KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, Fla. — NASA managers cleared space shuttle Discovery for launch at 4:40 p.m. EDT Nov. 1, following a review of weekend repair work to fix a small leak in the flange area of the Orbital Maneuvering System (OMS). “We’re in great shape out at the pad,” Launch Director Mike Leinbach told reporters Oct. 25 following NASA’s Flight Readiness Review for the STS-133 mission, the 39th and final planned mission for Discovery.
BENGALURU, India — India recently tested an unmanned aerial vehicle over the country’s Lord Venkateswara Temple, one of the world’s richest and most-visited pilgrim centers. The 45-min. test of the 2-kg. (4.4-lb.) battery-operated surveillance UAV over the temple, located in Thirupathi, Andhra Pradesh, was conducted after intelligence agencies reported a possible “engagement” by militants during India’s festive seasons. The UAV was designed and developed by a Bangalore-based firm.
LONDON — The U.K. Royal Navy’s first upgraded Merlin helicopter is now in flight trials. The Merlin Mk. 2 upgrade program will encompass four helicopters to validate the flight performance, avionics and mission system. Lockheed Martin, prime contractor for the effort, says flight trials at AgustaWestland’s Yeovil facility, where the 35-min. first flight took place late last month using helicopter MCSP01, will continue until late 2011.
The German military would be cut from 250,000 to 180,000 uniformed personnel, and 50,000 civilians would also be slashed under a proposal laid out by a commission asked to craft plans for a reform of the country’s armed forces. The document is one of the building blocks for a reform program that is expected to yield a new vision for the armed forces, including modernization plans, next year.
NASA has unveiled a $200-million solicitation to beef up its current $50-million investment in commercially provided crew transportation concepts, with the intention of awarding multiple contracts by March. Companies have until Dec. 13 to submit proposals for NASA’s Commercial Crew Development Round 2 (CCDev 2) program, a follow-on to a current program that is funding work by Sierra Nevada Corp., Boeing Co., United Launch Alliance, Blue Origin and Paragon Space Development.
LONDON — With smaller boats gaining increased attention in naval modernization, MBDA has launched the Compact Warfare Systems Package to weaponize portions of that market.
LONDON — MBDA is preparing for the first submarine launch trial of the Scalp Naval cruise missile. The first test is due next year, and follows last month’s underwater evaluation during which the missile’s booster motor was run for several seconds at depth at a facility in a Norwegian fjord, the company says. “First analysis of the test results show that the pressure profile of the booster, the ejection of the storage lid protecting the rear end of the missile and the model’s water-tight properties all behaved nominally,” the company says.
LONDON — The Norwegian government has just completed acceptance tests of Kongsberg’s Naval Strike Missile (NSM), clearing the way for the stealthy weapon to enter service.
On the same day it announced a 23% drop in operating profit in its defense business amid shrinking margins, Boeing received some good news. U.S. officials announced a $60 billion set of Foreign Military Sales to Saudi Arabia that includes updated Boeing F-15 fighter jets. “I would not characterize the prospects ahead of us in defense as wild-eyed growth, but I would suggest there is an opportunity to grow, with international [sales] and adjacent [markets] leading the way,” CEO James McNerney told Wall Street analysts.
LONDON – The U.K. is extending a deal to provide the Hermes 450 unmanned aircraft in Afghanistan on a fee-for-service basis. Hermes 450 maker Elbit Systems says UAS Tactical Systems — a joint venture the Israeli firm maintains with Thales U.K. for unmanned aircraft operational work — has secured a $70 million deal to continue the operation for another 18 months. A further deal may be possible, depending on U.K. drawdown plans in Afghanistan. The government currently says it plans to depart by 2015.
NEW DELHI — Members of the supervisory board of the four-nation Eurofighter consortium — which like the U.S. is competing for India’s program for 126 Medium Multirole Combat Aircraft (MMRCA) — are meeting in New Delhi for the first time Oct. 25-26. This is also the group’s initial meeting in Asia. “India’s MMRCA is high on the agenda. ... This should be a clear signal to the political decision-makers in India that the MMRCA is of the highest importance for Eurofighter,” says Cassidian Air Systems spokesman Theodor Benien.
AIR FORCE Lockheed Martin Corp., Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Co., Marietta, Ga., was awarded a $326,944,466 contract modification for C-5M reliability enhancement and re-engineering program, low-rate initial production Lot 4 material and fabrication of material required to support the modification of the seven Lot 4 aircraft. At this time, $326,944,466 has been obligated. ASC/WLSK, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, is the contracting activity (FA8625-07-C-6471; P00041). ARMY
LONDON — Selex Galileo has been quietly working with the Royal Malaysian Air Force to demonstrate the performance of its Seer digital radar warning receiver (RWR). Selex developed two versions of the Seer, one called “compact” for use on unmanned aircraft and a “distributed” version for installation on fighters or large transports. The goal of the trials was to validate that the system would be “able to detect radars at ranges that were significantly greater than those achieved by older-generation systems.”
FRANKFURT — Germany will take only 53 of the 60 Airbus Military A400Ms originally on order, German government sources indicated on Oct. 25. A400M customers continue to chip away at the commitment of 180 units that was negotiated as part of a general settlement reached in March. With the U.K. planning to cut its commitment by three aircraft, the total program now totals 170 aircraft.
NAVY BAE Systems San Diego Ship Repair, San Diego, is being awarded a $11,092,061 modification to previously awarded contract (N00024-10-C-4407) for the USS New Orleans (LPD 18) Fiscal 2011 phased maintenance availability. The work will be performed in San Diego and is expected to be completed by March 2011. Contract funds in the amount of $11,092,061 will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Southwest Regional Maintenance Center, San Diego, is the contracting activity.
AIR FORCE Lockheed Martin Corp., Marietta, Ga., has been awarded a $162,900,000 contract which will provide for the C-5M reliability enhancement and re-engining program, full-rate production Lot 5 advance procurement. At this time, the entire amount has been obligated. ASC/WLSK, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, is the contracting activity (FA8625-07-C-6471).
COMMERCIAL REQUEST: NASA late Oct. 25 trumpeted its call for proposals from U.S. industry for commercial crew space transportation concepts and to mature the design and development of launch vehicles and spacecraft. Multiple awards, each up to 14 months, should be decided by March 2011. About $200 million total is expected to be available for the Space Act agreements, although NASA made clear that funding is dependent on Fiscal 2011 appropriations that have yet to be legislated. The deadline for submitting proposals is Dec. 13.
LAS CRUCES, N.M. — Virgin Galactic plans to join the growing list of companies vying to fly NASA astronauts to the International Space Station and is considering options for competing in the agency’s upcoming Commercial Crew Development (CCDev) follow-on program, chief executive Richard Branson says.
BENGALURU, India — A new runway at the Indian Air Force (IAF) Station in Gwalior went live on Oct. 20, making it the service’s only operational base with two parallel runways operating topline fighters. The base also formally inducted the Sukhoi Su-30MKI on the same day. A Su-30MKI belonging to the Tactics and Air Combat Development Establishment (TACDE) that took off from the Bareilly Air Base was the first to touch down on the new runway. A Mirage-2000 and MiG-21 Bison were taxied out.
BENGALURU, INDIA – There is a sense of guarded optimism in the global defense industry regarding future market opportunities in India, according to global networking and consultancy firm KPMG. KPMG’s recent report on Indian defense also highlights potential roadblocks to the defense sector’s development in the country.
The U.S. Army’s use of unmanned aircraft is getting increasingly sophisticated, with deployment of the MQ-1C Gray Eagle, development of bidirectional payload datalinks and ground-based sense-and-avoid systems, as well as demonstrations of large-scale manned/unmanned teaming and damage-tolerant flight controls.
