TRISHUL REDUX: The Czech Republic has received four new Mi-24V/Mi-35 transport-combat helicopters from the Russian Federation, completing a seven-helicopter deal arranged as partial payment of Russian debts dating back to the Communist era. Czech defense officials said July 28 that the helicopters arrived recently at Prerov in central Moravia. The first batch of three arrived in late January but only started operations last month due to paperwork delays.
A senior special operations official is suggesting a possible new role for the Pentagon's growing fleet of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs): psychological operations, or "psyops." Psyops units, composed of Reserve and Guard personnel, are tasked with disseminating propaganda leaflets and broadcasting messages to discourage or intimidate opposing forces or civilians.
LONDON - Negotiations between BAE Systems and the U.K. Ministry of Defense (MoD) to supply 31-45 new upgraded Hawk Mk 128 lead-in fighter trainers to replace first-generation Hawks starting in 2007 apparently came to an abrupt halt last week. Although neither party has released official statements, press reports quoted an unidentified minister saying that BAE's original offer was "completely uneconomic." The company reportedly rejected a government counterproposal for a smaller buy last week.
CAPPS: Congress is on the verge of approving new restrictions on one of the Transportation Security Administration's (TSA) keystone aviation security programs, the second-generation Computer-Assisted Passenger Pre-screening System (CAPPS II). Legislation (H.R.2115) reauthorizing the FAA over the next four years requires the TSA to report to Congress on the effectiveness and fairness of CAPPS II before doing any major work on the program.
The Defense Department is seeking changes in the fiscal 2004 defense authorization bill to help keep the Air Force's 767 tanker lease plan on track. In documents submitted to Congress, DOD said it "supports the basic objective" of a provision in the House-passed bill that would provide $229.2 million for either sustaining the Air Force's aging KC-135E refueling aircraft or preparing for a purchase or lease of new Boeing 767 tankers (DAILY, May 8). The Senate version of the bill contains no such provision.
MOU SIGNED: The Boeing Co. and RTI-Systems Concern of Russia signed a memorandum of understanding on July 29 to work together in analyzing radar systems. Boeing and RTI-Systems hope to cooperate on matters related to missile defense, pending government approvals.
NEW DELHI - In a shift of stance, the Indian government now says it has not shelved the homegrown Trishul surface-to-air missile. Defense Minster George Fernandes told Indian Parliament that technological problems have been overcome and there is no decision to shelve the Trishul anti- missile missile program. Trishul missile is indigenously designed and developed by India's state-owned defense research agency, Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO).
The Air Force Research Laboratory's (AFRL) Directed Energy Directorate has awarded Boeing a $23 million contract to develop a mobile test bed for tactical laser beam control technologies. Dubbed the Mobile Active Targeting Resource for Integrated eXperiments (MATRIX) test bed, it will allow for the evaluation of new beam control algorithms as well as sensors for aiming, target acquisition, and target identification.
General Dynamics Corp. said July 29 it had obtained regulatory approval to acquire Veridian Corp., a provider of information technology products and services for defense and homeland security. Neither the Defense Department nor the Federal Trade Commission voiced objections to the planned acquisition, announced originally on June 9, General Dynamics officials said in a statement. The companies can now close the deal with shareholder approval. Veridian shareholders are scheduled to vote Aug. 7 on the proposed acquisition.
An F-5E fighter with a modified fuselage completed its first flight in Florida July 24, in preparation for a joint test program with the ultimate goal of developing aircraft that make quieter sonic booms.
PRESOV, Slovakia - Helicopter pilots from the Slovak air force and Britain's Royal Air force (RAF) completed their first joint exercise July 28 at the 3rd air base in Presov, east Slovakia. To Merlin HC3 medium support helicopters and more than 30 personnel from No. 28 Squadron based at RAF Benson took part in the exercise along with an unspecified number of Slovak helicopters.
President Bush's nominee for Army chief of staff has told the Senate Armed Services Committee that he plans to keep a close eye on the troubled RAH-66 Comanche program to ensure the Boeing-Sikorsky armed reconnaissance helicopter stays on track. "If confirmed, I will conduct my own assessment and work hard to ensure that the Comanche program continues forward on a solid path," Gen. Peter Schoomaker said in written comments to the committee, which held a hearing on his nomination July 29.
Raytheon Co. has been awarded a $32.4 million foreign military sales contract to produce five weapons control systems for the Royal Australian Navy's Collins-class diesel-electric submarines. Under the contract, Raytheon will develop five Combat Control System (CCS) Mk 2 weapon control systems, build an integrated test and training facility, and provide land-based development systems.
DRAGON EYE: The contractor downselect for the Marine Corps' Dragon Eye unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) program is expected at the end of August, according to a spokesman for the Marine Corps Warfighting Laboratory. A fixed-wing UAV with a 45-inch wingspan, the Dragon Eye can be stored in a backpack and launched by hand or with a bungee cord. Downselect between AeroVironment, Inc. and BAI Aerosystems has been pushed back repeatedly from an original schedule of late last year.
NEW DELHI - After three years of rigorous effort, the Indian Air Force has fine-tuned its Air Defense Ground Environment System (ADGES) for effective management of air defenses of the country. ADGES has been refined at a cost of around $200 million with the help of the state-owned Defense Research and Development Organization, DRDO and defense firms from Israel and France.
The U.S. Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) plans to award a $1 million prize to the winner of an unmanned ground vehicle (UGV) race next March, in the hope that the resulting technical innovations can be applied to its military UGV programs. The DARPA "Grand Challenge" is scheduled for March 13, 2004. Thirty-four teams already have signed up for the race, in which unmanned vehicles will have to make their way autonomously from Los Angeles, Calif., to Las Vegas, Nevada.
MOSCOW -The Russian aerospace agency is considering a concept that could lead to new space tourist flights to the International Space Station. Sergey Gorbunov, a spokesman for Rosaviakosmos, the Russian space agency confirmed July 24 the agency's plans for a Soyuz tourist vehicle on July 24. With two space tourists aboard paying the cost of the mission, Gorbunov said, Russia could build a dedicated Soyuz spacecraft that a single professional cosmonaut would fly to the International Space Station.
HEARING: The Senate Science, Technology, and Space subcommittee will hold a hearing in Washington July 30 to discuss the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's (NOAA) space-related activities, as well as other issues related to space exploration.
SMALL BOMB: Lockheed Martin's Small Diameter Bomb (SDB) has been released successfully from an F-15E Strike Eagle fighter-bomber, completing another step in the bomb's flight testing, the company said July 28. In a statement, the company said the F-15E released the bomb at 20,000 ft. while flying at Mach 0.66 over Eglin Air Force Base, Fla. The company said the test demonstrated the aircraft-to-weapon interface, safe separation, and fin and wing deployment and operation.
The Stafford-Covey Return to Flight Task Group (SCTG), which will perform an independent assessment of NASA's space shuttle return-to-flight effort, will have its first public meeting at Kennedy Space Center, Fla. on Aug. 7. Co-chaired by former Apollo commander Thomas Stafford and space shuttle commander Richard Covey, the task group will ensure that NASA fully implements the recommendations of the Columbia Accident Investigation Board (CAIB).
Northrop Grumman Corp. reported a 57 percent jump in second-quarter sales and a 36 percent increase in contract acquisitions on July 28. The sales growth was driven largely by the company's Space Technology and Mission Systems sectors, which were acquired from the former TRW Inc. The Integrated Systems and Ship Systems also recorded strong quarter-over-quarter sales growth of 19 percent.
