US Space Force increases efforts to plug training capabilities gaps
The service has been seeking simulation and emulation solutions capable of reproducing multiple in-orbit threats.
FLIR Systems has been awarded a five-year IDIQ contract to support US Army sensors, the company announced on 16 December.
The IDIQ vehicle has a ceiling value of $92.9 million, with an initial order of $5.2 million.
The award covers repair, refurbishment and logistics support of EO and IR sensors used by the US Army's Product Manager Force Protection Systems programmes, including Base Expeditionary Targeting Surveillance System-Combined (BETSS-C), Combat Outpost Surveillance Force Protection System and Foreign Military Sales.
BETSS-C entails a combination of cameras and surveillance equipment mounted on deployable towers and used to monitor wide areas around important military locations and bases. FLIR provides high-definition sensors for the BETSS-C programme as well as radars capable of detecting vehicles, people or other moving objects at range.
David Ray, president of FLIR Systems’ government and defense business unit, said: ‘BETSS-C is a critical piece of technology that supports the safety of US forces and its allies at locations around the world. We value this opportunity to support the army and optimise the capabilities of this vital surveillance system.’
The service has been seeking simulation and emulation solutions capable of reproducing multiple in-orbit threats.
The service has been conducting several acquisition and upgrading efforts involving artificial intelligence and machine learning to improve communication, data analysis and ISR systems.
The Syracuse 4B communications satellite, developed by Airbus and Thales Alenia Space, was launched last year, bolstering secure military satellite communications for the French Armed Forces. Thales has now been selected to provide terminals for vehicles.
The growing importance of space in modern warfare, advancements in satellite technology, and increasing threats from rivals like China and Russia were among the topics of a Eurosatory 2024 panel on military space operations.
AN/ARC-232A is a Starfire radio that provides VHF/UHF communications to airborne platforms and the transceiver is software-programmable, allowing for multiple waveform support as well as optional national electronic counter counter-measure (ECCM) capability.
During the 18-month period of the contract, Lockheed Martin will apply Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) techniques to create surrogate models of aircraft, sensors, electronic warfare and weapons within dynamic and operationally representative environments.