ATK unveils training system

Alliant Techsystems (ATK) has unveiled a new training system for military and law-enforcement markets. ATK's Force-on-Force training system uses a marker round that is fired from duty weapons equipped with special 9mm conversion kits, also developed by ATK.

Using ATK's Force-on-Force system, trainees engage each other in realistic scenarios while wearing protective clothing that prevents injury, yet allows them to feel the impact if they are 'shot' during the exercise.

"The accuracy and realism of ATK's Force-on-Force training system gives the military and law-enforcement communities a terrific new way to train and ensure they are prepared for the real-world situations they will encounter," said Mark DeYoung, president of ATK Ammunition Systems Group.

Raytheon Company is seeking partners to help create innovative solutions to defeat the number one killer of service members in the global war on terror - the improvised explosive device, according to PRNewswire.

During the last six months, Raytheon's McKinney, Texas-based Network Centric Systems has led a company-wide drive to rapidly develop and field solutions to defeat IEDs.

To broaden the scope of the research, Raytheon is now inviting potential partners to join the effort by registering solutions and ideas at http://www.raytheon.com. Raytheon will review the registered submissions for feasibility and will contact the appropriate sponsors of those ideas deemed appropriate for further development.

Northrop Grumman Corporation's Airborne Signals Intelligence Payload (ASIP), a next generation signals intelligence sensor for the US Air Force, has successfully completed an engineering checkout and calibration test and is now undergoing performance testing.

ASIP delivers enhanced signals intelligence capabilities to the warfighter. It detects, identifies and locates radar and other types of electronic and modern communication signals.

During the current performance test phase of the flight test program, the ASIP system is being tested using operational scenarios with control and data exploitation from contractor-owned ground station test facilities designed to simulate the Air Force Distributed Common Ground System.

BAE Systems has been awarded a contract by the UK Ministry of Defence to integrate Lockheed Martin's Sniper advanced targeting pod on Harrier, and provide operational emergency clearance advice.

The contract award follows a private venture-funded rapid technology insertion (RTI) programme in 2006, which showed the enhanced target identification and weapon delivery capability that could be gained with the integration of the pod.

BAE Systems Harrier programme director Nigel Davey commented: "The Harrier Sniper RTI programme is a prime example of the UK Defence Industrial Strategy in action. It demonstrates the practical application of rapid prototyping and concurrent engineering in anticipation of formal customer requirements.