Scientists will be reworking theories about the planet Mercury following the latest flyby of the Mercury Surface, Space Environment, Geochemistry and Ranging spacecraft (Messenger), which generated new data about the planet’s composition and volcanic history even though it shut down about halfway through because of an unexpected power problem. Close-up imagery from the Sept.
I agree with former astronaut Rick Searfoss and Tom Davis on the need to maintain a strong military (AW&ST Oct. 19, pp. 8-9), but have a different view of what they see as a conflict between defense and manned space exploration.
For the U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory demonstration project Yellow Jacket, Austrian manufacturer Scheibel’s Camcopter S-100 unmanned helicopter is to carry a special payload to detect improvised explosive devices (IED). Alexandria, Va.-based CenTauri Solutions has received an $11.7-million contract to conduct the demo, and has selected the 200-kg. (440-lb.) Camcopter to carry the payload—a high-definition electro-optical sensor and a system to detect the hard-to-mask unintentional electromagnetic emissions from wireless receivers used to trigger IEDs.
With U.S. defense spending leveling off and the direction of a cash-strapped NASA in limbo, there is much talk these days about expansion into “adjacent markets” as aerospace and defense companies look for new ways to drive growth. That explains why Jim Maser, the president of United Technologies Corp.’s Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne (PWR), spent much of a meeting with AVIATION WEEK editors talking about the company’s ventures into solar power, coal gasification and oil extraction.
Airline analyst Mike Lowry has a sobering outlook for airlines which contrasts with those of some U.S. airline leaders who recently voiced more optimistic points of view (AW&ST Nov. 2, p. 43). Part of his analysis is airline-specific, while much of it looks at passenger traffic as a function of how well the overall economy is doing. Lowry, who managed Aviation Week’s Top-Performing Airlines study, expects oil to reach $90 per barrel early next year, a blow airlines will have to absorb as passenger demand sinks below the capacity cuts they have made.
The United Arab Emirates is embarking on an ambitious program to build a fleet of telecommunications and Earth-observation satellites that it eventually hopes will morph into an operational and industrial capability. The program is one of a number of space initiatives in the Middle East, all driven by growing instability in the region, a perceived Iranian threat and a desire to spur local technology development. Among the new intiatives are:
Flight trials have begun for Diehl BGT Defense’s IRIS-T SL (surface-launched) air defense missile. Germany is buying the weapon, which is based is based on the IRIS-T short-range dogfight missile, as an adjunct to the Medium-Extended Air Defense System. The first flight test of the ground-launched version took place last month at South Africa’s OTB Test Range. The trial validated safe missile launch, the airframe’s flight-mechanical and aerodynamic performance, and the newly developed rocket motor and aerodynamic shroud used on the “SL” version.
Raytheon has conducted the first free-flight test of a powered, extended-range version of its Joint Stand-Off Weapon (JSOW ER) as the U.S. Navy prepares to begin an 18-month analysis of alternatives for anti-ship missiles to replace the Harpoon. The congressionally funded October test involved a JSOW glide weapon modified to demonstrate that a Hamilton Sundstrand TJ150 turbojet engine could be installed within the outer mold line of the basic “truck.” The weapon’s BLU-111 warhead was hollowed out to act as the fuel tank.
Chris Nassenstein has been named executive general manager for engineering for Qantas Airways. He has been general manager for engineering services for Air New Zealand.
Sherman N. Mullin, Retired President Lockheed Martin Skunk Works (Oxnard, Calif.)
Your coverage of innovation in the Oct. 26/Nov. 2 issue was written mostly by philosophers of innovation, not by innovators. Much of it is based on false premises: •Increased R&D funding increases innovation. •Innovators are influenced by philosophers of innovation. •Most aerospace executives are fond of finding and protecting innovators.
Dan Frahm has been appointed head of Great Lakes region sales and marketing for Hawker Beechcraft Services , Wichita, Kan. He was vice president-sales and marketing for Elliott Aviation.
The Pentagon’s industrial-base maven promises a bolder, albeit nuanced, approach to several endemic issues. Brett Lambert says certain sectors should receive tailored support, but all of industry should enjoy greater interaction and transparency. Currently, the Pentagon is more concerned about subtier providers than prime contractors, Lambert tells Aviation Week’s A&D Programs conference. “We need to think about skills rather than jobs.” Areas of interest include low-observable technology, vertical lift and underwater capabilities.
The Middle East is playing a lead role in the drive to make satellite-based inflight Internet and phone service available to airline passengers—a trend that is likely to mushroom following Lufthansa’s recent decision to opt for onboard broadband.
In the world of advanced weapons, the U.S. and its allies are pitted against loosely connected opponents, often stateless, who are unfettered by governments, laws or tradition. For now, the forces of chaos seem to be winning. Optimists say the U.S. is making progress in developing next-generation weapons—the kind that involve electronic attack, network invasion, information operations and other nonkinetic weaponry. However, as with stealth a few decades ago, it is difficult to pinpoint the scope, direction and success of the research.
The Iraqi government is pressing ahead with a plan to upgrade the country’s airport infrastructure, including efforts to build a new airport south of Baghdad. The transport ministry has signed a contract with ADPI, the engineering arm of Aeroports de Paris, to help in the planning for the facility to be sited near centrally located Al Hillah. The size of the contract was not disclosed. The Iraqi government is looking at a phase development, with the first phase allowing the airport to handle about six million passengers per year.
The U.S. Navy has demonstrated autonomous operations by swarms of unmanned air and ground vehicles and unattended sensors. The tests used a payload system developed using Augusta Systems’ EdgeFrontier networking middleware. This supported processing/sharing of data and enabled the unmanned vehicles, including AAI’s Aerosonde small UAVs, “to respond to events based upon rules and policies configured within the software,” says Augusta. The payload system also hosted swarming algorithms developed by Vector Research Center.
With an eye on its fleet, Royal Jordanian Airlines is seeking ways to boost frequencies while managing the rift in its modernization plan caused by the Boeing 787 delay.
American Eurocopter is expanding its flight simulation offerings. The company’s Grand Prairie, Tex., training program now uses an EC135/EC145 full-motion training device featuring day/night visuals; the company plans to upgrade the flight training device (FTD) to full flight simulator (FFS) status. The EC135 program recently received FAR Part 142 certification, which, along with approval by an operator’s principal operations inspector, authorizes American Eurocopter to deliver FAR 135-approved training.
Air Force officials are applauding Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Gary Roughead’s call to form composite units that could combine similar types of aircraft from different services. An obvious example might be the Navy’s Broad Area Maritime Surveillance (BAMS) airplane and the Air Force’s Global Hawk long-endurance, high-altitude UAVs, both built by Northrop Grumman. “Why the Navy went after BAMS alone, considering how long the Air Force had been working Global Hawk, is a mystery,” says a senior Air Force intel officer.
Effective Dec. 1, John Becker is resigning as president of Piper Aircraft to “pursue other career opportunities,” according to an internal communication to employees. Becker, formerly vice president for engineering, became CEO when Jim Bass resigned in June.
Adriano P. Ceccherini has become vice president of Trieste Airport , Italy. He was managing director of Jetrider International and remains a consultant.
The market downturn is not affecting Finmeccanica so far. The company announced revenues of €12.6 billion for the first nine months of the year—a 30% increase over the same period of 2008. In the first nine months, the company won new orders worth €13.6 billion—an 18% increase over 2008— pushing the company’s order book to a record high of €43.5 billion. Finmeccanica’s results are driven by its performance in military aeronautics and defense electronics, and a good show in its rotary-wing business. In particular, U.S.
Three companies are vying to secure an unmanned air vehicle demonstrator contract at the heart of the British Defense Ministry’s so-called Novel Air Capability Vision, but details of their respective proposals for the program are being treated as classified. BAE Systems, missile manufacturer MBDA and Cranfield Aerospace are understood to have submitted proposals at the end of October. The contract for the selected concept could be awarded early in 2010.
Masten Space Systems won the $1-million first prize from NASA’s Centennial Challenges program following a successful simulation of lunar landings with its “Xoie” vehicle at Mojave (Calif.) Airport on Oct. 30. Second-place prize of $500,000 goes to rival team Armadillo Aerospace, which flew its “Scorpius” vehicle at Caddo Mills (Tex.) Municipal Airport on Sept. 12. Managed by the X Prize Foundation, the Northrop Grumman Lunar Lander Challenge required vehicles to simulate descending from lunar orbit to the lunar surface, refueling and returning to lunar orbit.
