Sandia researchers Red Jones and Brian Kast and their colleagues have invented a dart-like, self-guided bullet for small-caliber, smooth-bore firearms that could hit laser-designated targets at distances of more than a mile (about 2,000 meters).

“We have a very promising technology to guide small projectiles that could be fully developed inexpensively and rapidly,” Jones said.

Sandia is seeking a private company partner to complete testing of the prototype and bring a guided bullet to the marketplace.

Researchers have had initial success testing the design in computer simulations and in field tests of prototypes, built from commercially available parts, Jones said.

While engineering issues remain, “we’re confident in our science base and we’re confident the engineering-technology base is there to solve the problems,” he said.

Sandia’s design for the four-inch-long bullet includes an optical sensor in the nose to detect a laser beam on a target. The sensor sends information to guidance and control electronics that use an algorithm in an eight-bit central processing unit to command electromagnetic actuators. These actuators steer tiny fins that guide the bullet to the target.

Most bullets shot from rifles, which have grooves, or rifling, that cause them to spin so they fly straight, like a long football pass. To enable a bullet to turn in flight toward a target and to simplify the design, the spin had to go, Jones said.

The bullet flies straight due to its aerodynamically stable design, which consists of a center of gravity that sits forward in the projectile and tiny fins that enable it to fly without spin, just as a dart does, he said.

Computer aerodynamic modeling shows the design would result in dramatic improvements in accuracy, Jones said. Computer simulations showed an unguided bullet under real-world conditions could miss a target more than a half mile away (1,000 meters away) by 9.8 yards (9 meters), but a guided bullet would get within 8 inches (0.2 meters), according to the patent.

Plastic sabots provide a gas seal in the cartridge and protect the delicate fins until they drop off after the bullet emerges from the firearm’s barrel.

The prototype does not require a device found in guided missiles called an inertial measuring unit, which would have added substantially to its cost. Instead, the researchers found that the bullet’s relatively small size when compared to guided missiles “is helping us all around. It’s kind of a fortuitous thing that none of us saw when we started,” Jones said.

As the bullet flies through the air, it pitches and yaws at a set rate based on its mass and size. In larger guided missiles, the rate of flight-path corrections is relatively slow, so each correction needs to be very precise because fewer corrections are possible during flight. But “the natural body frequency of this bullet is about 30 hertz, so we can make corrections 30 times per second. That means we can overcorrect, so we don’t have to be as precise each time,” Jones said.

Testing has shown the electromagnetic actuator performs well and the bullet can reach speeds of 2,400 feet per second, or Mach 2.1, using commercially available gunpowder. The researchers are confident it could reach standard military speeds using customized gunpowder.

And a nighttime field test, in which a tiny light-emitting diode, or LED, was attached to the bullet showed the battery and electronics can survive flight, Jones said.

Researchers also filmed high-speed video of the bullet radically pitching as it exited the barrel. The bullet pitches less as it flies down range, a phenomenon known to long-range firearms experts as “going to sleep.” Because the bullet’s motions settle the longer it is in flight, accuracy improves at longer ranges, Jones said.

“Nobody had ever seen that, but we’ve got high-speed video photography that shows that it’s true,” he said.

Potential customers for the bullet include the military, law enforcement and recreational shooters.

In addition to Jones and Kast, Sandia researchers who helped develop the technology are: engineer Brandon R. Rohrer, aerodynamics expert Marc W. Kniskern, mechanical designer Scott E. Rose, firearms expert James W. Woods and Ronald W. Greene, a guidance, control and simulation engineer.

Source: Sandia National Laboratories

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The Skylark® I-LE combines the characteristics normally reserved for larger unmanned aerial systems within the form-factor of a man-portable system. Skylark® I-LE: setting the standard.

Skylark I-LE is a product-offering of UAS Dynamics, LLC, with offices in Charlotte, NC, Fort Worth, TX, and Fort Mill, SC, is a joint venture between  General Dynamics Armament and Technical Products, a business unit of General Dynamics (NYSE: GD), and Elbit Systems of America, LLC, wholly owned by Elbit Systems, Ltd., (NASDAQ: ESLT). UAS Dynamics focuses on meeting the expanding and evolving needs of the U.S. Department of Defense and other U.S. government agencies to provide state-of-the-art unmanned aerial systems for the full spectrum of operational requirements.

• Track moving targets
• Gimbled stabilized sensor
• ‘Fly-By-Camera’ operation
• Endurance: 3 hours
• Range: 15 kilometers
• Air vehicle weight: 12.1 pounds
• Silent electric-drive propulsion – inaudible at 500 feet
• No unique recovery equipment required; runway independent
• Rucksack portable

Source: Elbit Systems

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THAAD’s combination of high-altitude, long-range capability and hit-to-kill lethality enables it to effectively negate the effects of weapons of mass destruction at intercept ranges well beyond the defended area. These attributes, along with THAAD’s unique endo (in the atmosphere) and exo (out of the atmosphere) atmospheric capability, enlarge the battle space to allow multiple intercept opportunities in both the late-midcourse and terminal phases of ballistic missile trajectories. THAAD can accept cues from Aegis, satellites and other external sensors to further extend the battle space and defended area coverage. THAAD will operate in concert with the lower-tier Patriot/PAC-3 system to provide increased levels of effectiveness.

THAAD is a rapid response weapon system that can be deployed quickly to protect critical assets worldwide. The THAAD element consists of five major components: missiles; launchers; radars; fire control; and THAAD-specific support equipment. All components have been successfully integrated, tested and demonstrated during the first program phase that concluded in 2000.

The THAAD Development Program flight testing began in November 2005 with a successful launch. Flight testing continues at White Sands Missile Range (WSMR) through 2006. Operations are then scheduled to transition to the Pacific Missile Range Facility (PMRF) in Kauai, Hawaii to conduct flight testing through early 2009. The THAAD government-industry team continues to focus on mission success and delivering, testing and integrating hardware and software components that ensure the highest level of quality, reliability, producibility and affordability.

Industry team members:
Lockheed Martin
Raytheon
BAE Systems
Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne
Aerojet
Honeywell

Recent News: Lockheed Martin Receives $1.96 Billion THAAD Production Contract For The United Arab Emirates December 30, 2011
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• Lockheed Martin Awarded $789.8 Million THAAD Production Contract March 30th, 2011

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If all goes well, U.S. military commanders and intelligence agents may someday get live streaming video and up-to-date images of battlefields or trouble spots around the world. Such capability could complement the swarms of cheap drones providing battlefield surveillance today, and might even spare the U.S. embarrassment from losing spy drones over Iran or other countries.” -Innovation News Daily

To meet national security requirements around the world, it would be optimal to have real-time images and video of any place on earth at any time—a capability that doesn’t currently exist. Today, aircraft are used for some imagery requirements. Because of the huge quantity of aircraft needed, and because aircraft do not fly high enough to see into denied territories, spacecraft are also used for imagery requirements.

Spacecraft, however, face different challenges in providing persistent coverage.  The size (aperture) of the optics needed, and the limitations of producing and launching extremely large precision glass optics means it is infeasible to place such a system in geosynchronous earth orbit (GEO), approximately 36,000 kilometers high, where it could provide persistent coverage.

MOIRE is a GEO-based system that uses a lightweight membrane optic etched with a diffractive pattern. The diffractive pattern is used to focus light on a sensor.  The MOIRE program seeks to enable the technologies required for these very large optics for space platforms. The program aims to demonstrate the manufacturability of large membranes (up to 20 meters), large structures to hold the optics flat, and also demonstrate the secondary optical elements needed to turn a diffraction-based optic into a wide bandwidth imaging device.

Source: DARPA

Recent News: Ball Aerospace Completes Preliminary Design Review for MOIRE - December 12, 2011

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The UAV’s undeniably stealthed-up exterior offers several clues about how the aircraft could be employed.

A weapons bay allows internal carriage of 500-lb. bombs with GBU-38 JDAM tail kit and laser guidance. Given the aircraft’s 41-ft. length (which will expand by at least 2 ft. in the second test aircraft), the weapons bay appears to be 10 ft. long.

The weapons bay doors can be removed to allow installation of a semi-submerged, wide-area surveillance pod, says Tom Cassidy, president, General Atomics Aeronautical Systems’ Aircraft Systems Group. Cassidy has earned a unique reputation by using company funds to develop what he believes the military needs rather than chasing Pentagon requirements that shift with disheartening regularity to produce cost increases and production delays. The result is a family of Gnat and Predator designs that are used by all the services and intelligence agencies.

The Predator C, like the B-variants, is designed to carry about 3,000 lb. of weapons and sensors. In a non-stealthy environment, weapons could also be attached externally on the fuselage and wings. For an additional 2 hr. of flying time, fuel tanks can be installed in the weapons bay. Normal fuel storage is split 50/50 between the wings and fuselage.

The Avenger’s electrical power is expected, at least initially, to be less than the 45 kva. available on Predator B variants. A long, featureless underside provides a low-distortion design for carriage of a wide-area surveillance sensor such as an all-weather, active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar. The wide-area surveillance system-to be provided by the Air Force-has yet to be defined. However, it would be carried by a specialized all-reconnaissance version of the Avenger. A Lynx SAR is likely carried in the lower part of the nose. Absent from the prototype is the EO/IR sensor turret used by the Predator family. A retractable installation may have been developed.

The vertically-oriented V-tail both deflects radar and shields the 4,800-lb. thrust Pratt & Whitney Canada’s PW545B engine exhaust’s infrared signature. Predator C has two all-flying tail surfaces with two servos each for flight-control redundancy. The humpbacked design of the engine compartment offers room enough for a serpentine exhaust that eliminates radar observation of the engine. Pratt & Whitney has been developing an S-shaped exhaust that offers protection from radar observation and cooling to reduce the IR signature. The engine is expected to provide an airspeed of at least 400 kt., but Cassidy says envelope expansion tests may produce speeds “considerably greater” than that. Its operational altitude is up to 60,000 ft.

The Avenger’s 17-deg. swept wing (66-ft. span) and tail edges are all parallel in plan view with one or the other leading edges. It is the same shaping discipline used on classic stealth designs like the B-22 and B-2. The cranked trailing edge provides the aerodynamic and structural benefits of a tapered wing and helps shield the engine inlet from radar. Canted upper and power body sides meet at a sharp chine line, continuous from nose to tail, thereby avoiding the radar cross-section hot spot caused by a curved side.

The thickness and curvature of the inboard wing are noteworthy, pointing to an effort to achieve laminar flow over as much of the wing as possible. The prototype carries tufts over the left wing/body junction that allow engineers to visualize airflow in that area.

General Atomics Aeronautical’s parent company includes a division that produces materials for controlling radar, optical and infrared signatures. Adjacent to the company’s Rancho Bernardo, Calif., facility are the world’s largest indoor radar cross section testing ranges. Likely challenges would have included building a “bandpass” radome for the satcom antenna above the nose. It must be transparent at the Ku-band used by most airborne satcoms, but opaque at lower frequencies used by fighter and missile radars. Again, that capability mimics the F-22 and F-35.

Source: Aviation Week

Specifications:
Avenger was designed and developed with the intent of making an unmanned aircraft system that was more survivable in higher threat environments and to provide the U.S. Air Force and other potential customers with an expanded quick-response armed reconnaissance capability. The aircraft will have higher operational and transit speeds than current Predator-series aircraft, resulting in fast response and rapid repositioning for improved mission flexibility and survivability. Wide-area surveillance, armed reconnaissance, border surveillance, time-sensitive strike, and quick response capability missions for use against conventional and asymmetric threats (e.g., terrorists, pirates) are among its key missions.

Wingspan: 66 ft  (foldable wings)
Fuselage: 41 ft
Altitude: 60,000 ft
Endurance: 20+ hr
Payload: Internal - 800 lb (363 kg)
               External - 3,000 lb (1361 kg)
Air Speed: 400 KT (460 MPH

Predator C Fact Sheet

Recent News: Air Force buys an Avenger, its biggest and fastest armed drone - December 31, 2011

•  GA-ASI Completes Key Wind Tunnel Test on Sea Avenger UAS Model - February 15, 2011

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TASER Shockwave Benefits
• Stackable, easy to set up platform for perimeter control
• TASER Shockwave controls a door entrance or other target zone
• The TASER Shockwave can be mounted to the front of a military vehicle
• Key Infrastructure Protection
• Checkpoint Operations
• Detainee Operations
• Vehicle Protection

Stand-off Distance
The TASER Shockwave system is engaged using a push button control box. The TASER Shockwave unit deploys its cartridges up to 25 feet, to instantaneously incapacitate anyone within the field of range.

Unit Payload
Each single TASER Shockwave unit has a payload of six TASER cartridges, allowing for multiple person incapacitation through Area Denial

Versatile Mounting System
The TASER Shockwave can be mounted on a variety of objects, such as vehicles, or fencing.

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Mission:
The Massive Ordnance Penetrator (MOP) is a weapon system designed to accomplish a difficult, complicated mission of reaching and destroying our adversaries’ weapons of mass destruction located in well protected facilities. It is more powerful than its predecessor, the BLU-109.

Background:
Flight tests have been successfully conducted at White Sands Missile Range, New Mexico. MOP integration activities for initial weapon delivery are also complete. Final system refinement, design and test will be complete in 2012 with additional weapon deliveries in 2013. The Air Force is managing and funding the program at this time, with Defense Threat Reduction Agency (DTRA) providing support.

Early tests of MOP were conducted by DTRA under the MOP Technology Demonstration effort. These tests began in 2004 with DTRA partnering with the Air Force Research Laboratory. DTRA conducted flight tests from 2008 to 2010. In February 2010, the DTRA MOP Technology Demonstration transitioned to the Air Force as a Quick Reaction Capability Program. The tests are designed to test and demonstrate MOP capabilities to attack hard and deeply-buried facilities. The Air Force has had a long-standing requirement for this capability.

In 2009, Boeing was awarded the contracts to complete MOP/Aircraft integration. This entailed minor modifications to the MOP and to the aircraft. There were a total of 20 contracted.

Source: U.S. Air Force

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Guided Bomb Unit-28 (GBU-28)
Source: Global Security
The GBU-28 laser guided bomb was developed, built, tested, and used in combat in a 17 day period. The deepest Iraqi bunkers were secure from the best penetrating bomb, the GBU-24A/B, with the I-2000 warhead. Coalition leaders required the capability to destroy these vital command and control facilities. Texas Instruments and Lockheed combined their efforts to build the 18 ft long bomb. TI adapted the seeker from the GBU-24 and Lockheed built the bomb body from discarded eight inch howitzer barrels. The Air Force initially contracted for 30 bombs but the cease fire started after only two were employed. Two more of the bombs were used in testing before the bombs were dropped in combat and the Air Force expended two or three more in additional tests after the war. The Air Force ordered an additional 100 GBU-28s with the BLU-113 (8 inch gun barrel) bomb body and stocks remained low due to the limited number of targets and the only fighter capable of employing it initially was the F-111F.

The Guided Bomb Unit-28 (GBU-28) bomb is designed to penetrate hardened targets before exploding, capable of penetrating 100 feet of earth or 20 feet of concrete. The GBU-28 was initially developed in 1991 for penetrating hardened Iraqi command centers located deep underground. This “bunker buster” was required for special targets during the Desert Storm conflict and was designed, fabricated and loaded in record time. The GBU-28 is a laser-guided conventional munition that uses a modified Army artillery tube as the bomb body. They are fitted with GBU-27 LGB kits, 14.5 inches in diameter and almost 19 feet long. The operator illuminates a target with a laser designator and then the munition guides to a spot of laser energy reflected from the target. Read more here.

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The Active Denial System:

Navy Laser Weapon System:

Airborne Laser:

You can see more of America’s arsenal on Richardcyoung.com by clicking here.

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