Once firmly rooted in its analog origins, critical communications is now steadily evolving to provide enhanced situational awareness. The latest public safety and military communications (MilCom) radios are more versatile and reliable, supporting ad-hoc networks to improve or enable connectivity. With higher-data-rate capabilities, critical communications solutions can send and receive high-resolution images, videos, and other types of data-intensive content. At the same time, they provide higher-quality voice communications while maintaining security. To ensure communications and interoperability, they still can support analog communications as a failsafe. These myriad capabilities are possible through the ongoing adoption of new technologies, ranging from digital public safety standards and modulation formats, to technologies like wireless local area networking (WLAN) and Long Term Evolution (LTE).

MBDA Incorporated
Arlington, VA
703-387-7139
www.mbdainc.com

In early 2019, the DGA (French Procurement Agency) and the French Army (STAT) organized a campaign to test the MMP land combat missile in extreme cold conditions. Performed on the Swedish state firing range at Vidsel, located near the Arctic Circle with temperatures between -15°C and -30°C, the cold weather campaign of the MMP was determined to be a complete success.

Rostec State Corporation
Moscow, Russia
+7 (495) 287-25-25
https://rostec.ru/en/

Chelyabinsk Tractor Plant, part of UralVagonZavod Group belonging to Rostec State Corporation, has developed a mine roller to be installed on "ironclads” — models B10M2S and B12S armored tractors. The B10M2S is an armored bulldozer designed and built by Company Uralvagonzavod (UVZ), a subsidiary of Rostec State Corporation. The bulldozer, which has a maximum weight of 22,800 kg (50,265 lbs), is powered by a 190 hp YaMZ-236 diesel engine, giving it a top speed of 11 km/h (6.8 mph). Tractors with a mine roller are more maneuverable than mine-clearing tanks and have a longer service life, which makes them optimal for humanitarian demining. Production of a prototype mine-clearing tank was scheduled to begin in the first quarter of 2019.

Spectra Group
Tysons, VA
202-818-8429
www.spectra-group.us

Spectra Group (US), a specialist provider of secure voice, data and satellite communications systems, specifically optimized for use in remote and challenging environments, has been selected by the US DoD to take part in the 2019 Army Expeditionary Warrior Experiments (AEWE 2019) at Fort Benning.

Bell Helicopter
Fort Worth, TX
817-280-2011
www.bellflight.com

During the thirty years since the V-22 Osprey first flew, the tiltrotor aircraft, built by Bell Helicopter, a Textron Inc. company, and Boeing, has fundamentally changed how the U.S. Marine Corps and Air Force operate in combat and support humanitarian operations. So far, more than 375 V-22 aircraft have accumulated more than 450,000 flight hours across a spectrum of missions. The aircraft has proven to be so versatile that the U.S. Navy now has plans to begin leveraging the Osprey’s unique capabilities by using a new V-22 variant to deliver personnel and cargo to its aircraft carriers.

ThermOmegaTech
Warminster, PA
877-379-8258
www.thermomegatech-adg.com

A system supplier to the U.S. Department of Defense recently approached ThermOmegaTech^® to obtain a custom thermal bypass valve. Installed into a military vehicle’s hydraulic system manifold, the valve bypasses cold hydraulic fluid to reduce system load and quickly bring it up to operating temperature.

On the battlefield, you need to know as much as possible.