PRAGUE - Defense officials have launched the testing phase of a CZK 20 billion (USD $805 million) tender for armored personnel carriers for the Czech military. Tests began Oct. 4 at Vyskov in south Moravia on carriers produced by three companies: Patria Vehicles of Finland, Rheinmetall Landsysteme of Germany and the Steyr Consortium of Austria.
DELAYED AGAIN: The launch of a Boeing Delta IV rocket from Vandenberg Air Force Base, Calif., has been delayed again due to a potential concern about propellant sloshing during the coast phase of the vehicle's second stage, the Air Force said Oct. 5. Propellant sloshing refers to the movement of propellant inside the fuel tank during flight. Launch teams are conducting a "precautionary technical review and mission analysis" on the situation before launching, Vandenberg said. A new launch date is to be picked after that.
U.S. Army soldiers have begun training to use a new, more capable version of Northrop Grumman's Hunter unmanned aerial vehicle. Troops initially are being familiarized with updated work stations and will start flying the MQ-5B Hunter in January, said Michael Howell, an unmanned systems official at Northrop Grumman.
Bonnie Dunbar, an astronaut, has retired to become president and CEO of the Museum of Flight in Seattle. Jefferson Davis Howell Jr. is leaving his position as director of the Johnson Space Center to join the University of Texas, Austin. Jeffrey T. Jezierski has been appointed deputy chief of staff at NASA Headquarters.
The U.S. Army would keep control of its ongoing efforts to develop tactical unmanned aerial vehicles, especially the Extended Range Multi-Purpose UAV, under a provision that Sen. Richard Shelby (R-Ala.) may propose to the fiscal 2006 defense appropriations bill now on the Senate floor.
The U.S. Air Force Oct. 5 released its final request for proposals (RFP) for the Combat Search and Rescue-X (CSAR-X) program, which aims to replace the aging HH-60G Pave Hawk helicopter. Responses to the 490-page RFP are due Nov. 21. At least four aircraft could compete: the Bell-Boeing CV-22 tiltrotor aircraft, the Boeing HH-47 helicopter, the Lockheed Martin-AgustaWestland-Bell Helicopter Textron US101 helicopter and Sikorsky's HH-92 helicopter.
James A. Doran has been named interim chief financial officer. Peter W. Harper, Suntron's chief financial officer, is leaving the company effective Oct. 7 to accept a position with another company.
The ranking Democrat on the Senate Armed Services Committee said Oct. 5 that he does not see any military aircraft programs such as the F/A-22 Raptor, the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter or the Air Force tanker replacement effort being canceled due to increasing budget concerns, but orders for the fighters probably will be cut further. Noting the JSF in particular, Sen. Carl Levin (D-Mich.) said, "That one I can see being reduced."
Robert S. Henderson has been appointed executive vice president. Raymond F. Laubenthal has been appointed president and chief operating officer. Albert J. Rodriguez has been named executive vice president. Gregory Rufus has been appointed executive vice president and chief financial officer.
Gen. George A. Joulwan (USA Ret.) and IAP President David W. Swindle have been named to the board of directors. Joulwan served as commander in chief, U.S. European Command and as NATO's 11th supreme allied commander Europe.
The U.S. Army and interested European users plan to develop an enhanced unitary warhead for the Guided Multiple Launch Rocket System that would be capable of attacking certain hardened targets. "Right now, the warhead that we're using is enhanced for blast-frag effects," said Rick Vallario, director of business development for tactical missiles at Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control. "The European community wants to also ... incorporate some types of fortifications into the requirement."
PRAGUE - Danish truck producer MAN Last & Bus will provide the Danish armed forces with 143 trucks under a DKK 269 million (USD $43.1 million) contract, the Danish Army Material Command said. Most of the vehicles will be delivered with a hydraulic loading platform, the DAMC said Sept. 30. All of the trucks will allow for the installation of communications and Global Positioning System equipment. Twenty of the trucks will have an armored cab to protect soldiers, while the rest will have a modular cab that will accommodate add-on armor if necessary.
