The two Joint STARS aircraft now operating in Bosnia will have to return to the U.S. in the spring, Terry Ryan, the Defense Airborne Reconnaissance Office's deputy for plans and programs, said Wednesday during a conference in Arlington, Va. The planes - an E-8A and an E-8C - will be called back because they're not operational aircraft yet, Ryan said.
John D. Hankammer, formerly chief of maintenance for Mobil Corp. Aviation Department, Washington, D.C., was appointed to the newly created position of manager, customer service and maintenance operations.
Alliant Techsystems, Minneapolis, will develop a fiber-placed composite pivot shaft for the F-22 fighter to replace a forged titanium shaft design and reduce the weight of the aircraft's tail area by 100 pounds.
David C. Schoen has joined the company as chief technical officer. Prior to joining the company, Schoen was vice president of engineering at Orbital Communications Corp.
A chemical compound known as cubane in development at the U.S. Army's Armaments Research, Development and Engineering Center, Picatinny Arsenal, N.J., has the potential of being 25-30% more powerful than HMX, the service's most powerful explosive now, according to researchers at the center.
Roger I. Ramseier, president of Aerojet and executive vice president of GenCorp, has been elected chairman of the board of the American Defense Preparedness Association (ADPA).
Peter R. Smith, president and CEO of the Aerospace Industries Association of Canada (AIAC), has been elected chairman of Airshow Canada, the international aviation and aerospace tradeshow based in Abbotsford.
Robert G. Lambert, currently chairman of Aviall's board of directors, has been named to the additional position of president and chief executive of Aviall, Inc.
Darwin D. Beckel, president of Litton's Guidance and Control Systems Division, was elected a corporate vice president. John M. Leonis has been elected chairman and Michael R. Brown, president.
Bidding for the right to use the last remaining Direct Broadcast Satellite (DBS) spectrum covering the U.S. ended yesterday with a winning bid of $682.5 million from MCI, after rival EchoStar folded in round 19 with a bid of $650 million. MCI bid the minimum set by the Federal communications Commission in round 18. It wound up bidding almost as much for its FCC license as Hughes invested in its entire DirecTv operation, which received its license before FCC started auctioning off satellite spectrum.
William P. Jones, previously Director of radar and sensor programs for Defense Systems Division, was appointed Director of Business Development for the Countermeasures Division. Howard L. Rhude, formerly finance director for Lockheed Martin Communications Co., Camden, N.J., has been named vice president of finance, effective Feb. 1. He succeeds Sal Magnano, who is retiring after 32 years of service with the company.
Despite what he called "troublesome micromanagement" aspects inserted into the defense authorization bill by Congress, DOD spokesman Ken Bacon confirmed yesterday that Defense Secretary William Perry would recommend to President Clinton that he sign it, and expressed optimism that Clinton would do so.
Heads of the U.S. and Russian space agencies meet in Washington today to iron out differences on how to proceed on early construction of the International Space Station, with increased use of the U.S. Space Shuttle for Russian cargoes one area of agreement already reached at the staff level.
Five Swissair Airbus A320-series jetliners are temporarily grounded after technicians uncovered cracks in the turbine rear frame struts during routine inspections of CFM56-5B medium turbofans powering the planes, officials with Swissair and CFM International partner General Electric confirmed yesterday.
Senate approval of the revised fiscal 1996 defense authorization - the final step in congressional approval before the bill goes to the White House for President Clinton's expected signature - won't occur before this afternoon at the earliest.
Small satellites are likely to play a variety of important roles for the U.S. Air Force but the time isn't right yet, U.S. Air Force Secretary Sheila Widnall told The DAILY yesterday in an interview.
Donald J. McGrath, Jr. (US Army Lt. Col.-Ret.) has been named director of corporate communications, effective Feb. 1. He most recently served as director of public affairs for the U.S. Military Academy at West Point.
Keith DeConde, who most recently served as director of operations, was named president and chief operating officer of Schaeffer Magnetics, Inc. Founder and chairman Ernie Schaeffer will continue as chief executive officer.
