February 4, 1985

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AERONAUTICAL ENGINEERING

Slump in Civil Helicopter Sales Reflected at HAI Exhibition

New Orleans—Downturn of the civil helicopter market was reflected in this year’s Helicopter Assn. International (HAI) annual convention here. Attendance was off compared with previous years and few new products were unveiled. There was nothing in the commercial helicopter show to encourage the public to learn to fly and possibly buy helicopters, Hynes Aviation Industries President Michael K. Hynes said.

By Alton K. Marsh

Missile Engineering

Defense Dept. Orders Delay In AMRAAM Production Decision

Washington—Defense Dept. last week ordered the Air Force and Navy to defer any production decision on the advanced medium-range air-to-air missile (AMRAAM) until production costs have been contained, and agreed to a restructuring of the AMRAAM program that will stretch full-scale development of the missile by two years.

By Robert R. Ropelewski

SPACE TECHNOLOGY

Defense, Energy Departments to Initiate New Space Power Development

Washington—A new program to develop space power systems capable of supplying 5-10 megawatts, or as much as 100 megawatts in brief bursts, for directed and kinetic energy weapons, will be launched this summer to complement the SP-100 program to develop nuclear space power systems capable of generating 100 kw. or more (AW&ST Jan. 28, p. 78).

By Philip J. Klass

AVIONICS

Ferranti, McDonnell Douglas May Equip AV-8B With Blue Vixen Multimode Radar

Edinburgh, Scotland—Ferranti is discussing with McDonnell Douglas installation of its new Blue Vixen multimode pulse Doppler radar in the AV-8B Advanced Harrier to provide a seaborne strike/attack aircraft that could be marketed to navies of smaller nations.

By David A. Brown

January 281985

February 111985

February 4, 1985

February 4, 1985

ITU Group Promotes Satellites As Aid to Third World Progress

By Jay C. Lowndes