May 28, 2001

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WORLD NEWS & ANALYSIS

NASA Tacks Away From X-33 In Space Launch Initiative

MARSHALL SPACE FLIGHT CENTER, ALA. NASA is reversing its strategy for developing a new reusable launch vehicle under the $4.8-billion Space Launch Initiative, letting technology drive the final shape of a new vehicle instead of driving the technology with the X-33 concept it dropped earlier this year.

By FRANK MORRING

WORLD NEWS & ANALYSIS

Rocket Shakeout Looms As Overcapacity Grows

PARIS Global commercial launch companies face a deepening financial crisis, the collapse of weaker projects and growing pressure for more consolidation, as the market for heavy commercial payloads continues to stagnate. Projections show a sustained market for the launch of at least 30 commercial geosynchronous satellite missions per year.

By CRAIG COVAULT

COVER STORY

RAAF Eyes Stealth In Next Fighter Choice

CANBERRA, ADELAIDE and MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA Royal Australian Air Force is in the early stages of defining plans for what will become the service's largest procurement program. The requirement, known as Air6000, is to replace the country's aging F/A-18s and eventually, the long-range interdiction F-111s.

By ROBERT WALL

COVER STORY

Tanker Gap Highlights Transition Risks

CANBERRA and RAAF BASE RICHMOND, AUSTRALIA Unsupportable—that's what senior Royal Australian Air Force officials have concluded regarding their small Boeing 707 tanker fleet. Service planners are trying to assess how best to bridge the operational gap between the retirement of the 707s, which has already begun, and a new refueler coming into service around 2006.

By ROBERT WALL

COVER STORY

DSTO Eyes Lead Role In Niche R&D Areas

CANBERRA, ADELAIDE and MELBOURNE Operating with limited funding, Australia's military research organization has opted to concentrate on a few areas of expertise, rather than pursuing projects across a broad technology spectrum.

By ROBERT WALL

WORLD NEWS & ANALYSIS

Navy UHF Satellites Gain Qualified Nod

WASHINGTON Having received the Pentagon's blessing, the U.S. Navy is preparing to start developing its next major satellite constellation, a $3-4-billion program to field a new generation of UHF military communications systems. The move comes despite inter-service haggling over the program structure, which could cause a bumpy start while differences over schedule and financing are resolved.

By ROBERT WALL

WORLD NEWS & ANALYSIS

F100, F119 Meet Ground Test Challenge

NEW YORK Pratt & Whitney F100 and F119 engines have completed a set of aggressive operability and durability tests that fully demonstrate the robustness of the powerplants and their ability to meet their operational requirements, company officials say.

By STANLEY W. KANDEBO

WORLD NEWS & ANALYSIS

Congress, Industry in Sync On Next Acquisition Reforms

WASHINGTON Congress is weighing further defense acquisition reform and industry is enthusiastic, saying the paramount need is higher federal investment in the education and training of the government's acquisition workforce. With plenty of procurement reform under its belt, the legislature is turning its attention to the streamlining of services acquisition, the purchase of information management, software development and systems integration from private contractors.

By PAUL MANN

May 212001

June 42001

May 28, 2001

May 28, 2001