Interstate Electronics Corp. of Anaheim, Calif., has been awarded a $30 million contract by General Dynamics Land Systems (GDLS) and GM Defense to provide intelligent displays for the U.S. Army's new Interim Armored Vehicle (IAV) program, IEC parent company L-3 Communications announced June 11. The 10.4 inch intelligent display has a high resolution, infrared, error- free touch screen that can operate in full sunlight or total darkness due to its automatic ambient light adjustment.
Providers of high-speed Internet services via satellite are mulling over strategies for capturing more of the market from their highly successful direct subscriber line (DSL) and cable competitors. Although no one disputes the growing consumer hunger for broadband Internet, analysts agree that the satellite industry faces an uphill battle.
The Pentagon's Transformation Study group has recommended accelerating the fielding of the Navy's Joint Strike Fighter and the Global Hawk unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), producing the small diameter bomb and developing a new long range precision strike capability. The long range precision strike capability the panel seeks could include a B-2C bomber, or may be a variety of other aircraft, including UAVs. The group made no specific platform recommendation.
The House Appropriations Committee has rejected a $30 million cut for unspecified B-52 bomber modifications that the Bush Administration had proposed in the fiscal 2001 supplemental appropriations bill, a committee spokesman said June 12. The committee has been drafting its version of the bill in preparation for a June 14 markup. The $6.5 billion bill includes $5.6 billion in new defense spending.
Alliant Techsystems (ATK) and General Dynamics have formed a joint venture company, called American Powder Co., to jointly develop and produce munitions propellant for the U.S. Department of Defense. The company will operate the Radford Army Ammunition Plant in Radford, Va., the U.S. Army's only munitions propellant manufacturing facility, the companies announced June 12. American Powder Co. will be co-managed by ATK Ammunition and Powder Co., of Radford, and General Dynamics Ordnance and Tactical Systems, of St. Petersburg, Fla.
Legislation authorizing $338 million to begin implementing the Coast Guard's Deepwater aircraft and ship modernization program has received House approval. The funding is contained in the fiscal 2002 Coast Guard authorization bill, passed by the House June 7. The Senate has not yet considered its version of the Coast Guard bill. The Deepwater project is expected to cost about $10 billion over 20 years. Three industry teams are competing for the contract to carry out the program. The Coast Guard plans to award the contract in March 2002.
While Geoff Hoon continues in his pre-election post as United Kingdom defense secretary, Prime Minister Tony Blair announced Adam Ingram has been appointed minister of state for the armed services. He replaces John Spillar, who has taken over as minister for transport. The parliamentary under secretary of state and minister for defense procurement is now Lord Bach, who replaces Baroness Elizabeth Symons, now minister for trade.
On the eve of the launch of the joint Russia-Ukraine Koronas research satellite, slated for July, Ukraine has announced new developments in its domestic space program, including a new launcher. Rocket builders at the Yuzhnoe design bureau have announced some details of their new Mayak ("beacon") launch family. Mayak-12 and Mayak-23 vehicles are scheduled to launch their first payloads in four to five years.
The $256 million Mercury orbiter mission NASA announced last week (DAILY, June 11) is the seventh mission in NASA's Discovery program, which focuses on lower-cost science missions - and it's the most difficult one to date.
Elbit Systems Ltd. of Haifa, Israel, announced its contracts to upgrade the Brazilian Air Force's F-5 fleet have become effective after an initial downpayment was received on June 8. The contracts from Brazilian aircraft company Embraer and the Brazilian Aeronautics Command are worth up to $230 million over six years, Elbit announced June 11. The modernization program for the F-5 aircraft will be jointly developed by Embraer and Elbit Systems.
Computer Sciences Corp. has won a contract from the Space and Naval Warfare Systems Center, San Diego, to support the Ballistic Missile Defense Organization's research program at NASA's Kennedy Space Center's Innovative Science and Technology Experimentation Facility.
SIGNAL TECHNOLOGY CORP.'s Keltec Division, of Fort Walton Beach, Fla., has been awarded a $412,000 contract to develop engineering development models and pre-production units of very high-density, low-voltage power supplies. The contract was awarded by Isothermal Research Systems (ISR), which builds power and thermal management systems for advanced electronics intended for military and commercial markets.
Boeing Co. (McDonnell Douglas Corp., a wholly owned subsidiary) St. Louis, Mo., is being selected to receive a $485,000,000 cost-plus-award fee and $1,000,000,000 indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contracts contingent upon approval by the Defense Acquisition Board. No contracts are being awarded at his time. If awarded, both contracts will support the Avionics Modernization Program (AMP) for the C-130 aircraft. The first provides for engineering and manufacturing development of AMP kits. This effort is expected to extend through September 2007.
After a one-day delay due to high-speed winds above the launch site, the first Intelsat IX series satellite was launched from Europe's Spaceport in French Guiana on June 9. The satellite, carried by the Ariane 44L space vehicle, reached its orbit 20 minutes after its 2:45 a.m. launch. The satellite will be deployed at 342 degrees east above the Atlantic Ocean. It will replace the Intelsat 705 satellite and will provide Internet, video, and telephone service for the Americas, Europe, the Middle East and Africa.
Half a dozen senators are urging President George W. Bush to support NATO admission for Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia, saying the Baltic states will have met the alliance's membership requirements by the 2002 NATO summit.
PRATT&WHITNEY of East Hartford, Conn., has been selected by the U.S. Air Force to provide 10 engines to power F-15E fighter aircraft, the company announced June 11. The F100-PW-229 engines will be delivered to the U.S. Air Force in 2003 and 2004. More than 300 F100-PW-229 engines already power AF F-15 and F-16 fighters.
The Royal Navy is unable to meet its NATO commitments due to government-imposed budget cuts, according to a report in the Daily Telegraph here. Former RN Fleet Commander-in-Chief Admiral Sir Nigel Essenhigh, now First Sea Lord and Chief of Naval Staff, reportedly issued a Fleet Risk Register document last November.
With the obsolescence rate of many technologies at 18 months, and a defense acquisition process that takes years, the services continue to work closely with industry to find innovative ways of technology insertion during development.
Harris Corp. of Melbourne, Fla., announced June 11 it has been awarded a seven-year, $300 million contract by the U.S. Air Force Electronic Systems Center, at Hanscom AFB, Mass., for the Ground Multi-band Terminal (GMT) program. The next-generation SATCOM terminal, accessing both commercial and military satellites, will provide military commanders with improved command, control and communications capabilities to support deployed U.S. operations worldwide, the company said.
The Boeing Co. has awarded Logicon Inc. two contracts for support work on the National Missile Defense program. The contracts are worth $89 million, Logicon announced July 11. The company, based in Herndon, Va., is owned by Northrop Grumman Corp.
The House Appropriations Committee has rebuffed a request to provide up to $143.5 million in emergency funding to repair the Vehicle Assembly Building at NASA's Kennedy Space Center, a committee source told The DAILY June 11. The aging assembly building is used to mate the Space Shuttle orbiter with the external tank and two solid rocket boosters. The funding would be used to repair the building's leaky roof, loose siding and corroded doors.
The Boeing Co., Long Beach, Calif., was awarded a $22,902,083 modification time and materials contract on June 6th, 2001, to provide for various upgrade bits and installation support Block XIII follow-on retrofit projects supporting the C-17 aircraft. This work is expected to be completed December 2002. This effort will be performed by the Boeing Co., Long Beach, Calif. (66%) and Boeing Aircraft Support Center, San Antonio, Texas (34%). Aeronautical Systems Center, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, is the contracting activity (F33657-01-C-2002, P00017).
Rolls Royce Corp., Indianapolis, Ind., is being issued a $15,299,900 contract for seven AE2100D3 engines used on KC-130J aircraft. Work will be performed in Indianapolis, Ind., and is expected to be completed by February 2003. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was not competitively procured. The Naval Inventory Control Point, Philadelphia, Pa., is the contracting activity (N00383-01-C-005M). Software Technology Inc.
Senate Appropriations Committee Chairman Robert Byrd (D-W.Va.) hopes to pass the Bush Administration's fiscal 2001 supplemental spending bill without any changes, a spokesman told The DAILY late June 8. Byrd is pushing for a "clean bill" because "he doesn't want to see it become a Christmas tree for members," the spokesman said. "He will not be adding one thin dime." The $6.5 billion measure includes $5.6 billion for defense.
The Federal Aviation Administration, FedEx Express and the Cargo Airlines Association have scheduled a June 13 meeting in Memphis to demonstrate the progress made in the FAA Safe Flight 21 program and the use of the Local Area Augmentation System installed at Memphis International Airport. FAA said the demonstrations are important parts of its Operational Evolution Plan, Aerospace Daily affiliate Aviation Daily reported. The Safe Flight 21 demonstrations will include surface moving map technology installed in cockpit avionics.
