The U.S. Defense Dept. plans to deploy a long-endurance surveillance airship to Afghanistan as part of a five-year technology demonstration program to be awarded this year. The Long-Endurance Multi-Intelligence Vehicle (LEMV) is required to operate unmanned and untethered for three weeks at 20,000 ft. carrying a 2,500-lb. payload. Flight testing is to begin within 18 months of contract award, followed by deployment.
Today’s helicopter engine families have held sway over the market for decades, but new powerplants could emerge within a few years to meet demands for higher performance at lower cost.
The spike in oil prices of 2008 may have rekindled interest in open-rotor engines, but it will be several years before the renewed research effort determines whether they are viable candidates to power the next generation of single-aisle airliner.
Distributed-aperture electro-optical systems that combine with helmet-mounted displays to allow a pilot to “look through” the airframe, in any direction, to enhance situational awareness when maneuvering in air combat or navigating at low altitude will advance this year.
Larry Dickerson/Forecast International/www.forecastinternational.com
Sales of all types of missiles will reach $107 billion in the next 10 years, dominated by defense manufacturers from the U.S. and Europe. Although these companies may lose an insignificant market share to competitors from India, Israel, South Africa and elsewhere, it will be years before the dominant players have to confront their rivals on an equal basis. U.S. and European companies may encounter competition in niche areas.
The idea of building and launching small satellites quickly and cheaply as an adjunct, or alternative, to spending billions and waiting years for large and highly capable spacecraft continues to meet with resistance from customers.
Now designated the MQ-18, the A160T Hummingbird unmanned helicopter continues to be used for demonstrations while Boeing seeks a customer to launch production. The turbine-powered A160T has flown with the Forester foliage-penetration radar and an operational deployment to two Latin American countries is planned to demonstrate its use in counter-narcotics operations. An unmanned cargo demonstration for the U.S. Marine Corps is slated for February or March, and could lead to an operational deployment to Afghanistan by the end of the year.
BAE Systems partnered with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and conducted its first successful test flight of the unmanned aircraft system dubbed Coyote. The electric-powered UAS was deployed in midair from a 3-ft.-long sonobuoy jettisoned from a WP-3D Orion aircraft during a 49-min. flight. In freefall, the system is designed to emerge from the sonobuoy, unfold its wings, and follow a directed flight path. NOAA funded the test to explore the system’s potential for weather research, and supplied the P-3.
While Bombardier has cut back production of current Learjets because of the steep decline in business aircraft sales, it has continued to invest in development of the all-new, mid-size Learjet 85 to achieve the planned 2013 entry into service. The aircraft will be the first all-composite business jet certificated by the FAA under Part 25 rules. Carbon-fiber airframes will be manufactured at Bombardier’s plant in Queretaro, Mexico, for final assembly and completion at the Learjet facility in Wichita, Kan.
Honeywell completed delivery of an initial order for 90 RQ-16 T-Hawk “hover and stare” micro air vehicle (MAV) systems to the U.S. Navy last December, for use in detecting roadside bombs in Iraq and Afghanistan. Each system has two T-Hawks, a small ducted-fan vertical-takeoff-and-landing UAV designed to be transported in a backpack. The gasoline-fueled air vehicle weighs 17 lb. and can operate for more than 40 min., at speeds up to 40 kt. and altitudes up to 7,000 ft. The RQ-16B Block II MAV introduces a gimbaled electro-optical/infrared sensor. Deliveries to the U.S.
An Air Line Pilots Assn. is urging that the U.S. and Canada adopt a “trust-based” security screening system and focus on using sophisticated resources to identify those with hostile intent and “keeping them off our airplanes.” Most passengers pose no threat, notes ALPA.
Can NASA rely on commercial operators to deliver cargo and crew to the International Space Station once the space shuttle is retired? The question could be answered this year. Under the Commercial Orbital Transportation Services (COTS) program, SpaceX is to conduct three demonstration flights of its Falcon 9 booster and Dragon cargo craft in 2010, the final one berthing with the International Space Station (ISS). These are planned to be followed by 12 resupply missions from 2011-15.
William Alibrandi/Forecast International/www.forecastinternational.com
Signing of the Fiscal 2010 U.S. defense budget into law last October effectively reshaped the combat aircraft engine market by putting an end to Pentagon efforts to cancel the General Electric/Rolls-Royce F136 and ensuring Pratt & Whitney’s F135 will have to compete to power the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter.
When Northrop Grumman’s X‑47B takes to the air early this year, unmanned-aircraft development will enter a new phase. Two of the naval unmanned combat air system (UCAS) demonstrators are being built to prove that a stealthy, tailless aircraft can operate autonomously on and around a carrier. Sea trials are planned for 2012, with an unmanned surveillance/strike aircraft a candidate for the U.S. Navy’s 2025-timeframe F/A-XX. With an eye on that requirement, Boeing plans to fly the X-45C demonstrator, renamed Phantom Ray, in December.
CHINA COMAC produces the ARJ21 regional jet and is developing a mainline jetliner described as having 130-170 seats. It also builds parts for Boeing 737s and EADS ATR 72s. It encompasses the Avic company formerly responsible for the AJR21 (ACAC) and the project’s final assembly plant (Shanghai Aircraft Manufacturing Factory).
With more than 97% of its suppliers on board and major development tests underway, Bombardier is looking to complete the design of the CS100, the first iteration of its CSeries narrowbody to enter service.
Deputy Defense Secretary Bill Lynn says the broad review of export controls ordered by President Barack Obama should result in higher walls around fewer technologies. The effort, which involves multiple agencies, was kicked off last summer and recently seems to have moved into a higher gear. A draft of proposed changes is expected soon . Industry has long complained that the current restrictions are too cumbersome and stunt its ability to sell defense technologies abroad that the U.S. does not possess alone.
Elbit Systems of America has been tapped by the U.S. Marines Corps to supply tactical video data link (TVDL) for the Corps’ AH-1W attack helicopters. The $15.6-million contract covers development, production and installation of retrofit kits. With the upgrade, USMC helicopter pilots will receive live unmanned aircraft system video and targeting data along with the ability to retransmit this video and/or onboard sensor video to other aircraft or ground forces. The 8.5-lb. systems are planned to be operational in the USMC helicopters by year-end.
Israel’s high-tech answer to rocket attacks on its towns will be fielded this year as the U.S. continues to evaluate possible solutions to rocket, artillery and mortar (RAM) threats. The Iron Dome system, with its vertically launched, radar-guided interceptors, will become operational by mid-year to protect Israel against short-range rockets. Live-fire tests of the David’s Sling system, designed to destroy large-caliber rockets and short-range ballistic missiles with two-stage hit-to-kill interceptors, will begin this year.
Japan Airlines remains a prize catch for global airline alliances, despite its filing for bankruptcy protection under Japan’s corporate rehabilitation law. Japanese media outlets are reporting that JAL will cooperate with Delta Air Lines and move to the SkyTeam alliance from Oneworld as part of its reorganization plan. Some reports say JAL and Delta are expected to apply to the U.S. Transportation Dept. by Feb. 15 to operate a transpacific joint venture, as the two carriers reached a basic agreement on the matter on Jan. 15.
Orbital Sciences aims to change the paradigm for the military space business, which has for decades embraced use of large launchers and satellites that end up costing billions of dollars more than planned and, more often than not, are delivered late. The company’s work on two unconventional space contracts is part of its strategy to secure a “beachhead” for a new space business model with defense and intelligence community customers, says Gregg Burgess, vice president of national security systems .
The super mid-size G250 made its first flight in December at Israel Aerospace Industries in Tel Aviv, where the business jet will be manufactured alongside the mid-size G150 for completion by Gulfstream in the U.S. The aircraft is a development of the slow-selling G200, which it will replace in production, outfitted with a longer cabin, all-new and larger transonic wing, more powerful Honeywell HTF7250G engines, new T-tail and integrated flightdeck based on Rockwell Collins Pro Line Fusion avionics. The G250 offers a 3,400-nm.
