Weldon, chairman of the House National Security R&D subcommittee, says he plans to hold "very aggressive" hearings next year on the Joint Strike fighter program, focusing on cost.
Ground controllers plan to try a little gentle jiggling next January and February in an effort to free a solar array on NASA's Mars Global Surveyor that hasn't fully deployed. The planetary mapper is right on target after a 58-second trajectory correction burn last Thursday, but with one array unlatched and tilted at about 20 degrees from where it should be, problems could arise when aerobraking begins to circularize its orbit around next fall.
The long-range plan to accompany the AF's new vision doesn't assume the U.S. will continue to have a technological edge wherever it fights. "The supposition we made is the environment is going to change for several reasons," says Maj. Gen. Dave McIlvoy, who heads the long-range planning effort. "Technology is going to become available to everyone, not only to state actors," he notes, adding that "we're not going to automatically have, like the U.S. has had so often, technological superiority."
The U.S. Ballistic Missile Defense Organization may encounter a shortage of targets for long range theater missile defense (TMD) intercept tests and is looking at several options to solve the problem, Brig. Gen. Curtis H. Emery II, BMDO's deputy for acquisition of TMD programs, said in an interview.
As the Dec. 13 date for a decision in the competition for the U.S. AIM-9X air-to-air missile program nears, Raytheon Co. revealed that it is bidding two designs. Hughes Aircraft Co. said early in the competition that it is offering two missiles of its own in an arrangement with British Aerospace. BAe, meanwhile, is offering the U.K. Advanced Short Range Air-to-Air Missile (ASRAAM).
Rep. Larry Combest (R-Tex.) has opted to leave the House Intelligence Committee chairman post in the 105th Congress. He intends to be vice chairman of the Agriculture Committee and chairman of its resources subcommittee. He will also be vice chairman on small business. No decision on a new chairman for the Intelligence Committee has been made, a committee aide says. Because it is a select committee, House Speaker Newt Gingrich (R-Ga.) will choose the new chairman and members. Next in line for the slot would be Rep. C.W.
Donald A. Lepore has been elected a corporate senior vice president of Litton Industries, Inc. James D. Benham has been promoted to the presidency of Litton's Electron Devices division, San Carlos, California.
The emergence of imaging seekers in missiles of potential enemies is prompting the U.S. Air Force to explore new countermeasures, according to a Nov. 21 Commerce Business Daily notice. The AF's Wright Laboratory at Wright Patterson AFB, Ohio, said in the notice that it plans to launch three programs to develop new countermeasures at a total cost of $1.2 million over the next 30 months.
Richard Wetenhall was appointed vice president, global business segments. He joined the ICO following six years with management consultants McKinsey and Company.
House National Security Chairman Rep. Floyd Spence (R-S.C.) yesterday released four government reports which he said backed his contention that China has been importing dual-use technologies from the U.S. and using them for military purposes.
U.S. NAVY P-3 aircraft have temporarily ceased flying over Zaire after anti-aircraft fire was directed at one the aircraft yesterday as it flew over Goma. The P-3 was patrolling at about 19,000 feet, the Pentagon said yesterday, out of range of the fire. Operations nevertheless were halted to review operational procedures, a Pentagon spokesman said.
American Airlines yesterday placed a firm order for 103 Boeing jets and "purchase rights" for 527 more in a deal that commits it to Boeing through the year 2018 and could change the way commercial aircraft are marketed and purchased. Experts value the order for the 103 jets at $4.7 billion to $5 billion - as much as 25% off the list price of $6.3 billion. But if all orders become firm, the deal could have a value of over $25 billion. American placed firm orders for 12 777-200s, 4 767-300ERs, 12 757- 200s and 75 737-800s.
Rep. Joseph M. McDade (R-Pa.) could learn which House Appropriations subcommittee chairmanship he will wind up with as early as today, congressional sources said yesterday. The House Republican leadership, hoping to avoid a battle over appropriations subcommittee chairmanships, has been trying to get McDade to take the military construction chairmanship. The chairmanship is vacant and McDade would ordinarily be in line for the post, but so far the Pennsylvania Republican hasn't indicated any interest in heading the panel, sources said.
The long-range plan being developed by the U.S. Air Force to guide it into the next century (DAILY, Nov. 20) will be closely tied to the near- term planning and budgeting process and will be reviewed regularly, Air Force leaders said yesterday. "We have built a structure to link this vision to our budget deliberations and to execute a disciplined review of this vision at intervals into the future," AF Secretary Sheila Widnall said in Washington as the service unveiled the strategy, called "Global Engagement: A Vision for the 21st Century Air Force."
James L. Sanford, former assistant treasurer and director-banking and international finance, has been appointed vice president-corporate contracts and pricing.
The U.S. Army has completed the final design review of the Raytheon Enhanced Fiber Optic Guided Missile, and will spend coming weeks to resolve remaining technical issues, an Army official said. A week-long evaluation in late September found that the design met 90% of requirements, leaving 10% unresolved, Maj. William Breffeilh, who monitors the program for the Army, told The DAILY during an interview at the Pentagon Tuesday. He said the service hopes to resolve the remaining issues by the end of the year.
Craig Landrith has been appointed to head its Huntsville, Ala., field office. He replaces Julian Campbell, Director Huntsville Operations, who has retired.
Andrew "Andy" MacAninch has been appointed director of international marketing for ITT Avionics. Prior to joining ITT Avionics, he served as president of AEL Systems International.
Malaysia and South Africa have signed a memorandum of understanding that paves the way for the possible sale of South African attack helicopters to the Southeast Asian country. Malaysia defense officials are slated to hold talks with South African helicopter manufacturer Denel to work out the number of Rooivalk and Oryx helicopters that Malaysia might want to acquire.
Charles E. Hillman was appointed vice president of operations. He succeeds Greg DeSantis, who was named vice president and general manager of Worldwide Customer Support.
The company has announced the following appointments: -- Gregory Phipps, corporate vice president of marketing. Most recently, he was regional vice president of Western Operations for Stream International. -- Mark McBride, vice president and corporate controller. Previously, he was vice president of finance and chief financial officer at HealthRider Inc. -- Peter Chiang, director of business development. He most recently served as vice president, mergers&acquisitions for Meridian Capital Markets, Philadelphia, Pa.
