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Week ending February 23, 1997
+++ Norway places Eurofighter and F-16 on fighter shortlist +++ Dasa builds research unit for US-Laboratory of the International Space Station +++ MTU, Snecma and FiatAvio to offer power for FLA +++ Bombardier CRJ Series 700 takes off with 67 orders +++ British MoD May Delay Eurofighter Missile Contract +++ Japanese Satellite JCSAT-4 successfully launched +++ Airbus: Asia-Pacific region to acquire 3800 aircraft in 20 years +++ Boeing modifies Space Shuttle Atlantis +++ Russia thereatens the International Space Station +++ News in brief +++
Norway places Eurofighter and F-16 on fighter shortlist
F-16 und Eurofighter bleiben in Norwegen im Rennen
On February 17, the government of Norway has announced that the Lockheed Martin F-16C/D and the Eurofighter 2000 will be further evaluated for the purchase of a new fighter, eliminating the McDonnell Douglas F/A-18 and Dassault's Rafale from consideration. Norway is seeking 48 aircraft to be delivered from 2003."We are pleased that Norway has recognized the capability, versatility and quality of today's F-16," said Dain M.Hancock, president of Lockheed Martin Tactical Aircraft Systems, Fort Worth, Texas." Lockheed Martin welcomes the opportunity to complete the F-16 against the Eurofighter", he added. "The technology of the newest F-16 versions can compete effectively with any multirole fighter in the world," Hancock said. Norway's air force has been flying earlier versions of the F-16 since the 1980s. Its existing F-16 fleet is currently being modernized as part of a five-nation update program that includes extensive participation by European industry.
For the EF2000, Norway is the first tangible opportunity for an export order. The marketing push was led on behalf of the four Eurofighter companies by Dasa. After the announcement, it remarked that choosing the European programme would not only equip Norway with a capable air defence system but would lead to "ideal opportunities for the industry to cooperate in aerospace projects" within Europe.
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Dasa builds research unit for US-Laboratory of the International Space Station
Dasa baut Forschungsanlage für amerikanisches Raumstationslabormodul
The European Space Agency ESA and Daimler-Benz Aerospace have signed a contract valued DM 20 million for development, construction and integration of a complex research unit that will be part of the US Lab in the International Space Station (ISS). The unit, Microgravitations Science Glove Box, will be designed for experiments in the materials area, i.e. Gallium Arsenid cristalls. The Bremen based space unit of Dasa has to deliver the unit in June 2000. Launch is scheduled for December 2000. Partners of Dasa in this venture are Bradford Engineering, Netherlands, and Verhaert Design & Development, Belgium. The unit is to be designed for a lifetime of ten years.
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MTU, Snecma and FiatAvio to offer power for FLA
FLA-Antrieb: MTU, Snecma und FiatAvio bieten M138 an
MTU, Snecma and Fiat Avio have confirmed that they will offer an engine for the proposed FLA military transport. The M138 is based on the M88 engine powering Frances Rafale fighter. According to the conpanies, this offers the best growth potential of all the contenders. A joint company will be formed soon to go ahead with the M138, it was said in a rather brief joint statement issued on February 21.
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Bombardier CRJ Series 700 takes off with 67 orders
Gestreckter Regionaljet: Programmstart mit 70 Aufträgen
On Febraury 19, Bombardier Aerospace indicated at a press briefing on the new 70-seater Canadair Regional Jet Series 700 that it has on hand 67 orders, options and memoranda of understanding from eight airlines on four continents. Brit air of Morlaix, France is the lead customer for the CRJ Series 700.The CRJ Series 700 program was officially launched on Jan. 21, 1997. Pierre Lortie, president of Bombardier Regional Aircraft Division, which markets and supports the Canadair Regional Jet said he sees a requirement for about 2,000 regional jet aircraft in the 20- to 90-seat market by the year 2015. Bombardier's share of the jet portion of this market - 53 per cent in calendar 1996 alone - will be further reinforced by the Canadair
Regional Jet Series 700.
Like the Canadair Regional Jet Series 100 and 200 aircraft, the Series 700 will have four-abreast seating at a comfortable 31 inch (78.7 cm) pitch. The aircraft will cruise at 534 mph (860 km/h) on flights up to 2,337 miles (3,761km), providing a quiet, vibration- free environment for its passengers. Airlines operating the Series 100 and 200 who add the Series 700 to their fleets will reap the benefits of a true family of aircraft through substantial savings in crew training, maintenance, spare parts and ground support equipment.
Since introduction to service in the fall of 1992, the Canadair Regional Jet Series 100 and 200 aircraft have gathered 200 firm orders from 13 airlines around the world as of January 31. CRJ aircraft have been ordered by : Air Canada (Canada); Air Littoral and Brit air (France); COMAIR, SkyWest, Mesa Air Group and Atlantic Coast Airlines (USA); DAC Air (Romania); Lauda Air and Tyrolean Airways (Austria); Lufthansa CityLine (Germany); SAEAGA Airlines (Malaysia); and Southern Winds (Argentina).
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British MoD May Delay Eurofighter Missile Contract
Verschiebt Großbritannien die FMRAAM-Entscheidung?
The British Ministry of Defense (MoD) is considering to postpone an important missile program to provide the main weapons system for the Eurofighter aircraft. The decision to delay the selection of a new medium-range air-to-air missile could mean Eurofighters would be delivered to the Royal Air Force in 2002 before their main armament becomes available, according to a report of today's Financial Times.British military sources noted that the MoD, which was uncertain about the designs offered by Hughes and a European consortium led by Matra BAe Dynamics, was considering a one-year postponement of the program and proposing each side five million pounds (about eight million dollars) for further research on the project. It was reported that the British government had been trying to gain access to the American missile market, but the United States refused last December to buy British short-range dogfight missile. Therefore, there is increasing pressure for the British military authorities to retaliate by rejecting Hughes' bid to win the missile program. Things are complicated still furhter by the impending UK general Election which will probably see the ousting of the current Conservative government.
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Japanese Satellite JCSAT-4 successfully launched
Erfolgreicher Start von Japans JCSAT-4
JCSAT-4, the fourth telecommunicationssatellite of Japan Satellite Sysrems (JSAT), was successfully launched on February 16th at Cape Canaveral, Florida. The launcher, a Lockheed Martin Atlas IIAS, put the Hughes built HS 601 satellite into the geostationary transfer orbit. Once operational, the satellite will provide voice, data and televison services to Japan, Asia, Hawaii, Australia and New Zealand. The launch was the 28th consecutive successfull launch by Atlas and the first of nine scheduled for 1997.
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Airbus: Asia-Pacific Region to Acquire 3800 Aircraft in 20 Years
Studie über den Verkehrsflugzeugbedarf in Asien
According to an Airbus Industries report published in Manila on February 15, Asia-Pacific airlines will acquire 3800 new aircraft in 20 years and will overtake North American carriers in terms of total seat capacity, The report, a market forecast for the region, said that based on an annual passenger traffic increase rate of 6.5 percent, the region will see the fleet rise from its current level of some 1,650 aircraft to 4, 100 in the next two decades.It said that in addition to the 2,450 aircraft required to meet traffic growth in the region, 1350 of the aircraft currently in service will also be replaced, creating the overall requirement for 3,800 new units. With 400 advance firm orders already placed by Asia-Pacific carriers, this leaves a market for 3,400 new sales during the period, the report said. It said that a growing proportion of the Asia-Pacific fleet will consist of wide-body aircraft, with 2,500 aircraft in the above 200 seat category.
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Boeing modifies Space Shuttle Atlantis
Boeing modifiziert die Raumfähre Atlantis
NASA has selected Boeing to perform major modification work on orbiter Atlantis at the company's North American's facilities at Palmdale, California. The dcision is based on a recommendation of the United Space Alliance (USA) that had taken over operation of the shuttles from NASA last year. Shuttles Discovery and Endeavour already went through the same modification work at Palmdale, reducing the risk of threatening the ambitious flight schedule for 1998 with two flights of Atlantis for the assembly of the International Space Station. Work on Atlantis will go ahead in September 1997.
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Russia thereatens the International Space Station
Rußland gefährdet die Internationale Raumstation
Russia's uncertainty whether the country will be able to finance its part of the $40 billion International Space Station has international consequences. After a visit by Russia's prime minister chernomyrdin in Washington, D.C., US vice president Al Gore announced that both countries have drawn a "practical checklist" to keep Russia's contribution to the Alpha station on track. But at the same time Representatives of the House Science Committee demanded Russia would have to meet her commitments or leave the programme. Russia is eight month behind schedule with the contruction of the Service Module, the crew quarters. NASA has already come up with a backup solution, using a until now secret Navy spacecraft at a cost of under $100 million. NASA obviously also considers a six month delay of the whole program. But this and further Russian problems could endanger the whole project, because the political support on the Hill seems to be lacking over time.
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NEWS IN BRIEF / KURZMELDUNGEN
American Airlines president Donald J. Carty said the current impasse with the carrier's pilot's union over a new contract is disrupting American's planned purchase of Boeing jets. Carty said Thursday that American and Boeing are discussing new delivery schedules for 103 jets, and he said fewer planes will be delivered next year than the 28 earlier scheduled.+++
ZF Luftfahrttechnik GmbH at Kassel has been certified by the FAA as an authorised repari station for helicopter gearboxes. This will allow the acquisition of work worldwide. ZF Luftfahrttechnik can look back at the overhaul of 2800 main rotor heads, 13300 rotor blades, 18500 hydraulic components and 56000 gears.
+++
Boeing is offering its Next-Generation 737-700 aircraft to the Royal Australian Air Force as an Airborne Early Warning and Control (AEW&C) system platform. The 737 AEW&C platform, with its advanced technology and complete interoperability with the E-3 and 767 Airborne Warning and Control System (AWACS) aircraft, is designed to fill the airborne-surveillance needs of Australia. This new AEW&C platform will be equipped with a Northrop Grumman 360-degree, Multi-role Electronically Scanned Array (MESA) radar, which is able to track air and sea targets simultaneously.
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The UK Ministry of Defence has officially signed the contract with Matra BAe Dynamics for the devolpment and production of Storm Shadow, worth over 700 million Pounds. The stealthy stand-off missile will be carried by Tornado, EF2000 and Harrier GR7 aircraft.
+++
Saab aircraft has reported a loss of 122 million Dollars for 1996, a heavy turnaround after profits in 1995. The loss was caused by one-time charges concerning the Saab 2000 airliner, whose sales have been very disappointing in the face of competition from new regional jets.
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The specially modified Airbus A300 "Zero G" of Novespace has made its first commercial parabolic flights. Two missions were performed at the beginning of February for NEC, which tested the deployment of a space antenna for NASDA.
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Previous updates are still available:
February 16, 1997
January 26, 1997
January 19, 1997
January 12, 1997
January 5, 1997
December 22, 1996
December 15, 1996
December 8, 1996
December 1, 1996
November 24, 1996
November 17, 1996
November 10, 1996
November 3, 1996
October 27, 1996
October 20, 1996
October 13, 1996
October 6, 1996
September 29, 1996
September 22, 1996
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Copyright 1997 by Motor-Presse Stuttgart. All rights reserved.
Last updated February 21, 1997