DTN News: World Top Stories / Headlines - News Dated September 20, 2010

DTN News: World Top Stories / Headlines - News Dated September 20, 2010 Source: DTN News - - This article compiled by Roger Smith from reliable sources

(NSI News Source Info) TORONTO, Canada - September 20, 2010: Comprehensive daily news related to World Top Stories for the world of TODAY.

DTN News: DTN Logos....NSI News Source Info # 1101

DTN News: DTN Logos....NSI News Source Info # 1101

Source: DTN News

(NSI News Source Info) TORONTO, Canada - September 19, 2010: DTN News Logos....NSI News Source Info # 1101.

DTN News: EADS Continues Flight Test Campaign Of Barracuda

DTN News: EADS Continues Flight Test Campaign Of Barracuda

Source: DTN News / SPX

(NSI News Source Info) PARIS, France - September 17, 2010: In a further test series comprising four flights, EADS Defence and Security (DS) has again successfully tested the technology demonstrator 'Barracuda' at Goose Bay Air Force Base in Canada. Advanced technologies and new procedures have successfully passed new tests under realistic conditions. As part of the flight tests, DS particularly checked the Sense and Avoid capabilities, Auto Taxi Systems, a Structure Integrated Antenna and the Image Exploitation Chain (Automatic Target Detection Systems). During this 2010 test campaign in the Goose Bay area of the Canadian province of Newfoundland and Labrador, the jet-propelled unmanned flight system (Unmanned Aerial Vehicle - UAV) flew completely autonomously along pre-programmed flight profiles including auto-taxying processes. Flying some 2 hours and 42 minutes in four take-off and landing cycles this summer, the Barracuda now reaches an overall total flight hours of 4 hours and 15 minutes (sum of two test campaigns in 2009 and 2010). It was monitored from the Ground Control Station with respect to flight safety only, while the Payload Ground Station was used to steer the on-board Zeiss EO/IR sensor with regards to different modes and view angles from the ground as well as to receive the sensor data. These successful flights in Goose Bay have given EADS Defence and Security practical confirmation of the results of technology programmes it had already conducted on its own initiative. Moreover, the Barracuda technology demonstrator was used for test flights in the 'Agile UAV in Network Centric Environment' technology programme commissioned by the Federal Office of Defence Technology and Procurement (Bundesamt fur Wehrtechnik und Beschaffung - BWB). "The continued successful testing campaigns of the Barracuda mark an extremely important step in the technological development, enabling us to consequently increase our capability to offer a full range of UAV products", stated Nicolas Chamussy, senior vice president of Unmanned Aerial Systems at EADS Defence and Security. The test campaigns also enabled practical experiences in the interoperability of UAS within Network-Centric (NEC) operations conducted in line with the latest NATO criteria and in autonomous operation involving interaction with other systems. The experiences and results of this flight test campaign will be used for future UAS programmes such as the Talarion.

DTN News: Lockheed Martin Awarded Contract $424 Million For Activities In Support Of F-35 JSF

DTN News: Lockheed Martin Awarded Contract $424 Million For Activities In Support Of F-35 JSF

Source: U.S. Department Of Defense August 16, 2010

(NSI News Source Info) WASHINGTON - September 17, 2010: Lockheed Martin Corp., Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Co., Fort Worth, Texas, is being awarded a $424,400,000 cost-plus-incentive-fee modification to a previously awarded advance acquisition contract (N00019-09-C-0010) for sustainment activities in support of the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter air system Low Rate Initial Production Lot IV production.

Sustainment activities will include autonomic logistics information system operations and support, block upgrade and concurrency modification planning, site activation, training systems, and support equipment.

Work will be performed in Fort Worth, Texas (35 percent); El Segundo, Calif. (25 percent); Warton, United Kingdom (20 percent); Orlando, Fla. (10 percent); Nashua, N.H. (5 percent); and Baltimore, Md. (5 percent). Work is expected to be completed in December 2012.

This modification combines purchases for the U.S. Navy ($61,990,750; 15 percent), U.S. Air Force ($135,694,000; 31 percent), U.S. Marine Corps ($194,465,750; 46 percent), and international partners ($32,249,500; 8 percent). Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year.

The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Md., is the contracting activity.

DTN News: Flight Tests Begin For Eurocopter’s Tiger HAD Support And Attack Helicopter In Spain

DTN News: Flight Tests Begin For Eurocopter’s Tiger HAD Support And Attack Helicopter In Spain

Source: DTN News / Eurocopter

(NSI News Source Info) ALBACETE, Spain - September 17, 2010: The first HAD support and attack version of Eurocopter’s Tiger helicopter has initiated its flight test program at the company’s Albacete facility in Spain.

During the next 15 months, a full program of tests and development flights will be carried out to obtain the first qualific tion step (Block 1), which is scheduled for December 2011. These evaluations will include firing campaigns of the Mistral and Spike missiles planned before the end of this year.

“This is the first time that Eurocopter Spain has taken on the responsibility for testing a helicopter prototype,” said Liberto Negral, who is responsible for Eurocopter’s Governmental Programmes in Spain. “We are extremely proud to be performing the Tiger HAD’s flight tests, which are proceeding very well and are on time. This represents a great technical achievement for Eurocopter in Spain.” The first production Tiger HAD helicopters are scheduled for delivery early 2012. Two countries already have placed orders for this version of the Eurocopter Tiger combat helicopter family, 24 ordered by Spain and 40 ordered by France. The HAD version also is being offered for export.

Over the last four months, Eurocopter’s Albacete facility has adapted the configuration of the aircraft for its HAD version, which is a derivative of the Tiger HAP support and escort helicopter variant. This activity included integration of the new MTR390 turboshaft engines, which have been specially designed for the HAD version, along with installation of new versions of the basic and mission software.

The Eurocopter Tiger is the newest and best-performing attack helicopter on the world market. For the different Tiger versions available, France has ordered 80 helicopters, Germany 80, Australia 22 and Spain 24. A total of 57 Tigers have entered service so far. The HAD version offers numerous improvements over the HAP version currently deployed in Afghanistan by the French army. New features include a more powerful engine and increased payload-carrying weight, an improved optical sighting system, launchers for Hellfire and Spike air-to-ground missiles, an identification friend or foe (IFF) interrogator, optimized ballistic protection, and a new electronic warfare and countermeasures system.

About Eurocopter

Established in 1992, the Franco-German-Spanish Eurocopter Group is a Division of EADS, a world leader in aerospace, defence and related services. The Eurocopter Group employs approx. 15,600 people. In 2009, Eurocopter confirmed its position as the world’s No. 1 helicopter manufacturer in the civil and parapublic market, with a turnover of 4.6 billion Euros, orders for 344 new helicopters, and a 52 percent market share in the civil and parapublic sectors. Overall, the Group’s products account for 30 percent of the total world helicopter fleet. Its strong worldwide presence is ensured by its 18 subsidiaries on five continents, along with a dense network of distributors, certified agents and maintenance centres. More than 10,500 Eurocopter helicopters are currently in service with over 2,800 customers in more than 140 countries. Eurocopter offers the largest civil and military helicopter range in the world.

Contact:

Pascale FLEURY: Tel: + 33 (0)4 42 85 62 38 Mob: + 33 (06) 32 54 05 02 pascale.fleury@eurocopter.com

Dolores MUNIZ: Tel: + 33 (0)4 42 85 58 89 Mob: + 33 (06) 31 47 08 99 dolores.muniz@eurocopter.com

Christina GOTZHEIN: Tel: + 49 (0) 89 60 00 64 88 Mob: + 49 (0) 151 14 22 92 43 christina.gotzhein@eurocopter.com

Melanie WOLF: Tel: + 49 (0) 906 71 57 39 Mob: + 49 (0) 151 17 12 63 18 melanie.wolf@eurocopter.com

Website: www.eurocopter.com

DTN News: Boeing Wins DARPA Vulture II Program

DTN News: Boeing Wins DARPA Vulture II Program

Source: DTN News / Boeing

(NSI News Source Info) ST. LOUIS, - September 17, 2010: The Boeing Company [NYSE: BA] on Sept. 14 signed an agreement with the U.S. Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) to develop and fly the SolarEagle unmanned aircraft for the Vulture II demonstration program. Under the terms of the $89 million contract, SolarEagle will make its first demonstration flight in 2014. "SolarEagle is a uniquely configured, large unmanned aircraft designed to eventually remain on station at stratospheric altitudes for at least five years," said Pat O'Neil, Boeing Phantom Works program manager for Vulture II. "That's a daunting task, but Boeing has a highly reliable solar-electric design that will meet the challenge in order to perform persistent communications, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance missions from altitudes above 60,000 feet." Under the Vulture II agreement, Boeing will develop a full-scale flight demonstrator, including maturation of the critical power system and structures technologies. Key suppliers for the program include Versa Power Systems and QinetiQ. During testing, the SolarEagle demonstrator will remain in the upper atmosphere for 30 days, harvesting solar energy during the day that will be stored in fuel cells and used to provide power through the night. The aircraft will have highly efficient electric motors and propellers and a high-aspect-ratio, 400-foot wing for increased solar power and aerodynamic performance. SolarEagle is one of Phantom Works' rapid prototyping efforts, which also include Phantom Ray, a fighter-sized, unmanned, advanced technology demonstrator scheduled to make its first flight in early 2011, and the hydrogen-powered Phantom Eye demonstrator, a High Altitude Long Endurance aircraft designed to stay aloft for up to four days, also scheduled to make its first flight in 2011. 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.

Boeing Related News - (Click on date for link)

*Sep. 16, 2010 Boeing to Increase 737 Production Rate Previously announced increase to 35 per month to be extended to 38 per month in second quarter 2013 *Sep. 16, 2010 Boeing Wins DARPA Vulture II Program *Sep. 15, 2010 Boeing Projects Requirement for More Than One Million Pilots and Maintenance Personnel Over Next 20 Years Changes needed in training methodologies to engage next generation *Sep. 15, 2010 Boeing Response to Public Reports Regarding the WTO's Interim Decision in DS 353 *Sep. 15, 2010 Boeing and Space Adventures to Offer Commercial Spaceflight Opportunities *Sep. 15, 2010 Boeing Releases Statement in Advance of WTO Interim Decision *Sep. 14, 2010 NASA Awards Boeing $1.24B Extension to International Space Station Sustainment Contract

DTN News: Oshkosh Defense To Deliver More Than 2,000 Additional FMTV Trucks and Trailers To The U.S. Army

DTN News: Oshkosh Defense To Deliver More Than 2,000 Additional FMTV Trucks and Trailers To The U.S. Army

Source: DTN News / OSHKOSH Dt. Sept. 13, 2010

(NSI News Source Info) OSHKOSH, Wis. - September 17, 2010: Oshkosh Defense, a division of Oshkosh Corporation (NYSE:OSK), will supply more than 2,000 Family of Medium Tactical Vehicles (FMTV) trucks and trailers to the U.S. Army under a new order from the Army TACOM Life Cycle Management Command (LCMC). The vehicles will be used to enhance Army unit mobility, transport soldiers and haul equipment weighing up to 5 tons in support of a wide range of tactical operations. “Military testing of the Oshkosh-produced FMTVs is going well and provides confidence in our product quality,” said Mike Ivy, vice president and general manager of Army Programs for Oshkosh Defense. “Our successful work for the FMTV program is a testament to our unyielding commitment to supplying reliable, world-class systems without sacrificing the timely delivery our customer has come to expect from us.” The FMTV is a series of 17 models ranging from 2.5-ton to 10-ton payloads. Vehicles feature a parts commonality of more than 80 percent, resulting in streamlined maintenance, training, sustainment and overall cost efficiency for the U.S. Army. FMTV trucks and trailers are vital to U.S. military operations both domestically and internationally, supporting combat operations, relief efforts, unit resupply and other functions. The award, valued at more than $259 million, extends truck and trailer production deliveries until June 2012. The order includes more than 1,300 trucks, including eight different variants, and nearly 700 trailers. The five-year FMTV contract awarded to Oshkosh Defense is for the production of up to 23,000 trucks and trailers, as well as support services and training through fiscal 2014. 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.