BRUSSELS — Italy’s Avio is urging Europe to develop a new variant of the Vega light launch vehicle that could provide a cheaper alternative for exploration missions beyond low Earth orbit. Pier Giuliano Lasagni, who heads Avio’s space division, told a European Union space conference here today that the rocket would carry a new upper stage equipped with Hall-effect electric thrusters, instead of the liquid propulsion upper stage that currently sits atop the vehicle.
PARIS — The Canadian defense ministry poorly projected the cost and complexity of two of its main helicopter modernization projects, leading to a large underestimation of project costs, Canada’s auditor general says in an Oct. 26 report.
With the U.S. Army poised this week to release the revamped request for proposals (RFP) for its $40 billion Ground Combat Vehicle (GCV) replacement program for the Bradley Fighting Vehicle, BAE Systems is still counting on its hybrid-drive design to win over buyers despite its perceived risks. The biggest risk factor, BAE officials say, will be the company’s success or failure in persuading the Army that the hybrid-drive system is proven technology that powers vehicles across a spectrum of industries.
The U.S. Marine Corps is looking into arming the small RQ-7 Shadow UAV, currently in use in Iraq and Afghanistan, according to Col. Gregory Gonzalez, Army program manager for unmanned aircraft systems. At the Association of the U.S. Army convention in Washington Oct. 26, Gonzalez said that while the Marines are still in the very early stages of obtaining the necessary permissions, if and when they move forward on the idea, his Army UAV shop will take the lead in development.
LONDON — The German navy is expected to receive the first telemetry versions of RBS15 Mk. 3 anti-ship missiles, with industry hoping the program will start to receive new orders. Germany and Poland are the lead customers for the missile, with Germany to operate the weapon from the K130 Corvette. But development problems with the ship mean the timing for the integration test shots remains in doubt, industry officials say. The Polish navy also will receive the missile for its Orkan-class corvettes.
NEW DELHI — Information technology services company Mahindra Satyam is scouting for partners to round out its capabilities in battle management systems, network-centric warfare, data fusion and electronic warfare.
HOUSTON — The International Space Station maneuvered early Oct. 26 to avoid a close pass from orbital debris identified as a piece of NASA’s decommissioned Upper Atmosphere Research Satellite (UARS). Station commander Doug Wheelock and the rest of the six-member U.S. and Russian crew carried on with normal activities during the 3-min. avoidance maneuver at 6:25 a.m. EDT. Ground-tracking radar indicated the debris could pass within 3,300 ft. of the station at about 8:41 a.m. EDT without the maneuver.
Senior Virginia Sen. Jim Webb (D) announced late Oct. 25 that he would hold up “all” Defense Department civilian and flag/general officer nominations until his request for data regarding defense staff levels has been satisfied. Webb and other members of the commonwealth’s delegation to Washington have been pressing the Pentagon for more justification behind its move to shut down U.S. Joint Forces Command, which besides being a combatant command is also a significant federal business provider in southeast Virginia.
LAKOTA FMS: U.S. Army officials are in “preliminary” discussions with some Middle East and Caribbean countries interested in the UH-72A Lakota light utility helicopter, although there are no active foreign military sales cases open, according to Col. L. Neil Thurgood, utility helo project manager, speaking Oct. 26 at the Association of the U.S. Army conference in Washington. EADS North America has delivered at least 133 of 345 planned Lakotas, and the program is on or possibly ahead of schedule, the colonel said.
KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, Fla. — NASA managers cleared space shuttle Discovery for launch at 4:40 p.m. EDT Nov. 1, following a review of weekend repair work to fix a small leak in the flange area of the Orbital Maneuvering System (OMS). “We’re in great shape out at the pad,” Launch Director Mike Leinbach told reporters Oct. 25 following NASA’s Flight Readiness Review for the STS-133 mission, the 39th and final planned mission for Discovery.
BENGALURU, India — India recently tested an unmanned aerial vehicle over the country’s Lord Venkateswara Temple, one of the world’s richest and most-visited pilgrim centers. The 45-min. test of the 2-kg. (4.4-lb.) battery-operated surveillance UAV over the temple, located in Thirupathi, Andhra Pradesh, was conducted after intelligence agencies reported a possible “engagement” by militants during India’s festive seasons. The UAV was designed and developed by a Bangalore-based firm.
LONDON — The U.K. Royal Navy’s first upgraded Merlin helicopter is now in flight trials. The Merlin Mk. 2 upgrade program will encompass four helicopters to validate the flight performance, avionics and mission system. Lockheed Martin, prime contractor for the effort, says flight trials at AgustaWestland’s Yeovil facility, where the 35-min. first flight took place late last month using helicopter MCSP01, will continue until late 2011.
The German military would be cut from 250,000 to 180,000 uniformed personnel, and 50,000 civilians would also be slashed under a proposal laid out by a commission asked to craft plans for a reform of the country’s armed forces. The document is one of the building blocks for a reform program that is expected to yield a new vision for the armed forces, including modernization plans, next year.
NASA has unveiled a $200-million solicitation to beef up its current $50-million investment in commercially provided crew transportation concepts, with the intention of awarding multiple contracts by March. Companies have until Dec. 13 to submit proposals for NASA’s Commercial Crew Development Round 2 (CCDev 2) program, a follow-on to a current program that is funding work by Sierra Nevada Corp., Boeing Co., United Launch Alliance, Blue Origin and Paragon Space Development.
LONDON — With smaller boats gaining increased attention in naval modernization, MBDA has launched the Compact Warfare Systems Package to weaponize portions of that market.
LONDON — MBDA is preparing for the first submarine launch trial of the Scalp Naval cruise missile. The first test is due next year, and follows last month’s underwater evaluation during which the missile’s booster motor was run for several seconds at depth at a facility in a Norwegian fjord, the company says. “First analysis of the test results show that the pressure profile of the booster, the ejection of the storage lid protecting the rear end of the missile and the model’s water-tight properties all behaved nominally,” the company says.
LONDON — The Norwegian government has just completed acceptance tests of Kongsberg’s Naval Strike Missile (NSM), clearing the way for the stealthy weapon to enter service.
On the same day it announced a 23% drop in operating profit in its defense business amid shrinking margins, Boeing received some good news. U.S. officials announced a $60 billion set of Foreign Military Sales to Saudi Arabia that includes updated Boeing F-15 fighter jets. “I would not characterize the prospects ahead of us in defense as wild-eyed growth, but I would suggest there is an opportunity to grow, with international [sales] and adjacent [markets] leading the way,” CEO James McNerney told Wall Street analysts.
LONDON – The U.K. is extending a deal to provide the Hermes 450 unmanned aircraft in Afghanistan on a fee-for-service basis. Hermes 450 maker Elbit Systems says UAS Tactical Systems — a joint venture the Israeli firm maintains with Thales U.K. for unmanned aircraft operational work — has secured a $70 million deal to continue the operation for another 18 months. A further deal may be possible, depending on U.K. drawdown plans in Afghanistan. The government currently says it plans to depart by 2015.
NEW DELHI — Members of the supervisory board of the four-nation Eurofighter consortium — which like the U.S. is competing for India’s program for 126 Medium Multirole Combat Aircraft (MMRCA) — are meeting in New Delhi for the first time Oct. 25-26. This is also the group’s initial meeting in Asia. “India’s MMRCA is high on the agenda. ... This should be a clear signal to the political decision-makers in India that the MMRCA is of the highest importance for Eurofighter,” says Cassidian Air Systems spokesman Theodor Benien.
AIR FORCE Lockheed Martin Corp., Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Co., Marietta, Ga., was awarded a $326,944,466 contract modification for C-5M reliability enhancement and re-engineering program, low-rate initial production Lot 4 material and fabrication of material required to support the modification of the seven Lot 4 aircraft. At this time, $326,944,466 has been obligated. ASC/WLSK, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, is the contracting activity (FA8625-07-C-6471; P00041). ARMY
