UK eyes lightweight satellite communications for UAVs
The UK is seeking to extend the operational reach of uncrewed aerial vehicles, reflecting growing demand for compact, energy-efficient technology to support beyond-line-of-sight operations.
Northrop Grumman demonstrates deep-sensing platform at EDGE 23
Northrop Grumman's DSaT is installed on a CRJ-700. (Photo: Northrop Grumman)
Northrop Grumman successfully showcased its Deep-Sensing and Targeting (DSaT) platform at the US Army’s Experimental Demonstration Gateway Event 2023 (EDGE 23) event.
The company said in a statement that during a simulated, real-world tactical scenario earlier this year, the system successfully gathered and fused multi-domain data for rapid dissemination to the Tactical Operations Center, collected and analysed data from commercial satellites using systems on board the aircraft and met all of the criteria for the experimentation.
DSaT is a multi-domain deep-sensing architecture integrated into a civilian aircraft, in this case a CRJ-700, providing intelligence collection that reaches beyond the visual LoS of local sensors.
While leveraging elements of the Tactical Intelligence Targeting Access Node pre-prototype system, its capability fills a gap in data collection by combining space-based geospatial intelligence (GEOINT) imagery with aerial and terrestrial intelligence from commercial and military space systems.
Phase 1 successfully demonstrated the GEOINT capabilities with future phases planned incorporating multiple intelligence platforms.
EDGE 23 was designed to test and evaluate new technologies and more than 80 were considered at this year’s event.
As part of the event UVision USA demonstrated the successful launch of its Hero 120 loitering munition from an airborne helicopter. The trial established the system’s ability to complete a sensor-to-shooter cycle by launching the Hero 120 from a Bell 412EP helicopter and strike a ground target.
The event also saw Logos Technologies, a subsidiary of Elbit Systems of America, fly its BlackKite IR wide-area motion imagery pod on a US Army UAS for the first time.
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