The replies given by Vice Adm. David J. Dorsett in “Intel About China Flawed” (AW&ST Jan. 10, p. 26) with respect to intelligence in general and the Chinese in particular are astounding. He says: “In terms of the [J-20] stealth photos, it’s not clear to me when it’s going to become operational. Do we need to refine our assessment better? I think so.” Well, it certainly was not clear to him what was being built, and refining assessment capabilities is an understatement. He then downplays the impact of such aircraft capabilities as well as the anti-ship missile.
Defense Secretary Robert Gates left China last week with assurances that both the political and military leadership there are determined to advance bilateral relations with the U.S.—but Pentagon officials also came away with newfound doubt over relations among Chinese politicians and military leaders. Gates’s agenda included discussing specific contentious issues, including nuclear missile defense, space and cyber operations, and containing threats from North Korea. But the visit was punctuated by the flight test of an apparent Chinese J-20 prototype (see p.
Robert Dumais, USAF Brig. Gen. (ret.) Jack Gibbs (deceased) and USAF Col. (ret.) Richard Randazzo (deceased) have been selected by the National Reconnaissance Office (NRO) for the Pioneer Class of 2010. Dumais pioneered the intelligence utility of a new capability for an imaging satellite system. Gibbs helped pioneer the application of innovative engineering techniques to U-2 operations, and Randazzo pioneered the introduction and application of new operational techniques for NRO imaging systems, increasing coverage of high-priority targets.
The European Commission and Italy have agreed on the size of disbursements arising out of a dispute regarding the improper use by the Italian government of state development aid for two AgustaWestland aircraft, the A139/AW139 helicopter and the BA609 tiltrotor, in a ruling that could have broad repercussions for Europe’s aerospace industry.
Taipei Songshan Airport expects to open a privately run business aviation facility this year to accommodate traffic growth of private aircraft at the centrally located downtown facility. A customs, immigration and quarantine area for business aviation is also planned for this year.
A Russian Zenit 2SB with a Fregat-SB upper stage is set to loft Russia’s first domestic geostationary weather satellite since the Geostationary Operational Meteorological Satellite (GOMS-1) debut on a Proton in 1994. The new spacecraft, designated Electro-L, will fly from the Baikonur Cosmodrome on Jan. 20 and will be targeted initially on the orbital slot at 76 deg. E. Long, according to Russian press reports. Eventually it will move west to provide weather data for Europe as far east as the Ural Mountains.
Research under NASA’s Environmentally Responsible Aviation (ERA) program has established that conventional tube-and-wing configurations will not measure up when it comes to meeting the agency’s noise, emission and fuel-burn goals for the mid-2020s and beyond.
Boeing has fitted an F/A-18E with full-scale engineering mockups of the conformal fuel tanks, stealthy weapons pod, infrared search-and-track sensor, and missile/laser warning system proposed for a more capable and survivable growth version of the Super Hornet that will be offered to international customers as a competitor to the Lockheed Martin F-35 Joint Strike Fighter and European combat aircraft. The mock-up will be unveiled publicly at the Aero India show in Bengaluru Feb. 9-13. Boeing photo by Ron Bookout.
The global market for business aircraft has shrunk substantially in recent years, but the Asia-Pacific region has been a bright spot for original equipment manufacturers, thanks to the area’s relatively robust economic growth. And the Asian appetite for new business jets is expected to become even stronger. “Despite the global financial crisis, Asia’s stock markets, GDP, corporate profits and exchange rates have been resilient,” says Manfred Baudzus, Embraer sales director for executive jets in Asia-Pacific.
As air transport companies tabulate full 2010 earnings and operational performance metrics, market analysts started sending 2011 predictions for investors. The majority of the financial gurus express cautious optimism for airline profits this year.
A much anticipated shift in India’s offset policy will allow foreign manufacturers to apply work they do in internal security and civil aerospace to defense projects. Announced early this month as part of 2011’s defense procurement procedures policy, the new rules will be applied retroactively to Jan. 1 and widen the opportunities for foreign manufacturers to satisfy India’s strict requirements for 30% offsets in the value of any defense contract.
Epic Aircraft launched in 2003 to produce kits for pressurized, high-performance aircraft of carbon-fiber construction. The company’s primary product was a six-seat aircraft powered by a single Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-67A rated at 1,200 shp. That aircraft, called the Epic LT, has a maximum cruise true airspeed of 325 kt. and range of 1,500 nm. at economy cruise. More than 20 of those kit planes are reportedly completed. The company had proposed producing a certificated version as well, but never did so.
George Allen has been named president of VT Group ’s Technical Services business unit. He joined VT Group last year as vice president of strategic development for technical services and before that spent four years with Agility Defense and Government Services. He also served more than 10 years as chief operating officer for the Defense Logistics Agency.
Opportunity, the Mars Exploration Rover that landed in the Meridiani Planum on Jan. 25, 2004, has chosen a spot with a view to celebrate its seventh anniversary on the red planet.
The X-51A Waverider scramjet experimental vehicle’s second attempt at broaching the Mach 5 hypersonic threshold will be pushed to late March, following delays caused by test range and aircraft availability. The X-51A was transported from Boeing’s Plant 42 production site at Palmdale, Calif., to nearby Edwards AFB on Jan. 12. Assembly of the stack, comprising the Waverider and modified Atacms booster will begin this week.
Rastislav “Rusty” Valko (see photo) has been promoted to chief operations officer from chief information manager for Angel MedFlight Worldwide Air Ambulance .
The Indian government appears to have given up on near-term aspirations to field the indigenously developed Kaveri engine, but it is not ready to throw out years of development funding. Instead, the focus for the program is changing to get the turbofan ready in time for India’s future fighter.
W. Dennis Gallimore (see photo) has been named vice president of engineering, manufacturing and logistics for Northrop Grumman ’s Naval and Marine Systems Division at the company’s Electronic Systems Sector. He was vice president of engineering and integrated logistic support at the Shipbuilding Sector’s Gulf Coast facilities.
A forthcoming hearing by the Senate Armed Services Committee on a competition-sensitive data-release mishap will not impact the schedule for announcing a winner in the $35-billion competition to build new aerial refuelers for the U.S. Air Force, if USAF Secretary Michael Donley has his way. But the mistake made late last year by officials in the program office has at the very least cast a shadow over a procurement process that senior Pentagon leadership had hoped would be flawless and help regain eroded confidence.
Boeing’s strategy to offer international customers a growth path for the F/A-18E/F Super Hornet strike fighter is taking concrete form with completion of a full-scale mock-up of a more capable and survivable variant to compete with the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter. Conformal fuel tanks, stealthy weapons pod, an infrared search-and-track sensor, and missile and laser warning system are among the upgrade options on offer. Uprated engines and large-area cockpit displays are also part of the growth road map, but not on the mock-up.
A new F-16 life extension, bomber and space-procurement plan will be included in the U.S. Air Force’s forthcoming Fiscal 2012 budget proposal. These efforts are possible during a time of belt-tightening because the service found $34 billion worth of projects to cut in order to fund higher-priority initiatives, says Air Force Secretary Michael Donley.
Steven T. Baldwin, senior vice president of the Louis Berger Group, was elected chairman of the 2011 Airports Council International-North America World Business Partner/Associates board of directors and Kitty P. Freidheim, president of Freidheim Consulting, was elected vice chairman. Other new board members are: Kevin Dolliole, senior vice president, Unison Consulting; Lynn Leibowitz, president, Leibowitz & Horton Airport Management Consultants; Keith Thompson, principal, Gensler; and Loy Warren, National Aviation Leader, Kimley-Horn & Associates.
I strongly agree the overall thrust of your editorial “Remain Watchful of China’s Ascent” (AW&ST Jan. 10, p. 58). However, I was disturbed that you did not point out space as a huge emphasis and priority of the current Chinese regime. You did rightfully point out cyber as a Chinese priority and as an increasingly important domain of potential conflict. However, I believe global power is inextricably linked to the inherently global nature of space and the Chinese have recognized this.
