Radio Frequency Technology News

Satellite Automatic Identification System (AIS) data services provider exactEarth Ltd.and space, geospatial and remote sensing solutions company Harris Corporation have formed an alliance to provide a new level of AIS data service that will deliver real-time global coverage for maritime vessel tracking. The new service will leverage the persistent global coverage and real-time connectivity of the Iridium NEXT constellation through the implementation of 58 hosted payloads covering the Maritime VHF frequency band. Compatibility testing of the hosted payload with the Iridium satellites has been completed and the first launch is scheduled for early 2016 with the completed constellation expected in 2017.

Northrop Grumman (NYSE:NOC) won a follow-on and additional task order contracts totaling $69m from the U.S. Navy's Office of Naval Research (ONR) for the Navy's Integrated Topside (InTop) program. InTop is an innovative, scalable suite of electronic warfare, information operations and line-of-sight communications hardware and software for use on naval surface platforms. The new suite will reduce the number of multiple topside apertures that naval vessels currently use, increasing bandwidth and resolving electromagnetic interference and compatibility issues caused by the large number of antennas on modern ships. The $66 million option award on the first contract funds the continued development…