WASHINGTON Aerospace officials from across the country say Lockheed Martin’s headhunters and corporate directors are looking hard outside the company for a new chief operating officer, and the list of those contacted is growing. Those considered are being told the new COO would be in the job only about six months after which the new hire would be expected to take over Lockheed Martin’s top spot from current Chief Executive Officer Vance Coffman.

WASHINGTON Craig McCaw's proposed $1.2-billion rescue of ICO Global Communications is part of a grand strategy by the cell phone magnate to create a satellite empire that would sell a wide variety of telecommunications services via multiple platforms.

WASHINGTON Dismayed over a decision by Germany’s DaimlerChrysler Aerospace to stop buying U.S.-made components, Deputy Defense Secretary John Hamre said delays in export licensing are disrupting America’s alliances. “We have made it very hard for alliance operability when it’s so hard for U.S. companies to export their components and put them into systems overseas,” Hamre said in an address to a group of defense and industry officials in Washington last week.

WASHINGTON Lockheed Martin expects its short takeoff and vertical landing version of the Joint Strike Fighter to have two unique advantages in the competition for a next-generation, ground-attack aircraft— an extra 100-mi. radius in range, and a huge potential supply of electrical power to run sensor payloads or a laser weapon.

WASHINGTON Boeing has made a new set of changes to its Joint Strike Fighter candidate, by modifying the shape of its wing and adding inlets next to the cockpit. The wing changes, which Boeing was hoping to avoid, are supposed to provide its JSF design with greater maneuverability.