With less than a month to go before the budget penalty known as sequestration could kick in, the Obama administration has dropped another edict on the table: everyone start planning now. Administration officials maintain that the goal is unchanged: Sequestration should be avoided. It’s the directive to start detailed planning that is the big change.
House Democrats are shuffling leadership positions on a number of committees that affect aerospace and defense. Rep. Nita Lowey (N.Y.) replaces outgoing Rep. Norm Dicks (Wash.) as the minority leader of the House Appropriations Committee. Dicks led the party on both the full committee and the defense subcommittee. The subcommittee role has not been formally decided yet, but Rep. Peter Visclosky (Ind.) is expected to fill that role.
After several years of the military supporting the civilian aerospace industry, the reverse is now the case — a trend likely to continue into 2013, according to the Aerospace Industries Association’s (AIA) annual year-end review and forecast.
March 7, 2013 National Building Museum Washington, D.C. Time: 6:00 p.m. Aviation Week’s 56th annual Laureate Awards will recognize individuals/teams for their extraordinary accomplishments. Their achievements embody the spirit of exploration, innovation and vision that inspire others to strive for significant, broad-reaching progress in aviation and aerospace. Call for Nominations
HOUSTON — Though committed to launching a U.S. astronaut to the International Space Station for a 12-month flight, the longest space voyage yet by an American, NASA is far from prepared to commit to a succession of 12-month voyages to the orbiting science lab, according to the agency’s ISS program manager and others who expect to gather new insight into the health effects.
NEW DELHI — India says it has not canceled its plans to buy 197 reconnaissance and surveillance helicopters, but “the procurement case is under examination,” according to Defense Minister A.K. Antony. The proposed deal, worth more than $2 billion, has been mired in controversy following allegations that an Indian official had solicited a bribe from bidder AgustaWestland. Antony has said that if any evidence is found of tender deviations or any other misconduct, the deal will be scrapped.
Space Exploration Technologies (SpaceX) has won the first two U.S. Air Force contracts aimed at fostering competition in the U.S. launch market over a new design proposed by Orbital Sciences. SpaceX will use its Falcon 9 v1.1 to boost NASA’s Deep Space Climate Observatory (DSCOVR) in November 2014 and the Falcon 9 Heavy for launch of a Space Test Program satellite in September 2015, says Lt. Gen. Ellen Pawlikowski, program executive officer for Air Force space programs.
FALLING SHORT: The U.S. government is slipping in meeting its goals for awarding professional services and IT contracts to small, disadvantaged, minority and women-owned businesses, except in one area, according to contracting consultants at Deltek. Veteran-owned businesses continue to grab greater percentages of so-called set-aside awards and other contracts since 2008, the consultants say.
NEW DELHI — Confirming early reports, India on Dec. 5 officially announced that Boeing’s Chinook CH-47F tandem-rotor helicopter has been chosen for the Indian air force (IAF), besting the Russian Mi-26. “In the proposal initiated by the IAF for the procurement of 15 heavy-lift helicopters, Boeing with [the] Chinook helicopter has emerged as the L1 [i.e., lowest-bidding] vendor,” Defense Minister A.K. Antony says. “The cost of the contract would depend upon outcome of the contract negotiation with the L1 Vendor, which has not yet concluded.”
LONDON — The Spanish government has given the green light for its navy to buy a pair of surplus U.S. Navy SH-60F Seahawk helicopters. Madrid will spend €24.5 million ($32 million) on the two aircraft, which are being purchased as an interim measure because of the delayed service entry of the naval version of the NHIndustries NH90 helicopter. Agreement on the purchase was reached by the Spanish government’s Council of Ministers on Nov. 30.
SINGAPORE — Eurocopter has delivered the first two of 12 EC725 helicopters ordered by the Malaysian air force. The pair of aircraft were presented during a Dec. 3 ceremony in Kuala Lumpur, Eurocopter says, adding that “Malaysia is to receive a total of 12 EC725s through 2014.” The country’s air force plans to use the helicopters for search and rescue and utility missions, Eurocopter says.
NASA’s top science mission planner, Associate Administrator John Grunsfeld, says NASA has the spare parts, plans and knowledge to create another Mars rover for launch in 2020. The mission, with a cost estimated by the Aerospace Corp. of $2.5 billion, needs congressional approval in what Grunsfeld acknowledges are “very tough fiscal times.” But he told members of the American Geophysical Union here Dec. 4 that the proposed mission “really reflects a strong commitment by NASA and the White House to Mars exploration.”
NEW DELHI — India has plans to launch a Geostationary Imaging Satellite (Gisat) for real-time observation over the Indian subcontinent and to shore up surveillance over its sensitive borders, a senior government official says. The Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) is in the process of designing the Gisat, which will be placed in geostationary orbit at 36,000 km (22,369 mi.) altitude, the official tells Aviation Week. He did not specify a time frame for the launch.
FIXING PRICES: Alan Chvotkin, vice president and counsel at the Professional Services Council, says contractors under fixed-price awards may ironically fare better than contractors under cost-plus and other types if the budget penalty known as sequestration kicks in next year. “Agencies know that changes to fixed-price contracts actually cost them more in the long run,” said Chvotkin at Deltek’s recent FedFocus 2013 conference in McLean, Va.
HAIFA, Israel — Some of Israel’s missile designers say their new advanced missile defense systems — like Iron Dome and David’s Sling — are so sophisticated that they may likely mark the end of an era as the last large, kinetic missiles to be developed. They may well parallel the F-35’s Joint Strike Fighter’s role as the last stealthy, manned, strike fighter.
Bell Helicopter and AAI, both owned by Textron Systems, are kicking off demonstrations in a new, company-funded laboratory facility intended to improve the manned/unmanned interface for the U.S. Army as it struggles with reduced budgets.
