Fielding new technologies in the war on terror is a big priority for director of defense research and engineering, John Young. Speaking to defense reporters Thursday, Young described some of the fielded DOD projects, including a biometric tool that collects fingerprints and iris scans at controlled facilities being used in Iraq and with the Department of Homeland Security. He expects to see fielded soon such projects as an aerostat camera with acoustic, infrared radars to let operators determine the source of a blast or shot. Other developing projects include an improvised explosive device jammer and an automated language program that can translate Arabic into English—no human needed on the spot.
RTX’s Raytheon unit was able to “significantly” extend the range of the AIM-120 Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missile using mostly software changes in experimental tests last year, expanding the reach and lethality of the standard U.S. dogfighting weapon, company officials said Sept. 15.
