AIR FORCE The Boeing Co., St. Louis, is being awarded an $111,397,676 predominantly firm-fixed-price contract for procurement of 4,844 joint direct attack munitions. The location of the performance is St. Charles, Mo. The work is expected to be completed by May 2014. AAC/EBDK, Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., is the contracting activity (FA8681-12-C-0160, P00002).
NEW DELHI — The advanced Mi-17 V5 helicopter was inducted into the Indian air force (IAF) on Feb. 17. “The multi-purpose Mi-17 V5 helicopters will add to the flexibility and operational muscle, as well as capabilities of the Indian air force,” Defense Minister A.K. Antony says. “It will help the IAF in meeting its growing mandate.” Antony formally handed over the keys of the choppers to the 155 Helicopter Unit, commanded by Wing Commander A.K. Verma, that will operate them from Bhatinda.
AIR FORCE Northrop Grumman Systems Corp., Rolling Meadows, Ill., is being awarded a $333,659,831 firm-fixed-price contract for an undefinitized contract action for the procurement of calendar year 2011 and calendar year 2012 large aircraft infrared countermeasures hardware and associated support. The location of the performances is Rolling Meadows. The work is expected to be completed by Feb. 10, 2012. Aeronautical Systems Center, Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio, is the contracting activity (FA8625-12-C-6598). NAVY
HEAVY DEAL: Singapore Technologies Aerospace (ST Aerospace) and Cosworth Group have signed an agreement to jointly develop heavy fuel engines for UAV customers in the Asia-Pacific region. The “technical alliance” matches ST Aerospace’s work in propulsion-to-airframe integration and operator HMI’s requirements with Cosworth’s heavy fuel engine technology.
LONDON – Coming off losses in Indian and Japan, the Eurofighter Typhoon consortium is now looking to the Middle East to build up its backlog of orders for the fighter. The goal is to secure the sale of 12 Typhoons to Oman in September or October after January’s formal release of the request for proposals. The program is valued at more than £2 billion and could also trigger sales of additional Hawk trainers.
With the House and Senate out this week, action in the nation’s Capitol is limited, providing a chance to catch up on the avalanche of budget material released last week. Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) is leading a congressional delegation to Egypt and the Middle East, where he is discussing the annual U.S. military aid package with Egypt of more than $1 billion.
Amy K. Hoage (see photo) has been selected as VP-business development for PAS Technologies, Kansas City, Mo. She was director of aerospace business development at Goodrich Corp. Engine Components.
Ellen Tauscher has been named vice chair-designate of the Brent Scowcroft Center on International Security, which will be inaugurated later this year, by the Atlantic Council of Washington. She was U.S. undersecretary of state for arms control and international security. HONORS AND ELECTIONS
GENOA, Italy and TEL AVIV — Israel has opted for the Alenia Aermacchi M-346 advanced jet trainer over Korea Aerospace Industries’ T-50, in an estimated $1 billion deal that will cover 25-30 aircraft plus ground-based training systems.
The National Air Traffic Controllers Association of Atlanta has presented the Archie League Medal of Safety to controllers Kristina Kurtz, Anchorage Tracon; Todd Mariani, Kansas City Center; Matt Reed, Potomac Tracon; Guy Lieser and Steve McGreevy, Chicago Center; Chris Henchey and Ryan Workman, Boston Center; Charlie Rohrer, Denver Center; Ken Greenwood, Josh Haviland and Ryan Herrick, Seattle Tracon; Alvin Kent, Atlanta Center; Frank Fisher and Greg Fleetwood, Corpus Christi Tower/Tracon; and Kevin McLaughlin, Southern California Tracon.
E. Robert Lupone has been appointed executive VP, general counsel and secretary of Textron, Providence, R.I., succeeding Terrence O'Donnell, who will retire. Lupone was senior VP and general counsel of Siemens Corp.
Israel Aerospace Industries CEO for the last six years, Itzhak Nissan, is being forced to retire; and Aeronautics Defense Systems CEO and founder Avi Leumi departed his position Feb. 1.
The U.S. Army is hoping that foreign military sales and public-private partnerships can bridge a looming production gap of medium and heavy combat vehicles, its leaders told lawmakers Feb. 17. The Army’s future spending plan proposes stopping production of General Dynamics M1 Abrams tanks and Stryker vehicles and BAE Systems Bradley Fighting Vehicles. Last year, Congress added money to continue production of Abrams tanks, which are built in Lima, Ohio.
Jeff Chalupa (see photo) has been named general manager-domestic operations for Tulsa, Okla.-based Nordam's transparency division. He was senior director-global engineering and quality for the repair division.
Concerns are being aired by military analysts in the U.S. and bloggers in the Middle East about Syria sending surface-to-air and long-range ballistic missiles to Lebanon's Hezbollah-controlled Bekaa Valley for safekeeping. U.S. defense officials say such moves might be “plausible” if the regime of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad is truly threatened, but so far no significant shift has been observed.
SINGAPORE — New Zealand is looking at options for supplementing its fleet of naval helicopters and procuring a more advanced turboprop trainer. “We don’t have enough [Kaman SH-2G Super Seasprite] naval helicopters and the sustainability [of the existing fleet] through spare parts and support is an issue we’re working through for required output,” the chief of the New Zealand air force, Air Vice Marshal Peter Stockwell, told Aviation Week on the eve of the Singapore Airshow. “We are looking at the potential upgrade of the current five aircraft.”
Richard DeFatta has joined Kratos Defense & Security Solutions in San Diego, as VP-engineering support services for the Madison Research Business Unit of the Weapon Systems Solution Div. He was VP of Teledyne Solutions.
Richard Larson (see photo) has been named executive director-business development for MEI Technologies of Houston. He was VP-business development for space and launch at the Science Applications International Corp.
Mike Fetcko has joined Elliott Aviation, Moline, Ill., as avionics manager for the Quad Cities team. He was a systems design engineer with Great Lakes Aviation and a private contractor. Randy Davis has been promoted to accessory shop sales manager from sales data administrator.
Michelle A. Scarpella and Stephen D. Hogan (see photos) have been appointed Falls Church, Va.-based VPs for the F-35 and F/A-18 programs, respectively, for the Northrop Grumman Corp. Scarpella has worked on the B-2, Joint Stars and E-2C Hawkeye programs, and Hogan was EA-18G and EA-6B program director.
