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.
Raytheon will build, test and integrate an Enterprise Air Surveillance Radar (EASR) engineering development model for the US Navy under an engineering and manufacturing development (EMD) contract announced on 19 August. The $92 million cost-plus-incentive-fee contract could rise to $723 million with all options exercised.
Raytheon’s work on the contract will encompass design work, preliminary design review and system acceptance of the engineering development model at the end of testing.
The EASR is being developed as the primary air surveillance radar to support ship self-defence, situational awareness and air traffic control (ATC) for the navy’s Ford class Carriers (CVN 79+). For other ship classes, EASR will be the primary radar for self-defence and situational awareness and the backup radar for ATC.
The radar will be configured in two variants; a rotating phased array variant and a three-face fixed-phased array.
Raytheon expects work on the contract to be complete by February 2020.
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.