CONTINUING RESOLUTION: Congress is passing a continuing resolution (CR) to fund the federal government until at least Nov. 16 at fiscal 2007 appropriations, which means FY '06 levels in most cases outside the defense and Homeland Security departments. Among other effects, CRs do not allow for starting new acquisition programs or for changes to approved spending levels. However, this CR provides $5.2 billion toward Mine Resistant Ambush Protected vehicles, which Defense Secretary Gates testified was needed to make sure nothing impeded industry's production lines.
The U.S. cyberspace intelligence network is battling a growing threat to its cyberspace assets, National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA) Director Vice Adm. Robert Murrett says. "The trend is real," Murrett said Sept. 26 during a breakfast roundtable briefing with defense reporters in Washington. "It is significant," he added, saying the intelligence community has to tackle the issue "with an increasing sense of urgency."
The U.S Air Force Research Laboratory is eyeing a 20,000-pound multimission unmanned aerial system (UAS) that would provide a cost-effective way to fill a looming void for a loitering, weapons-enabled platform, service researchers said Sept. 25.
Arianespace officials say the launch of the second Galileo satnav system test satellite, Giove B, will be deferred until March because of upper-stage delivery delays affecting the spacecraft's Starsem Soyuz Fregat booster.
The U.S. Air Force was never intended to be the primary user of the radar frequency currently occupied by the B-2 bomber radar, and the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has ordered the Defense Department to vacate the band within the next five years. The B-2 is operating within the frequency on a waiver, which could be pulled at any time, at which point the Air Force would have six months to stop operating on the frequency in Iraq.
The U.S. Air Force will allow the combat, search and rescue (CSAR-X) helicopter program competitors to include updates on pricing, cost and other program-related information in new proposals, service officials confirmed Sept. 26. The changes, to be part of a planned updated request for proposals (RFP), could include past performance history and schedules, according to Sue Payton, chief Air Force acquisition officer, and other service officials.
Lockheed Martin has been awarded a $2.8 million contract by Boeing to support the Sniper Advanced Targeting Pod (ATP) on U.S. Air Force B-1B aircraft. The Sniper ATP is already operational or near operational on a number of service aircraft including the A-10A, F-16 and F-15E. The pod provides real-time, television-quality streaming video, enabling a pilot to transmit directly to a ruggedized laptop in the field.
HYDERABAD, India - Data from an upcoming series of tile-repair development tests in the cargo bay of the space shuttle Discovery will give NASA engineers more confidence if they ever need to decide again whether to attempt to improve the ability of thermal tiles with complex damage to shield an orbiter from the heat of re-entry.
HYDERABAD, India - Cooperation between the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) and the European Space Agency (ESA) is heating up on several fronts, with ISRO planning to submit proposals for Cosmic Vision, a European effort to advance space science. "The planning [for Cosmic Vision] will be frozen in 2008," ESA Director General Jean-Jacques Dordain told reporters at the 58th International Astronautical Congress (IAC 2007) here Sept. 26. "This is the right time to see cooperation with Indian scientists." Selections
Naval Air Systems Command's (NAVAIR) Wiring Systems branch is using Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) grants to develop more durable aircraft wire insulation and better wire strippers for maintainers.
A new war is breaking out inside the Pentagon, with defense budget cutters wanting to slash two-seat aircraft designs and phase out weapon systems officers, while warfighters say they need two-man crews as strike and electronic attack aircraft take on additional simultaneous missions, including tactical network attack.
President Bush is asking for $189.3 billion in fiscal 2008 for combat operations in Iraq, Afghanistan and elsewhere - more than $42 billion more than previously advised, Pentagon officials announced Sept. 26. The additional funds include almost $9 billion to repair and replace equipment damaged or destroyed for a total of $46.5 billion toward "reconstituting the force," according to Defense Secretary Robert Gates.
JCA GUNSHIPS: U.S. Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. T. Michael Moseley says he plans to procure a number of Joint Cargo Aircraft equipped with a 30mm gun for the Air Force Special Operations Command. This would be the same weapon now replacing 20mm and 40mm guns already on AC-130s. This requirement could add to the number of JCAs being purchased by the Air Force. Raytheon protested the Pentagon's selection of the L3-Alenia-Boeing C-27J and the Government Accountability Office has yet to rule on the protest.
Federal contractors should be given the opportunity to reject a government contract if they disagree with the contracting officer's determination to disallow a proposed charge as an excessive pass-through charge, the Aerospace Industries Association (AIA) is telling defense regulators.
ENVELOPE EXPANSION: The Block 20 Global Hawk is ready to begin envelope expansion flights, according to Northrop Grumman officials, who are awaiting the results of the safety review process. "We are ready to start at any time, as soon as the approval is done," says Bill Walker, business development manager for Future Unmanned Systems at Northrop Grumman. "We'll have all our airworthiness certificates by summer of next year."
HYDERABAD, India - European Space Agency (ESA) engineers are open to collaboration with NASA and other agencies on a Mars Sample Return (MSR) mission, but they're not so sure about rigging the planned ExoMars rover with a sample cache for return to Earth later.
The Air National Guard has been discussing the possibility of using Block 40 Global Hawks for border security, Northrop Grumman officials said at the Air Force Association conference and exhibit in Washington.
HYDERABAD, India - Arianespace will launch the Indian Space Research Organization's (ISRO) Insat-4G Ku-band satellite in late 2008 or early 2009 from the company's launch complex in Kourou, French Guiana. Arianespace Chairman and CEO Jean-Yves Le Gall made the announcement at the International Aeronautical Conference here Sept. 25. Weighing about 3,200 kilograms (7,000 pounds) at launch and carrying 18 transponders, Insat-4G has payloads for navigation, telecommunications, TV broadcasting and broadband services.
The Wideband Global Satcom (WGS) program is ready for its October launch, Boeing Network and Space President Roger Krone said at the Air Force Association conference and exhibit Sept. 25. "It's rocket- and weather-dependent," Krone said of the launch. Three WGS spacecraft are under contract, with two additional satellites in long-lead production. Discussions with the Australian government could also potentially mean a sixth satellite for Boeing.
The GE/Rolls-Royce team offering the alternative F136 engine for the Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) is unsure how the program will proceed after next week when the fiscal 2007 budget runs out. Funding was provided in FY '07 to continue testing the engine, but the Pentagon does not plan to provide any support for it in the FY '08 request. Meanwhile, all four defense oversight committees have put marks in the budget with varying amounts of money for the JSF alternate engine to Pratt & Whitney's F135.
