U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) criticizes NASA's acquisition strategy for the Crew Exploration Vehicle (CEV), saying it "places the project at risk of cost overruns, schedule delays and performance shortfalls" because it commits to a long-term product development effort without establishing a strong business case. The GAO report recommends that Congress restrict annual appropriations for the space shuttle replacement.
With a Typhoon fighter deal nearly clinched and a border-surveillance-system competition on the rails, the Saudis are now turning their sights on other big arms purchases. Flush with surging oil revenues, Saudi Arabia signed a strategic defense agreement with France on July 21 that foresees the acquisition of rotorcraft and tankers in the near term and, later, other items, such as air defense systems, land-attack/antisubmarine frigates and submarines.
The U.S. ground forces in Iraq and Afghanistan have found small, hand-launched, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) highly useful during the past two years for conducting short-range reconnaissance missions. While these model airplane-like fixed-wing craft are scoring points with combat soldiers today, the Pentagon has been funding development of more sophisticated UAVs with vertical takeoff-and-landing (VTOL) capability akin to a helicopter, which would ultimately be better suited for urban operations.
Since becoming the Defense Dept.'s director of defense research and engineering (DDRE) last November, John Young, formerly the Navy's top acquisition executive, has focused on how to better assess technology readiness before the Pentagon funnels billions of dollars into major acquisition programs. And he says he's pushing for increased prototyping to reduce the occurrences of technology hang-ups on developmental contracts. During an interview with Defense Technology International Contributing Editor Amy Butler, Young outlined some of his other initiatives.
Eutelsat and SES Astra have joined trials to test a hybrid S-band terrestrial/satellite-based mobile radio/TV service. By joining the effort, Eutelsat and Astra will make it possible to refine test measurements using actual satellite transponders. Eutelsat will also join in a three-month additional trial to evaluate the feasibility of setting up an operational system. This trial, due to end Dec. 31, could lead to deployment of an ATC network by late 2007-08 and a full hybrid system by 2008-09, provided private aid can be raised to supplement public research funding.
USAF Maj. Gen. James N. Soligan has been nominated for promotion to lieutenant general with assignment as deputy chief of staff for transformation, Allied Command Transformation, Norfolk, Va. He is chief of staff of U.S. Joint Forces Command at Norfolk. Maj. Gen. Robert J. Elder, Jr., has been nominated for promotion to lieutenant general and appointment as commander of the Eighth Air Force of Air Combat Command, Barksdale AFB, La., and commander for space and global strike of the U.S. Strategic Command, Offutt AFB, Neb.
South Africa's first Saab Gripen fighter has arrived and will undergo trials at the company's Air Force Base Overberg test range. Service entry is slated for 2008. Meanwhile, the South African military has retired its Alouette III helicopters, which are being replaced by Agusta A109s.
THE COAST GUARDS OF THE WORLD are actively acquiring more sophisticated maritime surveillance radars now that they've added homeland security and drug interdiction duties to their many roles. The 9/11 terrorist attacks have made these services key players in the radar market, says Telephonics President Joseph J. Battaglia. At the Farnborough air show, his company introduced a lightweight, low-power radar called Argos for use in both civil and military applications. The multimode unit weighs 75 lb. and uses just 1 kw.; comparable radars normally weigh 200-350 lb.
CAE OF MONTREAL WILL PROVIDE two Airbus A380 full-flight simulators and a suite of "Simfinity" products, including classroom and laptop computer training software, to Federal Express. In addition, at Farnborough, CAE officials said the company is moving beyond pilot training products and services in the military market to providing mission-rehearsal capabilities. An example of this new direction is the work CAE is doing for the U.S.
"Our goal is to deny the areas between the ports of entry," says Kevin Stevens, acting director of the U.S. government's Secure Border Initiative program management office. "That is the first purpose of SBInet."
Manufacturers hoping to expand their reach to markets in Asia, Latin America and Eastern Europe will succeed only if they tailor strategies to local tastes, according to a Deloitte & Touche study, released at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. Globalizing R&D, offering products that meet unique local needs and providing autonomy at the local level are crucial to getting ahead in emerging markets.
The European Commission is reviewing restrictions the Italian government has placed on airline service to Sardinia, giving Rome two months to respond. Routes to Sardinia have been split among Air One, Alitalia and Meridiana, with the argument that those three also would assure service during non-holiday periods as well as the demand to keep fares low for passengers born in Sardinia, even if they don't reside there.
Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport has created a series of audio and video Podcasts to inform passengers on parking, dining and touring options in its year-old international Terminal D. The free Podcasts, ranging from 30 sec. to 3.5 min., are available in English and Spanish and can be downloaded from the DFW web site or Apple's iTunes music store. Topics include directions for the garage, retail and dining options, an art tour and connecting on the Skylink train.
Joe Polastre is not your standard defense contractor chief executive, but the Berkeley engineering Ph.D. may have just what the military needs: supercheap wireless sensors the size of cigarette packs that soldiers can drop behind them as they conduct urban operations in Iraq and Afghanistan. The sensors give command staff a detailed, room-to-room perspective about what's going on, including the precise location of every friendly soldier. The devices were tested recently by the Chicago Fire Dept.
Ukraine's first effort to enter the surveillance satellite world failed July 27, when the Dnepr launcher carrying the satellite suffered an engine failure slightly more than 1 min. after launch from Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan. The modified SS-18 ICBM was carrying 18 satellites.
Space Exploration Technologies is going forward with a series of design and processing tweaks to ensure a successful outcome for the second launch this fall of its Falcon vehicle after a mishap board pinpointed a corroded aluminum nut as the only plausible cause for failure of the first launch on Mar. 24. The company also is upgrading the two-stage orbital rocket's health-monitoring software and more fully automating the launch process, according to Space Exploration Technologies (SpaceX) founder and CEO Elon Musk.
Francis J. Erbrick and Bradford W. Parkinson have been appointed to the board of directors of Atlanta-based EMS Technologies Inc. Erbrick is a consultant for McKinsey and Co. in Stamford, Conn., and was chief information officer at UPS. Parkinson is professor emeritus of aeronautics and astronautics at Stanford University.
Citic Offshore Helicopter Co. has contracted to acquire two EC225 Super Puma upgrades. The aircraft, to be delivered late next year, will add to the 20 rotorcraft in COHC's fleet.
Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University has ordered 29 Cessna Model 172 Skyhawks equipped with the Garmin G1000 integrated avionics system. The order brings to 69 the number of Skyhawks that will be the university's flight training fleet.
Rockwell Collins has delivered the first Pro Line 21 avionics suite for the ARJ21-700 regional jet being developed by China's AVIC I Commercial Aircraft Co. c
The U.S. Navy is ratcheting up development work on a shipboard electromagnetic rail gun, which would use a burst of high-power current to launch kinetic-energy projectiles at hypersonic speeds. Although at least 15 years from fielding, the futuristic weapon has the potential to substantially improve strategic and tactical strike capabilities, particularly the barrage-type naval surface fire support favored by the U.S. Marine Corps for its forces ashore as well as accurate long-range land-attack capabilities.
Engineers at AgustaWestland are starting work on a new utility helicopter to fill the gap between its A139 light-medium twin and NH90 medium-heavy-lift models and make it more competitive with other leading manufacturers, particularly archrival Eurocopter.
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