LOCKHEED MARTIN has established a new business unit within its Space Systems Company to build on its capabilities in navigation. The new Navigation Systems business unit will direct the company's efforts in the space-based navigation systems marketplace, the company announced. The new unit will pursue opportunities to develop the third generation Global Positioning System (GPS III) and Global Multi-Mission Service Platform (GMSP).
Stellex Technologies, Inc., of Florham Park, N.J., has stopped its efforts to sell its subsidiary Stellex Aerostructures, which provides subsystems and components for the aerospace and defense industries. The sale was being conducted due to an order of the Delaware bankruptcy court, but now the company will propose a "stand-alone" reorganization that will leave the company owned by its creditors.
PROPULSION PARADIGMS: The development of air-breathing hypersonic flight propulsion technology represents a "paradigm shift" comparable to that which occurred when the jet engine took over from the piston engine, according to NASA X-43 Program Manager Vince Rausch. Rausch looks forward to a time when the successors to the hypersonic X-43 will make space flight so routine it won't even merit media coverage. "The media covers every space shuttle launch.
TRW INC., of Redondo Beach, Calif., has begun flight production for the Astrolink satellite payload, which the company says is the most capable commercial payload ever designed for a spaceborne communications system. Astrolink International LLC will build and operate a global telecom network based on next-generation satellite technology. TRW is providing the Astrolink payload to Lockheed Martin Commercial Space Systems, the prime contractor for the Astrolink space segment.
After spending a quarter selling off several business jets to horde cash, a thinner Raytheon Company saw sales dip in the first three months this year but increased operating profits 21%. But the Lexington, Mass.-based defense contractor and business jet maker posted a $181 million net loss, which includes amortization and interest charges, Aerospace Daily affiliate AviationNow.com reported.
NASA's Mars Program Director, G. Scott Hubbard, is leaving that position after a year that saw the space agency redefine its robotic Mars exploration program, NASA announced April 19. Orlando Figueroa, currently the deputy chief engineer for systems engineering at NASA Headquarters in Washington, will replace Hubbard as acting director starting May 6. "Scott Hubbard was given 'mission impossible' and turned it into 'mission accomplished,'" said Ed Weiler, NASA's associate administrator for space science.
The U.S. Air Force today begins flight testing of the F-16 Conformal Fuel Tank (CFT) at the Air Armament Center, Eglin AFB, Fla., in support of several foreign customers who desire increased range or stores capacity for their jets. The CFT is a large fuel tank attached to the top of the fuselage that provides extended range for countries buying new F-16 Block 50, 52-plus, and 60 jets. The tanks will also allow additional stores to be carried in place of current external fuel tanks under the wing.
LITTON PRC, a subsidiary of Northrop Grumman Corp., has won the U.S. Navy's Tactical Program III contract from the Space and Naval Warfare System Center San Diego, C4I office in Philadelphia, the company announced April 19. The initial tasking for the one base year is for more than $7 million, but four option years could extend that to $37 million. The C4I office is responsible for program management, integrated logistics support and in-service engineering for mission planning, electronic photograph processing and imagery systems.
Poland has released its long-awaited Request for Proposal (RFP) in a $3.5 billion program for fighter aircraft options intended to bring the Polish air force up to NATO standards. The U.S. government, as a contender for the contract, is pitching a lease of 16 F-16s, with a follow-on purchase of 44 fighters. The Polish government has for several months been looking at a variety of aircraft to replace its MiG-21s as it begins to modernize its military (DAILY, Nov. 10). To fulfill NATO requirements, Poland has committed to acquiring 16 fighters by 2003.
Four aerospace companies face more than prolonged uncertainty with the Republic of Korea's recent announcement that it will delay for two months a decision on its F-X next-generation fighter aircraft. The winner of the multi-billion contract could encounter pressure from the Seoul government to license production of at least part of the program to South Korean manufacturers.
Kawasaki Heavy Industries of Japan has built and delivered a P-3C converted surveillance and anti-submarine aircraft to the Maritime Self-Defense Force. After a series of flight tests at Atsugi air base, near Tokyo, the aircraft will be operated by the 91st Air Unit stationed in Iwakuni air base, near Hiroshima.
SDS International of Arlington, Va., was awarded a contract to support upgrades for an F-16C cockpit simulator used to preview software changes, the company announced April 18. The contract is for upgrades to the F-16C Operational Flight Program Candidate Prototype Station, called the Human Engineering Development System (HEDS), at the Ogden Air Logistics Center Systems Integration Laboratory at Hill AFB, Utah.
Despite reports to the contrary, Turkey plans to continue talks and move ahead with certain orders for military aircraft and other assorted military hardware. Last week in Ankara, Turkish military officials announced the government was suspending discussions on, or orders for, 32 military projects in an effort to cut military spending and shift badly needed funds to other sectors of the ailing economy.
Astronauts on the International Space Station Alpha may have an Italian-built home in coming years, the space agency announced April 19. NASA Administrator Daniel Goldin and Italian Space Agency (ASI) President Sergio DeJulio signed an agreement yesterday that could result in ASI building the station's habitation module. NASA had planned to build the module itself, but a $4 billion cost growth on the station program forced it to redirect its funding, along with the funding of a propulsion module and a Crew Return Vehicle.
Quantum Magnetics, a subsidiary of InVision Technologies, Inc., of Newark, Calif., has completed the first phase of a U.S. Army contract to demonstrate the potential of magnetic sensing for the detection and tracking of military vehicles, the company announced April 19.
CAE has opened a flight training center in Sao Paulo, Brazil, and has signed contracts for training services with two new carriers, LAPA of Argentina and Gol Transportes Aereos of Brazil. Both will train their crews on the company's Boeing B737 simulator. CAE, headquartered in Toronto, provides simulation and control technologies for training in the aerospace, defense and forestry sectors.
LOGICON, INC., has received awards for two domains of the Army Simulation, Training and Instrumentation Command's (STRICOM) Omnibus Contract. Logicon awards were in the constructive simulation and test-instrumentation domains. The simulation domain covers systems that run war games and advanced simulations. The test-instrumentation domain covers systems used to conduct development and testing of systems and weapons used in training and simulation.
Adding to Orbital Sciences Corp.'s mounting financial woes, analysts with Standard&Poor's have opted against removing the company from its CreditWatch list and suggested further revisions of the company's financial situation might be necessary. Earlier this week, Orbital reported a net fourth quarter loss from continuing 2000 at $88.2 million. That compares with a net loss of about $30.1 million a year ago. Company officials also expect to incur net losses for 2001.
The Boeing United Kingdom C-17 Integrated Project Team has received two U.K. procurement awards, the company announced April 19. Chief of Defence Procurement Sir Robert Walmsley declared the team the winner of the Defence Procurement Agency Executive Board Team Excellent Award for smart procurement practices. The team was also one of six awarded the Minister of Defence Smart Acquisition Award, which recognizes teamwork and cooperation in acquisition. Those awards were selected by Minister of Defence Procurement Baroness Elizabeth Symons.
Lockheed Martin Tactical Systems has awarded $30 million worth of orders for manufacturing and engineering services for the U.S. Navy's AN/UYQ-70 Advanced Display Systems to DRS Technologies, Inc.'s Electronic Systems Group. Under the contracts, the Parsippany, N.J.-based company will manufacture AN/UYQ-70 computer workstations for Aegis-class surface combatants. Production of the next-generation, commercial-off-the-shelf-based systems will be done by the company's DRS Laurel Technologies unit in Johnstown, Pa.
TrueTime, Inc., of Santa Rosa, Calif., has been authorized by the NAVSTAR GPS Joint Program Office to provide its next generation Mark V time and frequency receiver to the Department of Defense and authorized U.S. allies. The company said the Mark V will provide the DOD and authorized government customers with GPS-based timing with accuracy better than 10 nanoseconds to Universal Time Coordinated. It is available in a land-based or airborne configuration.
Two influential members of the Texas congressional delegation praised a blue-ribbon panel April 19 for recommending that the U.S. military proceed with the V-22 Osprey, albeit at a slower pace.
A briefing paper submitted to the Bush Administration outlines a number of "crisis" areas in U.S. aerospace, while proposing solutions to keep the country secure and competitive. The paper, which was originally submitted to the Bush transition team in January, is the work of the Mission Aerospace Task Force.
Paravant Inc. announced its Catalina Research, Inc., division has been awarded a two-year, $2.3 million contract to provide digital signal processing boards to a major government defense contractor to be used for spectrum analysis. CRI, based in Colorado Springs, Colo., provides high-bandwidth, low-latency digital signal processing solutions for military and intelligence applications. The buyer for the new boards contract was not disclosed.
