June 5, 2000

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WORLD NEWS & ANALYSIS

Federal Flight Rules Eyed For Unmanned Aircraft

WASHINGTON Anticipating an explosion in the number of unmanned aircraft operated by the U.S. military, senior Pentagon and FAA officials have ordered a Defense Dept. study of how these vehicles should be integrated into national airspace (NAS) where airliners packed with people also operate.

By DAVID A. FULGHUM6 min

WORLD NEWS & ANALYSIS

Pentagon Broadens Foreign Options for JSF

WASHINGTON Joint Strike Fighter managers are offering countries a means of getting involved in the program even if, for export control or financial reasons, they couldn’t become full-fledged partners in the development of the multirole fighter.

By ROBERT WALL5 min

WORLD NEWS & ANALYSIS

Delta IV's First Launch Date To Be Reassessed Next Month

LOS ANGELES Boeing Rocketdyne is working toward a December certification of the Delta IV booster’s RS-68 engine after resolving technical problems that have slowed development of the cryogenic propulsion system by about nine months.

By BRUCE A. SMITH5 min

WORLD NEWS & ANALYSIS

Unmanned Systems Boosted in Senate Bill

WASHINGTON The Senate is advancing an initiative to make greater use of unmanned combat systems, to meet both pressing operational demands and long-range military needs. Under language attached by a Senate committee to a pending military budget bill, an array of unmanned systems in various stages of design or development would get a boost in Fiscal 2001.

By PAUL MANN4 min

WORLD NEWS & ANALYSIS

Deorbiting Compton Sparks Charges of Scientific Data Loss

WASHINGTON NASA’S controversial decision to deorbit the Compton GammaRay Observatory has raised questions about how great the scientific missed opportunities will be in the coming years. Last week, the agency began to lower the massive spacecraft’s orbital altitude, with a planned reentry June 4.

By ROBERT WALL4 min

WORLD NEWS & ANALYSIS

BA609 Design Frozen; First Flight in 2001

ALLIANCE AIRPORT, FORT WORTH Bell/Agusta Aerospace Co. is completing final design details for the BA609 civil tiltrotor and plans first flight for next year, followed by a test program leading to FAA certification in 2003. Jim Rogers, managing director of Bell/Agusta Aerospace, said the company has received 80 orders for the twin-engine 609 from customers in 18 countries.

By EDWARD H. PHILLIPS4 min

WORLD NEWS & ANALYSIS

CASA Foresees Brisk Airlifter Sales

MADRID TOULOUSE, FRANCE Spain’s Construcciones Aeronauticas is poised to become the “center of excellence” for the European Aeronautic Defense and Space Co. in the military transport market, including the proposed A400M. EADS’ Spanish unit is producing small/medium airlifters such as the newly certified C-295 and will oversee final assembly of the European A400M.

By PIERRE SPARACO4 min

WORLD NEWS & ANALYSIS

Air France Plans A3XX Order

PARIS Air France on June 22 will unveil the long-term targets and trade brand of a global alliance it is jointly establishing with Delta Air Lines, Aeromexico and Korean Air. Ongoing talks with potential partners are expected to broaden the emerging group’s scope.

By PIERRE SPARACO3 min

May 292000

June 122000

June 5, 2000

June 5, 2000