Military & Aerospace
Midwave infrared detector comes with digital interface
June 11, 2010 7:00 am | Product Releases | CommentsSofradir announced today the launch of LEO MW, a compact 15-micron pitch MW TV format IR detector with digital interface. It is well suited for military handheld devices that have to be compact, lightweight and consume as little power as possible.
Navy’s F-35C makes inaugural flight
June 7, 2010 10:27 am | by Jason Lomberg, Technical Editor | Blogs | CommentsThe F-35 Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) Program achieved an important milestone yesterday, with the inaugural flight of the Navy’s carrier-based variant. The F-35C Lightning II is due to replace the Navy and Marine Corps’ F/A-18 Hornet. According to Lockheed Martin, the first F-35C Lightning II carrier variant took off from Naval Air Station Fort Worth Joint Reserve Base at 11:46 a.m. and logged a 57 min flight.
SpaceX Falcon 9 Rocket Takes First Flight
June 7, 2010 4:18 am | Videos | CommentsOn June 4th, 2010 at 14:30 UTC the first ever Falcon 9 rocket lifted off from Space Launch Complex 40, Kennedy Space Center, Florida.
Custom Thermistor Probe Assemblies Feature Turn-Key Readiness
June 5, 2010 9:55 am | Product Releases | CommentsSelco Products' CP Series and CS Series Thermistor Probe Assemblies can be customized to meet unique demands for specialized application requirements. These negative (NTC) temperature coefficient thermistors can be
Snap-In Ratcheting Strain Relief is Removable
June 5, 2010 9:40 am | Product Releases | CommentsHeyco Products has announced that its Snap-In Ratcheting Strain Relief (PN 1280) is now removable. The newly designed strain relief can be easily removed through insertion of standard snap ring pliers with
Calibrated Tactical-grade Gyro Sensors Offer Stability
June 5, 2010 6:26 am | Analog Devices, Inc. | Product Releases | CommentsAnalog Devices added two integrated and precise MEMS inertial sensors to its product line of iSensor motion sensor products. They combine tactical grade (<10 deg per hour) gyroscope performance with the company’s iSensor integration and factory calibration.
Connector Provides EMI Filtering with Hot Shoe Style Mating
June 4, 2010 12:23 pm | Product Releases | CommentsSpectrum Advanced Specialty Products introduced an EMI filtered connector, the Rapid Mate, designed for easy mating to spring loaded, compliant contacts. This connector combines
RF Inductors Are QPL Military-Approved
June 4, 2010 11:26 am | Product Releases | CommentsGowanda’s MLRF1010 Series is QPL approved to MIL-PRF-83446/04. The series provides surface mount RF inductors with i nductance from .01 uH to 27 uH, Q Min from 22 to 60, SRF MHz Min from
India’s Rustom UAV up for final approval
June 4, 2010 11:06 am | by Jason Lomberg, Technical Editor | Blogs | CommentsAccording to LiveFist, India’s Rustom UAV has reached the government's apex Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) for final financial approval. The medium altitude long endurance (MALE) drone is being developed for the Indian Army, Air Force, and Navy, and will carry out surveillance up to 250 km (155 miles) away.
One-A DC to DC Converter Accepts 6 V to 70 V with Constant Output
May 28, 2010 6:51 am | Product Releases | CommentsTech9 Corporation’s 1 A buck-boost DC to DC power converter accepts input ranging from 6 V to 70 V while output remains constant. The power converter can be ordered in 3 V, 5 V, 9 V, 12 V and 15 V output models. These power converters are
USAF Vehicle Breaks Record for Hypersonic Flight
May 27, 2010 6:57 am | News | CommentsAn experimental aircraft has set a record for hypersonic flight, flying more than 3 minutes at Mach 6 — six times the speed of sound.
Frameless Display Panels Touted as Ultra-Modern
May 26, 2010 8:05 am | Product Releases | CommentsJDSU announced that it has created new frameless display panels using a combination of its low-reflection optical coating technology and custom display manufacturing processes. The result are
COTS Frequency Control Products Suit High-rel Apps
May 25, 2010 7:54 am | Product Releases | CommentsNDK announced the availability of its COTS line-up of Crystals, TCXOs, VCXOs, SAW devices and FCXO modules. The product offerings are suited for high reliability, demanding environments like defense communications, aerospace, down hole, and maritime applications. The crystals are
ADC Combines 12-bit Resolution, 3.6-GSPS Sampling Rate
May 24, 2010 6:45 am | Product Releases | CommentsNational Semiconductor Corp. introduced what is said to be the industry’s fastest 12-bit analog-to-digital converter (ADC). At 3.6 GSPS, the ADC12D1800 is asserted to be 3.6 times faster than any other available 12-bit device. According to the company, the
Connectors for Soldier Technology
May 21, 2010 12:12 pm | by Ted Worroll, David Impett, and Barry Cambeilh, ITT Interconnect Solutions | Articles | CommentsThe “future” dismounted soldier sector is increasingly using advanced technology to equip its infantry, and sophisticated command, control, communications, computer and intelligence (C41) systems are being deployed that require increasingly sophisticated interconnection.
SMPS Caps Receive Military QPL Approval
May 21, 2010 10:27 am | Product Releases | CommentsSpectrum Advanced Specialty Products announced the addition of MIL-PRF-49470 approval for Switch Mode Power Supply capacitors to its military QPL offerings. Spectrum’s SMP capacitors are asserted to
U.K. Reapers surpass 10,000 hours over Afghanistan
May 21, 2010 8:03 am | by Jason Lomberg, Technical Editor | Blogs | CommentsOur cousins across the pond have achieved an historic milestone: the RAF’s Reaper program logged more than 10,000 hours over Afghanistan. In-theater since October 2007, the Reaper is the only Remotely Piloted Air System (RPAS) operated by the U.K.
Non-magnetic Resistors Include EIA Standard Chip Sizes From 0402 to 2512
May 21, 2010 7:44 am | Product Releases | CommentsStackpole Electronics expanded its NMCR and NMCF Series of non-magnetic thick film chip resistors to include all EIA standard chip sizes from 0402 to 2512. This expansion allows
EOD system fires pencil-sized rockets at IEDs
May 18, 2010 6:45 am | by Jason Lomberg, Technical Editor | Blogs | CommentsImagine how much cooler “The Hurt Locker” would’ve been if they had this: Israel’s Rafael Advanced Defense Systems has developed an EOD system that fires ‘pencil-size’ rockets at suspected IEDs. You read that right—it fires rockets at improvised explosive devices; this would’ve made for quite the different movie.
Linear Servo Accelerometers Tout 4-20 mA Output
May 17, 2010 5:11 am | Product Releases | CommentsSherborne Sensors has announced the debut of its A323 ‘L’ Series, a range of rugged, ultra-low range gravity referenced linear servo accelerometers with 4-20 mA (closed loop) output, designed for
PS3 firmware update could cripple Air Force research program
May 13, 2010 12:03 pm | by Jason Lomberg, Technical Editor | Blogs | CommentsLast month, Sony essentially neutered the PlayStation 3 by removing its “Install Other OS” functionality. This precipitated a huge customer backlash (and, as of this writing, at least two class-action lawsuits), but there’s one foe Sony hadn’t anticipated—the United States Air Force.
Xaver 400 Through-wall Radar
May 11, 2010 9:43 am | Videos | CommentsA demonstration of Camero's Xaver 400 through-wall radar.
NASA catapults new Orion capsule into NM desert
May 7, 2010 5:28 am | News | CommentsNASA engineers successfully catapulted the new Orion crew capsule about a mile into the air Thursday morning as part of a test of a launch-abort system. The launch-abort system hurtled the capsule from a desert launch pad at 7 a.m. and reached speeds of about 450 mph in just 2.5 seconds.
Wireless energy transfer for UAVs
May 5, 2010 8:34 am | by Jason Lomberg, Technical Editor | Blogs | CommentsLasers have been described as the “holy grail” of weapons—who wouldn't want to be like Luke Skywalker? But while researchers have pondered everything from “pain rays” to the “Zeus” anti-IED system, the folks over at LaserMotive are pushing something else entirely—power beaming for UAVs.
Retainer Clip for CompactFlash Provides Reliable Retention
May 5, 2010 7:26 am | 3M Electronics Solutions Division | Product Releases | CommentsA new device from the 3M Electronic Solutions Division provides reliable retention of CompactFlash Type I (CF I) and Type II (CF II) removable memory cards mated with 3M CF II card headers, helping to
