Radio frequency (RF) and microwave technology used in the military is ever-evolving and necessarily acclimating to the congested digital battlefield. These solutions need to be fluent in the language of electronic warfare (EW). Demands for multifunctionality, digitization, and increased sensitivity are pushing designers to add these capabilities that warfighters require when translating electronic noise into actionable information.

The aerospace and defense sector has placed the greatest urgency on building the most complete intelligent systems now. CB Insights states, “In the aerospace and defense industry, supporting software has to make quick decisions in high-risk scenarios. Artificial intelligence [AI] is becoming integral to the $8.7 trillion space as companies and government agencies explore using technologies from robotics and autonomous systems to cybersecurity and telecommunication for national security.”

The summer of 2021 saw the U.S. Army embark on a service-wide migration to Army 365, which provides soldiers and Army civilians with a cloud-based collaboration capability; final email and platforms integration is expected sometime later in 2022.

To lower the cost and help speed the pace of technology upgrades for C5ISR [command, control, computers, communications, cyber, intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance] systems on Army vehicles – while supporting the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) mandate for modular open system architecture (MOSA) solutions – the U.S. Army’s Program Executive Officer (PEO) for Ground Combat Systems (GCS) has issued an Interface Description Document (IDD) that describes the Standardized A-Kit/Vehicle Envelope (SAVE), a new physical SWAP and connector standard for fielding new C5ISR capabilities.

Each issue, the editorial staff of Military Embedded Systems will highlight a different charitable organization that benefits the military, veterans, and their families. We are honored to cover the technology that protects those who protect us every day.

Each year since 2019 – when Army, Air Force, and Navy leaders issued their memo requiring the U.S. military use a Modular Open Systems Approach (MOSA) for new program designs and refreshes – momentum for the concept has only increased. The launch of the Sensor Open Systems Architecture (SOSA) Technical Standard 1.0 in September 2021 marked another huge milestone for MOSA proponents.

A key part of deterring, defending, and defeating the threat posed by hypersonic missiles will be advanced global and persistent sensing – the ability to detect and track threats through all phases of flight.