Dutch Chinooks get cockpit upgrade
Avionics The six Boeing CH-47F Chinook heavylift helicopters ordered by the Netherlands last week will have a next-generation version of the Honeywell Avionics Control and Management System glass cockpit fitted to upgraded Dutch CH-47Ds, rather than the Rockwell Collins Common Avionics Architecture System being fitted to US Army CH-47Fs. The helicopters will be delivered between July 2009 and January 2010.
France clarifies Saudi Arabian deal
Order The French defence ministry withdrew a statement last week that Saudi Arabia had ordered two Airbus A330-MRTT military refuelling aircraft, saying that talks were continuing. Less then 2h after issuing the statement that Michèle Alliot- Marie and the Saudi Crown Prince Sultan bin Abdul-Aziz had signed the agreement, ministry officials released the clarification.
Raptors get navigation software patch
Upgrade US Air Force Lockheed Martin F-22A Raptors were scheduled to fly from Hawaii to Japan last weekend after a software fix to cure a navigation system anomaly that scuppered the aircraft's first attempt to cross the Pacific on 11 February. The 12 F-22s were en route to Kadena AB on Okinawa for the Raptor's first overseas deployment when the problem forced them to turn back to Hickam AFB in Hawaii.
Ariane 5 production increases agreed
Funding Last week Arianespace and Astrium Space Transportation agreed to put in place the investment needed to supply seven Ariane 5 ECA launchers a year, beginning in February 2008. The agreement also provides for an additional mission for the Ariane 5 ES ATV variant, to orbit the European Space Agency's Automated Transfer Vehicle that supplies the International Space Station.
Lockheed wins South Korean upgrade
Support Lockheed Martin is to upgrade and support South Korea's Hawker RC-800 reconnaissance aircraft and ground stations under a three-year, $28 million contract. The Peace Krypton system collects long-range reconnaissance imagery using modified Hawker 800XP business jets equipped with synthetic-aperture radar.
Safran losses follow 'irregularities'
Finances Safran is facing up to losses and charges amounting to around €300 million ($390 million) from its Defense Security division after "accounting irregularities" were uncovered last year. The group's other former Sagem division, Communications, performed badly, turning in a loss of €176 million. But chief executive Jean-Paul Bechat defends the controversial merger of Sagem and Snecma that took place in 2005: "It is much too early to say that the merger was a failure." Overall the company's sales grew from €10.6 billion in 2005 to €11.3 billion in 2006, but operating income plunged 33.5% from €699 million, taking into account adjustments after the independent audit carried out at the group last year, to €465 million.
C-5 'has not breached Nunn-McCurdy limit'
Correction The US Air Force says it has not declared a so-called Nunn-McCurdy breach for the Lockheed Martin C-5 reliability enhancement and re-engining programme (RERP), correcting Flight International's statement (13-19 February) that the upgrade has breached the 50% unit-cost growth threshold requiring notification of Congress and recertification of the need for the programme. "C-5 RERP is experiencing cost growth pressures, but the significance of the cost growth will not be fully known until the air force completes a detailed cost estimating effort that is under way," the USAF says, adding this could take up to six months. The USAF does not dispute air force undersecretary Michael Wynne's statement, quoted in the same story, that "there will undoubtedly be a Nunn-McCurdy report".
Source: Flight International
