Military & Aerospace Electronics

Army picks commercial-grade helicopters from Bell Textron with avionics and navigation for many missions REDSTONE ARSENAL, Ala. – U.S. Army helicopter aviation experts needed high-reliability commercial-grade helicopters for a variety of Army missions. They found their solution from Bell Textron Inc. in Fort Worth, Texas. Officials of the Army Contracting Command at Redstone Arsenal, Ala., announced a $37.7 million contract to Bell Textron last week for Bell 412EPX commercial helicopters. https://lnkd.in/eNFeS4Db

Navy eyes latest version of Virginia-class attack submarine with laser weapon and seabed warfare capability WASHINGTON – The U.S. Navy is moving forward on building the most advanced version of the Virginia-class fast attack submarine (SSN 774) -- an undersea warfare weapon expected to bring its reconnaissance and lethality from the ocean's surface to the seabed. Officials of the Naval Sea Systems Command in Washington announced a $349.8 million order this month to General Dynamics Corp. Electric Boat segment in Groton, Conn., for long-lead items for the Virginia Class Block VI submarines. https://lnkd.in/eb6GZeDk

Army taps RTX Raytheon for TOW 2B radio-controlled anti-tank missile to counter armor and fortifications REDSTONE ARSENAL, Ala. – RTX Corp. will build radio-controlled anti-tank missile systems for the U.S. Army under terms of a $103.2 million order announced in September. Officials of the U.S. Army Contracting Command at Redstone Arsenal, Ala., are asking the RTX Raytheon segment in Tucson, Ariz., to build the Tube-Launched, Optically Tracked, Wireless-Guided (TOW) 2B munition -- better-known as the TOW 2B missile. https://lnkd.in/eXRKRwGQ

DARPA picks SUSTAIN Lab for simulation, test and measurement for evaluating future heavy-lift seaplane ARLINGTON, Va. – A U.S. military researchers needed realistic ways to test and evaluate a futuristic heavy-lift seaplane and its ability to operate in rough seas for weeks at a time. They found their solution from the University of Miami's Alfred C. Glassell Jr. SUSTAIN Laboratory in Miami. Officials of the U.S. Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) in Arlington, Va., chose the SUSTAIN Laboratory for the Liberty Lifter Wing over Wave test project. https://lnkd.in/gMNQ9gyG

Air Force asks Boeing for smart munitions that blend radar and electro-optical sensors for precise guidance EGLIN AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. – Smart munitions experts at the Boeing Co. will provide the U.S. military with additional GBU-39 small-diameter bomb (SDB) smart weapons under terms of a potential $6.9 billion 11-year contract announced in late September. Officials of the U.S. Air Force Life Cycle Management Center at Hill Air Force Base, Utah, are asking the Boeing Defense, Space & Security segment in St. Louis for additional munitions in SDB increment 1 lots 20 to 29 production. https://lnkd.in/eVMhx8V3

NASA announces Probe Explorers program, selects and funds studies WASHINGTON - The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) has selected two proposals to study X-ray and far-infrared light from space for further review, the agency announced. Each proposal team will receive $5 million for a year-long mission concept study. NASA plans to choose one of the missions for development in 2026 and expects a launch in 2032. https://lnkd.in/eyTWEixS

Wanted: heavy-lift uncrewed aircraft able to fly 35-ton shipping containers from ships to invasion beaches ARLINGTON, Va. – U.S. military researchers are considering asking industry to develop heavy-lift uncrewed aerial vehicles (UAVs) able to fly loads equal to that of a fully loaded 747 cargo jet or loaded 18-wheel commercial freight truck. Officials of the U.S. Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) in Arlington, Va., issued a request for information (DARPA-SN-24-109) in September for the Cost Efficient Cargo project to develop heavy-lift UAVs able to lift 35-ton payloads using commercial off the shelf (COTS) engines and drive train technology. 35 tons weighs 70,000 pounds. https://lnkd.in/ew6AA8cd

NASA and IBM roll out open-source AI model for weather and climate applications WASHINGTON - IBM in Armonk, N.Y. announced the launch of a new open-source AI foundation model designed for various weather and climate applications. Developed in collaboration with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and Oak Ridge National Laboratory, the model aims to provide a flexible and scalable solution for addressing short-term weather challenges and long-term climate projections. The new model, detailed in a paper titled "Prithvi WxC: Foundation Model for Weather and Climate," is capable of tackling a wider range of applications than existing weather AI models. It can produce localized forecasts based on local observations, predict severe weather patterns, and enhance the resolution of global climate simulations. https://lnkd.in/eGBsxes9

Military looks forward to a future era when power can flow by airborne relay to forces in the field Imagine a future era when military forces on the ground, at sea, and in the air could harvest electrical power as needed from high-altitude crewed and uncrewed aircraft operating in the theater as far away as 125 miles. That's exactly what researchers from the U.S. Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) in Arlington, Va., are envisioning with the POWER Receiver Array Demonstration (PRAD). https://lnkd.in/e4EJwcnE

Military researchers eye soaring capability to increase range and efficiency of small unmanned aircraft ARLINGTON, Va. – U.S. military researchers are asking industry to develop soaring capabilities to increase efficiency and reduce energy consumption aboard small uncrewed aircraft. Officials of the U.S. Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) in Arlington, Va., issued a program solicitation on Thursday (DARPA-PS-24-13) for the Albatross project to develop autonomous aircraft soaring capabilities. https://lnkd.in/eAKJbeTt