FARNBOROUGH, England - Block II multiyear production of Boeing's best-selling AH-64 attack helicopter will incorporate new enhancements that will provide a quantum leap for Longbow Apache users, a U.S. Army official said.
SEASPARROW TEST: Raytheon's Evolved SeaSparrow missile was launched for the first time from a U.S. Navy Aegis guided missile destroyer on July 23 and destroyed an incoming target, the company said July 24. The missile was launched from a Mk41 Vertical Launch System and closed on the BQM-74 target at speeds approaching Mach 3, Raytheon said. The ship was operating on the Naval Air Warfare Center Weapons Division sea range near Point Mugu, Calif.
FARNBOROUGH, England - Plans to demonstrate a German-made signals intelligence payload on the American-made Global Hawk unmanned aerial vehicle are on track for the spring of 2003, according to industry officials from the two countries.
PRAGUE - The Czech ministry of defense signed a memorandum on July 23 with Aero Vodochody for the purchase of its new two-seat light combat aircraft, the L-159B. The Czech army will buy two L-159Bs, followed by an unspecified additional number, making it the first customer for the multirole training aircraft.
The House July 24 approved a "cost of war" bill that provides $10 billion for the Department of Defense to continue the war on terrorism into fiscal 2003. The bill, which originated in the House Armed Services Committee, is the House's answer to the Bush Administration's request for a $10 billion war reserve fund as part of the FY '03 defense budget. The bill includes $598 million to convert Tomahawk nuclear missiles to a conventional configuration.
FARNBOROUGH, England - Lockheed Martin is starting negotiations with about 100 companies in seven countries to flesh out the industrial team that will work on the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter.
FARNBOROUGH, England - In a surprise move, the Indian government has issued urgent requests for proposals (RFPs) for new single-seat multirole combat aircraft, according to well-informed industry observers.
A report released by Frost & Sullivan says the Defense Department's budget for research and development could grow by 5.9 percent annually by 2007. Jenny Benavidez, industry analyst for aerospace and defense, said the budget increase will be driven in part by surpluses in recent years and the need to develop new equipment and platforms to meet new requirements. Examples of new equipment include the Joint Strike Fighter and the Joint Tactical Radio System, she said.
FARNBOROUGH, England - The emergence of the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter shouldn't preclude the sale of 200 or even 400 more F-16s, according to John Bean, Lockheed Martin vice president for the F-16. Lockheed Martin already has a backlog of 300 F-16s that take production out through 2008, but the company is aggressively pursuing a number of projects. Also, Bean said there is an upgrade potential for more than 3,000 F-16s during the next five to 10 years. The company has delivered 4,056 of the fighters.
FARNBOROUGH, England - A team of U.S. and British aerospace and defense companies, led by Lockheed Martin, will compete for the United Kingdom Ministry of Defence's Phase 1 ground-based air defense (GBAD) program. GBAD is aimed at upgrading and integrating the U.K.'s existing MBDA and Thales Starstreak short-range surface-to-air missile system, for which two GBAD Phase 1 contracts are expected before year's end.
FARNBOROUGH, England - Northrop Grumman is hoping its RQ-8A Fire Scout unmanned aerial vehicle, abandoned earlier this year by the U.S Navy, could get new life in Europe. The company announced July 22 at the Farnborough Air Show that it is offering the Fire Scout to the United Kingdom for the British army's upcoming UAV program. Although Northrop Grumman was expected to bid on the program, company officials waited until Farnborough to announce their choice of UAV platform.
FARNBOROUGH, England - Sikorsky expects its world customer service business to hit its target of $1 billion annually by next year. The company recently acquired Derco Holdings, which has about 1,200 customers in 66 countries for its logistic support activities. Operating in both commercial and military fields, the company services and supports products ranging from S-61 helicopters to C-130/L100 Hercules.
F-22 WORK: Alliant Techsystems will supply composite parts and subassemblies for the F-22 Raptor's horizontal stabilator, under a $12 million contract from Vought Aircraft Industries.
FARNBOROUGH, England - Dunlop Standard Aerospace Group said the name Dunlop is being realigned. The new organizational structure of seven businesses will be Dunlop Aerospace, headed by David Johnson.
FARNBOROUGH, England - Lockheed Martin and General Electric announced the establishment of a military engine maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) organization that's to become operational next month.
FARNBOROUGH, England - Attempts to establish the European Military Aircraft Co. (EMAC) have foundered over disagreement on Italy's share of the projected joint venture with French and German partners in EADS. "EMAC is dead," said Roberto Testore, CEO of Finmeccanica. The project won't happen now, Testore said, but Finmeccanica still is pursuing future collaborative work with European firms.
The House Select Committee on Homeland Security has approved transferring the National Communications System (NCS) and the satellite-based Hazard Support System (HSS) to the proposed new Department of Homeland Security (DHS).
FARNBOROUGH, England - The Boeing Co. has concluded agreements to cooperate on missile defense with three of Europe's largest defense companies, according to company officials. The agreements with the European Aeronautics Defence and Space and Co. (EADS) and Italy's Alenia Spazio were announced July 23 at the Farnborough International Air Show. The third agreement, with BAE Systems, has been signed, according to Phil Condit, Boeing's chairman and CEO. Final details will be announced July 24.
In the U.S. Department of Commerce's new spectrum allocation plan, released July 23, all Department of Defense (DOD) users would have to relocate their conventional fixed microwave communication systems from the 1710-1755 MHz band by the end of 2008. Although this portion of the spectrum already has been turned over by the federal government to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) for commercial use, DOD users at 16 protected military sites within the U.S. still are able to use this portion of the spectrum.
AWARDS: Aviation Week's James Ott was named the Royal Aeronautical Society's Aerospace Journalist of the Year for 2002 at a July 22 ceremony at the London Hilton. Ott was honored for his article, "Tight Security Compels Airport Design Shake-up." Flight International's Graham Warwick received the 2002 Boeing Decade of Excellence Award, for outstanding journalism over the past 10 years.
FARNBOROUGH, England - With international fighter competitions becoming increasingly rancorous, the European Aeronautic Defense and Space Co. (EADS) says its export strategy is based on promoting the capabilities of its Eurofighter Typhoon, not on disparaging other aircraft.
