DARPA’s “Sandblaster” Program is On

MV-22, landing

In March 2007, United Technologies subsidiary Sikorsky Aircraft Corp. in Stratford, CT received Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) contract for a program called “Sandblaster.”

Sandblaster? Being under a helicopter’s rotors can certainly feel like that, especially in sandy or dusty areas. That’s a problem in current operations, as “brownout” leaves helicopter pilots attempting to land blind – or unable to land at all. Since 1973, the US military says that there have been 21 MH-53 and 10 HH-60G brownout-related accidents within the combat search and rescue force alone. Future operations can also expect to encounter these conditions on a regular basis.

Advances in computer processing power and display technologies have led to the development of “synthetic vision systems” for commercial aircraft, and even for some ground vehicles. Could a set of sensors combine their data in a synthetic vision system that lets rotary-wing pilots see, even in total brownout conditions?

• Project Sandblaster
  
• Sandblaster and CSAR-X
  
• Contracts and Key Events
  
• Additional Readings
  

DS-4071: ITAR Procedure Update from State

From the US Department of State, which is busy with an anti-stimulus program of freezing defense-related exports to key allies and markets, while it conducts an indefinite bureaucratic “review” of those relationships:

March 5/09: DS-4071: Notification of Initial Exports of Technical Data and/or Defense Services per 22 CFR 123.22(b)(3). See MS Word file.

“Pursuant to 22 CFR 123.22(b)(3), the exporter of record (e.g., license applicant or agreement holder) must notify the Directorate of Defense Trade Controls (DDTC) of the initial export of technical data and/or defense services. Currently, the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) requires this notification to be provided to DDTC electronically. The electronic mechanism to meet this requirement, the DS-4071, is not available at this time. The required notification must be provided to DDTC via paper submission. DDTC is continuing to work on the implementation of the DS-4071 and will provide status updates via web notice. The final implementation of the DS-4071, and instructions, will be provided via Federal Register notice.”