RadiaBeam Nabs $10M DARPA Award for Gamma Ray Inspection Tech
The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) has awarded RadiaBeam Technologies LLC
a $10.2 million contract for phase one work under the Gamma Ray Inspection Technology (GRIT), which seeks novel approaches to achieve high-intensity, tunable, and narrow-bandwidth sources of gamma radiation in a compact, transportable form factor that would enable a wide range of national security, industrial and medical applications. RadiaBeam, which is based in California, designs and manufactures linear accelerators used in medical, security and sterilization applications. “What we’re trying to do in GRIT is transform the use of X-Rays and gamma rays,” Mark Wrobel, program manager in DARPA’s Defense Sciences Office, said last June in announcing the program. “Current sources of gamma rays, like Cobalt-60 or Cesium-137, are not very flexible. They require special licenses to possess and only emit gamma rays at very specific energies. What we desire is a source of very high-energy photons that we can tune to match the application we need. This ranges from more effective detection of illicit cargo to a more informative medical X-Ray.” RadiaBeam’s work in phase one is expected to be completed by March 2021.
Aaronia Included in Heathrow Counter Drone Solution
Aaronia AG says its drone security technology has been deployed to London’s Heathrow Airport as part of a bespoke set of end-to-end counter-drone systems. The German-based manufacturer of radio frequency and millimeter wave equipment is providing its AARTOS drone and radar detection system, which is based on 3D antenna, real-time spectrum analyzer and monitoring software for ‘fast, sensitive and very-high tracking accuracy,” the company says. Earlier this year, Operational Solutions Ltd. said it had been selected as the systems architect and integrator for the counter-unmanned aircraft systems solution at Heathrow. In addition to Aaronia, Aveillant Ltd., which is part of France’s Thales, said its counter-UAS systems are being deployed as part of OSL’s solution for Heathrow. Aaronia says the solution also works to locate the drone pilots and identify their location.
Liteye Receives $3M Defense Order for CUAS
Liteye Systems, Inc. says it received a $3 million follow-on production order for its Anti-Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Defense (AUDS) system in support of U.S. warfighters. The company says the order for counter unmanned aircraft system (CUAS) technology “continues a three-year run of consistent performance, delivering life-saving technology to our warfighter.” The company also says it is operating at full capability and hasn’t been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.
CBP Awards Lockheed Martin Bridge Contract for P-3 Maintenance and Logistics Services
Customs and Border Protection has awarded Lockheed Martin [LMT] a one-year contract bridge extension to continue providing maintenance and logistics services on the agency’s fleet of P-3 maritime patrol aircraft. The value of the award was redacted. The contract will allow CBP to conduct a new competition for a follow-on contract.
DroneShield Completes Deliveries of Anti-Drone Gun
Australia’s DroneShield says it has completed is shipment of its DroneGun Tactical to a Middle Eastern defense customer. DroneGun Tactical is a radio frequency jamming system. It also features optional GPS disruption. “Middle Eastern customer order flow processes are often less structured than those involving their Western counterparts, however DroneShield has a close relationship with this governmental customer and has received multiple payments from this governmental customer before, and therefore has a high degree of confidence in the process,” says Oleg Vornik, DroneShield’s CEO. “DroneShield’s supply chain and manufacturing capabilities have remained intact through the current global crisis, and in fact have ramped up, following the opening of a new manufacturing facility in western Sydney earlier this quarter. We are continuing to see a strong level of engagement with our customers, as defense and security remain key priorities of governments around the world.”
Coast Guard Awards Eight OPC Study Contracts
The Coast Guard last month awarded contracts to nine shipbuilders for design studies for the follow-on detailed design and construction of the Offshore Patrol Cutter (OPC) program, which the service reopened to competition last year after deciding to terminate the contract with the existing shipbuilder after up to four vessels are built. The eight awardees include Austal USA, Bollinger Shipyards, General Dynamics’ [GD] Bath Iron Works, Eastern Shipbuilding Group (ESG), which is the current OPC shipbuilder, Fincantieri Marinette Marine, Huntington Ingalls Industries [HII], Philly Shipyard, Inc., and VT Halter Marine, Inc. Each of the shipbuilders, except ESG, received initial wards of $2 million. ESG’s award is for $1.1 million with the potential for $1.2 million overall. VT Halter Marine’s contract is worth up to $2.9 million and the rest of the companies’ awards are worth up to $3 million.