Rep. Todd Tiahrt (R-Kan.), a leading proponent of the U.S. Missile Defense Agency's Airborne Laser (ABL), plans to reiterate his support for the potentially endangered program in talks with senior Pentagon leaders, according to a spokesman for the congressman.
SOLD: Aerospace and defense company GenCorp Inc. said Nov. 30 that it has completed the sale of its Aerojet Fine Chemicals business to American Pacific Corp. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.
AgustaWestland said Nov. 30 that it has signed a contract with Estonia to provide an AB139 helicopter for the country's border patrol. Financial terms were not disclosed. The agreement includes an option for additional aircraft. The medium twin-engine, six-ton AB139 can carry up to 15 passengers or six litter kits with four medical attendants. It will be based in Tallinn. AgustaWestland is an affiliate of Finmeccanica.
Defense Department program managers consider requirements and funding instability throughout a program to be their biggest obstacles, but both they and higher-level defense officials are responsible for the situation, according to the Government Accountability Office. In a report released Dec. 1, the GAO warned again that the Pentagon starts many more programs than it can afford, creating a competition for money that pressures program managers to produce optimistic cost estimates and to overpromise capabilities.
GLOBEMASTER TRAINERS: AAI Services Corp. will produce six maintenance trainers to support C-17 Globemaster III readiness, the company's parent, United Industrial Corp., said Dec. 1. AAI will build three test, evaluation, performance and assessment trainers, two aircraft engine maintenance trainers and one aircraft maintenance systems trainer at its new Goose Creek, S.C., facility. The systems will be delivered to maintenance training centers in California, Hawaii and Alaska.
Houston-based Stewart and Stevenson Services said Nov. 29 that its sales and net earnings grew in the third quarter of fiscal 2005. The company, which designs and manufactures specialty equipment for the defense, oil and power generation industries, said sales increased from $133.4 million in FY '04 to $161.8 million in FY '05. Net earnings also climbed to $3.4 million, compared with $2.1 million for the same period a year ago.
Tom Darcy has been named executive vice president for strategic projects. Mark Sopp has been appointed executive vice president and chief financial officer.
GLOBAL HAWK PARTS: Raytheon will produce ground segments for RQ-4A/B Global Hawk unmanned aerial vehicles under an unspecified contract from Northrop Grumman. The company will provide launch and recovery, mission control and ground communications equipment.
John J. Chino has been named deputy of the Electronic Systems sector and vice president and general manager of enterprise excellence. George B. Hull has been appointed to the U.S. Air Force Scientific Advisory Board.
BAE Systems and Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Co. have completed the installation of the vertical tails for the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter, a major milestone for the program, BAE Systems said. The tails were designed, built and assembled by BAE Systems in Samlesbury, England. The installation marks the final stages of JSF structural component assembly. Photo courtesy BAE Systems.
With a third round of targeted buyouts under way to prune unneeded personnel, NASA is becoming more optimistic that it may be able to avoid layoffs, according to Toni Dawsey, acting assistant administrator for human capital management. "We're feeling that reduction in force [RIF] may not be necessary now," Dawsey told the NASA Advisory Council during a meeting in Washington Nov. 30. The latest buyouts hopefully will help bring the "uncovered capacity" at NASA's 10 field centers down to 500-600 full-time equivalent positions, she said.
The Australian military's Chinook helicopter fleet will undergo an AUS 25 million (USD $18.4 million) upgrade that includes electronic warfare and ballistic protection and advanced communications, the country's defense department said Nov. 30. "This equipment will improve the safety and survivability of the aircraft, as well as its ability to work closely with coalition forces if needed," Defense Minister Robert Hill said in a statement.
The Navy awarded Northrop Grumman Corp.'s Newport News, Va., unit a nearly $2 billion award to refuel and overhaul the nuclear-powered aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson. The contract took a congressional act because Congress has not finalized its FY '06 defense authorization and appropriations bills (DAILY, Nov. 21). Lawmakers warned that up to 1,700 workers could have been furloughed until the delayed contract was signed.
Venezuela has agreed to purchase 12 transport aircraft and eight patrol vessels worth more than $1.5 billion from two Spanish companies, Spain's defense ministry said Nov. 29. Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez signed the agreement with Spanish firms EADS CASA and Navantia during a ceremony in Caracas on Nov. 27 attended by Spanish Defense Minister Jose Bono. Venezuela will receive maritime surveillance planes, ocean patrol boats and coastal patrol vessels.
Adm. Robert Natter (USN Ret.) and Gen. J.H. Binford Peay III (USA Ret.) have been appointed to the board of directors. Natter was commander of Fleet Forces Command and the Atlantic Fleet. Peay was vice chief of staff for the U.S. Army and commander in chief for U.S. Central Command.
FORT WORTH, Texas - Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Co. says the Defense Department should buy roughly $10 billion worth of additional F/A-22 Raptors in coming years to boost the DOD's tactical air overhaul, as well as assure that 48,000 U.S. workers are employed in between Raptor production and the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter's ramp-up.
Raytheon will continue to build improvised explosive device (IED) countermeasure equipment (ICE) systems under a $15.5 million contract modification from the Army Research Laboratory, the company said Nov. 30.
Paula Hartley has been named director of Safety and Product Assurance. Wanda Sigur has been appointed vice president, External Tank Project. Ron Wetmore has been named vice president, Shuttle Derived Launch Vehicles, and deputy general manager for Lockheed Martin Space Systems, Michoud Operations.
