hypersonics

The potential proliferation of hypersonic weapons highlights the need to advance a wide range of other technologies, including artificial intelligence, machine learning, autonomy, laser weapons and fully networked command, control and communications systems, says George Kailiwai III, director, requirements and resources (J-8) for U.S. Indo-Pacific Command.

Radio-driven electro-optic sensors, exotic molecular materials and bugs that repair runways are just some of the technologies the Air Force is looking at to help it retain air supremacy in the future. Partnerships with industry and academia are central to this research, but the service is directing efforts to meet goals established in the most recent National Defense Strategy.

Battelle Memorial Institute, Columbus, Ohio, has been awarded a $46,302,000 cost-plus-fixed-fee, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for the manufacturing of carbon-carbon (C-C) composites for hypersonic applications initiative to create a stronger, broader supply base for C-C composites positioned to meet current and future Department of Defense hypersonic systems’ requirements. Technical efforts under the scope of this initiative will be structured to develop C-C composite manufacturing technologies that enable the production at higher rates and quality and at reduced cost and schedule. Work will be performed at Battelle Memorial Institute in Columbus, Ohio, and is expected to be completed by September 25, 2027.

The U.S. Department of Defense successfully tested a hypersonic glide body in a flight experiment held at the Pacific Missile Range Facility in Kauai, Hawaii.

This event is a major milestone toward the department’s goal of fielding hypersonic warfighting capabilities in the early- to mid-2020s.

The U.S. Army its transforming its Department of the Army’s Management Office-Cyber (DAMO-CY) to include a wider range of joint all-domain operations capabilities.

Col. Jay Chapman, USA, division chief, Mission Command, in the Army CIO/G-6 office, revealed the change at a February 13 luncheon event in Arlington, Virginia, hosted by the AFCEA Washington, D.C. chapter.

Released this week, the Army’s Fiscal Year 2021 budget request of $178 billion adds focus to supporting Joint all-domain operations. While the Army’s funding for FY 2017-2018 centered on readiness and recovery, addressing "must-pay" bills and filling gaps in its force structure, the Army’s heavy focus for FY 2019-2020 is on increasing lethality and implementing six modernization priorities. For FY 2021, however, the service is shifting to support the U.S.

Tucson-based Raytheon Company announced that it would be a subcontractor helping to enhance the flight performance of the Army's hypersonic weapon glide body. Under Dynetics Corporation contracts with the service, Raytheon will build and deliver the control, actuation and power-conditioning subassemblies that control flight of the Army's new Common-Hypersonic Glide Body program. Raytheon will also help assemble and test the new glide body under the Dynetics Corporation contracts.