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Welcome to
your Digital Edition of New Modular Space Navigation Unit
Advanced CT Inspection and
Data Analysis
Designing for the Connected
Battlespace
Aerospace & Defense Open System Software for

Critical Applications
Technology
June 2021
From the Publishers of
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SIMULATION CASE STUDY
Ray optics
simulation for
inertial navigation
Aircraft and spacecraft require highly accurate tools for attitude
detection and control. Many modern inertial navigation
systems include ring laser gyroscopes. To better understand
how ring laser gyros work, you can study the fundamental
operating principle of these devices: the Sagnac effect. This
effect can be demonstrated using ray optics simulation.
learn more comsol.blog/ring-laser-gyros
The COMSOL Multiphysics® software is used for simulating designs, devices,

and processes in all fields of engineering, manufacturing, and scientific research.
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www.aerodefensetech.com June 2021
New Modular Space Navigation Unit

Data Analysis Last Chance to Enter!
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Design Contest. $25,000 top prize.
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Entry Deadline:
July 1, 2021
CreateTheFutureContest.com

Last Chance to Enter!
Reach new heights by entering your
bright ideas in the Create the Future
Design Contest. $25,000 top prize.
Entry Deadline:
July 1, 2021
www.aerodefensetech.com June 2021
New Modular Space Navigation Unit

Data Analysis
Designing for the Connected
Battlespace
Open System Software for

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Aerospace & Defense Technology
Contents
FEATURES ________________________________________
Military Aerospace Technology
4 Advanced CT Inspection and Data Analysis
Lasers and Optics
12 Designing for the Connected Battlespace
Aircraft Technology
16 Engineering an Aircraft Hydrogen Powertrain
Digital Design
22 Open System Software for Critical Applications
RF & Microwave Technology
26 Making Fully Digital Beamforming for Radar and Electronic
Warfare Applications a Reality
30 Defeating Commercial Drone Threats with Software Defined
Radio
AEROSPACE, SECURITY & DEFENSE TECH BRIEFS _____________________________________

32 Quantifying Eye Movement Trajectory Similarity for Use in
Human Performance Experiments in Intelligence, Surveillance,
and Reconnaissance (ISR) Research
33 Stochastic Surveillance and Distributed Coordination
34 Biobased Carbon Fibers and Thermosetting Resins for Use in
DOD Composites Applications
High-Reliable Components 36 Feasibility Analysis of UAV Technology to Improve Tactical
Surveillance in South Korea’s Rear Area Operations
Whether aerospace, security or defense
applications – Rosenberger is a qualified DEPARTMENTS ___________________________________
and trusted supplier of high-reliable 38 Application Briefs
components to these industries. A wide 46 New Products
48 Advertisers Index
range of connectivity products is manu-
factured in accordance with ESCC, ON THE COVER ___________________________________
MIL-PRF 39012, or DIN EN 9100. SENER Aeroespacial is developing a new navigation unit
for the VEGA-C launcher, a single body rocket designed
to launch small payloads into space. The navigation unit
Product Range uses a six-axis compass (position and attitude of the
launcher) to provide the rocket's position to the
■ RF coaxial connectors up to 110 GHz Guidance, Navigation and Control (CNG) system, being
developed by AVIO, to steer the rocket. To learn more,
■ RF & microwave components read the application brief on page 43.
■ RF microwave cable assemblies
(Image courtesy of SENER Aeroespacial)
■ RF test & measurement products
■ Fiberoptic interconnect components
www.rosenberger.com/aerospace
2 Free Info at http://info.hotims.com/79414-759 Aerospace & Defense Technology, June 2021

Advanced CT Inspection
and Data Analysis
C
omposite materials for aero- elegant functionality of a curved goes hand-in-hand with achieving busi-
space & defense continue on wingtip on an airliner or in the fewer, ness sustainability.
a path of market growth fu- thinner, winding fan blades of a GE9X
eled by tightening environ- engine—demonstrate an accelerating Advanced Design Needs Advanced
mental and economic targets. This freedom-of-form and utility that makes Inspection
trend is occurring alongside rapid inno- composites essential to the future. Aerospace manufacturers are experi-
vations in design, manufacturing, au- Rapid innovation and success in com- enced in visual, acoustic, ultrasonic,
tomation and cost reduction. posite design and manufacturing also and coordinate measuring machines
Although slowed by the global pan- means a required step-up in the tech- (CMM) for surface-dimension checks
demic, the increasing role of composites nology used to ensure that new designs and, more recently, radiographic-based
for many industries is, in fact, a fore- using enhanced production methods inspection methods. These are all tools
gone conclusion. More and more, com- are structurally sound. End-use safety in in the non-destructive testing (NDT) kit
posites performance—expressed in the aerospace is critical above all else and that can be called upon depending on
Figure 1. (Left) Near-vertical winglet of an Airbus A380 illustrates the design freedom carbon-fiber structures can achieve in pursuit of improved drag efficiency.
Image courtesy of Airbus. (Right) The GE9X is the company’s most quiet, fuel-efficient, clean-burning and powerful commercial aircraft engine to date. (Image
courtesy of General Electric)
4 www.aerodefensetech.com Aerospace & Defense Technology, June 2021

part complexity, time available, cost,

and the level of safety needed.
Relatively new to the field of com-
posite inspection is X-Ray Tomogra-
phy or Computed Tomography (CT).
This inspection approach, propelled
forward by significant advances in CT
analysis software, can look deeply into
materials of almost any kind, from
resin-fiber panels to aerospace alu-
minum. Revealing characteristics that
cannot be captured and visualized
with any other technology, these
three-dimensional inspections are the
foundation for trust in high-perfor-
mance, high-safety aerospace parts
Figure 2. (Left) Orientation analysis carried out on a glass-fiber-reinforced sheet-molding compound
and assemblies. (SMC). Each direction is coded by a certain color. This orientation data can be used to obtain fiber orien-
Why is this software technology tation distributions over the thickness to validate flow simulations and to provide reliable data for the
particularly important now? Aside structural simulation. Image courtesy of IAM-WK / KIT (Institute for Applied Materials/ Karlsruhe Institute
of Technology), Germany. (Right) Local orientation histograms of a woven fabric are shown in yellow. Using
from the intense economic pressures the principal orientations of these histograms allows engineers to measure the local shear angle of the
on the aerospace industry for effi- material after the draping process. (Image courtesy of Volume Graphics)
ciency and fast, early-stage successes,
both in design and production, new
material and manufacturing strate-
gies need to be fully quantified and
understood. More than ever, the tools
are ready to provide validation of de-
signs to their manufactured versions
at the end of (and increasingly even
during) production lines, as well as to
help predict the behavior of materials
and construction strategies in the
R&D stage.
State of Computed Tomography (CT)

Today’s CT analysis software has ben-
efited from giant leaps made in high-
performance computing and correspon-
ding development of powerful al go -
rithms and user-interfaces. Technical
challenges are much more easily
solved than even a few years ago. For
example, leading scan-data analysis
software can now peer into very com-
plex or dense materials to create high- Figure 3. Porosity (upper left and top images) and fiber orientation (upper right image) can be visualized
and quantified using a single CT-scan. Both results can be mapped onto a FE-Mesh (bottom-center image)
resolution, dimensionally accurate, to be used locally as inputs for the material modelling for structural analyses or in order to validate
3D volume (voxel) images and numer- process simulations. (Image courtesy of Volume Graphics)
ical analyses that address pressing en-
gineering questions. Programs exist as standalones or in a Any type of structure can be captured
Together, the numerical outputs and turnkey package that will analyze material and characterized against its design in-
color-coded, 3D images derived from density, orientation of reinforcement tent—from autoclave to additively man-
analysis software expose the microstruc- structures, internal defects (adhesive fail- ufactured hybrid composites. Templates
ture of composites, offering As-Designed ure, delamination, cracking, etc.) originat- can be created to rapidly and repeatedly
and As-Manufactured comparisons criti- ing from design and manufacturing flaws analyze part features and problems auto-
cal to quality, closed-loop inspections or overload, and strain patterns calculated matically. This includes porosity analy-
and the archiving of digital twin repre- from multiple scans of different states of a sis (e.g., the pore volume and distance
sentations at each point of creation. sample using digital volume correlation. from the surface); fiber and resin analy-

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Multiple volumes DVC
In-situ test F
Defect
detection Strain field
Model fitting/validation
Microstructure FE simulation
analysis
Orientation porosity,
F
volume fraction
Initial volume
Strain field
Figure 4. Mechanical in-situ testing combined with digital volume correlation (DVC) on samples or entire parts paves the way for full three-dimensional model val-
idation in order to see if the model is correct or if it should be adjusted (upper route). Moreover, the analytical process can be used as a crack-detection tool to
see where damage occurs. Mechanical and material engineers can do an entire microstructure characterization on the first volume of the unloaded sample and
then feed that data into finite element analysis (FEA) (bottom route), either to predict specific part behavior or to create a full comparative analytical model for
product validation. (Image courtesy of Volume Graphics)
sis for local fiber, fabric and roving ori-

entations; and derived statistics like ori-
entation histograms or orientation ten-
sors, fiber volume fractions, porosity
within the resin, and more.
All the scan data can undergo simula-
tion from outside FEA tools and be cap-
tured and used for material modeling
and structural simulations, helping to
build comparative models for R&D pur-
poses and component design. Where
appropriate, these analyses are even ap-
plicable for inline inspection (ILI).
Materials New and Old (CFRP to

Natural Fibers)
Polymer matrix compounds (PMC),
which include advanced carbon- and
glass fiber-reinforced plastics (CFRP and
GFRP), are the most common compos-
ite materials found in aerospace and de-
fense. Ceramic matrix composites
(CMC), made with long, multi-strand
Figure 5. Strain field of an in-situ test using a novel SMC-Material. The arising cracks are clearly visible and ceramic fibers, are also gaining recogni-
can be associated with the microstructure characterization, which can be carried out using the same data.
All results can be mapped on an FE-mesh to easily validate strain fields of FE-simulations. (Image courtesy tion for high-heat applications. They
of IAM-WK / KIT (Institute for Applied Materials/ Karlsruhe Institute of Technology), Germany) exhibit excellent crack and fracture re-

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GLARE® in Upper Advanced cabin CFRP Floor Beams High performance KBE design
Fuselage materials for Upper Deck cutting CFRP J-Nose
CFRP Outer Flaps
New Al-alloys
CFRP Vertical
Tail Plane
CFRP Horizontal
Tail Plane
LBW, Lower Fuselage
CFRP
Electron Beam Welding Section 19.1
CFRP center wing box CFRP CFRP Rear Pressure CFRP

More & New Ti-material Wing Ribs Bulkhead Section 19
Figure 6. As seen above, composite materials of various types make up approximately 50 percent of modern aircraft structures. (Image courtesy of Airbus)
sistance as well as strong thermal be- Glass Laminate Aluminum Rein- tions to address specific, desired per-
havior. All-in-all, there is a wide selec- forced Epoxy (GLARE), a material found formance envelopes. Of course, each
tion of materials and structural strate- in the outer shell of the Airbus A380, is new material and microstructure com-
gies that are being deployed within certainly a hybrid success story. After bination brings new mechanical behav-
aerospace to custom match material be- considerable research and iteration, the iors. These conditions must be well un-
havior to application goal. company, among others, proved that it derstood early-on in the R&D space.
Hybrid composite materials, for in- is possible to skillfully combine very dif-
stance, are under considerable study in ferent individual materials to achieve R&D and Production Inspection
aerospace to help advance performance high-strength and stiffness at low den- R&D and prototype production is
within the larger goal of lightweighting. sity while also suppressing potential where CT analysis first helps quantify
Although their design and production crack growth. performance and yield, defect types and
method may at times be similar to tradi- Such applications reinforce the need rates, and quality-inspection states re-
tional layup structures and curing ap- for 3D-scanning, visualization, and data lated to both design instances and vari-
proaches, they can be composed of in- analysis to understand if combinations ations that may occur in manufactur-
organic nano/micro materials and of materials were distributed appropri- ing. Because of inner part complexity
particulates, along with organic sub- ately and perform as intended. Re- and increasing economic emphasis on
stances such as flax, hemp and cotton searchers need ongoing information automation and production output, un-
fibers. The pressure is on with organic about the reinforcement distributions derstanding what happens in the
fibers to improve the environmental vi- and orientations involved and how to Process Event, as well as in design, is
ability of composites. Recycled poly- control manufacturing outcomes. particularly important to composites.
mers can be reinforced with natural With past successes in hand and com- Porosity, delamination, and cracking, to
fibers to both improve material behav- petitive challenges ahead, universities name a few conditions, are some of the
ior and reduce their carbon footprint, and industry R&D labs are exploring problems that can result from process
research shows. new and existing material combina- settings and their innate variables—not

Typical Capabilities of Advanced CT-Scan

Data Analysis Software:
• Calculate local fiber orientations and generate statistics
such as orientation tensors, or histograms locally or
globally per mesh-cell, and linear over-the-material
thickness.
• Display local fiber orientation in color code or as
vectors or tensors in 3D.
• Detect porosity within a material – either in the matrix
or the reinforcement.
• Determine local volume fractions of the reinforcing
phase for all kinds of composites.
• Measure the cell size and elongation of foams for each
cell or use the same analysis to quantify highly filled
particle-reinforced composites or powders.
• Calculate displacements and strain fields with the
digital volume correlation by comparing multiple CT-
scans carried out during in-situ tests.
• Compare in-situ datasets at multiple load states for a
robust crack detection.
• Import FE meshes from any FE software to map
microstructure information or strains measured by
in-situ testing directly on the mesh.
just design flaws. Advanced inspection software can capture

these pre- and post-production states for review.
Following the R&D and prototype-production stage, suc-
cessful composite designs and process plans move to full man-
ufacturing, where CT analysis software can serve either in
batch or inline inspection. The frequency of these CT inspec-
tions depends on the use case and mission-critical nature of
the component. For critical part areas—mating and joining
points on large, connected surfaces, or for post-installed high-
stress geometries—CT inspection can be applied via robotics.
In this way, the most critical areas of even large surfaces are
inspected for maintenance or suspected situational failures
such as a bird strike or other stress contacts.
The Future of CT-Scan Data Analysis in Aerospace

The numerical and visual outputs from CT analysis software
will continue to improve and make reporting easier and prob-
lem solving faster in R&D, production and aerospace and de-
fense ground operations. Automation is sweeping design,
manufacturing and inspection, providing improving costs
and performance for all facets of composites creation. CT
analysis specifically will help protect R&D and production in-
vestments, and capture life-cycle knowledge from field serv-
ice. This will aid in advancing composite safety and business
viability in the aerospace industry.
This article was written by Pascal Pinter, Product Manager, Ma-
terial Research & Development, Volume Graphics (Charlotte, NC).
For more information, visit http://info.hotims.com/79414-500.
Aerospace & Defense Technology, June 2021 Free Info at http://info.hotims.com/79414-764 11

Designing for the
Connected Battlespace
F
or as long as there has been war- and backward compatibility between lethality of an enemy, air and surface
fare, military field commanders new and legacy platforms, between fires alternatives, all conspire to de-
have tried to extend their range services and agencies, and networked in mand new information and facilitate
of vision, gather and interpret real-time between the space layer, the real-time decisions. Some decisions,
critical intelligence, and gain strategic aerial layers, the ground layer, and even such as which weapons to use and
and tactical advantages through real- to the sub-surface layer. where to use them to counter the
time, uncompromised communications. threat, are literally life or death.
The modern (and future) battlespace Soldier as a System This challenge requires an electronic
is a complex, interconnected, multi- For example, at the ground layer, the architecture connecting sensor systems
variable, real-time labyrinth of data ac- ‘Soldier as a System,’ as defined by the designed to collect, detect, process, and
quisition, interpretation, digestion, and U.S. Army, is the idea of networking sol- respond to radiation signatures spread
distribution in spectrum-based opera- diers and integrating network nodes not over a wide area of the electromagnetic
tions – all aimed at instant decision- typically accessed by soldiers. Variables spectrum. On-platform (or on-soldier)
making for the soldier. on the battlefield such as incoming fire, sensors include hyperspectral imagers,
Military systems directed at sensing possible points of attack, topography, laser warning sensors and spectral tag-
and information processing for ex- size, location, and ging, tracking, surveillance sensors,
ploitation by tactical commanders must helmet-mounted ultra-low-light sen-
confront significant bandwidth and sors, weapon sights, wearable com-
size, weight, and power (SWaP) con- puters, and handheld devices
straints. Bandwidth is a particularly with interactive digital maps.
consternating battlefield problem; When presented in an ac-
varied platforms require tionable format, this data al-
inter operability lows new intelligence
PRESSLAB/Shutterstock.com

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Lasers and Optics
distant future because there just isn’t that

much of the spectrum available, and the
more and more people that jump in on it,
the more congested it is, and the more dif-
ficult it is to work within it. We all end up
interfering with each other.”
What Does This Mean for the

Electronics Manufacturing Industry?
The ever-scaling need to drive faster
signals from the chip through the car-
rier, the printed circuit board, the as-
sembled module, and out to the infinite
users requires solutions to the con-
tributing signal loss factor at every level
of the electro-metallic pathway. Other-
wise, signal loss will ultimately impede
the required system-level performance.
The Connected Battlespace will provide warfighters with a wide variety of wireless sensors that allow With growing limitations in electrical
instant access to information otherwise delayed or denied by legacy interoperability problems. chip-to-chip communications at the
board level, emerging technologies por-
and real-time decision-making for the Dr. Bruce Jette, Assistant Secretary of tend mitigating these issues.
soldier. Army, Acquisition, Logistics and Tech- Carbon nanotubes are now emerging
One layer higher, the ‘network of net- nology, articulated the bandwidth prob- for high-speed electron transport and
works’ that govern the integrated bat- lem this way: can achieve ultra-high-frequency tran-
tlespace and attach to the military’s “I have eight targets and four enemy ve- sistor technology compatible with
Global Information Grid (GIG) require hicles. Which ones are the best ones to Complementary Metal Oxide Semicon-
high-performance computing and com- shoot? Or does everyone have to decide on ductor (CMOS) technology. For elec-
munications in the terascale – and soon their own? Or could I have an A.I. program tronics manufacturing, that demands a
the exascale – ranges. that is looking at all eight vehicles seen and decided shift toward far smaller pack-
The Connected Battlespace concept decide how I would distribute fire most ef- ages akin to multi-chip modules
enables decisive action using a global fectively? It would be an A.I. program on (MCM’s) and system-in-package (SiP)
network that connects command and top of an A.I. program.” solutions, rather than the ubiquitous
control (C2) nodes, analysts, and A.I., and the hardware needed to op- printed circuit board (PCB) footprints
warfighters with a wide variety of wire- erate it, requires significant increases in that typical assembly lines were de-
less sensors that allow instant access to bandwidth to accommodate data densi- signed to accommodate. Electronics
information otherwise delayed or de- ties, signal speeds, and the need for manufacturers need to invest in tech-
nied by legacy interoperability prob- unassailable data distribution, any- nologies that enable production of
lems. Access to bandwidth has been a where, on-demand, in real-time. In a these micro-scale modules now to make
critical limiting factor when it comes to separate article by Lauren C. Williams the promise of the Connected Battle-
informing soldiers operating in roles of in FCW: The Business of Federal Tech- space a reality.
command and control. The bandwidth nology, Steve Tourangeau, VP for elec-
bottleneck is a growing obstacle as not tronic warfare strategy at Warrior Sup- Photonic Interconnects May Drive
only the quantity of data increases, but port Solutions, a research and analysis the Most Significant Efficiencies
the number of ways the data is being consulting firm, saw the bandwidth The concept here is to allow chip-to-
evaluated and used is also increasing. problem this way: chip communications to occur at on-
Artificial Intelligence (A.I.) is one such “We didn’t talk across the services and chip speeds and scale the intra-chip
tool that is highly valuable, but it re- talk across industry. So, what we ended up densities by orders of magnitude. Using
quires bandwidth. A.I. is increasingly doing is putting in the field these jammers metal, the physical limitations of the
being used to evaluate data and create that stopped the bombs from going off, but materials in which the electrons are
instant information-sharing between they also prevented us from communicating managed create a myriad of ‘crossed
soldiers, commanders, and remote assets because they were all working within the wire’ problems. Using photonics,
to provide tactical and strategic advan- same frequency… how do we both operate greater densities of signals can be gener-
tages for individual soldiers and vastly within the same portion of the spectrum ated even if they cross over one another
improve their prospects for survival. without interfering with each other? in operation.
In a recent article by Kris Osborn in “This question is something that we’re On-platform sensors and off-platform
her online publication Warrior Maven, going to have to figure out in the not-too- communications systems are crucial for

Lasers and Optics
establishing situational awareness in Manned & Unmanned

the battlespace and managing ultra- Satellite Airborne Assets
high data rates in the networked battle- • Advanced Global Positioning

Systems
• On-board secure wireless
networking
field. On-platform systems include the • Transmit/receive modules • Tactical radios
ability to create, distribute, and digest

data running between sensors, radars,
storage, and processor configurations.
The signal paths between these ele-
ments need to operate with extremely
high demands for speed and integrity,
then be transmitted off the platform to
facilitate real-time decision making.
Metallic interconnect in this realm is
self-limiting due to the physical limita-
tions of wires and pitch.
Ground Vehicles Tactical Operations Center
Photonics Offer an Alternative for • Millimeter wave phased

array antennas
Dismounted Soldier • Super computing to support
artificial intelligence
Next-Generation Military Platforms. • Location and condition
sensors
• Manpackable SATCOM
receivers
• Advanced encryption and
routing
Imagine a next-generation, semi - • Advance radar systems • Body-worn connectivity • Ground-based satellite
• Augmented reality displays receivers and routers
autonomous UAV platform with a flat
hyperspectral imaging sensor and a A high-level illustration of elements in the connected battlespace.
suite of other surveillance devices, all
interlinked using silicon photonic laser is supplying much of the energy. models where the next military systems
processors that generate light beams en- The mirror is very small and light, em- are going. Developing a complete man-
coded with harvested imagery. The ploying micro-electro-mechanical sys- ufacturing infrastructure beyond metal-
processors are attached to flex and rigid tems (MEMS) in conjunction with the lic interconnect won’t happen over -
printed circuits containing planar poly- processors along the signal path. The night. But with the right investment,
mer waveguides to carry the light signal photonic system’s weight can be meas- these technologies usher in the ability
toward optical storage units. A modula- ured in grams, reducing the overall to facilitate a new era of strategic and
tor encodes the sensor data. On-de- platform weight and allowing the UAV tactical advantages in the Connected
mand, a ground-based laser is aimed at to gain economies in loitering time, Battlespace unlike any the world has
a corner-cube mirror mounted on the scope of intelligence gathering, and seen before.
UAV and retrieves the data in real-time fuel costs. This article was written by Steve DeWaters,
from that element. That example, along with the prom- Application Development Manager, Bench-
The power required for the UAV is ise of carbon nanotube technology and mark (Tempe, AZ) For more information, visit
minimal because the ground-based an ever-shrinking electronic package, http://info.hotims.com/79414-501.
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Engineering an
Aircraft Hydrogen Powertrain
Z
eroAvia’s journey into the craft capabilities intact by using effi- pressed gas hydrogen storage. Liquid
world of the hydrogen power- cient and non-efficient fossil-fuel tur- hydrogen brings about a two to three
train began with a mission to bine engine performance metrics as a times increase in energy density, which
decarbonize one of the most benchmarking tool for peak hydrogen is close to the density of jet fuel. In five
challenging sectors in existence due to performance. years, ZeroAvia expects liquid hydrogen
the complexities in recreating the syn- As a physicist and pilot (both fixed- storage to become safety-qualified in air-
thesis of chain reactions that aircraft wing and helicopter), I started ZeroAvia craft, allowing achievement of 1,000+
require to fly securely with hydrogen because I wanted to work with engi- mile ranges in even larger aircraft.
fueling. Currently, the balance of en- neers to move the needle towards zero-
gine-triggered events that power, heat, carbon aviation. To do this, we needed Engineering Methodology
pressurize, and so forth is not necessar- to target a significant existing segment. Multiple engineering disciplines are
ily the result of the high-efficiency per- That means relatively larger aircraft (10- needed to create both the physical hy-
formance of fossil fuels. Yet, aircraft 20 seats) for a relatively long distance drogen powertrain and the avionics
use engine inefficiencies to fill other (500 miles). The most practical way to suite that powers the engine. This re-
needs such as thermal management. do this anytime soon is via hydrogen quires full awareness of the system's
One of the most significant challenges fuel cells, which are currently about physical principles throughout the
in designing an effective hydrogen four-times more energy-dense than the team, right down to every technician.
powertrain system is keeping the air- best available batteries, even with com- ZeroAvia uses a rapid prototyping tech-

nique that has proven to be highly ef-
fective in meeting targeted deliverables.
We’ve achieved flight milestones and
become the only hydrogen company
with working hardware. The engineer-
ing teams focus on tangible demonstra-
tions and push to create physical com-
ponents, which helps the team learn
through action. The engineering teams
use 3D printing for custom parts and
balance between precise modeling (as
often as possible), empirical characteri-
zation, and iteration.
Communication is one of the critical
building blocks of rapid engineering.
The team commonly does three engi-
neering standups a week with an even
distribution across mechanical compo-
nents, hardware, and software. Engi-
neering teams are purposely kept small
to maintain agility, and each group is
loaded with cross-functional represen-
tation that includes mechanical, soft-
ware, and hardware engineers along ZeroAvia’s current program includes a six-seat Piper M Class aircraft.
Aerospace & Defense Technology, June 2021 www.aerodefensetech.com 17

Aircraft Technology
with dedicated technicians. Teams lean

Our Vision: Renewably-Powered on a waterfall methodology at the
Hydrogen-Electric Aviation highest level of the project and then
use a hybrid agile method when tack-
ling internal group design and devel-
SUN
AIRFLOW O2
opment tasks. This hybrid develop-
THRUST
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HYDROGEN
ELECTRIC
prototyping protocol that requires a
ELECTROLYZER
MOTOR
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HYDROGEN H2
massive amount of elasticity when it
HYDROGEN TANK
QUICK REFILL
comes to completing the necessary
project tasks needed to drive the test-
WATER
VAPOR
ing phase.
H2O
PHOTOVOLTAIC FIELD
WATER
Challenges in Decarbonizing the
Aviation industry
Besides ZeroAvia’s efforts, there are
currently many valiant efforts under-
Long Range, Lower Costs & Zero Emission way worldwide to create sustainable so-
The concept of renewably powered hydrogen-electric aircraft. lutions for the aviation industry. Some
of the most significant obstacles include
meeting the intense fuel demand that
the commercial aviation space requires
and determining an approach to gener-
ate enough power that does not disrupt
air vehicles’ intricate weight sensitivity
parameters.
Biofuel and battery-powered aircraft
have significant roadblocks that impede
their progress in becoming a complete
fossil-fuel replacement for the aviation
industry. The amount of biofuel needed
to keep the entire aviation industry run-
ning would dramatically increase nitro-
gen oxide (NOx) emissions and com-
pete with the scarce resources needed
for farming; meanwhile, batteries (in-
cluding lithium-ion) have 40-times
lower energy density in comparison to
jet fuel.
ZeroAvia’s hydrogen aircraft powertrain Even if you do decide to go the hydro-
gen route, you must still deal with the
heaviness of compressed hydrogen
tanks. The best way to do this is to lever-
age a hydrogen-electric powertrain's
higher efficiency, develop lightweight
composite gas tanks, and create evapora-
tively cooled liquid hydrogen tanks with
30%+ mass fractions to exceed jet fuel
energy density per kilogram of the entire
fuel system. Through this example, you
can begin to see how hydrogen-electric
powertrains have a clear advantage over
all other alternative propulsion types be-
cause there are no blockers, and second-
ary issues can be leveraged similarly to
what is already taking place with jet
Engineers work on ZeroAvia’s hydrogen powertrain. fuel-powered turbines.

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Aircraft Technology
This is a critical component missing

from battery-electric systems because
batteries must generate more power
dedicated to performing separate ther-
mal functions.
Safety Protocols and Redundancy

Far lower probability of failure and
less severe consequences of engine fail-
ure are among the many perks that
come with flying a hydrogen-powered
aircraft for the following reasons:
• Electric propulsion is inherently more
reliable and has a small number of
moving parts.
• Hydrogen tank integrity is superior to
any liquid fuel tanks in use today. It's
crash-resistant and has been tested by
firing high-caliber guns at the tanks.
• Hydrogen is an ultra-light molecule,
which dissipates very quickly if
A technician works on ZeroAvia’s hydrogen powertrain. leaked, unlike liquid fuels.
Hydrogen is harder to ignite than
most fuels and has a 500-degree celsius
ZeroAvia HARE (H2 Airport Refueling ECO System) auto-ignition temperature, compared to
just 210 degrees celsius for jet fuel. Even
if it ignites, hydrogen flames emit much
less radiative heat in comparison to jet
fuel. This results in a decreased proba-
bility of a secondary fire.
ZeroAvia’s powertrain has full redun-
dancy built into all major components,
On/Near-site Renewables On-site Electrolysis On-site storage & mobile refueling such as stack, balance of plant, motors,
and inverters, and is dual redundant per
Hydrogen
prop, and engine unit. Failure of any
fueling one component results in only a 25%
support for loss of power. Refueling is also simpli-
multi-modal
transport
fied, resulting in minimal operator
schedule disruptions.
ZeroAvia’s Hydrogen Airport Refu-
elling Ecosystem (HARE unit) is a mo-
ZeroAvia’s H2 Airport Refueling Ecosystem (HARE) bile hydrogen refueling solution con-
taining a re-deployable modular
Powertrain Technology ZeroAvia’s powertrain technology e lect rolyzer, compressor, and a dis-
A longtime bottleneck in progressing utilizes surfaces of the aircraft for ther- pensing truck. Transfer pumps move
sustainability within aviation has been mal management through actions such hydrogen from the temporary storage
attempting to create entirely new aircraft as coupling the cooling channels to section to a 500 bar storage container
equipped for hydrogen-powered flight. wing surfaces. This can be done because onboard the fueling truck. ZeroAvia's
Although this will need to happen for of the significant surface area planes HARE refueling truck stores 60kg of hy-
long-haul widebody aircraft at some have compared to ground vehicles, drogen at 500 bar and refuels planes at a
point in the future, the powertrain tech- higher airspeed, and lower ambient 350 bar target vehicle pressure in under
nology that ZeroAvia has engineered will temperature. Bleed air from the fuel cell ten minutes.
be a drop-in replacement for existing compressor can be used for de-icing,
turbine engines in smaller airplanes up similar to today's turbine engines, and Milestones Prove Why Hydrogen
to 20 seats. The powertrain matches bleed air valves have the capacity to Always Wins
mounting points and supports pre-exist- catch compressed air and mix it with This past September, ZeroAvia com-
ing weight and balance configurations. cool air for cabin temperature control. pleted the U.K.’s first-ever commercial-

Aircraft Technology
scale battery-electric flight in June 2020

and the world’s first hydrogen fuel cell
commercial flight in September 2020. Powertrain Timeline
ZeroAvia is aiming for commercializa- FIRST
tion as early as 2024 for flights up to a COMMERCIAL
OFFERING *NM = Nautical Mile
500-mile range in aircraft containing
up to 20 seats. By 2026, they intend to
Urban air mobility 100-200 seats 200+ seats
run flights over a 500-mile range in air- EVTOL 2,000 NM range 5,000+ NM range
craft with up to 80 seats, and by 2030
over 1,000-mile range flights in aircraft 2023 2025 2027 2030 2035 2040
10-20 seats 50-100 seats 200+ seats
with over 100 seats. The company cur- 500 NM range 1,000 NM range 3,000+ NM range
rently has approximately 15 letters of

intent from mainly regional airline
companies.
The impact of the existential crisis
that the coronavirus pandemic un-
earthed and the changing of the guard ZeroAvia’s powertrain timeline
in the U.S. government has recently pro-
pelled the commercial aviation industry way, and the aviation sector has vowed mainstream momentum is moving to-
to take critical steps towards zero-carbon to play a large role in this movement. wards this truth.
aviation. California has even added avi- Hydrogen will continually have the ad- This article was written by Valery Mif-
ation to the qualifying list for low-car- vantage over battery-electric systems, takhov, Founder & CEO, ZeroAvia (Hollis-
bon tax credits; meanwhile, the United turbine electric, biofuel, synthetic fuel, ter, CA). For more information, visit
Kingdom’s green recovery is well under- and hydrogen-turbine propulsion, and http://info.hotims.com/79414-502.
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Open System Software
for
I
t’s no secret that bringing a novel idea for a Not So Fast
safety-critical application from concept to There are a few issues with OSS for critical applica-
market can take a ton of time, dedication and tions, some easier to remedy than others. Take the op-
smarts, along with a whole lot of luck. Since erating system, for example. Standard Linux does not
it’s initially uncertain the idea will even work, a have real-time capabilities. The development of Real-
proof of concept (PoC) seems a logical place to start, Time Linux in the form of the PREEMPT_RT patch rep-
focusing specifically on science while other consid- resents the Linux foundation’s answer to those con-
erations like the rigorous traceability requirements cerns, but questions remain about its suitability for
to comply with standards can be worried about far hard real-time applications when alternatives may
down the road. need to be sought. In addition, it has yet to be refined
With budgets likely tight, and software considered to a point where it can be merged into the mainline
more a means to an end, using an open-source soft- Linux kernel.
ware solution would be logical, even in the more Here’s where things get even trickier. Many projects
safety- and security-critical aerospace & defense in- must adhere to functional safety standards to achieve
dustry. Open-source software (OSS) can be down- compliance and civilian standards continue to gain mo-
loaded for free within minutes, and there’s an inter- mentum in defense applications. For example, the de-
net full of advice, support and guidance. Sounds like facto standard for software development in commercial
a fool-proof plan, right? avionics software and other airborne systems,
Jetstream Rider/Shutterstock.com

Digital Design
RTCA/DO-178C “Software Considera-

tions in Airborne Systems and Equip-
Requirements traceability ISO 26262-4:2018 ISO 26262-4:2018
Compliance
ment Certification,” is of increasing rele- TBmanager® section 6 section 7
System and management
IBM® Engineering Requirements Management Technical safety
vance for military applications, as is DOORS® Family concept item Integration
Testing
Intland codeBeamer® ALM
adherence to ISO 26262 “Road Vehicles – Jama Connect™
Atlassian® Jira®
Functional Safety” for automotive vehi- SIEMENS PLM Polarion® ALM™
ISO 26262-6:2018 ISO 26262-6:2018
PTC® Windchill®
cles. Each lays down a development life- Systemite SystemWeaver®
section 6 section 11
Testing of the
Test verification
Specification of TBvision®
ReqIF™
cycle that is managed to ensure rigor in Microsoft® Word & Excel
software safety
requirements
embedded
software
TBrun®
terms of quality assurance, configuration

management, change management and Model based development ISO 26262-6:2018 ISO 26262-6:2018
section 10
Integrated and model
IBM® Engineering Systems Design Rhapsody® section 7 driven testing
verification/validation: MathWorks Simulink® Software
architectural
Software
Integration TBvision®
Ansys SCADE and
• Quality Management: At the heart of Sparx Enterprise Architect
design verification
any critical system is a robust quality Automated unit testing

TBrun®
Static analysis
management process. As a generaliza- Quality metrics ISO 26262-6:2018
section 8
ISO 26262-6:2018 LDRAunit®
Coding standards compliance section 9 TBextreme®
tion, quality management within an TBvision®
Software unit
design and Software unit
verification
LDRArules® implementation
open-source software development LDRAcover®
environment tends to be less rigid. Programing standards
checking and metrication
Even so, compliance with a standard TBvision®
LDRArules®
such as ISO 9001 ensures only that the
quality of product is repeatable, not Figure 1. Traditional sequence for the application of an automated tool chain to the ISO 26262 process
necessarily high. guidelines.
• Change Management: The downside
of anyone being able to fix bugs as
they are found in open-source devel-
opments is that it bypasses formal Software interface is exposed at function scope…
change control processes.

• Configuration Management: Typi- … allowing user to enter inputs and expected outputs...
cally, both open-source projects and
more traditional developments use a
repository (e.g. Git, SVN) that provides
a controlled environment for the latest
development version and for builds,
candidates and actual releases.
• Verification and Validation (V&V):
A key problem area for mission-critical … and the tool suite uses that data within
software is in the V&V activities. The a test harness, which is compiled and
executed on the target hardware
safety case requires evidence to sup-
port the argument that the software is
fit for purpose; that is, it meets the
documented requirements.
In common with many sector specific Figure 2. Performing unit test with the LDRA tool suite.
functional safety standards, ISO 26262,
for example, describes a V-model for au- community, perhaps because the guide- (ELISA) open-source project to help
tomotive developments (Figure 1). lines themselves are not open source. companies “build and certify Linux-
This requires traceability of the re- The net result is that you can develop based safety-critical applications and
quirements through the full lifecycle, application software of exemplary qual- systems whose failure could result in
verification and validation of the de- ity in line with the functional standard loss of human life, significant property
sign, and verification and validation of of choice. However, if your operating sys- damage or environmental damage.”
the implementation. These stages are all tem doesn’t also achieve that level of While the project is backed by signifi-
difficult to achieve when adopting quality—and just as importantly, doesn’t cant supporters such as Arm, BMW and
open-source solutions. provide evidence of that quality—then Toyota, it’s still in its early stages, so un-
In addition, functional safety stan- your system cannot be compliant. fortunately not immediately helpful for
dards typically recommend adopting any current development projects.
coding standards such as the popular Introducing ELISA, a Future Solution
guidelines described by MISRA. Empirical Long faced with this conundrum, the One-Shot Adoption
evidence suggests that adoption of such Linux foundation in 2019 launched the Right now, an open-source operating
guidelines is rare within the open-source Enabling Linux in Safety Applications system cannot be used, uncontrolled

Digital Design
of any changes to the base package,

which should be introduced only
Irrelevant: through a managed change-control
Architecture The implementation has no features in common with the architecture specification
Specification Integration process.
(so the question of conformance does not arise).
The traditional application of formal
Consistent: test tools is illustrated in the ISO 26262
The implementation has some features in common with the architecture specification,
and those common features are implemented in accordance with the specification. ‘V’ model diagram. A team facing the
However, some features in the architecture specification are not implemented, and the task of building a standards-compliant
implementation has other features that are not covered by the specification.
application on an open-source operat-
Compliant: ing system will be required to follow a
Some features in the architecture specification are not implemented, but all features more pragmatic approach not only be-
implemented are covered by the specification, and in accordance with it.
cause the code already exists, but be-
Conformant: cause the code itself may well be the
All the features in the architecture specification are implemented in accordance with the only available detailed “design docu-
specification, but some more features are implemented that are not in accordance with it.
ment.”
In general, for a library or a driver,
Fully Conformant:
There is full correspondence between architecture specification and implementation. All that might be a practical proposition.
specified features are implemented in accordance with the specification, and there are no But for a safety-critical application, will
features implemented that are not covered by the specification.
such a development team really want to
Non-Conformant:
spend their time reverse engineering an
Any of the above in which some features in the architecture specification are implemented operating system?
not in accordance with the specification.
A Pragmatic Solution for Today
In a proof-of-concept development,
Figure 3. The Open Group’s illustration of architecture compliance and conformance. the use of Linux in some form or an-
other is almost inevitable. What hap-
pens after that depends primarily on
timescales. How long will the develop-
ment take? And when will ELISA be
ready?
Portability is one of the major ad-
vantages of any Portable Operation
System Interface (POSIX) compliant
development. Even when application
development moves from a sandbox
“hack it and see” approach to a for-
mally documented, compliant devel-
opment lifecycle, that makes it practi-
cal for even an extended development
team to continue to leverage Linux.
This includes performing all the verifi-
cation and validation activity de-
manded by the functional safety stan-
dard of choice, including requirements
tracing, the applications of coding
standards, unit test (Figure 2), and
structural coverage analysis.
Eventually the product has to be
readied for market. If ELISA is deployed
by then, the road ahead is clear. If not,
Figure 4. Impact analysis of changing requirements with the LDRA tool suite. there are several POSIX conformant,
commercially available RTOS such as
and incrementally, within a mission- veloped software package (e.g. a library those from QNX and Lynx that are cer-
critical project. However, this does not or driver) in that it should be consid- tified for use. In principle, it is then sim-
mean that OSS cannot be used at all. ered as Software of Unknown Pedigree ple to recompile the application with a
Linux is an open-source package no (or SOUP) with a full V&V process ap- single licence for a commercial RTOS of
different from any other externally de- plied to it—and reapplied in the event choice, re-run the dynamic analysis

Digital Design
tests in the new environment, and go to ELISA, but if not, the portability in- and when the time comes to port the
market. herent in POSIX offers an option for application from the OSS to a stan-
To make this practical, consider these the transition from PoC into a certifi- dards-compliant alternative.
two points early in the project: able project. This article was written by Mark Pitch-
• POSIX compliance and confor- Making that a practical proposition ford, Technical Specialist, LDRA (Wirral,
mance: Figure 3 highlights the possible requires careful use of POSIX features, UK). For more information, visit
degrees of subtle mismatch between and a seamless mechanism for retest if http://info.hotims.com/79414-503.
“compliance” and “conformance”, cap-
turing the blurring of boundaries be-
tween what is defined by the POSIX Your FPGA development
specification and what is implemented
in practice.
begins with Opal Kelly
This raises questions about as-
sumed portability. For example, if
you’ve developed a system deploying
an RTOS that includes non-confor-
mant features, any change of RTOS is
likely to involve at least a partial
rewrite.
Now suppose that your original
system used a fully POSIX-confor-
mant RTOS and your selected re-
placement is conformant, but not
fully conformant. How can you be
sure the new OS implements all of
the features leveraged in the code
base?
• Fully automated test and require-
ments traceability: “Re-run the dy-
namic analysis tests in the new envi-
ronment” is something of a throwaway
phrase, but if all of those tests have
been performed by manual means,
then even if things go smoothly there
could be considerable overhead im-
plied.
Now suppose that the shift to the
certified RTOS of choice has necessi-
tated a partial rewrite. Keeping track of
any implications for requirements, de-
sign and test could easily become a
project management headache at ex-
actly the time in the project when it is
least welcome.
Ensuring a fully integrated, auto-
mated approach to test and require-
ments traceability can minimize that
impact, making the identification of
necessary retests easy and their execu-
tion a simple matter of rerunning
them.
Right now, using open system soft-
ware like Linux for the most safety-
critical applications is not an option,
but that doesn’t mean it can’t be
used when developing the applica-
tion. This might all change with
Aerospace & Defense Technology, June 2021

Making Fully Digital Beamforming

for Radar and Electronic Warfare
Applications a Reality
W
hile the basic physics of mately 12 mm (0.47"), leading to half- how RF designers can overcome the
beamforming were first wave spacing for antennas of 6 mm challenges associated with designing a
identified more than a (0.24"). And the denser the array, the fully digital array that can be used for
century ago, it wasn’t until more important it is to be able to steer military applications.
the past two decades that advances in beams to avoid interference, especially
supporting technology enabled the when transmitting signals. A Brief Overview of Beamforming
rapid expansion of the types of applica- This article provides a brief over - Options
tions that can take advantage of this view of how the technology used in- Over the years, beamforming tech-
technology. side arrays, such as passive compo- nology has evolved signifi-
As early adopters of beamforming nents, has evolved to allow for cantly. Config-
technology in the 1960s, aerospace the possibility of fully
and defense organizations have a lot of digital beamform-
experience using the initial large-scale ing today
active electronically scanned arrays and
(AESAs) for military radar tracking ap-
plications. As a result of the innova-
tions led by military organizations for
several decades, commercial applica-
tions such as weather detection and
radio broadcasting were able to benefit
from the use of beamforming tech-
nologies as well.
But today, the operational frequen-
cies of the targets of interest are increas-
ing. As a result, the wavelengths of
these signals are shorter, which means
the density of the array is increasing
since antenna spacing needs to be
set at one-half the wavelength. For
example, at 25 GHz, the wave-
length in free space is approxi-

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Mr Joe Vanderpoorten,
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MI A
SMI DT a
ADT add.iindd
n dd 1 5/18/21 12:13 PM
S
means multiple beams can be simul-

Analog Digital taneously acquired and transmitted,
Digital beamforming beamforming improving dynamic range. This op-
baseband phase shifters baseband ADC LNA tion typically uses more power and
Antenna 1 Antenna 1 costs more to configure than an ana-
ADC LNA
Antenna 2 Antenna 2
log option.
: A common compromise today that
: : :
: : offers more flexibility than an analog
Antenna M Antenna M option but reduces costs versus a fully
N: number of ADCs N: number of ADCs
digital option is a hybrid beamforming
M: number of antennas M: number of antennas approach that uses subarrays of analog
N=1, N<M N=M beamforming, followed by a digital
Analog Beamforming Digital Beamforming combination of the subarray signals;
for example, there may be one ADC in
place for every four or 16 elements.
Digital Analog
beamforming beamforming This hybrid approach is popular for ap-
baseband phase shifters plications where digital beamforming
ADC LNA
Antenna 1 is desired but fully digital beamform-
:
: Antenna p ing may not be practical due to size,
: : : power, or cost constraints.
: : :
Antenna q
:
: Antenna M Fully Digital Beamforming — A Good
Fit for Emerging Military
N: number of ADCs Applications
M: number of antennas
N<M As the signals the military is inter-
Hybrid Beamforming ested in monitoring are evolving to
higher operational frequencies, there
Figure 1. The key differences among analog, digital, and hybrid beamforming are the number of ADCs in are a number of benefits that can be
place compared to the number of antenna elements and where the beamforming takes place. achieved by using fully digital beam-
forming for some applications. First,
to make when thinking about the best multiple simultaneous beams can be
Material Dielectric ~Wavelength at
25 GHz (inches) beamforming technology for your ap- detected and transmitted since beams
Constant
plication including the number of can be split in multiple directions at
PTFE 2.1 .327 beams required, power dissipation, and the same time. Plus, if you want to
budget. change the direction of antennas in the
FR-4 4.8 .217 The diagram in Figure 1 provides a array when sending or receiving sig-
simplified overview of the key differ- nals, that can be done much faster
Alumina, 9.9 .150
ences among these three beamforming since each antenna is individually con-
99.6%
approaches by showing the RF path to trolled through software.
PG 12.5 .134 the single amplifier and ADC pairs. Additionally, dynamic range is im-
More specifically, with analog beam- proved as more ADCs are added to an
CF 25 .094 forming, one ADC is used for the entire application and when the ADC is
CG 67 .059 array. This means that adjustments to moved closer to the antenna element,
the array with a simple software like it is in a fully digital array. For ex-
This table shows how wavelength and dielectric rewrite for all the antenna elements is ample, if an array has 256 antenna el-
constant are inversely proportional. limited to the functionality of what ements and each element has its own
that single ADC can do. Multiple ADC, the dynamic range is 256 times
urations have changed from traditional beams can be supported but a phase greater than it would be in the same
large analog applications to a hybrid adjustment channel is needed for each analog application that has one ADC
digital/analog approach and to the in- additional beam, which will typically for all 256 elements. Therefore, detec-
troduction of fully digital arrays in the increase costs and power consumption. tion is more flexible and powerful,
past decade. While digital beamforming Analog beamforming is generally a meaning more signals can be detected.
is opening a new range of possibilities good fit for low-cost, low-power, low- Finally, since the job of each an-
for phased array technology, it doesn’t beam-count systems. On the opposite tenna element is software-defined,
mean all phased array applications end of the spectrum is fully digital each element can be individually con-
should make the shift to digital. In- beamforming, which has a dedicated trolled and tuned, which means one
stead, there are multiple considerations ADC for every antenna element. This system can be used for multiple mis-

sions. When one array can serve as a company that has the knowledge to multi-function devices that can save space
multi-function device with antennas seamlessly integrate multiple passive while also receiving Ka-band signals.
pointing in different directions, a components into a single circuit, the This article was written by Peter Matthews,
radar system can monitor for signals miniaturization of passive RF compo- Senior Technical Marketing Manager at
coming from multiple directions. nents to enable fully digital beamforming Knowles Precision Devices, Cazenovia, NY.
Therefore, the limited space in some is possible. Thus, military applications For more information, visit http://info.
environments, like on a ship, can be can use array technology to develop hotims.com/79414-509.
used more efficiently while also
achieving more comprehensive radar
coverage.
While these benefits make it clear
that digital beamforming is an excel-
lent option for military applications,
the physical size constraints for the
electronics and passive components
needed behind every radiating ele-
ment — especially for high-frequency
applications — make these systems
challenging but not impossible to de-
sign. Let’s take a quick look at how to
overcome these challenges today.
Addressing Size Constraints in

Arrays Using Fully Digital
Beamforming
Implementing fully digital beam-
forming means you need to integrate
small form factor yet high-perfor-
mance passives such as filters, capac- No Boundaries!
itors, and resistors. Recent advances
in substrates — such as the develop- When engineers need resistors for critical missions in a no-replace
ment of GaN — have made it possible environment like Mars, they choose State of the Art. We are aboard
to make these systems much smaller, three Mars orbiters: Odyssey, MRO, and Maven. We are aboard four
more affordable, and more light- rovers: Pathfinder, Spirit, Opportunity, and Curiosity, with another
weight. The table shows the relation-
rover to be launched in 2020. And we are aboard the InSight lander
ship between dielectric constant and
wavelength at 25 GHz for three com- that is studying the interior of the planet. Working toward a manned
mon dielectric materials, as well as mission to Mars, NASA chose State of the Art resistors. Whose
three custom substrates developed by resistors will you choose for next mission?
Knowles Precision Devices (PG, CF,
and CG).
In addition to the substrate innova- Mission Critical?
tion enabling development of much Choose State of the Art resistors.
smaller passive components, parts
such as amplifiers and ADCs have
rapidly become more powerful and
inexpensive as the commercial world State of the Art, Inc.
has pushed these technologies with RESISTIVE PRODUCTS
the expansion of LG, LTE, and now Made
5G. Therefore, unlike the past when in the
th USA.
the commercial world leaned on the
innovations of military and aerospace
entities, the military can now take ad-
vantage of these commercial tech -
nologies.
With the evolution of high K di-
electrics and by selecting to work with a

Defeating Commercial Drone Threats with Software Defined Radio
I t’s nearly impossible to look at tech-

nology news without seeing an article
about drones. Whether detailing how
defeat threats. These systems use both ac-
tive and passive radar and many leverage
optical verification. Defeat methods vary
these can be quite disruptive to friendly
forces and can compromise a stealth op-
eration — not to mention dealing with
Amazon wants to use drones to deliver from nondestructive communication in- regulatory obstacles in many countries.
packages or revealing amazing aerial terception and GPS jamming to using de- Making a single defense system adaptable
video of automated drones following structive countermeasures such as muni- to target the wide range of C2 disruption
Olympic snowboarders, commercial tions or directed high-power lasers. methods is a considerable challenge.
drones are becoming ubiquitous. Drone First, how do you keep pace with
emergence has benefited many applica- Key Technology Challenges technological evolution and field new
tions including sports broadcasting and Every year, newer, more intelligent threat countermeasures quickly? Be-
wildlife preservation wilderness surveys. commercial drones offer increasingly cause traditional long Department of
Offering powerful, intelligent soft- more sophisticated command and con- Defense (DoD) program development
ware, drones are becoming less expen- trol (C2) and navigation systems. Today, cycles may be incompatible, many sys-
sive and easier to use, with substantial it’s not uncommon for a drone to have tems have moved to commercial off-
operating range. As with any disruptive active object avoidance and auton - the-shelf technology for faster deploy-
technology, drone operation often at- omous modes. When a drone isn’t ment so that system designers can focus
tracts bad actors looking to exploit the under direct pilot control, it makes C2 on the threat instead of hardware im-
capability for less-than-noble objec- countermeasures difficult; thus, it is plementation.
tives. Some reports have shown uncommon to disrupt or deny GPS with Second is the question of mobility:
manned commercial drones being used either spoofing or jamming. While base protection is important,
for unwanted surveillance and even dis- Drones with active remote piloting many military operators need to deploy
rupting commercial airspace, as seen re- offer a variety of communication meth- an effective countermeasure solution on
cently in the United Kingdom. ods ranging from basic analog modula- vehicles in remote areas. Many times,
Fortunately, many strive to counter tion to highly secure digital links with en- they lack the luxury of a vehicle with
these bad actors by developing drone de- crypted commands. Traditionally, you the capacity to house a full-scale radar
fense systems. Most drone defense sys- might consider using a legacy high- system that includes cameras and de-
tems leverage technology to detect and power jamming technique; however, structive countermeasures. Mobile sys-
USRP X310 test with drone.

SkySafe rugged drone defense enclosure with NI

USRP X310.
SkySafe drone defense system mounted on a military vehicle.
tems must maintain stealth and a long
operational life on mission; thus, it To combat both technology evolution To solve for form factor and ruggediza-
often comes down to size, weight, and and SWaP challenges, SkySafe built its tion, the SkySafe solution repackages the
power (SWaP). Choosing a platform system on commercial software defined USRP X310 into a sturdy, vehicle-mount
that can go from prototype to deploy- radio (SDR) technology from NI (Austin, enclosure. Environmental protection
ment and meet SWaP and radio per- TX). By combining NI SDR with open- and system hardening have been a part
formance standards is important. source software, SkySafe can rapidly of the SkySafe design from the outset,
adapt to evolving threats by simply de- and NI’s support in adapting the USRP
The SkySafe Drone Defense Solution ploying new algorithms, which reduces X310 was key to meeting SkySafe’s envi-
SkySafe is a US-based company with the time and cost to deploy new capabil- ronmental requirements.
the mission to deliver nondestructive ities. Key to the SkySafe solution’s effec-
drone defense and airspace control solu- tiveness is its proprietary innovative Conclusion
tions. By applying advanced radio engi- software radio algorithms. Drones are useful technology; how-
neering and deep threat analysis, the The SkySafe drone defense system ever, some seek to exploit the technol-
company provides comprehensive air- uses the NI brand Ettus Research USRP ogy with bad intent. Defending against
space awareness and control solutions X310 SDR, the GNU Radio open- this new threat presents both techno-
to military, public safety, and commer- source software community, and the logical and regulatory challenges. As
cial customers. RFNoC, a flexible FPGA framework. regulations evolve, most drone defense
The SkySafe solution employs nonde- The USRP X310 is designed for adapt- development targets military applica-
structive countermeasures by disrupting ability, making it perfect for a rapidly tions. The SkySafe system built on NI
the C2 and navigation systems of many developed, highly adaptable, low- SDR technology has been proven to
common threats. Additionally, SkySafe power mobile application. According meet both the pace of threat evolu-
software can intercept navigation down- to Scott Torborg, SkySafe CTO, “The tions and form factor requirements
link reports and passively display drone National Instruments Ettus Research with the USRP X310 and open-source
locations to an operator in real time. As USRP X310 is the only commercially software.
regulatory space is evolving, SkySafe has available SDR with the openness and This article was written by Scott Torborg,
focused on military drone defense ap- raw RF and DSP capabilities to meet CTO, SkySafe, San Diego, CA. For more in-
plications and delivered solutions under the needs of this rapidly evolving formation, visit http://info.hotims.com/
DoD contract. drone threat.” 79414-515.

Tech Briefs
Quantifying Eye Movement Trajectory Similarity for Use in

Human Performance Experiments in Intelligence,
Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR) Research
Using ScanMatch, a Matlab software package, to determine the similarity of two strings of eye track-
ing data provides useful background and recommendations for potential applications in Intelligence,
Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR) research.
Air Force Research Laboratory, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio
T he performance of persons who watch

surveillance videos, either in real-time
or recordings, can vary with their level of
jectory morphologies. However, there
are a variety of applications where this
comparison can be useful to ISR research:
• Attention; and even
• Inattention blindness.
Fixation and saccade locations can
expertise. It is reasonable to suppose that • Comparing eye scanning movements serve as markers for attention because
some of the performance differences before and after critical events, such as where an analyst is looking on the
might be due, at least in part, to the way detecting a target; screen is often highly correlated with
experts scan a visual scene versus the way • Comparing scanpaths between two dif- what he or she is attending to. However,
novices might scan the same scene. For ferent analysts; highly correlated does not mean per-
example, experts might be more system- • Comparing scanpaths of analysts over fectly correlated with conscious atten-
atic or efficient in the way they scan a time (e.g. early in the day vs. later in an tion, as a well-known inattention blind-
scene compared to novices. Even within analyst’s shift); ness study by Drew, Vo, and Wolfe
the same person, video surveillance per- • Comparing scanpaths across different (2013) demonstrates. In their study, ra-
formance can vary with factors such as fa- surveillance tasks; diologists examining an X-ray often fix-
tigue. Again, differences in the way their • Comparing scanpaths in simple versus ated on a gorilla figure embedded in the
eyes scan a scene might account for some complex surveillance scenarios. X-ray and made repeated backtracks or
of the differences. Full Motion Video This research explores some common re-fixations to it but did not consciously
(FMV) “Eyes-on” intelligence analysts, in metrics for quantifying the similarity be- notice the anomaly. Inattention blind-
particular, actively scan video scenes for tween two eye movement scanpaths, with ness and associated re-fixation and
items of interest for long periods of time. an emphasis on the Matlab toolbox Scan- backtrack patterns are important in un-
To better understand the characteris- Match. ScanMatch is a Matlab package derstanding ISR analyst performance.
tics of scanning behavior of Intelligence, that computes a similarity score between Among the rich variables that are col-
Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR) two scanpaths. Both experiments involv- lected in eye tracking data, one that
analysts, it is important to track eye ing pseudodata with known conclusions centers on the temporal aspects of fixa-
movement characteristics. It is relatively and experimental data from Piaseki tion patterns but whose analysis is fre-
simple to model eye characteristics over (2016) were analyzed using ScanMatch. quently neglected due to its complexity,
time such as pupil dilation or eyelid In research on human analyst perform- is the scanpath. A scanpath is defined
opening over time. It is also common to ance in ISR tasks, it is useful to collect eye by the temporal sequence of point-by-
characterize different types of eye move- tracking metrics of analysts as they per- point (x,y) screen coordinates of where
ment over time. form search operations. In particular, in- a person is looking on the screen. The
However, when it comes to making formation about fixations and saccades accompanying figure shows three ex-
comparisons between two sequences of (i.e., the jumps from one fixation to an- ample notional scanpaths, although the
eye data, it is much more challenging other), has been useful for yielding infor- temporal direction is not shown. At a
and by default, most commercial eye mation regarding: minimum, scanpaths encompass at
tracking systems do not come equipped • Workload; least one full fixation-saccade-fixation
with analytic measures of comparing tra- • Fatigue; sequence. Clearly, scanpaths capture
Sample Plot A Sample Plot B Sample Plot C
the fixation, re-fixation, and backtrack
0 200 400 600 800 1000 1200 1400 0 200 400 600 800 1000 1200 1400 0 200 400 600 800 1000 1200 1400
patterns that reveal an analyst's atten-
0 0 0
100 100 100 tion, conscious or otherwise.
200 200 200
300 300 300
This work was done by Dr. Mary E. Frame
400 400
500
400
500 500
for the Air Force Research Laboratory. For
600
600
700 700
600
700
more information, download the Techni-
800 800
900
800 cal Support Package (free white paper) at
900 900
1000 1000 1000 www.aerodefensetech.com/tsp under
Three sample plots of scanpath data. The leftmost image (Plot A) is highly similar to the scanpath of Plot B, but the DAQ Testing & Sensors category.
is highly dissimilar from the scanpath of Plot C. All 3 plots are made with an identical number of raw gaze points. AFRL-0303

Tech Briefs
Stochastic Surveillance and Distributed Coordination

Designing fast and unpredictable motion strategies for robotic surveillance agents in complex environ-
ments using Markov chain modeling and optimization methods.
Air Force Research Laboratory, Arlington, Virginia
T his research focused on robotic sur-

veillance in complex environments
via autonomous vehicles. The chief aim
on digraphs. The closed-form expression
for the expected meeting time was ob-
tained and the minimization problem
optimization problem was formally
studied and validated the performance
of projected gradient algorithms for this
was to design fast and unpredictable for the expected capture time for a pur- problem. The algorithms were validated
motion strategies for surveillance suer/evader pair was set up and studied. on basic and random graphs and on a
agents. The technical approach focused On the topic of unpredictable strate- publicly available dataset describing
on Markov chain modeling and opti- gies, two notions of entropy for robotic crime statistics in San Francisco.
mization methods. motion were proposed. First, the prob- The Matlab and Julia implementations
For the setting of faults or randomly lem of maximizing the entropy rate gen- of the proposed algorithms were distrib-
appearing intruders, quickest detection erated by a random walk was studied. uted in an open source "RoboSurv” li-
algorithms were proposed and the so- That showed the equivalence to a semi- brary available on GitHub. The research
called hitting time of both a single and definite program for reversible chains. also provided partial support for work by
multiple Markov chains were computed Next came the introduction of a novel the PI on a network systems book and a
and optimized. For example, the meet- concept of unpredictability based on the few related topics, including synchro-
ing time between a pursuer and evader average entropy of the return time vari- nization in pulse-coupled oscillators,
performing random walks was analyzed ables at the environment locations. This graph-theoretic small gain theorems for

Tech Briefs
positive and monotone systems, capture properties, relaxations and coordina- with entropy-rate constrains, i.e., de-
strategies for 3D reach-avoid games, and tion strategies defined via the theory of signing unpredictable fast searchers;
collective cell migration. Markov chains and random walks. This 5) Designing and characterizing search
In designing efficient surveillance, in- technical approach is based on a com- strategies for randomly moving
formation gathering, and coordination bination of tools from the study of evaders; and
strategies for robotic networks in dy- Markov chains, convex optimization, 6) Defining, analyzing and optimizing
namic environments and applying them dynamical systems, distributed algo- an appropriate notion of group Ke-
to DoD scenarios, it could be argued that rithms, robotic coordination, and net- meny constant (i.e., a mean first pas-
sensor scheduling, motion planning and work systems. The research effort on sage time for multiple walkers),
coordination algorithms for surveillance stochastic surveillance can be articu- thereby designing multivehicle sur-
and anomaly detection is a crucial objec- lated via the following tasks: veillance policies.
tive. The key technological challenge is 1) Characterizing optimal stationary This work was done by Francesco Bullo
how to search an area in a persistent distributions, i.e., deciding where to of the University of California, Santa Bar-
manner, with minimal average time to focus the search efforts; bara for the Air Force Research Laboratory.
detection, with unpredictable trajecto- 2) Computing optimal reversible Markov For more information, download the
ries and with optimally partitioned chains via convex optimization; Technical Support Package (free white
workload among multiple assets. 3) Computing optimal non-reversible paper) at www.aerodefensetech.com/tsp
The key scientific subject is the study Markov chains on lifted spaces; under the Unmannaed Vehicles & Ro-
of optimization criteria, convexity 4) Computing optimal Markov chains botics category. AFRL-0304
Biobased Carbon Fibers and Thermosetting Resins for Use

in DOD Composites Applications
The use of biological resources to make advanced fibers and high-performance thermosetting resins
will help reduce the dependence of military composites on the volatile cost of petroleum, result in sig-
nificant technological gains, and reduce toxicity of composite materials.
Army Research Laboratory, Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland
T he goal of this research is to ex-

plore the use of renewable re-
sources derived from plants and other
sources to prepare high-performance
carbon fiber and thermosetting matrix
resins with high-strength and high-
thermal resistance. The scientific ob-
jectives of this work are to 1) develop
methods for breaking down, modify-
ing, and processing renewable re-
sources to make epoxy resins, vinyl
resins, and carbon fibers and 2) deter-
mine structure-property relationships
for these novel materials.
Bacteria can successfully decompose
lignin into useable structures for the
formation of small filaments that might
be able to be converted into carbon
fibers. Approximately 300 strains of Various weapons platforms that use composite materials including the Apache helicopter, the high-mobility
bacteria that decompose lignin were multipurpose wheeled vehicle, Stiletto, F-22, and USS Radford.
identified, and some have the potential
to make lignin into fiber-forming Lignin was chemically fractionated to been used successfully in carbon fiber
oligomers, including newly identified alter its molecular weight distribution development. These methods include
species of Serratia. However, scale-up of and alter its usefulness for separating acetylation and methacrylation, and
this process proved problematic and un- chemically modified lignin. Various separation strategies were developed to
feasible for completion in this project. chemical modifications of lignin have produce carbon fiber precursors. Both

Tech Briefs
melt- and solution-spinnable lignin- lignin-based carbon fibers is not favor- formance while reducing hazardous
based fibers were produced. Thermo-ox- able due to the recent reduction in cost emissions. The isosorbide-based viscos-
idation and UV curing were successful of PAN-based carbon fibers. ity reducer and lignin-based reactive
stabilization methods for these fibers. Numerous biobased resins were de- diluents are promising for scale-up and
Carbon fibers were produced from a veloped, including epoxies, vinyl esters commercialization. Biobased lignin-de-
few types of lignin and chemically mod- (VEs), unsaturated polyesters (UPEs), rived resins have been identified with
ified lignin. The resulting mechanical and polyurethanes, many with excel- high-bioatomic efficiency that are
properties were relatively poor, but lent properties that can be used in good for the lower end of high-perfor-
there are obvious steps that need to be high-performance polymers, compos- mance composites and most coatings
taken to improve these properties. Elec- ites, and coatings applications. Lignin- applications. Furan epoxies are very
trical conductivity of these fibers ranged based cross-linkers have been prepared promising with good thermomechani-
from moderately conductive, similar to that have performance similar to that cal properties and very high toughness,
that of polyacrylonitrile (PAN)-based of bisphenol A cross-linkers while hav- making them excellent candidates for
fibers, to highly conductive, indicating ing significantly reduced toxicity. composites and coatings applications.
a significant graphitic content. The Isosorbide methacrylate was also devel- Higher-performing UPE resins have
highest mechanical properties were oped with the highest ever transition also been developed using isosorbide
achieved for lignin-based carbon fibers temperature of greater than 250°C for a as an additive or component, but the
by stretching the fibers during process- VE system. feasibility for scale-up is low due to the
ing, resulting in modulus of 35 GPa, This work has produced numerous long reaction times required. Lifecycle
strength of 1 GPa, and elongation to reactive diluents and viscosity reducers analysis of these resins shows that
failure of 3%, significantly exceeding for VE and UPE technology based on many of these renewable technologies
the state of the art in lignin- based fatty acids, lignin, and isosorbide that have lower or similar cost relative to
fibers. However, lifecycle analysis of the will maintain or increase polymer per- commercial resin technologies and,
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The first step in process improvement freedom in any orientation from a single set-up
Improving the static and dynamic performance of with our XM-60 multi-axis calibrator or perform
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© 2020 Renishaw plc. All rights reserved.

Tech Briefs
thus, have high potential for commer- reducing hazardous emissions, and re- Reno, Richard Wool, Fengshuo Hu, Eric
cial transition. ducing the toxicity of high-performance Hernandez, Donghun Koo, and Giuseppe
This work has benefited the Depart- polymers and fibers. Palmese for the Army Research Laboratory.
ment of Defense by developing fibers This work was done by John J. La Scala, For more information, download the
and resins to reduce reliance on petro- Joshua Sadler, Faye R. Toulan, Anh-Phuong Technical Support Package (free white
leum-derived materials, developing ma- Lam, Christopher Annunziato, Amod paper) at www.aerodefensetech.com/tsp
terials with properties unachievable Ogale, Meng Zhang, Annel Greene, Steven under the Manufacturing & Materials
using petroleum, offering solutions to Chambers, Joseph Stanzione III, Kaleigh category. SERDP-0003
Feasibility Analysis of UAV Technology to Improve Tactical

Surveillance in South Korea’s Rear Area Operations
Using experimentation and analysis to determine the optimum characteristics of an improved unmanned
aerial vehicle (UAV) that can cost-effectively be used as a battalion-level countermeasure to solve prob-
lems in the Korean rear area operations caused by the Republic of Korea’s military structure reform.
Naval Postgraduate School, Monterey, California
T he Republic of Korea’s (ROK) De-

fense Reform Plan addressed the
transformation of the ROK military MOE 1 DP 58
120
structure by a significant military per- 114.73
Number of Classified NK SOFs
110
sonnel reduction. The decreased num- MOE 1 threshold : 108 NK SOFs
100
ber of forces in the ROK Army (ROKA)
will cause significant issues in covering 90
the force’s area of responsibility. In par- 80

ticular, the ROK rear area forces will 70
have more difficulties in carrying out 60
ROKA’s rear area operations (RAO).
50
As part of the efforts to address these
40
problems, the Korea Ministry of Na-
tional Defense decided to strengthen the 30
battlefield visualization capability of 20

each echelon by distributing the new 10
hand-launched Remoeye-002B to battal- 0 $592,524
ion-level units and division-level KUS-9 $- $500,000 $1,000,000 $1,500,000 $2,000,000 $2,500,000 $3,000,000 $3,500,000
DPs meet both MOEs’ threshold DPs do not meet both MOEs’ threshold DPs with 1 UAV set Cost
to division-level units. However, the dis-
tribution of these unmanned aerial vehi-
cles (UAV) is limited to the frontline Figure 1. Relative Efficiency Frontier (for Measures of Effectiveness 1).
forces; distribution to the rear area forces
has still not been achieved due to the Automata (MANA), an agent-based simu- tioning tree analysis assist in examining
Korean military’s budget constraints. lation software platform. It first exam- 260 options. In addition, a relative cost
This feasibility analysis allows the ines the effects of deploying Remoeye- analysis identifies the most cost-effective
ROK to determine the optimum re- 002B at the battalion level in the Korean design option.
quired operational capability (ROC) of rear area. Applying computer experimen- The simulation results of the scenario
the UAVs for the Korean RAO. Since tation in a terminal high-altitude area with no UAVs show that there is a need to
there is an insufficient amount of infor- defense (THAAD) scenario provides in- strengthen the ISR capabilities of the
mation and studies related to the uti- sights to the intelligence, surveillance, ROKA rear area forces. The deployment of
lization of UAVs in the ROK military, in- and reconnaissance (ISR) capabilities Remoeye-002Bs to rear area forces results
sights from this research will serve as a that the force requires. Advanced experi- in significant improvements on RAO, but
guide to acquisition strategies of future mental designs efficiently explore single Remoeye-002B capabilities are insufficient
UAVs for supporting Korean RAO. and combined characteristics of a UAV to support Korean RAO. Thus, the need
In order to get the proper ROC, this re- that can best improve the surveillance was found for procuring a more capable
search uses Map Aware Non-Uniform mission. Regression analysis and parti- UAV than Remoeye-002B.

Tech Briefs
To get the proper ROC, more com- impact on the Korean RAO. The conformance as two or more sets of UAVs
puter experimentation results were an- tour plot showed that purchasing just with lower sensor capabilities. The par-
alyzed. The linear regression indicated one set of UAVs with a higher sensor tition tree analysis identifies that there
the number of UAV sets has the largest capability could result in the same per- are six design options, which meet the
operational goals by using a single UAV
MOE 2
3500
set. In addition, a cost estimation on
Time Steps ( 1 time step = 5 seconds)
the total price of the system repre-

sented for all 260 options was per-
3000
formed. A relative cost analysis found
that these six design options are the
2500
most cost-effective options. Among
them, design point (DP) 58 is the
2000 cheapest at $592,524. It also has high
mission success probability of 98.8%.
1500 Therefore, it can be concluded that DP
MOE 2 threshold : 108 minutes
(=1296 time steps) 58 is the best design option for rear area
1000 forces (Figure 1 and Figure 2).
736.35
This work was done by Sangbum Kim for
500
the Naval Postgraduate School. For more in-
DP 58
formation, download the Technical Sup-
port Package (free white paper) at
0 $592,524
$- $500,000 $1,000,000 $1,500,000 $2,000,000 $2,500,000 $3,000,000 $3,500,000 www.aerodefensetech.com/tsp under the
DPs meet both MOEs’ threshold DPs do not meet both MOEs’ threshold DPs with 1 UAV set Cost
Unmanned Vehicles & Robotics category.
Figure 2. Relative Efficiency Frontier (for Measures of Effectiveness 2). NPS-0017
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Application Briefs
Vertical Takeoff and Landing Drone

Martin UAV
Plano, TX
214-559-7352
https://martinuav.com
M artin UAV, an advanced aviation technology manufac-

turer in the United States, announced its selection and
further participation in the Army Expeditionary Warrior Ex-
periment (AEWE), which assesses advanced technologies in
support of the U.S. Army modernization efforts, including the
Army’s six modernization priorities.
For AEWE, Martin UAV deployed and demonstrated its
newly upgraded version of the V-BAT, the V-BAT 128, show-
casing increased power, payloads and endurance. Among the
V-BAT 128’s enhancements are updates to the engine with in-
creased horsepower, 11 hours of endurance, higher ceiling
(20,000' MSL) and interchangeable payloads (25 lbs not in-
cluding fuel weight) for mission-specific requirements. The
improved version of the V-BAT maintains its current small the Army’s primary venue for Small Unit modernization, pro-
VTOL footprint to launch, transport and operate. viding capability developers, Cross Functional Teams (CFTs),
Founded in 2015, Martin UAV and the V-BAT aircraft is PEO's, Army Science and Technology (S&T) community, and
best-known among government agencies for the organiza- industry a repeatable, credible, rigorous operational experi-
tion's work with the Department of Defense, supporting the ment supporting both concept and material development.
Army, Marines and, most recently, the United States Southern Martin UAV is a private, advanced technology company
Command's (SOUTHCOM) enhanced counter narcotics oper- based in Plano, TX. The company specializes in building
ation in the Eastern Pacific. wholly unique, unmanned aircraft systems and associated
AEWE assesses Cross Domain Maneuver (CDM) concepts flight control software. The company’s systems are commer-
and capabilities at the lower tactical echelon in support of cially developed to fill critical operational needs in tactical
Multi Domain Operations (MDO). The Experimentation Force and confined operational environments. Its V-BAT aircraft is
(EXFOR) will employ mutually supporting lethal and non- the only single-engine ducted fan VTOL that has the ability to
lethal capabilities across multiple domains (air, land, space, launch and recover from a hover, fly over 11 hours in hori-
and cyberspace), the electromagnetic spectrum, and the infor- zontal flight, and make mid-flight transitions to “hover &
mation environment to create a synergistic effect that in- stare” at any time throughout a given mission set.
creases relative combat power and provides overmatch. It is For Free Info Visit http://info.hotims.com/79414-466
Anti-Drone Jammer
Netline Communications Technologies Ltd. as over deployed military forces, over strategic facilities, or in
Tel Aviv, Israel VIP protection arenas, whether on the move or stationary.
+972-3-6068100 Easy to operate, assemble and transport, the DroneNet RD
www.netlinetech.com jammer can be quickly deployed, mounted on a tripod mast,
by a small tactical operating team.
N etline Communications Technologies Ltd., a company

that specializes in developing and manufacturing high-
end electronic warfare and spectrum dominance systems for
The DroneNet solution provides a multi-layered response
to unauthorized drones. First, the DroneNet DF sensor de-
tects the drone trying to enter protected airspace, identifies
defense forces and homeland security agencies, has unveiled its type and the location from which it has arrived on the
its new DroneNet RD Jammer, a rapid deployment (RD) tacti- scene. The new SDR-based RD jammer then effectively jams
cal drone jamming solution that meets the US military stan- communication between the drone and its operator on ISM
dards (MIL-STD) and offers superior performance and fast, bands, as well as the GPS signal used by the drone.
easy deployment, while being very compact. Providing coverage of all relevant frequency bands used by
The DroneNet RD Jammer is the latest addition to the commercially available drones, each of its five bands ad-
DroneNet family of comprehensive solutions designed to pre- dresses a different communication channel used by the drone
vent unauthorized drones entering protected airspace, such for a different purpose:

Application Briefs Rod Ends and
Spherical
Bearings designed
and manufactured to
Aurora’s exacting
standards for quality
and durability.
Registered and Certified

to ISO_9001 and AS9100.
From economy commercial
to aerospace approved,
we’ve got it all!
• Disabling the drone’s control & telemetry channel, resulting

in loss of control over the drone;
• Blocking the video downlink transmission;
• Jamming the GPS signal to disable the drone’s navigation
and stabilization capabilities. Aurora Bearing Company
901 Aucutt Road
Compact and rugged, the new DroneNet RD jammer has com- Montgomery IL. 60538
pleted military standards qualification testing and is now ready to
complete library of CAD drawings and 3D models available at:
support operations in harsh weather conditions. The system can
be supplied with either directional or omni-directional anten- w w w. a u r o r a b e a r i n g . c o m
nas. If required, more complex arrays can also be provided, such
as mounted rotating directional antennas or switched antennas.
Such installations can significantly increase energy efficiency
and jamming power when combined with a direction-finding
capability, either from Netline’s DroneNet system or from an ex-
ternal source via the Application Programming Interface (API).
Netline Communications Technologies Ltd. develops, man-
ufactures and supplies high-end electronic warfare and spec-
trum dominance solutions for the world’s leading defense
forces and homeland security agencies. The company special-
izes in EW counter-IED systems, counter drone solutions (ve-
hicular, portable, tactical and for fixed installations), military/
insurgency communication jamming, prison communication
control, and intelligence solutions.
Netline's equipment has been battle proven, with hundreds
of units operating 24/7 under harsh environmental condi-
tions, protecting ground troops and forces, and supporting law
enforcement and homeland security agencies worldwide.
For Free Info Visit http://info.hotims.com/79414-467
Multi-Sensor Electro-Optic Platform

Silent Sentinel
Hertfordshire, UK
+44 (0) 1920 871734
https://silentsentinel.com
B ritish surveillance company, Silent Sentinel, has been

awarded a significant contract to supply a bespoke multi-
sensor electro-optic platform for leading defence manufacturer
Rheinmetall Canada’s latest Unmanned Ground Vehicle (UGV).
Silent Sentinel’s platform will have full integration capabilities

Application Briefs
for the Rheinmetall Mission Master – Armed Reconnais-

sance Autonomous Unmanned Ground Vehicle (A-UGV),
which is an important part of Rheinmetall’s UGV range.
The program is currently ongoing with the first units of
Silent Sentinel’s platform already deployed and opera-
tional. Silent Sentinel are anticipating further deliveries of
their product by the end of 2021.
Silent Sentinel’s offering includes a dual Electro-
Optic/Infra-Red camera payload, a laser range finder
and a panoramic full ring camera that provides 360°
surveillance, all on one Jaegar pan and tilt unit. This
contract is the first for Silent Sentinel in this area as
they continue to push into the unmanned sector. As
the demand for high-quality electro-optics grows, Silent
Sentinel is filling much of that void by providing ad-
vanced and easily integrated systems that can be
adapted and utilized in all scenarios. cooled long-range thermal camera platforms, with products
Silent Sentinel has confirmed that they will be providing exported to over 50 countries worldwide.
through-life support for their platforms, which will be manu- Based in Hertfordshire, UK, Silent Sentinel is a manufac-
factured at their site in Hertfordshire. This partnership will turer that designs, manufactures, and supplies advanced sur-
also have the added benefit of sustaining the current 50- veillance and security systems. They manufacture a range of
strong Silent Sentinel workforce, which has grown continu- cooled and uncooled thermal cameras, HD/4K visible cam-
ously throughout the year despite the Covid-19 pandemic. eras, and offer an array of the latest technologies to create be-
Silent Sentinel is a well-established provider of surveillance spoke products for their customers.
and security systems, specializing in both cooled and un- For Free Info Visit http://info.hotims.com/79414-469
Through-Wall Imaging System

Camero-Tech Ltd.
Kfar Netter, Israel
+972 73 7172333
www.camero-tech.com
C amero-Tech, an SK Group member and company

that specializes in developing, producing and mar-
keting pulsed-based UWB micro-power radar ‘Through
Wall Imaging’ systems – is launching its Xaver™ LR80
(XLR80) system, which enables detection of live objects
behind walls, at distances of over 100 meters. This new
capability provides a breakthrough operational advan-
tage in a hostile environment.
Special forces and law enforcement teams conducting
urban and rural operations require reliable information re-
garding hidden live objects to determine the most suitable
approach to ensure successful missions and the saving of
human life. Penetrating through walls from a remote loca-
tion, the XLR80 creates an unprecedented, real-time situa-
tional awareness picture of whether there are people pres-
ent beyond the wall, and if so, how many, their exact
distance and their direction of movement. The system is also playback for post-mission analysis, training and debriefing. A
highly sensitive for detecting unseen micro movements of static dedicated sight is used for accurately directing the narrow beam
live objects. Being able to achieve these capabilities, and the high of the system to the target. The system can be operated by a sin-
sensitivity, is a game changer in various operational scenarios. gle user and it is ready for use by a push of a button.
Controlled by a tablet with a simple user interface for intuitive “For the first time, the operator in the field has the ability
interpretation, the XLR80 features integrated data recording and to see through walls at such long distance,” says Amir Beeri,

Application Briefs
CEO of Camero. “We have developed unique technology on activities, hostage rescue, anti-narcotics operations, and many
which the XLR80 system is based. An innovative Ultra-Wide- other urban operations and missions.
band (UWB) sensor supported by patented algorithms and sig- The XLR80 is completely radiation safe and meets interna-
nal processing, provides the user with real time situational tional standards for human exposure. Founded in 2004 and
awareness while staying safe at more than 100 meters away headquartered in Israel, Camero (Camero-Tech Ltd.) is a pio-
from the target.” neer in the development and manufacturing of radar-based
The new XLR80 system is the latest addition to Camero’s imaging systems. Camero’s resources draw on decades of expe-
Xaver™ family of products, which includes the Xaver™ 100, rience in providing solutions to major government and com-
400 and 800 and has been successfully deployed by customers mercial customers. The Xaver™ line of through-wall imaging
around the world in military, law enforcement, intelligence systems is currently being fielded by top military and law en-
and search & rescue applications. The Xaver™ family delivers forcement agencies around the world.
significant capabilities in information gathering, anti-terror For Free Info Visit http://info.hotims.com/79414-462
Portable Engine Test Stand

Sky Power the engine and its attachments, the test stand includes a
Bad Homburg, Germany fuel tank, a propeller including protection cage, the ex-
+49 (0) 6172-2654258 haust system, a starter generator, the engine control unit
www.skypower.online (ECU), and the associated software. All parts are mounted
and covered on a chassis equipped with wheels.
S ky Power’s SRE180 test stand provides a test solution for

the Wankel engine SP-180 SRE hybrid. Due to the compact
design the whole test stand is well suited for portable use.
The actual engine is an SP-180 SRE hybrid. This is a hybrid
electrical engine with a compact design and an outstanding
Apart from the electrical system, which might be differ-

ent in custom applications, the SRE180 test stand contains www.embeddedARM.com
all the main parts of the SP-180 engine system. To run the
test stand, a 48 VDC power supply is needed. In addition to
TS-7100
Our smallest single board computer measuring only
2.4" by 3.6" by 1.7", with optional 2.8" touch LCD
NXP i.MX6 UL 696MHz ARM CPU

Application Briefs
power-to-weight ratio. “Therefore, the engine allows a higher stand can demonstrate an electrical mode. Therefore, the
payload capability. With the hybrid-boost power, an addi- test stand is equipped with an integrated generator to charge
tional 15 KW, depending on on-board battery capacity, are additional battery packs. For that reason, the test stand can
optionally available. This additional power improves take-off run in a hybrid-boost power mode too, combining the com-
performance significantly. bustion engine and the generated electric energy.
Adequate cooling of the engine is guaranteed by the water A test stand for demonstrating only electrical power gen-
and oil cooling system, allowing reliable operation in certain eration is currently in design. The test stand can be pur-
challenging environmental conditions. With this configura- chased, as well as rented for on-site evaluation as needed.
tion, the engine enables new drive and application possibili- Sky Power GmbH is a manufacturer of 2-stroke combus-
ties, which customers can now test on their own premises. tion and Wankel engines for UAS (Unmanned Aerial Sys-
That is why the test stand was designed to be easily shipped tems) and hybrid applications. Besides in-house develop-
and quickly assembled on site in just a few steps. ment and manufacturing, Sky Power produces all of its
The test stand can demonstrate the same modes as the SP- engines in Germany.
180 SRE hybrid too. Beside the combustion mode, the test For Free Info Visit http://info.hotims.com/79414-510
5-Axis Machining Center

Honeycutt Manufacturing, Inc.
Mukilteo, WA
425-493-0525
www.honeycutt-mfg.com
H oneycutt Manufacturing, a Mukilteo, Wash-

ington-based job shop in service to the
aerospace, marine and general industrial mar-
kets, made a major investment recently in a
GROB G550T 5-axis universal machining center.
For a number of years this family-owned and
operated machine shop did well running 2-axis
lathes and VMCs. A majority of their business
came from the various Boeing Everett facilities
and other aerospace-related companies in the
local supply chain serving that major OEM. As
General Manager Nick Honeycutt explains,
“We didn’t feel we had the workload for a 5-
axis machine at the time our local machine
tool dealer, Vince Selway of Machine Tools
NW, approached us about the GROB machines.
We have a long and mutually beneficial rela-
tionship with Vince, so we were certainly inter-
ested in his suggestions.” cycle times by 50% and reducing tooling costs by about 60-
Honeycutt subsequently purchased a 4-axis HMC and the 70%. Within 30 days, the shop was ready to buy its second
results were acceptable, plus a base savings had been realized. GROB with Siemens CNC and plans are in the works for an
But then a particular job opportunity presented itself and the addition to the building to house 3-4 more machines.
shop purchased its first GROB, a G550T 5-axis machine, with While much of the aerospace work Honeycutt does is alu-
advanced machining technologies to move his shop forward. minum with very high removal rate, a further advantage
After the commissioning and training, including sessions emerged with the GROB-Siemens combination. On jobs in-
with the Siemens CNC account manager who gave the opera- volving Inconel and Titanium, the power of the machine plus
tors assistance with the SINUMERIK 840D sl control, the first the 0.0006" typical accuracies and 32Ra finishes they were
parts were produced to spec on the very first day of run-time. able to achieve won the machine shop even more work, ac-
In two weeks, Honeycutt Manufacturing brought a variety of cording to Honeycutt. Those levels of accuracy and finish are
customers into their shop to see the GROB machine in action critical on the parts produced, which range from aluminum
and the company was immediately awarded more work. leading edge to titanium elevator controls on the 737, lab de-
Honeycutt found that they were able to reduce the machin- vices for precision measurement, and commercial as well as
ing setup operations from six to two with the GROB, cutting pleasure boat components.

Application Briefs
On the 5-axis machines at Honeycutt, 1980, runs multiple shifts, seven days a shop partners who provide swaging,
the SINUMERIK 840D sl CNC is outfit- week, and is continuing to expand to certified aerospace and marine welding,
ted with the GROB-4 Pilot control meet the additional business being gen- precision gun-drilling, wire EDM, super-
panel, allowing the machine builder to erated by the GROB 5-axis machines finishing, and large-scale as well as flat
incorporate additional applications and other services they provide, includ- precision grinding services.
onto the 24" operator interface (HMI). ing waterjet and laser marking. Honey- For Free Info Visit http://info.hotims.
Honecutt Manufacturing, founded in cutt has a network of local machine com/79414-468
Navigation Unit
SENER Aeroespacial ance as other similar space navigation minor modifications and testing, to
Madrid, Spain units at a lower cost was made possible other environments such as short-dura-
(+34) 918077318 by combining the company's experience tion space missions. Supplementing
www.aeroespacial.sener/en in space navigation solutions with tech- these two key elements is the fact that
nical knowledge in the development of NAVIGA is a fully European unit, which
S ENER Aeroespacial, a company of

the SENER engineering and technol-
ogy group, has signed a contract with
high-precision aviation and defense
products for complex environments.
The three implementation aspects ap-
renders any ITAR restrictions irrelevant.
This project is the result of the part-
nership between the Italian companies
AVIO for the C/D phases of the NAVIGA plied to the project to reduce the recur- AVIO and CIVITANAVI Systems and the
navigation unit for the VEGA-C ring cost of the unit, while maintaining Spanish company Elecnor DEIMOS. The
launcher, VNE (VEGA-C Navigation the required performance, are: the use of VNE/NAVIGA project is funded by Euro-
Equipment), after successfully complet- sensor hybridization techniques to pro- pean Space Agency (ESA).
ing phases A (feasibility study) and B vide a robust navigation solution; the in-
(preliminary design). Phase C involves clusion of radiation-tolerant parts from
the development of the detailed design, the automotive market (new in space);
and phase D is the qualification and de- and the adoption of defense production
livery phase of the first flight model. processes to manufacture the unit. ×
SENER Aeroespacial is the design au- Another key element, versatility, is
thority for this unit, which will be deliv- achieved via the unit's modular and
ered to the customer as an integrated flexible design, which allows a complete 0olK>^]S_K >_I >GGK]Kl>oK
0olK>^]S_K>_I>GGK]Kl>oK
product. This contract paves the way for and certified unit to be adapted with xapl ISmolSFpoKI
xaplISmolSFpoKI
the mass production of navigation units
for subsequent launches of VEGA-C and !aIK]²>mKI
other space missions.
The navigation unit uses a six-axis KmSQ_,laZKGo
compass (position and attitude of the
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launcher) to provide the rocket's posi- FRQVLVWV RI WKUHH WRROV VSHFLILF WR
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tion to the Guidance, Navigation and HDFK SKDVH RI WKH GHYHORSPHQW
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Control (CNG) system, developed by SURFHVVbGHVLJQGLVWULEXWHG
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AVIO, which is necessary to steer the
rocket. NAVIGA is thus a critical com- ᑚb6\VWHP'HVLJQHU
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ponent for the success of the mission. ᑚ &RPSRQHQW*XLGH
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NAVIGA combines an Inertial Meas- ᑚ ,QWHJUDWLRQ0DVWHU
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urement Unit (IMU) and a Global Navi-
gation Satellite System (GNSS) receiver
and hybridizes the two readings to
achieve a high-performance product –
its software is Class A, the most critical
in the space industry – but also low-cost
compared to the inertial navigation
units available on the market. NAVIGA
combines two key elements for future )RUDIUHHDQDO\VLVRI\RXUSURMHFW
space transportation systems: low cost FDOOXVDW
and versatility. The design of a unit ca- RUYLVLWEOHQGG\QDPLFVFRP
pable of achieving the same perform-
Aerospace & Defense Technology, June 2021 www.aerodefensetech.com Free Info at http://info.hotims.com/79414-778
Application Briefs
SENER Aeroespacial has been supplying high-performance IXV, BepiColombo and Mars 2020) and the European South-
aerospace systems for space, defense and science for more ern Observatory.
than 50 years. In space, it supplies electromechanical compo- In the commercial space market, SENER Aeroespacial is a
nents and systems, navigation systems (GNC/AOCS), commu- supplier of telemetry and telecommand antennas and a regu-
nications, astronomy and optics systems, and it is currently lar supplier of all types of antennas, passive equipment, and
participating in the main programs of ESA and NASA (includ- radio frequency assets for international manufacturers of
ing Euclid, Meteosat Third Generation, Solar Orbiter, JUICE, communications satellites.
Proba-3, Hubble, Galileo, Rosetta, Gaia, Herschel and Planck, For Free Info Visit http://info.hotims.com/79414-513
Portable 3D Printing Factory

ExOne
North Huntington, PA
1.877.773.9663
www.exone.com
T he ExOne Company, which specializes in in-

dustrial sand and metal 3D printers using
binder jetting technology, was awarded a U.S. De-
partment of Defense contract to develop a fully
operational, self-contained 3D printing “factory”
housed in a shipping container. Currently under
development, the rugged 3D printing factory pod
would be set up in a standard shipping container,
up to 40 feet long, to be deployed directly in the
field, via land, sea or air, to manufacture parts to
support war theaters, disaster relief, or other re-
mote operations. ExOne’s 3D printers can pro-
duce parts in more than 20 metal, ceramic or composite ma- depot. When a digital file is not available for older parts, the
terials. item can easily be 3D scanned and printed in the field. What’s
Awarded by the Defense Logistics Agency (DLA) in August, more, parts to solve unique problems in the field could also be
the $1.6 million contract will focus specifically on improving designed digitally and 3D printed as needed.
the ruggedness of ExOne’s commercially available binder jet ExOne’s binder jet 3D printing transforms powdered mate-
3D printers for a wide range of operating conditions while rials — metal, sand or ceramic — into highly dense and func-
maintaining exacting final part quality. Additionally, the proj- tional precision parts at high speeds. An industrial printhead
ect will aim to simplify use of the technology in the field with selectively deposits a binder into a bed of powder particles cre-
software and training, so the pod can be used with minimal ating a solid part one thin layer at a time, similar to printing
technical knowledge. on sheets of paper. The technology is viewed as a desirable
As part of the project, ExOne is developing a special mili- and sustainable production method, largely because of its
tary-edition 3D printer that is capable of binder jet 3D print- high speed, low waste and cost, as well as material flexibility.
ing more than 20 metal, ceramic and other powder materials ExOne has qualified more than 20 metal, ceramic and com-
into direct final products or tooling. The upgraded commer- posite materials for its patented binder jetting process.
cial 3D printer will have a unique body style and other fea- To speed development of the rugged 3D printing pod,
tures that will make it a rugged, military-grade product. ExOne will collaborate with several partners with unique
By enabling a military team on-site to 3D print parts as needed, engineering expertise on the project:
the downtime in a crisis can be reduced from weeks or months • Dynovas, Inc., based in Dover, DE, which specializes in ma-
to only a few days or less, while also reducing military costs. Ide- terials engineering, composites manufacturing, and DoD
ally, military personnel would 3D print a digital file of a broken weapons systems.
or damaged part and have a finished product in less than 48 • Applied Composites – San Diego, a leading provider of com-
hours without conventional tooling in the self-contained pod. plex composite components, assemblies, engineering, and
This approach would save critical time (machined tooling to tooling to the aerospace, defense, and space systems mar-
create parts typically takes 4-6 weeks), while also reducing waste kets. AC-SD’s Reinforced Additively Manufactured Compres-
and the need to carry expensive inventory in crisis zones. sion Assisted Molding (RAMCAM) system is an enabler to
A digital library of parts for 3D printing can be stored elec- the current pod project.
tronically, as opposed to racks of spare parts in a storage For Free Info Visit http://info.hotims.com/79414-464

Upcoming...
Webinars Unmanned Aircraft Technology

Thursday, June 24, 2021 at 12:00 pm U.S. EDT
Unmanned aircraft — aka drones — are one of the fastest growing areas of modern tech-
nology, from the complex hunter/killer and surveillance systems used by the military, to
the sophisticated remotely piloted vehicles used for civil and agricultural applications, to
the type of drones envisioned for future commercial applications such as parcel delivery.
This 60-minute Webinar from the editors of Aerospace & Defense Technology explores
some of the cutting-edge technologies being designed into modern unmanned aircraft.
Speakers:
Kameron Baumgardner Patrick Dietrich Gabe Mounce
Chief Technology Officer, Chief Technology Officer, Director,
RS21 Connect Tech Space Force Accelerator
Program,
Air Force Research Lab
Please visit www.techbriefs.com/webinar172
Component Level Test Methodology

for Phased Array Antennas
Wednesday, June 30, 2021 at 2:00 pm U.S. EDT
Antenna complexity continues to increase in satellite applications due to higher frequencies, wider bandwidth, and beamforming require-
ments. This 60-minute Webinar examines component testing in phased array systems, which has become increasingly challenging.
Speaker:
Joe Mallon
Business Development Manager,
Rohde & Schwarz USA
Auto, Aero, and Defense Electrification: Optimizing

Induction Motor Design for Manufacturing
Wednesday, July 14, 2021 at 2:00 pm U.S. EDT
As the demand for electrification continues to grow globally, the automotive, aerospace, and defense markets face unprecedented chal-
lenges. New technologies are placing greater demands on motors in terms of operating speeds, temperatures, and efficiencies.
This 60-minute Webinar examines the importance of optimizing induction motor design for manufacturing. Also discussed are manufac-
turability pros and cons within the stator and rotor, as well as all the materials and processes that go into making a highly efficient, quality
motor, along with a focus on die-cast induction machines.
Speaker:
Keagan Aukerman
Business Development Manager,
Ramco Electric Motors,
Division of Arnold Magnetic
Technologies

New Products
MWIR Folded Zoom Lens DC-DC Converters

MKS Instruments, Inc. (Andover, MA) recently Murata (Smyrna, GA) recently intro-
announced the Ophir®LightIR 16-180mm MWIR duced several new non-isolated DC/DC
f/3.6 continuous zoom lens, the newest addition to converter lines for distributed power ar-
the LightIR family of lightweight, long-range, mo- chitecture applications. The UltraBK™,
torized continuous zoom lenses. The LightIR 16- MonoBK ™, and PicoBK ™ series were de-
180mm f/3.6 is a compact, thermal imaging lens veloped to provide small size, high effi-
optimized for smaller size 10μm pitch VGA FPA (focal plane array) detec- ciency, decreased noise, low EMI, and
tors. It features a folded optics design that makes the lens 65% smaller take up less board space. The newest is the UltraBK™ line, comprised
than existing MWIR (medium wave infrared) 10μm VGA lenses. This of the MYTNA and MYTNC series. Both use patented technology to
makes it suitable for use in small gimbal thermal imaging applications, in- provide an ultra-thin, high-efficiency package. The expanded
cluding drones and tactical UAV IR cameras as well as micro-/mini-tactical MonoBK™ series now includes the MYMGK-H line. Featuring high-
payloads in the commercial, homeland security, and defense markets. heat resistance, it drastically cuts down on both board space and de-
For Free Info Visit http://info.hotims.com/79414-470 sign time. Finally, the PicoBK low-power offering integrates an in-
ductor with a control IC for applications where space is at a
premium, such as with wearable devices.
Miniature Rotary Encoders For Free Info Visit http://info.hotims.com/79414-474
Netzer Precision Position Sensors (Misgav, Israel) in-
troduced the latest addition to its DS series absolute ro-
Rugged Connectors
tary encoders. The DS-16 is only 16 mm in diameter yet
Intermateable with other NATO
offers 16 bit of resolution and 0.02° accuracy. Light-
STANAG 4695 connectors, the
weight, through-hole, compact and incredibly resistant
field-ready Fischer UltiMate ™ 80
to shock, vibration and electromagnetic noise, this new
connector from Fischer Connectors
sensor is small enough to fit within the hand of robotic
(Alpharetta, GA) comes in two lay-
joints and suitable for miniature drones, aeronautics,
outs featuring 6 or 7 signal and
space and defense applications. Features include: 16 mm diameter; low
power contacts (size 08) with up to AWG 22. It offers an ultra-rugged,
8 mm profile; weighs only 3 grams; and full digital SSi/BiSS output.
lightweight and IP68-sealed connectivity solution for any harsh envi-
ronment. Its rugged design complies with MIL-STD-810 and MIL-STD-
202. Other features include high resistance to corrosion (500h salt
Battery-Operated Torque Wrench mist), up to 10,000 mating cycles for the plug and 5,000 for the recep-
RAD Torque Systems (Abbotsford, BC) has launched tacle, random vibration 7.7 Grms, shock resistant to 100 G, cable
what it claims is its most advanced battery tool, the B- bending resistance (+/-90° for 5000 cycles), operating temperature of -
RAD BL S. Like its predecessor, the B-RAD BL SELECT, 55 °C to +135 °C, and triple key coding.
the new S tool has a brushless motor for speed and ef- For Free Info Visit http://info.hotims.com/79414-475
ficiency, but it’s integrated with a torque transducer.
The B-RAD BL S automatically records all torque cy- Spectrum Processing Platform
cles, including torque measurements, through the integrated trans- Mercury Systems, Inc. (Andover, MA) re-
ducer. The data from the torque measurements recorded on each job cently launched the ground-breaking Rap-
can easily be retrieved wirelessly with a Bluetooth connection and the pid™ spectrum processing platform, a mod-
RAD software. The B-RAD BL S has torque capabilities of up to 5,000 lb- ular open system architecture designed to
ft. All RAD Torque tools are calibrated to ISO 17025 standard. dramatically accelerate the development of
For Free Info Visit http://info.hotims.com/79414-472 a wide range of electronic warfare (EW), sig-
nal intelligence and software-defined radio applications. Current EW
systems are typically designed and developed with custom hardware,
First Article Inspection Capabilities firmware, and software. As new technology becomes available, each
CAD / CAM Services (Celina, TX) recently new design requires new software development from scratch. In con-
announced the expansion of its inspection ca- trast, Rappid empowers system developers to run the same software
pabilities to include first article inspections and firmware on different hardware implementations, enabling quick
(FAI) per customer or AS9102 standards. FAI is upgrades across a broad range of EW systems in order to deliver oper-
a comprehensive, independent and documented quality control ationally relevant capabilities when and where they are needed.
process used by aerospace manufacturers to verify that a supplier con- For Free Info Visit http://info.hotims.com/79414-476
forms to all required physical and mechanical specifications. With its
3D scanning and reverse engineering expertise, CAD / CAM Services is
capable of creating replacement parts for both new and older aircraft to Sapphire Vision System Windows
further assist aerospace suppliers. CAD / CAM models include full as- Custom fabricated sapphire windows that are op-
semblies that are accurate to ±.002" over any X, Y, & Z axis. tically clear and designed to protect vision systems
For Free Info Visit http://info.hotims.com/79414-473 are now available from Meller Optics, Inc. (Provi-
dence, RI). Meller Sapphire Windows transmit from
the UV through 4.7 microns and are available in
Starter Generator Control Unit sizes up to 10" dia., with varying wall thicknesses,
The new starter generator control, SGC 081, stepped edges, elliptical edge shaping and holes,
from Sky Power GmbH (Bad Homburg, Ger- slots, and wedges for mounting. Featuring Mohs 9
many) is lighter than the generator control hardness, which is second only to diamond, these windows can with-
system previously introduced. Communica- stand fast moving dirt, sand, and salt water, and can include multi-
tion with the engine is via Hall effect sensors. The SGC 081 can not only spectral antireflective coatings to meet salt fog requirements. Ideally
be used to start the combustion engine, but also during generator mode suited for use as protective front surface optics on all types of RPAs,
for battery charging. Depending on the cooling, the new system can de- UAVs, and drones, Meller Sapphire Windows can be fabricated with-
liver 30A/60V, with an output of maximum 0.5kW. The SGC 081 weights flatness held to 1/10th wave in the visible and less than 2 arc sec. in/in.
250g (0.55lbs). Motors of different series have already been equipped with parallelism. Surface finishes can be held from 60-40 to 40-20 scratch-
the new control unit, including some heavy fuel (HF) applications. dig, depending upon configuration.
For Free Info Visit http://info.hotims.com/79414-493 For Free Info Visit http://info.hotims.com/79414-477

Product Spotlight
New Products MULTIPHYSICS
MODELING AND
SIMULATION
APPLICATIONS
COMSOL Multiphysics® is a soft-
ware environment for creating
physics-based models and simu-
NVIDIA GPU-Based Graphics Board lation applications. Add-on pro-
Aitech (Chatsworth, CA) has expanded its SOSA aligned prod- ducts provide tools for electromagnetics, structural,
uct offerings with the U-C5300, a 3U VPX multi-head graphics acoustics, fluid flow, heat transfer, and chemical simu-
lations. Interfacing products offer a unified workflow
board featuring NVIDIA GPUs based on the Turing™ architecture.
with all major technical computing and CAD tools.
The U-C5300 is available with an NVIDIA Quadro RTX 3000 or the
COMSOL Compiler™ and COMSOL Server™ are used
NVIDIA Quadro T1000 GPU. The NVIDIA Quadro RTX 3000 GPU for deploying simulation applications to colleagues
enables processing of up to 5.3 TFLOPS (FP32), while the Quadro T1000 GPU features 2.6 and customers. https://www.comsol.com/products
TFLOPS (FP32) of data processing, while offering a lower power consumption. Design features
that enable alignment to the SOSA initiative include support for a SOSA payload profile COMSOL, Inc.
pinout and a +3.3AUX/+12V power supply. An additional RS-170 video output as well as con-
duction-cooling are supported options on the new SOSA aligned U-C5300. Free Info at http://info.hotims.com/79414-779
NANOSILICA
EMI/RFI Filters FILLED EPOXY
TTE Filters (Gowanda, NY) announced that its Instec Filters brand SYSTEM
ML61 EMI/RFI filters are now qualified to the US Department of De- With superb optical clarity
fense DLA Land and Maritime’s MIL-PRF-28861 military standard. and abrasion resistance,
This series can now be used in military electronic systems to suppress Master Bond UV22 cures
and reduce broadband radio frequency interference, which would quickly and easily when exposed to a UV light source.
otherwise compromise system performance. The electrical characteristic ranges of these low- Cationic systems, such as UV22, tend to have much
pass, feed-through, C-circuit, solder-in ML61 filters include rated voltage from 50 VDC to 200 higher temperature resistance than other UV type sys-
VDC; capacitance from 10pF to 15,000pF; and minimum insertion loss from 3 dB to 60 dB. tems. Its glass transition temperature when post cured
The operating temperature is -55°C to +125°C. is 135°C. http://www.masterbond.com/tds/uv22
NAVAL PTZ Master Bond

ODIN, from Camera Systems Imenco UK (Aberdeen, UK), features
the latest technology in intelligent imaging and video streaming and
uses an advanced 1/2.8" STARVIS CMOS sensor with a Wide Dynamic
Range (WDR) and exceptional low light performance. Key specifica- Free Info at http://info.hotims.com/79414-780
tions include: 30× optical zoom, with 16× digital zoom and ultra-low
light sensitivity of 0.01 Lux in color day mode; auto ICR switching to A WORLD OF FIBER OPTIC
night mode for extended ultra-low light (0.0001 Lux) sensitivity with
monochrome imaging; and an ultra-rugged, naval 3MP IP color Pan, Tilt & Zoom CCTV cam-
SOLUTIONS
era with integrated wiper, pedestal assembly, local junction box, and interface cable assembly.
ODIN has successfully been qualified to meet the strict US Navy requirements of MIL-S-901E
‘Hammer’ shock test, MIL-S-167-1A ship vibration, MIL-S-810G environmental & MIL-S-461G
EMI for surface ships.
• T1/E1 & T3/E3 Modems, WAN
• RS-232/422/485 Modems and Multiplexers
• Profibus-DP, Modbus
9 DoF Inertial Measurement Unit • Ethernet LANs
Silicon Sensing Systems Ltd (Plymouth, UK) has launched a new 9 de- • Video/Audio/Hubs/Repeaters
grees of freedom (DoF) inertial measurement unit (IMU). At only • USB Modem and Hub
50×50×50 mm, and weighing just 200g, the new DMU41 represents a • Highly shielded Ethernet, USB (Tempest Case)
54% reduction in volume and a 42% reduction in weight over its pred- • ISO-9001
ecessor, the DMU30. In addition, it has a power consumption 50% http://www.sitech-bitdriver.com
lower than DMU30’s typical usage. DMU41 is an all-silicon, micro elec-
tro-mechanical system (MEMS) IMU that contains three inductive and S.I. Tech
three piezoelectric resonating ring gyroscopes with six capacitive accelerometers, all designed Free Info at http://info.hotims.com79414-781
and manufactured by Silicon Sensing, along with 3 magnetometers. All inertial sensor data is
blended to give optimal motion sensing information with DMU41 able to provide data at
variable output rates up to 2kHz. Become an INSIDER
For Free Info Visit http://info.hotims.com/79414-481 Start your free subscription
to Tech Briefs’ INSIDER
e-mail newsletter to keep
COM-HPC Specification pace with the latest tech-
PICMG (Wakefield, MA) announced that COM-HPC has been nology advances and licens-
approved and ratified, and is now available for public download ing opportunities in aero-
and distribution. COM-HPC defines five module sizes to deliver space, electronics, photon-
edge server performance for small, rugged data centers. The base ics, manufacturing, and
specification will be accompanied later this year by a Platform other key fields.
Management Interface Specification, COM-HPC EEEP, and a Car-
rier Board Design Guide. The specification covers two classes of modules. The COM-HPC Client
Module Type targets use in high-end embedded client products that need one or more displays,
a full set of low, medium, and extremely high bandwidth I/O, powerful CPUs and modest size.
The COM-HPC Server Type targets use in high-end headless (no display) embedded servers that
require intensive CPU capability, large memory capacity, and lots of high bandwidth I/O includ-
ing multiple 10Gbps or 25Gbps Ethernet, and up to 65 PCIe lanes, at up to PCIe Gen 5 speeds. www.techbriefs.com/insider

Free Info at http://info.hotims.com/76508-xxx
Publisher . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Joseph T. Pramberger
Ad Index
Advertiser Page Web Link
Editorial Director . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Linda L. Bell
Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Bruce A. Bennett AGM Container Controls Inc. ................................Cover 2 ..........................................................agmcontainer.com
Digital Editorial Manager . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Billy Hurley
Associate Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Edward Brown Applied Avionics, Inc. ..............................................21 ..................................................................appliedavionics.com
Content Strategist, Audience Development . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Kendra Smith
Production Manager . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Adam Santiago Aurora Bearing Co. ..................................................39....................................................................aurorabearing.com
Production Coordinator . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .James Rodriguez
Creative Director . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Lois Erlacher Blend Dynamics ........................................................43 ..................................................................blenddynamics.com
Graphic Designer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Annette Murphy
Marketing Director . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Kaitlyn Sommer Click Bond, Inc. ..........................................................11 ..............................................................................clickbond.com
Senior Marketing Coordinator . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Sam Mills
Event Coordinator . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Briar Gibbons Coilcraft ......................................................................15 ................................................................................coilcraft.com
Audience Development Director . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Christine Oldenbrook
Audience Development Coordinator . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Stacey Nelson
Composite Motors, Inc. ..........................................33 ..........................................................compositemodules.com
Audience Development/Circulation Assistant . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Erykah Davis
COMSOL, Inc. ..............................................................37, 47, Cover 4 ..........................................................comsol.com
Subscription Changes/Cancellations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .ADT@OMEDA.com
1-866-351-1125
Create The Future Design Contest ......................Cover 3 ..........................createthefuturedesigncontest.com
SAE MEDIA GROUP
261 Fifth Avenue, Suite 1901, New York, NY 10016
(212) 490-3999 GAGE BILT ....................................................................39 ................................................................................gagebilt.com
Executive Vice-President . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Luke Schnirring
Technology Director . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Oliver Rockwell Master Bond Inc. ......................................................47 ........................................................................masterbond.com
Director of Digital Products . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Howard Ng
MilSatCom USA Conference 2021 ........................27....................................................................milsatcom-usa.com
Digital Media Associate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Md Jaliluzzaman
Digital Media Assistant . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Rowena Pagarigan
Mini-Systems, Inc. ....................................................19 ................................................................mini-systemsinc.com
Digital Production Associate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Andrew Greenberg
Digital Production Associate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Symba Wong
Mitsui Seiki USA ........................................................13............................................................................mitsuiseiki.com
Credit & Collection Manager . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Stacie Pointek
Budget & Forecasting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Felecia Lahey
National Reconnaissance Office ..........................9 ..................................................................................www.nro.gov
Accounting/Human Resources Manager . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Sylvia Bonilla
A/R Clerk . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Crystal Ortiz New England Wire Technologies ..........................5 ..................................................................newenglandwire.com
Office Manager . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Alfredo Vasquez
ADVERTISING ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES Opal Kelly ....................................................................25 ..............................................................................opalkelly.com

MA, NH, ME, VT, RI, Eastern Canada . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Ed Marecki
(401) 351-0274 RAD Torque Systems ................................................3 ..............................................................................radtorque.com
CT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Stan Greenfield
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .(203) 938-2418 Renishaw Inc. ............................................................35 ..............................................................................renishaw.com
NJ, PA, DE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .John Murray
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (973) 409-4685 Rosenberger ..............................................................2 ..........................................................................rosenberger.com
Southeast, TX . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Ray Tompkins
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .(281) 313-1004
S.I. Tech ........................................................................47 ..................................................................sitech-bitdriver.com
NY, OH . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Ryan Beckman
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .(973) 409-4687
State of the Art, Inc. ................................................29..................................................................................resistor.com
MI, IN, WI . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Chris Kennedy
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .(847) 498-4520 ext. 3008
Technologic Systems ..............................................41....................................................................embeddedARM.com
MN, ND, SD, IL, KY, MO, KS, IA, NE, Central Canada . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Bob Casey
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .(847) 223-5225
Northwest, N. Calif., Western Canada . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Twyla Sulesky
The Lee Company......................................................1 ..................................................................................theleeco.com
(408) 779-0005
S. Calif., AZ, NM, Rocky Mountain States . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Tim Powers TTI Inc. ..........................................................................7 ..............................................................................................tti.com
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .(908) 892-2838
Europe . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Sven Anacker
Aerospace & Defense Technology, ISSN 2472-2081, USPS 018-120. Periodicals postage paid at New
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .49-202-27169-11
York, NY and at additional mailing offices. Copyright © 2021 in U.S. is published in February,
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