PERFORMANCE CRUNCH: Consultancy AlixPartners says the western aerospace and defense (A&D) sector is in for more consolidation, if only because companies will have to “drastically” cut costs and improve efficiencies to maintain their profit-making. “This will be hard given anemic demand, pressure to develop technologies to cut fuel consumption, and pressure to remain competitive,” according to an announcement discussing the “new normal” environment.
FARNBOROUGH — Mobile satellite operator Iridium is here at the Farnborough International Airshow to promote its solution to the problems highlighted by last year’s Air France Flight 447 accident over the Atlantic. All 228 passengers and crew perished when the Airbus A330-200 crashed, and the loss of the flight data recorder (FDR) deprived investigators of information they could have used to pinpoint the disaster’s cause.
FARNBOROUGH — General Atomics Aeronautical Systems (GA-ASI) plans to offer its Avenger/Predator C unmanned combat air vehicle in two variants, with the second featuring radar absorbent materials, a Joint Strike Fighter-type electro-optical sensor and other features for survival in heavily defended airspace, according to Aircraft Systems Group President Frank Pace. “We are working that program, but it’s a few years out,” Pace said at the Farnborough International Airshow July 21.
SAUDI HAWK: Saudi Arabia’s ministry of interior is the launch customer for Sikorksy’s S-70i International Black Hawk, with an order for three helicopters for delivery from early 2011, plus options for another 12, for border protection, transport and other roles. Assembled in Poland by Sikorsky subsidiary PZL Meilec, the export variant of the Black Hawk made its first flight on July 1.
FARNBOROUGH — To protect the 2015 timeline for the development of an active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar for the key Indian export campaign, the Eurofighter radar consortium is pre-funding the system’s development until March. Some workshare issues remain to be sorted out, but the development effort for the AESA that will replace the mechanically scanned antenna began this month. Eurofighter CEO Enzo Casolini says the work has been done on the back of an agreement in principle from the U.K., Germany, Italy and Spain to acquire such a system.
FORMATION FLIGHT: Sikorsky has completed the first autonomous formation flight (AFF) as it develops technology for an optionally piloted Black Hawk helicopter. For the June flight, the company’s AFF system was implemented on the U.S. Army’s JUH-60 Rascal fly-by-wire testbed, which then flew in formation with an unmodified EH-60L. The AFF system comprises a single camera to track the lead aircraft and flight-control algorithms to maintain relative position automatically.
MAINTENANCE STRATEGY: As part of the continued drive toward a better planned and engineered surface-force maintenance strategy, the U.S. Naval Sea Systems Command (Navsea) Surface Ship Life-Cycle Management Activity will reach the key 75% milestone this month in the development of technical foundation papers (TFP) for the Ticonderoga (CG 47) and Wasp (LHD 1) classes of ships. On track for completion this September, these TFPs are designed to identify the maintenance requirements that must be performed for each ship class to reach its expected service life.
NEW DELHI — U.K.-based Cobham is in discussions with Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd. and India’s Aeronautical Development Agency about retrofitting a retractable refueling probe on the current model of the Light Combat Aircraft as well as the Mk2 version. While Cobham is not certain how the business model will be globally tendered, the company’s experience will be a definite advantage, according to Lee Griffiths, director of Cobham India.
The 30th MC-12W Project Liberty intelligence collecting aircraft — the final system slated for operational use — is beginning to execute combat sorties in Afghanistan and Iraq, according to U.S. Air Force officials. A total of 37 of the modified King Air 350 and 350ER aircraft are due to be delivered to the Air Force; seven are being dedicated to pilot training in Meridian, Miss. Two of the aircraft remain to be delivered to Air Combat Command for that purpose, and all 37 will be delivered by the end of October, according to Air Force officials.
DOMINATING MARKET: Boeing plans to market the Dominator medium-altitude, long-endurance unmanned aircraft developed by Israel’s Aeronautics Ltd. The aircraft is an unmanned version of Diamond Aircraft’s DA42 twin-engined, four-seat light aircraft. Powered by two Thielert turbo-diesels, the 2,640-lb. gross-weight Dominator has an endurance of 28 hr. at up to 30,000 ft. carrying a 900-lb. payload. The aircraft made its first flight in July 2009. Late to enter the UAV market, Boeing is fleshing out its portfolio through acquisitions and marketing agreements.
FARNBOROUGH — European missile manufacturer MBDA’s first Concept Visions effort examines very light guided weapons for infantry units intended for a notional capability around 2030. The Concept Visions approach is effectively a quick look at the art of what may be possible in the guided weapons arena given emerging requirements combined with technology trends, all at a relatively low cost of £500,000 ($760,000).
FARNBOROUGH — AgustaWestland plans to have its new AW169 helicopter available in 2015, with its eye on the government and emergency medical services markets. The AW169 is being designed to fit a hole in Agusta’s product line between the AW139 and the Grand. The new model has a design weight of 4.5 metric tons, measuring 13 meters in length and 2 meters wide.
FLYING BACN: Northrop Grumman flew the first Global Hawk unmanned aircraft equipped with the Battlefield Airborne Communications Node (BACN) payload on July 14 from Palmdale to Edwards AFB in California. Two Block 20 aircraft are being equipped with the BACN voice and data communications gateway for deployment by year’s end to meet an urgent requirement to improve air and ground communications in Afghanistan. Developed by Northrop, the BACN payload is also installed on three Bombardier Global Express business jets leased by the U.S. Air Force.
FARNBOROUGH — Boeing is in production on at least one “proprietary” strike weapon system, claims Shelley Lavender, vice president and general manager of global strike systems. But Lavender refused July 20 at the Farnborough International Airshow to provide more information when pressed. “I have nothing further for you on that,” the executive said.
September 29-30, 2010 ExCeL, London, UK Learn to maintain military assets longer; sustain aircraft beyond forecast; recover from budget cuts, delays and program cancellations, and develop new strategies required to deliver and support equipment. Learn more at www.aviationweek.com/events
FARNBOROUGH — The U.S. Air Force is likely nearing a point in the KC-135 replacement source selection to determine whether the three competitors are compliant with the requirements of the competition and can be evaluated, according to an industry official with acquisition experience.
FARNBOROUGH — U.S. export controls could harm the nation’s advantage in unmanned aircraft technologies by encouraging foreign competitors to develop their own systems, Northrop Grumman’s top executive warns. CEO Wes Bush says the nation should learn its lesson from the satellite industry, where blanket restrictions imposed on the sale or sharing of technologies spurred the rise of new competitors in commercial satellites and some lower-end military communications technologies.
FARNBOROUGH — Liam Fox, the British secretary of state for defense, is committing the government to providing a revamped Defense Industrial Strategy to industry shortly after it concludes its strategic review. Fox, in a keynote address at the Farnborough International Airshow here July 20, told an audience of senior industrialists that a “new Defense Industrial Strategy” would be published this year. The outcome of the government’s Strategic Defense and Security Review (SDSR) is expected to be made public in late October.
The House Science Committee has introduced a five-year NASA authorization bill that incorporates most of the elements of the authorization already moving through the Senate, suggesting for the first time that a compromise version of President Barack Obama’s proposed space policy could be enacted and funded during this fiscal year.
AVENGER: A second Avenger unmanned aircraft is in production and will fly late this year, with a third to follow, according to General Atomics Aeronautical Systems. Compared with the first Avenger, which flew in April 2009, the second example of the jet-powered Predator-family UAV has a 6 ft.-longer fuselage, at 44 ft., and twice the payload capacity, at 6,000 lb. General Atomics says the 400-kt. UAV can fly at up to 50,000 ft. for 20 hr. The Avenger is being proposed for the U.K.’s Scavenger deep and persistent surveillance UAV requirement.
SILENT LAUNCH: Boeing launched an AIM-120 missile from a prototype conformal weapons bay (CWB) on its F-15E1 testbed aircraft on July 14. The 80-min. flight from Pt. Mugu, Calif., validated the flightworthiness of the CWB and deployment of the missile from the internal bay, the company says. The CWB is a key feature of the stealthier F-15SE Silent Eagle, and reduces radar cross-section by enabling bombs and missiles to be carried internally. Boeing is awaiting an export license to supply data on the Silent Eagle to South Korea, the first potential customer.
FARNBOROUGH — Montreal-based CAE is promoting technology to help guide pilots through poor-visibility landings using “data fusion” to combine information gleaned from multiple sensors and sources in real time.
