SOUTH KOREA is in line for 100 U.S. AIM-120 Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missiles. The Dept. of Defense said March 24 that a contract, worth about $70 million, would be awarded to either Hughes Missile Systems Co. or Raytheon Co.
SAUDI ARABIA was the leading importer of arms between 1991 and 1993, according to a new study by the Arms Control and Disarmament Agency. The Saudi government spent $18.6 billion during the period-almost four times as much as the second leading importer, the U.S., which spent $4.8 billion. The U.S. was also the global leader in arms exports, with 47% of all exports in 1993.
LIGHT HELICOPTER TURBINE ENGINE CO., St. Louis, on Friday received an additional $16 million for the T801 Growth Engine full scale development and Air Vehicle Support Program. The contract was awarded by the U.S. Army Aviation and Troop Command.
The Air Force doesn't yet have a requirement for a hypersonic stand-off missile, James Mattice, AF's deputy assistant secretary for research and engineering, says at an Electronic Industries Association conference in Washington. "This needs to be conceptually embraced by JAST [Joint Advanced Strike Technology] and it is not today," he says. However, he hints that he expects the JAST office's position to change "in the next three to six months."
RUSSIA is discussing the joint development of anti-tank missile systems with U.S. companies, a Russian defense official said in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, according to a wire service report.
Rockwell is bringing its experience on the Space Shuttle to the X-34 project along with its $50 million investment, but the company plans to get more out of the joint venture with Orbital than a couple of partially reusable lightweight space launch vehicles. Hank Dinenno, Rockwell Space Systems Div. vice president for advanced programs and business development, says lessons learned onX-34 will be applied both to the company's entry in the competition for a larger X-33 prototype, and to the Space Shuttle.
In preliminary tests of its Advanced STOVL design, Lockheed moved its fuselage model from Pratt&Whitney to the Skunk Works in Palmdale, Calif. Engineers are now adding wings and tails to prepare the model for wind tunnel tests at NASA Ames Research Center in California. Those tests begin in mid-summer.
If Congress doesn't approve a $2.3 billion defense spending plus-up for fiscal 1995 before going into recess Friday, military readiness "will suffer," Deputy Defense Secretary John Deutch said Friday during a press briefing.
Rutherford tells the same hearing that Transportation Command has the lift capability to support one major regional conflict, and then adds that "we can do" two nearly simultaneous major regional conflicts, "but not without some risk."
THAILAND wants to buy 646 High Mobility Multi-Purpose Wheeled Vehicles (HMMWVs), 601 M60 machine guns, spare and repair parts in support of the country's force modernization effort. The prime contractor for the $50 million deal would be AM General Div. of LTV, the Defense Dept. said March 24.
TAIWAN wants to spend an estimated $75 million for six Mk. 75 76mm gun systems, six Phalanx Close-in Weapon Systems, ammunition, spare and repair parts and logistics support elements. The acquisitions would augment Taiwan's Lafayette class frigates, the Defense Dept. told Congress in a March 24 notification. Hughes Missile Systems Co. is the Phalanx prime contractor, and OTO Melara of Italy is the prime for the Mk. 75 gun.
The most recent "dress rehearsal" for July's intensive reliability, maintainability and availability, or RM&A, review of the C-17 program turned up no outstanding aircraft issues threatening the outcome, according to 17th Airlift Squadron Commander Lt. Col. Ronald R. Ladnier.
After Rep. Jim Saxton (R-N.J.) picked up on McDonnell Douglas' C-17 airlifter presentation at a House National Security procurement subcommittee hearing last Thursday, quoting a flyaway price in constant fiscal 1995 dollars for the potential buy of the last 80, subcommittee chairman Duncan Hunter (R-Calif.) cut in. He asked Gen. Robert L. Rutherford, head of the U.S. Transportation Command, if he would take $190 million times eight as the fiscal 1996 funding.
Germany is not looking for extensive participation in the Pentagon's Joint Advanced Strike Technology (JAST) program, a German official says. Germany is mainly interested in cooperation in such science and technology areas as simulators and helmet displays, but has little additional interest in the program. German cooperation, which could be worth $10 million to $15 million, "might be under the umbrella of JAST," but it won't be a critical part of the program, the official says.
AAI Corp., Hunt Valley, Md., is working under a $2.8 million contract from Northrop Grumman Corp. to develop a radar test set for the B-2 bomber. Northrop Grumman will award a separate production contract. The set is used to test the B-2's position location transponders, which aid in air-to-air identification and navigation. AAI said its proposal was based on its experience in radar test systems, including the AN/APM-307 set for the F-4, the AN/APM-395 for the RF-4, and the AN/UPM-145 and AN/APM-147 general purpose test sets.
SAUDI ARABIA wants to buy $690 million worth of U.S. military equipment to support of modernization of the Saudi Arabian National Guard, the Defense Dept. said March 24. Among other things, it has requested 130 90mm Turret Weapons Systems for Light Armored Vehicles, spare parts, 195,000 rounds of 90mm ammunition, and design and construction of range and maintenance facilities.
Continuing a time-honored tradition among military pilots, U.S. Air Force crews have come up with their own names for the McDonnell Douglas C-17 Globemaster III. Those who fly the plane call it The Moose-in part because it looks like a moose, but mostly because a vent box designed to relieve air buildup during aerial refueling sounds an unmistakable moose call while it works. Those who fly the Lockheed C-5 Galaxy-whose unofficial names range from Aluminum Overcast to FRED (etymology unprintable)-call the C-17 Buddha.
Operations planners on the Orbital/Rockwell X-34 project are heeding NASA critics who complain about the "standing army" needed to service the Space Shuttle. Orbital's Antonio Elias, X-34 program manager, tells reporters the winged flyback booster will be maintained like a high- performance military aircraft. "A small crew, in the tens of people, not the hundreds of people, will turn around the vehicle...and in a matter of less than 20 days will make it ready for the next flight," Elias says.
White House science advisor Jack Gibbons shoots down a proposal by Rep. Robert Walker (R-Pa.) and other lawmakers to create a Department of Science and Technology, saying, "Building a super- bureaucracy as a way to streamline science is a mixture in logic." While geographically locating all of the federal government's S&T under one roof may save time and effort, it also will distance researchers from their mission, Gibbons claims.
Engine component-maker and overhauler Orenda is counting on a new line of aviation V-8 reciprocating engines to create its own market, by revitalizing the general aviation aircraft business with a combination of power and low cost. Orenda-a unit of Hawker Siddeley Canada-bought all assets and rights for the 500-700 hp. Thunder engine from original developer Can-Am Corp. for virtually nothing late last year, hoping that completing development by late this year could repay the initial investment 40 times over in just five years.
SPAIN wants to buy as many as 30 more F/A-18A aircraft, the Pentagon said Friday. The sale would include installation of commercially bought General Electric F404 powerplants, 30 AN/ALQ-126B countermeasures systems and spare, repair and support equipment.
TURKEY has requested the purchase of 16 Harpoon missiles worth an estimated $28 million, the Defense Dept. announced March 22. McDonnell Douglas would be the principal contractor.
Elias says the key to the X-34 is the partial reusability of the two-stage-to-orbit vehicle. By weight, only 6% of the X-34 will be thrown away on the expendable vehicle that will boost payloads to orbital speeds once the winged vehicle delivers them to space. "We have achieved the vast majority of the economic benefits of reusing hardware without incurring the technical difficulties and the development costs associated with a 100% reusable launch vehicle," he says.
The next operational B-2 bomber will be named "Spirit of South Carolina" in April 15 ceremonies at the Columbia Metropolitan Airport in Columbia, S.C., according to the U.S. Air Force's Air Combat Command. "Spirit of Missouri," the first operational B-2, was delivered on Dec. 17, 1993. ACC has since taken delivery of three other B-2s-"Spirit of California," "Spirit of Texas," and "Spirit of Washington."
The U.S. Air Force and Litton Systems Inc. have teamed up to conduct tests under the High-Altitude Balloon Experiment (HABE) program that are intended to make navigation systems less expensive and more accurate. Litton's Guidance and Control System Div., Woodland Hills, Calif., will provide an LN-93 inertial navigation system to be flown by Phillips Lab.
