PARIS — The French government has approved the privatization of state-owned chemical and propulsion manufacturer SNPE, paving the way for its solid propulsion business to be merged with that of Safran’s Snecma unit. The resulting company, to be named Herakles, would streamline production of solid-rocket motors used in the Ariane 5 and Vega launchers and M41/M51 ballistic missile lines, cutting costs and creating a world leader in solid propulsion, behind U.S. giant Alliant Techsystems. Further consolidation with Italy’s Avio could come later.
U.S. National Reconnaissance Office (NRO) Director Bruce Carlson says he plans to declassify data on some agency programs to help celebrate its 50th anniversary next September. Carlson offered no specifics but says he has made the declassification a priority.
PARIS — A management buyout led by the Permira private equity fund is expected to allow Asia Broadcast Satellite (ABS) to acquire new spacecraft capacity, enabling it to expand in the fragmented Asian fixed-satellite service market. ABS’s senior management team agreed Sept. 13 to buy out Knightsbridge Ltd., the holding company that owns ABS, in partnership with Permira. Permira will be majority shareholder in ABS, which was founded in 2006 by CEO Thomas Choi and is now owned by Citigroup.
The first production Multi-Platform Radar Technology Insertion Program (MP-RTIP) radar has flown on the Proteus high-flying manned aircraft that is acting as a surrogate testbed in advance of the sensor’s integration onto the Global Hawk unmanned aerial system (UAS), according to George Guerra, who runs the program for Northrop Grumman. The first flight with this production sensor took place Sept. 11 at a facility in the Mojave Desert.
Key U.S. senators are moving to cut the Obama administration’s Fiscal 2011 request for Lockheed Martin’s Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) by 10 F-35s, as well as drop one Navy Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) from the four sought in the fiscal year starting Oct. 1. In its first official whack at Fiscal 2011 defense appropriations, the Senate defense appropriations subcommittee unveiled its proposed changes to the administration’s request, including several JSF provisions and the $615 million reduction for the LCS program.
U.S. defense program managers now have to set an “affordability target,” which can be changed only with approval of the chief Pentagon acquisition official, as well as pursue “real competition” for their programs as part of 23 acquisition directives outlined by top Defense Department officials Sept. 14.
HOUSTON — Atmospheric scientists are evaluating their first data from NASA’s Hurricane Imaging Radiometer (Hirad), a prototype high-altitude sensor that could improve National Hurricane Center predictions of coastal surges and inland flooding from Atlantic and Gulf Coast tropical storms.
Negotiations on the long-awaited deal for the Pentagon to order its next lot of F-35 aircraft are nearly complete, according to Tom Burbage, executive vice president for Joint Strike Fighter program integration at Lockheed Martin.
MOSCOW — The Russian defense ministry is planning to resume flight trials of the R-30 Bulava (SS-NX-30) solid-propellant ballistic missile this month, after several failed launches in previous years. A government commission that investigated the earlier failures found problems with component manufacturing. There have been 12 launches of Bulava since 2004; only five have been considered successful. During the last launch, on Dec. 9, 2009, from the Dmitry Donskoi submarine (Project 941 Akula), the third-stage rocket engine control system failed.
LONDON — Portugal and the Czech Republic are the latest countries to express their intent to buy Embraer KC-390 tanker transports, giving their respective industries a role in development of the military aircraft. Portugal has been a strong prospect for Embraer essentially from the outset of the KC-390, and with the Sept. 10 announcement has made the relationship official. The country would buy six of the airlifters for use by the Portuguese air force. The Czech Republic, meanwhile, has committed to buy two of the tanker/transports.
TOKYO — A new Japanese satellite launched Sept. 11 should eventually provide better navigation coverage over Japan. The Quasi-Zenith System is designed to fly much higher than GPS satellites at an altitude of roughly 40,000 km. (25,000 mi.), supplementing and correcting GPS signals from its higher vantage point and providing better coverage to Japanese users despite mountainous terrain or high buildings.
DETAILED REFORM: U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates and acquisition czar Ashton Carter will host a press briefing Sept. 14 at 2 p.m. EDT at the Pentagon on new acquisition and procurement guidelines. A Pentagon memorandum says the “series of measures” to be announced are the culmination of internal deliberations and hundreds of outside recommendations, but will be the “refined product of extensive consultations” over several months.
The first group of four helicopter pilots completed a type-conversion course Sept. 13 on the Bell 412EP simulator at the Bengaluru-based Helicopter Academy to Train by Simulation of Flying (HATSOFF). Three of the pilots were from Global Vectra Helicorp Ltd. (GVHL), and the fourth from the Indian Air Force (IAF), who is currently assigned to the Tamil Nadu state government.
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BENGALURU, India — India’s Defense Research and Development Organization (DRDO) has firmed up plans to launch its commercial wing by the end of this year. According to DRDO chief Dr. Prahlada, the new initiative will be similar to the Indian Space Research Organization’s marketing arm, Antrix. “By the end of this year, we will have a dedicated and aggressive body in place to market our technologies. This is part of the ongoing DRDO restructuring process,” Prahlada tells AVIATION WEEK.
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NEW DELHI — The Indian Air Force has shortlisted 12 out of 31 original bidders for the modernization of 27 base repair depots and equipment depots located throughout India. The major companies that made the cut include Mahindra & Mahindra, Larsen & Toubro, Hindustan Machine Tools, Bharat Electronics Ltd. and the ISGEC Group. The contract, estimated to be worth more than $400 million, is expected to be awarded in February 2011.
To list an event, send information in calendar format to Donna Thomas at [email protected]. (Bold type indicates new calendar listing.) SEPT. 13 - 15 — Annual Air & Space Conference and Technology Exposition, Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center, National Harbor, Md. For more information call (301) 965-2700, or go to www.gaylordhotels.com/gaylord-national
