All news – Page 6376
-
News
Cabin entertainment boosts EMS activity
Responding to demand from business aircraft users for the latest in-flight cabin systems, British Telecom and EMS Technologies have joined forces to provide airborne "two way high speed data" transmission. The new system will enable passengers to transmit data and voice messages at 64 kilobits/s - "seven times" the ...
-
News
A321 'preferred' for Joint STARS bid
Paul Lewis/MELBOURNE, FLORIDA Northrop Grumman is recommending the Airbus Industrie A321 as its preferred Joint Surveillance Target Attack Radar System (Joint STARS) platform to compete for NATO's Airborne Ground Surveillance (AGS) requirement. The company has settled on the mid-size A320 series after studying and ruling out business jets as ...
-
News
Saab and BGT sign naval missile accord
Saab Dynamics and Bodenseewerk Gerätetechnik (BGT) of Germany have signed a memorandum of understanding to offer jointly the Swedish company's RBS15 Mk3 anti-ship missile system to the German navy. Under the deal, BGT will lead German industrial participation in the RBS15 should the system be selected by the country, ...
-
News
Pampa production revival possible
After a hiatus of more than a decade, a new FMA IA-63 Pampa jet trainer has been delivered to the Argentine air force as a precursor to a possible resumption of production. State-owned FMA designed the Pampa with assistance from Dornier of Germany and produced 19 aircraft in the 1980s. ...
-
News
Turkey may be first Popeye Lite buyer
Turkey may become the launch customer for the Popeye Lite, the smaller, lighter version of the Rafael air launched stand-off weapon. The Turkish air force has acquired an initial batch of 50 standard Popeye TV-guided missiles for use on its McDonnell Douglas F-4s and is evaluating the possibility of ...
-
News
US Army considers common airborne sensor platform
Ramon Lopez/HUNTSVILLE The US Army may soon be in the market for 50 fixed-wing surveillance and reconnaissance aircraft, worth $2 billion, to be fielded between 2006 and 2010. It also wants to acquire replacement short and medium range transports. The Airborne Common Sensor (ACS) aircraft would replace 51 ageing Raytheon ...
-
News
First free flight for Taurus missile
The Taurus Systems KEPD 350 stand-off missile has completed its first free flight after being released from a German air force Panavia Tornado at the Swedish test range at Vidsel. Taurus, a joint venture between Germany's DaimlerChrysler Aerospace and Bofors Missiles of Sweden, says the missile "fully met" performance ...
-
News
USAF thinks over new penetrator weapon
The US Air Force is determining whether to launch development of the Guided Direct Attack Penetrator (GDAP) weapon. It mates the J1000 blast fragmentation/penetrator warhead with a global positioning/inertial navigation system (GPS/INS), say service officials. The 450kg (1,000lb) J1000 arms the in-development Lockheed Martin AGM-158 Joint Air-to-Surface Stand-off Missile. ...
-
News
Israel-sponsored laser weapon nears testing
TRW and the US Army are assembling a prototype tactical laser for a series of live tests beginning early next year. The Tactical High Energy Laser (THEL) advanced concept technology demonstration (ACTD) is designed to test the advanced weapon against rockets. Sponsored by the USA and Israel, the THEL ...
-
News
Lower growth
Lower growth in the air transport market over the next few years is predicted by the International Air Transport Association (IATA). It says: "Sentiment about traffic growth prospects among airlines and industry forecasters is becoming more cautious than last year". IATA forecasts a 5.02% annual average growth rate for scheduled ...
-
News
United challenges Boeing to develop 777 freighter
Max Kingsley-Jones/SEATTLE United Airlines has thrown down a challenge to Boeing to offer a freighter version of the 777, as the US carrier ponders its long-term cargo fleet strategy. Speaking at the Cargo Facts '99 conference in Seattle, Jim Hartigan, vice-president cargo at United Airlines, said he expects the ...
-
News
X-34 completes tests
The Orbital Sciences (OSC) A-1 X-34 test vehicle completed its final captive test flight last month, under the belly of an OSC Lockheed TriStar, from the Dryden Research Centre in California. The A-1 vehicle will be upgraded and used next year for 120km/h tow tests on a runway, and ...
-
News
Virgin drops Sun Air plans
Virgin Atlantic Airways has abandoned plans to revive failed South African regional carrier Sun Air, but is chasing a tie-up with another regional, Nationwide Airlines, after winning a weekly frequency to Cape Town ahead of UK rival British Airways. Virgin already flies to Johannesburg and had codeshared on Sun ...
-
News
BA/CityFlyer deal on - but with slot limits
UK trade and industry secretary Stephen Byers has approved the acquisition of CityFlyer Express by British Airways. He has, however, imposed a tougher cap on the number of take-off and landing positions BA can control at London Gatwick Airport, where the carriers are the two biggest slot holders. As ...
-
News
IAI/TAI agree deal
Israel Aircraft Industries (IAI) and Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI) will submit joint bids for contracts in Turkey and in countries where an Israeli company cannot be a prime contractor. The deal stems from good relations between the companies and close defence links between Israel and Turkey. Co-operation is likely ...
-
News
Socata may find new home with Latécoère
Julian Moxon/PARISLatécoère is interested in taking over Aerospatiale Matra's general aviation and aerostructures business, Socata. The subsidiary's future seems to be in doubt following newly merged French giant Aerospatiale Matra's declaration that it is studying "all options" as part of a bid to double operating margins, to 8%, by 2003. ...
-
News
Mergers
Boeing has acquired Australia-based Preston Group, which provides the Total Airspace and Airport Modeller (TAAM) software product for "what if" modelling of air traffic management and airport terminal control. Preston, which has offices in Washington DC and London, also offers a terminal management system day-of-operation planning tool. Diversified technology company ...
-
News
Air Canada partners rally round
Brian Dunn/MONTREAL Air Canada's Star Alliance partners United Airlines and Lufthansa are preparing to bid for a stake in the carrier to fight a hostile takeover by the Onex investment group and American Airlines, which plan to merge it with their oneworld ally Canadian Airlines. Lufthansa president Jurgen Weber ...
-
News
Chinese airline tie-up talks break down
Merger talks between Air China and China Southern Airlines have broken down, Beijing-based industry sources say. Reports say talks failed amid continuing concern over flag carrier Air China's financial shape, with China Southern unsure of the merits of a merger. Flight International sister on-line service Air ...
-
News
US sets Honeywell merger rules
Emma Kelly/LONDON Guy Norris/LOS ANGELES AlliedSignal and Honeywell must shed large parts of their avionics businesses as the price for US regulatory approval of their planned merger, although only in areas of product overlap. While approving the merger in principle, the US Department of Justice says Honeywell must give ...