John Sarto has been named vice president of sales and marketing for the OmniTRACS Div. of Qualcomm, Inc., San Diego, Calif. He was vice president-sales, marketing and customer services for Overnite Transportation Co.
Swissair, negotiating to buy a large stake in Sabena Belgian World Airlines, has set in motion a substantial reorganization of its operations by giving more responsibility to Crossair, its profitable regional subsidiary.
By 2000, the commercial business will be well on its way to becoming the dominant part of the space sector. Before the first decade of the 21st century is out, commercial space sales will eclipse both military and civil space agency purchases.
A Russian ``Photon'' Vostok-class spacecraft carrying dozens of European experiments was heavily damaged Mar. 3 when a military helicopter carrying the vehicle after recovery was forced to drop the several-ton satellite. The 13,640-lb. Photon 10 was launched from Plesetsk Cosmodrome Feb. 16 for a two-week commercial microgravity mission that ended Mar. 3 with its reentry and parachute landing 135 km. (83 mi.) southeast of Orenberg near Russia's border with Kazakhstan.
Global sales in the civil side will continue to decline in 1995, following ongoing production cutbacks at the major aircraft manufacturers. However, as late 1996 or early 1997 approaches, the industry may begin to crawl out of the slump caused by the continued imbalance between available seats and demand. Despite the potential for recovery, cost pressures will remain in the manufacturing and air transport arenas and could slow a recovery.
WASHINGTON Pressing need for a beyond-visual-range multirole fighter drives modernization of China's air force and draws Israeli technology support U.S. defense officials are circulating drawings within the Pentagon of the proposed next-generation F-10 Chinese fighter that show a relatively compact multi-role aircraft resembling a cross between the U.S.-built F-16 and Israeli-built Lavi.
Gerald A. Cann has been appointed senior adviser to the executive office and manager of C superscript 4I Washington operations for Raytheon Co. He was assistant Navy secretary for research, development and acquisition.
Mergers and growing political pressure to ``buy European''--versus military force structure or weapons system tradeoffs--will be the principal driver of European military procurement well into the 21st century. Military officers lament the trend, complaining it is unfair to the fighting forces and tactical planners. But thousands of jobs and the ability for Europe to retain a capable defense industrial base are also important.
The LMS-11 Blue Knight can monitor Tactical Data Link-11 and Tadil-A audio signals without intruding on network operations, allowing operators to identify problems that prevent connectivity. Equipment difficulties such as incorrect address polling, misaligned radios, incorrect cabling and encryption devices that are alarmed out can be identified, as can operator errors. The LMS-11 features a built-in PCMCIA modem and a remote RF transmission capability.
The NavData Coordinate Directory is designed for users of coordinate-based navigation systems. It provides locations of airports, navigation aids and waypoints in the 48 contiguous states of the U.S. The five-section directory includes decode lists for airports and navaids to allow easy cross-referencing. The book uses a 51/2 X 81/2-in. seven-hole format to fit Jeppesen binders. Jeppesen, 55 Iverness Drive East, Englewood, Colo. 80112-5498.
THE TECHNICAL RESEARCH and Development Institute (TRDI) of Japan's Defense Agency will spend $15.9 million during the next two years developing an electronic warfare countermeasures (ECM) system for the country's F-15J fighters in an escort role for new FS-X fighters. TRDI started the program last year with $6.6 million for research. Modification of F-15Js to accept the pod-mounted ECM units will require about three years.The number of fighters to be modified has yet to be determined.
SCIENTISTS AT LOS ALAMOS (N.M.) National Laboratory are interested in commercializing a directed laser fabrication process that requires no mold, pattern or die to form dense, complex parts. The procedure could speed component prototyping dramatically as shape changes require only modifying the part's digital, three-dimensional model on computer-assisted design software. The automated, single-step process uses a focused laser to fuse metal or composite powders that are gas-fed into the beam spot, according to Gary K. Lewis of LANL's Materials Science and Technology Div.
The Jaguar industrial scale terminal with TraxDSP is designed to provide maximum accuracy and performance from weighing systems that are subject to vibration. The combination will work with any analog signal generated by scales or weighing systems that use strain gauge loadcells. TraxDSP is designed to eliminate problems of weight readings that oscillate with vibration and out-of-spec formulations. It also can be used to prevent inaccurate packaging fills if process decisions are based on erroneous weights. Mettler-Toledo, Inc., 350 W.
RUSSIAN LAWMAKERS ARE UPSET ABOUT REPUBLICAN TALK of a national missile defense and they are warning it could jeopardize a major arms control treaty. Russian legislators visiting Capitol Hill last week told their American counterparts on the House National Security Committee that such an initiative would create ``very serious'' obstacles to the Russian Duma's ratification of the pending START 2 treaty.
The FAA's new Aviation Capacity Enhancement plan proposes key technical and operational strategies aimed at increasing airport and airspace capacity to meet escalating demand in the decade ahead.
This ruggedized, three-channel solid-state recorder can withstand forces to 50g in any axis while recording high-speed blast and shock measurements. Built-in rechargeable batteries make the Model 5840 suitable for field tests where commercial power is not available. The unit can record up to 2 million samples/sec. Flexible triggering modes and programmable delay assure the capture of one-time events. The inputs can accept strain gauge, bridge, RTD, potentiometer or thermocouple transducers.
The No. 70 WEH Series sleeve-action connector provides fast, leak-tight connections to numerous tube styles, including flares and barbs. The design provides positive mechanical gripping and pressure enhanced sealing. The No. 70 connectors can be used at pressures up to 750 psi. for filling, charging, evacuation, pressure testing and flushing. The connectors can handle tubing ranging in outer diameter from 0.236-1.417 in. They feature a stainless steel body and Buna-N main seal. FasTest, Inc., 2315 Hampden Ave., St. Paul, Minn. 55114.
Richard Schwartz (see photo) has been named president/chief executive officer of Alliant Techsystems, Inc., of Minneapolis. He was president of Hercules Aerospace.
Burlie A. Brunson (see photo) has been named vice president-Washington operations for Lockheed Sanders, succeeding William A. Gureck who retired in December. Brunson was director of advanced technology programs.
The U.S. Army has received the first of about 350 improved Patriot missiles with a guidance enhancement that will make them significantly more effective in the antitactical ballistic missile role.
Alphonse J. Vitale of Automation Marketing Strategies, Stow, Mass., has been elected chairman of the board of directors of the National Electrical Manufacturers Assn.'s Automation Forum.
Boeing Defense&Space Group is building a 94%-scale model of its planned Joint Advanced Strike Technology fighter. Testing is scheduled to begin in early 1996 at NASA Ames Research Center's 80 X 120-ft. wind tunnel. Additionally, Boeing is building a dedicated JAST outdoors test facility at Tulalip, Wash., near Seattle. It will be used to obtain critical ground effect and hover test data beginning this June, according to Mickey Michellich, director of Boeing's JAST/ ASTOVL (Advanced Short Takeoff and Vertical Landing) program.
MESA AIR GROUP PLANS TO OPERATE a Dash 8+ Series 200 fleet through its Mountain West Airlines division in United Express livery. Farmington, N. M.-based Mesa placed an order for 25 Dash 8+ Series 200s plus 25 options with Bombardier Regional Div. Deliveries are to begin next February at an average rate of two per month. The turboprop aircraft, powered by two Pratt&Whitney Canada PW123D engines flat-rated to 2,150 shp. up to 45C sea level, was chosen for its ``hot and high'' capabilities and will operate out of Denver to points throughout the U.S. Rocky Mountain area.
Kenneth W. Cannestra, president of Lockheed's Aeronautical Systems Group, and in line to become president of the new Lockheed Martin Corp.'s Aeronautics Sector, will retire several months earlier than planned. Cannestra will be succeeded by James A. (Micky) Blackwell, currently president of Lockheed's Aeronautical Systems Co., Marietta, Ga., effective March 15.
The McDonnell Douglas Joint Advanced Strike Technology team is evaluating its gas-coupled lift fan propulsion system at General Electric's test center in Peebles, Ohio.
