NEW YORK – As the U.S. Air Force tries to solidify plans for a light-attack aircraft for allies, there still appears to be disagreement between the service and its partners on requirements. Afghanistan is likely the country that has the most immediate need, but Iraq and some South American countries are also looking at options. The Air Force is expecting to start a program as soon as 2012.
Boeing’s Apache Block III helicopter has taken another step toward fielding with the first flight of its structures test aircraft. The test, conducted Nov. 23 in Mesa, Ariz., demonstrated the flight characteristics and handling maneuvers of new technologies including the composite main rotor blade, composite horizontal stabilizer and GE-701D engines equipped with an enhanced digital electronic control unit.
As the U.S. Navy gears up to send its newest MH-60R helicopters back to sea next year, the service is awarding Lockheed Martin a $14.75 million contract for a data link upgrade for deployments in 2012 and beyond.
SEA SUPPORT: At least 18 navies are known to have plans for new maritime support vessels, according to an IQPC report. For instance, “revolutionary” designs are being developed in the United States under the Joint High Speed Vessel and the Sea Base Connector Transformable Craft programs. And besides obvious efforts through the U.S. Navy, the Army also has announced a major restructuring of its watercraft fleet, according to the report.
TESTING COMPLETE: The Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS) sensor for the National Polar-orbiting Operational Environmental Satellite System (NPOESS) has completed all testing and is ready for delivery, according to NPOESS prime Northrop Grumman. The Raytheon-built VIIRS completed testing in late October, including 112 days of thermal vacuum and post-thermal vacuum testing. VIIRS is being stored in a shipping container until it is sent to Ball Aerospace for integration onto the spacecraft of NPOESS’ precursor mission, the NPOESS Preparatory Project.
PARIS — A slate of new medium-sized science missions being evaluated by the European Space Agency (ESA) could reignite debate on the agency’s ability to keep within cost and schedule envelopes mandated by its member states. Gross underestimates of technology risks on the BepiColombo Mercury mission have led to more rigorous evaluation of ESA science projects (Aerospace DAILY, Nov. 30).
SUB TRIALS: The U.S. Navy’s newest nuclear-powered submarine, the New Mexico (SSN 779), has returned from its first sea trials. Northrop Grumman announced last week its submarine had returned to its shipyard in Newport News, Va., on Nov. 26 after being put through its paces. Sea trials offer an opportunity to test all systems, components and compartments, including submerging for the first time, high-speed runs while on the surface and submerged and a demonstration of the submarine’s other capabilities.
PARIS — Functional testing has begun on the platform engineering model of the Galileo In-Orbit Verification (IOV) satellites. The IOV spacecraft are intended to demonstrate the performance of Europe’s Galileo satellite navigation system and provide a blueprint for the following Final Operating Capability (FOC) spacecraft, expected to be ordered by year’s end.
NEW DELHI — Industry observers are wondering what effect India’s recent decision to suspend its purchase of six aerial refuelers may have on future defense procurements such as the 126-aircraft Medium Multi-Role Combat Aircraft (MMRCA) deal. India’s tender for six aerial refuelers went out for the Airbus A330 Multi Role Tanker Transport (MRTT) and the Ilyushin IL-78. The IL-78, the lower-cost option, was rejected on the grounds that the proposal was incomplete since it had failed to quote for five extra engines and life-cycle costs.
LOCAL FLAVOR: Cobham India Private Ltd. will open during the first quarter of 2010 with offices in New Delhi and Bengaluru (Bangalore), the company said Dec. 7. “Cobham is committed to building a significant long-term investment in India,” said Andy Stevens, who takes over as CEO of Cobham Plc in January. “We have decided to significantly enhance our permanent presence in India in 2010. Looking to the future, we plan to increase our industrial participation, strengthening cooperation with both public and private sector companies.”
PHOENIX — Expect to see high-level aftermarket responsibility shift to the U.S. government from industry as the government takes over some national security resource allocation. This move comes as the Defense Department faces major equipment maintenance because of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, but has less planned funding to provide for it. It also comes at a time when manufacturers rely on aftermarket revenue streams, which have been hit by the recession.
TARGETED PERFORMANCE: Completion of testing of the Aegis Combat System equipment destined for Australia’s HMAS Hobart marks a major milestone in delivery of the capability from the U.S. Navy to the Royal Australian Navy, Australian officials declared Dec. 6. The comments came as they marked a “pull-the-plug” ceremony on the combat system, symbolizing readiness for installation in the Hobart, the first of three Air Warfare Destroyers. To reach this point the system, including the radar and missile fire control equipment, had to complete a range of U.S.
PARIS — European Space Agency (ESA) science program managers are recommending that several missions, including the Lisa-Pathfinder space interferometer precursor, be given additional margin to account for growing mission risk.
Boeing engineers are in the early stage of setting up the third Wideband Global Satcom (WGS-3) communications satellite after its launch Dec. 5 on a United Launch Alliance (ULA) Delta IV. Delayed on Dec. 2 by unacceptable weather at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Fla., the 8:47 p.m. EST launch was the first for a WGS spacecraft on the Delta IV. The first two WGS spacecraft flew on ULA Atlas Vs.
The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) will this week debrief teams that competed in its Network Challenge to discuss how they used social networking tools to find red balloons deployed at undisclosed locations across the U.S. on Dec. 5. The Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s Red Balloon Challenge Team won the $40,000 cash prize, locating all 10 weather balloons in less than nine hours. A Georgia Tech team had managed to locate nine of the balloons by the time the winner was announced.
NEW YORK — Boeing has a plan in place to meet the Pentagon’s refueling boom requirements for the KC-X aerial tanker competition, according to the company’s defense sector chief. The Pentagon’s draft request for proposals (RFP) “drives us toward a 767-based platform” for the company’s KC-X proposal, said Dennis Muilenburg, chief executive officer of Boeing Integrated Defense Systems, during an interview last week at the Credit Suisse/Aviation Week Aerospace and Defense Finance conference here.
PARIS — Non-U.S. force level increases to Afghanistan will top 7,000 troops, NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen says. The alliance late last week already committed to adding around 7,000 non-U.S. troops from five countries to the planned buildup of U.S. force levels. The Pentagon will add 30,000 personnel to try to stabilize the country and drive back Taliban forces.
