Explore UST’s round-up of our five most read articles in the industry this week, including new technologies, collaborations, white papers, and industry successes.
1. Extra Large UUV for Long-Duration Maritime Operations
Designed in response to a request from the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), Northrop Grumman’s extra large unmanned underwater vehicle (XLUUV) has been successfully tested.
Subsea missions can be extremely challenging, with difficulties like low temperatures, spotty communications, high pressure, and power supply for long missions, particularly when operating far from a land base. A larger, more advanced UUV was required, with improved efficiency and autonomy, able to act without human supervision.
2. Selection Made for European Extended Mine Counter Measures Project
Exail has been selected to participate in the European Extended Mine Counter Measures (E=MCM) project. The objective of this consortium project, led by Naval Group Belgium, is to establish a future European sovereign capacity in mine warfare.
In response to the maritime mine threat and within the framework of the European Defense Fund, the European Commission is supporting European navies in enhancing their Mine Counter Measures capabilities.
3. New Long-Range sUAS Powered by Hydrogen Fuel Cell
Boeing Company Aurora Flight Sciences was in the field with a new addition to its SKIRON Expeditionary small UAS product line, the long-endurance SKIRON-XLE. This variant is powered by a hydrogen fuel cell and purpose-designed for long range reconnaissance. While flight testing is on-going, SKIRON-XLE is expected to extend flight times to well over five hours.
The SKIRON product line combines the convenience of vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) with the longer endurance of a fixed-wing design. The aircraft carries high-resolution EO/IR payloads from Trillium Engineering.
4. Military Transport Aircraft Receives Sensor Automation Software
Sociedad de Salvamento y Seguridad Marítima (SASEMAR) is set to be the first major search and rescue agency in the world to utilize Overwatch Imaging’s Automated Sensor Operator (ASO) software on the CASA CN-235.
Overwatch Imaging‘s ASO is an AI-enabled automation software for full motion video (FMV) gimbals, controlling sensor steering, collecting and analyzing raw data, and reporting actionable intelligence in real-time. It will aid in wide-area maritime search and situational awareness missions onboard the SASEMAR CASA CN-235.
5. Revolutionary Miniature FOG IMUs by Fizoptika Malta
Cutting-edge Fiber Optic Gyroscope (FOG) Inertial Measurement Units (IMUs) by Fizoptika Malta are designed to be the most miniature and advanced in the industry. Founded on over 35 years of innovation and expertise in fiber optic technology, Fizoptika Malta’s FOG IMUs incorporate an exclusive 40-micron polarization maintaining (PM) optical fiber.
This specialized fiber retains its optical guiding capabilities even under extreme deformations, enabling the fabrication of all fiber optic components directly on a single fiber length. This unique process involves shaping the fiber at high temperatures when quartz glass becomes ductile, resulting in a spliceless, highly integrated system.
