AEHF-6 satellite to feature 3-D printed part
Lockheed Martin will integrate a 3-D printed part on the US Air Force's (USAF's) sixth Advanced Extremely High Frequency (AEHF 6) satellite, the company announced on 4 April.
The remote interface unit - an aluminium electronic enclosure designed to hold avionic circuits - will be the first 3-D printed part certified for use on a Lockheed Martin military satellite.
The process of 3-D printing allows the team to bring down the lead time for manufacturing the part time from six months to only one and a half months, with assembly time being reduced from 12 hours to just three hours. It also improves quality and consistency of the units.
AEHF is a global military satellite communications system that provides protected, assured communication for commanders and tactical warfighters. Lockheed Martin will deliver the fourth AEHF vehicle this year. AEHF-5 and AEHF-6 are in production and will be launched in 2018 and 2019.
The 3-D printed part for AEHF-6 was designed using a process called laser powder bed fusion, in which a laser melts and fuses aluminium metal powder to build a part based on a digital design.
More from Digital Battlespace
-
Airbus launches final CSO observation satellite for French Armed Forces
Airbus was awarded the Composante Spatiale Optique (CSO) contract at the end of 2010. This included an option for a third satellite, which was activated after Germany joined the programme in 2015.
-
Intelligence advantage: How real-time GEOINT is reshaping military decision-making (Studio)
In today’s contested operational environment, adaptability is key. The new Geospatial-Intelligence as a Service (GEO IaaS) solution from Fujitsu and MAIAR empowers militaries by enabling intelligence advantage, combining advanced technology with human expertise to deliver actionable insights.
-
Israel sets up new department to boost development of AI and autonomy
Israel will continue to develop autonomy for its weapons and platforms as it brings together defence personnel, academia and industry.
-
Clavister contracted to supply cyber protection for CV90s
Clavister CyberArmour, an integrated defence cybersecurity system, will be used on BAE Systems Hägglunds’ CV90 platform in deployments with a Scandinavian country, as well as in an eastern European nation.
-
Lockheed Martin completes tactical satellite demonstration and prepares for launch
The tactical satellite (TacSat) is an intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) system and will participate in exercises in 2025.
-
AUSA 2024: General Micro Systems adds four new products to the X9 Spider family
The airborne three-domain, the two ground-based and the ¼ ATR OpenVPX-based cross-domain systems were engineered to provide real-time security across multi-domain operations.