Hundreds of millions of dollars have been added to the president's request for various aircraft procurement programs under a spending bill awaiting final congressional approval. The fiscal 2001 defense appropriations conference report, which was passed in the House last week and awaits a Senate vote, made several additions to the Air Force aircraft procurement budget, including $400 million for five F-15s, $122 million for four F-16s, and $90 million for EC-130J Commando Solo psychological operations aircraft.
Laboratory scientists are eagerly awaiting the opening of scientific research facilities in the International Space Station, comparing the possibilities of new discoveries to those raised by the Hubble Space Telescope. But as was the case before launch of the Hubble, which has rewritten the book in some areas of astronomy and astrophysics, researchers don't really know what to expect when data starts streaming back from the experiment racks in the U.S. Laboratory Module scheduled for launch in January.
L-3 COMMUNICATIONS' Storm Control Systems Division supplied the software used in the integration, factory testing, launch and on-station operations of PanAmSat's new Galaxy XI satellite. Hughes Space and Communications used Storm's Integrated Satellite Interface System (ISIS) throughout the manufacture and deployment of Galaxy XI, the first in its new HS 702 line of satellites.
The House yesterday approved a security assistance bill that includes a provision aimed at streamlining the satellite export process. The measure would end a requirement that Congress be notified about license applications for U.S. exports of commercial communications satellites to NATO countries, Australia, Japan, New Zealand, Russia and Ukraine. The bill also would codify the Clinton Administration's proposal to give licensing exemptions for unclassified defense items that are sent to close allies with similar export controls.
Logicon Inc., San Pedro, Calif., is being awarded a $2,863,900 increment of a $70,707,838 (base year total) cost-plus-award-fee contract with a cumulative total of $116,549,713 if all options are exercised. This requirement is for professional advisory and assistance services necessary to support the Defense Threat Reduction Agency (DTRA), its directorates and its offices.
General Dynamics Land Systems Inc., Sterling Heights, Mich., is being awarded a $34,442,487 modification to firm-fixed-price multi-year contract DAAE07-95-C-0292 for ten Wolverine vehicles. The Wolverine enables heavy force maneuver by allowing units to rapidly transit tank ditches, road craters, and partially damaged bridge sections, increasing the maneuver force's survivability by reducing the time spent in vulnerable areas waiting to cross. Work will be performed in Lima, Ohio (77%); Scranton, Pa. (20%), and Muskegon, Mich. (3%), and is expected to be completed by Oct.
Orbital Sciences Corp.'s Fairchild Defense division won a $26 million contract from Lockheed Martin to supply a version of its mass memory and data transfer equipment for the F-16 Block 60 fighter sold to the United Arab Emirates. "We are very pleased to be part of the UAE F-16 program, which is being led by Lockheed Martin, to supply avionics systems for the most advanced model of the world's most widely-deployed fighter aircraft," said Donald P. Ryan, senior VP and general manager of the Fairchild Defense.
Litton Industries Avondale Industries won approval from the U.S. Navy to move ahead with full, sustained production of the lead ship of the new San Antonio (LPD 17) class of amphibious assault ships. "The partnership between the Navy and Litton, and other team members in this program is resulting in revolutionary front-end design solutions to reduce the life-cycle operating cost of this new class of ships by billions of dollars," said Jerry St. Pe', Litton executive VP and COO of Litton Ship Systems.
U.S. Defense Secretary William S. Cohen said he needs more information about North Korea's plan to seek assistance for peaceful space research from other countries in lieu of continuing its own missile technology development. Russian President Vladimir Putin said he and North Korea's Kim Jong Il had agreed on a proposal that the country would abandon its missile program if given technology from other nations for satellite launches (DAILY, July 24).
Raytheon Co. has won permission from the U.S. government to sell a more capable version of its AIM-120 AMRAAM to U.S. allies. Raytheon, making the announcement yesterday, the opening day of the air show here, said the AIM-120C5 has a bigger rocket motor, lethality improvements and clipped wings and fins for internal carriage by the Joint Strike Fighter and F-22.
Airbus plans to reveal orders for at least 200 new aircraft at the Farnborough Air Show this week. It also announced the first firm commitment for the proposed A3XX, by Emirates, which was signed yesterday. The manufacturer has sold 229 airliners during the six months ended June 30, and CEO Noel Forgeard said Airbus will boost its 2000 orders over the next week, putting the company "on par" with rival Boeing. Airbus estimates it will have over 500 new orders this year and gain further market share on Boeing.
Innovative Scientific Solutions, Inc., Dayton, Ohio, is being awarded a $10,479,456 cost-plus-fixed-fee contract to provide for research and development of laser diagnostic and modeling tools to be employed in the area of advanced propulsion systems. Expected contract completion date is July 21, 2005. Solicitation issue date was Jan. 21, 2000. Negotiation completion date was June 28, 2000. Air Force Research Laboratory, Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio, is the contracting activity (F33615-00-C-2068).
International Launch Services, the Lockheed Martin/Khrunichev/Energia joint venture that markets Atlas and Proton space launches, had added more than $1 billion in new business so far this year, the company said yesterday. Customers providing the new business were GE Americom, Astrolink and Teledesic/ICO, ILS said. The $1 billion figure covers only the 13 firm launch orders in hand - eight on Atlas and five on Proton - and not another 17 launch options also included in the deals.
Egypt wants to purchase defense equipment from the U.S. worth $882 million. The Pentagon said the requests include: -- 311 AN/APX-113 Mark XII airborne IFF systems for $300 million. -- 6 SPS-48E land -based radar and related parts for $182 million -- An upgrade of 35 AH-64A helicopters for $400 million.
BRAZIL'S EMBRAER previewed its new Legacy businessjet at the Farnborough Air Show yesterday and announced initial firm orders for 25 to Swift Aviation of the U.S., with an option for 25 more, for a total of almost $1 billion. The Greek government has also bought one unit and is negotiating a second.
ICO-TELEDESIC GLOBAL LIMITED, the holding company for Craig McCaw's satellite assets, has named Greg Clarke as chief executive officer. Clarke joins the wireless "Internet-in-the-sky" developer from Cable&Wireless Communications plc, until a recent restructuring the largest cable television and second largest telephone company in the U.K. Clarke, 42, also was CEO at Cable&Wireless.
A PAC-3 missile test conducted at White Sands Missile Range, N.M., on Saturday was deemed a success when the Lockheed Martin missile intercepted and destroyed a drone target simulating a cruise missile. The test, conducted by the Ballistic Missile Defense Organization, U.S. Army and Lockheed Martin, became the sixth straight successful engineering and manufacturing development (EMD) flight test since 1997, according to the company.
Atlantic Research Corp., Arkansas Propulsion Division, Camden, Ark., is being awarded a $17,189,498 firm-fixed-priced contract for the MK104 Dual Thrust Rocket Motor (DTRM) in support of the Standard Missile Program. The contract provides for procurement of 164 MOD 2 rocket motors, 27 MOD 3 rocket motors, 35 upgraded rocket motors, 240 MK750 shipping containers, 450 MK750 shipping container upgrades and associated engineering services. Work will be performed in Camden, Ark. (80%) and Gainesville, Va. (20%), and is expected to be completed by September 2002.
Gentex Corp., Rancho Cucamonga, Calif., and Science Applications International Corp. (SAIC), Abingdon, Md., are being awarded a $12,487,768 ($6,376,227 Gentex; $6,108,541 SAIC) cost-plus-fixed-fee contract to provide for program definition and risk reduction of the Joint Service Aircrew Mask (JSAM). The JSAM will provide chemical/biological protection and function as an aircrew member's oxygen mask. It will also provide acceleration protection in selected aircraft. The contractors will develop representative samples of hardware required to meet program requirements.
Boeing yesterday announced an order for 40 aircraft from International Lease Finance Corp. (ILFC) and a letter of intent from GE Capital Aviation Services (GECAS) for 149 aircraft. The ILFC order is for 25 B777-200ERs, eight B777 longer-range derivatives and seven B737-700/800s. Deliveries of the B777s, are slated for 2002 - 2009 while the B737s will be delivered from 2003 - 2005. ILFC has so far committed orders for 211 of the aircraft. As for the B777s, ILFC has now committed a total of 67 aircraft.
NASA space science officials will select proposals this summer for some of the technology that would allow the planned Next Generation Space Telescope (NGST) to "bore through the sky" for ancient evidence of what existed soon after the Universe lit up.
Science Applications International Corporation, San Diego, Calif., is being awarded a $25,062,023 indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract with cost-plus-fixed-fee pricing for systems engineering, analysis and support for command and intelligence systems. Work will be performed in San Diego, Calif., and is expected to be completed by July 2005. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was competitively procured via the SPAWAR e-commerce web site with six offers received.
Russia's Zvezda Service Module was ready yesterday for an automatic docking attempt with the International Space Station tonight, after a weekend of engine firings put it in the proper orbit for the linkup. Controllers calculated a new docking time of 8:44 p.m. EDT, based on the results of three engine burns aboard Zvezda, according to a NASA status report issued at noon yesterday. The new module, which carries the early life support, crew quarters and propulsion capability for the Station, will be in a passive mode until the docking is completed.
Turkey has tentatively picked Bell Helicopter Textron's King Cobra to be its new attack helicopter, with the proviso that it could choose another candidate if it has trouble with U.S. export release authority.
TRW INC. will handle information technology services for the U.S. Treasury Dept., its Bureaus and the Internal Revenue Service under the Treasury Information Processing Support Services-2 task-order contract (TIPSS-2), potentially worth $250 million over the next five years. "TIPSS-2 is a significant win that affords an opportunity for us to continue our support to a key customer on a department-wide basis," said Diane Murray, TRW ISC program manager.
