Sen. Barbara A. Mikulski (D-Md.), senior Democrat on the House panel that funds NASA, says she will fight the proposed Headquarters cuts announced by NASA last week (DAILY, April 18). "I want the employees at NASA to know I am on their side," she says. "I will fight these personnel reductions just as I have fought proposed budget cuts. I will stand sentry for the NASA budget in Congress and I will take my fight all the way to the Oval Office if need be." Sen.
The intelligence community can bolster its use of commercial satellite imagery to more effectively meet some of its requirements, the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence says in a staff study. The study also says that while some believe the small satellite initiative and declassification of imagery from national satellites will put companies out of business, the companies developed their systems with the aircraft imagery market in mind, not just the U.S. government.
Concerned about the growing spread of weapons of mass destruction, Sen. Pete V. Domenici (R.-N.M.) recommends a "major Manhattan-like project" to counter the threat. "We won't go another decade without a weapons of mass destruction disaster," he says. During a Senate Appropriations defense subcommittee hearing, Domenici says he wants a large group of scientists to be assembled to solve the problem.
France's Dassault Aviation will begin an 18-month program in May to deliver 60 Mirage fighters to Taiwan, despite Chinese pressure on Paris to halt the weapons sale. Another 160 Lockheed Martin F-16s should start deliveries to Taiwan in July, Taiwan officials say.
Michael T. Kennedy, former director of International Space Station pressured elements integrated product development team, was named director and general manager of the Delta III Launch Vehicle Division.
Rep. Curt Weldon (R-Pa.) puts the blame on the Senate for the disaster of the fiscal 1996 defense authorization -President Clinton vetoed the first version and it didn't become law until January of this year, after conferees junked the offending missile defense section - and says things will be different this time around, with the House National Security Committee moving into the "pre-markup" phase of the '97 defense authorization.
U.S. Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Ronald Fogleman tells the Senate Appropriations defense subcommittee that the total cost to upgrade the B-1B bomber with new avionics, conventional munitions modifications and electronic countermeasures enhancements will be $2.7 billion over six years.
ITALY AND GERMANY today plan to sign the memorandum of understanding for the Medium Extended Air Defense System (MEADS) program, and the U.S. is expected to sign the treaty later. After a week of tense negotiations, France is now officially out of the international air defense program, but has the option to rejoin at a later date, a Pentagon spokeswoman said. How France's 20% cost and work share will be divided between the participants wasn't yet resolved.
Terry Knox, previously vice president business management, Rogerson Aircraft Corp., Irvine, Calif., has been named regional marketing manager to cover the West coast.
Gaylon Chamberlain has been appointed director of standards at FlightSafety's Cessna Citation learning center, Wichita, Kans. Previously, he was a simulator/flight instructor in all models of Citation aircraft, as well as a pilot proficiency examiner and FAA pilot designated examiner. Harry Houckes was named assistant manager of the FlightSafety Savannah Learning Center. Most recently, he was manager for worldwide flight operations of the Mobil air fleet from the Fairfax, Va., base.
The B-2 bomber's reliability and maintainability (R&M) is assessed as "positive" overall by Northrop Grumman and U.S. Air Force test pilots. In charts presented at last week's Society of Experimental Test Pilots conference in Springfield, Va., there were some apparent shortfalls. For instance, mean flying hours between unscheduled maintenance (MFHBUM) was listed as 0.19 versus 0.21 required after 2,124 flight hours; maintenance man-hours per flight hour (MMH/FH) stood at 59.4, below the 66.6 required.
Bruce M. Zorich, who most recently served as vice president, automotive operations, Senior Flexonics, Bartlett, Illinois, was named president of Huck International, a Thiokol Corp. subsidiary.
Allan H. Bergquist, former director, marketing of AlliedSignal's Aerospace Environment Control Systems Business Unit, has been appointed vice president, sales and marketing.
Once-small startup Orbital Sciences Corp. turned in 1996 first-quarter revenues of $104.8 million last week, marking the first time the company's revenues topped $100 million. Sales were 18% ahead of year-ago levels, and earnings jumped to $3 million from a re-stated $1.1 million net loss in 1995's first quarter. Firm contract backlog was more than a third higher at $540 million than at the end of last year's first quarter.
Raymond C. Stark, previously vice president of materials management for AlliedSignal Aerospace's parent Co., AlliedSignal Inc., Morristown, N.J., was appointed president of the company's Government Electronic Systems (GES) business. Stark succeeds David Tawfik, who resigned to pursue other interest. Fred McClintock, who had been vice president of materials management for AlliedSignal Aerospace, succeeds Stark. The company also announced the following appointments: Thomas R. Glenn, director, inventory/total quality/systems.
Despite schedule problems the Russian Space Agency may be encountering on development of the service module for Space Station, NASA's other international partners are making good progress, says Wilbur C. Trafton, associate administrator of NASA's office of space flight.
The U.S. shouldn't give up its quest for higher-speed flight, but can't blindly throw money at hypersonics research, an official of the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency told the House Science subcommittee on space and aeronautics.
Over 83,000 pounds of flight hardware has been manufactured for Space Station, Trafton says. "We have a long way to go before launch, but 83,000 pounds is a significant amount of hardware and signals to a great extent that we have moved out of the design phase and into the manufacturing or development phase of the program."
Benjamin F. Johnson III, former director of Military/Government Programs and vice president, customer support, has been promoted to director, aviation programs.
Philip S. Carmichael has been named vice president of Rockwell Overseas Corp. and chief representative for China. Prior to joining Rockwell, Carmichael held several leadership positions for EG&G, including president, services; general manager, EG&G China Operations and chief representative in China.
David M. Walker, (USN, Capt.) has been appointed vice president, sales and marketing for NDC Voice Corp. in Southern California. Bernard A. Harris, Jr. was named staff vice president of operations for SPACEHAB Inc., Houston, Tex.
"It seems like every time the scientists look away, the centrifuge disappears from us...we have to keep coming back to fight for it," says Anthony W. England, a member of the National Research Council's Space Studies Board. "Most of us believe the primary value of the Space Station will be in the life sciences," he said, adding that the centrifuge is needed to ensure that such experiments can take place.
SIMULA INC., Phoenix, will produce redesigned sidewall troop sets for the C-17 airlifter under a $1.37 million contract from McDonnell Douglas. The award, to the Simula Government Products subsidiary, brings the total value of the sidewall seating contracts to more than $7 million, according to the company.
Countering a bill proposed by Sen. Dale Bumpers (D-Ark.) to slip the F-22 fighter program by five years, U.S. Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Ronald Fogleman said such a move would cost at least $8 billion. Bumpers said Wednesday during a hearing of the Senate Appropriations defense subcommittee an F-22 slip could save $6 billion. He cited a Navy intelligence analysis showing that the F/A-18E/F strike fighter will go uncontested in the air until about 2015. Therefore, he said, the F-22 could be slipped with low risk.
