TARS SAR: The U.S. Air Force (USAF) has begun flight-testing a Theater Airborne Reconnaissance System (TARS) modified to include a Lockheed Martin synthetic aperture radar (SAR). The first set of tests used an operational F-16 at Edwards Air Force Base, Calif., and was successful, Lockheed Martin said Sept. 23. Government-funded tests are expected to continue into the spring of 2005. Adding SAR imagery to BAE Systems' TARS is supposed to allow the pod to perform in bad weather. The original TARS pod recently was used in combat for the first time (DAILY, Aug. 25).
SPACE WEATHER: Solar and space physics research will play a crucial role in NASA's future space exploration plans because it will enable better space weather prediction, according to a new commission report from the National Academies. "The successful exploration of the solar system on the scale and scope envisioned in the new exploration vision will require a prediction capability sufficient to activate mitigation procedures during hazardous radiation events," the commission says.
APPLY AS NEEDED: Another way to save money on space-based boost-phase missile interceptors would be to initially deploy them over the most threatening countries, such as North Korea and Iran, Canavan says. As more potential threats emerge, satellite constellations could be added to counter them. "Coverage is a key issue. How do you place your satellites? That's where the real leverage is," he says.
A panel formed by the U.S. Navy to examine the military's targeting pod acquisition plans for fighter jets has completed its review, Navy officials said Sept. 24. As scheduled, the panel gave its findings to U.S. Navy acquisition chief John Young on Sept. 23 (DAILY, Sept. 13). But the Navy will not be ready to publicly release or comment on the study results for several weeks or months, the officials said.
GMES GREENLIGHT: The European Space Agency's Earth Observation Programme Board has agreed to release 80 million euros ($104 million) to fund the next stage of ESA's part of the European Global Monitoring for Environment and Security (GMES) program. The money includes 30 million euros ($39 million) to begin work on the program's space component, including initial definition studies for five satellites.
SAVING UCAR: Although the Unmanned Combat Armed Rotorcraft (UCAR) program remains in jeopardy as the U.S. Army attempts to pull its support in favor of other funding needs, it could be saved by intervention from the Pentagon, according to an industry source. "UCAR is not dead," he says. "The Army may choose not to fund it, but the final vote comes from the DOD itself." Director of Defense Research and Engineering Ron Sega may choose to "override" the Army's decision, "in which case the Army is going to have to deal with it," the source says.
The Naval Air Systems Command has awarded Northrop Grumman Corp. a $26.7 million contract to demonstrate and develop an electronic combat support system, the company said Sept. 24. The Agile Rapid Global Combat Support (ARGCS) system will cover all branches of the U.S. military, several NATO coalition partners and a number of platforms.
EUROPEAN COMPETITION: A new European Commission (EC) Green Paper assesses how the EC can clarify the criteria to establish when buying military equipment, services and works can be exempted from competitive procurement requirements. The purpose of the Green Paper is to improve cross-border competition in certain types of defense procurement, the EU says.
LESS EXPENSIVE: Deploying a system of space-based interceptors to shoot down missiles in their boost phase of flight may not be as expensive as some studies have indicated, says Gregory Canavan, an adviser to the Los Alamos National Laboratory's Physics Division. The deployment of the Iridium constellation of communications satellites indicates such a system could be put in orbit for $56.5 million per ton, for a total cost of $19.6 billion for a system aimed at liquid-fueled missiles.
SPACE CONGRESS: The International Astronautical Congress plans to hold its 55th meeting, "Infinite Possibilities/Global Realities," in Vancouver from Oct. 4-8, the first time it has been held in Canada. The congress, organized by several international space organizations, brings together researchers, scientists, engineers, managers, students and other space officials.
The U.S. Navy's Space and Naval Warfare Systems Command (SPAWAR) has awarded a team led by Lockheed Martin the $2.11 billion prime contract for the Mobile User Objective System (MUOS), a program whose total value is estimated at $6.4 billion. The seven-year contract includes options that could bring its value alone to $3.26 billion, according to SPAWAR. If all options are exercised, work will continue through 2015. The Lockheed Martin team beat a team led by Raytheon.
The Expedition 9 crew of the International Space Station (ISS) continues to troubleshoot the erratic Russian Elektron oxygen generation unit, which was thought to have been repaired last week until it failed again Sept. 23.
RAPTOR REVIEW: U.S. Defense Department acquisition officials have scheduled a high-level meeting Oct. 5 to review progress in the Air Force's F/A-22 Raptor program. No major decisions are expected at the meeting, according to an Air Force spokesman. One potential topic of discussion is recent testing that is supposed to pave the way for full-rate production approval in January 2005.
F-16 SIMULATORS: ETC-PZL Aerospace Industries of Warsaw, Poland, will assemble, test and deliver several F-16 simulators for L-3 Communications of Arlington, Texas, which is delivering them to Poland's air force. The work will be done under a $6.6 million contract, which includes delivery of the L-3 designed simulators and ETC-PZL's own cockpit simulators, as well as maintenance and support for five years.
Next week NASA will receive another round of industry proposals on supporting technologies to enable a human return to the moon and future human missions to Mars.
The first unit equipped (FUE) of the U.S. Army's High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS) - basically a Multiple Launch Rocket System (MLRS) on a Family of Medium Tactical Vehicle truck chassis - is scheduled for March, an Army official said Sept. 23.
TACTICAL TOMAHAWK: The U.S. Navy recently completed two successful tests of its Block IV Tactical Tomahawk missile, the service announced Sept. 23. A Sept. 16 test at the Naval Surface Warfare Center at Indian Head, Md., involved a simulated mission in which the missile was attached to a test stand. In the second test, conducted earlier this week, the Arleigh Burke-class destroyer USS Stethem fired a Tomahawk from a Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR) sea range off the coast of southern California.
Rolls-Royce Corp. of Indianapolis, Ind., will provide engineering and technical services for the 501K-17, 501K-34 and 250-KS4 Marine Gas Turbine Product Improvement Program (PIP), the Department of Defense said Sept. 22. The PIP is for Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyers. Work is expected to be complete in September 2009. The work will be done under a $10.2 million contract from the Naval Surface Warfare Center, Philadelphia.
TRIDENT CONTRACT: General Dynamics Advanced Information Systems of Arlington, Va., has been awarded a $50 million contract by the U.S. Navy to provide checkout, installation, repair, operational support, and systems engineering for the Trident II missile's fire control system, the company said Sept. 23. The work is expected to be completed by March 2007 and will be done in Pittsfield, Mass.
The first F136 engine designed for the short takeoff and vertical landing (STOVL) variant of the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter is on track to begin testing in January, according to a spokeswoman for General Electric, which is developing the propulsion system with Rolls-Royce. The first F136 configured for JSF's two other variants - conventional takeoff and landing (CTOL) and carrier variant (CV) - has run for 22 hours and reached maximum thrust since starting testing in July (DAILY, July 27), the spokeswoman told The DAILY Sept. 22.
Harris Corp.'s Sierra II programmable cryptographic module has been certified by the National Security Agency to protect voice and traffic data up through the Top Secret/SCI level, the company said Sept. 23. The Sierra II can be embedded in a variety of voice and data systems, including wireless local area networks, military sensors, unmanned aerial vehicles and other systems, the company said.
The Nigerian navy has received two more A109 Power helicopters from Agusta, an AgustaWestland company, AgustaWestland said Sept. 22. Cascina Costa, Italy-based Agusta delivered Nigeria's first two A109 Power helicopters in July 2004. The A109 Power's maritime version already is being used by the U.S. Coast Guard, Italian navy and Nigerian navy. The Swedish military also has picked the helicopter for its navy.
