ANOTHER HURDLE: The proposed $1 billion sale of Space Systems/Loral (SS/L) to Canada’s MacDonald, Dettwiler and Associates Ltd. (MDA) has cleared its antitrust review at the U.S. Department of Justice, SSL parent Loral Space & Communications announced Oct. 26. Loral now expects that any further requirements for the deal, “all of which are within the parties’ control, will be satisfied.” The Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States cleared the sale last month. SS/L has said it expects the transaction to close in the fourth quarter.
Raytheon and General Electric are two leading defense companies among the top contributors to Sen. Scott Brown’s (R-Mass.) re-election race, the most expensive in the U.S. during this election cycle. Brown has raised $24.4 million in this cycle, drawing $77,751 from employees of Raytheon, headquartered in Waltham, Mass., according to the Center for Responsive Politics. Lobbyists representing the company added another $4,000 to Brown’s race against Democrat Elizabeth Warren.
The Aegis SM-2 Block IIIA engagement this week against a cruise missile target as part of the U.S. Missile Defense Agency’s (MDA) largest-ever flight trial has been deemed a success by operators, according to MDA officials. Early reports from MDA only listed the SM-2IIIA as having “engaged” the BQM-74E target; agency spokeswoman Pam Rogers would not list it as a success or intercept.
HOUSTON — Spacewalking U.S. and Japanese astronauts plan to re-activate an older thermal control system radiator as part of a strategy to circumvent a small but growing ammonia leak on the International Space Station’s oldest solar power truss. The six- to seven-hour outing by NASA’s Sunita Williams, the station’s commander, and Akihiko Hoshide is scheduled for Nov. 1 at 8:15 a.m. EDT and will take the two astronauts to the far port side of the orbiting science lab’s 356-ft.-long solar power truss.
The U.S. Army and Raytheon are nearing completion of talks on a contract for more technology development on a seeker for the service’s Joint Air-to-Ground Missile (JAGM), according to military and industry officials. The service and company differed in their opinions of readiness for a tri-mode seeker for JAGM, with the Army pushing Raytheon officials to consider a dual-mode design that would omit the imaging infrared capability.
NEW DELHI — India has once again asked the Italian government to probe alleged irregularities in a contract for 12 helicopters from AgustaWestland. The Italian defense firm has denied the allegations.
The U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) plans to fly the fourth and final Boeing X-51A WaveRider hypersonic engine demonstrator in mid-2013. Tests of the component suspected to have caused the early end to the third flight in August are to begin on Friday, Oct. 26. If confirmed, the fix should be “pretty simple,” says Charlie Brink, AFRL X-51A program manager.
France successfully completed the first launch of its naval cruise missile MdCN (missile de croisiere naval) in submarine configuration Oct. 24, the French armaments agency DGA says.
FRANKFURT — Germany is rushing to buy an initial 7.5% stake of EADS before year’s end to ensure its power in Europe’s largest aerospace company is similar to that of France, although an economics ministry report warns of the time constraint on concluding the transaction within the next two months.
SINGAPORE — The Philippine Air Force (PAF) is about to embark on the biggest acquisition program in its history, and at this stage it seems the main beneficiaries will be Embraer, Indonesian Aerospace (IAe) and Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI).
The Lunar Atmosphere and Dust Environment Explorer (Ladee) is ready for environmental testing at NASA’s Ames Research Center, following installation of the last of its three instruments.
As the U.S. Army fields more air defense technology, contractors are examining ways to squeeze more threat detection capability out of existing radars. Lockheed Martin is self-funding work to generate software that will allow for AN/TPQ-53 radars to detect both air-breathing threats as well as those in a ballistic trajectory, according to Lee Flake, director of Lockheed Martin’s counter fire radar programs.
NASA AUDIT: House Investigations and Oversight Subcommittee Chairman Paul Broun (R-Ga.) is asking the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) to request a review of NASA’s export control policies, in response to recent allegations that Simon “Pete” Worden, director of NASA’s Ames Research Center, allowed foreign nationals access to information protected under International Traffic in Arms Regulations. In an Oct.
NEW DELHI — An internal audit by India’s defense ministry has concluded that violations of procurement rules by the Indian army has resulted in the loss of more than 1 billion rupees ($18.6 million) in public funds during the two fiscal years since April 1, 2009. According to the 118-page audit report, equipment such as bulletproof jackets, night vision devices and parachutes were procured by the Northern Army commander between 2009-2011 from “unlisted and unregistered” vendors.
For Europe, the pivot to the Pacific in U.S. priorities is not a particularly momentous event, contends Lt. Gen. Mark Hertling, commander of U.S. Army Europe and the 7th Army. What is a big deal will be the reshaping of U.S. forces in Europe to have few tanks and lots of offensive and defensive cyber capabilities.
NETANYA, Israel — With virtually every cyber network in the world in jeopardy of attack, Elbit has positioned itself over the last three years to cash in on the escalating likelihood of digital intrusions. A program here is training teams of cyber warriors for companies, government agencies and military organizations that want an in-house defense capability. That can be done at Elbit’s facilities, or the company can provide a customer with the system, build the facilities and provide trainers for those wanting a turnkey, in-house facility.
Teams have been selected to compete in a U.S. Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (Darpa) challenge to demonstrate a robot that can help humans respond to disasters. Under the Darpa Robotics Challenge, the Pentagon agency will provide funding to seven teams that will develop robotic systems with hardware and software (Track A) and 11 that will develop software only (Track B).
Growth in international markets shielded Boeing Defense Space & Security (BDS) third-quarter returns, but they will not be a panacea for the defense downturn domestically, especially if across-the-board budget cuts in U.S. spending from the sequestration process come into play. Boeing Chairman and CEO James McNerney says BDS maintained double-digit margins overall with reduced infrastructure costs that allowed the defense and space unit to compete more effectively.
CRUISE CONTROL: Lockheed Martin is developing a system to assist ground vehicle drivers by automating convoy operations and other functions under an $11 million Pentagon contract. The Autonomous Mobility Appliqué System (AMAS) integrates low-cost sensors and control systems onto existing U.S. Army and Marine Corps tactical vehicles to assist their drivers.
After telling the nation that across-the-board budget cuts “will not happen,” President Barack Obama gave a preview of how he would avoid the penalty for failing to reduce the deficit — a grand bargain in the first six months of his term.
