The U.S. Defense Department is laying the foundation for its 2011 Unmanned Systems Roadmap, even before it makes public this year’s report. The roadmap, anticipated in the next few months and covering 2009-2035, will focus on how unmanned systems “fit into the way we fight,” said Ed Wolski of the Office of the Secretary of Defense. “There’s a lot of thinking in DOD as to where we go next.”
PARIS – Officials at French space agency CNES say Spain has emerged as the most likely candidate to take over Italy’s role in Simbol-X, a high-energy X-ray mission led by France. A Spanish proposal to take a large stake in the 300 million euro twin-satellite undertaking is to be submitted for approval by the Center for Technological and Industrial Development (CDTI) later this month.
The Aerospace Industry Association (AIA) has added a slightly dissenting voice to the growing chorus calling for defense acquisition reform, proposing in a recent report that the acquisition process is suffering less from utter disarray than from benign neglect and mismanagement.
The U.S. Marine Corps is drafting a wish list of capabilities associated with two future unmanned aerial systems (UAS). The first is notionally called the Group 4 UAS, the first of its kind as the Marine Corps shifts from its old “tiered” system of classifying into new groups, according to Maj. Thomas Heffern of the service’s UAS Capabilities Office. He spoke Feb. 3 at the AUVSI’s annual Program Review conference in Washington.
MORE MEADS: Germany has asked MEADS International to integrate a European air defense missile into the Medium Extended Air Defense System (MEADS), a program co-developed by Germany, Italy and the United States. The work would include incorporating an IRIS-T SL (Surface Launched) as a secondary missile, which would expand the MEADS fire units delivered to Germany. The IRIS-T SL system is based on the concept of the IRIS-T air-to-air missile. The SL system is equipped with a larger solid-propellant rocket motor, a data link and a nose cone for drag reduction.
BUDGET BATTLE: The first salvo in Washington’s defense budget battle for fiscal 2010 has been fired. A defense analyst says a whispered Pentagon baseline figure around $524 billion is just the first step in negotiations inside the capital Beltway. “This strongly appears to be temporary,” the Pentagon consultant says. The current fiscal year’s baseline is $513 billion. Baselines do not include off-budget, supplemental spending such as for Iraq and Afghanistan operations.
ITALIAN SDB: The Italian Air Force will integrate its new GPS-guided Boeing Small Diameter Bombs (SDBs) on the Tornado fighter-bomber fleet, as well as fit the lower-blast weapon on the Typhoon. But it seems unlikely that the SDB will be integrated with the upgraded AMX fighter bombers, which are getting Joint Direct Attack Munitions. Italian defense officials have approved an initial buy of 500 SDBs. Harsher budget conditions forced the Air Force to push back the initial buy to this year, with the effort now not to be completed before the end of 2011 – and likely 2012.
Engineers at Goddard Space Flight Center will subject a spare avionics box for the Hubble Space Telescope to vibration testing next week as they work to meet a May 12 launch date for the space shuttle Atlantis on the final servicing mission to the orbiting observatory.
AIR FORCE The Air Force is awarding a firm fixed contract to Northrop Grumman, Palmdale, Calif., for $35,150,555.00. The contract action will provide for B-2 Flexible Acquisition and Sustainment Team Contract, Performance Based Logistics, and CY09 Contract Depot Maintenance. At this time the entire amount has been obligated. 448 SCMG/PKBF Tinker Air Force Base, Okla., is the contracting activity (F33657-99-D-0028).
FIRST F2AST: Boeing has received its first contract award under the U.S. Air Force Future Flexible Acquisition and Sustainment (F2AST) program. The $19.1 million award is for an Air Force Special Operations Command contract for AC-130U Gunship operational flight and simulation software sustainment/maintenance; field service representative support; configuration, data and obsolescence management and intermediate repairs. According to Boeing, the government is expected to negotiate three annual options during the first quarter of 2009.
The U.S. Marine Corps is moving forward with upgrades to its AH-1 and UH-1 helicopters, unhindered by a Nunn-McCurdy breach the service attributes in part to demand. The cost overrun was discovered in September 2008, when the program hit Milestone 3 and a decision on full-rate production, according to Col. Harry Hewson, the Marine Corps program manager.
General Dynamics forecasts a strong 2009 as its defense businesses continue to grow. The company's Combat Systems segment reported fourth-quarter 2008 sales of $2.3 billion, down somewhat from 2007, due in part to heavy sales of the Cougar variant MRAP not occurring last year, CEO Nicholas Chabraja told analysts last week.
EADS has added another software suite to support its 2007 PHENIX initiative to harmonize and standardize product life cycle management across its business units, which include Airbus, Eurocopter and Astrium. MSC Software’s SimEnterprise product suite will provide the software infrastructure for EADS’ simulation and computer-aided engineering (CAE) processes in future product development. Contract details were not released, but Senior Director of Marketing Ted Pawela calls it “big because it’s a standardization for CAE and simulation.”
Sikorsky is preparing to take the next step in its X2 Technology high-speed helicopter program, having tested the coaxial-rotor demonstrator for the first time with the tail-mounted pusher propeller turning. Ground tests of the propulsor are a precursor to high-speed flight-tests that will see the helicopter’s cruise speed pushed out to an expected 250 knots over three phases. Helicopters typically cruise at around 150 knots.
Pratt & Whitney’s F135 engine has been cleared for powered-lift flight-testing in the F-35B Joint Strike Fighter (JSF). Approval follows a review of design changes made to eliminate vibration that caused turbine blade failures during ground tests of two engines.
Republican Sen. John McCain (Ariz.) doesn’t see an “Anbar Awakening”-like event happening in Afghanistan to turn the tide of war there and unite forces against the Taliban and al Qaeda, as the Sunni tribal movement did in Iraq. In a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing Jan. 27, McCain – the ranking Republican on the panel and his party’s presidential candidate last year – pressed Defense Secretary Robert Gates about the increase in Taliban activity over the past year, as well as porous borders.
March 11 - 12, 2009 National Press Club Washington, DC Gen. George W. Casey, Jr., Chief of Staff of the United States Army Gen. William M. Fraser, III, Vice Chief of Staff for the Air Force LTG Raymond Johns, USAF Deputy Chief of Staff for Strategic Plans & Programs MG Jay H. Lindell, Director, Global Power Programs, Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Acquisition
WEDGETAIL FLIGHTS: Boeing has conducted functional check flights of two 737-700 airborne early warning and control (AEW&C) aircraft modified in Australia for Project Wedgetail. The 2.5-hour flights on Jan. 21 and 28 followed major aircraft modifications performed by Boeing Defence Australia, including the installation and checkout of an advanced Multi-role Electronically Scanned Array (MESA) antenna, ventral fins and mission system equipment.
COMMS WITH DEPTH: The U.S. Navy has awarded Lockheed Martin a $35.8 million contract to design and produce antenna buoy systems that will expand the communications capabilities of submerged submarines. The Navy’s Communications at Speed and Depth (CSD) program will use expendable submarine and air-launched communication buoys to enable submarines operating below periscope depth and at tactical speeds to communicate with surface ships and land-based assets via satellite networks.
NASA has named four science teams to observe the impact of the Lunar Crater Observation and Sensing Satellite (LCROSS) when it rams into the moon this August. They will have to look fast. A companion to the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) that’s due for launch in late April, LCROSS is a NASA Ames Research Center project that will work like a battering ram to smack into a permanently shadowed crater near one of the moon’s poles. The hope is it will kick up enough debris to be visible from Earth with telescopes of just 10-12 inches in diameter.
