BACK ON TRACK: SES Global says improvements and additions to its service business will raise profitability and reduce its drag on the company's higher-margin satellite lease operations and stock price. In third quarter results, CFO Mark Rigolle said SES has reached its goal of raising earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization on revenues to 10 percent of revenues by the end of 2006 vs. 4 percent in 2005.
One of the major space conferences of the year has been delayed because its planned guest list and attendees will be too busy launching things into space. The Space Foundation's Florida Space 2006 was to have been held at a swanky Orlando conference center near Disneyworld Dec. 5-7. But that's when NASA hopes to launch the STS-116 shuttle mission to the International Space Station. It is also too close to the planned launch of a U.S. Air Force/Lockheed Martin Atlas V carrying the Defense Department's STP-1 payload, a mission now moving to mid January.
Democrats appear to be inching toward official control of both the House and Senate in the next Congress, which could further raise the profile of Army and Marine Corps readiness and reset spending, shipbuilding and increased scrutiny of Air Force fighter and missile defense programs among other expected Capitol Hill outcomes.
NEW HELOS: The U.S. Army Aviation and Missile Command has awarded the Boeing Co. a $163.3 million contract modification for new-build CH-47F helicopters. The Nov. 1 modification, based on a December 2003 award, runs through 2009.
It's feasible to design, build and deploy a satellite capable of conducting electronic warfare (EW) - jamming radar detection signals - from space, Air Force Maj. Tim Sands said. Such a system would have to be placed in low-Earth orbit (LEO), have a limited dwell time and be fairly large, Sands said Nov. 8 during a briefing at the 43rd Annual AOC (Association of Old Crows) International Symposium and Convention in Washington. Sands, a former B-52 EW officer, said his research and findings are the result of studies done outside the Air Force.
Lockheed Martin is ramping up to begin work on a 20-year contract for pilot training with the Royal Singapore Air Force (RSAF) that will see the company delivering simulators, courseware, flight instructors and PC-21 turboprop trainer aircraft. Lockheed Martin would not disclose the total value of the contract win, which was announced Nov. 3. The company will spend the next eight months conducting a training needs analysis with the RSAF to fully flesh out its requirements.
The Pentagon's Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) is keying on developing technology and programs to better manage electromagnetic spectrum for communications and other capabilities. DARPA is working to ensure that U.S. forces will have secure, assured, high-rate, multisubscriber, multipurpose networks for future forces, agency Director Anthony J. Tether said Nov. 6 during his keynote presentation at the 43rd Annual AOC (Association of Old Crows) International Symposium and Convention in Washington.
Britain is looking at the possibility of closer industrial cooperation with the U.S. for future nuclear submarine needs as it ponders a successor to its Trident nuclear deterrent. Murray Easton, managing director of submarines at BAE Systems, told the British Parliament's Defense Committee on Nov. 7 that "there has been some dialogue at the industrial level."
The U.S. Navy has awarded Northrop Grumman Ship Systems of New Orleans $1.45 billion for construction of the eighth LPD-17 class amphibious transport dock ship (LPD 24), with long-lead-time materials and associated labor for the final planned ship, LPD 25.
STANDARD MISSILE-2: The Naval Sea Systems Command has awarded Raytheon Co. more than $64 million to provide additional engineering and technical services for the Standard Missile-2, and more is expected, the Defense Department says. Under one contract modification, Navsea awarded $39.4 million for fiscal 2007 U.S. requirements. In another, Navsea awarded $25.5 million for Foreign Military Sales (FMS), starting with Germany and Canada.
SCOTT AIR FORCE BASE, Ill. - Air Mobility Command chief Gen. Duncan McNabb says he wants the future aerial refueler to "be more like a mini KC-10 than it will be like a -135" as teams with very different proposals continue to prepare their bids for the massive KC-X contract.
The U.S. Army is making electronic warfare (EW) a core competency that every soldier must have a basic understanding of, says Col. Laurie Buckhout, Army EW Division chief. While the service's interest started about two years ago with its attempts to thwart electronic ignition of improvised explosive devices (IED) in Iraq, the Army's foray is spreading in scope and depth, Buckhout said Nov. 7 at the 43rd Annual AOC (Association of Old Crows) Symposium and Convention in Washington.
General Dynamics Corp.'s Electric Boat and Northrop Grumman Corp.'s Electronic Systems both have been chosen for the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency's Underwater Express program to demonstrate stable and controllable high-speed underwater transport through supercavitation. If fully exercised, Electric Boat's contract could reach $37.1 million. While further details were not immediately provided, the company received more than $5.7 million under a cost-plus-fixed-fee contract for the initial research and development.
Eyal Nahum has been appointed chief accountant of the Commercial Aircraft Group. Jacob Vistanetzky has been named chief accountant of the Bedek Aviation Group. Doron Zakai has been appointed chief accountant of the Systems, Missiles and Space Group.
The U.S. Air Force has awarded Northrop Grumman Systems Corp. a $104.6 million time-and-material contract through December 2009 to equip NATO's Airborne Early Warning and Control fleet of NE-3A aircraft with Large Aircraft Infrared Countermeasures (LAIRCM).
The C-27J Spartan is set to begin its early user survey (EUS) for the U.S. Army/Air Force Joint Cargo Aircraft (JCA) program on Nov. 7. Testing is expected to take two weeks and be spread over three locations: Pope Air Force Base, N.C., Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala., and Ft. Rucker, Ala.
