Electronics in Warfare – Sensors, Radars, Controls & More

Lockheed Martin Receives $49-Million U.S. Army Contract for Apache Helicopter Sensor Upgrades

(Image courtesy of Lockheed Martin.)

The U.S. Army has awarded Lockheed Martin a USD $49.3-million contract to upgrade the Modernized Target Acquisition Designation Sight/Pilot Night Vision Sensor (M-TADS/PNVS) on the AH-64E Apache helicopter.

Under this contract, Lockheed Martin will produce 42 Modernized Day Sensor Assembly (M-DSA) upgrade kits and spares for the U.S. Army. Production will take place at Lockheed Martin's facilities in Orlando and Ocala, Florida, through March 2019.

With M-DSA upgrades, pilots can identify targets at farther distances through an additional field of view and extended range picture-in-picture capability. They also now have the ability to view high-resolution, near-infrared and color imagery on cockpit displays. M-DSA also provides a new laser pointer marker designed to improve coordination with ground troops and an updated multi-mode laser with eye-safe lasing capability that supports flight in urban environments and home-station training.

For additional information, visit the Lockheed Martin website.

Saab Launches New Multi-Role Land Radar in U.S. Market

(Image courtesy of Saab.)

Defense and security company Saab has launched its land-based Giraffe 1X radar in the United States market. The compact radar system is designed to address the emerging requirements of the maneuver force, offering short-range air defense, sense-and-warn capabilities and counter-UAS (unmanned aerial systems) and counter-RAM (rocket, artillery and mortar) functions.

The Sweden-based company also plans to transfer Giraffe 1X intellectual property to Saab Defense and Security USA, its U.S.-based subsidiary, with the intention of meeting U.S. market needs.

(Image courtesy of Saab.)

The Giraffe 1X is mountable on vehicles, vessels and fixed installations, such as a building or a mast. Saab's Giraffe family of radars includes the Giraffe AMB, which has been used in Iraq to protect U.S. personnel against RAM threats since 2008.

Elbit Systems of America Receives Contract for U.S. Army Bradley Fighting Vehicle Gunner's Hand Station

Bradley control units. (Image courtesy of Elbit Systems Ltd.)

Elbit Systems of America recently received a $7.3-million contract to supply the Bradley Fighting Vehicle Gunner's Hand Station to the United States Army. The Defense Logistics Agency sole-source contract will be performed during a two-year period with work being completed in Fort Worth, Texas.

Working in collaboration with the Commander's Hand Station, the Gunner's Hand Station is used to drive the rate of movement of the Bradley turret and to initiate control signals to the turret fire control systems in the Bradley M2A3/M3A3 vehicle.

Bradley Fighting Vehicle (Image courtesy of Wikimedia Commons.)

In addition to the Gunner's Hand Station, Elbit Systems of America also provides the Commander's Hand Station and the Turret Processing Unit for the Bradley Fighting Vehicle.

Lockheed Martin to Upgrade U.S. Navy's Shipboard Electronic Warfare Systems

(Image courtesy of Lockheed Martin.)

The U.S. Navy has awarded Lockheed Martin an initial $148.9M contract for full rate production of Surface Electronic Warfare Improvement Program (SEWIP) Block 2 systems with four additional option years to upgrade the fleet's electronic warfare capabilities.

Under this full-rate production contract, Lockheed Martin will provide additional systems to upgrade the AN/SLQ-32 systems on U.S. aircraft carriers, cruisers, destroyers and other warships to determine if the electronic sensors of potential foes are tracking the ship.

(Image courtesy of Lockheed Martin.)

The system is the first sensor to be fully compliant with the Navy's Product Line Architecture strategy, which is intended to facilitate the rapid introduction of new technology into the fleet.

Lockheed Martin was awarded the design and development contract for this program in September 2009. Since then Lockheed Martin has been awarded Low Rate Initial Production (LRIP) contract for an additional 38 units and 22 of these units have been delivered to the Navy on schedule so far.

Looking for more electronics news? Check out Electronics Weekly.

For more military tech news, find out how the US Navy railgun gets powered up.