EMBRAER DELIVERS FIRST EMBRAER 190 JET TO CHINA’S KUNPENG AIRLINES

Airline is the second operator of the E-Jets family in mainland China.

São José dos Campos, August 29, 2008 –

Embraer delivered, last Thursday, the first of five EMBRAER 190 jets to China’s Kunpeng Airlines Co. Ltd., one of the largest operators on the Chinese regional aviation market. In July 2008, during the 46th Farnborough Airshow, in the U.K, Embraer announced a firm order for five EMBRAER 190 jets by Kunpeng.

“We are very glad to see our EMBRAER 190 serving more Chinese passengers through the reliable operation of Kunpeng Airlines,” said Mauro Kern, Embraer Executive Vice President, Airline Market. “We believe that the EMBRAER 190, with its superior performance, economics and comfort, will meet our Chinese customer’s fleet needs, and contribute to its growth plans and success.”

The aircraft is configured to comfortably accommodate 98 passengers in a dual-class layout, and will enhance significantly Kunpeng’s operational capability.

“We are very pleased to take delivery of our first EMBRAER 190 jet, which we believe will be an ideal aircraft for us to explore the emerging Chinese regional aviation market,” said Mr. Li Kun, Vice Chairman of the Board and President of Shenzhen Airlines Co., Ltd.. “With this reliable new model entering service, we will be dedicated to building our company into the most sizable, characteristic, and competitive regional airline in mainland China.”

Kunpeng Airlines is a joint venture between China’s Shenzhen Airlines and the Mesa Air Group, of the United States, with the Chinese party holding the larger share. It officially started operations in September 2007, and has established more than 20 routes to date.

Source: Embraer

Boeing Delivers Two 777 Models to Emirates

Emirates first Middle East Carrier to receive two 777 variants on the same day

SEATTLE, Aug. 29, 2008 — Boeing [NYSE: BA] and Dubai-based airline Emirates celebrated the delivery of a 777-300ER (Extended Range) and a 777-200LR (Longer Range) Thursday, marking the first double 777 delivery to a Middle East airline. Representatives from the Emirates and Boeing team are pictured here prior to the airplanes’ departure for Dubai.

These new 777s are the 62nd and 63rd of the model type delivered to Emirates, one of the world’s biggest operators of the most successful large twin-engine airplane flying today. To date, 56 customers from around the world have ordered 1,092 777s. Boeing has more than 355 unfilled orders for the 777, worth more than $91 billion at current list prices.

Source: Boeing

MASwings and Firefly Take Delivery of New ATR 72-500s

Malaysia Airlines’ subsidiaries MASwings and Firefly, and ATR, celebrated today the delivery of the first ATR 72-500s of MASwings and the second ATR 72-500 of Firefly in a joint ceremony held at the ATR Final Assembly Line in Toulouse. Attending the ceremony were Datuk Michael Manyin, Urban Development & Tourism Minister of Sarawak, Dr. Amin Khan, Managing Director of MASwings, Mr. Eddy Leong, Managing Director of Firefly, along with Mr. Stéphane Mayer, ATR CEO, and representatives of French and Italian Authorities.

Firefly took delivery earlier in August of its first ATR aircraft, which made its inaugural flight on August 19th. The MASwings and Firefly aircraft are the first ATRs to operate in Malaysia.

Commenting on the delivery, Datuk Michael Manyin underlined “the importance of introducing in Malaysia aircraft complying with the highest standards of performance, comfort and safety in today’s regional aviation market”. And he further added: “The ATR aircraft will become a main player in the development of the tourism and the business activities in our country, while allowing both MASwings and Firefly to achieve the lowest operating costs in short-haul routes”.

Dr. Amin Khan stated: “The preservation of the environment in Borneo is one of our major concerns. With our ATR 72-500s, we will be strongly contributing to the development of the sustainable tourism in East Malaysia”. He added: “The ‘-500 series’ is well reputed worldwide for its impressive safety record and is also a very reliable aircraft, featuring the lowest cost per passenger and the lowest levels of noise and vibrations inside the cabin”. He summed up: “ With the ATRs, we will consolidate our young carrier with very safe and environment-friendly aircraft”.

Eddy Leong declared: “With our brand new ATR 72-500s we will start replacing our Fokker 50 fleet and providing our passengers with the most advanced technology and the most trendy and comfortable passenger environment in the market. Our new fleet of ATRs will allow us to face the growth of our regional operations and to optimize costs with aircraft featuring unrivalled performance in short-haul routes”.

Stéphane Mayer underlined the importance of Malaysia in the recent success of ATR and noted that “with the delivery of these aircraft, we are entering a new market with strong growth potential, while strengthening our position as the leader in the turboprop market in Asia”. And he further added: “We are also delighted at the further developments for the ATR fleet in the region. Our partnership includes the establishment with Malaysia Airlines, a worldwide known and respected major carrier, of a joint ATR Training Center at the Kuala Lumpur Subang airport. In addition, we are pleased of the settlement in Malaysia of a new MRO Center dedicated to ATR aircraft.”

Since the beginning of the programme, ATR has sold 958 aircraft (419 ATR 42s and 539 ATR 72s) and has delivered 788 (401 ATR 42s and 387 ATR 72s), thus posting a current backlog of 170 aircraft.

Source: ATR

Sikorsky’s X2 TECHNOLOGY™ Demonstrator Achieves First Flight

HORSEHEADS, N.Y., Aug. 27, 2008 – Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation today successfully completed the first flight of its X2 TECHNOLOGY™ Demonstrator, maneuvering the prototype aircraft through hover, forward flight, and a hover turn, in a test flight that lasted approximately 30 minutes. Sikorsky is a subsidiary of United Technologies Corp. (NYSE:UTX).

Sikorsky Chief Test Pilot Kevin Bredenbeck conducted the test flight at Sikorsky’s Schweizer Aircraft Corp. rapid-prototyping facility in Horseheads, N.Y. The milestone culminated more than four years of design, development and testing of the Demonstrator aircraft’s suite of technologies that are intended to advance the state-of-the-art, counter-rotating coaxial rotor helicopter.

“Today’s achievement is the result of dedicated effort by the entire X2 TECHNOLOGY Demonstrator Program Team,” said James Kagdis, Program Manager, Advanced Programs. ”It is proof of the complete commitment by Sikorsky Aircraft to this program and to the exploration of innovation in aviation. We look forward to expanding the flight envelope for this Demonstrator and will continue to conduct market analysis to determine the next steps for this important program.”

The X2 TECHNOLOGY Demonstrator is designed to establish that a helicopter can cruise comfortably at 250 knots, while retaining such desirable helicopter attributes as excellent low speed handling, efficient hovering, and safe autorotation, combined with a seamless and simple transition to high speed.

Sikorsky President Jeffrey P. Pino said the successful first flight attests to the company’s commitment to excellence and to industry-leading innovation.

”X2 TECHNOLOGY has crossed a major threshold,” Pino said. “The team’s achievement sets the stage for the next series of tests eventually leading to maximum speed. It also sparks the imagination for what ultimately the technology can mean to the future of the rotorcraft industry. We are far from having a product, but closer than ever to realizing the potential.”

Among the innovative technologies the X2 TECHNOLOGY Demonstrator employs are:

• Fly-by-wire flight controls
• Counter-rotating, all-composite rigid rotor blades
• Hub drag reduction
• Active vibration control
• Integrated auxiliary propulsion system

 

Sikorsky Aircraft first announced the initiative to develop an integrated suite of technologies called X2 TECHNOLOGY in June 2005. The project is funded solely by Sikorsky. The X2 TECHNOLOGY Demonstrator Program Manager is Steve Chisarik, and Director of Engineering Sciences for Sikorsky is Steve Weiner.

Key suppliers for the X2 TECHNOLOGY Demonstrator are:

• Eagle Aviation Technologies, Inc.: Main rotor blades, miscellaneous composite hardware
• Goodrich Corporation: SmartProbe™ air data system and engineering support
• Hamilton Sundstrand Corp.: Flight Control Computers, Active vibration control, engineering support
• LHTEC (Light Helicopter Turbine Engine Company, a partnership between Rolls-Royce/Honeywell): Engines, engineering support
• Moog, Inc.: Active vibration actuation, Consignment MU/EU components, engineering support

Source: Sikorsky

Grupo Marsans takes delivery of their first Airbus A330-200

Grupo Marsans, Spain’s largest tourism and transport group, has taken delivery of its first directly purchased Airbus A330-200 aircraft for its subsidiary Air Comet. The aircraft was formally handed over to Gonzalo Pascual, President of Grupo Marsans and Ignacio Pascual, CEO of Air Comet, in a ceremony held in Toulouse attended by Rafael Alonso, Senior Vice President Latin America, Carribean & Spain, Customer Affairs.

The delivery is the first aircraft from an agreement for a total of 17 A330-200 ordered in December 2006. The aircraft, powered by Pratt & Whitney PW4000 engines, has 283 seats in a two-class configuration, offering business-class lie-flat and highly comfortable economy class seats.

The A330-200 will become Air Comet’s backbone aircraft offering daily services to main destinations from Spain to Latin America.

“Our customers’ decisions prove again that the A330-200 is the leading aircraft in its category. It is a fantastically efficient aircraft with superior standards of passenger comfort”, said John Leahy, Airbus Chief Operating Officer, Customers. “Its flexibility in terms of seat capacity and range also made it the preferred choice for leading operators around the world like Grupo Marsans, and we are honoured with their choice.”

With a true wide-body fuselage allowing very high comfort standards, the A330-200 is able to accommodate seat and class configurations to suit the diverse customer requirements. It has a range of up to 6,750 nm / 12,500 km with a full passenger load. Its large under-floor cargo holds can also carry standard pallets and containers side-by-side.

It also has the excellent operational flexibility necessary to serve a wide range of route structures, providing operators with very low operating cost per seat. Its proven record of economy and superior passenger comfort provides operators with a significant competitive advantage in the market today.

Source: Airbus

Boeing Delivers Two 737-800s to Brazil’s Varig Airlines

SEATTLE, Aug. 28, 2008 — Boeing [NYSE: BA] delivered two 737-800s to Brazil’s Varig Airlines on Tuesday. The jetliners, sporting a bright new livery, then departed from Boeing Field to Sao Paulo. Varig’s new livery features a unique starburst design that appears in three different locations on the tail as part of a variable paint scheme. The 737-800s are equipped with Blended Winglets and Boeing’s special short-field performance package designed for short runways such as Santos Dumont in Rio de Janeiro. “The Boeing Next-Generation 737 family combines low operating costs with high performance, enabling our low-cost carrier business to succeed throughout South America,” said Fernando Rockert de Magalhães, GOL/Varig’s vice president — technical. GOL, one of the world’s leading low-cost carriers, purchased Varig, Brazil’s flagship airline, last year. A third Varig 737-800 (photo top) is now undergoing pre-delivery flight tests.

Source: Boeing

Boeing, US Air Force Keep C-17 Globemaster III Mission-Ready

ST. LOUIS, Aug. 28, 2008 — A U.S. Air Force maintenance crew chief inspects an engine on a Boeing [NYSE: BA] C-17 Globemaster III at an air base in Kuwait.

A C-17 takes off or lands in Iraq or Kuwait at least once an hour as part of ongoing military activities. The aircraft delivers vital cargo and troops throughout the region while battling harsh weather conditions. High temperatures, sand and dust storms are a constant threat to engine performance. Air Force maintenance crews work closely with Boeing field service representatives to ensure the aircraft are mission-ready.

C-17s are supported by the Globemaster III Sustainment Partnership, a successful performance-based logistics program in which Boeing works with the Air Force to oversee the full spectrum of sustainment activities for the service’s entire C-17 fleet. The fleet routinely has a mission-capable rate of 85 percent or higher.

Source: Boeing

Bavarian Ministry of the Interior purchases eight new EC135 Police Helicopters from Eurocopter

On August 27, the Bavarian Ministry of the Interior announced its decision in Munich to purchase eight new Eurocopter EC135 P2i helicopters for the Bavarian Police Helicopter Squadron. This will enable the squadron to carry out its work using helicopters of the latest generation. Fitted out with state-of-the-art police equipment, the EC135s are slated for delivery between September 2009 and April 2010.
The EC135’s police-specific equipment includes a FLIR (Forward Looking Infrared) camera, a high-resolution digital day and night vision camera, SatCOM, GPS, a digital map device, Tetra digital radio, the FLARM® collision warning system, a tactical direction finder, a digital flight management system and a GSM telephone. Suitable for operation under IFR (instrument flight rules), the helicopters are fitted with glass cockpits approved for operations with night vision goggles. A rescue hoist, an external load hook system and four rescue winches are also part of the contract. The winches can be installed on each of the eight helicopters as and when required. The contract signed with the Bavarian Ministry of the Interior includes a letter of intent for power-by-the-hour service over a period of at least ten years.

“In view of the ever-growing demands on police work,” says interior minister Joachim Herrmann, “we are making this new purchase to provide our police helicopter squadron with the latest machines including customized police equipment. In the 1970s, police helicopters were used only for traffic monitoring. Since then, they have adopted a variety of other tasks, including crime fighting, missing-persons searches, support in disaster relief missions, and the handling of special traffic and mission situations. Our police helicopter squadron is in service 24 hours a day and requires the best equipment available to support its work.”

Dr. Wolfgang Schoder, CEO of Eurocopter Deutschland GmbH, recalls the nearly 40-year collaboration between the company and the police helicopter squadron. “In October 1970, our company handed over the first BO105 to the squadron. In June 1983, Bavaria was the first federal state to commission the BK117. From 1998 onwards, both types were gradually replaced by the first generation of our EC135, which is built in Donauwörth, Bavaria, just like the two previous models, and which has been considerably improved and enhanced since that time. Our engineers have gained valuable experience from their work with the Bavarian Police Helicopter Squadron and have brought it to bear in our latest generation of helicopters. So the squadron is now receiving the latest version of the EC135. I am very grateful for this, and for the long-standing trust placed in the Eurocopter company,” said Schoder.

Source: Eurocopter

Boeing, US Navy Offer Super Hornet for Denmark Fighter Competition

F-18E Super Hornet of the US Navy

ST. LOUIS, Aug. 27, 2008

– Boeing [NYSE: BA] and the U.S. Navy delivered a proposal Aug. 15 offering the advanced F/A-18E/F Super Hornet to the Royal Danish Air Force as part of Denmark’s New Combat Aircraft competition.

Boeing received a Request for Information from Denmark in May. The stated initial requirement is for 48 aircraft.

“The winner must present a good balance of capability, cost and risk, and be able to provide Danish industry with a viable and competitive long-term partnership,” said Dan Korte, vice president and general manager for Global Strike Systems, Boeing Integrated Defense Systems. “We believe the Super Hornet is the best-value option and offers a winning solution for Denmark’s fighter requirements.”

The Super Hornet variant offered to Denmark is based on the F/A-18E/F model flown by the U.S. Navy and the 24 F/A-18Fs currently being produced for the Royal Australian Air Force. The Block II Super Hornet is the first operationally deployed strike fighter incorporating next-generation capabilities, including the Raytheon-built APG-79 Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) radar.

“The Super Hornet has been a model acquisition program for the United States and the U.S. Navy, one that has continued to add capability while decreasing cost over its lifetime,” said U.S. Navy Capt. James Kennedy, F/A-18 International Business deputy program manager. “The Super Hornet, with its small logistics footprint and high mission-readiness rates, will stand well in the competition since it enhances effective deployment in international operations. With the AESA radar now fully onboard, the two-seat F/A-18F is providing unmatched aircrew situational awareness and taking air combat capabilities to new levels, as we can now seamlessly execute same-time air and ground missions. This is truly an aircraft that delivers tomorrow’s capabilities today.”

Boeing has delivered more than 360 Super Hornets to the U.S. Navy, all on or ahead of the original production delivery schedule. Australia has ordered 24 Super Hornets to bolster its fleet of F/A-18 Hornets, and Boeing is in discussions with several other international customers about their interest in procuring the Super Hornet.

On July 30, Boeing delivered a proposal to the Brazilian Air Force offering 36 Super Hornets for Brazil’s F-X2 fighter competition. On Aug. 4, Boeing submitted a comprehensive industrial-participation proposal to the government of India in support of the company’s offer of 126 Super Hornets to the Indian Air Force for India’s Medium Multi-Role Combat Aircraft program.

Source: Boeing

MS 21: “Dry” weight

Russian aircraft-building majors Irkut and Sukhoi have agreed on dividing the market of medium-range airliners. They will jointly provide the United Aircraft Building Corporation (UABC) with advanced airliners of the most popular size – those with 96, 110, 130, 150, 180 and 210 seats representing all types of the so-called narrow-body aircraft. At present, the Airbus A320 and Boeing 737 are dominating this market.

Irkut will take on the MS-21 family with over 150 seats. And Sukhoi, in addition to the first-gener-lation 96-seated Sukhoi Superjet 100 (SSJ-100), will design two second-generation aircraft — the SSJ-110 and SSJ-130 carrying 110 and 130 passengers, respectively. With that, in return for Irkut’s refusal from the 130-seated MS-21 -100 and its raising the capacity of the MS-21-300 medium version up to 180 passengers, Sukhoi will provide the MS-21 an all-composite wing basing on its SSJ-110/130 solutions.

Concerning the agreement with Sukhoi, Irkut President Oleg Demchenko said it crowns “three years of cruel fighting” within the UABC. Certain designers fought to divide the company’s single product line. So, Irkut will be solely responsible for the MS-21 breakthrough project with the llyushin aircraft company leaving it. The latter will focus on the 11-214 military transport and its Indian version dubbed Multirole Transport Aircraft (MTA). Sukhoi will develop the first and second generations of the Superjet 100. The Beriev aircraft company will work on the MS-21’s tail and, jointly with the nearby TAVIA plant, will pay more ritontion to amphibious aircraft including the Be-200, which production will be moved from Irkutsk to Taganrog. The RAC MiG will keep on developing attack drones starting from the Skat project (Irkut’s similar effort has lost its importance).

So far it is not clear, what promising projects the Tupolev design bureau will take on. Mr.Demchenko, however, said its chiefs as well as those of the Antonov design house had been offered to develop the MS-21 “on new conditions” as inferior players. In case they do not agree to the minor role, these two famous teams will have a poor choice (of course, if they want to stay within the UABC’s common policy and production strategy). To tell the truth, Tupolev may become the leading manufacturer of the next-generation wide-body airliner, which necessity was voiced by Vladimir Putin during his visit to the Gromov Flight Research Institute on February 20 this year.

As early as several months ago, in November, when Russian First Deputy PM and Chairman of UABC’s Board of Directors Sergey Ivanov visited the Irkutsk aircraft plant, the production sharing system on the MS-21 was shown to him. UABC president reported to the high-ranking guest that Tupolev was to design wing leading and trailing edges as it “had accumulated much experience and developed advanced solutions” in this sphere. Under the new agreement, Sukhoi is responsible for the whole wing, while Irkut’s Yakovlev design bureau is to design the body and Beriev — the tail section (tail cone and fin assembly).

Perhaps, Sukhoi’s new role in the MS-21 should help create a fully new wing with improved performance for all “superjet” versions considering preliminary results of static tests of the first airframe and wing flatter tests in the Central Aerohydrodynamic Institute. As. from the very beginning, the new wing of the “superjet” will be created using only digital design systems, it is planned to use its copy increased by 120-130% on the MS-21. The SSJ-110/130 is to replace the 120 seat Yak-42D aircraft.

The Yakovlev design bureau rejected requests of the Saratov plant to upgrade this aircraft by creating an advanced wing with reduced area and replacing the avionics. “The aircraft has become obsolete book and the candle”, said Demchenko.

After the agreement with Sukhoi, the MS-21’s production cooperation has remained almost the same. As before, the Irkutsk aircraft plant is to manufacture aluminium fuselage (most probably, it will be made of weld alloys), Ulyanovsk-based Aviastar will produce wings. Voronezh aircraft plant (VASO) — the fin assembly and Tekhnologiya Research and Production Enterprise — the tail cone and some parts of the wing.
Foreign companies will not be admitted to airframe production as talks with Airbus that lasted over three years failed. According to Demchenko, European partners are overloaded with the A380. A400M and A350 projects and, thus, lack enough resources for the A320 next generation (informal name). ‘They ask us to wait till 2010-2011. but we cannot wait and will carry out the works independently.” By the way, Irkut is ready to work with Airbus on this project “any time”. “As for Boeing, we do not work with it,” stressed the company president.

In 2008. the state should allocate 1.6 billion roubles to Irkut for the MS-21 project of a total 3.5 billion to be spent only on the airframe without the powerplant and avionics. Twice as much money is required to finish all the works. And it should be taken from the company’s own funds, shareholders or on capital market. Rolls-Royce experts say the development of the next-generation engine may cost $5 billion with its larger part likely to be obtained by engine manufacturers themselves.

For the MS-21 to be competitive, it should surpass the A320 by cost-efficiency by at least 10%. This will be achieved by using advanced technologies reducing weight by 15% (by raising the share of composite materials from 10% up to 40% and even more) and fuel consumption — by 25% (at the expense of promising engines with high thermal cycle parameters) and direct operation costs — by 15%. “Our aircraft will outperform the Boeing 737 and Airbus A320. Will it outrun foreign planes of the next generation? I do not know the answer so far,” said Demchenko.

Both the 32 managers of the MS-21 project and Yakovlev designers developing the advanced aircraft under the leadership of project manager Professor Andrei Matveev seem very decisive. “We are ambitious, but not so much so that to occupy the whole market of medium-range aircraft. Half of the Russian market and 10% of the world one will be enough,” clarified Irkut president.

The MS-21 project is still in the initial phase. The aircraft is to be ready by 2015. The programme is still a long way from being profitable. That is why, the currently-manufactured Su-30MK multifunctional fighter that enjoys good demand on the world market will remain Irkut’s main product in the short run. Last year, the company delivered 40 aircraft to its clients, namely 16 planes — to India, 6 — to Algeria and 10 — to Malaysia. In addition, the total number includes five kits of the second and three — of the third phase of the Su-30MKI’s license production in India by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited.

The Irkut aircraft plant has a very high production rate. In the Soviet era, the plant yearly manufactured 22-26 Su-27UB combat trainers. In several following years, it produced no less than 35-36 fighters a year. The peak level was reached in 2007, when Irkut manufactured $1 billion worth of aircraft ($1,296 by the Russian Accounting Standard). The profit reached the record-breaking figure, too, exceeding $160 million. With that, the corporation is holding leading positions by per capita output ($112,000) among all companies in the field.

The Irkutsk plant is now getting ready for manufacturing the Yak-130 combat trainer. Under the contract with the Defense Ministry, the first 12 Yak-130s for flight colleges should be made by the Nizhny Novgorod-based Sokol plant. The first two planes will be delivered this year. The Nizhny Novgorod plant is, however, overloaded by its main products — MiG-29 and MiG-31 aircraft. So, the UABC decided to assemble Yak-130s in Irkutsk. The first Yak is to be made in assembly shop No.7 by year-end. It is designed for Algeria, the first foreign customer.

The company’s total backlog equals $4.6 billion. Irkut accounts for about 20% of all Russian arms exports. In the coming years, it plans to remain the leader of the Russian aircraft building industry and strengthen its positions by means of diversification — to be more exact, by launching a weighty civilian component, chiefly the MS-21. to its military projects.

Source: Yakovlev

Lockheed Martin-Built Trident Ii D5 Missile Achieves 124 Successful Test Launches In A Row

SUNNYVALE, Calif., August 26th, 2008 — The U.S. Navy conducted a successful test launch yesterday of two Trident II D5 Fleet Ballistic Missiles (FBMs) built by Lockheed Martin (NYSE: LMT).  The Navy launched the unarmed missiles from the submerged submarine USS Louisiana (SSBN 743) in thePacific Ocean. 

The Trident II D5 missile now has achieved 124 consecutive successful test launches since 1989 – a record unmatched by any other large ballistic missile or space launch vehicle. 

“In this recent test, Navy Strategic Systems Programs has again demonstrated the reliability and credibility of the Fleet Ballistic Missile,” said Melanie A. Sloane, vice president of Fleet Ballistic Missile programs, Lockheed Martin Space Systems Company, the Navy’s Trident missile prime contractor.  “A long partnership combined with disciplined performance by the entire Navy and industry team in every aspect of this critical program has made each and every one of these 124 test launches a success.”

The Navy launched the missiles as part of a Follow-on Commander’s Evaluation Test.  The Navy conducts a continuing series of operational system evaluation tests to assure the safety, reliability, readiness and performance of the Trident II D5 Strategic Weapon System, as required by the Department of Defense’s National Command Authority.  The tests are conducted under the testing guidelines of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

For the tests, operational missiles are converted into inert configurations using test missile kits produced by Lockheed Martin that contain range safety devices and flight telemetry instrumentation.

First deployed in 1990, the D5 missile is currently aboard OHIO-class submarines and British VANGUARD-class submarines.  The three-stage, solid-propellant, inertial-guided ballistic missile can travel a nominal range of 4,000 nautical miles and carries multiple independently targeted reentry vehicles. 

Lockheed Martin Space Systems Company, Sunnyvale, Calif., is the prime contractor and program manager for the U.S. Navy’s Trident missile.  Lockheed Martin Space Systems employees, principally in California, Georgia, Florida, Washington and Utah, support the design, development, production, test and operation of the Trident Strategic Weapon System.  Lockheed Martin Space Systems has been the Navy’s prime strategic missile contractor since the inception of the program more than 50 years ago. 

The test also involved the Lockheed Martin-integrated Navigation Subsystem that provides the highly-accurate and reliable navigation data required to support today’s stringent Trident Weapon System performance requirements.  Lockheed Martin Maritime Systems & Sensors Undersea Systems business unit, Mitchel Field, N.Y., has been the Navy’s prime contractor for the Navigation Subsystem aboard FBM submarines since 1955. 

Altogether, nearly 3,000 employees throughout the Lockheed Martin Corporation support the Navy’s Fleet Ballistic Missile program.

Source: Lockheed Martin

Flyover of Emirates’ Boeing 777-200LR Launches Boeing Classic Golf Tournament

SEATTLE, Aug. 25, 2008 — Boeing [NYSE: BA] and Emirates took advantage of an upcoming delivery of a 777-200LR (Longer-Range) with a dramatic flyover of the TPC Snoqualmie Ridge golf club in Snoqualmie, Wash., on Friday that officially started play at the annual Boeing Classic PGA Champions Tour event.

Emirates is one of the world’s largest operators of Boeing 777s. The airline’s newest 777-200LR was flown by retiring Boeing test pilot Capt. Jim Metcalfe. The airplane is pictured here banking over the 18th finishing hole at the TPC Snoqualmie Ridge course east of Seattle.

Source: Boeing

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