January 20, 1997

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HEADLINE NEWS

Europe’s Military Balance at Stake in Vienna Talks

WASHINGTON and CAMBRIDGE, MASS. The conventional military balance in 21st century Europe will be the focus of talks that start this week in Vienna, as the transatlantic powers seek to adapt arms control to the continent’s post-Cold War metamorphosis.

By PAUL MANNI10 min

HEADLINE NEWS

Airbus to Propel European Consolidation

PARIS Airbus Industrie’s single corporate entity, scheduled to be implemented in 1999, is expected by European officials to play a major role in a wide-ranging effort to further streamline their aerospace industry. Airbus’ proposed all-new organization is expected to become the cornerstone of far-reaching consolidation initiatives that could take shape in the next few years.

By PIERRE SPARACO5 min

HEADLINE NEWS

Northrop Grumman Steadfast After Loss

NEW YORK Raytheon’s successful bid for Hughes Electronics’ defense operations leaves Northrop Grumman unshaken in its resolve to remain a top-tier military contractor. General Motors’ board of directors last Thursday approved the sale of the Hughes business to Raytheon, as expected, for $9.5 billion.

By ANTHONY L. VELOCCI4 min

HEADLINE NEWS

New GPS to Broaden Navigation Accuracy

YCAPE CANAVERA The first of a new generation of U.S. Air Force/Lockheed Martin Global Positioning System spacecraft with greater redundancy and new cross-link capability to improve accuracy is to undergo orbital checkout as early as this week, pending successful launch on a Delta 2 booster here.

By CRAIG COVAULT4 min

HEADLINE NEWS

Aerospatiale to Explore Lockheed Martin Link

PARIS LONDON Aerospatiale and Lockheed Martin top officials are scheduled to explore common interests in several military-commercial market segments that could pave the way for business links or joint ventures. “The scope of shared mutual interests is wide.

By PIERRE SPARACO,JOHN D. MORROCCO3 min

HEADLINE NEWS

Boeing Shifts Top Managers in Preparation for Merger

Seattle Boeing shuffled top executives last week in preparation for the upcoming $14-billion merger with McDonnell Douglas. The changes move Jerry King, president of Boeing Space & Defense Group, to head the merger transition team. Alan Mulally, former head of the 777 program, will take over Kings job.

AERONAUTICAL ENGINEERING

India Launches Stealth Combat Aircraft Program

BANGALORE, INDIA, WASHINGTON India has inidated a $2.3-billion program for a stealthy combat aircraft to replace the Indian air force’s aging Jaguars and Mirage 2000s within the first decade of the next century. The Medium Combat Aircraft (MCA) would be a twin-engined, deep-penetration strike aircraft with air defense capabilities, according to officials of India’s Defense Research and Development Organization (DRDO), who announced the program at the Aero India ’96 Exposition and Air Show last month.

By PUSHPINDAR SINGH,PAUL MANN6 min

January 131997

January 271997

January 20, 1997

January 20, 1997