I applaud reader Ted Hayduk (AW&ST Aug. 18/25, p. 12) on his USAF Tanker gapfiller approach (offering C-17 and 777 options). But, the Pentagon has allowed only 45 days to submit revisions once the final RFP is released.
Ill-advised optimism on the part of military and intelligence space management officials has led them into a series of misguided competitive procurements. One lesson from a decade of procurement foul-ups is prompting at least one senior intel official to consider sole-sourcing more work to mainstay contractors that have a niche-capability advantage in the marketplace.
Rigorous trajectory requirements for a pair of NASA aeronautics experiments probably contributed to a loss of control that forced range-safety destruction of their Alliant Techsystems ALV-X1 launcher last week. Kent Rominger, vice president of advanced programs at ATK, says the “very unique and demanding” trajectory imposed by the Hypersonic Boundary Layer Transition (HyBolt) experiment and the Sub-Orbital Aerodynamic Re-entry Experiment (Soarex) may have overtaxed vehicle control systems on the experimental vehicle.
Mike Turner stepped down as CEO of BAE Systems at the end of last week, after what can at least be described as an eventful six years in the job. Turner is replaced by Ian King, the company’s former chief operating officer. Turner had a robust relationship with the British Defense Ministry—he inherited a number of problematic programs which needed to be sorted out with the ministry. He also steered BAE Systems growth in the U.S., and latterly saw the company help secure an initial 72-aircraft order for the Eurofighter Typhoon from Saudi Arabia.
John McCain and Barack Obama pounced on last week’s extensive airport delays, stemming from problems at an FAA flight plan processing facility. The Republican and Democratic candidates issued separate calls for an overhaul of the U.S. air traffic control system. The communications failure at FAA’s flight plan processing facility in Georgia—combined with weather problems—caused delays of up to 90 min. at airports across the country. An FAA facility in Salt Lake City picked up the slack, but the increased volume led to a flight plan processing back-up.
Aer Lingus projects a full-year operating loss, given second half performance is at best expected to reach break-even. But perhaps more importantly, CEO Dermot Mannion says, “We are signaling very difficult conditions for 2009,” which mean a “significant operating loss” in that period. Meanwhile, Aer Lingus in November expects its code-share agreement with United Airlines to take effect, while it will expand its partnership with JetBlue from New York to Boston starting Sept. 8.
Planned flight testing of a British hypersonic ramjet design is being called off by the U.K. Defense Ministry, amid a broader recasting of its long-term deep strike aspirations. The ministry had been planning two test launches of its Sustained Hypersonic Flight Experiment (Shyfe): the first in August 2009, with a second to follow in 2010. The aim of the program was to “design and fly a prototype ramjet capable of (maintaining) hypersonic flight.”
International Launch Services is preparing to launch Canada’s Nimiq 4 commercial communications satellite, following the return to flight of ILS’s Proton Breeze M on Aug. 19 with the Inmarsat-4 F3 on board (see page 26). Nimiq 4, built for Telesat by EADS Astrium, is set for launch in September. Launch of this 40-channel Ku/Ka-band satellite would mark a rapid return to normal operations for ILS after an anomaly on Mar. 15 left SES Americom’s AMC-14 spacecraft stranded in the wrong orbit (AW&ST July 7, p. 31).
With luck and skillful diplomacy, the U.S. and its NATO allies will work their way through the crisis that began with Russia’s invasion of Georgia, which had made no secret of its desire to join NATO. Meanwhile, in the U.S., gasoline prices and two presidential candidates in a dead heat almost certainly will be the primary focus for most people in coming months, blithely ignorant of or largely indifferent to the larger implications of what recently happened in the tiny former Soviet republic.
The U.K. Competition Commission’s call for a breakup of BAA’s monopolistic control of major London-area airports has shifted the debate to what the British government needs to do to ease problems within the highly-regulated sector.
Your report “A&D Workforce in Depth” (AW&ST Aug. 18/25, p. 72) struck home on many fronts, particularly regarding attempts to rejuvenate the Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) workforce of the future. But you missed one extremely successful endeavor to gain the interest and participation of our youth. FIRST (For Inspiration & Recognition of Science & Technology) is a robotics competition that was founded on the vision of Dean Kamen.
Spain’s CIAIAC accident investigation bureau has released additional details surrounding the Aug. 20 crash of Spanair Flight 5022 shortly after takeoff from Madrid-Barajas airport. At an Aug. 26 press conference, CIAIAC Secretary Francisco Javier Soto noted that the MD-82 (EC-HFP) bounced three times, hit its tail on the first strike with the ground and traversed 1,200 meters (3,900 ft.) of rough terrain before stopping near a stream. The crash and resulting fire killed 154 of the 172 people on board and destroyed the aircraft.
Celebrating the first anniversary of its return to San Francisco International Airport, Southwest Airlines says it jumped from 18 daily nonstops serving three cities to 37 going to five cities in the first quarter. After serving SFO for 19 years, Southwest left the airport in 2001. The move back brought it an 11% market share and a ranking as SFO’s third-largest carrier. Across San Francisco Bay at Oakland International, Southwest is the largest carrier with a 66.5% market share, using first-quarter returns.
Amy Butler (Washington), David A. Fulghum (Washington)
The U-2 continues its crucial intelligence-collection role in South Korea even as Pentagon officials carefully craft a plan to retire the system and replace it with a new generation of unmanned surveillance aircraft.
Alliant Techsystems has won a $97-million contract to develop the U.S. Navy’s GQM-173 Multi-Stage Supersonic Target, which will emulate the Russian Novator 3M-54E “Sizzler” anti-ship cruise missile. MSST comprises a subsonic cruise stage (MSST) that releases a rocket-powered supersonic terminal stage. Subcontractor Composites Engineering will supply the sprint vehicle, based on the Navy’s GQM-163 supersonic sea-skimming target.
The insolvency administrator for Thielert Aircraft Engines says several companies have put forward non-binding offers to help the company survive. After running out of money in April, 24 potential investors signed non-disclosure agreements to more closely inspect the company’s books and programs. Now, the first companies have submitted non-binding letters of intent, spelling out their plans for the company and price they would be willing to pay—the offers are considered reasonable.
David A. Fulghum (Washington), Frank Morring, Jr. (Washington), Douglas Barrie (London)
A sobering exercise for the Russians has been sorting out the details of their military performance in the two-week conflict with Georgia. At least one Russian Su-25 Frogfoot ground attack aircraft appears to have been shot down by friendly fire, says a Washington-based U.S. defense official. Chaotic flight activity during the air war apparently led to Russia’s rebel allies firing at them, he says.
USN Cdr. (ret.) Scott Carpenter, one of the original Mercury 7 astronauts, will be among the 2008 inductees for the San Diego Air and Space Museum . The others are: The Tuskegee Airmen, represented by Roscoe Brown and Lee Archer; John and Martha King of the King Schools; J. Robert Beyster, founder of the Science Applications International Corp.; USAF Col. (ret.) Steve Pisanos of the original Eagle Squadrons; and Gen. Bob Cardenas, USAF flying wing test pilot.
The Pentagon and intelligence community’s “poster child” satellite program for unprecedented cooperation between their national-security space cultures appears to have splintered. The Pentagon now plans to move ahead with its own Space Radar demonstration, with fielding beginning in 2012, while the intel community seems to be uninterested in this effort. Space Radar is expected to provide tactical support to ground forces with radar imagery and moving target indictor capabilities similar to those of the Joint Stars aircraft operated by the Air Force.
Boeing is studying winglets for possible retrofit to 777-200, ‑200ER and -300 versions as part of a series of planned performance upgrades, initial elements of which are now in development. The winglet study, being undertaken with specialist Aviation Partners Boeing, is competing with an alternate “enhanced raked tip” option and remains part of a long-term improvement study, says Boeing Commercial Airplane Services (CAS) Environmental Strategy Director Per Noren.
Boeing has submitted an F/A-18E/F Block 2 Super Hornet offer to Denmark, formally joining a 48-aircraft competition that already includes the Lockheed Martin F-35A Joint Strike Fighter and Saab Gripen NG. A final recommendation to parliament is expected by mid-2009, aiming for a contract award by year-end and deliveries beginning in 2016. Saab, meanwhile, has submitted a proposal for 85 Gripen NGs to the Netherlands, which is evaluating alternatives to the F-35. Lockheed has also provided information requested by the Dutch on an F-16E/F Block 60 derivative.
The U.S. Navy plans to begin flight testing fixes to its airborne mine countermeasures (AMCM) package for the MH-60S helicopter in one year, slipping by 20 months plans to achieve initial operational testing in July 2008. After 350 hr. in operational testing of the Raytheon AN/AQS-20, a towed deep-water mine detection system, the Navy halted the testing process because of reliability problems. The towed system has an intricate interface with the MH-60S which lowers, tows and retracts it back into the aircraft called the Carriage, Stream, Tow and Recovery System.
Globalstar, Inmarsat and Iridium are reaching critical milestones in their quest to roll out a new generation of global mobile communications satellites competitive with terrestrial cell phone networks. The spacecraft—together with hybrid geostationary systems being introduced in the U.S., Asia and Europe—are intended to meet exploding demand for mobile satellite service (MSS).
Capt. (ret.) Dave Harris (see photo) is being honored by the Silver Spring, Md.-based Organization of Black Airline Pilots Inc. for being the first African-American to fly for a commercial airline. Harris retired from American Airlines in 1994 after more 30 years of service. Also being honored is Joan Dorsey, who became the first African-American flight attendant. She retired from American Airlines in 1999 after 36 years.
