The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency announced a new project called C-SCAN that seeks to develop a small-sized component that would help missiles and other military hardware accurately navigate in environments where the Global Positioning System signal is denied. The Chip-Scale Combinational Atomic Navigator is envisioned as an atomic inertial sensor to measure orientation when GPS isn’t available. “Platforms such as missiles rely on GPS for a variety of information,” explained Andrei Shkel, DARPA program manager. “When GPS is not available, gyroscopes provide orientation, accelerometers provide position, and oscillators provide timing. The new C-SCAN effort focuses on replacing bulky gyroscopes with a new inertial measurement unit that is smaller, less expensive due to foundry fabrication, and yields better performance.” Before C-SCAN is built, DARPA said more research is needed in areas like miniaturization. C-SCAN supports the agency’s Micro-Technology for Positioning, Navigation, and Timing program.
New Threats Demand Nuclear Modernization
March 2, 2021
Deterrence isn't what it used to be, and the U.S. will be in trouble against an array of new nuclear weapons not covered by treaty if it doesn't move ahead with nuclear weapon modernization, senior U.S. military leaders warned at AFA's virtual Aerospace Warfare Symposium.