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Week ending October 21, 2001
+++ Crossair gets more credits +++ Bell delivers 500th 407 +++ Lufthansa demands working concessions +++ Rolls-Royce announces cuts +++ US air strikes continue +++ MTU participates in noise research +++ Airline safety initiatives by Boeing and Airbus +++ News in brief +++
Crossair gets more credits
Neue Kredite für Crossair
On 17 October, UBS, Credit Suisse and Crossair have signed the cornerstone of the credit contract of more than CHF 500 million for Crossair. This provides Crossair with the means to expand its route network. CHF 100 million is immediately available and has been approved by the Crossair Administrative Board. A further CHF 100 million will be released when the Business Plan has been accepted by the Crossair Board and the banks. Additional tranches will be released to meet Crossair needs in accordance with later stages of the Business Plan.Work on Project Phoenix for the expansion of Crossair is continuing at full speed.The Crossair Administrative Board notes with satisfaction that the Task Force set up by the Federal Council continues to give its full backing to the Phoenix Plus Project. The Council has assured the Task Force of its full support. The Administrative Board is fully aware that the fate of thousands of persons is dependent on the success of the project and that, for this reason, all efforts are being directed towards saving jobs and to guaranteeing the fundamental economy of our country. The Crossair Administrative Board notes with satisfaction that the Task Force set up by the Federal Council continues to give its full backing to the Phoenix Plus Project. The Council has assured the Task Force of its full support. The Administrative Board is fully aware that the fate of thousands of persons is dependent on the success of the project and that, for this reason, all efforts are being directed towards saving jobs and to guaranteeing the fundamental economy of our country. For this reason, Crossair will do everything in its power to assist in bringing Project Phoenix to a successful conclusion. Without adequate financing, however, this will not be possible. The Crossair Administrative Board has taken note of the Business Plan and will have to decide by the end of this week if the conditions exist for its implementation, in particular, if the financing is assured as a result of the efforts of the Federation and industry. Authorisation and implementation of the Business Plan is only possible if there is a sound financial basis. In particular, adequate capitalisation must be guaranteed in order to reduce the risks of expansion. In addition, the legal and operational conditions must also be met. The plan requires the maximum possible degree of collaboration and the conviction of all concerned that it can be accomplished.
The SAirGroup Extraordinary Shareholders' Meeting scheduled for November 9, 2001 has been cancelled in the light of the events of the past few weeks. In view of its present financial situation, SAirGroup will also be unable to distribute its November mailing to its shareholders or issue their Qualiflyer mileage vouchers for 2001. The Group regrets having to take these measures, and hopes it may count on its shareholders' understanding.
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Bell delivers 500th 407
500. Bell 407 geht an deutschen Kunden
The Bell 407 reached a major milestone on October 19, when ship number 500 was delivered in ceremonies held EAS EGLE AIR SERVICE at Baden-Baden regional airport. This is the 16th 407 sold by EAS EGLE AIR SERVICE. Taking ownership of the new 407 will be Mr. Hans-Juergen Pabst. The Bell 407 will be operated by PABST AIR and will be leased to REIBEL AIR. The aircraft arrived in the German port of Hamburg in mid-September. It was picked up and flown to Baden-Baden by EAS pilot Peter Huber and Mr. Pabst. Here it will be customized with the most modern GARMIN avionics and a Moving Map system. Bell 407 helicopters are fulfilling a wide variety of missions in a number of roles including law enforcement, offshore oil support, television broadcasting and corporate transport. The 407 fleet has amassed over 520,000 flight hours thus far. Back to the top of the page / Zurück zum Anfang der Seite
Lufthansa demands working concessions
Management fordert Viertagewoche
Wolfgang Mayrhuber Wolfgang Mayrhuber, member of the Lufthansa Executive Board and President and Chief Operating Officer of the passenger airline, pointed out that Lufthansa's passenger volume in some regions has plummeted by more than 30 per cent and earnings by 20 per cent. "Our weekly revenues since September 11 are down by about 50 million euros." he said. Profits are falling accordingly. "In response to this drastic market situation, Lufthansa has already decided on and implemented sweeping measures to cope with the changes in the airline business", he noted." The airline has withdrawn 28 of its aircraft from service. A total of 51 long-haul flights, and 244 short to medium-haul flights, have been trimmed from the flight schedules. All in all, 16 routes have been scratched from the timetable. In a crash programme, a freeze has been clamped on staffing additions and investments, and a package of savings measures drawn up. Even further cuts are necessary, Mayrhuber announced. "The Executive Board is intent on reaching socially compatible solutions in cooperation with employee representatives and the trade unions. We want to manage, if at all possible, without dismissals." But that presupposes a willingness to accept flexible working-hour models, he said. The introduction of a four-day week in some areas of the company as well as changes in remuneration are among the options to realise that aim. The Executive Board is already in dialogue with employee representatives and unions. Mayrhuber: "The much-evoked Lufthansa spirit can help us emerge stronger from the crisis." The Lufthansa Executive Board member emphasised that security standards in Germany are at the leading edge. As one example, he cited rigorous reconciliation of passengers and their baggage. "Our aim is to get international security regulations up to the standards prevailing in Germany." In the present, critical situation confronting the entire aviation industry, Lufthansa is unable to absorb any further burdens imposed by the state, Mayrhuber said. He assumed that the repeated debate in the EU on the imposition of a jet fuel tax had been dropped from the agenda. "There are enough airlines that can scarcely pay their fuel bill anyway, let alone a fuel tax." The same applies to higher charges for additional security at airports, Mayrhuber emphasised. "The dangers do not stem from a transport carrier like an aircraft. Aircraft are misused for attacks on our system and the state. Protection against terrorism is first and foremost the responsibility of the state," he said, while emphasising that a very constructive dialogue is being conducted with the federal government.
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Rolls-Royce announces cuts
Sparprogramme bei Rolls-Royce
John Rose, Chief Executive, said: "Following the tragic events of 11 September, we have undertaken an assessment of their likely impact on our business. "We expect difficult market conditions for civil aerospace in 2002 and 2003 and we are taking the necessary actions required to resize overheads and to align cost and capacity with demand. Regrettably this will have an impact on employment in the company and its supply base. Based on this assessment, the company's planning assumptions for its civil aerospace business in 2002 are that overall engine unit deliveries will be 30 per cent lower than in 2001. The percentage decline in regional jet engine deliveries is expected to be higher than in other sectors. After analysing expected fleet utilisation and retirements, the company expects aftermarket services revenue in 2002 to be at a similar level to that recorded in 2001, rather than growing as previously expected. Rolls-Royce has delivered more than 5,500 new civil engines in the last six years and has an installed base of 9,000 civil engines. This young fleet will make an increasing contribution to aftermarket services revenue. Back to the top of the page / Zurück zum Anfang der Seite
US air strikes continue
Weiter US-Angriffe auf Afghanistan
U.S. and allied air strikes against terrorist targets in Afghanistan are having continued effect on terrorists, said Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld. "We continue to make progress in striking al Qaeda and Taliban targets across Afghanistan in the north and in the south, and in creating conditions that we believe will be necessary for sustained anti-terror operations in the country," Rumsfeld told Pentagon reporters on October 18. Gen. Richard B. Myers, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said U.S. forces hit more than a dozen target areas that included terrorist camps and forces; Taliban military facilities, including missile, vehicle and armor maintenance and storage sites; airfields; troop deployment and garrison areas; and command and control facilities. "We used tactical aircraft, primarily carrier based, although we did use a small number of F-15Es that operated from facilities in the region. And we employed a few long- range bombers," Myers said, adding that AC-130 gunships were used again. Aircraft from the USS Theodore Roosevelt also participated in yesterday's strikes, he noted. Myers noted that humanitarian relief efforts also continue. U.S. fliers flew four more C-17 humanitarian airdrop missions yesterday, delivering about 53,000 ration packs. This makes a total of more than 450,000 delivered. Leaflets exhorting people to abandon or to fight the Taliban and al Qaeda forces were dropped at two separate locations in northeastern Afghanistan, he noted. Back to the top of the page / Zurück zum Anfang der Seite
MTU participates in noise research
Fortschritte bei der Lärmforschung
The TurboNoiseCFD research group has submitted a progress report. Dr. Per Kruppa, the EC's representative responsible for project funding, was very pleased with the results so far. TurboNoiseCFD aims to appreciably reduce turbomachinery noise through the exploitation of existing Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) software. CFD codes have so far been used in turbomachinery aerodynamics and never before in acoustics. MTU Aero Engines, a DaimlerChrysler affiliate, is a major participant in the research project. Launched in February 2000, the three-year Euro 5-million project is supported by 16 European participants from industry, research institutes and academe. It is coordinated by Dr. Brian Tester from Rolls-Royce and sponsored by the European Commission under the Fifth Framework Program (Brite/Euram). MTU Aero Engines' participation amounts to over EUR400,000, half of which is funded.Germany's leading engine manufacturer, MTU had task- responsibility in the first leg of the project: When CFD codes were applied to simplified acoustic problems, MTU's project team, headed by Dr. Thomas Hüttl from the company's aeroelastics and acoustics department, computed the noise emission of an individual compressor stage. The problem of the test case, submitted by the Netherlands' NLR Research Institute, characterizes the immense complexity of aeroacoustic rotor-stator interaction. The Lin3D computational method developed by MTU's Gerhard Kahl, also with the company's aeroelastics and acoustics department, proved a highly accurate tool in the prediction of unsteady flow and the resultant noise profile. Lin3D is used also in flutter studies. In the second half of the project, now under way, an in-depth study is made into noise generation and propagation mechanisms on realistic compressor and turbine configurations. Dr. Klaus Heinig, who heads the aeroelastics and acoustics department at MTU's Munich location, is confident that &qout;TurboNoiseCFD will provide the company with a highly efficient design tool.&qout; Dr. Hermann Scheugenpflug, head of technology strategy and technology cooperations, adds: "Current insights and expanded noise computation methods are already being used in the SILENCER noise research project launched earlier this year. Also, the company's policy-shaping and effectual cooperation in European research projects does much to build its technological reputation."
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Airline safety initiatives by Boeing and Airbus
Neue Sicherheitsmaßnahmen für Verkehrsflugzeuge
Underscoring its focus on enhancing the safety and efficiency of the air transportation system, The Boeing Company announced it is forming a Security and Safety Services organization under its Commercial Airplanes business. Industry safety veteran Charlie Higgins will lead the team to enhance the safety, security and efficiency of airplanes and the larger air transport system. Higgins, who has 30 years of experience working together with industry and government, most recently was vice president of safety and airworthiness for Boeing Commercial Airplanes. Boeing Security and Safety Services' immediate focus will be to help customers implement the recommendations of the U.S. Department of Transportation Rapid Response Team on Aircraft Security (commonly known as the Mineta task force). Boeing and industry have been working around the clock to find ways to meet recommendations to prevent cockpit intrusion; designing video-monitoring equipment to allow pilots to keep watch on the passenger cabin. They are examining ways for positive tracking of aircraft even after transponders have been switched off. Many of the solutions will be applicable to the entire fleet, not just those jets made by Boeing.Meanwhile, Airbus initiated a series of meetings in the U.S.A and Europe on 9th and 11th October to review improvements of aircraft security. These meetings involved representatives from airline associations, some 60 airlines, five airworthiness authorities, and other manufacturers. Airlines and the authorities reacted very positively to Airbus' proposals for immediate, medium and longer-term actions to reinforce security on Airbus airliners. Airbus' proposal for the reinforcement of cockpit doors on single-aisle Airbus aircraft has already been reviewed and approved by the DGAC and the European JAA. Other authorities are currently reviewing it. Airbus has since issued detailed design plans for the cockpit door modification, and the necessary data and information have been made available free of charge to Airbus operators. Similar modifications are being developed for other Airbus aircraft and will be made available shortly. With safety, as ever, its prime concern, Airbus set up its security task force after the tragic events of 11th September. The task force has been working diligently with customers and actively contributing to industry and government task forces in the USA. It has been examining ways to minimize risks related to the threat of terrorism in air transport and has been identifying and investigating solutions which could be implemented in the very short term, as well as medium and longer term measures. Besides the reinforcement of cockpit doors, other security enhancements were discussed with the airlines. They included improved means of communication between cockpit and cabin, and between the aircraft and ground. The proposals submitted by Airbus were extremely well received. Careful investigation of all measures are underway to ensure their compliance with overall safety and certification requirements.
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NEWS IN BRIEF / KURZMELDUNGEN
With its delivery of the MSG (Microgravity Science Glovebox), a multifunctional research facility commissioned by the European Space Agency ESA, Astrium sets an important milestone for research aboard the International Space Station. ESA Director Dr. Karl Knott gave the green light to Astrium in Bremen to deliver to NASA the first European research platform designated for ISS. "The delivery of this research facility for the ISS underscores the significance and competence of Europe within the biggest technology project ever realised in global cooperation, emphasised Knott. Mike Fawcett, NASA representative for the International Space Station programme Europe, assessed today's step as "another milestone of the proven cooperation between the USA and Europe in space". Dr. Stefan Graul, Director of Orbital Systems and Operations at Astrium Space Infrastructure said that "with its fulfilment of the ESA contract, Astrium has once again proven its exceptional level of competence as a system partner for the development, production and operation of space research systems".+++
Acquisition of the Finnish Aerospace and Defence company Patria Industries Oyj shares has been recently approved by the competition authorities. The agreement between the Finnish Government and the European Aeronautic Defence and Space Company N.V. EADS was closed on 17 October 2001 by an official handover of the share certificates. Simultaneously, an Extraordinary General Meeting resolved to increase the share capital according to the agreement. Consequently, EADS now becomes officially a shareholder of Patria Industries Oyj with a 26,8 % stake. At the same time it was confirmed that three EADS executives will start as new members of the Patria Board of Directors: Mr Friedrich Dörhöfer, Chief Operating Officer, Eurocopter, Mr Hervé Garnier, Vice President, Western Europe of EADS International and Mr Robert Zaun, Vice President Controlling, Aeronautics Division, EADS.
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The US Air Transport Association (ATA) reported that passenger enplanements were down 34.2 percent, on average, in September. Passenger traffic growth, before the tragic events of Sept. 11, had been growing slowly over the previous year. Domestic revenue passenger miles (RPMs) decreased 32.5 percent, while international RPMs decreased 30.1 percent. Revenue passenger mile is the industry term used to quantify the volume of business; one RPM equals one fare-paying passenger transported one mile. "The economic impact from the tragic events of Sept. 11 continues to be unparalleled in the history of commercial aviation. Make no mistake--we are grateful for the leadership of President Bush and the Congress in providing emergency economic stabilization assistance," said ATA President and CEO C arol Hallett. "However, this will be a slow recovery. For example, the week before the terrorist attacks, we carried about 9 million passengers. The first full operational week after the attacks, passenger traffic plummeted by almost 50 percent, to about 5 million passengers. Even though load factors are inching upward, it should be noted they are based on a significantly reduced flight schedule."
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Michael O'Leary, CEO of Ryanair, Europe's largest low fares airline visited Frankfurt to announce the airline's lowest fares ever. From October 17 flights to London-Stansted cost just DM 29,- while flights to Glasgow-Prestwick and Shannon cost just DM 49,-. These fares are on a one way basis and include all airport taxes and charges. The "end price" fares represent net fares from just DM 21,50. This amazing offer can be booked until the 25th October at www.Ryanair.com, Europe's largest travel website which guarantees the lowest fares all over Europe.
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Microvision, Inc. announced that it shipped the prototype helmet-mounted display (HMD) system to the U.S. Army as part of its contract for the Virtual Cockpit Optimization Program (VCOP). The prototype system was shipped to The Boeing Company's Mesa, AZ, helicopter facility where it will be integrated with supporting elements of the VCOP system including the Rotorcraft Pilot's Associate mission-management software. After testing, the complete VCOP system will be delivered to the U.S. Army's APEX lab (Advanced Prototyping Engineering and Experimentation) labs in Huntsville, AL for further evaluation. VCOP is the Army's vision of how a virtual cockpit would function, including a "what you see depends on where you look" concept that can be achieved with Microvision's advanced display technology. As the pilot looks up and out of the cockpit, various types of targeting, navigational or terrain overlays appear on his helmet display. When pilots look into the cockpit, they may see "virtual" instruments projected onto the eye that literally replace many of the existing dials and multifunction displays that are in cockpits today.
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Samsung Techwin is Now a Eurocopter Service Center In South Korea for Helicopters in the Dauphin Family and Receives a Safety Award for chieving 20, 000 Flight Hours with their Eurocopter Fleet. Mr. Joong-Koo Lee, President and CEO of Samsung Techwin Company Ltd., and Olivier Lambert, Executive Vice President Sales and Marketing of the Eurocopter Group, signed an agreement making Samsung Techwin the Eurocopter Service Center in South Korea for helicopters in the Dauphin family. This agreement extends to both the civil and parapublic sectors. Located in Seoul, this service center will make it possible for Eurocopter to rapidly satisfy its South Korean customers' logistical support needs.
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Arrival of U.S. Army Apache Longbow multi-role combat helicopters in South Korea this month marks the first international deployment of an U.S. Army Apache Longbow combat battalion. The next-generation Apache helicopters, produced by The Boeing Company in Mesa, Ariz., arrived in South Korea by ship. They were rapidly reassembled and then flown to a U.S. Army facility in South Korea, where they will be based. The arrival also completed the official return of the Army Apache unit to Korea, where it had operated as an AH-64A Apache battalion in support of U.S. Army forces before the conversion to Apache Longbows began in 1999.
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After nearly ten years as the head of America's space program, NASA's longest-serving Administrator, Daniel S. Goldin, announced his resignation, effective November 17."For nearly a decade, it has been my honor to serve the American people by leading our Nation's space program and its dedicated personnel," Administrator Goldin said in a letter to President George W. Bush. "It was the highlight of my life when your father asked me in 1992 to serve as America's ninth Administrator for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration." In his letter, the Administrator added he was happy and proud to serve three presidents and considered it an honor and a duty to stay when President Bush asked him to minister theoffice until a new NASA Administrator was found.While no replacement has been selected, Administrator Goldin will work with the Administration before he leaves office to identify an interim Acting Administrator.
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Joseph H. Rothenberg, Associate Administrator for Space Flight at NASA Headquarters in Washington, today announced his plans to retire from the Agency, effective December 15. No successor has been selected. Rothenberg, who joined NASA in 1983, was named Associate Administrator in January 1998 and is in charge of NASA's
human exploration and development of space. Before coming to NASA Headquarters, he served as Director of NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Md., beginning in 1995.
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The launch table for the Boeing Delta IV rocket arrived at Vandenberg Air Force Base, Calif., to provide a solid foundation for the only West coast launch site able to support the U.S. Air Force Evolved Expendable Launch Vehicle (EELV) program."In our efforts to retrofit Space Launch Complex 6 (SLC-6), the installation of the launch table is a key element in the process of converting the former space shuttle launch pad into a fully operational facility for the Boeing Delta IV," said Ken Liptak, Boeing site manager. Weighing 650 tons, or the equivalent of approximately 430 automobiles, the massive launch table stands 23 feet high, spans 46 feet wide, and stretches 86 feet long. The structure serves as the platform from which the Delta IV rocket is launched.
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"A critical part of the industry's recovery - and it will recover - is a renewed high level of public confidence in security," said IATA Director General & CEO Pierre J. Jeanniot, at the opening of IATA's AVSEC 2001 Symposium in Atlanta, Georgia, 17 October. "Security is today front and centre," continued Jeanniot. "The spotlight is on us, under conditions we would never have wished upon ourselves. We are facing perhaps our greatest challenge and we need to rise to the occasion.This will require rigour, imagination and determination in the application of security measures which are both reassuring and effective." "Governments, industry security experts, airlines, airports, equipment suppliers, systems providers, are all certainly in the front line. But in the battle against terrorism, none of us are on the side lines." The Director General went on to identify four lines of defence against terrorism - of which the first and most important was the best possible shared international criminal intelligence. Other lines of defence included the potential for increased use of biometrics for everyone who comes in contact with an aircraft, or the airside of an airport. IATA has been actively advocating the use of biometrics for the past two years. "It is a question of making intelligent use of resources," said Jeanniot. "In the new security environment, biometrics can quickly identify the people who do not represent a security risk. So today's more conventional security resources, augmented by new scanning technology and operators trained to new levels of stringency, can then be redirected to thoroughly checking those who have not been positively cleared and could potentially represent a risk."
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As a key part of the International Red Cross relief operation that is currently focused on Afghanistan and fleeing Afghan refugees in Pakistan as a result of the 'War Against Terrorism' following the September 11th attacks, HeavyLift Cargo Airlines has just operated (12 October 2001) - an Ilyushin IL-76TD aid flight from Cologne, Germany to Peshawar, Pakistan. The flight, whose cargo consisted mainly of medical supplies as well as some blankets, was being operated on behalf of the German Red Cross part of the International Federation of the Red Cross who are working with the Red Crescent Societies to deal with the humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan. The aircraft refuelled in Sharjah, United Arab Emirates and landed in Peshawar late Friday night. This is understood to be the first such aid flight for the Red Cross from Germany to Pakistan. The flight is one of many being operated to the region to preposition relief and medical stocks to handle the refugee influx from Afghanistan. As 1,200 staff of the International Federation and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) maintain assistance to people within Afghanistan under difficult circumstances, the Federation is gearing up for what may become a massive wave of refugees into the neighbouring countries particularly Pakistan.
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BAE Systems has just successfully delivered the 100th Tornado GR4 Mid-Life Update aircraft to the Royal Air Force. Air Commodore Brian Schofield, the MOD's Tornado Integrated Project Team Leader, was at Warton to officially receive the aircraft on behalf of the RAF. He commented: "The delivery reinforces the GR4 team's success in consistently achieving schedule adherence, which has been a prominent feature throughout the programme since the first delivery in 1997." The conversion programme has been extremely demanding from both a budget and an aircraft build perspective, with a GR4 aircraft being delivered every eight working days. New production methods were introduced from the outset and continually developed during the programme to meet the needs of a modern aircraft return-to-works production environment. The first GR4 aircraft conversion took 12 months; the 100th was completed in just 32 weeks thanks to the new processes introduced.
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Northrop Grumman Corporation's Information Technology (IT) sector today announced that one of its European subsidiaries has entered into a significant new contract with the NATO C3 Agency (NC3A) on behalf of the participating NATO nations. The total value of the purchase for the IT sector's Logicon Europe Ltd. unit is undisclosed. Since September 1997, Logicon Europe has been providing its ICS product to the Supreme Allied Commander, Atlantic, as the core component of the Maritime Command & Control Information System (MCCIS). MCCIS is integrated by NATO support staff and includes commercial-off-the-shelf products together with NATO-developed applications. It is installed in every NATO maritime headquarters, which includes more than 300 workstations. To allow the national command staffs to adopt MCCIS for national, as well as NATO, purposes, NC3A has arranged a central contract called "MCCIS For The Nations" (MFN). This allows individual nations to capitalize on the success of the NATO program, and promotes interoperability among allied forces. Each participating nation commits funds annually to NATO to obtain the right to use a suite of Logicon Europe products in their national MCCIS capabilities. This award for Logicon Europe is a growth opportunity because nine NATO nations have committed to MFN initially, noted Andrew Farrer, Key Business Accounts manager, Logicon Europe. Others may join at any time, subject to successful negotiation with the NC3A, he added.
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A Boeing Delta II 7320-10 rocket lifted off today from Space Launch Complex 2W at Vandenberg Air Force Base, Calif., at 11:51 a.m. PDT carrying the DigitalGlobe QuickBird imaging satellite. One hour and 30 seconds later, the spacecraft was successfully deployed to a sun--synchronous orbit. Today's launch is the first of two Delta II launches at Vandenberg this year for the Boeing Delta team. The Boeing Delta II was selected by DigitalGlobe to deploy QuickBird because of the launch vehicle's 100 percent mission success record since 1997. "Today's successful mission continues the Boeing Delta II's reputation of reliability," said Jay Witzling, vice president, Delta and Titan deputy program manager for Boeing Expendable Launch Systems. "I'm also proud of our Delta team in deploying QuickBird for DigitalGlobe in less than a year from the time we received the order, proving our team's capability to meet our customers' scheduling requirements."
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At the LIMA 2001 International Air Show in Langkawi, Dato Hashim Meon, General Secretary of the Malaysian Ministry of Defense, and Olivier Lambert, Executive Vice President Sales & Marketing of Eurocopter, signed on October 13, 2001, a contract for the supply of six AS 555 SN Fennec helicopters to the Royal Malaysian Navy. The contract, which is worth 42 million Euro, was signed in presence of Dato Sri Mohd Najib Tun Razak, the Malaysian Minister of Defense, and Alain Richard, the French Minister of Defense. Mr. Lambert took the occasion to express his satisfaction with the Royal Malaysian Navy's choice of the Fennec, and also made note of the fact that Eurocopter is now the only helicopter manufacturer to equip all three Malaysian armed forces. "With this contract and after nearly four decades of fruitful cooperation initiated in 1963 with the sale of Alouette III to the Royal Malaysian Air Force, Eurocopter is determined to reinforce its presence in Malaysia and its cooperation with local industrial partners" said Olivier Lambert.
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On the 6th of August 2001 the Cougar Transport Helicopter, equipped with the new Integrated Self-protection SYStem (ISSYS), was handed over - on time - to the Swiss Defense Procurement Agency for its first flight trials. The 35 minute first flight was carried out successfully. In the meantime, trials have progressed and another important milestone reached on the 5th of September with the firing of the first decoy unit. Thanks to an intensive test program, the system is expected to be ready for the procurement phase very quickly. The Swiss Airforce want to protect their transport helicopters from enemy threat. The Integrated Self-protection SYStem, ISSYS, detects the threat and "deceives" it using the appropriate counter-measure (release of chaff and/or flare). The ISSYS consists of two parts, firstly the Multi-Sensor Warning System (MSWS) for detection of threats and secondly, the Counter Measure Dispenser System (CMDS). The MSWS possesses all the necessary sensor technology not only to detect threats in all frequency ranges but also to detect a laser threat through the various spectrums. At the core of the system are the passive UV Sensors, the main purpose of which is to detect attacking, guided weapons.
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The Department of Defense has released a new Global Positioning System (GPS) performance standard. The new standard is available on the Web at http://www.navcen.uscg.gov/gps/geninfo/2001SPSPerformanceStandardFINAL.pdf The new performance standard codifies a change announced last year to discontinue DoD's ability to decrease GPS accuracy. (See http://www.ostp.gov/html/0053_2.html) The standard also moves some technical specifications to a supporting document, ICD-GPS-200, on the Web at http://npoesslib.ipo.noaa.gov/techlib/doc165/doc165.pdf DoD, as operator of the GPS, now provides civil users a horizontal positioning accuracy of 36 meters, compared to 100-meter accuracy in the previous edition of the standard, which was published in 1995. DoD also promises to notify the civil user community whenever serious or unforeseen problems could affect the new performance level. Future improvements to the system are projected to include new civil codes to correct for ionospheric distortion and to assure continuity of service. The new services will be deployed with satellite launches scheduled between 2003 and 2012, with full operational capability expected in 2014.
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Orbital Sciences Corporation announced today that it was recently awarded a $24 million development task order by the United States Army Space and Missile Defense Command (USASMDC) for the Short Range Air Launch Target program. The objective of USASMDC's program is to develop and launch four Navy Area Theater Ballistic Missile (TBMD) Short Range Air Launch Targets in support of the Ballistic Missile Defense Organization (BMDO) Targets Program. Orbital was selected for this task order in a competitive bidding process with two other companies. Earlier this month, Orbital announced that it had won a $22 million contract for Phase II of the Liquid Booster Development Program also from USASMDC.
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BAE Systems today opened an advanced technology office in Arlington, Virginia, which will enhance its ties with key defense laboratories. Part of BAE Systems Information & Electronic Warfare Systems, the new Washington Technical Office at Court House Plaza II, 2300 Clarendon Boulevard will support up to 50 technical, program management and business development personnel. Dr. Michael Grove has been selected to head the new operation.
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Sikorsky Aircraft Corp. announced it intends to cooperate with Korean Air Lines (KAL) on the development of multi-mission helicopters for the government of Korea. Sikorsky Aircraft is a subsidiary of United Technologies Corp. Under terms of a Memorandum of Understanding signed today, Sikorsky and Korean Air Lines will forge an agreement to cooperate on the Korean Multi-Purpose Helicopter program. As a result of these forthcoming discussions, the two companies will participate in technical and strategic discussions, exchange ideas, and cooperate in product development and marketing initiatives. "We are excited to return to the Korean marketplace with our colleagues at Korean Air Lines," said Sikorsky President Dean C. Borgman. "We believe our combined talents will meet the needs of a very important customer."
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