Farnborough - You know times are tough when a company singles out the stagnant U.S. defense market as a growth opportunity. But that is exactly what EADS NV is doing. Leaders at the European defense giant used the Farnborough air show to reiterate an ambitious plan to grow their U.S. revenues eight-fold by 2020, to $10 billion a year. “International” is the new buzz word in the defense industry as contractors brace for their first downturn since the 1990s.
Scott and Mark Kelly, twin brothers who pursued parallel careers as naval aviators, test pilots and NASA astronauts, appear destined to become the first blood relatives to meet in space in early 2011, as commanders of the International Space Station and the final scheduled shuttle mission. The orbital encounter, if it is truly to be, would unfold between late February and mid-March.
LONDON – The Canadian government and Sikorsky have come to a contractual agreement on how to handle the program changes on the CH-148 Cycle maritime helicopter program, which has suffered delays owing to software development problems.
AIR FORCE Lockheed Martin Corp., Lockheed Martin Space Systems Co., Sunnyvale, Calif., was awarded a $34,804,061 contract modification which will exercise the fourth option for Space Based Infrared Systems Highly Elliptical Earth Orbit Payload 3 launch and early on-orbit support. At this time, $548,174 has been obligated. ISSW/PKF, Los Angeles AFB, Calif., is the contracting activity (FA8810-08-C-0002; P00012).
AIR FORCE Boeing Co., Long Beach, Calif., was awarded a $37,044,801 contract modification to incorporate an increase in funding and ceiling for Air Force Fiscal 2008 material improvement projects of the C-17 Globemaster III sustainment partnership contract. At this time, the total amount has been obligated. MSW/ASC/WLMK, Wright Patterson AFB, Ohio, is the contracting activity (FA8614-04-C-2004, P000371). NAVY
NEW DELHI – As foreign vendors await an increase in the current cap of 26% in foreign direct investment (FDI) in the Indian defense sector, the native industry has raised its voice emphatically in opposing any increase. The industry has also called for a level playing field in being permitted to apply for tenders in every defense project. There are currently certain levels of sensitive areas that only government-owned companies are permitted to bid against.
Bengaluru – The flight evaluation report on India’s much-awaited medium multi-role combat aircraft (MMRCA) will be ready by the end of July. Indian Air Force (IAF) chief Air Chief Marshal P.V. Naik told selected reporters in Bengaluru recently during the Defense Avionics Research Establishment (DARE) Raising Day celebrations that the $11 billion final contract for 126 aircraft would be signed within a year.
A supersonic interceptor missile developed by India’s Defense Research and Development Organization (DRDO) was tested July 26, with officials claiming success despite some expressed anxiety. A similar test this year in March had failed following the target missile’s errant launch. If confirmed, this is fourth successful test and second successful interception in the endo-atmosphere (within 50 km. of Earth’s surface). Previous tests were done in exo-atmosphere (above 50 km.).
ARMY Lockheed Martin Corp., Orlando, Fla., was awarded on July 13 a $95,964,520 firm-fixed-price contract. This is for the definitized letter contract to procure Army/Marine Corps requirements for the Fiscal 2009-2011 Javelin hardware program. The work is to be performed in Tucson, Ariz. (50%), and Orlando (50%), with an estimated completion date of Sept. 30, 2014. One bid was solicited with one bid received. U.S. Army Aviation and Missile Command, Redstone Arsenal, Ala., is the contracting activity (W31P4Q-09-C-0376).
NEW DELHI — Engineering services provider QuEST (Quality Engineering and Software Technologies) Global Engineering has signed a five-year extended agreement to support the engineering resources of Rolls-Royce across its business divisions until 2015. The new contract follows an increase in the scope and size of work QuEST has been providing since 2005 when it first signed a five-year agreement with Rolls-Royce in India.
AIRPORT GROWS: Milwaukee General Mitchell International Airport grew by 102 acres July 26, the result of a transfer by the U.S. Air Force of the former General Mitchell Air Reserve Station to the Milwaukee County-owned airport. It is the first whole-base transfer by the Air Force under the 2005 Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) program. The Wisconsin base closed two years ago. Since the first BRAC transfer in 1988, the government has shifted 116 sq. mi. of federal land to local communities.
MRO Military Europe 2010 CONFERENCE & EXHIBITION September 29-30, 2010 ExCeL, London, UK Learn to maintain military assets longer; sustain aircraft beyond forecast; recover from budget cuts, delays and program cancellations, and develop new strategies required to deliver and support equipment. Learn more at www.aviationweek.com/events
The space capsule from a Boeing-Bigelow industry team is called the Crew Space Transportation (CST-100). An article July 20 incorrectly transposed parts of the name.
F-22 LOBBY: Congressional aides say a U.S. Air Force decision is expected “soon” after a bipartisan group of Virginia lawmakers asked Air Force leadership July 21 for an additional F-22 Raptor squadron at Langley AFB, Va. The legislators claim that such a move would follow President Barack Obama’s June instructions to his administration to make better use of existing federal real estate and avoid redundant assets. Langley can accommodate the third squadron “with minimal cost and personnel,” the lawmakers stress.
ST. HUBERT, QUEBEC — Dextre, the special-purpose dexterous manipulator sometimes described as the hand for Canadarm2 on the International Space Station (ISS), is almost ready to begin serving as a backup for spacewalking astronauts and cosmonauts.
SIGNAL NOISE: U.S. Air Force officials say signals from the newest GPS IIF satellite are operating within specifications, though there is a variation that officials are investigating. During initial testing, Germany’s national aeronautics and space center detected more residual errors than expected when combining the satellite’s L1, L2 and L5 signals, using a technique to detect sources of location errors. Air Force officials say this variation coincides with the orbital period during the satellite’s noon and midnight turns, so it could be from thermal variations.
LONG HAUL: Qinetiq’s Zephyr solar-powered unmanned aircraft landed at Yuma Proving Ground, Ariz., on July 23 after 14 days and 21 minutes in the air. The U.K. technology firm is awaiting Federal Aeronautique International confirmation before claiming a record, but the flight beat the current official world record for unmanned aircraft flight duration of 30h 24min (Global Hawk), the unofficial unmanned record of 82h 37min (set by Zephyr in 2008) and the record for non-stop unrefueled flight by any aircraft of 9 days and 3 minutes (Rutan Voyager in 1986).
HELO ORDER: Oboronprom says it has sold four helicopters to Global Vectra Helicopters of India, including the first Kamov units to be acquired by an Indian operator. CEO Andrei Reus said Vectra will take two Ka-32 A11bc firefighting helicopters and a pair of Mi-172s in a deal valued at around €30 million ($36 million). The Mi-172s will be used for civil applications. Deliveries will begin in late 2010-11. Oboronprom also is tendering its Ka-226T, powered by a French Turbomeca turboshaft, for the Indian air force’s 197-unit scout helicopter award.
Flir Systems beat analysts’ expectations for second-quarter results with revenues of $331.1 million, up 19% from the same period in 2009. Flir reported operating income of $89.8 million, up 6% from 2009, and second-quarter net income of $59.5 million, compared with $55.7 million last year. “We are pleased with our performance in the second quarter as the company continues to perform well across markets and geographies,” CEO Earl Lewis told analysts July 22.
ITALIAN EYES: Italy will field Textron AAI Shadow 200 unmanned aircraft under a €51-million ($68-million) contract. Italy is the second European export customer for the Shadow 200 after Sweden, which plans to field its first systems next year. Italy is buying four systems with four air vehicles each.
