Sikorsky, which had offered a military version of its S-92 helicopter to Japan's Maritime Self-Defense Force, has withdrawn from the competition. This leaves EH Industries' EH-101 as the only entry to replace the Japanese navy's MH-53E minesweeper-transport helicopters. Sikorsky withdrew from the competition because work on the military version of the S-92 wouldn't be done in time for the navy's deadline, according to Mitsubishi Trading Corp., a Sikorsky sales agent in Japan.
An article in The DAILY of April 23 about Aviation Week&Space Technology Laureates for 2001 gave an incorrect rank for Gen. Lester L. Lyles, head of Air Force Materiel Command.
Tests of a regenerative energy storage system that will enable the unmanned, solar-powered Helios prototype aircraft to fly at night have been successfully completed, NASA announced. The tests, constituting "a major breakthrough," were carried out by engineers from NASA and AeroViroment Inc., which built the Helios. They capped more than two years of development work and "demonstrated the viability of a flight-configured, hydrogen-oxygen aerospace regenerative fuel cell energy storage system," NASA's Dryden Flight Research Center said.
The Army, apparently spurred by the war in Afghanistan, is moving again on development of a mine detection system that would be carried by an unmanned aerial vehicle. It plans to issue a draft request for proposals on about May 30 for the Airborne Standoff Minefield Detection System (ASTAMIDS). ASTAMIDS has had technical and budget troubles in recent years.
While there still are plans for Global Hawk to have a signals intelligence (SIGINT) capability, the Air Force has not said what payload would be used on the aircraft, according to a Northrop Grumman official involved in the program.
Airbus Industrie soon will complete negotiations with Japanese companies about their cooperation on the A380 superjumbo airliner, Airbus CEO Noel Forgeard told reporters in Japan. The company is negotiating with Mitsubishi Heavy Industries and Fuji Heavy Industries for subcontract work on the program, and a final agreement could be completed within a month to six weeks, he said. The total value of the work will be about $1 billion, Forgeard said.
A second "space tourist" is slated to arrive at the International Space Station on April 27, according to NASA. South African Internet entrepreneur Mark Shuttleworth is slated to arrive at the station at 4 a.m. as part of a Soyuz "taxi" mission, along with mission commander Yuri Gidzenko and flight engineer Roberto Vittorio. The mission, to swap out the Soyuz lifeboat, launched from the Baikonur Cosmodrome April 25.
Thirty-four House members have sent a letter to leaders of the House Armed Services Committee (HASC) urging them to support Air Force and Marine Corps plans for a joint multiyear procurement of 64 Lockheed Martin C-130J-based aircraft. By buying the aircraft together and committing to procure them over several years, the services are expected to save $655 million - $420 million for the Air Force, $235 million for the Marine Corps.
TOKYO - Airbus Industrie soon will complete negotiations with Japanese companies about their cooperation on the A380 superjumbo airliner, Airbus CEO Noel Forgeard told reporters in Japan. The company is negotiating with Mitsubishi Heavy Industries and Fuji Heavy Industries for subcontract work on the program, and a final agreement could be completed within a month to six weeks, he said. The total value of the work will be about $1 billion, Forgeard said.
Facing an early June deadline for determining the U.S. military's electronic attack aircraft options, the number of manned aircraft that the Navy may buy to replace the Prowler is dropping, according to an industry official.
BAE Systems' Gripen team has reaffirmed its interest in buying a minority share in debt-laden Omnyx, owner of one of the Czech Republic's largest weapons trading companies, Omnipol. The British-owned company first announced in February it was in initial discussions with Omnyx over purchasing an equity stake. It declined to give further details at the time because it said the size of the participation and the cost are subject to negotiations between the parties.
Facing an early June deadline for determining the U.S. military's electronic attack aircraft options, the number of manned aircraft that the Navy may buy to replace the Prowler is dropping, according to an industry official.
Tests of a regenerative energy storage system that will enable the unmanned, solar-powered Helios prototype aircraft to fly at night have been successfully completed, NASA announced. The tests, constituting "a major breakthrough," were carried out by engineers from NASA and AeroViroment Inc., which built the Helios. They capped more than two years of development work and "demonstrated the viability of a flight-configured, hydrogen-oxygen aerospace regenerative fuel cell energy storage system," NASA's Dryden Flight Research Center said.
The Bush Administration's policy coordinating committee (PCC) for space is ramping up after an activity lull that followed the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, according to an Administration source. Issues that are getting the close attention of the interagency panel include space transportation, commercial remote sensing, export controls and international activities, the source said late April 24 at a Capitol Hill space policy forum sponsored by Women in Aerospace. Some policy decisions could be made by year's end.
While there still are plans for Global Hawk to have a signals intelligence (SIGINT) capability, the Air Force has not said what payload would be used on the aircraft, according to a Northrop Grumman official involved in the program.
MADRID, Spain - The first production Eurofighter Typhoon for the Spanish air force (EdA) is taking shape on the EADS-CASA final assembly line at Getafe air base, where it is due for completion by the end of the year. It will be joined in June by components for the second.
The first production Eurofighter Typhoon for the Spanish air force (EdA) is taking shape on the EADS-CASA final assembly line at Getafe air base, where it is due for completion by the end of the year. It will be joined in June by components for the second.
The Bush Administration's policy coordinating committee (PCC) for space is ramping up after an activity lull that followed the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, according to an Administration source. Issues that are getting the close attention of the interagency panel include space transportation, commercial remote sensing, export controls and international activities, the source said late April 24 at a Capitol Hill space policy forum sponsored by Women in Aerospace. Some policy decisions could be made by year's end.
Defense electronics maker L-3 Communications Corp. announced April 23 that its profits for the first quarter more than doubled due to strong sales of its secure communications, guidance and military avionics products. Net income for the quarter totaled $29.3 million, as compared with $14.2 million for the same period last year. Sales for the quarter increased by more than 50 percent, from $461.9 million a year ago to $696.8 million.
The Department of Defense has not established an adequate system to determine when single-source suppliers of complex weapons systems should be required to provide pricing data for their products, and when that requirement may be waived, according to a GAO report released this week. As a result, the government risks paying inflated prices for certain unique weapons systems, the report says.
NEW DELHI - Russia plans to deliver the first 10 advanced Sukhoi Su-30 MKI multirole aircraft built for the Indian air force by the end of May, according to a Russian official. Alexy Fedorov, president of Irkutsk Aviation Industrial Association (JSC), said another 22 Su-30 MKIs will be delivered next year. Russia already has delivered 18 Su-30K fighters under a 50-aircraft deal signed with India in November 1998. The MKIs feature upgraded engines and radar systems.
With concerns over escalating acquisition costs growing, Northrop Grumman officials said the Air Force has told them the company must find ways to bring down the cost of their much praised, but increasingly costly, Global Hawk unmanned aerial vehicle.
Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a decree April 24 to form the Air Defense Concern Almaz-Antei, a huge integrated company that effectively would be a monopoly for supplying long- and mid-range air and antimissile defense systems, including the S-300 and S-400 missile families.
The Naval Reserve's unfunded requirements list for fiscal 2003 includes hundreds of millions of dollars for aerospace-related programs, including procurement of C-40A airlifters and upgrades to P-3C and F/A-18A aircraft, according to a report distributed at an April 24 hearing of the Senate Appropriations defense subcommittee.
PRAGUE - A Czech government-sponsored bill paving the way for the purchase of 24 Jas-39 Gripen fighters stalled in parliament April 24 after opposition members succeeded in sending it back to committee for further debate. The decision not to pass the Gripen-financing bill at its second reading has complicated the government's plans just weeks before the country is due to go to the polls in a general election. It is not clear whether the government still will have time to push its proposal through.
