Tag Archives: General Dynamics Mission Systems

Air

Multi-Mission Aircraft

Bombardier Defense and General Dynamics Mission Systems-Canada are collaborating to deliver the next-generation Multi-Mission and Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW) aircraft that will meet the requirements set by the Government of Canada for the Canadian Multi-Mission Aircraft (CMMA) program. Both long-standing Canadian-based companies are leveraging their extensive networks to prepare for success in a competitive, open, and transparent procurement process, and are joining forces as Canada’s Multi-Mission Aircraft Team.

Canadian Multi-Mission Aircraft (CMMA)
Rendering of Canada’s Multi-Mission Aircraft proposed by Bombardier Defense and General Dynamics Mission Systems – Canada

With a long and highly successful track record delivering multiple specialized aircraft across the globe, Bombardier Defense stands out among special mission aircraft providers. Bombardier’s products have proven themselves as reliable and fully interoperable platforms through versatile projects for some of the world’s biggest defense contractors and for governments across the world, including the United States, Germany, and more.

The foundation for the Canadian Multi-Mission Aircraft Team’s solution is the highly efficient and agile Global 6500 aircraft, the right-sized jet for the CMMA with next-generation engines, long range, high endurance, and coupled with proven reliability and better fuel efficiency as documented in the jet’s recently published Environmental Product Declaration. The Global family of aircraft is the platform of choice for over 10 different mission types across the globe, given its ability to deploy in all weather conditions with full mission payload, its ultimate combination of speed, range and endurance, and its 24/7 worldwide support infrastructure.

The aircraft will host General Dynamics’ best-in-class integrated mission systems, drawing directly from Canada’s investment in the newly modernized CP140 Block IV and CH-148 Cyclone. This operationally-proven Canadian design forms the basis for the iterative and low risk integration of modernized sensors and systems enabling Canada to leap even further ahead of peers and adversaries alike. This future-proof foundation will also ensure continued operational relevance, responding to Canada’s emergent needs through the middle of this century.

«Canadians deserve a leading-edge fleet for their Canadian Multi-Mission Aircraft program. Bombardier is eager to take on this opportunity to deliver a state-of-the-art platform. This is a generational opportunity for a Canadian company to leverage its Made-In-Canada Global 6500 aircraft, renowned for their outstanding performance and customized mission enhancers for each client. Having Bombardier work on CMMA is the right choice from an aircraft performance standpoint, and also, an opportunity for Canada to foster innovation, bolster its capabilities and support talent across Canada’s aerospace industry from coast to coast to coast», said Jean-Christophe Gallagher, Executive Vice-President, Aircraft Sales and Bombardier Defense.

«For decades, General Dynamics has been proud to provide solutions to Canada’s defense requirements. This new partnership unlocks a generational opportunity to couple our leading edge, trusted mission systems to ultimately provide a made-in-Canada solution that supports Canada’s multi-mission airborne needs into the future, while creating a readily exportable capability that will benefit Canada in so many other ways». said Joel Houde, Vice President and General Manager, General Dynamics Mission Systems – International.

Bringing together the unparalleled expertise offered by both organizations, this platform provides the very latest in airborne mission management technology while ensuring Canada’s continued leadership in the ASW and ISR domains.

With Canada’s largest business jet manufacturer and one of Canada’s largest defense contractor joining forces to deliver a Canadian Multi-Mission aircraft, considerable benefits to the Pan-Canadian aerospace ecosystem will result, including the creation of high caliber jobs, numerous opportunities for Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs), scientific communities, and educational institutions in various regions of the country. With competitive acquisition and significantly lower operating costs, cross decking of existing mission system capabilities onto a high-performance, modern Global 6500 aircraft, which represents a low-risk, evolutionary approach to achieving Canada’s multi-mission aircraft needs.

General Dynamics Mission Systems – Canada supports the Government of Canada (GoC) across many projects including delivering the CP140 Aurora Incremental Modernization Project (AIMP). This modernization, along with the previous Aurora Structural Life Extension Project (ASLEP), will keep the CP140 at the leading edge of ASW capabilities and extend the operational life of the CP140 Aurora into the 2030s. The published CMMA procurement timeframe was prudently designed by the Department of National Defence to permit the Government of Canada to fully engage with industry to explore options to meet Canada’s multi-mission aircraft needs and to have sufficient time to evaluate options. The Canadian-based platform brought forward by Bombardier Defense and General Dynamics Mission Systems-Canada, providing world leading capabilities in ASW, ISR and operational efficiencies leveraging the Global 6500 aircraft is a prime example.

More information on Canada’s Multi-Mission Aircraft Team will be unveiled as part of a May 31, 2023, press conference at Canadian Association of Defence and Security Industries (CANSEC) in Ottawa.

Navy

Software-Defined Radio

General Dynamics Mission Systems introduced the new Badger software-defined radio today at the Navy League’s Sea-Air-Space Symposium in National Harbor, Maryland. Produced at the company’s Scottsdale, Arizona facility, the Badger is a compact, 2-channel software-defined radio that provides Multiple Independent Levels of Security (MILS) for ship-to-ship and ship-to-shore voice and data communications. It is the only radio available that provides High Frequency (HF), Very High Frequency (VHF), Ultra High Frequency (UHF) and SATCOM Mobile User Objective System (MUOS) waveform capability. The integration of MUOS significantly enhances beyond line-of-sight, or satellite voice and data communications.

Badger Software-Defined Radio
General Dynamics Mission Systems Introduces Badger Software-Defined Radio

Badger’s software-defined, flexible open architecture enables future next-generation communications including waveforms, encryption algorithms and advanced network connectivity to be easily incorporated without redesign. Similar to a commercial smartphone, this approach simplifies the incorporation of new features and functions by enabling the radio to be upgraded in the field without having to take it out of service, resulting in significant time and cost savings. In addition, the Badger’s Voice over IP (VoIP) audio capability modernizes and simplifies platform audio distribution using network connectivity.

The Badger is based on the long history of General Dynamics’ Digital Modular Radio (DMR). With over 900 radios delivered, DMR provides secure communications aboard U.S. Navy surface and sub surface vessels, as well as fixed sites. At a quarter of the size of DMR, Badger provides the waveforms and flexibility of the DMR in a compact platform.

«The Badger was developed in collaboration with our customer to meet their requirements for smaller ships and platforms», said Stan Kordana, Vice President of Surface Systems at General Dynamics Mission Systems. «Badger offers many of the same capabilities that have made DMR a communications standard for the U.S. Navy, in a much smaller form factor. The reduced size, weight and power make it ideal for smaller platforms across multiple domains that only require two channels, and at the same time simplifies logistics and reduces costs».

The Badger has programmable embedded NSA certified Type 1 encryption that secures communications and simplifies the system architecture. It has MILS capability which enables it to communicate simultaneously at multiple levels of security, on each of the radio’s two channels.

 

Badger Datasheet

Frequency Range 2 MHz – 512MHz contiguous
Size: H × D × W 11.23”/285 mm × 22.09”/561 mm × 8.82”/224 mm
Weight 45 lbs./20.4 kg (approximately)
Input Power 100-140 VAC, (47-63 Hz)
Operating Temperature 0° to 55° C
Vibration MIL-STD-167
Shock MIL-S-901
EMI MIL-STD-461, and MIL-STD-1399

 

General Dynamics Unveils Badger Software-Defined Radio at Sea Air Space 2021

Navy

First Knifefish system

General Dynamics Mission Systems recently delivered the first Knifefish Surface Mine CounterMeasure Unmanned Underwater Vehicle (SMCM UUV) system under a contract awarded by the U.S. Navy on August 26, 2019. The contract, awarded immediately after a successful Milestone C decision and approval to enter Low-Rate Initial Production (LRIP), calls for the procurement of five Knifefish systems (10 total UUVs) and support equipment.

Knifefish SMCM
First Knifefish system delivered to U.S. Navy six months after final acceptance test completed

Knifefish SMCM is a medium-class mine countermeasure UUV intended for deployment from the U.S. Navy’s Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) and other Navy vessels of opportunity. Knifefish SMCM will reduce risk to personnel by operating within minefields as an off-board sensor while the host ship stays outside the minefield boundaries.

«Together with the U. S. Navy’s Program Executive Office for Unmanned and Small Combatants, our Knifefish team has worked to deliver critical mine countermeasure mission capabilities to protect our Sailors», said Carlo Zaffanella, vice president and general manager at General Dynamics Mission Systems. «We designed Knifefish using an open architecture concept that can be quickly and efficiently modified to accommodate a wide range of missions».

General Dynamics Mission Systems is the prime contractor for the Knifefish program. The company designed the tactical UUV using an open architecture concept that can be quickly and efficiently modified to accommodate a wide range of missions. The Knifefish SMCM UUV is based on the General Dynamics Bluefin Robotics Bluefin-21 deep-water autonomous undersea vehicle.

General Dynamics Mission Systems, a business unit of General Dynamics (GD), provides mission critical solutions to the challenges facing our defense, intelligence and cyber security customers across all domains. Headquartered in Fairfax, Virginia, General Dynamics Mission Systems employs more than 12,000 people worldwide.

Ground Forces

Secure Positioning

General Dynamics Mission Systems announced today that it has installed a new and improved GPS system onto U.S. military vehicles in Germany that allows U.S. forces to operate in an environment when GPS signals are degraded or denied. Known as Mounted Assured Positioning, Navigation and Timing Data (PNT) System (MAPS) Gen 1, the system began fielding in September on select Stryker armored fighting vehicles and could eventually extend to thousands of vehicles across Europe.

Critical Technology Ensures Accurate and Trusted GPS Data for Fielded Forces in Europe

General Dynamics Mission Systems is the current provider to the U.S. Army’s MAPS Program of Record.

MAPS Gen 1 is a modular vehicle-mounted system that monitors GPS signals for validity and sends accurate data to military devices even when GPS signals are degraded or denied. Without trusted data, GPS-dependent systems fail to operate properly, hindering operational capability and soldier safety. MAPS Gen 1 is scalable and upgradable so warfighters will benefit from additional features and capabilities throughout fielding and product lifecycle. This system is now available for the U.S. Army to purchase via the Common Hardware Systems (CHS-5) contract for Indefinite Delivery/Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) acquisitions.

«The MAPS GEN 1 Assured PNT system that is being fielded today closes a capability gap for the U.S. Army in major areas of responsibility around the world», said Robert Horton, Vice President and Director for PNT Products at General Dynamics Mission Systems. «GPS Source employees are excited to deliver such an important capability and to contribute to the safety of America’s soldiers».

The US Army’s Project Manager for Positioning, Navigation, and Timing (PM PNT) lead this initiative as the Army’s acquisition developer tasked with developing, modernizing, and integrating optimal and affordable PNT capabilities to promote decisive action in Army Operations. As part of the Program Executive Office, PM PNT collaborates with other Army and Joint Service partners to develop interoperable, reliable products to promote real-time secure PNT services for a variety of combat and combat support field missions.

Ground Forces

Mobile Encryptor

General Dynamics Mission Systems has announced the expansion of its Tactical Local Area Network Encryption (TACLANE) portfolio, the world’s most widely deployed family of Type 1 encryptors, with the new, small form-factor mobile encryptor, the TACLANE-Nano (KG-175N). The new encryptor was shown operating this year, passing live traffic including real-time streaming video with other TACLANE (High Assurance Internet Protocol Encryptor) HAIPE encryptors. It was also integrated into several market leading deployable systems and flyaway communication kits used by government in support of mobile missions today.

TACLANE-Nano encryptor provides end-to-end HAIPE encryption in the smallest, lightest and most power-efficient form factor for classified communications at the tactical edge
TACLANE-Nano encryptor provides end-to-end HAIPE encryption in the smallest, lightest and most power-efficient form factor for classified communications at the tactical edge

TACLANE-Nano has gone from an initial concept introduced at the General Dynamics-sponsored, Dynamics Connections 2017, to a working beta product in less than a year, highlighting the rapid pace of development and achievement in bringing a new, compact Type 1 encryptor for mobile users.

Equipped with the latest in crypto modernization technology and designed to protect information classified up to Top Secret/Sensitive Compartmented Information (TS/SCI), the TACLANE-Nano has been ruggedized to withstand the rigors of any environment. It is ideal for mobile communications, integration into flyaway kits and deployable systems, dismounted tactical forward deployment, unmanned/manned Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR) operations, covert and special operations.

«The addition of TACLANE-Nano to the TACLANE portfolio demonstrates how General Dynamics delivered a truly innovative solution that is adaptable to customer needs», said Michael Tweed-Kent, vice president and general manager of the Cyber and Electronic Warfare Systems line of business at General Dynamics Mission Systems. «We know our customers depend on TACLANE, and with this latest introduction, we continue to instill confidence in their digital world. Its size, features and performance mean the TACLANE-Nano can be deployed in a range of environments, spanning from an unmanned system, to a warfighter on the frontline, ensuring the secure encryption of highly-classified communications and information sharing that is so critical to the mission».

TACLANE-Nano is Size, Weight, Power and Cost (SWaP-C) optimized, with unmatched performance for a small form-factor, Inline Network Encryptor (INE). It supports the bandwidth needed to process voice, video and data applications, including real-time video and data analytics. The new encryptor supports crypto modernization efforts such as legacy and link encryptor replacement, Advanced Cryptographic Capabilities (ACC) and Over The Network Keying (OTNK). Other features include support for software features such as Agile VLAN and Agile TCP Performance Enhancing Proxy (PEP) for improved networking efficiency and performance, as well as remote management and configuration via the GEMÔ One encryptor manager. The TACLANE-Nano is expected to be submitted to NSA for certification in the fourth-quarter of 2018.

 

Key Features

  • Designed to protect information classified TS/SCI and Below
  • Simultaneous HAIPE v4.2.5 and (Internet Protocol Security [IPsec] Minimum Essential Interoperability Requirements) IPMEIR 1.0 compliant
  • Simultaneous Suite A/B without user intervention
  • 50 Mb/s Throughput (100 Mb/s Aggregate) Greater throughput achievable dependent upon traffic mix
  • Small size (1.2”H × 3.5”W × 2.25”D)
  • Low power (5 Watts typical)
  • Hot swappable/redundant power from USB or Power over Ethernet (POE)
  • Embedded Agile TCP Performance Enhancing Proxy (PEP) for disadvantaged networks
  • Supports Agile VLAN feature for Layer 2/Layer 3 agility and advanced networking
  • Safe keying features including Classified/Unclassified Device Generated Shared Key (DGSK) and Exclusion Keys (EKs)
  • ACC and Key Management Infrastructure Over The Network Keying (KMI OTNK) compliant
  • IPv4/6 Dual Stack
  • MIL-STD-810G ruggedized/MIL-STD-461F EMI compliant
  • Supported by GEM One Remote Encryptor Manager