Page 2 - Aerotech News and Review, Feb. 17 2017

Briefs
Pentagon looking to rent space at Trump Tower
The United States military is looking to rent space at Trump Tower for use when President Donald Trump returns to his longtime home in New York City.
A Pentagon spokesman said Feb. 8 that the Department of Defense was looking for the space “in order to meet official mission requirements.”
“The Department of Defense is working through appropriate channels and in accordance with all applicable legal requirements in order to acquire a limited amount of leased space in Trump Tower,” said Army Lt. Col. J.B. Brindle. “The space is necessary for the personnel and equipment who will support the POTUS at his residence in the building.”
It was not clear how much it would cost the Pentagon to rent space in the 58-story Midtown Manhattan tower, which is owned by the Trump Organization. Entire floors, which run between 13,000-15,000 square feet, cost about $1.5 mil- lion a year, according to the building’s website.
Trump has lived in the three-story penthouse for three decades. He has not yet returned to New York since taking office, though his wife Mela- nia and their young son Barron have continued to reside there.
His business is also based in the skyscraper.
It is customary for the military to obtain space near a president’s residence.
Military officers, including those assigned to keep the “nuclear football,” must stay near the commander in chief. The military also rented space near former President Barack Obama’s home in Chicago.
The Secret Service also must have space nearby — and, when needed, have rented from the person they are assigned to protect. The agency rented space on former Vice President Joe Biden’s home in Delaware, though that cost far less than what would be expected for space in Trump Tower. The Secret Service did not im- mediately respond to a request for comment. AP
Russia deploys air defense missiles for massive drills
The Russian military has deployed its air de- fense missiles around Moscow as part of massive drills, to practice response to an air attack.
The Defense Ministry said S-300 and S-400 air defense missile systems were involved in the drills Feb. 8.
Deputy Defense Minister Alexander Fomin told foreign military attaches that the maneuvers launched Tuesday involve 45,000 troops, about 150 aircraft and 200 air defense missile systems.
Fomin said that that air defense missiles were also airlifted to the southern shooting range of Ashuluk for target practice.
The maneuvers are the latest in a steady series of war games intended to strengthen the Rus- sian military’s readiness. Despite the nation’s economic downturn, the Kremlin has continued to spend big on military training and weapons modernization amid tensions with the West over the Ukrainian crisis. AP
Turkey coordinating troop movements in Syria with Russia
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s spokesman says Turkey is in talks with Russia to coordinate troop movements around northern Syria to avoid any encounter with the Syrian military.
Syrian government forces and Turkish-backed opposition fighters are in a race to seize the town of al-Bab from the Islamic State group.
Turkish and Syrian forces have so far avoided direct conflict, despite hostile rhetoric between Erdogan and Syrian President Bashar Assad. The twin offensives put the two forces within 3 kilometers (2 miles) of one another, on opposite sides of al-Bab.
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Erdogan’s spokesman, Ibrahim Kalin, spoke to Turkey’s private NTV television in an inter- view aired Feb. 8.
The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Hu- man Rights meanwhile reported fighting between Turkish forces and IS militants on the outskirts of al-Bab. AP
Army to allow completion of Dakota Ac- cess oil pipeline
The Army has notified Congress that it will allow the $3.8 billion Dakota Access pipeline to cross under a Missouri River reservoir in North Dakota, completing the four-state project to move North Dakota oil to Illinois.
The Justice Department filed court documents Feb. 7 including letters to members of Congress from Deputy Assistant Army Secretary Paul Cramer. The Army intends to allow the cross- ing under Lake Oahe as early as Feb. 8.
The crossing is the final big chunk of work on the pipeline.
The Standing Rock Sioux tribe worries a pipe- line leak could pollute drinking water. It’s prom- ised to continue legal challenges.
Dallas-based pipeline developer Energy Transfer Partners says the pipeline is safe. AP
Putin scrambles Russian air forces to check readiness
President Vladimir Putin has put the Russian air force on high alert, the latest in a series of drills amid tensions with the West.
Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said that the drills launched Feb. 7 will check the air force’s readiness and its ability to repel an enemy ag- gression.
Shoigu told military officials that special em- phasis will be given to practicing the deployment of air defense systems.
The maneuvers are the latest in a steady series of war games intended to strengthen the troops’ readiness. Despite Russia’s economic downturn, the Kremlin has continued to spend big on mili- tary training and weapons modernization amid tensions with the West over the Ukrainian crisis. AP
Taiwan seeks to revive aerospace for- tunes with jet trainers
Taiwan is seeking to revive its long-dormant aerospace industry with a $2.1 billion invest- ment in the production of supersonic air force jet trainers.
President Tsai Ing-wen presided over a cer- emony Feb. 7 to inaugurate the project, which she hopes will aid Taiwan’s security and stem the flow of engineering talent overseas.
Taiwan has largely abandoned the industry since it developed an Indigenous Defense Fighter in the 1980s following difficulty obtaining such hardware abroad as a result of pressure from ri- val China.
Although Taiwan has since bought fighter jets from the U.S. and France, Tsai said failure to develop the domestic industry would be a “ma- jor disaster” for the island democracy’s security. She said the project would also help upgrade the island’s mechanical, materials, communication technology and other industries. AP
China’s first large homemade passen- ger jet to fly in 2017
After years of delays, China’s first large homemade passenger jetliner will take to the air for its maiden flight in the first half of this year, state media reported Feb. 6.
State-owned aircraft maker Commercial Air- craft Corp. of China Ltd., or Comac, based in Shanghai, has nearly completed work on the 175-passenger C919, the ruling Communist Party newspaper People’s Daily reported.
The C919 was originally due to fly in 2015, but has been beset by delays blamed on manu-
facturing problems. It is now scheduled to enter service in 2019, aimed at competing with the Air- bus A320 and Boeing 737, along with the Russian Irkut MC-21.
Airbus and Boeing say the market for new air- craft will be worth more than $5 trillion over the next 20 years. Industry experts say China faces a tough slog capturing a significant share of that market, even with government support. Comac has 517 orders for the C919.
Company officials couldn’t immediately be reached.
The C919 is part of China’s efforts to develop a homegrown aviation industry in one of the world’s biggest and fastest-growing air travel markets. China currently relies heavily on foreign- made aircraft.
Last June, the ARJ21-700, China’s first home- made regional jet, made its debut flight carrying 70 passengers. The jet is one of a series of initia- tives launched by the party to transform China from the world’s low-cost factory into a creator of profitable technology in aviation, clean energy and other fields.
The ARJ21, also made by Comac, is a rival to aircraft made by Bombardier Inc. of Canada and Brazil’s Embraer SA. AP
Former Navy base now has more than 1,200 employees
The agency that’s redeveloping the former Brunswick Naval Air Station in Maine says it has surpassed its five-year goal with more than double the number of projected jobs.
Steve Levesque of the Midcoast Regional Redevelopment Authority says more than 100 entities doing business at Brunswick Landing currently have more than 1,200 employees.
That’s an increase of 400 jobs from a year earlier.
Levesque said nearly 20 new businesses were added in 2016, including e-commerce giant Wayfair, which plans to hire 500 workers for a business-to-business facility in the former Navy Exchange. The former base also will soon be home to a brewery, Flight Line Brewing. AP
Trump’s nominee for Army secretary withdraws his name
President Donald Trump’s nominee for Army secretary, businessman Vincent Viola, has with- drawn his name from consideration for the post.
Defense Secretary Jim Mattis was disap- pointed but understood and respected Viola’s decision, a Pentagon statement said. Mattis will recommend to Trump another candidate soon, the statement said.
A Trump administration official confirmed Feb. 3 that Viola had withdrawn. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because the of- ficial wasn’t authorized to speak publicly.
The Military Times reported that Viola said in a statement he was “deeply honored” to be nominat- ed but cited his inability to successfully navigate the confirmation process and Defense Department rules concerning family businesses.
Viola was the founder of several businesses, including the electronic trading firm Virtu Finan- cial. He also owns the National Hockey League’s Florida Panthers and is a past chairman of the New York Mercantile Exchange.
A 1977 West Point graduate, Viola trained as an Airborne Ranger infantry officer and served in the 101st Airborne Division. In 2003, he founded and helped fund the Combating Terrorism Center at West Point. AP
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