October 1, 2001

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WORLD NEWS & ANALYSIS

Taurus Launch Failure Sends Orbimage Into Restructuring

WASHINGTON Orbital Imaging Corp. will structure its debt under Chapter 11 of the bankruptcy code after losing its Orbview 4 satellite in the failure of a Taurus rocket built by its parent company, Orbital Sciences. The failure also cost NASA an ozone mapper that would have ensured continuous monitoring of polar ozone holes, while Celestis Inc.

By FRANK MORRING

WORLD NEWS & ANALYSIS

F-22 Raptor Scores First Air-to-Air ‘Kill’ During Test

EDWARDS AFB, CALIF The F-22 Combined Test Force met another key milestone last month when Raptor 4005 fired a guided AIM-120 Amraam, scoring a “hit” on a subscale aerial target. The Sept. 21 test mission marked the first time a “full-up-avionics” Raptor had launched a radar-guided missile to evaluate the aircraft’s ability to detect, track and destroy an airborne target, according to USAF officials here.

By WILLIAM B. SCOTT

WAR ON TERROR

Eradicating Terrorism May Take A Generation

WASHINGTON National security experts say terrorism is a distinct facet of globalization that will take decades to grind down, a phenomenon whose nature is apt to make everyday life, homeland defense and strategic security increasingly synonymous.

By PAUL MANN

AVIATION ON THE ROPES

Condition Still Critical Even With Federal Aid

Airline load factors average less than 50%. Normal traffic levels may not return until late 2002 or early 2003

By BRUCE A. SMITH,EDWARD H. PHILLIPS,FRANCES FIORINO

WAR ON TERROR

Conflict Could Test Special Ops Improvements

WASHINGTON The Pentagon’s widely expected use of special operations forces in response to the Sept. 11 terror attacks will hold up to scrutiny a 15-year U.S. effort to improve those highly specialized warfighting capabilities. Antiterrorism misssions have long been one of the primary activities for special operations units.

By ROBERT WALL

WAR ON TERROR

Afghanistan Crash Reveals U.S. Intel Operation

WASHINGTON Don't expect massive bombing attacks on Afghanistan, say U.S. officials. Much of the movement to the region is a show of force. The current plan is for a few air strikes by small packages of aircraft, given the low state of Afghan air defenses.

By DAVID A. FULGHUM

ELECTRONIC WARFARE

Northrop Grumman’s EW Role Greatly Expanded by Litton Buy

WASHINGTON Northrop Grumman’s recent acquisition of Litton Industries has given its Defensive Systems division (headquartered in Rolling Meadows, 111.) the broadest spectrum of electronic warfare capabilities of any U.S. supplier by adding radar warning receivers and electronic support measures (ESM) systems to its line of radar and infrared guided missile jammers.

By PHILIP J. KLASS

ELECTRONIC WARFARE

European EW Innovations Could Spur Export Sales

STOCKHOLM GOTHENBURG ROME Advances in electronic warfare are coming in small steps, yielding affordable improvements—a happy coincidence given the current low levels of military funding around the world. Imaginative uses of new technology are offering aircraft significantly better protection against radio frequency and infrared threats.

By BRUCE D. NORDWALL

September 242001

October 82001

October 1, 2001

October 1, 2001