INTERSTATE ELECTRONICS CORP., a subsidiary of L-3 Communications, is working to combine micro-electromechanical systems (MEMS) technology with a GPS receiver to create an integrated GPS/inertial measurement unit (IMU) for smart munitions. Current designs use a serial bus as the interface between GPS and a third party's IMUs. But the company envisions the next stage as a tightly coupled, highly integrated GPS/IMU architecture that would be combined in a single package.
Air Force fears that the F-22 program would be hung up in the change of administrations have come true. Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld tells Congress he won't make a production decision on the stealth fighter anytime soon. However, with program funds about to run out at the end of the year, he has asked Congress to free up $674.5 million of production funds to keep the program going and prevent ``serious erosion of the F-22 supplier base.'' A production decision is still expected this fiscal year, but won't be made until the Pentagon has completed its strategic review.
Ferocious competition in Australia's domestic airline industry, pitting two established carriers against a pair of scrappy entrants, is expected to take a heavy toll on all players.
Reports that the Chinese defense budget is going up perhaps 20% to $17.7 billion in 2001 brings groans from Asian-defense specialists. First, they say, the real budget could be up to three times larger than acknowledged. Even so, they note, the official budget is only about 5% of U.S. defense spending. The more interesting questions involve where the money is going and why Beijing is touting increases, says Kurt Campbell of the Center for Strategic and International Studies.
Russian space telecom operator RSCC has chosen Alenia Spazio to provide payloads for three Express AM satellites. Eutelsat will lease 12 of the 16 Ku-based transponders on the first spacecraft, set for launch late in 2002 or early 2003 (AW&ST Nov. 6, 2000, p. 34). The Ku-/C-/L-band payloads were to have to been supplied by NEC, which is trying to penetrate the ranks of major international satcom vendors. NEC, however, will supply low-noise amplifiers for three Inmarsat 4 satellites being built by Astrium, according to Japanese news reports.
The Russian defense industry is developing limited combat aircraft upgrades to compensate for the lack of money for more ambitious modernization efforts or new aircraft purchases. The upgrades include the Sukhoi Su-27UBM, a modernized twin-seat fighter/trainer with an air-to-surface guided weapon strike capability, and Mil Mi-8MTKO and Mi-24VK helicopters equipped with night vision IR systems. The upgrades were presented to Anatoly Kvashnin, head of the General Staff, and Anatoly Kornukov, air force commander-in-chief, on Mar. 6.
THE QUALITY OF IMAGES IN FLIGHT SIMULATORS at Luke AFB, Ariz., is expected to become noticeably better with the addition of upgraded processors. Under an Air Force contract, Lockheed Martin selected Silicon Graphics (SGI) Onyx2 visualization system with InfiniteReality3 graphics to upgrade the simulators. The modification will allow a dramatic increase in the air-to-air and air-to-ground mission training that can be achieved, according to USAF's head of F-16 training.
German competition authorities have blocked Lufthansa's acquisition of up to 49% of regional carrier Eurowings, saying Lufthansa's dominant position in its domestic market would be further enhanced by the move.
THE U.K.'S NATIONAL AIR TRAFFIC SERVICES and Nav Canada have implemented the North Atlantic Centralized Automatic Dependent Surveillance (CADS) service. FANS 1/A-equipped aircraft on North Atlantic routes can use data link to report waypoint positions and weather information, via Inmarsat satellites. ARINC in Annapolis, Md., then translates the information and sends it to the area control center or meteorological authority via the Aeronautical Fixed Telecommunications Network.
Vistagy Inc., has introduced a tool that allows engineers to integrate non-geometric design data into Catia, Pro-Engineer or Unigraphics computer-aided design (CAD) software. Called EnCapta, the software builds on the company's FiberSim design integration products that are used at Sikorsky, Boeing, Lockheed Martin and Bombardier, among others.
Rolls-Royce expects a lull in profit growth this year to be temporary as it prepares for strong growth in aero and industrial/marine engines and after-sales and financial services.
China's Shandong Airlines Rainbow Jet Co. will purchase four Challenger 604 wide-body business jets from Bombardier Aerospace in an agreement valued at $100 million.
The civilian head of NATO is confident the alliance is already past the worst in its intramural spat over a U.S. strategic missile defense and a European rapid reaction force. Washington is far from convinced. Making the diplomatic rounds here last week, NATO Secretary General Lord Robertson sought to calm American nerves, insisting that the Bush Administration's decision to drop the ``N'' from national missile defense (NMD) had assuaged Europe's fears it would be cut loose from the U.S. strategic umbrella.
A Florida Army National Guard C-23 Sherp broke up while flying in heavy rain and crashed in a field about 10 mi. from Unadilla, Ga., on Mar. 3, killing all 21 Army and Air Force guardsmen on board. According to visitors to the crash site, the aircraft had been flying northeast, but the wing and tail fell northeast of the main wreckage while the nose of the crashed aircraft was pointing southwest. It may be Georgia's deadliest military air accident. The flight data recorders have been recovered from the aircraft, which belonged to the 171st Aviation unit.
Cathay Pacific Airways reported record profits of $642 million for 2000, more than double those in 1999. The impressive performance was attributed to cost-cutting and strengthening Asian economies.
Russian controllers trying to calculate drag effects on the Mir orbital station as it plows deeper into the upper atmosphere were still working their numbers for setting a controlled splashdown in the South Pacific, targeting a date roughly one week before the station would reenter on its own but later than originally planned.
Lyndon J. Smith (see photo) has become vice president/general manager of Loctite Aerospace, Bay Point, Calif. He held the same positions at Dexter Aerospace Coatings.
Ian Lewin (see photo), president of Lighting Sciences Inc., Scottsdale, Ariz., has received the 2001 Individual Achievement Award of the Aerospace Lighting Institute. He was recognized for his work with the space shuttle, International Space Station and U.S. Air Force fighter aircraft programs. His achievements have included design of the pilot's and copilot's overhead floodlights and optical lensing for fluorescent systems inside the shuttle and development of exterior lighting for the ISS.
Russia is reconsidering whether it should launch ``space tourist'' Dennis Tito to the International Space Station in late April on a Soyuz changeout flight, after being told officially by the U.S. and other station partners that his presence could be detrimental when critical station checkout operations are underway.
Legend Airlines President and CEO T. Allan McArtor surrendered the carrier's operating certificate to the FAA Mar. 5 and plans to begin liquidating assets this month. Dallas-based Legend, which has been bankrupt since early December 2000, began flying refurbished DC-9s last April from Love Field, offering first-class service and amenities at coach fares--a formula that has rarely worked in commercial aviation. During the past three months, McArtor failed to find funding to restart the airline.
Japan and the U.S. Navy plan to expand their cooperation on theater ballistic missile defense. The two have partnered to develop upgrades to the ship-based Theater Wide exoatmospheric anti-missile system, specifically to work on an advanced sensor and kinetic warhead, second-stage propulsion and a lightweight nose cone. The arrangement could grow to include ship-based radar and systems tied to the missile defense mission, according to U.S. Navy Rear Adm. Rodney Rempt, who oversees the service's missile defense efforts.
Mexico has awarded Brazil's Embraer a contract to provide an EMB-145 airborne early warning and control aircraft (AEW&C) and two EMB-145 maritime patrol aircraft. They are to constitute the backbone of a new surveillance program being organized by the Mexican government. The aircraft are specialized for monitoring aircraft and ship movements with radar and electro-optical sensors, as well as for monitoring radio communications and other electronic signals--all key tools in the war against drugs, smuggling and illegal fishing.
Bombardier has received FAA type approval for the 70-seat CRJ700 series regional jet. Fourteen customers have placed 175 firm orders, plus 313 conditional orders and options, for the derivative aircraft.
