The completion of the mid-life upgrade of the Republic of Singapore Air Force's F-16 fleet increases the type's operational service life to the mid-2030s. (Getty Images/Suhaimi Abdullah)  The Republic of Singapore Air Force's (RSAF's) Lockheed Martin F-16C/D fleet has been upgraded for improved operational capabilities.  The enhancements are part of a long-standing mid-life upgrade (MLU) for the RSAF's F-16C/D/D+ Block 52/52+ fleet. Singapore first announced a plan to upgrade the fleet in September 2013. The RSAF is currently thought to opera...

An image of Intel's Nervana Neural Network Processor. Development of advanced neural networking capabilities, coupled with those focused on nanocomputing and other edge network technologies, is part of the AFRL's new extreme computing initiative. (Intel Corporation)  The US Air Force (USAF) is soliciting emerging technology prototypes from industry, focusing on how to further enable adoption and integration of ‘extreme computing' systems and programmes into USAF operations.  Issued by the Air Force Research Laboratory's (AFRL's) information d...

A still from the JAF's coverage of Exercise ‘Decisive Response' shows a soldier operating a JODDB counter-UAV jamming system. (Jordanian Armed Forces)  A Jordanian mechanised infantry brigade used various types of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) for the first time during a live-fire exercise viewed by King Abdullah II.  The television coverage of Exercise ‘Decisive Response' that was broadcast on 13 September showed a Schiebel Camcopter S-100 rotary UAV, an Al-Basheq vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) UAV, an armed multicopter, and smaller...

At the ‘TIE23' exercise, SAPIENT enabled the integration of companies' C-UAS sensory information into 12 different command-and-control applications. (Janes/Olivia Savage)  NATO will adopt the Sensing for Asset Protection with Integrated Electronic Networked Technology (SAPIENT) protocol developed by the UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) as a C-UAS (counter-unmanned aircraft system) standard, Janes learnt at NATO's Exercise ‘C-UAS Technical Interoperability' 2023 (TIE23) in Vredepeel, Netherlands, held from 12 to 22 September.  A year-long ratifica...

The Luftwaffe intends to equip all its Eurofighter combat aircraft with the ECRS Mk 1 E-Scan radar. (Luftwaffe)  The German Luftwaffe will equip its entire fleet of Eurofighter combat aircraft with electronically scanned (E-Scan) radar sets, the government disclosed on 21 September.  Included in the Bundestag's Budget Committee approval list was the commitment to receive all newbuild Eurofighters with the European Common Radar System Mark 1 (ECRS Mk 1) E-Scan radar, and to retrofit the Luftwaffe's existing fleet of aircraft with Captor-M mech...

A Republic of Singapore Air Force Heron 1 unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), seen here at Paya Lebar Air Base in September 2023. The Singapore Armed Forces' upgraded command and control information system is able to automatically detect and classify objects of interest in real-time video feeds provided by the UAV. (Janes/Ridzwan Rahmat)  The Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) is validating an upgraded command and control information system (CCIS) that seeks to improve the efficiency of its strike missions.  This new capability is being proven at Exerci...

A new, flexible silicon-on-polymer semiconductor chip developed by the US Air Force Research Laboratory. (US Air Force)  The US Department of Defense (DoD) has inked a 10-year, USD3.1 billion semiconductor manufacturing deal with New York-based GlobalFoundries (GF), to produce critical microelectronics (ME) for current and future aerospace systems and weapons platforms.  GF will receive USD17.3 million up front, as part of the contract with the department's Defense Microelectronics Activity (DMEA), according to a 21 September company stateme...

DARPA's Diverse Accessible Heterogeneous Integration effort is developing transistor-scale heterogeneous integration processes seeking to combine advanced compound semiconductor wafers with CMOS technology. Pictured here is a DAHI wafer. (Northrop Grumman)  The US Department of Defense (DoD) has officially announced the eight new research and development (R&D) hubs in the United States that will make up the department's new Microelectronics (ME) Commons.  The ME Commons initiative, funded through the Creating Helpful Incentives to Produce Sem...

The Skywiper EDM4S C-UAS handheld jammer, displayed at DSEI 2023 in London, is widely used by the Ukrainian army. Its dimensions are 1,045 (L) × 350 (H) × 250 (W) mm. (Janes/Olivia Savage)    “Thousands” of Lithuanian counter-unmanned aircraft systems (C-UASs) are operational with the Ukrainian army, Ivan Sybyriakov, manager of the unmanned systems centre at Ukrainian state-owned SpetsTechnoExport (STE), told   Janes  .   The C-UAS solutions in question are the Skywiper Electronic Drone Mitigation 4 - System (EDM4S) and the...

R&S M4ACS is an end-to-end mission control communication system being used by the Belgian Air Component for air traffic control. (Belgian Ministry of Defence)  The Belgian Air Component has selected Rohde & Schwarz's (R&S) end-to-end mission control communications system – R&S M4ACS – to improve air traffic control management.  Announced by the company at DSEI 2023 in London, the acquisition involves one fully redundant system with over 43 controller working positions.  The internet protocol (IP)-based voice communication system is now bein...

Northrop Grumman's BattleOne would network sensors and shooters across the battlespace. (Northrop Grumman)  Northrop Grumman demonstrated its BattleOne vision of a connected battlespace at DSEI 2023 in London, with the concept drawing on the company's Integrated Battle Command System (IBCS), which is being fielded by the US and Polish armies.  Jon Ferko, Northrop Grumman's director for business development, told journalists at DSEI 2023 that BattleOne integrates systems from across domains and different countries' armed forces to generate a d...

SPX CommTech 953 COMINT receiver, displayed at DSEI 2023, can support counter-unmanned aircraft system activities and operates over low-bandwidth and intermittent networks. (Janes/Olivia Savage)  SPX CommTech debuted its new tactical communications intelligence (COMINT) receiver at DSEI 2023 held from 12 to 15 September in London.  The solution – known as the 953 COMINT RF (radio frequency) Receiver – performs continuous, unmanned, remote, and real-time signal collection with low size, weight, and power (SWaP) for dismounted operations.  One...

The ICAVS(D) in use for training. (Elbit Systems)  Elbit Systems UK (ESUK) has been awarded two simulation contracts by the UK Ministry of Defence (MoD), the company announced at DSEI 2023 in London. No contract values were disclosed.  The first contract, which is for three years, is for the Interim Indirect Fire Simulator (IIDFS) programme, which will provide artillery and mortar simulators to the Royal School of Artillery (RSA) at Larkhill, the Combined Arms Manoeuvre School (CAMS) at Warminster, and the Collective Training Group (CTG) for...

The MCM100 with DiveTrack transponder. The transponder slots into the recess in the back cover of the rebreather, which is shown separate from the equipment. Note the wrist monitor and the LED head-up display in front of the mask. (Janes/Giles Ebbutt)  Avon Protection and Sonardyne have combined to develop a system that can provide command-and-control (C2) for divers when they are submerged.  The system combines Avon's widely used MCM100 multirole military rebreather with Sonardyne's DiveTrack acoustic transponder to give an underwater commun...

The A7700 airborne flat panel OTM satcom antenna displayed at DSEI 2023 and designed by Hanwha Phasor enables multi-orbit connectivity. (Janes/Olivia Savage)  Hanwha Phasor – a subsidiary of Hanwha Systems – will launch a land, maritime, and manportable variant of its on-the-move (OTM) satellite communications (satcom) antenna, Janes learnt at DSEI 2023 held from 12 to 15 September in London.  The land variant will be available for customers by the end of 2024 and is suited for command-and-control vehicles such as Humvees, large artillery pla...

Hughes' Jupiter 3 commercial satellite spacecraft is pictured above. The LEO spacecraft being developed for the USSF will likely be similar in size, according to company officials. (Hughes )  Hughes Network Systems is developing a new S-Band satellite communications (satcom) network, to support proliferated-low Earth orbit (P-LEO) requirements outlined by the US Space Force (USSF), a company senior executive told Janes.  “As part of the P-LEO contract, the EchoStar Lyra constellation will provide the S-Band network capability, distributed by...

Drone Evolution's Sentinel tethered UAV, displayed at DSEI 2023, is suited for forward operating bases or border security. (Janes/Olivia Savage)  The UK-based Drone Evolution has debuted a new tethered unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) at DSEI 2023, held from 12 to 15 September in London.    Known as Sentinel, the UAV can be used as an airborne surveillance solution or as a rebroadcasting node that can eliminate blackspots, enabled with Steatite's MPU5 Mesh radio, Toby Townrow, co-founder and business development director at Drone Evolution,...

The ISTARI constellation will be fully operational by 2031, underpinned by several concept demonstrators such as Oberon – a cluster of three synthetic aperture radar-based satellites. (Airbus)  The UK's ISTARI constellation will begin launching from 2026, Lieutenant Colonel James Cheeseman, capability development lead at UK Space Command, told Janes at DSEI 2023, held from 12 to 15 September in London.  The launch of the satellites will be staggered, with an expected full operational capability (FOC) achieved by 2031 that will deliver “UK-gen...

The new ASW sonobuoy dispensing capability, unveiled at DSEI in London, is based on the Skeldar V-200 vertical take-off and landing UAS. (Janes/Kate Tringham)  UMS Skeldar and Ultra Maritime have jointly developed a new anti-submarine warfare (ASW) sonobuoy dispensing capability for rotary-winged unmanned aircraft systems (UASs).  The new capability, which is based on the Skeldar V-200 vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) UAS, was displayed for the first time at the DSEI 2023 exhibition in London.  It enables the Skeldar V-200 UAS to be used...

A computer-generated image of the P2012 Sentinel SMP equipped with sensors such as an EO/IR pod and IMSAR's NSP-7 radar for ISR operations. (IMSAR)  Taiwan's Apex Aviation and Utah-based IMSAR have signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) at the Taipei Aerospace & Defense Technology Exhibition 2023 (TADTE 2023) to provide intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) services to the Coast Guard Administration (CGA) of Taiwan.  IMSAR will integrate its NSP-7 radar system into Tecnam's P2012 Sentinel Special Mission Platform (SMP) ai...