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3 GA-ASI Engineers Win Award From AIAA

Friday, June 16th, 2023

Leon Alvarez, James McPherson and Terry von Klein Receive AIAA San Diego Section Awards

SAN DIEGO – 13 June 2023 – Three senior engineers from General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. (GA-ASI) were honored with awards from the San Diego section of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) in the areas of outstanding aerospace engineering and engineering management. The awards were presented at an event hosted by the AIAA on May 21, 2023. GA-ASI is a leading employer in the San Diego area and manufacturer of Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS), radars, and electro-optic and related mission systems solutions.

Leon Alvarez, James McPherson and Walter (Terry) von Klein were the three GA-ASI engineers who were honored with awards.

“We are very proud of the important contributions of Leon, James and Terry,” said GA-ASI Vice President of Engineering Dee Wilson. “As the world leader in unmanned systems, engineering is the lifeblood of our company. These engineers have helped to pioneer the development of new and innovative technologies that are utilized on our UAS platforms, which are critical to U.S. national security and throughout the world.”

Leon Alvarez is technical director for GA-ASI’s Guidance, Navigation and Control (GNC) Group, and is the company’s leader in development of a revolutionary technology for GA-ASI’s aircraft – Automatic Takeoff and Landing Capability (ATLC) utilizing only onboard sensors. He has worked as a leader over 15 years on the architecture and development of the technology and is integral in the deployment of ATLC as a key enabler of GA-ASI’s line of unmanned aircraft that are deployed with customers around the world and has zero mishaps after more than 130,000 takeoff and landing events.

James McPherson is GA-ASI’s program manager for U.S. Marine Corps (USMC) programs and was awarded for outstanding contributions to aerospace management. He manages technical projects involving GA-ASI’s USMC customer, including all training and sustainment for the USMC MUX Program and support of the USMC’s Service Level Training Exercises where he has led a team of project managers, engineers, technicians, mechanics, and aircrew to a Link 16 solution without impacting a rigorous flight schedule.

Finally, Terry von Klein, GA-ASI engineering director for Flight Technologies and Advanced Programs, was awarded a Lifetime Achievement Award from AIAA for his outstanding contributions to GNC activities on all GA-ASI platforms. Over the course of his 36-year career, which also included stops at Northrop Grumman and Boeing, he had significant impact on aerospace engineering, primarily in GNC and flight simulation across programs as diverse as C-17, X-48B, ATT, MD-11, MQ-1, MQ-9, and numerous advanced and novel systems. His work has been published by AIAA and NASA, and he holds a patent for a novel method of automatic control of a vehicle.

Posted in Industry, Press Release, UAS | Comments Off on 3 GA-ASI Engineers Win Award From AIAA

Leonardo DRS Awarded $94 Million Contract for Advanced Infrared Weapon Sights for Army Snipers

Friday, June 16th, 2023

ARLINGTON, Va.–Jun. 8, 2023– Leonardo DRS, Inc. (NASDAQ: DRS) announced today that it has received a new contract to produce its next-generation infrared weapon sights for U.S. Army infantry snipers. The firm-fixed-price contract from the Army’s Contracting Command is valued at more than $94 million over five years.

Under the contract, Leonardo DRS will produce the advanced system known as the Family of Weapon Sights – Sniper, Improved Night / Day Observation Device Block III. The advanced infrared weapon sight is designed for sniper or reconnaissance operators that require extended range target detection and identification, observation of environmental indicators, and a capability to track bullet trajectory.

“We are proud to provide this technology to ensure soldiers have the most advanced systems available,” said Jerry Hathaway, senior vice president and general manager of the Leonardo DRS Electro-Optical Infrared Systems business. “We have a long history of supplying the Army with advanced electro-optic and infrared technologies, and this award highlights our customer trust in our market-leading Family of Weapon Sights.”

At the core of the technology is decades of Leonardo DRS experience in the micro-cooled infrared weapon systems field. The Family of Weapon Sights-Sniper employs a passive, micro-cooled, mid-wave infrared technology designed to provide the user with large-format imagery to maximize the effectiveness of the mission.

Posted in Army, Contracts, Press Release | Comments Off on Leonardo DRS Awarded $94 Million Contract for Advanced Infrared Weapon Sights for Army Snipers

Panteao Debuts Make Ready Online Classes

Friday, June 16th, 2023

Live interactive classes with your favorite instructors.

Columbia, SC, June 16, 2023 – Panteao Productions is happy to announce the debut of Make Ready Online Classes, our live interactive classes with your favorite instructors from Make Ready TV.

Since 2010, Panteao Productions has been leading the way in online firearms training while also offering content covering empty hands defense, edged weapons, survival training, dog training, medical skills, strength training, documentary shows, and episodic content like Inside Story, Wildcraft, Wilderness to Table and more.

Panteao’s streaming platform, Make Ready TV, delivers content from over 60 instructors in formats including DVD, digital rental, digital download purchase, and monthly and annual streaming subscriptions. Over 7,000 videos are available from the Make Ready TV website, Apple and Android mobile apps, and from your television on Roku, Amazon Fire TV, and Apple TV.

Now we offer live interactive classes for you to participate in from our website and mobile devices. With our online classes you will be able to interact directly with our instructors in real time. No matter where you are in the country or around the world, you will be able to join our live streaming classes.

There are currently 13 classes available from 5 instructors including Pat McNamara, Rick Hogg, Jeff Gonzales, Tony Blauer, and Chris “Dutch” Moyer. More classes and instructors will be coming soon to the lineup.

To see the lineup of classes, visit Make Ready TV at: www.makeready.tv/en/Live

Posted in Media, Press Release, Training | 2 Comments »

SK Customs Sponsors A Regular Gun Guy’s ARMIII Range Day

Thursday, June 15th, 2023

HAYMARKET, VA – June 14, 2023 – SK Customs®, the Nation’s only series driven, limited edition manufacturer of custom firearms, is proud to announce its sponsorship of A Regular Gun Guy’s ARMIII Range Day from June 16-17, 2023, at Ranges at Oakfield located in Thomasville, Ga.

“We’re thrilled to be the sponsor of A Regular Gun Guy and The Gun Camp’s ARMIII Range Day, and look forward to showcasing our products alongside our friends at Phoenix Trinity Manufacturing and array of other leading industry partners,” said Simon Khiabani, owner and founder of SK Customs. “SK Customs has launched a wide range of new productions representing rich history and intricately designed firearms this year. We can’t wait to showcase these works of art at ARMIII Range Day.”

With more than 300 firearm enthusiasts in attendance, the event features leading industry products and a variety of 2A influencers and GunTubers. Held at one of the top outdoor ranges in the country, attendees will have the opportunity to visit a dedicated range bay to participate in a steel challenge and visit a large display featuring SK Customs products. The event is hosted by YouTube’s A Regular Gun Guy, known for his firearm reviews and 2A content.

“The mission of A Regular Meetup is to allow the everyday gun enthusiasts the opportunity to experience the type of weekend that’s typically only awarded to industry insiders,” said Christina Myers, director of operations at Media Lodge. “We want the supporters to get a chance to meet influencers and celebrities they typically only get to see online and on television. The event also allows participants a chance to get up close and personal with some of their favorite firearms and accessory brands that they support every day.”

To learn more about new production offerings from SK Customs, visit skguns.com.

Posted in Press Release, Shooting Sports | Comments Off on SK Customs Sponsors A Regular Gun Guy’s ARMIII Range Day

Orolia Defense & Security Ignites New Era as Safran Federal Systems at the 2023 Joint Navigation Conference

Thursday, June 15th, 2023

The Leader in M-Code PNT Solutions announces re-brand, introduces Inertial Navigation offering

ROCHESTER, N.Y., June 12, 2023

Orolia Defense & Security, a Safran Electronics & Defense company, has announced at the Institute of Navigation’s 2023 Joint Navigation Conference that it will re-brand under a new name, Safran Federal Systems, following its 2022 acquisition by Safran, a global aerospace and defense company.

“Though our name and look are changing, our people, our operations, and our leadership team remain the same. The name Safran Federal Systems signifies being part of the Safran Group, a world leader in aerospace and defense, while reflecting what we do best, serving our U.S. Government & Military customers with cutting-edge positioning, navigation and timing (PNT) systems,” said Hironori Sasaki, President of Safran Federal Systems. “We remain fully committed to ensuring the success of our customers and the success of our warfighters. By joining the Safran Group, we are excited to be able to offer an even larger portfolio of industry-leading technology tailored for the U.S. military.”

In addition to its Resilient PNT solutions, M-Code/GNSS testing and simulation tools, precision time synchronization systems and navigation warfare (NAVWAR) equipment, Safran Federal Systems is now one of the only companies with a full complement of PNT technologies with proven inertial navigation solutions.

“The Safran Federal Systems inertial navigation portfolio now includes the Hemispherical Resonator Gyro (HRG) Crystal™ technology, which leverages state-of-the-art manufacturing and offers revolutionary performance and reliability over existing technologies, for tactical to strategic applications across all military domains,” said Jon Leombrone, Executive Vice President of Navigation Systems at Safran Federal Systems. “With more than 30,000 HRGs produced and over 15 million operational hours, the technology is proven and tested in military applications worldwide.”

Safran Federal Systems continues to be the trusted Resilient PNT solution provider for military end users and industry partners, from the lab to the field. Safran Federal Systems continues to operate as a proxy-regulated company, Free of Foreign Ownership, Control, or Influence (FOCI), approved to work on the full spectrum of U.S. Government classified and unclassified projects.

Visit Safran Federal Systems at JNC in booth #500 from Tuesday, June 13–Wednesday, June 14.

Safran Federal Systems provides Resilient PNT solutions and custom engineering services to U.S. Government agencies, defense organizations and their contractors. Safran Federal Systems is authorized to work on the full spectrum of U.S. Government classified and unclassified projects, in addition to supporting strategic partnerships for key defense PNT technologies.

Safran Federal Systems operates as a proxy-regulated company, Free of Foreign Ownership, Control, or Influence (FOCI).

For more information: www.safranfederalsystems.com

Posted in Industry, Press Release | Comments Off on Orolia Defense & Security Ignites New Era as Safran Federal Systems at the 2023 Joint Navigation Conference

MPU5 Firmware Update Uses AI to Counter Electronic Warfare Threats

Thursday, June 15th, 2023

June 13, 2023

Firmware increases throughput of MPU5 and hardens network against electronic attack

Persistent Systems, LLC (“Persistent”), a leader in mobile ad hoc networking (MANET), announced today that the company has rolled out its free 19.7.1 firmware upgrade for customers of the handheld MPU5 networked radio and other Wave Relay® MANET products.

The new 19.7.1 firmware adds Artificial Intelligence (AI) to the Wave Relay® MANET, allowing it to rapidly adapt radio parameters to maximize network throughput. The reinforcement learning algorithm continuously adapts modulation selection, coding rates, spatial streams, and other RF parameters, selecting from thousands of permutations. The algorithm receives an “award” as the capacity of the link increases.

“With this firmware update, our MANET products deliver the maximum network capacity to our end-users,” said Sam Pera, director of Sales Engineering for Persistent Systems. “This means more voice, video, and data – delivering increased situational awareness to the warfighter.”

The upgrade also expands the library of electronic warfare (EW) countermeasures that can be employed by the MPU5 when operating in congested or contested environments.

“The fusion of EW countermeasures with AI based adaptation creates an extremely robust, market leading capability,” Pera noted. “Delivering a system that continuously adapts in contested RF environments to maximize performance.”

The new 19.7.1 firmware also enables the auto-discovery of video camera feeds on the Wave Relay® network, supports pan, tilt, zoom control of FLIR camera gimbals, and embeds KLV metadata into the MPEG video stream.

The MPU5’s Android operating system has also been upgraded several generations improving both security and application performance. Indeed, company officials describe 19.7.1 as a “significant upgrade”—one that was years in the making and supported by the law enforcement, intelligence, and special operations communities.

“They were all beta testers of the new 19.7.1 firmware,” said Pera. “We incorporated their suggestions and received extremely positive feedback with regard to the performance improvements.”

The new 19.7.1 firmware is available now for download in the Customer Support Portal.

www.persistentsystems.com

Posted in Comms, Press Release | Comments Off on MPU5 Firmware Update Uses AI to Counter Electronic Warfare Threats

Satcom Direct Joins Forces with McQ to Launch Groundbreaking Video Bandwidth Agility Kit

Thursday, June 15th, 2023

New tech streams HD video in reduced bandwidth BLOS applications

Melbourne, Florida/ 13 June 2023 – SD Government, the satellite communications provider for global governments, has teamed with advanced surveillance systems experts, McQ, to add the SD Video Bandwidth Agility Kit (VBAK) to its expanding portfolio of services. Delivering near real-time high-definition video over low bandwidth in beyond line-of-sight (BLOS) applications for military and civilian government customers, the VBAK is a breakthrough technology for intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR), and search and rescue (SAR) missions. With its clarity, speed, and multiple-platform capabilities, it is transforming fixed-wing, helicopter, and UAV operations with reduced weight and size limitations.

The VBAK internal compact SD WiFi Hub router and video compression module sit between the onboard camera and modem in a hardened case, collecting video data and compressing it using McQ vWatch® software. The video is then transmitted through the SD Plane Simple® Ku-band antenna to a coordination server, where it is distributed simultaneously to multiple end-users, including command and control centers and other aircraft. The video compression bundle is transport agnostic and compatible with Ka, Ku, and L-band satellite communication (SATCOM).

The system, available as a complete roll-on/roll-off (RO-RO) kit, can be installed as a bundle with the SD Plane Simple® Ku-band antenna connecting with the Intelsat FlexAir network and is bolstered by worldwide award-winning customer support. VBAK is compatible with the Tactical Removeable Airborne Satellite Communications (TRASC) BLOS C-130 Multi-Purpose Hatch System (MPHS) solution from SD Government and R4 Integration, Inc. Combined, these two RO/RO systems enable simple equipment sharing across the fleet.

In a VBAK proof-of-concept mission held at the Red Flag Alaska Range in March 2023, the HD video feed (1080p/H.264/30fps) from a Northrop Grumman LITENING Advanced Targeting Pod mounted on an Alaska Air National Guard SAR HC-130J, was compressed into a 300kbps stream and routed over the Inmarsat GX network using a MilliSat EX Ka-band antenna that relayed the feed to a ground station where the streaming quality was evaluated. The aircraft departed on a high-level route at 18,000ft MSL from Eielson Air Force Base, Alaska, and an iPerf test was completed during the sortie. The signal-to-noise ratio averaged 5.3 (compared to the normal range of 3.0 to 8.0), 1.8mbps upload, and 1.5mbps download speeds were achieved, and video dissemination occurred with sub-2 second latency. Near real-time or better, this low latency shows how VBAK enables HD video streaming on bandwidth limited to provide capacity for other applications and when high bandwidth is unavailable.

Adding flexibility to the SD VBAK package, the system will operate on a variety of internet protocol networks, including cellular and IP radio modems, as well as satellite. In addition, the McQ vWatch module provides a set-up web page. Its user interface displays video and includes controls for frame rate, pixel resolution, camera pan, tilt and zoom. Frame rate and pixel resolution are adjustable for the best data rate. At the same time, SD’s Data Center and Private Network offer continuous vulnerability scanning, intrusion detection, and encryption while ensuring data never touches the public network.

“The VBAK bundle is an asset that users have been demanding for some time, and we are proud to deliver it to our government customers. The ISR market and operators are balancing the demand for larger data offloads with the economics of the available BLOS solutions. The integration of the McQ vWatch software into the SD ecosystem of hardware and connectivity solutions provides operational agility and cost advantages for the operator, and we are looking forward to working with customers to implement the technology,” says Hayden Olson, GM, Satcom Direct Government. “Our collaboration with McQ on such an innovative piece of technology advances critical service communications during BLOS missions to support positive outcomes in the most challenging environments and consequently protect and save lives.”

Posted in Comms, Industry, Press Release | Comments Off on Satcom Direct Joins Forces with McQ to Launch Groundbreaking Video Bandwidth Agility Kit

Industry Ready to Answer Call to Arms

Thursday, June 15th, 2023

NIOA Group CEO Rob Nioa says it’s time for Australia to step up and win the industrial capability battle.

In a blunt warning to the nation’s premier defence gathering in Canberra last night (Eds: Wednesday, June 14), Mr Nioa said the consequences of outsourcing military production could be dire against a backdrop of the most critical period in decades.

While the challenges are enormous, so too is the ability of Australian industry to meet them, but it needs to be brought into the fight – and soon, he said.

Before an audience including Australia’s most influential decision-makers across Government, Defence and the ADF, Mr Nioa said the potential for conflict in our region was “at a scale that we have not seen since World War 2”.

“This is industrial scale conflict that requires a capable and fully mobilised Australian industrial base to deter it,” Mr Nioa told the Australian Industry & Defence Network (AIDN) dinner.

“If we are to deter aggressors we need to demonstrate that we can win the industrial battle. The people that can do that for Australia are in this room.”

But the head of Australia’s biggest privately-owned supplier of munitions to the ADF said industry investment in building sovereign capability would be stymied by an over dependence on Foreign Military Sales (FMS).

“The biggest risk to getting Australian industry into the fight, is outsourcing all of our immediate requirements to FMS. That will pull the rug out from under us quicker than anything,” he said.

“If we have nothing to do we can do nothing. We need to start now. The Ukraine war has highlighted the significant industrial challenges in sustaining and winning large scale conflicts.

“And it has exposed significant limitations in the current scale of the combined allied defence industrial base.

“Previous conflicts have shown us that a nation must start to mobilise its defence industrial base around four years before it can mobilise its defence force. Our adversaries have done precisely that and more.”

Mr Nioa singled out key points in the recently-released Defence Strategic Review (DSR), including:

That Australia is facing “the prospect of major conflict in our region that directly threatens our national interest”.

It signalled the end of strategic warning time for that conflict to occur, and said “ending warning time…necessitates an urgent call to action…”

“Defence’s current approach to defence acquisition is not fit for purpose”.

That “procurement risk must be based on minimum viable capability in the shortest possible timeframe”.

That “Australia must be more self-reliant so that we are able to contribute more to regional security”.

And that will require a shift to “strengthening Australia’s sovereign military and industrial capabilities”.

“I urge the Government and Defence to engage more urgently with the Australian industrial base and industrialists,” Mr Nioa said.

“I suspect I speak for the room when I say there is a sense that Australian industry is currently sitting on the sidelines, waiting to be brought into the fight.

“I also don’t think it is well understood how commercially draining and unrewarding it is to build new industrial capabilities.

“From a commercial point of view that represents years of development, construction and commissioning effort, all while losing money, taking on risk and forgoing alternate opportunities.

“That needs an industrial base that is solely focused on the national interests of Australia. That industrial base is sitting in this room and ready.”

www.nioa.com.au

Posted in Industry, International, Press Release | 1 Comment »