India on Oct. 2 moved its Mars Orbiter to the launch pad at Sriharikota for its scheduled liftoff to the red planet on Oct. 28. After a series of tests, scientists at the India Space Research Organization (ISRO) approved transport of the 1,340-kg (3,000-lb.) orbiter to the pad for integration with the 350-ton rocket. It is an extended version of the space agency's workhorse launcher, the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV-XL), an ISRO scientist says.
At least one captain of industry thinks the Defense Department could lift its ban on prime U.S. contractors acquiring each other now that lower annual budgets appear locked in for years. “I don't see the department . . . standing in the way of consolidation,” Exelis CEO David Melcher says. The expressed ban on the Top 5 contractors—Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman, Raytheon, Boeing and General Dynamics—merging stems from Pentagon policy crafted before the Budget Control Act and its threatened sequestrations became law in August 2011.
It is clear from Cathy Buyck's article “Accept or Reject” (AW&ST Sept. 9, p. 22) which side of the argument she is on. The description (and misquotation) of the European pilot lobby's stance is as deceptive as it is disappointing. The European Aviation Safety Agency regulations are a very clear dilution of U.K. flight-time limitations (FTL). Although many member states' FTL rules will be improved by these regulations. Generally, the countries with the most aviation activity have the more restrictive regulations.
USAF Brig. Gen. Veralinn Jamieson has been appointed director of intelligence at Air Combat Command (ACC) Headquarters, Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Va. Jamieson was special assistant to the deputy chief of staff for intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance at USAF Headquarters at the Pentagon and succeeds Brig. Gen. Bradford J. Shwedo. He has been named director of capability and resource integration at U.S. Cyber Command, Headquarters, Fort Meade, Md. Brig. Gen. John L. Dolan has been appointed assistant deputy commander of U.S.
I began my career in the aerospace and defense (A&D) industry as an export sales manager for a European missile manufacturer (now MBDA). It was a somewhat unusual career move for a business school graduate with no engineering background. Today, even fewer graduates have A&D high on their lists when they look for jobs as sales or marketing managers. This is, after all, an industry built by engineers, and its reputation is based primarily on products and the technological innovations that underpin them.
Even if a government shutdown is averted by a last-minute stopgap spending measure, leaders at the Defense Department, FAA and NASA have no idea what the next few years will bring. The uncertainty extends well beyond fiscal 2014, which starts Oct. 1. Federal officials are formulating their needs for the Obama administration's fiscal 2015 request, due in February.
John D. Harris, 2nd (see photo), has become Rosslyn, Va.-based vice president-business development and CEO of Raytheon International Inc. He succeeds Thomas M. Culligan, who plans to retire Dec. 31. Harris was general manager of Raytheon's Intelligence, Information and Services business and had been president of the Raytheon Technical Services Co.
Oct. 7-10—Sixth AAS Wernher von Braun Memorial Symposium: “Bringing Exploration Forward.” University of Alabama at Huntsville. See www.astronautical.org Oct. 14-16—51st Annual SAFE Association Symposium. Grand Sierra Resort and Casino, Reno, Nev. Contact [email protected] Oct. 22-24—National Business Aviation Association Convention and Exhibition. Las Vegas. See www.nbaa.org/events/name/ Oct. 22-25—24th Annual NHA Gulf Coast Fleet Fly-In. NAS Whiting Field, Milton, Fla. For more information, contact [email protected]
Eurocopter has decided to assemble AS350 Ecureuil light helicopters in the U.S. to shore up its production capacity in Columbus, Miss., but the move is riling French unions.
Ankara has selected the Chinese HQ-9 surface-to-air missile system to meet its long-running T-Loramids long-range air defense requirement. Senior ministers on the country's Defense Industry Executive Committee approved the deal with China Precision Machinery Import-Export Corp. on Sept. 26. The HQ-9 beat competition from the U.S. Raytheon/Lockheed Martin Patriot PAC-3, Eurosam SAMP/T and Russian S-300, in a deal believed to be worth $3 billion.
USAF Brig. Gen. (ret.) Ricardo Aponte (Corona, Calif. )
I take issue with your recent editorial “Is Affordable Too Radical for the U.S. Air Force?” (AW&ST Sept. 16, p. 58), in which you state that the F-22 is a “heavy and expensive” fighter. Although the cost was high, the Raptor is an incredible flying machine and the envy of competitors and adversaries. Not yet proven in combat, I expect nothing else than an enviable record once employed in war.
Pentagon officials were hoping to finalize two multibillion-dollar contracts within days for the next 71 F-35s to be purchased from Lockheed Martin. The F-35 Joint Program Office and Lockheed Martin reached a handshake agreement in July on low-rate, initial production (LRIP) Lots 6 and 7. The program office was aiming to seal the deal by the end of fiscal 2013, or Sept. 30, says U.S. Navy Rear Adm. Randolph Mahr, deputy program manager. Government and industry officials have not released the total price. LRIP 6 is for 36 aircraft and LRIP 7 is for 35.
Amy Butler had a nice advance article on the Textron Airland's Scorpion Jet, which was unveiled at the Air Force Association Air & Space Conference this month. But within “Textron's Gamble” (AW&ST Sept. 16, p. 22), she writes: . . . the forthcoming, single-engine T-38 replacement program . . .” This must have been quite a surprise for the General Dynamics/Alenia Aermacchi T-100 Training System team, who was promoting its market variant of the twin-engine M-346 Master at the same show for USAF's T-X program.
Skot Butler has become vice president-sales, marketing and business development for the Intelsat General Corp., Bethesda, Md. He held sales, business development and strategy roles at DRS, Spacelink and Verestar.
The three main North Sea helicopter operators are to review operational safety, in the aftermath of the fatal Aug. 24 Eurocopter AS332L2 Super Puma accident off the Shetland Islands. Bond Offshore Helicopters parent Avinicis, Bristow Group and CHC Helicopters will jointly review their safety practices in a bid to enhance processes, procedures and equipment. The review was announced on Sept. 25, a day after the U.K. and Norwegian aviation regulators announced a joint evaluation of North Sea safety. The final cause of the accident has yet to be determined.
It is so ubiquitous, so unextraordinary, it's easily overlooked. But a recent move by an unexpected entity suddenly made me take notice as if for the first time. ViraZH, a Russian training outfit, is buying nearly four score of Cessna 172s to join the 11 it purchased in 2011. That's heartening news for the Cessna's lightplane makers in Independence, Kan.
