Industry News

IAP Worldwide Services has been tasked to deliver assistance and emergency power to Federal Emergency Management Agency regions IV and V in support of the agency’s response to Hurricane Matthew. IAP said Thursday it has deployed numerous teams to Initial Support Bases located along the East Coast such as Fort Bragg, North Carolina and Orlando, Florida to support several states […] More

Harris Corp. has opened a new interactive technology showcase center in Florida as part of the company’s $150 million investment in the region to facilitate idea exchanges between customers, partners and employees. The 23,000-square-foot Harris Global Innovation Center houses technology demonstration stations, multimedia conference rooms, huddle spaces and other areas that aim to drive collaboration, Harris […] More

Orbital ATK and Stratolaunch Systems, a subsidiary of Vulcan Aerospace, have formed a partnership in an effort to provide commercial launch customers access to low-Earth orbit through air-launch space services. Orbital ATK will initially supply several Pegasus XL rockets for integration with Stratolaunch’s aircraft as part of the partnership, the companies said Thursday. The Stratolaunch plane […] More

Data Device Corp. has received a contract from Oshkosh‘s defense business to supply solid-state power controller and distribution units and modules for the U.S. Army‘s Joint Light Tactical Vehicle program. DDC said Tuesday the SSPC is designed to offer network control, programmability and autonomous operation to help crew members focus on mission-required tasks as well as channel paralleling, controlled rise […] More

The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency has launched a new process to encourage companies that have limited contracting experience with the Defense Department to propose novel technology platforms that could have potential applications for the commercial sector and DoD. DARPA’s microsystems technology office introduced the Commercial Performer Program Announcement in an effort to provide funding opportunities […] More

NASA has tested the future Mars rover’s camera-based navigation system aboard a rocket-powered test platform built by Masten Space Systems. The agency said Tuesday Xombie carried a prototype of the Mars 2020 rover’s Lander Vision System 1,066 feet into the air to perform a precise landing at a predesignated target. LVS works to direct a spacecraft to land at a target site or divert […] More

Drone Aviation has obtained a patent from the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office for its electric tethered technology designed for use with its unmanned aerial systems. The company said Wednesday the Electric Tethered Aerial Platform serves as the core system for its WATT and BOLT tethered UAS. Jay Nussbaum, chairman and CEO of Drone Aviation, said […] More

Janus Global Operations has provided JDR Energy employees in Libya and in other unstable areas worldwide with security support services to help the latter’s personnel operate and work in areas that face factional and political instability. JGO said Thursday its support group in Libya includes a management team based in Tripoli and functioning operations center that offers security risk management services […] More

Boeing CEO Dennis Muilenburg has said the Chicago-based aerospace company plans to land the first human on Mars and that he expects space tourism to develop into a “viable commercial market” over the next 20 years, Bloomberg Technology reported Tuesday. “I’m convinced the first person to step foot on Mars will arrive there riding a Boeing […] More

PAE and Vectrus‘ Vectrus Systems Corporation subsidiary have formed a joint venture to bid for the U.S. Army‘s Logistics Civil Augmentation Program V contract vehicle. PAE said Tuesday Scott Welker, former deputy commander of the U.S. Army‘s Joint Munitions Command, will lead the PAE Vectrus JV as president. Welker said the PAE Vectrus team offers experience in international contingency mission support with operations on all continents. […] More

The U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory and the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency have awarded a $7.2 million contract to a PAR Technology subsidiary to develop digital media forensics technology. PAR Government Systems will apply its experience in image and video processing, cloud computing, data analytics and digital media forensics to support DARPA’s Media Forensics research-and-development program, the company said Tuesday. Matt […] More

Germany has announced plans to procure between four and six Lockheed Martin-built transport planes following delays in the delivery of the Airbus Group-built A400M military cargo aircraft, Marketwatch reported Tuesday. Robert Wall writes Ursula von der Leyern, Germany’s defense minister, has signed a declaration of intent to acquire the Lockheed C-130J transport planes under the same pool of aircraft that […] More