Textron's Bell Helicopter is pitching its four-bladed UH-1N Huey upgrade to the U.S. Air Force, a move that is part of Bell's effort to show that a Marine Corps buy of the 4BN would benefit all the military services. Webb Joiner, chairman Bell Helicopter, told Pentagon acquisition chief Paul Kaminski in a letter obtained by The DAILY that Bell has "submitted a Joint-Service, multi-year proposal for the four-bladed twin T700-GE-401 powered UH-1N(4BN) to the U.S. Air Force" to support its ICBMs.
Several House candidates say they intend to file for recounts in races that were extremely close in last week's election. House National Security Committee members Bob Dornan (R-Calif.) and Peter Torkildsen (R-Mass.) were in tight races where a recount is expected.
Rep. Joseph McDade (R-Pa.) definitely will seek the chairmanship of the full House Appropriations Committee, a spokesman for the congressman says. McDade, acquitted in August of charges that he accepted bribes from defense contractors, wasn't permitted to chair the committee when the Republicans took control of the Congress two years ago because he was under indictment. There was some uncertainty before last week's election whether McDade would try to push Rep. Bob Livingston (R- La.) out of the top appropriator slot. Livingston has indicated he wants to stay.
U.N. sanctions are squelching Iraq's ability to buy modern air defense equipment, a senior Defense Dept. official says. "There's no question in our mind that they would buy [Russian] SA-10s [surface-to-air missiles] if they could," he says. Baghdad would also buy Su-27 fighters and more MiG-29s from Russia, the official says. "It is literally the U.N. sanctions that are keeping a cap" on Iraq's hunger for weapons, he says.
Two newly elected Democratic senators - Max Cleland (Ga.) and Mary L. Landrieu (La.) - have expressed interest in serving on the Senate Armed Services Committee. In the House, six members of the incoming freshmen class have listed among their choices a preference for serving on the House National Security Committee. The prospects are good that virtually all of those requests will be met. The final makeup of the new Senate will be 55 Republicans and 45 Democrats, a ratio that will be reflected in committee assignments next year.
The U.S. Air Force has picked a team led by Lockheed Martin for the Space-Based Infrared System to define overall SBIRS architecture, build the SBIRS ground system and develop and build SBIRS satellites that will serve the future missile warning system following on to the Defense Support Program. The Air Force awarded Lockheed Martin a $1.6 billion contract for SBIRS engineering and manufacturing development, the Pentagon announced late Friday. Of the total contract about $65.5 million were obligated immediately.
The official expects French-Iraqi arms relations to be reestablished once the U.N. drops its embargo on Iraq. A senior DOD official said "I wouldn't be shocked at all if by 2005 we see a [French] Rafale [fighter] in parts of the Iraqi order of battle."
Moody's Investors Service expects an increase in the pace of the consolidation of the European defense industry to catch up with U.S. rivals, but says joint ventures and partnerships will preferred over outright mergers. Moody's also says U.S. consolidation isn't over, predicting that future Pentagon budgets will support less than four out of five existing missile houses, two of four military aircraft makers, two or three of the five military-satellite manufacturers, and two out of five rocket motor companies.
BOEING completed production of the wings for the first F-22 fighter. The wings will be shipped to Marietta, Ga., today, where Lockheed Martin will join the wings with the fuselage, Boeing said.
Lockheed Martin agreed to sell two of its business units, Lockheed Martin Defense Systems and Lockheed Martin Armament Systems, to General Dynamics for $450 million, the companies announced yesterday. The transaction has been approved by both boards of directors and is subject to regulatory approvals. Defense Systems produces combat vehicles, and Armament Systems supplies gun systems. The two units are expected to produce approximately $500 million in sales in 1996.
The Pentagon is recommending several acquisition changes to allow better use of commercially-developed integrated circuits. Pentagon acquisition chief Paul Kaminski endorsed a special study group's report recommending the changes. The 62-page report - "Overcoming Barriers to the Use of Commercial Integrated Circuit Technology in Defense Systems" - says using more commercial IC products and production facilities will help the Defense Dept. by allowing it to more rapidly update its weapon systems.
McDonnell Douglas believes it can cut present U.S. Air Force launch costs in half or better with a Delta variant built around a new cryogenic engine Rocketdyne is developing for the purpose, along with a new approach to processing the "Delta IV" vehicle it has entered in the Pentagon's Evolved Expendable Launch Vehicle sweepstakes.
Alan H. Rutan has joined American Science and Engineering Inc. (AS&E), Billerica, Mass., as vice president of engineering, the company announced. Rutan left Raytheon after 11 years, serving most recently as manager of the Air Defense Systems Department.
COMPUTER SCIENCES CORP., Falls Church, Va., is a member of a team selected to replace maintenance information systems throughout the U.S. Air Force, the company announced. Andersen Consulting won the $72.5 million Integrated Maintenance Data Systems contract from Electronic Systems Center at Hanscom AFB, Mass. CSC will be responsible for establishing a common operating environment, commercial-off-the-shelf support and security services.
Tracor Inc. subsidiary GDE Systems Inc., San Diego, will purchase 100% of the stock of privately held ADR Associates Inc., Pennsauken, N.J., GDE announced. Tracor Chairman James B. Skaggs said the move positions Tracor "for the anticipated government outsourcing of an estimated $100 million per year of commercial digital mapping products."
LITTON said its Guidance&Control Systems unit won a contract from British Aerospace Military Aircraft Div. to provide a replacement navigation system for all U.K. Royal Navy FA2 Sea Harriers. Litton said yesterday it will make 63 INS/GPS systems with options for eight more. Deliveries begin in May 1997.
Hughes Aircraft Co. signed an agreement with the U.S. Army's Communications-Electronics Command (CECOM) to implement a team approach to acquisition reform, Hughes announced yesterday. The agreement calls for senior managers of Hughes and the Army to meet regularly to discuss programs Hughes is performing for the Army. "We envision this agreement as a model for partnerships between CECOM and other contractors doing business with the command," Maj. Gen. Gerard Brohm, CECOM commander, said in a prepared statement.
ROCKWELL INTERNATIONAL received a $350 million contract from GEC-Marconi to provide elements for Brimstone, the U.K.'s new anti-armor missile system. As the prime contractor, GEC-Marconi is responsible for the seeker and final assembly. Rockwell said it will provide Hellfire missile system expertise, subsystems other than the seeker, the launcher and missile/launcher system integration.
Pentagon communications planners foresee a need for as much as 663 megabytes per second of surge capability on commercial satellite transponders worldwide to support a two-war scenario by 2005, and are willing to consider a variety of different financial arrangements with satellite operators to get it in an emergency.
CIVIL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION OF CHINA and the China Aviation Supplies Import&Export Corp. together have placed a $130 million order for CFM International engines for 13 new Airbus A320 aircraft. They are to be delivered between 1997 and 2000, with 10 going to China Northwest and three to Zhejiang Airlines.
Effects of Tuesday's elections on the House Appropriations Committee and its national security, transportation and VA-HUD subcommittees are listed in the following tabulations, prepared by The DAILY. House Appropriations Committee Republicans State Incumbent Outcome ----- --------- ------- La. Robert Livingston won in Sept. open primary Pa. Joseph McDade won
LOCKHEED MARTIN Tactical Defense Systems said it has won a $50 million contract to upgrade radar, computers, displays and communication systems in Norway's P-3C surveillance and patrol fleet. The company will work with Norwegian companies Rescission, Kongsberg Gruppen ASA, Siemens, Teleplan and Nera. Modification of the four aircraft will begin in 1997, with final delivery in 1999.
NASA's Mars Global Surveyor lifted off on time yesterday for a 10- month voyage that could be the first step in a decade-long effort to learn whether life ever existed on the Red Planet, and perhaps whether it exists there still. A McDonnell Douglas Delta II rocket boosted the Jet Propulsion Lab probe from Cape Canaveral Air Station, Fla., 50 seconds after noon EST, right on time for the planetary launch window yesterday but a day late because of high winds over the pad on Wednesday (DAILY, Nov. 7).
A domino effect could ripple through House leadership posts, resulting in a changes to the Select Committee on Intelligence and Appropriations subcommittee on national security, among others, according to Hill sources. Rep. Larry Combest (R-Tex.), chairman of the Intelligence Committee, is eligible to continue to serve there, but isn't sure he will do so. The chairmanship and makeup of the committee won't be decided until party caucuses meet the week of Nov. 18.
European aerospace leaders are calling for a strong, supranational aviation authority in Europe to offset the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration. "A single European aviation authority is urgently needed to counterbalance the weight of the FAA and its influence on airlines worldwide," said Raul Herranz de Miguel, president and CEO of Spain's Construcciones Aeronauticas (CASA).
