Boeing to Modernize Flight Deck and Avionics for US and NATO AWACS Fleets

Boeing has received a $368 million Engineering, Manufacturing and Development (EMD) contract to develop a design that modernizes the flight deck and avionics of the U.S. and NATO E-3 707 Airborne Warning and Control System (AWACS) aircraft fleet.

The contract, awarded by the Electronic Systems Center at Hanscom Air Force Base, Mass., is the second phase of a cooperative program between the U.S. Air Force and NATO. The initial phase included subsystem requirements reviews completed in March.

Under the EMD contract, Boeing will integrate new and existing avionics and communications systems; develop a design to install the new equipment; upgrade one aircraft for each AWACS fleet; flight-test the new systems; develop logistics support data; and train flight crews and maintenance personnel.

Clinton, Panetta urge US Senate to ratify sea treaty

Clinton and Pentagon chief Leon Panetta urged the Senate on Wednesday to ratify a UN treaty on the law of the sea, arguing it was vital for the country's economic and military interests.

President Barack Obama's administration has launched a fresh push for approval of the treaty, saying major US industries are losing out on commercial opportunities and Washington's diplomatic leadership is being undermined by the Senate's failure to ratify the convention.

"We are on the sidelines," Clinton told the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.

"We believe it is imperative to act now," she said.

Both Clinton and Panetta said the treaty was needed to bolster US credibility as it seeks to counter Beijing's claims in the South China Sea as well as Iran's threats over oil shipping in the Strait of Hormuz.

Researchers Improve Fast-Moving Mobile Networks

Mobile ad hoc networks (MANETs) allow people in multiple, rapidly-moving vehicles to communicate with each other - such as in military or emergency-response situations. Researchers from North Carolina State University have devised a method to improve the quality and efficiency of data transmission in these networks.

"Our goal was to get the highest data rate possible, without compromising the fidelity of the signal," says Dr. Alexandra Duel-Hallen, a professor of electrical and computer engineering at NC State and co-author of a paper describing the work.

Transmitting data within MANETs is challenging because every node that transmits and receives data is in motion - and the faster they are moving, the harder it is for the network to identify effective relay "paths" for transmitting data. This is because the power of the data-transmission channels fluctuates much more rapidly at high speed.

Secretary Clinton to Deliver the Keynote Address at the Gala Dinner for the International Special Operations Forces Week

On Wednesday, May 23rd, Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton will deliver the keynote address at the Gala Dinner for the International Special Operations Forces Week at the Tampa Convention Center.

The dinner, hosted by Admiral William H. McRaven and the United States Special Operations Command, will bring together delegates from 96 nations. The conference will focus on building the global Special Operations Forces partnership.

American, Russian soldiers train in Colorado

Twenty-two Russian army paratroopers are in Colorado for two weeks of training with the 10th Special Forces Group at Fort Carson, a post outside Colorado Springs.The two nations’ militaries have been conducting joint exercises for years, but this is believed to be the first time Russian soldiers have trained on U.S. soil, Lt. Col. Steven Osterholzer said.

The Russians and Americans are training together on basic soldier skills ranging from firing weapons to making parachute drops, said Osterholzer, a public affairs officer for the 10th Special Forces Group.

It’s the first step toward joint exercises in more complicated anti-terrorism operations such as helicopter drops, he said.

“This is the shake-hands, get-to-know-you kind of thing,” Osterholzer said. “What this is not is a massive counterterrorism exercise.”

DARPA's SeeMe Program Has Arrived

On May 9, 2012, DARPA released its latest Broad Agency Announcement (DARPA-BAA-12-35) for a program called, "SeeMe," which is an acronym for Space Enabled Effects for Military Engagements. Bidders will be competing for a total of roughly $45M to be distributed via multiple awards.

The goal of this program is to provide needed on-demand imagery directly to the warfighter in the field from a very-low-cost satellite constellation in a timely manner. Such a program will fill current gaps in critical information prior to, during and after military engagements.

There are obvious significant advantages in closing this information gap with persistent coverage and on-demand delivery in terms of driving up mission success probability and reducing personnel risk.

If successful, the SeeMe program will provide reliable and persistent information by using small, short-lived, very-low-cost satellites at very low altitudes, integrated into existing communications systems and handheld platforms.

Aegis Combat System Showcases Integrated Air and Missile Defense Capabilities

Lockheed Martin's Aegis Combat System recently demonstrated simultaneous anti-air warfare and ballistic missile defense capabilities during its first integrated air and missile defense test.

The successful test verified the capabilities of the most recent upgrade to the Aegis system, known as Baseline 9, which will provide integrated air and missile defense for the U.S. Navy's fleet to engage multiple threats at the same time.

This test also marks the first time the Aegis system has used the multi-mission signal processor (MMSP) in a real-world environment where external aircraft are "jamming" the system.

"It's an exciting time to be part of Aegis' evolution," said Jim Sheridan, director of Aegis Baseline 9 programs for Lockheed Martin's Mission Systems and Sensors business.