MINE DETECTION: The Army Communications Electronics Command (CECOM) has released a draft request for proposals (RFP) for the Ground Standoff Mine Detection System (GSTAMIDS) for the Future Combat Systems (FCS) program. The system would be used to detect, mark and neutralize land mines. It would be installed on an unmanned MULE (Multi-Purpose Utility, Logistics And Equipment) ground vehicle. As part of the program, an option for an Airborne Cueing Sensor (ACS) would be exercised in FY '06.
X-37: Following the completion of structural testing in Huntington Beach, Calif., the first of two vehicles in NASA's X-37 program is on track for its first atmospheric flight test next year, according to the agency. The X-37 program is building two demonstrators - an Approach and Landing Test Vehicle and an orbital vehicle - to demonstrate technologies needed for NASA's Orbital Space Plane (OSP) program. The recently completed series of ground tests simulated stresses that may be experienced by the Approach and Landing Test Vehicle during flight.
V-22 program officials plan to inform the Defense Acquisition Board (DAB) on July 31 that they oppose a proposal to intensify production in fiscal 2005, and instead favor investing in a series of cost-saving manufacturing improvements, government and industry officials told The Daily. The board is scheduled to consider increasing the FY '05 production rate from 11 aircraft, the minimum sustaining level, to 15, to improve manufacturing efficiencies and send a vote of confidence on the once-endangered program to potential suppliers.
Lockheed Martin on July 24 reported a 29 percent drop in net profits for the second quarter due to a higher pension expenses and a $41 million charge for leaving the commercial mail-sorting business. But second-quarter net sales rose 23 percent due to strong sales of military aircraft and government satellite programs, officials said. Second-quarter net earnings fell from $339 million a year ago to $242 million. Second quarter net sales rose from $6.3 billion a year ago to $7.7 billion.
The Iraq war highlighted several gaps in the U.S. military's command, control, communications and computer (C4) capabilities, according to Navy Rear Adm. Nancy Brown, the Joint Staff's vice director for C4. While systems such as the Predator and Global Hawk unmanned aerial vehicles have been celebrated for their role in Iraq, not enough has been done to integrate those systems into an overall communications architecture, Brown said at a recent Women in Aerospace forum on lessons learned in Iraq.
In a restructuring, the U.S. Air Force is formally retiring the C-9A Nightingale medical evacuation transport and the KC-135E Stratotanker aerial refueler. The actions, which included a cut of more than 6,000 uniformed and civilian positions, were announced late July 23. The Air Force is realigning its force levels in response to the increasing demands of the war on terrorism, service officials said.
Three Boeing units are suspended from doing business with the Pentagon for at least two months and the company will lose seven launch contracts valued at roughly $1 billion for its part in a scheme to steal a rival's documents in a satellite competition, the U.S. Air Force announced July 24. The move reduces the share of Boeing's Delta 5 rocket in the EELV program from 19 launches awarded so far to 12. Lockheed Martin's Atlas 5, meanwhile gains seven more contracts to total 14.
NEW DELHI -- StratCom, a U.S.-based company that is developing a large, stratospheric airship, has sought assistance from India's Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO), an Indian Ministry of Defence (MOD) official said. An Indian Ministry of Defence (MOD) official said the request was made during a meeting last week between StratCom's Lt. Gen. James Abrahamson (USAF-Ret.) and ISRO chairman Dr. Krishnaswamy Kasturirangan.
LEXINGTON PARK, Md. - Developing cooperative, adaptive autonomous controls is one of the most critical prerequisites for integrating unmanned combat air vehicles (UCAVs) smoothly into network-centric operations, according to an official with Boeing's unmanned systems division. Unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) operations are quickly moving from standoff surveillance into high-risk combat environments, according to Stan Kasprzyk, a former F-15 pilot who works in Boeing's unmanned systems division.
NEW DELHI - India's Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) has digitized and tested its Lakshya unmanned target aircraft, a DRDO scientist has confirmed. With the digitization, Lakshya also can be used for surveillance the scientist said. The Aeronautical Development Agency (ADE), a Defence Research and Development Organisation outfit, conducted the first trials of the digital reusable aerial target vehicle at the Interim Test Range at Chandipur-on-Sea , disclosed the DRDO scientist.
LONDON - The UK Ministry of Defence has formed a partnership with defense contractors to explore networked-enabled warfare capabilities, the ministry said July 24. The partnership includes BAE Systems, QinetiQ and other leading UK defense companies. UK Defense Procurement Minister Lord Bach said that BAE Systems would provide overall industry leadership for the 50 million pound ($81.25 million) three-year assessment phase. The project would be based at BAE's Farnborough administrative site, in Hampshire, alongside some QinetiQ facilities.
UCAR: The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) and the Army have chosen teams led by Lockheed Martin and Northrop Grumman to proceed into the second phase of the Unmanned Combat Armed Rotorcraft (UCAR) program, DARPA announced July 24.
NEW DELHI - The Indian Defense Minister, George Fernandes, has told the Indian Parliament that the long-stalled $1.5 billion deal with BAE Systems for the Hawk 100 trainer has reached an advanced stage. After saying earlier this month that it could take up to three years to complete an advanced jet trainer (AJT) deal, Fernandes told Parliament July 24 that "Negotiations to purchase Advanced Jet Trainers from Britain are at an advanced stage and the Indian government is awaiting certain clarifications".
Government and industry officials are to meet in Washington July 30 to consider a plan intended to give unmanned aerial vehicles routine access to U.S. airspace. "This is a fundamental meeting to get consensus on where we go" with a proposal called Access Five, one industry official said in a July 24 telephone interview.
A panel of entrepreneurs hoping to become pioneers in the space tourism business asked Capitol Hill lawmakers to solve the regulatory problems they feel are holding the industry back during a hearing in Washington July 24. A jurisdictional dispute is currently underway within FAA as to whether emerging suborbital reusable launch vehicles (RLV) such as Scaled Composites' SpaceShipOne should be licensed as spacecraft or aircraft (DAILY, July 9).
Raytheon Co. reported strong second-quarter growth in net sales and profits, but earnings from continuing operations fell 17 percent due to higher pension costs. Second quarter net income rose from a net loss of $136 million a year ago to a net gain of $100 million this year. Second-quarter net sales rose from $4.1 billion a year ago to $4.4 billion.
In the Iraq war, the U.S. military demonstrated significant progress in conducting close air support and tracking friendly forces, but improvements are still needed, according to Air Force Gen. Richard Myers, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
CRASH REPORT: NASA's X-43A hypersonic vehicle crashed June 2, 2001, due to several cases of analytical modeling mistakes, especially on the fin actuation system, aerodynamics and modeling parameters, a NASA mishap investigation board disclosed July 23.
The U.S. Air Force explored the possibility of replacing its aging KC-135E aerial refuelers with existing commercial airplanes before concluding it would be better off acquiring new Boeing KC-767As instead, the Air Force's acquisition chief said July 23.
The U.S. Air Force is sharpening its approach to reducing risk in the battle management command, control and communications (BMC3) segment of the projected Space-Based Radar (SBR) system. The Air Force Research Laboratory's Rome, N.Y., Research Site names three reasons for re-releasing a Dec. 30, 2002, FedBizOpps notice to industry on the subject.
Northrop Grumman is exploring potential new uses for the ground-based Mobile Tactical High Energy Laser (MTHEL), including placing the system at or near airports to protect commercial and military aircraft against shoulder-fired missiles, a company official said July 23.
