NEAR-SPACE: Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. John Jumper and Air Force Space Command (AFSPC) head Gen. Lance Lord met Dec. 21 to discuss the future of "near-space" military systems, according to an Air Force spokeswoman. Jumper recently gave AFSPC responsibility for exploiting near-space, which is roughly defined as altitudes between 65,000 and 350,000 feet.
TANK KITS: General Dynamics Land Systems of Sterling Heights, Mich., will produce 125 M1A1 Abrams tank kits for the Egyptian tank co-production program under a $267 million contract modification, the company said Dec. 20. The contract was awarded by the U.S. Army Tank-automotive and Armaments Command. Deliveries will be from 2005 through 2008. The work will be done in Lima, Ohio; Scranton, Pa.; Muskegon, Mich.; Tallahassee, Fla.; Anniston, Ala.; and Imperial Valley, Calif.
TANKER STUDY: The Pentagon delayed disclosing the results of a study on U.S. Air Force tanker modernization options because the Institute for Defense Analyses (IDA), which is reviewing the project, needed more time, a Defense Department spokeswoman said Dec. 21, elaborating on an earlier explanation for the postponement (DAILY, Dec. 20). IDA is conducting a "quality check" of the study, which was done for DOD by RAND Corp. DOD had been planning to brief Congress on the study results the week of Dec. 20, but it now intends to do so in about mid-January.
NASA's Galaxy Explorer (GALEX) telescope has discovered several dozen "newborn" galaxies that provide an unprecedented close-up look at galaxy formation, NASA announced Dec. 21.
Indianapolis-based Raytheon Technical Services Co. (RTSC) has been awarded a one-year contract option worth up to $98.8 million to continue providing engineering supplies and services to the Naval Air Systems Command, the company said Dec. 21. The supplies and services include systems engineering and software engineering; technical, manufacturing and life-cycle support; overhaul and repair; spares; and integration. They will be provided for navigation systems, aircraft support and mission planning, the company said.
Information technology and network systems company SI International Inc. of Reston, Va., has bought Bridge Technology Corp. for $30 million in cash, SI International said Dec. 21. Bridge Technology, also an information technology and information management company, supports defense intelligence agencies in program management, acquisition management, logistics management, systems engineering and other work.
The crash of a U.S. Air Force F/A-22 Raptor (see related story) could ultimately have implications for another new stealth fighter, the U.S. Defense Department's F-35 Joint Strike Fighter. After the accident investigation is completed, DOD's JSF office plans to review the results to see whether it can learn any lessons, program spokeswoman Kathy Crawford said Dec. 21.
Northrop Grumman is leading a team in the development of a spider-like autonomous robot that could reduce the maintenance burden for future astronauts by crawling over the exterior of spacecraft such as the proposed Crew Exploration Vehicle (CEV) inspecting and repairing damage. The six-legged robot also could assist astronauts during spacewalks, possibly even rescuing them if they become incapacitated, according to Northrop Grumman.
An F/A-22 Raptor crashed on takeoff at Nellis Air Force Base, Nev., late Dec. 20, prompting the U.S. Air Force to ground most of its other F/A-22s. The pilot ejected safely from the Lockheed Martin-built jet, which smashed into the runway it was trying to leave at about 3:45 p.m. local time. "It was literally on takeoff," an Air Force spokesman said. "He hadn't gone anywhere yet."
AERIAL SUPPORT: United Kingdom-based FR Aviation Ltd. has been awarded a 140 million pound ($269 million), five-year contract extension to provide aerial support services to the U.K.'s air force and navy, the company said Dec. 20. The contract covers the years 2009 through 2014. The support includes electronic warfare training, threat simulation, and silent target and aerial target towing for various exercises in the U.K. and overseas. FR Aviation is a subsidiary of U.K.-based Cobham plc.'s Flight Operations and Services group.
The U.S. Air Force and Northrop Grumman Corp. have successfully demonstrated an airborne capability to collaborate in real-time using Internet "chat rooms," e-mail, and the Web, all within a secure, classified environment, the company said Dec. 21. Known as ICAN (interim capability for airborne networking), the system allows personnel on the E-8C Joint Surveillance Target Attack Radar System (Joint STARS) aircraft to communicate to units and command centers on the ground.
BAE Systems Australia will provide Australia's military with 26 high-bandwidth satellite Compact Transmit and Receive Terminals to improve its mobile military communications capability, the company said Dec. 17. The contract, awarded by the Defence Materiel Organisation's Electronic Weapon and Systems Division, is part of the ongoing rollout of the JP2008 satellite-based tactical communications systems program, BAE Systems said.
AIR FORCE Raytheon Aircraft Co., Wichita, Kan., is being awarded a $240,535,650 firm fixed price contract modification to provide for Lot 12 option exercises JPATS T-6A production aircraft Lot 12 (fifty each) for FY2005. Total funds have been obligated. This work will be complete by February 2008. The Air Force Materiel Command, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, is the contracting activity (F33657-01-C-0022, P00073).
United Defense Industries Inc. (UDI) plans to expand in the specialized aerospace containers market by buying EPD Container Solutions of Berthoud, Colo., the company said Dec. 20. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. The acquisition is expected to close in the first quarter of 2005.
AUSTRALIAN TANKERS: The Australian Government and EADS signed a contract Dec. 20 to supply the Royal Australian Air Force with five Airbus A330 Multi Role Tanker Transports (MRTT). Contract negotiations had been under way since Australia announced in April that it had picked EADS over the Boeing Co. for the $1.5 billion deal (DAILY, April 19). The first aircraft is scheduled to enter service in 2009. The A330 MRTT will be equipped with a new refueling boom system, which EADS plans to begin flight-testing in the second half of 2005.
The board of directors of ceramic armor maker Ceradyne Inc. has approved a three-for-two stock split in the form of a 50% stock dividend, the company said Dec. 20. Stockholders of record at the close of business on Jan. 10, 2005, will receive the dividend on Jan. 18. Stockholders will get one additional share for every two shares of stock owned on the record date. Instead of fractional shares, stockholders will get a cash payment based on the closing price of the common stock on the record date, as adjusted for the split.
SUB MAINTENANCE: The U.S. Navy has awarded General Dynamics Electric Boat of Groton, Conn., an $11.3 million contract modification to perform routine maintenance work on the USS Dallas, a Los Angeles-class attack submarine, the company said Dec. 17. Electric Boat will do repairs, maintenance work and alterations at the Navy submarine base in Groton between February and April 2005. The contract was first awarded in August 2004 and has a total value of $16.4 million.
ARMY Oshkosh Truck Corp., Oshkosh, Wis., was awarded on Dec. 10, 2004, a delivery order amount of $51,868,571 as part of a $51,868,571 firm-fixed-price contract for an additional 237 Family of Heavy Tactical Vehicles. Work will be performed in Oshkosh, Wis., and is expected to be completed by Feb. 28, 2006. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This was a sole source contract initiated on Sept. 28, 2004. The U.S. Army Tank-Automotive and Armaments Command, Warren, Mich., is the contracting activity (W56HZV-04-D-0322).
The first five deployable Standard Missile-3 (SM-3) interceptors have been delivered to the U.S. Navy, achieving a key goal in the Defense Department's drive to field a sea-based shield against ballistic missiles, government and industry sources said Dec. 20.
DIVIDEND: Engineered Support Systems Inc. of St. Louis has declared a dividend of 1.8 cents per share, the company said Dec. 17. It is payable on Jan. 31, 2005, to shareholders of record as of the close of business on Dec. 31. Engineered Support Systems makes military electronics and support equipment and provides technical and logistics services for the U.S. military, homeland security forces, and government and intelligence agencies.
ARMY Sikorsky Aircraft Corp., Stratford, Conn., was awarded on Dec. 14, 2004, an $180,778,108 modification to a firm-fixed-price contract for 15 Navy Knight Hawk Helicopters. Work will be performed in Stratford, Conn., and is expected to be completed by Dec. 31, 2007. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This was a sole source contract initiated on Oct. 4, 2000. The U.S. Army Aviation and Missile Command, Redstone Arsenal, Ala., is the contracting activity (DAAH23-02-C-0006).
The U.S. Air Force's F/A-22 Raptor program plans to repeat a missile-firing test that was marred by faulty test equipment. During the Dec. 2 test, a Lockheed Martin F/A-22 was supposed to engage two target drones, but one of its two guided missiles did not fire due to a problem with the missile's test instrumentation, the Air Force told The DAILY in a recent written response to questions. "This mission will be re-accomplished as soon as practical," the Air Force said.
CLIMATE CONTROLLED: Two 50,000-square-foot facilities for the B-2 Spirit bomber have been unveiled at Royal Air Force Fairford in the United Kingdom, the U.S. Air Force said Dec. 17. The climate-controlled facilities allow low-observable maintenance to be performed on the aircraft in the U.K. The maintenance calls for applying special coatings that cover the aircraft's composite and metal skin, and must be done in a climate-controlled environment.
Sweden's parliament has approved cuts in military units, equipment and personnel as the country switches to a more mobile, high-tech defense force that can better fight serious crime and terrorism, the Swedish Ministry of Defence said Dec. 17. The cuts include the elimination of 3,000 officers and 2,500 civilian workers, the MOD said in a statement. Ten towns will be affected. Financial figures were not disclosed. The Swedish government will help the affected cities cope with the job losses, the MOD said.
