A rendering of CesiumAstro's Vireo AESA RF communications payload integrated into Tranche 1 satellites for the SDA's Proliferated Warfighter Space Architecture. (CesiumAstro)  Raytheon will integrate CesiumAstro's active electronically scanned array (AESA) radio frequency (RF) communications payload into its low-Earth orbit (LEO) satellites being developed for the Pentagon's Space Development Agency (SDA).  Raytheon programme officials plan to integrate seven Vireo AESA RF payloads into the company's prototype satellite systems being develope...

Rheinmetall's MASS decoy system is pictured here firing an Omni-Trap multispectral decoy round during a live trial. Australia will become the 16th user nation of the system. (Rheinmetall)  The Australian government has signed a deal with Rheinmetall Defence Australia (RDA) to procure the company's Multi-Ammunition Soft-kill System (MASS).  The Department of Defence (DoD) in Canberra said on 5 May that the MASS decoy system will be integrated onto the Royal Australian Navy's (RAN's) Anzac-class frigates and Hobart-class destroyers.  The deal a...

The configuration of Rheinmetall's ‘Total Ship Trainer' features simulators including full-mission bridges, part-task bridges, engineering rooms, damage control trainers, and ship-handling systems. (Rheinmetall)  Rheinmetall unveiled its ‘Total Ship Trainer', a networked and integrated training solution, at the IMDEX 2023 naval exhibition held in Changi, Singapore, from 3 to 5 May.  According to Rheinmetall, the ship trainer will enable navies to conduct realistic, land-based, and simulated training for an entire warship crew, in part or toge...

ST Engineering said its new Autonomast system is designed to convert a manned vessel into an unmanned surface vessel for autonomous missions. (Janes/Vinod Kumar CV)  Singapore Technologies Engineering (ST Engineering) displayed its new Autonomast system at the IMDEX 2023 naval exhibition in Changi, Singapore, held from 3 to 5 May.  According to the company, the modular Autonomast is designed to convert a manned vessel into an unmanned surface vessel (USV) for autonomous missions.  “[The system] integrates various mission controls and payloads...

A mock-up of the Torbuster SP on display at IMDEX 2023. (Janes/Ridzwan Rahmat)  Rafael Advanced Defense Systems and its subsidiary DSIT Solutions have jointly unveiled a surface vessel-launched variant of the Torbuster hard-kill torpedo countermeasure system.  The original Torbuster is a submarine-launched torpedo countermeasure, which was developed to meet a requirement for the Israeli Navy.  The surface vessel-launched variant is known as the Torbuster SP, and it is being unveiled for the first time at the IMDEX 2023 naval exhibition held...

A mock-up of the naval Iron Beam system, on display at IMDEX 2023. (Janes/Ridzwan Rahmat)  Rafael Advanced Defense Systems unveiled a naval variant of its Iron Beam directed-energy weapon (DEW) system at the IMDEX 2023 naval exhibition held in Singapore from 3 to 5 May.  The variant is based on the land-based Iron Beam high-energy laser (HEL) system, which was unveiled at the Singapore Airshow in 2014.    A representative from Rafael who spoke to   Janes  at IMDEX 2023 described the naval variant as a DEW that can protect its...

The Lanza 3D medium-range surveillance radar (pictured) is part of two of the three Defence Deployable Air Traffic Management and Control Systems (DDATMCS) delivered by Indra to the RAAF. (Indra)  Spanish technology company Indra delivered three deployable air traffic management systems to the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) under the Australian Department of Defence's (DoD's) Project AIR 5341 Phase 1.  The systems, named the Defence Deployable Air Traffic Management and Control Systems (DDATMCS), will enable the RAAF to manage airfield and...

The Giraffe 1X is a lightweight X-band 3D radar with an AESA digital beam-forming antenna. It is available in land and naval iterations. (Saab EDS)  The British Armed Forces will be equipped with new Saab Giraffe 1X radars.  According to a company announcement on 2 May, the UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) has ordered 11 Saab Giraffe 1X radars for approximately SEK264 million (USD25.6 million).    Deliveries began at the end of 2022 and are scheduled to conclude in the summer of 2023 (June to September), an MoD spokesperson told   Janes...

GA-ASI has secured a contract to provide four MQ-9B SeaGuardians (pictured) along with two ground control stations, spares, and support equipment to Taiwan. (General Atomics)  General Atomics Aeronautical Systems Inc (GA-ASI) has secured a contract to provide four MQ-9B SeaGuardian medium-altitude long-endurance (MALE) unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) to the Republic of China (RoC) Armed Forces. .  The US Department of Defense (DoD) announced on 1 May that the value of this “undefinitised contract action” secured by GA-ASI will not exceed USD2...

US Coast Guard icebreaker Healy conducted operations using the Arctic-capable communications, sending, and navigation system in 2022. (Michael Fabey)  The US Navy (USN) will deploy a new Arctic navigation, communication, and environmental sensing system later in 2023, according to Admiral Michael Gilday, chief of naval operations (CNO).  “Our navy continues important communications, surveillance, navigation, marine meteorology, and physical oceanography research activities to improve situational awareness in support of future cold weather hig...

OPS-SAT is a ESA nanosatellite designed to test and validate new mission control capabilities. (European Space Agency)  Thales was able to gain access to and directly control the European Space Agency's (ESA's) OPS-SAT nanosatellite during the Cysat cyber-security exercise held in Paris from 26 to 27 April.  According to the company, participants used a variety of ethical hacking techniques to take control of the system used to manage the payload's global positioning system, altitude control system, and camera.  The four-member team infilt...

An informational graphic by the US Department of Defense's Space Development Agency, detailing the multilayer National Space Defense Architecture. (US Department of Defense)  The prototype low Earth orbit (LEO) satellites designed for the Tracking Layer of the Space Development Agency's (SDA's) Proliferated Warfighter Space Architecture (PWSA) have cleared the critical design review (CDR), marking a key milestone for the architecture's ongoing development.  The CDR clearance was for the design of the prototype space vehicle and datalink capab...

IACIT is offering its OTH 0100 surveillance radar complex, shown here in a mock-up, for the Brazilian Navy to monitor the country's jurisdictional waters. (Victor Barreira)  Brazilian technology company IACIT Soluções Tecnológicas, partially owned by Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI), completed installing its OTH 0100 over-the-horizon coastal surveillance radar system.  The radar, installed at the Albardão Lighthouse in Brazil's state of Rio Grande do Sul, is scheduled to be temporarily utilised by the Brazilian Navy, according to a 13 April...

Surrey Satellite Technology Ltd's Carbonite+ satellite is one of a network of satellites that will form part of Minerva. Juno is the second confirmed satellite to join the constellation. (SSTL)  The UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) issued a tender for the design and manufacture of an electro-optical (EO) satellite known as Juno under the Minerva programme.  Announced on 26 April, the GBP40 million (USD50 million) three-and-a-half-year project is seeking a high-resolution EO satellite for space-based intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance...

Rohde & Schwarz has been subcontracted by Babcock Australasia to provide its R&S SK4110 HF transmitters (pictured) and software-defined radios for the Australian DoD's Enhanced Defence High Frequency Communications System programme. (Rohde & Schwarz)  On 26 April, German firm Rohde & Schwarz announced that it will supply its R&S SK4110 high-frequency (HF) transmitters and software-defined radios (SDRs) for the Australian Department of Defence's (DoD's) Enhanced Defence High Frequency Communications System (EDHFCS) programme.  Rohde & Schwarz...

A new electronic warfare aircraft to be developed and built in South Korea could be based on the Dassault Falcon 2000 business jet. The Republic of Korea Air Force (RoKAF) already operates the Falcon 2000 as an intelligence and surveillance aircraft. (Korean Air)  South Korea has launched a project to develop a new electronic warfare (EW) aircraft using a business jet as the baseline platform.  The project was revealed by South Korea's Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) on 13 April. According to DAPA, the project was discussed...

An Australian Army cyber warfare specialist at workstation. Australia's new DSR emphasises the need to develop a comprehensive framework for managing cyber domain operations, strengthening cyber-defence capabilities, and building a cyber-defence workforce. (Lauren Larking/Australian Department of Defence)  Australia's new Defence Strategic Review (DSR) highlights the need to advance disruptive military technologies to enhance the Australian Defence Force's (ADF's) capabilities across five domains comprising maritime, land, air, space, and cyb...

The ELM-2084 MMR system will enable the Czech army to detect a wide range of targets including aircraft, unmanned aerial vehicles, rockets, and mortar munitions. (Janes/Patrick Allen)  Elta Systems ELM-2084 multimission radars (MMR) have successfully completed military trials with the Army of the Czech Republic under the 3D mobile air defence radars (MADR) project, the army announced on 21 April.  In December 2019, a contract was signed with Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) subsidiary Elta Systems for eight ELM-2084 MMRs for CZK 3.5 billion...

US Army soldiers with the 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division, conduct qualification exercises on AN/PRC 163 tactical radios at Fort Campbell, Kentucky, in March 2023. (US Army)  Ongoing development of the US Army's Integrated Tactical Network (ITN) capability is reaching an inflection point in terms of advanced technology integration and the policy implications of these integration efforts, and could dramatically change how the US armed forces and their allies wage future wars.  The army's decision to centre the latest iteration...

The Leonardo ECRS Mk 2 radar seen next to the Eurofighter test aircraft ZK355/BS116. The combination is expected to fly for the first time in 2024. (BAE Systems)  Leonardo has delivered the first European Common Radar System Mark 2 (ECRS Mk 2) to be integrated aboard the UK Royal Air Force's (RAF's) fleet of Eurofighter Typhoon combat aircraft.  Announced on 21 April, the milestone saw the handover of the first ECRS Mk 2 to BAE Systems, which will integrate the unit onto Eurofighter test aircraft ZK355/BS116 ahead of the first flight planned...