POOLING SATCOM: The European Defense Agency (EDA) achieved an initial operational capability milestone in the area of satellite communication through a new “pooling and sharing” procurement strategy, the organization announced July 4. EDA’s ad hoc project calls for Italy, France, Poland, Romania and the U.K. to share modest amounts of satellite bandwidth as part of a pilot initiative that aims to save money through a common procurement scheme at the European Union level.
With the first phase of X-47B flight testing complete, the U.S. Navy and Northrop Grumman are turning their focus to preparing the Unmanned Combat Air System (UCAS) for the first trials of a pilotless, tailless, stealthy aircraft on an aircraft carrier deck.
PARIS — French defense procurement agency DGA has completed the first qualification firing test of a laser terminal guidance version of Sagem’s AASM SBU-64 precision-guided bomb. The agency’s missile test department conducted the trial May 31 from a production Dassault Rafale fighter at Cazaux air base using a bridge pier located more than 50 km (30 mi.) from the release point as a target. During the test, the target was acquired by an airborne illuminator that was activated during the last few seconds of the weapon’s flight.
The third in a series of advanced European weather satellites and the U.S. EchoStar 17 telecommunications satellite soared into an elliptical transfer orbit July 5
NEW DELHI — India is preparing to install a shield to protect against intermediate-range ballistic missiles and ICBMs in some of the country’s major cities. “The final locations, which have adequate stealth features and protection against enemy sabotage, will soon be determined by the government to install the ballistic missile defense [BMD] system,” a defense ministry official says. A detailed proposal is currently being prepared for approval by the Indian government.
A July 5 story incorrectly characterized Senate committee action on the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s fiscal 2013 budget request. The Commerce/Justice/Science mark shifts $1.6 billion from NOAA to NASA. The committee says the shift will save $117 million.
Click here to view the pdf Fiscal 2013: Socom-Requested Funding Increases For ISR ($ in thousands) Fiscal 2013: Socom-Requested Funding Increases For ISR ($ in thousands) Acct Line Description Request
As U.S. weather satellite programs struggle with delays and spending problems, a House Science subcommittee has been looking for help — in the form of contingency plans — in filling potential gaps in weather and climate data.
Engineering consultancy Ricardo has been selected to run a series of competitions under a U.S. Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (Darpa) program to design a combat vehicle in a fraction of the time required using conventional methods. Under the Fast, Adaptable, Next-Generation Ground (FANG) Challenge, Ricardo will stage three competitions that will use crowd-sourcing to design an infantry fighting vehicle (IFV) meeting requirements that mirror the U.S. Marine Corps Amphibious Combat Vehicle (ACV).
OXFORDSHIRE, U.K. — British ejection seat manufacturer Martin-Baker is looking at ways to expand its business beyond simply selling ejection seats and associated spares. This includes a study into how to apply the performance-based logistics model used for many aircraft platforms to its seats. And the company has developed a lightweight seat for use in platforms that to date have lacked an emergency egress system, according to Andrew Martin, who leads business development at the company.
VINASAT-2: The Vinasat-2 communications satellite has been checked out in orbit and is ready for service, according to manufacturer Lockheed Martin. Based on Lockheed’s A2100 bus, the satellite sports 24 Ku-band channels and will provide fixed satellite services to Vietnam and neighboring countries from 131.8 deg. E. Long. Built to last 15 years, Vinasat-2 will be operated by the Vietnam Posts and Telecommunications Group (VNPT).
In a rerun of the 2010 elections, voters in the Netherlands could go to the polls in September with parliament having voted to withdraw from the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter program and the future of the country’s participation depending on which party wins the most seats. The opposition Labor Party (PvDA) plans to submit a proposal to end Dutch participation in the program to the lower house before the election. PvDA has only 30 of the 150 seats in the assembly, but is aligned with other anti-F-35 parties that together control 78 seats.
FRANKFURT — The Airbus A400M military transport will not fly at the 2012 Farnborough air show in the U.K., Airbus Military confirmed July 5. The company says the decision is based on “engine issues that happened last week which need further investigation.” It did not elaborate. The A400M also did not participate in the flying display at last year’s Paris air show; engine troubles were the cause back then, too. Airbus is sending the first production standard aircraft, MSN6, to Farnborough. It will be on static display.
Even as the battle over government funding for biofuels continues in Congress, the U.S. Departments of Agriculture, Energy and the Navy have announced the availability of $30 million to match private investments in commercial-scale production of biofuels. The $30 million is the first tranche of funding under a memorandum of understanding announced last August to invest up to $510 million over three years to help develop a commercial biofuels industry.
A group of seven senators is asking 15 major defense contractors to describe the effects of potential steep reductions to the military’s budget. Those reductions were approved last August by Congress when it passed the Budget Control Act. The law stipulates that lawmakers must agree to $1.2 trillion in federal deficit reduction.
ORION ARRIVAL: The first Orion spacecraft destined to fly in space is being checked out at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center, Fla., following its delivery to KSC’s Operations and Checkout Building last week. The capsule was shipped after undergoing final friction stir welding at NASA’s Michoud Assembly Facility in New Orleans. Orion is now being prepared for Exploration Flight Test 1 (EFT-1) in 2014, in which the uncrewed capsule will be launched on a Delta IV rocket.
Helicopter Anti-Submarine Squadron Light (HSL) 42 deployed with four Fire Scout unmanned rotorcraft aboard frigate FFG-42 USS Klakring June 29 in support of operations off the Horn of Africa, the U.S. Navy reports. The Navy says its goal is to fly up to 12 hr. a day and significantly increase real-time intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) support to combatant commanders.
While Hawker Beechcraft’s (HBC) preliminary reorganization plan filed June 30 details an exchange under which HBC’s creditors would take ownership of the company, executives told employees July 2 they are keeping all options open, including a potential sale.
Major weapons systems largely survived a Pentagon request to shift about $8 billion in military spending, according to a defense analyst. Defense Secretary Leon Panetta warned Congress about the late-June “omnibus reprogramming” request during a hearing before the Senate Appropriations defense subcommittee last month. Panetta explained that the logistics of moving fuel into Afghanistan since Pakistan has shut down supply lines and the overall increase in fuel were adding billions to the Pentagon’s bills this year.
