Thales-Raytheon to build 50 AN/MPQ-64 Enhanced Sentinel A3 radar systems in $51.9 million deal

militaryaerospace.com

Thales-Raytheon to build 50 AN/MPQ-64 Enhanced Sentinel A3 radar systems in $51.9 million deal

John Keller

3-4 minutes

---

Thales-Raytheon to build 50 AN/MPQ-64 Enhanced Sentinel A3 radar systems in $51.9 million deal

REDSTONE ARSENAL, Ala. – RF and microwave experts at Thales-Raytheon Systems Company LLC in Fullerton, Calif., will build 50 AN/MPQ-64 Enhanced Sentinel A3 radar systems under terms of a $51.9 million contract announced last week.

Officials of the U.S. Army Contracting Command at Redstone Arsenal, Ala., are asking Thales-Raytheon to provide these radars for persistent air surveillance and fire control to protect against unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), cruise missiles, fixed-wing aircraft, and helicopters.

Thales-Raytheon Systems is a 50-50 joint venture between Raytheon Co. and Thales Group. It is co-headquartered in Paris and Fullerton, Calif.

The Enhanced Sentinel radar uses an X-Band 360-degree phased array air-defense radar with a 46-mile range. It has electronic counter-counter-measure capabilities, a Mode 5 identification friend or foe subsystem, and non-cooperative target recognition capabilities to identify threat aircraft.

Sentinel, its generator, and command-and-control interface mount on a trailer that a M1082 truck can pull. The air-defense system interfaces with the Integrated Air and Missile Defense (IAMD) battle command system architecture, the Forward Area Air Defense Command and Control System (FAAD-C2I), and the National Capital Region Integrated Air Defense Command and Control System.

Related: DRS Laurel to build clutter-rejecting AN/SPQ-9B missile-defense radar to help protect Navy ships

Sentinel also interfaces with the Counter-Rocket, Artillery, Mortar (C-RAM) Increment I system to protect friendly aircraft.

The Enhanced Sentinel radar has upgraded signal data processing to switch to active electronically scanned array (AESA) technology. It is the only 360-degree coverage air defense radar in the Army’s current inventory and features a 3 DX band phased array antenna.

The A3 radars are being produced by Thales Raytheon Systems (TRS) at the Raytheon Consolidated Manufacturing Center at Forest, Miss.

The Enhanced Sentinel radar has a modernized radar control terminal (RCT) with a Linux-based software operating system, an Ethernet router for integration with the IAMD architecture. This adds the identification friend or foe Mode V capability to prevent fratricide and replaces obsolete processor cards.

On this contract Thales-Raytheon will do the work in Fullerton, Calif., and will be finished by December 2022. For more information contact Thales-Raytheon Systems online at www.thalesraytheon.com.

Ready to make a purchase? Search the Military & Aerospace Electronics Buyer's Guide for companies, new products, press releases, and videos

 

AN/MPQ-64 Sentinel

AN/MPQ-64 Sentinel

AN/MPQ-64A4 Sentinel A4

 

Group: Radar Systems

Status: Under Development

Origin:

Contractor/s: Lockheed Martin

Initial Operational Capability (IOC): 2023

Production: 18

The US Army AN/MPQ-64A4 is an upgraded variant of the Sentinel A3 radar system with highly improved performance against cruise missiles, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), rotary-wing and fixed-wing aircraft. The Sentinel A4 air and missile defense radar will provide improved surveillance, detection and classification capabilities. The new radar system is slated to protect the US Army formations and high value static assets such as command and control nodes, tactical assembly areas and geo-political centers. The new US Army radar leverages the TPS-77 and Q-53 Gallium Nitride (GaN) technology. Lockheed Martin was awarded a $281 million contract for the development and production of 18 Sentinel A4 radar systems by 2026.

 

 

MYSTIFYING PINE GAP, DISTORTING DES BALL: NOTES ON BRIAN TOOHEY’S SECRET: THE MAKING OF AUSTRALIA’S SECURITY STATE | Nautilus Institute for Security and Sustainability

MYSTIFYING PINE GAP, DISTORTING DES BALL: NOTES ON BRIAN TOOHEY’S SECRET: THE MAKING OF AUSTRALIA’S SECURITY STATE | Nautilus Institute for Security and Sustainability

Intersatellite links provide real time command, control, communication and information processing on battlefield | International Defense Security & Technology Inc.

Intersatellite links provide real time command, control, communication and information processing on battlefield | International Defense Security & Technology Inc.

model‐based systems engineering (MBSE): Is it worthwhile?

 

The value of MBSE may not be in saving time or money, but in the probability that the end product will actually meet the needs of the end user and ensuring verifiable, testable, and non-conflicting requirements are traced through the development process.

Value and benefits of model‐based systems engineering (MBSE): Evidence from the literature - Henderson - - Systems Engineering - Wiley Online Library

onlinelibrary.wiley.com

Value and benefits of model‐based systems engineering (MBSE): Evidence from the literature

Kaitlin Henderson

2 minutes

---

REVIEW PAPER

First published: 31 December 2020

Abstract

Traditional document‐based practices in systems engineering are being transitioned to model‐based ones. Adoption of model‐based systems engineering (MBSE) continues to grow in industry and government, and MBSE continues to be a major research theme in the systems engineering community. In fact, MBSE remains a central element in the International Council on Systems Engineering (INCOSE)’s vision for 2025. 

Examining systems engineering literature, this paper presents an assessment of the extent to which benefits and value of MBSE are supported by empirical evidence. A systematic review of research and practice papers in major systems engineering archival journals and conference proceedings was conducted. Evidence was categorized in four types, two of which inductively emerged from the results: measured, observed (without a formal measurement process), perceived (claimed without evidence), and backed by other references. 

Results indicate that two thirds of claimed MBSE benefits are only supported by perceived evidence, while only two papers reported measured evidence. The aggregate assessment presented in this paper indicates that claims about the value and benefits of MBSE are mainly based on expectation. We argue that evidence supporting the value and benefits of MBSE remains inconclusive.

The full text of this article hosted at iucr.org is unavailable due to technical difficulties.

 

docs.lib.purdue.edu

Industrial Adoption of Model-Based Systems Engineering: Challenges and Strategies

Apoorv Maheshwari

3 minutes

---

Abstract

As design teams are becoming more globally integrated, one of the biggest challenges is to efficiently communicate across the team. The increasing complexity and multi-disciplinary nature of the products are also making it difficult to keep track of all the information generated during the design process by these global team members. System engineers have identified Model-based Systems Engineering (MBSE) as a possible solution where the emphasis is placed on the application of visual modeling methods and best practices to systems engineering (SE) activities right from the beginning of the conceptual design phases through to the end of the product lifecycle. 

Despite several advantages, there are multiple challenges restricting the adoption of MBSE by industry. We mainly consider the following two challenges: 

a) Industry perceives MBSE just as a diagramming tool and does not see too much value in MBSE; 

b) Industrial adopters are skeptical if the products developed using MBSE approach will be accepted by the regulatory bodies. 

To provide counter evidence to the former challenge, we developed a generic framework for translation from an MBSE tool (Systems Modeling Language, SysML) to an analysis tool (Agent-Based Modeling, ABM). The translation is demonstrated using a simplified air traffic management problem and provides an example of a potential quite significant value: the ability to use MBSE representations directly in an analysis setting. 

For the latter challenge, we are developing a reference model that uses SysML to represent a generic infusion pump and SE process for planning, developing, and obtaining regulatory approval of a medical device. This reference model demonstrates how regulatory requirements can be captured effectively through model-based representations. We will present another case study at the end where we will apply the knowledge gained from both case studies to a UAV design problem.

Degree

M.S.A.A.

Advisors

DeLaurentis, Purdue University.

Subject Area

Aerospace engineering|Industrial engineering|Systems science

COinS

Application of Model-Based Systems Engineering Concepts to Support Mission Engineering

by

Paul Beery

^* and

Eugene Paulo

Department of Systems Engineering, Naval Postgraduate School, Monterey, CA 93943, USA

^*

Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.

Systems 2019, 7(3), 44; https://doi.org/10.3390/systems7030044

Received: 1 July 2019 / Revised: 15 August 2019 / Accepted: 29 August 2019 / Published: 4 September 2019

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Mission Engineering)

View Full-Text Download PDF

Browse Figures

Cite This Paper

Abstract

This paper presents an approach to the utilization of model-based systems engineering (MBSE) early in the system lifecycle, which focuses on early identification of desirable system characteristics to support mission engineering (ME). The paper relies on the definition of an analysis approach and the associated mapping of architectural products. The analysis strategy focuses on integration of the results of operational simulations and system synthesis models through tradespace visualization. The architectural mapping presents the association of Systems Modeling Language (SysML) products to the analysis strategy. The coordination of these elements is presented as a demonstration of the role that MBSE concepts can play in support of ME. The approach is demonstrated through a case study analysis of a conceptual mine warfare system conducting mine countermeasure operations. View Full-Text

Keywords: model-based systems engineering; mission engineering; modeling and simulation; system architecture