Aerospace Daily & Defense Report, November 26, 2014

HOUSTON – Humans will be noticeably absent from the NASA/Lockheed Martin Exploration Flight Test-1 Orion capsule as it embarks on its first spaceflight, a two-orbit test mission that will include a searing descent through the Earth’s atmosphere. But the agency intends to gather data from within the spacecraft critical to the welfare of future astronauts.

Boeing Defense Australia has signed a 25-year, A$600 million ($520 million) contract to train Royal Australian Army and Navy pilots under the Helicopter Aircrew Training System program. Flight training will be performed on 15 Airbus Helicopters EC135T2+ aircraft. Thales Australia will provide three full-flight simulators, other training devices, courseware and ground instructors. The contract includes the provision of a new flight-deck-equipped training vessel.

With less money and fewer people to carry out a widening range of global missions, the U.S. military will need more satellite surveillance, unmanned aerial reconnaissance and other spy technology improvements to keep up with rapidly evolving threats around the world, the Pentagon’s top civilian intelligence officer says.

The U.S. Navy is evaluating a scaled-down version of the Surface Electronic Warfare Improvement Program (Sewip) system for potential incorporation on future Littoral Combat Ships (LCS), Naval Sea Systems Command (Navsea) confirmed earlier this month. Sewip is an evolutionary development block upgrade program for the SLQ-32 Electronic Warfare (EW) System and will be designated as SLQ-32C(V)6. Still in the early stages of development, its purpose is to provide LCS with an improved electronic warfare suite to improve the ship’s defense capabilities, Navy officials say.

LONDON — Helicopter operator Bristow Group has confirmed it has purchased a pair of AgustaWestland AW139s as part of a contingency plan against delays in the certification of the search-and-rescue capable AW189. The two aircraft have been built by AgustaWestland in Italy as concerns grow about the availability of the new intermediate heavy AW189 to service Bristow’s so-called Long SAR contract with the U.K. Department of Transport.

Textron began fabrication this month of the Navy’s first Ship-to-Shore Connector (SSC) at its New Orleans plant. The Navy approved Textron In October 2014 to start production following the SSC Production Readiness Review, during which the Navy evaluated the design maturity, availability of materials, and industry’s ability to start and sustain fabrication.

LONDON – The U.S. Navy could fly its Boeing F/A-18 Super Hornets beyond 2040, a senior officer says. Speaking at the International Fighter Conference in London on Nov. 20, Rear Adm. Michael Manazir, the Navy’s director of air warfare, told delegates that by simply extrapolating the longevity of the current fleet of U.S. Marine Corps legacy Hornets, which are due to exit the inventory in 2030, it was likely that some F/A-18E/Fs and also EA-18G Growlers could still be flying 40 years after they entered service.

Forward Deployed Regional Maintenance Center (FDRMC) Detachment Rota completed its first selected restricted availability (SRA) on Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Donald Cook (DDG 75) earlier this month in Rota, Spain. The ship completed combined contractor and type commander sea trials after maintenance at the recently opened center, which benefits from the efforts of the Spanish navy and local industry while enabling U.S. ships to operate more effectively in the region.

BEIJING -— Japan has chosen the Northrop Grumman E-2D Hawkeye over the Boeing 737 AEW&C to fill a requirement for four surveillance aircraft, while also confirming it will go ahead with orders for the Northrop Grumman RQ-4 Global Hawk and Bell Boeing MV-22 Osprey. Three RQ-4s will be ordered in the fiscal year beginning in April 2015, NHK television says. The timing of orders for the other types is unknown. The defense ministry announced selection of the E-2D, RQ-4 and MV-22 on Nov. 21.

ALCOA completed acquisition of FIRTH RIXSON, U.K. (jet engine components) in cash/stock deal valued at about $2.85b to strengthen its aerospace portfolio; it expects purchase to increase company revenues by $1.6b in 2016 and $2b by 2019. AERO METALS ALLIANCE, U.K. acquired PROGRESSIVE ALLOY STEELS, SC (stainless steel and aerospace products).

Aerospace Daily & Defense Report will not publish on Thursday, Nov. 27 and Monday, Dec. 1 due to the Thanksgiving holiday. The next two edition will be dated Friday, Nov. 28. and Tuesday, Dec. 2.