Rapid Fire 2012-01-23: Panetta on JSF, Carriers

Jan 23, 2012 08:00 UTC by Defense Industry Daily staff

Defense Secretary Panetta removes the F-35B STOVL (Short Take-Off, Vertical Landing) from its 2-year probation, just 1 year in. Rolls Royce is very happy. James Hasik adds some thoughts about the timing.
Panetta also stated the US will keep 11 aircraft carriers.
The US Army responds to complaints that their policy of refusing to arm MEDEVAC helicopters, in a war against illegal combatants, has led to delayed response and extra casualties.

Fresh from its UAV pact with Alenia, EADS signs an agreement with Rheinmetall for a joint venture in the UAV field. Rheinmetall makes the KZO tactical UAV, which has been fielded in Afghanistan alongside Germany’s longer-range, Rheinmetall-operated, leased Heron-1 UAVs.

Looks like Colombia was the country that recently joined Israel and Chile as Hermes 900 MALE UAV customers. The Hermes 900 is a Predator-size UAV, from the firm that makes Britain’s new MK450B Watchkeeper system.

Australia’s Army has temporarily suspended S-70A Black Hawk helicopter flights, due to fractured bolts. The RAN’s S-70B Seahawk naval helicopters are different enough that they remain unaffected.

The Navy thinks a small heli-UAV is just the thing to keep tabs on agricultural data at its Maui (Hawaii) experimental biofuel farm.

US House Armed Service Committee (HASC) Gabrielle Giffords (D-AZ-8) is resigning from Congress.

Forthcoming HASC hearings: Getting Innovative Solutions from Concept to the Hands of the Warfighter (this afternoon); episode XXXVIII of Perspectives on Financial Improvement and Audit Readiness Efforts (tomorrow morning).

According to Reuters the “activist” hedge fund MMI Investments LP is liquidating, after having taken positions in several defense and aerospace companies in the past couple of years.

Categories: Airbus, Americas - Other, Australia & S. Pacific, Daily Rapid Fire, Elbit Systems, Fighters & Attack, Fuel & Power, Helicopters & Rotary, Israel, Partnerships & Consortia, People, Policy - Doctrine, Politics, UAVs, United Technologies, USA

Rapid Fire 2012-01-23: Panetta on JSF, Carriers

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