligence Vehicle and Airships for Northrop Grumman Aerospace Systems. "This platform will establish a new standard for a long-endurance, persistent intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) capability over the battlefield."

In an environment of tight budgets and acquisition reform, the U.S. Army/Northrop Grumman team successfully demonstrated its nontraditional approach in the execution of this technically challenging program. LEMV was designed, built and flown in a short 24 months, a considerable accomplishment for a vehicle of this scale and complexity.

LEMV will provide unprecedented ISR capabilities to the U.S. Army in the form of an "unblinking stare" over ground troops, ranging anywhere from one day to multiple weeks. The endurance ability of the LEMV system comes from a design that is built around Hybrid Air Vehicles Limited's HAV304 aircraft design and Northrop Grumman's open system architecture design, which provides a modular and flexible payload capability along with room for mission expansion and growth.

"Our air vehicle technology will allow the LEMV program to deliver ISR with unprecedented long endurance capability. The successful first flight of the vehicle demonstrates the readiness of hybrid air vehicle technology to serve military needs," said Gary Elliott, chief executive officer of Hybrid Air Vehicles Limited.

As the prime contractor, Northrop Grumman is responsible for the overall system development and integration, development and implementation of the open system architecture, unmanned flight control software, mission system flight and ground operations, and maintenance and field support for worldwide operations.

Northrop Grumman's industry team includes Hybrid Air Vehicles Limited of the U.K. for the air vehicle design, Warwick Mills for fabric development, ILC Dover for hull fabrication and seaming, AAI Corporation for air vehicle control through its Universal Ground Control Station, SAIC for full-motion video exploitation, and a team of technology leaders from more than 18 U.S. states and at least three countries.

"ILC Dover is pleased to have been given the opportunity to participate in the development and fabrication of the LEMV envelope structure. This has been a challenging program, and we are glad we were able to assist Northrop Grumman and the U.S. Army in its success," said Gilbert Baird, senior product line manager for ILC Dover.

The Army lead for the technology development is the U.S. Army Space and Missile Defense Command/Army Forces Strategic Command. The Army Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff for Intelligence is responsible for the LEMV operational concept. Hybrid Air Vehicles Limited is based in Cranfield, U.K., and provides a range of hybrid air vehicles and associated services for surveillance and heavy lift applications to government and commercial customers. Please visit www.hybridairvehicles.net for more information.