* DARPA is hosting a webinar on September 9 to discuss “Atoms to Product” [PDF]:
“Many common materials exhibit unique and very uncommon physical characteristics when fabricated into nanometer scale particles, i.e., dimensions near the size of atoms. These “atomic scale” sample behaviors have potentially important defense applications, including quantized current-voltage behavior, dramatically lower melting points, significantly higher specific heats, and colors that are different from larger portions of the material. The challenge is how to utilize the characteristics of materials at the atomic scale in much larger “product scale” (typically a few centimeters) devices and systems.”
Autonomous Vehicles
* The US Navy’s PEO (U/W), PMA-263 wants to hear [FBO] from industry on small and really small VTOL UAVs that can be used for Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) missions.
* The US Army’s TARDEC has been standardizing its ground robots to make them cheaper to maintain. They’ve also recently conducted a test [National Defense] where an unmanned K-Max helo carried a ground robot used for resupplying and surveillance.
* USNI News looks into the legal and moral problems of autonomous strike aircraft.
US Services
* CACI closed its 2014 fiscal year with a 0.8% quarterly revenue decline (-3.2% for the whole year). Total backlog stands at $7.1B, but only $1.6B is funded.
Middle East
* Like the Taliban, the Islamic State is prohibiting drugs while funding its operations with smuggling [CIMSEC] said forbidden substances, including cigarettes (following the MO of many other similar groups).
JSF
* Lockheed Martin met with 90 suppliers last week as well as DCMA and DCAA officials to seek where they could lower sustainment costs, reports Reuters.
* Today’s video shows F-35Bs performing wet runway and crosswind landing tests at China Lake, CA: