Hummingbird flies
Boeing's A160 Hummingbird long-endurance unmanned helicopter has returned to the air with a 45min test near Victorville, California that included hover and forward flight. The rotorcraft is expected to demonstrate a 20h endurance powered by a six-cylinder Subaru gasoline engine. The first of seven test vehicles with the Pratt & Whitney Canada PW206 turbine engine planned for operational A160Ts is to fly in the second quarter of next year.
Rover in picture
L-3's Communications Systems-West division has begun production of a next-generation Rover III datalink receiver that can decode video from multiple unmanned air vehicle types. Rover III is used in the remote video terminal that is part of the US Army's One System UAV ground control system. The improved receiver can decode multiple L- and C-band analogue and C-band digital downlinks.
Radio head
Rockwell Collins has been selected by the US Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency to lead an effort to revolutionise radio technology by using micro electro-mechanical systems (MEMS) to develop an ultra-wideband multi-channel receiver and spectral sensor. MEMS technology promises to improve the performance and flexibility, and reduce the cost, size and power consumption, of radio front ends.
King trainers
FlightSafety International (FSI) is to build two Lockheed Martin HC-130P King weapon systems trainers for US Air Force Special Operations Command (AFSOC). The full-flight simulators, with electric motion and FSI's Vital IX visual system for out-the-window views and new Vital X for sensor images, will be delivered to AFSOC's schoolhouse at Kirtland AFB, New Mexico. The heavily modified HC-130Ps are used for combat search-and-rescue.
Source: Flight International
