November 5, 1990

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HEADLINE NEWS

Congress Puts Pressure on Navy To Renegotiate A-12 Contract

WASHINGTON An infusion of A-12 attack aircraft funds into the compromise military authorization bill for Fiscal 1991 will encourage—and is meant to force—the U. S. Navy to renegotiate the contract under which the aircraft is being developed.

By DAVID F. BOND

HEADLINE NEWS

Congress Gives USAF Mixed Signals On ATF Full-Scale Development

WASHINGTON The U. S. Air Force has received mixed signals from members of Congress over whether it can proceed with fullscale development of its advanced tactical fighter in Fiscal 1991. A provision in the Fiscal 1991 defense appropriations conference report, which has been approved by the House and Senate, provided $200 million for the program and directed the Air Force to begin full-scale development.

By PATRICIA A. GILMARTIN

HEADLINE NEWS

DEFENSE PROCUREMENT APPROPRIATIONS FOR FISCAL 1991

RC-12H/K Recon Aircraft C-20 Aircraft AH-64 Attack Helicopter UH-60 Black Hawk UH-60 Black Hawk Adv. Procurement AH-64 (MODS) CH-47 (MODS) CH-47 (MODS) Adv. Procurement OH-58 (MOOS) UH-60 (MOOS) AHIP Armed AHIP 87,407 -104,226 272,118

HEADLINE NEWS

SDI Organization Plans 1994 Test Flight Of Single-Stage-to-Orbit Spacecraft

WASHINGTON As the highly visible effort to design a National Aero-Space Plane continues, the Strategic Defense Initiative Organization is quietly pursuing its own concepts for single-stage-to-orbit spacecraft. While the technical challenges—and budgets—of the two programs place NASP and the SDI project in different leagues, many of the ultimate goals are strikingly similar.

By JAMES R. ASKER

HEADLINE NEWS

Cosmonauts Unable to Repair Balky Hatch on Kvant 2 Module

PARIS Soviet cosmonauts were unsuccessful in their attempt last week to fix the balky hatch on the Mir space station’s Kvant 2 building block module. Lt. Col. Gennady Manakov and Gennady Strekalov performed a 3 hr. 45 min. extravehicular activity (EVA) Oct. 29 in an effort to repair the hatch.

HEADLINE NEWS

Payload Problems Delay Secret Atlantis Launch

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER Payload problems have delayed the scheduled Nov. 9 launch of the space shuttle orbiter Atlantis on a military mission and have threatened an early-December launch date for Columbia on a scientific flight. The Air Force said liftoff of Atlantis, which is to deploy a secret military spacecraft, is being postponed indefinitely “to resolve anomalies discovered during cargo testing.

HEADLINE NEWS

DASA Reorganizes MBB, Dornier To Strengthen Its Business Base

BONN Deutsche Aerospace has prepared a reorganization plan to boost its competitiveness and make it easier to attract international partners. The plan affects seven of its manufacturing plants and 18,000 workers. The reorganization will mean some plants will lose current military production work in favor of civil aircraft projects.

By MICHAEL MECHAM

HEADLINE NEWS

France, Germany Delay Start Of Helicopter Unification Plan

MARIGNANE, FRANCE The plan to meld the helicopter operations of France’s Aerospatiale with those of Germany’s Messerschmitt-Boel-kow-Blohm has been delayed from the original year-end target to a new date in the first quarter of 1991.

HEADLINE NEWS

ATF Contractor Teams Accelerate Evaluations With Four Prototypes

PALMDALE, CALIF. Flight testing of the YF-22 and YF-23 advanced tactical fighter contenders accelerated during the last week when both contractor teams flew their second prototypes for the first time. All four demonstrator aircraft are now involved in fast-paced test programs at Edwards AFB, Calif.

By WILLIAM B. SCOTT

HEADLINE NEWS

Taiwanese Flight Testing Indigenous Defense Fighter

The Indigenous Defense Fighter is undergoing flight testing at the Aero Industry Development Center in Taiwan. The twin Garrett TFE1042 powered aircraft also is called the Ching Kuo fighter. The IDF first flew in May, 1989, and will replace Lockheed F-104s and some Northrop F-5s in the country’s air force.

October 291990

November 121990

November 5, 1990

November 5, 1990