Army’s TGER fuels tanks with garbage
The Tactical Garbage to Energy Refinery II prototype (TGER) is mounted on a trailer and can turn about a ton of garbage into electricity. A typical 550-person unit generates about 2,500 pounds of trash a day. And whether that’s paper, plastic, packaging or food waste, one standard 60-kilowatt diesel generator can handle the unit’s garbage, making synthetic gas from it.
TGER’s fuel can run a generator on approximately 75 percent within two hours; in under 12 hours, TGER can produce alcohol that, when blended with the synthetic gas, can run a generator on full power.
Giving soldiers at forward operating bases the ability to produce their own fuel ensures that it is always available -- and by removing the need for delivery, TGER dramatically reduces the risk to soldiers’ lives.
Fuel convoys travelling to and from base camps in Afghanistan and Iraq have been an ongoing target, routinely exposing soldiers delivering fuel to the risk of improvised explosive devices and enemy ambushes.
Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/tech/2012/12/27/armys-tger-fuels-tanks-with-garbage/#ixzz2GNV5QENT
Friday, December 28, 2012
N. Korea is nuclear test-ready: US think-tank
N. Korea is nuclear test-ready: US think-tank
North Korea has repaired extensive rain damage at its nuclear test facility and could conduct a detonation on two weeks notice, a US think-tank said Friday, citing satellite imagery analysis. With the UN Security Council debating possible sanctions against the North following the launch earlier this month of a long-range rocket, there has been widespread speculation that Pyongyang may carry out its third nuclear test. Satellite photos as recent as December 13 show that Pyongyang is determined to maintain a state of readiness at the Punggye-ri nuclear test site, the US-Korea Institute at Johns Hopkins University said. Following heavy flooding earlier in the year that destroyed key infrastructure elements, the North has moved quickly to restore its ability to operate the complex, it said on its closely followed website 38 North. "They continue to maintain the test site at a state of readiness that could allow them to conduct a detonation as soon as two weeks after such a decision is made," the institute reported.
North Korea has repaired extensive rain damage at its nuclear test facility and could conduct a detonation on two weeks notice, a US think-tank said Friday, citing satellite imagery analysis. With the UN Security Council debating possible sanctions against the North following the launch earlier this month of a long-range rocket, there has been widespread speculation that Pyongyang may carry out its third nuclear test. Satellite photos as recent as December 13 show that Pyongyang is determined to maintain a state of readiness at the Punggye-ri nuclear test site, the US-Korea Institute at Johns Hopkins University said. Following heavy flooding earlier in the year that destroyed key infrastructure elements, the North has moved quickly to restore its ability to operate the complex, it said on its closely followed website 38 North. "They continue to maintain the test site at a state of readiness that could allow them to conduct a detonation as soon as two weeks after such a decision is made," the institute reported.
Wednesday, December 19, 2012
Army engineers design, build roadway threat detection system
Explosives along roadways remain an unrelenting hazard for deployed Soldiers.
U.S. Army engineers have developed a system for detecting possible threats by identifying potential threat locations on unimproved roads.
The Shadow Class Infrared Spectral Sensor-Ground, known as SCISSOR-G, could allow Soldiers on a route clearance patrol to achieve greater standoff ranges during missions, said Jim Hilger, chief of the Signal and Image Processing Branch within the U.S. Army Communications -- Electronics Research, Development and Engineering Center's Night Vision and Electronic Sensors Directorate, at Fort Belvoir, Va.
CERDEC is one of the seven research and development organizations that comprise the U.S. Army Research, Development and Engineering Command.
The SCISSOR-G is a complementary system to radars. It can perform region of interest cueing of threats at greater standoff distances, which can be further interrogated by the radar as the vehicle gets closer to the threat, Hilger said. The system provides a route clearance patrol with increased standoff range for potential threat detection.
"If you can increase the threat detection in front of the vehicle, you give the operators a chance to do what they need to do to further interrogate it," Hilger said. "You can see [the threat] before you get to it."
The Army recently deployed the SCISSOR-G prototype to theater for 90 days of test and evaluation by Soldiers, Hilger said.
"We are giving the route clearance patrol the ability to look for cues and clues while they're on the move," Hilger said. "They're generating the information live. They're not waiting for an intel brief to give them photographs or a data feed from an [unmanned aerial vehicle]."
The Joint Improvised Explosive Device Defeat Organization requested that CERDEC NVESD take an existing sensor designed for detection from the air and adapt it for use on a ground vehicle, Hilger said. The SCISSOR-G is the Army's first detection system of its type embedded with a route clearance patrol.
The SCISSOR-G consists of a sensor and a multi-sensor graphical user interface, or MS GUI. The sensor is mounted on a vehicle, usually a Husky, using a 10-inch turret with state-of-the-art infrared and high-definition color cameras. The MS GUI has a touch screen monitor to control the turret and cameras.
The MS GUI is flexible enough to enable the sensor control and data visualization to be on the same vehicle as the turret or in a trailing vehicle. The two components of the system enable a single operator to monitor the roadway for threats in real time, Hilger said.
When SCISSOR-G is configured for two vehicles, commands and data are transmitted via a radio link. If the MS GUI operator in the sensor vehicle detects a threat, he would alert the lead-vehicle driver to a specific area for threat confirmation.
Hilger emphasized that the detection of an irregularity or clue does not necessarily mean that a threat is present. Information is provided to the MS GUI operator to determine whether further investigation is required based on the threat signature.
The SCISSOR-G is the result of more than 10 years of research into techniques for explosive threat detection, Hilger said. Twelve CERDEC NVESD personnel from three branches combined their areas of expertise to complete the project in the past year-and-a-half.
The Army Test and Evaluation Command conducted testing on the SCISSOR-G before its deployment to theater.
U.S. Army engineers have developed a system for detecting possible threats by identifying potential threat locations on unimproved roads.
The Shadow Class Infrared Spectral Sensor-Ground, known as SCISSOR-G, could allow Soldiers on a route clearance patrol to achieve greater standoff ranges during missions, said Jim Hilger, chief of the Signal and Image Processing Branch within the U.S. Army Communications -- Electronics Research, Development and Engineering Center's Night Vision and Electronic Sensors Directorate, at Fort Belvoir, Va.
CERDEC is one of the seven research and development organizations that comprise the U.S. Army Research, Development and Engineering Command.
The SCISSOR-G is a complementary system to radars. It can perform region of interest cueing of threats at greater standoff distances, which can be further interrogated by the radar as the vehicle gets closer to the threat, Hilger said. The system provides a route clearance patrol with increased standoff range for potential threat detection.
"If you can increase the threat detection in front of the vehicle, you give the operators a chance to do what they need to do to further interrogate it," Hilger said. "You can see [the threat] before you get to it."
The Army recently deployed the SCISSOR-G prototype to theater for 90 days of test and evaluation by Soldiers, Hilger said.
"We are giving the route clearance patrol the ability to look for cues and clues while they're on the move," Hilger said. "They're generating the information live. They're not waiting for an intel brief to give them photographs or a data feed from an [unmanned aerial vehicle]."
The Joint Improvised Explosive Device Defeat Organization requested that CERDEC NVESD take an existing sensor designed for detection from the air and adapt it for use on a ground vehicle, Hilger said. The SCISSOR-G is the Army's first detection system of its type embedded with a route clearance patrol.
The SCISSOR-G consists of a sensor and a multi-sensor graphical user interface, or MS GUI. The sensor is mounted on a vehicle, usually a Husky, using a 10-inch turret with state-of-the-art infrared and high-definition color cameras. The MS GUI has a touch screen monitor to control the turret and cameras.
The MS GUI is flexible enough to enable the sensor control and data visualization to be on the same vehicle as the turret or in a trailing vehicle. The two components of the system enable a single operator to monitor the roadway for threats in real time, Hilger said.
When SCISSOR-G is configured for two vehicles, commands and data are transmitted via a radio link. If the MS GUI operator in the sensor vehicle detects a threat, he would alert the lead-vehicle driver to a specific area for threat confirmation.
Hilger emphasized that the detection of an irregularity or clue does not necessarily mean that a threat is present. Information is provided to the MS GUI operator to determine whether further investigation is required based on the threat signature.
The SCISSOR-G is the result of more than 10 years of research into techniques for explosive threat detection, Hilger said. Twelve CERDEC NVESD personnel from three branches combined their areas of expertise to complete the project in the past year-and-a-half.
The Army Test and Evaluation Command conducted testing on the SCISSOR-G before its deployment to theater.
Tuesday, December 18, 2012
Bulgaria asks for permanent US troops presence
Bulgaria asks for permanent US troops presence – report
Bulgaria has asked the United States to place a permanent military force in the country aimed at strengthening security in the region and increasing their military cooperation, local media reports.
Bulgarian Defense Minister Anu Anguelov has discussed the opening of a US military base in Novo Selo, near Sliven, with officials of the Pentagon in early December, reports Dneven Trud daily newspaper citing sources in the Bulgarian military.
Nothing has yet been set in ink, but if the deal is to go through, it could double the American troop numbers in the country, according to the report.
If an agreement is reached, anti-war activist Brian Becker, argues it would surrender Sofia’s power to the US government, as troops pose “a threat to the national sovereignty of the people of Bulgaria because they have foreign military bases, and it incorporates Bulgaria, makes it more secure as part of an American political, economic as well as military formation. You really can't be a free country and free people and have foreign troops on your soil,” he told RT.
US troops have been present in Bulgaria for over six years under a Defense Cooperation Agreement signed by the both states in April 2006. Under the arrangement, Americans are allowed to train their troops at four Bulgarian bases, which remain under Sofia’s command and under the Bulgarian flag.
Bulgaria has asked the United States to place a permanent military force in the country aimed at strengthening security in the region and increasing their military cooperation, local media reports.
Bulgarian Defense Minister Anu Anguelov has discussed the opening of a US military base in Novo Selo, near Sliven, with officials of the Pentagon in early December, reports Dneven Trud daily newspaper citing sources in the Bulgarian military.
Nothing has yet been set in ink, but if the deal is to go through, it could double the American troop numbers in the country, according to the report.
If an agreement is reached, anti-war activist Brian Becker, argues it would surrender Sofia’s power to the US government, as troops pose “a threat to the national sovereignty of the people of Bulgaria because they have foreign military bases, and it incorporates Bulgaria, makes it more secure as part of an American political, economic as well as military formation. You really can't be a free country and free people and have foreign troops on your soil,” he told RT.
US troops have been present in Bulgaria for over six years under a Defense Cooperation Agreement signed by the both states in April 2006. Under the arrangement, Americans are allowed to train their troops at four Bulgarian bases, which remain under Sofia’s command and under the Bulgarian flag.
U.S. Increasing Military Presence in the Philippines
U.S. Increasing Military Presence in the Philippines
In a move that prompted a swift and angry response from China, the U.S. has reportedly agreed to substantially increase its military presence in the Philippines, increasing the number of troops, aircraft and ships which routinely rotate through the country.Details surrounding the scale of the increase were not made public but Pio Lorenzo Batino, the Philippines deputy defense minister said policy consultations were also held on a framework that would allow Washington to bolster military equipment in-country as well. He warned that, "There has been no discussion yet on specifics [of in-country military equipment] … (these are) policy consultations and the specifics would be determined by the technical working groups,"
Batino went on to say they expected to sign a five-year joint U.S.-Philippine military exercise plan during their meetings recently.
DARPA wants to build 100Gbps wireless military network
DARPA wants to build 100Gbps wireless military network
Defense researchers are looking to update the wireless platform currently used for military communications to deliver 100Gbps connections.
While fiber-optic cables provide the long-haul backbone for most data and voice communications networks without issue, radio signals often face electronic interference and degradation over long distances, resulting in reduced communications efficiency to soldiers in the field.
The current Common Data Link, the U.S. military's secure communications protocol created in 1991, operates at data rates of up to 274Mbps. To boost that speed, the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency is inviting input on creation of a new wireless communications platform that would match the weight and power of the current CDL.
DARPA has announced that a "proposer's day" will be held next month to brief participants on the 100G program, which aims "to design, build, and test a communications link with fiber-optic-equivalent capacity, long reach, and high availability in airborne-to-airborne and airborne-to-ground configurations that can serve as a deployable data backbone in a military communications network."
Defense researchers are looking to update the wireless platform currently used for military communications to deliver 100Gbps connections.
While fiber-optic cables provide the long-haul backbone for most data and voice communications networks without issue, radio signals often face electronic interference and degradation over long distances, resulting in reduced communications efficiency to soldiers in the field.
The current Common Data Link, the U.S. military's secure communications protocol created in 1991, operates at data rates of up to 274Mbps. To boost that speed, the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency is inviting input on creation of a new wireless communications platform that would match the weight and power of the current CDL.
DARPA has announced that a "proposer's day" will be held next month to brief participants on the 100G program, which aims "to design, build, and test a communications link with fiber-optic-equivalent capacity, long reach, and high availability in airborne-to-airborne and airborne-to-ground configurations that can serve as a deployable data backbone in a military communications network."
Hawk's return in Japan heartens US
Hawk's return in Japan heartens US
The return of conservative Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in Japan has raised hopes in Washington for closer security ties, although US officials hope he keeps a lid on his more strident views. Abe is a champion of revising the post-World War II pacifist constitution and may take shorter-term steps such as boosting defense spending and allowing greater military cooperation with the United States, Japan's treaty-bound ally. His Liberal Democratic Party, which ruled almost continuously from 1955 until 2009, roared back Sunday with a crushing victory over the Democratic Party of Japan, which Abe accused of harming relations with the United States.
The return of conservative Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in Japan has raised hopes in Washington for closer security ties, although US officials hope he keeps a lid on his more strident views. Abe is a champion of revising the post-World War II pacifist constitution and may take shorter-term steps such as boosting defense spending and allowing greater military cooperation with the United States, Japan's treaty-bound ally. His Liberal Democratic Party, which ruled almost continuously from 1955 until 2009, roared back Sunday with a crushing victory over the Democratic Party of Japan, which Abe accused of harming relations with the United States.
Monday, December 17, 2012
Pentagon's Global Strike Weapon Stuck In Limbo
Pentagon's Global Strike Weapon Stuck In Limbo; Congress Fears Accidental WWIII
As part of its ongoing strategic "pivot" towards the Pacific, early this year the Defense Department announced it would design a new missile able to quickly cross long distances and penetrate sophisticated air defenses, of the kind rapidly proliferating across Asia. The so-called "conventional prompt strike option" would be submarine-launched, the Pentagon said in its January Defense Budget Priorities and Choices release.
The department placed great emphasis on the new weapon, declaring that "we had to invest in capabilities required to maintain our military's continued freedom of action."
But 11 months later, the Pentagon has yet to take meaningful, practical steps towards developing the prompt strike option, casting into doubt the department's ability to solve the kind of anti-access, area-denial problem posed by, for example, China's fast-modernizing navy and air force.
As part of its ongoing strategic "pivot" towards the Pacific, early this year the Defense Department announced it would design a new missile able to quickly cross long distances and penetrate sophisticated air defenses, of the kind rapidly proliferating across Asia. The so-called "conventional prompt strike option" would be submarine-launched, the Pentagon said in its January Defense Budget Priorities and Choices release.
The department placed great emphasis on the new weapon, declaring that "we had to invest in capabilities required to maintain our military's continued freedom of action."
But 11 months later, the Pentagon has yet to take meaningful, practical steps towards developing the prompt strike option, casting into doubt the department's ability to solve the kind of anti-access, area-denial problem posed by, for example, China's fast-modernizing navy and air force.
Equipment evaluated by troops in battle scenarios
Equipment evaluated by troops in battle scenarios
Fort Bliss is playing a vital role in the Army's ongoing efforts to keep up with technology and continually modernize itself.
The large-scale Network Integration Evaluation is held twice a year at Fort Bliss, at its surrounding training ranges and at White Sands Missile Range.
The NIE, as it's commonly called, evaluates radios, computers, batteries, software, antennas and other equipment.
"It runs the gamut," said Lt. Col. Andy Morgado, operations officer in charge of planning for the NIE.
The main purpose of the exercise is to put equipment into the hands of real soldiers in realistic warlike scenarios, Morgado said.
"We're now developing future concepts," he said. "The Army is focusing its time, energy and resources into this and that's keeping Fort Bliss relevant as an installation to the Army and the nation."
The 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division, is attached to the Brigade Modernization Command, which is headquartered at Fort Bliss. The Brigade Modernization Command is one of three Army agencies that manage the NIE.
More than 3,000 soldiers from the 2nd Brigade and an additional 1,000 soldiers, civilians and contractors from the rest of the country participated in the most recent exercise, which ended in mid-November.
Fort Bliss is playing a vital role in the Army's ongoing efforts to keep up with technology and continually modernize itself.
The large-scale Network Integration Evaluation is held twice a year at Fort Bliss, at its surrounding training ranges and at White Sands Missile Range.
The NIE, as it's commonly called, evaluates radios, computers, batteries, software, antennas and other equipment.
"It runs the gamut," said Lt. Col. Andy Morgado, operations officer in charge of planning for the NIE.
The main purpose of the exercise is to put equipment into the hands of real soldiers in realistic warlike scenarios, Morgado said.
"We're now developing future concepts," he said. "The Army is focusing its time, energy and resources into this and that's keeping Fort Bliss relevant as an installation to the Army and the nation."
The 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division, is attached to the Brigade Modernization Command, which is headquartered at Fort Bliss. The Brigade Modernization Command is one of three Army agencies that manage the NIE.
More than 3,000 soldiers from the 2nd Brigade and an additional 1,000 soldiers, civilians and contractors from the rest of the country participated in the most recent exercise, which ended in mid-November.
Industry, U.S. Army Pushing for More Helicopter Teaming
While the role of UAVs is expected to grow in future operations, one senior U.S. Army official says manned aircraft won’t go away any time soon.
In fact, the Army and industry want to empower those pilots by giving them the ability to control several UAVs at once.
“It will always be a balance” of manned and unmanned assets, Lt. Gen. Bill Phillips, principal military deputy to the assistant Army secretary, told an Army Aviation Association of America conference in northern Virginia on Dec. 12. “You need situational awareness, and you need the curiosity of the human inside the cockpit.”
But as budgets flatten in coming years and planners are hard pressed to find efficiencies, the temptation to field more unmanned systems, which are less expensive, might be hard to resist, Phillips admitted.
While budget cuts “may drive us toward [more unmanned systems], at the end of the day we have to get it right and ensure that there is the appropriate balance,” he said. “I don’t think you’ll ever get the human out of the cockpit,” Phillips continued. “Having someone there who can see the battlefield 360 degrees — it’s so important.”
The Army isn’t planning to jettison its fleet of attack and reconnaissance helicopters. But as Phillips said, there are many reasons for the service to invest more in its unmanned fleet and explore more ways in which its manned and unmanned aircraft can work together.
The AH-64 Apache Block III helicopter comes equipped with software that allows it to receive data and imagery from Gray Eagle UAVs, while the OH-58 Kiowa Warrior helicopter has been pairing with Shadow UAVs. Phillips said the Army is studying the capabilities of the Block III upgrade and what it offers when evaluating future moves.
While Boeing and Lockheed Martin have been working on these capabilities with the Apache program, Bell Helicopter and AAI — operating under the Textron corporate umbrella — are also making a big push to get involved in the emerging manned-unmanned pairing.
On Dec. 4, the companies unveiled a laboratory in Huntsville, Ala., that will be used to train pilots and UAV operators in the latest tactics, techniques and procedures, while also helping the Army experiment with and evaluate new technologies, according to company officials.
The lab provides “simulation, modeling and new engineering capabilities” that bring together AAI’s Shadow UAV, Bell’s Kiowa Warrior helicopter and the Universal Ground Control Station while allowing users to combine live data feeds in high-fidelity simulated environments, said Bill Irby, senior vice president and general manager of AAI Unmanned Aircraft Systems.
The simulation capabilities will be key, Irby said, since they will allow users at the lab to tie in with major Army exercises such as the Network Integration Evaluations at Fort Bliss, Texas, and at other training and evaluation events. The ability to realistically simulate events will also help the service drive down training costs, he said. The lab is capable of streaming live imagery collected from Shadow UAVs at the Army’s Redstone Arsenal, Ala., for use during simulations and tests.
A major component of the lab is a Bell helicopter simulator linked to multiple generations of the Shadow UAV, from older systems to more recent Tactical Common Data Link-equipped systems.
“We’re able to do interoperability with all of these assets with the actual tactical software that’s out there, which is unique,” said Peter Blocker, vice president of Huntsville operations for AAI. He said the company is interested in exploring with the Army the ability of a single helicopter to interact with or control several UAVs at once.
“Today, the only manned/unmanned capability that’s there is one unmanned asset and one helicopter. One of the ideas this lab can look at is two or three unmanned aircraft with a helicopter,” Blocker said.
Ellen Lord, president and CEO of Textron Systems, said the company has made a “significant” financial investment in setting up the lab, but declined to provide any dollar amount. But given the financial realities of the moment, she said, “we are making choices about discretionary spending and capital investment, and we believe that unmanned teaming is a critical area for the military, so we are putting our money behind the concept.”
In fact, the Army and industry want to empower those pilots by giving them the ability to control several UAVs at once.
“It will always be a balance” of manned and unmanned assets, Lt. Gen. Bill Phillips, principal military deputy to the assistant Army secretary, told an Army Aviation Association of America conference in northern Virginia on Dec. 12. “You need situational awareness, and you need the curiosity of the human inside the cockpit.”
But as budgets flatten in coming years and planners are hard pressed to find efficiencies, the temptation to field more unmanned systems, which are less expensive, might be hard to resist, Phillips admitted.
While budget cuts “may drive us toward [more unmanned systems], at the end of the day we have to get it right and ensure that there is the appropriate balance,” he said. “I don’t think you’ll ever get the human out of the cockpit,” Phillips continued. “Having someone there who can see the battlefield 360 degrees — it’s so important.”
The Army isn’t planning to jettison its fleet of attack and reconnaissance helicopters. But as Phillips said, there are many reasons for the service to invest more in its unmanned fleet and explore more ways in which its manned and unmanned aircraft can work together.
The AH-64 Apache Block III helicopter comes equipped with software that allows it to receive data and imagery from Gray Eagle UAVs, while the OH-58 Kiowa Warrior helicopter has been pairing with Shadow UAVs. Phillips said the Army is studying the capabilities of the Block III upgrade and what it offers when evaluating future moves.
While Boeing and Lockheed Martin have been working on these capabilities with the Apache program, Bell Helicopter and AAI — operating under the Textron corporate umbrella — are also making a big push to get involved in the emerging manned-unmanned pairing.
On Dec. 4, the companies unveiled a laboratory in Huntsville, Ala., that will be used to train pilots and UAV operators in the latest tactics, techniques and procedures, while also helping the Army experiment with and evaluate new technologies, according to company officials.
The lab provides “simulation, modeling and new engineering capabilities” that bring together AAI’s Shadow UAV, Bell’s Kiowa Warrior helicopter and the Universal Ground Control Station while allowing users to combine live data feeds in high-fidelity simulated environments, said Bill Irby, senior vice president and general manager of AAI Unmanned Aircraft Systems.
The simulation capabilities will be key, Irby said, since they will allow users at the lab to tie in with major Army exercises such as the Network Integration Evaluations at Fort Bliss, Texas, and at other training and evaluation events. The ability to realistically simulate events will also help the service drive down training costs, he said. The lab is capable of streaming live imagery collected from Shadow UAVs at the Army’s Redstone Arsenal, Ala., for use during simulations and tests.
A major component of the lab is a Bell helicopter simulator linked to multiple generations of the Shadow UAV, from older systems to more recent Tactical Common Data Link-equipped systems.
“We’re able to do interoperability with all of these assets with the actual tactical software that’s out there, which is unique,” said Peter Blocker, vice president of Huntsville operations for AAI. He said the company is interested in exploring with the Army the ability of a single helicopter to interact with or control several UAVs at once.
“Today, the only manned/unmanned capability that’s there is one unmanned asset and one helicopter. One of the ideas this lab can look at is two or three unmanned aircraft with a helicopter,” Blocker said.
Ellen Lord, president and CEO of Textron Systems, said the company has made a “significant” financial investment in setting up the lab, but declined to provide any dollar amount. But given the financial realities of the moment, she said, “we are making choices about discretionary spending and capital investment, and we believe that unmanned teaming is a critical area for the military, so we are putting our money behind the concept.”
Sunday, December 16, 2012
The Great 2012 Doomsday Scare
This guest article on 2012 was written by E. C. Krupp, Director of Griffith Observatory in Los Angeles and is reprinted with permission from Sky & Telescope Magazine. The publisher and the author reserve all rights. All opinions are the author's own.
The year 2012 is acting like a badly behaved celebrity. Frightful rumors and gossip are spreading. Already more than a half dozen books are marketing, to eager fans, astronomical fears about 2012 End Times. Opening in theaters on Friday, Nov. 13, will be 2012, a $200-million disaster movie that seems designed to break all records for disaster spectacles -- with cracking continents, plunging asteroids, burning cities, and a tsunami throwing an aircraft carrier through the White House. The movie's ominous slogan: "Find out the truth." Two other major movies about the 2012 doomsday are also reported to be in the works.
Anyone who cruises the internet or all-night talk radio knows why. The ancient Maya of Mexico and Guatemala kept a calendar that is about to roll up the red carpet of time, swing the solar system into transcendental alignment with the heart of the Milky Way, and turn Earth into a bowling pin for a rogue planet heading down our alley for a strike.
None of it is true. People you know, however, are likely becoming a bit afraid that modern astronomy and Maya secrets are indeed conspiring to bring our doom. If people know you’re an astronomer, they will soon be asking you all about it.
Here is what you need to know.
The Great 2012 Doomsday Scare
U.S. seeks double Israel missile funding
U.S. seeks double Israel missile funding
U.S. senators want U.S. President Barack Obama's administration to at least double its funding request for Israel's anti-missile systems to $680 million.
Obama has asked Congress to approve $99.9 million for "Israel cooperative programs" in fiscal 2013. The U.S. House of Representatives earlier this year exceeded that by adding $168 million to Obama's request. The Senate recommended adding $100 million to its own authorization act last week. The Jewish Telegraph Agency reported from Washington that U.S. Sens. Kirsten Gillibrand, D-N.Y., and James Inhofe, R-Okla., sent a letter Wednesday to members of the Senate Armed Services Committee urging them agree to the higher House increase. "As witnessed by the recent attacks on Israel from Gaza, the continued joint efforts of the United States and Israel in missile defense systems is critical to protecting a close U.S. ally and American interests in that region," the letter said. These appropriations are separate from the annual $3.1 billion in U.S. military aid Israel receives. The projects covered by the funding under consideration include the long-range, high-altitude Arrow-3 system designed to intercept ballistic missiles outside Earth's atmosphere. It's being developed by state-owned Israel Aerospace Industries and the U.S. Boeing Co.
U.S. senators want U.S. President Barack Obama's administration to at least double its funding request for Israel's anti-missile systems to $680 million.
Obama has asked Congress to approve $99.9 million for "Israel cooperative programs" in fiscal 2013. The U.S. House of Representatives earlier this year exceeded that by adding $168 million to Obama's request. The Senate recommended adding $100 million to its own authorization act last week. The Jewish Telegraph Agency reported from Washington that U.S. Sens. Kirsten Gillibrand, D-N.Y., and James Inhofe, R-Okla., sent a letter Wednesday to members of the Senate Armed Services Committee urging them agree to the higher House increase. "As witnessed by the recent attacks on Israel from Gaza, the continued joint efforts of the United States and Israel in missile defense systems is critical to protecting a close U.S. ally and American interests in that region," the letter said. These appropriations are separate from the annual $3.1 billion in U.S. military aid Israel receives. The projects covered by the funding under consideration include the long-range, high-altitude Arrow-3 system designed to intercept ballistic missiles outside Earth's atmosphere. It's being developed by state-owned Israel Aerospace Industries and the U.S. Boeing Co.
Wednesday, December 12, 2012
Rockwell Collins wins Navy E-6b upgrade
Rockwell Collins wins Navy E-6b upgrade
Aviation communications company Rockwell Collins will modernize and upgrade U.S. Navy airborne strategic command systems in a $295 million deal that includes work on aircraft involved with the operations. Rockwell Collins announced the contract from its Cedar Rapids, Iowa, headquarters, where the company has been based since Arthur Collins founded it in 1933. At the center of the modernization program are the Navy's E-6B aircraft that form the military's flying command post. The award includes a $54 million full-rate production contract, with unexercised options valued at an additional $241 million, to upgrade 11 aircraft as part of the Navy's E-6B Block I Modification program. The E-6B aircraft is used to conduct the "Take Charge and Move Out" mission, also known as TACAMO, and the U.S. Strategic Command Airborne Command Post missions. The open system solution provided by the Block I modification addresses immediate modernization requirements and enables system expansion in the future.
Aviation communications company Rockwell Collins will modernize and upgrade U.S. Navy airborne strategic command systems in a $295 million deal that includes work on aircraft involved with the operations. Rockwell Collins announced the contract from its Cedar Rapids, Iowa, headquarters, where the company has been based since Arthur Collins founded it in 1933. At the center of the modernization program are the Navy's E-6B aircraft that form the military's flying command post. The award includes a $54 million full-rate production contract, with unexercised options valued at an additional $241 million, to upgrade 11 aircraft as part of the Navy's E-6B Block I Modification program. The E-6B aircraft is used to conduct the "Take Charge and Move Out" mission, also known as TACAMO, and the U.S. Strategic Command Airborne Command Post missions. The open system solution provided by the Block I modification addresses immediate modernization requirements and enables system expansion in the future.
Thursday, December 6, 2012
U.S. reducing plans for large civilian force in post-2014 Afghanistan
The Obama administration has ordered significant cutbacks in initial plans
for a robust U.S. civilian presence in Afghanistan after U.S. combat troops
withdraw two years from now, according to U.S. officials.
Learning from Iraq, where postwar ambitions proved unsustainable, the White House and top State Department officials are confronting whether the United States needs — and can protect — a large diplomatic compound in Kabul, four consulates around the country and other civilian outposts to oversee aid projects and monitor Afghanistan’s political pulse.
Planners were recently told to reduce personnel proposals by at least 20 percent, a senior administration official said. Projects once considered crucial are being divided into lists of those considered sustainable and those that will not be continued.
“As we saw in the Iraq exercise, you need to be very tough on the numbers going in,” the official said. “We need to have enough civilians to achieve the goals we’ve laid out,” within “a finite amount of money we have to spend.”
Officials declined to identify specific projects that might end. But the inevitable decrease in eyes and ears across Afghanistan could threaten a range of long-term U.S. investments and priorities, such as women’s rights, education, health care and infrastructure.
The challenge of balancing the American civilian presence of what are now about 1,000 officials and thousands of contractors with reasonable resources goes beyond pocketbook and personnel issues, according to several senior officials, who discussed the planning on condition of anonymity because it is at an early stage.
On one side of the simmering internal debate are fiscal constraints, diminished hopes for progress and national weariness with the Afghanistan effort. On the other side are formal U.S. pledges of development support, moral and political commitments to a country where nearly 2,200 U.S. troops have died and $590 billion has been spent, and fears Afghanistan could again become a terrorist haven.
Looming over the debate is the determination to avoid a repeat of the September attack on a poorly defended U.S. diplomatic post in Benghazi, Libya, that killed a U.S. ambassador and three other Americans.
Last month, the administration began what is likely to be a year-long negotiation with the Afghan government over how many troops the U.S. military will leave behind when combat ends in 2014. A key sticking point is whether remaining troops will be subject to Afghan law, which doomed similar talks with Iraq last year.
Even if the negotiations succeed and a sizable American force remains, the U.S. military is certain to curtail or stop the security and other services it provides U.S. government civilians in Afghanistan.
Learning from Iraq, where postwar ambitions proved unsustainable, the White House and top State Department officials are confronting whether the United States needs — and can protect — a large diplomatic compound in Kabul, four consulates around the country and other civilian outposts to oversee aid projects and monitor Afghanistan’s political pulse.
Planners were recently told to reduce personnel proposals by at least 20 percent, a senior administration official said. Projects once considered crucial are being divided into lists of those considered sustainable and those that will not be continued.
“As we saw in the Iraq exercise, you need to be very tough on the numbers going in,” the official said. “We need to have enough civilians to achieve the goals we’ve laid out,” within “a finite amount of money we have to spend.”
Officials declined to identify specific projects that might end. But the inevitable decrease in eyes and ears across Afghanistan could threaten a range of long-term U.S. investments and priorities, such as women’s rights, education, health care and infrastructure.
The challenge of balancing the American civilian presence of what are now about 1,000 officials and thousands of contractors with reasonable resources goes beyond pocketbook and personnel issues, according to several senior officials, who discussed the planning on condition of anonymity because it is at an early stage.
On one side of the simmering internal debate are fiscal constraints, diminished hopes for progress and national weariness with the Afghanistan effort. On the other side are formal U.S. pledges of development support, moral and political commitments to a country where nearly 2,200 U.S. troops have died and $590 billion has been spent, and fears Afghanistan could again become a terrorist haven.
Looming over the debate is the determination to avoid a repeat of the September attack on a poorly defended U.S. diplomatic post in Benghazi, Libya, that killed a U.S. ambassador and three other Americans.
Last month, the administration began what is likely to be a year-long negotiation with the Afghan government over how many troops the U.S. military will leave behind when combat ends in 2014. A key sticking point is whether remaining troops will be subject to Afghan law, which doomed similar talks with Iraq last year.
Even if the negotiations succeed and a sizable American force remains, the U.S. military is certain to curtail or stop the security and other services it provides U.S. government civilians in Afghanistan.
Thursday, November 29, 2012
The Challenge and Opportunity of Reduced Defense Spending in Space
The Challenge and Opportunity of Reduced Defense Spending in Space
The government may well be entering an extended period of reduced spending in space-based communications, and a new space architecture that ensures continued American superiority has yet to be defined. That was the sobering message delivered by Intelsat General President Kay Sears at a Washington Space Business Roundtable event last week. In her speech, Kay described the four major cycles in defense spending that the United States has been through since the end of WWII. With the planned withdrawal of American troops from Afghanistan next year, and the current budgetary climate on Capitol Hill, she used a chart to show that the nation is currently heading into a down cycle following a decade-long growth period that began with the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. American superiority in space-based communications networks is not as clear as it was during the first Gulf war. Other nations now have their own space capabilities, and many of our nation's satellite constellations are in need of technological refreshes, she said. In the current budgetary climate, the buzzwords heard most often are "affordability," "portfolio optimization," "resiliency" "disaggregated architectures" Kay told the audience that the commercial space industry welcomes this kind of attention to getting the most for the taxpayer dollar, since commercial providers have a proven track record of delivering value. A fiercely competitive commercial space market demands it. However, she said that though government officials often use value buzzwords, the dialogue has been lacking on how commercial companies can help government customers reduce the costs of the next steps in space. Kay has written in the past about how government clients are processing the fact that budget realities have shifted.
The government may well be entering an extended period of reduced spending in space-based communications, and a new space architecture that ensures continued American superiority has yet to be defined. That was the sobering message delivered by Intelsat General President Kay Sears at a Washington Space Business Roundtable event last week. In her speech, Kay described the four major cycles in defense spending that the United States has been through since the end of WWII. With the planned withdrawal of American troops from Afghanistan next year, and the current budgetary climate on Capitol Hill, she used a chart to show that the nation is currently heading into a down cycle following a decade-long growth period that began with the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. American superiority in space-based communications networks is not as clear as it was during the first Gulf war. Other nations now have their own space capabilities, and many of our nation's satellite constellations are in need of technological refreshes, she said. In the current budgetary climate, the buzzwords heard most often are "affordability," "portfolio optimization," "resiliency" "disaggregated architectures" Kay told the audience that the commercial space industry welcomes this kind of attention to getting the most for the taxpayer dollar, since commercial providers have a proven track record of delivering value. A fiercely competitive commercial space market demands it. However, she said that though government officials often use value buzzwords, the dialogue has been lacking on how commercial companies can help government customers reduce the costs of the next steps in space. Kay has written in the past about how government clients are processing the fact that budget realities have shifted.
Tuesday, November 27, 2012
QF-16 drone arrives for testing, prepares warfighters for tomorrow's threats
The 53rd Weapons Evaluation Group marked an important milestone in continuing to prepare the warfighter for tomorrow's threats as the first QF-16 drone arrived for developmental testing at Tyndall Air Force Base, Fla., Nov. 19.
"The work done prior to today and the test work that is forthcoming will enable the Air Force to transition from a 3rd generation, Vietnam-era aerial target performance to 4th generation threat replication and beyond," said Lt. Col. Lance Wilkins, 82nd Aerial Targets Squadron commander.
The QF-16 is a supersonic reusable full-scale aerial target drone modified from an F-16 Fighting Falcon. At this time, the 53rd WEG uses QF-4s, made from 1960s F-4 Phantoms, to conduct their full-scale aerial target missions. The targets allow the Air Force and allied nations to have a realistic understanding of what they could face on the battlefield.
"In the imminent future, the QF-16 will take air-to-air testing and evaluation to the next level," Wilkins said. "It will make our American and Allied aircrew, aircraft and weapons more reliable and more lethal. It will serve a new generation of warriors."
Boeing Global Services and Support will conduct testing on the QF-16, according to a Boeing press release.
The QF-16s will undergo approximately six months of testing to validate their capabilities and ensure compatibility with the Gulf Range Drone Control System, explained group officials.
Next, the aircraft will deploy to Holloman Air Force Base, N.M., for approximately four more months of integrated testing. When all test milestones are complete, the aircraft will return permanently to the 53rd WEG to complete a transition period in order to achieve initial operational capability at Tyndall AFB.
The first production QF-16 is scheduled to be delivered in 2014.
As the Air Force prepares 5th generation fighters such as the F-22 Raptor and F-35 Joint Strike Fighter for the next battlespace, the group acts as a safety net to ensure our weapons capability is fully evaluated and understood prior to use in combat, said Col. James Vogel, 53rd WEG commander.
"It is a big day," Vogel said. "We are 100 percent behind the road to IOC for the QF-16."
The colonel added that the day was only possible with the work of many organizations, all involved Airmen at Tyndall AFB and all contractors.
The 53rd WEG, which falls under the 53rd Wing at Eglin AFB, Fla., provides the personnel and infrastructure to test and evaluate weapons utilized by the combat air forces of the United States and its allies. The group operates the only full-scale aerial drones in the Defense Department.
"The work done prior to today and the test work that is forthcoming will enable the Air Force to transition from a 3rd generation, Vietnam-era aerial target performance to 4th generation threat replication and beyond," said Lt. Col. Lance Wilkins, 82nd Aerial Targets Squadron commander.
The QF-16 is a supersonic reusable full-scale aerial target drone modified from an F-16 Fighting Falcon. At this time, the 53rd WEG uses QF-4s, made from 1960s F-4 Phantoms, to conduct their full-scale aerial target missions. The targets allow the Air Force and allied nations to have a realistic understanding of what they could face on the battlefield.
"In the imminent future, the QF-16 will take air-to-air testing and evaluation to the next level," Wilkins said. "It will make our American and Allied aircrew, aircraft and weapons more reliable and more lethal. It will serve a new generation of warriors."
Boeing Global Services and Support will conduct testing on the QF-16, according to a Boeing press release.
The QF-16s will undergo approximately six months of testing to validate their capabilities and ensure compatibility with the Gulf Range Drone Control System, explained group officials.
Next, the aircraft will deploy to Holloman Air Force Base, N.M., for approximately four more months of integrated testing. When all test milestones are complete, the aircraft will return permanently to the 53rd WEG to complete a transition period in order to achieve initial operational capability at Tyndall AFB.
The first production QF-16 is scheduled to be delivered in 2014.
As the Air Force prepares 5th generation fighters such as the F-22 Raptor and F-35 Joint Strike Fighter for the next battlespace, the group acts as a safety net to ensure our weapons capability is fully evaluated and understood prior to use in combat, said Col. James Vogel, 53rd WEG commander.
"It is a big day," Vogel said. "We are 100 percent behind the road to IOC for the QF-16."
The colonel added that the day was only possible with the work of many organizations, all involved Airmen at Tyndall AFB and all contractors.
The 53rd WEG, which falls under the 53rd Wing at Eglin AFB, Fla., provides the personnel and infrastructure to test and evaluate weapons utilized by the combat air forces of the United States and its allies. The group operates the only full-scale aerial drones in the Defense Department.
QF-16 drone arrives for testing, prepares warfighters for tomorrow's threats
The 53rd Weapons Evaluation Group marked an important milestone in continuing to prepare the warfighter for tomorrow's threats as the first QF-16 drone arrived for developmental testing at Tyndall Air Force Base, Fla., Nov. 19.
"The work done prior to today and the test work that is forthcoming will enable the Air Force to transition from a 3rd generation, Vietnam-era aerial target performance to 4th generation threat replication and beyond," said Lt. Col. Lance Wilkins, 82nd Aerial Targets Squadron commander.
The QF-16 is a supersonic reusable full-scale aerial target drone modified from an F-16 Fighting Falcon. At this time, the 53rd WEG uses QF-4s, made from 1960s F-4 Phantoms, to conduct their full-scale aerial target missions. The targets allow the Air Force and allied nations to have a realistic understanding of what they could face on the battlefield.
"In the imminent future, the QF-16 will take air-to-air testing and evaluation to the next level," Wilkins said. "It will make our American and Allied aircrew, aircraft and weapons more reliable and more lethal. It will serve a new generation of warriors."
Boeing Global Services and Support will conduct testing on the QF-16, according to a Boeing press release.
The QF-16s will undergo approximately six months of testing to validate their capabilities and ensure compatibility with the Gulf Range Drone Control System, explained group officials.
Next, the aircraft will deploy to Holloman Air Force Base, N.M., for approximately four more months of integrated testing. When all test milestones are complete, the aircraft will return permanently to the 53rd WEG to complete a transition period in order to achieve initial operational capability at Tyndall AFB.
The first production QF-16 is scheduled to be delivered in 2014.
As the Air Force prepares 5th generation fighters such as the F-22 Raptor and F-35 Joint Strike Fighter for the next battlespace, the group acts as a safety net to ensure our weapons capability is fully evaluated and understood prior to use in combat, said Col. James Vogel, 53rd WEG commander.
"It is a big day," Vogel said. "We are 100 percent behind the road to IOC for the QF-16."
The colonel added that the day was only possible with the work of many organizations, all involved Airmen at Tyndall AFB and all contractors.
The 53rd WEG, which falls under the 53rd Wing at Eglin AFB, Fla., provides the personnel and infrastructure to test and evaluate weapons utilized by the combat air forces of the United States and its allies. The group operates the only full-scale aerial drones in the Defense Department.
"The work done prior to today and the test work that is forthcoming will enable the Air Force to transition from a 3rd generation, Vietnam-era aerial target performance to 4th generation threat replication and beyond," said Lt. Col. Lance Wilkins, 82nd Aerial Targets Squadron commander.
The QF-16 is a supersonic reusable full-scale aerial target drone modified from an F-16 Fighting Falcon. At this time, the 53rd WEG uses QF-4s, made from 1960s F-4 Phantoms, to conduct their full-scale aerial target missions. The targets allow the Air Force and allied nations to have a realistic understanding of what they could face on the battlefield.
"In the imminent future, the QF-16 will take air-to-air testing and evaluation to the next level," Wilkins said. "It will make our American and Allied aircrew, aircraft and weapons more reliable and more lethal. It will serve a new generation of warriors."
Boeing Global Services and Support will conduct testing on the QF-16, according to a Boeing press release.
The QF-16s will undergo approximately six months of testing to validate their capabilities and ensure compatibility with the Gulf Range Drone Control System, explained group officials.
Next, the aircraft will deploy to Holloman Air Force Base, N.M., for approximately four more months of integrated testing. When all test milestones are complete, the aircraft will return permanently to the 53rd WEG to complete a transition period in order to achieve initial operational capability at Tyndall AFB.
The first production QF-16 is scheduled to be delivered in 2014.
As the Air Force prepares 5th generation fighters such as the F-22 Raptor and F-35 Joint Strike Fighter for the next battlespace, the group acts as a safety net to ensure our weapons capability is fully evaluated and understood prior to use in combat, said Col. James Vogel, 53rd WEG commander.
"It is a big day," Vogel said. "We are 100 percent behind the road to IOC for the QF-16."
The colonel added that the day was only possible with the work of many organizations, all involved Airmen at Tyndall AFB and all contractors.
The 53rd WEG, which falls under the 53rd Wing at Eglin AFB, Fla., provides the personnel and infrastructure to test and evaluate weapons utilized by the combat air forces of the United States and its allies. The group operates the only full-scale aerial drones in the Defense Department.
F-22's success more than 'skin deep'
Many are surprised to discover that the largest organ the human body has is the skin. Skin provides a physical barrier against harmful, external factors. The F-22 Raptor, much like the human body, has a layer of skin called low observable.
LO not only assists in retaining the jets' stealth capabilities but also prevents corrosion and other damages. Like human skin, the F-22's coating consists of several layers. The surface of the F-22 appears to be a simple gray paint, but in reality the high-tech surface renders one of the largest fighter jets virtually undetectable by radar.
"Arguably the most important capability of a fifth generation fighter, like the Raptor, is what low observable delivers - the stealth," said Air Force Maj. Patrick Pearson, a 3rd Wing F-22 pilot.
The benefits of stealth technology may escape some in terms of air combat. The ability of the F-22 to prosecute a lethal attack while remaining undetected is why it has the highest air-to-air kill ratio of any other fighter in simulated combat. While incredible lethality has defined F-22 tactics, the aircraft has also become known for its unmatched survivability.
"Survivability is the biggest [factor], so the jet and the pilot can come back," said Airman 1st Class Emmanuel Marioni, 3rd Maintenance Squadron LO technician.
Lethality and survivability are critical issues for the men and women in the LO shop, comprised of active duty Airmen from the 3rd Maintenance Squadron and reservists from the 477th Maintenance Squadron. Their daily work readies F-22 pilots to defeat the most advanced adversarial aircraft and surface to air missile systems.
Once a week, the LO shop conducts outer mold line inspections on the Raptor. All the information is placed into a database that rates its stealth capability, called a signature assessment system.
"The lower the SAS rating, the stealthier a jet is," said Senior Master Sgt. Dave Strunk, 477th Maintenance Squadron fabrication flight chief.
Strunk said that LO application falls into two areas - the removal of coatings to facilitate other maintenance and the removal and replacement to bring the SAS rating down. The job of an LO technician can be a challenging one requiring a high level of attention to detail and adherence to safety precautions.
"We are working all day every day," said Air Force Staff Sgt. Matthew Duque, 477th Maintenance Squadron LO technician. "We have 24/7 coverage to ensure a steady flow of progress from the start of a repair to finish. Our accurate cataloging of damages and sound repairs ensure that the aircraft is performing as designed."
The skin from the body can be taken for granted until it is damaged. The behind-the-scenes efforts of the men and women of the 3rd Maintenance Squadron and the 477th Maintenance Squadron keep the Raptor at the top of its game.
"The constant attention to detail and upkeep from our LO section is essential to projecting the F-22's combat capability," Pearson said. "Knowing that our jets are fully ready to go gives me the confidence I need get the job done."
(AFNS)
LO not only assists in retaining the jets' stealth capabilities but also prevents corrosion and other damages. Like human skin, the F-22's coating consists of several layers. The surface of the F-22 appears to be a simple gray paint, but in reality the high-tech surface renders one of the largest fighter jets virtually undetectable by radar.
"Arguably the most important capability of a fifth generation fighter, like the Raptor, is what low observable delivers - the stealth," said Air Force Maj. Patrick Pearson, a 3rd Wing F-22 pilot.
The benefits of stealth technology may escape some in terms of air combat. The ability of the F-22 to prosecute a lethal attack while remaining undetected is why it has the highest air-to-air kill ratio of any other fighter in simulated combat. While incredible lethality has defined F-22 tactics, the aircraft has also become known for its unmatched survivability.
"Survivability is the biggest [factor], so the jet and the pilot can come back," said Airman 1st Class Emmanuel Marioni, 3rd Maintenance Squadron LO technician.
Lethality and survivability are critical issues for the men and women in the LO shop, comprised of active duty Airmen from the 3rd Maintenance Squadron and reservists from the 477th Maintenance Squadron. Their daily work readies F-22 pilots to defeat the most advanced adversarial aircraft and surface to air missile systems.
Once a week, the LO shop conducts outer mold line inspections on the Raptor. All the information is placed into a database that rates its stealth capability, called a signature assessment system.
"The lower the SAS rating, the stealthier a jet is," said Senior Master Sgt. Dave Strunk, 477th Maintenance Squadron fabrication flight chief.
Strunk said that LO application falls into two areas - the removal of coatings to facilitate other maintenance and the removal and replacement to bring the SAS rating down. The job of an LO technician can be a challenging one requiring a high level of attention to detail and adherence to safety precautions.
"We are working all day every day," said Air Force Staff Sgt. Matthew Duque, 477th Maintenance Squadron LO technician. "We have 24/7 coverage to ensure a steady flow of progress from the start of a repair to finish. Our accurate cataloging of damages and sound repairs ensure that the aircraft is performing as designed."
The skin from the body can be taken for granted until it is damaged. The behind-the-scenes efforts of the men and women of the 3rd Maintenance Squadron and the 477th Maintenance Squadron keep the Raptor at the top of its game.
"The constant attention to detail and upkeep from our LO section is essential to projecting the F-22's combat capability," Pearson said. "Knowing that our jets are fully ready to go gives me the confidence I need get the job done."
(AFNS)
F-22's success more than 'skin deep'
Many are surprised to discover that the largest organ the human body has is the skin. Skin provides a physical barrier against harmful, external factors. The F-22 Raptor, much like the human body, has a layer of skin called low observable.
LO not only assists in retaining the jets' stealth capabilities but also prevents corrosion and other damages. Like human skin, the F-22's coating consists of several layers. The surface of the F-22 appears to be a simple gray paint, but in reality the high-tech surface renders one of the largest fighter jets virtually undetectable by radar.
"Arguably the most important capability of a fifth generation fighter, like the Raptor, is what low observable delivers - the stealth," said Air Force Maj. Patrick Pearson, a 3rd Wing F-22 pilot.
The benefits of stealth technology may escape some in terms of air combat. The ability of the F-22 to prosecute a lethal attack while remaining undetected is why it has the highest air-to-air kill ratio of any other fighter in simulated combat. While incredible lethality has defined F-22 tactics, the aircraft has also become known for its unmatched survivability.
"Survivability is the biggest [factor], so the jet and the pilot can come back," said Airman 1st Class Emmanuel Marioni, 3rd Maintenance Squadron LO technician.
Lethality and survivability are critical issues for the men and women in the LO shop, comprised of active duty Airmen from the 3rd Maintenance Squadron and reservists from the 477th Maintenance Squadron. Their daily work readies F-22 pilots to defeat the most advanced adversarial aircraft and surface to air missile systems.
Once a week, the LO shop conducts outer mold line inspections on the Raptor. All the information is placed into a database that rates its stealth capability, called a signature assessment system.
"The lower the SAS rating, the stealthier a jet is," said Senior Master Sgt. Dave Strunk, 477th Maintenance Squadron fabrication flight chief.
Strunk said that LO application falls into two areas - the removal of coatings to facilitate other maintenance and the removal and replacement to bring the SAS rating down. The job of an LO technician can be a challenging one requiring a high level of attention to detail and adherence to safety precautions.
"We are working all day every day," said Air Force Staff Sgt. Matthew Duque, 477th Maintenance Squadron LO technician. "We have 24/7 coverage to ensure a steady flow of progress from the start of a repair to finish. Our accurate cataloging of damages and sound repairs ensure that the aircraft is performing as designed."
The skin from the body can be taken for granted until it is damaged. The behind-the-scenes efforts of the men and women of the 3rd Maintenance Squadron and the 477th Maintenance Squadron keep the Raptor at the top of its game.
"The constant attention to detail and upkeep from our LO section is essential to projecting the F-22's combat capability," Pearson said. "Knowing that our jets are fully ready to go gives me the confidence I need get the job done."
(AFNS)
LO not only assists in retaining the jets' stealth capabilities but also prevents corrosion and other damages. Like human skin, the F-22's coating consists of several layers. The surface of the F-22 appears to be a simple gray paint, but in reality the high-tech surface renders one of the largest fighter jets virtually undetectable by radar.
"Arguably the most important capability of a fifth generation fighter, like the Raptor, is what low observable delivers - the stealth," said Air Force Maj. Patrick Pearson, a 3rd Wing F-22 pilot.
The benefits of stealth technology may escape some in terms of air combat. The ability of the F-22 to prosecute a lethal attack while remaining undetected is why it has the highest air-to-air kill ratio of any other fighter in simulated combat. While incredible lethality has defined F-22 tactics, the aircraft has also become known for its unmatched survivability.
"Survivability is the biggest [factor], so the jet and the pilot can come back," said Airman 1st Class Emmanuel Marioni, 3rd Maintenance Squadron LO technician.
Lethality and survivability are critical issues for the men and women in the LO shop, comprised of active duty Airmen from the 3rd Maintenance Squadron and reservists from the 477th Maintenance Squadron. Their daily work readies F-22 pilots to defeat the most advanced adversarial aircraft and surface to air missile systems.
Once a week, the LO shop conducts outer mold line inspections on the Raptor. All the information is placed into a database that rates its stealth capability, called a signature assessment system.
"The lower the SAS rating, the stealthier a jet is," said Senior Master Sgt. Dave Strunk, 477th Maintenance Squadron fabrication flight chief.
Strunk said that LO application falls into two areas - the removal of coatings to facilitate other maintenance and the removal and replacement to bring the SAS rating down. The job of an LO technician can be a challenging one requiring a high level of attention to detail and adherence to safety precautions.
"We are working all day every day," said Air Force Staff Sgt. Matthew Duque, 477th Maintenance Squadron LO technician. "We have 24/7 coverage to ensure a steady flow of progress from the start of a repair to finish. Our accurate cataloging of damages and sound repairs ensure that the aircraft is performing as designed."
The skin from the body can be taken for granted until it is damaged. The behind-the-scenes efforts of the men and women of the 3rd Maintenance Squadron and the 477th Maintenance Squadron keep the Raptor at the top of its game.
"The constant attention to detail and upkeep from our LO section is essential to projecting the F-22's combat capability," Pearson said. "Knowing that our jets are fully ready to go gives me the confidence I need get the job done."
(AFNS)
Friday, November 23, 2012
F-35A Achieves Maximum High Angle Of Attack Limit In Four Flights
F-35A Achieves Maximum High Angle Of Attack Limit In Four Flights
An F-35A Lightning II conventional takeoff and landing (CTOL) aircraft rapidly expanded its high angle of attack (AOA) test envelope to its 50 degree limit in only four flights during recent flight testing here. F-35A test aircraft are limited to AOAs of 20 degrees until their controllability is proven at a higher AOA limit of 50 degrees. The ability to rapidly progress to the maximum AOA indicates a sound aerodynamic and flight control system design. High AOA testing will continue on the F-35A for several months testing the capabilities of all design loadings and the flight control system.
An F-35A Lightning II conventional takeoff and landing (CTOL) aircraft rapidly expanded its high angle of attack (AOA) test envelope to its 50 degree limit in only four flights during recent flight testing here. F-35A test aircraft are limited to AOAs of 20 degrees until their controllability is proven at a higher AOA limit of 50 degrees. The ability to rapidly progress to the maximum AOA indicates a sound aerodynamic and flight control system design. High AOA testing will continue on the F-35A for several months testing the capabilities of all design loadings and the flight control system.
Wednesday, November 21, 2012
Precision, Wireless Ground Handling of X-47B Unmanned Aircraft
Precision, Wireless Ground Handling of X-47B Unmanned Aircraft
Northrop Grumman and the U.S. Navy have taken a first critical step toward demonstrating that the X-47B Unmanned Combat Air System (UCAS) demonstrator can be maneuvered safely and wirelessly on the crowded deck of an aircraft carrier. In early November, the team successfully completed its first shore-based trials of a new wireless, handheld device called a Control Display Unit (CDU). Developed by Northrop Grumman, the device will allow deck operators to maneuver the X-47B by remote control on the carrier deck. The team demonstrated the CDU's ability to control the X-47B's engine thrust; to roll the aircraft forward, brake and stop; to use its nose wheel steering to execute tight, precision turns; and to maneuver the aircraft efficiently into a catapult or out of the landing area following a mock carrier landing. Northrop Grumman is the Navy's prime contractor for the UCAS Carrier Demonstration (UCAS-D) program. "The CDU is fundamental to integrating the X-47B seamlessly into carrier deck operations," said Daryl Martis, Northrop Grumman's UCAS-D test director.
Northrop Grumman and the U.S. Navy have taken a first critical step toward demonstrating that the X-47B Unmanned Combat Air System (UCAS) demonstrator can be maneuvered safely and wirelessly on the crowded deck of an aircraft carrier. In early November, the team successfully completed its first shore-based trials of a new wireless, handheld device called a Control Display Unit (CDU). Developed by Northrop Grumman, the device will allow deck operators to maneuver the X-47B by remote control on the carrier deck. The team demonstrated the CDU's ability to control the X-47B's engine thrust; to roll the aircraft forward, brake and stop; to use its nose wheel steering to execute tight, precision turns; and to maneuver the aircraft efficiently into a catapult or out of the landing area following a mock carrier landing. Northrop Grumman is the Navy's prime contractor for the UCAS Carrier Demonstration (UCAS-D) program. "The CDU is fundamental to integrating the X-47B seamlessly into carrier deck operations," said Daryl Martis, Northrop Grumman's UCAS-D test director.
Tuesday, November 20, 2012
Europe, U.S. talk space program link
Europe, U.S. talk space program link
European plans to join the United States in building a manned spaceship could see a British astronaut in space before the end of the decade, officials said. A meeting of ministers of the European Space Agency's 20 member states in Italy this week will consider a proposal to join in the construction of the four-person U.S. Orion space capsule. "Europeans will have the power to put men and women into space," Jean-Jacques Dordain, director general of the European Space Agency, told Britain's The Observer newspaper in an interview. "That would be a fantastic development for us." "Britain has already indicated support," he said
European plans to join the United States in building a manned spaceship could see a British astronaut in space before the end of the decade, officials said. A meeting of ministers of the European Space Agency's 20 member states in Italy this week will consider a proposal to join in the construction of the four-person U.S. Orion space capsule. "Europeans will have the power to put men and women into space," Jean-Jacques Dordain, director general of the European Space Agency, told Britain's The Observer newspaper in an interview. "That would be a fantastic development for us." "Britain has already indicated support," he said
Friday, November 16, 2012
Change in U.S. defense strategy could ease fiscal challenge
Change in U.S. defense strategy could ease fiscal challenge
group of national security experts on Thursday proposed a new U.S. defense strategy they said could be safely implemented at different budget levels, enabling President Barack Obama to cut Pentagon spending by more than the $487 billion agreed to so far.
The strategy, by a group of 15 defense experts assembled by the Stimson Center think tank, proposes reducing costs by improving manpower usage, cutting back on foreign bases, curbing nuclear modernization efforts, reforming compensation and taking other steps to improve efficiency within the Defense Department.
Stimson
Center co-founder Barry Blechman, who led a group that included retired Marine
Corps General James Cartwright, retired Admiral Bill Owens and scholars Gordon
Adams and Anne-Marie Slaughter, said the strategy, dubbed "Strategic Agility,"
expanded on the one unveiled by the Pentagon in January.
"It's more an evolution than any kind of radical change," Blechman said in an interview. "It's a shift, a greater shift, toward an expeditionary model of U.S. military power that moves away from the kind of static big bases that characterized our Cold War posture to rotational deployments of forces in and out of regions to exercise."
group of national security experts on Thursday proposed a new U.S. defense strategy they said could be safely implemented at different budget levels, enabling President Barack Obama to cut Pentagon spending by more than the $487 billion agreed to so far.
The strategy, by a group of 15 defense experts assembled by the Stimson Center think tank, proposes reducing costs by improving manpower usage, cutting back on foreign bases, curbing nuclear modernization efforts, reforming compensation and taking other steps to improve efficiency within the Defense Department.
"It's more an evolution than any kind of radical change," Blechman said in an interview. "It's a shift, a greater shift, toward an expeditionary model of U.S. military power that moves away from the kind of static big bases that characterized our Cold War posture to rotational deployments of forces in and out of regions to exercise."
Report says $67.9 billion in defense budget is idled away
Report says $67.9 billion in defense budget is idled away
They called it the Red Balloon Challenge. The Defense Advanced Research Projects A
His report says, the same agency that paid MIT to find balloons paid some $100,000 for a workshop that included “an interesting discussion involving the Klingons, a fictional alien species who were villains and then later allies of humanity in the ‘Star Trek’ series.”
One of the sessions, titled “Did Jesus die for Klingons, too?,” featured a philosophy professor “who pondered the theological conflict to Christianity if intelligent life was found on other planets.”gency, responsible for investing in next-generation technologies, recently paid researchers at MIT $40,000 to coordinate a social-media treasure hunt for 10 red balloons placed at various locations across the country. They succeeded, in eight hours, 52 minutes, and 41 seconds.
At Brown University, researchers received nearly $300,000 from the Air Force Office of Scientific Research to determine the color of the wings of the Archaeopteryx, a bird that lived 150 million years ago. They concluded “black, with 95 percent probability.”
. ...
His report says, the same agency that paid MIT to find balloons paid some $100,000 for a workshop that included “an interesting discussion involving the Klingons, a fictional alien species who were villains and then later allies of humanity in the ‘Star Trek’ series.”
One of the sessions, titled “Did Jesus die for Klingons, too?,” featured a philosophy professor “who pondered the theological conflict to Christianity if intelligent life was found on other planets.”
They called it the Red Balloon Challenge. The Defense Advanced Research Projects A
His report says, the same agency that paid MIT to find balloons paid some $100,000 for a workshop that included “an interesting discussion involving the Klingons, a fictional alien species who were villains and then later allies of humanity in the ‘Star Trek’ series.”
One of the sessions, titled “Did Jesus die for Klingons, too?,” featured a philosophy professor “who pondered the theological conflict to Christianity if intelligent life was found on other planets.”gency, responsible for investing in next-generation technologies, recently paid researchers at MIT $40,000 to coordinate a social-media treasure hunt for 10 red balloons placed at various locations across the country. They succeeded, in eight hours, 52 minutes, and 41 seconds.
At Brown University, researchers received nearly $300,000 from the Air Force Office of Scientific Research to determine the color of the wings of the Archaeopteryx, a bird that lived 150 million years ago. They concluded “black, with 95 percent probability.”
. ...
His report says, the same agency that paid MIT to find balloons paid some $100,000 for a workshop that included “an interesting discussion involving the Klingons, a fictional alien species who were villains and then later allies of humanity in the ‘Star Trek’ series.”
One of the sessions, titled “Did Jesus die for Klingons, too?,” featured a philosophy professor “who pondered the theological conflict to Christianity if intelligent life was found on other planets.”
GOP senator outlines $68 billion in defense cuts
GOP senator outlines $68 billion in defense cuts
Defense spending could be slashed by $68 billion over 10 years if the military stopped spending millions on running grocery stores, operating its own schools and even developing a roll-up version of beef jerky, insists one of the Senate's leading fiscal conservatives. In a new report, Republican Sen. Tom Coburn dubs the Pentagon the "Department of Everything."
Coburn details how the Pentagon could save money - vital in a time of rampant federal deficits - if it eliminated duplicative and excessive programs that have nothing to do with the nation's security. By turns sober and cheeky, the report points out that the Pentagon has spent more than $1 million on the 100-year Starship Project, including $100,000 for a workshop sure to attract Trekkies. One of the discussions was titled "Did Jesus Die for Klingons Too?"
"Our nation's $16 trillion debt is the new red menace, posing perhaps a greater threat to our nation than any military adversary," the report says in chilling Cold War terms.
Defense spending could be slashed by $68 billion over 10 years if the military stopped spending millions on running grocery stores, operating its own schools and even developing a roll-up version of beef jerky, insists one of the Senate's leading fiscal conservatives. In a new report, Republican Sen. Tom Coburn dubs the Pentagon the "Department of Everything."
Coburn details how the Pentagon could save money - vital in a time of rampant federal deficits - if it eliminated duplicative and excessive programs that have nothing to do with the nation's security. By turns sober and cheeky, the report points out that the Pentagon has spent more than $1 million on the 100-year Starship Project, including $100,000 for a workshop sure to attract Trekkies. One of the discussions was titled "Did Jesus Die for Klingons Too?"
"Our nation's $16 trillion debt is the new red menace, posing perhaps a greater threat to our nation than any military adversary," the report says in chilling Cold War terms.
Friday, November 9, 2012
Bradley Offspring, GCV, May Top 84 Tons, Heavier Than M1 Tank
Bradley Offspring, GCV, May Top 84 Tons, Heavier Than M1 Tank
What may weigh more than an M1 Abrams tank and carry 12 soldiers? The Army's Ground Combat Vehicle. New weight estimates for GCV, released this week by the Congressional Budget Office, will likely go over like a lead ballon with the program's critics in Congress and in the Army itself.
Depending on the model and add-on armor package, an M1 weighs 60 to 75.5 tons. According to the CBO report, the General Dynamics design for the GCV weighs 64 to 70 tons. BAE s proposal is still heavier, at 70 to 84.
There's a tactical reason for all this weight: It's armor. The Ground Combat Vehicle is supposed to replace the Army's current frontline infantry carrier, the M2 Bradley, carrying more foot troops in back -- nine instead of six -- and protecting them better against everything from rocket-propelled grenades to roadside bombs. Even the most heavily uparmored models of the M2, at almost 40 tons, proved too vulnerable for the worst streets in Baghdad during the "surge," so commanders often sent 70-plus-ton M1s to clear the way. Even some of those M1s blew up, in part because the insurgents could build huge improvised explosive devices, in part because the M1's armor is mostly on the front to protect against enemy tanks, not on the underside.
What may weigh more than an M1 Abrams tank and carry 12 soldiers? The Army's Ground Combat Vehicle. New weight estimates for GCV, released this week by the Congressional Budget Office, will likely go over like a lead ballon with the program's critics in Congress and in the Army itself.
Depending on the model and add-on armor package, an M1 weighs 60 to 75.5 tons. According to the CBO report, the General Dynamics design for the GCV weighs 64 to 70 tons. BAE s proposal is still heavier, at 70 to 84.
There's a tactical reason for all this weight: It's armor. The Ground Combat Vehicle is supposed to replace the Army's current frontline infantry carrier, the M2 Bradley, carrying more foot troops in back -- nine instead of six -- and protecting them better against everything from rocket-propelled grenades to roadside bombs. Even the most heavily uparmored models of the M2, at almost 40 tons, proved too vulnerable for the worst streets in Baghdad during the "surge," so commanders often sent 70-plus-ton M1s to clear the way. Even some of those M1s blew up, in part because the insurgents could build huge improvised explosive devices, in part because the M1's armor is mostly on the front to protect against enemy tanks, not on the underside.
Thursday, November 8, 2012
Army Orders NETT WARRIOR Radios from General Dynamics
General Dynamics C4 Systems has received an order from the U.S. Army to deliver
a new secure radio for Nett Warrior soldiers. The new Nett Warrior radio is
part of the Handheld Manpack Small Form Fit family of radios. Weighing less
than two pounds, the secure radio communicates using the Soldier Radio Waveform
(SRW) and meets a critical communications need by giving Nett Warrior team
members access to the government's classified networks at either the Secret or
Sensitive But Unclassified level.
Nett Warrior is a U.S. Army program that provides integrated situational awareness and mission command for dismounted soldiers.
The Low Rate Initial Production order for 2,052 radios includes engineering support and related equipment and has a maximum potential value of $11 million if all options are exercised. The Nett Warrior Radios are scheduled to begin delivery in the first quarter of 2013.
"By providing a lighter, smaller radio capable of two levels of security, Nett Warrior soldiers will have increased agility and significantly improved access to classified mission-critical information," said Chris Marzilli , president of General Dynamics C4 Systems. "That combination can help save American soldiers' lives."
The Nett Warrior Radio joins the HMS family of tactical radios, which includes the AN/PRC-154 Rifleman and AN/PRC-155 Manpack radios. The radios enable soldiers on the battlefield to have highly mobile voice, video and data communications capabilities using U.S. government waveforms that include SRW, Wideband Networking Waveform and Mobile User Objective System waveform. Waveforms move information from a radio to the tactical network by providing the physical signal, network protocols, routing and security functions.
Nett Warrior is a U.S. Army program that provides integrated situational awareness and mission command for dismounted soldiers.
The Low Rate Initial Production order for 2,052 radios includes engineering support and related equipment and has a maximum potential value of $11 million if all options are exercised. The Nett Warrior Radios are scheduled to begin delivery in the first quarter of 2013.
"By providing a lighter, smaller radio capable of two levels of security, Nett Warrior soldiers will have increased agility and significantly improved access to classified mission-critical information," said Chris Marzilli , president of General Dynamics C4 Systems. "That combination can help save American soldiers' lives."
The Nett Warrior Radio joins the HMS family of tactical radios, which includes the AN/PRC-154 Rifleman and AN/PRC-155 Manpack radios. The radios enable soldiers on the battlefield to have highly mobile voice, video and data communications capabilities using U.S. government waveforms that include SRW, Wideband Networking Waveform and Mobile User Objective System waveform. Waveforms move information from a radio to the tactical network by providing the physical signal, network protocols, routing and security functions.
General Dynamics is the prime contractor
for the HMS program. With the order for the Nett Warrior radios, the Army has
procured more than 26,000 HMS radios from General Dynamics . The Nett Warrior
Radio shares common technology with the HMS family and seamlessly interoperates
with the Rifleman Radio.
Army researchers link ground robots wirelessly
Four U.S. Army Research Laboratory researchers have developed an algorithm that will make it easier for the Department of Defense to maintain wirelessly networked Army PackBots and other military assets using radio communications.
The team recently demonstrated they could map the region of good connectivity to a radio base station using received signal strength, or RSS.
"We are working on fundamental techniques that employ autonomous agents to maintain connectivity, and continuously provide situational awareness to Soldiers," said Brian Sadler, Ph.D., of Army Research Laboratory's Computational and Information Sciences Directorate, in a recent article about the research.
The team has been focused on radio connectivity between robots for nearly two years, he said.
"We can find and explore areas that have high RSS and then map these areas as having the strongest connectivity to the radio base station," said Jeffrey Twigg, a contract employee with Army Research Laboratory's Computational and Information Sciences Directorate who was instrumental in this research. "This brings us a step closer to operating autonomous systems in complex and unstructured situations like those Soldiers encounter on the battlefield."
When the environment is open, communication between autonomous robots is well understood. Indoors however, walls and other sources of interference cause radio propagation to be more complex. This requires the communication strategies used by robotic systems to be more complex, Twigg said.
"Ultimately we want to form building blocks that increase the effectiveness of a networked team of robots in an unknown environment," Twigg said. "If robots can be programmed to map where there is the potential to communicate inside a building, then Soldiers and other assets can know where in the building they will be able to communicate with a radio base station."
Efficient Base Station Connectivity Region Discovery by Jeffrey Twigg, Jonathan Fink, Ph.D., Paul Yu, Ph.D., and Brian Sadler, Ph.D., is a project that takes a second step toward a broad understanding of solutions for Army robotics. The study has been submitted for publication by the International Journal of Robotics Research.
The researchers took their findings from earlier research conducted this year to the next level. They combined region decomposition and RSS sampling to form an efficient graph search. The nominal RSS in a sampling region is obtained by averaging local RSS samples to reduce the small scale fading variation.
At this point, the system has been tested in the lab as well as at the urban operations training site at Fort Indiantown Gap.
The algorithm can be used for sensing and collaborative autonomy within the region of base station connectivity, Twigg said.
The Army Research Laboratory researchers first presented the development: RSS Gradient-Assisted Frontier Exploration and Radio Source Localization at the 2012 International Conference on Robotics and Automation in St. Paul, Mn.
The team recently demonstrated they could map the region of good connectivity to a radio base station using received signal strength, or RSS.
"We are working on fundamental techniques that employ autonomous agents to maintain connectivity, and continuously provide situational awareness to Soldiers," said Brian Sadler, Ph.D., of Army Research Laboratory's Computational and Information Sciences Directorate, in a recent article about the research.
The team has been focused on radio connectivity between robots for nearly two years, he said.
"We can find and explore areas that have high RSS and then map these areas as having the strongest connectivity to the radio base station," said Jeffrey Twigg, a contract employee with Army Research Laboratory's Computational and Information Sciences Directorate who was instrumental in this research. "This brings us a step closer to operating autonomous systems in complex and unstructured situations like those Soldiers encounter on the battlefield."
When the environment is open, communication between autonomous robots is well understood. Indoors however, walls and other sources of interference cause radio propagation to be more complex. This requires the communication strategies used by robotic systems to be more complex, Twigg said.
"Ultimately we want to form building blocks that increase the effectiveness of a networked team of robots in an unknown environment," Twigg said. "If robots can be programmed to map where there is the potential to communicate inside a building, then Soldiers and other assets can know where in the building they will be able to communicate with a radio base station."
Efficient Base Station Connectivity Region Discovery by Jeffrey Twigg, Jonathan Fink, Ph.D., Paul Yu, Ph.D., and Brian Sadler, Ph.D., is a project that takes a second step toward a broad understanding of solutions for Army robotics. The study has been submitted for publication by the International Journal of Robotics Research.
The researchers took their findings from earlier research conducted this year to the next level. They combined region decomposition and RSS sampling to form an efficient graph search. The nominal RSS in a sampling region is obtained by averaging local RSS samples to reduce the small scale fading variation.
At this point, the system has been tested in the lab as well as at the urban operations training site at Fort Indiantown Gap.
The algorithm can be used for sensing and collaborative autonomy within the region of base station connectivity, Twigg said.
The Army Research Laboratory researchers first presented the development: RSS Gradient-Assisted Frontier Exploration and Radio Source Localization at the 2012 International Conference on Robotics and Automation in St. Paul, Mn.
Ray Odierno: Army Aiming For Regionalized Structure
Ray Odierno: Army Aiming For Regionalized Structure
As the Army withdraws forces in Iraq and Afghanistan, the branch’s chief of staff says the next goal is having uniformed soldiers return to traditional jobs they performed previously, Federal News Radio reports.
Gen. Ray Odierno told an audience at the Center for Strategic and International Studies Thursday that the Army wants to put more senior non-commissioned officers and commissioned officers back into both the training pipeline and the doctrine pipeline.
Odierno added that the Army is going to be more regionalized and integrated with other services in the Defense Department.
As the Army withdraws forces in Iraq and Afghanistan, the branch’s chief of staff says the next goal is having uniformed soldiers return to traditional jobs they performed previously, Federal News Radio reports.
Gen. Ray Odierno told an audience at the Center for Strategic and International Studies Thursday that the Army wants to put more senior non-commissioned officers and commissioned officers back into both the training pipeline and the doctrine pipeline.
Odierno added that the Army is going to be more regionalized and integrated with other services in the Defense Department.
Wednesday, November 7, 2012
F-35 celebrates 500th sortie
The Air Force's premier fighter, the F-35 Lightning II, surpassed its 500th sortie only 16 days after reaching the 400 mark and only 238 days from the beginning of the program.
Maj. Matthew Johnston of the 58th Fighter Squadron completed the 500th combined sortie for both the F-35A and F-35B at the 33rd Fighter Wing Nov. 2, marking a continued progress in sortie generation rates since the wing started flight operations March 6.
"On Friday during our F-35A operational utility evaluation we hit the 500th flight in 16 days from the prior 400th combined sortie flown on Oct. 16," said Col. Andrew Toth, commander for the 33rd Fighter Wing. "This is significant progress forward since it took 123 days to achieve the 100th combined sortie on July 12."
"The joint team is focused on safe and effective flying to stand up their unit's future operations and the increased amount of sorties and quicker turnaround time to maintain and turn jets is a simple byproduct of this."
According to the maintenance squadron commander, the number of Air Force maintainers continues to grow as the program progresses. "When we first started F-35A flying you could count the uniformed maintainers trained on the system on one hand," said Maj. Maurice Lee, commander, 33rd Aircraft Maintenance Squadron. "Now we have more than 100 Air Force maintainers trained up.....I am very proud of their legacy aircraft expertise and newly-learned F-35 skills."
While the Air Force's A variant of the Lightning II was the jet flying the 500-sortie milestone, the Marine Corps' B variant has been the other part of the team effort progressing the multi-role fighter forward for joint and partner nation fifth-generation air power.
"Both services' efforts are a precursor to training other services and allies at the world's only F-35 Integrated Training Center," said Toth.
Currently two pilots from the United Kingdom are gearing up to begin classes in aircraft familiarity and simulator training at the F-35 Academic Training Center along with almost 20 Royal Air Force and Royal Navy maintainers who began through their country's first courses Oct. 1.
"And next spring the Navy's F-35 C variant will begin contributing to the sortie successes," said Toth, who besides spearheading the joint and international efforts at Eglin, is also flying weekly joint strike fighter sorties.
The multi-role joint strike fighter is the centerpiece of the Defense Department's future precision attack capability, designed to penetrate air defenses and deliver a wide-range of precision munitions. It offers increased interoperability and cost-sharing across three of the U.S. services and coalition partner nations. Eglin is home to the largest fleet of F-35s at any DoD base with 22 jets.
. 100th combined sortie - July 12 - accomplished in 123 days
. 200th combined sortie - Aug. 24 - accomplished in 44 days
. 300th combined sortie - Sept.21 - accomplished in 30 days
. 400th combined sortie - Oct. 16 - accomplished in 25 days
. 500th combined sortie - Nov. 2 - accomplished in 16 days
Maj. Matthew Johnston of the 58th Fighter Squadron completed the 500th combined sortie for both the F-35A and F-35B at the 33rd Fighter Wing Nov. 2, marking a continued progress in sortie generation rates since the wing started flight operations March 6.
"On Friday during our F-35A operational utility evaluation we hit the 500th flight in 16 days from the prior 400th combined sortie flown on Oct. 16," said Col. Andrew Toth, commander for the 33rd Fighter Wing. "This is significant progress forward since it took 123 days to achieve the 100th combined sortie on July 12."
"The joint team is focused on safe and effective flying to stand up their unit's future operations and the increased amount of sorties and quicker turnaround time to maintain and turn jets is a simple byproduct of this."
According to the maintenance squadron commander, the number of Air Force maintainers continues to grow as the program progresses. "When we first started F-35A flying you could count the uniformed maintainers trained on the system on one hand," said Maj. Maurice Lee, commander, 33rd Aircraft Maintenance Squadron. "Now we have more than 100 Air Force maintainers trained up.....I am very proud of their legacy aircraft expertise and newly-learned F-35 skills."
While the Air Force's A variant of the Lightning II was the jet flying the 500-sortie milestone, the Marine Corps' B variant has been the other part of the team effort progressing the multi-role fighter forward for joint and partner nation fifth-generation air power.
"Both services' efforts are a precursor to training other services and allies at the world's only F-35 Integrated Training Center," said Toth.
Currently two pilots from the United Kingdom are gearing up to begin classes in aircraft familiarity and simulator training at the F-35 Academic Training Center along with almost 20 Royal Air Force and Royal Navy maintainers who began through their country's first courses Oct. 1.
"And next spring the Navy's F-35 C variant will begin contributing to the sortie successes," said Toth, who besides spearheading the joint and international efforts at Eglin, is also flying weekly joint strike fighter sorties.
The multi-role joint strike fighter is the centerpiece of the Defense Department's future precision attack capability, designed to penetrate air defenses and deliver a wide-range of precision munitions. It offers increased interoperability and cost-sharing across three of the U.S. services and coalition partner nations. Eglin is home to the largest fleet of F-35s at any DoD base with 22 jets.
. 100th combined sortie - July 12 - accomplished in 123 days
. 200th combined sortie - Aug. 24 - accomplished in 44 days
. 300th combined sortie - Sept.21 - accomplished in 30 days
. 400th combined sortie - Oct. 16 - accomplished in 25 days
. 500th combined sortie - Nov. 2 - accomplished in 16 days
Tuesday, November 6, 2012
USS Enterprise Returns Home from Final Deployment
More than 5,500 Sailors and Marines assigned to the Enterprise Carrier Strike Group (CSG) arrived in Norfolk, Va., Nov. 4 following a seven-and-a-half-month deployment supporting operations in the Mediterranean and the Arabian Seas.
USS Enterprise's return to Norfolk marks the 25th and final homecoming in her 51 years of distinguished service.
The aircraft carrier is scheduled to be inactivated Dec. 1, in a ceremony at Norfolk Naval Station, in Norfolk, Va.
"We are pleased to be returning to our families after a very successful deployment, but to know that it is the last time Enterprise will be underway through her own power makes our return very sentimental," said Capt. William C. Hamilton, Enterprise commanding officer.
While deployed, Enterprise CSG served in the U.S. 5th and 6th Fleet areas of responsibility (AOR), conducting maritime security operations, theater security cooperation efforts and missions in support of Operation Enduring Freedom.
During her 238 days away from Norfolk, "Big E," as Enterprise is affectionately known, safely steamed 80,968 miles and Carrier Air Wing 1 (CVW-1) flew more than 8,000 sorties in support of Operation Enduring Freedom and exercises in the 5th and 6th Fleet AORs.
"This has not been a victory lap for Enterprise by any means," said Rear Adm. Ted Carter, Enterprise Carrier Strike Group commander. "This has been a full-on combat operation. We've seen the full spectrum of Navy operations on this deployment. It's been a business as usual kind of deployment."
Enterprise was commissioned Nov. 25, 1961 as the eighth ship to bear the name Enterprise. Big E was the world's first nuclear-powered aircraft carrier. During her 51 years of service, Enterprise deployed 25 times and participated in every major conflict since the Cuban Missile Crisis. Enterprise has been homeported in both Alameda, Calif., and Norfolk, Va., and conducted operations in every region of the world.
The December inactivation ceremony will be the last official public event for Enterprise, and will serve as a celebration of life for the ship and the more than 100,000 Sailors who have served aboard the ship. All Enterprise veterans, their families, shipyard workers, and friends are invited to register to attend the inactivation week events and the ceremony on the ship's website, www.enterprise.navy.mil. Tickets to the events will be on a first available basis.
Enterprise CSG is comprised of: Commander, Carrier Strike Group 12, the aircraft carrier USS Enterprise (CVN 65), CVW 1, Destroyer Squadron 2, guided-missile destroyers USS Porter (DDG 78), USS Nitze (DDG 94), and USS James E. Williams (DDG 95).
The squadrons of CVW 1 embarked aboard Enterprise are: Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 11 "Red Rippers," VFA-136 "Knighthawks," VFA-211 "Fighting Checkmates,"Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 251 "Thunderbolts," Carrier Airborne Early Warning Squadron 123 "Screwtops," Carrier Tactical Electronic Warfare Squadron 137 "Rooks," Fleet Logistics Support Squadron 40 "Rawhides,"and Helicopter Anti-Submarine Squadron 11 "Dragonslayers."
USS Enterprise's return to Norfolk marks the 25th and final homecoming in her 51 years of distinguished service.
The aircraft carrier is scheduled to be inactivated Dec. 1, in a ceremony at Norfolk Naval Station, in Norfolk, Va.
"We are pleased to be returning to our families after a very successful deployment, but to know that it is the last time Enterprise will be underway through her own power makes our return very sentimental," said Capt. William C. Hamilton, Enterprise commanding officer.
While deployed, Enterprise CSG served in the U.S. 5th and 6th Fleet areas of responsibility (AOR), conducting maritime security operations, theater security cooperation efforts and missions in support of Operation Enduring Freedom.
During her 238 days away from Norfolk, "Big E," as Enterprise is affectionately known, safely steamed 80,968 miles and Carrier Air Wing 1 (CVW-1) flew more than 8,000 sorties in support of Operation Enduring Freedom and exercises in the 5th and 6th Fleet AORs.
"This has not been a victory lap for Enterprise by any means," said Rear Adm. Ted Carter, Enterprise Carrier Strike Group commander. "This has been a full-on combat operation. We've seen the full spectrum of Navy operations on this deployment. It's been a business as usual kind of deployment."
Enterprise was commissioned Nov. 25, 1961 as the eighth ship to bear the name Enterprise. Big E was the world's first nuclear-powered aircraft carrier. During her 51 years of service, Enterprise deployed 25 times and participated in every major conflict since the Cuban Missile Crisis. Enterprise has been homeported in both Alameda, Calif., and Norfolk, Va., and conducted operations in every region of the world.
The December inactivation ceremony will be the last official public event for Enterprise, and will serve as a celebration of life for the ship and the more than 100,000 Sailors who have served aboard the ship. All Enterprise veterans, their families, shipyard workers, and friends are invited to register to attend the inactivation week events and the ceremony on the ship's website, www.enterprise.navy.mil. Tickets to the events will be on a first available basis.
Enterprise CSG is comprised of: Commander, Carrier Strike Group 12, the aircraft carrier USS Enterprise (CVN 65), CVW 1, Destroyer Squadron 2, guided-missile destroyers USS Porter (DDG 78), USS Nitze (DDG 94), and USS James E. Williams (DDG 95).
The squadrons of CVW 1 embarked aboard Enterprise are: Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 11 "Red Rippers," VFA-136 "Knighthawks," VFA-211 "Fighting Checkmates,"Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 251 "Thunderbolts," Carrier Airborne Early Warning Squadron 123 "Screwtops," Carrier Tactical Electronic Warfare Squadron 137 "Rooks," Fleet Logistics Support Squadron 40 "Rawhides,"and Helicopter Anti-Submarine Squadron 11 "Dragonslayers."
CIA Declassifies Secret Spy Satellite Capsule
More than 400 people from around the Pacific Northwest attended a declassification recognition event at the Naval Undersea Museum's Jack Murdock Auditorium in Keyport, Washington, for the deep sea vehicle Trieste II I (DSV 1), Nov. 3.
The event was sponsored by the Historical Collections Division (HCD) of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) in partnership with the museum and an independent publication called Quest: The History of Spaceflight Quarterly.
The information released was on a salvage operation conducted April 25, 1972 by Lt. Cmdr. Malcolm Bartels, Lt. Cmdr. Phil Stryker Jr., and Lt. Richard Taylor describing the recovery of a satellite film capsule from a depth 16,400 feet below the Pacific Ocean.
"I think it was very significant because it's just a really great story," said David Waltrop, project manager CIA HCD. "There's only been two operations dealing with underwater intelligence activities that the CIA has declassified."
This is only the second time the CIA has declassified an underwater intelligence operation.
"The other thing that's really important with this declassification is that this is the first time the CIA...has released pictures taken on the bottom of the ocean," said Waltrop. "[Richard] Taylor, he took some very amazing pictures of the satellite film bucket as it was on the bottom of the ocean and as it was coming up, and we released that along with our collection."
The event was a panel presentation to inform the public about Trieste II's recently declassified operation and focused around Waltrop's article, An Underwater Ice Station Zebra. The panel members were Lee Mathers, retired Lt. Cmdr. Beauford Myers, and retired Cmdr. Richard Taylor, the former Trieste II pilot who conducted the CIA underwater recovery mission.
In 1972, Trieste II was the Navy's most advanced deep sea submersible. According to the CIA website, the Trieste II surfaced about 350 miles of the coast of the Hawaiian islands after completing a salvage operation from 16,400 feet below the Pacific Ocean. Known, at the time, as a nondescript data package from the Scripps Institute of Oceanography, the object was actually part of a film capsule from an American photoreconnaissance satellite, codenamed Hexagon.
Before digital technology, photoreconnaissance satellites used film that ejected from the satellite and returned to Earth. The capsules, called buckets, re-entered the Earth's atmosphere descending toward the primary re-entry zone near the Hawaiian Islands. In the case of the first Hexagon mission in 1971, the parachute broke off causing the capsule to fall into the water, sinking to the ocean floor.
Taylor said they started the training program for the mission in the summer and fall of 1971 in the area of Southern California. This was where Taylor and the crew of Trieste II saw the bucket that was brought out as a practice bucket.
"That was the first time we saw what this thing was going to look like," said Taylor. "We were briefed in the program to know that we were picking up something, we had no idea that it came from a Hexagon satellite. We knew it was a satellite, a U.S. satellite, we did not know exactly what it was and what it looked like was that [practice] bucket."
"The Navy didn't know what was on the satellite, or at least we didn't know what was on the satellite," said Taylor. "We know now, I heard in September [2012] what was there. We just knew we were picking up a satellite and it was ours."
The recovery of the submerged capsule took more than five hours, a two-hour descent and three-and-a-half hours to search for the wreckage. During the ascent to the ocean's surface, the film broke apart and dissolved into the ocean. The capsule was supposed to contain images of the former Soviet Union and Eastern Europe during the Cold War.
Taylor said he and everyone else could only imagine what data the capsule contained.
For the museum staff, the declassification finally enables them to provide information regarding the purpose and mission of Trieste II to people from, and those who visit, the Pacific Northwest.
"The Navy has never really talked about why it was built or how it was used, so we've only been able to say it's a deep submergence vehicle, which is fun, but the declassification of this mission means that we have some concrete and tangible, and [it is] very exciting [what] our Trieste has done," said Mary Ryan, museum curator.
Ryan said since the release of the information on the Trieste II the museum has received a huge amount of interest to this story.
"I think any time you say a secret mission and a spy satellite it's an exciting story, it's a nice hook and it draws people's interest to want to come see it and they usually come into the museum to see other stuff that they never heard about," said Ryan. "So, it's a really great way for us to let people know more about the museum that it's here, what we have and what we do."
Waltrop said he was just glad to talk about this operation and its historical significance, calling it a testament to the Navy and the CIA.
"A lot of people, when they talk about history they say, 'Why is it important,' I think a good story has importance," said Waltrop. "It gives us a shared sense of values, a sense of community, a sense of espirit de corps. I think it shows the extent to which we will go to get the information that our country needs to keep itself safe."
For Waltrop, the declassified operation and the successful mission of the Hexagon satellite throughout the Cold War, from 1971-1984, has a long-lasting meaning today.
"[During] the bulk and height of the Cold War this satellite was operating in space, and I think that this shows well before words like, 'joint-duty, interagency collaboration, multi-intelligence,' you know, those buzz words that we currently have today in the [DoD] and the intelligence community," said Waltrop. "Long before those words became popular, you had a group of people from different organizations, different groups, unique talents coming together to undertake a very difficult, dangerous mission that was never before attempted."
The mission of the HCD is the promotion of accurate, objective understanding of the information that has helped shape major U.S. foreign policy decisions and to present historical material that gives greater understanding to the scope and context of past actions.
Trieste II is currently on display for the public at the Naval Undersea Museum.
The event was sponsored by the Historical Collections Division (HCD) of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) in partnership with the museum and an independent publication called Quest: The History of Spaceflight Quarterly.
The information released was on a salvage operation conducted April 25, 1972 by Lt. Cmdr. Malcolm Bartels, Lt. Cmdr. Phil Stryker Jr., and Lt. Richard Taylor describing the recovery of a satellite film capsule from a depth 16,400 feet below the Pacific Ocean.
"I think it was very significant because it's just a really great story," said David Waltrop, project manager CIA HCD. "There's only been two operations dealing with underwater intelligence activities that the CIA has declassified."
This is only the second time the CIA has declassified an underwater intelligence operation.
"The other thing that's really important with this declassification is that this is the first time the CIA...has released pictures taken on the bottom of the ocean," said Waltrop. "[Richard] Taylor, he took some very amazing pictures of the satellite film bucket as it was on the bottom of the ocean and as it was coming up, and we released that along with our collection."
The event was a panel presentation to inform the public about Trieste II's recently declassified operation and focused around Waltrop's article, An Underwater Ice Station Zebra. The panel members were Lee Mathers, retired Lt. Cmdr. Beauford Myers, and retired Cmdr. Richard Taylor, the former Trieste II pilot who conducted the CIA underwater recovery mission.
In 1972, Trieste II was the Navy's most advanced deep sea submersible. According to the CIA website, the Trieste II surfaced about 350 miles of the coast of the Hawaiian islands after completing a salvage operation from 16,400 feet below the Pacific Ocean. Known, at the time, as a nondescript data package from the Scripps Institute of Oceanography, the object was actually part of a film capsule from an American photoreconnaissance satellite, codenamed Hexagon.
Before digital technology, photoreconnaissance satellites used film that ejected from the satellite and returned to Earth. The capsules, called buckets, re-entered the Earth's atmosphere descending toward the primary re-entry zone near the Hawaiian Islands. In the case of the first Hexagon mission in 1971, the parachute broke off causing the capsule to fall into the water, sinking to the ocean floor.
Taylor said they started the training program for the mission in the summer and fall of 1971 in the area of Southern California. This was where Taylor and the crew of Trieste II saw the bucket that was brought out as a practice bucket.
"That was the first time we saw what this thing was going to look like," said Taylor. "We were briefed in the program to know that we were picking up something, we had no idea that it came from a Hexagon satellite. We knew it was a satellite, a U.S. satellite, we did not know exactly what it was and what it looked like was that [practice] bucket."
"The Navy didn't know what was on the satellite, or at least we didn't know what was on the satellite," said Taylor. "We know now, I heard in September [2012] what was there. We just knew we were picking up a satellite and it was ours."
The recovery of the submerged capsule took more than five hours, a two-hour descent and three-and-a-half hours to search for the wreckage. During the ascent to the ocean's surface, the film broke apart and dissolved into the ocean. The capsule was supposed to contain images of the former Soviet Union and Eastern Europe during the Cold War.
Taylor said he and everyone else could only imagine what data the capsule contained.
For the museum staff, the declassification finally enables them to provide information regarding the purpose and mission of Trieste II to people from, and those who visit, the Pacific Northwest.
"The Navy has never really talked about why it was built or how it was used, so we've only been able to say it's a deep submergence vehicle, which is fun, but the declassification of this mission means that we have some concrete and tangible, and [it is] very exciting [what] our Trieste has done," said Mary Ryan, museum curator.
Ryan said since the release of the information on the Trieste II the museum has received a huge amount of interest to this story.
"I think any time you say a secret mission and a spy satellite it's an exciting story, it's a nice hook and it draws people's interest to want to come see it and they usually come into the museum to see other stuff that they never heard about," said Ryan. "So, it's a really great way for us to let people know more about the museum that it's here, what we have and what we do."
Waltrop said he was just glad to talk about this operation and its historical significance, calling it a testament to the Navy and the CIA.
"A lot of people, when they talk about history they say, 'Why is it important,' I think a good story has importance," said Waltrop. "It gives us a shared sense of values, a sense of community, a sense of espirit de corps. I think it shows the extent to which we will go to get the information that our country needs to keep itself safe."
For Waltrop, the declassified operation and the successful mission of the Hexagon satellite throughout the Cold War, from 1971-1984, has a long-lasting meaning today.
"[During] the bulk and height of the Cold War this satellite was operating in space, and I think that this shows well before words like, 'joint-duty, interagency collaboration, multi-intelligence,' you know, those buzz words that we currently have today in the [DoD] and the intelligence community," said Waltrop. "Long before those words became popular, you had a group of people from different organizations, different groups, unique talents coming together to undertake a very difficult, dangerous mission that was never before attempted."
The mission of the HCD is the promotion of accurate, objective understanding of the information that has helped shape major U.S. foreign policy decisions and to present historical material that gives greater understanding to the scope and context of past actions.
Trieste II is currently on display for the public at the Naval Undersea Museum.
Exercise Mavi Balina 2012 Kicks off in Turkey
The trilateral training exercise Mavi Balina 2012 (MB12) kicked off in the Eastern Mediterranean Sea off the coast of Turkey, Nov. 5.
Mavi Balina is an invitational maritime exercise, hosted by Turkey, which focuses on providing realistic operational training in surface and submarine warfare for units and staffs of Turkish, Pakistani and U.S. Naval Forces, as well as promotes friendship, mutual understanding and cooperation.
Training with other military forces enhances mutual awareness and the maritime capability of international partners. Mavi Balina helps create an environment that promotes maritime safety and security, and interoperability between the participating nations.
Participating U.S. Naval Forces are guided-missile destroyer USS Forrest Sherman (DDG 98) and an aircraft from Patrol Squadron (VP) 9.
Mavi Balina is an invitational maritime exercise, hosted by Turkey, which focuses on providing realistic operational training in surface and submarine warfare for units and staffs of Turkish, Pakistani and U.S. Naval Forces, as well as promotes friendship, mutual understanding and cooperation.
Training with other military forces enhances mutual awareness and the maritime capability of international partners. Mavi Balina helps create an environment that promotes maritime safety and security, and interoperability between the participating nations.
Participating U.S. Naval Forces are guided-missile destroyer USS Forrest Sherman (DDG 98) and an aircraft from Patrol Squadron (VP) 9.
Sequester Would Cripple Our Economy
Sequester Would Cripple Our Economy
If the election results are pretty clear, expect to hear two things: the sounds of snoring from an exhausted Washington political class and the first tentative mentions of the shape of a solution to the dire fiscal cliff our country may fall off of in January. Given the enormity of the repercussions facing the country, Mackenzie Eaglen at the American Enterprise Institute spells out the larger national security implications at stake. Tea Party devotees should read this dedicated Republican's analysis closely.
If the election results are pretty clear, expect to hear two things: the sounds of snoring from an exhausted Washington political class and the first tentative mentions of the shape of a solution to the dire fiscal cliff our country may fall off of in January. Given the enormity of the repercussions facing the country, Mackenzie Eaglen at the American Enterprise Institute spells out the larger national security implications at stake. Tea Party devotees should read this dedicated Republican's analysis closely.
Monday, November 5, 2012
Army scientists earn patent for advanced neural chip
Two Army scientists and a university professor earned a patent for the forerunner of a powerful quantum neural dynamics computer chip. The device uses nonstandard mathematics to accomplish analog problem solving at high speed.
"The patent covers different ways to make computer chips," said Army scientist and principal investigator Ronald E. Meyers. "These computer chips can represent biological and physical processes."
Meyers and his colleague, Army mathematician Keith Deacon, joined forces with Gert Cauwenberghs, a professor of bioengineering and biology and co-director of the Institute for Neural Computation at the University of California at San Diego.
"This is as a first step toward large-scale non-Lipschitz intelligent information processing systems," Cauwenberghs said.
Cauwenberghs worked with Meyers and Deacon to map the mathematics onto an analog "continuous-time neural architecture." He also designed and tested the integrated circuit implementing the architecture.
"Experimental data from our silicon integrated circuit demonstrated the elements of terminal repulsion and attraction in neural dynamics and synaptic coupling," he said.
In other words, by using different mathematics, the scientists potentially removed a limit on how fast functions can change -- clearing the way for ultra high-speed computing.
"The chip has a lot of application to both the military and civilian use," Meyers said.
A unique aspect of the research is the use of synaptic connections for interfacing neurons and learning through feedback, which is modeled after biological systems, Meyers said.
It's all part of the futuristic vision of quantum computing. Researchers believe one day they will effectively harness individual atoms to build complex super-computers.
Meyers delves into quantum physics research projects at the U.S. Army Research Laboratory. Currently his project is to invent a secure communications system immune to the awesome power of future quantum computers.
"Quantum computing will give unparalleled computational ability," he said. "We're talking about an ability to compute that exceeds exponentially millions of times greater than any of the computers that exist or are on the drawing boards using conventional approaches."
Meyers said neural chips can be made with classical computers or in the future with quantum computers.
"This is a different type of chip that we've developed and it's somewhat in between," Meyers said. "It's not a classical approach, and it's not quantum yet. But, we're wanting to evolve the concepts into quantum computing."
The research took several years. The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office issued a patent Sept. 11.
"It looks like a breakthrough to others but it's just a lot of hard work, continuous work," Meyers said. "When you put something out it's a milestone. It means you're able to explain it in a way that the Patent Office understands, or that other scientists understand. So what happened here is we're looking into one of the most important problems that the Army faces and it turns out -- from my perspective, the ones that are not solved and are most important."
Meyers is listed as the inventor on 14 patents. He co-authored a book, "From Instability to Intelligence: Complexity and Predictability in Nonlinear Dynamics," -- covering nonlinear equations in math, physics and biology, and authored a plethora of scientific papers.
"Problems are unsolved because they're difficult to tackle," he said. "I tend to seek out a different path to go toward solving problems that before have not been solved. I think I have a background that can do that. I've gained some insight. It's putting together your experience and you're trying to project it into the future. And so in my mind I see how things can be applied in the future and I look at how to solve these. Quite often if you go for the hardest unsolved problem, that's the one that gives you the most benefit."
Inspired by difficult problems, Meyers said he and his small team of scientists and mathematicians is focused on the end-user of this technology.
"We work for the Soldier," Meyers said. "We work for the warfighter and that's what our thinking is. That's why we're trying to solve these difficult problems. As Army scientists we are responsible to really help these Soldiers operate in a way that can defend the country and protect them and anticipate any threats and deal with them in an effective manner."
"The patent covers different ways to make computer chips," said Army scientist and principal investigator Ronald E. Meyers. "These computer chips can represent biological and physical processes."
Meyers and his colleague, Army mathematician Keith Deacon, joined forces with Gert Cauwenberghs, a professor of bioengineering and biology and co-director of the Institute for Neural Computation at the University of California at San Diego.
"This is as a first step toward large-scale non-Lipschitz intelligent information processing systems," Cauwenberghs said.
Cauwenberghs worked with Meyers and Deacon to map the mathematics onto an analog "continuous-time neural architecture." He also designed and tested the integrated circuit implementing the architecture.
"Experimental data from our silicon integrated circuit demonstrated the elements of terminal repulsion and attraction in neural dynamics and synaptic coupling," he said.
In other words, by using different mathematics, the scientists potentially removed a limit on how fast functions can change -- clearing the way for ultra high-speed computing.
"The chip has a lot of application to both the military and civilian use," Meyers said.
A unique aspect of the research is the use of synaptic connections for interfacing neurons and learning through feedback, which is modeled after biological systems, Meyers said.
It's all part of the futuristic vision of quantum computing. Researchers believe one day they will effectively harness individual atoms to build complex super-computers.
Meyers delves into quantum physics research projects at the U.S. Army Research Laboratory. Currently his project is to invent a secure communications system immune to the awesome power of future quantum computers.
"Quantum computing will give unparalleled computational ability," he said. "We're talking about an ability to compute that exceeds exponentially millions of times greater than any of the computers that exist or are on the drawing boards using conventional approaches."
Meyers said neural chips can be made with classical computers or in the future with quantum computers.
"This is a different type of chip that we've developed and it's somewhat in between," Meyers said. "It's not a classical approach, and it's not quantum yet. But, we're wanting to evolve the concepts into quantum computing."
The research took several years. The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office issued a patent Sept. 11.
"It looks like a breakthrough to others but it's just a lot of hard work, continuous work," Meyers said. "When you put something out it's a milestone. It means you're able to explain it in a way that the Patent Office understands, or that other scientists understand. So what happened here is we're looking into one of the most important problems that the Army faces and it turns out -- from my perspective, the ones that are not solved and are most important."
Meyers is listed as the inventor on 14 patents. He co-authored a book, "From Instability to Intelligence: Complexity and Predictability in Nonlinear Dynamics," -- covering nonlinear equations in math, physics and biology, and authored a plethora of scientific papers.
"Problems are unsolved because they're difficult to tackle," he said. "I tend to seek out a different path to go toward solving problems that before have not been solved. I think I have a background that can do that. I've gained some insight. It's putting together your experience and you're trying to project it into the future. And so in my mind I see how things can be applied in the future and I look at how to solve these. Quite often if you go for the hardest unsolved problem, that's the one that gives you the most benefit."
Inspired by difficult problems, Meyers said he and his small team of scientists and mathematicians is focused on the end-user of this technology.
"We work for the Soldier," Meyers said. "We work for the warfighter and that's what our thinking is. That's why we're trying to solve these difficult problems. As Army scientists we are responsible to really help these Soldiers operate in a way that can defend the country and protect them and anticipate any threats and deal with them in an effective manner."
U.S. needs Japan to remain nuclear, expert says
U.S. needs Japan to remain nuclear, expert says
A "zero-nuclear" Japan will be a serious concern for the United States as its key ally both from economic and security standpoints, the chief of an influential U.S. think tank said at a recent seminar on Japan-U.S. relations.
The policy set out in September by Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda's Cabinet seeking to phase out nuclear power generation in Japan by the end of the 2030s — in response to strong anti-nuclear sentiments in the country following the triple meltdowns at Tokyo Electric Power Co.'s Fukushima No. 1 Nuclear Power Plant in March 2011 — is not viable given Japan's vast economic needs, said John Hamre, president and CEO of the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington.
Hamre, a former deputy U.S. defense secretary, and his CSIS colleague Michael Green were speaking at a seminar organized by the Keizai Koho Center on Oct. 25 to discuss American policy on East Asia ahead of the U.S. presidential election as well as the imminent change in leadership in China.
Friday, October 26, 2012
Romney's Defense Proposals 'Mostly Bluster'
Romney's Defense Proposals -- More Troops, Bigger Navy -- 'Mostly Bluster'
Governor Romney wants to spend 4 percent of America's GDP on the Pentagon – but he doesn't seem to know why. The number would be the same regardless of America's economic state or what our enemies are doing.
Meanwhile, Gordon Adams, who oversaw Pentagon budgets at the Office of Management and Budget under Clinton, has warned that spending at that level will further slow our economy by adding to the deficit.
But don't be deceived – there's a trick up the governor's sleeve.
According to the Center for Strategic and Budgetary Assessments Romney's desire to match Pentagon spending to 4 percent of our GDP would cost up to $2.3 trillion over eight years. To put that in perspective: last year we invested about $58 billion across all U.S. transportation improvements. Or to compare foreign policy tools: the annual budget for the entire State Department and USAID is about $50 billion. Either cost is about 1/45th the amount Governor Romney wants to invest in the military. And that doesn't count everything we spend on defense since nuclear weapons, for instance, are paid for by the Department of Energy, and war costs are not included in the Pentagon's base budget.
Where would that money go? The governor has been vague, but it appears that he would add about 100,000 troops to our armed forces – though he has not said what they would be used for. Nor has he mentioned any changes to Tricare, the health care system whose costs are eating up a vast portion of the Pentagon's budget.
Romney also wants to add more ships to our navy, building 15 a year instead of our current 9. Some naval expansion may make sense – but as usual, Romney doesn't indicate why he's doing it. If Russia is our main enemy, as he has said, well – their warm-water ports are pretty meager. He may be trying to inhibit China – they did just get their first aircraft carrier. But they currently lack the know-how to land planes on it.
In fact, Governor Romney's proposal is mostly bluster. He's actually likely to preside over the greatest post-Cold War drawdown in our nation's defense. That's because he hasn't had the character to fight his own party as they threaten $500 billion in additional cuts to the Pentagon.
Governor Romney wants to spend 4 percent of America's GDP on the Pentagon – but he doesn't seem to know why. The number would be the same regardless of America's economic state or what our enemies are doing.
Meanwhile, Gordon Adams, who oversaw Pentagon budgets at the Office of Management and Budget under Clinton, has warned that spending at that level will further slow our economy by adding to the deficit.
But don't be deceived – there's a trick up the governor's sleeve.
According to the Center for Strategic and Budgetary Assessments Romney's desire to match Pentagon spending to 4 percent of our GDP would cost up to $2.3 trillion over eight years. To put that in perspective: last year we invested about $58 billion across all U.S. transportation improvements. Or to compare foreign policy tools: the annual budget for the entire State Department and USAID is about $50 billion. Either cost is about 1/45th the amount Governor Romney wants to invest in the military. And that doesn't count everything we spend on defense since nuclear weapons, for instance, are paid for by the Department of Energy, and war costs are not included in the Pentagon's base budget.
Where would that money go? The governor has been vague, but it appears that he would add about 100,000 troops to our armed forces – though he has not said what they would be used for. Nor has he mentioned any changes to Tricare, the health care system whose costs are eating up a vast portion of the Pentagon's budget.
Romney also wants to add more ships to our navy, building 15 a year instead of our current 9. Some naval expansion may make sense – but as usual, Romney doesn't indicate why he's doing it. If Russia is our main enemy, as he has said, well – their warm-water ports are pretty meager. He may be trying to inhibit China – they did just get their first aircraft carrier. But they currently lack the know-how to land planes on it.
In fact, Governor Romney's proposal is mostly bluster. He's actually likely to preside over the greatest post-Cold War drawdown in our nation's defense. That's because he hasn't had the character to fight his own party as they threaten $500 billion in additional cuts to the Pentagon.
Thursday, October 25, 2012
Versatility critical to future Army capabilities
The Army is looking ahead as it prepares for the security challenges of 2020 and beyond.
During the 2012 Association of the U.S. Army Annual Meeting and Exposition, senior leaders highlighted the value of both adaptability and versatility as the Army focuses on this critical transition period.
"Every now and then someone will ask me about the Army of 2020 and [how it will look]. It's not an end state; it's about transition," said Lt. Gen. Keith Walker, deputy commanding general of Futures and director of U.S. Army Training and Doctrine Command's Army Capabilities Integration Center.
While speaking at an Institute of Land Warfare panel during the first day of the conference, Walker discussed where the Army is headed and the changes coming to how it will "shoot, move and communicate" in the future.
"Without a doubt, the education and training of our force -- especially our leaders -- is pretty darn important," Walker said. "If we want to have an Army that can adapt to the unknown, we need to invest in our young leaders."
During the panel discussion, the ARCIC director explained the complexity of the current operational environment and discussed how the Army plans to conduct training, education and leader development for future forces.
"The Army Campaign of Learning is very importantly linked to how we're going to transition to the future," Walker said, explaining how the Army identifies future training and education requirements. "Through a series of experiments, war games, seminars and studies, we are able to find solutions to the issues facing Soldiers in formations," he added.
The fiscal year 2013 Campaign of Learning, led by ARCIC's Future Warfare Division, builds upon the insights of the fiscal year 2012 campaign that ended in September. One of the highlights from the past campaign was recognition of the value that regionally aligned (theater committed) forces will provide.
"[Regionally aligned forces] are the best means to provide forces that would be better trained and better aware of the operating environment we may put them in," Walker said. "That was a big lesson we learned as we did the war games and seminars over the last year."
Looking ahead, Walker said the lessons learned throughout the past 10 years will also greatly inform the Army on the right direction to meet the future needs of the nation and provide versatile forces across a wide range of military operations.
"Conflict is a human endeavor, and one lesson learned is to adjust our doctrine, training and education," Walker said. "We need to ask ourselves, 'How can we help our Soldiers perform better?' We have to ask ourselves if there is a way to help our Soldiers learn faster and mature faster?"
The ARCIC director noted that by updating Army doctrine, leadership development and education, informed by insights from ongoing Campaign of Learning events, and working with joint partners, the Army will be prepared to adapt to unknown future operations.
"The fundamental characteristic of the Army is operational adaptability," Walker said, highlighting a key point from the Army Capstone Concept. "Operational adaptability requires flexible organizations and flexible institutions."
Walker wrapped up his discussion with his view that the Army of the future will need to be adaptable, flexible and versatile -- noting these were characteristics the Army has always and will always provide to the nation.
During the 2012 Association of the U.S. Army Annual Meeting and Exposition, senior leaders highlighted the value of both adaptability and versatility as the Army focuses on this critical transition period.
"Every now and then someone will ask me about the Army of 2020 and [how it will look]. It's not an end state; it's about transition," said Lt. Gen. Keith Walker, deputy commanding general of Futures and director of U.S. Army Training and Doctrine Command's Army Capabilities Integration Center.
While speaking at an Institute of Land Warfare panel during the first day of the conference, Walker discussed where the Army is headed and the changes coming to how it will "shoot, move and communicate" in the future.
"Without a doubt, the education and training of our force -- especially our leaders -- is pretty darn important," Walker said. "If we want to have an Army that can adapt to the unknown, we need to invest in our young leaders."
During the panel discussion, the ARCIC director explained the complexity of the current operational environment and discussed how the Army plans to conduct training, education and leader development for future forces.
"The Army Campaign of Learning is very importantly linked to how we're going to transition to the future," Walker said, explaining how the Army identifies future training and education requirements. "Through a series of experiments, war games, seminars and studies, we are able to find solutions to the issues facing Soldiers in formations," he added.
The fiscal year 2013 Campaign of Learning, led by ARCIC's Future Warfare Division, builds upon the insights of the fiscal year 2012 campaign that ended in September. One of the highlights from the past campaign was recognition of the value that regionally aligned (theater committed) forces will provide.
"[Regionally aligned forces] are the best means to provide forces that would be better trained and better aware of the operating environment we may put them in," Walker said. "That was a big lesson we learned as we did the war games and seminars over the last year."
Looking ahead, Walker said the lessons learned throughout the past 10 years will also greatly inform the Army on the right direction to meet the future needs of the nation and provide versatile forces across a wide range of military operations.
"Conflict is a human endeavor, and one lesson learned is to adjust our doctrine, training and education," Walker said. "We need to ask ourselves, 'How can we help our Soldiers perform better?' We have to ask ourselves if there is a way to help our Soldiers learn faster and mature faster?"
The ARCIC director noted that by updating Army doctrine, leadership development and education, informed by insights from ongoing Campaign of Learning events, and working with joint partners, the Army will be prepared to adapt to unknown future operations.
"The fundamental characteristic of the Army is operational adaptability," Walker said, highlighting a key point from the Army Capstone Concept. "Operational adaptability requires flexible organizations and flexible institutions."
Walker wrapped up his discussion with his view that the Army of the future will need to be adaptable, flexible and versatile -- noting these were characteristics the Army has always and will always provide to the nation.
Wednesday, October 24, 2012
Abrams Tanks to Get ECP1 Upgrades
Over the past decade the only thing that has been able to slow the Army's premier combat vehicle, hasn't been enemies on the battlefield, but rather the technological advancements added to the platform. While every vehicle is designed to have Space, Weight, and Power, or SWaP, margin for incremental improvements, recent upgrades made to the Abrams M1A2 SEP V2 have left little margin for future improvements.
"The Abrams main battle tank was developed over three decades ago in response to a major Soviet threat. We were fortunate that engineers had the foresight to design in enough SWaP margin to enable us to host new capabilities needed during our recent missions in Iraq and Afghanistan," said Lt. Col. William Brennan, product manager for Abrams.
To help alleviate SWaP constraints, the Army has launched the Abrams Engineering Change Proposal, or ECP, program designed to buy back as much SWaP as possible by redesigning and modernizing many elements of the tank. This ECP is a modification to the system that leaves the essential capability unchanged. The Abrams ECP program will help ensure the Army can seamlessly incorporate other programs of record into the Abrams well into the future, without degrading operational performance.
"Right now the electrical power is in short supply on the tank. The centerpiece of the ECP 1 upgrade will be to restore lost power margin through the integration of a larger generator, improved slip ring, battery management system and a new power generation and distribution system," said Brennan.
Other major Abrams ECP upgrades will focus on communications, data transmission and processing, and survivability. The communications upgrade will integrate the Joint Tactical Radio System, or JTRS, and Handheld, Manpack, & Small Form Fit, or HMS, into the Abrams, replacing the current single-channel ground and airborne radio system, known as SINCGARS.
The ability to incorporate the Army's network is also a vital part of the ECP1 effort. To address network requirements the Abrams will integrate a gigabit Ethernet databus to allow greater data processing and transmission. The modified slip ring on the turret will also provide the ability to transmit larger amounts of data into the turret, in addition to providing more power.
"The ECP1 upgrade will posture the tank to accept the Army network components in the near term, while building the necessary margin to accept future capabilities in the decades to come," added Brennan.
While the Abrams remains the dominate vehicle on the battlefield, the ECP program will make it more formidable by including a new armor solution as well as an updated version of the counter-remote-control improvised explosive device electronic warfare, or CREW, system.
Initial production of tanks with ECP1 upgrades is slated to begin in 2017.
"The Abrams main battle tank was developed over three decades ago in response to a major Soviet threat. We were fortunate that engineers had the foresight to design in enough SWaP margin to enable us to host new capabilities needed during our recent missions in Iraq and Afghanistan," said Lt. Col. William Brennan, product manager for Abrams.
To help alleviate SWaP constraints, the Army has launched the Abrams Engineering Change Proposal, or ECP, program designed to buy back as much SWaP as possible by redesigning and modernizing many elements of the tank. This ECP is a modification to the system that leaves the essential capability unchanged. The Abrams ECP program will help ensure the Army can seamlessly incorporate other programs of record into the Abrams well into the future, without degrading operational performance.
"Right now the electrical power is in short supply on the tank. The centerpiece of the ECP 1 upgrade will be to restore lost power margin through the integration of a larger generator, improved slip ring, battery management system and a new power generation and distribution system," said Brennan.
Other major Abrams ECP upgrades will focus on communications, data transmission and processing, and survivability. The communications upgrade will integrate the Joint Tactical Radio System, or JTRS, and Handheld, Manpack, & Small Form Fit, or HMS, into the Abrams, replacing the current single-channel ground and airborne radio system, known as SINCGARS.
The ability to incorporate the Army's network is also a vital part of the ECP1 effort. To address network requirements the Abrams will integrate a gigabit Ethernet databus to allow greater data processing and transmission. The modified slip ring on the turret will also provide the ability to transmit larger amounts of data into the turret, in addition to providing more power.
"The ECP1 upgrade will posture the tank to accept the Army network components in the near term, while building the necessary margin to accept future capabilities in the decades to come," added Brennan.
While the Abrams remains the dominate vehicle on the battlefield, the ECP program will make it more formidable by including a new armor solution as well as an updated version of the counter-remote-control improvised explosive device electronic warfare, or CREW, system.
Initial production of tanks with ECP1 upgrades is slated to begin in 2017.
Monday, October 22, 2012
US, Israeli troops start major joint missile drill
US, Israeli troops start major joint missile drill
Israeli and US troops were on Sunday beginning a vast missile defence exercise called Austere Challenge 12, in what was hailed as their largest-ever joint military operation, officials said. The exercise, which involves 3,500 personnel from the US European Command (US EUCOM) and 1,000 Israeli troops and is expected to last three weeks, is likely to send a clear signal to Tehran over its disputed nuclear drive, which must of the West believes is a weapons drive. "Austere Challenge 12 is the largest aerial defence exercise to take place between the two militaries," an Israeli military statement said. The long-planned operation comes as the world grapples with the standoff over Iran's nuclear programme, and as a bloody civil war in Syria threatens to set the region alight, although Israel and US officials have said there is no connection.
Israeli and US troops were on Sunday beginning a vast missile defence exercise called Austere Challenge 12, in what was hailed as their largest-ever joint military operation, officials said. The exercise, which involves 3,500 personnel from the US European Command (US EUCOM) and 1,000 Israeli troops and is expected to last three weeks, is likely to send a clear signal to Tehran over its disputed nuclear drive, which must of the West believes is a weapons drive. "Austere Challenge 12 is the largest aerial defence exercise to take place between the two militaries," an Israeli military statement said. The long-planned operation comes as the world grapples with the standoff over Iran's nuclear programme, and as a bloody civil war in Syria threatens to set the region alight, although Israel and US officials have said there is no connection.
Saturday, October 20, 2012
US, Indian Navies to Hold INDIAEX 2012
The U.S. and Indian navies will conduct exercise INDIAEX 2012, a bilateral exercise designed to demonstrate cooperation between the U.S. submarine rescue system and Indian submarines.
The exercise is scheduled from Oct. 19 to Nov. 13, and will take place off the coast of Mumbai, India.
Four Indian navy submarines are scheduled to participate with the U.S. Navy's Undersea Rescue Command (URC) to practice rescue scenarios which demonstrate URC's Submarine Rescue Diving and Recompression System (SRDRS). The SRDRS will mate with Indian submarines for a transfer of personnel from the simulated distressed submarine to the rescue vessel. The at-sea portion of the exercise is scheduled from Oct. 30 to Nov. 6.
This will be the first time exercising the compatibility of a U.S. Navy SRDRS with Indian navy submarines.
"INDIAEX 2012 is critical to building a strong and sustainable partnership between the United States and India," said Cmdr. Dave Lemly, commanding officer of URC. "Conducting exercises like INDIAEX will allow India and the U.S. to continue to benefit from the military-to-military and security cooperation program."
URC is the only U.S. military command that conducts deep ocean submarine rescue. URC is a hybrid organization consisting of approximately 120 personnel from active duty, Reserve, government civilians and contractors.
The exercise is scheduled from Oct. 19 to Nov. 13, and will take place off the coast of Mumbai, India.
Four Indian navy submarines are scheduled to participate with the U.S. Navy's Undersea Rescue Command (URC) to practice rescue scenarios which demonstrate URC's Submarine Rescue Diving and Recompression System (SRDRS). The SRDRS will mate with Indian submarines for a transfer of personnel from the simulated distressed submarine to the rescue vessel. The at-sea portion of the exercise is scheduled from Oct. 30 to Nov. 6.
This will be the first time exercising the compatibility of a U.S. Navy SRDRS with Indian navy submarines.
"INDIAEX 2012 is critical to building a strong and sustainable partnership between the United States and India," said Cmdr. Dave Lemly, commanding officer of URC. "Conducting exercises like INDIAEX will allow India and the U.S. to continue to benefit from the military-to-military and security cooperation program."
URC is the only U.S. military command that conducts deep ocean submarine rescue. URC is a hybrid organization consisting of approximately 120 personnel from active duty, Reserve, government civilians and contractors.
Thursday, October 18, 2012
Army fields next-generation force protection radar
The Army has begun fielding new radar systems to protect forward-deployed forces.
Several next-generation, mobile Counter Target Acquisition, or CTA radar systems are now able to provide Soldiers with a 360-degree protective envelope or warning capability against incoming enemy rocket, artillery and mortar fire, service officials said Oct. 10, at a Pentagon display.
The radar systems on display, the AN/TPQ-53 truck-mounted mobile radar system, and the Humvee-mounted AN/TPQ-50 Lightweight Counter Mortar Radar, incorporate a series of technological upgrades to prior iterations of deployed radar capability developed through Army and industry science and technology efforts.
The radars work by pulsing electromagnetic signals or radio waves across a particular area in various wavelengths and in various directions; once these radio waves bounce off of or hit an object in their path, they send back a return signal or small amount of electromagnetic energy, allowing radar operators to determine the range, elevation, size and speed of incoming projectiles.
"These radars systems give a lot of capability to commanders in the field, especially since we are not fighting a linear fight anymore,"said Chief Warrant Officer 4 Daniel McDonald, Training and Doctrine Command capability developer and requirements staff officer. "We've got a non-contiguous battlefield where the enemy can pop up anywhere. Commanders love the tactical flexibility that this gives them."
Also, the CTA radar capability is able to predict the point of impact of a given incoming round by calculating or assessing its ballistic trajectory, said Lt. Col. Robert Thomas, product manager for radars. This information, determined with the help of specially engineered computer algorithms, allows radar operators to determine the point of origin and estimated point of impact related to incoming hostile fire.
The technological maturation of both the Q-53 and Q-50 radar systems, described as the cornerstone programs of record for the future, were heavily informed by an S&T effort beginning in 2002, called Multi-Mission Radar Advance Technology Objective, said Kris Gardner, director for Command, Control, Communications, Intelligence Portfolio, deputy assistant secretary of the Army for Research and Technology.
The goal of this effort, which involved Army and industry scientists and experts, was to develop a single mobile radar system able to simultaneously perform Air Defense Surveillance, Air Defense Fire Control, Counter Target Acquisition and Air Traffic Service missions under all geographical and operational conditions, Gardner explained.
"Many of the hardware, software and processing advances developed and demonstrated in the MMR S&T effort paved the way for the current Q-53 and Q-50 displayed Oct. 10," Gardner added.
The Oct. 10 Pentagon radar display was organized to demonstrate the Army's program of record CTA capability, Thomas said. At the same time, these CTA capabilities with Product Manager Radars are transferring management from Program Executive Office Intelligence, Electronic Warfare and Sensors to PEO Missiles and Space.
"This alignment presents a lot of opportunities for development because it will organize air defense radars under the same umbrella as the counter-fire radars," said Thomas.
Both the Q-50 and Q-53 radars are configured to integrate with ground-based Counter Rocket Artillery and Mortar systems designed to protect forward operating bases. C-RAM provides an integrated system with Fire Control Radar capability engineered to detect, track and destroy incoming hostile fire.
The Q-53 is a C-130 transportable, truck-mounted Counter Target Acquisition radar system configured to provide 360-degree threat detection capability, Thomas and McDonald explained.
The Q-53 Program of Record, which achieved a formal milestone C production decision in February, was informed by earlier or legacy versions of a similar technology called the AN/TPQ-36 and AN/TPQ/37 radar systems.
"We improved the software and improved the overall hardware of the system, incorporating lessons learned from the earlier systems," McDonald explained.
"We developed more robust gears, a rotating platform, an automated leveling system and an improved air cooled system."
In fact, some of these technical improvements to the Q-53 substantially reduce the logistical footprint of the system, lowering the life-cycle costs by millions of dollars and making it easier to operate and transport quickly on a C-130 aircraft, Thomas added.
Previous versions of the capability, such as the AN/TPQ-36, required three trailers, three vehicles and a six-man crew; the Q-53 requires a four or five-man crew and includes a 60-kilowatt transportable generator and one support shelter vehicle, Thomas explained.
"This system is easier to emplace, especially in a high-optempo environment," McDonald said. "Now it is all automated, so it reduces wear and tear on the crew and system. Also, the Q-53 enhances force protection. It uses an encrypted wireless network able to reach up to 1,000 meters away, so I can put myself in a tactical operations center, or TOC, or nearby shelter."
While the Q-53 is configured to perform CTA radar missions locating the origin and impact of incoming fire, the hardware and software are engineered such that they could accommodate technical advances in capability as technology matures, Thomas said.
For instance, it is possible that the Q-53 could, through software upgrades, incorporate the ability to detect larger threats such as UAS, Cruise missiles and rotary or fixed-wing aircraft, Thomas said.
The Q-50 LCMR program of record, which emerged out of a quick reaction capability effort to quickly deploy radar able to protect forward-deployed forces on the move, has greater range capabilities and is more accurate than previous models of the technology, the Q-48 and Q-49 LCMRs. QRCs represent efforts to quickly get capability-enhancing technology to theater while simultaneously harvesting Soldier input and refining requirements for a traditional program of record.
"The Q-50 represents the third iteration of LCMR technology. It is designed so that it can mount multiple versions of the HMMWV or be mounted on a tripod," McDonald added.
The Q-50 radar, now being delivered to the 101st Airborne Division, is effective out to a range of greater than 10 kilometers and a minimum range of 500 meters against rockets, artillery and mortar fire, Thomas explained.
At 500 pounds and 3.6 feet in diameter, the Q-50 is designed to be mobile, lightweight and rapidly deployable in support of early entry operations; it can be powered up by a 5-kilowatt generator or draw power from a Humvee. The cylinder-like radar structure electronically steers electromagnetic pulses across a 360-degree protective envelope, Thomas said.
"We can get this capability on the ground rapidly. Getting Counter-fire capability on a drop zone is very important to secure an area. You want to know where the threats may be," said McDonald.
The Q-50 is engineered to work in tandem with and complement the longer-range, truck-mounted Q-53 radar by filling potential holes in its coverage areas, Thomas explained.
Several next-generation, mobile Counter Target Acquisition, or CTA radar systems are now able to provide Soldiers with a 360-degree protective envelope or warning capability against incoming enemy rocket, artillery and mortar fire, service officials said Oct. 10, at a Pentagon display.
The radar systems on display, the AN/TPQ-53 truck-mounted mobile radar system, and the Humvee-mounted AN/TPQ-50 Lightweight Counter Mortar Radar, incorporate a series of technological upgrades to prior iterations of deployed radar capability developed through Army and industry science and technology efforts.
The radars work by pulsing electromagnetic signals or radio waves across a particular area in various wavelengths and in various directions; once these radio waves bounce off of or hit an object in their path, they send back a return signal or small amount of electromagnetic energy, allowing radar operators to determine the range, elevation, size and speed of incoming projectiles.
"These radars systems give a lot of capability to commanders in the field, especially since we are not fighting a linear fight anymore,"said Chief Warrant Officer 4 Daniel McDonald, Training and Doctrine Command capability developer and requirements staff officer. "We've got a non-contiguous battlefield where the enemy can pop up anywhere. Commanders love the tactical flexibility that this gives them."
Also, the CTA radar capability is able to predict the point of impact of a given incoming round by calculating or assessing its ballistic trajectory, said Lt. Col. Robert Thomas, product manager for radars. This information, determined with the help of specially engineered computer algorithms, allows radar operators to determine the point of origin and estimated point of impact related to incoming hostile fire.
The technological maturation of both the Q-53 and Q-50 radar systems, described as the cornerstone programs of record for the future, were heavily informed by an S&T effort beginning in 2002, called Multi-Mission Radar Advance Technology Objective, said Kris Gardner, director for Command, Control, Communications, Intelligence Portfolio, deputy assistant secretary of the Army for Research and Technology.
The goal of this effort, which involved Army and industry scientists and experts, was to develop a single mobile radar system able to simultaneously perform Air Defense Surveillance, Air Defense Fire Control, Counter Target Acquisition and Air Traffic Service missions under all geographical and operational conditions, Gardner explained.
"Many of the hardware, software and processing advances developed and demonstrated in the MMR S&T effort paved the way for the current Q-53 and Q-50 displayed Oct. 10," Gardner added.
The Oct. 10 Pentagon radar display was organized to demonstrate the Army's program of record CTA capability, Thomas said. At the same time, these CTA capabilities with Product Manager Radars are transferring management from Program Executive Office Intelligence, Electronic Warfare and Sensors to PEO Missiles and Space.
"This alignment presents a lot of opportunities for development because it will organize air defense radars under the same umbrella as the counter-fire radars," said Thomas.
Both the Q-50 and Q-53 radars are configured to integrate with ground-based Counter Rocket Artillery and Mortar systems designed to protect forward operating bases. C-RAM provides an integrated system with Fire Control Radar capability engineered to detect, track and destroy incoming hostile fire.
The Q-53 is a C-130 transportable, truck-mounted Counter Target Acquisition radar system configured to provide 360-degree threat detection capability, Thomas and McDonald explained.
The Q-53 Program of Record, which achieved a formal milestone C production decision in February, was informed by earlier or legacy versions of a similar technology called the AN/TPQ-36 and AN/TPQ/37 radar systems.
"We improved the software and improved the overall hardware of the system, incorporating lessons learned from the earlier systems," McDonald explained.
"We developed more robust gears, a rotating platform, an automated leveling system and an improved air cooled system."
In fact, some of these technical improvements to the Q-53 substantially reduce the logistical footprint of the system, lowering the life-cycle costs by millions of dollars and making it easier to operate and transport quickly on a C-130 aircraft, Thomas added.
Previous versions of the capability, such as the AN/TPQ-36, required three trailers, three vehicles and a six-man crew; the Q-53 requires a four or five-man crew and includes a 60-kilowatt transportable generator and one support shelter vehicle, Thomas explained.
"This system is easier to emplace, especially in a high-optempo environment," McDonald said. "Now it is all automated, so it reduces wear and tear on the crew and system. Also, the Q-53 enhances force protection. It uses an encrypted wireless network able to reach up to 1,000 meters away, so I can put myself in a tactical operations center, or TOC, or nearby shelter."
While the Q-53 is configured to perform CTA radar missions locating the origin and impact of incoming fire, the hardware and software are engineered such that they could accommodate technical advances in capability as technology matures, Thomas said.
For instance, it is possible that the Q-53 could, through software upgrades, incorporate the ability to detect larger threats such as UAS, Cruise missiles and rotary or fixed-wing aircraft, Thomas said.
The Q-50 LCMR program of record, which emerged out of a quick reaction capability effort to quickly deploy radar able to protect forward-deployed forces on the move, has greater range capabilities and is more accurate than previous models of the technology, the Q-48 and Q-49 LCMRs. QRCs represent efforts to quickly get capability-enhancing technology to theater while simultaneously harvesting Soldier input and refining requirements for a traditional program of record.
"The Q-50 represents the third iteration of LCMR technology. It is designed so that it can mount multiple versions of the HMMWV or be mounted on a tripod," McDonald added.
The Q-50 radar, now being delivered to the 101st Airborne Division, is effective out to a range of greater than 10 kilometers and a minimum range of 500 meters against rockets, artillery and mortar fire, Thomas explained.
At 500 pounds and 3.6 feet in diameter, the Q-50 is designed to be mobile, lightweight and rapidly deployable in support of early entry operations; it can be powered up by a 5-kilowatt generator or draw power from a Humvee. The cylinder-like radar structure electronically steers electromagnetic pulses across a 360-degree protective envelope, Thomas said.
"We can get this capability on the ground rapidly. Getting Counter-fire capability on a drop zone is very important to secure an area. You want to know where the threats may be," said McDonald.
The Q-50 is engineered to work in tandem with and complement the longer-range, truck-mounted Q-53 radar by filling potential holes in its coverage areas, Thomas explained.
US, Israel prepare for major joint military drill
US, Israel prepare for major joint military drill
US troops and equipment have begun arriving in Israel ahead of what a senior air force officer on Wednesday called "the largest exercise in the history of the longstanding military relationship between the US and Israel." He did not give precise dates, saying only that it would begin towards the end of October or early November and last "about three weeks." Lieutenant General Craig Franklin told journalists in a telephone briefing that the drill, "Austere Challenge 2012" (AC12) was defensive and unrelated to the Iran nuclear crisis, other Middle East developments or elections in the United States and Israel. "While the scenario is driven by the overall situation in the Middle East, AC12 is not related to any specific current event," he said. "AC12 is not related to national elections nor to any perceived tensions in the Middle East."
US troops and equipment have begun arriving in Israel ahead of what a senior air force officer on Wednesday called "the largest exercise in the history of the longstanding military relationship between the US and Israel." He did not give precise dates, saying only that it would begin towards the end of October or early November and last "about three weeks." Lieutenant General Craig Franklin told journalists in a telephone briefing that the drill, "Austere Challenge 2012" (AC12) was defensive and unrelated to the Iran nuclear crisis, other Middle East developments or elections in the United States and Israel. "While the scenario is driven by the overall situation in the Middle East, AC12 is not related to any specific current event," he said. "AC12 is not related to national elections nor to any perceived tensions in the Middle East."
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