LOCKHEED MARTIN AWARDED $385.6 MILLION ARROWHEAD PRODUCTION CONTRACT

ORLANDO,

The U.S. Army Aviation and Missile Command has awarded Lockheed Martin [NYSE: LMT] the Lot 3 follow-on production contract for Arrowhead(R), the “eyes of the Apache.” Developed by Lockheed Martin, Arrowhead is the Army’s Modernized Target Acquisition and Designation Sight/Pilot Night Vision Sensor (M-TADS/PNVS) for the AH-64 Apache attack helicopter.

The $385.6 million agreement authorizes production of 219 Arrowhead kits plus spares for the U.S. Army and foreign military sales. Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control will produce the Lot 3 systems in Orlando and Ocala, FL. The final deliveries for the U.S. Army’s AH-64 Apache helicopters and international customers will be in December 2010.

Boeing, Aeromexico, ILFC Announce Deal for 787 Dreamliners

 

SEATTLE, June 29, 2006 — Boeing [NYSE: BA] International Lease Finance Corp. (ILFC) and Aeromexico, Mexico’s largest airline, today announced the carrier will operate three 787 Dreamliner airplanes, making it the first Latin American airline to incorporate the mostly composite airplane into its fleet.

Aeromexico will lease the three 787-8s from ILFC with deliveries scheduled to begin in early 2010. ILFC has 20 787 Dreamliners on order.

The announcement follows Aeromexico orders earlier this year for six Next-Generation 737s and the recent deliveries of two 777-200ERs. The twin-aisle 787s and 777s are part of Aeromexico’s continued fleet renewal plan and will be used on routes to Europe and Asia and will replace Boeing 767s that are coming off of leases. The 777s, also leased from ILFC, and 787s will provide long-range, point-to-point capability and flexibility to respond to changing capacity demands.

“With similar speeds, mission capabilities and cockpit commonality, the combination of the 787 with the 777 will provide Aeromexico with optimum fleet flexibility on long-range missions,” said John Wojick, vice president Sales, Latin America and the Caribbean – Boeing Commercial Airplanes.

“By ordering three 787s, the airline has given fresh impetus to its fleet modernization program, which aims to improve the airline’s operational efficiency and consolidate its leadership in Mexico and Latin America, in both the quality of its aircraft and the service it provides its customers,” said Andres Conesa, Aeromexico Chief Executive Officer.

“The 787 will provide Aeromexico with breakthrough passenger comfort and operating efficiencies on their long-range routes,” said Steven F. Udvar-Hazy, chairman and chief executive officer of ILFC. ILFC ordered 20 Dreamliners in November and has ordered 698 Boeing jets since 1977.

To date, Boeing has received a total of 403 orders and commitments for the 787. Aeromexico joins a growing team of 787 customers who have recognized the 787’s exceptional value and superior operating performance.

The Boeing 787 Dreamliner is being designed with airlines, passengers, investors and the environment in mind. The technologically advanced airplane will use 20 percent less fuel than today’s airplanes of comparable size, provide customers with significantly more cargo revenue capacity, and present passengers with innovations including a new interior environment with higher humidity, wider seats and aisles, larger windows and other conveniences.

The Boeing 777 family of airplanes is the world’s most advanced, and continues to evolve with the recent addition of the world’s longest-range airliner, the 777-200LR Worldliner, and the Boeing 777 Freighter. To date, 43 airlines have placed orders for 849 777s, making it the most preferred wide-body airplane in its class.

Boeing, SkyEurope Announce Increase in Order for Next-Generation 737s

 

SEATTLE, June 29, 2006 — Boeing [NYSE: BA] announced today that SkyEurope Airlines, the multi-based Central European low-cost airline, has converted purchase rights for five Next-Generation 737-700s into orders.

The airline now has a total order commitment for 21 Next-Generation 737 airplanes, through lease and direct purchase agreements, of which five have been delivered and are operating in the airline’s all-Boeing fleet. The newly ordered airplanes, to be delivered in 2008, have an estimated value of US$ 295 million. All of SkyEurope’s new airplanes are equipped with performance-enhancing Blended Winglets.

“The introduction of the Next-Generation 737 in our fleet has generated tremendous positive response from our passengers”, said Christian Mandl, CEO of SkyEurope Airlines. “Passengers love the spacious cabin and leather seats, while we benefit every day from the simplified and cost-effective operations,” added Alain Skowrenek, the airline’s chairman.

“The Boeing Next-Generation 737 is based on the premise of adding value to its operators through simplicity and reliability,” said Marlin Dailey, vice president of Sales, Europe & Central Asia, Boeing Commercial Airplanes. “SkyEurope is already reaping the benefits of the 737’s outstanding on-time performance, quick turnaround times and operational flexibility. It is extremely satisfying that SkyEurope attributes part of its success to the 737.”

SkyEurope Airlines, with its multi-hub philosophy, offers 70 routes from Budapest, Krakow, Warsaw, Prague and Bratislava to 37 destinations in 19 countries.

As of May 31, 2006, the Next-Generation Boeing 737 has received orders for more than 3,200 units to carriers worldwide. Orders for this airplane family (the 737-600, -700, -800, -900, and -900ER) have eclipsed the 3,132 orders for the Classic 737 airplane family. The 737 is the preferred airplane for low-cost carriers. Almost 80 percent of the airplanes operated by the top 20 low-cost carriers are Boeing Next-Generation 737s.

New Fact sheet published at zap16.com

 

A new factsheet has been published at zap16.com, it describes the German made Grob SPn.

Find the Factsheet here.

Boeing Completes First Delta IV West Coast Launch

 

ST. LOUIS, June 27, 2006 — Boeing [NYSE: BA] completed the first flight of a Delta IV rocket from Vandenberg Air Force Base, Calif., today with the successful launch of the National Reconnaissance Office (NRO) satellite, NROL-22. The launch is the first West Coast mission completed for the U.S. Air Force Evolved Expendable Launch Vehicle (EELV) program.

Liftoff of the Delta IV Medium+ (4, 2) configuration vehicle occurred at 8:33 p.m. PDT from Space Launch Complex (SLC) 6. The payload was successfully deployed approximately 54 minutes later.

“This first Delta IV launch from Vandenberg is an important achievement for Boeing and our NRO and Air Force customers,” said Dan Collins, vice president of Boeing Launch Systems. “Today we successfully validated launching the Delta IV from SLC-6, providing the Air Force and the nation with the first operational West Coast launch site for the EELV program. With this launch, the Delta team has fulfilled all the EELV requirements outlined by the Air Force. We have a full family of launch vehicles, including a flight-proven, heavy-lift vehicle, a domestically produced first stage engine and now fully operational launch sites on both coasts.”

SLC-6 is the West Coast launch site for the Boeing Delta IV family of launch vehicles that provides the Air Force the strategic capability to launch national security satellites to polar, Sun-synchronous and high-inclination orbits. The new launch site can support all five configurations of the Delta IV family.

Today’s mission is the first for the NRO aboard a Delta IV and the second aboard a Delta rocket. The first was the GeoLITE mission in 2001 aboard a Delta II.

The 132-acre SLC-6 features structures similar to Boeing’s Delta IV SLC-37 launch site at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Fla., with a Fixed Umbilical Tower, Mobile Service Tower, Fixed Pad Erector, Launch Control Center and Operations Building, and a Horizontal Integration Facility. SLC-6 also features a Mobile Assembly Shelter that protects the rocket from adverse weather.

Launch vehicle hardware is transported from the Boeing factory in Decatur, Ala., to Vandenberg via the Delta Mariner ship that docks just south of SLC-6.

The next Delta IV launch from Vandenberg is planned for late 2006 aboard a Delta IV Medium vehicle that will fly a mission for the Air Force Defense Meteorological Satellite Program, DMSP-17.

Patriot may be unable to intercept N. Korean missile, experts say

 

Some experts question whether Patriot missiles offer adequate protection against powerful, high flying missiles that could be fired by North Korea. U.S. and Japanese officials have jointly decided to place Patriot missiles in Japan. The Patriot shoots down incoming ballistic and cruise missiles or aircraft at a relatively close range.

Boeing Awarded B-52H Weapons Integration Contract

 

ST. LOUIS, June 28, 2006 — The Boeing Company [NYSE: BA] has received a U.S. Air Force contract worth up to $150 million to support new weapons integration efforts on the B-52H bomber.

Work on the B-52 Smart Weapons Integration Next Generation (SWING) will be performed by engineers based at the company’s Integrated Defense Systems facility in Wichita, Kansas. The contract expires December 2020.

“This contract will allow us to continue to make the B-52 one of the most modern weapons systems in the world,” said Scot Oathout, B-52 program director for Boeing. “Subsequent contract modifications will support integration of other next generation weapons in years to come.”

Such weapons systems include the Extended Range versions of the Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missile, Wind Corrected Munitions Dispenser and Joint Direct Attack Munitions and possibly the integration of the Small Diameter Bomb and Boost Phase Interceptor.

The contract will also be used to integrate the Universal Armament Interface — the next generation interface between the mission planning system, aircraft platform, and weapons — onto the B-52.

Australian defense minister praises Lockheed JSF

 

Lockheed Martin’s Joint Strike Fighter is the right plane for Australia’s military, Australian Defense Minister Brendan Nelson said. Nelson recently toured the Lockheed plant in Texas where the planes are assembled. Australia plans to order as many as 100 of the warplanes.

Discovery crew to work on space station repairs

Discovery’s crew plans to repair a rail car on the International Space Station. The rail car, which failed in December, is needed to move the station’s construction crane. Discovery is scheduled to launch Saturday.

Astronaut prepares for first shuttle mission

 

Astronaut Mike Fossum will make his first shuttle flight on July 1 with six other astronauts. Fossum will carry out two spacewalks. The mission is risky because NASA is not sure changes to the shuttle’s external fuel tank will prevent the shedding of foam chunks

Boeing to build at least 10 787s monthly, executive says

 

Boeing will roll out the 787 at a rate of at least 10 per month once production begins, said Scott Carson, Boeing’s vice president of commercial airplanes. Boeing hopes to deliver the first jetliner in May or June 2008.

A European boost for the International Space Station

- Space Shuttle Discovery carries EADS SPACE research payloads to the ISS
- EADS SPACE provides key European contributions for the ISS

(Bremen, 23 June 2006) — When Thomas Reiter heads for the International Space Station (ISS) aboard the Space Shuttle “Discovery” on 1 July, the ESA German astronaut will be taking along several items of high-tech equipment built by EADS SPACE at Bremen, Friedrichshafen and Toulouse. These will comprise the “Europallet” for the Shuttle “ICC” and three other experiment racks that will enable basic experiments and research to be conducted under zero gravity conditions.

With this Space Shuttle mission STS-121, Europe is considerably increasing its presence on the ISS. Not only is Thomas Reiter the first European astronaut to be a long-stay crew member aboard the International Space Station, but the equipment from EADS SPACE will also give a fresh boost to research on board,” said Evert Dudok, President EADS SPACE Transportation, commenting on the forthcoming Shuttle launch.

In the course of his six- to seven-month mission, the German ESA astronaut Thomas Reiter will also help to put the EADS SPACE experimental equipment into operation. The three payloads will be the EMCS (European Modular Cultivation System), a modular multi-purpose payload consisting of eight chambers, in which biological experiments can be carried out. The entire unit is designed for long-duration experiments with plants and insects over several generations and will, for example, allow plants to be cultivated under zero gravity conditions. On the basis of research results obtained with the help of EMCS, it may then be possible to cultivate plants in space that could be used for food production.

the MELFI (Minus Eighty Degree Laboratory Freezer for ISS), a special “refrigerator”, in which biological specimens on board the ISS can be kept permanently frozen at temperatures down to -80oC. Through MELFI, scientific experiments can be stored, conserved and later examined in detail back on Earth.
the HLTA (arm-cuff blood pressure Holter), a blood pressure metre manufactured under joint Franco-German production specially for use on the ISS. This forms part of the equipment delivering data to the Cardiovascular Laboratory CARDIOLAB aboard the Columbus research module and provides information about changes in the physical condition of humans in space.

In addition, there is a special re-usable payload device on-board the Shuttle. This was developed and built by EADS SPACE under contract to NASA especially for the payload bay of the Space Shuttle. The unit is known as the Integrated Cargo Carrier (ICC), and can be compared to a high-tech transport pallet on which it is possible to stow the entire payload of the Space Shuttle in a space-saving manner. Thanks to the ICC, considerably better use can be made of the Space Shuttle’s payload bay. During STS-121 the ICC will accommodate additional equipment for the extension of the ISS.

In the medium and long term, EADS SPACE will be contributing further to the success of the International Space Station. Another Shuttle flight with the ICC is already planned for December 2006. In the autumn of 2007, the European research module Columbus, built by EADS SPACE, is due to be transported to the ISS on-board a Space Shuttle. Since the end of May, Columbus has been at the site of the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. On later missions, further experiment payloads from EADS SPACE will be taken to the ISS aboard the Space Shuttle or the Russian space transporter Soyuz. Most of these units are destined for the Columbus module. In the autumn of 2008, for example, a number of devices built by EADS SPACE will embark on their journey to the ISS, namely Space DRUMS (Space Dynamically Responding Ultrasonic Matrix System), MSL (Material Science Laboratory) and DECLIC, an apparatus for the study of material growth and critical liquid behaviour.

source: EADS Space

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