ARIZONA
Raytheon delivers MALD to Air Force
TUCSON | Raytheon has delivered the first of its Miniature Air Launched Decoy vehicles to the U.S. Air Force.
The MALD technology, a low-cost flight vehicle, “protects air crews and their aircraft by duplicating the combat flight profiles and signatures of United States and allied aircraft,” the Air Force said in a statement.
The delivery marked the first of Raytheon’s MALD low-rate initial production units, keeping the program on schedule to meet the Air Force’s March 2010 required asset availability date.
BRITAIN
Lockheed to supply Joint Strike Fighter
LONDON | The British Ministry of Defense has placed its first order for the Lockheed Martin-built Joint Strike Fighter aircraft for testing by the Royal Air Force.
Defense Secretary John Hutton announced the purchase of three of the Joint Strike Fighters. The testing of the next-generation fighter aircraft, designed with advanced sensors and stealth capabilities, is part of an effort to replace the capability provided by the Joint Force Harrier aircraft.
TAIWAN
Lockheed to upgrade patrol aircraft
EAGAN, Minn. | Lockheed Martin has been contracted to provide electronic and communication system upgrades, among other improvements, on the Taiwanese navy’s P-3C Orion maritime patrol and reconnaissance aircraft.
Under the $665.6 million deal, Lockheed Martin will upgrade the P-3C aircraft, which officials said would extend the service life of the aircraft by an additional 15,000 flight hours.
CALIFORNIA
EADS to join team on LA communications
LOS ANGELES | Raytheon announced it has reached an deal with EADS, a mobile-radio-communications solutions developer, for the company to join a team that includes Etherstack and Powerwave Technologies and that is pursuing the Los Angeles Regional Interoperable Communications System contract.
Officials said the Raytheon-led team is working on a proposal for the contract that will provide Los Angeles-area first responders an advanced communications technology to support emergency-response operations in the event of a crisis situation.
CHINA
Surface-to-air missile offered for export
HONG KONG | China has put its HQ-9 surface-to-air missile on the export market under the name FD-2000. Brochures advertising China’s latest missile appeared at the most recent African Ground Force Equipment Exhibition in Cape Town, South Africa, and also at the International Defense Exhibition in Karachi, Pakistan, in November.
The China Precision Machinery Import-Export Corp. is the exporter of the long-range SAM. The name FD-2000 was first revealed by the Kanwa Information Center in 1998 as the export name of the HQ-10; more than 10 years later, China has finally introduced this missile system to the international market.
The People’s Liberation Army Air Force has already deployed the HQ-9 at its bases in Xi’an and Lanzhou.
NORTH CAROLINA
Raytheon system gets Homeland Security nod
RALEIGH | The U.S. Homeland Security Department has certified a Raytheon emergency-response communication system as a qualified anti-terrorism technology.
Raytheon said its audio control unit technology has received a certification under the Support Anti-terrorism by Fostering Effective Technologies Act, also known as the SAFETY Act.
Raytheon said its ACU-1000, ACU-M, ACU-T and TRP-1000 audio control units are now certified as approved products by the Homeland Security Department. Officials said the ACU systems enable an emergency-response agency to interconnect radio technologies on multiple frequencies.
CALIFORNIA
CPI wins French deal for antenna technology
PALO ALTO | The French General Delegation for Armaments has contracted Communications & Power Industries Inc. for the installation of telemetry antenna technologies.
CPI was awarded the contract from the DGA’s missile testing center, the Centre d’Essais de Lancement de Missiles. Under the approximately $10 million deal. CPI will install 19 new telemetry antenna systems at CELM facilities.
CPI, a defense and communications technologies developer, said its Malibu, Calif., division will be expected to install three variants of its telemetry antenna systems at CELM’s “various land-based and shipboard missile and aircraft tracking sites around France.”
MISSOURI
Boeing reveals F-15 configuration
ST. LOUIS | Aircraft maker Boeing unveiled last week its new F-15 fighter aircraft configuration, Silent Eagle, designed specifically for the international defense market.
Officials said the F-15 Silent Eagle is designed to carry various weapons payloads and will have an option for an internal weapons carriage through redesigned conformal fuel tanks, among other design improvements for international customers.
Compiled by Steven Davy of United Press International
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