Over the past year, U.S. missile development has been overshadowed by corporate restructuring. Most notable was the Raytheon-Hughes combination, which will create the world's largest single missile manufacturer. Developments in Europe have been plagued with continuing budget problems that raise questions about the survival of a number of key programs. World attention on missile efforts in developing nations has focused mainly on tactical ballistic missiles and, to a lesser extent, advanced cruise and antiship missiles. AIR-TO-AIR MISSILES
The pulsIR is an electrically pulsed, high-intensity infrared radiator for gas analysis, spectroscopy and calibration. The solid-state device eliminates the need for choppers to pulse optical signals. They feature a low thermal-mass filament tailored for high emissivity in either the 2-5 micron or 8-12 micron band. The IR radiators operate several times cooler than tungsten bulbs and have a life exceeding three years. Ion Optics Inc., 411 Waverly Oaks Road, Suite 144, Waltham, Mass. 02154.
A few years ago, Korean tourists represented the fastest growth segment for Australia and New Zealand tourism. Times have changed. The Korean financial crisis has forced Qantas, Air New Zealand, Ansett International and Asiana to cancel or curtail flights between the regions. Traffic dropped by 80% in a matter of two months, with some flights arriving only 20% full. Asiana, Ansett and Air New Zealand were serving Korea from Queensland and catering mainly to the tourist market. Qantas will suspend its four weekly services between Sydney and Seoul starting Feb.
Bombardier Regional Aircraft Div., which had expected first flight of the de Havilland Dash 8Q Series 400 to take place before the end of 1997, put off first flight of the new 70-seat turboprop until later this month. The new target date, assuming good weather in Toronto, is Jan. 21. It is one day after the new Fairchild Dornier 328JET, a 32-plus seat regional jet, is scheduled for first flight at the company's plant at Oberpfaffenhofen, Germany.
Two new technologies for ensuring safe winter aircraft operations are entering field evaluations this season and could be in operational use by the winter of 1999, according to their developers.
The ADA-100 Airborne Droplet Analyzer is an icing probe that relies on phase Doppler particle analysis to determine droplet size spectra and liquid water content in real or simulated icing cloud environments. The probe uses an argon-ion laser with fiber-optic alignment to deliver a pair of green or blue beams to each probe transmitter simultaneously. The unit can be mounted on a pylon in a wind tunnel or, with a deicing heater, on a wing or aircraft fuselage for inflight use. Aerometrics Inc., 755 N. Mary Ave., Sunnyvale, Calif. 94086.
NASA's Lunar Prospector is to complete three critical lunar orbit insertion maneuvers early this week to position the spacecraft for optimum science operations.
The U.S. State Dept. has issued a license to Thiokol Corp.'s Propulsion Group, to export Castor 4B solid rocket motors to Spain. The motor, which provides 95,800-lb. thrust for 60 sec., will be used as the first stage of Capricornio, a three-stage launch vehicle being developed by Spain's Instituto Nacional de Technica Aerospacial (INTA). The first Capricornio is scheduled for launch in 2000, carrying a University of Madrid communications satellite. Two Castor 4Bs are to be delivered to INTA in the fall of 1999.
The Johns Hopkins University's Applied Physics Laboratory, which built NASA's first lower-cost planetary spacecraft, Near Earth Asteroid Rendezvous, on time and under budget, has been tapped by the space agency for another project. NASA has awarded a $92-million contract to APL to build a remote-sensing satellite to study the least explored region of the atmosphere, the portion at 60-180 km. (37-112 mi.) high.
Teckbon-NC is an electrically conductive adhesive that combines a nickel-coated, graphite-particle-filled silicone RTV. It requires no mixing and cures at room temperature. The adhesive meets temperature requirements from -55C-200C. Tecknit, 129 Dermody St., Cranford, N.J. 07016.
Continental Airlines expects to expand service to Mexico in April, adding three destinations to its route network--Veracruz, Merida and Tampico--from its Houston hub. None of the three are currently served by any U.S. carriers, and Tampico and Veracruz have no direct service to the U.S. at all. The additions, subject to government approval, will bring Continental's destinations in Mexico to 14, more than any other U.S. airline.
The trainer market is a winner-take-all game. Whether high-end combat jet trainer or low-end turboprop, victory is concentrated among a small number of players. The British Aerospace Hawk (built and marketed by Boeing as the T-45), Pilatus PC-9 (built and marketed by Raytheon as the Mk.2 or T-6A Texan 2) and Embraer 312 Tucano are success stories. Most other trainers are either expensive national projects, like Kawasaki's T-4, or failures, like FMA's IA.63 Pampa.
Such attacks could be paired with strikes on U.S. information networks via computer. A cyber-attack would delay response to the weapons of mass destruction, warns a new Defense Science Board report, ``DoD Responses to Transnational Threats.'' The board predicts the threat will escalate and urges expanding training for biological and chemical warfare defense and a system to recognize cyber-attacks. The latter should be supported by ``aggressive counterattacks and vigorous prosecution'' even of pranksters.
Two years ago this month, it looked like AT&T and MCI would be going head-to-head on a new battlefield: the burgeoning direct-to-home (DTH) satellite television market. AT&T paid $137 million to acquire a 2.5% stake in the Hughes-led DirecTV venture, with an option to expand its share. Days later, MCI paid $682 million at an FCC auction to acquire the last U.S. orbital slot that can be used to provide DTH service to the contiguous 48 states. But now, both companies apparently have set their sights elsewhere.
Airborne Early Warning&Control radar systems such as AWACS have been an important part of military electronics procurements in the U.S. and Western Europe for the past 10 years. But with most major procurements now complete, air-to-ground RF surveillance systems such as Northrop Grumman's Joint-STARS (Joint Surveillance Target Attack Radar System) will replace AEW&C as the most significant operational airborne electronics system in production.
The 402H-197 is a high-power, single-pole, double-throw coaxial switch designed for use in L-band satellite applications. The switch operates on 28 volts d.c. It has a maximum VSWR of 1.2:1, a maximum insertion loss of 0.15 dB. and minimum isolation of 60 dB. Dow-Key Microwave Corp., 1667 Walter St., Ventura, Calif. 93003-5641.
Aeroflot-Russian International Airways (ARIA), free-market scion of the defunct Soviet-state Aeroflot, is caught between the monopolistic legacy of the past and the present problems of adapting to open competition. At present, ARIA accounts for only 18% of total domestic traffic, as it battles to recover from the old Aeroflot's loss of the home market when the Soviet Union dissolved in 1991. ARIA has just over 60% of Russia's international traffic, although it provides service to some 140 destinations abroad.
With the end of the Cold War, many military forces will lose their raison d'etre unless they bolster their airlift capabilities. The demise of the traditional Soviet threat, and the lack of any other predictable threat outside of the Middle East, rules out prepositioning forces. Future threats are likely to be more random, arising in relatively inaccessible places.
A Chinese aircraft marketing team said it expects to receive orders valued at $200 million after a recent tour of seven African nations on behalf of state-owned Aviation Industries of China. Wang Dawei, vice president of Catic, AVIC's trading arm, said Africa is China's best potential export market, particularly for Y-7, Y-8 and Y-12 turboprop transports. The 17-passenger Harbin Y-12 has FAA Part 23 certification and now accounts for 80% of China's aircraft exports. But Catic thinks the 50-seat Y-7, a version of the Russian Antonov An-24, has the best chance in Africa.
BOEING'S BOARD OF DIRECTORS has authorized the sale of an increased gross weight version of the 747-400. It would have a maximum gross weight of 910,000 lb., about 35,000 lb. more than the existing 747-400. The new version will be able to fly an estimated 7,700 naut. mi.
