On the Radar

Hypersonic weapons and the role they will play in modern warfare are evolving rapidly. The U.S. Navy's Conventional Prompt Strike program and the U.S. Army's Long-Range Hypersonic Weapon program are leading the charge for hypersonic advancements, and adversarial hypersonic developments are inspiring embedded electronics manufacturers to build defense and detection systems designed to better protect the home front. In the fourth episode of On the Radar, Emma Helfrich and John McHale discuss the concept of the hypersonic weapon and its history with the Department of Defense as it stands entering the new year. Also mentioned are additionally notable programs on the forefront of hypersonic weapon and detection innovation including both Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) and Georgia Institute of Technology-led strategies. Helfrich and McHale go on to outline funding projections, explain China's hypersonic test launch that occurred in August 2021, and try and break down congressional critiques of these MACH 5 missiles.

This podcast is sponsored by Pentek, which is now a part of Mercury Systems. Setting the standard for digital signal processing solutions, Pentek, now part of Mercury, supports the defense community with superior technology for radar, software radio, and signal intelligence. Their mission is to provide leading-edge open architecture board- and system- level solutions when REAL-TIME results and critical decision making are a must. Learn more at www.pentek.com/go/ew.

 As the second and final installment of the On the Radar series covering the release of the Department of Defense (DoD) official budget request for Fiscal Year (FY) 2022, part two focuses on the final three topics outlined in the Innovation and Modernization chapter of the document. Following part one, which highlighted the funding for science and technology research, advanced capability enablers, and space-based systems, part two takes a more interpretive approach. In the third episode of On the Radar, Emma Helfrich and John McHale chat about how the DoD plans to bankroll cyberspace activities and efforts to tackle the climate crisis, and why the divestments are happening where they are. Obstacles like cyberattacks, environmental changes, and technology refresh may be intangible, but can effect mission readiness in a very real way. Modern warfare is constantly evolving and adapting to better operate under circumstances that are difficult to control, and Helfrich and McHale wrap up the DoD budget request series with their takes on how military electronics could acclimate.

This podcast is sponsored by Pentek, which is now a part of Mercury Systems. Setting the standard for digital signal processing solutions, Pentek, now part of Mercury, supports the defense community with superior technology for radar, software radio, and signal intelligence. Their mission is to provide leading-edge open architecture board- and system- level solutions when REAL-TIME results and critical decision making are a must. Learn more at www.pentek.com/go/ew.

The Department of Defense has released the official budget request for Fiscal Year (FY) 2022, and it’s a big one. Among its hundreds of pages and multiple chapters, those interested can find information and statistics regarding where defense spending and funding may be headed come next year. However, looking through all of the dense material can be an arduous process, so Military Embedded Systems will help filter it a little. In the second episode of On the Radar, Emma Helfrich and John McHale discuss the first three of six total highlights pulled from the Innovation and Modernization chapter of the FY 2022 budget request and explain how they may influence the trajectory of military electronics. Topics covered include funding for science and technology research, advanced capability enablers, and space-based systems. With an overall goal of maintaining technological superiority over adversaries, Helfrich and McHale chat about how the DoD is preparing to innovate.

This podcast is sponsored by Pentek, which is now a part of Mercury Systems. Setting the standard for digital signal processing solutions, Pentek, now part of Mercury, supports the defense community with superior technology for radar, software radio, and signal intelligence. Their mission is to provide leading-edge open architecture board- and system- level solutions when REAL-TIME results and critical decision making are a must. Learn more at www.pentek.com/go/ew.

Artificial intelligence (AI) is one of the hottest topics in modern technology, and defense electronics are no exception. In an industry where commercial automation has far outpaced that of the military, the Department of Defense (DoD) has found itself in a position that is neck and neck with the pace of adversaries. Base-patrolling robot dogs and algorithms designed to understand complex combat scenarios are currently in development, but that's just the beginning. In the debut episode of On the Radar, Emma Helfrich and John McHale of Military Embedded Systems discuss the current state of military AI and machine learning (ML), how these advancements are being financed, and the obstacles that stand in innovation's way. Also covered is the concept of defining the ethics of ML-powered systems and DoD research and development funding for AI.

This podcast is sponsored by:

Pentek, a leading manufacturer of embedded boards and recording systems serving the defense market. As one of the original COTS vendors, Pentek has been involved in developing open architecture standards for almost 20 years. Pentek is committed to the support and development of modular open standard architectures as seen with key contributions to VITA, PICMG, and now the SOSA standard. Pentek is an active member with leadership roles in the SOSA™ Consortium technical and business working groups. To find out more about Pentek and SOSA, visit www.pentek.com/sosa.