WEATHER PLANE: The National Weather Service (NWS) has requested $1.55 million in fiscal 2004 funding to replace its aging Gulfstream Turbo Commander aircraft, which NWS uses for airborne snow survey work. But the Senate Appropriations Committee, in a report accompanying the FY '04 appropriations bill that funds NWS, is urging the service to contract out the work instead. The committee says it wants NWS to come up with a contracting plan by Nov. 1.
BOEING OSP: NASA says the U.S. Air Force's punishment of Boeing for improper conduct in the Evolved Expendable Launch Vehicle competition isn't expected to hinder the company's participation in a competition to build the Orbital Space Plane (OSP). The Air Force suspended three Boeing units indefinitely (DAILY, July 25), but NASA Administrator Sean O'Keefe says NASA expects Boeing to be able to enter the competition to build the OSP, which is intended to ferry crews to and from the International Space Station.
ARMY FUNDING: Spending on upgrades to the M1A1 Abrams tank and the M2/M3 Bradley Fighting Vehicles likely will continue over the next several years given the projected increases in the defense budget, says Nicholas Chabraja, chairman and CEO of General Dynamics. The Army in particular appears to be very well funded in future years, he says. "They're even getting money now, and in relatively significant amounts, to further modernize the heavy force, which was a big surprise to all of us." That probably is an outgrowth of the war in Iraq, Chabraja says.
Last-minute requirements changes forced the U.S. Air Force to delay the bidding deadline for two pre-development contracts for the Airborne Joint Tactical Radio System (JTRS) by nine days. The Electronic Systems Center at Hanscom Air Force Base, Mass., which is managing the program, planned to close a request for proposals period Sept. 10. At stake in the competition are two, nine-month studies that will complete the baseline design of the $500 million airborne JTRS system development and demonstration (SDD) phase.
Sept. 13 - 17 -- 2003 AFA National Convention, "Up From Kitty Hawk: 100th Anniversary of Powered Flight," Marriott Wardman Park Hotel, Washington, D.C., 20008. Go to www.afa.org to register. Sept. 14 - 17 -- ACI-NA 12th Annual Conference & Exhibition, Tampa Convention Center, Tampa Bay, Fla. Contact Amy Peters at 202 -293-8500 x3019, email [email protected] or go to www.aci-na.aero.
PAYING TOO MUCH: Boeing paid too much for Hughes Space & Communications, despite the benefits the unit has brought, according to Jim Albaugh, president of Boeing's Integrated Defense Systems. Boeing paid $3.75 billion to acquire Hughes in January 2000. Acquiring Hughes has allowed Boeing to participate in programs like the Joint Tactical Radio System (JTRS), Future Combat Systems (FCS) and the Family of Advanced Beyond Line-of-Sight Terminals (FAB-T), he says.
HELPING NAVAIR: Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR) is seeking research proposals from industry on methods of improving the performance and reducing the cost of engines for naval fighters, helicopters, missiles, and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs).
Following the recent selection of the metal beryllium as its primary mirror material, NASA's James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) program has established its baseline telescope architecture and is well positioned for its system requirements review (SRR) in December, according to Project Manager Phil Sabelhaus.
Two contractors may be selected to compete during the development stage to win a major sensor upgrade for two systems that defend aircraft against imaging missiles, the U.S. Air Force announced Sept. 12.
The launcher prototype for the Medium Extended Air Defense System (MEADS) system has successfully demonstrated its loading capability using representatives of the Patriot Advanced Capability-3 (PAC-3) missile canister, according to industry officials.
U.S. Navy and industry officials said Sept. 12 they have successfully tested a prototype enterprise architecture that could be used to share intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance data around the world. The system, called the Enterprise Expeditionary Strike Warfare Architecture (eESWA) was tested successfully during a laboratory simulation exercise in July at the Navy's Precision Engagement Center at China Lake, Calif.
MISSION'S END: NASA's Galileo spacecraft will end its eight-year mission to Jupiter and its moons Sept. 21 with a fiery plunge into the planet's atmosphere, NASA said Sept. 12. Galileo was steered into Jupiter's atmosphere to make sure it won't hit and possibly contaminate the moon Europa, which could have an ocean under its icy surface.
CORRECTION: A Sept. 11 DAILY story about a hearing on NASA's long-term space goals misattributed a quote by Rep. Bart Gordon (D-Texas). Gordon quoted news articles blaming presidential administrations for not defining what the space program should accomplish after the Cold War, and said, "this has got to start with the White House."
SAGEM has provided the first of four Sperwer unmanned aerial vehicles for the Canadian army, which plans to use the vehicles for target acquisition and surveillance in Afghanistan. The UAV is launched by catapult and recovered by parachute. The army also bought ground data and launching equipment and simulators for the UAV systems, the Canadian Department of National Defence said.
The final report of the Columbia Accident Investigation Board (CAIB) should have taken a stronger stand on the need for measures to increase the survivability of space shuttle crews, according to a board member who has written a supplemental document.
ACQUISITION STRATEGY: A new U.S. Defense Department study blames an acquisition strategy that heavily relies on cost and schedule performance metrics for the decade-long meltdown of the military space acquisition system.
EARLY WARNING: Northrop Grumman will design and build the next-generation chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear (CBRN) defense warning and reporting system under a contract from the Marine Corps. To be known as the Joint Warning and Reporting Network (JWARN), the system will provide troops with early warning through dedicated command, control, communications, intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (C4ISR) systems and networks, the company says. The total contract value over five years could be as much as $15 million if all options are exercised.
NUKE FUNDING: The Senate is expected to debate funding for nuclear weapons development when it resumes consideration of the fiscal 2004 energy and water appropriations bill the week of Sept. 15-19. The bill fully funds the Bush Administration's request for $15 million to fund continued research on the Robust Nuclear Earth Penetrator (RNEP) and $6 million for research on other advanced nuclear weapons concepts. But Sen.
The Boeing Co. signed a contract with Intelsat to provide broadband Internet and data services to transatlantic airline passengers. Beginning in 2004, passengers will be able to access the Internet through Intelsat's 907 satellite, Intelsat said Sept. 12. The service also can be used by airline crews for communications with ground stations and operation centers.
General Dynamics could buy companies that operate in markets for information technology products, specialty materials, munitions and medium-caliber guns, company Chairman and CEO Nicholas Chabraja said Sept. 11. But it's unlikely the company will able to make a large acquisition in the North American market related to shipbuilding or combat vehicles, he said.
BETTER DAYS: Aviation electronics and communications maker Rockwell Collins said that after two years of falling revenues its commercial markets should stabilize in 2004, allowing its Commercial Systems division to post operating margins of up to 14 percent. Its Government Systems division should continue to be "robust," the company said Sept. 11, with margins of up to 18 percent.
INTERNATIONAL LAUNCH SERVICES of McLean, Va., has announced three new launch contracts using Khrunichev's Proton/Breeze M launch vehicle. The company said it will launch the AMC-15 satellite for SES Americom of the U.S., the Amazonas satellite for Hispasat of Spain and the Measat-3 for Binariang Satellite Systems of Malaysia. AMC-15 is a Lockheed Martin A2100 bus model that will carry a Ka/Ku-band payload. Amazonas is an Astrium 2000 satellite that will carry 32 Ku-band and 19 C-band transponders. Measat-3 is a Boeing 601 satellite.
