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.
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.
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.
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).
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.
Raytheon Co. hopes to receive approval later this year to begin full production of the AIM-9X Sidewinder short-range air-to-air missile, according to Jim Turecek of the company's Missile Systems unit in Tucson, Ariz. Full production is "coming up," said Turecek, who is manager of air-to-air business development. Raytheon is waiting for the operational test report, which will detail performance of the missile during operational testing.
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.
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.
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.
QUANTICO, Va. -- No U.S. Marine Corps attack helicopters was shot down during Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF), but the fleet was so heavily damaged in combat that service officials are expressing doubt about two fundamental wartime roles for rotor-wing aircraft, a senior commander said July 29.
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.
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.
PRAGUE - Boeing's Czech arm, Boeing Ceska, is to review its position on the controversial nomination of former defense minister Jaroslav Tvrdik to the board of Aero Vodochody after shareholders failed to appoint him at a general meeting. In a statement released July 25, Boeing Ceska - which holds a 35 percent stake in the state-owned aircraft manufacturer - said it had asked last week for postponement of a decision on Tvrdik's nomination until is has been reviewed further.
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.
The House Armed Services Committee (HASC) late July 25 became the third congressional panel to approve an Air Force proposal to lease 100 Boeing 767 refueling aircraft, leaving the Senate Armed Services Committee (SASC) as the potential deal's last remaining hurdle on Capitol Hill.
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.
European Union commissioners have approved plans by Rheinmetall A.G. of Germany to take over the division of STN Atlas Electronik GmbH that manufactures fire control systems for combat vehicles. STN Atlas' Land and Airborne Systems division, which make the fire control systems, is owned partly by BAE Systems PLC. BAE Systems has decided to sell its shares in the business. The July 28 decision by the commissioners opens the way for Rheinmetall and BAE Systems to split STN Atlas in two.
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).
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.
CORRECTION: A July 28 article in The Daily, "V-22 program backs off proposal to raise FY '05 production rate," incorrectly stated that the Defense Acquisition Board would not consider an option to increase manufacturing rates. "All options are still on the table," Col. Dan Schultz told The Daily. Also, the program is studying an option to start a multi-year program in FY '07, not FY '06.
A House-Senate conference committee has approved legislation directing the FAA to set up a research and development program aimed at achieving dramatic improvements in rotorcraft technology.
