Page 2 - Aerotech News and Review, April 20 2018

Briefs
Simulated chemical incident part of Jordan-US military drill
The United States and Jordan have launched a 12-day military exercise with scenarios ranging from border security to counter-terrorism and for the first time a simulated chemical incident.
The Eager Lion drill started April 15, a day after the U.S., France and Britain launched mis- siles at Syrian military targets in response to an alleged chemical weapons attack near Damascus a week ago.
Maj. Gen. Jon Mott, the director of Exercises and Training at the U.S. Central Command, told reporters that a mobile laboratory team will re- spond to a simulated chemical incident.
He said that it’s a “threat all too real, as we’ve seen recently in Syria.”
More than 7,000 troops, including 3,500 U.S. service members, are participating in the annual drill, the U.S. military’s largest and most complex in the region. AP
Pakistan test fires upgraded ballistic cruise missile
Pakistan has conducted a successful test of an enhanced range version of the locally developed Babur cruise missile.
A military statement April 14 says the Babur Weapon System-1 (B) incorporates advanced aerodynamics and avionics that can strike tar- gets both at land and sea with high accuracy, at a range of 700 kilometers.
It says Babur is a low flying, terrain hugging missile which also has certain stealth features and is capable of carrying various types of war- heads. AP
Spirit admits delay in Boeing fuselage deliveries
Spirit AeroSystems says the Kansas-based company was late for the first time in nearly four years delivering major parts of Boeing’s best-selling airplane.
Spirit officials cited a number of factors lead- ing to last month’s late deliveries of 737 fuse- lages to Boeing, the Wichita Eagle reported.
“It’s a whole host of things,” said Tom Gen- tile, chief executive of Spirit. “I wouldn’t just point to one thing.”
Gentile said reasons for the missed deliveries include supply chain issues, rising monthly pro- duction rates and extra quality checks on parts and structures Spirit sends to Boeing.
“But the fact is we missed a load,” he said. “We don’t miss loads very often, and so we are really redoubling our efforts, working with Boe- ing very closely so we don’t miss any loads and we get caught back up to their schedule.”
Delays in getting 737 fuselages to the Boeing assembly plant in Washington state could make the aerospace company late delivering planes to
airline customers. Such delays could also mean financial penalties for Boeing.
Gentile declined to say whether Spirit will see any financial penalties for the delay.
In this instance, Boeing has “been able to mitigate things in our factory, and our customer deliveries remain on track,” said Doug Alder Jr., a company spokesman.
“We are confident in Spirit’s ability to meet our needs as we increase the 737 production rate later this year,” Alder said in an email. ``This is part of our disciplined approach to planning production increases.’’
Gentile said the goal for Spirit is not miss another 737 fuselage delivery again.
“The first quarter was a bit rocky, but we’ve put a lot of resources to catch up,” he said. “And after the missed load, we put more resources in place so we don’t do it again.” AP
Air Force One spotted in south Georgia during test flights
A military spokeswoman confirms south Georgia residents weren’t telling fibs or hallu- cinating: that was Air Force One they saw flying overhead.
A Moody Air Force Base, Ga., spokeswoman, 1st Lt. Kaitlin Toner, says one of the two planes the Air Force uses to transport President Donald Trump was flying near the base April 12 as part of an “operational testing regimen.”
The plane wasn’t carrying Trump or any other passengers. Toner says pilots were conducting tests that require them to perform takeoffs, ap- proaches and landings under different condi- tions.
The Valdosta Daily Times reports residents near the base posted on social media that they saw the presidential plane.
Though the two VC-25A jets are commonly known as Air Force One, the call sign is used only when the president is on board. AP
Germany closing in on deal to buy 1st weapons-capable drone
Germany is close to finalizing a deal that will see the country buy its first weapons-capable drone aircraft — an Israeli designed model — from European aerospace giant Airbus.
The deal, worth nearly 900 million euros in- cluding training and maintenance costs, has been politically contentious because of fears that hav- ing combat drones might make Germany more likely to participate in military action abroad.
In a written response to questions from oppo- sition Left party lawmaker Andre Hunko, Ger- many’s defense ministry says it aims to sign an agreement by the end of May.
The government response, obtained by The Associated Press late April 13, adds the agree-
ment foresees the deployment of the German Heron TP drones by mid-2020.
The initial deal doesn’t cover the purchase of weapons systems or training in their use. AP
Air Force looking to expand airspace in New Mexico
U.S. Air Force officials continue trying to ease concerns over the proposed expansion of military training airspace in southeastern New Mexico.
Local business and government leaders fear that the expansion could affect the residents’ lives and the local economy, the Roswell Daily Record reported .
Holloman Airspace Manager Juan Lavarreda Perez and Ed Chupein, Air Force deputy chief of operational training systems and infrastructure, held meetings on April 11 and 12 in Carlsbad, Artesia and Roswell after nudges from U.S. Sena- tors Tom Udall and Martin Heinrich to clear up some concerns and answer questions.
The Air Force is looking to expand the airspace to meet modern aircraft and flight training needs, something that is necessary as the Holloman Air Force Base is facing a shortage of F-16 fighter pilots, Chupein said.
Officials are looking at airspace around Ro- swell, Artesia and Carlsbad known as the Talon Military Operating Area as one option for the expansion.
They are also considering the area west of White Sands Missile Range as another possible choice.
The ideas presented are preliminary and will be revised, Chupein said.
Roswell International Airport Director Scott Stark predicts that expanding Talon could have an impact on U.S. Navy pilot training missions that have been held in Roswell in the past and have brought in millions of dollars in revenue to the local economy. He also anticipates that expansion would force American Airlines flights to and from Dallas to alter their routes.
Others were concerned on the impact the pro- posed expansion could have on emergency heli- copters to and from area hospitals and how the noise would affect bats in Carlsbad Caverns and on the Lesser Prairie Chicken.
Chupein assured the audience that the Air Force has reached out to the U.S Navy over use of the Roswell airspace for training and has the Navy’s input, which will be considered as part of the plan.
He also invited folks to continue sending their comments via mail or email for about two more months before a federal contractor develops the draft environmental impact statement. AP
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F-35, from 1
phased capability improvements and modernization of the F-35 air system. This effort is part of the Joint Program Office’s Continuous Capability Development and Delivery framework, which will pro- vide timely, affordable incremental war fighting capability improve- ments to maintain joint air dominance against evolving threats to the United States and its allies.
With stealth technology, advanced sensors, weapons capacity and range, the F-35 is the most lethal, survivable and connected fighter aircraft ever built. More than a fighter jet, the F-35’s abil- ity to collect, analyze and share data is a powerful force multiplier that enhances all airborne, surface and ground-based assets in the battlespace and enables men and women in uniform to execute their mission and return home safe.
An F-35 from Edwards Air Force Base, Calif., flies over the California coastline.
Lockheed Martin photograph by Chad Bellay
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