Ongoing flight research of autonomous dual lift operations are currently being conducted by the U.S. Army Aviation and Missile Research, Development and Engineering Center Aviation Development Directorate, know as ADD, at Moffett Field.  In the photo, two autonomous RMAX helicopters are carrying a single 20 pound payload through a set of hover and low-speed maneuvers.…

Engineers at the U.S. Army Aviation and Missile Research, Development and Engineering Center are near completion of a major training system for the Stryker combat vehicle.  The Stryker Virtual Collective Trainer, originally developed by the Combined Arms Center’s Training Innovation Facility, was designed to address capability gaps in collective training for Stryker brigades. The CAC-TIF’s…

Could a robotic, unmanned refueling system limit rotary-wing aircraft time on the ground and remove Soldiers from isolated fueling stations? A Limited Initial Capabilities Demonstration was performed by the U.S. Army Aviation and Missile Research, Development and Engineering Center to test that theory.  The demonstration unveiled a new science and technology, or S&T, effort designed…

The Aviation Development Directorate has developed a system enabling an Air Mission Commander to manage multiple unmanned aerial systems simultaneously, resulting in faster completion of mission tasks without increasing operator workload. The program is called Supervisory Controller for Optimal Role Allocation for Cueing of Human Operators, referred to as SCORCH. “SCORCH is a system consisting…

Advanced Vertical Takeoff and Landing was a topic of discussion at the recent American Helicopter Society International’s Annual Forum & Technology Display in Houston, Texas. U.S. Army Aviation and Missile Research, Development and Engineering Center’s Dr. William Lewis and Dr. Dana Taylor led a special panel session titled “Advanced VTOL Air Vehicle Design” at the…

An advanced Army simulator is reducing risks and saving costs at the U.S. Army Aviation and Missile Research, Development and Engineering Center. The Universal Mission Simulator (UMS) is a full simulation training system providing readiness to Gray Eagle and Shadow Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) flight crews. The UMS trains UAS flight crews to operate all…

The U.S. Army Aviation and Missile Research, Development and Engineering Center has developed a new test facility to support the modernization of the UH-60V Black Hawk aircraft. AMRDEC’s Prototype Integration Facility assisted the U.S. Army Program Executive Office- Aviation’s Utility Helicopter Project Management Office in developing and qualifying a UH-60V digital cockpit upgrade kit during…

“The first shots of the next actual war will likely be fired in cyberspace, and likely with devastating effect,” said Chief of Staff of the Army, Gen. Mark A. Milley during a ceremony last year. To increase cybersecurity awareness at Redstone Arsenal, the U.S. Army Aviation and Missile Research, Development and Engineering Center hosted a…

Research engineers from the U.S. Army Aviation and Missile Research, Development and Engineering Center and Universities Space Research Association have written a textbook to advance the understanding of aircraft and rotorcraft flight control systems.  The comprehensive book, “Practical Methods for Aircraft and Rotorcraft Flight Control Design: An Optimization Based Approach,” will be published in April…

Force protection is the effort taken to protect and mitigate hostile actions against military personnel, resources and facilities. Protection is one of the most important of the six warfighting functions and preserves the force so the commander can apply maximum combat power to accomplish the mission. To support this critical warfighting function, the U.S. Aviation…