Category: Military

B&H Worldwide Secures Contract Extension with AerFin to Provide Comprehensive Logistics Support in Hong Kong

Hong Kong – B&H Worldwide, the global leader in aerospace and aviation logistics, is pleased to announce the expansion of its agreement with aviation asset specialist AerFin,which buys, sells, leases and repairs aircraft, engines and parts to maximize value for owners and provides a lower-cost supply of material to its airline, lessor and MRO customers. 

This extension will see B&H Worldwide’s Hong Kong station provide a range of logistics services, including freight forwarding, packing, dangerous goods handling, customs brokerage, storage, and inventory management to support AerFin’s acquisitions of aircraft in the region.

Under this agreement, B&H Worldwide will manage the assets in Hong Kong, enhancing AerFin’s operational reach across the Asia-Pacific region. The services provided by B&H Worldwide will include the coordination of cargo at the teardown facility and on-site packing, the transfer of all stock to B&H Worldwide’s secure facility in Hong Kong, where parts will be meticulously recorded in B&H Worldwide’s proprietary software, FirstTRAC, before being sold, sent for servicing, or retained in storage. This collaboration builds upon the existing partnership between B&H Worldwide and AerFin following an agreement signed during Aviation Week’s MRO Americas 2023 which covers similar operations in Australia and Singapore strengthening the organizations’ regional partnership in APAC. 

Stuart Allen, Group CEO of B&H Worldwide, expressed his enthusiasm about the expanded partnership: “We are delighted to continue our successful collaboration with AerFin and to further extend our services into APAC. Our team is committed to providing the highest level of logistics support to ensure that AerFin can optimise its operations in the region. This contract extension is a testament to the strength of our relationship and the trust AerFin places in our ability to deliver tailored aerospace logistics solutions.”

Paul Ashcroft, SVP Asia Pacific, AerFin added: “With our decision to extend our global reach into Asia Pacific, the expansion of the B&H agreement strengthens the work we have already been undertaking within Singapore. Our strategic inventory holdings at B&HWorldwide’s warehouse in Singapore have increased significantly this year with the decision to add more A320, Boeing 737 and A330 family stock within the region. Placing key inventory in Singapore provides confidence in our ability to serve our regional clients better than ever before. Demonstrating our continued growth in Asia, today’s announcement now enables AerFin to provide a similar reliable inventory solution from Hong Kong, the gateway to China.”

RTX’s Collins Aerospace Receives First-Ever FAA Approval to Increase Cockpit Processing Power

Collins Aerospace received the first-ever FAA Technical Standard Order (TSO) approval for a fully enabled multi-core processor. The Collins Multifunction Display, powered by Mosarc, will increase the speed, capacity and flexibility of an aircraft’s flight deck, providing 75% more capability than traditional single core processors.

With this authorization, the Multifunction Display is now the world’s first multi-core processor that’s certified for civil and military aircraft and facilitates simultaneous use of all processing cores across all Design Assurance Level (DAL) standards. This certification paves the way to utilize the processor for future hardware to enable multi-core processing.

“On a military mission, every second counts and access to information is critical,” said Dave Schreck, vice president and general manager of Military Avionics and Helicopters at Collins Aerospace. “Collins’ display is the only multi-core processor on the market that is certified by the FAA and is being used by the U.S. Army. This translates to being much more efficient in integrating new capabilities while also being able to safely run more applications in parallel than ever before.”

This enhanced performance comes from the system’s ability to process data 12 times faster than a single core processor, consuming 40% less power. It integrates multiple operating systems, which enables rapid third-party integration and reduces vendor lock. Ultimately, this provides platforms the flexibility to integrate evolving mission-systems capabilities in weeks rather than recertifying flight critical applications every time, which can take months or longer.

Collins has been a leading provider of civil-certified, high integrity, safety-critical processors for military aircraft for more than two decades. To date, the display has completed more than 6,000 hours of flight tests and is optimized for use in rotary-wing, fighter, bomber and trainer environments.

Lone Star Analysis Ltd. Appoints Katherine Simmonds as UK Chief of Staff

Lone Star Analysis Ltd., a trusted provider of leading-edge predictive and prescriptive analytics and Evolved AI, is excited to announce the appointment of Katherine Simmonds as the company’s new UK Chief of Staff. Simmonds brings experience from her distinguished career in both military and civilian roles, making her a valuable addition to Lone Star’s leadership team.

Simmonds’ hire aligns with the Lone Star’s recent expansion in the UK market. Back in February, the company opened a new headquarters in Lincoln to better serve customers throughout the UK, the Commonwealth, Europe, and the Middle East.

“I am honored to join Lone Star and be part of such an innovative and forward-thinking company,” said Katherine Simmonds. “I am excited to contribute to our mission of delivering cutting-edge analytics and AI solutions, and I look forward to collaborating with the talented team at Lone Star to drive operational excellence and support our clients’ success.”

Simmonds began her career as a Royal Air Force Communications Engineering Officer, showing exceptional organizational skills and dedication, managing teams and large projects with finesse. Her ability to oversee large-scale operations and budgets, along with her expertise in stakeholder management, positions her as a key asset for Lone Star.

Throughout her career, Simmonds has managed numerous equipment programmes, controlled substantial budgets, facilitated information sharing and improved communication with external agencies. Her technical skills include IT support, database management and creating user-friendly electronic data storage systems, making her a versatile leader.

Simmonds is also notable for her strong communication and administration skills. Moving into the hospitality sector after the Royal Air Force she has coordinated high-profile events and business conferences. Her extensive experience in team management, coupled with strong interpersonal skills and attention to detail will contribute to a more efficient and high-performing team.

“We’re excited to bring Katherine on board as we expand our footprint in the UK,” said Robin Adlam, Managing Director of Lone Star Analysis Ltd. “Her extensive experience in both military and civilian roles, along with her exceptional management and organizational skills, make her a perfect fit for our growing team. Katherine’s expertise will be instrumental in driving our operational excellence and supporting our strategic goals.”

U.S. Navy Awards SAIC Three Contracts for Engineering Services

Science Applications International Corp. (NASDAQ: SAIC) has been awarded three contracts worth $58.2M to support the Airborne Electronic Attack (AEA) Integrated Product Team (IPT) Jammer Technique Optimization (JATO) Program, the International Program, and the AEA IPT EA-18G Program.

“These three contracts are a testament to SAIC’s reputation of delivering mission-critical solutions and dedicated support to the Naval Air Warfare Center Weapons Division, Point Mugu,” said Barbara Supplee, executive vice president, Navy Business Group at SAIC. “This work goes beyond technical services. We are contributing to the sustainment of engineering services as well as airborne jammer optimization and effectiveness data collection and reporting for the Navy.”

Under the JATO contract, SAIC will deliver a wide range of technical services including jammer technique development, test and evaluation engineering, interoperability testing and analysis, threat analysis, tactics development, mission data development and production and Fleet liaison activities. This work will play a crucial role in optimizing jamming techniques, enhancing the effectiveness of Electronic Warfare (EW) platforms and systems and ensuring the readiness of the EA-18G aircraft and other EW assets.

Under the AEA IPT International contract, SAIC will continue to provide support to the international service project by performing maintenance of existing AEA simulations and development of tools and new simulations. SAIC will also perform the engineering, technical and policy support services for the international program teams, supporting Foreign Military Sales (FMS), Cooperative Development and other relationship programs for the Electronic Attack (EA) and Electronic Warfare products.

Additional support to AEA IPT includes engineering services for the development and sustainment efforts of both the United States Navy (USN) and Foreign Military Sales (FMS) configurations of the EA-18G. Engineering services will include cooperative and collaborative engineering support to other laboratories and will include general management, engineering support, product support and systems engineering, integration, and test for the EA-18G team.

IS&S Receives Multi-Million Dollar Contract from Major Aerospace Company for Military Products

Innovative Solutions & Support (IS&S) received a multi-million-dollar production order contract to supply its 19” Multifunction Display (MFD) with an Integrated Mission Computer on a Commercial Derivative platform in current use by several foreign militaries. Deliveries will begin immediately.

The IS&S 19” Multifunction Display is a versatile flat panel display with multi-touchscreen interface for commercial and military aircraft. This display can perform a variety of functions including data integration, displaying primary flight/navigation information, mission planning and execution and mission data display utilizing latest generation integrated processors which power the Mission Computer. IS&S has integrated the Display Unit (DU) and the Mission Computer into a single unit, reducing wiring needs allowing for easy installation.

“IS&S continues to develop new generations of increasingly sophisticated and technically advanced products delivering improved mission capability and performance to military operators,” IS&S CEO Shahram Askarpour stated. “We are pleased to begin deliveries on this contract and look forward to continuing our development of state-of-the-art products that increase automation, enhance the efficiency and safety of commercial and military operations.”

This marks the latest OEM contract for IS&S building on existing OEM programs with Pilatus Aircraft for the PC-24, Textron Aviation for the King Air 260/360 and The Boeing Company for the KC-46A, KC-767A and the T-7A.

Boom Supersonic Accelerates Overture Aircraft and Engine Development

Boom Supersonic announced milestones across its Overture airliner and Symphony engine programs in July. Boom is reinventing the cockpit with an all-new flight deck, designed around pilots with safety at the forefront. Boom is making rapid progress on its Symphony engine, with hardware testing underway and the first full-scale engine core to be operational in just 18 months. Additionally, Boom announced that Symphony will be assembled in San Antonio, Texas through an expanded agreement with StandardAero.

Today’s announcements come on the heels of accelerating momentum for Boom. In March, the company conducted the historic first flight of its XB-1 supersonic demonstrator and in June completed construction on the Overture Superfactory in Greensboro, North Carolina.

“Passengers and airlines are hungry for supersonic flight,” said Blake Scholl, founder and CEO of Boom Supersonic. “Following XB-1’s successful test flight, we’re accelerating. Overture features an all-new flight deck, incorporating extensive pilot feedback, resulting in a flying experience that is both innovative and instantly familiar. Our Symphony engine has quickly progressed through design into hardware rig testing, and with a fully operational engine core on track for next year, our rapid development approach is pacing ahead of schedule.”

Boom continues to partner with airlines and best-in-class industry suppliers. Overture’s flight deck builds on the next-generation Honeywell Anthem avionics suite. An advanced head-worn vision system from Universal Avionics, who joins the Overture program today, is integrated into the flight deck. Boom worked with BAE Systems to integrate Active Control Sidesticks into the Overture flight deck simulator displayed at the Farnborough International Airshow.

Overture’s flight deck builds upon years of learning in aviation safety and is the result of extensive feedback from airline, business, and military pilots. Incorporating the Honeywell Anthem avionics suite, Overture offers pilots unprecedented situational awareness and ease of control, providing passengers with the safest possible flight experience.

Boom’s flight deck offers pilots the benefits of advanced automation and envelope protection, together with a force-feedback system that allows pilots to feel how the airplane is flying. With key airplane features accessible through high-definition touch screens, Overture can benefit from ongoing over-the-air software upgrades. Overture flight deck capabilities include:

  • Force-feedback sidesticks. For the first time on an airliner, force-feedback sidesticks allow pilots to control the plane while physically feeling both aircraft response and inputs made by the co-pilot or autopilot. 
  • Autoland and augmented reality. Building on the system flown on XB-1, Overture has an advanced augmented reality vision system for takeoff and landing, eliminating the need for the droop nose used on Concorde. Pilots can safely land using autoland or augmented reality views provided on a head-worn device and on the pilot’s primary flight display.
  • Large 17-inch touchscreens. High-definition touchscreens eliminate the hundreds of breakers and buttons found in legacy cockpits. Every airplane function is accessible through software while physical controls—such as stick, throttle, and landing gear—are offered for safety-critical functions.
  • Over-the-air upgrades. Overture will receive over-the-air software upgrades, meaning new features and improvements will arrive regularly. Airlines can control how upgrades are rolled out across fleets.

Boom recently completed a series of flight deck tests with commercial pilots from leading airlines, including Mike Bannister, former Chief Concorde Pilot for British Airways. 

“I’ve long believed that Overture is the rightful successor to Concorde,” said Mike Bannister, former Chief Concorde Pilot for British Airways. “After experiencing Overture’s flight deck, which is incredibly well designed and delightful to fly, my excitement and enthusiasm for this aircraft has only intensified.” 

Symphony engine advances to hardware testing; engine core to be operational in 18 months

Boom revealed in June that it is already building and rig-testing Symphony hardware, starting with a full-scale test of combustor aerodynamics. The first 3D-printed parts have been produced for Symphony, including fuel nozzles and turbine center frames. 

These hardware tests began just 18 months after the initial announcement of Symphony, demonstrating Boom’s rapid development approach. As part of this strategy, the company will conduct more than 30 engine hardware rig tests, allowing for validation and optimization of all key engine components, ranging from fan and nozzle acoustics to combustor fuel efficiency.

Boom also announced that it has accelerated development of a full-scale engine core, which will be operational in late 2025. Engine core testing will analyze performance of the compressor, combustor, and turbine section. Data gathered will further refine engineering and expedite production of a fully certified engine. Following this rapid development approach, Boom expects to build and test multiple iterations before certifying the final refined engine.

Boom also expanded its existing MRO partnership with StandardAero to include the production of Symphony. StandardAero will assemble and test Symphony engines at its facility in San Antonio, Texas. The Symphony assembly line will scale to produce 330 engines annually within a footprint projected to total over 100,000 square feet of production space.

“We are excited to expand our role to include the assembly and testing of Symphony engines, further supporting the development of next-generation flight with Boom,” said Russell Ford, Chairman and CEO of StandardAero. “Our collaboration is a testament to StandardAero’s world-class engineering capabilities and dedication to delivering solutions that power the future of air travel.”

Additionally, Boom announced it is teaming with aerospace leader ATI, Inc. for advanced high-temperature materials and components for Symphony’s high pressure compressor integrated blade and disk stages and for its turbine assembly. These advanced nickel-based superalloys will enable Symphony to achieve high performance and reliability in sustained supersonic operation.

Overture remains on target to achieve FAA and EASA certification by the end of the decade.

Cracked Gear Cause of Osprey Crash in November

The cause of the Osprey aircraft crash that killed eight was released in a report by the Air Force Special Operations command. The report says the CV-22B Osprey mishap November 29, 2023, near Yakushima, Japan was caused by a cracked gear and the decision of the pilot to continue the flight. The report says there were multiple warnings that should have lead to the decision to end the mission and land. The crash led to a month-long grounding of the Osprey fleet.

The aircraft, assigned to the 21st Special Operations Squadron, 353rd Special Operations Wing at Yokota Air Base, Japan, was participating in a joint inter-operability exercise when the mishap occurred. The aircrew was comprised of personnel from the 21 SOS, 1st Special Operations Squadron and 43rd Intelligence Squadron.

An Accident Investigation Board was convened by Lt. Gen. Tony Bauernfeind, then AFSOC Commander, to assess the facts and circumstances of the crash to determine its cause. From December 6, 2023, through May 30, 2024, a team of multi-disciplinary subject matter experts examined multiple sources including interviews, maintenance logs, flight recorder data, briefing materials, and inspection of aircraft wreckage. After an extensive engineering and human factors analysis, the team assembled a detailed sequence of events surrounding the CV-22 mishap to determine cause.

“The purpose of the investigation was to identify the cause and contributing factors that led to this mishap,” Bauernfeind said. “By conducting a thorough review and accident and safety investigations, we hope to provide answers to the families of the Airmen that lost their lives and prevent future occurrences and tragedies.”

The board president found, by a preponderance of evidence, the mishap was caused by a catastrophic failure of the left-hand prop rotor gear box that created a rapidly cascading failure of the aircraft’s drive system, resulting in an instantaneous asymmetric lift condition that was unrecoverable by the mishap crew. Additionally, the board president found decision-making was causal, prolonging the mishap sequence and removing any consideration of an earlier landing at a different divert location.

The crew got six chip warnings that day. Each presented an opportunity to heed the warning and land as a precaution. Investigators found that decision was a causal factor in the crash.

When the third chip burn warning posted, the crew was close to mainland Japan. The official guidance after three chip burns was to “land as soon as practical,” but still leaves the decision to the pilot’s discretion.

According to the voice data recorder, the pilot and crew were looking for secondary indications of a problem but saw none. There was no proprotor gearbox overheat. They opted to keep monitoring the situation and continued the flight over water to Okinawa. Throughout the flight, the co-pilot was also not direct about “his uneasiness with the evolving issues,” the investigation found, based on the recovered voice data.

The fourth and fifth chip burn warnings came quickly. Then with the sixth, just chips, meaning the Osprey could not burn them off. The Osprey gave its final chip-related warning three minutes before the crash: chip detector fail. The pilot told the crew he was no longer worried, and now assumed the earlier warnings were due to a faulty chip detector. Investigators later found the fail message occurred because the detector “had so many chips on it, it couldn’t keep up.”

“Inside the proprotor gearbox, the pinion gear was breaking apart. At least one piece wedged into the teeth of the larger transmission gearing system, jamming and breaking off gearing teeth until the left proprotor gearbox could no longer turn the Osprey’s left proprotor mast. Within six seconds of the proprotor gearbox failing, catastrophic destruction splintered through the Osprey gearing and interconnected drive system. At that point, there was nothing the crew members could have done to save themselves or the aircraft, the investigation found. The Osprey rolled violently, inverted twice with its left engine housing on fire and crashed into the water, killing all on board,” a report from Iowa Public Radio says.

The full USAF Accident Investigation Board report is available here.

GA Telesis and Alitheon Partner to Bring Next Gen Transparency, Traceability and Trust to Aviation and Aerospace

GA Telesis and Alitheon joined forces to integrate Alitheon’s optical AI technology, FeaturePrint, into WILBUR, GA Telesis’s Web3-enabled Parts Provenance and Records Platform. WILBUR will provide a revolution in securing aircraft and parts authenticity, as well as drive maximum levels of aviation data security within the sector. This collaboration will empower stakeholders to meet the highest standards for product documentation and verification set by all global regulatory bodies.

This collaboration also drives a new level of safety across the entire aviation and aerospace supply chain by ensuring the irrefutable verification of products. Starting with raw materials and continuing forward with Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs), heavy maintenance facilities, MRO’s, logistics, airlines, and parts suppliers, WILBUR and FeaturePrint will enhance traceability and identification of aircraft parts throughout the entire aircraft lifecycle. The combined technology addresses aircraft parts previously manufactured, and serves as a forward-looking provenance verification system (“PVS”) and process for transfer of assets within the supply-chain.

FeaturePrint: Revolutionizing Transparency, Traceability and Trust

FeaturePrint addresses critical challenges in the aerospace industry, including counterfeit and gray market goods, untraceable items, and misidentification of physical products. By leveraging standard industrial cameras or mobile phones, FeaturePrint’s algorithms create a unique digital fingerprint based on the minute surface details of each physical item. Just like human fingerprints, these digital ‘FeaturePrints’ are inherently unique and persistent. This technology eliminates reliance on removable tags, QR codes, data plates, labels, and paperwork, which are susceptible to damage, loss, manipulation and fraud.

Irrefutable ‘Back to Birth’ Provenance

A longstanding risk in the aerospace sector has been recently exposed via multiple fraudulent events involving both false paperwork and counterfeit parts and materials entering the aviation supply chain.  These events shine a spotlight on the aviation industry’s increasing need for transparency and trust. GA Telesis’s WILBUR platform uses a patented data tokenization process where irrefutable surrogates are created for the actual information. With the addition of FeaturePrint, the solution serves as an objective source of truth combining the power of web-3 based part-level data, and the connector between physical parts and their digital identities. By replacing outdated part traceability methods reliant on paperwork, tags, QR codes, and NFC chips, the combined WILBUR – FeaturePrint technology ensures irrefutable verification.

“Incorporating Alitheon’s FeaturePrint into our WILBUR platform will establish the ultimate standard of traceability and provenance for aviation industry stakeholders,” stated Jason Reed, President of the GA Telesis Digital Innovation Group. “The combination of our technology and extensive market presence, along with Alitheon’s optical AI technology, will empower the aviation industry to address significant challenges. As the aviation industry evolves, transparency throughout the value chain is becoming increasingly critical. The enhanced GA Telesis platform will empower stakeholders to meet the highest standards set by the OEMs, airlines, and aviation authorities around the world. Together, we will usher in an era where fraudulent aerospace documentation and aircraft parts not only become obsolete, but impossible.”

“FeaturePrint was developed to establish transparency, traceability, and trust using nothing more than a photo. This empowers high-consequence industries to provide the provenance and verification their customers deserve,” said Roei Ganzarski, CEO of Alitheon. “In the aerospace sector, where safety is paramount, companies and the flying public must have assurances that every part installed on an aircraft is authentic, legal, and correct. By integrating FeaturePrint into WILBUR, this industry gains a new level of trust and safety.”

Hexagon Introduces Solution to Plan, Manage and Optimize Factories

Hexagon’s Manufacturing Intelligence division has launched its new digitalization solution, Digital Factory, designed to help manufacturers build highly accurate digital replicas of their factories. It enables manufacturers to optimize their floor plans and quickly pivot production lines today, and operate smarter and more sustainable future factories with open interfaces that connect digital twins of shopfloor assets. Such solutions could save a global manufacturing company £35 million per year by avoiding costly mistakes and offering a 50% reduction in the typical travel costs and the on-site training required, the company says.

Hexagon says it is ready to address this issue through its expertise in delivering best-in-class accuracy reality capture and surveying equipment, software to visualize, explore and simulate scenarios in 3D, and high-productivity cloud-native collaboration workflows. Digitalization technologies are a proven technology and have been used for over two decades in civil infrastructure, architecture and public safety, but their potential has yet to be fully realized in the manufacturing space where significant disruption now requires manufacturers — in particular brownfield site owners — to rethink their manufacturing equipment and use of space.

According to research conducted by Forrester, commissioned by Hexagon, 32% of manufacturers believe that outdated or ineffective manual processes and workflows are barriers to productivity and collaboration. Digital Factory is a future-ready alternative to traditional factory planning that enables manufacturers to not only ramp up productivity, but also increase efficiency in remodeling, preventing costly mistakes. It also empowers more efficient collaboration between manufacturing and operations teams from anywhere in the world. The core of this solution is improved access to up-to-date data in immersive virtual environments that reflect reality, addressing a major barrier that smart factory initiatives face today.

Digital Factory leverages a comprehensive portfolio of hardware and software solutions that includes Hexagon’s award-winning range of reality capture technology — such as the Leica BLK2GO handheld imaging laser scanner, the Leica BLK ARC autonomous scanning module for robotic and mobile carriers and terrestrial laser scanners like the Leica RTC360 — that allow manufacturers to capture and create dimensionally-accurate point clouds of the factory floor. Using the Leica Cyclone software portfolio and Hexagon’s Reality Cloud Studio, powered by the HxDR, manufacturers can easily collaborate and quickly process data from Hexagon or a customer’s preferred scanning hardware to recreate up-to-date 3D spaces with speed and flexibility.

Hexagon offers workflows to ensure manufacturers achieve the maximum value, from scanning the factory and processing the data into actionable 3D models for various applications, to managing the data in the cloud, making it easier for team members and external stakeholders to provide feedback and make informed decisions. By using Digital Factory, manufacturers will be able to:

  • Conduct virtual tours for remote factory monitoring – Lead a digital tour of a factory with remote access, eliminating the need for managers and contractors to travel onsite.
  • Remote team collaboration – Facilitate remote collaboration among key teams and stakeholders at any time, using cloud-based tools with analysis and modelling capabilities with on-demand data. Factory planners and production managers can make decisions remotely and provide feedback with confidence based on reliable and up-to-date data.
  • Plan and remodel factory layouts with accuracy and detail – Capture precise measurements of a factory, creating an exact and reliable digital model that can be accessed anytime from anywhere. Factory owners can regularly monitor the progress of production lines under construction in meticulous detail, avoiding the costs associated with unexpected errors.
  • Easily upgrade and install equipment – Introduce and upgrade machinery such as machining centers, 3D printers, robotics and metrology systems by evaluating their addition or replacement in a risk-free digital model. This helps prevent expensive mistakes such as ordering incorrect parts, not having sufficient footprint or access to install a machine.
  • Create operational test-beds and innovate faster – By testing out new machines, factory floor layouts and workflows in the virtual 3D environment, companies can quickly identify feasibility and emissions considerations, enabling them to better understand the potential benefits of new technology and make future-ready smart factories a reality.

“Hexagon has developed a deep understanding of manufacturers’ needs. Digital Factory allows to bring the physical world into an accurate virtual sandbox of their factories on-demand,” said Nicolas Lachaud Bandres, VP Industry Solutions at Hexagon. “Collaborating with their team and suppliers, they can consider ‘what-if’ scenarios to shape more effective plant designs and layouts and oversee implementation with irrefutable and accessible 3D plans. We’re making the digital factory more affordable and accessible, and we’re excited to see how our customers apply this to ramp up and remain competitive with smarter factories.”

Digital Factory is designed to integrate with existing customer workflows. It is interoperable with Building Information Modeling (BIM) applications, Hexagon’s HxGN EAM enterprise asset management solutions and popular CAD software from AutoCAD and Bentley.

Arraid LLC Awarded F-16 ATE Support Contract

Solid State Disks Limited’s (SSDL’s) US-based subsidiary Arraid, headquartered in Phoenix, Arizona, is supplying the United States Air Force (USAF) with 45 replacement data storage drives for automatic test equipment (ATE) stations designed to support F-16 fighter jets operated by the Air National Guard and allied foreign militaries.

The contract was awarded by DLA Troop Support, and the replacement drives are Arraid AEM-8 drives. It is a twin-drive, 19-inch rack-mounted, solid-state-based replacement for any Hewlett Packard (HP) hard disk drive that adheres to the HP-IB interface standard (IEEE-488) and uses the CS/80 command set.

“The General Dynamics F-16 was introduced into service in 1978,” said James Hilken, sales director of SSDL. “ATE stations were developed and subsequently evolved in parallel with the development of the aircraft and once it entered service.”

Hilken went on to explain that the hard disk drives in the ATE stations would have changed over time but remained compliant with the Hewlett Packard HP-IB interface standard (IEEE-488) and the CS/80 command set.

When the drives failed, and because the original parts had become obsolete, they were replaced with emulator drives made by Bering Technology.

“F-16 jets are slated to remain in active service through to 2030 and beyond,” added Hilken, “and Bering has ceased manufacturing and all repair operations. In other words, the F-16 ATEs are needed for several more years but have been hit by a second wave of obsolescence. Thankfully, our subsidiary Arraid, which like SSDL is part of the Reactive Engineering Group, is providing a long-term and dependable solution.”

The Arraid AEM-8 has been approved by the USAF as a suitable replacement for all HP hard disk drives and Bering emulators as used in the F-16’s ATEs – thus extending the life of the equipment – and provides a complete bridge between the host HP-IB controller and the AEM’s SCSI drives.

The order for the 45 AEM-8s was received in early February 2024 and a shipment of five units was made in mid-March, since when Arraid has been delivering at an average rate of four units per month.

“We’re currently well on track for completing the order in early 2025 and there is potential for a follow-on order, possibly for up to as many units again,” Hilken concluded.