FLIGHT TRAINERS: The Naval Air Warfare Center and Boeing have awarded a $32 million contract to L-3 Communication's Link Simulation and Training division to build four F/A-18E/F Tactical Operational Flight Trainers. The first two systems are scheduled for delivery to NAS Lemoore, Calif., in 2008. The second pair of systems will be delivered to NAS Oceana, Va.
EAGLE AESAS: Raytheon executives told reporters Dec. 12 that the fiscal 2008 defense budget request could include a 50 percent boost in the Air National Guard purchase of APG-63(v)3 active electronically scanned array (AESA) radars for F-15 fighters. Ramon Estrada, Raytheon's Space and Airborne Systems program director of F-15 AESA programs, and Arnie Victor, director, business development of F-15 Radar programs, said the company last week signed a $55.8 million subcontract with Boeing for six APG-63(v)3s for the Guard and one more, likely for testing, for the Air Force.
The combined crews of the space shuttle Discovery and the International Space Station were bolting a new section of truss into the ISS backbone late Dec. 12, after using a camera in the station's robotic construction crane to check out a possible orbital debris impact on the shuttle's left wing. A quick inspection late Dec. 11 suggested the extremely slight reading late Dec. 10 was a false positive. It came from accelerometers installed behind the wing leading edge to detect debris impacts during ascent. Verbal cues
Thales has concluded a deal to buy the space and homeland security businesses of Alcatel-Lucent for $2 billion in stock and cash, subject to conclusion of a European Commission antitrust investigation.
NEW MEMBER: Incoming Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) announced Dec. 11 that, subject to approval by the Steering Committee and the Democratic Caucus, Sen. Bill Nelson (D-Fla.) will join the Senate Intelligence Committee in the 110th Congress. Nelson will fill a seat previously held by Sen. Carl Levin (D-Mich.), who as incoming Senate Armed Services Committee chairman will continue to participate in the work of the Intelligence Committee as an ex officio member.
NASA is seeking information from industry about the feasibility of launching an additional unmanned cargo resupply mission to the International Space Station (ISS) in 2009 to make up for an anticipated shortfall in dry cargo deliveries. An analysis of the station's cargo needs versus scheduled deliveries has determined that the outpost will be left 54.4 metric tons short on dry cargo logistics - which includes food and other supplies but not propellant - from the period 2009-2015.
Outgoing House Science Committee Chairman Sherwood Boehlert (R-N.Y.) has written the White House Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to ask for more money for NASA's science programs in fiscal 2008.
NEW YORK - Airborne refueling of a long-range strike bomber that potentially could be unmanned all or part of the time is a critical technology in need of development - but facing a long, hard slog. "That's one of those technologies that we're investing in but we're not quite there yet," said U.S. Air Force Maj. Gen. David Edgington, director of global power programs.
Inspection shows Discovery damage free KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, Fla. - Inspection of the shuttle Discovery's reinforced carbon carbon wing leading edge and nose cap material by the Orbiter Boom Sensor System (OBSS) shows no sign of any external tank foam or ice impact.
The launch of the U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory's TacSat-2 satellite from NASA's Wallops Flight Facility in Wallops Island, Va., was scrubbed Dec. 11 due to a possible problem with the software that points the spacecraft's solar arrays. Mission controllers opted to postpone the morning liftoff when Air Force engineers running simulations determined that the software might not point the arrays directly at the sun when the spacecraft arrives in orbit, which could leave it with insufficient power, according to NASA spokesman Keith Koehler.
Canada has officially joined the Netherlands and the United States in agreeing to the next stage of development for the Joint Strike Fighter, officials announced Dec. 11. U.S. Deputy Defense Secretary Gordon England and Canadian Deputy Defense Minister Ward Elcock signed a memorandum of understanding Dec. 11 to begin cooperation in the production, sustainment, and follow-on development (PSFD) phase.
U.S. Army officials say that the procurement numbers of EC-145-based Light Utility Helicopters (LUH) could increase as the service examines its requirement for medical evacuation aircraft.
PAKISTANI FALCONS: The U.S. Air Force has awarded Lockheed Martin Corp. a $144.1 million contract for new F-16 C/D aircraft for Pakistan under the Block 52 tranche. The service, in a Dec. 5 Defense Department announcement, said procurement of 12 operational single-place F-16C Block 52 aircraft and six operational two-place F-16D Block 52 aircraft will be accomplished under the firm-fixed price portion of the contract. The work will be complete by November 2010. In another F-16 award announced the same day, the Air Force awarded General Electric Co.
LIFTOFF THREATENED: Space Shuttle Discovery was still set to take off from Kennedy Space Center, Fla., at 9:35 p.m. Eastern time Dec. 7, but there was a 60 percent chance that poor weather would prohibit the launch, NASA's Web site said. A cold front moving through the area was expected to bring isolated light rain and clouds. During the 12-day mission, astronauts plan to rewire and continue building the International Space Station.
The British defense ministry is exploring the purchase of an unmanned underwater vehicle for reconnaissance and countermine warfare. A formal requirement hasn't been established yet, but the government has laid out basic performance features it is interested in, including a system able to support littoral and open-ocean operations. The UUV would have to be able to operate at depths between 30 meters and 200 meters. Vehicle deployment is targeted for spring 2009.
The Falcon Small Launch Vehicle (SLV) program is preparing to enter its next phase early next year, after contractors AirLaunch LLC and SpaceX clear a few more hurdles. Steven Walker, Falcon program manager for the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), estimates the effort will move into Phase 2C around February 2007. The length of the phase will depend on whether the program decides to take the technology as far as an actual orbital flight-test. "That's a decision that hasn't been made yet," Walker told The DAILY.
GRAND CHALLENGE: The U.K. defense ministry is sponsoring a Grand Challenge science and technology competition to promote new ideas for a system to detect snipers, Rocket Propelled Grenade attacks and improvised explosive devices. U.K. teams and individuals are eligible. Entries must be submitted by May 2007. The best entrants will advance to the second round and may receive funding. Final judging will take place in 2008 when entrants compete head to head before a panel of judges in a military training urban environment.
