India is on track to launch its first Mars orbiter in November, says a senior scientist in charge of the mission. The unmanned satellite, named Maangalyaan, will be expected to aid a study of the thin Martian atmosphere to determine the existence and sustainability of life, and focus on climate, geology, origin and evolution of the planet, the scientist at the Indian Space Research Organization said earlier this month. The spacecraft will be boosted by a Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle that was used for the Chandrayaan-1 Moon mission.
Graham Warwick (Washington), Bill Sweetman (Washington)
Development of the Lockheed Martin F-35's combat capability is falling behind the schedule set as recently as 2011, when the program was restructured to provide more time and resources for integration and testing.
The looming 2014 retirement of Sen. Jay Rockefeller (D-W.Va.) as chairman of the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee sets up a potential showdown among Democrats over space policy. Sen. John Kerry (D-Mass.) is likely to be approved as the next secretary of state. If he leaves, next in line to lead the committee that presides over space matters would be Sen. Barbara Boxer of California, a hot-bed of commercial-spaceflight activity.
The latest F-35 Joint Strike Fighter debate is surely raising the ire of Royal Canadian Air Force pilots from the era when it was still a world-class service. However, if we expect to remain a huge land mass controlled by a puny middle power with a relatively tiny population, we need a large and capable air force. Unfortunately, our politicians are out of touch with this and the following facts.
Airbus would face a “very serious decision” and possibly “months in delays” in the A350 program, if the manufacturer were forced to replace the aircraft's lithium-ion batteries, Executive Vice President for Programs Tom Williams tells Aviation Week.
Former Sen. Chuck Hagel (R-Neb.) may have picked up Democratic supporters in his quest to be confirmed as the next defense secretary, but he has lost a leading Republican.
The U.S. Navy needs to reinvigorate testing plans at its Wallops Island, Va., site for its proposed radar system for the new CVN-78 Gerald R. Ford aircraft carrier, according to the latest annual report from the Pentagon's director of operational test and evaluation (DOT&E). The Navy has proposed a dual-band radar that replaces five legacy radars used on current carriers. Last year, DOT&E cited concerns about the Navy's plans to curtail testing at Wallops for a similar radar system then proposed for the DDG-1000 Zumwalt-class destroyer.
Ask a top U.S. aerospace and defense (A&D) contractor how it plans to offset potentially deep cuts in Pentagon budgets and you will hear a common refrain: exports. Lockheed Martin is aiming to raise non-U.S. sales to 20% of its total, up from 17% today. “International” sales already account for a quarter of Raytheon's business, and the company intends to drive that even higher. “We see a lot of growth in the Middle East and Asia-Pacific,” says Marillyn Hewson, Lockheed Martin's new CEO.
Joan Pompa has been named interior refurbishment sales manager for West Star Aviation's Grand Junction, Colo., facility. Pompa has a 13-year career in interior, paint, design and other maintenance operations. Honors And Elections
AgustaWestland has secured its first export order for the AW159 Wildcat with a sale of eight to South Korea. The deal, which also includes a support and training package, is worth $560 million. AgustaWestland's share is worth $360 million. The Wildcat was selected over the Sikorsky MH-60R Seahawk, which had beaten the Wildcat to a nine-aircraft order in Denmark in November. The Wildcats will be used for anti-submarine and anti-ship warfare, maritime security, and search and rescue.
When the president begins his second term, he will be dealing with a new Congress. In the last Congress, Republicans on the armed services committees provided a nearly united front against sequestration, but that opposition to across-the-board reductions to defense could be wavering.
The Swedish government has given the country's armed forces the go-ahead to procure the next-generation version of the Gripen fighter aircraft. Defense minister Karin Enstrom said on Jan. 17 that the armed forces would buy 60 Saab JAS-39E Gripens for an as-yet undisclosed price. The first aircraft would be delivered in 2018 with the full complement by 2027.
LOT Polish Airlines has been in crisis mode for years. But the situation is becoming more precarious and the carrier may soon look much different—if it manages to survive.
John Turner (see photo) has been appointed director of engineering at Denton, Texas-based Odyssey Aerospace Components. He has worked for NASA, American Airlines, Associated Air Center and Weber Aircraft.
This year could see substantial changes to the roster of North American airlines, from the potential merger of US Airways and American Airlines to significant industry expansion that is expected to unfold north of the border. Two prominent Canadian carriers seem unafraid of risk in 2013 as they plan to launch ventures that could have far-reaching impacts on fares, routes and ultimately competition. Rival carriers Air Canada and WestJet are set to create new airlines, each staking a claim over a different corner of the marketplace.
