Top-level engineers overseeing development of the Orion crew exploration vehicle have decided to slip preliminary design review (PDR) on the six-seat capsule — probably by about two months — to give some contractors more time to work design changes adopted last fall in a major weight-saving exercise. Meeting on May 6, the Constellation Program Control Board tentatively authorized a PDR slip from Sept. 16-26 to Nov. 10-21.
ACQUIRING DRS: “Accounting issues” are holding up further progress in the discussions Finmeccanica is having with DRS Technologies about purchasing the New Jersey-based defense electronics firm. If the two companies reach agreement, the proposed transaction almost certainly will come under intense scrutiny by regulators concerned about the transfer of sensitive technologies, including new infrared detector systems for the Missile Defense Agency.
VIRGINIA ON TRIAL: The U.S. Navy’s first, namesake Virginia-class attack submarine is starting its six-month comprehensive evaluation, according to Naval Sea Systems Command. The trial will include operations with an aircraft carrier strike group in a large naval exercise, simulated combat operations against surface ships and other subs, the launch of Tomahawk test missiles, and a simulated special operations mission with Navy SEALs.
The Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) Executive Steering Board meeting in Amsterdam on April 22 has discussed the possibility of extending the JSF system development and demonstration (SDD) program by one year to late 2014, according to Dutch state secretary for defense procurement Jack de Vries. A decision on this is expected in the fall, he further said. Such an extension also would lead to a longer initial operational test and evaluation program, now scheduled to last from 2011-2014.
To list an event, send information in calendar format to Donna Thomas at [email protected]. (Bold type indicated new calendar listing.) May 14 - 16 — EW – Electronic Warfare 2008. “New Threats Require New Solutions,” Casino Krusaal, Interlaken, Switzerland. For more information go to www.shephard.co.uk/ew
ASSIGNING ROLES: Pentagon leadership is looking at a congressionally mandated report over U.S. military roles and missions as a way to solidify some Bush administration changes while making recommendations to the next president ahead of the next quadrennial defense review. “We felt that it was best to look at it as an opportunity to continue some of the things that we’ve learned in this administration, as far as organization and construct, and things that could perhaps be of value to the next administration,” a Defense Department representative told reporters May 8.
SMALL SATS: Within a year, the Army will have a firmer plan of how to proceed with two experimental efforts: building a small satellite for tactical use and building a high-altitude, long-loiter tethered platform for intelligence collection. Lt. Gen. Kevin Campbell, director of the Army’s Space and Missile Defense Command, says these efforts are driven to provide more access to ground commanders of intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance and communications capabilities.
NATO INFO: Northrop Grumman will provide NATO hardware and software support services for the rollout of the Maritime Command and Control Information System (MCCIS) across NATO countries. The MCCIS merges information gathered from satellites, wide area networks, computerized tactical data processors and machine-readable messages to create a common operating environment for maritime and other assets. It is integrated by NATO support staff and includes commercial-off-the-shelf products together with NATO-developed applications.
GPS III: The U.S. Air Force must take “specific actions to mitigate program risks” on the Global Positioning Satellite (GPS) III program, according to DOD acquisition chief John Young.
The German defense ministry is competing a requirement for new, single-engine basic training helicopters for use by the country’s Army Air Corps School in Bueckeburg. The nine helicopters would be used for basic training before pilots migrate to use of the 14 Eurocopter EC135s in use at the school since 2000. In addition to the new production rotorcraft, the Germany defense armaments agency, the BWB, says the deal will come with a 10-year logistics support arrangement.
Astronaut/Astronomer John Grunsfeld will get a little observation time on the Hubble Space Telescope after his upcoming space shuttle mission to repair and upgrade the orbiting observatory. Grunsfeld will lead the extravehicular activity (EVA) team on the STS-125 mission, tentatively scheduled for late September or early October, that will install two new instruments on Hubble and give it a final servicing before the shuttle fleet is retired in 2010.
Raytheon and Emirates Advanced Investments of Abu Dhabi have reached an agreement to cooperatively develop and eventually produce a Laser Guided Rocket (LGR) system in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The 70mm LGR system will first be qualified for the UAE’s military, and the U.S. Army and Marine Corps are likely to buy the system later for multiple platforms.
WIGGLE ROOM: Senators drafting a new NASA authorization bill are considering giving the agency a little more time to finish the International Space Station. Instead of a hard September 2010 deadline for grounding the space shuttle fleet, per President Bush’s plan, some lawmakers want to allow the shuttles to keep flying until the 10 remaining flights to the station are completed. Sen. David Vitter (La.), the top Republican on the Senate space subcommittee, says the idea is still in the “discussion” stage.
Boeing is looking for a buyer for the 767-400ER airframe originally intended as the prototype for the now cancelled E-10 Multi-Sensor Command and Control Aircraft (MC2A), but in the meantime is using the platform for some flight deck upgrade test work.
MOBILE LAUNCHER: Hensel Phelps Construction Co. will build the mobile launcher for NASA’s planned Ares I crew launch vehicle under a contract worth as much as $263.7 million. Based on one of the mobile platforms originally built for the Saturn V moon rocket in the 1960s and currently used for space shuttle launches, the Ares I launcher will stand about 390 feet tall. Power, communications, conditioned air and water will be provided for the mobile ground facility.
ABSENCE EXPLAINED: EADS North America CEO Ralph Crosby says the pace of the A400M transport now in development in Europe prevented it from being available for the U.S. Air Force’s HC\MC-130 program. That left the Lockheed Martin C-130J as the only option. Recently Pentagon acquisition chief John Young approved a sole-source deal with Lockheed for up to 68 of the J’s for the HC/MC-130 replacement.
QUIET BOOM: NASA is continuing its pursuit of a next-generation quiet supersonic aircraft by conducting joint research on sonic boom modeling with the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA). Japan is planning to fly the Silent Supersonic Technology Demonstrator (S³TD, or “S-Cube”) around 2012 to achieve a 3dB reduction in take-off noise through airframe shielding and a 50 percent reduction in sonic boom intensity through airframe shaping, as well as lower weight and drag compared to Concorde.
Defense electronics contractor DRS Technologies confirmed today that it is engaged in talks about a possible “strategic transaction.” The Parsippany, N.J.-based company confirmed the discussions in a brief statement after the Wall Street Journal reported that it was in advanced negotiations to be acquired by Finmeccanica. The Italian company has long been scouting for an acquisition to bolster its position in the large U.S. defense market. It has been particularly interested in the defense electronics sector.
The man responsible for providing power to General Dynamics’ corporate headquarters has now been chosen to run the company. Jay L. Johnson, CEO of Dominion Virginia Power and former Chief of Naval Operations, will succeed longtime CEO Nick Chabraja when he steps down from the top executive post at the Falls Church, Va.-based contractor on June 30, 2009. Johnson will join General Dynamics in September as vice chairman. Chabraja, who had earlier announced his plans to retire as CEO, will remain chairman until May 2010, the company said May 7.
AFGHAN AIR: U.S. Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR) has responded to a direct request from Afghanistan’s president and minister of defense for Antonov AN-32 aircraft. The Navy’s International Program Office communicated the request to NAVAIR’s Support and Commercial Derivative Aircraft Program Office, which was directed to buy four AN-32s for the Afghan National Army Air Corps (ANAAC) through the Foreign Military Sales program. The aircraft were bought from commercial sources through an accelerated acquisition strategy.
LONDON – The British government May 8 finally confirmed its selection of the General Dynamics Piranha 5 to meet the utility vehicle element of its multibillion dollar Future Rapid Effect System (FRES) program. General Dynamics was competing with Nexter and Artec. The French government and industrialists have in recent weeks pushed to persuade the U.K. to drop its preference for the Piranha and opt for a VBCI-based design.
NEW CUTTER: The U.S. Coast Guard took preliminary acceptance of the National Security Cutter (NSC) Bertholf during a ceremony at Pascagoula, Miss., May 8. Capt. Pat Stadt hopes to take the ship and its crew to sea in about 10 days and stay under way for a week, performing damage control drills. The 418-foot ship will be in and out of the shipyard until June 13, and eventually be commissioned by the Coast Guard at Alameda, Calif., on Aug. 4.
Senate Appropriations Chairman Robert Byrd (D-W.Va.) postponed the planned markup of the war supplemental spending bill May 8 because procedural and political disputes have delayed action on a similar bill in the House. Byrd said he “very reluctantly” agreed to delay the markup for a week at the request of House and Senate leaders. The Senate markup was rescheduled for May 15. Both measures are expected to exceed the $173 billion the Bush administration is seeking to fund the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.
