The space shuttle program is preparing three thermal-protection-system and wing-leading-edge repair tests that the STS-114 return-to-flight astronaut crew would perform during their mission on board Discovery, tentatively scheduled for mid-May. The NASA Space Flight Leadership Council was preparing to endorse the plan and adjust the mid-May launch target at a meeting in Washington late last week. NASA Associate Administrator for Space Operations William Readdy chairs the council.
I can't be the only person who thought of this: Take a couple of the F-35's VTOL engines with the vertical fans (perhaps even a larger diameter fan), put them on the inboard wing with the inlet to jet engine on top of wing to reduce radar reflection and give the exhausts room to tilt downward and you would have a VTOL aircraft that would have less radar reflection, greater range and speed, plus the ability to take off conventionally with a full load of fuel.
Air Force officials say the crash of a Royal Air Force C-130 in Iraq, possibly from metal fatigue that caused loss of a wing, is not related to the service's recent decision to ground 30 C-130Es for cracks in their center wing box structures. An additional 60 newer but long-serving C-130s are flying with restrictions to minimize wing stress. The USAF chief of staff, Gen. John Jumper, says the service will review previously announced Pentagon plans to end production of the new C-130J, as pushed by Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld's staff of senior civilians.
In reporting 2004 earnings, Saab announced that the planned reduction in Swedish defense spending through 2007 will likely cost the company 250 million kronor ($35.9 million) in 2005 and 2006 and lead to the loss of 1,000-1,500 employees. Last year the total workforce shed 350 people because of a slowdown in defense research and development activity. Overall, the company recorded 17.9 billion Swedish kronor in sales, generating earnings of 10.1 billion kronor.
The tanker/transport debate misses the point. Tankers are transports, albeit limited to carrying one type of cargo. Budget constraints make it foolish to buy expensive single-purpose aircraft. A KC-17 with roll-on fuel tanks would add both types to the force. Modular tanks would allow the optimum fuel/cargo/range characteristics to be configured. Higher operational costs would be partly offset by the elimination of yet another new airframe type in the inventory. A KC-17 could also operate out of far more airfields than the alternatives.
Telenor of Norway will order a new spacecraft to replace one of two existing spacecraft, Thor 2. The company said it would order a medium- or large-size satellite by midyear for launch in 2008. Telenor, which also has a payload on Intelsat 10-02, said it would consider a cooperative arrangement for the new unit.
Cessna Aircraft Co. has mated the wing and fuselage of the prototype Model 510 Citation Mustang lightweight business jet. The procedure required less than 20 min., according to Cessna. Plans call for first flight later this year. This month, Cessna is launching a tour of a Citation mock-up to major cities in the U.S. and Europe. The company has orders for more than 200 Mustangs.
Record fuel prices, which are a threat to most of the industry's profitability, are expected to spark regional carriers' interest in twin-turboprop aircraft, ATR top executives claim. "Twin turboprops evolved into a niche segment but, in the midst of a terrible [operating] cost battle, the 'jet-mania' wave is over and the market is coming into balance," says ATR Chief Executive Filippo Bagnato.
Bell Helicopter Textron is offering the U.S. Army a military version of the Bell 407, single-engine, turbine-powered commercial rotorcraft for the Armed Reconnaissance Helicopter competition. The Army is scheduled to select the ARH aircraft in June and the contract calls for up to 368 helicopters to be delivered between Fiscal 2006-11.
Salvatore Bordonaro (see photo) has been appointed president of the Kaman Aerospace Corp.'s Helicopters Div., Bloomfield, Conn. He has been the corporation's vice president/general manager.
A commercial Atlas V is also slated to orbit the Inmarsat-4 communications satellite, with launch from Cape Canaveral set for Mar. 10. EADS Astrium shipped the spacecraft from its facility in Toulouse, France, earlier this month. Based on the EADS Astrium Eurostar E3000 spacecraft bus, Inmarsat-4 will be positioned at 65 deg. E. Long. for service to Europe, Africa, the Middle East and Asia. In addition to providing continuity with existing Inmarsat systems, the satellite will provide the new SwiftBroadband service over its coverage regions.
Raytheon won a $55.7-million full-rate production contract for the newest version Joint Standoff Weapon (JSOW-C) glide bomb. The contract involves building 189 AGM-154Cs and providing logistics support. The missile was tested against targets that included radar sites, caves and hardened bunkers. It incorporates a Raytheon-developed uncooled, long-wave infrared seeker with automatic target acquisition algorithms and also uses the two-stage broach blast fragmentation/penetration warhead developed by BAE Systems. A cheaper, Block II configuration is to be delivered in 2007.
Eurofighter partners aim to decide by April the list of weapons to be integrated on the next production run of the Typhoon, even as developers are ironing out residual questions for the aircraft now being put into service.
The Defense Dept.'s supplemental budget request for 2006 comes in at $74.9 billion (not counting an earlier approved $24.9 billion) to support ongoing military operations and relief efforts. Of that total, $42.5 billion is to go for operations and intelligence needs. Another $17.4 billion is to be spent on military equipment under the justification that it's needed for the global war on terrorism. That breaks down into $12 billion for procurement, replacement and maintenance; $7 billion for assistance to Iraqi and Afghan forces; and $5.3 billion for restructuring of U.S.
Tapping into San Francisco's large Chinese community, Hong Kong's Cathay Pacific Airways has relocated its North American headquarters there from Los Angeles.
Lockheed Martin won a $247-million Lot 2 production for 97 Arrowhead systems, the Army's modernized target acquisition and designation sight/pilot night vision sensor for the AH-64 Apache attack helicopter. The Lot 2 deliveries will begin in July 2006. The Army needs 704 sets to outfit the Apache fleet by 2011.
The U.S. Army's Aviation and Missile Command awarded Lockheed Martin $45 million for purchase of Atacms Block 1A unitary warhead missiles. They will include the new, recently qualified guidance, control and fuzing systems. The missile is designed for precision attack at ranges up to 185 mi. and the unitary warhead offers the ability to attack time-sensitive, high-value targets with limited collateral damage.
SES Global is rethinking plans for a transoceanic and interregional satcom company to link its far-flung satellite operations in Europe, Africa and Latin America.
Air France-KLM posted a significantly worse operating profit in the quarter ended Dec. 31, 2004, as the airline suffered from the big increase in fuel prices. The world's largest airline by revenue achieved a 29-million-euro operating profit for the period, down from 153 million euros a year earlier. Revenues increased from 4.6 billion euros (pro forma) to 4.8 billion euros backed by strong growth both in the cargo and passenger businesses. Passenger demand was up 9.7% on 8% more capacity; cargo grew 10.3% on 8% more capacity.
The U.S. Air Force wants to re-engine its E-8 Joint-STARS aircraft, but officials are rethinking an earlier plan to award the contract to Pratt & Whitney for its JT8D engines. The company had presented a package that allowed the service to back out of any deal, since Pratt could then fold the engines into its commercial operations. However, General Electric has lobbied hard to allow one of its engine designs to compete. As a result, the service is now reconsidering the deal and may require a recompetition between the two companies.
Resumption of general aviation operations at Reagan Washington National Airport could soon become a reality if Congress passes legislation introduced last week. The bill would require the Homeland Security and Transportation departments to develop regulations within six months of the bill's passage that would cover screening of inbound flights, physical inspections of aircraft and the TSA's advance clearance of passenger manifests. One of general aviation's top priorities is regaining access to National and other U.S. airports that were closed to the GA sector since Sept.
The Bush administration's European peace offensive is underway, but the results so far are mixed at best for Paris air show enthusiasts. The U.S. Air Force says it will not send a B-2, F/A-22 or demonstration team to the show, and service officials still haven't decided about other, more run-of-the-mill aircraft. On the other hand, France has a snub in the offing that may or may not withstand a stateside protest.
U.S. and European space leaders are hoping that a decision to kick off a global-observing system that can monitor changes in land use, air quality and other environmental parameters will encourage their own governments to fund new systems needed for such an undertaking.
BAE Systems has won the latest round in Australia's broad Echidna electronic warfare program. Under the latest deal, the Australia-based subsidiary of BAE Systems will supply self-protection kits to heavy-lift Chinook transport helicopters and Black Hawk utility helos. The three-year contract is worth A$135.5 million ($106 million), and includes design, development, integration and installations. The electronic warfare package includes the ALR2202 radar warning receiver.
Business traffic is prompting Japan Airlines to expand 747-400 services from Tokyo to Chicago to 10 from seven flights per week, beginning Mar. 27. They will make possible same-day connections for travelers from Beijing, Shanghai, Seoul and Taipei. JAL also is adding two flights to its five weekly 767 operations from Tokyo to Qingdao, China--which raises JAL's passenger flights to China to 234 a week on 28 routes linking 13 cities.
