Just before declaring its premier fighter ready for combat--three years late--the Air Force decided to give it another makeover. It seems the A in the F/A-22 was just a bit too Navy for USAF Chief of Staff Gen. T. Michael Moseley, who says, "F/A is not an Air Force bit of nomenclature." The aircraft, which is also capable of contributing to electronic warfare and signals intelligence missions, should not get an FAEWRC-22 designation, Moseley quips.
The U.K. Transport Dept. has approved the Rapiscan Systems MVXR5000 X-ray machine for in-line screening of checked luggage for explosives. Rapiscan says it can process up to 1,800 bags per hour, several times more than possible with explosives detection machines certified by the U.S. Transportation Security Administration.
NASA overseers in the House and Senate want the Bush administration to finish the International Space Station, including European and Japanese modules. The Fiscal 2006 NASA authorization conference report, adopted and headed for final passage last week, calls for full funding of the 19 space shuttle flights needed to complete the ISS and service the Hubble Space Telescope one more time. With the White House looking to trim the shuttle manifest to recover the estimated $3-5-billion shortfall it contains (AW&ST Nov. 7, p.
In a major decision, NASA will remove the protuberance air load (PAL) ramps from all space shuttle external tanks to prevent a repeat of the debris-shedding that occurred on the STS-114 return-to-flight mission in July. New computational fluid dynamics analysis indicates the cable tray that the PAL ramps were designed to protect have ample design margins without the ramps. That will be further verified by wind tunnel model tests in February.
Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Co. and Greece have signed an agreement for the Hellenic Air Force to acquire 30 additional F-16 Block 52+ fighters. The order includes an option for 10 more airplanes and is valued at about $1.2 billion. Deliveries are scheduled to begin in 2009.
Seeking to fend off what they say is a "backdoor" attempt by the Bush administration to change the foreign-ownership rules for U.S. airlines, several members of the House Transportation Committee are backing legislation to block the Transportation Dept. from relaxing some of its interpretations. Partly as a trigger for transatlantic aviation reform, the department would enable representatives of foreign investment interests to hold influential positions at U.S. carriers while upholding the letter of the law (AW&ST Nov. 28, p. 46).
JAXA says Hayabusa is likely to return to Earth in 2010 from the asteroid Itokawa three years late because the space agency will miss a deadline this month to begin the return trip. The spacecraft has been placed in a "rescue mode" while its attitude is stabilized. Hayabusa, crippled by inactive reaction control wheels and a failed reaction control system, had been commanded into a roll once every 6 min. to maintain its stability.
Boeing's board of directors has elected Kenneth M. Duberstein, 61, as lead director, replacing Lew Platt, who died earlier this year. A board member since 1997, Duberstein was chief of staff for President Ronald Reagan in 1988-89.
The U.S. Missile Defense Agency chief recently gave Boeing the nod to disassemble its Airborne Laser from a ground-based lab and reassemble it on the 747-400 testbed.
TAM Brazilian Airlines has selected the CFM International CFM56-5B to power its fleet of 25 new Airbus A320- family aircraft. The airline also has options with CFMI to equip 20 more of the aircraft type.
As we close the books on 2005, on behalf of our Aviation Week & Space Technology staff, I would like to thank our readers and advertisers for your loyalty and support.
Astronaut Stephen Robinson stands on the space shuttle Discovery's robot arm during STS-114. Soichi Noguchi/JAXA Astronaut Leroy Chiao wears a Russian Orlan suit for an extravehicular activity during International Space Station Expedition 10. Salizhan S. Sharipov/Roscosmos Cassini image of the icy moon Dione, with Saturn behind and the rings below, seen almost edge-on. NASA/JPL/Space Science Institute
Jeppesen, a Boeing company, and Airbus have agreed to make Jeppesen electronic flight bag software and data available on A320, A330, A340 and A380 aircraft. The two have been working for a year to make Jeppesen terminal charts and en route moving maps available on Airbus aircraft. Now airlines that fly both Boeing and Airbus aircraft fitted with Class 3 EFBs will be able to select Jeppesen software and data for both fleets.
Singapore has signed a deal with Boeing to buy 12 F-15SGs (previously designated the F-15T). The F-15 beat the Dassault Rafale earlier this year, after the Eurofighter Typhoon was knocked out of the competition early. Deliveries of F-15SGs are scheduled to take place in 2008-09. c
In a contract valued at more than $240 million, Korean Air will use the General Electric GEnx engines to power its fleet of 10 Boeing 787s. It holds another 10 options.
The SAS Group is selling 67% of repair and material provider SAS Component Group to Singapore Technologies Engineering for about 2.6 billion euros ($3.12 billion). The two also are discussing the sale of ST Aerospace's European operation to SAS Component.
Lockheed Martin plans to build a 400-ft.-long airship prototype that could provide the primary platform for ballistic and cruise missile defenses for the U.S. or a foreign battlefield.
Painting and photography are juxtaposed on this week's cover. Norm Siegel's gouache painting, "Catching the Ring," sits atop astronaut Soichi Noguchi's photograph taken during space shuttle Discovery mission STS-114. Our annual art and photography special issue features the winners from the Aviation Week & Space Technology Photo Contest and the American Society of Aviation Artists' Aerospace Art Awards exhibition. Cover design by the AW&ST Art Dept.
