ALKALI LIGHT: Already developing a solid-state laser weapon under the U.S. Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency’s Hellads program, General Atomics has been funded to work on a different kind of high-power laser. The company has received a $667,000 contract from the Air Force for diode-pumped alkali-vapor laser (DPAL) technology development. Although diode-pumped is like a solid-state laser, the DPAL uses gas instead of semiconductor slabs to amplify the laser beam and promises to be both more efficient and easier to cool.
BOMBS AWAY: The U.S. Navy has declared initial operational capability for Lockheed Martin’s Paveway II Dual-Mode Laser Guided Bomb (DMLGB). The weapon is part of the Navy’s push to add two modes to its existing weapons, which have operated with a single mode either using laser guidance or a Global Positioning System/Inertial Navigation System (GPS/INS) kit. In this case, laser-guided Paveway IIs were modified with GPS/INS kits and the weapon will initially be operational on the Marine Corps AV-8B fleet. Deployment to the naval fleet is under way.
ELECTRIC AVENUE: The U.S. Army unveiled the first six of 4,000 Neighborhood Electric Vehicles (NEVs) it is leasing as part of a comprehensive energy security initiative. The Jan. 12 ceremony is the beginning of an acquisition program to equip 40 Army installations with a potential 10,000 electric vehicles. According to the Army, by gradually replacing 4,000 gas-powered vehicles with the NEVs, the service will save 11 million gallons of fuel over the vehicles’ six-year service life and reduce carbon dioxide output by 115,000 tons.
MISSILE WARNING: The U.S. Air Force has awarded Northrop Grumman a contract to deliver the Next Generation Missile Warning Systems (NexGen MWS) as the latest upgrade to its Large Aircraft Infrared Countermeasures (LAIRCM) system. The NexGen MWS is a two-color infrared missile warning sensor and will be integrated into LAIRCM, which Northrop also developed and produces. The system detects a missile launch, determines if it is a threat, and activates a high-intensity laser-based countermeasure system to track and take out the missile.
MOSCOW The head of Sukhoi’s holding company, Mikhail Pogosyan, has taken the general director’s chair of rival fighter manufacturer MiG Corp. with an aim to integrate the latter company into United Aircraft Corp.’s (UAC) combat aircraft division.
PARIS — EADS is in talks with Turkey to find a role for the country and its industry in the advanced unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) program. Ankara has expressed interest in joining the research and development endeavor, although it hasn’t specified exactly what work it wants to be doing, according to Stefan Zoller, CEO of EADS Defense & Security. Talks are still in their early stage, Zoller says.
Funding has not yet been secured for a plan to help four Central American nations buy new aircraft, including airlift and interdiction assets, according to Lt. Gen. Norman Seip, commander of U.S. Air Force assets in Central South America.
Oshkosh announced Jan. 12 that it submitted a proposal for the U.S. Army’s fast-tracked MRAP All Terrain Vehicle (M-ATV) program, a new program borne of U.S. counterinsurgency experience and ahead of an expected surge of ground forces to Afghanistan. The company says its submission is “based on the combat-proven Medium Tactical Vehicle Replacement (MTVR) chassis, which has been successfully operating off-road in Afghanistan as well as around the world for several years.”
CRITICAL REVIEW: Boeing has completed the system-wide Critical Design Review (CDR) for its Family of Advanced Beyond line-of-sight Terminals (FAB-T) satellite communications program. The CDR was conducted Oct. 28-30 for senior military, government and industry officials. The Boeing Terminal Test team established log on, downlink and uplink connections with a Milstar 6 satellite – a first step toward implementing Advanced Extremely High Frequency (AEHF) satellite Extended Data Rate (XDR) capability.
The administration and Congress should review and revamp export controls currently restricting the nation’s ability to conduct business with its allies, the Aerospace Industries Association (AIA) is advising, or risk losing U.S. global competitiveness. Presidential directives issued on export control in 2008 were “a significant accomplishment” AIA President and CEO Marion Blakey said. “However, you still have fundamental issues,” including whether the overall list of technologies is still relevant.
WORK FORCE UNIVERSITY: Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University has joined the nationwide push to interest a new generation in aeronautics, launching its new Center for Aviation and Aerospace Leadership.
BEIJING – China’s newly formed helicopter company will be based in Tianjin, where the city government will take 31 percent of the capital in a first step toward separating the rotary-wing business from national aircraft-making conglomerate Avic. Tianjin also will host a new production line with which the company will build light civilian helicopters, part of a range of initiatives that are turning the city, a big port close to Beijing, into a globally important aerospace center.
NEW DELHI – The Indian navy has issued a request for proposals (RFPs) for six so-called medium-range maritime reconnaissance (MRMR) aircraft. The move comes following India’s choice of Boeing’s future P-8I multimission aircraft to replace the country’s eight aging TU-142s (Aerospace DAILY, Jan. 6). The Indian coast guard also is looking for six MRMRs, but without an Airborne Early Warning system.
AIR FORCE The Air Force is awarding a cost plus fixed fee, indefinite delivery, requirements contract with Booz Allen Hamilton Inc., Herndon, Va., for $9,656,256. The contract action will provide HQ AMC/A5Q requirements for improved survivability in combat operations. At this time $200,000 has been obligated. 55 CONS/LGCD, Offut Air Force Base, Neb., is the contracting activity (SP0700-03-D-1380). ARMY
Bipartisan legislation introduced by Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) would make it harder for lawmakers to slip funding for pet projects into appropriations bills at the last minute with little public oversight.
NAVY American Science and Engineering Inc., Billerica, Mass., is being awarded a $67,391,360 firm fixed priced contract for the manufacturing and production of 66 AS&E Z-Backscatter (ZBV) Military Trailers. The work will be performed within the continental United States and is expected to be completed by the end of January 2010. Contract fund will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The contract was sole sourced procured. The Marine Corps Systems Command, Quantico, Va., is the contracting activity (M67854-09-C-5017).
AIR FORCE The Air Force is awarding a cost plus award fee contract with Northrop Grumman Systems Corporation, San Diego, Calif., for $13,474,949. The contract is for engineering, manufacturing and development activities in support of the Global Hawk Program. At this time, the entire amount has been obligated. 303 AESG/SYK, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, is the contracting activity (F33657-01-C-4600, P00288). NAVY
Navistar Defense has inked its first Canadian military contract for 1,300 so-called military commercial off-the-shelf (MILCOTS) vehicles. About 600 vehicles will be delivered during fiscal 2009, with the remaining units to be delivered in FY ’10 under the $231 million deal.
STOOD UP: The U.S. Air Force officially stood up a provisional Global Strike Command (AFGSC) at Bolling Air Force Base Jan. 12. The command will be temporarily located at the Washington, D.C., base, and headed by a provisional commander: Brig. Gen. James Kowalski. Kowalski will be responsible for helping identify a final location for the command and identifying manpower and resource requirements.
The U.S. Air Force has once again gone on the offensive to retain the combat, search and rescue (CSAR) mission following recent comments by Pentagon acquisition chief John Young that sparked further questions by the House Armed Services Committee (HASC).
