Japan and Norway are among countries showing interest in the upgraded Cobra helicopter, the AH-1Z, but the best prospect is still Turkey, which is expected to narrow the list of candidates in its competition to two or three in a few weeks. Maj. Aaron Aldridge, the H-1 program official for Marine Corps Headquarters, said yesterday in Washington that while Japan and Norway have expressed interest in the AH-1Z, they have not requested a letter of offer.
The White House has cleared the way for an easing of economic sanctions against India and Pakistan, a move that would permit the Export-Import Bank to reinstate its guarantee of financing for six Boeing 737-800 aircraft, part of a 10-aircraft order of new 737s by Jet Airways of India.
RUSSIA SET the launch of its "Zarya" control module for the International Space Station at 9:40 a.m. Moscow time Nov. 20, as expected. A proposal by RSC Energia to delay the launch so Zarya's orbital plane would allign with Mir (DAILY, Nov. 9) was rejected because it was made too late, Itar-Tass reported.
Boeing Commercial plans to keep its production lines running during the Thanksgiving and Christmas-New Years holidays when employees are traditionally given time off. The company said it is committed to producing 550 aircraft this year and is "working hard to meet aircraft delivery commitments in the fourth quarter."
MICRODYNE CORP., Alexandria, Va., won a three-year, $3.8 million contract from the Spanish Air Force for upgrades of test range equipment and system integration. The contract calls for the design, supply, integration, installation and testing of airborne equipment and ground-based flight test tracking systems at four locations. These will support NATO aircraft test programs and the Eurofighter test program in Spain.
TITAN CORP., San Diego, entered into an agreement with Sakon, an international telephone service provider and communications company, to provide carrier, direct dial rural telephony and enhanced communication services to developing countries in Africa, Latin America, the Middle East and Southeast Asia. The agreement calls for Titan to obtain an initial 19% equity stake in Sakon, with an option to increase the ownership to more than 50%.
The U.K. Ministry of Defense described its new Defense Diversification Agency (DDA), which is designed to strengthen U.K. industry by harnessing British defense technology. The MOD said in a white paper, "Defense Diversification: Getting the Most out of Defense Technology," that the agency will work closely with existing business support organizations to provide assistance and advice to companies looking to use defense technology for civil use.
Platforms International, Redlands, Calif., signed a memorandum of understanding with NovaTel AB of Sweden that allows NovaTel to exclusively market Platforms' Airborne Relay Communications (ARC) system in Scandinavia for five years. Platforms will deliver ARC aircraft and all hardware and software by July 1, 1999, and NovaTel will become responsible for implementation of the system by Dec. 31, 1999.
Canadian Airlines and MTU Munich, assisted by the government of British Columbia, launched MTU Maintenance Canada, which will be responsible for the Vancouver-based maintenance and repair of the carrier's aircraft engines. MTU Munich holds 70% of the venture and Canadian Airlines holds 30%. The government will contribute $19.5 million in loans. The new company will use existing infrastructure at the airline's Vancouver Operations Center, and will operate at the outset with more than 200 employees.
Aeroflex Laboratories Inc. and Lockheed Martin's Sanders unit signed a manufacturing and technology license agreement giving Aeroflex an exclusive license to make mircoelectronic RISC Processor Boards used in various avionics systems using Sanders' technology.
Changes in the RAH-66 Comanche helicopter program reflect concerns expressed in the latest Pentagon Inspector General report, the U.S. Army said. The IG criticized the program for having only two prototypes and six early operational capability aircraft; it also expressed concern with what it said was late development of the fire control system and the fact that an Analysis of Alternatives (AOA) hasn't been conducted since 1991.
The U.S. Special Operations Command will get a close look at a British aerial refueling pod to determine whether it could be carried by the MC-130H Combat Talon II aircraft. The underwing-mounted hose-and-drogue pod would allow SOCOM MC-130H Combat Talon IIs to refuel special operations helicopters on deep penetration missions. MC-130E Combat Talon Is of the U.S. Air Force's Special Operations Command already can perform such a mission.
Orbital Sciences Corp. broke in Alaska's new spaceport late Thursday with a suborbital rocket flight designed to test early warning radars and command and control systems on the West Coast of the U.S. The Atmospheric Interceptor Technology (AIT) rocket, based on deactivated second and third stage Minuteman II motors, flew about 1,000 miles south from the Kodiak Launch Complex on Kodiak Island, Alaska, in a 16-minute flight that took it to an altitude of about 450 miles, Orbital said.
The board of directors of Alliant Techsystems authorized the company to repurchase up to 2.8 million shares of its common stock, or about 23% of the outstanding shares, pursuant to a modified "Dutch auction" tender offer. The offer invites shareholders to tender all or part of their shares at a price not greater than $77 nor less than $67 per share.
The boards of directors of Textron Inc. and Finmeccanica approved a joint venture between Bell Helicopter Textron and Agusta - Bell/Agusta Aerospace Co. - that will design, develop and manage new aircraft. The companies signed an agreement at the Farnborough Air Show to form the joint venture to manage the Bell BA609 civil tiltrotor and the Agusta AB319, a new 12-15 passenger helicopter (DAILY, Sept. 9).
NASA's Space Shuttle Discovery landed safely at Kennedy Space Center Saturday, bringing a slightly wobbly Sen. John Glenn back to Earth after a nostalgic nine-day science mission. Touchdown came at 12:03 p.m. EST after controllers decided crosswinds at KSC's Shuttle landing strip were not severe enough to force a wave-off. Astronaut Curt Brown, commander of the STS-95 mission, stopped Discovery's rollout using brakes only because of problems with the orbiter's drogue chute that cropped up during liftoff Oct. 29.
November 2 Boeing Military Aircraft and Missile Systems Group, Wichita, Kan., is being awarded a $30,000,000 cost-plus-award-fee contract to provide for engineering services through December 1999 in support of the B-52 aircraft. There was one firm solicited and one proposal received. Solicitation issue date was Aug. 5, 1998. Negotiation completion date was Oct. 5, 1998. Oklahoma City Air Logistics Center, Tinker AFB, Okla., is the contracting activity (F34601-99-C-0006).
EVANS&SUTHERLAND, Salt Lake City, will supply the visual system for Turkish Airlines Inc.'s new 737-800 flight simulator, which is being made by CAE Electronics Ltd., Montreal. E&S will deliver a three-channel ESIG-3350GT image generator and three ESCP 2000 raster/calligraphic projectors. The simulator will be installed in Istanbul and is scheduled to be ready for training in December 1999.
Flight testing of the Joint Helmet Mounted Cueing System, intended to allow fighter pilots to attack targets at high off-boresight angles, has begun on the F-15 and F/A-18. Tests on the F-15 started Oct. 22 at Edwards AFB, Calif., and tests on the F/A-18 began Nov. 2 at the Naval Air Warfare Center, China Lake, Calif., according to Boeing, which integrates the system into the two fighters. Lockheed Martin will integrate it into the F-16. It is also slated for use on the F-22 and Joint Strike Fighter.
