DTN News: Airlines News TODAY October 31, 2009 ~ Air France Receives Its First A380

DTN News: Airlines News TODAY October 31, 2009 ~ Air France Receives Its First A380 *Airbus’ 20th A380 delivery to date *Source: DTN News / EADS (NSI News Source Info) HAMBURG, Germany - October 31, 2009: Air France has taken delivery of its first Airbus A380. The French carrier is the first European airline to fly the all-new double-deck aircraft on scheduled services. The aircraft is the twentieth A380 delivered by Airbus. The aircraft was handed over in a delivery ceremony today in Hamburg, Germany, to Pierre-Henri Gourgeon, Chief Executive Officer of Air France KLM and to Jean-Cyril Spinetta, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Air France KLM, by Tom Enders, Airbus President and CEO, and in the presence of James Moravecek, Engine Alliance President. At the ceremony Air France unveiled its spacious and comfortable cabin, featuring 538 seats in a three class configuration (nine First, 80 Business and 449 Voyageur Economy). The cabin features innovative mood lighting with several different lighting scenarios to create a calm atmosphere and environment for its passengers. “Each A380 will enable Air France to save 12 to 15 million euros a year, which, in today’s depressed economic climate, provides the Company with the means to withstand the crisis” said Pierre-Henri Gourgeon Chief Executive Officer of Air France KLM.“Air France will therefore be able to offer customers even greater comfort, while keeping costs under control. Furthermore, the performance of the A380 is in line with our environmental commitments”, he added. “This delivery marks another milestone in the longstanding history and partnership between Air France and Airbus," said Tom Enders, Airbus President and CEO. “It fills us with great pride that our first ever aircraft customer is now also the first European airline to operate the A380.We are convinced the A380 will greatly contribute to Air France’ continued success”. The aircraft is powered by four Engine Alliance GP7200 engines delivering up to 72,000 lbs of thrust each. The A380 has an unmatched fuel efficiency, consuming less than three litres per 100 kilometres per passenger. Thanks to excellent aerodynamic performance, the A380complies with today’s strictest noise limits, and also makes it the quietest large aircraft flying today. The all new double deck aircraft generates only half as much noise on take-off and landing as the previous largest passenger aircraft. The A380 provides also vital extra passenger capacity without increasing the number of flights, and is therefore part of the solution for sustainable growth at congested airports The aircraft’s efficient performance and industry leading technology result in higher operational flexibility and outstanding operational economics. With a range of more than 15,000 km/ 8,000 nm and seat-mile costs 20 per cent lower than its closest competitor. Air France ordered 10 A380s in June 2001 and added another two in 2007. Air France’s first A380 will start its commercial service with inaugural flights on the 20th and 21st November on the Paris - New York - Paris route. As the largest Airbus operator in Europe with a fleet of 183 aircraft, the airline currently operates 34 A330 and A340 aircraft as well as 149 A320 family aircraft. Air France took delivery of the first Airbus aircraft in 1974 and was also the first carrier in the world to operate aircraft from the entire Airbus Single-Aisle A320 Family. The new Air France A380 is the 20th A380 delivered by Airbus – 10 are already flying with Singapore, five with Emirates and four with Qantas. These aircraft are connecting four continents on 13 major international routes. Today 12 major international hub-airports around the world regularly welcome the A380 including: Auckland, Bangkok, Dubai, Hong Kong, London, Los Angeles, Melbourne, Paris, Singapore, Sydney, Tokyo and Toronto. Up to now, the A380 fleet has accumulated over 75,000 revenue flight hours in over 7,900 commercial flights. Over 2,5 million passengers have already enjoyed flying the A380. Airbus has won 200 firm A380 orders from 16 customers worldwide, including Air France. Media contacts: Anne Galabert Tel.: + 33 5 61 93 10 00 Tore Prang Tel.: + 49 40 743 724 13 Jacques Rocca Tel.: + 33 5 61 93 10 00 Airbus SAS www.airbus.com mailto: media@airbus.com

DTN News: Photo Release -- Northrop Grumman Begins Producing First International F-35 Joint Strike Fighter

DTN News: Photo Release -- Northrop Grumman Begins Producing First International F-35 Joint Strike Fighter *Milestone Adds Momentum to Early Production Phases of Multi-National Fighter Program *Source: DTN News / Northrop Grumman (NSI News Source Info) PALMDALE, Calif., - October 31, 2009: Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE:NOC) has begun producing the center fuselage for the first international F-35 Joint Strike Fighter, an F-35B short take off, vertical landing (STOVL) variant for the United Kingdom designated BK-1. The center fuselage is the core structure around which the F-35 aircraft is built. A photo accompanying this release is available at http://media.globenewswire.com/noc/mediagallery.html?pkgid=6782

Northrop Grumman has begun producing the first international F-35 Joint Strike Fighter, an F-35B short take off, vertical landing variant for the United Kingdom. In the photo, technicians at the company's Palmdale Manufacturing Center guide the first assembly for the plane's center fuselage, an all-composite air inlet duct, into a special tooling structure called a jig. The center fuselage is the core structure around which the F-35 aircraft is built. The assembly process began Oct. 26 at the company's Palmdale Manufacturing Center with the loading of an all-composite air inlet duct into a special tooling structure called a jig. This first assembly process, one of approximately 18 major steps in assembling an F-35 center fuselage, consists of attaching metal frames around the duct. The frames serve to brace and position the duct properly within the center fuselage. "Jig loading the BK-1 center fuselage for the United Kingdom's first F-35 demonstrates that the program is delivering on its promise to produce a fifth generation, multi-role fighter that meets the common air combat requirements of the U.S. and its allies," said Mark Tucker, vice president and F-35 program manager for Northrop Grumman's Aerospace Systems sector. "Through a disciplined approach to managing costs and engineering changes, we're continuing to reduce program risks, which will help the F-35 industry team put jets on the ramp on or before the initial operational need dates of our international partners." Tucker noted that the company had started assembling the BK-1 center fuselage three days sooner than the date indicated by the F-35 program's master schedule. Northrop Grumman is a principal and founding member of the F-35 industry team led by Lockheed Martin. To date, the company has delivered 25 center fuselages -- 19 for the system development and demonstration phase, six for the low rate initial production (LRIP) phases of the program. BK-1 is being produced as part of LRIP3. The program is scheduled to produce 138 F-35Bs for the United Kingdom. Final assembly of all F-35 jets is performed by Lockheed Martin at a facility in Fort Worth, Texas. The process includes mating a Northrop Grumman-built center fuselage to an aft fuselage produced by BAE Systems, and the forward fuselage/cockpit and wings produced by Lockheed Martin. Northrop Grumman is responsible for the design and production of center fuselages for all three variants of F-35 aircraft: conventional takeoff and landing; short takeoff, vertical landing; and the carrier variant. The F-35 Lightning II program expects to build more than 3,100 aircraft. As a member of the F-35 global industry team, Northrop Grumman is central to the development, production and support of the F-35 Lightning II. The company designed and produces the aircraft's center fuselage, radar and other key avionics including electro-optical and communications subsystems; develops mission systems and mission-planning software; leads the team's development of pilot and maintenance training system courseware; and manages the team's use, support and maintenance of low-observable technologies. 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.

DTN News: Raytheon Completes Acquisition Of BBN Technologies

DTN News: Raytheon Completes Acquisition Of BBN Technologies *Source: DTN News / Raytheon (NSI News Source Info) WALTHAM, MA - October 31, 2009: Raytheon has completed its acquisition of BBN Technologies, a world leader in research and development and provider of critical solutions for national defense and security missions. The purchase price is approximately $350 million, subject to post-closing adjustments.*Boomerang has been successfully tested in a U.S. military MOUT (Military Operations in Urban Terrain) training facility. “BBN has tremendous technological capabilities, and we see immediate opportunities for applying its technologies to enhance our products,” said Colin Schottlaender, president, Raytheon Network Centric Systems. “The depth of scientific and engineering talent inside BBN is very impressive, and we look forward to better serving our customers through the strengths of our combined organizations.” BBN will become part of Network Centric Systems and operate as Raytheon BBN Technologies.* The Boomerang shooter detection system pinpoints incoming small arms fire from the shooter. Boomerang is available to U.S. military, law-enforcement agencies, municipalities, and to other approved U.S. domestic and foreign entities. Government contractors can incorporate Boomerang into their systems or platforms. Combat Proven and Award Winning Boomerang is currently employed by U.S. forces in Iraq and Afghanistan. And in 2005 Boomerang won both the DARPA "Significant Technical Achievement Award" and an MITX award. Quiet, Passive Operation Boomerang uses passive acoustic detection and computer-based signal processing to locate the shooter. When mounted on a vehicle, the system operates when the vehicle is stationary or moving. Boomerang uses a single mast-mounted, compact array of microphones to detect incoming fire. Best Performance and Best Value Boomerang performs best and costs less than competitors. And Boomerang is the only shooter detector shown to operate successfully in urban terrain (MOUT*) on moving vehicles. Effective Even at Maximum Ranges Boomerang detects incoming supersonic small arms fire for bullet trajectories passing the mast, and for shooters firing at maximum effective weapons' ranges. It detects and reports incoming fire and the relative shooter position (including elevation) quickly. Auditory and Visual Indicators Boomerang indicates the azimuth of incoming small-arms fire by actuating a light to show the clock direction, and Boomerang announces that direction using a recorded voice. Boomerang indicates the range and elevation on an LED screen display. The lighted displays can be dimmed. Detailed and additional Information will be made available to vendors. BBN’s diverse portfolio encompasses a range of technologies including advanced networking, speech and language technologies, information technologies, sensor systems and cybersecurity. Robert G. (Tad) Elmer, BBN president and CEO, said, “Becoming part of Raytheon is good for our business, our customers and our employees. Together we will be able to transition very advanced technologies quickly into larger programs, creating both the most advanced systems possible for customers and rich opportunities for our scientists and engineers.”

DTN News: Rheinmetall Defence And Israel Aerospace Industries To Provide ISR Services For German Armed Forces In Afghanistan

DTN News: Rheinmetall Defence And Israel Aerospace Industries To Provide ISR Services For German Armed Forces In Afghanistan *Source: DTN News / Rheinmetall Defence (NSI News Source Info) DUSSELDROF, German - October 31, 2009: Rheinmetall Defence and the German Federal Office of Defense Technology and Procurement (Bundesamt für Wehrtechnik und Beschaffung – BWB) signed a service provider contract today to provide the German Bundeswehr with intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) capabilities through the deployment of an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) system. This bridges the gap prior to the "SAATEG (System zur Abbildenden Aufklärung in der Tiefe des Einsatzgebietes)" acquisition programme. Under the current multimillion-euro contract, the Bundeswehr will lease the UAV system for one year with an option for a two year-extension. This SAATEG Interim Solution programme will significantly contribute to comprehensive situational awareness within the scope of networked command and control in Northern Afghanistan, a region for which Germany is responsible, by providing wide area real-time reconnaissance and surveillance data for German ISAF (International Security Assistance Force) troops. Flight operations will commence by mid March 2010. Compared to UAV systems currently in service with the Bundeswehr, the UAV system to be deployed is capable of covering a substantially larger footprint, while its high-performance sensors can provide reconnaissance data at even severe weather conditions. Rheinmetall Defence and its partner Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) will provide IAI's Heron MALE (Medium Altitude Long Endurance) UAV system, including full in-theatre logistical and maintenance services performed by Rheinmetall Defence. Missions of the UAV-System will be performed and controlled by Bundeswehr personnel. "Following the deployment of Rheinmetall's KZO tactical UAV system by the German Army in Afghanistan earlier this year, SAATEG is set to make another important contribution to protecting our soldiers and their allies as they carry out their vital mission", declares Heinz Dresia, Member of the Executive Board of Rheinmetall Defence, adding that "Rheinmetall's responsibility for performing the complete package of service, repairs and maintenance for the SAATEG system positions us as a competent full-service supplier of logistic services in the field of aerial reconnaissance systems." Itzhak Nissan, President and CEO of IAI, said: "We are proud to provide along with Rheinmetall our operationally proven UAV systems to the German Armed Forces. Our fruitful cooperation with Rheinmetall allows for the integration of the two companies' capabilities to the benefit of both of our customers, and presents new marketing opportunities of UAVs and other airborne systems." The Heron UAV can carry a wide variety of sensors and information systems for gathering data for intelligence analysis to protect the friendly forces during operations in theatre. Depending on its mission configuration, the sensor package provided to the German Armed Forces includes a day/night electro-optical and SAR payload. By utilizing satellite communications the system covers the whole area of operations of the German ISAF contingent. With a wingspan of 16.6 meters and a takeoff weight of 1,200 kg, the Heron can reach an altitude of 30,000 feet and can loiter for over 24 hours. The Canadian, Australian and French Armed Forces are already relying on the Heron as one of their main ISR sources in Afghanistan. All logistical and maintenance services for the German Heron system will be performed by Rheinmetall Defence, which will operate a 24/7 maintenance and support centre in the theatre. About IAI / MALAT: MALAT division of IAI's Military Aircraft Group spearheads the design and manufacture of unmanned aircraft vehicles (UAVs) systems. MALAT offers a family of systems that vary in size, endurance, mission profile and onboard sensors, covering the full spectrum of operational requirements by providing micro and mini systems as well as tactical and Medium Altitude Long Endurance (MALE) systems. MALAT's systems are in operational service with more than 40 worldwide customers deployed on four continents and have accumulated over 500.000 flight hours.

DTN News: Boeing To Upgrade CV-22 Trainer With Virtual Reality Enhancements

DTN News: Boeing To Upgrade CV-22 Trainer With Virtual Reality Enhancements *Source: DTN News / Boeing (NSI News Source Info) ST. LOUIS - October 31, 2009: The Boeing Company [NYSE: BA], with partner Bell Helicopter, has received a contract from the U.S. Navy to upgrade the CV-22 Cabin Part Task Trainer (CPTT) with modifications including an Aircrew Flight Simulation (AFS) that deploys a fused reality system that fuses video images with virtual reality. The upgrade will be delivered to Air Force Special Operations Command, 58th Training Squadron at Kirtland Air Force Base, Albuquerque, N.M. Financial terms were not disclosed. The V-22 Osprey is a joint-service, medium-lift, multi-mission tilt-rotor aircraft developed by Boeing and Bell Helicopters. Boeing is responsible for the fuselage, landing gear, avionics, electrical and hydraulic systems, performance and flying qualities. Bell Helicopter Textron is responsible for the wing and nacelle, propulsion, rotor, empennage (complete tail system), ramp, overwing fairing and the dynamics. The aircraft operates as a helicopter when taking off and landing vertically. The nacelles rotate 90° forward once airborne, converting the aircraft into a turboprop aircraft. The aircraft can provide VTOL (vertical take-off and landing) with a payload of 24 troops, or 6,000lb of cargo at 430nm combat range, or VTOL with a payload of 8,300lb of cargo for a range of 220nm. "The V-22 Osprey is a joint-service, medium-lift, multi-mission tilt-rotor aircraft." The helicopter is self-deployable worldwide, with a ferry range over 2,100nm. Normal operating range is up to 1,100nm. The CPTT is a full-fuselage device that is used to train flight engineers on the CV-22 Osprey tiltrotor aircraft. The AFS process integrates real and virtual environments in an image processor. This enables the student to view both the interior cabin environment and the simulated outside world in a composite picture sent to the student’s helmet-mounted display. "This is an innovative approach that allows students to train on 'real time' cargo air drops, parachute drops and emergencies, including wing fires, hydraulic leaks and engine smoke," said Mark McGraw, Boeing vice president of Training Systems & Services. "This modification opens the door to future upgrades that could enable simulated mission operations with separate cockpit flight simulators, where the CPTT could 'fly' with the cockpit simulator on a common mission." The team's latest effort is part of an ongoing development program for the CV-22 CPTT, which also includes trainer concurrency, providing on-budget, on-schedule, tactically relevant training to the warfighter. The V-22 Osprey is a tiltrotor aircraft manufactured by Boeing Rotorcraft Systems and Bell Helicopter, a Textron Inc. [NYSE: TXT] company. Bell and Boeing are teamed in a Strategic Alliance Agreement for the design, production, and sustainment of the V-22. Bell Helicopter, a wholly owned subsidiary of Textron Inc., is an industry-leading producer of commercial and military, manned and unmanned vertical lift aircraft and the pioneer of the revolutionary tilt rotor aircraft. Globally recognized for world-class customer service, innovation and superior quality, Bell's global work force serves customers flying Bell aircraft in more than 120 countries. More information is available at www.bellhelicopter.com. Textron Inc. is a multi-industry company that leverages its global network of aircraft, defense, industrial and finance businesses to provide customers with innovative solutions and services. Textron is known around the world for its powerful brands such as Bell Helicopter, Cessna Aircraft Company, Jacobsen, Kautex, Lycoming, E-Z-GO, Greenlee, and Textron Systems. More information is available at www.textron.com. A unit of The Boeing Company, Boeing Integrated Defense Systems is one of the world's largest space and defense 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 Integrated Defense Systems is a $32 billion business with 70,000 employees worldwide.

DTN News: Lockheed Gets $474.2 Mln F-22 Fighter Contract

DTN News: Lockheed Gets $474.2 Mln F-22 Fighter Contract *Source: DTN News / Defense News (NSI News Source Info) WASHINGTON, USA - October 30, 2009: Lockheed Martin Corp (LMT.N) has been awarded a $474.2 million U.S. Air Force contract for four more F-22 fighter aircraft and related work as production heads toward an end, the Defense Department said Thursday. F-22 Raptor – the world’s premier 5TH generation fighter. The F-22 is the only fighter capable of simultaneously conducting air-to-air and air-to-ground combat missions with near impunity. This is accomplished with a never-before-seen standard of survivability even while facing large numbers of sophisticated airborne and ground-based threats. In addition to being America’s most prominent air-superiority fighter, the F-22 evolved from its original concept to become a lethal, survivable and flexible multimission fighter. By taking advantage of emerging technologies the F-22 has emerged as a superior platform for many diverse missions including intelligence gathering, surveillance, reconnaissance and electronic attack. The Raptor is operational today, protecting our homeland and combat ready for worldwide deployment. Two squadrons of F-22s are assigned to Air Combat Command’s 1st Fighter Wing at Langley AFB, Va. And two squadrons are assigned to the 3rd Wing at Elmendorf AFB, Alaska. Raptor pilots and maintainers train at Tyndall AFB, Fla., while operational testing is conducted at Edwards AFB, Calif., and Nellis AFB, Nev. New F-22s continue to roll from the production line and will soon operate out of Holloman AFB, N.M., and Hickam AFB, Hawaii. Under the fiscal 2010 defense authorization act signed into law Wednesday by President Barack Obama, the United States is capping production at 187 of the premier U.S. fighter aircraft. (Reporting by Jim Wolf; Editing Bernard Orr)

DTN News: Information Technology News TODAY October 30, 2009 ~ China Claims Supercomputer Among World's Fastest

DTN News: Information Technology News TODAY October 30, 2009 ~ China Claims Supercomputer Among World's Fastest *Source: DTN News / Int'l Media (NSI News Source Info) SAN FRANCISCO, USA - October 30, 2009: China announced its fastest supercomputer yet on Thursday in the country's latest show of its goal to become a world leader in technology. China's National University of Defense Technology, a military academy, unveiled the machine that would have ranked fourth in the most recent Top500 list of the world's fastest supercomputers, state media said. The supercomputer, named Milky Way, can theoretically perform more than one million billion calculations per second, Xinhua news agency said. That figure, measured in "flops," or floating operation points per second, would make it China's first petaflop-class machine. The machine's data has been submitted for ranking in the Top500 list, which is next due out in November, Xinhua said, citing faculty at the university in China's inland Hunan province. The computer will be used for bio-medical computing, seismic data processing during oil exploration and for the design of "aerospace vehicles," it said. The computer has over 11,000 microprocessors from Intel and Advanced Micro Devices and cost at least 600 million yuan (US$88 million) to build, the agency said. It will be moved to a supercomputing center in the northeastern city of Tianjin later this year, Xinhua said. Dawning, a Chinese government-backed hardware maker, is separately designing a petaflop supercomputer it hopes to deploy next year. That system is planned to use Godson CPUs, also known by the name Loongson, a domestic chip line designed with government funding to expand China's pool of domestically owned technology. China-made CPUs will also be added to the Milky Way supercomputer in the future to further boost its speed, Xinhua said.