Page 2 - Aerotech News and Review, Oct. 20 2017

Briefs
Boeing to acquire Aurora Flight Sci- ences
Boeing plans to acquire Aurora Flight Sciences Corporation, a world-class innovator, developer and manufacturer of advanced aerospace plat- forms, under an agreement signed by the com- panies.
Aurora specializes in autonomous systems technologies to enable advanced robotic aircraft for future aerospace applications and vehicles.
“The combined strength and innovation of our teams will advance the development of autonomy for our commercial and military systems,” said Greg Hyslop, chief technology officer and senior vice president of Boeing Engineering, Test & Technology. “Together, these talented teams will open new markets with transformational technolo- gies.”
Leveraging autonomous systems that include perception, machine learning and advanced flight control systems, Aurora has designed, produced and flown more than 30 unmanned air vehicles since the company was founded in 1989. Aurora Flight Sciences is a leader in the emerging field of electric propulsion for aircraft. During the last decade, Aurora has collaborated with Boeing on the rapid prototyping of innovative aircraft and structural assemblies for both military and com- mercial applications.
“Since its inception, Aurora has been focused on the development of innovative aircraft that le- verage autonomy to make aircraft smarter,” said John Langford, Aurora founder and chief execu- tive officer. “As an integral part of Boeing, our pioneered technologies of long-endurance aircraft, robotic co-pilots, and autonomous electric VTOLs will be transitioned into world-class products for the global infrastructure.”
F-35 undergoes equipment testing
An F-35 fighter jet landed at Eielson Air Force Base, Alaska, to undergo testing on the aircraft’s ability to operate in cold conditions, according to a statement released by the U.S. Air Force.
The F-35A Lightning II that arrived Oct. 12 was the first to land at the base near Fairbanks. Up to 54 of these aircraft will be stationed at Eielson along with about 3,500 airmen, civilian employ- ees, contractors and military family members by 2020, the Fairbanks Daily News-Miner reported.
The aircraft will undergo testing on its ability to land on icy runways, and its drag chute modifica- tion will also be evaluated.
Air Force officials plan to demonstrate through the testing that F-35s are capable of landing in environments designated as Runway Condition Reading 7. A dry runway is designated as a read- ing of 23, and a reading of 5 is comparable to landing on ice. The aircraft is currently certified to land at a reading of 12.
The drag chute is a modification that has been requested by the Royal Norwegian Air Force, a partner of the F-35 program. A Norwegian test pilot will fly the jet to demonstrate the modifica- tion that aims to help the aircraft land in Arctic conditions. AP
Russia could deploy more missiles in Baltic
A senior Russian lawmaker says Moscow could deploy more state-of-the-art missiles in its west- ernmost region in response to the U.S. military buildup in Poland.
The head of the Russian parliament’s defense affairs committee, Retired Gen. Vladimir Sha- manov, said Oct. 12 that Russia could take retal- iatory steps in response to the U.S. increasing the number of its weapons in Poland.
Shamanov said, in remarks carried by Russian news agencies, that Moscow could deploy ad- ditional Iskander missile systems in its western areas, including the Kaliningrad exclave. The Baltic region borders NATO members Poland
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and Lithuania.
Iskander has a range of up to 310 miles and
high precision, allowing it to target facilities in several NATO member nations with pinpoint ac- curacy. It can be fitted with a conventional or a nuclear warhead. AP
China protests U.S. Navy sailing near South China Sea claims
China on Oct. 11 protested the sailing of a U.S. Navy ship near its territorial claims in the South China Sea, saying it would continue to take measures to protect Beijing’s interests in the vital waterway claimed by several nations.
A U.S. official said the destroyer USS Chafee sailed near the Paracel Islands on Tuesday, com- ing within 16 nautical miles of land. The Navy does not announce such missions in advance and the official spoke on condition of anonymity.
Chinese foreign ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying denounced the mission as dangerous and a violation of China’s sovereignty. She said the military verified the presence of the U.S. ship by sea and air and warned it off.
“The Chinese government will continue to take firm measures to safeguard national territory, sov- ereignty and maritime interests,” Hua told report- ers at a daily briefing.
China claims the South China Sea and its is- lands virtually in their entirety, and its military expelled Vietnamese forces from the Paracels in 1974. The U.S. does not take an official position on sovereignty claims, but the Navy regularly sails through the area to assert freedom of navi- gation.
China usually claims to have “expelled” Navy ships on such missions and its relatively mild response this time suggested the Chafee had not entered what it claims are its territorial waters.
The South China Sea has crucial shipping lanes, rich fishing grounds and potential oil, gas and other mineral deposits. AP
Man admits getting $150,000 in kick- backs for U.S. Navy work
A Pennsylvania man who worked for a compa- ny that made parts for the U.S. Navy has pleaded guilty to soliciting and receiving $150,000 in kickbacks for providing work to a New Jersey firm.
Christopher Sanchirico pleaded guilty to con- spiracy to violate the federal kickback act in New- ark, N.J., Oct. 10.
He lived in King of Prussia, Penn., and was the assistant purchasing manager for a Philadelphia company that made shock-hardened circuit break- ers and switchgears for Navy ships, submarines and aircraft carriers.
Prosecutors say he received between 5 percent and 10 percent of the revenue from work he pro- vided to a Cherry Hill machine shop that gave him kickbacks.
He faces up to five years in prison and a $250,000 fine. He will be sentenced in January. AP
BAE to cut 2,000 defense industry jobs
British defense company BAE Systems said Oct. 10 it is cutting almost 2,000 jobs in its mili- tary, maritime and intelligence services amid a slowdown in orders for its Typhoon fighter jets.
CEO Charles Woodburn said in a statement that the cuts are necessary to “align our workforce ca- pacity more closely with near-term demand and enhance our competitive position to secure new business.”
The jobs lost are largely at five sites over three years, including Warton and Samlesbury in north- west England, where the Eurofighter Typhoon is assembled.
The company said that while it expects Ty- phoon orders from Qatar, the order’s timing is uncertain and production is being slowed.
Steve Turner, assistant general secretary of the Unite union, said the cuts will “not only under- mine Britain’s sovereign defense capability, but devastate communities across the U.K. who rely on these skilled jobs.”
Business Minister Claire Perry said BAE hoped to reduce headcount through voluntary redundan- cies “as far as possible,” and promised the govern- ment would work to ensure the workers and their skills are “retained within the U.K. industry.”
She said the cuts were the result of internal re- structuring, and “not related to any U.K. defense spending decisions.” AP
U.S. Navy spending $4.3 million to sup- port testing at missile range
The U.S. Navy plans to spend $4.3 million on a project at White Sands Missile Range in New Mexico to support future testing for naval opera- tions.
The funding was recently announced by U.S. Sen. Martin Heinrich’s office. The New Mexico Democrat, a member of the Senate Armed Ser- vices Committee, had pushed for more money to revitalize government laboratories and test ranges as part of a defense spending measure.
With the funds, officials say they will be able to build upon the Navy’s research and development test site at the White Sands complex in southern New Mexico.
Heinrich described White Sands as a national treasure for the U.S. military given its unique ter- rain, airspace and the expertise of those who work there. In addition to preparing for future testing, he says the project will result in construction jobs. AP
U.S. slaps more duties on Bombardier
The U.S. Commerce Department said Oct. 6 that it is imposing more duties on Canada’s Bom- bardier C series aircraft, charging that the Cana- dian company is selling the planes in America below cost.
The 80 percent duty comes on top of duties of nearly 220 percent Commerce announced last month. The case is a victory for U.S. rival Boeing.
The U.S. says Montreal-based Bombardier used unfair government subsidies to sell jets at artificially low prices in the United States.
“The United States is committed to free, fair and reciprocal trade with Canada, but this is not our idea of a properly functioning trading rela- tionship,” Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross said.
Specifically, Boeing charges that Bombardier last year sold Delta Air Lines 75 CS100 aircraft for less than it cost to build them. But Delta has said Boeing did not even make the 100-seat jets it needed.
“These anti-dumping duties on Bombardier’s C Series aircraft unfairly target Canada’s highly innovative aerospace sector and its more than 200,000 workers — and put at risk the almost 23,000 U.S. jobs that depend on Bombardier and its suppliers,” said Chrystia Freeland, Canada’s foreign affairs minister. “Boeing is manipulating the U.S. trade remedy system to prevent Bombar- dier’s new aircraft, the C Series, from entering the U.S. market.”
Bombardier charged that the decision “repre- sents an egregious overreach and misapplication of the U.S. trade laws in an apparent attempt to block the C Series aircraft from entering the U.S. market, irrespective of the negative impacts to the U.S. aerospace industry, U.S. jobs, U.S. airlines, and the U.S. flying public.”
Bombardier can appeal any sanctions to a U.S. court or to a dispute-resolution panel created un- der the North American Free Trade Agreement. The Canadian government can also take the case to the World Trade Organization in Geneva. AP
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