Christine Fox, the former director of Cost Assessment and Program Evaluation at the Defense Department, took over as acting deputy secretary Dec. 5. Fox has gained renown in a number of roles. These include her leadership on the recent scrub of the Pentagon budget called the Strategic Choices and Management Review, as well as her role as president of the Center for Naval Analysis (CNA).
London has held the responsibility for the defense of the British Isles since the Act of Union in 1707, but if Scots opt for independence on Sept. 18, 2014, that will come to an end, and Scotland will assume responsibility for its own defense.
USAF Brig. Gen. Catherine A. Chilton is one of five of her rank to be nominated for promotion to major general. She is the mobilization assistant to the military deputy in the Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Acquisition at the Pentagon. The others are: Paul S. Dwan, mobilization assistant to the surgeon general of the Air Force; Stayce D. Harris, mobilization assistant to the commander of the 18th Air Force of Air Mobility Command, Scott AFB, Ill.; William B.
European aerospace manufacturers are turning up the pressure on governments to develop a pan-European approach to the continent's medium-altitude, long-endurance (MALE) unmanned air vehicle requirements. But their protests appear to be falling on deaf ears as another European nation signs up to purchase the MQ-9 Reaper. The Netherlands announced plans Nov. 21 to introduce four General Atomics MQ-9 Reapers into full operational service by 2017.
BAE Systems flew the first Tranche 3 Eurofighter Typhoon on Dec. 2 at BAE Systems' facility at Warton, England. The Tranche 3s are set to be the most advanced versions of the Typhoon and have the capability to provide more electrical power in readiness for installation of the planned E-Scan radar as well as ability to potentially fit conformal fuel tanks on top of the rear fuselage. All three of the manufacturers in the Eurofighter consortium—Alenia Aermacchi, BAE and EADS Cassidian are building Tranche 3 aircraft.
Amy Butler (Washington), Bill Sweetman (Washington)
A large, classified unmanned aircraft developed by Northrop Grumman is now flying—and it demonstrates a major advance in combining stealth and aerodynamic efficiency. Defense and intelligence officials say the secret unmanned aerial system (UAS), designed for intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) missions, is scheduled to enter production for the U.S. Air Force and could be operational by 2015.
With Congress nearing a deadline this week to forge a short-term budget agreement, suggestions for what to protect and what to cut are coming from all corners. Republicans are trying to protect three high-priced NASA programs from the budget ax and free up more than a half-billion dollars for the projects at the same time. And Rep. Mo Brooks (Ala.), a frequent critic of government spending, is leading the charge, introducing legislation drawn from the stalled NASA reauthorization bill.
The Chang'e-3 spacecraft, which represents China's first attempt at a robotic lunar landing, is safely en route after a Dec. 2 launch on a Long March 3B. The rocket placed the spacecraft, with its lander/rover combo, into an initial lunar transfer orbit with an apogee of 380,000 km. (240,000 mi.), following liftoff from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center. Controllers later adjusted the orbit to set up a Dec. 14 soft landing in the Bay of Rainbows (see page 18). That will be the most difficult part of the mission, says Wu Weiren, the program's chief designer.
With the U.S. Senate expected this week to pick up its stalled version of the defense authorization bill for fiscal 2014, most headlines out of the Capitol will be about debate over sexual assault in the military, the Guantanamo Bay prison, the Iranian nuclear deal, budget cuts or the possibility that no annual law will be enacted for the first time in 52 years.
Qantas Airways has announced a new cost reduction goal of A$2 billion ($1.8 billion) over three years, including 1,000 job cuts in the next year. The move is prompted by a new warning from the carrier that it will report a pre-tax loss of up to A$300 million for the six months through Dec. 31. The airline says it is launching a review of its capital spending and may consider selling assets.
True to her word, Democratic Sen. Barbara Boxer (Calif.) has reintroduced a bill that would require uniform fatigue standards for pilots. Reps. Michael Grimm (R-N.Y.) and Timothy Bishop (D-N.Y.) have already introduced companion legislation, the Safe Skies Act, on the House side (AW&ST Jan. 21, p. 21). “Her unwavering commitment will end the cargo carve-out and bring Part 117 back in line with Congress's original intent, one level of safety for U.S. aviation,” touts Independent Pilots Association (IPA) President Robert Travis, whose group represents some UPS pilots.
Bill Sweetman's commentary “Green Dream” (AW&ST Nov. 4, p. 13) deals with aspects of the strategic landpower doctrine and its many implications, but he failed to mention that China has established a presence in space, developed unmanned aircraft, been taking strategic material off the world market under the guise of building new cities, placed certain cities off-limits to outsiders and been building its military factories within mountains or underground. There are many other reasons for considering China a dangerous long-distance threat.
Cris Benavides has become senior vice president-business development of Dynamic Aviation, Bridgewater, Va. He held the same position at A-T Solutions and had been a program manager for BAE Systems Global Analysis.
Jairaj Chetnani has been appointed vice president/treasurer of the Kaman Corp., Bloomfield, Conn. He held the same positions at Quanex Building Products. Chetnani succeeds Robert Starr, who is now senior vice president/CFO.
The European Commission (EC) is taking Portugal to the European Union's Court of Justice, saying the country failed to guarantee independence of the airport slot coordinator. As a result, the EC asserts, there may be distortion of fair competition. The Portuguese slot coordinator is part of Aeroportos de Portugal (ANA), the country's airports operator. ANA employs slot coordination personnel and approves the coordinator's budget.
French Defense Minister Jean Yves Le Drian has confirmed the country will proceed with plans to develop the Future Anti-Surface Guided Weapon Heavy anti-ship missile with the U.K. Formal go ahead for the weapon known as ANL in France, and to be developed by European missile manufacturer MBDA, is expected this month. Development had been a sticking point in the deepening partnership between the U.K. and France. The U.K. needs the weapon for the AW159 Wildcat helicopter to replace the existing Sea Skua. France will use the missile on its new NH90 Caiman Marine helos.
Though the FAA in early November published a final rule requiring U.S. airline pilots to experience and recover from full stalls in the simulator, key details needed to put the training into practice within five years are as yet unfinished and the topic of continuing debate.
Mark Lopez has become director of technical operations for Washington-based Airlines for America. He was an FAA aviation safety inspector and had been director of engineering and maintenance for the predecessor Air Transport Association.
The recent Viewpoint “Barnstormers to Bankers” (AW&ST Nov. 11/18, p. 98) is perhaps a little more gloomy than necessary, because innovative R&D is surely still proceeding in its usual low profile.
