Senate Foreign Relations Committee member Chuck Hagel (R-Neb.) said yesterday that the United States will need allied support to deploy a National Missile Defense, since the system that's being developed will likely use radars in Britain and Greenland. "We can't do this unilaterally," Hagel said at the Veterans of Foreign Wars annual convention in Milwaukee. "This must be done in a way that incorporates and brings the partnership of our allies with us." President Clinton is expected to decide later this year whether to begin building an NMD system.
Boeing's proposed $3.75 billion acquisition of Hughes Electronics' satellite business "is starting to look pretty good" and could be wrapped up by as early as mid-September, sources said yesterday. The Pentagon on Friday relayed to the Federal Trade Commission an "initial determination" that the deal was acceptable, assuming "certain steps" are taken, Pentagon spokesman Glenn Flood said yesterday. He said the Pentagon has been working closely with the FTC on the deal, which would leave Boeing as the largest commercial satellite manufacturer.
The United States has begun talks with France, Germany, the Netherlands and Sweden on ways to increase defense cooperation and strengthen their industrial bases, the General Accounting Office says in a new report. The Defense Dept. and Australia signed a statement of principles last month with similar goals in mind (DAILY, July 19). A similar agreement has also been signed between the United States and the United Kingdom. The efforts are among dozens of DOD defense cooperation initiatives detailed in a GAO report released last week.
A unit of the Mercury Air Group Inc. of Los Angeles was tapped to provide refueling and related services for NAS Meridian, Miss., under a $5 million, multi-year contract from the Defense Energy Support Center. "Maytag Aircraft, our government services subsidiary, continues to expand its long term presence as a major provider of services to the Defense Logistics Agency's alongside aircraft refueling program, and has achieved a track record of unparalleled performance and success," said Joseph Czyzyk, president and CEO of Mercury.
Sikorsky Aircraft Co., Stratford, Conn., is being awarded $3,725,000 as part of a $7,450,000 cost-plus-fixed-fee contract for a UH-60M Black Hawk risk reduction effort. Work will be performed in Stratford, Conn., and is expected to be completed by Jan. 31, 2001. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This is a sole source contract initiated on June 21, 2000. The U.S. Army Aviation&Missile Command, Redstone Arsenal, Ala., is the contracting activity (DAAH23-00-C-0199).
The Royal Australian Air Force has selected Honeywell to provide integrated avionics logistics support for its fleet of C-130s and F-111s, in a contract that could total $150 million over 10 years, the company announced. Honeywell is to provide maintenance, engineering, asset and material logistics management services for all avionics equipment on board the RAAF's C-130 transport and F-111 strike/reconnaissance aircraft, including flight instrumentation, navigation and communications and associated electrical power systems.
Eglin AFB in Florida, but a decision isn't expected anytime soon, according to Edwards officials. Such a move would involve only a small part of the F-15 and F-16 testing done at Edwards, base officials said in a statement.
Lockheed Martin Missiles and Space Company, King of Prussia, Pa., is being awarded a $53,000,000 (not-to-exceed) cost-plus-incentive-fee contract to provide for the development of modernization changes for 12 NAVSTAR Global Positioning System Block IIR satellites. This modification will incorporate a second civil signal and a new military signal into the system. Expected contract completion date is September 2001. Solicitation issue date was March 01, 2000. Negotiation completion date was April 17, 2000.
McDonnell Douglas Helicopter Co. d.b.a. McDonnell Douglas Helicopter Systems, Mesa, Ariz., is being awarded a $23,386,014 delivery order amount as part of firm-fixed-price contract DAAH23-99-G-0014, for 300 rotary wing blades for the AH-64 Apache helicopter, and an option to be exercised within the year. Work will be performed in Mesa, Ariz., and is expected to be completed by Feb. 5, 2003. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This is a sole source contract initiated on Jan. 21, 2000. The U.S.
The Boeing 767-400ER airliner has received a common type rating from the FAA. Flight crew qualification endorsement from the FAA means the plane shares the same type rating with existing 767-200 and 767-300 airplanes, and a common type rating with the 757-200 and 757-300, Boeing said yesterday. It said pilots qualified to fly the Boeing 767-200, 767-300, 757-200 and 757-300 are now qualified - with minimal instruction - to fly the Boeing 767-400ER. The 757 and 767 were the first, and still are, the only airplanes to share a common type rating, Boeing said.
The FAA yesterday issued an airworthiness directive calling for closer checks of parts of General Electric CF6-series engines that have been linked to uncontained failures. The directive followed urging by the National Transportation Safety Board (DAILY, Aug. 14).
Australia will defer a decision on the $1.3 billion Project Wedgetail airborne surveillance program to determine whether it fits the blueprint to be laid out in an upcoming Defense White Paper. "The Government believes that in view of the scale and significance of this project, a decision should be taken in the context of the White Paper," said John Moore, Australia's Minister of Defense. "This will allow a decision to be taken in light of Australia's overall strategic objectives, capability priorities and Defence funding," he said.
Sierra Research, Buffalo, N.Y. is being awarded a $7,825,749 modification to a firm-fixed-price contract (DAAJ01-98-A004) for the purchase of 8 each Aircraft Survivability Equipment Trainer (ASET) IV, Radio Frequency Surface-to Air Missile (RFSAM) Threat Kit (Simulator). Work will be performed in Buffalo, N.Y. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This is a sole source contract initiated on June 9, 2000. The U.S. Army Aviation and Missile Command, Redstone Arsenal, Ala., is the contracting activity.
DRS Technologies has won contracts worth about $1.5 million to supply displays for the Royal Australian Navy's FFG-7 frigate upgrade. The 18.1-inch flat panel displays will be incorporated in mission critical systems. Workstations in the combat information center will feature two panels, a plan position indicator with writable surface and auxiliary touchscreen display. The underwater warfare system consoles will have the flat panels with flicker compensation.
Twenty-eight House members have asked Armed Services Committee Chairman Floyd Spence (R-S.C.) to schedule hearings to highlight deficiencies in the U.S. military's electronic warfare capabilities. The letter, whose signers include Reps. Joe Pitts (R-Pa.) and Randy "Duke" Cunningham (R-Calif.), both veterans of air combat, says that last year's NATO air war in Yugoslavia showed that the military's airborne EW assets are stretched thin and under-funded.
Pratt&Whitney's newest engine - and the launch engine for Airbus' A318 100-passenger airliner - flew for the first time yesterday, a one hour and twenty minute flight on a Boeing 720 testbed. "We met all our objectives and the engine ran as well in the air it has been doing in ground based tests," said Bob Leduc, Pratt&Whitney executive VP. The test engine was mounted on the left wing of the 720, operated by Pratt&Whitney from the former Plattsburg AFB in upstate New York.
Raytheon Company d/b/a Raytheon Systems Company, Tucson, Ariz., is being awarded a $17,191,802 firm-fixed-priced contract for 618 Sidewinder AIM-9M Guidance Control Systems for the governments of Egypt (464); Singapore (72); Thailand (54), and Korea (28); for 309 Sidewinder AIM-9M Guidance Control Systems Containers for the governments of Egypt (232); Singapore (36); Thailand (27); and Korea (14); for 1,171 Sidewinder AIM-9M Tank, Pressure, Coolant Accumulators for the governments of Egypt (654), Singapore (123); Thailand (84); and Greece (310); for 99 Sidewinder AIM-9M Ta
Initial procurement and construction cost estimates for the Dept. of Defense's Theater High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) system and the Army's RAH-66 Comanche helicopter have caused a net cost increase of $850.9 million in 70 Selected Acquisition Report (SAR) programs for the six-month period ending June 30. Changes in THAAD add $813 million in then-year dollars, while changes in Comanche add $37.9 million, resulting in the $850.9 million increase. Previous reports for THAAD and Comanche were limited to development costs.
Science Applications International Corp., San Diego, has won a $496 million contract as one of three contractors participating in a program focusing on the areas of space weaponry, ballistic missile systems, and command, control, communication and intelligence systems through June 2003, the Pentagon said yesterday. It didn't identify the other two contractors. The effort will support the coordination and integration work of the Air Force's Space and Missile Systems Center, Los Angeles AFB, Calif.
The 1,000th Rolls-Royce AE 3007 turbofan engine was shipped to Brazilian aircraft manufacturer Embraer to power the RJ 135/140/145 regional jet. "The success of this engine is directly attributable to the many people here and at our partners and suppliers who have worked hard to help make the Embraer regional airline jet and Cessna Citation X corporate jet first choice for operators and passengers around the world," said Steven Churchhouse, VP programs and operations of corporate and regional airlines for Rolls-Royce.
U.S. policymakers have many options but no easy choices for modernizing the military's electronic warfare aircraft, according to a new report from the Congressional Research Service. The Navy EA-6B Prowler, the only airborne radar jammer available to protect Air Force, Marine Corps and Navy aircraft, is still capable, but it is "aging and in short supply," the report says. The Navy plans to use the Prowler until at least 2015, but "high wear and tear" could push the Prowler's retirement up to as early as 2010.
McDonnell Douglas Corp., a wholly owned subsidiary of the Boeing Company, St. Louis, Mo., is being awarded a $6,600,490 modification to a previously awarded contract N00019-96-C-0146 for the continued shutdown of the F/A-18 A/B/C/D production line. Work will be performed in St. Louis, Mo., and is expected to be completed by September 2002. Contract funds in the amount of $6,600,490 will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Md., is the contracting activity.
Johnson Technology Inc., Muskegon, Mich., is being awarded a $7,181,649 priced order under a requirements contract for procurement of 4,787 high pressure turbine nozzle segments used on the F404 engine on F/A-18 aircraft. Work will be performed in Muskegon, Mich., and is expected to be completed by September 2001. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was competitively procured with two firms solicited and one offer received.
NASA has narrowed its search for a U.S.-built Propulsion Module to backstop Russian hardware on the International Space Station to two possibilities - the "Node-X" approach based on the structural test article for the U.S. Station node, and a module that would be mounted atop the Z-1 truss element scheduled for launch in October.
