August 7, 1995

August 7, 1995

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HEADLINE NEWS

CHECHNYA CRIPPLES RUSSIAN AVIATION

By DAVID A.,NICOLAY N.

HEADLINE NEWS

RUSSIAN AIR FORCE FACES UNSTABLE FUTURE

HEADLINE NEWS

JAPAN'S DEFENSE BUDGET EXPECTED TO SLIDE LOWER

By MICHAEL MECHAM/HONG,EIICHIRO

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2021
HEADLINE NEWS

CHECHNYA CRIPPLES RUSSIAN AVIATION

FULGHUM/WASHINGTON and NOVITCHKOV/MOSCOW_ Fighting the rebels used up spares, fuel, flying hours and funding earmarked for rebuilding readiness of army and air force combat aviation units Russian defense officials believe that if urgent measures are not taken to correct known weaknesses, the Russian army's helicopter fleet will be rendered completely combat-ineffective by 2005, and the tactical fighter force will not be far behind.

By DAVID A.,NICOLAY N.

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HEADLINE NEWS

RUSSIAN AIR FORCE FACES UNSTABLE FUTURE

The problems spotlighted by the troubled performance of the Russian Federation alities aircrew Air effectiveness—starkly nya—in revitalize Force such faced proficiency an (RFAF) key institution by its during areas and leadership dramatized still the as overall reeling war sustainability, seeking in combat from Chechthe the reto collapse of the Soviet empire.
2223
HEADLINE NEWS

JAPAN'S DEFENSE BUDGET EXPECTED TO SLIDE LOWER

KONG and SEKIGAWA/TOKYOJapan's coalition government is starting negotiations for the fiscal 1996 Japanese Defense Agency budget that is likely to continue a six-year slide in defense spending, particularly for procurement. The Liberal Democrats, Japan's traditional ruling party that lost its position two years ago, have proposed a nominal 4.1 % increase in 1996 defense spending in support of the JDA's full request.

By MICHAEL MECHAM/HONG,EIICHIRO

2425
HEADLINE NEWS

DEFENSE PANEL SOUNDS ALARM ON MORE CUTS

SHIFRIN/LONDON_ A key parliamentary committee warned last week that further reductions in Britain's defense spending would be a "grave mistake." Defense spending in the U.K. will total 122.3 1997-98, billion down pounds 0.4% ($35.7 from 1996-97 billion) levin els and down nearly 1 0% from 1 991 -92. The continuing cuts will bring down defense spending as a percentage of Britain's gross national product to 2.8% in 1997-98 from 4.2% at the beginning of the decade.

By CAROLE A. SHIFRIN

2425
HEADLINE NEWS

NASA SEEKS FIX FOR SRB NOZZLE LEAKS

SPACE CENTER Engineers and managers will decide this week how to inspect and repair the joint in space shuttle booster nozzles whose leaks of searing exhaust gas forced NASA manaqers to around the next planned shuttle flight. NASA managers grounded the vehicle that was to boost Endeavour to orbit Aug. 5 on shuttle Mission 69 after deciding that too much was unknown about the potential for leaks in the nozzles of the vehicle's twin solid-rocket boosters (SRBs). On the last two shuttle flights, hot exhaust gas burned paths through flaws in the insulation called room-temperature vulcanizer, or RTV, and singed the primary O-ring seal in the nozzle's No. 3 joint.

By JAMES T. McKENNA/KENNEDY

2627
HEADLINE NEWS

SHUTTLE CONTRACTORS TO JOIN FORCES

WASHINGTON The two biggest space shuttle contractors—Rockwell and Lockheed Martin—are joining forces in hopes of becoming the single prime contractor operating the fleet. Together, the aerospace giants already account for nearly two-thirds of the $3.5 billion NASA spends each year on the spacecraft. Last week, the companies said they will form a joint venture called United Space Alliance in a bid to get most of the rest.

By JAMES R.

2627
HEADLINE NEWS

NASA TESTS REAL-TIME DATA DELIVERY VIA TDRS

SEATTLE The first NASA Starlink flight has been successfully performed, bouncing aircraft-based remote sensing data off a satellite for real-time, high-rate delivery to an earth station. The full-duplex Satellite Telemetry and Return Link (Starlink) system will allow NASA ground stations and remote nodes to monitor and process data from multiple, aircraft-based, high-altitude experiments in real time.

By PAUL

2829
HEADLINE NEWS

FIRST ARIANE 5 FLIGHT SET FOR JANUARY

FRANCE First launch of the new Ariane 5 heavy launcher is now scheduled for January, 1996, a milestone supporting Europe's goal to sustain its major share in the commercial space market. Critical propulsion tests have been completed, and last week Société Européenne de Propulsion (SEP) delivered the first flightqualified Vulcain Ml4 cryogenic engine for Ariane 5's first-stage core vehicle to the French space agency (CNES).

By PIERRE SPARACO/VERNON,

3031
HEADLINE NEWS

SPACE TELESCOPE SPIES NEW SATURN MOONS

ASKER/WASHINGTON Astronomers using the Hubble Space Telescope took advantage of a rare tilting of Saturn's rings edge-on toward Earth to spot as many as four new moons orbiting the big planet. They are convinced there are at least two new moons.

By JAMES R.

4647
COVER STORY

U.S. COAST GUARD CHANGES COURSE

WASHINGTON To meet demands of expanding missions, the service is downsizing its fixed-wing assets and emphasizing helicopters, such as the versatile Sikorsky HH-60J The U.S. Coast Guard is shifting its aviation assets to best accommodate its growing mission in law enforcement while living with a declining budget.

By DAVID M.

July 311995 August 141995