TROOP CUT: The U.K. Ministry of Defense has announced a third round of reductions following the 2010 Strategic Defense and Security Review. A total of 5,300 army personnel will be cut as part of plans to reduce the size of the British army to 82,000 personnel by 2015. Defense Secretary Philip Hammond says, “The army is actively managing recruitment to reach the target numbers, but unfortunately redundancies are unavoidable due to the size of the defense deficit that this government inherited and the consequent scale of downsizing required in the army.”
LONDON — The U.K. Ministry of Defense is considering an upgrade of its AgustaWestland Merlin Mk3 tactical transport helicopter fleet. The Merlin Mk3s and the Mk3A models purchased from Denmark are currently operated by the U.K. Royal Air Force (RAF). But with the retirement of the Sea King from the RAF and the Royal Navy, the entire RAF Merlin fleet is to be transferred to the Navy to form the backbone of the Commando Helicopter Force (CHF), which provides support to U.K. amphibious operations.
BEIJING — China will have the capacity to build six to eight large spacecraft a year, including space station modules and big reconnaissance satellites, at an assembly and test plant due for completion in August 2014.
The U.S. F-35 Joint Program Office has grounded its young fleet of F-35Bs after the failure of a propulsion fueldraulic line during a takeoff attempt last week at Eglin AFB, Fla.
PARIS — Ankara is planning development of a national satellite launch system capable of delivering military and civil spacecraft to orbit, according to Turkish Defense Minister Ismet Yilmaz. Following a Jan. 3 meeting of Turkey’s Defense Industry Executive Committee, Yilmaz said the government will enter negotiations with Turkish weapons builder Roketsan Inc. for the early concept design phase of a new launch system “to ensure that military and civilian satellites can be sent into space,” according to a Jan. 3 statement.
Aviation Week Events - Defense Technology And Affordability Requirements March 5-6 2013 Hilton Arlington Arlington, VA Join senior defense officials and discover where priorities and opportunities exist beyond the FY 2014 budget and hear First-hand how programs are implementing affordable and effective designs! Register now at www.aviationweek.com/events/dtar
AIR FORCE Battlespace Flight Services L.L.C., Arlington, Va., (FA4890-07-C-0006, P00124) is being awarded a $13,740,356 contract modification for MQ-1 O-level operation and maintenance services. The location of the performance is Creech AFB, Nev., and Whiteman AFB, Mo., and deployed sites worldwide. The work is expected to be completed by March 31, 2013. The contracting activity is Air Combat Command AMIC/PKC, Langley AFB, Va.
NEW DELHI — Russian Helicopters will showcase its light multipurpose Ka-226T helo, which is a contender to fulfill the Indian defense ministry’s requirement for surveillance and reconnaissance helicopters, at the ninth edition of Aero India, which begins Feb. 6 at Bengaluru in southern India. India wants to purchase 197 light helicopters — 133 for the Army and 64 for the Indian air force.
AIR FORCE Lockheed Martin Corp., Fort Worth (FA8611-08-C-2897) is being awarded a $73,709,042 cost-plus-fixed-fee contract modification for calendar year 2013 services for the F-22 depot partnering activation support for management and integration tasks. The location of the performance is Hill AFB, Utah. The work is expected to be completed by Dec. 31, 2013. The contracting activity is Air Force Life Cycle Management Center/WWUV, Hill AFB. NAVY
The Pentagon plans to conduct a return-to-flight demonstration of the Boeing-led Ground-Based Midcourse Defense (GMD) system on Jan. 26, according to officials at Vandenberg AFB, Calif., after the missile defense shield has been grounded for two years.
LONDON — The Netherlands has become the first country to deploy its NHindustries NH90 helicopter on anti-piracy operations. The aircraft is now en route to the Indian Ocean onboard the Royal Netherlands Navy vessel, HNLMS De Ruyter, a De Zeven Provinciën class frigate. The Netherlands Defense Helicopter Command, which operates the aircraft, says that while the aircraft is not in its full operational capability, it will provide an “important contribution to the EU anti-piracy mission.”
SATELLITE EXPORT: The U.S. Export-Import Bank has authorized an $87.1 million loan guarantee to facilitate the assembly and sale of an Orbital Sciences Corp. Ku-band satellite to Hispasat Canarias, a subsidiary of the Madrid-based Hispasat. The Amazonas-4A satellite is expected to launch in 2014 and occupy Hispasat’s orbital slot over Brazil to provide high-definition television broadcasts to the Americas.
LONDON — The U.K. and Australian governments are in talks over possible cooperation in the development of the future BAE Systems-built Type 26 Global Combat Ship. The talks come following the signing of a new defense pact between the countries that will see closer cooperation in cybersecurity, defense reforms, personnel exchange and work on equipment, science and technology. Sustainment and development of Australia’s submarine program also was a topic point.
H-1 TURNAROUND: Bell Helicopter has delivered its 100th of 349 H-1s to the U.S. Marine Corps — 80 of which were ahead of schedule — after earlier challenges in producing the upgraded UH-1Y and AH-1Zs, says Maj. Gen. John Croley, assistant deputy Marine commandant for aviation. The service and Bell have negotiated the terms of a second multiyear procurement for the rotorcraft worth roughly $1 billion, he adds. The purchase is expected to save roughly that much in cost avoidance by signing up to a five-year deal.
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 Submit your nominations online at www.aviationweek.com/laureates
EDWARDS AFB, Calif. — NASA is preparing to flight test a scaled version of a towed-glider air-launch concept that it believes has the potential to “dramatically” reduce the cost of launching payloads into orbit.
To list an event, send information in calendar format to Donna Thomas at [email protected]. (Bold type indicates new calendar listing.) Jan. 22 - 23 — Aviation Week MRO Middle East, Dubai, United Arab Emirates. For more information go to www.aviationweek.com/events
The Pentagon’s recent preparations for potential across-the-board budget cuts are already facing scrutiny from a union representing the defense arm’s 270,000 civilian employees. On Jan. 10, Deputy Defense Secretary Ashton Carter issued a memo outlining steps to curtail spending in case sequestration takes place in March. The measures include a freeze on civilian hiring, not replacing retirees and preparing for thousands of furloughs.
