 May 29, 2009 | News for the aerospace industry |
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- Egypt weighing purchase of F-16s, Lockheed says
Lockheed Martin Corp. says it is in discussions with Egypt to sell two dozen F-16 jets that would replace aging models in the country's arsenal. Egypt has received 220 of the aircraft since 1982, and, as Lockheed CEO Robert Stevens noted on Thursday, "As you fly these airplanes in operations, there is ordinary attrition that occurs." Though Stevens did not discuss any contract terms, analysts say an order for 24 jets could be worth about $1 billion. Bloomberg
(5/28)
     
| Defense |  | |
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- Boeing counts on India for growing defense exports
A big win by India's Congress Party in recent parliamentary elections could be good for U.S. arms makers, according to Jim Albaugh, Boeing Co.'s defense chief. "India is doing a major recapitalization of a lot of defense equipment," Albaugh said Thursday, singling out helicopters, attack planes and surveillance aircraft. "Eventually they are going have some interest in airborne early warning and control." With U.S. defense spending expected to slow, Boeing is looking to countries such as India to boost its export sales by 4 percentage points over the next five years. Bloomberg
(5/29)
- Northrop begins reinspection
Northrop Grumman Shipbuilding says it may need to reinspect some 10,000 welded joints on at least nine vessels after an internal investigation turned up falsified reports by a company inspector. Of the 2,000 joints reinspected as of Thursday, only one was found to be unsatisfactory -- better than the rate predicted by statistical models. In addition to its internal review, Northrop quickly notified the Navy's supervisor of shipbuilding, and the Naval Criminal Investigative Service has launched its own investigation into the matter. Defense News
(5/28)
- Italian defense chief appeals for VH-71 helicopter program
Italy's defense minister is asking the Pentagon not to kill the VH-71 presidential helicopter program in which an Italian firm is a major contractor. "The cancellation of the VH-71 program would negatively impact jobs and the industrial base in Italy and the U.K.," Ignazio La Russa wrote in a letter to Defense Secretary Robert Gates. "It is fundamental for all allied countries to maintain a strong, autonomous defense industrial capability, and this program is a key element in the pursuit of that strategy." Lockheed Martin Corp. was basing the VH-71 on a model built in Italy and the U.K. by AgustaWestland. Defense News
(5/28)
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- Jatropha fuel could cut emissions by two-thirds, ANZ test shows
Air New Zealand has crunched the numbers from a biofuel test flight last December and calculated that more than 1.4 tons of fuel and 4.5 tons of carbon could be saved on a 12-hour flight. The carrier used a 50/50 blend of jatropha oil and traditional jet fuel in one of the four engines on its 747 test plane, flying for about two hours at various altitudes. The tests showed that overall emissions of greenhouse gases would be cut by nearly two-thirds, while the savings on fuel burn amounted to just over 1%. The New Zealand Herald
(5/29)
, Forbes/The Associated Press
(5/29)
- Traffic, fuel prices are airlines' twin challenges
Airlines are hoping the worst is behind them after April traffic numbers showed that a months-long passenger slide appears to be slowing. With traffic stabilizing, attention is turning to fuel prices, which could make or break 2009 profits at many carriers. FTN Capital Markets says oil prices approaching $75 a barrel could doom profit hopes for at least four big airlines. A narrow "crack spread," or difference in price between oil and distilled jet fuel, is working to airlines' advantage. "Crack spreads are currently $3.63 per barrel, the lowest level of 2009, and $6 below our current planning assumption of $10 per barrel," says Mike Derchin, an FTN analyst. Boston Herald/Market Watch
(5/28)
| Space | | |
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- Fully staffed space station finally ready to get down to work
With a full complement of six astronauts on board, the $100 billion International Space Station is ready to begin delivering on its promise of great scientific discoveries. "We've been building the international space station for 10 years now, and we've finally gotten to a point now where it has some incredible laboratory facilities and six people on board the station to do some science," said Canadian astronaut Robert Thirsk before blasting off Wednesday aboard a Russian Soyuz spacecraft. Most crew time until now has been devoted to merely maintaining the station, leaving just 20 hours a week for scientific experiments in a zero-gravity environment. With the crew size doubled, however, that figure should more than triple to 70 hours. MSNBC
(5/27)
| Homeland Security | | |
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- Obama signals moves in civilian, military cybersecurity
As President Barack Obama prepares to name a new "cyberczar" on Friday, The New York Times reports that the Pentagon will get its own cyberspace command, tasked with both offensive and defensive computer warfare. Both the military and civilian efforts will focus on protecting data networks against the thousands of cyberattacks launched every day. Though Obama has never stated a position on offensive computer warfare, the new command is seen as tacit confirmation that the Pentagon has such capabilities. "We are not comfortable discussing the question of offensive cyberoperations, but we consider cyberspace a war-fighting domain," says a Pentagon spokesman. "We need to be able to operate within that domain just like on any battlefield, which includes protecting our freedom of movement and preserving our capability to perform in that environment." The New York Times
(5/28)
- Airline role uncertain in fingerprinting foreign visitors
As tests get under way in Atlanta and Detroit to keep track of foreign visitors departing the U.S., airlines, thus far, are not responsible for collecting the required biometric data. Robert Mocny, director of Homeland Security's US-VISIT program, says airlines have resisted participating in the pilot program, while a spokeswoman for the airlines says "nothing has emerged" from industry talks with DHS. Congressional aides say current tests will determine whether fingerprints should be collected at the gate or at security checkpoints, and airlines eventually are expected to play some role in the process. Government Executive/Congress Daily
(5/28)
- "Kidnap" case could up pressure for airport biometrics
Airport security is getting a second look after a Pennsylvania woman flew her nine-year-old daughter to Florida, then claimed the girl was kidnapped. Bonnie Sweeten used a co-worker's driver's license and paid cash when buying two one-way tickets at the US Airways ticket counter. A spokesman for Philadelphia International Airport said airport personnel are not responsible for checking IDs, while a TSA spokeswoman said her agency is looking mostly for forgeries. "If the photo bears a strong resemblance to the passenger, and all other markings appear to be legitimate, then the ID would not raise any red flags," she said. Some experts question whether driver's licenses are a suitable form of ID, and at least one congressman has promised an investigation. NBC.com/Channel 10 Philadelphia
(5/29)
, The Philadelphia Inquirer
(5/29)
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