The U.S. Missile Defense Agency has determined that a warning device on the Airborne Laser (ABL) gave a faulty reading when it indicated there was an air pressure problem inside the aircraft during a recent flight, an MDA spokesman said Dec. 7.
ANNIVERSARY: Pratt & Whitney celebrated the 30th anniversary of the delivery of the first production F100 engine on Dec. 7 at Edwards Air Force Base, Calif. The F100 powers in-service F-15 and F-16 fighter aircraft in 21 countries. More than 6,900 engines have been produced and more than 16 million flight hours logged, the company said.
Switzerland's defense ministry plans to close 25 military sites, including four airbases, as part of a plan to drastically cut spending and hundreds of jobs over six years, the Swiss Broadcasting Corp's swissinfo service said Dec. 6. Samuel Schmid and Swiss army chief Christophe Keckeis presented the plan, which goes to the authorities in the areas that would be affected by the cuts. A government decision is expected by 2006.
SUPPORT: The U.S. Air Force has awarded Technical and Management Services Corp. (TAMSCO) of Calverton, Md., a nine-month contract extension for its Technical Order Editorial and System Support (TOESS), the company said Dec. 7. Financial terms were not disclosed. Under the contract, TAMSCO will continue to support the WR-Air Logistics Center/LS technical order sustainment, production, and conversion program.
A recent report by a European Union (EU) technology committee urges western EU countries to actively support efforts to develop unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and unmanned combat air vehicles (UCAVs), and warns that unless Europe begins cooperating with the United States on such programs, joint operations will become increasingly difficult in the future.
United Defense Industries Inc. has won a contract worth up to $104.3 million to renew, upgrade and produce Mk 14 Mod 2 Tomahawk canisters, the company said Dec. 6. The canisters will be compatible with the U.S. Navy's Tactical Tomahawk missile fired from the Vertical Launching System (VLS) Mk 41.
Herndon, Va.-based Trusted Computer Solutions Inc. has won a $1.8 million contract to use the Distributed Training Network Guard to allow the U.S. Naval Air Systems Command to have secure communications between simulators during training exercises, the company said Dec. 6.
Northrop Grumman Corp. and United Defense Industries Inc. are teaming to provide the U.S. Army with ground-based laser defense systems to protect soldiers, the companies said Dec. 6. The agreement combines Northrop Grumman's experience in high-energy laser systems with United Defense's capability in combat vehicle and armament systems integration, rapid prototyping, and manufacturing, the companies said.
The Marine Corps Systems Command in Quantico, Va., has signed a Milestone C Decision worth up to $121.5 million for full-rate production of the M1A1 Tank Firepower Enhancement Program (FEP), the Marines Corps said Dec. 3. The FEP will provide fast, accurate, thermal targeting day or night and in all weather, the Marine Corps said. The tanks' range will be extended with a new Far Target Locate function that will allow tank crews to accurately locate targets up to 8,000 meters (8,748 yards) away and strike them within 35 meters (38.2 yards).
BAE Systems of Walton Beach, Fla., will provide instrumentation to support precision-guided munitions testing, the Canadian defense department said Dec. 3. The company will provide the equipment, including cameras and optical tracking mounts, to the Aerospace Engineering Test Establishment Primrose Lake Evaluation Range at Canadian Forces Base Cold Lake, Alberta.
Saab Aerostructures has completed the first three forward fuselages of the NH90 helicopter for Eurocopter, the company said Dec. 3. Saab is to deliver 270 forward fuselages for the program over 15 years. They will be incorporated into the NH90s at final assembly locations in Finland, Italy, Germany and France.
Systems integrator Link Simulation and Training of Arlington, Texas, has purchased six graphics supercomputers from Silicon Graphics Inc. of Mountain View, Calif., to power a training system for the Canadian Air Force's CF-18 Advanced Distributed Combat Training System program, SGI Inc. said Dec. 6. The terms of the deal were not disclosed.
The Government Accountability Office is urging the Defense Department to reconsider the Air Force's approach to the Global Hawk unmanned aerial vehicle, saying the current acquisition effort is "risky" because most of the air vehicles will be bought before several key technologies are tested. However, the Defense Department rejected the GAO's advice, saying the risks are being managed effectively and that the GAO's approach would require more money and time.
POSTPONED: Arianespace is postponing its planned Dec. 10 launch of the Helios IIA spacecraft to replace a component on its Ariane 5 rocket, the company announced Dec. 6. The company is replacing the part after a ground test revealed an anomaly with a similar piece of equipment. The replacement will take several days. A new launch date will be announced shortly, Arianespace said.
The U.S. Army is seeking proposals for Future Combat Systems (FCS) technology that is lighter, smaller and more durable for several key applications, said Richard Lawhern, systems engineer for FCS spiral technology integration for Science Applications International Corp. (SAIC). Boeing and SAIC are the lead systems integrators for FCS.
Thales said Dec. 6 that it is selling its Thales Electronic Solutions business, which makes printed circuit boards and provides electronic engineering services, to a consortium of investors. Terms of the deal were not disclosed, but the company is expected to generate 80 million euros ($104 million) in revenue in 2004, Thales said. The investors include CDC Enterprises Innovation and Shah Management, Thales said. Thales Electronic Solutions has operations in the United Kingdom, Germany and France.
The U.S. Air Force-launched C-130 avionics modernization program (AMP) is close to attracting other military agencies as participants, according to program officials. The U.S. Navy and Marine Corps have been studying using AMP on the Navy's C-130 transports and the Marines' KC-130 tankers and are expected to commit in early 2005 to join the program, said Air Force Col. Kevin Harms, the C-130 development system manager, and Air Force Lt. Col. Bill Graham, the AMP program manager.
NVG SOFTWARE: MultiGen-Paradigm Inc. of San Jose, Calif., has delivered prototype night vision goggle simulation software for F-16 Mission Training Centers to Lockheed Martin in Akron, Ohio, the company said Dec. 6. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed. Lockheed Martin said last week that it has added night-vision goggle capability to the F-16 MTCs (DAILY, Dec. 6). MultiGen-Paradigm is in the production phase of the NVG simulation software.
