December 3, 1990

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HEADLINE NEWS

Army Picks Lockheed Sanders Portable Pulse Doppler Radar for Infantry

BOSTON The U. S. Army has selected a portable, Lockheed Sanders pulse Doppler radar system for use by light and special infantry forces in detecting low-flying aircraft. The Army is considering accelerated procurement of the 300-lb. system which is intended as an interim solution to battlefield detection of low-flying aircraft, including helicopters.

HEADLINE NEWS

Britain, Other Nations Drop Support for Agusta A129 Light-Attack Helicopter on Heels of CFE Pact

BONN The Conventional Forces in Europe Treaty has claimed an early “victim”—the effort to develop a multirole light-attack helicopter based on Agusta’s A129 Mangusta design, although the project had been dormant. British Minister for Defence Procurement Alan Clark said last week that the U. K. would not continue with the program, which prompted Westland Helicopters to withdraw formally.

HEADLINE NEWS

Air Force Drops Plan for New A-16s, Will Modify F-16C/Ds for Close Air Support

WASHINGTON The Defense Dept, has decided to retrofit existing General Dynamics F-16 aircraft for the close air support mission rather than procure new-production A-16s, ending years of rancorous debate over a successor to the A-10. The Air Force abandoned its A-16 plan, which aimed at procuring new F-16s equipped for close air support/battlefield air interdiction, because of budget reductions and force structure cuts.

By JOHN D. MORROCCO

HEADLINE NEWS

Lockheed ATF Team Fires First Missile; Demonstrates Pitch Axis Thrust Vectoring

Los ANGELES ALockheed/Boeing/General Dynamics advanced tactical fighter prototype fired its first missile on Nov. 28, and is measuring the effectiveness of thrust vectoring in low-speed flight. An antispin parachute is to be installed on the No. 1 YF-22A aircraft this week so it can fly beyond the current 20-deg. electronically limited angle of attack (AOA).

HEADLINE NEWS

Hubble Contractor Penalties Weighed For Poor Quality Control, Mirror Tests

WASHINGTON Perkin-Elmer, the NASA contractor that built the flawed Hubble Space Telescope mirror, could be penalized more than $10 million by the U. S. government as a result of findings by a Hubble failure review board, which said the flaw occurred because of faulty test equipment and a serious lack of contractor oversight.

By CRAIG COVAULT

HEADLINE NEWS

Hubble Board Endorses Hughes X-Ray Work

WASHINGTON The quality control and fabrication processes involved at Hughes Danbury Optical Systems on mirrors for the Advanced X-ray Astrophysics Facility (AXAF) have been validated by the Hubble failure review board. The board found no problems at Hughes Danbury like those that plagued the Hubble program at the same Danbury, Conn., facility when it was operated by Perkin-Elmer Corp. a decade ago.

HEADLINE NEWS

Russian Republic Sponsors Satellite Launch As Progress Tanker Tests Reentry Capsule

WASHINGTON/MOSCOW In a move reflecting the changing Soviet political situation, the Soviet Union launched a Gorizont communications satellite Nov. 23 for the Russian Soviet Federated Republic, the largest republic in the USSR. The spacecraft will be operated under management by the republic, not the Soviet central government.

HEADLINE NEWS

Program Delays, Technical Questions Prompt Sweden to Put Off Gripen Buy

LONDON Sweden has postponed plans to order 110 JAS 39 Gripen fighter aircraft, probably until 1992, citing continuing technical uncertainties and lengthening delays in the already late program. The government’s decision prompted a warning from the JAS Industry Group, led by Saab-Scania, that an order was needed in 1991 to avoid a break in production and possible collapse of the program.

By CAROLE A. SHIFRIN

HEADLINE NEWS

Currie Calls for Industrial Policy To Bolster High-Technology Companies

LOS ANGELES The U. S. government must develop an industrial policy that will enable aerospace corporations to be more competitive with international companies as U. S. defense spending decreases, according to Malcolm R. Currie, chairman and chief executive officer of Hughes Aircraft Co.

By BRUCE A. SMITH

HEADLINE NEWS

New Delta 2 Version Orbits GPS Satellite

CAPE CANAVERAL The 10th Navstar/Global Positioning System satellite was launched successfully Nov. 26 by a new version of the McDonnell Douglas Delta 2 vehicle. The Rockwell International GPS satellites will continue to be launched here at the rate of about one every 60 days until the complete constellation of 21 operational spacecraft and three spares are in orbit.

November 261990

December 101990

December 3, 1990

December 3, 1990

Army Picks Lockheed Sanders Portable Pulse Doppler Radar for Infantry

Britain, Other Nations Drop Support for Agusta A129 Light-Attack Helicopter on Heels of CFE Pact