The prototype ARH-70A Armed Reconnaissance Helicopter (ARH) has surpassed the 70-hour mark in flight testing at manufacturer Bell Helicopter Textron's facilities in Fort Worth, Texas. The aircraft, fitted with a Mission Equipment Package (MEP), is serving as a risk-reduction platform as Bell continues ARH development for the U.S. Army. The Army plans to buy 368 of the single-engine, turbine-powered helicopters, which are based on the commercial Model 407 series (DAILY, Jan 17).
Congress has never been more inclined to fund port and maritime security programs and industry should ramp up its outreach to congressional staff now, according to Rep. Curt Weldon (R-Pa.). Weldon, the vice chairman of both the House Armed Services and Homeland Security committees, told an audience at Equity International's Homeland & Global Security Summit April 11 that the U.S. Coast Guard needs more money - and Congress is going to provide it.
Israel could order up to two Littoral Combat Ships (LCS) built by a Lockheed Martin Corp.-led team, according to the company, a move that would spearhead foreign military sales (FMS) efforts for the new class of ship and help return FMS to U.S. naval shipbuilding. Lockheed Martin announced April 10 that the U.S. Navy awarded it an FMS contract for nearly $5.2 million for an LCS feasibility study for the Israeli Navy. Lockheed Martin will review modifications to its LCS design to meet specific Israeli requirements, the company said.
SUPERBIRD-7: Arianespace announced April 10 that it has signed a contract to launch the Superbird-7 telecommunications satellite for Japanese operator Space Communications Corporation. Built by Mitsubishi Electric, Superbird-7 will be orbited by an Ariane 5 rocket in the first quarter of 2008.
With the government's third fiscal quarter of 2006 starting this month, lawmakers on Capitol Hill finally agreed to a FY '06 Coast Guard authorization bill that, among other things, allows $1.6 billion for the Deepwater recapitalization program. Still, Congress already appropriated only $933 million for the current fiscal year, and the Bush administration has requested $934 million for FY '07 - a sum that leading legislators are increasingly calling insufficient.
JCSAT READY: The JCSAT-9 telecommunications satellite, built by Lockheed Martin Corp. for JSAT Corp. of Japan, is ready for launch April 12, Lockheed Martin said April 10. Launch is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. Eastern time aboard a Sea Launch Zenit-3SL launch vehicle. JCSAT-9 is the second of seven satellite launches planned this year for Lockheed Martin Commercial Space Systems and the first of three satellites Lockheed Martin said it will deliver to JSAT over the next two years.
Army McDonnell Douglas Helicopter Co., Mesa, Ariz., was awarded on March 30, 2006, a $120,269,205 modification to a firm-fixed-price contract for reliability and safety and recapitalization overhaul for fielded aircraft. Work will be performed in Mesa, Ariz., and is expected to be completed by Sept. 30, 2008. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This was a sole source contract initiated on April 14, 2005. The U.S. Army Aviation and Missile Command, Redstone Arsenal, Ala., is the contracting activity (DAAH23-01-C-0092).
The U.S. State Department has imposed a $15 million fine on Boeing to settle a violation of arms exporting restrictions that occurred more than three years ago. The violation stems from a chip that Boeing included in exported commercial aircraft between 2001 and 2003. The QRS-11 chip is part of the cockpit standby instrument system (CSIS), and it was on a restricted munitions list that required a State Department license for export. The chip has since been taken off that list, and Boeing still uses it in CSIS equipment on exported aircraft.
NASA plans to blast the permanently dark floor of the moon's Shackleton Crater with two heavy impactors early in 2009 to test the theory that ancient water ice lies buried there. The impactors - a 2,000-kilogram (4,409-pound) spent upper stage and a 534-kilogram (1,177-pound) Shepherding Spacecraft - will piggyback on the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) mission NASA intends to launch on an Atlas V or Delta IV in October 2008.
The Air Force has decided to deactivate the 564th missile squadron at Malmstrom Air Force Base, Mont., to meet the recent Quadrennial Defense Review (QDR) mandate to trim 50 Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missiles from the 500-unit force, according to Air Force Maj. Gen. Roger Burg.
CONFIRMED: The Senate on April 6 confirmed Gordon England to be deputy secretary of defense, a job he has held since President Bush recess appointed him Jan. 4. England, who was confirmed by voice vote, first was held up by an internal Senate Armed Services Committee ethics rule related to his defense-industry pension, and later was blocked by senators upset over decreased and changing naval shipbuilding plans. England previously was Navy secretary and has otherwise been praised for his management skills.
The U.S. Marine Corps plans to send two V-22 Ospreys to the Farnborough Air Show this year, according to program officials. While participation in the show will allow manufacturers Bell-Boeing to market the V-22 to potential international customers, the Marine Corps is more interested in demonstrating the tiltrotor aircraft's self-deployment capability. "No ships, no terra firma - just tank across the pond," Program Manager Marine Col. Bill Taylor said.
Expedition 12 to the International Space Station returned safely to Earth April 8 after more than six months in orbit, accompanied by a Brazilian test pilot who was the first of his countrymen to travel in space.
RAM: Raytheon Co. said April 10 that it has won a $17.4 million Foreign Military Sales contract for production of the Rolling Airframe Missile (RAM) for South Korea, in which half the work will be done by RAM-System GmbH of Ottobrunn, Germany. The U.S. Navy contract calls for production of 30 RAM Block 1/HAS (helicopter, aircraft, surface) tactical-guided missile round packs and test equipment design maintenance for the South Korean RAM program.
Army BAE Systems, Anniston, Ala., was awarded on March 31, 2006, an $18,511,502 modification to a firm-fixed-price contract for Overhaul and Upgrade on the M113A3 family of vehicles. Work will be performed in Anniston, Ala., and is expected to be completed by April 30, 2007. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This was a sole source contract initiated on Sept. 30, 2005. The Army Tank-Automotive and Armaments Command, Warren, Mich., is the contracting activity (W56HZV-05-C-0463).
CHINA TRIP: NASA Administrator Michael Griffin is considering an autumn trip to China following a renewed invitation from the China National Space Administration. Luo Ge, one of two vice administrators at CNSA, reopened his agency's invitation to the top U.S. civil-space official during an April 3 drop-in on Michael O'Brien, assistant administrator for external relations, and NASA didn't say no. "An invitation has been extended," says Dean Acosta, Griffin's press secretary.
