Flanked by the newly enlarged Joint Chiefs, President Barack Obama made a rare appearance at the Pentagon to announce changes that, in part, will rely even more on the Guard and reserve troops to maintain strategic capabilities (see p. 21). Among programmatic ramifications of the new Pentagon road map is likely a reduction in the numbers of Joint Strike Fighter F-35s the U.S. will buy. That worries the U.K.'s new defense secretary, Philip Hammond. “We are concerned that any slippage in the program and any reduction in U.S.
Todd Fredricks' recent letter may cause some confusion. F-5s have never been part of the Israeli air force. The Israeli connection, however, is in the retrofit of updated electronics/avionics suites performed for a few foreign air forces by such top-notch Israeli companies as Elbit Systems and IAI. Tivon, Israel
The FAA's long-awaited crew-rest requirement immediately prompts cheers from many airline pilots. But the rule, published Dec. 21, has also prompted a legal filing from UPS flight crews, represented by the Independent Pilots Association, which blasts the FAA for exempting cargo pilots. The association has until Jan. 23 to file preliminary documents to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit outlining its challenge.
Hilliard C. Terry, 3rd, has joined Bermuda-based Textainer Group Holdings as executive VP and CFO, and Daniel W. Cohen is the new VP and general counsel. Terry was VP and treasurer at Agilent Technologies, and Cohen was corporate counsel at Sybase.
USAF Brig. Gen. Gary M. Batinich has been nominated for promotion to major general and appointment as mobilization assistant to the commander of U.S. Air Forces Central Command, Southwest Asia. Brig. Gen. Richard S. Haddad has been nominated for promotion to major general and assignment as director of plans and programs of Air Force Reserve Command, Robins AFB, Ga. Col. Richard M. Erikson has been nominated for promotion to brigadier general and assignment as mobilization assistant to the USAF deputy chief of chaplains at the Pentagon.
New approaches to life-support technologies, as much as powerful rockets and optimally configured spacecraft, promise to pace NASA's push into deep space with humans. Frequently, advances in the space life-support realm—where the emphasis is on compact, reliable low-energy systems—can lead to improvements at a faster clip in more down-to-earth arenas, including public and personal health, and even environmental protection. Activities at NASA's Kennedy and Johnson space centers, as well as on the International Space Station, are bearing this out.
Wayne Pearce (see photo) has been appointed CEO of Oman Air. The Australian native was the head of strategy and planning at Etihad Airways. Saleem Bin Amanullah Bin Abdul Hussain has been appointed general manager-customer services. He was CEO-cargo for RAS-ENT in Toronto.
The Russian government plans to upgrade at least 60 more MiG-31s through 2020 to enhance their ability to intercept aircraft and cruise missiles. The so-called MiG-31BM program will allow pilots to detect targets at a range of 320 km (200 mi.) and engage them at a range of 280 km, the defense ministry says in announcing the modernization plan. Each fighter can track 10 targets and engage six at the same time.
In value terms, 2012 is poised to be India's biggest year for aerospace contracting. The next 12 months will see a raft of large deals signed by the country's government for aircraft virtually across the board, but especially for long-awaited defense projects.
The Turkish government has approved the acquisition of the country's first two F-35As as part of a series of modernization decisions. Turkey has long been an F-35 program partner, with plans to buy more than 100 of the stealth aircraft. The government also has approved the acquisition of ten Anka medium-altitude unmanned aircraft, effectively launching series production of the Turkish Aerospace Industries program.
The Polish government is expanding its purchase of Kongsberg Naval Strike Missiles (NSM) used for coastal protection. The 400 million zloty ($116 million) deal will buy 38 of the stealthy anti-ship missiles, including two equipped with telemetry equipment. The first 14 missiles being acquired under the new contract are due for delivery next year, followed by a dozen missiles in each subsequent year. The defense ministry notes that in addition to its anti-ship capabilities, the weapon also provides a land-attack functionality.
Kim Smith has been named VP-environment, health and safety for the Chicago-basedBoeing Co. She succeeds Mary Armstrong, who will retire after 27 years with the company. Smith was Boeing Commercial Airplanes' director of supplier management at Spirit AeroSystems in Wichita.
The Italian government is ushering in a new round of defense cuts in which, for the first time, the fate of Rome's participation in the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter program will be seriously threatened.
It's been two years since European launch consortium Arianespace turned a profit. Despite Europe's economic crisis, the market for commercial satellite communications is strong and conditions for launch providers are generally favorable, yet the Evry, France-based launch services company continues to rely on government subsidies.
Tom Horton (see photo), American Airlines' chairman, president and CEO, also will be chairman of the New York-based Oneworld alliance, succeeding Gerard Arpey. Horton followed Arpey at the AMR helm in November.
Jan. 24-25—SMI Conferences' Joint Forces Simulation & Training. Grange City Hotel, London. Call +44 (207) 827-6000, fax +44 (207) 827-6001 or see www.jointforcestraining.com Jan. 28—American Heroes Air Show. Lee County Sports Complex, Fort Myers, Fla. See www.heroes-airshow.com/fortmyers/ Jan. 31-Feb. 2—Aerial Refueling Systems Advisory Group's Winter Planning Meeting. Hilton Palacio del Rio, San Antonio. Call +1 (937) 431-8106 or see www.arsaginc.com
Like its Western allies, Australia has had its share of troubled military procurement programs that missed cost and delivery targets. The Kaman Super Seasprite naval helicopter never entered service, for example, despite government expenditures of $1 billion. But Australia also deserves credit for innovations in program management that may hold lessons for other countries. While they offer no guarantee of success, they are worth a closer look.
When it comes to the U.S. missile defense market, nothing and everything have changed. In the closing days of 2011, the U.S. Missile Defense Agency (MDA) announced that Boeing would retain its decade-long position as prime contractor for the Ground-Based Midcourse Defense (GMD) missile shield for another seven years. But if the $3.48 billion contract signifies a renewal of the partners' sometimes-rocky marriage, there now seems to be a change in the wedding vows.
To strengthen its line maintenance services in China, Hong Kong Aircraft Engineering Co. (Haeco) and its subsidiary Taikoo (Xiamen) Aircraft Engineering Co. (Taeco), acquired a 49% stake in Shanghai SR Aircraft Technics. Haeco has renamed the company Shanghai Taikoo Aircraft Engineering Services Co. (STA). Together Taeco and STA serve 39 airlines at Shanghai Pudong International Airport.
AERONAUTICS/PROPULSION •The AeroVironment Nano Air Vehicle Team developed and unveiled a tiny remotely piloted air vehicle, the Nano Hummingbird. Looking and flying like a tiny bird, it is designed to record video with an onboard camera and send color video to a hand-held controller.
