March 13, 1989

March 13, 1989

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HEADLINE NEWS

Judge Fines Rockwell $5.5 Million For Concealing Navstar Double-Billing

By MICHAEL A. DORNHEIM

HEADLINE NEWS

Assembly of X-31A Progresses

HEADLINE NEWS

OMAC, Inc., Files Voluntary Petition for Bankruptcy

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HEADLINE NEWS

Judge Fines Rockwell $5.5 Million For Concealing Navstar Double-Billing

LOS ANGELES A federal judge here fined Rockwell International Corp. $5.5 million on Mar. 6 for double-billing the Air Force on the Navstar satellite program and placed the company on five years of probation. The fine is the largest in a defense procurement fraud case, according to Assistant U. S. Attorney Stephen A. Mansfield, and is greater than the $5 million fine requested by the prosecution.

By MICHAEL A. DORNHEIM

2425
HEADLINE NEWS

Assembly of X-31A Progresses

Los ANGELES Fuselage of the first X-31A enhanced fighter maneuverability test aircraft was removed from its assembly jig and placed into a pickup tool at Rockwell’s North American Aircraft factory in Palmdale, Calif., on Mar. 2. Assembly of the second X-31A fuselage has been started in the assembly jig, located behind the pickup tool.
2425
HEADLINE NEWS

OMAC, Inc., Files Voluntary Petition for Bankruptcy

WASHINGTON OMAC, Inc., has filed a voluntary petition for bankruptcy after failing to block foreclosure proceedings against its Albany, Ga., production facility. Charles V. Mihaylo, president and chief executive officer of OMAC, filed for Chapter 11 protection on behalf of the company Mar. 3 in U. S. Bankruptcy Court, District of Nevada, in Reno.
2425
HEADLINE NEWS

First Flight of B-2 Delayed to Spring/Summer

WASHINGTON Continuing delays in completing the first B-2 stealth bomber will push the first flight date into late spring or summer. Northrop and Air Force officials were targeting the first flight for "around Easter," but there seems little hope of flying by that time.
2425
HEADLINE NEWS

Mission 29 Ready For Launch

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER Replacement of a malfunctioning master events controller in the space shuttle orbiter Discovery has forced a two-day delay in the launch of shuttle Mission 29, which is now scheduled to begin its fiveday flight at 8:07 a. m. EST on Mar. 13.
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HEADLINE NEWS

Pentagon, Commerce at Impasse On FS-X After Deal Falls Apart

WASHINGTON Senior Commerce and Defense department officials believed they had a compromise last week that would scale back the amount of U. S. technology transferred to Japan to build the Fighter Support-Experimental aircraft. But the deal came unraveled, and interagency negotiations must start anew for a recommendation to President Bush.

By MICHAEL MECHAM

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HEADLINE NEWS

USAF to Accept Plan on Modifying F-16, A-10 for Close Air Support

WASHINGTON The Air Force is poised to accept a Defense Dept, proposal to make modest modifications to F-16s and to retain A10s as an interim solution for close air support aircraft. There appears to be agreement within the Air Force that this is “the best way to go” and proposals in the service’s new budget reflect this approach, Robert C. Duncan, director of Defense research and engineering, said.
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HEADLINE NEWS

Arianespace Launches JCSAT, Meteosat; Nine Ariane Missions Planned for 1989

KOUROU, FRENCH GUIANA Europe’s Arianespace is on schedule for 1989 with its nine-mission launch program following the successful Ariane flight Mar. 6 that orbited a dual-satellite Japanese/European payload. Launch of the Hughes Aircraft Co. JCSAT 1 telecommunications spacecraft and Aerospatiale Meteosat MOP1 weather satellite had been delayed from the original Feb. 28 target date by a labor strike and by a launch pad problem at the Guiana Space Center.

By JEFFREY M. LENOROVITZ

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HEADLINE NEWS

Canada Joins Hermes Program

KOUROU, FRENCH GUIANA Canada has committed to financing a portion of Europe’s Hermes manned spaceplane, bringing to 100% the funding necessary for the winged vehicle’s $4.5billion development program. The country formally notified the European Space Agency of its intention to participate in the project and is expected to finance about 0.5% of Hermes’ development effort.
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HEADLINE NEWS

White House Reverses Order To Halt Landsat Operations

WASHINGTON The Bush Administration last week saved Landsats 4 and 5 from being turned off at month’s end with a plan to fund their operation until a review of U. S. remote sensing policy is conducted. Vice President Dan Quayle, chairman of the National Space Council, interceded to stop the shutdown of the satellites for lack of operating funds.

By THERESA M. FOLEY

March 61989 March 201989