Weekly GEOINT Community News

Lockheed Martin Receives $733 Million Aerial ISR Contract

The U.S. Army Contracting Command-Aberdeen Proving Ground (ACC-APRG) awarded Lockheed Martin a Sensor Systems-Aerial Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (AISR) task order. Under this $733 million contract, Lockheed Martin will support ACC-APRG to modernize sensor equipment and platforms that support AISR data collection, air and ground processing, exploitation, and dissemination for missions worldwide.

Northrop Grumman Wins DARPA Contract

Northrop Grumman received a $17.7 million contract modification as part of DARPA’s Tactically Exploited Reconnaissance Node (Tern) program. Tern is a project aimed to make it quicker and easier for the military to deploy unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) for intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance capabilities. Northrop’s contract modification goes toward phase three of the program, helping to design, develop, and demonstrate technologies and system attributes for a medium-altitude, long-endurance shipboard-capable UAV launch and recovery system that can be used on smaller ships. The work is expected to be complete in December 2018.

Vricon Reveals DTM Product

Vricon recently unveiled the newest product in the Vricon Data Suite. The 0.5-meter resolution Digital Terrain Model (DTM) is a high-resolution bare earth elevation data layer. Vricon produces its DTM using high-quality image archives and automated processing to provide exceptionally fast delivery speeds.

Airbus Partners with AMREL & 3v Geomatics

Airbus Defence and Space has partnered with American Reliance (AMREL) to integrate Airbus’ Geospatial Appliance Targeted for Operational Response (GATOR) into AMREL’s rugged laptop solution to create the GATOR Rugged Geospatial Laptop. The product will enable easy access to geospatial data even when the internet isn’t available in harsh environments.

Airbus also established a multi-year agreement to provide 3v Geomatics with synthetic aperture radar imagery acquired by TerraSAR-X and TanDEM-X satellites. The agreement will provide 3v Geomatics with the ability to utilize the radar imagery archive and a series of new TerraSAR-X and TanDEM-X acquisitions.

BAE Systems & MacB Partner on GEOINT Contract

National security company MacB is partnering with BAE Systems on a five-year, $30 million GEOINT analysis and reporting contract for the U.S. Army Intelligence and Security Command (INSCOM), reports WashingtonExec.

Additionally, INSCOM awarded BAE Systems with a $75 million, five-year contract to provide enhanced geospatial intelligence technical and analytical support. The award was issued under the INSCOM Global Intelligence indefinite delivery, indefinite quantity contract. BAE Systems will assist in the exploitation and processing of geospatial data and develop various intelligence products for INSCOM’s Military Intelligence Brigade.

exactEarth Concludes Small Vessel Tracking Trials

exactEarth recently completed its South Africa Safety Initiative for Small Vessels (OASIS) project, a small vessel tracking trial with the South African Maritime Safety Authority (SAMSA). SAMSA ensures safety of life at sea, including small vessels in the fisheries, leisure marine, and workboat sectors. exactEarth, along with its partners SRT Marine Technology and Marine Data Solutions, conducted extensive sea trials in South Africa of their Advanced Class B Satellite Enabled AIS Identifier, supporting long and short range small vessel tracking.

Spaceflight Acquires OpenWhere

Seattle-based Spaceflight Industries recently acquired OpenWhere, reports Xconomy. The two companies have worked together for the past year on improving the user experience for satellite imagery purchasers. Spaceflight raised $18 million from Mithril Capital Management and previous investors, in part to finance the acquisition. 

Insitu Awarded Navy UAS Contract

Boeing subsidiary Insitu was contracted by the U.S. Naval Air Systems Command to deliver a RQ-21A Blackjack UAS. The $71 million low-rate initial production (LRIP) Lot V follow-on contract comes with an option for two additional LRIP systems and an optional year for nine full-rate production systems. Insitu’s RQ-21A Blackjack is a larger, twin-tailed follow-on to the ScanEagle UAS and features electro-optic and mid-wave infrared sensors with a laser rangefinder and infrared marker. The Blackjack is designed to provide intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance, and communications to troops on land and at sea.

Photo Credit: Vricon