Rapid Fire 2011-02-07: Medium Military Airlifters

Feb 06, 2011 21:32 UTC by Defense Industry Daily staff
  • DoD and the US intelligence community pledge to bolster the space industrial base, update space technology export controls, and pursue strategies for fighting in a degraded space environment, according to the new National Security Space Strategy.
  • What is the global medium military airlifter market like for key competitors like Lockheed’s C-130J, Embraer’s KC-390, HAL/Irkut’s MRTA, and the Airbus A400M? Forecast International has some thoughts.

  • Iranian Defense Minister Ahmad Vahidi said the country is preparing to launch 4 domestically-built satellites, although the launches of the Rasad-1 and Tolou imaging satellites and Mesbah-2 and Mehr Navid-e-Elm-O-Sanat communications satellites have been postponed before.

  • Israel is considering expanding its military presence along the border with Egypt in response to the unrest and its possible negative aftermath.

  • It’s also re-engining its Hermes 450 UAVs with an upgraded 70hp R902 (W) Wankel engine.

  • NATO’s “Proud Manta 11″ exercise in the Mediterranean features Teledyne’s UUV/AUV “Slocum Gliders,” which use buoyancy changes instead of propellers to move around slowly underwater, collecting hydrographic data for weeks at a time. Of course, future AUV/UUVs can and will do more.

  • At its C-130J-30 induction ceremony, the IAF says it will phase out its MiG-21 Type 77 fighters by 2012. The aging MiG-21s have a high accident rate, and different takes on that phenomenon can be found from Prodyut Das’s aerodynamics analysis and Wing Commander K S Suresh VrC’s 2009 take.

  • Shareholders of L-1 Identity Solutions, a Stamford, CT-based military and civilian biometric technology firm, have approved the company’s merger with French aerospace and defense firm Safran, in a transaction valued at $1.6 billion, including outstanding debt. As part of the deal, L-1 is selling its intelligence services businesses to UK’s BAE Systems.

  • Virginia, which led US states in total FY2009 DoD expenditures with $56.9 billion, prepares for Pentagon belt tightening.

  • Camgian Microsystems in Starkville, MS, gets 3-year, $9.2 million small business innovation research contract from the AFRL to develop ultra-low power application specific integrated circuits (ASICs) for radar and infrared cameras.

    • Categories: BAE, Britain/U.K., Budgets, Contracts - Awards, Daily Rapid Fire, Electronics - General, Engines - Aircraft, France, Israel, Issues - International, Launch Vehicles, Mergers & Acquisitions, Middle East - Other, Missiles - Ballistic, Other Corporation, Outer Space, Policy - Doctrine, Radars, Satellites & Sensors, Space Warfare, Training & Exercises, UAVs, USA, UUVs & USVs

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