Boeing Co., having completed the critical design review of the radar and identification, friend or foe (IFF) system for Australia's Wedgetail project (DAILY, April 24), is set for three more such reviews this year.
HEAVY BOOST: Japan's National Space Development Agency (NASDA) plans to develop the H-IIA-204, a higher-thrust version of its H-IIA, to carry future heavy payloads. The 204 version will have four large solid-fuel strap-on boosters (SOBs), compared with the current version's two large and two smaller SOBs. The 204 would be able to boost payloads of up to six metric tons into geosynchronous orbit, and is scheduled to launch the agency's ETS-8 experimental satellite in 2004.
Defense electronics maker L-3 Communications Corp. announced April 23 that its profits for the first quarter more than doubled due to strong sales of its secure communications, guidance and military avionics products. Net income for the quarter totaled $29.3 million, as compared with $14.2 million for the same period last year. Sales for the quarter increased by more than 50 percent, from $461.9 million a year ago to $696.8 million.
Despite recent incremental progress made in reducing the cost of launching to low-Earth orbit by programs such as the Air Force's Evolved Expendable Launch Vehicle (EELV), driving costs down further must remain a top priority for U.S. aerospace, according to Rep. Dana Rohrabacher (R-Calif.). Rohrabacher, who has served in Congress for 14 years, is in his last year as chairman of the House Science Committee's Space and Aeronautics Subcommittee.
TRW Inc. and Northrop Grumman officials both expressed satisfaction with the outcome of an April 24 shareholders vote, which disapproved two Northrop Grumman proposals to make it easier for it to acquire TRW, but also asked TRW officials to open the company's books for inspection. TRW shareholders voted to reject two of three proposals by Northrop Grumman as part of its efforts to acquire the Cleveland-based aerospace and automotive company.
Taiwan's vice minister of economic affairs, Chen Ruey-long, visited Czech aircraft manufacturer Aero Vodochody's production facility this week to discuss opportunities for further cooperation between the Taiwanese and the Czech Republic. Aero set up the joint company IBIS Aerospace with Taiwanese concern AIDC in 1997 to develop, produce and sell the single-engine turboprop civil aircraft Ae270. Since then it has secured 69 orders, including optional orders, mainly to the United States.
HEAVY BOOST: Japan's National Space Development Agency (NASDA) plans to develop the H-IIA-204, a higher-thrust version of its H-IIA, to carry future heavy payloads. The 204 version will have four large solid-fuel strap-on boosters (SOBs), compared with the current version's two large and two smaller SOBs. The 204 would be able to boost payloads of up to six metric tons into geosynchronous orbit, and is scheduled to launch the agency's ETS-8 experimental satellite in 2004.
PRAGUE - Taiwan's vice minister of economic affairs, Chen Ruey-long, visited Czech aircraft manufacturer Aero Vodochody's production facility this week to discuss opportunities for further cooperation between the Taiwanese and the Czech Republic. Aero set up the joint company IBIS Aerospace with Taiwanese concern AIDC in 1997 to develop, produce and sell the single-engine turboprop civil aircraft Ae270. Since then it has secured 69 orders, including optional orders, mainly to the United States.
Programs that have been certified under the Nunn-McCurdy Act won't be immune to termination if they subsequently fail to perform to expectations, according to Defense Department acquisition chief Edward C. "Pete" Aldridge. "From now on, a program must perform to survive," Aldridge said APril 24 during a keynote speech at the Global Air & Space 2002 symposium in Virginia. "Even after the certification ... if I see that the programs are failing, we will not hesitate to withdraw the certification and proceed on with program termination."
AGREEMENT?: Lockheed Martin has reached a tentative agreement with representatives of striking workers, including those at the Georgia plant that does final assembly on the F-22 and C-130J aircraft, the company announced April 24. Union employees will have to ratify the agreement.
The Naval Reserve's unfunded requirements list for fiscal 2003 includes hundreds of millions of dollars for aerospace-related programs, including procurement of C-40A airlifters and upgrades to P-3C and F/A-18A aircraft, according to a report distributed at an April 24 hearing of the Senate Appropriations defense subcommittee.
TRW Inc. and Northrop Grumman officials both expressed satisfaction with the outcome of an April 24 shareholders vote, which disapproved two Northrop Grumman proposals to make it easier for it to acquire TRW, but also asked TRW officials to open the company's books for inspection. TRW shareholders voted to reject two of three proposals by Northrop Grumman as part of its efforts to acquire the Cleveland-based aerospace and automotive company.
Boeing Co., having completed the critical design review of the radar and identification, friend or foe (IFF) system for Australia's Wedgetail project (DAILY, April 24), is set for three more such reviews this year.
The Commerce Department's National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA), along with the Defense Department and other federal agencies, are assessing the feasibility of making the 1755 to 1770 megahertz (MHz) band of the radio frequency spectrum available to commercial users, according to NTIA and DOD officials. The assessment could be concluded later this spring.
BELL HELICOPTER, Fort Worth, Texas Glenn E. Hess has been named president and chief operating officer. LOCKHEED MARTIN, Fort Worth, Texas Michael Fortson was honored recently with the Distinguished Engineer of the Year Award at the 2002 National Society of Black Engineers Golden Torch Awards. MANTECH INTERNATIONAL, Fairfax, Va. Admiral David Jeremiah (ret.), former vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, has been named chairman of the company's advisory board.
LOCKHEED MARTIN, Fort Worth, Texas Michael Fortson was honored recently with the Distinguished Engineer of the Year Award at the 2002 National Society of Black Engineers Golden Torch Awards.
Defense electronics maker L-3 Communications Corp. announced April 23 that its profits for the first quarter more than doubled due to strong sales of its secure communications, guidance and military avionics products. Net income for the quarter totaled $29.3 million, as compared with $14.2 million for the same period last year. Sales for the quarter increased by more than 50 percent, from $461.9 million a year ago to $696.8 million.
NEW DELHI - Russia plans to deliver the first 10 advanced Sukhoi Su-30 MKI multirole aircraft built for the Indian air force by the end of May, according to a Russian official. Alexy Fedorov, president of Irkutsk Aviation Industrial Association (JSC), said another 22 Su-30 MKIs will be delivered next year. Russia already has delivered 18 Su-30K fighters under a 50-aircraft deal signed with India in November 1998. The MKIs feature upgraded engines and radar systems.
The Department of Defense has not established an adequate system to determine when single-source suppliers of complex weapons systems should be required to provide pricing data for their products, and when that requirement may be waived, according to a GAO report released this week. As a result, the government risks paying inflated prices for certain unique weapons systems, the report says.
AGREEMENT?: Lockheed Martin has reached a tentative agreement with representatives of striking workers, including those at the Georgia plant that does final assembly on the F-22 and C-130J aircraft, the company announced April 24. Union employees will have to ratify the agreement.
Moving some or all of the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter's final assembly from Lockheed Martin Corp.'s plant in Fort Worth, Texas, to another location would result in additional costs for the Defense Department, according to a report released by the Defense Department April 24.
The Department of Defense has not established an adequate system to determine when single-source suppliers of complex weapons systems should be required to provide pricing data for their products, and when that requirement may be waived, according to a GAO report released this week. As a result, the government risks paying inflated prices for certain unique weapons systems, the report says.
