Australia has signed the $1.65-billion Project Wedgetail contract to buy four Boeing 737s configured to perform airborne early warning (AEW) missions. The Australian government initially planned to buy seven airplanes, but a lengthy defense review reduced the total to four to save money. The deal, however, includes options for three additional airplanes. The E-737s are equipped with Northrop Grumman's multirole electronically scanned array radar. In addition to Australia, Turkey has selected the E-737 as its future AEW platform.
Sanders has received a 14-month, $6- million award from the Defense Advanc- ed Research Projects Agency to conduct an advanced technology demonstration for its Orbital Express program.
Kayser-Threde, OHB and 12 other small- and medium-size European companies involved in the aerospace sector have created an alliance to increase their competitiveness with prime contractors. Formation of the group, named SmeSpaceAlliance, is supported by the European Space Agency (ESA) and German aerospace center DLR. Both ESA and DLR officials are concerned that industry consolidation will place smaller companies at a disadvantage and weaken competition.
Mary Carroll Linder has been named senior vice president-corporate communications of Northwest Airlines. She was senior vice president-global communications for the Estee Lauder Companies.
Rob Wigington has been appointed vice president of the airports and aviation practice of Boston-based GPC International. He was executive vice president of Airports Council International.
Integral Systems has selected Avtec Systems' Programmable Telemetry Pro- cessors for the Geostationary Opera- tional Environmental Satellites (Goes) ground station at the Wallops Island (Va.) Command, Data and Acquisition station.
David R. Caswell (see photos) has been appointed business manager, Brian A. Reuss director of operations and Stephanie M. Arney product sales manager of the State College, Pa., facility of VertexRSI's Electronics Products Div.
DGA French armaments agency late last week awarded a 900-million euro ($837 million) contract to Matra BAe Dynamics covering the first production batch of Mica air-to-air missiles. They will equip Dassault Aviation Mirage 2000-5s and air force/navy Rafales. The first Mica delivery is scheduled for 2004.
Russia and India signed a contract last week for licensed production of up to 140 Sukhoi Su-30MKI twin-seat multirole fighters worth about $3 billion. Sukhoi expects revenues to be further enhanced by a supplement to an Su-27SK licensed production agreement with China increasing the number of aircraft kits to be provided. Sukhoi delivered an initial batch of 10 fighters to China in December, under a contract signed in 1999 for 40-45 of the Su-30 derivatives with an upgraded radar and weapons system.
Chile has placed orders for up to12 Block 50/52 F-16C/D fighters to replace its aging fleet of Cessna A-37 attack aircraft. The F-16 was selected over Boeing's F/A-18, Dassault Aviation's Mirage 2000-5, and Saab's JAS 39 Gripen. Deliveries could begin as early as 2004.
Boeing has received a $6-billion follow-on contract to continue developing the land-based National Missile Defense system. The six-year deal could total $13 billion if all options are exercised. This arrangement reflects program changes initiated since the previous contract was signed in 1998, including more testing and more work to defeat countermeasures.
Belgium-based Techspace Aero, a Snecma affiliate, concluded an agreement with General Electric to become a risk-sharing partner in the 18,500-lb.-thrust CF34-10 turbofan's development and production. Techspace Aero's 9.3% share will include the low-pressure compressor and front bearing compartment.
Jacques Plenier has been elected president of France's national air and space academy for 2001-02. He is former chief executive of Aerospatiale Aircraft Div. Plenier succeeds Jean Calmon.
Northrop Grumman Corp., a product of more than 17 acquisitions since 1993, is expected to encounter little government opposition to its proposed $5.1-billion purchase of Litton Industries.
Investigators have determined the MV-22 that crashed on Dec. 11 killing all four on board suffered a hydraulic problem. While officials aren't certain it caused the loss of the aircraft, it spotlights an area that has long-plagued the tiltrotor. Outside experts reviewing the program will likely have to decide whether to recommend design changes to the hydraulic system before the Marines are allowed to begin full-rate production of the tiltrotor. But any such suggestions could slow the program.
Defense officials spearheading the Pentagon's quest for a ship-based unmanned combat air vehicle (UCAV) are seeing signs that some of the most challenging performance goals are attainable, even though critical integration problems remain to be tackled. The six-month-old program benefited from a congressional windfall last year when lawmakers added money to allow more in-depth work early.
A series of accords with Russia and Europe could considerably strengthen cooperation in the aerospace arena, particularly with EADS and its Airbus Industrie affiliate. The agreements, which are all preliminary, are part of a strategy elaborated by Russian President Vladimir Putin to anchor Moscow more firmly to the Western economy, and in particular that of Western Europe, which is seen as a useful counterweight to the U.S.
In a move that may lay the foundation for transatlantic cooperation in the defense industry, Thales has concluded a global alliance with Raytheon, just days after changing its name from Thomson-CSF.
Transport Canada has awarded an aircraft type certificate to the 70-seat Bombardier Aerospace CRJ700 regional jet. FAA type approval and type recommendation from Europe's Joint Airworthiness Authorities are soon expected.
The European Commission, fighting an anti-noise battle on two fronts at the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), has taken up the cudgels for a more stringent Chapter 4 noise standard while it is defending its unilateral ban of hushkitted aircraft from Europe.
Snecma, which is aggressively pursuing expansion, is considering an alliance with solid motor/munitions manufacturer SNPE while it waits for privatization.
Russian officials plan to use an unmanned cargo spacecraft to safely force the aging Mir space station into the Pacific Ocean next month, according to the Associated Press. The statement follows a 20 hr. loss of radio contact with Mir last week which Russian officials blame on a sudden and still-unexplained power loss.
NASA is revamping its financial system with its Integrated Financial Management Program. A first step is to replace 10 different accounting systems used in field centers with the off-the-shelf ``Core Financial Software'' from SAP. Employees from across the agency have assembled at Marshall Space Flight Center to implement the pilot program. The software and first year of maintenance cost $6.7 million. . . .
Volvo Aero Corp. and Snecma Motors have signed a $17-million contract to manufacture nozzle and liquid hydrogen turbines for four additional Vulcain and 19 Vulcain 2 engines.
