Boeing Phantom Works Advanced Support Concepts, which creates innovative technology to support aerospace and defense platforms, is working on new logistics and maintenance technologies, including systems for the Army's Future Combat Systems and the Navy's F/A-18 aircraft, a company official said. Boeing's defense research and development support arm is supporting the modeling and simulation of the FCS' need for network centric logistics, Greg Burton, director of advanced support concepts for Phantom Works, told The DAILY.
The Homeland Security Advanced Research Projects Agency (HSARPA) plans to hold a bidder's conference in Arlington, Va. on Jan. 14 to discuss a new broad agency announcement seeking technology to detect improvised explosive devices (IEDs).
The U.S. Defense Department's Joint High Power Solid State Laser (JHPSSL) program has delayed demonstrating 25-kilowatt solid-state lasers by about three months because the three teams involved in the effort need more time, according to program officials. Three electrically-driven lasers developed by Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Northrop Grumman and Raytheon had been scheduled for laboratory tests in December (DAILY, Sept. 29). But those demonstrations have been moved to March 2005.
Lockheed Martin has successfully conducted wind-tunnel tests of its Surveilling Miniature Attack Cruise Missile (SMACM), company officials said Dec. 22. During scores of hours of wind-tunnel tests Dec. 6-10 at Texas A&M University in College Station, Texas, a quarter-scale model of SMACM showed "no significant anomalies" in the missile's design, said Jim Pappafotis, director of advanced programs for strike weapons at Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control in Orlando, Fla.
The U.S. Air Force has suspended flying F/A-22 Raptors based at Edwards Air Force Base, Calif., following a similar move for F/A-22s at Nellis Air Force Base, Nev., and Tyndall Air Force Base, Fla., a service spokesman said Dec. 22. The Air Force instituted a "precautionary safety stand down" at all three bases in response to an F/A-22 crashing on takeoff at Nellis Dec. 20 (DAILY, Dec. 22). The Air Force has now stopped flying all 28 of its remaining F/A-22s. The cause of the accident remains under investigation.
The Advanced Extremely High Frequency (AEHF) satellite communications program has fallen a year behind schedule and gone $1 billion over budget due to delays in the delivery of cryptographic user equipment being furnished by the National Security Agency (NSA), according to the Air Force. Facing a 20% overrun on the $5 billion program, the Air Force on Dec. 3 notified Congress that AEHF was in violation of the Nunn-McCurdy Act. If the overrun reaches 25%, the program will have to be certified as essential by the Pentagon or face cancellation.
Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) has begun final assembly of the first production T-50 Golden Eagle supersonic trainer at its Sacheon, South Korea facility, the company and T-50 partner Lockheed Martin said Dec. 21. "We have finished ground structural testing and we are over 60 percent complete with our flight-test program," N.S. Park, the general manager of KAI's Sacheon plant, said in a statement. "The development program is validating an excellent design, and this has allowed us to proceed with production with no major changes."
AIR DEFENSE SYSTEM: Adelaide, Australia-based Saab Systems will continue to work on Sweden's air defense system and a simulator under a 98 million kronor ($14.5 million) contract, Saab AB said Dec. 22. The system, called StriC, has been used by Sweden's air force since 1998. The simulator is called Strics. The work includes the integration of ground radar and NATO adaptations. Saab Systems is a subsidiary of Sweden-based Saab AB.
The Bell 210 helicopter made its first flight Dec. 18 at the Bell subsidiary Edwards & Associates in Bristol, Tenn., Bell Helicopter Textron said Dec. 21. The flight marked the first in a series of qualification flights as the Bell 210 goes through FAA certification testing. Bell expects to attain FAA certification in the first quarter of 2005, with deliveries following soon after.
SCANEAGLE: Boeing's ScanEagle unmanned aerial vehicle demonstrated high-speed wireless communications relay during a Dec. 9 flight at the company's Boardman test range in Oregon, Boeing announced Dec. 21. Streaming video and voice-over Internet Protocol (IP) communication was sent from a ground control station over a secure high-bandwidth network to ScanEagle 18 miles away. The data then was instantaneously relayed to ground personnel six miles from the aircraft, Boeing said.
The European Space Agency (ESA) and Galileo Industries on Dec. 21 signed a 150 million euro ($200.5 million) contract for the initial deployment of the first four satellites and associated ground stations for the Galileo satellite navigation system. Galileo Industries member EADS Astrium will build the spacecraft under a subcontract worth an estimated 75 million euros ($100.2 million).
Maj. Gen. Charles F. Bolden Jr. (USMC-Ret.) has been elected to the board of directors, effective Jan. 1. Bolden was commanding general of the Third Marine Aircraft Wing. Robert A. Wolfe is resigning from the board of directors effective Dec. 31.
BC Fed Group LLC has won a contract to lead role-playing exercises and provide Civilians on the Battlefield (COB) training for the U.S. Army's 101st Airborne Division, the company said Dec. 21. Financial terms were not disclosed. The training will start in January at Fort Campbell, Ky. The contract runs through September 2005.
Northrop Grumman has assembled a prototype payload for the Advanced Extremely High Frequency (EHF) military communications satellite program, the company announced Dec. 20. Northrop Grumman is providing the payload for Lockheed Martin, the prime contractor for the Advanced EHF program. The early integration and testing of the payload, software, satellite interfaces and user terminal simulators will reduce the risks associated with the flight payloads for the first two Advanced EHF satellites, according to Northrop Grumman.
The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) has chosen 37 projects for funding under its new program to generate revolutionary improvements to warfighting in urban areas. Subject to negotiation, the researchers will receive between $130,000 and $2.7 million for initial six- to 12-month feasibility demonstrations, DARPA said in a Dec. 17 announcement. DARPA spokeswoman Jan Walker, asked if she could supply a breakdown of money going to the companies, said, "Not at this time. We are in the process of negotiating the contract awards."
HELO UPGRADE: Bulgaria's Ministry of Defense has chosen Elbit Systems and Lockheed Martin to upgrade the country's helicopter program, Elbit Systems said Dec. 20. The companies will upgrade 12 MI-24 combat helicopters and 6 MI-17 transport helicopters to make them comply with NATO standards. Financial terms were not disclosed. Haifa, Israel-based Elbit Systems will be the prime contractor. A contract must still be signed with the Bulgarian government.
Oshkosh Truck Corp. has teamed with Rockwell Collins to build a newer version of its TerraMax unmanned ground vehicle (UGV) with improved software to compete in next year's DARPA Grand Challenge robotic vehicle race, Gary Schmiedel, Oshkosh's director of advanced products and engineering, told The DAILY.
Several countries participating in the European Space Agency's Aurora program have confirmed they will work with the program and have increased their contribution for it, ESA said Dec. 20.
