With the U.S. military preoccupied with fighting two asymmetric wars, it is no surprise that the Defense Dept. is having a hard time focusing on developing advanced technologies that may not be needed until well into the future. The temptation among strategic planners is to concentrate on solving today’s operational problems at the expense of robust investment in science and technology (S&T) and assuming that tomorrow will take care of itself.
A Royal Netherlands Air Force modified DC-10 has completed two flight tests with an Integrated Solutions & Support Inc. cockpit. IS&S of Exton, Pa., developed the cockpit for use in three RNLAF DC-10s. The installation consists of two 15-in. flat-panel displays and two data concentrator units with display generation and two control panels.
British Airways next year plans to unveil a new first-class cabin configuration. After recently overhauling its business class, the airline determined it needed to upgrade first class to re-establish a sufficient difference between the two offerings. Rivals also have upped the competitive pressure with new high-end first-class configurations.
Instrumental in the development of UAVs, Darpa took the next step in 1998 when it began the Unmanned Combat Air Vehicle (UCAV) program. Boeing’s Phantom Works was awarded a contract to build two tailless X-45A UCAV demonstrators, the first flying in May 2002. In July 2005, the two X-45s demonstrated the preemptive destruction of enemy air defenses, autonomously detecting and avoiding threats and replanning and coordinating attacks.
Your article “Mending Fences” (AW&ST Aug. 4, p. 27) was illuminating about the U.S. Air Force acquisition process. It has been intuitively obvious for more than some 25 years that we need to get back to basics. Why is the Air Force just now recognizing this fact?
Marillyn A. Hewson has been appointed president of Lockheed Martin Systems Integration-Owego (N.Y.) , effective Sept. 1. She succeeds Frank C. Meyer, who plans to retire in early 2009. Hewson has been an executive vice president of the Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Co. in Fort Worth.
An unprecedented political space summit held last month in Kourou, French Guiana, although informal, was a well-concealed wake-up call. It indicates an emerging awareness of the faltering ambitions for Europe’s space future, and it could signal an intention to strengthen direct political involvement in European space programs. Is this a bright idea, as France maintains? If the plan becomes concrete, the future will tell.
The problems at Vern Raburn’s Eclipse Aviation provide a perfect example of how “one-size-fits-all” design and manufacturing fads do not fit all (AW&ST Aug. 4, p. 36). One can get all the lean manufacturing, just-in-time delivery and honed formulas from the software industry and still not save your skinny Silicone Valley empennage from destruction.
Copper Canyon was a classified Darpa program that ran from 1982-85 and led to the X-30 National AeroSpace Plane (NASP). The X-30 was to be an air-breathing, single-stage-to-orbit demonstrator powered by airframe-integrated ramjet/scramjet engines burning liquid hydrogen fuel. The X-30 was transferred to the Air Force, but runaway costs led to its cancellation in 1995.
The U.S. will supply Northrop Grumman RQ-4 Global Hawks to South Korea, despite earlier refusal and doubts that such a sale was allowable under the Missile Technology Control Regime. Washington has worked out a way to suppy the surveillance drones that does not breach the regime, says the Choson Ilbo newspaper, without giving details.
Austrian low-fare airline FlyNiki expects to remain profitable this year in spite of soaring fuel prices and a slowing economy. It even has plans to expand its business model next year.
Matthias Betsch, whose company Flight Design produces the CT line of light sport aircraft in Germany, received the Light Aircraft Manufacturers Assn. ’s President’s Award at the recent EAA AirVenture in Oshkosh, Wis. Betsch was cited for his company’s contribution to recreational aviation worldwide through its products and services.
Managers of NASA’s space shuttle, International Space Station and Hubble Space Telescope programs have decided not to advance launch dates for the two shuttle missions remaining this year. The shuttle Program Requirement Control Board says processing the Hubble payloads could be advanced by only one day, instead of the three-day acceleration studied, so the STS-125 mission on Atlantis will remain in a launch window that opens Oct. 8.
Mel Hilderbrand has been appointed president of the Endevco Corp. , Irvine, Calif., a division of Meggitt. He was director of strategic projects for Meggitt Sensing Systems.
After experimenting with remotely piloted vehicles in Vietnam, ARPA in 1971 began the Mini-RPV program to develop small, low-cost unmanned aircraft for reconnaissance, target acquisition and laser designation. Weighing 75 lb. and powered by a modified lawn-mower engine, the Praerie I first flew in 1973. This led to the U.S. Army’s Aquila RPV program, which was abandoned in 1987 after costs had spiraled almost four-fold.
The first Indian-built Hawk advanced jet trainer was delivered to the air force last week. BAE Systems is building 24 of the 66 Hawk aircraft on order for the Indian air force, with Hindustan Aeronautics building the remaining 42, under license. .
The U.S. Missile Defense Agency (MDA) and Israel are examining alternatives to extend Tel Aviv’s defenses with an upper-tier system to counter emerging ballistic missile threats, including the advanced Shahab-3 being developed by Iran.
The challenges at Eclipse Aviation continue. On July 30, days after ousting founder and CEO Vern Raburn, the company learned that an Eclipse 500 had overrun a runway while landing at Brandywine Airport, West Chester, Pa. Neither the pilot nor the sole passenger was injured. This was the first accident ever involving an EA500. Then on Aug. 8, the company said it was laying off 200 employees, mostly temporary staff used on the production line, to adjust for lower-than-forecast production rates.
In 1997, Darpa began a program to develop micro air vehicles (MAVs). Several designs were tested, including AeroVironment’s flying-wing Black Widow. This led, via the Hornet, to the Wasp MAV, developed versions of which are now operational. Darpa also funded Honeywell’s ducted-fan MAV, which has been selected as the Class I “backpackable” UAV for the Army’s Future Combat Systems.
With funding from Darpa, Hughes Helicopters flew an OH-6 modified with its No Tail Rotor (Notar) anti-torque system in 1981. Notar uses circulation control over the tail boom to counteract rotor torque and remains a feature of MD Helicopters aircraft.
Between March and July 2007, Darpa’s Orbital Express system showed that it could robotically service a satellite in orbit. Led by Boeing, the demonstration involved the Astro servicing spacecraft rendezvousing with NextSat, a surrogate serviceable satellite. Astro autonomously captured and mated to NextSat, transferred fuel, and used its robotic arm to transfer battery and computer components between the satellites.
After the Soviet Union launched Sputnik into orbit in October 1957, the U.S. responded by establishing the Advanced Research Projects Agency (ARPA) in February 1958 to coordinate and accelerate its military space programs. One of ARPA’s first actions, in August 1958, was to start development of a large launch vehicle, the Juno V, designed by Wernher von Braun’s rocket team.
Republic Airways Holdings Inc., which is investing $30 million in Frontier Airlines’ reorganization, intends to file a damage suit against Frontier, alleging that the carrier rejected their code-sharing agreement, according to a Form 10K filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Republic had been operating 12 Embraer 170 aircraft in Frontier colors. The aircraft were placed in temporary storage on June 30.
Aug. 22-232008 Professional Aviation Maintenance Assn.’s Regional Airworthiness Symposium. Century II Convention Center. Wichita, Kan. See www.pama.org Sept. 3-4—20th Annual FAA/Air Transport Assn. International Symposium on Human Factors in Maintenance and Ramp Safety. Hyatt Regency Orlando (Fla.) International Airport Hotel. Call +1 (202) 626-4031 or see www.airlines.org/2008hfsymposium Sept. 4–7—52nd Annual Tailhook Convention. John Ascuaga’s Nugget Hotel, Reno/Sparks, Nev. Call +1 (858) 689-9223, fax +1 (858) 578-8839 or see www.tailhook.net
