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.
SA Photonics on 9 June was awarded a $16.36 million cost-plus-fixed-fee contract for the Blackjack Track A (payload) Phases 2 and 3 programmes.
The contracting agency is the Defence Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) and the contract is being financed through the FY2020 research and development funds.
The company is due to complete the project work by March 2021 and will work at locations in Los Gatos and Redwood, California.
Blackjack aims to develop the critical elements needed for a global high-speed network in low-Earth orbit which is capable of providing the DoD with persistent and reliable coverage. Participants are expected to develop and demonstrate payloads which will support National Security Space assets including commercial manufacturing processes for their final product.
As part of our promise to deliver comprehensive coverage to Premium News subscribers, our curated defence news content provides the latest industry updates, contract awards and programme milestones.
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.