WARTON, Lancashire - With the four-nation Eurofighter program gaining momentum from the initial flights this month of the first production aircraft in Germany, Italy and the United Kingdom, and from the first service deliveries slated for this fall, plans for further development of this ambitious European program already are taking shape.
The Department of Defense needs more precision and standoff weapons, according to Lt. Gen. Ronald E. Keys, the commander of Allied Air Forces in Southern Europe and Commander of the 16th Air Force.
TRW announced April 22 that a potential bidder has signed its confidentiality agreement and will soon begin receiving non-public information about the company. TRW officials did not identify the company. The announcement, made in a letter sent to Northrop Grumman's general counsel, W. Burks Terry, indicates the company agreed to the three-year standstill provision contained in TRW's confidentiality agreement. Standstill provisions typically prohibit a bidding company from acquiring stock shares of a target company for a specified period.
After three years of intensive negotiations, the governments of India and Russia have agreed to a second joint production program. Under this program, India's Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) and Russia's Irkutsk Aviation Industrial Association (JSC) will sign an agreement April 24 in Moscow for co-development and co-production of a multirole transport aircraft (MTA). HAL Chairman Nalini Ranjan Mohanty and JSC President Alexey Fedorov will sign the agreement.
NEW DELHI - After three years of intensive negotiations, the governments of India and Russia have agreed to a second joint production program. Under this program, India's Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) and Russia's Irkutsk Aviation Industrial Association (JSC) will sign an agreement April 24 in Moscow for co-development and co-production of a multirole transport aircraft (MTA). HAL Chairman Nalini Ranjan Mohanty and JSC President Alexey Fedorov will sign the agreement.
The Missile Defense Agency plans to use a ship-based Aegis radar in a Ground-based Midcourse Defense (GMD) flight test for the first time this summer, MDA officials said April 23. During Integrated Flight Test-9 (IFT-9), scheduled for mid- to late July, an Aegis cruiser will collect data on a target missile after it is fired from Vandenberg Air Force Base, Calif., said Air Force Lt. Col. Rick Lehner, spokesman for MDA. As in previous tests, the target will be intercepted by a missile fired from the Kwajalein Atoll in the central Pacific.
Rep. Curt Weldon (R-Pa.), a senior member of the House Armed Services Committee (HASC), said April 23 that he is trying to add money to the Army's fiscal 2003 budget request to buy more test versions of the Boeing-Sikorsky RAH-66 Comanche reconnaissance-attack helicopter.
Boeing Co. announced completion of a major design review of the radar and identification, friend or foe (IFF) subsystem for Project Wedgetail, under which Australia will get specially modified 737 aircraft for early warning and control. Boeing Space & Communications is working under a contract valued at more than $1 billion for four of the aircraft, plus options for up to three more. The first two are slated for delivery in 2006. The radar/IFF is the aircraft's main sensor, Boeing said.
PRAGUE - BAE Systems' Gripen team is seeking to counter questions about the interoperability of the Gripen fighter with NATO aircraft. U.S. Ambassador Craig Stapleton told journalists in Prague April 22 that a number of unspecified U.S. and NATO experts had expressed reservations after attending a recent "interoperability conference" on the Gripen organized by the Czech Ministry of Defense. Stapleton said some experts had raised questions in a letter to the defense minister, Jaroslav Tvrdik.
With the four-nation Eurofighter program gaining momentum from the initial flights this month of the first production aircraft in Germany, Italy and the United Kingdom, and from the first service deliveries slated for this fall, plans for further development of this ambitious European program already are taking shape.
The Department of Defense needs more precision and standoff weapons, according to Lt. Gen. Ronald E. Keys, the commander of Allied Air Forces in Southern Europe and Commander of the 16th Air Force.
By 2007, the Indian National Satellite System (INSAT) will operate 251 transponders, a senior Indian Department of Space official told Aerospace Daily. The official added that the INSAT-4 series would have seven satellites, INSAT-4A to INSAT-4G, with INSAT-4D as a spare. INSAT is one of the largest domestic communication satellite systems in the Asia Pacific region. Currently, INSAT-2C, INSAT-2dT, INSAT-2-3E, INSAT-3B and INSAT-3C are in operation.
Gen. Lance W. Lord said he will stress three main points in his new job as commander of Air Force Space Command. Answering reporters' questions shortly after taking the position April 19 in a ceremony at Peterson Air Force Base here, Lord, formerly assistant vice chief of staff of the Air Force and a career space officer, said he will first make sure "that we fully flex our muscles as an independent major command."
Bell Helicopter/Textron is working on plans to offer an FAA-certified upgrade for commercial users of aging UH-1 Huey helicopters, similar to the company's Huey II upgrade kit for government and military users. Bell is in discussions with the FAA about the program, dubbed "Project 210," and hopes to make a formal announcement this summer, according to Scott Fitzgerald, director of the Huey II program.
NEW DELHI - By 2007, the Indian National Satellite System (INSAT) will operate 251 transponders, a senior Indian Department of Space official told Aerospace Daily. The official added that the INSAT-4 series would have seven satellites, INSAT-4A to INSAT-4G, with INSAT-4D as a spare. INSAT is one of the largest domestic communication satellite systems in the Asia Pacific region. Currently, INSAT-2C, INSAT-2dT, INSAT-2-3E, INSAT-3B and INSAT-3C are in operation.
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. - Gen. Lance W. Lord said he will stress three main points in his new job as commander of Air Force Space Command. Answering reporters' questions shortly after taking the position April 19 in a ceremony at Peterson Air Force Base here, Lord, formerly assistant vice chief of staff of the Air Force and a career space officer, said he will first make sure "that we fully flex our muscles as an independent major command."
The recently restructured Space Based Infrared System-Low (SBIRS-Low) program intends to have Northrop Grumman Corp. and Raytheon Co. fly their sensor designs in a competition at least once, according to the Missile Defense Agency. The flight tests are part of MDA's plan "to maintain at least two payload contractors well into the development phase so as to have production options in the long term," the agency wrote in a statement responding to questions.
A comprehensive business case must be made before NASA or private contractors can move ahead with plans to develop commercial reusable launch vehicles, according to the Futron Corp. Futron, a Bethesda, Md.-based technology management consulting firm, is studying potential markets for NASA as part of the agency's Second-Generation RLV program. The study will be released in mid to late 2002, Futron officials said. Those markets include public space travel, space manufacturing, space product promotion and space solar power, according to the firm.
As the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) looks for ways to increase air surveillance over U.S. territory, high-altitude airships eventually could become part of the U.S. air defense system. Under a proposed advanced concept technology demonstration, or ACTD, the Army and NORAD are requesting funds for a single airship to serve as a demonstration vehicle, according to NORAD officials. If successful, the new program could lead to a network of airships used to monitor possible air and maritime threats to U.S. territory.
As the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) looks for ways to increase air surveillance over U.S. territory, high-altitude airships eventually could become part of the U.S. air defense system. Under a proposed advanced concept technology demonstration, or ACTD, the Army and NORAD are requesting funds for a single airship to serve as a demonstration vehicle, according to NORAD officials. If successful, the new program could lead to a network of airships used to monitor possible air and maritime threats to U.S. territory.
Deployment of a second battery for Israel's Arrow missile defense system could be delayed by up to a year due to environmental concerns, according to Arieh Herzog, the director of the Israel Missile Defense Organization.
