Thursday, June 10, 2010

DTN News: Oshkosh Defense T Showcase -Wide Range Of International Needs At Eurosatory 2010; SandCat Mine-Resistant Light Patrol Vehicle To Be Unveiled

DTN News: Oshkosh Defense T Showcase Vehicle Offerings For Wide Range Of International Needs At Eurosatory 2010; SandCat Mine-Resistant Light Patrol Vehicle To Be Unveiled
Source: DTN News / Oshkosh Corporation
(NSI News Source Info) OSHKOSH, Wis.- June 11, 2010: Oshkosh Defense, a division of Oshkosh Corporation (NYSE:OSK), designs, produces and supports a diverse line of international vehicles that are available to governments worldwide, and will showcase a sampling of these vehicles at Eurosatory 2010. Oshkosh will be unveiling the SandCat Mine-Protected Light Patrol Vehicle (M-LPV) as well as exhibiting its MRAP All-Terrain Vehicle (M-ATV), Medium Tactical Vehicle Replacement (MTVR) 8x8 Load Handling System (LHS) and a variant of its Family of Medium Tactical Vehicles (FMTV) at the event, which will take place June 14-18 in Paris, France. Oshkosh is exhibiting at booth #G441 in Hall 6. “We pursue programs around the world, and international militaries continue to show interest in our advanced vehicle platforms that meet varying payload, protection and performance requirements,” said Ron Ziebell, Oshkosh Corporation vice president and general manager, Defense International Programs. “We look forward to meeting with current and potential global customers at Eurosatory to see how we can best meet their needs, from vehicle design and production to the complete spectrum of sustainment support.” The SandCat M-LPV is a light patrol vehicle designed to protect users from mine attacks and improvised explosive devices (IED), as well as standard ammunition threats and armor-piercing bullets, while offering superior off-road performance. The M-LPV can cover the needs of a wide range of security forces conducting various operations over the distances and terrain required by a light protected patrol vehicle's mission profile. Improved performance is achieved by utilizing advanced composite ceramic armor materials and a blast-management system for the protective cabin, while optimizing the cabin's overall size and structure, with a growth capability against new and emerging threats. The vehicle seats four and has an option for two more. To date, SandCat vehicles have been sold to Sweden, Bulgaria, Canada and Israel. The M-ATV provides MRAP-level protection capabilities and delivers enhanced mobility. The vehicle is built around a proven chassis and uses the Oshkosh TAK-4® independent suspension system to achieve a 70 percent off-road profile capability. This enhanced mobility allows the vehicle to overcome rocky, rutted terrain or deteriorating road networks in places like Afghanistan. To date, Oshkosh has received orders for 8,079 M-ATVs. The MTVR 8x8 LHS has a payload capacity of up to 16.5 tons and, like all MTVR variants, uses the TAK-4 system to deliver exceptional off-road mobility for extensive cross-country operations. Oshkosh has produced more than 10,000 MTVRs, several of which have exceeded 70,000 operational miles on the challenging Afghanistan terrain, with readiness rates greater than 92 percent. The vehicle also is available in cargo truck, dump truck, tractor and wrecker (recovery) variants. Oshkosh’s FMTV is a series of 17 models and 23 variants for the U.S. Army. The company has received orders for more than 5,000 trucks and trailers to date. Variants include cargo, tractor, van, wrecker, tanker and dump truck, with payloads ranging from 2.5 tons to 10 tons. FMTV trucks feature a common, armor-ready cab and share a parts commonality of more than 80 percent for simplified maintenance and reduced supply-chain costs. About Oshkosh Defense
Oshkosh Defense, a division of Oshkosh Corporation, is an industry-leading global designer and manufacturer of tactical military trucks and armored wheeled vehicles, delivering a full product line of conventional and hybrid vehicles, advanced armor options, proprietary suspensions and vehicles with payloads that can exceed 70 tons. Oshkosh Defense provides a global service and supply network including full life-cycle support and remanufacturing, and its vehicles are recognized the world over for superior performance, reliability and protection. For more information, visit www.oshkoshdefense.com. About Oshkosh Corporation
Oshkosh Corporation is a leading designer, manufacturer and marketer of a broad range of specialty access equipment, commercial, fire & emergency and military vehicles and vehicle bodies. Oshkosh Corporation manufactures, distributes and services products under the brands of Oshkosh®, JLG®, Pierce®, McNeilus®, Medtec®, Jerr-Dan®, Oshkosh Specialty Vehicles, Frontline™, SMIT™, CON-E-CO®, London® and IMT®. Oshkosh products are valued worldwide in businesses where high quality, superior performance, rugged reliability and long-term value are paramount. For more information, visit www.oshkoshcorporation.com. ®, ™ All brand names referred to in this news release are trademarks of Oshkosh Corporation or its subsidiary companies.

DTN News: NASA's Unmanned Global Hawk Aircraft Conducts Ground Breaking Science Missions

DTN News: NASA's Unmanned Global Hawk Aircraft Conducts Ground Breaking Science Missions
Source: DTN News / Northrop Grumman
(NSI News Source Info) SAN DIEGO, - June 11, 2010: NASA's unmanned Global Hawk aircraft, developed by Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE:NOC), completed four science flights over the Pacific Ocean during the month of April. The flights were part of the Global Hawk Pacific (GloPac) mission, a joint project between NASA and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), with Northrop Grumman support. The GloPac mission flights revolutionized the collection of data in the stratosphere. Fitted with 11 science instruments, Global Hawk acquired and transmitted data that has never before been accessible through either manned flights or satellites. Flights reached up to 65,000 feet where information was collected from the air as well as the water and polar ice below. Data from the science instruments were downloaded in real-time to NASA Dryden Flight Research Center where scientists were able to analyze the data, and if necessary, ask the Global Hawk pilot to adjust the flight path to optimize data collection. Flights during the GloPac project ranged from north of the Arctic Circle, over polar ice, down to Hawaii near the equator. NASA Global Hawk completed 82.5 flight hours, with one particular flight lasting 28.6 hours, eight hours of which was spent north of Alaska over the polar ice. Additionally, this was the first time a Global Hawk unmanned air vehicle has flown as far as 85 degrees north latitude. The flights were designed to address several science objectives, including validation and scientific collaboration with NASA earth observation satellite (EOS) missions, principally the Aura satellite, also built by Northrop Grumman. The GloPac payloads collected atmospheric data in the same location at the same time as Aura and other EOS missions to compare and combine results. "Global Hawk is a revolutionary aircraft for science because of its enormous range and endurance," said Paul Newman, co-mission scientist for GloPac and an atmospheric scientist from NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Md. "No other science platform provides the range and time to sample rapidly evolving atmospheric phenomena. This mission is our first opportunity to demonstrate the unique capabilities of this plane, while gathering atmospheric data in a region that is poorly sampled." A Space Act Agreement between NASA Dryden Flight Research Center and Northrop Grumman established a partnership to re-fit and maintain two Global Hawk aircraft transferred from the U.S. Air Force. As part of the Northrop Grumman/NASA partnership, the company contributed to the GloPac missions by developing the GloPac mission plans; confirming aircraft performance through extensive analysis; providing pilots and training for NASA/NOAA pilots; sharing maintenance and operations support; and developing and building a new ground control station and software for aircraft operations. Additionally, under a contract from NASA, Northrop Grumman performed aircraft modification engineering and analysis for installation of the science payloads, which was funded by the science sponsors for each of the 11 sensors. "We have partnered with NASA to provide this new capability for the atmospheric science community," said Carl Johnson, Northrop Grumman vice president of advanced concepts – air and land. "The Global Hawk system has been serving the United States Air Force and Navy and is now serving mankind with critical data from the NASA and NOAA science experiments. Global Hawk is truly global in its reach." Later this year, NASA Global Hawk will examine hurricanes and their formation process. This experiment will explore the possibility of improving hurricane forecasts. The Global Hawk aircraft is proving to be the premier platform for use in high-altitude, long-duration Earth science missions. Northrop Grumman Corporation is a leading global security company whose 120,000 employees provide innovative systems, products, and solutions in aerospace, electronics, information systems, shipbuilding and technical services to government and commercial customers worldwide. Please visit www.northropgrumman.com for more information.
CONTACT:
Sherri Pineda Hargrove Northrop Grumman Aerospace Systems (858) 618-4556 Mobile: (858) 943-1152 sherri.pineda@ngc.com

DTN News: Raytheon Space Sensor Tasked for First-Of-Its-Kind Military Use

DTN News: Raytheon Space Sensor Tasked for First-Of-Its-Kind Military Use
Source: DTN News / Raytheon
(NSI News Source Info) EL SEGUNDO, Calif., - June 11, 2010: Raytheon Company's (NYSE: RTN) hyperspectral imaging sensor known as ARTEMIS is being prepared for a first-of-its-kind tactical military role by the Air Force Space Command. The company's Advanced Responsive Tactically Effective Military Imaging Spectrometer has successfully completed its one-year experimental mission aboard the Air Force Research Laboratory's Tactical Satellite-3. Based on the success of that mission, Raytheon has been notified that the Air Force Space Command will take control of TacSat-3 with the intent to use ARTEMIS in an operational capacity. "The ARTEMIS hyperspectral imager gives military commanders an important new advantage in the asymmetric battlefield," said Bill Hart, vice president for Raytheon Space Systems. "ARTEMIS can detect various man-made and natural materials, which adds a fundamentally new capability for the DoD." Unlike visible imagers, hyperspectral sensors capture light across a wide swath of the electromagnetic spectrum, providing unprecedented spectral detail. That spectral information produces a distinct "signature," which can be compared against the spectral signatures of known objects to rapidly identify potential areas of interest. The ARTEMIS hyperspectral imager combines spectral information with geo-location coordinates in an easy-to-read map. This information is then sent directly to troops on the ground in near real time. "Air Force Space Command looks forward to taking ownership of the TacSat-3 ARTEMIS system," said Lt. Col. Ryan Pendleton, Air Force Space Command, Chief, Operationally Responsive Space Integration. "We plan to operationalize the system as soon as possible to provide direct benefit to warfighters." TacSat-3 originated as part of the U.S. Department of Defense's operationally responsive space initiative, which seeks to give field commanders flexible, affordable options for obtaining real-time tactical surveillance data from space. Aided by the ORS Office, and led by the Air Force Research Laboratory, the TacSat-3 program was designed to demonstrate the feasibility of developing and launching a military payload within extremely tight schedule and budget constraints. "TacSat-3 has been a pathfinder to explore concepts of operation for future ORS systems and demonstrates how great things can be achieved on a small budget and in a short time," said Dr. Peter Wegner, director of the Pentagon's ORS Office. "It has also demonstrated the utility of hyperspectral information to benefit soldiers, sailors, airmen and Marines around the world." Raytheon is discussing with several government customers opportunities for rapidly deploying additional hyperspectral space sensors. "Based on our experience on TacSat-3, we're ready to build operational hyperspectral systems like ARTEMIS quickly and affordably," said Raytheon's Hart. Raytheon Company, with 2009 sales of $25 billion, is a technology and innovation leader specializing in defense, homeland security and other government markets throughout the world. With a history of innovation spanning 88 years, Raytheon provides state-of-the-art electronics, mission systems integration and other capabilities in the areas of sensing; effects; and command, control, communications and intelligence systems, as well as a broad range of mission support services. With headquarters in Waltham, Mass., Raytheon employs 75,000 people worldwide. Contact: John Barksdale 310.647.8224 John_Barksdale@raytheon.com
Raytheon Related News

DTN News: Boeing P-8A Poseidon Completes 1st In-flight Test Of Mission Systems

DTN News: Boeing P-8A Poseidon Completes 1st In-flight Test Of Mission Systems
Source: DTN News / Boeing
(NSI News Source Info) SEATTLE, - June 11, 2010: Boeing [NYSE: BA] P-8A Poseidon aircraft T2 successfully completed the program's first mission systems test flight on June 8 in Seattle. T2 will be used to verify integrated mission systems performance during flights in Seattle and at Naval Air Station Patuxent River, Md. During the three-hour flight, the joint Boeing and Navy test team exercised mission computing on all five operator workstations and successfully demonstrated key systems -- including acoustics, mission planning, tactical data-link, communications, electronic support measures and flight test instrumentation -- for the first time. "This successful flight moves us a step closer to getting the Poseidon and its next-generation radar and sensors into the hands of the warfighter," said Chuck Dabundo, Boeing vice president and P-8 program manager. "Future flights will demonstrate the state-of-the-art systems that will provide the Navy superior performance well into the 21st century." T2 is one of five test aircraft that are being assembled and tested as part of the U.S. Navy System Development and Demonstration contract Boeing received in 2004. Boeing's T1 airworthiness-test aircraft entered flight testing in October 2009 and arrived at the Navy's Patuxent River facility in April 2010. The Navy plans to purchase 117 P-8A anti-submarine warfare, anti-surface warfare, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance aircraft to replace its P-3 fleet. Initial operational capability is planned for 2013. A unit of The Boeing Company, Boeing Defense, Space & Security is one of the world's largest defense, space and security businesses specializing in innovative and capabilities-driven customer solutions, and the world's largest and most versatile manufacturer of military aircraft. Headquartered in St. Louis, Boeing Defense, Space & Security is a $34 billion business with 68,000 employees worldwide. Contact: Chick Ramey
The Boeing Company
Office: 253-657-5636
Mobile: 206-851-4147
Doug Abbotts
U.S. Navy
Office: 301-342-7366
Boeing Related News;
*June 10, 2010 - Boeing Presents Contract Offer to Machinists Union in St. Louis *June 10, 2010 - Boeing Receives US Air Force Mission Planning Enterprise Contract-II *June 10, 2010 - Boeing Announces Election of Liddy to Rejoin Board of Directors *June 10, 2010 - Boeing P-8A Poseidon Completes 1st In-flight Test of Mission Systems *June 10, 2010 - Boeing to Demonstrate Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Cooperative Control Technologies for U.S. Air Force

DTN News: Eurofighter Woos Buyers For 10 Billion Euro Order

DTN News: Eurofighter Woos Buyers For 10 Billion Euro Order
* Defence consortium makes offer for final 124 planes * Says needs decision in a year to avoid production gap
* Sources peg value of offer at 10 bln euros
* Brazil fighter competition seen running out of steam
Source: DTN News / Reuters By Tim Hepher Wed Jun 9, 2010 1:09pm EDT
(NSI News Source Info) BERLIN, Germany - June 10, 2010: Defence firms have moved to kickstart negotiations over the Eurofighter Typhoon by asking Britain, Germany, Italy and Spain to invest an estimated 10 billion euros ($13.42 billion) in the next wave of jet fighter production. A spokesman for a consortium of BAE Systems (BAES.L), EADS (EAD.PA) and Finmeccanica (SIFI.MI) told Reuters it had submitted an offer at the end of May -- a move that analysts say could trigger a tug of war over dwindling defence budgets during a European sovereign debt crisis. The spokesman declined to disclose the value of the offer, which covers 124 planes, but defence industry sources at the Berlin Air Show said it was around 10 billion euros. Eurofighter says a decision on whether to build the planes would be needed within a year in order to avoid a production gap it believes would be damaging for exports and hit jobs. The climate for talks is difficult, however, after Germany announced tough defence cuts and Britain promised to defer any major spending decisions until after a strategic defence review. Britain, Germany, Italy and Spain have so far taken delivery of a combined 222 Eurofighter Typhoons out of the 620 they originally ordered. The original order spanned three separate tranches. But the third and final production run of 236 planes had to be split up last year when buyers could only agree to purchase 112 aircraft. Any decision to cancel the rest is likely to trigger calls for compensation as well as intensive lobbying over the fate of 100,000 jobs tied up directly or indirectly in the project. Besides domestic contracts, Saudi Arabia has ordered 70 of the planes and 15 have been sold to Austria. The Typhoon is competing in a number of contests against rival models such as the French Rafale (AVMD.PA), Swedish Gripen SAAB.ST or Boeing's F-18 (BA.N). Switzerland has renewed interest in updating its fighter fleet after suspending a competition last year and could make a decision later in 2010, air show delegates said. Other nearby countries showing interest in deals or evaluating their positions include Serbia, Romania and Turkey. Middle East and Asian demand has been strong as countries face new threats or pressure to renew ageing fleets. But Brazil, actively courted by France as the first foreign buyer for its Dassault-built Rafale, has so far delayed a decision and may have to postpone until after Oct. 3 elections. "We are worried; nothing is happening at the moment," a French industrial source said of the competition, in which Eurofighter is not represented. ($1=.7453 Euro)
(Additional reporting by Matthias Blamont in Paris; editing by Simon Jessop)

DTN News: Airbus Orders Boost Berlin Air Show Profile

DTN News: Airbus Orders Boost Berlin Air Show Profile
Source: DTN News / Reuters
(NSI News Source Info) BERLIN/HELSINKI, - June 10, 2010: Airbus (EAD.PA) announced two more orders at the Berlin Air Show on Thursday, bringing its tally for the week to 67 aircraft orders including a record deal with Emirates for 32 A380 superjumbos. The biennial Berlin show does not usually see major orders, with airlines traditionally preferring to make announcements at larger air shows such as Farnborough in England and Le Bourget in France, which take place on alternate years in July. This year's show, just over a month before Farnborough, had opened with a splash on Tuesday as EADS' Airbus unit announced $14 billion in new orders, including the record $11 billion A380 order for the Arab world's largest airline. "Of course I want that (the Berlin Air Show) gets a boost. I was very happy that we could sign the contract with Emirates here in Berlin, in the presence of (German Chancellor Angela) Merkel," Airbus Chief Executive Tom Enders told reporters on the sidelines of the event at the German capital's Schoenefeld airport on Thursday. Before this year's show, the biggest order ever announced at the Berlin Air Show had been a 3.2 billion euro ($3.9 billion) order for 35 Airbus aircraft by Gulf Air [GULF.UL] in 2008. Merkel had opened the show on Tuesday, just as she was coming under fire from airline executives gathered for the global airline industry body's annual meeting elsewhere in the city for a proposed air travel tax. Announcing its final orders agreed at the Berlin Air Show, Airbus said on Thursday Finnish airline Finnair (FIA1S.HE) and Berlin-based Germania had agreed to buy five aircraft each. Finnair signed a letter of intent to order five new A321ER aircraft worth more than 400 million euros that will replace Boeing 757s (BA.N) used for leisure flights. The airline is the first to order A321s with "Sharklet" wing tip devices that Airbus said would cut the planes' fuel consumption by 4 percent. Fuel is one of an airline's biggest cost factors, alongside staffing. Germania signed a memorandum of understanding to buy five Airbus A319s, with a total list price of $372 million. Germania Chief Commercial Officer John Kohlsaat said in a news conference at the air show that the orders would become firm within a few days. At its meeting earlier this week, the International Air Transport Association gave a surprise forecast for a 2010 profit of $2.5 billion for the airline industry, fanning hopes the global industry would recover more quickly than expected, boosting demand for air travel and airplanes. ($1=.8307 Euro)
(Reporting by Terhi Kinnunen in Helsinki and Maria Sheahan in Berlin; Editing by Hans Peters and Simon Jessop)