A squeeze on Indian defense spending is putting a crimp in the country's plans for growing its indigenous defense manufacturing industry. Citing an economic slowdown, India last year cut 140 billion rupees ($2.24 billion) from its defense budget. Next year, the possibility of a further cut looms. The annual budget of the Defense Research and Development Organization has remained at 100 billion rupees during the last three years.
Lisa Callahan has been appointed vice president-internal audit for the Lockheed Martin Corp., Bethesda, Md. She succeeds Erich Sanchack, who is moving into a new role within the corporation. Callahan was vice president/general manager of the Undersea Systems business in the company's Mission Systems and Training segment.
Boeing is vigorously defending an automation design that appears to be at the center of the accident investigation of an Asiana Airlines Boeing 777-200ER. On July 6, the aircraft crashed on approach to San Francisco International Airport.
Finally, the House Science Committee has added the James Webb Space Telescope to a list of NASA projects it wants protected, declaring it their intent that if the agency kills the program without cause, lawmakers will authorize additional funds to cover the cost. Added in an unusual display of comity between Reps. Donna Edwards (D-Md.) and Mo Brooks (R-Ala.), the proposal would end NASA's practice of holding termination liability funds in reserve on covered projects, which include Webb, SLS, Orion and the space station.
Newly merged American Airlines has placed firm orders for 60 Embraer E175s, with options for another 90. The airline also placed firm orders for 30 Bombardier CRJ900s, plus options for another 40 (see pages 14 and 46). Deliveries of the CRJ900s will begin in the fourth quarter of 2014 and the aircraft will be operated by US Airways subsidiary PSA Airlines. Deliveries of the E175s are to begin the first quarter of 2015. American says it “will determine which regional carrier will fly the E175s at a later date.” Both aircraft will replace smaller regional jets.
David Judge (see photo) has been promoted to assistant manager from program manager for Sikorsky S-92 training at the FlightSafety International Learning Center at London Farnborough Airport. Anthony van de Geest will remain an assistant manager to support the company's Learning Centers in Johannesburg and Stavanger, Norway.
Regarding defense acquisition reform—recently featured in three articles in one issue (AW&ST Dec. 2)—I agree with the call for earlier flight-test involvement (page 49) and with the items covered in the editorial “The Right Kind of Acquisition Reform” (page 54). Based on more than 30 years in the aerospace sector, I see three key reasons why there are program overruns:
If the Ryan-Murray deal makes it, the Defense Department and other agencies budgeted under “defense” would see their combined non-supplemental “discretionary” budget category reset for fiscal 2014 at $520.5 billion, roughly $22 billion over the BCA's looming limit. The deal also boosts the BCA's 2015 floor by $9 billion to $521.4 billion—again, keeping the federal defense budget category roughly where it is now, about $518 billion.
While the closing of their merger agreement caps off a tough regulatory battle, American Airlines and US Airways face an even more daunting challenge in integrating the two carriers and their workforces. Dec. 9 was a significant milestone for the new American Airlines. On that day the merger was officially consummated, American exited Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection, and the new parent company's stock was listed. One more court sign-off is needed, but this is regarded as a formality.
Brian Rowe has become business development manager for the intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance programs of Integrated Microwave Technologies, Mount Olive, N.J. He was business manager of Voltronics.
The idea of recycling regional-jet winglets into bookshelves may raise a skeptical eyebrow, but manufacturers are talking seriously about how to manage the end-of-life for their aircraft and engines—however distant that may seem today.
In response to “Reusable Redux” (AW&ST Dec. 2, p. 21), I have to clarify the cost comparison made between the first GPS satellite launched in 1978 and that of the GPS III spacecraft. First, the 1978 satellite was a demonstration, not a production, satellite and had a design life of less than one year; the design life of GPS III is 15 years. Second, inflation was not included in the comparison from 1978-2013.
A project to arm the U.K.'s Joint Strike Fighter force with a new, indigenous, small-diameter, precision-guided munition is advancing and could also form the basis for a surface-launched weapon for naval vessels and land operations.
John M. Gilligan (see photos) has been named president/chief operating officer and Franklin L. Van Rensselaer, Jr., senior vice president-civil and military aerospace of the Schafer Corp., Arlington, Va. Gilligan was president of his own information technology and cyber consulting firm and had been senior vice president and director of the Defense Sector at SRA International Inc. Van Rensselear was vice president-NASA business for the Government Communications Systems Div. of the Harris Corp. and director of space programs within Raytheon's Network Centric Systems.
