LOS ANGELES McDonnell Douglas Aerospace has won the U. S. Air Force's Medium Launch Vehicle 3 (MLV-3) competition, assuring Delta 2 production will continue well beyond the turn of the century if all options are exercised. The winning booster—the Delta 2 7925—is virtually the same launcher McDonnell Douglas has been providing to build up the planned 24-satellite constellation of the Navstar Global Positioning System (GPS).

WICHITA Cessna is counting on a low acquisition cost afforded by an ongoing production line and commonality with the commercial Citationjet as a strong positive factor in its offering for the U. S. Air Force/Navy Joint Primary Aircraft Training System competition.

WASHINGTON An unmanned, tilt-rotor aircraft based on helicopter technology will make its first flight within weeks as part of the U. S. Navy's search for a system to conduct surveillance and targeting from small ships operating close to the enemy.