Cassini imagery of Saturn's moon Enceladus may have made the moon another target for future life-detection missions. Imagery and other data suggest "pure-water volcanism" at the south pole vents vapor and fine ice particles that both coat the tiny moon's weird surface and feed the planet's outermost ring. For reasons not entirely understood, the moon's south pole registers about 20C warmer than the -203C scientists expected to find.
The federal government's latest plan for Secure Flight, the computerized airline passenger pre-screening program, is in trouble again. The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) has pushed back its debut this year from April to late September because of testing glitches, congressional investigations and threatened budget cuts. Now the Justice Dept.'s inspector general (IG) has a problem with it.
Fred Grieger (see photo) has been named vice president-sales and marketing of Pacific Cast Technologies, a Ladish company in Albany, Ore. He was a sales and market-development manager for Paris-based Hutchinson Industries.
UNITED STATES Editor-In-Chief: Anthony L. Velocci, Jr. [email protected] Managing Editor: James R. Asker [email protected] Assistant Managing Editor: Michael Stearns [email protected] Senior Editors: Craig Covault [email protected], David Hughes [email protected] NEW YORK 2 Penn Plaza, 25th Floor, New York, N.Y. 10121 Phone: +1 (212) 904-2000, Fax: +1 (212) 904-6068 Senior News Editor: Nora Titterington
U.S. and European helicopter manufacturers submit bids in September for the U.S. Army's Light Utility Helicopter (LUH) competition ahead of a selection next April. The LUH program calls for production of 322 helicopters between 2006 and 2015. The helicopters will perform general support missions in the U.S. and overseas, reconnaissance, drug interdiction and homeland security.
A group of western African countries is envisioning the creation of a cross-border regional airline. The initiative would sustain the participating countries' long-term economic plan to establish a single market and monetary union to boost gross national product. The tentative plan involves, for example, Benin, Burkina Faso, Ivory Coast, Mali, Senegal and Togo. Governments would support the new carrier while seeking private investors to provide additional funding.
In formalizing the legislative foundation for the Galileo satellite navigation program, the European Parliament has added language requiring the private concessionaire to use proceeds from the venture to repay governments some of their up-front investment. The modalities are in discussion, with government officials preferring a revenue-sharing scheme, while others suggest a profit-sharing approach.
The McGraw-Hill Companies September/October 2005 The Next Generation Body Armor's New Look Million-Rounds-A-Minute Marine Space Plane Takes Off www.defensetechnologyinternational.com An Editorial Supplement to Aviation Week & Space Technology
Thomas M. Ripp has been named president of New York-based L-3 Communications' Security and Detection Systems. He will succeed Allen Barber, who has become senior vice president-strategic planning within the Sensors and Simulation Group. Ripp was vice president-sensors and advanced packaging for the Dover Corp.'s Vectron International business.
Since storming defense trade shows more than 10 years ago with its "million-rounds-a-minute" gun, Australian defense firm Metal Storm has learned the hard knocks of trying to sell a revolutionary weapon in a market resistant to change. Although its promotion is impressive--the company has announced a slew of small development contracts and has garnered significant private investment--Metal Storm has yet to make a major breakthrough in the defense market and time could be running out for the cash-strapped enterprise.
China does not now face a direct threat from another nation," the Pentagon contends in its latest annual assessment of the country's military capacity. Threat or not, Beijing continues to modernize its armed forces, leaving China-watchers to debate the precision of the Pentagon's report. There is no shortage of hawkish rhetoric about China in Washington, but the report, "The Military Power of the People's Republic of China 2005," takes a measured approach. Some critics describe it as "watered down."
As an 8,000-plus-hr. "freight dog," I have heard the assertion made by Brian Wilson that freight pilots have acquired "bad habits" that "plague us throughout our careers" (AW&ST Aug. 8, p. 8). In most cases, nothing could be further from the truth. Some of the best pilots with whom I have flown were or are freight pilots.
We are pleased to present the first issue of Defense Technology International, providing in-depth coverage of the global defense industry. Produced in collaboration with Aviation Week & Space Technology, DTI delivers timely reporting on issues affecting policies and procurement, with content geared
LOT Polish Airlines has agreed to buy up to 14 Boeing 787s powered by Rolls-Royce Trent 1000s. The $910- million order is firm for seven 787-8s, with options for two more 787s and purchase rights on another five. Deliveries are to commence in 2008.
The German center for aerospace research (DLR) has demonstrated high-bandwidth laser communications over a range of up to 60 km. (37 mi.). Late last month, a laser communications terminal was lifted to 22 km. using a high-altitude balloon. The communications device was able to transmit information at a rate of up to 1.25 gigabits per second with nearly flawless connectivity, says DLR.
Senior Editor David Hughes (left) flew on a Hurricane Katrina search-and-rescue mission with U.S. Coast Guard pilot Lt. Eric Carter (center) and copilot Lt. Doug Doll on a Sikorsky HH-60 Jayhawk like this one on Sept. 6. The crew included swimmer Erick Lieb and mechanic Kevin Musorofiti. The 8-hr. mission from Mobile, Ala., started with a medical evacuation to a regional hospital from a makeshift heliport in the parking lot of a Kmart store in Mississippi.
Early German parliamentary elections in September threaten to delay several major international defense projects. Long-term budget cuts, moreover, could further undermine participation by Berlin in multinational defense collaboration.
SpaceX will develop and market a heavy-lift version of its Falcon booster line to compete against or exceed the Lockheed Martin Atlas V and Boeing Delta IV Evolved Expendable Launch Vehicle capability. The company says it already has sold one of the new boosters to the U.S. government for flight test. The Falcon 9 will cluster nine Merlin engines for about 900,000 lb. of liftoff thrust to place 21,000 lb. in low Earth orbit. A much larger version of the Falcon 9 is to loft 55,000-lb. payloads from Cape Canaveral or other sites.
The European Commission has issued guidelines under which airlines can receive startup aid to fly routes into regional airports. The measure is part of policy to encourage regional airport development. Aid can cover up to 30-50% of the additional costs an airline incurs in starting up a new service, including marketing, according to the EC. The aid must be limited to no more than 3-5 years for regions deemed disadvantaged, and an airline would be required to continue operating from the airports once the aid ends.
A. Anton Frederickson has been appointed president/chief operating officer of the Reston, Va.-based Titan Group of L-3 Communications. He was senior vice president of the Titan Corp. before its acquisition by L-3.
In the late 1990s, I was the first Lockheed Martin Aerial Common Sensor program manager. Based on the known requirements, the initial LM choice for an ACS platform was the Hawker Horizon, a decision made after a thorough evaluation (AW&ST Aug. 22/29, p. 32).
USMC Brig. Gen. (ret.) Guy VanderLinden (see photo) has been appointed vice president-business development of Indianapolis-based Rolls-Royce Defense North America. Bob Carney has been named director of marketing and strategy. He was the CH-53X capture manager. John Shade has become director of business captures. He was program manager for product lifecycle management. Ron Riffel has been appointed director of regional executives.
It has come to this: AirTran Airways said it holds fixed-price and collar agreements designed to assure that it will be able to buy more than 95% of its forecasted aviation fuel consumption during the fourth quarter of 2005 at a price no higher than the equivalent of about $67 per barrel of oil. These contracts currently cover 72% of estimated consumption. Airlines have shunned deals at this price level in the past, estimating that they would provide little or no benefit.
FEATURES armor's new look 14 New designs improve coverage and reduce casualties. The latest includes a body suit that takes its cue from the Middle Ages. marines eyeing space 21 Visionaries tout a space vehicle for troop deployment that can land in trouble spots within two hours. million-rounds-a-minute gun 25 Electronic weapon with the highest rate of fire in the world seeks a buyer.
