The U.S. Navy UAS program office PMA-263 is planning to expand
the family of unmanned aerial systems (UAS) operated by the
Navy and Marine Corps. PMA-263 intends select a Small Tactical
UAS (known as STUAS or Tier II UAS) in a competition to be opened
by fall 2007. The required system would deliver persistent intelligence,
surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) support for tactical
level decisions and unit level defense, as well as protecting
Navy ships and Marine Corps land forces. The Marine corps are
being provided with such services in Iraq, received under contract
from Boeing, utilizing its ScanEagle UAS.
The Active Denial System (ADS)
developed by Raytheon for the US Air Force Research Labs has
entered extended user evaluation phase, and is currently deployed
with the Air Force's 820th Security Forces Group (SFG) at Moody
air force base in Georgia, USA. 820 is the first unit selected
to conduct these tests. The system will be evaluated in assisting
troops in securing base perimeters, checkpoints and entry control
points during peacekeeping and humanitarian assistance, and
crowd dispersal.
India
Destined MiG-29K Makes First Flight in Russia
The first MiG-29KUB carrier-based fighter developed for the
Indian Navy took off at the Russian Zhukovsky aircraft test
centre on January 22. a contract to supply the Indian navy with
multi-role sea-based fighters, signed by MiG on January 20,
2004, provides for the delivery of 12 single-seater MiG-29K
and four two-seater MiG-29KUB jets, including services, training
and support. (Image galery: RIA
Novosti, Sergey Pyatakov)
Solidica, Inc. will demonstrate a 'smart armor' concept under
a US Marine Corps program funded by US$1.6 million award. The
program will demonstrate how an armor, embedded with special
sensors can perform damage assessment immediately after being
effected by hostile fire and alert the vehicle's health management
system about the level of damage suffered in combat.
Planning to extend the coverage of its missile defense system,
the US opened formal negotiations with Poland and the Czech
Republic about basing elements of the U.S. anti-ballistic missile
system in Eastern Europe. The purpose of these systems will
be to provide for a 'first line of defense' against attacks
by 'rogue states'. The interceptors will provide protection
for both Europe and the continental United States, from single
missile firings or small salvos of ballistic missiles launched
from Iran or North Korea. However, the steps are causing significant
concern in Russia.
One month before the planned decision on Israel's Tactical
Rocket Shield, Northrop Grumman is improving the positioning
of its Skyguard High Energy Laser Defensive System toward the
Israeli Ministry of defense, by teaming with RADA Electronic
Industries Ltd. (NASDAQ: RADI). Under the teaming agreement
between the Israeli company and Northrop Grumman's Space &
Mission Systems division, the two companies will cooperate in
performing contracts resulting from the procurement of the Skyguard
system, in case such system is selected by the State of Israel.
