Hard.Copy - 22 August 1997
ARTICLE CITATIONS GATHERED FROM COMMERCIALLY PUBLISHED
JOURNALS AND NEWSLETTERS.
BMDO Releases RFP For NMD Lead Systems Integrator.
Aerospace Daily, Aug 18, 1997, p 259
BMDO has issued a request for proposal for the lead system integrator
contract for the national missile defense program. The contractor must
provide an in-depth analysis and evaluation involving development,
testing, acquisition, deployment and operation of an NMD system.
Hughes Team Gets BVRAAM Study Contract.
Aerospace Daily, Aug 18, 1997, pp 259-260
Hughes Ltd. has won an $8.2m program definition and risk reduction
study contract from the MoD for the BVRAAM.
Alliant Techsystems Tests Outrider TUAV Subsystem.
Aerospace Daily, Aug 18, 1997, p 260
Alliant Techsystems successfully completed a series of performance
tests on three key Outrider TUAV subsystems. The successful testing of
the C-band data link, the electro-optic/infrared payload control and a
new engine which has been integrated into an air vehicle puts the TUAV
program closer to total system integration.
US Will Be Responsible For Half Of ESSM Production.
Aerospace Daily, Aug 21, 1997, pp 281-282
The US will be responsible for about half of the development and
production of the Evolved Sea Sparrow Missile program. The US was the
first to sign the MOU governing the production of new missile which
will have a new rocket motor, tail control section and guidance
upgrades. The ESSM will be a faster more maneuverable missile than the
NATO Sea Sparrow RIM-7P version.
Troops Finish Tests Of New Target For Russian SAM.
Aerospace Daily, Aug 21, 1997, p 282
Russian air defense forces have completed testing of a new target for
the S-300 SAM.
Arrow 2 Destroyed In Israel Test.
Aerospace Daily, Aug 21, 1997, p 281
During the fifth test of the Arrow 2 anti-tactical ballistic missile,
a malfunction caused the Arrow 2 to go off course and forced ground
controllers to destroy the missile. The Arrow 2 was launched from an
Israeli launch site and was directed at a target launched four and a
half minutes before.
GAO Finds Errors In USAF Inventory Database.
Aerospace Daily, Aug 22, 1997, pp 289-289A
According to a recent GAO report the USAF REMIS database contains
numerous inaccuracies about the inventory of aircraft and missiles.
US Navy Wants Input On Aviation Propulsion Technologies.
Aerospace Daily, Aug 21, 1997, p 285
The US Naval Air Systems Command are seeking proposals for propulsion
technology to increase the performance and affordability of air
vehicles.
News Breaks: A Fully Integrated Prototype.
Aviation Week & Space Technology, Aug 18, 1997, p 16
A fully integrated prototype of the US Army's kinetic energy
antisatellite (KE ASAT) kill vehicle was hover tested for the first
time on Aug. 12 at Phillips Laboratory's Edwards AFB. During the KV's
47.8 sec. autonomous flight its sensors locked onto and tracked a
distant (1 km away) light source (about as bright as a household
"night light") that simulated a moving target.
Washington Outlook: Middle East Jitters.
Aviation Week & Space Technology. James R. Asker, Aug 18, 1997, p 19
According to Israel's Washington ambassador, Eliahu Ben-Elissar, Syria
is "preparing for war" and constitutes the greatest near-term military
threat to Israel. Syria's military improvements include purchase and
local production of improved Scud-C missiles with 720-780 mile range.
Ben-Elissar said Israel will field a tactical high energy laser for
destroying short range, unguided missiles by 2000.
HUMVEE-Mounted AIM-120 Missile Intercepts Target During Test.
Defense Daily. Greg Caires, Aug 21, 1997, pp 302-302
A Hughes AIM-120 Advanced Medium Range Air-to-Air Missile (AMRAAM)
launched from a HUMVEE successfully intercepted a target 8/15/97 at
Eglin AFB.
Outrider Spy Drone Components Pass Performance Tests.
Defense Daily, Aug 18, 1997, p 280
Three key components of the Army's Outrider unmanned aerial vehicle
(UAV) passed critical performance tests last week. The successful
components include: the C-band data link, the electro-optic/infrared
(EO/IR) sensor controls and a new engine.
Inspector General Gives Minuteman Upgrade Good Marks.
Defense Daily, Aug 19, 1997, p 290
In a recent report, the Pentagon Inspector General praised the Air
Force for its handling of the $1.9b upgrade to the Minuteman III
intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) fleet.
UK MoD Awards Missile Contract To Hughes.
Defense Daily, Vago Muradian, Aug 18, 1997, pp 280-281
The UK's Ministry of Defence (MoD) last week awarded an $8.25m study
contract for the Beyond Visual Range Air-to-Air Missile (BVRAAM)
program to Hughes Ltd. Hughes will use the study to reduce the risks
associated with its proposed BVRAAM solution, the Future Medium-Range
Air-to-Air Missile (FMRAAM).
Army Wants 500 KM Range For Improved ATACMS.
Defense Daily, Brian Shannon, Aug 19, 1997, pp 285-286
According to COL John Holly, the Army wants the next generation of its
Army Tactical Missile System (ATACMS) missile to be capable of
carrying a wider range of payloads out to a range of 500 km. Other
design drivers are mentioned in this article.
Arrow Missile Malfunctions In Fifth Test Flight.
Defense Daily, Aug 21, 1997, p 301
The 5th test flight of the Arrow 2 missile was terminated 8/20/97 due
to a malfunction prior to intercept. The cause of the problem is under
investigation by the US and Israel.
Pentagon To Seek NMD Bids.
Defense News, Jeff Erlich, Aug 18, 1997, p 8
By the end of the month, the Pentagon will ask US firms for bids to
design the NMD program. Noel Longuemare in his memorandum said the
program will be conducted with an eye toward minimizing costs, even at
the expense of capability.
Slowdowns In THAAD, F-22 Efforts Could Add Billions To Final Prices.
Defense News, Jeff Erlich, Aug 18, 1997, p 16
The SAR released on August 8, 1997 shows a slowdown in the schedule of
THAAD, which will result in significant cost increases. The SAR showed
the schedule changes made to THAAD after four consecutive test
failures will increase the cost by $1.4b.
US Navy Tests Move To Communications, Targeting.
Defense News, Robert Holzer, Aug 18, 1997, p 11
The US Navy plans to test a new set of communications and targeting
systems as part of the ongoing fleet experimentation plan. One of the
main questions will be how to integrate tactical aviation into strike
missions ashore as warships get more land-attack missiles.
Navy May Be Stuck As JASSM Partner.
Defense News, Mark Walsh, Aug 18, 1997, pp 1, 16
The Navy may be stuck as a funding partner for JASSM production and
development for the JSF. The Navy claims it does not need the new
missile because its own version, the SLAM-ER already meets their
needs.
US Allies Need Missile Defense Ability In Own Backyard.
Defense News, Eugene Fox, Stanley Orman, Aug 18, 1997, pp 15-16
This article claims that although the US has a theater missile defense
system, many of our allies would not be protected in a time of crisis.
It is asserted that the US has neither the resources nor the
responsibility to provide protection to others and that these
countries should seek multinational procurement and production to
protect themselves.
Boeing Admits Missile Can't Meet Air Force Range Needs.
Defense Week, Tony Capaccio, Aug 18, 1997, pp 1, 12
Boeing Company officials told Air Force Chief of Staff Ronald Fogelman
last month its SLAM ER missile does not meet the minimum range
requirement for the most common launch profile of the service's new
stealthy, standoff weapon. This range information is the latest twist
in a congressional appropriations battle the Air Force is waging. It
hopes to overturn Capitol Hill directives ordering the service to buy
the SLAM ER instead of developing its own project, the
Joint-Air-to-Surface Standoff Missile.
Pentagon, House Clash Over Navy Missile Defense.
Defense Week, John Donnelly, Aug 18, 1997, p 3
House lawmakers and the Pentagon have squared off again over a
House-passed requirement that the Navy's Theater Wide antimissile
system be deployed seven years faster than the current plan. In an
appeal to the House-Senate defense authorization conferences, the
Pentagon told the House that the 2001 timetable was "neither
technically nor programatically feasible."
Congress Approves $490 Million In FY97 Reprogramming Sources For DoD.
Inside the Pentagon, Aug 22, 1997, pp 1, 16-31
The four defense oversight committees informed the DoD earlier this
month which programs could have funds reprogrammed to other programs
and which programs would benefit from those funds. Of the $786m
requested by the Pentagon for reprogramming only about $490m were
approved. Attached is each of the four panels' lists of reprogramming
approvals and disapprovals.
BMDO May Count Minuteman Acquisition Cost In NMD Competition.
Inside the Pentagon, Elaine M. Grossman, Aug 22, 1997, pp 3-4
BMDO may take into account the original acquisition costs of Minuteman
ICBM boosters recycled into propulsion systems for NMD interceptors.
This may apply when the parts are included in a design competing
against boosters newly built to power NMD interceptors.
Test Failures Lead To Cost Rise In THAAD Project.
Jane's Defence Weekly. Barbara Starr, Aug 20, 1997, p 8
The THAAD program's research and development costs have risen to $7.7b
from the previous estimate of $6.3b. The increased cost will cover
extra flight tests, an extended flight test schedule and risk
reduction activities for engineering and manufacturing development.
The next intercept attempt is scheduled for December. If successful,
further tests are scheduled for next April and August. The aim is to
get three successful intercepts to move the program from Dem/Val to
the EMD phase in Jan. 1999.
USA Wants Single Team Missile Procurement.
Jane's Defence Weekly. Barbara Starr, Aug 20, 1997, p 18
The US DoD Acquisition Board (DAB) has approved a procurement strategy
that will result in a single US defense contractor team winning a
$1.5b award next February to become the lead systems integrator (LSI)
for a NMD system. The BMDO will oversee selection of an LSI to conduct
in-depth analysis and evaluation of an NMD architecture. The LSI will
consider issues involving development, testing, acquisition,
deployment and operation of a GBI system. The contractor will then
make recommendations on the best technical solution.
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