USAF ORDERS 60 F-22S
PROCUREMENT Lockheed Martin has signed a $7.3 billion US Air Force contract to produce 60 F-22 Raptors over three years to December 2011. This will complete planned production of the stealth fighter at 183 aircraft, but the USAF is expected to seek funds to continue 20-a-year procurement towards its objective of 381 aircraft. The multi-year contract will save $400 million over annual procurement and, although the rate will come down from 24 to 20 aircraft a year, Lockheed says it will continue to reduce the cost of the F-22. Long-lead funding will be required in the fiscal year 2009 defence budget if production is to continue beyond 2011, the company says. Congress, meanwhile, looks set to continue its ban on exporting the F-22, at least until the US administration changes in 2009.
AIRBUS SECURES BIDS FOR THREE EUROPEAN PLANTS
PROPOSAL Latécoère has submitted its bid for Airbus' Meaulte and Saint-Nazaire-Ville sites for which the European airframer is seeking an industrial partner. Latécoère says: "Within the scope of the Power8 plan launched by Airbus, Latécoère Group has bid to take over the Meaulte and Saint-Nazaire-Ville sites. A proposal has just been finalised. The new group, thus established, would rank in the worldwide top six, with revenue greater than €1 billion [$1.4 billion], as of 2008." GKN, meanwhile, has confirmed it has submitted a proposal to Airbus for the Filton, UK plant. Airbus is expected to make its decision on all the sites next month.
RETIRED PILOTS HIT FAA WITH LAWSUIT
APPEAL A coalition of retired pilots is pressing lawmakers to eliminate the US Federal Aviation Administration's "Age 60" rule, which requires domestic commercial pilots to retire when they reach that age. Formed in April after founder Lewis Tetlow was forced to retire from US Airways when he turned 60, the so-called Senior Pilots Coalition's membership has grown to 200 pilots. The group has filed a lawsuit against the FAA, after the agency refused to issue specific waivers for over-60 pilots to continue flying. It expects a hearing in August at the Washington DC Circuit Court of Appeals. It is also meeting lawmakers to discuss raising the mandatory retirement age to 65.
ISRAEL GA FLEET TO BE FITTED WITH ALARMS
SECURITY Israel's general aviation aircraft fleet is to be fitted with immobilising and wireless alarm systems to stave off any attempts to use them for terrorist acts. The Israeli government is planning to issue a tender to select the most suitable system that will be compulsory on the 660 light aircraft operated from 30 airfields across the country, including 420 single- and twin-engined aircraft, 190 ultralights and 53 gliders. The requirement is for an immobilising system will alert a central control room of any attempt to tamper with the aircraft. Locking devices are already installed on all aircraft in Israel weighing more than 5,700kg (12,500lb).
SPACEPORT MOVES LOSER WITH DESIGN CONTRACT AWARD
PERSONAL SPACEFLIGHT US and UK architecture, design and engineering companies, URS and London based Foster + Partners, have secured a contract to design the primary terminal and hangar facility at the proposed $225 million Spaceport America, based in New Mexico. From its expected completion in 2010 the spaceport is to be the world headquarters for Sir Richard Branson's suborbital tourism company Virgin Galactic. After URS and Foster sign a contract with New Mexican authorities the winning concept spaceport design will be unveiled, probably by 16 August. URS provides engineering services in New Mexico. Foster + Partners has worked on the Beijing and Stansted, London airports.
OEMSERVICES EYES 787 MARKET
DISCUSSION The partners behind Airbus A380 component support joint venture OEMServices are in discussions with Boeing on the possibility of extending the scope of the company's services to encompass Boeing types, such as the 787. Boeing is offering a turnkey maintenance solution for the 787, called GoldCare. OEMServices, meanwhile, was established in 2005 by Diehl Aerospace, Liebherr-Aerospace, Thales and Zodiac as equal shareholders to provide operators with a single interface for component maintenance, including door-to-door logistics, initially for the A380.
Source: Flight International
