DEFENSE

Systems Digest

7 DECEMBER 2021

DSIAC collects and publishes articles related to our technical focus areas on the web to share with the DoD community.

FEATURED ARTICLE

Rick Cross works on the Titan compressor system at the Jupiter Laser Facility. The gratings (rainbow reflection) allow the Titan laser to provide peak power while preserving the optical components of the system. (Photo: Garry McLeod/LLNL)

A Brighter Future for the Jupiter Laser Facility

Since the 1970s, the Janus laser, now part of the Jupiter Laser Facility (JLF), has served as an experimental proving ground to Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory’s (LLNL) laser and fusion programs and the broader high-energy-density and laser science communities. Today, JLF is not only home to Janus — one of the world’s few hands-on laser…

Read More...

X-37B Orbital Test Vehicle Concludes Seventh Successful Mission

VANDENBERG SPACE FORCE BASE, Calif. (AFNS) — The X-37B Orbital Test Vehicle-7 (OTV-7), the U.S. Space Force’s dynamic unmanned spaceplane, successfully deorbited and landed at Vandenberg Space Force Base (SFB), California, on March 7, 2025, at 02:22 a.m. EST. The U.S. Space Force landed the X-37B at Vandenberg SFB, California, to exercise its rapid ability…

Read More...
A pilot trains in the Joint Simulation Environment (JSE) at the Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division in Patuxent River, Md. Tactical pilots from the Marine Corps and Air Force conducted the first-ever joint training exercise flying simulated combat missions together in F-35 and F-22 fifth-generation fighter jets in the JSE on March 24-27, 2024. (U.S. Navy photo by Terri Thomas)

Marines, Air Force Fight as a Joint Force for the First Time in the Navy’s Joint Simulation Environment

NAVAL AIR WARFARE CENTER AIRCRAFT DIVISION, Patuxent River, Md. — For the first time, U.S. Marine Corps F-35 and Air Force F-22 pilots trained as a joint fighting force in the Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division’s (NAWCAD’s) Joint Simulation Environment (JSE) at Naval Air Station Patuxent River, on March 24-27. The training event brought…

Read More...
Robust Quantum Sensors (RoQS)

Taking Quantum Sensors Out of the Lab and Into Defense Platforms

Quantum sensors, which have demonstrated unmatched precision in measuring magnetic fields, gravity, and motion, hold immense promise for advancing defense capabilities. However, these sensors face significant challenges when deployed in real-world settings – especially when placed on moving platforms. Vibrations, electromagnetic interference, and other environmental disturbances degrade their performance, limiting their operational utility. Current solutions,…

Read More...
Gen. Randy A. George, Chief of Staff of the Army, receives a demonstration of next generation command and control (NGC2) experimental capabilities as part of Project Convergence - Capstone 4 at Fort Irwin, Calif., March 18, 2024. At this year’s Project Convergence – Capstone 5, also taking place at Fort Irwin, the Army conducted a Soldier-led NGC2 “proof of principle” for the Army to assess progress with the approach. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Brahim Douglas)

Soldiers Experiment With Next-Generation C2 at Project Convergence

FORT IRWIN, Calif. (March 11, 2025) – The Army’s next-generation command and control effort is reaching a critical milestone at Project Convergence Capstone 5, where commanders and soldiers are employing new capabilities in realistic mission scenarios and conditions. Next-generation command and control, known as NGC2, aims to provide the integrated information framework that commanders need…

Read More...
U.S. Air Force Lt. Gen. Michael Conley, Air Force Special Operations Command commander, steps from the OA-1K Skyraider II as part of a delivery ceremony at Hurlburt Field, Florida, April 3, 2025. The ceremony recognized the delivery of the first missionized OA-1K Skyraider II to AFSOC. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Natalie Fiorilli)

Air Force Special Operations Command Accepts the First Missionized OA-1K Skyraider II

HURLBURT FIELD, FL – The Skyraider II officially joins the Air Force Special Operations Command fleet with the delivery of the first missionized aircraft here on April 3, 2025. U.S. Special Operations Command representatives and AFSOC leadership joined elected officials and community leaders in a ceremony marking the acceptance. The delivery marks the start of…

Read More...
Shown is a graphical artist rendering of the Next Generation Air Dominance (NGAD) Platform. The rendering highlights the Air Force’s sixth generation fighter, the F-47. The NGAD Platform will bring lethal, next-generation technologies to ensure air superiority for the Joint Force in any conflict. (U.S. Air Force graphic)

Air Force Awards Contract for Next Generation Air Dominance (NGAD) Platform, F-47

WASHINGTON (AFNS) — The U.S. Department of the Air Force recently announced the contract award for the Engineering and Manufacturing Development (EMD) of the Next Generation Air Dominance (NGAD) Platform, marking a major milestone in the advancement of air superiority. The contract, awarded to Boeing, will lead to the development of the F-47, the world’s…

Read More...
A Neros Archer first-person view drone sits on a case during a demonstration range at Weapons Training Battalion on Marine Corps Base Quantico, Virginia, March 7, 2025. The Marine Corps Attack Drone Team used the Neros Archer FPV drone to engage targets on the range to showcase the drone’s capabilities on the battlefield. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Joshua Barker)

Marine Corps Launches Attack Drone Team

MARINE CORPS BASE QUANTICO, Va. – On January 3, 2025, the Commanding Generals of the Training Command, Maj. Gen. Anthony M. Henderson, and the Marine Corps Warfighting Laboratory, Brig. Gen. Simon M. Doran, established the Marine Corps Attack Drone Team (MCADT) in response to the rapid proliferation of armed first-person-view (FPV) drone technology and tactics….

Read More...
Many tiny fibers twisted together into one larger strand

Computational Tools to Predict the Response of UHMWPE Composites to Impact

Ultra-high, molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) composites are advanced materials that lack experimentally driven, physics-based computational tools for predicting their response. This challenge exists for traditional fiber-based UHMWPE composites in a softer matrix material as well as the newer subclass based on films. Hybrid experimental-modeling-computational (HEMC) concepts for computational prediction of fiber- and film-based UHMWPE composites’…

Read More...

What is the state of the art in penetration models/equations for an M42 dual-purpose improved conventional munition shaped charge?

Read More...

Notable Technical Inquiry

Rick Cross works on the Titan compressor system at the Jupiter Laser Facility. The gratings (rainbow reflection) allow the Titan laser to provide peak power while preserving the optical components of the system. (Photo: Garry McLeod/LLNL)

A Brighter Future for the Jupiter Laser Facility

Since the 1970s, the Janus laser, now part of the Jupiter Laser Facility (JLF), has served as an experimental proving ground to Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory’s (LLNL) laser and fusion programs and the broader high-energy-density and laser science communities. Today, JLF is not only home to Janus — one of the world’s few hands-on laser platforms producing kilojoules of energy — but also Titan, a…

Learn More

X-37B Orbital Test Vehicle Concludes Seventh Successful Mission

VANDENBERG SPACE FORCE BASE, Calif. (AFNS) — The X-37B Orbital Test Vehicle-7 (OTV-7), the U.S. Space Force’s dynamic unmanned spaceplane, successfully deorbited and landed at Vandenberg Space Force Base (SFB), California, on March 7, 2025, at 02:22 a.m. EST. The U.S. Space Force landed the X-37B at Vandenberg SFB, California, to exercise its rapid ability to launch and recover its systems across multiple sites. X-37B’s…

Learn More
A pilot trains in the Joint Simulation Environment (JSE) at the Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division in Patuxent River, Md. Tactical pilots from the Marine Corps and Air Force conducted the first-ever joint training exercise flying simulated combat missions together in F-35 and F-22 fifth-generation fighter jets in the JSE on March 24-27, 2024. (U.S. Navy photo by Terri Thomas)

Marines, Air Force Fight as a Joint Force for the First Time in the Navy’s Joint Simulation Environment

NAVAL AIR WARFARE CENTER AIRCRAFT DIVISION, Patuxent River, Md. — For the first time, U.S. Marine Corps F-35 and Air Force F-22 pilots trained as a joint fighting force in the Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division’s (NAWCAD’s) Joint Simulation Environment (JSE) at Naval Air Station Patuxent River, on March 24-27. The training event brought eight U.S. Marine Corps F-35s to train alongside four Air…

Learn More
Robust Quantum Sensors (RoQS)

Taking Quantum Sensors Out of the Lab and Into Defense Platforms

Quantum sensors, which have demonstrated unmatched precision in measuring magnetic fields, gravity, and motion, hold immense promise for advancing defense capabilities. However, these sensors face significant challenges when deployed in real-world settings – especially when placed on moving platforms. Vibrations, electromagnetic interference, and other environmental disturbances degrade their performance, limiting their operational utility. Current solutions, such as isolating the sensors or using bulky shielding, are…

Learn More
Gen. Randy A. George, Chief of Staff of the Army, receives a demonstration of next generation command and control (NGC2) experimental capabilities as part of Project Convergence - Capstone 4 at Fort Irwin, Calif., March 18, 2024. At this year’s Project Convergence – Capstone 5, also taking place at Fort Irwin, the Army conducted a Soldier-led NGC2 “proof of principle” for the Army to assess progress with the approach. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Brahim Douglas)

Soldiers Experiment With Next-Generation C2 at Project Convergence

FORT IRWIN, Calif. (March 11, 2025) – The Army’s next-generation command and control effort is reaching a critical milestone at Project Convergence Capstone 5, where commanders and soldiers are employing new capabilities in realistic mission scenarios and conditions. Next-generation command and control, known as NGC2, aims to provide the integrated information framework that commanders need to make rapid decisions across warfighting functions, giving them an…

Learn More
U.S. Air Force Lt. Gen. Michael Conley, Air Force Special Operations Command commander, steps from the OA-1K Skyraider II as part of a delivery ceremony at Hurlburt Field, Florida, April 3, 2025. The ceremony recognized the delivery of the first missionized OA-1K Skyraider II to AFSOC. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Natalie Fiorilli)

Air Force Special Operations Command Accepts the First Missionized OA-1K Skyraider II

HURLBURT FIELD, FL – The Skyraider II officially joins the Air Force Special Operations Command fleet with the delivery of the first missionized aircraft here on April 3, 2025. U.S. Special Operations Command representatives and AFSOC leadership joined elected officials and community leaders in a ceremony marking the acceptance. The delivery marks the start of a new era in aircraft modularity. The Skyraider II can…

Learn More
Shown is a graphical artist rendering of the Next Generation Air Dominance (NGAD) Platform. The rendering highlights the Air Force’s sixth generation fighter, the F-47. The NGAD Platform will bring lethal, next-generation technologies to ensure air superiority for the Joint Force in any conflict. (U.S. Air Force graphic)

Air Force Awards Contract for Next Generation Air Dominance (NGAD) Platform, F-47

WASHINGTON (AFNS) — The U.S. Department of the Air Force recently announced the contract award for the Engineering and Manufacturing Development (EMD) of the Next Generation Air Dominance (NGAD) Platform, marking a major milestone in the advancement of air superiority. The contract, awarded to Boeing, will lead to the development of the F-47, the world’s first sixth-generation fighter aircraft.

Learn More
A Neros Archer first-person view drone sits on a case during a demonstration range at Weapons Training Battalion on Marine Corps Base Quantico, Virginia, March 7, 2025. The Marine Corps Attack Drone Team used the Neros Archer FPV drone to engage targets on the range to showcase the drone’s capabilities on the battlefield. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Joshua Barker)

Marine Corps Launches Attack Drone Team

MARINE CORPS BASE QUANTICO, Va. – On January 3, 2025, the Commanding Generals of the Training Command, Maj. Gen. Anthony M. Henderson, and the Marine Corps Warfighting Laboratory, Brig. Gen. Simon M. Doran, established the Marine Corps Attack Drone Team (MCADT) in response to the rapid proliferation of armed first-person-view (FPV) drone technology and tactics. The creation of MCADT comes in response to the rapid…

Learn More
Many tiny fibers twisted together into one larger strand

Computational Tools to Predict the Response of UHMWPE Composites to Impact

Ultra-high, molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) composites are advanced materials that lack experimentally driven, physics-based computational tools for predicting their response. This challenge exists for traditional fiber-based UHMWPE composites in a softer matrix material as well as the newer subclass based on films. Hybrid experimental-modeling-computational (HEMC) concepts for computational prediction of fiber- and film-based UHMWPE composites’ deformation and failure have been developed. This webinar will present…

Learn More

What is the state of the art in penetration models/equations for an M42 dual-purpose improved conventional munition shaped charge?

Learn More

FEATURED WEBINAR

Rick Cross works on the Titan compressor system at the Jupiter Laser Facility. The gratings (rainbow reflection) allow the Titan laser to provide peak power while preserving the optical components of the system. (Photo: Garry McLeod/LLNL)

A Brighter Future for the Jupiter Laser Facility

Since the 1970s, the Janus laser, now part of the Jupiter Laser Facility (JLF), has served as an experimental proving ground to Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory’s (LLNL) laser and fusion programs and the broader high-energy-density and laser science communities. Today, JLF is not only home to Janus — one of the world’s few hands-on laser…

Read More...

X-37B Orbital Test Vehicle Concludes Seventh Successful Mission

VANDENBERG SPACE FORCE BASE, Calif. (AFNS) — The X-37B Orbital Test Vehicle-7 (OTV-7), the U.S. Space Force’s dynamic unmanned spaceplane, successfully deorbited and landed at Vandenberg Space Force Base (SFB), California, on March 7, 2025, at 02:22 a.m. EST. The U.S. Space Force landed the X-37B at Vandenberg SFB, California, to exercise its rapid ability…

Read More...
A pilot trains in the Joint Simulation Environment (JSE) at the Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division in Patuxent River, Md. Tactical pilots from the Marine Corps and Air Force conducted the first-ever joint training exercise flying simulated combat missions together in F-35 and F-22 fifth-generation fighter jets in the JSE on March 24-27, 2024. (U.S. Navy photo by Terri Thomas)

Marines, Air Force Fight as a Joint Force for the First Time in the Navy’s Joint Simulation Environment

NAVAL AIR WARFARE CENTER AIRCRAFT DIVISION, Patuxent River, Md. — For the first time, U.S. Marine Corps F-35 and Air Force F-22 pilots trained as a joint fighting force in the Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division’s (NAWCAD’s) Joint Simulation Environment (JSE) at Naval Air Station Patuxent River, on March 24-27. The training event brought…

Read More...
Robust Quantum Sensors (RoQS)

Taking Quantum Sensors Out of the Lab and Into Defense Platforms

Quantum sensors, which have demonstrated unmatched precision in measuring magnetic fields, gravity, and motion, hold immense promise for advancing defense capabilities. However, these sensors face significant challenges when deployed in real-world settings – especially when placed on moving platforms. Vibrations, electromagnetic interference, and other environmental disturbances degrade their performance, limiting their operational utility. Current solutions,…

Read More...
Gen. Randy A. George, Chief of Staff of the Army, receives a demonstration of next generation command and control (NGC2) experimental capabilities as part of Project Convergence - Capstone 4 at Fort Irwin, Calif., March 18, 2024. At this year’s Project Convergence – Capstone 5, also taking place at Fort Irwin, the Army conducted a Soldier-led NGC2 “proof of principle” for the Army to assess progress with the approach. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Brahim Douglas)

Soldiers Experiment With Next-Generation C2 at Project Convergence

FORT IRWIN, Calif. (March 11, 2025) – The Army’s next-generation command and control effort is reaching a critical milestone at Project Convergence Capstone 5, where commanders and soldiers are employing new capabilities in realistic mission scenarios and conditions. Next-generation command and control, known as NGC2, aims to provide the integrated information framework that commanders need…

Read More...
U.S. Air Force Lt. Gen. Michael Conley, Air Force Special Operations Command commander, steps from the OA-1K Skyraider II as part of a delivery ceremony at Hurlburt Field, Florida, April 3, 2025. The ceremony recognized the delivery of the first missionized OA-1K Skyraider II to AFSOC. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Natalie Fiorilli)

Air Force Special Operations Command Accepts the First Missionized OA-1K Skyraider II

HURLBURT FIELD, FL – The Skyraider II officially joins the Air Force Special Operations Command fleet with the delivery of the first missionized aircraft here on April 3, 2025. U.S. Special Operations Command representatives and AFSOC leadership joined elected officials and community leaders in a ceremony marking the acceptance. The delivery marks the start of…

Read More...
Shown is a graphical artist rendering of the Next Generation Air Dominance (NGAD) Platform. The rendering highlights the Air Force’s sixth generation fighter, the F-47. The NGAD Platform will bring lethal, next-generation technologies to ensure air superiority for the Joint Force in any conflict. (U.S. Air Force graphic)

Air Force Awards Contract for Next Generation Air Dominance (NGAD) Platform, F-47

WASHINGTON (AFNS) — The U.S. Department of the Air Force recently announced the contract award for the Engineering and Manufacturing Development (EMD) of the Next Generation Air Dominance (NGAD) Platform, marking a major milestone in the advancement of air superiority. The contract, awarded to Boeing, will lead to the development of the F-47, the world’s…

Read More...
A Neros Archer first-person view drone sits on a case during a demonstration range at Weapons Training Battalion on Marine Corps Base Quantico, Virginia, March 7, 2025. The Marine Corps Attack Drone Team used the Neros Archer FPV drone to engage targets on the range to showcase the drone’s capabilities on the battlefield. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Joshua Barker)

Marine Corps Launches Attack Drone Team

MARINE CORPS BASE QUANTICO, Va. – On January 3, 2025, the Commanding Generals of the Training Command, Maj. Gen. Anthony M. Henderson, and the Marine Corps Warfighting Laboratory, Brig. Gen. Simon M. Doran, established the Marine Corps Attack Drone Team (MCADT) in response to the rapid proliferation of armed first-person-view (FPV) drone technology and tactics….

Read More...
Many tiny fibers twisted together into one larger strand

Computational Tools to Predict the Response of UHMWPE Composites to Impact

Ultra-high, molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) composites are advanced materials that lack experimentally driven, physics-based computational tools for predicting their response. This challenge exists for traditional fiber-based UHMWPE composites in a softer matrix material as well as the newer subclass based on films. Hybrid experimental-modeling-computational (HEMC) concepts for computational prediction of fiber- and film-based UHMWPE composites’…

Read More...

What is the state of the art in penetration models/equations for an M42 dual-purpose improved conventional munition shaped charge?

Read More...

A Brighter Future for the Jupiter Laser Facility

Since the 1970s, the Janus laser, now part of the Jupiter Laser Facility (JLF), has served as an experimental proving ground to Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory’s (LLNL) laser and fusion programs and the broader high-energy-density…

X-37B Orbital Test Vehicle Concludes Seventh Successful Mission

VANDENBERG SPACE FORCE BASE, Calif. (AFNS) — The X-37B Orbital Test Vehicle-7 (OTV-7), the U.S. Space Force’s dynamic unmanned spaceplane, successfully deorbited and landed at Vandenberg Space Force Base (SFB), California, on March 7, 2025,…

Marines, Air Force Fight as a Joint Force for the First Time in the Navy’s Joint Simulation Environment

NAVAL AIR WARFARE CENTER AIRCRAFT DIVISION, Patuxent River, Md. — For the first time, U.S. Marine Corps F-35 and Air Force F-22 pilots trained as a joint fighting force in the Naval Air Warfare Center…

Taking Quantum Sensors Out of the Lab and Into Defense Platforms

Quantum sensors, which have demonstrated unmatched precision in measuring magnetic fields, gravity, and motion, hold immense promise for advancing defense capabilities. However, these sensors face significant challenges when deployed in real-world settings – especially when…

Soldiers Experiment With Next-Generation C2 at Project Convergence

FORT IRWIN, Calif. (March 11, 2025) – The Army’s next-generation command and control effort is reaching a critical milestone at Project Convergence Capstone 5, where commanders and soldiers are employing new capabilities in realistic mission…

Air Force Special Operations Command Accepts the First Missionized OA-1K Skyraider II

HURLBURT FIELD, FL – The Skyraider II officially joins the Air Force Special Operations Command fleet with the delivery of the first missionized aircraft here on April 3, 2025. U.S. Special Operations Command representatives and…

Air Force Awards Contract for Next Generation Air Dominance (NGAD) Platform, F-47

WASHINGTON (AFNS) — The U.S. Department of the Air Force recently announced the contract award for the Engineering and Manufacturing Development (EMD) of the Next Generation Air Dominance (NGAD) Platform, marking a major milestone in…

Marine Corps Launches Attack Drone Team

MARINE CORPS BASE QUANTICO, Va. – On January 3, 2025, the Commanding Generals of the Training Command, Maj. Gen. Anthony M. Henderson, and the Marine Corps Warfighting Laboratory, Brig. Gen. Simon M. Doran, established the…

Computational Tools to Predict the Response of UHMWPE Composites to Impact

Ultra-high, molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) composites are advanced materials that lack experimentally driven, physics-based computational tools for predicting their response. This challenge exists for traditional fiber-based UHMWPE composites in a softer matrix material as well…

What is the state of the art in penetration models/equations for an M42 dual-purpose improved conventional munition shaped charge?

Voice From the Community

Want to be featured in our Digest?

Submit your "Voice From the Community"