LOCATIONS
LAND
17 Sep 13. Embraer’s Jacksonville, Fla., facility will begin assembly of its A-29 Super Tucano light attack support aircraft in January. The company announced that it remains on track to deliver Super Tucanos for the Afghan Air Force by mid-2014, a requirement of the light air support (LAS) contract it won this year. The company’s 40,000-square-foot Jacksonville facility has begun filling critical positions, including the hire of Daniel Culleton as general manager. Culleton said Monday night that he expects staffing to continue at an accelerated pace. While Embraer is looking for new customers for the A-29, Culleton said his focus is on getting the first batch of 20 planes for the LAS contract delivered, with an eye on an optional second batch of 20 that are included in the contract. The fight over the LAS contract lasted years due to long-running legal battles between the Brazilian-based Embraer and the Kansas-based Beechcraft, whose AT-6 was the main competitor to the Super Tucano. (Source: Jane’s)
17 Sep 13. An important Royal Air Force station has reached 50 years of service in the fields of space surveillance and missile early warning operations. RAF Fylingdales in Yorkshire, famous during the Cold War for its ‘Golf Ball’ radar installations, is an integral part of the broader Space Surveillance Network and Missile Warning System. The Station, a joint enterprise between the US and UK Governments, was first declared operational on 17 September 1963. Employees past and present joined family members to witness the launch of a new Visitor’s Centre, aimed at documenting the work carried out throughout the Cold War and beyond.
17 Sep 13. BMT Group Ltd announced the opening of a new central London office to support its rapid growth. The new complex, close to St Katherine’s Dock and the City of London will house elements of subsidiary companies, BMT Hi-Q Sigma, BMT Surveys, and BMT WBM under one roof. Both new and existing clients will benefit further from the collective skills and wealth of knowledge available within the BMT group of companies
MARITIME
20 Sep 13. BAE Systems unveiled the latest state-of-the-art submarine in the Astute class today during a ceremony at its site in Barrow-in-Furness. Artful – a 7,400 tonne, 97 metre long attack submarine – was officially named in front of thousands of guests in an event to mark the end of its build process. The ceremony was performed by Amanda Lady Zambellas, wife of the Royal Navy’s First Sea Lord, Admiral Sir George Zambellas, inside BAE Systems’ giant Devonshire Dock Hall submarine construction facility. John Hudson, Managing Director of BAE Systems Maritime – Submarines, said: “The design and build of a nuclear powered submarine is as challenging as it is complex, so today represents a significant milestone in Artful’s programme. It requires real skill and innovation to deliver submarines as sophisticated as Artful and this would not have been possible without the valued contribution of our employees and the collaborative efforts of the whole submarine enterprise.
18 Sep 13. FREMM frigate Provence was floated out of its building dock at the Lorient shipyard. With five FREMM multimission frigates at different stages of assembly and construction, this float-out (or pre-outfitting launch) – always a major milestone – highlights the Group’s expertise in concurrent shipbuilding. DCNS’s Lorient shipyard floated out FREMM frigate Provence. Eleven of the 12 FREMM frigates on order are for the French Navy.Operations began in the morning with the flooding of the building dock. Following a number of other steps, the ship was gently floated out of the building dock. Executing a manoeuvre lasting 15 minutes, tugs then moved the frigate to a nearby outfitting berth. Over the coming months, DCNS specialists and subcontractor teams will install the ship’s systems. The next major milestone will be the installation of the Provence’s masts and sensors, includ