The Russian government says defense industry revenues rose 18.3% during the first half of the year, driven by a 43.4% surge in aircraft sales, mainly Sukhoi Su-30MKI and Su-30MKK fighters for India and China. Production of land-based weapons increased 16%, defense electronics 11.3% and space products 3%. However, the shipbuilding, munitions and radio communications sectors declined.
NASA has been studying ways it can apply technology developed by its aviation safety program to aviation security, with an eye to funding new activities as early as this fiscal year. Jeremiah F. Creedon, the associate administrator for aerospace technology, told the Aero Club of Washington about a demonstration run out of Langley Research Center in the aftermath of the Sept. 11 terror attacks.
The European Space Agency's bid to resurrect Venus Express may be paying off. The Venus mission was deleted from a revised scientific plan earlier this year. But it is ready to be reinstated, largely thanks to savings from a new spacecraft technology program (AW&ST Sept. 23, p. 36). The only remaining hurdle--a 10-million-euro ($9.8-million) contribution from Italy for part of the payload--must await approval of Italy's new space budget.
Italy and France are poised to jointly launch a multimission frigate program that will greatly expand Europe's force projection capability and serve as further impetus for integration of defense procurement and operations. The 27 ships to be built under the 11-billion euro ($10.8-billion) program are to be delivered starting in 2008 and will be the first to carry the Scalp Naval shipborne land-attack cruise missile.
An arbitrator has ruled that Boeing did not violate terms of a job-security provision concerning the right of the International Assn. of Machinists to review and offer alternatives to send work overseas. The 18-month dispute centered on Boeing's freedom to act strategically even if shifting work means losing jobs. The issue was central to strike calls in September, but the machinists couldn't muster enough votes for a walkout.
Frank Hornbuckle has been named chief operating officer of Swales Aerospace, Beltsville, Md. Paul Sanneman has become director of aerospace systems engineering and Mehmet Basci director of mechanical systems engineering.
Meanwhile, Mars Express--the basis for Venus Express hardware and software--passed an important milestone this month when a redesigned parachute for the spacecraft's Beagle 2 lander (shown in preparation for thermal testing) completed balloon drop tests. The new chute, designed by Beagle prime contractor Astrium with the assistance of Analyticon and assembled by Per Lindstrand, was ordered when earlier testing revealed that airbags used to cushion the landing would work only if descent velocities were lower than planned.
Sino Swearingen Aircraft Corp. last week used a supersonic Hawker Hunter 58 to fly chase on its SJ30-2 business jet, undergoing initial FAA certification flight testing. A production prototype (foreground) recently flew at Mach 0.83 (558 mph.) during envelope expansion trials near San Antonio.
Russian space officials are seeking to rescope the Spectrum-X gamma-ray mission in order to fit it into a constrained science funding envelope. The downsizing has been dictated in part by a recent European Space Agency decision not to participate in the mission. ESA was forced to withdraw because of spending limitations, said science projects director John Credland. Russia is a partner on the Integral gamma-ray observatory, for which it has built a dedicated science data reduction center near Moscow.
As its partner nations ratchet up the pressure on Germany to finally decide on the Airbus A400M airlifter, Berlin is warning it must consider cutting procurement numbers. Amid demands from the partner nations that Germany clarify its position on the program as quickly as possible, the newly elected German government is to embark on a wide-ranging program review, including the A400M.
The FAA will extend financial assistance until Dec. 15 for U.S. airlines buying war-risk insurance. As it did with an extension in August, the agency will retain the pricing structure adopted in June that varies the cost of coverage based on how much the airline desires (AW&ST June 24, p. 36). Congress authorized the insurance program after the terrorist attacks last year because insurers raised premiums and reduced coverage.
The launch customer for the Boeing 717 100-seat transport--Orlando, Fla.-based AirTran--will lease 23 more from Boeing Capital Corp. The 717-200s, part of 24 aircraft that AMR Corp. declined to put in service when it acquired TWA, are slated for delivery next year. AirTran currently operates 46 717s.
By MICHAEL MECHAMBy NEELAM MATHEWS ( SAN FRANCISCO NEW DELHI)
Already a key Asian hub, Hong Kong's Chek Lap Kok airport should become more important under terms of a renegotiated Hong Kong-U.S. air services agreement that expands access for passenger and freighter services. Over the next two years, the agreement doubles the current cap of 28 weekly passenger services between Hong Kong and third countries, including Japan, for U.S. carriers. A cap of seven will be placed on flights from Chek Lap Kok to Tokyo and four to Osaka. United Airlines is the leading U.S.
War against Iraq more than a decade ago began with one of the most sophisticated electronic warfare campaigns ever conceived. Since then, the Pentagon has innovated little in electronic combat. In many areas, it has let its EW expertise atrophy. New technologies are available to repeat that Persian Gulf war success, but implementation has been stymied by a lack of leadership--both in the services and Office of the Secretary of Defense--and of course by money.
EADS Barfield Inc. has signed a five-year agreement with El Salvador's Taca Airlines to support components for the airline's fleet of 28 A319/A320 aircraft.
In some of the first fallout from the Oct. 12 bombing of a popular beach club in Bali that killed scores of Australians, Qantas will begin cutting capacity to Indonesia in November. It did not announce details.
Beginning in February, American Airlines and regional affiliate American Eagle will exchange terminals at Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport. American's flights will stage out of Terminals A and C, and Eagle will operate its jets to Terminals A and B instead of its satellite facility on the airport, which will continue to be used by Eagle turboprop aircraft, according to American. The change will save the airline about $4.5 million annually.
Anne Stevens has been appointed to the board of directors of the Lockheed Martin Corp., Bethesda, Md. She is vice president-North American vehicle operations for the Ford Motor Co.
Government and industry leaders weren't able to set a destination for future space exploration during a policy summit at the World Space Congress (AW&ST Oct. 21, p. 23), but they did agree that there is a ``crosscutting'' need for young people to replenish the graying space workforce worldwide. Those young people already have a pretty good idea of where they want to go. As the agency heads and CEOs met behind closed doors at Rice University, young space professionals from 47 different nations were in Houston hammering out a wide-ranging policy document of their own.
Next-generation stealth technology developed for the Bird of Prey demonstrator aircraft--or BOP as it was called by its pilots--helped Boeing win the low-observable part of the Joint Strike Fighter competition even though the contract finally went to Lockheed Martin. Some Boeing officials said the U.S. Air Force insisted on keeping the $67-million stealth and rapid-prototyping demonstrator aircraft classified until well after the competition so the company would have no advantage over Lockheed Martin.
Euan Baird (see photo) will become non-executive chairman on Feb. 1, and Michel Dubarry has been named director general for France, both of Rolls-Royce. Baird, who is is chairman/CEO of Schlumberger, will succeed Sir Ralph Robins, who is retiring. Dubarry, who was managing director of McAlpine Helicopters Ltd., succeeds Jacques Marchand, who has retired.
Chris Armao has been named vice president of the Space Systems Div. of SRS Technologies' Washington Group, Chantilly, Va. He was director of space engineering at SRS. Linda Jewell has become director of space operations for SRS in Colorado Springs.
Felix Kracht, a German aviation pioneer, cofounder of Airbus and advocate of a unified European aerospace industry, died in Kirchweyhe, Germany, on Oct. 3, it was disclosed last week. He was 90. After graduating from the Aachen technical university and becoming a pilot, Kracht joined the DFS research institute in the 1930s, where he was responsible for substantial advances in aerodynamics and developed innovative concepts such as a jettisonable pressurized cockpit and the DFS 228 powered glider capable of reaching a record 100,000 ft.
The European Space Agency is assessing a batch of Martian missions within its new Aurora space exploration program and discussing ways to integrate French Mars sample return initiatives, in partnership with NASA, into Aurora to enhance Europe's role. The assessment is part of mounting interest in a Mars sample return mission to replace the International Space Station as the leading application within the space community, and a growing awareness that this could only be done on a global basis (AW&ST Oct. 21, p. 25).
The Pentagon's decision to restructure the RAH-66 Comanche helicopter program, but slash procurement, also forces the Army to develop an unmanned adjunct to Comanche and upgrade AH-64D Apaches. After more than 10 months of deliberations, the Defense Dept. has defined its seventh Comanche plan. It calls for production of 650, rather than 1,213 of the armed reconnaissance helicopters, a peak annual build rate of 60 aircraft versus 62, and a 73-aircraft buy during low-rate production.
