To support warfighters in the field, engineers and technicians install, maintain, troubleshoot, and repair a wide range of mission-critical radar and communication systems. These tasks typically require measurements of cables, antennas, components, signals, and more. Often, this work must be done in non-ideal conditions such as rain or shine, hot or cold, aboard a ship, in an aircraft, or in a vehicle.

The maturity of RF photonic components has reached the point where fiber optic links are being system-tested to replace traditional copper coax links on avionic platforms. Many demonstrations of RF photonic links have been made with traditional and non-traditional modulation formats to improve the RF performance of the link. While the advantages of RF photonic links in regard to size and weight are important, the large instantaneous bandwidth of the fiber optic links is a key driver for the use of this technology in the airframe.

A racecar fitted with a prototype rear suspension will compete in the Sports Car Club of America's 2015 season as a proof-of-concept demonstrator for using thermoplastic composite suspension components in future light-duty vehicle production applications. Read more at http://articles.sae.org/13523.

Depending on which off-highway engine manufacturer you’re talking to, it is either an advantage that its teams of engineers design specifically and solely for the off-highway industry, or it is an advantage that its teams of engineers design for both the on- and off-highway industries. Read more at http://articles.sae.org/13466.

MRO providers are discovering ways to innovate their procedures while remaining viable and profitable through the current downturn in government spending. Read more at http://articles.sae.org/13268.

Wires and cables help design teams add electronic features and functions, but networks and wiring harnesses add a fair amount of weight while their connections can be the cause of failures. That’s prompting developers to examine ways to reduce the size and weight of wires and cables. Read more at http://articles.sae.org/13419.

The Walmart Advanced Vehicle Experience is a prototype tractor-trailer developed to demonstrate the possibilities of future transport, and the truck is not the only place where innovation reigns. The trailer body is built almost exclusively with carbon fiber, and it incorporates other technologies such as advanced adhesives and low-profile LED lighting. Read more at http://articles.sae.org/13507.