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US Army Selects Sierra Nevada Corporation as Lead System Integrator for its High Accuracy Detection and Exploitation System

Tuesday, August 27th, 2024

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Army selected the Sierra Nevada Corporation as the lead system integrator for its High Accuracy Detection and Exploitation System today. The initial award on the 12-year indefinite-delivery, indefinite-quantity contract is $93.5 million, with an overall ceiling of $991.3 million. HADES will provide transformational increases in speed, range, payload and endurance for Army aerial intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance capabilities.

“This is a great day for the continuing effort to modernize the Army’s aerial intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance collection strategy,” said Mr. Doug Bush, Assistant Secretary of the Army for Acquisition, Logistics and Technology. “The thoughtful and disciplined execution of the HADES program strategy will deliver the transformational capabilities we need for the Army’s next-generation aerial ISR aircraft.”

“HADES is the centerpiece of the Army’s long-promised aerial ISR transformation strategy,” said Lt. Gen. Anthony Hale, Deputy Chief of Staff, G-2. “HADES allows the Army to fly higher, faster and farther, which directly impacts our ability to see and sense deeper, delivering an organic capability in line with the Secretary of the Army’s number-one operational imperative – deep sensing.”

With higher airspeeds and longer endurance, HADES will facilitate aerial ISR coverage for a much larger geographical area and will facilitate global deployment within days instead of the current transitional period of several weeks. This will adversely affect adversaries’ ability to plan and maneuver.

The Army began shaping the HADES program in 2020 to replace the legacy turboprop aircraft fleet currently comprised of the Guardrail, Enhanced Medium Altitude Reconnaissance and Surveillance System, and Airborne Reconnaissance Low aircraft, which have been in service for more than four decades. HADES prototypes will be the first Army-owned large-cabin business jets utilized for aerial ISR platforms.

“I am very proud of the entire HADES team, along with our intelligence, aviation and contracting enterprise partners, who have worked diligently to ensure that the Army delivers a new aerial ISR collection capability that meets the Army’s 2030 operational imperatives,” said Brig. Gen. David Phillips, Program Executive Officer, PEO Aviation. “HADES will allow our formations to see and sense farther and more persistently, providing an asymmetric advantage over our adversaries in large-scale operations and multidomain operations.”

As the Army transforms to meet an uncertain future, HADES is one of the many modernization capabilities that will help ensure that the Army of 2030 is ready and able to fight and win when the nation calls.

Posted in Army, Aviation, Contracts, ISR, Press Release | Comments Off on US Army Selects Sierra Nevada Corporation as Lead System Integrator for its High Accuracy Detection and Exploitation System

First EagleEye Radar Comes Off the GA-ASI Production Line

Friday, August 23rd, 2024

New High-Performance Multi-Mode Radar Tailored for MDO

SAN DIEGO – 23 August 2024 – On July 31, 2024, the first EagleEye multi-mode radar came off the production line of General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. (GA-ASI). The new radar is a high-performance system that delivers high-resolution, photographic-quality imagery that can be captured through clouds, rain, dust, smoke, and fog at multiple times the range of previous radars. EagleEye will be a “drop-in” radar enhancement for the U.S. Army’s current Gray Eagle Extended Range Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) and is part of the initial configuration for the new Gray Eagle 25M (GE 25M) UAS. The Army National Guard has ordered 12 GE 25Ms.

“The EagleEye radar has improved range and multi-mode performance, which is tailored to the deep sensing capability required for Multi-Domain Operations (MDO),” said Jeff Hettick, GA-ASI vice president of Agile Mission Systems. “We look forward to delivering the EagleEye to our U.S. Army customer in the near future.”

Earlier this year, GA-ASI announced the development of a new Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) antenna and associated software for EagleEye, which will increase range and deliver significant mode enhancements. The radar’s increased range and optimized multi-mode performance allow the aircraft to operate well outside the Weapons Effects Zone of most threat systems, adding a layer of survivability that supports the Stand-Off survivability with Stand-In effects of long-range sensors, which is a key component of the Gray Eagle 25M being developed for the U.S. Army.

EagleEye is a multi-mode radar that builds on years of pioneering expertise by GA-ASI. Using Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR), EagleEye enables operators to look in detail through atmospheric conditions that might obscure a purely visual sensor. And for the first time on the Gray Eagle platform, EagleEye delivers radar-based Full-Motion Video (FMV) capability called “Video SAR,” which enables live visual tracking of moving targets — even during heavy cloud cover. As part of the EagleEye development, GA-ASI has improved target detection range using real-time Artificial Intelligence/Machine Learning (AI/ML) software that runs on board the aircraft.

The EagleEye radar performs Moving Target Indication (MTI), detects changes, builds stripmaps, and yields other precise insights to analysts, commanders, and operators using industry-standard data formats. With its Maritime Wide Area Search (MWAS) mode, EagleEye also provides a dedicated maritime MTI mode for tracking and targeting vessels. This further supports the MDO mission set of the U.S. Army, particularly in support of the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command (INDOPACOM). The same mission is a focus for Europe, Africa, and the Middle East where there is an increased need for maritime reconnaissance, surveillance, and target acquisition, which is critical to achieve information dominance and overmatch.

Posted in Aviation, Press Release | Comments Off on First EagleEye Radar Comes Off the GA-ASI Production Line

US Army Seeks Powered Parachute Capability aka Personnel Air Mobility System (PAMS)

Wednesday, August 21st, 2024

Yesterday, the Army Combat Capabilities Development Command-Soldier Center‘s Soldier Sustainment Directive (DEVCOM-SC SSD) published a sources sought notice to industry to to identify potential sources for a Personnel Air Mobility capability to ensure freedom of movement in Contested Environments. They plan to procure this system via an Other Transaction Authority.

As demonstrated by SOF during May’s SOF Week capabilities exercise, a PAMS will provide an additional option to the unit commander, supporting freedom of action in remote and austere locations. This new system will be capable of transporting individual warfighters hundreds of kilometers, reducing dependency on traditional aircraft platforms and extending the range available through traditional parachute infiltration systems. A militarized powered paraglider platform is envisioned to provide both low-altitude (nap-of-the-earth and/or contour-level flight) infiltration and exfiltration capability to increase survivability and avoid detection by the enemy as well as higher-altitude (up to approximately 10,000 feet mean sea level) transit where possible given appropriate threat profile and mission parameters. The PAMS will support multiple mission types including reconnaissance, surveillance, troop movement, infiltration and exfiltration. This new PAMS will also significantly reduce the cost to deliver/transport warfighters over traditional means.

According to the notice, PAMS is planned to be developed to support the U.S. Army’s Airborne forces by addressing a capability gap to provide unit organic personnel air mobility to support freedom of movement in contested environments. Future battlefield threats are expected to require disbursed operations by small units in complex, contested environments. Traditional air assets, including fixed wing and rotary wing transport aircraft, will likely be unavailable for the movement of small teams due to supporting other missions and the difficulty of operating these vehicles in anti-access/area denial threat areas. To overcome the challenges of conducting operations in this space, a concept of expanded maneuver in all domains calls for new platforms that can provide low-cost mobility solutions over extended ranges which are available at the individual unit/warfighter level.

Desired System Performance Parameters:

Range

Threshold 100 kilometers

Objective 300 kilometers

Total System Weight (dry)

Threshold 75 pounds

Objective 60 pounds

Weight Capacity

Threshold 200 to 350 pounds

Objective 150 to 400 pounds

Maximum Altitude

Threshold 10,000 feet mean sea level

Objective 20,000 feet mean sea level

The textile components must be Berry Compliant.

To respond, submit a Broad Other Transaction Authority Announcement (BOTAA) preproposal as outlined in the DEVCOM Soldier Center BOTAA DEVCOM-SC BOTAA 22-01 located here.

Posted in Army, Aviation, Mobility | 9 Comments »

AFSOC Demonstrates ACE with Historic Highway Landing

Wednesday, August 7th, 2024

BONO, Ark. —

In a historic first, Air Force Special Operations Command successfully landed an AC-130J Ghostrider Gunship on Highway 63 in Bono, Arkansas, on August 4, 2024. This operation was part of a broader exercise, Emerald Warrior Field Training Exercise II, designed to showcase AFSOC’s Agile Combat Employment capabilities.

The exercise provided an opportunity for participating units to refine their skills and advance ongoing pathfinding and experimentation efforts within AFSOC.

“This exercise serves as a significant milestone for AFSOC, demonstrating our ability to operate in diverse and austere environments,” said Tech. Sgt. Robert Gallagher, lead planner for the highway landings, assigned to the AFSOC Air Commando Development Center. “By leveraging ACE concepts, we enhance our operational flexibility and resilience.”

Throughout the morning, Special Tactics Airmen from the 1st Special Operations Wing established and secured a landing zone on the highway.

Shortly after, a C-146A Wolfhound and an MC-130J Commando II from the 492nd Special Operations Wing landed on the five-lane highway.

The MC-130J crew then set up a Forward Arming and Refueling Point (FARP), as the AC-130J assigned to the 1st Special Operations Wing at Hurlburt Field, Florida, made its approach, landed, refueled, rearmed and took off again.

The primary objective of this exercise was to validate AFSOC’s capability to operate in austere environments with minimal infrastructure. Key tasks included securing the landing zone and performing FARP operations, both critical elements of the ACE framework.

“Emerald Warrior FTX II demonstrates to our adversaries that we can meet them anytime, any place, anywhere, without the need for traditional runways to project air power,” said Col. Patrick Dierig, 1 SOW commander. “By landing an AC-130J on a highway and conducting FARP, we’re proving our ability to operate in austere and unique environments. It shows our commitment to maintain operational flexibility and readiness, ensuring we can deliver decisive airpower whenever and wherever it’s needed.”

The successful execution of this exercise underscores AFSOC’s commitment to evolving its capabilities and adapting to emerging threats. By continuing to refine and operationalize ACE concepts, AFSOC ensures it remains at the forefront of innovative and agile combat operations.

By MSgt Ryan Conroy

Posted in Air Force, Aviation, Guest Post, SOF | 1 Comment »

FLRAA Achieves Milestone B, Enters Next Phase of Development

Tuesday, August 6th, 2024

REDSTONE ARSENAL, Ala. — The Army’s Future Vertical Lift program took a major step forward as the Future Long Range Assault Aircraft, or FLRAA, program entered the next major phase of development when the Army announced the approval of the FLRAA Milestone B Acquisition Decision Memorandum on August 2, 2024.

The decision came after the successful FLRAA preliminary design review in April and a meeting of the Army Systems Acquisition Review Council in June. After reviewing FLRAA affordability, technological viability, threat projections and security, engineering, manufacturing, sustainment and cost risks, the ASARC confirmed that all sources of program risk have been adequately addressed for this phase of the program. Milestone B allows the Army to exercise contract options and continues development of the aircraft as it now enters the engineering and manufacturing development phase.

“This an important step for FLRAA and demonstrates the Army’s commitment to our highest aviation modernization priority,” said the Army acquisition executive, the Honorable Douglas R. Bush. “FLRAA will provide assault and MEDEVAC capabilities for the future Army, adding significantly increased speed, range and endurance.”

“This is an exciting day for the Army … and more importantly for our Soldiers. The FLRAA provides truly transformational capability to Army aviators as we uphold the sacred trust with the Soldier on the ground,” said Maj. Gen. Michael C. McCurry, 17th chief of the U.S. Army Aviation Branch. “Future battlefields require expanded maneuver, the ability to sustain and provide command and control across vast distances, and of course, evacuate our wounded. All of these apply to both conventional and special operations forces. With roughly twice the range and twice the speed, FLRAA brings unmatched combat capability to the joint force.”

The Army awarded the FLRAA Weapon System Development contract to Bell Textron on December 5, 2022, and it includes nine options. The Milestone B allows the Army to exercise the first option which includes detailed aircraft design and build of six prototype aircraft. The Army is planning for the first FLRAA flight in 2026 with low-rate initial production scheduled to begin in 2028 and initial fielding activity in 2030. The Army will continue to review and refine the schedule as necessary based on the contract award and the latest program activities.

“PM FLRAA and our Team of Teams across the aviation enterprise are working hard to make sure that we get it right,” said Brig. Gen. David Phillips, Program Executive Officer, Aviation. “We will deliver a next generation combat capability that meets the Army’s goals for affordability, survivability, maintainability, reliability and safety.”

“The FLRAA Milestone B decision is another successful step of a deliberate modernization effort by the Army,” said Brig. Gen. Cain Baker, director for the Future Vertical Lift Cross Functional Team. “The many stakeholders, including academia and industry, have worked hard to ensure rigorous technology development and demonstration and have informed FLRAA requirements and affordability. FLRAA’s speed, reach and survivability will be key to transforming U.S. Army maneuver.”

“I am very proud of the FLRAA team. We’ve maintained a deliberate balance between sustaining program momentum while maintaining technical and acquisition rigor,” said Col. Jeffrey Poquette, FLRAA project manager. “Using digital engineering as a key part of our ‘go slow to go fast’ approach has helped to accelerate the program by investing in requirements development up front.”

FLRAA will provide transformational capability for ground forces and aircrews with speed, range, and surprise to present multiple dilemmas to the enemy. It will expand the depth of the battlefield, extending reach to conduct air assault missions from relative sanctuary while enabling us to rapidly exploit freedom of maneuver to converge ground forces through decentralized operations at extended distances. FLRAA’s inherent reach and standoff capabilities will ensure mission success through tactical maneuver at operational and strategic distances.

As the Army transforms to meet an uncertain future, FLRAA is one of many modernized capabilities that will help ensure the Army of 2030 and beyond is ready to win when the nation calls.

By PEO Aviation

Posted in Army, Aviation, Guest Post | Comments Off on FLRAA Achieves Milestone B, Enters Next Phase of Development

Lockheed Martin Sikorsky Advances to Next Phase of Next Generation Rotorcraft Capability Program

Monday, July 29th, 2024

NATO Support and Procurement Agency Selects X2 Rotorcraft for Integrated Platform Concept Study

FARNBOROUGH, United Kingdom, July 26, 2024 — The NATO Support and Procurement Agency (NSPA) has awarded Lockheed Martin Sikorsky a contract award to study integrated platform concepts that could fulfill NATO’s next generation rotorcraft requirements through its Next Generation Rotorcraft Capability (NGRC) program.

“Sikorsky is ready to design a rotorcraft prototype for NATO’s NGRC concept study to support defense and deterrence for an ever-changing global environment. Years of investment and rigorous flight testing with multiple X2 technology demonstrators have proven its ability to change the future airspace,” said Andy Adams, vice president of Sikorsky Future Vertical Lift.

“Our X2 aircraft will bring to bear the strengths of Lockheed Martin along with input from our European Industry Group, such as digital thread, advanced manufacturing, sustainment, training, and weapon and mission system development, to provide NATO with an integrated rotorcraft system that combines speed, range, maneuverability, survivability and operational flexibility.”

Lockheed Martin Sikorsky’s European Industry Group includes Tier-1 aerospace suppliers, such as BAE Systems, ELT Group, ESG Elektroniksystem-und Logistik GmbH, GE Aerospace, Hellenic Aerospace Industry, Kongsberg, Liebherr-Aerospace Lindenberg GmbH, MAGroup,

Malloy Aeronautics, SAFRAN, Rheinmetall and TERMA. This industry group will provide input as to how their world-class military products can support the X2 integrated platform concept approach to advance NATO’s capabilities and provide a next generation rotorcraft solution.

With more than $1 billion invested and 15 years of testing and flying, X2 rotorcraft, Sikorsky’s X2 aircraft are demonstrating mission relevance. The S-97 RAIDER technology demonstrator’s rigorous flight test program continues to provide critical data that correlates to a virtual prototype and enables Sikorsky to experiment with the unique capabilities that an X2 Technology rotorcraft can provide.

NSPA General Manager, Ms Stacy A. Cummings, stated: “The launch of Concept Study #5 is a significant milestone for the NGRC concept stage activities, and demonstrates NSPA’s dedication to meet the challenge of next generation medium lift for Participating Nations. The strategy to launch 3 parallel contracts awarded by competition delivers on our commitment to maximise industry expertise, opportunity and engagement in the programme, and will provide a broad range of potential concepts in the study results for our multinational customers.”

The NGRC program initiative began in 2022 and includes France, Germany, Greece, Italy, the Netherlands, United Kingdom and Canada. The United States and Spain are currently acting as observers. Under the NGRC program, NATO is seeking to develop a medium-class, multi-role rotorcraft aimed to replace medium multi-role helicopters currently in service. NSPA, through its dedicated NGRC Support Partnership, aims to respond to this upcoming requirement, in a timely and cost-effective manner, while concurrently leveraging a broad range of recent advances in technology, production methods, and operational concepts.

Posted in Aviation, Contracts, International, NATO, NSPA, Press Release | Comments Off on Lockheed Martin Sikorsky Advances to Next Phase of Next Generation Rotorcraft Capability Program

AFSOC Seeks sUAS Group 3 Swarm Carrier Drone Capability

Wednesday, July 24th, 2024

The U.S. Air Force Offensive small Unmanned Aerial Systems (sUAS) System Program Office (SPO) has issued a Request for Information to Industry to conduct market research to determine Industry’s ability to provide capabilities supporting the Air Force Special Operations Command’s (AFSOC) Adaptive Airborne Enterprise (A2E) concept within 24 – 36 months.

What they are after is a Group 3 sUAS capable of internally carrying and deploying Group 2 sUAS equipped with an Intelligence Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) payload. Essentially, a drone capable of being launched from a C-130 which carries and deploys a swarm of even smaller drones.

This is one of three distinct RFIs to be issued that will cover the sUAS platform needs for fielding Adaptive Airborne Enterprise (A2E) capabilities within 24 – 36 months of this RFI.

The SPO intends to release three distinct RFIs, each covering a specific A2E sUAS capability, detailed below. The SPO is seeking Industry responses to help inform how it can provide AFSOC with air-launched sUAS capabilities that integrate Group 2 Air-Launched ISR systems, Group 3 Air-Launched Swarm Carrier systems, and Group 3 Air-Launched Signature Managed systems within the A2E architecture (see Appendix A, Figure 1) while complying with a Modular Open System Approach (MOSA). Specifically, the SPO will be seeking responses for each of the three capabilities below via three separate and distinct RFIs:

• Group 2 ISR – To be internally carried and air-launched via Common Launch Tube (CLT) from a Group 3 Swarm Carrier.

• Group 3 Swarm Carrier – To be deployed from a C-130 as an air-dropped, palletized effect, internally carrying and able to launch Group 2 ISR sUAS from CLTs.

• Group 3 Signature Managed – To be air-launched from a Group 5 system, act as a C2 node in a network/swarm of sUAS and send data from the contested/denied environment to the Joint Force.

Solutions must align with MOSA design principles and be cost-effective for the government. They must also be compatible with an Autonomous Government Referenced Architecture and the software chosen to support that architecture. Finally, solutions must demonstrate a maturity level and production capacity that confidently conveys the ability to deliver scalable quantity within 36 months.

RFI responses are due no later than (NLT) 1700 EST (sic) on August 09, 2024.

Read the details at sam.gov.

Posted in Air Force, Aviation, Contracts, SOF, UAS | Comments Off on AFSOC Seeks sUAS Group 3 Swarm Carrier Drone Capability

All-Electric Fixed-Wing Aircraft Offloads Cargo at JB McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst

Wednesday, July 17th, 2024

JOINT BASE MCGUIRE-DIX-LAKEHURST, N.J. (AFNS) —

Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst played a vital role in a historic first cargo flight as part of a demonstration of the ALIA CTOL, a battery-powered fixed-wing aircraft, July 9. The National Aerospace Research and Technology Park (NARTP) in Atlantic City tested the aircraft’s cargo usage by flying a lap pattern from Atlantic City, Dover Air Force Base and JB MDL.

The U.S. Air Force, in a partnership with BETA Technologies, has been instrumental in the development of ALIA. This groundbreaking aircraft, with a range of 250 nautical miles and the capacity to seat up to five passengers, is a testament to the Air Force’s adaptability to new technologies. The Air Force’s interest in the ALIA’s flexible applications further reinforces its commitment to staying at the forefront of technological advancements.

Moving cargo between Dover AFB and JB MDL with the ALIA is advantageous because it saves time and many other valuable resources.

“We can be ready to take off in a matter of minutes, and the battery has a low center of gravity, which is not affected by the way you load the cargo,” said Ross Elkort, BETA Technologies flight test engineer.”

The 305th Maintenance Squadron’s Precision Measurement Equipment Laboratory team unloaded 319 pounds of cargo from Dover AFB and loaded 222 pounds to send on a return trip.

Having last-mile cargo delivery handled by a battery-powered fixed-wing is an opportunity to make air mobility safer, cleaner and more cost-effective.

“It brings key innovation to the mission. It’s going to make things faster and simpler,” said Alyxandra Scalone, 305th Maintenance Squadron production controller. “Dover (AFB) is about two and a half hours away from us. Today’s flight only took 45 minutes.”

“An all-electric aircraft like the ALIA is the next evolution of rapid global mobility,” said Zachary White, BETA Technologies team member. “We started working with the AFWERX Agility Prime Program in 2019. We are super excited to be here and supporting Air Mobility Command. Doing different types of missions and flying cargo between bases, it was great to see the flexibility of this aircraft.”

By MSgt Joseph Vigil, Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst Public Affairs

Posted in Air Force, Aviation, Guest Post, Power | Comments Off on All-Electric Fixed-Wing Aircraft Offloads Cargo at JB McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst