Firefighters’ PDAs to Locate VictimsPositioning data from both the European Geostationary Navigation Overlay Service (EGNOS) and Galileo, Europe’s planned satellite positioning system, will be integrated to precisely, automatically and quickly locate people in danger under a 24-month, 2 million euro ($2.4 million) research and development project known as SCORE—Service of Coordinated Operational Emergency and Rescue using EGNOS. Alcatel Space, Paris, will lead a European consortium in setting up the emergency call positioning and rescue force guidance services for use during accidents and natural disasters. The system will enable persons in danger to automatically send their exact position via a cell phone, even from inside a building. Firefighters and police using personal digital assistants could precisely locate where a disaster has occurred and within seconds identify access points that remain open to rescuers
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U.S. Coast Guard’s Deepwater Program Taps European TechnologyTwo CN-235 medium-range maritime-patrol aircraft will be built for the U.S. Coast Guard by the European Aeronautic Defence and Space Company (EADS) CASA in Spain. Lockheed Martin selected the CN-235 after a comprehensive review of the global aircraft market to find an aircraft suitable for surveillance, search, rescue and transport duties, and capable of a 2,000-nautical-mile range and 10-hour flight endurance. A Lockheed Martin and Northrop Grumman joint venture is the prime contractor on the Coast Guard’s integrated deepwater system (IDS), a multibillion-dollar program to modernize and replace the Coast Guard’s aging ships and aircraft as well as to improve command and control and logistics systems. When complete, the IDS will include three classes of new cutters and their associated small boats, a new fixed-wing manned aircraft fleet, a combination of new and upgraded helicopters, and cutter-based and land-based unmanned air vehicles, all of which will be linked with command, control, communications, computers, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance systems, and supported by new and far-reaching integrated logistics systems. Under the $87.4 million subcontract, EADS CASA will develop, manufacture and test two CN-235 aircraft. The contract includes a $4.15 million option for spares and integrated lifetime support, and an option for six additional aircraft.
Technology Demonstrator ProjectIn a move to make its future battlefield information systems less vulnerable to attack, the Australian Defence Force is going forward with work on decentralized data fusion. The Commonwealth of Australia awarded a contract for the strategically important capability technology demonstrator program to BAE Systems Australia. The capability technology demonstrator builds upon BAE Systems Australia’s past four years of work in decentralized data fusion, which avoids many of the problems of conventional networks that communicate all data to a central processor. Using decentralized networks, the tactical picture can be received and compiled by each user within the network quickly. Under a program called ANSER, in July 2002, multiple unmanned aerial vehicles communicated directly with each other to achieve real-time decentralized tactical picture compilation. BAE Systems Australia’s Integrated Autonomous Systems business unit in Melbourne, will continue with the work to apply proven decentralized data fusion technology to the defense industry environment.
Jordan Upgrades Tank Fire ControlSeeking a true shoot-on-the-move capability and a significant improvement in first-round hits, Jordan will equip its entire fleet of M60A3 main battle tanks with Raytheon’s integrated fire control system (IFCS). IFCS is a fire control and stabilized synchronized cannon sighting system. It features an advanced forward-looking infrared thermal sight, an eye-safe laser rangefinder, a digital ballistic computer and an improved turret stabilization system. During the past three years, one battalion has been fitted with this upgrade and deployed. A second battalion is currently being outfitted, and the recent $64.8 million contract will complete the upgrade of its fleet. Raytheon Company, Waltham, Massachusetts, will manufacture and test 82 IFCS upgrade kits and will provide technical assistance to Jordan’s armed forces personnel during the installations. Raytheon will provide spares and depot maintenance equipment to establish a limited support capability in Jordan.
Engine Room TrainingThree maritime colleges in Iceland have purchased the latest generation of Kongsberg Maritime’s engine room simulators. The simulators can be adapted to any level, making it possible to run refresher or sophisticated updating courses for experienced staff or basic courses for junior operators. The simulator systems can operate in any scale, even down to a single PC setup. Under the contract, previous generations of simulators will be replaced at Velskoli Islands College in Reykjavik and at Verkmenntaskolinn a Akureyri College. Under the same agreement, the existing full-mission bridge simulator at Styrimannaskolinn i Reykjavik will be upgraded. Kongsberg Maritime AS is headquartered in Horten, Norway.
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