SBINET: The Boeing Co. said May 31 that it delivered its team's proposal in pursuit of the Homeland Security Department's Secure Border Initiative network, a potentially $2 billion contract set for a September award. Rivals such as Northrop Grumman Corp. also are competing (DAILY, May 25). Boeing teammates comprise DRS Surveillance and Reconnaissance Group, Kollsman, L-3 Communications, Perot Systems and Unysis Global Public Sector. The DHS wants to integrate satellite imagery with other high-tech capabilities to create a "virtual fence" for guarding U.S.
RADIO RULES: Indian communications regulators are set to issue new rules soon throwing the satellite radio space open to multiple players. Only U.S.-based World-Space currently operates in the country, and it has run into stiff opposition from Indian FM radio operators with its plan to launch hybrid satellite/terrestrial service there. Indian customers currently receive WorldSpace radio signals through the company's AsiaStar satellite, which is uplinked from Singapore.
IMAGING ACQUISITION: Surrey Satellite Technology Ltd. hopes to boost its position as a provider of end-to-end space imaging systems with its acquisition of the Sira Group's imaging and scientific instrument activities. Sira is a U.K. firm currently in Britain's version of Chapter 11 bankruptcy proceedings. The acquisition was announced April 13, but no purchase price was disclosed. Sira provides hyperspectral imagers, ozone and fire monitors, space debris cameras and intersatellite broadband optical communications links.
AGILENT ONBOARD: Agilent Technologies Inc. announced June 1 that it will support the U.S. Navy's Consolidated Automated Support System (CASS) program beyond the 20-year production support contract to 2015. CASS is a standardized test environment that is used onboard aircraft carriers and at other locations to test and maintain Navy aircraft electronics. Agilent's seven-year extension should generate about $45 million in services revenue between 2009 and 2015, the company said.
Walter Paulick has been appointed audit committee chairman. A.C. Providenti is being replaced by Paulick. Providenti's resignation is effective June 13. Eric Rosenfeld will become a member of the audit committee.
The space shuttle program held a debris verification review May 31 that uncovered "no showstoppers," Program Manager Wayne Hale said, clearing the next hurdle for Discovery's planned July 1 liftoff on mission STS-121. The debris review was added in the wake of the Columbia accident to gauge the shuttle team's progress in eliminating potentially dangerous sources of foam debris that could strike the orbiter during ascent.
The British government is exploring the possibility of leasing military transport helicopters as a route to easing pressure on its procurement budget. The British Defense Ministry is examining military helicopter requirements under its Future Rotorcraft Capability (FRC) program. The FRC effort has a budget of $8.47 billion and is intended to address what ministry officials admit is a "long-standing capability gap," particularly in terms of battlefield lift.
The U.S. Air Force is touting the success of a Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missile-Extended Range (JASSM-ER) flight-test that took place over White Sands Missile Range, N.M., earlier this month. The launch was the first in a series of flight-tests that are scheduled to run through December 2008, the Air Force said in a May 31 statement. "Everything went as planned and the launch was a total success," JASSM Block 2 Squadron Commander Lt. Col. Stephen Davis said in the statement.
EW SYSTEM: BAE Systems has delivered the first electronic warfare (EW) system for the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) program to prime contractor Lockheed Martin Aeronautics in Fort Worth, Texas, the company said May 31. BAE has built four JSF EW systems, which are comprised of electronic support measures and countermeasures hardware. The EW suite delivered to Lockheed Martin on April 28 will be used by the company during integration tests in Fort Worth.
Former NetJets president W.W. (Bill) Boisture is joining the Carlyle Group. The longtime business aviation executive has signed on as a senior advisor to the private equity giant's Aerospace & Defense team and will help identify attractive investments in the sector, Washington, D.C.-based Carlyle said May 31.
ADELAIDE, Australia - Unmanned aircraft operating on their own - and soon, teams and swarms of them working together in sophisticated electronic attacks or intelligence gathering missions - are already planned as part of Australia's military future. However, what Australia wants in the way of unmanned vehicles isn't yet available on the world market. As a result, Australian Defence Force (ADF) planners are going to spend a few years figuring out the long-term potential of not only UAVs, but also unmanned underwater and ground vehicles.
LCS COMPETITION: General Dynamics Corp.'s Littoral Combat Ship team will conduct an open competition to identify the best combat system capabilities, shipboard electronics and software for the third General Dynamics LCS and follow-on ships, the company said May 26. The company will host an industry day to discuss its approach and opportunities from 8 a.m. to noon Eastern time on May 31 at the Washington Dulles Marriott, Dulles, Va.
Arianespace dual-launched Thailand's Thaicom 5 and Mexico's Satmex 6 spacecraft on May 27 using an Ariane 5 rocket from the company's spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana. Liftoff took place at 6:09 p.m. local time (5 p.m. Eastern time). The two spacecraft together weighed more than 8,200 kilograms (18,078 pounds), which marked a record for satellite mass delivered to orbit in a single launch, according to Arianespace.
In a bid for larger markets, Danish defense electronics companies are looking to larger European suppliers to help them expand their international business. Two deals announced this week highlight the development, with EADS and Terma announcing expanded cooperation and Saab saying it is outright buying Denmark's Maersk Data Defense in a $12.5 million deal. The latter still requires approval from national authorities.
