February 22, 1999

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HEADLINE NEWS

Mammoth Half-blimp Seen as Future Airlifter

WASHINGTON Lockheed Martin is developing a hybrid airship with a gigantic payload and the cruise speed of a light aircraft, partly with an eye to ongoing Pentagon reviews of future airlift and mobility needs and partly to find new commercial cargo niches.

By DAVID A. FULGHUM,ROBERT WALL6 min

HEADLINE NEWS

Will New Elusive Craft Rise From Darkstar?

WASHINGTON DarkStar, the Pentagon’s stealthy, unmanned reconnaissance aircraft, was abruptly canceled last month, but U.S. officials are still avoiding a direct answer to the question of whether there is an effort underway to replace it with another long-range, radar-evading vehicle.

By DAVID A. FULGHUM5 min

HEADLINE NEWS

Germany to Play Key Role in Gnss-2

BONN Germany will seek to lead development of Europe’s first global satellite navigation system and will urge the European Space Agency to make a major commitment to the public-private partnerships that Bonn sees as essential for getting the project off the ground.

By MICHAEL A. TAVERNA5 min

HEADLINE NEWS

Atlas, Proton Kick Off Busy 1999 Schedules

WASHINGTON CAPE CANAVERAL International Launch Services (ILS) successfully posted its first two launches of 1999 last week, orbiting two commercial geosynchronous telecommunications spacecraft hours apart on Proton and Atlas boosters.

By JOSEPH C. ANSELMO,CRAIG COVAULT3 min

HEADLINE NEWS

AFSOC Prefers EC-767 to EC-130J

WASHINGTON U.S. Air Force Special Operations Command planners want to replace AFSOC’s aging EC-130E Commando Solo II radio and television broadcast aircraft with larger Boeing 767-300s, rather than with Lockheed Martin C-130Js that are now being bought.

By ROBERT WALL3 min

HEADLINE NEWS

Greece Opts for Eurofighter Typhoon

LONDON Greece has become the first export prospect to declare its intent to purchase the Eurofighter Typhoon, signaling a desire to acquire 60-80 of the fighters and participate in production. Defense Minister Akis Tsohatzopoulos indicated Greece would like to start accepting delivery of the fighters in 2005.

By JOHN D. MORROCCO3 min

HEADLINE NEWS

Aerospatiale-matra Merger Removes Restructuring Hurdle

PARIS Following lengthy negotiations on conflicting company valuations, the French government, Aerospatiale and Lagardere have agreed on final terms of the Aerospatiale-Matra Hautes Technologies (MHT) merger. The unified industrial group, dubbed Aerospatiale-Matra, will have 56,500 employees and an estimated $14 billion in annual revenues, including nearly 80% in the export market.

By PIERRE SPARACO3 min

HEADLINE NEWS

USAF Awards $10-Billion Depot Contract

Washington A team of the Oklahoma City Air Logistics Center and Lockheed Martin has won the U.S. Air Force’s largest repair and overhaul competition and the final of three major competitions resulting from the 1995 base closings of Kelly AFB, Tex., and McClellan AFB, Calif.

By Robert Wall2 min

HEADLINE NEWS

Seeking Jobs, Japanese Officials Lowered Contractors’ Repayments

Tokyo Double-crossing bureaucrats sought to help Japanese defense companies caught up in a billing and bribery scandal by lowering the amount of money they are to reimburse the government in exchange for future jobs. The complicated story emerged from records of Tokyo District Court in the case of Toyo Communication Equipment Co., which is accused of inflating bills to the Japanese Defense Agency (JDA) between 1989 and 1993.

February 151999

March 11999

February 22, 1999

February 22, 1999

Satellite Builders Fear Export Nightmare

By JOSEPH C. ANSELMO7 min