Named the Stationary and Mobile UAS Reveal and Intercept, the system combines beyond-visual-line-of-sight communication with advanced command-and-control capabilities to effectively detect, track, and counter drone swarms.

It integrates cutting-edge components, such as radars, radio frequency defeat capabilities, and AI-driven detectors for enhanced threat monitoring.

The weapon can be mounted on vehicles or deployed in fixed positions to protect high-value assets.

According to Honeywell electronic warfare director Norm Balchunas, the system can detect and neutralize drones while traveling at speeds reaching 70 miles (112 kilometers) per hour.

That capability is significant, he noted, because detecting a low, slow drone that suddenly accelerates poses a considerable challenge.

‘Multi-Layered Defensive Capabilities’

Unlike other counter-UAS solutions, the Stationary and Mobile UAS Reveal and Intercept system features multi-layered defensive capabilities to address multiple threats simultaneously.

It can disable drones by launching a kinetic interceptor, utilizing a directed energy weapon, or employing a soft kill method to disrupt their radio frequency.

AI also plays a crucial role in the system, enabling rapid threat detection in crowded environments and accelerating human operators’ decision-making.

“[The operators] got to make a decision. What target path is that? What effector should I use? Is this authorized within my rules of engagement?” Balchunas said. “Using AI, I can implement my rules of engagement so they’re automated.”

Honeywell is set to demonstrate the ground-breaking system to the US Air Force in January 2025.

The post Honeywell Unveils AI-Enabled System for Countering Drone Swarms appeared first on The Defense Post.

The deal will transfer CAES’ ownership from private equity firm Advent International, which acquired the electronic warfare (EW) specialist in 2020 for $5 billion.

According to the North Carolina-based company, the acquisition will further position it at the forefront of the defense industry’s most dynamic sectors and help set the tempo for its continued growth in aerospace.

“The combination of our talented teams will diversify and deepen our expertise and specialized capabilities that enable us to scale current offerings and innovate new ones across critical military platforms,” Honeywell Aerospace CEO Jim Currier said.

The deal is expected to close in the second half of 2024.

The CAES Portfolio

Headquartered in Virginia, CAES specializes in antennas, radio frequency (RF), and sensing technologies that are vital for various EW systems, missiles, and radars.

It has an existing contract with the US Army to supply a precision strike sensor core for its Long-Range Precision Fires capability.

The company also served the US Navy, delivering EW upgrades for its surface combatants last year.

The billion-dollar acquisition is expected to complement Honeywell’s offerings on existing aerospace programs, such as Lockheed Martin’s F-35, Boeing’s EA-18G, and Raytheon’s Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missile (AMRAAM).

“With the integration of CAES’ solutions and capabilities, we will fortify our existing defense offerings, while also expanding our capabilities in pivotal areas like RF, radar, and sensing technologies to ensure a market-leading position in areas that are critical for global security,” company chairman Vimal Kapur stated.

CAES has a total of 13 facilities in North America and approximately 2,200 employees, including RF engineering experts.

The post Honeywell to Acquire EW Tech Maker CAES for $1.9B appeared first on The Defense Post.

Saab, Anduril Industries, Bollinger Shipyards, Teledyne FLIR, and General Atomics headline the list of chosen contractors.

Marinette Marine Corp., Honeywell International, Leonardo Electronics, and Microsoft are also contract recipients.

According to a Pentagon announcement, the companies will deliver payloads, non-payload sensors, mission support systems, and autonomy and vehicle control systems for the naval drones.

Each of them will be guaranteed a minimum of $1,000 to begin the work for the contract.

The Pentagon expects all work to be completed by February 2025, with a possible extension to 2030.

Need for More Investments

Last month, defense officials told Reuters that the US Navy’s efforts to build a fleet of unmanned vessels are faltering because it remains wedded to big shipbuilding programs.

The proliferation of USVs in the Black Sea amid the Ukraine war is reportedly an indication that sea drone warfare has arrived.

The service’s program lead on drones, Rear Adm. Kevin Smith, had the same stance, saying the navy must move its unmanned systems beyond just surveillance roles to be able to carry out more consequential missions.

“I’m confident that the future of our Navy is going to be a mix of conventionally manned platforms with unmanned and autonomous platforms all teamed together,” Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Lisa Franchetti told Defense News.

The post US Awards $984M Naval Drone Contract to 49 Firms appeared first on The Defense Post.

A PTMS “digital twin” demonstrated the increased cooling capacity, incorporating “low-risk advancements to heat exchangers and controls changes that further optimize system performance,” the North Carolina-based aerospace firm stated.

“Today, we have successfully demonstrated that we not only meet the F-35’s current operational needs, but we are ready to service future F-35 modernization upgrades without the need for expensive changes to the aircraft for either forward-fit or retrofit scenarios,” Honeywell Aerospace Technologies President of Defense and Space Matt Milas said.

“By enabling F-35s to update cooling capacity within our existing PTMS architecture, we can now eliminate the risks that would otherwise come from qualifying and fielding a new system that would cost taxpayers billions of dollars without any additional benefit.”

To Accommodate F-35’s Future Requirements 

The upgrade is in anticipation of F-35’s future cooling requirements arising out of Block 4 upgrades.

With the current Honeywell PTMS, the upgrades are expected to further hike the aircraft’s Operation and Sustainment (O&S) costs over its lifetime.

Though a future engine upgrade offered by Pratt and Whitney, known as Engine Core Upgrade (ECU), could cancel out the O&S costs.

However, a new PTMS coupled with F135 ECU “will enable beyond Block 4 capabilities,” Breaking News quoted F-35 Lightning II Joint Program Office (JPO) spokesperson Russ Goemaere as saying.

Additional Problem

Additionally, F-35 manufacturer Lockheed Martin flagged in 2008 that the aircraft’s PTMS required to pull more bleed air — compressed air taken from within the engine to heat engine inlets — out of the aircraft’s engine than originally anticipated to help cool off its subsystems, “taxing the engine beyond its design specifications,” according to Breaking Defense.

This additional requirement risks pushing the engine’s life cycle maintenance cost to up to $38 billion, more than what the JPO anticipated.

Pentagon Debates: Upgrade or New System

Meanwhile, Honeywell’s upgrade offer comes one-and-half months after RTX’s Collin Aerospace announced testing an 80 kilowatt PTMS in January.

Both the approaches, theoretically, offer a cooling capacity in the ballpark of the Pentagon’s desired requirement, displayed in a market research solicitation in December, with 62 kilowatts being the threshold.

However, whether a new PTMS would be sought or not has not yet been decided, Goemaere told Breaking News in January.

“The JPO is completing its market research. Once the research is complete it will decide on how best to bring greater cooling and power to the warfighter.”

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