When the so-called Arab Spring uprisings kicked off, many Israelis began to worry that their country's security environment would be far more fluid and more dangerous. That reality is now setting in. After deciding to speed deployment of the Iron Dome anti-rocket system, the Israeli government is now also concerned that commercial aircraft may be increasingly vulnerable to attack from man-portable air-defense system (Manpads) missiles.
Colombia and Ecuador are expanding their airport infrastructures to keep pace with air transport growth. But even with new construction projects under way, capacity constraints are likely to remain.
What Has Worked •Fast and effective explosive detection technology for baggage screening • •Detection capabilities of advanced imaging technology body scanners •Screener training, improved since 9/11 •Reinforced cockpit doors •Arming pilots Not Worked •100% screening of international inbound cargo •Explosive trace detection portals, known as the “puffer” machines •Computer-Assisted Passenger Pre-Screening, failed over privacy concerns Questionable
Every morning since 9/11, Boston Logan International Airport hosts a face-to-face meeting of representatives of all stakeholders—from airline managers to FBI special agents—to be certain they are all on the same page of Logan's daily operations.
The Checkpoint of the Future concept proposed by the International Air Transport Association (IATA) is emerging as a model that governments and manufacturers are using as the coming gold standard for addressing future terrorist threats.
The European airline industry is pushing for more pro-active security measures that are better harmonized within the EU and with the U.S. and that can make air travel safer and more pleasant while keeping security costs under control. However, recent experience indicates that those aims may miss their mark.
If there is one thing that has become clear since the aviation community was shaken by a printer-cartridge bomb attempt originating in Yemen last October, it is that closer cooperation among the airline industry, freight forwarders and government agencies—and the sharing of timely information—is crucial to improving worldwide security of air freight.
When it comes to replacing its long-serving OH-58D Kiowa Warrior armed scout helicopter, the U.S. Army faces one of the widest ranges of options of any recent Pentagon acquisition program. Choices range from further upgrades of Bell's venerable OH-58 to Sikorsky's S-97 Raider, a development of its high-speed, coaxial rotor X2. Somewhere between lies EADS North America's AAS-72X, a derivative of the Army's UH-72A Lakota light-utility helicopter.
Sept. 18-20—Aircraft Builders Council's Annual Conference. InterContinental Boston. Call +1 (617) 217-5030 or see www.aircraftbuilders.com Sept. 19-22—BCI Aerospace Meetings Casablanca. Parc des Expositions-Office des Changes, Casablanca, Morocco. See www.bciaerospace.com/casablanca Sept. 21-22—American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics' Centennial of Naval Aviation Forum. Virginia Beach Convention Center. See www.aiaa.org
It doesn't take a road warrior to attest to how aggravating commercial air travel has become since 9/11—mostly to protect aircraft and airports from the threat of terrorism. That said, how much safer is the transport of passengers and cargo as a result of the billions of dollars that industry and government have invested in aviation security in the last 10 years, and how much better does it need to be?
This Block 30 F-16C is involved in a program to test various combinations of intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance sensors and weapons being conducted by the Air National Guard/Air Force Reserve Command Test Center at Tucson, Ariz. This program encompasses non-traditional, airborne intelligence gathering and targeting, which is one of the themes of the 25-page special report on the future of ISR that begins on page 44. In the case of the F-16C, the payload is a Litening Advanced Targeting pod, two AIM-120 Amraams, two AIM-9M Sidewinders, four GBU-38 500-lb.
“Reaping the Benefits” (AW&ST Aug 15, p. 48) underscores—via the example of the Airborne Infrared system (ABIR)—why the U.S. Missile Defense Agency (MDA) needs to be back under the auspices of the Joint Capabilities Integration Development System (JCIDS). MDA has planned $178.5 million for ABIR through fiscal 2012—and probably much more for the Persistent Tracking Satellite System (PTSS)—without any effectiveness evaluation in a simulated combat environment.
To my knowledge, in company literature about Virgin Galactic's SpaceShipTwo, Scaled Composites has not stated a PSI measurement inside the airframe at altitude, or what the minuscule pressure is outside. In the promotional videos, there is not much of a spacesuit portrayed. I would like to see a chart in a future article that shows the common PSIs in a variety of aircraft. Lacey, Wash.
In “Open Season” (AW&ST June 27, p. 60), you quote Ike Song, Northrop Grumman's vice president for situational awareness systems, as saying: “Shrinking defense budgets make us do the right thing, which is why open architecture is important.”
Your recent editorial “Congress Bickers, Citizens Suffer” (AW&ST Aug. 8, p. 66), states: “And cutting spending in the midst of a weak recovery is exactly the wrong time to act.” The lack of spending cuts is exactly what brought on the fiscal problem in the first place! Just when do you think the right time to act is? Some point in the future may be too late. Westminster, Colo.
In response to a Leading Edge blog about a six-engine solution to designing a vertical-takeoff-and-landing aircraft that can lose any one of its propulsion units and complete its mission: Marcase writes: With six engines, fuel consumption will be substantial for an airframe of that size. djanes says: I've seen a concept with four before . . .
Senior Editor Graham Warwick writes: “The history of the very light jet sector is enough to give anyone pause. . . . But Stratos Aircraft is pursuing its single-engine Stratos 614, completing wind-tunnel tests of a 1/5th-scale model . . .” Details and a video of the tests are on the Business Aviation Now blog site.
An Ares Defense blog, “France, U.S. Dominate Libya Air Strikes,” notes that the Atlantic Council's tally is being rebutted by the U.K., and that a detailed after-action report will be needed. Signatory concurs: Yep, need more info eventually. That list mixes up definitions a bit, and data come from various months.
ARSA (Aeronautic Repair Station Association) wants maintenance providers to take a short survey on how the FAA's partial shutdown impacted business operations. See “Turnaround Time,” Aviation Week's aftermarket blog site, to participate.
Jason W. Aiken has been appointed CFO of the Gulfstream Aerospace Corp., Savannah, Ga. He remains a VP of parent General Dynamics, where he has been controller. Aiken succeeds Daniel G. Clare, who is now president of GD subsidiary Jet Aviation. Kimberly A. Kuryea will follow Aiken as controller and corporate VP. She has been CFO of General Dynamics Advanced Information Systems.
Denise Peppard (see photo) has been named corporate VP/chief human resources officer for the Los Angeles-based Northrop Grumman Corp. She held similar positions at CSC and has been senior VP-human resources at Wyeth.
Reed Kimbell has become production manager of Sifco Applied Surface Concepts, Independence, Ohio. He held a similar position at Goodyear Tire and Rubber and GOJO Industries.
Kevin F. Brown (see photo) has been appointed vice president of Raytheon's Fort Meade, Md., operations and deputy of the Information Security Solutions product line. He was senior vice president of the Cybersecurity Services and Solutions Operation for the Science Applications International Corp. and has been an associate professor and lecturer at George Washington University.
Andrew W. Camp has rejoined Elliott Aviation as regional sales manager, based in Grand Rapids, Mich. He was a regional sales manager for Elliott in Omaha, Neb., before holding a similar position for Hawker Beechcraft Services in Wichita.
