SOCOM SPENDING: Acquisition spending by U.S. Special Operations Command (Socom) should remain steady over the next few years despite overarching federal budget pressures, according to consulting company Frost & Sullivan. The consultants see Socom focusing spending on training and ground mobility vehicles. Technology spending will focus on incremental size, weight and power (so-called swap) improvements.
EADS has formally rebranded as Airbus Group, retaining its Airbus commercial aircraft identity and renaming its other two divisions as Airbus Defence and Space, and Airbus Helicopters. This means the group’s Cassidian, Astrium and Airbus Military defence and space activities have now been united under the Airbus Defence and Space division. Airbus Group is also planning to change its legal status, subject to regulatory and shareholder approvals, although its organizational structure and operations will remain the same.
NEW DELHI — Pakistan’s efforts to sell its indigenous JF-17 Thunder multi-role fighter aircraft are getting a boost with the government’s vow to push defense exports. The Pakistan government is said to have given a positive response to a proposed initiative by the Pakistan air force (PAF) to export the JF-17 to prospective buyer states. The JF-17 was developed as a joint venture between the Pakistan Aeronautical Complex (PAC), Kamra and Chengdu Aircraft Industry Corporation (CAC) of China, which refers to it as the FC-1 Xiaolong.
Following Boeing Commercial Airplane’s recent decision to open engineering design centers away from its traditional Seattle base, parent company Boeing has announced plans to restructure its entire Research & Technology organization by establishing research centers in Alabama, California, Missouri, South Carolina and Washington.
LONDON — Poland has chosen the Alenia Aermacchi M346 jet trainer to meet its requirement for a new generation lead-in fighter trainer (LIFT). The €280 million ($383 million) contract for eight aircraft also includes training, technical and logistics support. The company will also provide simulators and other training devices and options for a further four aircraft. The contract is scheduled to be signed in early 2014. Some 48 M346s aircraft have now been ordered, by the Italian, Singaporean and Israeli governments.
HONOLULU, HAWAII — There likely will be more joint training exercises that combine U.S. Army helicopters and other air assets aboard Navy ships, and the two services are certain to be combing such platforms for future operations and missions, says Capt. John Banigan, the commanding officer of the guided-missile cruiser CG-70 USS Lake Erie.
All services can play a major role in counterinsurgency (COIN), according to the latest U.S. Defense Department manual on the topic. Cyberspace operations provide security within the environment and help to isolate insurgents within the affected area or separate them from external support secured through cyberspace,” says the joint manual, titled simply “Counterinsurgency.” It was released in late November and represents an update to the guide published in October 2009.
LONDON — Eurocopter is requesting operators of all EC135 twin-engine light helicopters to carry out checks on the type’s fuel supply tanks and fuel monitoring systems. The move follows the recent short-term grounding of the U.K.-based fleet of EC135s operated by Bond Air Services after a series of what have been described as “supply-tank fuel-gauging errors on some aircraft.”
HONOLULU, Hawaii — As the U.S. Navy deploys its Littoral Combat Ships (LCS) and develops mission module packages for the vessels, the relatively small coastal combatants are catching the fancy of the U.S. Marine Corps. “I’ve been talking to the Marines for some time,” Capt. J.R. Garner, LCS Squadron One commodore, tells the Aviation Week Intelligence Network (AWIN). “We’re looking at how to integrate. There are some areas we’re going to dive into together over the next several months.”
HONOLULU, HAWAII — The U.S. Navy is making strong headway with its Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) countermine (MCM) and surface warfare (SUW) mission module packages, and their development remains a priority for 2014, says Rear Adm. Brian Antonio, LCS program executive officer. Indeed, further MCM testing will dominate the LCS-2 USS Independence’s time, Antonio tells the Aviation Week Intelligence Network (AWIN). This will make the ship unavailable for the type of Western Pacific deployment that LCS-1 USS Freedom just completed.
NEW DELHI — India will soon buy an additional 262 Barak-I Israeli anti-aircraft missiles for its navy, now that the Indian government has closed a bribery investigation that held up the deal for years. In an apparent bid to counter the growing naval power of neighboring China, the Indian navy has been insisting the government clear the Barak missile purchase as its warships equipped with the Barak anti-missile defense systems were low on missiles.
The U.K. Serious Fraud Office (SFO) has begun an investigation into Rolls-Royce’s activities in foreign markets. The company announced on Dec. 23 that a “formal investigation” had been launched by the SFO relating to “bribery and corruption in overseas markets.” The move follows a Dec. 6, 2012 announcement when the aircraft enginemaker revealed it had passed details of an internal review to the SFO about allegations of misconduct in Indonesia and China.
Following Boeing Commercial Airplane’s recent decision to open engineering design centers away from its traditional Seattle base, parent company Boeing has announced plans to restructure its entire Research & Technology organization by establishing research centers in Alabama, California, Missouri, South Carolina and Washington.
HONOLULU, Hawaii — Having proven their worth for antisubmarine warfare (ASW) operations, the MH-60R, or Romeo, helicopters are also impressing Pacific-based crews with their ability to fly when needed. “We’ve had great reliability with these new helicopters,” says Cmdr. Brannon Bickel, executive officer of the Helicopter Maritime Strike Squadron (HSM)-37, stationed at Kaneohe Bay. The Romeo shift is mirroring the official shift to the HSM setup from the Helicopter Antisubmarine Squadron Light (HSL).
ROLLS PROBED: The U.K. Serious Fraud Office (SFO) has begun an investigation into Rolls-Royce’s activities in foreign markets. The company announced last week that a “formal investigation” had been launched by the SFO relating to “bribery and corruption in overseas markets.” The move follows a Dec. 6, 2012, announcement when the aero-engine manufacturer revealed it had passed details of an internal review to the SFO about allegations of misconduct in Indonesia and China. Several reports in the U.K.
BEIJING — A Chinese military utility helicopter roughly equivalent to the Sikorsky H-60 made its first flight on Dec. 23, state media report. The helicopter, with the unconfirmed designation Z-20, is a 10-metric-ton (22,000 lb.) aircraft suitable for operation from high-altitude fields, China Central Television says. For almost three decades, China has relied on 24 UH-60 Black Hawks bought in the 1980s for such operations.
When the third Littoral Combat Ship (LCS-3), the USS Fort Worth, leaves next year for its Western Pacific deployment, the ship will feature an automated fuel quality testing system that could revolutionize the way the fleet makes such checks, says Capt. J.R. Garner, commodore of LCS Squadron One. “This is not just going on LCS,” Garner says. “This could go on all Navy ships.”
U.S. ARMY Boeing Co, Ridley, Park, Pa., was awarded a $617,676,589 modification (P0004) to contract W58RGZ-14-C-0003 for the remanufacture of twenty- two CH-47F helicopters, six new CH-47F helicopters, and long lead funding for remanufacturing thirteen CH-47F helicopters. Fiscal 2014 other procurement funds in the amount of $615,046,591 were obligated at the time of the award. Estimated completion date is Dec. 31, 2020. Work will be performed at Ridley Park, Pa. Army Contracting Command, Redstone, Arsenal, Ala., is the contracting activity.
BAE Systems has established a new unit in the Fort Worth, Texas, area to run its just-launched F-16 upgrade effort with South Korea and pursue other update programs for the F-16, F-15 and F/A-18.
Canada is preparing to take delivery of AeroVironment RQ-11B Raven small unmanned aircraft systems, delivered and supported by MacDonald, Dettwiler & Associates (MDA). The acquisition will give Canadian army field units their own reconnaissance, surveillance and target acquisition capability.
LONDON — Turkey’s Undersecretariat for Defense Industries, known as SSM, has finalized a deal for the Hurkus turboprop training aircraft for use by the Turkish air force. The SSM signed a series production agreement for 15 aircraft with Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI) on Dec. 26. The aircraft will be Hurkus-B variants configured with a digital cockpit developed by Turkish electronics firm Aselsan. The first aircraft is due to be delivered in 48 months.
