December 9, 1991

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HEADLINE NEWS

Survey on Defense Firm Commercial Efforts Shows Surprising Success Rate, Activity

BOSTON A survey of top ranking executives at 125 defense companies indicates the majority plan to study or pursue commercial markets during the next five years and that nearly half of the commercial ventures attempted since 1986 have been a success.

By DAVID HUGHES

HEADLINE NEWS

Texas Instruments Team To Develop Navy AIWS

DALLAS A team headed by Texas Instruments Defense Systems & Electronics Group is expected to sign a 61-month contract next March to develop the Navy’s Advanced Interdiction Weapon System. TI and its team partners—LTV, Kearfott and Aerojet—last week were selected to receive the contract for engineering and manufacturing development, although Congress has called for a multiservice approach to new weapons development in the future.

HEADLINE NEWS

Lockheed, LTV Developing New Early Warning Platform

WASHINGTON Lockheed and LTV are developing a concept that would be the base for the Navy’s next-generation carrier airborne early warning platform, using a version of Lockheed’s S-3 Viking. Lockheed would be prime and systems integrator, with LTV responsible for air vehicle design and carrier suitability for the E-2C replacement.

HEADLINE NEWS

Boeing Eyes Offering 767 As New AWACS Platform

SAN FRANCISCO Boeing plans to offer its 767 wide-body commercial transport as a platform for the AWACS, which had been fitted in the 707 airframe that is now out of production. The company is studying which model of the 767 to use and the degree of modification necessary to militarize the aircraft.

HEADLINE NEWS

Congress Approves Supplemental Funds To Help Soviets, Replace War Losses

WASHINGTON Congress has adopted a $6.9-billion supplemental funding bill that allows the U. S. to help the Soviets dismantle their nuclear weapons and replaces much of the equipment lost due to the Persian Gulf war. The measure permits Secretary of Defense Richard B. Cheney to transfer up to $400 million from Fiscal 1992 operation and maintenance (O&M) or working capital funds to cover the costs of assisting the Soviets “and/or emerging political structures on the territory of the former Soviet Union” in dismantling nuclear arms.

By DAVID A. FULGHUM

HEADLINE NEWS

Korea’s Chang Gong Enters Flight Testing

HONG KONG South Korea’s first indigenously designed and built aircraft, the Chang Gong ’91, should receive certification next year. The aircraft made its maiden flight on Nov. 22, remaining aloft for 1 hr. Two 30-min. flights were made Nov. 25 from Kimhae Airport, near Pusan.

HEADLINE NEWS

Premature Atlantis Landing Reduces Reconnaissance, Medical Test Results

WASHINGTON The precautionary early landing of the space shuttle Atlantis reduced the number of military reconnaissance tests performed by the Mission 44 astronauts and prevented a Strategic Defense Initiative satellite from observing shuttle rocket plumes.

By CRAIG COVAULT

HEADLINE NEWS

Chinese Studying TSTO-Based Space Transportation System

ORLANDO, FLA. China is studying a horizontal takeoff and landing, two-stage-to-orbit space transportation system that could be operational early in the next century. The country has been investigating the concept of a TSTO system for four years, after assembling propulsion and airframe teams based in Shenyang Province.

HEADLINE NEWS

U.S. Space Shuttle Missions in ’92 To Feature Multinational Payloads

WASHINGTON The nine U. S. space shuttle missions set for 1992 are to include extensive multinational payloads, including Canadian, Japanese, Italian and European Space Agency astronauts. The missions will be: ■ The Jan. 22 launch of the International Microgravity Laboratory Spacelab mission on Discovery.

HEADLINE NEWS

Potential Saturn Probe Launch Slip Sparks Concern Among ESA Managers

PARIS The European Space Agency is growing increasingly concerned over possible NASA launch delays for the Cassini/ Huygens mission, which could compromise the scientific value of the planetary flight to Saturn and its moon Titan. ESA managers have learned that NASA budgetary problems could force the planned 1995 Cassini/Huygens launch to slip to 1997.

By JEFFREY M. LENOROVITZ

December 21991

DECEMBER 16/231991

December 9, 1991

December 9, 1991