July 16, 1984

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Management

Warsaw Pact Improving Radar Jamming Abilities

Bonn—Warsaw Pact has demonstrated the ability to “blind” Western air defense radar systems for hours at a time by use of huge chaff corridors, as well as both standoff and escort jamming, U.S. and European defense analysts said here. They said the Soviet Union demonstrated during the Czechoslovakian invasion that it could sow and maintain a chaff corridor 200 mi. long for 6.5 hr.

By Michael Feazel10 min

Missile Engineering

Navy Developing Rapid Strike Planning

St. Louis—U.S. Navy is asking for $80.2 million in the Fiscal 1985-89 Defense budgets for General Dynamics/McDonnell Douglas Tomahawk cruise missile theater mission planning system development programs. The goal is completion of a rapid strike planning system to improve further the missile’s conventional and nuclear attack capability.

By Eugene Kozicharow7 min

Management

Usaf Drafts $108.3-billion Fund Bid

Washington—The U.S. Air Force’s Fiscal 1986 spending request to the Defense Dept. seeks $108.3 billion. The largest single component in total obligational authority is for aircraft procurement, followed by operations and maintenance funding as the next largest share.

By Clarence A. Robinson6 min

Avionics

Chinese Increasing Laser Capabilities

Anaheim, Calif.—People’s Republic of China is making a broad-based effort to improve its laser science and technology capability, and some observers are predicting that it could become a center of laser expertise in the next 10-20 years.

By Benjamin M. Elson6 min

Air Transport

U.s. Major Airlines’ Traffic Continues to Rise in June

Washington—Major U.S. airlines reported a 3.8% increase in scheduled passenger traffic in June, the third consecutive monthly increase. Rising traffic in the second quarter offset a decline in the first three months of the year so that six-month traffic for the group was up about 1.2%.

Aeronautical Engineering

Mirage 2000 Begins Service in France

Dijon Air Force Base, France—DassaultBreguet’s Mirage 2000 fighter has entered operational service with the French air force in the first step of a modernization program that is being slowed by the country’s defense spending constraints.

By Jeffrey M. Lenorovitz6 min

Missile Engineering

Technical Problems Delay Production of Amraam

Washington—The Air Force/Navy Hughes Aircraft advanced medium range air-to-air missile (AMRAAM) development program has been delayed 3-5 months because of technical problems and will be unable to meet initial production requirements.

By Eugene Kozicharow5 min

July 91984

July 231984

July 16, 1984

July 16, 1984