HOUSTON — Project Morpheus is returning to NASA’s Kennedy Space Center this week for several months of testing to demonstrate an autonomous, methane/liquid oxygen fueled precision planetary lander capability for future human as well as robotic missions. The first Morpheus lander was destroyed on Aug. 9, 2012, in a fiery crash within moments of lifting off from a Kennedy test area, cutting short an ambitious series of free flight tests.
The U.S. Air Force could cut up to 24 F-35As from its five-year spending plan if sequestration takes full effect in the coming years, Acting Air Force Secretary Eric Fanning says.
DUBAI — The British government’s efforts to help broker a deal to supply Typhoon fighters to the United Arab Emirates extend far beyond the Dubai air show. Changes to visa requirements and support for Dubai’s Expo 2020 bid form part of a comprehensive campaign to deepen defense ties between the Gulf state and the U.K.
DUBAI — Small but important orders for both the Hurkus turboprop trainer and the Anka MALE UAV are providing a critical business and confidence boost for Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI). Engineers there are preparing to commence the next set of complex programs, including the development of the country’s first indigenous helicopter and potentially fifth-generation combat aircraft to supplement the F-35 Joint Strike Fighters being purchased by the Turkish air force.
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SENSITIVE PEOPLE: The U.S. offices of Personnel Management (OPM) and the Director of National Intelligence are “close” to finalizing a rule that could “greatly expand” the number of positions across the federal government deemed sensitive to national security — meaning those with a potentially adverse effect on national security but that do not require a security clearance, according to the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee.
DUBAI — Italian business aircraft manufacturer Piaggio is at the Dubai air show to garner interest for its Hammerhead medium altitude, long endurance (MALE) unmanned air vehicle (UAV). The P.1HH Hammerhead, which is due to fly by the end of this year, is being displayed in mock-up form for the first time here following its official launch at neighboring Abu Dhabi’s IDEX defense exhibition last February. Europe’s largest MALE UAV, Hammerhead is a derivative of Piaggio’s distinctive Avanti twin-turboprop executive aircraft.
The Littoral Combat Ship (LCS-1) USS Freedom departed Singapore’s Changi Naval Base Nov. 16 for the final time as part of its first overseas deployment to the Western Pacific. Freedom has used Singapore as a logistics and maintenance hub since arriving there April 18. Though Freedom was able to participate in regional naval exercise, the ship’s transit and deployment were marred by system breakdowns, and the LCS was sidelined on and off throughout its time at Changi.
DUBAI — Airbus Military’s marketing plan for the A400M airlifter will move into a new phase as the aircraft makes its Dubai debut. The first delivery to a Middle Eastern customer — Turkey — is imminent, and could happen during the show, Airbus officials say. Airbus Military’s decision to bring the A400M to the Dubai air show for the first time is a reflection of the maturity of the program, says Ian Elliot, the company’s head of defense capability market development.
DUBAI — The Storm Shadow cruise missile will make its first flight on board a Eurofighter Typhoon during the Dubai air show, the Eurofighter Consortium tells Aviation Week ShowNews. The weapon, a mock-up of which appears beneath the wing of the full-sized Typhoon model in the static display at the show, has long been part of the manufacturer’s plans for the platform.
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. — NASA’s latest mission to Mars lifted off through scattered clouds Nov. 18, setting out on a 10-month voyage to discover what happened to the red planet’s water by literally sniffing its upper atmosphere. Liftoff of the Lockheed Martin-built Mars Atmosphere and Volatile Evolution (Maven) spacecraft from Launch Complex 41 at Cape Canaveral came at 1:28 p.m. EST, the opening of its 2-hr. launch window.
DUBAI — Boeing will fly a demonstrator of its P-8 Poseidon-based Maritime Surveillance capability in a Bombardier Challenger next year. Partner Field Aviation has begun modifying the business jet to carry a Selex 7000-series radar, mission system, electronic support measures (ESM) system as well as an electro-optical camera, which will turn the aircraft into Boeing’s Maritime Surveillance Aircraft offering.
DUBAI — Modernization of the Patriot air and missile defense system continues, with manufacturer Raytheon highlighting a new U.S. development contract worth $71.7 million and the completion of a series of test firings by the Japan Air Self-Defense Force (JASDF) But a contract secured in the Middle East has proved to be the catalyst behind recent refinements to the system, company officials said during the Dubai air show.
Military airframers are expected to deliver close to 8,500 aircraft worldwide during the next decade worth more than $150 billion, although a variety of factors—drawdowns in Afghanistan and Iraq, sequestration-related budget impacts, and procurement snags in key markets—will hold overall in-service fleet totals to less than 1% annual growth.
OHIO CLASS: The U.S Navy has awarded General Dynamics Electric Boat a $22.5 million contract to continue development of the Common Missile Compartment for the Ohio-class replacement and U.K. Successor ballistic missile submarines. Electric Boat will purchase and test equipment to be used in the production of the Common Missile Compartment. The contract modifies a five-year, $1.85 billion award made to Electric Boat in December 2012 for R&D work on the Ohio replacement, which is scheduled to begin construction in 2021.
U.S. allies and partners in the Asia-Pacific region have invested — and plan to invest — more for development of aircraft for air-warfare missions than any other known use, according to an Aviation Week Intelligence Network (AWIN) analysis of data provided by Avascent Analytics. As a group, Australia, India, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Pakistan, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan and Thailand will have spent about $39.5 billion between fiscal 2009-23 for air-warfare development, the analysis shows. (See chart p. 6.)
Engineering graduate and undergraduate students are displaying heightened interest in space-related studies as entrepreneurial space start-ups get ready to start flying, panelists discussing the role of academia in the burgeoning “New Space” movement said Nov. 15.
To list an event, send information in calendar format to Donna Thomas at [email protected]. (Bold type indicates new calendar listing.) NOv. 19 - 20 — Modern Warrior Demo Days 2013, Fort Benning, Ga. For more information go to www.idga.org/events.cfm?filter=1005/ NOv. 19 - 20 — 2nd Annul Cargo Security Summit, Baltimore, MD. For more information go to www.idga.org/events.cfm?filter=1005/
