Army Lofts Aerostat ‘Radar’ Blimp
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The Army lofted its first aerostat blimp from Aberdeen Proving Ground this weekend, designed to detect cruise missiles and drones within airspace from Virginia, Maryland, and Pennsylvania up to New York and New Jersey, reports Defense Update. Similar blimps already operate above Israel and India. Other nations are looking to deploy similar detection technology for missiles that fly too low to be found by conventional radar.
Since 2003 soldiers deployed, previously deployed and never-deployed have all seen their suicide rates rise. The Army is turning to learning computers to identify whose at risk, reports FiveThirtyEightScience.com.
Drones flew off the shelves as Christmas presents, according to The Reporter Online, yet another reason for industry trade groups, including model aircraft hobbyists, partnered with the Federal Aviation Administration in a drone safety campaign. Before launching your drone, whatever its size, the organizations recommend you visit their website: knowbeforeyoufly.com.
Unmanned systems are not necessarily getting smaller in the Navy. This month the MQ-8C Fire Scout, larger than MQ-8B, successfully completed a five-day round of testing including taking off off from the USS Jason Dunham. This is the first time an unmanned helicopter took off from a destroyer, reports Breaking Defense. Aviation Today reports the five-day trials off the Virginia shore were completed this week.
The historic USS Ranger becomes the fourth carrier scrapped. Like the USS Forrestal in February, the Ranger was sold to a scrap metal company for a penny, reports Military.com.
The military’s Basic Allowance for Subsistence will rise 2.9 percent in January to $367.92 per month for enlisted and $253.38 for officers. The BAS offsets the costs for service members’ meals since room and board or rations are traditionally seen as part of military pay, reports MilitaryTimes. The hike is seen as partial compensation for a small pay raise and cut in housing allowances.
The Navy’s largest UAS program office was turned over this month to its first civilian program manager, Sean Burke, previously deputy program manager to the previous manager, retiring Capt. Jim Hoke, reports NAVAIR News.
Breaking Defense assesses how fracking, climate change, solar, wind, and nuclear energy will impact US security across the globe.
Navmar Applied Sciences Corp., Warminster, Pennsylvania, is being awarded an $11,831,173 modification to a previously awarded cost-plus-fixed-fee contract (N68335-14-C-0131) to extend a Phase III Small Business Innovation Research effort in support of the Copperhead Unmanned Air Systems, specifically Tigershark unmanned aerial vehicle. This effort includes the improvement of sensor and platform capabilities, sustainment and reset of current detachments in theater for the Tigershark UAV. Work will be performed in Afghanistan (50 percent); Patuxent River, Maryland (25 percent); and Yuma, Arizona (25 percent), and is expected to be completed in June 2015. Fiscal 2015 operations and maintenance (Army) funds in the amount of $2,766,000 are being obligated on this award, all of which will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division, Lakehurst, New Jersey, is the contracting activity.
Organizational Strategies, Inc., McLean, Virginia, is being awarded a $7,531,203 cost-plus-fixed-fee contract for work associated with a Phase III Small Business Innovation Research effort under Topic N98-057, entitled “Advanced Training Technology Delivery System.” Work will be performed in Jacksonville, North Carolina (92 percent), and Lexington Park, Maryland (8 percent), and is expected to be completed in December 2017. Fiscal 2014 aircraft procurement (Navy) funds in the amount of $2,463,715 will be obligated at time of award, none of which will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was not competitively procured pursuant to FAR 6.302-5. The Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division, Lakehurst, New Jersey, is the contracting activity (N68335-15-C-0077).
