WIN-T Transforming
The U.S. Army is restructuring and accelerating the Warfighter Information Network–Tactical (WIN-T) program to better reflect current military requirements and advances in technology. According to Lt. Gen. Steven W. Boutelle, USA, chief information officer/G-6, Army, integrated process teams are re-examining the program and will recommend ways to make it leaner; realign it with focus areas defined by Gen. Peter J. Schoomaker, USA, Army chief of staff; and insert technology into the field sooner than originally planned. Lockheed Martin Corporation (
www.lmco.com) and General Dynamics (
www.generaldynamics.com) were each awarded contracts to develop WIN-T. Gen. Boutelle says the Army plans to change the current schedule and choose one company to move forward on WIN-T in the near future.
New Capabilities Enhance Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance Systems
A software upgrade for the multiservice family of intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) systems will enable the U.S. Defense Department’s Distributed Common Ground System (DCGS) to provide high-resolution imagery in different spectral bands from U-2 aircraft to improve detection and discrimination of targets. Northrop Grumman (
www.northropgrumman.com) recently released the 6.1 Common Software Baseline, which features a dynamic sensor control point-and-click capability so imagery analysts can zoom in on a specific area and focus on potential targets. The imagery is then stored for later reference and correlation with other imagery, signals and moving-target indicators to detect changes in an area of interest.
Each of the services currently uses ISR systems that feature the Common Software Baseline: the U.S. Army’s Tactical Exploitation System, the U.S. Navy’s Joint Fires Network, the U.S. Air Force’s Extended Tether Program and ISR Manager, and the U.S. Marine Corps’ Tactical Exploitation Group. The next incremental upgrade is scheduled to be released this summer and will integrate the DCGS Integration Backbone currently being developed.
Enhanced Rockets May Meet Future Launch Needs
By taking a page from its past, the United States could modify its existing space launch systems to carry heavier payloads into orbit. Testifying before the U.S. Senate Subcommittee on Science, Technology, and Space, John Karas, Lockheed Martin’s vice president for space exploration, noted that existing programs such as the evolved expendable launch vehicle offer lessons that can be applied to existing or future systems. Karas explained that the Atlas and Delta families of rockets have decades of evolutionary development that has led to more payloads and reduced payload costs. He added that when larger lift capability is needed for future moon or Mars missions, launchers such as the Atlas V could be modified to carry loads in excess of the Apollo program’s Saturn V rockets.
These changes can be achieved by enhancing the vehicle’s upper stages. “We then can greatly improve our performance by just increasing the size of the booster fuel tanks and adding existing engines,” he told the subcommittee. Karas said that this step-by-step method of increasing a rocket’s capabilities was used extensively in the 1960s in the development of the Redstone rocket, which grew into the Saturn I and the Saturn V. Additional information and testimony are available at
www.lockheedmartin.com/explorespace.
Navy Demonstrates Strike Architecture
The U.S. Navy recently demonstrated a system featuring a network-centric approach to strike warfare planning and execution. The enterprise Strike Warfare Architecture, or eSWA, applies Web technologies to time-critical strike processes, according to project officials. They state that a key advantage offered by this approach is that eSWA takes diverse existing functional capabilities and factors them into an enterprise that relies on commercial interface standards. This permits different elements to function in parallel, which shortens the targeting timeline considerably. The demonstration took place at the Integrated Battlespace Arena, China Lake, California; the Naval Surface Warfare Center, Panama City, Florida; and the Washington Planning Center at the Washington Navy Yard. Industry partners involved in the demonstration include BAE Systems (
www.baesystems.com), Lockheed Martin (
www.lockheedmartin.com) and Raytheon Solipsys (
www.solipsys.com).
France Selects Unmanned Aircraft Demonstrator
The French Armament Procurement Agency has selected the CARAPAS unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) for the requirements specification phase of its multisensors multimissions program. CARAPAS can operate at very slow loiter or very high sprint speeds ranging from 80 to 220 miles per hour. The aircraft has a range of 372 miles and has a payload capacity of up to 132 pounds for reconnaissance missions. The UAV’s sensor package includes a passive electronic support measures/electronic intelligence payload capable of wide area surveillance and an electro-optical/infrared gyrostabilized system for target identification. Testing is scheduled to begin in 18 months. CARAPAS is manufactured by the European Aeronautic Defence and Space Company (
www.eads.net).
Scale-Free Networking
Researchers at Los Alamos National Laboratory (
www.lanl.gov) have found a way to help scientists and engineers better understand the workings of complex networks such as the spread of infectious diseases, cascading electrical power failures and information flow on the Internet. The scientists determined that certain types of networks, called scale-free networks, were more efficient for transportation and flow processing, while non-scale-free networks are more apt to become jammed. Two observations support the Los Alamos scientists’ work. One is that large-scale complex networks that have evolved spontaneously, rather than being designed, are more effective for transportation of objects or data. These networks include information systems such as the Internet, social networks and some biological networks. The second observation was that transport processes are affected by many variables in their local environment such as chemical potential, temperature and concentration.
Exercise Cobra Gold 2004 Underway
The armed forces of Thailand, Singapore, Mongolia, the Philippines and the United States are conducting exercise Cobra Gold from May 13-27, 2004. Held in Thailand, the exercise will focus on improving interoperability among coalition forces conducting a United Nations-sponsored peace enforcement operation that includes humanitarian and disaster relief operations. The joint/combined Cobra Gold exercises are regularly scheduled and are designed to improve combat readiness and enhance the security and humanitarian interests of the participating forces’ allies. This year’s event is one of the largest exercises involving the United States in the Asia-Pacific region.
Wi-Fi Takes the Hill
Washington, D.C.’s first public outdoor wireless Internet hot spot was launched in late April. The area covers the zone in front of the Supreme Court, the Library of Congress and the Capitol Visitors’ Center. Open Park, a nonprofit organization based in Washington, D.C., is responsible for bringing the Wi-Fi project to the Capitol area. With donations of equipment and services from Tropos Networks (
www.tropos.com), Open Park will create a group of free spots starting this summer and intends to have public Wi-Fi service that extends from the Washington Monument to Capitol Hill by 2005. The nonprofit also anticipates using the area as a national testbed for new wireless applications.
Research Funding Available
The Center for Commercialization of Advanced Technology (
www.ccatsandiego.org) announced its 10th solicitation of applications for funding to support early-stage homeland security innovations and increase the speed at which they enter the marketplace. The center is particularly interested in technologies that focus on antiterrorism force protection, port and border defense security, and maritime and land logistics security. Successful applicants will receive services that include product development cash awards, market studies, business planning, mentoring activities, and research and development funding. To date, the center has presented 136 awards and services totaling approximately $9 million to 93 technology companies, university researchers and government laboratories. The deadline for submitting applications for awards and services is June 7.
