February 1, 1988

February 1, 1988

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EDITORIAL

Strategy’s High Tech Delusion

EUROPEAN FIGHTER DEVELOPMENTS

France Gives Rafale Go-Ahead, But EFA Program Still in Doubt

By PARIS BONN

EUROPEAN FIGHTER DEVELOPMENTS

USAF Drops Thrust Reversers for ATF, Citing Cost and Weight Penalties

By JOHN D. MORROCCO

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89
EDITORIAL

Strategy’s High Tech Delusion

In quick succession last month, the U. S. government issued reports on national security strategy, long-term strategy and competitive strategies (see p. 25). Overall, these reports are thoughtful and creative. But they tend to make strategy just another name for technology.
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EUROPEAN FIGHTER DEVELOPMENTS

France Gives Rafale Go-Ahead, But EFA Program Still in Doubt

LONDON France has approved the full-scale development of its Dassault-Breguet Rafale fighter on a schedule that maintains its planned 1996 service introduction target date, while the separate four-nation European fighter aircraft (EFA) project faces new delays that put the future of this program into question.

By PARIS BONN

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EUROPEAN FIGHTER DEVELOPMENTS

USAF Drops Thrust Reversers for ATF, Citing Cost and Weight Penalties

ORLANDO, FLA. The Air Force has dropped a requirement for thrust reversers on the advanced tactical fighter (ATF) after determining it would be too costly and add too much weight to the aircraft. The decision was made after weighing trade-offs in ATF requirements in order to stay within the service’s goal of developing a 50,000-lb. aircraft at $35 million each. Gen. Robert D. Russ, head of the Tactical Air Command, said he was convinced those goals could be met and that the service was conducting periodic performance reviews of the program to do just that.

By JOHN D. MORROCCO

1819
EUROPEAN FIGHTER DEVELOPMENTS

Northrop Awarded $2 Billion For B-2 Bomber Production

WASHINGTON The Air Force has awarded a $2-billion contract to Northrop Corp. for the B2 advanced technology bomber. The contract, which was awarded on Nov. 19, represents the first production funding for the classified program, which is capped at a total cost of $36.6 billion in 1981 dollars for 132 aircraft. Boeing Co., LTV Corp. and the General Electric Aircraft Engine Group are prime subcontractors to Northrop on the program.
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EUROPEAN FIGHTER DEVELOPMENTS

Air Force to Reduce Tactical Forces, Trim Research and Development Base

Budget constraints will force the Air Force to reduce its tactical force structure by 5-10% and be more selective in funding research and development programs. Among the tactical programs that are considered prime candidates for the chopping block are the Mk. 15 NATO Identification System (NIS), the Joint Tactical Information Distribution System (JTIDS) and the AGM-130.

By ORLANDO, FLA.

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STRATEGIC DEFENSE INITIATIVE

SDI Awards Martin $508 Million To Develop National Test Bed

BOSTON The Strategic Defense Initiative Organization and the Air Force’s Electronic Systems Div. have awarded a $508-million contract to a team led by Martin Marietta for development and operation of the Strategic Defense Initiative’s National Test Bed over the next five years.

By DAVID HUGHES

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STRATEGIC DEFENSE INITIATIVE

Cape Canaveral Finishing Preparations For SDI Delta Sensor Development Test

WASHINGTON The Strategic Defense Initiative Organization is completing final preparations at Cape Canaveral for launch of the Delta 181 mission to obtain data that is vital for the development of SDI satellites. The Delta 181 payload (right), which will remain attached to the booster second stage, is shown with its instruments covered in black and white thermal blankets as the nose shroud is placed around the vehicle.
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STRATEGIC DEFENSE INITIATIVE

Space Station Faces Funding Cutoff In NASA Dispute with Congress

WASHINGTON NASA will run out of space station hardware funding by the end of February and cancel the four prime contracts unless a dispute between NASA and some members of Congress can be resolved by then, a senior space station official said last week.

By THERESA M. FOLEY

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STRATEGIC DEFENSE INITIATIVE

NASA Plans August Launch For Space Shuttle Discovery

WASHINGTON Space shuttle managers last week set August as the new target for the launch of the orbiter Discovery on Mission 26, and will use Aug. 4 as a launch planning date for mission preparation. NASA management, however, decided not to declare Aug. 4 as the formal target, giving the program more flexibility and the chance to avoid criticism when it needs to adjust launch scheduling over the next seven months.
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STRATEGIC DEFENSE INITIATIVE

President Reagan Sends Statement On Space Leadership to Congress

WASHINGTON President Ronald Reagan last week sent Congress a new set of proposals to restore U. S. leadership in space, but he delayed release of his new National Space Policy until completing a review of the Administration’s commercial space initiatives.

By CRAIG COVAULT

January 251988 February 81988