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GA-ASI Seaguardian Supports Northern Edge 2023

Monday, June 12th, 2023

Flights Featured ESM, COMINT, Detect and Avoid, AIS, and Link 16 Capabilities

SAN DIEGO – 07 June 2023 – As part of a U.S. Navy contract, an MQ-9B SeaGuardian® Unmanned Aircraft System from General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. (GA-ASI) supported the NORTHERN EDGE 2023 (NE23) exercise May 8-19, 2023. The training exercise, which took place in the Gulf of Alaska, was one of a series of U.S. Indo-Pacific Command (IPACOM) exercises that prepares joint forces to respond to crises in the Asia Pacific region.

GA-ASI’s SeaGuardian is a maritime derivative of the MQ-9B SkyGuardian® and remains the first UAS that offers multi-domain Intelligence, Surveillance, Reconnaissance and Targeting (ISR&T) and has an internal payload suite that can prosecute surface and subsurface targets in support of Fleet Operations.

During NE23, SeaGuardian provided real-time Maritime ISR&T data feeds to the various IPACOM operations centers including Pacific Fleet, Pacific Air Forces, Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson Joint Exercise Control Group (JECG) and various exercise and real-world watch floors. Real-time sensor data – including Signals Intelligence (SIGINT), radar, and full-motion video – was Processed, Exploited and Disseminated (PED) by operators via Minotaur Mission System. The Minotaur system was developed by the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory. It links sensors, SIGINT, cameras, radar and communications equipment into a single, automated system that allows operators to more efficiently identify, track and target simultaneously with other users for expedited dynamic tasking. This classified data was transmitted to the Joint Fires Network using new DoD technologies allowing for the smart routing of communications between widely distributed communications nodes.

In addition, SeaGuardian showcased an array of operational payloads, including Electronic Support Measures (ESM), Radar Moving Target Indication (MTI) and Inverse Synthetic-Aperture Radar (ISAR), Communication Intelligence (COMINT), Automatic Identification System (AIS), high-definition Electro-Optical/Infra-Red (EO/IR) imaging system and Link 16.

The ESM payload on SeaGuardian was supplied by Sierra Nevada Corporation and the COMINT payload was made by L3Harris Technologies. The aircraft featured the SeaVue Multi-role radar from Raytheon Technologies. GA-ASI’s Link 16 solution leveraged the L3Harris Small Tactical Terminal (STT) KOR-24A radio and Ultra Electronics Air Defense Systems Integrator (ADSI) host software ran on the Parry Labs Stellar Relay Common Compute Module.

The GA-ASI-developed Detect and Avoid (DAA) system was also installed in SeaGuardian and received a limited certification from NAVAIR. This enabled SeaGuardian to perform beyond visual line-of-sight (BVLOS) operations within the exercise airspace.

SeaGuardian’s multi-domain capabilities allows it to flex from mission to mission and pass real-time sensor data directly to the fleet through Link 16 and satellite feeds to the shore-based command and intelligence centers. During NE23, the MQ-9B effectively passed ISR&T information to various surface and air units, and a litany of other U.S. and foreign units taking part in the exercise.

In addition to its contributions to the exercise, the SeaGuardian self-deployed from GA-ASI’s Desert Horizons flight operations facility in El Mirage, Calif., to Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska, covering over 2,000 nautical miles in a single flight and demonstrated SeaGuardian’s unrivalled expeditionary attributes. The aircraft self-deployed back to El Mirage following the exercise. All flights were flown from a forward deployed Mission Command Element comprised of a Certified Ground Control Station and Mission Intelligence Station located Naval Air Station Whidbey Island, Washington, exercising UAS Expeditionary Concept of Operations (CONOPS) in support of Exercise objectives.

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Rampart Range Day 23 – Pathfinder from ARA

Tuesday, May 30th, 2023

ARA’s Pathfinder is a seismic unattended ground sensor which was fielded to the US Army as the Expendable Unattended Ground Sensor System. Over 40,000 have been deployed.

This buried sensor can detect human foot traffic at 10 m and offroad vehicle traffic at 25 m. Additionally, it integrates with TAK and can report up to 10 km from the controller. The system uses a burst transmission to send alert reports and can be integrated with other sensors to slew to the area of interest.

The battery will last for up to six months based on 50 alerts per day. A version which is twice as large will last for up to two years. While the batteries can be replaced by ARA, Pathfinder is considered expendable. Each sensor weighs 11 oz.

The E-UGS 2000 model is not subject to ITAR export controls.

This and other products shown at Rampart Range Day are available for unit and agency orders in Canada and the US through Rampart.

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Elbit Systems UK to Deliver Ground-Based Surveillance Radar to British Armed Forces

Thursday, May 25th, 2023

London, 23 May 2023 – Elbit Systems UK has been awarded a contract from the UK Ministry of Defence (MOD) to provide a series of Ground-Based Surveillance Radar (GBSR) systems, manufactured and developed in the UK and Europe, to the British Armed Forces to support front line threat detection for a range of end-users.

Elbit Systems UK will deliver 90 GBSR systems throughout 2023 and 2024, with a follow-on option of an additional 40 systems. The GBSR system is easily portable and uses Digital Signal Processing to detect, track and classify targets moving on or close to the ground.

The systems being delivered have been customised by Elbit Systems UK to meet the specialist capability requirements of a joint end-user community. These adaptations include an optimised stabilisation unit and open architecture software upgrades to facilitate integration both with existing and future MOD systems.

The system also incorporates capture software that allows operator performance to be analysed. This will support extensive, data-driven training for the user.

Martin Fausset, CEO of Elbit Systems UK, said:

“Elbit Systems UK has a deep understanding of the threat environment in which our servicemen and women operate. By offering a portable solution for medium and short range target detection, Elbit Systems UK is continuing to support the UK Ministry of Defence in providing leading situational awareness for those on the front line, using some of the best technology available.”

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HENSOLDT Strengthens Air Surveillance in Ukraine

Friday, May 19th, 2023

Taufkirchen/Germany, 16 May 2023 – Sensor specialist HENSOLDT is supplying six more of its TRML-4D high-performance radars to strengthen Ukraine’s air defence. As part of an order worth more than 100 million euros, the radars will be delivered in the second half of the year following training of the Ukrainian operators. HENSOLDT already has several TRML-4D radars under contract for Ukraine as part of the IRIS-T SLM air defence system.

Thomas Müller, CEO of HENSOLDT, said: “We are pleased to support Ukraine with six additional TRML-4D radars, which will further strengthen Ukraine’s air surveillance and air defence sensor network. The information from the TRML-4D feeds into Ukraine’s national air situation picture, protecting Ukrainian citizens. We are proud to be able to deliver this much-needed equipment at short notice.”

TRML-4D uses the latest Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) radar technology with multiple digitally shaped beams. It is capable of early detection of various types of aerial targets such as aircraft, helicopters and cruise missiles. It ensures the rapid detection and tracking of about 1,500 targets in a radius of up to 250 km.

HENSOLDT has decades of experience with radar systems for air defence and actively drives the development of key technologies in this field. The company’s portfolio also includes the Twinvis passive radar, the Spexer product family and radars for securing ship and air traffic. Among other things, HENSOLDT supplies radars for the frigates and corvettes of the German Navy, for airspace surveillance and for approach control at airfields of the German Armed Forces.

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Smaller, Safer, and Easy To Use: EasyOne Drone LiDAR

Friday, May 12th, 2023

Company that Launched The World’s First Quadcopter Drone Announces The New Standard For Drone LiDAR

May 9, 2023

Denver, CO- From the floor of Xponential, drone surveying pioneer Microdrones announced an entirely new drone platform built around the demands of geospatial professionals. Vivien Heriard-Dubreuil, CEO of Microdrones explains “We’re excited to announce this new drone platform that prioritizes three key areas: transportability, a simple control interface and ease of use.”

Xponential participants crowded the Microdrones booth for a closer look. “This is EasyOne,” said Frank Darmayan, company CTO, as he pointed to the display. “It fits in a case that’s about two and a half feet long and a foot and a half wide and deep. The mdCockpit mission planning screen is fully integrated into the RC. All sensitive onboard electronics are designed, manufactured and assembled in Germany. It’s just as powerful and capable as our legacy systems but it’s even easier to use.”

EasyOne is an optimized and fully integrated drone system that will provide the lifting power to carry Microdrones LiDAR and photogrammetry surveying equipment. It improves upon the company’s legacy drones in three key areas:

EasyOne is Easier to Transport.

EasyOne features a significantly smaller operational form factor with the same payload capacity of the md4-1000 platform. In addition to a smaller operational form factor, the EasyOne packs down even smaller, fitting the drone, remote, charger, two batteries and the payload into a protective storage case that’s small and light enough to bring anywhere.

EasyOne has an Improved RC Controller and mdCockpit Interface.

EasyOne will feature an entirely new controller design that provides an enhanced user interface and safety features.

• Combined device and integrated remote control- the RC and tablet are one integrated control unit.

• FPV available directly on the remote

EasyOne is easy to use.

Heriard-Dubreuil explains, “We want to make it even easier for geospatial professionals to adopt this technology and make it a part of their daily work. We offer complete systems to plan flights, fly data collection in the field, process data and then visualize it for better decision making. You are getting a fully integrated package from one company; it includes the drone, RC, mdCockpit flight planning software, survey LiDAR+ imagery payload, LP360 data processing software, workflow, training, and support. EasyOne is the complete package.”

Vincent Legrand, Vice President of Global Sales adds, “Plus, as part of the EasyOne lineup customers can take advantage of the all-new Easy Replacement Program. Should you have an accident or problem in the field, this program gets you up and running with an EasyOne replacement in a timely manner.”

True to its promise, Microdrones offers fully integrated systems and it launches the new aircraft platform in North America with three fully integrated LiDAR sensor options to meet your needs.

• EasyOneLiDARUHR+

• EasyOneLiDARUHR or UHR Lite

Designed and assembled in the USA and Germany, Microdrones technology, firmware, software and workflow developed and refined since 2006 is used with the new airframe to provide:

• new autopilot integrated into a single board- this means less cabling, less weight, more compactness and less risk of connection-related failures and better electromagnetic compatibility.

• Additional sensors to improve safety and awareness

• mdCockpit software ecosystem for mission planning and control directly integrated into the RC

• EasyOne is certified as a “Remote Identification Unmanned Aircraft” following FAA 14 CFR Part 89.

• payload connection/communication quick-connect

• real time terrain follow

According to Legrand, “Responsible sourcing is becoming increasingly important for many of our government customers. For these institutions, we will soon offer NDAA-compliant EasyOne systems that take our responsible sourcing to an even higher level, with RC and sensor sourcing options that are exclusively NDAA compliant. We are in process for Green UAS Certification.”

To learn more about these new EasyOne systems and their capabilities, visit the links above or schedule time to talk with your Microdrones sales team by completing this form.

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Cansel Partners with GeoCue to Offer TrueView Drone LiDAR and LP360 Processing Software

Thursday, April 27th, 2023

Canada’s leading provider of field technology solutions, Cansel, and advanced drone LiDAR innovator GeoCue join forces to deliver high-quality geospatial solutions across Canada.

Burnaby, BC, Canada – Cansel, a leading technology solutions provider for industries including engineering, surveying, construction, and utilities, today announced a partnership with GeoCue, a global provider of 3D LiDAR imaging sensors and geospatial software.

Now as a distributor of GeoCue, Cansel will offer the full product line of TrueView LiDAR 3D imaging sensors and LP360 processing software throughout Canada. TrueView is an innovative drone LiDAR and photogrammetry solution integrated into lightweight payloads, allowing for fast, easily automated generation of true 3D colourized point clouds, oblique imagery, and orthophotos from a single drone flight. LP360 is an advanced desktop LIDAR software package that makes easy work of extracting information and generating deliverables in an intuitive GIS environment.

“Cansel is committed to providing our customers with the highest quality, leading-edge technology,” said Martin Trudelle, Cansel’s CEO and President. “That is why we’ve partnered with GeoCue, a company that shares our commitment to excellence. We know that our customers can trust that GeoCue’s products and software meet our rigorous standards, and we’re confident that this partnership will help us exceed their expectations.”

According to Vincent Legrand, Vice President, Global Sales at GeoCue, his company builds partnerships with distributors who have high standards of excellence. “With Cansel’s proven track record in technology solutions, we can both maintain our focus on innovation and growth while achieving superior results for our valued customers.”

Mike Hogan, Cansel’s 3D Reality Capture Segment Manager, leads the charge of helping clients capture, transform, and manage data. “The products and software available from GeoCue are a very good fit for our surveying customers,” Hogan said. “Together with the support of our professional services team, we’ll help our customers onboard these products, add them into their workflows, and employ these tools to grow their business.”

Kris Kelly, the GeoCue regional sales manager for Canada, is excited about the opportunity to grow the TrueView and LP360 footprint throughout Canada and California. “Cansel’s team of geospatial professionals has years of surveying and engineering experience,” said Kelly. “They also have a deep understanding of the applications for GeoCue’s LiDAR technology and software. This makes them an ideal partner to reach new customers and meet their geospatial needs.”

More information about the TrueView product line and LP360 software is now available on the Cansel website. Cansel is also a Gold sponsor for this year’s LiDAR CANEX, a virtual B2B event matching reality capture lidar vendors with practicing 3D professionals from Canada and beyond. TrueView products GeoCue will be featured in presentations and workshops for the event on April 25th and 26th.

Learn more at www.cansel.ca.

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SPIE 2023: SCD to Launch the SWIFT-EI Solution – a World-First “Two-In-One” SWIR-based Event and Standard Imaging Detector, for a Broad Range of Applications

Wednesday, April 26th, 2023

The revolutionary image detector will enable SWIR capabilities for SWaP and large distribution defense applications, such as man-portable systems, weapon sights, autonomous or semi-autonomous platforms, drone payloads, laser-guided weapons, as well for commercial applications, machine vision and industrial applications.

SPIE, Orlando, FL, May 2-4, Stand 813

SCD Launches Revolutionary SWIR Detector for Defense Applications.

24 April 2023- SCD, a global leader in the development and manufacture of cooled and uncooled infrared detectors and high-power laser diodes, announces the launch of its latest product, the SWIFT-EI. This groundbreaking SWIR detector is designed as a very low Size Weight and Power (SWaP) and low-cost VGA format 10-micron pitch SWIR detector. It will be showcased at the upcoming SPIE exhibition in Orlando, FL, May 2-4.

The SWIFT-EI is the world’s first SWIR detector integrating event-based imaging capabilities, making it a revolutionary addition to the defense and industrial sectors. Its advanced FPA level detection capabilities enable tactical forces to detect multiple laser sources, laser-spots, Hostile Fire Indication (HFI), and much more. Its state-of-the-art ROIC imager technology offers two parallel video channels in one sensor – a standard imaging SWIR video channel, and a very high frame event imaging channel.

The SWIFT-EI offers SWIR imaging that supports day and low-light scenarios, enabling 24/7 situational awareness, better atmospheric penetration, and a low-cost SWIR image for tactical applications. Furthermore, its event-based imaging channel provides advanced capabilities, such as laser event spot detections, multi-laser spot LST capabilities, and SWIR event-based imaging, broadening the scope of target detection and classification.

The SWIFT-EI also opens up new capacities for machine vision applications in fields such as production line sorting machines, smart agriculture, and more, where analysis of high-level SWIR images is required for automatic machine decision-making. The SWIFT EI enables a full frame rate of more than 1200 Hz, which is essential for machine vision and machine AI algorithms.

Kobi Zaushnizer, CEO of SCD, elaborates on the company’s latest innovation: “SCD is proud to launch the SWIFT-EI – the world’s first SWIR imager to enable event-based imaging. This new product is part of our value to be ‘always a step ahead’ and our promise to our customers to ‘be the first to see’. The SWIFT-EI event-based imaging enables the next generation of AI-based systems, offering the multi-domain battlespace multi-spectral infrared imaging for better situational awareness, advanced automatic target detection and calcifications, and target handoff across platforms and forces, while increasing warrior lethality. It also enables Hostile Fire Indication (HFI) detection, and all of this at a price point that makes it possible for SWIR cameras to be integrated into high-distribution applications, such as weapon sights and clip-ons, drones, man-portable target designators, and more. The advanced detector is already being delivered to initial customers around the world, and we expect to see a significant production ramp-up in the coming months.”

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IVAS’ Production and Fielding Remain on Track

Tuesday, March 14th, 2023

Over the past year, the Army tested, evaluated and refined the Integrated Visual Augmentation System’s (IVAS) capabilities in a manner that will result in improved systems being incrementally fielded to Soldiers over the next several years – IVAS 1.0, IVAS 1.1 and IVAS 1.2 variants.

Last June, IVAS completed its Operational Test, during which Soldiers trained on IVAS 1.0 systems in company-level missions and live-fire exercises. The Army determined that IVAS demonstrated several transformational capabilities, but three areas prevented the systems from achieving Soldier acceptance: reliability, low-light sensor performance and form factor.

The Army and its industry partner, Microsoft, used the lessons learned from testing to address concerns and adjust its fielding plan. To specifically address reliability, in November 2022 Microsoft and the Army incorporated a new software release into IVAS 1.0 resulting in a more stable and reliable user experience. Software improvement is a continuous effort that will transcend all current and future versions of IVAS.

IVAS 1.0 systems will be fielded to training and doctrine units next year to support the Army’s Campaign of Learning, an ongoing process that gathers and incorporates user feedback from user studies, user assessments, Soldier Touch Points and operational demonstrations to improve IVAS’ performance.

IVAS 1.1 upgrades reliability and features an improved low-light sensor that performs comparable to the PVS-14 night vision goggles. These systems will be delivered and fielded in Fiscal Year (FY) 2024.

The Army awarded an IVAS 1.2 technology insertion effort to Microsoft in December 2022, with the anticipation of moving to production in late FY2024 and fielding to operational units beginning as early as 4Q FY2025. The majority of the close combat force will receive IVAS 1.2; this version features an improved form factor in addition to reliability and low-light sensor upgrades, as well as a lower profile heads-up display (HUD) with distributed counterweight for improved user interface and comfort.

In recent exercises the Army has shown a number of different ways IVAS can be used on the battlefield, ranging from ingesting video and data from small Unmanned Aerial Systems to integrating with ground and air platform sensors to provide Soldiers the ability to see what the platform drivers, commanders and pilots see before dismounting into a hazardous situation.

The Army remains fully committed to IVAS. Despite some revisions to the fielding timeline, the developmental process for IVAS will result in fielding several years ahead of standard acquisition programs.

By PEO Soldier PAO

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