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` 100 US$ 10 RNI NO. UPENG/2011/37063
Vol. 1 Issue. 6 Nov – Dec 2011
P.18
We Get the Point
Together with Leica Geosystems, we offer the
ERDAS IMAGINE®
, LPS, ERDAS APOLLO and Intergraph’s GeoMedia
®
at www.erdas.com/lidar.
Chairman MP NarayananPublisher Sanjay Kumar
Publication TeamManaging Editor Lt Gen AKS Chandele (Retd)Executive Editor Bhanu RekhaProduct Manager Shivani LalAssistant Editors Aditi Bhan, Deepali Roy, Vaibhav AroraSub-Editor Anand Kashyap
Designed by Deepak KumarManoj Kumar Singh
Circulation TeamCirculation Executive Vijay Kumar Singh
Owner, Publisher & Printer Sanjay Kumar Printed at M. P. Printers, B - 220, Phase-II, Noida - 201 301, Gautam Budh Nagar (UP) India Publication Address A - 92, Sector - 52, Gautam Budh Nagar, Noida, India Editor Sanjay Kumar
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Cover image courtesy www.fspilotshop.com
COVER STORY: UAVs - Redefi ning Geoint P.18In
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Editorial................................................ 05
News..................................................... 06
Events................................................... 41
Image Intelligence .......................... 42
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GUEST ARTICLE
Indigenous Man-Portable UAVs 32India is a booming market for UAVs, for it faces both internal and external threats
REPORTSTransforming to Net Centric Warfare 35Forging Integrated Intelligence 36Joint Warfare 40
News - UAVs 16
INTERVIEW
Hans BerglundDirector Marketing – UASSaab AB (Aeronautics Division)
26
UAV - Product Portfolio 27
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he last decade and a half has seen GIS establish itself as an indispensable information processing system. The amount of information it can process has increased tremendously and so has its usage. Numerous civil and military applications need a GIS platform which can present a wide area macro background with capability to zoom into a desired level for required details. In civil,
it is required in applications like weather forecasting (cyclone warnings, post-disaster estimations and rescue missions, anticipation of impending eco disasters etc.) to take timely preventive measures, navigational planning including route control, route monitoring or autonomous piloting, or wide area surveys for urban planning. In the military arena, it helps in substantially improving situational awareness, identifying exact locations of threats and targets, dynamic 3D terrain modelling, monitoring operations, providing fast, continuous update of status of battlefi eld/lines of communication/coast lines or any other area of responsibility or interest.
Various GIS tools may have requisite software to construct the desired broad picture, but the software requires actionable raw data, which should be gathered from a vantage platform over a period of time. The usual vantage platforms were
satellites and aircraft, using a variety of payloads to acquire data, the higher the platform the better, to obtain the broadest, macro pictures. These platforms however, suffer from the disadvantages of being non-contiguous in time/space domain, processing time delays, resolution and stabilisation issues, higher costs in case of satellites and risk to human life in case of manned platforms. Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) have emerged as a platform that not only overcomes most of the limitations of other platforms, but also provides numerous other advantages. Their versatility, high endurance, low or virtually no risk to crew, coupled with associated advances in technology in communication, stabilisation and sensor resolution, have made them the most reliable GIS platform. Incidentally, UAVs themselves use GIS as a navigational backbone. Moreover, a better platform improves the quality of GIS data, which in turn makes the platform more reliable.
This issue of GeoIntelligence explores this platform - UAVs - their impact in changing the face of aviation, their numerous applications, growth potential and their effect on the nature of future confl ict. There is no doubt that UAVs will eventually replace manned aircraft to a large extent, but whether this will lead to a better and safer world or will it increase the possibility of many more 9/11 type attacks with terrorist pilots sitting on ground in safe havens is yet to be seen. Whatever is the future, one thing is sure that UAVs are here to stay and GIS has a strong ally, resource and user in them.
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Lt Gen AKS Chandele PVSM, AVSM (Retd)
Managing Editor
Elbit Systems awarded USD 15mn contract
Elbit Systems Ltd. has been awarded USD 15 million contract to supply an Asian National Government Agency with the Wise Intelligence Technology (WiTTM) system. The system will be supplied within 18 months.
A highly advanced end-to-end solution, WiT(TM) supports every stage of the intelligence and investigation process, including collection of data from multiple sources, databases and sensors, processing of information, supporting intelligence personnel in analysis and evaluation of information and disseminating the intelligence to the intended recipient.
Mistral Solutions partners
with CNL Software
Mistral Solutions Pvt. Ltd. has partnered with CNL Software to offer the latter’s globally deployed Physical Security Information Management (PSIM) solutions in India.
These solutions allow organisations to integrate their existing security applications and technologies
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India launches Agni-4
India successfully test fi red its most advanced long range missile system Agni-4. The missile is said to be one of its kind, proving many new technologies for the fi rst time, and represents a quantum leap in terms of missile technology. It is lighter in weight and has two stages of solid propulsion and a payload with re-entry heat shield.
The missile system is equipped with modern and compact avionics with redundancy to provide high level of reliability. The indigenous ring laser gyros based high accuracy INS (RINS) and Micro Navigation System (MINGS) complementing each other in redundant mode have been successfully fl own in guidance mode for the fi rst time. The high performance onboard computer with distributed avionics architecture, high speed reliable communication bus and a full digital control system controlled and guided the missile to the target. The missile reached the target with very high level of accuracy. Radars and electro-optical systems along the Coast of Odisha tracked and monitored all the parameters of the missile.
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through its software platforms, thus creating a customised command and control suite, said the company. Through this partnership, Mistral will add CNL Software’s highly scalable PSIM solution - IPSecurityCenter - to its existing portfolio of homeland security solutions.
Mistral’s homeland security group currently offers ready to deploy, proven, high-technology security solutions for strategic and tactical operations for mass transit security, Critical Infrastructure Protection (CIP)and citizen security.
Adlan Hussain, Marketing Manager at CNL Software, added, “CNL Software will address three critical security needs - major cities looking to initiate or build on their existing public safety programmes, corporations working to centralise security and critical infrastructure protection including transportation hubs, oil and gas plants and utilities and communication facilities.”
Saab India Technologies Pvt. Ltd. launched
Saab recently launched its new Indian entity, Saab India Technologies Private Limited. The company is a wholly owned subsidiary of Saab AB.
“India is a strategic market of future. We are intensifying our operations in India with a long-term perspective contributing with technological know-how to the Indian defence industry, R&D investments, and providing customised solutions and tailor made offset projects,” said Jan Widerström, Chairman of the board for Saab India Technologies Pvt. Ltd.
CRPF uses geospatial tech to fi ght Naxals
Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), recently purchased 65 GIS mobile work-stations to be used in the fi ght against Naxals. According to CRPF spokesperson, “These work-stations contain complete maps of Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand and Orissa (now offi cially Odisha) states. We have also mapped seven districts in Madhya Pradesh and 14 districts in Bihar.
However, in West Bengal, only East Midnapore has been mapped so far.”
Pakistan downloads GPS data from Indian chopper
In what is described as a major security breach in the sensitive Siachen Glacier-Aksai Chin-Ladakh-Kargil sector of J&K, Pakistan Army recently downloaded the GPS coordinates of all helipads from the Indian army’s helicopter, Cheetah. The helicopter strayed across the Line of Control (LoC) into Skardu region due to bad weather. However, Pakistan allowed Cheetah and its crew to return to India.
The incident is being probed at a high level as the data includes nicknames, code signs and coordinates of all helipads in the 14 Corps including Siachen Glacier and LAC. The Nemu, Leh-based 14 Corps is responsible for defence of Kargil-Leh, Siachen Glacier and Line of Actual Control (LAC) with Tibet. GE
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Courtesy: General Dynamics Itronix
NEWS
TS2 Satellite Technologies recently unveiled its new Iridium global network phone in Poland. According to the company, New Iridium Extreme model is the most advanced and rugged satellite phone with a unique feature of locating users anywhere on the surface of the planet. It provides customers with a solution for transmission of voice data, Wi-Fi, GPS, SMS, SOS and tracking services under the harshest conditions, anywhere on the planet.
Key features:
1) Compliance with US Military 810F: According to the company, it meets the highest standards of resistance to dust, sand, shock, vibrations, low pressure, high and low
temperature, rain and long-term moisture. It can be used everywhere, on sea, land, in mountains or on the desert.
2) Phone with constant user tracking ability:Iridium offers an open development platform for custom location-based solutions providing real-time tracking, according to the company. Through certifi ed online portals, one can track shipments, materials delivery, ships, planes, cars, employees, expedition participants or inform family and friends about one’s location.
3) It comes with built-in programmable one-touch SOS button. It is a GPS-enabled solution that allows calling help immediately and giving a precise user location.
4) It allows creation of a Wi-Fi hotspot everywhere on the planet. Through satellite phone connection, one can connect any Wi-Fi appliance, smartphone or computer directly to the internet.
TS2 to offer Iridium Extreme Handset in Poland
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Northrop Grumman to supply NLSS system to UK
Northrop Grumman Corporation has signed a full production contract for the Navigation Lights Shapes and Sounds (NLSS) signaling system for the Royal Navy's next-generation Queen Elizabeth Class Aircraft Carriers.
The contract was awarded to Northrop Grumman's Sperry Marine business unit by the Aircraft Carrier Alliance, an industrial alliance between the UK Ministry of Defence, BAE Systems Surface Ships, BAE Systems Integrated System Technologies, Babcock Marine and Thales Naval.
Sperry Marine business unit will build and deliver the complete NLSS system for the new aircraft carriers. The system has been designed by Northrop Grumman together with its technology partner Oxley Developments and includes an innovative solution for navigation and signal lights plus control of ships' audible signalling equipment, according to the company.
The system includes 47 lights utilising state-of-the-art LED technology to ensure that it is night vision-friendly.
This reduction in interference with night vision systems, coupled with an increase in service life, operational redundancy and survivability, are said to be the key factors in the choice of LED technology.
Deliveries will commence in 2012 as Northrop Grumman has already completed the initial design phase of the contract.
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New version of GeoMedia motion video analyst professional
Intergraph recently announced the release of GeoMedia Motion Video Analyst Professional 06.01.02; enabling defence and military analysts to geospatially integrate video with multiple intelligence sources for enhanced situational awareness and actionable intelligence.
GeoMedia Motion Video Analyst Professional, a full-motion video analysis product, empowers military, coalition forces and agencies to exploit and analyse full motion video from UAVs and other airborne vehicles for both
tactical and strategic analysis, and combines with image analysis and surface analysis products to provide unprecedented situational awareness and decision making confi dence.
According to the company, agencies can now integrate and geo-fuse full-motion video with other data formats to generate a complete, multi-dimensional operational picture. GeoMedia Motion Video Analyst Professional embraces the analysis of all types of geospatial intelligence including raster maps, vector data, motion video, satellite imagery and signal intelligence. Additionally, users' clipmarks and annotations are stored within the system for simple retrieval based on a query of location, time or any attribute of the video.
In GeoMedia Motion Video Analyst Professional 06.01.02, users can also produce complete digital reports from live-stream full motion
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video within fi ve minutes after identifying an item of interest in the video. The release enables users to view full motion video in a single common geospatial environment, incorporating other types of geospatial information.
It enables the production of ortho-mosaic images from full-motion video utilising technology from third-party providers, such as nVidia's CUDA processing, adds the company. In turn, the creation of ortho-mosaic images of the video allows users to utilise existing technology for imagery analysis, such as change detection over time.
Goodrich and KNK to develop next generation ISR technology
Goodrich Corporation has signed a teaming agreement with UK-based Knowledge Network Konsulting (KNK) Ltd. This agreement will
provide a single access point for NGA’s unclassifi ed geospatial information, critical to a wide spectrum of geoint consumers.
“We’ve designed this website with the public and partners in mind,” said Letitia Long,
The National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA) recently launched its redesigned public website, www.nga.mil. The new website allows users to easily access NGA mission partner items of interest, corporate information, career and student opportunities as well as quick links to NGA’s social media presence. This launch is a critical step in implementing NGA’s vision of 'Putting the power of geoint in user's hands.'
Over the next year, NGA plans to make further website enhancements to improve the user’s experience by providing a customisable interface and a geoint application marketplace. The goal is to
NGA redesigns its website
NGA Director. “NGA wants to make it easy for the public to understand who we are and for our mission partners to have a single location for unclassifi ed geospatial and safety of navigation data to do their jobs everyday or for use during a crisis.”
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GeoEye is likely to miss its previously announced revenue target for 2011, mainly because the US government, its biggest customer, is slowing its contract award process in the face of budget pressures.
The company further revealed that an unnamed European customer with which it expected to sign a big deal has decided to scrap the idea for the time being. Also, the company’s
GeoEye to miss its revenue target
international business this year, in general, is not performing as it had hoped.
Further complicating matters is the performance of its M.J. Harden aerial imagery unit. The unit largely depends on contracts from state and local governments whose budget picture, in some cases, is said to be even worse than that of the US government.
Source: Space News
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enable Goodrich's Malvern, UK operation to collaborate with the KNK team in developing effective and comprehensive solutions to meet future intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) requirements.
Through this integration, the two companies are expecting to bring together the expertise required to develop a total ISR solution that offers: requirements generation and tasking; collection and fusion of information from multiple sources;
and assessed decision-support outputs. These solutions are fully compliant with both NATO and Coalition Shared Database (CSD) standards.
SNC launches UIE as part of ORS TacSat-4 mission
Sierra Nevada Corporation's (SNC) Space Systems has announced that its Universal Interface Electronics (UIE) unit was recently launched as part of the Tactical Satellites (TacSat)-4 mission. The UIE unit is
a prototype of SNC's distributed, modular avionics architecture developed as part of the DoD plug and play responsive satellite initiative. The primary purpose of the UIE device is to enable rapid interfacing of various devices with differing interface protocols via fi rmware reprogramming with the intent of eliminating expensive and time consuming hardware modifi cations and requalifi cation, said the company.
TacSat-4, sponsored by the Offi ce of Naval Research, is the latest in a series of satellites intended to demonstrate an ability to rapidly deploy small, low-cost spacecraft that can meet the needs of military commanders at the theater level. It is part of a larger DoD initiative known as Operationally Responsive Space (ORS).
SNC's Space Systems group provided the satellite for the Air Force Research Laboratory's (AFRL) TacSat-2 ISR satellite (launched in December 2006) and the SPA Avionics Experiment (SAE) payload on TACSat-3 (launched in May 2009).
Lockheed Martin successfully completes test
The fi rst Mobile User Objective System (MUOS) military communications satellite built by Lockheed Martin for the US Navy has successfully completed a major end-to-end system test, validating satellite performance and functionality with user ground terminals. Completion of this test confi rms that the system meets requirements, and allows the satellite to proceed to fi nal factory test activities prior to launch, the company said.
MUOS will augment and replace the legacy Ultra High Frequency (UHF) Follow-On system (UFO) providing assured communications, including simultaneous voice, video and data, for mobile warfi ghters.
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NEWS • VIEWS • REVIEWS • INTERVIEWS • NEWS • VIEWS • REVIEWS • INTERVIEWS • NEWS • VIEWS • REVIEWS • INTERVIEWS • NEWS • VVIEEEEWWWWWWWWWSSS • NEWS • VIEWS • REVIEWS • INTERVIEWS • NNNNNNNEEEEEWW
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General Dynamics awarded cyber security contract
General Dynamics Information Technology has been awarded USD 86 million task order to provide information assurance and cyber security services to the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) in the US and worldwide.
The single-award task order, competed under the Solutions for the Information Technology Enterprise (SITE) contract, will extend to May 2016 if all options are exercised.
Through the contract, General Dynamics will provide services to ensure security, authenticity, integrity and confi dentiality of the DIA’s information, as well as computer network defence of the enterprise-level assets, networks, security domains and data resources globally.
Each MUOS satellite features two payloads -- a wideband code division multiple access (WCDMA) payload and a legacy UHF payload. This dual payload approach is fully compatible with deployed UHF terminals that will transition to MUOS technology as existing UFO satellites reach the end of their on-orbit life. The WCDMA payload will provide an immediate 16-fold increase over legacy UHF satellite communications in the number and capacity of satellite links. The successful test validated the compatibility of the integrated MUOS WCDMA and legacy payloads with the current UFO constellation, existing UHF ground systems, WCDMA test terminals, and geolocation processing systems.
Harris Corporation awarded USD 25mn contract
Harris Corporation was awarded a fi ve-year, USD 25 million contract by the Air Force Space Command Space and Missile Systems Center to sustain the ground system for the Defense Meteorological Satellites Programme (DMSP). The contract includes one base year and four one-year options.
Under the contract, Harris will maintain DMSP software and hardware, and support compliance with information assurance requirements.
Harris is the original developer of this ground system, providing engineering, upgrades and maintenance support for more than 40 years. Its team includes subcontractor Lockheed Martin Services, Inc. This contract was awarded under the US General Services Administration's Alliant contract vehicle.
‘NGA needs effi cient data storage tools’
NGA needs new effi cient data storage management technologies
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such as data deduplication, tiered storage and data archiving to manage exabytes of data with shrinking budgets, said David Jones, Director of data centre services for the NGA, at the Storage Decisions National System for Geospatial Intelligence (NSG) Summit 2011.
He observed that storage systems and technologies can help the intelligence community meet the challenges it faces from unprecedented data growth in the face of budget cuts. NGA has to keep critical data for 30 years, and its information-gathering sensors generate a tremendous amount of data that must be tagged and frequently searched. “We’re going to be transforming the structure of our data,” Jones said, adding, “We will look at how data is discovered and accessed across cloud environments, how we will be able to share data across the community, how capacities are managed virtually and we will look at global namespace. Bringing storage bits down and reducing size and power is another priority.”
Source: searchstorage.techtarget.com
NATO’s AWACS computer upgrade project completed
General Dynamics Canada recently completed the last in a series of on-time deliveries of updated computer systems for the 16 operator consoles aboard each NATO Airborne Warning and Control Systems (AWACS) aircraft, as well as on two aircraft mission simulators. The AWACS computer upgrade project was awarded to General Dynamics Canada by the NATO AWACS Programme Management Agency (NAPMA) in July 2009.
Designed and engineered specifi cally for the NATO AWACS aircraft and simulators, the upgraded operator consoles deliver a substantial improvement in
computing features, capabilities and performance compared to the previous system. Among the improvements, the upgraded consoles deliver faster collection and collation of situational awareness and tactical information, enabling mission operators to more effi ciently track and direct air and ground assets while maintaining vital connections with ground command centers.
General Dynamics Canada also supplies the Mission Data Recorders
(MDR) and Mission LAN Systems (MLS) for the NATO AWACS fl eet. The MDRs record, time-tag and store all mission data and audio communications that take place during a mission.
The MLS is the central backbone of the fi ber-optic local area network within the aircraft. It provides switching of all high-speed Ethernet data communications among the mission consoles, multi-sensor integration computers, the MDR and airborne mission computers.
MIL-SAT Communications, a long time distributor of Cobham’s Sea Tel satellite terminal range, has selected Sea Tel 2.4 meter 9797B marine stabilised satellite communication terminals to fulfi l a recently-awarded US Navy contract.
The USD 11.9 million fi rm-fi xed price, indefi nite-delivery/indefi nite-quantity (IDIQ) contract awarded to MIL-SAT by the US Navy requires a supply of Sea
MIL-SAT Communications selects Cobham
Tel antenna systems for the Force Training Assessment Department at the Naval Surface Warfare Center, Corona Division.
Sea Tel products will be assembled at and shipped from Concord, California to MIL-SAT in Surrey, Virginia, for fi nal integration. Work performed under this contract is expected to be completed by September 2016.
NEWS
according to the company.
Harris is the prime contractor for the Indefi nite Delivery/Indefi nite Quantity MET contract with a fi ve-year base period plus a fi ve-year option period. The MET contract is valued at a potential USD 600 million, including the base and option periods. This brings total MET orders for Harris to more than USD 212 million since the programme was awarded in April 2009.
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Order for advanced satellite terminals
Harris Corporation has received USD 51.5 million delivery order for advanced satellite terminals under the US Army's Modernisation of Enterprise Terminals (MET) programme. The next-generation military satellite communications terminals will provide the worldwide backbone for high-priority military communications and missile defence systems,
Under this new order, Harris will supply additional terminals, including large fi xed X-/Ka-band terminals, and transportable X-/Ka-band terminals. The order also includes equipment racks, spares to support the fi elding of terminals and operator training.
Under the MET program, managed by the Project Manager, Defense Communications and Army Transmission Systems (PM DCATS), Harris will replace up to 80 AN/GSC-52, AN/GSC-39, AN/FSC-78 and other aging strategic satellite communications terminals with new X-band or simultaneous X-/Ka-band terminals.
The terminals will interface with the new wideband global satellite constellation, as well as with legacy satellite systems.
The company is also supporting fi eld activities such as site preparation, installation and testing.
Network support contract by US
Harris Corporation has been awarded a 16-month, USD 9.7 million contract by the US Air Force Space Command’s Space and Missile Systems Center to deliver network support services at Los Angeles Air Force Base in California.
Under the contract, Harris will deliver core IT and communications operations and maintenance services including: network control center support; consolidated video teleconferencing services; consolidated help desk services; and information assurance and support to Missile Defense Agency networks.
The team includes subcontractors Abacus and ManTech. This contract was awarded under the Network-Centric Solutions (NETCENTS) contract vehicle.
The US Air Force is reported to be considering terminating a multibillion-dollar deal with Northrop Grumman. As per the contract, the latter is developing a weather satellite for the Air Force. The move is seen as one of the ways through which the Pentagon can achieve its target of cutting its budget by USD 489 billion over the next 10 years.
However, defence experts feel that the decision, if taken, would be short-sighted and could have life-or-death consequences, since the military could, in future, lack critical information about weather conditions in the battlefi eld.
Source: Reuters
US to scrap billion dollar deal
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Cobham has been awarded US Coast Guard contract to supply up to 5,000 406 MHz ACR Electronics Personal Locator Beacons (PLBs), called ResQLink. ACR, a business unit of Cobham Commercial Systems, will provide up to 1,000 units per year under this fi ve year contract, with a contract extension possible after the fi fth year.
ResQLink is small and light enough to be held comfortably in one hand, but yet powerful enough to guide rescuers to within 100 meters or less of the user’s position in a life-threatening emergency, according to the company. It broadcasts a unique registered distress signal that not only tells rescuers where the sender is, but also identifi es the dispatcher.
The onboard 66 channel GPS can quickly fi x the sender’s position to within 100 meters and then utilises 406 MHz signal to relay the distress call to orbiting satellites. As local Search and Rescue (SAR) is deployed, a separate homing signal and integrated LED strobe light guide rescuers to the sender’s exact position.
Cobham awarded 5,000 PLBs
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The LONGBOW Limited Liability Company's(LLC) Unmanned Aerial Systems Tactical Common Data Link Assembly (UTA) recently controlled an unmanned vehicle from an AH-64D Apache Block III attack helicopter, while both were in fl ight. The LONGBOW LLC is a joint venture between Lockheed Martin and Northrop Grumman.
During fl ight tests, the UTA controlled the payload and fl ight path of a Gray Eagle (MQ-1C) while both the Apache and unmanned aircraft system (UAS) were airborne. This marks the fi rst time an unmanned vehicle has been controlled from the cockpit of an Apache, a signifi cant accomplishment in manned-unmanned teaming, said the company.
The test programme proved the design and provided valuable operational understanding to the Apache crew. All goals of this phase of UTA testing were completed with 100 per cent success.
The LONGBOW UTA is a two-way, high-bandwidth data link for Apache aircrew that allows sensor and fl ight path control of the UAS. UTA-equipped Apaches enable aircrew to exercise control of UAS at long ranges and receive real-time, high-defi nition streaming video on their multi-function displays. The UTA is fully integrated into the Block III Apache mission computer.
The US Army's LONGBOW system consists of a fi re control radar or a UTA, a fi re-and-forget radar frequency HELLFIRE millimeter wave-guided missile, and an all-digital M299 launcher for the AH-64D Apache helicopter. The LONGBOW UTA will be fi elded on the Apache Block III aircraft beginning in 2012.
Controlling UAS from Apache helicopter
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New UAV Landing Mat Technology
Faun Trackway USA recently announced the development of a new Aircraft Landing Mat (ALM) technology specifi cally designed for unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) use.
After launching in July 2011, Faun's temporary roadway and landing mat technology has completed a successful testing and demonstration period.
"Faun's technology allows for mobility in any environment, and unmanned operations require fl exibility to land in various climates and terrains," said J. Alun Jones, CEO, Faun Trackway USA.
India to develop solar-powered UAVs
India may soon get solar-powered unmanned fl ying machines. Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) is working towards developing a UAV that will have a long range and endurance capability and can remain airborne for at least a month in all weather conditions, as
per the report. The machine comes with specially-designed solar panels to keep it airborne during nights and even in cloudy weather conditions. Equipped with a variety of cameras, these UAVs would provide real-time information and data of an area through a secure data link.
Drone that can stay in air for days
The maiden fl ight of Boeing's drone aircraft, 'Phantom Eye', is likely to take place soon. The aircraft, which is a high-altitude long endurance UAS, is powered by hydrogen and can stay in air for up to four days, at 65,000 feet. Powered by two 2.3-litre, four-cylinder engines that provide 150 horsepower each, Phantom Eye has a 150-foot wingspan, can cruise at 150 knots and can carry up to 450-pound payload.
"The hydrogen propulsion system will be the key to its success. It is very effi cient and offers great fuel economy, and
its only by-product is water, so it's also a 'green' aircraft," said Drew Mallow, Phantom Eye programme manager for Boeing in a report published in daily, The Times of India.
New mini Kamikaze drones
US forces recently used its new weapon, 'Kamikaze' drones to fi ght Talibans in Afghanistan. According to reports, the drone is part of a USD 4.9 million deal that was signed between US and manufacturer Aerovironment. Labelled 'switchblade', this mini drone is reported to be small enough to fi t into a soldier's backpack and is capable of hitting only targets, avoiding collateral damage. Weighing about 2kg, Switchblade is powered by a small electric motor and can receive signals from overhead in real-time.
COVER STORY
he development of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) is redefi ning geo-intelligence as well as the very concept
of air power to a large extent. Today, in an active military environment, a typical UAV unit may log upwards of 2,000 operational hours annually. In comparison, a manned fi ghter jet unit would barely log between 200 and 400 operational hours; and this gap is certainly going to widen in the future.
Today, UAVs possess almost all the characteristic strengths of manned aircrafts, besides overcoming some of the pilots’ physiological and physical limitations and completely avoids human risk. The absence of pilot from cockpit allows UAVs to be operated at the limit of their performance envelope, thus enhancing endurance, payload,
altitude ceiling and maneuverability. Recent advancements in manned aircraft systems, such as stealth technologies, propulsion systems, payloads, GIS navigational resources and onboard weapon systems, have been integrated with the advancements in the fi eld of computers, data links, control systems and optronics, to make UAVs not only a preferred aerial platform but also a potent weapon of choice. This has been amply demonstrated in the Gulf War, Arab-Israeli wars, Bosnia, Iraq and AfPak region, where extensive UAV usage provided near real-time information to military commanders across the continents. The successful fi ring of Predator UAV mounted Hellfi re missiles against targets in Afghanistan amply demonstrated that these platforms, sensors and weapons technologies have matured suffi ciently for UAVs to convert into
unmanned combat aerial vehicles (UCAVs). Today, many countries, like USA, Israel, UK, Australia, Sweden and China, are actively pursuing the development of UCAVs capable of undertaking offensive roles typically reserved for manned aircraft. Also, advancements in micro electronics and proximity/visual sensors, coupled with availability of detailed GIS mapping has led to the development of micro UAVs, which can operate autonomously at very low altitudes in a dense urban environment and provide unbelievable intelligence. Some civil uses of UAVs are listed in Table 1. Let us explore the fascinating world of UAVs in some more detail.
History
Dr Samuel P Langley, the pioneering aviator, is credited with the fi rst unmanned ‘heavier than air’ powered fl ight over the Potomac (1896).The US Navy converted trainer aircraft to make the fi rst radio controlled UAVs (1917). Kettering Bug, costing USD 400 and capable of carrying a 300 lb bomb, was the fi rst to be mass produced (1918). Queen GE
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<< Recent advancements in manned aircraft systems
and in the fi eld of computers have made UAVs not only
a preferred aerial platform but also a potent weapon of
choice among defence forces >>
Bee, an all-wooden radio controlled version of Tiger Moth aircraft was used by British Navy as an expendable target drone between 1934 and 1943. Fire Bee of US army followed suit in 1950s and fl ew more than 34,000 missions during the Vietnam war from 1964 to 1973. It was used for communication and electronic reconnaissance and for dropping propaganda leafl ets and taking photographs.
During the 1969 War of Attrition, Israel desperately needed to monitor Egyptian military movements across the Suez Canal. A team from military intelligence used masking tape to attach automatic still camera to remote-control planes. They then sent these planes over the canal to snap photos. This was Israel’s fi rst experience with UAVs. Subsequently world’s fi rst UAV squadron was raised by Israeli Air force (1971), using Fire Bee. Israeli Scout and Mastiff UAVs were extensively used during the 1973 war on the Syrian and Egyptian fronts and during the fi rst Lebanon war in 1982 for ISR missions, and to trick enemy radars into activation, using radar
enhancing lenses to transmit radar signals similar to combat aircraft. These radars were then attacked by anti-radiation missiles. US employed Pioneer and Pointer UAVs during the Gulf War, while Britain and France employed CL-289 and MART respectively. Predators carried out round-the-clock surveillance for NATO forces in Bosnia.
Since then, more than 100 state owned/ private companies across 25 countries have undertaken independent/ joint UAV development projects. Today, more than 500 different types of UAVs exist in the world. Israel and US have been leading the development with Israel producing many successful UAVs like Searcher I, Searcher II, Hermese 450, Hermese 900, Heron and Heron TP. Israeli UAVs are now used by more than 30 countries. US on the other hand, is more secretive about its UAVs like Hunter, Predators, X45s and the iconic Global Hawk. UAVs were primarily used mainly for ISR missions by military, but the employment of Hellfi re equipped Predators in offensive role in Iraq, AfPak and Libya has been a ‘role changer’; and in their new avatar
of UCAVs, UAVs have started to threaten the exclusive domain of fi ghter aircraft.
Classifi cation of UAVs
UAVs have, as yet, not been formally recognised as aviation machines and no common standard classifi cation of UAVs has been used for certifi cation/ standardisation. However, UAVs are mainly classifi ed in three ways –
>> On the basis of their performance characteristics - UAVs can be classifi ed by weight, endurance, altitude or a combination of these
>> On the basis of their role and employment – UAVs, nowadays, are used for various purposes like ISTAR (Intelligence, Surveillance, Target Acquisition and Reconnaissance), radar and communication relay, aerial delivery and resupply, multi-mission UAVs or for combat.
>> Launch/ recovery model - Different UAVs follow different launch/ recovery mode, that GE
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is, hand/ catapult launched – parachute recovery, runway launched and recovery, or Vertical Take-Off and Landing (VTOL).
Based on characteristics such as fl ight altitude, endurance, speed, size etc, EUROUVS (European Association of Unmanned Vehicles Systems) have classifi ed UAVs in the following categories (also see Table 2):
Micro/ Mini UAVs
These are short range, limited endurance smaller UAVs with limited payload and specifi c, generally ISR missions. US standards for micro/ mini UAV are given in Table 3. Micro UAVs generally measure only 15 cm or less in any dimension and can carry basic payload, avionics and communication links to perform the required mission. Due to weight limitations, these are usually not fi tted with Inertial Navigation System (INS)/GPS, resulting in less accurate positional accuracy. This limitation is being overcome in newer generation UAVs, which is discussed later.
Tactical UAVs
Tactical UAVs can further be subdivided into six categories - Close range (CR), Short range (SR), Medium range (MR), Long range (LR), Endurance (EN), and Medium Altitude Long Range (MALE). Close, short and medium range UAVs are limited in range by their communication line of sight (LOS). Small in size, with range up to a few hundred kilometers, maximum endurance of 12 hours, these UAVs operate with an altitude ceiling of 8,000m and are normally controlled by local commanders.
Long range UAVs, however, can use satellite communications (Satcom) or an intermediate relay mounted on another platform to enhance their range. For example, Predator MALE can operate for up to 40 hours with a maximum range of 3,700 km.
Strategic UAVs
A further improvement over MALE UAV is High Altitude Long Endurance (HALE) UAV which is bigger-heavier platform usually
used for high altitude, long endurance and long range purposes. HALE UAVs are strategic UAVs which can usually carry multi-mission payloads with a MTOW varying from 2,500 kg to 12,000 kg and a maximum altitude ceiling of about 20,000m. Apart from obvious military roles, HALE UAVs can be used for communications, mapping, atmospheric monitoring, earth observation augmenting and complementing remote sensing satellites. Electric/solar-powered Helios from Aerovironment operated by NASA is an example of a non-military HALE UAV, which has set an altitude record of about 30,000 km and uses solar panels to power electrically driven propellers.
Special Task UAVs
Special task UAVs can be any of the above three categories which are used for a specifi c purpose. For example, raised communication relay platform, ELINT, COMINT, SAR or in combat role as UCAV.
VTOL UAVs
VTOL technique can be used in mini, CR, MR, and MALE categories of UAVs. These vehicles feature a variety of rotary-wing designs and are suitable for naval and urban surveillance. They eliminate the need to have a runway for takeoff and landing, can fl y at low altitudes and can hover over specifi c targets.
Components of a UAV System
A typical UAV besides its airframe and propulsion also requires a communication system and a control system. The control system can be fully autonomous, remotely and real-time monitored or remotely piloted/ controlled in real-time. GE
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Table 1: Civil Uses of UAV
Industry Use
Agricultural industry UAVs equipped with fertiliser and pesticide dispersing equipment can be used to spray over large fi elds.
Crop monitoring In developed countries, 10% of the crops are being monitored by aircraft. Use of UAVs would greatly increase the region or area under surveillance.
Environmental control / UAVs will replace weather balloons which are being used to monitor weather research weather.
Mineral exploration In aerial survey, to fi nd minerals on desolate and hard-to-reach regions.
Coastal Surveillance By the coast guard for monitoring coastlines.
Telecommunications In telecommunications applications as mobile relay platforms, as well as in disaster zones for emergency telecommunications.
News broadcasting In providing aerial video feeds for news events where reporters cannot get to in time.
Remote sensing of marine By marine labs to detect the presence of resources under the sea that resources are inaccessible.
Unexploded artillery detection To detect unexploded artillery, especially dangerous mines.
Air Traffi c Control To assist ATC in monitoring air traffi c over busy airports.Ground traffi c control To monitor traffi c and accidents over highways and roads in big and densely populated cities, violation of traffi c rules.
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The UAV and payload controls are exercised through Ground Control Station (GCS) via data-links. The GCS can be a containerised station which can be ground-based, onboard a manned aircraft, ship, submarine or any other location or it can even be a laptop based portable station which can be used anywhere within the control range. In conventional UAVs, navigation and guidance systems may include GIS assisted INS/GPS, while more complex UAVs may employ Differential GPS (DGPS), and Terrain Contour Matching (TERCOM). Typical UAV payloads include Electro-Optical/Infra-Red (EO/IR) sensors, Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR), Laser designators, EW pods and COMINT. Meanwhile, UCAVs may carry missiles, bombs, explosives, etc.
Advantages
There is no risk of crew casualties, and political exploitation of aircrew as POW/ hostage by enemy is
avoided. UAV ground crew does not suffer from much fatigue and combat stress, resulting in enhanced endurance and effi ciency. Endurance is limited only by fuel. The base cost of UAV is a fraction compared to a fi ghter jet, for example, Reaper drone costs just USD 10.5 million, 14 times less than an F-22 Raptor fi ghter jet. UAVs enjoy the advantage of more space, greater design freedom, more agility and fl exibility and greater payload carrying capability. They are most suited for D3 - dull missions like naval surveillance, dirty missions like attacking or monitoring nuclear, biological and chemical (NBC) warfare, and dangerous missions like attacking heavily defended targets. Use of UAVs for long-endurance ISTAR and D3 missions releases manned aircraft for other more important tasks.
Disadvantages
Due to non-availability of direct UAV communication with ATC,
sharing civil and military manned aircraft airspace with UAVs is a serious ATC challenge, especially for long range UAVs going beyond the airspace of take off location. In the absence of on-board aircrew, UAVs lack situational awareness. Thus, a UAV fl ight needs to be continuously monitored by external means like radars or additional sensors which are placed on the air vehicle and design interfaces to incorporate the same in downlink. Most of the current UAVs are yet to become all weather air vehicles, imposing limitations on their utilisation. Data-link controls and downlinks make UAVs vulnerable to interference, jamming and bandwidth limitation. UAVs require specifi cally trained personnel in the form of operating crew, payload controller and maintenance personnel. Long endurances would entail multiple shifts or continuous operation for these personnel causing fatigue and loss of effi ciency. Being unmanned, UAVs need redundancy in almost every system which affects fl ight
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safety, for example, command links, onboard computers, navigational sensors and systems, servos or landing systems.
Challenges
Main challenges in the development of mini and micro UAVs are in situational awareness. These UAVs have limited MTOW and hence existing INS/GPS are unsuitable for them. Also for low-altitude close proximity fl ight in urban environment, they require vision based/ proximity sensors, detailed GIS interface and autonomous fl ight control.
The development of Micro-Electro-Mechanical System (MEMS) may help overcome these constraints. For tactical UAVs, challenges are lack of self protection, replicating situational awareness, reducing radar cross section, vulnerability of data links, bandwidth limitations and multiple payload integrations. Another major challenge is having automatic take off and landing (ATOL) or incorporating VTOL.
Apart from challenges mentioned above (for tactical UAVs), the biggest challenge for strategic UAVs is to have unlimited or very
high endurance. Mid-air refuelling or uses of newer technologies/ unconventional energy resources are solutions but these are yet to be perfected. The other challenges include ATC integration and integration of warheads.
Unmanned Combat Aerial Vehicles (UCAVS)
Much like nuclear energy, we have quickly found a destructive role for UAVs as well, turning them into UCAVs. When US Air Force fi tted its unmanned Predator with hellfi re missiles, they quickly changed its military nomenclature prefi x from RQ (Reconnaissance) to MQ (Multi-mission). UCAVs are fi tted with sensitive reconnaissance electronics like Laser designator and powerful precision weapons like MK-82 bombs, maverick anti-surface missiles, shrike anti-radiation missiles or hellfi re missiles. They are capable of carrying out precise, deadly strikes without endangering human lives. Existing UCAVs can be classifi ed in two main categories:-
Armed UAVs
These are reusable UAVs fi tted with missiles and precision guidance
system for these missiles. For example, Predator `A’ is fi tted with two Hellfi re missiles while larger version Predator `B’ can carry eight such missiles. The capability of armed UAVs to eliminate the time gap between detection and precision guided strike makes them invaluable.
Strike or Killer UCAVs
These are expendable drones which act like missiles and strike the chosen target. These are however different from missiles, as they carry onboard intelligent system capable of selecting and identifying desired or opportunity target. The target can be some radiating radar, a microwave station or such similar location. The UAV can loiter stealthy, waiting for the radar to come on, and home on to it like an anti-radiation missile. If the radar switches off before the strike, the UAV, instead of continuing on strike path, will climb to a safe altitude and continue to monitor the target again.
Major UCAVs Under Development
The US and Israel, and many other countries like the UK, France, Sweden, Australia and China are developing UCAVs. Apart from Predators and its successors Avenger and Reaper, Boeing is developing X-45A, X-45B and X-45C UCAVs. Boeing, along with Northrop Grumman, is developing X-46A and X-46B. At the Zhuhai Air Show last year, China demonstrated Soaring Dragon, Dark Sword and WJ-600. Though offi cially not confi rmed, Israel’s Heron TP is said to be capable of carrying ballistic missiles.
Mini Panther is one of several innovative vertical take-off and landing concepts developed at IAI Malat. Photo: IAI
IAI is currently producing Heron TP MALE UAS to equip the fi rst MALE UAV squadron of the Israel AIr Force. Photo: IAI
DID YOU KNOW?RQ-170-Sentinel was used for the surveillance of Osama bin Laden’s Abbottabad hideout in Pakistan.
The UAV was positioned at high altitude and remained undetected by any radar system.
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Manned-UnmannedSystems Integration
Due to the limited range of missiles it can carry or the precision guidance system, a UCAV has to be close to the target while engaging it. As lack of situational awareness is one of the biggest challenges of a UCAV, and a limited visual range is a serious shortcoming of a manned aircraft, the latest concept that is being tried is Manned Unmanned Systems Integration Concept (MUSIC). As per this concept, one GCS console of a UAV along with a communication unit is fi tted to a manned combat aircraft. The crew in manned aircraft then directly controls the unmanned aircraft and receives real-time sensor data while both are in air.
This way, the combat aircraft becomes aware of the battlefi eld much beyond its limited visual range and much prior to actually getting into it. On the other hand, due to its ability to look into battlefi eld from a standoff distance, UAV need not get into the battlefi eld. Also, the requirement of integration of warheads to UAV is also eliminated. During a recent fl ight test, the cockpit of an AH-64D Apache Block III helicopter, equipped with the new Unmanned Aerial Systems Tactical Common Data Link Assembly (UTA), controlled the payload and fl ight path of a Gray Eagle (MQ-1C) UAV, while both were in fl ight (details in news section).
UCAVs Vs Fighter Jets
It is debatable whether UCAVs will ever completely eliminate the need of manned fi ghter jets. UCAVs, however, carry distinct advantages over manned jets. Some of them are - no risk of life to operating crew, elimination of physical and psychological limitations of crew resulting in improvement in technical profi ling of aircraft, higher endurance and
predicted that by 2020, present day UAVs will become outdated. The major changes anticipated are:-
VTOL
To make UAVs runway independent, VTOL will become a norm. A number of rotary wing designs are already being adopted, but VTOL is likely to be limited to micro UAVs and unmanned helicopters. IAI, Malat of Israel and HAL of India are developing Chetak helicopter based Naval Rotary UAV (NRUAV). NRUAV will offer weather independent helicopter operation for ships at sea, enabling crew to launch missions
Launch and Recovery Site
System Deployment
more space which in turn leads to lighter weight and higher payload carrying capabilities, multi-mission capabilities and an ability to extend combat zone to beyond visual range. However disadvantages include lack of situational awareness and requirement of continuous external monitoring (discussed earlier). Also, though UCAVs are well-suited for surgical strikes, theyse weapons are not effective for use against large forces.
UAV 2020
2020 is merely eight years away but the pace of advancement in technology is so fast that it is
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even in high wind or rough sea. NRUAV will also have twice the mission endurance capabilities as compared to similar manned helicopters.
HOVTOL
Apart from micro UAVs and the unmanned helicopters, most of the other mini and tactical UAVs will be Horizontal or Vertical Takeoff and Landing (HOVTOL). Such a vehicle will be a fi xed wing tilt-rotor UAV. IAI’s fi rst tilt-rotor UAV, Panther, is one such example. Weighing about 65kg, Panther is fi tted with three small electric motors and can stay airborne at 10,000 feet for six hours. A smaller version, called Mini Panther, weighs merely 12 kg and can stay airborne for approximately two hours.
ATC Integration
To enable seamless integration of UAVs into civil air traffi c, UAVs will incorporate Communication Relay (Com Relay) and Interrogator Friend/ Foe (IFF) modules. Com Relay will facilitate direct communication between GCS and ATC through command data link of UAV enabling an aircraft to receive, process and respond to ATC instructions, fl ight plan and keep zone just as a manned aircraft does. Beyond the ATC integration, the Com Relay will also have military advantages. It can extend Line of Site (LOS) communications to provide an airborne radio and control over a large area, overcoming mountainous terrain or other interference, supporting ground units with effi cient and reliable communications. Airborne relay can
also support maritime operations, improving communications with ships and central control and intelligence center.
Networked Ground Control Stations (NGCS)
With the TCP IP based networks being used in UAVs, the existing GCS may become a thing of the past or it may not remain a standalone station. There may be a central control facility having a number of control stations; and intelligence gathered from all the UAVs will be instantaneously integrated into one system, thus making it possible for commanders (or systems) to take decisions based on comprehensive inputs. It may be possible to transfer the control of UAV(s) to any control station in the network, irrespective of the UAV’s physical location. It will also be technically feasible to control some of the functions of a UAV in-fl ight through a smart phone, implying that in future, it may be possible to operate a UAV or its payload from anywhere in the world. One thing is sure though, in future, the intelligence gathered (video, SAR image or other data) will certainly be available on a handheld device like iphone.
Conversion from Manned to Unmanned
For all applications, proven and certifi ed, manned aerial platforms already exist. Instead of redesigning every platform again, the approach being adopted is to convert the most suitable existing manned platform to an unmanned one by retrofi tting the requisite modules. For example when completed, IAI-HAL NRUAV will be offered as a fl yaway kit for installation in specifi c helicopters. Similarly, airframe of twin-engine light plane AD-42, made by Austria’s Diamond Aircraft Industries GmbH, is being converted into Dominator 2 UAV that will weigh two tons, can carry
Table 2 - UAV Classifi cation
Category Maximum Take Maximum Flight Endurance Data Limk (acronym) Off Weight (kg) Altitude (m) (hours) Range (Km) Missions Systems
Micro/Mini Micro/ Mini 0.10 250 1 <10 Scouting, NBC sampling, Black window, Microstar,UAVs surveillance inside building Microbat, FanCopter, QuattroCopter, Mosquito, Hornet, Mite
Mini <30 150-300 <2 <10 Film and broadcast Mikado, Aladin, Tracker, industries, agriculture, DragonEye, Raven, Pointer II, pollution measurements, Carolo C40/P50, Skorpio, surveillance inside R-Max, and R-50, Robocopter, buildings, communications YH - 300SL relay and EW
Tactical Close Range 150 3,000 2-4 10-30 RSTA, mine detection, Observer I, Phantom, Copter 4,UAVs (CR) search & rescue, EW Mikado, RoboCopter 300, Pointer, Camcopter, Aerial and Agriculture RMax
Short Range 200 3,000 3-6 30-70 BDA, RSTA, EW, Scorpi6/30, Luna, SilverFox, (SR) mine detection EyeView, Firebird, R-Max Agri/Photo, Hornet, Raven, Phantom
Medium 150-500 3,000-5,000 6-10 70-200 BDA, RSTA, EW, mine Hunter B, Mucke, Aerostar, Range (MR) detection, NBC sampling Sniper, Falco, Armor X7, Smart UAV, UCAR, Eagle Eye+, Alice, Extender, Shadow 200/400
Long Range - 5,000 6-13 200-500 RSTA, BDA, communications Hunter, Vigilante 502 (LR) relay
Endurance 500-1,500 5,000-8,000 12-24 >500 BDA, RSTA,EW, Aerosonde, Vulture II Exp, (EN) communications relay, NBC Shadow 600, Searcher II, Herons sampling 450S/450T/700
Medium 1,000-1,500 5,000-8,000 24-48 >500 BDA, RSTA, EW weapons Skyforce, Hermes 1500, Heron Altitude, Long delivery, communications TP, MQ-! Predator, Predator-IT, Endurance relay, NBC sampling Eagle-1/2, Darkstar, E-Hunter, (MALE) Dominator
Strategic High Altitude, 2,500-12,500 15,000-20,000 24-48 >2,000 BDA, RSTA,EW, Global Hawk, Raptor, Candor,UAVs Long Endurance communications relay, Theseus, Helios, Predator B/C, (HALE) boost phase intercept Libellule, EuroHawk, Mercator, launch vehicle, airport Sensor Craft, Global Observer, security Pathfi nder plus
Special Lethal (LET) 250 3,000-4,000 3-4 300 Anti-radar, anti ship, MALI, Harpy, Lark, MarulaTask UAVs anti-aircraft, anti-infrastructure
Decoys(DEC) 250 50-5,000 <4 0-500 Aerial and naval deception Flyrt, MALD, Nulka, ITALD, Chukar
Stratospheric To be defi ned 20,000-30,000 >48 >2,000 - Pegasus (Strato)
Exo- To be defi ned >30,000 To be To be - MarsFlyer, Mac-1 stratospheric defi ned defi ned (EXO)
Example
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a variety of payloads up to a range of 450 km, spend up to 30 hours in air and reach an altitude of 30,000 feet. The platform already has all the necessary certifi cations, and systems are simply being added to make it unmanned using the fl ight control system that has been developed.
Fuel Cell UAVs
Long endurance missions will typically require large and heavy platforms, while persistent platforms that have to remain operational over long time in hostile area, should be designed to be more redundant. Both these requirements mean higher energy consumption implying more fuel. One solution can be solar panels but that requires large wing span, making it unsuitable for military purposes. By 2020, however, fuel cell technology is expected to have matured and we may see strategic UAVs based on fuel cells, remaining in air for months together.
Autonomous Micro UAVs
Micro UAVs are likely to become intelligent fully autonomous thinking machines. On the one hand, miniaturisation of airframe and components, new concepts in propulsion, and energy storage coupled with secure and robust
communications are making ‘micro’ a possibility, on the other hand, models based on fl ying insects, new navigation and collision-avoidance techniques have developed. CMOS cameras and improved digital imaging have promoted the development and application of ‘camera images’. Data from existing sensors, such as MEMS accelerometers and piezoelectric rate gyro, when combined with the information obtained from sequences of ‘camera images’ can signifi cantly increase situation awareness.
Future Belongs to UAVs
With their unmatched surveillance and reconnaissance capabilities even from a standoff distance, comparatively cheaper costs and cost effectiveness to perform multi-missions in a single fl ight, capability to carry multiple payloads including weapons, unbelievable endurance coupled with unlimited range achieved through SATCOM, UAVs have become the focus of aviation industry, including military aviation. Though the operation and use of UAVs is still considered less intrusive and threatening, there are no rules of engagement for UCAVs unlike manned aircraft. And a world with a proliferation of UCAVs and a few rules, can quickly turn into a world of lawlessness and chaos. There are also reports that development of deadly drones which can be carried in a backpack and are capable of identifi ng individual targets and attacking them is already on. If such weapon systems fall into the hands of terrorist groups, it will be catastrophic. Nevertheless, whatever be the potential dangers, it is a fact that today US Air Force trains more pilots for UCAV operations than for
fi ghter jets. US has also increased its military expenditure on UCAVs from around USD 550 million in 2002 to nearly USD 5 billion in 2011. Cumulative fl ying hours of UAVs of just one Israeli company, IAI, have reached more than 900,000 hours, and are about to touch a million. Israeli companies sold USD 1 billion worth of UAVs and associated equipment around the world in 2010. It is estimated that global UCAV sales in the coming decade will be around USD 94 billion.
Future belongs to UAVs, and there is every possibility that in the coming years, all types of aircraft will become unmanned – fi ghter aircraft, followed by cargo planes
and eventually, perhaps, commercial fl ights. The director of marketing and sales of one of the biggest aerospace companies in the world said, “Automated systems are better than people, they don’t get sick and they’re never in a bad mood.” And who knows, come 2050, instead of autos (popular 3-wheeler among Indians), we may have unmanned VTOL taxis fl ying (not plying) between Delhi and Noida (Uttar Pradesh)!
Lt Gen AKS Chandele (Retd), Managing Editor - GeoIntelligence [email protected]
>> Today, US Air Force trains more pilots for
UCAV operations than for fi ghter jets. It has also
increased its military expenditure on UCAVs to USD 5 billion in 2011 <<
Table 3 - Micro and Mini UAV specifi cations
Micro Mini
Size <15 cm length <2m,
wing span < 3m
Weight 100 gm <10 kg
Payload 20 gm 1-2 kg
Range 1-10 km 5-10 km
Endurance 60 min 60-120 min
Altitude <150 m 500-1500m
Speed 15 m/s 25-50m/s
DID YOU KNOW?Over 500 different UAV platforms have been developed or are under fi nal stages of
development in the world.
InterviewGE
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Hans BerglundDirector Marketing - UAS, Saab AB
(Aeronautics Division)
Hans Berglund
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UAV - Product Portfolio
Courtesy: Boeing
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Courtesy: www.af.mil
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Courtesy: www.satnews.com
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ReportReport
TransformingTransformingto Net Centric Warfareto Net Centric Warfare
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ars are no longer fought at pre-defi ned battlefi eld. Battlefi eld have now become digitised and hence
require fl awless, uninterrupted and secure communication. This was the message that was conveyed by one and all at the recently held seminar-cum-exhibition, Defcom India 2011.Organised by Integrated HQ of MoD (Army), Corps of Signals and CII, the theme of this year’s event was ‘Enabling ICT Infrastructure for Info Age Warfare’.
India’s Defence Minister AK Antony called upon the armed forces to forge strong partnerships with the industry and the academia to secure the goals of national security. In a message read out in absentia at the inauguration of the two-day event, Antony said this partnership is vital to increase the technology threshold of our defence forces. Similar views were echoed
by Dr MM Pallam Raju, Minister of State for Defence, Government of India. “National security is not the prerogative of the armed forces alone, it is essential that the best minds in the country contribute to this worthy cause. Indian industry, academia and research and development organisations can offer defi nite contribution towards this effort,” he said. Pointing out that information superiority in today’s scenario directly translates into combat superiority, Dr Pallam Raju called for creating a responsive and agile ICT infrastructure. He said that the greatest challenge for armed forces is to transform to meet both current and future challenges.
Chief of Army Staff Gen VK Singh, Indian Army, said that the academia and the industry can help the armed forces leverage state-of-the-art technologies in executing dedicated ICT networks. “With the focus of the battlefi eld shifting to
a network-centric environment, it is imperative to augment our capabilities in the digital domain to maintain information superiority over our adversaries. Our information grid will be a potent force multiplier and will enable us to optimally use our weapon systems,” he said. Explaining the importance of information in future, Lt Gen SP Kochhar, Signal Offi cer-in-Chief and Senior Colonel Commandant, Corps of Signals, Integrated HQ of MoD (Army), said, “Any break in communication would mean loss of life which is not acceptable. Ensuring that a soldier always remains in touch with his command center is a must.”
Commodore KK Pandey, PDNS (Navy), raised a very interesting point when he said, “Knowledge is not power but dissemination of knowledge in real-time is power.,” adding, “War is now being fought at the speed of thought.” He also said that security and IT department should work closely in this age where speed is the essence of war-fi ghting.
Talking about challenges facing the armed forces towards attaining net-centricity, Maj Gen VP Shrivastava, said, “Information security, technology obsolescence, protection of information infrastructure are some of the major challenges that we need to address. Attempts have to be made to reduce the procurement time so that technology doesn’t become obsolete by the time we acquire them.”
The event also showcased an exhibition of both Indian and foreign companies.
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Forging Integrated Intelligence
S Geospatial Intelligence Foundation (USGIF) recently held its annual symposium, Geoint Symposium 2011,
centered on the theme, Forging Integrated Intelligence. More than 250 exhibitors participated in this annual event. The four days were full of activities and featured discussions on varied topics like geoint support for crisis management, geoint dimension of socio-cultural analysis, cloud computing and the intelligence mission, and geoint in support of homeland security, and so on.
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Role of Geoint
This is a fascinating time for the geospatial industry as location information becomes more available and more important to everything that goes on throughout the intelligence, defence, homeland security communities and beyond, observed Keith Masback, USGIF president. Masback said, “The technology is maturing quickly, and the training and tradecraft that are at the heart of USGIF’s mission are catching up with the technology. The uses and applications of these technologies are far-reaching and remarkable.” “GEOINT provides the where, as part of the ‘where
and when’ that makes intelligence information valuable. It’s one of the organising principles for integration,” he added.
“Geoint is a critical, critical strength,” said Michael Vickers, Undersecretary of Defense for Intelligence, US. He spoke about the role that geoint played in the elimination or capture of senior and mid-level operatives in Al-Qaeda and organisations that support or collaborate with it. He even anticipated that the complete defeat of Al-Qaeda is now on the horizon. He also said that full motion video has proved to be the basis for counter-terrorism (CT) efforts. “Geoint has been absolutely essential to our CT success,” Vickers said. Vickers added that commanders in Iraq now have access to more surveillance and reconnaissance data than they had at any other time in the war. “In Afghanistan, 3D mapping has been done for a good chunk of the country and wide area surveillance assets now generate 53 terabytes of data every day,” he informed. He also talked about how geoint capabilities were used to access the damage during the recent Japanese earthquake.
Science and Technology Forum
Multi-INT panelists participating in the pre-symposium science and technology forum observed that although advances in processing
What: Geoint Symposium 2011When: October 16-19, 2011
Where: Texas, USA
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NGA – Empowering Users
Another important speaker of the event was Letitia A. Long, Director, National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA). Speaking about putting geoint power into the hands of users, she said, “We have irreversible momentum in what we have started here. The demand for geoint is rising, and it will continue to rise.
We are delivering and we will continue to deliver.” She also demonstrated some of the apps the agency is currently working on. Talking about the recent Hurricane Irene that hit the country, she explained how a new app helped the Federal Emergency Management Agency and other fi rst responders deal with the devastation.
Speaking about NGA’s support to military forces, Long said that the agency’s mission includes preparing pre-fl ight information materials for military aircraft. Currently, that involves printing vast quantities of materials, for example, it printed 10 million books and charts in 2010 at a cost of USD 20 million a year. With an app, she said, “I think I have a better, cheaper and faster way of doing that. You can just pull up a chart and have it
power and storage have relieved the burden on analysts, the challenge is greater now as the analysts’ job lies in correctly setting the dividing line between automated systems and humans.
Dave Messinger, an associate research professor at the Center for Imaging Science at the Rochester Institute of Technology, noted that unlike humans, computers don’t get tired and are good at sorting through large amounts of data. “However they are unable to do sophisticated analysis.
The brain is good at complex analysis,” said Messinger. He added, “Ideally, this analysis would be done using a 4D physically realistic model of the world, accurate in both space and time on an appropriate scale. Then an analyst could test a hypothesis against the model and compare it to actual data, thereby weeding out those theories that don’t fi t reality and measurements.” Messinger believed this capability would soon be available, and would offer a near real-time response.
Meanwhile Charlene Sailer, Naval Postgraduate School remote sensing research professor, cautioned people to exercise care while putting automated systems to use. “We need to convey something about the data quality,” he said. Sometimes it involves data analysis and sometimes data integrity. Everyone agreed that the solution was never to discard any of the raw data.
at your fi ngertips and have all the information in one place. It’s going to save us and the military services a lot of time and money.”
Talking about future, she said, “In support to military planning and ops, I’d like to move from a data poor to a data rich environment. I’d like to be able to build and provide apps for our military forces for operations, with secure mobile devices, and experiment and use different types of information.”
“For integrated geoint analysis, it really is the continuation of using all of our traditional and non-traditional sources so that we are creating new value, and focusing on the key intelligence questions,” she said. “We will also do all of this
while we are focused on gaining effi ciencies, and while we are embedded in our mission partners’ footprints, forward with our fi ghting forces. We will continue to partner with industry and academic partners, the National System for
Geospatial-Intelligence and our international partners.”
Socio-Cultural Dynamics
During the session, Socio-cultural dynamics: An overview from a diplomacy, development, defence and intelligence perspective, CW5 Michael Harper, military deputy, Army Geospatial Center, US, said, “The Army has been slow at understanding the importance of socio-cultural information. While there were examples of successful uses, such as the occupation of Japan after World II, that was not the case in Vietnam, or in the current confl icts until they were well under way.” Adding, “To be sure, those shortfalls were partly due to the fact that such analysis is not part of the Army’s core mission, which is to conduct kinetic operations. At the same time however, in Afghanistan and Iraq, if we had considered socio-cultural in more detail up front, maybe we would have executed
those operations differently. If we had a more robust socio-cultural staff at a strategic level, we might have avoided mistakes,” he said.
He then talked about how over time he has learnt to realise the importance of socio-cultural factors in a battlefi eld. “In 2004, the codes used to track information in Iraq simply didn’t refl ect many vital cultural issues, such as differences within the religion of Islam,” he said, adding, “So we had to build a data model to support what commanders were
interested in tracking, and what they wanted to see in their common operating picture.” Since then, the Army and the Army Geospatial Center have made substantial progress. “If you look at our portfolio of programmes today, we’re all over socio-cultural, from developing handheld apps to enable psyops and civil affairs soldiers to rapidly collect information, and quickly get that information back into a mission command environment so it can be shared,” Harper said.
Dan Plafcan, policy analyst and portfolio manager for socio-cultural analysis, Offi ce of the Under Secretary of Defense for Intelligence, US, identifi ed areas of challenges and
opportunities that geoint is bringing to socio-cultural analysis. “Rather than human geography being mistakenly viewed as an added value, it needs to be brought into the centre by showing its clear value for military operations across a broad spectrum,” he said. “It’s not a topic or an empirical domain, but a form of analysis, which includes concepts as well as technologies. The focus is on population or groups of people. If we can get sophisticated about technical specifi cations and other factors, we should be able to have that same sophistication about the social world. We don’t have that yet as a community,” he added.
Elizabeth Lyon, geographer, Army Corps of Engineers, Engineer Research and Development Center, raised some interesting points when she spoke about the way the worlds of defence, intelligence, diplomacy and development view socio-cultural geography. “We’re not at a point where we can point to one place and say a word, such as school, means the same thing, or we recognise the different
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Lundhl Lifetime Achievement Award for LTG Paul E. Menoher
LTG Paul E. Menoher has been named as the recipient of the 2011 Arthur C. Lundahl Lifetime Achievement Award during GEOINT 2011. The Award is presented, upon selection by the USGIF Board of Directors, to an infl uential member of the community who has dedicated much of his or her work to the geospatial intelligence tradecraft. Arthur C. “Art” Lundahl is recognised as the father of imagery analysis.
During his 35 years of commissioned service, he has held a series of demanding positions including Commanding General of the Army Intelligence Agency, Commanding General of the Army Intelligence and Security Command and Army Deputy Chief of Staff for Intelligence. He pioneered for the Civilian Personnel Proponency System for the Army, taking the lead for Training and Doctrine Command to fully integrate the civilian professional intelligence workforce into the Military Intelligence Corps.
Source: KMI Media Group
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components of that term. The Corps of Engineers thinks of a school as a structure, while the defence community might be interested in the alternative uses of a school as a building. The diplomatic community would be interested in how that school educates the population. We have similar language, but we’re not yet in the same room in recognising how we interact with each other. “Mapping is really about the future. Where are we going, and how can we display that information?” asked Lyon, who has recently been named as an adviser to the US Geospatial Intelligence Foundation’s board of directors.
Cloud to Improve Security
Talking about the cloud, General Keith Alexander, commander of US Cyber Command, director of the National Security Agency, and chief of the Central Security Service, said that moving into the cloud will improve security, lower costs and boost performance. “One reason for the push to cloud-based computing lies in the increasing number of attacks on both government and commercial systems. There are millions of devices in the Department of Defense, a number that guarantees that some will not be patched with the latest security fi xes. As a result, a persistent adversary will be able to get in. Data from the commercial sector shows that intruders are often in place for months before being detected,” he said, adding “Once inside a network, some adversaries will no longer be content to merely siphon off data. As shown by accidental power outages in both the US and Russia, it’s possible for software to cause severe damage to physical infrastructure. We now have a high probability of destructive attacks.”
Implementing a cloud-based system would benefi t security in a number of ways, Alexander said, “For one thing, updates to devices would be
more automatic. In addition, it would remove many of the vulnerabilities presented by mobile devices, which represent a tremendous opportunity and danger. In addition there are a number of non-security benefi ts. Analysts will have an easier time doing their jobs. Today, every database has its own security manager. As a result, getting access to a legacy database for a single query requires being authenticated for that database. A good chunk of an analyst’s time is currently consumed with this seemingly simple access task. Going to a cloud will make an analyst’s job easier.” The National Security Agency is said to be in the process of transitioning all its databases to the cloud, with NSA Georgia, Texas and Hawaii running pilots. The goal is to complete the initial phase by 2012.
Intelligence Integration
Addressing the symposium’s theme of intelligence integration, Bruce A. Carlson, Director, National Reconnaissance Offi ce (NRO), said, “We have several integrated intelligence programmes that are either in development or operation today,” adding, “We have three Joint Collaboration Cells, which have been certifi ed by the Director of National Intelligence, and we are very excited about them.”
He talked about his vision for a lean and a cost-reducing organisation. He, however, said that NRO would continue to maintain an aggressive
schedule of satellite launches. The agency has already completed six launches in just seven months, and intends to undertake four more launches in as many months next year. Carson also said that despite NRO’s relatively small size, it has been one of the largest contributors to proposed budget cuts, achieving savings on all its platforms and offering incentives to contractors to save costs. “We cut a great deal of money, but without sacrifi cing our core capabilities,” he said.
Conclusion
Organised by USGIF, the occasion witnessed enthusiastic participation from all sectors - industry, government and academia. USGIF also presented the 2011 Arthur C. Lundahl Lifetime Achievement Award to LTG Paul E. Menoher who is recognised as the father of imagery analysis.
With inputs from KMI Media Group
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ith modern battlefi eld becoming more complex due to advancement in IT and migration
towards C4I2 structures/ net-centric warfare, interoperability among the three armed forces – Army, Navy and Air Force, has become the most crucial thing. This was the spirit that was evident at the recently held C4I2Summit-2011 in New Delhi. The event was organised by Network18 in conjunction with Ministry of Defence. Some of the points raised during the seminar were:
Joint operations/ Interoperability: “All our future operations are going to be joint operations where desired level of synergy with fl ow of correlated and intelligent information among the three services is essential. To translate any joint doctrine into action, interoperability among the Army, Navy and the Air Force is crucial,” said Dr MM Pallam Raju, Minister of State for Defence, Government of India.
Geospatial tech in warfare: Talking about the importance of geospatial technology in today’s warfare, Col Sanjay Kishore, Principal Group Manager, Defence, Rolta India Ltd., said, “The importance of GIS to C2 system can be likened to the importance of terrain to the soldier.” He also explained how the technology can answer the basic questions of soldiers. “The soldier basically has three requirements – the need to know where I am? Where are
my mates? And what do I need to do?” he said. Similar views were also expressed by Air Marshal L K Malhotra, DCIDS Ops, HQ IDS. “What is required is a Common Operational Picture (COP) on a geospatial platform,” he said, adding, “There is a need to develop our own GIS software. I don’t think
by promoting private-public partnership.”
Partha Sarathi Guha Patra, Vice President, Wipro Limited, too advocated greater opportunities for Indian companies, “Private players should be invited to play a greater role in defence industry rather
than making them mere gatekeepers.”
Indigenisation: Indiandefence industry should be capable of developing its own technology. This was the message that was conveyed by many at the conference. Captain MP Anil Kumar, Director, DNCO, Indian Navy, said, “If we want to be self-suffi cient in this sector, then indigenisation is the only way.”
Challenges: There are many challenges that Indian forces need to overcome before becoming a network-centric force. Speaking about them, Col Kalyan Singh, Director, F-INSAS, Infantry, Indian Army, said, “We now have limited radio spectrum as the frequencies that were originally with
militaries are slowly being given to the civilian domain. Then there is this question of how access rights should be handled in the net-centric environment? Also, there has to be mechanism to prevent system from getting collapsed due to overfl ow of information. But the most import concern of ours is to keep in mind that a soldier should not be overburdened with technology.”
What: C4I2 Summit-2011 I Where: Manekshaw Centre, New Delhi I When: October 18-19, 2011
this need has been addressed so far.”
Public-Private Partnership: Talking about India’s dependence on imports, Dr Pallam Raju, said, “This imbalance can only be corrected by expansion of the indigenous defence industrial base, increasing investment in R&D, identifi cation of core technologies where India is already a lead country, and
Courtesy: PIB
NOVEMBER
ISR SummitNovember 14 - 16, 2011Washington DC, USAwww.isrsummit.com
Military Wireless Conference November 15-17, 2011 Las Vegas, NV www.ttcus.com/view-conference.cfm?id=150
Unmanned Aircraft SystemsNovember 16 - 17, 2011Copthorne Tara HotelLondon, United Kingdomwww.smi-online.co.uk/uas-conference20.asp
Future Artillery Middle East 2011November 21 - 23, 2011Amman, Jordanwww.futureartilleryme.com
8th Annual Global MDA: Coastal Surveillance 2011November 28 - 30, 2011TBC, Singaporewww.coastalsurveillancemda.com
Security Middle East Show (SMES) November 28 - 30, 2011 BeirutLebanon http://www.smesbeirut.com
Armed UAS Conference November 29 - 30, 2011
Orlando, FLwww.ttcus.com
Global Milsatcom 2011 November 29 - December 1, 2011Millennium Conference Centre, London, UKhttp://defence-guide.com/events/global-
milsatcom-2011
DECEMBER
25th Large Installation System Administration ConferenceDecember 4 - 9, 2011Sheraton Boston HotelBoston, MA. USA www.usenix.org
Military Airlift: Rapid Reaction and Tanker OperationsDecember 5 - 6, 2011Amsterdam Marriott HotelAmsterdam, Netherlandswww.smi-online.co.uk/military-airlift31.asp
Federal Cyber Security Conference December 6 - 8, 2011 Washington, D.C.www.ttcus.com/view-conference.cfm?id=143
The 11th Langkawi International Maritime and Aerospace ExhibitionDecember 6 - 10, 2011Mahsuri International Exhibition Centre
Langkawi, Kedah, Malaysiawww.lima.com
Next-Generation ISR Conference December 8 - 9, 2011 Washington, D.C. www.ttcus.com
Canadian Unmanned Vehicle Systems SummitDecember 12 - 14, 2011 Ottawa, Canadahttp://www.uvscanada.com
Special Operations SummitDecember 12 - 14, 2011Wyndham Tampa WestshoreTampa, FLwww.specialoperationssummit.com
Image Fusion SummitDecember 12 - 14, 2011Hilton Alexandria Mark CenterWashington, DC Metro AreaUSAwww.imagefusionsummit.com
December 14 - 15, 2011San Diego, CA http://www.ttcus.com/view-conference.cfm?id=149
Electronic Warfare Conference December 14 - 15, 2011Washington, D.C. http://www.ttcus.com/view-conference.cfm?id=144
JANUARY
DGI 2012January 23 - 26, 2012QEII Conference CentreWestminsterLondonwww.dgieurope.com
European Defence and Security 2012January 23 - 24, 2012Chatham HouseLondonhttp://www.defenseconference.com/?p=516
Joint Forces Simulation & TrainingJanuary 24 - 25, 2012Grange City HotelLondonwww.jointforcestraining.com
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Iran’s nuclear bomb?
Iran’s stint with nuclear programme isn’t new. Time and again, International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has expressed concern over its programme. IAEA believes that Iran is trying to build a nuclear bomb but the latter maintains that its nuclear activities are solely for civil purposes and it has no military nuclear programme. This time, however, IAEA has published a detailed 12-page annexe which talks about the various agencies and organisations alleged to have been in charge of this work before 2003. Also, under section, ‘Credibility of Information,’ the report mentions details about the material that has come into its possession and the origins of that material. This ranges from procurement data, information about international travel of key individuals, health and safety documentation, fi nancial records and so on. IAEA also claims to have acquired information from satellite imagery, open source research and materials provided by Iranians themselves during the agency’s routine monitoring work.
Image Courtesy: GeoEye, BBC
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Bushehr Nuclear Reactor
23 - 26 January 2012QEII Conference Centre,
Westminster, London
www.dgieurope.com
What do you have in common with these faces?
They’re facing the same challenges as youThey are just some of the heads of geoint speaking at DGI 2012:
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Captain Stephen Malcolm, Royal Navy
Jim R Hill, Director, Geospatial Intelligence Directorate, Marine Corps Intelligence Activity, USA
Dr Khalid Abdulrahman Al Hiddan, Director of GIS, Directorate of the Central Informatics Organization, Bahrain
Capt. Sean Malinowski, Commanding Offi cer Foothill Patrol Division, LAPD
Bert Tiems, Chief C2 and Operations Services, C3 Agency, NATO
Eliza Manningham-Buller, Former Head, MI5
Vice Admiral (ret) Robert B Murrett, Deputy Director, Institute for National Security and Counterterrorism (INSCT)
Oliver Rajan, Head of Brussels Offi ce, European Union Satellite Centre
Radm Kenneth Pugh, Director Naval Intelligence, Chilean Navy
Dr Omer Al-Eman, Arab Science & Technology Foundation
Paul Hancock, Director, Defence Geographic Centre, Intelligence Collection Group, UK MOD
Andy Marles, Chief Fire Offi cer, South Wales Fire & Rescue
Col. Mark Burrows, Commander, JAGO, UK MOD
Frank Colley, Assistant Secretary Defence GEOINT, Defence Imagery and Geospatial Organisation (DIGO), Australian DoD
Lt Col Pat Fryer, Section Head Geospatial Policy & Operations, SHAPE, NATO
Captain Kjetil Utne, Director, Military Geographic Service, NorwegianMOD
Major (Armement) Frédérick Herpers, Defence Procurement Agency (DGA), Engineering Projects Directorate, C3I Engineering UNIT, MOD France
Brig Jim Hockenhull, D ISTAR, Head Information Superiority Land Forces UK MOD
Vanessa Lawrence, CEO, Ordnance Survey
Col. John Kedar, Chief of Staff Headquarters Engineer in Chief (Army), UK MOD
Lt. Col. Neil Marks, NATO
Marlene Meyer, Head of Defence, Geospatial Organisation, Denmark
Steven Ramage, Executive Director, Marketing and Communications, Open Geospatial Consortium (OGC)
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