Browse Topic: Weapons systems
The DEVCOM Armaments Center is developing the Assured Armaments Reference Architecture (AARA), a Modular Open Systems Approach (MOSA) for lethality systems. AARA defines internal and external data interfaces for integrated armament systems, promoting competition, reducing development lifecycles, and increasing sustainability by decreasing the scope of regression testing through well-defined interfaces. AARA will deliver a government-owned MOSA architecture consisting of the requirements and Interface Control Documents (ICDs) necessary to implement and conform to the AARA Data Bus and AARA Components’ data structure. AARA will be interoperable with PEO GCS’ Common Infrastructure Architecture (GCIA), enabling a MOSA for lethality systems across stand-alone armament systems and ground vehicle platforms
BlueHalo Arlington, VA paul.frommelt@bluehalo.com
U.S. Army Combat Capabilities Development Command’s Armaments Center Independence, MO usarmy.pica.jpeo-aa.mbx.jpeo-aa-public-affairs@army.mil
Affordable mass refers to the ability to rapidly produce large quantities of effective, cost-efficient munitions and systems. It's not about cutting corners but about optimizing every facet of the production process, from design to deployment. The challenge goes beyond strategic methods of design and manufacturing - and must feature industrywide acceptance of affordability as a means of adding capacity, survivability, and efficacy to a new generation of munitions. The Department of Defense (DoD) is faced with preparing for potential confrontations with peer or near-peer adversaries. Unlike conflicts of the past, where U.S. forces may have faced regional militias with limited air defense capabilities, today's enemy is armed with integrated air defense systems (IADS) capable of countering non-stealth aircraft and outdated weapons. While advanced 5th generation F-35 fighters and B-21 stealth bombers can penetrate these modern air defenses, the Air Force must also develop an inventory of
Affordable mass refers to the ability to rapidly produce large quantities of effective, cost-efficient munitions and systems. It’s not about cutting corners but about optimizing every facet of the production process, from design to deployment. The challenge goes beyond strategic methods of design and manufacturing — and must feature industrywide acceptance of affordability as a means of adding capacity, survivability, and efficacy to a new generation of munitions.
British soldiers have successfully trialed for the first time a game-changing weapon that can take down a swarm of drones using radio waves for less than the cost of a pack of mince pies.
Anduril Industries Orange County, CA Contact@anduril.com
Northrop Grumman San Diego, CA jacqueline.rainey@ngc.com
The final frontier in digital transformation is the analog edge, where apertures and actuators meet the mission. Buried behind layers of firmware and analog mitigation, open architecture has a new frontier to conquer, and the opportunity starts at the component level, where digital transformation and the miniaturization enabled by Moore's Law is having its biggest impact. Miniature, modular, and intelligent gateways can be embedded into analog components to replace and re-imagine old firmware and analog mitigation circuitry. These new, embedded gateways promise to bring open architecture deeper into the tactical edge and realize a new level of agility throughout the lifecycle of a system, from design through sustainment of hybrid digital and analog systems.
The aerospace and defense industries demand the highest levels of reliability, durability, and performance from their electronic systems. Central to achieving these standards are laminate materials, which form the backbone of printed circuit boards (PCBs) and flexible circuits used in a multitude of applications, from avionics to missile guidance systems. Building these systems, which are typically implemented in environments that experience both temperature extremes and wide variations of temperature over time, requires robust materials that can stand up to punishing environmental conditions. Laminates and films for circuit boards and flexible circuits are a vital component of this protective material profile.
Deliberate RF jamming of drones has become one of the most common battlefield tactics in Ukraine. But what is jamming, how does it work and how can it be countered by unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) in the field? Radio frequency (RF) jamming of drones involves deliberate interference with the radio signals used for communication between drones and their operators.
Every time a soldier pulls the trigger on a 7.62 rifle or pulls the wire of a 155 Howitzer, a complex chain reaction ensues over the next millisecond that we refer to as the ignition event. The ignition event involves a highly dynamic interaction with heat and mass transfer between multiple reacting chemicals across a varied spatial domain to achieve rapid and uniform burning of the entire granular propellant bed. After the ignition event, standard interior ballistics apply: Propellant is burnt, pressure increases and the projectile accelerates down the barrel until leaving the muzzle. To date, the details and controlling mechanisms of the ignition event and propagation into granular propellant beds have not been well understood or characterized. Weapon designers often simplify the ignition and combustion process by assuming it behaves in a quasi-static manner, and therefore the thermodynamic state across the entire combustion chamber at any point in time is modeled by single, uniform
Delivered by Team Hersa, a joint Defense Equipment & Support (DE&S) and Defense, Science and Technology Laboratory (DSTL) enterprise, the Radio Frequency Directed Energy Weapon (RFDEW) can detect, track and engage a range of threats across land, air and sea. The system uses radio waves to disrupt or damage critical electronic components inside enemy platforms, such as drones, causing them to stop in their tracks or fall out of the sky. As such, it offers a solution for the protection and defense of critical assets and bases. Capable of downing dangerous drone swarms with instant effect, at only 10p per shot, the RFDEW is a highly capable and cost-effective alternative to traditional missile-based air defense systems. It will be able to effect targets up to 1 km away, with further development in extending the range ongoing. Its high level of automation also means the system can be operated by a single person.
BlueHalo Arlington, VA 703-718-4050
Defense Equipment & Support (DE&S) Bristol, UK 0117-913-0893
Severe problem of aerodynamic heating and drag force are inherent with any hypersonic space vehicle like space shuttle, missiles etc. For proper design of vehicle, the drag force measurement become very crucial. Ground based test facilities are employed for these estimates along with any suitable force balance as well as sensors. There are many sensors (Accelerometer, Strain gauge and Piezofilm) reported in the literature that is used for evaluating the actual aerodynamic forces over test model in high speed flow. As per previous study, the piezofilm also become an alternative sensor over the strain gauges due to its simple instrumentation. For current investigation, the piezofilm and strain gauge sensors have mounted on same stress force balance to evaluate the response time as well as accuracy of predicted force at the same instant. However, these force balance need to be calibrated for inverse prediction of the force from recorded responses. A reliable multi point calibration
Lockheed Martin Orlando, FL 407-284-9248
In 2023, Parry Labs was awarded two tasks under the Aviation and Missile Technology Consortium's (AMTC) Other Transactions Agreement to lead a multi-vendor team to collaboratively define the Army's Modular Open Systems Approach (MOSA) requirements for computing and software operating environments for all future Army Aviation procurements. This relatively new approach for the Army and industry drove collaboration and allowed U.S. Government (USG) to make key modularity and openness decisions relative to Aviation Mission Computing Environment (AMCE). This unique opportunity provided a platform for industry to openly inform requirements at a much more granular level than previously possible, providing assurances that such detailed requirements wouldn't be an overreach or constrain innovation and disrupt industry business models. Solicited to the entire AMTC, which represents the vast majority of the aviation industrial base, the AMTC and USG team selected the most qualified vendors to
The development of hypersonic missiles represents the most significant advancement of defense weaponry since the 1960s. However, they also pose unique challenges for both design and technology. The term “hypersonic” refers to any speed faster than five times the speed of sound, or above Mach 5. Modern hypersonic missile systems require extensive communications interconnects within a highly confined space. This space requirement creates a demand for solutions combining small form factor with reduced weight and rugged construction to withstand high vibration and impact conditions from deployment to target. Currently there are two types of hypersonic weapons. Hypersonic glide vehicles (HGVs), also known as boost-glide vehicles, typically launch from ballistic missiles and are released at a specific altitude, speed, and with the flight path tailored to a target without being powered. Hypersonic cruise missiles (HCMs) are powered all the way to their targets, flying at lower altitudes than
L3Harris Technologies Melbourne, FL 585-465-3592
Air-Launched Effects (ALEs) are a concept for operating small, inexpensive, attritable, and highly autonomous unmanned aerial systems that can be tube launched from aircraft. Launch from ground vehicles is planned as well, although Ground-Launched Effects are not yet a requirement. ALEs are envisioned to provide “reconnaissance, surveillance, target acquisition (RSTA), and lethality with an advanced team of manned and unmanned aircraft as part of an ecosystem including Future Attack and Reconnaissance Aircraft (FARA) and ALE.” A primary purpose of ALEs is to extend “tactical and operational reach and lethality of manned assets, allowing them to remain outside of the range of enemy sensors and weapon systems while delivering kinetic and non-kinetic, lethal and non-lethal mission effects against multiple threats, as well as, providing battle damage assessment data.”
Raytheon Arlington, VA 202-384-2474
This report reviews human factors research on the supervision of multiple unmanned vehicles (UVs) as it affects human integration with Air-Launched Effects (ALE). U.S. Army Combat Capabilities Development Command Analysis Center, Fort Novosel, Alabama Air-Launched Effects (ALEs) are a concept for operating small, inexpensive, attritable, and highly autonomous unmanned aerial systems that can be tube launched from aircraft. Launch from ground vehicles is planned as well, although Ground-Launched Effects are not yet a requirement. ALEs are envisioned to provide “reconnaissance, surveillance, target acquisition (RSTA), and lethality with an advanced team of manned and unmanned aircraft as part of an ecosystem including Future Attack and Reconnaissance Aircraft (FARA) and ALE.” A primary purpose of ALEs is to extend “tactical and operational reach and lethality of manned assets, allowing them to remain outside of the range of enemy sensors and weapon systems while delivering kinetic and
In the ever-evolving landscape of electronic warfare (EW), the imperative for technological prowess has never been more pronounced. At the vanguard of this evolution stands a technological marvel-high-performance software defined radios (SDRs). This article provides on an in-depth exploration of the transformative potential embedded in SDRs, focusing on their remarkable attributes of very high bandwidths, wide tuning ranges, and high channel counts. From the foundational principles of SDRs to their nuanced applications in modern warfare, this narrative endeavors to unravel the complexities and possibilities presented by these cutting-edge systems.
Modern armed forces require advanced signal transmission systems for mission success. Military operations, including those utilizing aircraft and warships, are reliant on receiving and transmitting high-speed data at RF and millimeter wave (mmWave) frequencies. In today's battlefield, high-speed cables must perform to specification under any condition, which in turn necessitates innovative test solutions that can conduct accurate and repeatable measurements. Mission success, aircraft survivability, and troop safety depend on critical defense systems. Signals intelligence (SIGINT), electronic warfare (EW), Command, Control, Communication, Computers, Cyber, Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (C5ISR), and other systems must reliably provide global situational awareness. System interference can be caused by multiple factors - intentional and unintentional. Advancing EW technologies have led to an increase in nefarious acts by adversaries with the goal of intentionally creating
More than five years ago, then-U.S. Undersecretary of Defense for Research and Engineering, Michael Griffin, announced the department's future Defense Digital Engineering Strategy. That long-term strategy, still ongoing, aims to “formalize the development, integration, and use of models to inform enterprise and program decision making,” and provide “an enduring, authoritative source of truth” for improved innovation and culture-wide collaboration in making weapons systems and parts. Within U.S. and Allied defense departments, there is increasing awareness that additive manufacturing (AM, aka 3D printing) as a means for achieving digitalized, on-demand, production agility, has a significant role to play in realizing these strategic goals. AM is already providing faster and more flexible part turnaround and cost reduction of some low- and even mid-volume military parts. In compliance with Department of Defense (DoD) objectives, AM is a model-based, integrated, and enterprise-ready
This standard only defines interconnect, electrical and logical (functional) requirements for the interface between a Micro Munition and the Host. The physical and mechanical interface between the Micro Munition and Host is undefined. Individual programs will define the relevant requirements for physical and mechanical interfaces in the Interface Control Document (ICD) or system specifications. It is acknowledged that this does not guarantee full interoperability of Interface for Micro Munitions (IMM) interfaces until further standardization is achieved.
This recommended practice covers the requirements and qualification tests for two types of flexible all-metal hose assemblies intended for hydraulic use on missile and rocket applications at rated pressures of 4000 psi. Type I -65° to +650 °F service temperature range Type II -65° to +1000 °F service temperature range
During her recent remarks at the National Defense Industrial Association's (NDIA) Emerging Technologies for Defense conference, U.S. Deputy Secretary of Defense Kathleen Hicks outlined the agency's new “Replicator” initiative. Under the new Replicator initiative, over the next 18 to 24 months, the Defense Department will deploy thousands of low cost autonomous systems across multiple domains. DoD officials are limiting the amount of information they will release around technology or platform specifics for Replicator. Hicks did confirm however that Replicator has been established to counter the rapid buildup of the People's Republic of China's (PRC) armed forces, weapons and new technologies.
A new spatial calibration procedure has been introduced for infrared optical systems developed for cases where camera systems are required to be focused at distances beyond 100 meters. Army Combat Capabilities Development Command Armaments Center, Picatinny Arsenal, NJ All commercially available camera systems have lenses (and internal geometries) that cannot perfectly refract light waves and refocus them onto a two-dimensional (2D) image sensor. This means that all digital images contain elements of distortion and thus are not a true representation of the real world. Expensive high-fidelity lenses may have little measurable distortion, but if sufficient distortion is present, it will adversely affect photogrammetric measurements made from the images produced by these systems. This is true regardless of the type of camera system, whether it be a daylight camera, infrared (IR) camera, or camera sensitive to another part of the electromagnetic spectrum. The most common examples of large
ABSTRACT This paper discusses the design and implementation of an interactive mixed reality cockpit that enhances Soldier-vehicle interaction by providing a 360-degree situational awareness system. The cockpit uses indirect vision, where cameras outside the vehicle provide a video feed of the surroundings to the cockpit. The cockpit also includes a virtual information dashboard that displays real-time information about the vehicle, mission, and crew status. The visualization of the dashboard is based on past research in information visualization, allowing Soldiers to quickly assess their operational state. The paper presents the results of a usability study on the effectiveness of the mixed reality cockpit, which compared the Vitreous interface, a Soldier-centered mixed reality head-mounted display, with two other interface and display technologies. The study found that the Vitreous UI resulted in better driving performance and better subjective evaluation of the ability to actively
Resupply missions are critical logistical parts of modern warfare. Supply vehicles carrying fuel and ammunition are high-value targets meaning that the route chosen to approach such a mission is sensitive to risk and a critical time of delivery. We address the problem of a supply vehicle that needs to find a secure path to link up with a mobile frontline unit that has a fixed known itinerary. This paper presents a resupply path planning algorithm, the Adaptive Intercepting Path Planning (AIPP) algorithm, that balances risk and travel time to find the most suitable rendezvous point among several. The algorithm generates the least risky route that meets the rendezvous deadline.
United States adversaries are advancing unmanned systems (UxS) at an exponential rate. New advancements in lightweight intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance (ISR) targeting sensors, size, weight, and power (SWAP) computational payloads, machine learning (ML) and artificial intelligence (AI), have generated an advanced threat to U.S forces. The recent conflict in Ukraine illustrates the usage of lethal, weaponized UxS at scale in both conventional and irregular warfare and demonstrates the need for robotic systems capable of autonomous precision targeting and kinetic defeat. [1] The Wolf Pack project aims at developing modular weapons payloads (MWP) for quadruped unmanned ground vehicles (Q-UGV). The MWP system would integrate precision targeting sensors, networked lethality software, narrow AI/ML precision trackers, and advanced fire control with weapon systems such as rifles (M4), anti-armor (AT-4) and tube lunched systems (40mm loitering munition). The MWP system would run on
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