Gregor Ferguson’s Post

The Army is striving to develop solutions matching the speed of relevance. Our Director, Col. Shane Upton, shared updates on the Army’s ongoing implementation of new initiatives and persistent experimentation through venues like Project Convergence Capstone 4, where the US Army conducted a Human Machine Integrated (HMI) Live-Fire Demonstration last month. “There are tasks in the sustainment warfighting function, as we build readiness and deliver readiness, that can be offloaded on machines,” Upton said. “We are going to need capabilities of some of these unmanned platforms to have greater range, have a greater payload capability and be able to loiter and turn as we need to redirect that critical sustainment at the point of need.” Read More at The Redstone Rocket: https://lnkd.in/g84NQ4Jm

The Roketsan’s Çakır cruise missile, unveiled in 2022 for the first time, represents Turkey’s latest advancement in missile technology, designed for both land and naval target engagement. Equipped with terrain-following technology, it can fly at low altitudes, allowing for effective navigation over varied landscapes. Moreover, its real-time mission flexibility enables route updates, target changes, or mission cancellations during flight. Weighing 275 kilograms, the Çakır missile houses a 70-kilogram warhead, available in fragmentation, thermobaric, or armor-piercing variants. With a range exceeding 150 kilometers and a cruise speed ranging from 0.75 to 0.85 Mach, it can engage targets with precision and effectiveness. The Bayraktar Akıncı drone, renowned for its payload capacity, can carry two Çakır missiles on its external hardpoints. (Good news for Pakistan)

Have a vision for innovation? The Innovation for Defence Excellence and Security (IDEaS) program has launched a new challenge in the following areas: ·      Quantum technologies ·      Autonomous technologies ·      Counter uncrewed aerial systems ·      Arctic mobility and navigation ·      Sustainable and scalable energy systems IDEaS is seeking innovative solutions to assist the Department of National Defence/Ministère de la défense nationale and Canadian Armed Forces | Forces armées canadiennes in advancing continental defence capabilities as part of Canada’s investment in science and technology for NORAD Modernization. Help us strengthen our ability to defend North America through innovation and advanced technologies: https://lnkd.in/eNuhMW5g #NORADMod #DefenceIDEaS #DefenceScience

A very significant Defence program just announced. I encourage suppliers and researchers to read broadly into the provided Autonomous technologies Areas of Focus. There is a lot of work to do to get from today to a soldier in the field efficiently tasking a swarm of heterogenous autonomous systems to complete a complex military task, having them complete the task as a collaborative whole in a non-compliant and hazardous environment, and return for ready for the next mission. Aspects of human-machine teaming, robust (in capability and insensitivity to external variability) autonomy, modular and mission-flexible platforms, and exploitation and decision support are all necessary. We are only just starting to conceive and build the capabilities of the future.

With a focus on enabling Autonomy in Land operations I list below a number of current research challenges that we are facing, cast within the context of the announced Areas of Focus. 1. Support technological advances in autonomous navigation and communication in complex Air, Land, Sea and Underwater environments. Such as a. Uncrewed Aerial and Ground Systems (UxS) navigation solutions for GPS-denied, jammed, complex indoor or outdoor navigation, including solutions leveraging Simultaneous Localization and Mapping (SLAM) algorithms, high precision Inertial Navigation Solutions (INS), Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems (MEMS); b. UxS navigation, including day and night long distance navigation without operator intervention in complex, low-feature environment, such as in blowing snow and fog conditions and the Arctic; c. Integrating data from multiple sensors across multiple platforms (e.g., cameras, LiDAR, radar, sonar) to generate a detailed, accurate representation of environments ('Shared 3D world') necessary to coordinate actions and effects in a contested electromagnetic (EM) environment; or, d. Real-time data exchange between robot, payload, and control stations enabling:   i. resilient communication within human-robot teams to relay information, improve connectivity and support operational reliability in areas with weak or intermittent coverage; ii. 4K video streaming and similar large data uploads over long range. 2. Support technical solutions that enhance situational awareness in air, land, sea and underwater systems within operational environments; Such as, a. Enable multi-machine and human-machine teams to effectively share information about the operational environment in the face of congested or contested EM spectrum, including GNSS denial, enabling uninterrupted navigation, planning, and decision-making; or, b. Identify any of the following observed features: i. EM source locations and field intensity maps; or, ii. Structures, vehicles, people, and military objects. c. Sense and avoid detection through radar evasion, radio and audio silent operations, or other novel detection avoidance technologies 3. Solutions that enable human and robot cooperation to operate efficiently and intuitively in air, land, sea, and underwater environments. Such as, a. Enable operators to intuitively and efficiently command and control swarms of heterogenous autonomous systems to collectively complete a military task such as area surveillance, reconnaissance, military search (detect and identify threats), or deliver target effects; b. Enable operators to issue system-level mission commands with a focus on empowering soldiers to intuitively and efficiently task autonomous systems to achieve mission objectives, perhaps based on existing and/or expanded graphical NATO Joint Military Symbology (JMS). c. Enable UxS systems to perform mission analysis, generate plans (for self and others), operate, and maneuver safely without operator intervention.

Why I appreciate Northrop Grumman, Jim Taiclet? "F-35 Electro-Optical Distributed Aperture System Northrop Grumman’s EO/IR distributed aperture system (DAS) provides a 360 degree, protective sphere of situational awareness for the F-35 Lightning pilot. DAS warns the pilot of incoming aircraft and missile threats as well as provides day and night vision, fire control capability and precision tracking of wingmen and friendly aircraft for tactical maneuvering". and "Handheld Targeting System (NGHTS) NGHTS is a compact targeting device that provides unparalleled precision targeting from extended ranges and is capable of operation in GPS-denied environments. Connected to military networks, NGHTS can provide superior situational awareness and accurate coordinates for the delivery of effects from beyond the line of sight, no matter the conditions or type of environment." are just 2 of hundreds reasons! https://lnkd.in/g9-YfcAJ

Strictly technically speaking, it is fortunate that no international legal delimitation of outer space exist. Ballistic missiles, per definition, remain outside the realm of space activities, as they are not meant to acquire an orbital trajectory. This allows us to avoid having to deal with a new episode of space war. https://lnkd.in/eNifDmJr

Attention Canadian quantum innovators! This IDEaS call in support of NORAD Modernization is accelerating the development of quantum technologies: - Support research collaboration to advance the application of quantum computing and quantum algorithms to relevant real-world problems including signal processing, anomaly detection and optimization; - Support technological advances in quantum repeaters as a key enabler of quantum networking for distributed quantum sensors; - Support the development and demonstration of logical quantum bits as an enabling technology for fault-tolerant quantum computing.

🇺🇸🇦🇺🇬🇧🇯🇵 AUKUS weighs Japan's participation in defense tech development The US has begun talks with the UK and Australia on inviting Japan to collaborate on defense technology under the AUKUS security partnership. Washington is leading discussions with London and Canberra in hopes of extending an invitation to Tokyo at a summit between President Joe Biden and Prime Minister Fumio Kishida on April 10. Japan would be the first country invited to work in the trilateral AUKUS framework since it was launched. While the Pillar 1 goal for AUKUS centers on helping Australia acquire conventionally armed nuclear-powered submarines, its Pillar 2 goal focuses on developing advanced warfighting capabilities such as artificial intelligence, undersea drones, hypersonic and electronic warfare technologies. #USA #Australia #UK #Japan

𝐒𝐦𝐚𝐫𝐭 𝐖𝐞𝐚𝐩𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐌𝐚𝐫𝐤𝐞𝐭: 𝐆𝐥𝐨𝐛𝐚𝐥 𝐒𝐢𝐳𝐞, 𝐒𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐞 & 𝐅𝐨𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐚𝐬𝐭 𝟐𝟎𝟑𝟒 ▶𝐑𝐞𝐪𝐮𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐒𝐚𝐦𝐩𝐥𝐞 𝐏𝐃𝐅: https://lnkd.in/dGxDdKam The global impact of COVID-19 has slightly reduced the demand for smart weapons across all regions. Smart weapons, which use advanced guidance systems for higher accuracy, include air-to-ground missiles, sensor-fused weapons, steerable bombs, and guided weapons equipped with satellite or laser guidance. These systems, such as satellite-guided bombs, use navigation satellites to confirm targets, while cruise missiles utilize satellite information for accurate flight paths. In January 2021, India's Defense Research and Development Organization (DRDO) successfully tested a newly developed Smart Anti-Airfield Weapon (SAAW) on the Hawk-I jet, developed by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), showcasing advancements in smart weapon technology. 𝐒𝐞𝐠𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧: ▶𝐁𝐲 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐝𝐮𝐜𝐭: Missiles, Munitions, Guided Projectiles, Guided Rockets, Directed Energy Weapons. ▶𝐁𝐲 𝐏𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐦: Air, Land, Naval. ▶𝐁𝐲 𝐓𝐞𝐜𝐡𝐧𝐨𝐥𝐨𝐠𝐲: Laser Guidance, Infrared Guidance, Radar Guidance, Satellite Guidance, Others. ▶𝐆𝐞𝐨𝐠𝐫𝐚𝐩𝐡𝐲: North America, Europe, APAC, Latin America, and Middle East & Africa. 𝐊𝐞𝐲 𝐏𝐥𝐚𝐲𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐜𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐝:          BAE Systems, Boeing, General Dynamics, Lockheed Martin, MBDA, Northrop Grumman, Raytheon, Rheinmetall, Textron, Schlumberger Technologies (Asia) Limited (Member of THALES Group). #SmartWeapons #DefenseTechnology #MilitaryInnovation #WeaponSystems #AdvancedWeapons #PrecisionGuided #MilitaryTech #DefenseIndustry #CombatSystems #FutureWarfare #AutonomousWeapons #DefenseInnovation #SecurityTechnology #MilitaryEquipment #DefenseStrategy #TechInDefense #SmartDefense #AdvancedCombat #ModernWarfare #MilitaryCapabilities