The U.S. Air Force will review industry input for the Conventional Prompt Global Strike (CPGS) mission in coming weeks amid congressional criticism that competition for the program to date has not been “meaningful.”
Airbus Military is likely to get even more competition as it explores whether to launch a C-295-based airborne early warning and control (AEW&C) program.
In response to International Editor Robert Wall's recent Ares blog post: “CV-22 Beats MV-22 in CSAR Race:” markgsxr writes:Unique aircraft with unique capabilities. Would love to see these being used to the full.
Thomas Lee (see photo) has become director of the U.S. Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency's Microsystems Technology Office. He was a professor of engineering at Stanford University for 17 years and received the 2011 HO-AM in engineering, South Korea's equivalent of the Nobel Prize.
Never one to retreat easily, the U.S. Army is revamping how it will acquire new combat networking gear and information technology (IT) still seen as vitally critical for soldiers, despite high-profile setbacks to date.
Asia-Pacific Staff (New Delhi), Robert Wall (St. Louis)
India's commitment to buy 10 C-17 Globemaster III airlifters and its option for more is a crucial step to helping Boeing bridge a production gap until a potential follow-on U.S. Air Force procurement emerges. But the Indian deal alone will not plug the hole, forcing Boeing to scour for more international commitments to keep its production line open. Efforts underway to slow production rates, thereby extending the line, will not be enough.
Airbus has the edge on Boeing in terms of gross order intake, but the latter had more net orders. With an eye on announcing orders this month at the Paris air show, Airbus order intake in May counted only seven aircraft, but perhaps more important, the aircraft maker did not suffer any further cancellations. The two deals that hit the orderbooks were Korean Air's five A330-200s and Star Flyer, which became a new customer with the purchase of two A320s.
The article “Real-World Training” suggests that airlines need more and better full-motion simulators to teach pilots how to deal with stalls (AW&ST May 16, p. 42). In the article, the Air Transport Association says, “Any training rules changes must be science-based and an improvement over existing regulatory requirements.”
Fearing that the administration's Phased Adaptive Approach to missile defense in Europe could imperil the Boeing-run system designed to intercept intercontinental ballistic missiles, some Republicans are trying to add money for the Ground-Based Midcourse Defense system. But in the race to gain backing for GMD, funding for Lockheed Martin's Medium Extended Air Defense System (Meads) might just get shot down.
Qatar Airways bought a 35% stake in Cargolux last week after months of negotiations. Cargolux plunged into deep losses in the global economic downturn of 2008-09, but returned to profits last year. Nevertheless, its current owners—among them Luxembourg-based banks and Luxair—decided the carrier needed another strategic investor.
In the midst of it all, the Pentagon's top leadership is changing. Defense Secretary Robert Gates leaves at the end of the month, and Navy Adm. Michael Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs, departs in late September. Gates's replacement, another Cold War-cum-counterinsurgency leader, is seen as more amenable to cuts to the legacy national security regime. CIA Director Leon Panetta told senators in his confirmation hearing last week that the U.S. faces “a blizzard of challenges.” One program he says he will definitely keep an eye on is the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter.
Managers at NASA and the Jet Propulsion Laboratory will likely dip into a $22 million reserve fund held in case of shortfalls in the $2.5 billion Mars Science Laboratory mission. They believe they can still meet the 2011 planetary launch window, though. The agency's inspector general (IG) cautions that the program is taking it right down to the wire for the Nov. 25-Dec. 18 launch window. The mission includes a car-sized rover called Curiosity, 10 different instruments and a unique “sky crane” that hovers while gently lowering the rover to the surface.
Lackluster operational test results for the newest U.S. Air Force Global Hawk do not appear to be curbing the appetite for this high-flying unmanned aerial system (UAS) among international customers or U.S. commanders. Fixes for a list of shortcomings are under way, according to Air Force officials and Northrop Grumman, prime contractor for the $13.9 billion program.
Michael Anselmi has joined San Francisco-based Jackson Square Aviation as its new head of research and risk management. He comes from aviation consultancy Outlaw Partners.
Contractors vying for the U.S. Navy's proposed Air and Missile Defense Radar (AMDR) say they can deliver the system for much less than the government's cost estimate because of their extensive experience building similar radar programs in recent years. Such arguments are becoming increasingly important as Washington scrambles to find bill-payers while eyeing expensive defense programs.
Boeing is beginning flight tests of novel drag-reducing technology in the tail of one of its initial 787 certification aircraft. Tests of a hybrid laminar flow control (HLFC) system are taking place on ZA003, the 787 originally assigned for the bulk of cabin interior and systems certification. Initial tests are expected to be operated out of San Bernardino, Calif. HLFC has never been introduced on a large-scale commercial aircraft before but it shows potential for large drag reduction.
Gerassimos D. Corakianitis (La Tour-de-Peilz, Switzerland )
Graham Warwick's “Cyberhunters” (AW&ST May 23, p. 51) is interesting in theory, but the “cyberattackers” seem to have overcome all seven steps in the cyber kill chain. Lockheed Martin now has to rethink the process from Square One. La Tour-de-Peilz, Switzerland
When uncommanded wing drop during transonic maneuvers was first observed in flight testing of the Boeing F/A-18E/F Super Hornet, it was well down the priority list. But as other issues were resolved, wing drop moved steadily up the list until it became the problem that jeopardized the program.
Even on an island of unique buildings anchoring the premiere U.S. Navy maritime testing grounds for the service's most sophisticated air and ballistic missile defense radar systems, the building that those here call the “Taj Mahal” stands apart, gleaming eggshell white near the ocean's edge.
Josh Abelson has been promoted to senior VP-supply chain solutions at AeroTurbine, Stockton, Calif. He was head of the airframe programs group, OEM relations and AeroTurbine Defense Solutions division.
The race between Iran's ballistic missile efforts and Israel's anti-missile activities is entering a new stage. As Iran more quietly tries to improve its offensive capacities, Israel is striving to keep pace by fielding a more effective defensive shield.
June 20-26—Paris air show. LeBourget, France. See www.paris-air-show.com June 23-25—International Air Transport Association's 128th Schedules Conference. Swedish Exhibition & Congress Center, Gothenberg. See www.iata.org June 23-24—Technology Training Corp.'s Space Security and Defense Conference. Caesar's Palace Hotel, Las Vegas. See www.ttcus.com June 27-28—Aviation Safety Management Systems Overview Workshop: ATC Vantage. Tampa, Fla. Call +1 (727) 410-4759 or see www.atcvantage.com/sms-workshop.24l
Boeing's Chandler, Ariz., and Leesburg, Va., facilities will provide system integration and testing support for the Iridium Next satellite constellation under a contract from satellite developer Thales Alenia Space.
