From the Farnborough air show, Managing Editor Joseph C. Anselmo blogs about domestic use of unmanned aircraft. It will likely be years before pilotless planes are in widespread commercial use, according to two top executives at UAV manufacturer General Atomics. ghemago asks: Has anyone done the math for the economic advantage? Blackwell, Brian says:
Joseph Rivera (see photo) has been tapped to become director of international operations at Gulfstream Aerospace, Savannah, Ga. He was general manager of Bombardier Aerospace's Tucson, Ariz., service center. HONORS AND ELECTIONS
Collaboration between Sweden and Switzerland on the new JAS 39E/F version of the Saab Gripen multirole fighter is expected to firm up in August with the signature of a framework agreement between the Swiss defense procurement agency and Sweden's defense export organization. A ministerial-level letter of intent was signed in Switzerland on June 29. On the same day, Saab hosted a meeting to start the process of placing offset work in Switzerland, in advance of a formal development contract expected in 2014.
Boeing's 787 took to the skies at the Farnborough air show last week, marking the first time in 28 years one of the company's commercial transport aircraft had participated in an air show flight demonstration. The 787 was painted in the livery of Qatar Airways, which is expected to take delivery of the widebody jet next month. Boeing also scored a major order during the show from United Continental Holdings for 737 MAX jets—but rival Airbus, jet engine makers and helicopter manufacturers were hardly quiet. Reports from Aviation Week's on-site team begin on page 24.
Skywest's conditional order (see chart) for 100 Mitsubishi Regional Jets (MRJ) was an important boost in difficult times for Mitsubishi Aircraft. The company announced a one-year program delay in April, pushing entry into service of the initial MRJ90 version back to summer 2015. Also at Farnborough, Richard Leach, president of launch customer Trans States Holdings—another U.S. regional—reaffirmed his commitment to the MRJ, despite the delay.
U.S. Air Force Maj. Gen. James O. Poss, assistant deputy chief of staff for intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance, last week was awarded the 2012 John Curtis Sword Award at a dinner in London hosted by ADS Group, the U.K.'s principal trade organization representing the British A&D industry. The award is presented bi-annually to the person who best demonstrates transatlantic leadership in service to Anglo/U.S. relations in A&D. Poss was selected for the award for signing the memorandum of understanding allowing the U.K.
CFM and Pratt & Whitney are ratcheting up the war of words in the intensifying battle over powering the Airbus A320NEO. CFM says its Leap-1A will require 40 fewer fuel-tank refills per year than Pratt's PW1100G geared turbofan. Together with predicted savings from fewer maintenance visits, CFM says the Leap could be $3-4 million cheaper per aircraft over 15 years. But the claims are refuted by Pratt. “Effectively they're defying the laws of physics and the laws of economics,” says President David Hess.
Shinichiro Ito, president and CEO of the ANA Group, has been selected to receive the Executive Leadership Award, sponsored by Airline Business, Sutton, England. He is credited with “aggressively leading ANA Group to assume the leadership role . . . in the Japanese airline industry.”
Despite a slew of scandals and defense acquisition issues in India, Mark Kronenberg, vice president of international business development for Boeing Defense, Space and Security (BDS), remains upbeat about business opportunities in the South Asian nation. Kronenberg sat for an exclusive interview in New Delhi with Aviation Week's Jay Menon before the Farnborough International Airshow and discussed why he thinks Boeing is entering banner times in India. AW&ST: What are the opportunities that Boeing is eyeing in India?
Amy Butler (Farnborough), Andy Nativi (Farnborough)
Alenia Aermacchi and Alliant Techsystems (ATK) are planning to begin testing the first MC-27J multimission airlifter—outfitted with a 30-mm cannon for the gunship role—this fall. The test campaign comes as the manufacturer works to carve out more market share for the tactical airlifter in the wake of a U.S. Air Force decision earlier this year to walk away from it and shelve brand new hardware due to budget pressures.
The Pentagon has accepted delivery of the first Lockheed Martin F-35s from the third low-rate initial production lot (LRIP 3). The three conventional-takeoff-and-landing and one short-takeoff-and-vertical-landing aircraft delivered to the Eglin AFB, Fla., training base were scheduled for handover by year-end.
The acting White House budget director and the Pentagon's No. 2 official will testify to Congress on Aug. 1 on how the executive branch will interpret budget cuts set to take effect next year. Their appearance comes as a group of seven mostly conservative senators is asking 15 major defense contractors to publicize the effects of potential steep reductions to the military's budget—and their payrolls—under last year's Budget Control Act and its so-called sequestration cut starting in January.
Paul D. Lang (see photo), director of Rolling Meadows, Ill.-based Northrop Grumman's Common Infrared Countermeasures (Circm) program, has received the 2012 Goodell-Pollock Memorial Award. The award, presented by the Military Sensing Symposium IRCM Committee, is given in recognition of outstanding service to the field.
The industry spotlight is on Japan Airlines (JAL) as it prepares for a lucrative stock market relisting on the back of an impressive return to profitability. Meanwhile, however, local rival All Nippon Airways (ANA) has also been achieving standout financial results.
Airbus and Boeing face a similar problem—but it's a nice one to have. Demand for their best-selling jets, the A320 and 737 families, respectively, is so high that they are steadfastly increasing production rates.
Rod Casto has joined Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, Daytona Beach, Fla., as associate VP-research and innovation. He held the same title at the University of South Florida and also was executive director of the USF Research Foundation.
More than a year ago the British government stood up a dedicated space organization to be more like the 19-nation European Space Agency. Today, ESA is returning the compliment, emulating Britain's focus on collaborating with the private sector to leverage government investment in the commercial space industry.
On the Ares Defense blog, Senior Editor Graham Warwick covers Swedish Air Force Chief of Staff Maj. Gen. Micael Byden's assessment of his service's experience buying its two newest helicopters. Of the NH90 (above), Byden says he wasn't that pleased: “It should have been operational in 2007, but it started to operate in 2011.” On the UH-60M he described the 100 weeks that will elapse from contract signature to first delivery as “remarkable.” The Black Hawks will be delivered beginning in April 2013.
