Showing results 1 - 10 of 32 for the search terms: tsat.
Results for "tsat"
US MRE/Humanitarian Ration Orders
11-Nov-2009 10:31 EST |
Related Stories: Americas - USA, Contracts - Awards, Contracts - Modifications, Food-related, Other Corporation, Small Business
Tastes like (Parmesan) Chicken…
The Defense Supply Center Philadelphia (DSCP) in Philadelphia, PA issues contracts for American field rations, known as Meals Ready to Eat (MREs), and for Humanitarian Daily Rations (HDRs) used when providing aid in emergency situations abroad.
While there are reports that the French RCIR (Ration de Combat Individuelle Réchauffable) has superior trade value on the front lines, MREs are generally considered to be a significant improvement over earlier US rations. DID readers with a high fright threshold might wish to view a set of comparative photos of modern army rations from various militaries. Even if you knew nothing about China, you could guess that their soldiers are draftees – but scroll down in the post, as well as look at the link; things may be improving.
In the USA, see below for field anecdotes, including MREs as RPG defenses, and what happens when celebrity chefs try MREs. We also have contracts from FY 2007 – Present, including almost half a billion dollars in recent contracts…
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Galileo GPS Project Faces More Certain Future
26-Oct-2009 13:48 EDT |
Related Stories: Americas - USA, Asia - China, Britain/U.K., Budgets, C4ISR, EADS, Europe - E.U., Events, FOCUS Articles, GPS Infrastructure, IT - Cyber-Security, Industry & Trends, Interoperability, Issues - International, Issues - Political, Lobbying, New Systems Tech, Official Reports, Other Corporation, Project Failures, Projections & Assessments, R&D - Contracted, Satellites & Sensors
Galileo concept
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The European Union is cooperating with a number of outside investors to replace the USA’s free Global Positioning System service with an alternative under their own control. In addition to civilian GPS (the Open Service), services to be offered include a paid Commercial Service (with accuracy greater than 1 meter), and a Public Regulated Service (PRS)/ Safety of Life Service (SoL) for use by security authorities (police, military, etc.) and safety-critical transport applications (air-traffic control, automated aircraft landing, etc.). PRS/SoL aims to offer Open Service quality, with added robustness against jamming and the reliable detection of problems within 10 seconds.
Organizational issues and shortfalls in expected progress pushed the “Galileo” project back from its originally intended operational date of 2007 to 2013-14 – and doubts persist in several quarters about its economic model, even as security issues arise regarding China’s COMPASS project. After a public-private partnership model failed to agree among themselves or with the EU’s desired terms, the organization gained initial-stage approval for its plan to finance the program with tax dollars instead of the expected private investments. Political issues were overcome, albeit with some protest, by raiding other EU accounts for over EUR 3 billion (about $5.35 billion) in funds, rather than asking for more money from member states.
The latest set of updates cover developments in Galileo, and in related programs like GIOVE and EGNOS. While the project’s base funding is now more secure, its ability to remain within budget faces issues, as does the expected launch timetable. Recent events may even lead to a smaller Galileo constellation…
Next-Stage C4ISR Bandwidth: The AEHF Satellite Program
21-Oct-2009 12:23 EDT |
Related Stories: Americas - Other, Americas - USA, Boeing, Britain/U.K., C4ISR, Contracts - Awards, Contracts - Modifications, Design Innovations, Electronics - General, Europe - Other, FOCUS Articles, IT - Cyber-Security, L3 Communications, Lockheed Martin, New Systems Tech, Northrop-Grumman, Other Corporation, Project Management, R&D - Contracted, Raytheon, Satellites & Sensors, Transformation
AEHF concept
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DID’s FOCUS articles offer in-depth, updated looks at significant military programs of record. This article offers a look at the AEHF system’s rationale and capabilities, while offering insight into some of the program’s problems, and an updated timeline covering over $5 billion worth of contracts since the program’s inception.
The USA’s new Advanced Extremely High Frequency (AEHF) satellites will support twice as many tactical networks, while providing 10-12 times the capacity and 6 times higher data rate transfer than that of the current Milstar II satellites. With the cancellation of the higher-capacity TSAT program, AEHF will form the secure, hardened backbone of the Pentagon’s future Military Satellite Communications (MILSATCOM) architecture. Its companion Family of Advanced Beyond-line-of-sight Terminals (FAB-T) program will give the US military modern capabilities, and more flexibility on the receiving end. The program has international components, and partners include Britain, Canada, and the Netherlands.
This article has been updated with a recent contract for Boeing to provide engineering development models for the FAB-T, and a $50+ million order from Canada…
DARPA’s Vulture: What Goes Up, Needn’t Come Down
30-Sep-2009 13:30 EDT |
Related Stories: Americas - USA, BAE, Britain/U.K., Contracts - Awards, DARPA, Design Innovations, Materials Innovations, New Systems Tech, Other Corporation, R&D - Contracted, Transformation, UAVs
Boeing’s concept
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In April 2008, 3 teams received Phase 1 contracts to begin developing develop a radical new aircraft, under a US Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) program known as “Vulture.” DARPA’s goals for Vulture are not trivial: 5 years on station with a 450kg/ 1,000lb payload, 5kW of onboard power, and sufficient loiter speed to stay on station for 99% of the time against winds encountered at 60,000-90,000 feet.
So, what’s the significance of a platform like that, who is competing, and what is happening now? Well, Phase 1 is done, and a $155 million Phase 2 is being prepared.
- The Potential, and the Process
- The Designers & The Designs
- Contracts and Related Events [updated]
- Additional Readings
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The Wideband Global SATCOM Program
16-Sep-2009 07:37 EDT |
Related Stories: Americas - USA, Australia & S. Pacific, Boeing, C4ISR, Contracts - Awards, Contracts - Modifications, FOCUS Articles, New Systems Tech, Northrop-Grumman, Other Corporation, Satellites & Sensors, T&C - SAIC, Transformation
The WGS program is actually a set of 13-kilowatt spacecraft based upon Boeing’s model 702 commercial satellite. These satellites will support the USA’s warfighting bandwidth requirements, supporting tactical C4ISR; battle management; and combat support needs. The program name has been changed for some reason from “Wideband Gapfiller Satellite” to “Wideband Global SATCOM,” presumably to avoid the (correct) suggestion that it fills an emerging gap. Readers should be aware that references to either title in documents, archives, or the media denote the same program.
Upon its first launch into geosynchronous orbit, WGS Flight 1 became the U.S. Department of Defense’s highest capacity communication satellite. This is DID’s FOCUS Article covering the WGS program. The most recent developments include storage for WGS F3, as it prepares for launch…
Special Report: The USA’s Transformational Communications Satellite System (TSAT)
08-Jun-2009 20:29 EDT |
Related Stories: After-Action Reviews, Americas - USA, Boeing, Budgets, C4ISR, Contracts - Awards, Contracts - Modifications, Design Innovations, FOCUS Articles, General Dynamics, IT - Networks & Bandwidth, IT - Software & Integration, Interoperability, Issues - Political, L3 Communications, Leadership & People, Lobbying, Lockheed Martin, Military Overall, New Systems Tech, Northrop-Grumman, Official Reports, Other Corporation, Partnerships & Consortia, Policy - Doctrine, Policy - Procurement, Procurement Innovations, Project Methodologies, R&D - Contracted, Raytheon, Satellites & Sensors, Security & Secrecy, Signals Intercept, Cryptography, etc., Signals Radio & Wireless, Space Warfare, T&C - CSC, T&C - SAIC, Testing & Evaluation, Transformation, Warfare - Lessons, Warfare - Trends
Raytheon: C4ISR Future?
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As video communications is integrated into robots, soldiers, and UAVs, and network-centric warfare becomes the organizing principle of American warfighting, front-line demands for bandwidth are rising faster than the US military can add it. The Transformation Communications Satellite (TSAT) System is part of a larger effort by the US military to address that need, and close the gap.
DID’s FOCUS articles offer in-depth, updated looks at significant military programs of record – and TSAT is certainly significant. The final price tag on the entire program has been quoted at anywhere from $14-25 billion through 2016, including the satellites, the ground operations system, the satellite operations center and the cost of operations and maintenance. Lockheed Martin and Boeing each won over $600 million in risk reduction contracts to develop key TSAT SS satellite system technologies, and TSAT’s $2 billion TMOS ground-based network operations contract was already underway.
The TSAT constellation’s central role in next-generation US military infrastructure makes it worthy of in-depth treatment – but its survival was never assured. There was always a risk that outside events and incremental competitors could spell its end, just as they spelled the end of Motorola’s infamous Iridium project. This FOCUS article examines that possibility, even as it offers an overview of the US military’s vision for its communications infrastructure, how TSAT fits, the program’s challenges, and complete coverage of contracts and significant events. New additions are highlighted in green for your convenience.
The latest developments revolve around the end of the program. Despite a positive recent report from the GAO, key components of TMOS/TSAT are being canceled outright as part of the program’s planned termination…
Aerovironment’s Global Observer: Flying High, Again
03-Jun-2009 15:58 EDT |
Related Stories: Americas - USA, Contracts - Awards, Design Innovations, FOCUS Articles, Forces - Special Ops, New Systems Tech, Other Corporation, R&D - Contracted, Transformation, UAVs
ISR
CONOPS
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The late Dr. Paul McReady’s Aerovironment, Inc. has achieved just renown for the success of its small UAVs like the Army’s RQ-11 Raven and the US Marines’ RQ-14 Dragon Eye/Swift. Outside the military sphere, however, it is best known for civil successes like the human-powered Gossamer Condor, the giant, solar-powered Pathfinder and Helios aircraft, and the flying Quetzalcoatlus northropi ornithopter on display in the Smithsonian museum.
Now the firm’s tradition of military successes and aerial innovation are about to fuse, as it receives a major Advanced Concept/Joint Capability Technology Demonstration (ACTD/JCTD) contract for a UAV that runs on hydrogen fuel cells and can cruise at 55,000-65,000 feet for up to 7 days at a time, while carrying a 1,000 pound payload. Meet Aerovironment’s Global Observer, which promises formidable advantages in roles as diverse as communications relay, persistent ISR, maritime patrol, even storm tracking and weather applications…
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Kicking it Up a Notch: Poseidon’s Unmanned BAMS Companion
28-Apr-2009 15:56 EDT |
Related Stories: Air Reconnaissance, Americas - USA, Boeing, C4ISR, FOCUS Articles, General Atomics, Issues - International, New Systems Tech, Northrop-Grumman, Other Corporation, RFPs, Raytheon, Rolls Royce, Transformation, UAVs
BAMS Operation Concept
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The world’s P-3 Orion fleets have served for a long time, and many are reaching the end of their lifespans. In the USA, and possibly beyond, the new P-8 Poseidon Multi-mission Maritime Aircraft will take up the P-3’s role. While the P-8’s base 737-based airframe offers strong service & maintenance arguments in its favor, the airframe is expensive enough that the P-3s cannot be replaced on a 1:1 basis.
In order to extend the P-8 fleet’s reach, and provide additional capabilities, the Poseidon is expected to work with at least one companion platform under the BAMS (Broad Area Maritime Surveillance) and/or PUMAS (Persistent Unmanned Aerial Surveillance) programs. The BAMS UAV competition included Northrop Grumman’s high-flying, jet-powered RQ-4 Global Hawk, General Atomics’ turboprop-powered Mariner (a cousin of its MQ-9 Reaper); and an optionally unmanned G550 business jet from Boeing.
DID’s FOCUS articles offer in-depth, updated looks at significant military programs of record. This DID FOCUS Article explains the BAMS concept, the program’s key requirements, and its international angle. We’ll also cover ongoing contracts and key events related to the program, which chose Northrop Grumman’s navalized RQ-4N Gloal Hawk.
The latest news involves additional funds for tests of the RQ-4N UAV…
Gates Lays Out Key FY 2010 Budget Recommendations
06-Apr-2009 23:42 EDT |
Related Stories: ABM, Americas - USA, Bases & Infrastructure, C4ISR, Coastal & Littoral, Fighters & Attack, Force Structure, Heavy Bombers, Helicopters & Rotary, IT - Cyber-Security, IT - Networks & Bandwidth, Issues - Political, Lobbying, Medical, Specialty Aircraft, Surface Ships - Combat, Tanks & Mechanized, Transport & Utility, UAVs, Warfare - Lessons
Gates & Cartwright
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On April 6/09, US Secretary of Defense Robert M. Gates did something unusual: he convened a press conference to announce key budget recommendations in advance. That’s a substantial departure from normal procedure, in which the Office of the President’s submitted budget is the first official public notification of key funding decisions. Gates’ departure was done with full official approval, however, as the Pentagon and White House begin their efforts to convince Congress.
That’s likely to be a difficult task. Congress (the US House of Representatives and Senate) has full budgetary authority within the American system, subject only to the threat of Presidential veto. In the past, this has kept a number of programs alive despite the Pentagon’s best efforts to kill them. Sometimes, that stubbornness has improved America’s defense posture. Sometimes, it has done the opposite. For good or ill, that process has now begun. Again.
Gates’ announcement, made in the presence of Joint Chiefs of Staff Vice Chairman Gen. James Cartwright, USMC, aims to make significant changes to America’s defense programs. Several would be ended or terminated. Others would be stretched out over a longer period. Still others will gain resources. DID provides the roundup, with links to related articles that offer program background…
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LMCO Wins DARPA Contract for Video Search & Alert Tools
12-Oct-2008 12:25 EDT |
Related Stories: Americas - USA, C4ISR, Contracts - Awards, DARPA, Design Innovations, IT - Software & Integration, Lockheed Martin, Warfare - Trends
ATFLIR pod imagery
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The proliferation of UAVs and fighters equipped with stabilized, high-magnification video pods and imaging radars has a number of corollary consequences. Bandwidth has become a key battlefield constraint. Specialized reconnaissance fighter aircraft are a dead concept. And some poor analyst has to sift through the video tsunami at the other end, in order to find items of interest.
That last item explains why Lockheed Martin Missile and Fire Control, Orlando, FL kicked off FY 2009 with a $5.5 million cost plus fixed fee contract to “develop and demonstrate a Video and Image Retrieval and analysis tool system for video data exploitation.” One that lets an analyst quickly find and retrieve video content of interest from archives containing thousands of hours of video data. One that also provide alerts of “events of interest” during live operations, forwarding them to an analyst’s attention. That last item is rather double-edged. If it works – which DARPA projects by their very nature cannot say with assurance – it could trigger timely, lifesaving assistance to combat missions. It could also be used for annoying, soldier-killing battlefield micromanagement. Time will tell.
Meanwhile, work will be performed in Cherry Hill, NJ; Orlando, FL; Philadelphia, PA; Pittsburgh, PA; and Littleton, CO, with an estimated completion date of March 29/10. Bids were solicited via the Web, and 20 bids were received by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency in Arlington, VA (HR0011-09-C-0027).
