Jeff has been involved in aerospace journalism since the mid 1990s. Prior to joining Aviation Week, Jeff served as managing editor of Launchspace magazine and the International Space Industry Report. He has been the editor and chief of Aviation Week's Aerospace Daily & Defense Report since 2007 and has been a regular contributor to Aviation Week magazine. He received his B.A. from the College of William & Mary in Williamsburg, Va.
The technology mismatch between the U.S. and its allies is growing, particularly in the area of C4 systems, according to Gen. David McKiernan, commander of U.S. Army forces in Europe. "There's a growing concern that they are technologically mismatched with us," McKiernan said during a breakfast with defense reporters in Washington Oct. 11. "I think that's something that NATO has to pay attention to."
November's Limited User Test (LUT) and manufacturer Bell Helicopter's commitment to an early demonstration of its production ability will be critical milestones for the U.S. Army's troubled Armed Reconnaissance Helicopter (ARH) program, according to service aviation officials. The Army restructured ARH earlier this year as the program's estimated per-aircraft cost nearly doubled from its original estimate of $5.5 million. The latest estimate is $9 million, according to Brig. Gen. Stephen Mundt, director of the Army Aviation Task Force.
NASA's Aerospace Safety Advisory Panel (ASAP) is turning its attention to the issue of how the agency decides whether a particular mission should be manned or unmanned, and whether safety concerns are being weighed appropriately in that process.
