The U.S. Army has evaluated more than a dozen bids to replace the engine in its widely used AAI RQ-7B Shadow tactical unmanned aircraft to address reliability issues. The proposals were received in response to a request for information on potential replacements for the Shadow’s 38-hp AR741 rotary engine, made by UAV Engines Ltd., which has suffered a spate of failures when operating in Afghanistan. “We broke [the engine] away from AAI and are competing it,” says Col. Timothy Baxter, Army project manager for UAS.
NEW DELHI — India’s indigenously developed Tejas Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) needs additional modification to fly in high-altitude areas and will not be ready for operational service until 2015, India’s air force (IAF) chief says.
TEL AVIV — Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) has expanded its “Ehud” Autonomous Air Combat Maneuvering Instrumentation (AACMI) family to support Eastern fighter aircraft in addition to its Western-related advanced capabilities.
The budget mess in Washington may accomplish what potential adversaries and members of Congress have failed to do: knock a U.S. Navy nuclear-powered carrier out of the fleet rotation. The continuing resolution constraints and sequestration cuts — should they happen — would significantly delay the midlife refueling work and accompanying maintenance on CVN-72 USS Abraham Lincoln while also jeopardizing funding for the proposed next-generation CVN-79 Kennedy carrier, Navy officials say, unless the service gets authority to reprogram money for those projects.
AIR FORCE Jacobs Technology Inc., Tullahoma, Tenn., (FA8721-13-F-8012) is being awarded a $12,500,000 firm-fixed-price, General Services Administration contract for Engineering and Technology Acquisition Support Services. The location of the performance is Hanscom AFB, Mass. The work is expected to be completed by May 14, 2013. The contracting activity is AFLCMC/PZE, Hanscom AFB, Mass. This award is the result of a sole source acquisition. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2011 through fiscal 2013. Contract involves Foreign Military Sales.
NEW DELHI — India’s first indigenously built light attack helicopter, Rudra, has received its Initial Operational Clearance (IOC), and will be showcased at the upcoming Aero India exposition. The armed version of the Advanced Light Helicopter (ALH), made by state-run Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd. (HAL), will be delivered to the Indian army at the 9th Aero India show in the Yelahanka air force base in South India. The show begins Feb. 6. IOC was granted by the Center for Military Airworthiness and Certification on Feb. 3.
As across-the-board reductions to federal spending draw closer, the military services are firming up their plans for major reductions in spending and sizing up the one-two punch of sequestration along with the possibility that they may have to continue subsisting on fiscal 2012-level funding in 2013. Not only will the spending cutbacks prompt mass furloughs of Pentagon civilians and potential damage to the industrial base, but they could also cause additional delays and cost increases for Pentagon procurement programs.
As the Pentagon notes improvements in the V-22 Osprey fleets, the program is getting bolstered by more investments in additional aircraft and engine work. While highlighting enhancements and upgrades to the Ospreys, the Pentagon’s Director of Operational Testing and Evaluation (DOT&E) says more work is needed for both the CV-22 U.S. Air Force and MV-22 U.S. Navy models in its annual report, released in January.
AIR FORCE Lockheed Martin Space Systems Co., Sunnyvale, Calif., (FA8810-08-C-0002, P00054) is being awarded a $58,408,979 contract modification for the Space Based Infrared Systems Follow-on Production Program. The location of the performance is Sunnyvale. The work is expected to be completed by April 28, 2016. The contracting activity is SMC/ISK, Los Angeles AFB, Calif. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2013.
LONDON — British troops in Afghanistan have begun operating a rotary-wing nano-UAV purchased as an Urgent Operational Requirement. Troops began using the Norwegian-made Black Hornet this month following a series of operational trials in theater late last year. The tiny, 16-gram helicopter sits in the hand and is operated using a tablet and handheld controllers. It was purchased to give troops on patrol in Helmand Province greater awareness of their surroundings.
AIR FORCE CSC Applied Technologies L.L.C., Fort Worth, (FA4861-08-C-C001) is being awarded a $32,969,475 firm-fixed-price with reimbursable contract line items (CLINs) for travel, overtime and materials/parts contract for Nellis Backshop Maintenance A-76 requirement. The location of the performance is Nellis AFB, Nev. The work is expected to be completed by Jan. 31, 2014. The contracting activity is 99 CONS/LGCC, Nellis AFB, Nev. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2013.
A demonstration plant to scale up production of a 100%-biofuel drop-in replacement for use in aircraft is to be built in the U.S. by fuel developer Applied Research Associates (ARA) and biodiesel producer Blue Sun Energy. Biofuels so far approved for use in aircraft are limited to blends of up to 50% with conventional kerosene, but ARA’s ReadiJet can be used unblended. The first civil 100%-biofuel flight was conducted by the National Research Council of Canada in October with a Dassault Falcon 20.
BUDGET DRAMA: With all the current budget uncertainty in Washington as the deadline for sequestration looms, the White House has delayed the submission of its fiscal 2014 budget. There is little indication at this point when the Obama administration will formally offer its budget to Congress. But last week, the Office of Management and Budget finally submitted budget paperwork to federal agencies; an event that typically happens in December.
A demonstration plant to scale up production of a 100%-biofuel drop-in replacement for use in aircraft is to be built in the U.S. by fuel developer Applied Research Associates (ARA) and biodiesel producer Blue Sun Energy. Biofuels so far approved for use in aircraft are limited to blends of up to 50% with conventional kerosene, but ARA’s ReadiJet can be used unblended. The first civil 100%-biofuel flight was conducted by the National Research Council of Canada in October with a Dassault Falcon 20.
The U.S. Army is fielding upgrades to the General Atomics MQ-1C Gray Eagle unmanned aircraft system and improving training in response to the findings of initial operational test and evaluation (IOT&E) last year. Based on the results of 1,090 hr. of IOT&E flying in July/August, the Director of Operational Test and Evaluation’s Beyond Low-Rate Initial Production (LRIP) report concludes the Gray Eagle “has demonstrated its effectiveness and is operationally suitable,” says Col. Timothy Baxter, Army program manager for unmanned air systems (UAS).
NEW DELHI — India has received the first two of 75 Swiss Pilatus PC-7 Mk. II turboprop aircraft purchased to replace its vintage fleet of HPT-32 basic trainers. Flown by Swiss pilots, the two aircraft were received at the Air Force Academy on Feb. 1 in Dundigal near the south Indian city of Hyderabad, a senior Indian air force (IAF) official says. Deliveries will take until August 2015. The IAF is likely to receive at least two aircraft every month, the IAF official says.
Democrats and Republicans are uniting around the idea of reforming immigration, but one of the obstacles to an agreement will be how to open immigration to highly skilled foreigners without displacing American workers. A proposal in the Senate by Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-Utah) and others currently calls for expanding the H1-B visa process. And President Barack Obama gave the idea support during a speech in Las Vegas on Jan. 29. He talked about top technology companies that were started by immigrants who studied in the U.S.
The FAA could begin asking for unmanned aerial system test site proposals as early as Monday, industry officials tell Aviation Week. The FAA was charged with selecting the six sites by the end of 2012, but the process has been delayed by privacy concerns.
