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.
Lockheed Martin has been awarded a $13.9 million Design Agent engineering services contract by the US Navy, the company announced on 14 January.
The contract will see the company continue to support engineering and fielding efforts for the Surface Electronic Warfare Improvement Program (SEWIP) AN/SLQ-32(V)6. Services include engineering efforts to perform analysis and design, document engineering baselines; and modification of systems, subsystems and components for test and evaluation.
AN/SLQ-32(V)6 incorporates electronic support receiver, antenna, and combat system interface upgrades, as well as adding the High Gain High Sensitivity adjunct sensor, the Specific Emitter Identification adjunct sensor, the AN/SLA-10D blanker and a liquid conditioning unit.
Hamid Salim, vice president, advanced product solutions, Lockheed Martin Rotary and Mission Systems, said: ‘We are proud to continue providing the US Navy with ongoing engineering services for the SEWIP programme.
‘Our partnership and commitment to the navy and to keeping our warfighters safe is our number one priority. The SEWIP system enables electromagnetic spectrum dominance for our naval fleet.’
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.