September 11, 1989

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HEADLINE NEWS

Defense Dept. Plans Cas Review; Congress Seeks Upgrades Agreement

WASHINGTON Action pending this month on three fronts will determine whether and how Defense Dept. plans to improve close air support and battlefield air interdiction forces move forward during the coming year. In separate developments that will help shape the modernization program:

By DAVID F. BOND7 min

HEADLINE NEWS

Tacit Rainbow Completes Fourth Successful Test Flight

WASHINGTON Air Force officials believe they have resolved the major problems in the Tacit Rainbow program, following the fourth consecutive successful test flight of the antiradar weapon. In the latest test, an AGM-136A Tacit Rainbow defense suppression weapon was launched from a Navy A-6E.

By JOHN D. MORROCCO5 min

HEADLINE NEWS

New Cosmonaut Crew Launched to Mir; Station Expansion to Begin in October

BAIKONUR COSMODROME The Soviet Union is preparing a major expansion of its Mir space station following the successful launch of a two-member cosmonaut crew here last week. Spacecraft commander Col. Alexander Viktorenko and engineer Alexander Serebrov were launched at 3:38 a. m. local time Sept. 6 on the Soyuz TM-8 transport spacecraft.

HEADLINE NEWS

Japan Plans to Purchase 112 Aircraft Under $29-billion Defense Budget

TOKYO The Japanese Defense Agency anticipates purchasing 112 aircraft as part of its $28.95-billion fiscal 1990 budget request. The request, a 6.35% increase over 1989, accounts for 6.4% of Japan’s $467.53 billion (21.1 trillion yen) overall budget, which itself is an 11.4% increase over fiscal 1989.

HEADLINE NEWS

Sdi Experiments Set for Launch in January

WASHINGTON The Strategic Defense Initiative Organization is preparing to launch two satellite experiments in January on board a Delta rocket from Cape Canaveral. The LACE/RME mission—for Low-power Atmospheric Compensation Experiment and Relay Mirror Experiment— had been planned for launch in August, 1988.

By PATRICIA A. GILMARTIN4 min

HEADLINE NEWS

Jaffe Group to Replace Gulfstream as Partner in Sa-30 Development

WASHINGTON The Jaffe Group has joined Swearingen Engineering and Technology Corp. in development of the SA-30 business jet following Gulfstream Aerospace Corp.’s withdrawal from the program. Gulfstream’s decision stemmed from delays in the first flight of the SA-30, which have prevented the company from verifying the aircraft’s projected performance.

By EDWARD H. PHILLIPS3 min

HEADLINE NEWS

Two Canadian Snowbirds Crash Into Lake Ontario

Two CT-114 Tutor jet training aircraft of the Canadian Forces Snowbirds demonstration team crashed into Lake Ontario during an air show on Sept. 3 in an accident that killed one pilot. The accident involved the team leader, who survived, and one of his wingmen, who died.

HEADLINE NEWS

Photographs Reveal Relative Size of F-117 Compared with T-38

LOS ANGELES More details of the Air Force/Lockheed F-117A stealth attack aircraft design are visible in these photographs taken Aug. 24 during operations from the F-117 base near Tonopah, Nev. (AW&ST July 10, p. 22). The F-117 is believed to have a 42-ft. wingspan and be 63 ft. long, excluding the V-tail, dimensions that scale well with the Air Force/Northrop T-38 chase aircraft flying off its left wing.

By MICHAEL A. DORNHEIM2 min

September 41989

September 181989

September 11, 1989

September 11, 1989