Alliant Techsystems Inc. has been pursuing a growth strategy that emphasizes its expertise in precision munitions, clearly one of the defense industry's "sweet spots" in terms of market opportunities. Two recent strategic acquisitions should enhance those growth prospects, while strengthening Alliant's position in leading-edge propulsion technologies for the next generation of space vehicles.
CRYSTAL BALL Concorde's successor could have 300 seats and fly at hypersonic speed with enough range to operate nonstop Paris-Tokyo services. This idealistic goal could be based on an agreement between Europe and Japan, if a workable market presents itself, according to Philippe Camus, president of Gifas French aerospace industries association and co-CEO of EADS. Camus, who spoke in Tokyo, was heading a trade mission covering near-term objectives such as Franco-Japanese business agreements.
COMPANY SATS A Khrunichev Proton K flying from the Baikonur Cosmodrome orbited two Yamal-200 geostationary communications satellites for Russia's Gazprom natural gas production and distribution company. Built by RSC Energia, the satellites will be placed at 90 and 49 deg. E. Long., where they will transmit Gazprom data and serve television broadcaster and other customers over a planned 12-year lifetime. Weighing about 1,350 kg. (2,970 lb.) each, the spacecraft were equipped with payloads supplied by Alcatel and Alenia Spazio.
LASER SHARP Lockheed Martin may have come late to the laser-guided (LGB) bomb-making business, but that doesn't appear to be inhibiting its success. The Pentagon recently awarded the company 100% of its latest Paveway II replenishment contract, leaving long-time incumbent Raytheon empty-handed. The $109-million contract is split: $56 million for U.S. Air Force GBU-12 500-lb. bombs; and $53 million for Navy GBU-12s and 1,000-lb. GBU-16s.
The film-return capsule for the Chinese People's Liberation Army FSW-18 reconnaissance satellite arrived on Earth Nov. 21 after spending 18 days aloft. China's satellite control center in Xian sent commands for the spacecraft to fire its retrorockets so the reentry vehicle would land in central Sichuan province. The spacecraft was used to obtain medium-resolution images of defenses and tactical missile emplacements around Taiwan to update the PLA's overall reconnaissance database.
Japan's Nozomi planetary explorer is in a critical phase as ground controllers attempt to overcome a persistent electrical problem that threatens to turn the mission into a bust.
BLUE GRASS BUSINESS Republic Airlines, still working through the FAA's operating certification process, is busy establishing itself at Louisville International Airport in Kentucky. The carrier has occupied a 1,900-sq.-ft. administrative office in the airport's main terminal, is leasing 17,000 sq. ft. of hangar space, and is working on a $7-million facility on the airport's east side. The Louisville Regional Airport Authority will finance construction with revenue bonds and a package of incentives from the state.
The US101 helicopter team competing against Sikorsky's S-92 to provide the next U.S. presidential helicopter will announce its engine selection Dec. 1 in Washington. The Lockheed Martin/Agusta Westland/Bell Helicopter team has chosen General Electric's T700-T6A1 to equip the three-engine helo. The other engine option was Rolls-Royce Turbomeca's RTM322 turboshaft. The GE engine delivers 2,000-2,145 shp. at sea level. GE already supplies the engine for Canadian and Italian EH101s.
BRANSON IS COMING Speaking in Toulouse, France, last week, entrepreneur Richard Branson, who has his sights set on launching a low-fare carrier in the U.S., said he expects to disclose a base of operations for such an airline late this year or early in 2004. The leading cities courting Branson include Boston, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Philadelphia and Washington. Although officials of his Virgin Atlantic Airways remain quiet about other details surrounding the potential U.S.
The FAA issued its proposed rule on Stage 4, the next generation of noise standards for large transport aircraft adopted in June 2001 by the International Civil Aviation Organization. The standards would apply to aircraft proposed for type certification on or after Jan. 1, 2006. Such aircraft would be able to satisfy Stage 4 using current noise reduction technology, the FAA said, but some in-production aircraft types would need modification if airlines wanted them to be made Stage 4-compliant.
ONE-STOP INFO SHOP Eurocontrol and GroupEAD Europe have launched the central European Database for Aeronautical Information Services--EAD. The service, which will be provided by GroupEAD Europe S.L. on behalf of Eurocontrol, operates from two independent centers in Madrid and Frankfurt to provide redundancy in case of a power failure or catastrophic event. Through its Aeronautical Information Service, EAD provides the aviation community with a fully integrated, single reference source for the entire European continent, according to Victor M.
The sale of Germany's MTU to U.S. private-equity investors Kohlberg Kravis Roberts has put a new wrinkle into the budding European aero-engine consolidation process, and sparked calls for mechanisms to protect strategic businesses from overseas takeovers.
Jerry M. Mullins (see photo) has been appointed president/CEO of the Enstrom Helicopter Corp., Menominee, Mich. He held the same positions at Heli-Dyne Systems Inc. Mullins succeeds Peter Parsinen, who has been interim president and is chief executive of TPG International.
SPACE PLANE PLAN A final request for proposals (RFP) for NASA's Orbital Space Plane wasn't released by its Nov. 26 target date, and probably won't be released this week either. But agency officials say that isn't because of congressional opposition to releasing it at all. Instead, an independent review by Slay Enterprises Inc., a consultant hired for the job, has raised questions that must be answered before the RFP is issued, according to the program office at Marshall Space Flight Center in Alabama.
What should a college student get for being able to smuggle box cutters, clay and bleach past Transportation Security Administration inspectors? A local radio host said he's a hero for pointing out the weaknesses in the system. The FBI thinks that he's a criminal and should go to jail. U.S. Rep. Edward Markey (D-Mass.) wants to give him a job working for TSA as punishment, and to help find holes in their procedures (AW&ST Oct. 27, p. 42).
ENGINE WORK Three different advanced space propulsion systems have reached important testing milestones recently under the auspices of NASA and the U.S. Air Force. Engineers finished testing two key components of the Integrated Powerhead Demonstrator, a NASA/USAF risk-reduction effort for components of a proposed hydrogen-fueled, full-flow staged-combustion rocket engine for future reusable space launch vehicles. Testing was completed at Stennis Space Center, Miss., for a new liquid-hydrogen turbopump developed by Boeing Rocketdyne.
SATELLITE ATC Teams led by Boeing and the FAA have used both broadband and narrowband satellite signals to demonstrate precision surveillance and control of an aircraft out of range of direct radio and radar coverage.
COMPOSITE CHALLENGE Japan's Toray Corp., one of the world's largest manufacturers of carbon-fiber reinforced plastic (CFRP), is expected to be the main supplier of those materials for Mitsubishi, Fuji and Kawasaki, which have been designated by Boeing to build the largest portion of the 7E7's wing and fuselage. Fully 50% of the proposed 200-250-seat aircraft is to be made of CFRP material. Mitsubishi is charged with building the main wing box.
The Pentagon inspector general has slammed the Air Force's acquisition management of the Space-Based Infrared System-High launch warning system, saying the project could be at risk of repeating earlier mistakes that resulted in major cost increases and schedule delays. USAF agreed to implement IG-recommended changes to more closely manage aspects of the program, although the independent investigators want more data to determine if the actions are adequate.
TORNADO FORECAST It took raising the ire of British military officials, but the Pentagon will now support an upgrade to Royal Air Force Tornados with enhanced electronic warfare equipment. ITT and Northrop Grumman are trying to compete on the Modular Defensive Aids System (Modas) project, which would add enhanced radar jamming capability and fiber-optic towed decoys to the ground-attack fighter. The two U.S. suppliers had been at risk of missing out on the program, because the U.S. had not given its technology release guarantees. Saab is the other competitor.
ICE CAPADES Canadian and U.S. researchers will spend the winter trying to validate ground sensors intended for remote detection, measurement and eventual prediction of icing and freezing rain. In a $3-million, four-month program continuing through February, managers will launch aircraft from Ottawa, Cleveland and Bangor, Maine, when winter storms develop over Montreal.
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Robert S. Vruggink has been named president of Praxair Surfaces Technologies Inc., Danbury, Conn., and vice president of Praxair Inc. He succeeds Thomas von Krannichfeldt, who is scheduled to retire Dec. 1. Vruggink has been Southern U.S. director for industrial gases.
A National Reconnaissance Office secret space mission, important for tracking potential terrorist movements involving ships, is poised for liftoff this week from Vandenberg AFB, Calif. The 13,700-lb. payload of 2-3 ocean surveillance spacecraft is to be launched as early as about 2 a.m. PST Dec. 2 on board a U.S. Air Force/Lockheed Martin Atlas-Centaur. The overall booster and payload combined are valued at roughly $500-600 million.
