LOCATIONS
LAND
16 May 19. U.S. Air Force and local Alabama officials joined Lockheed Martin (NYSE: LMT) executives today to break ground on the company’s new strike systems production facility in Troy. The planned 225,000-square-foot facility, combined with the current cruise missile production factory, will provide the necessary space to meet the U.S. Air Force’s objectives.
“This expansion represents Pike County Operations’ long-standing commitment to meet our customer’s current and future needs as well as to bring more well-paying jobs to the area,” said Frank St. John, executive vice president at Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control. “All our employees come to work with an unwavering commitment to help our customers succeed in their mission to create a more secure and prosperous world.”
Building construction is slated for completion in 2021 with Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missile Extended Range (JASSM-ER) production ramping up in the second half of 2022.
“We’re pleased to see Lockheed Martin continue to invest in our community with the addition of this new manufacturing building,” said Jason Reeves, Troy Mayor. “Their growth not only leads to more jobs – it enhances sustainable growth for our region.”
Lockheed Martin’s Pike County Operations is the recipient of many continuous improvement and performance excellence awards.
16 May 19. Construction of a defence and aerospace technology park that will create up to 5,500 jobs and service and maintain Australian fighter jets has taken flight, thanks to NSW Government funding.
Deputy Premier John Barilaro joined Newcastle Airport CEO Dr Peter Cock and BAE Systems Australia Director Defence Delivery Andrew Gresham to turn the first sod of the 76-hectare Astra Aerolab precinct.
The Deputy Premier’s visit coincides with Newcastle Airport also signing a Heads of Agreement with major defence contractor BAE Systems Australia to lease land on the 76 hectare precinct.
Newcastle Airport CEO Dr Peter Cock said the new agreement signified an exciting milestone for Astra Aerolab.
“BAE Systems Australia is the nation’s largest defence and security company, so the importance of this signing cannot be overestimated,” he said.
“BAE’s presence will not only attract further jobs and investment, but help ensure we develop the world-class defence and aerospace precinct that our region deserves.”
“RAAF base Williamtown will eventually be home to 56 of the 72 F-35A Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) fleet, so Astra will hold an extremely important place in developing and maintaining our nation’s strategic defence capabilities,” added Dr Cock.
BAE Systems Australia Managing Director Defence Delivery Andrew Gresham said the company would directly employ about 400 highly skilled people to support the aircraft sustainment, which would be maintained over the 30 plus years of the aircraft service life.
“This milestone is incredibly important for our business and will facilitate the redevelopment of our existing Williamtown site ahead of our work supporting the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter in Australia,’ he added.
Last year, Deputy Premier Barilaro announced a $11.7m grant to kick-off the development of Astra Aerolab to capitalise on the existing economic strengths of the region.
Mr Barilaro said he was proud to see his government’s investment start to be realised.
“The infrastructure we have funded will allow aviation companies to quickly establish themselves within the precinct and get on with the job of supporting Royal Australian Air Force combat aircraft, including the F-35A Joint Strike Fighter,” Mr Barilaro said.
“By funding the Astra Aerolab precinct, we are helping to create jobs for aerospace engineers, aviation, IT and avionics specialists and attracting workers to the Hunter region.
“I want to thank Newcastle Airport, the City of Newcastle and Port Stephens Council for their hard work and commitment to making this precinct a reality.”
15 May 19. Major milestone for Astra Aerolab site at Newcastle Airport. The first sod of soil at Astra Aerolab’s site at Newcastle Airport has been turned, while a major defence contractor has also signed on to lease land on the precinct.
NSW Deputy Premier John Barilaro was on hand to turn the first sod of soil, marking the ceremonial commencement of early works for the Airport’s world-class defence and aerospace precinct that will deliver 5,500 jobs to the Hunter.
“The infrastructure we have funded will allow aviation companies to quickly establish themselves within the precinct and get on with the job of supporting Royal Australian Air Force combat aircraft, including the F-35A Joint Strike Fighter,” he said.
“By funding the Astra Aerolab precinct, we are helping to create jobs for aerospace engineers, aviation, IT and avionics specialists and attracting workers to the Hunter region.
“I want to thank Newcastle Airport, the City of Newcastle and Port Stephens Council for their hard work and commitment to making this precinct a reality.”
The ceremony coincides with BAE Systems Australia signing a heads of agreement with Newcastle Airport to lease land on the 76-hectare precinct.
Newcastle Airport CEO Dr Peter Cock said the new agreement signified an exciting milestone for Astra Aerolab.
“BAE Systems Australia is the nation’s largest defence and security company, so the importance of this signing cannot be overestimated,” Dr Cock said.
“BAE’s presence will not only attract further jobs and investment, but help ensure we develop the world-class defence and aerospace precinct that our region deserves.
“RAAF base Williamtown will eventually be home to 56 of the 72 F-35A Joint Strike Fighter fleet, so Astra will hold an extremely important place in developing and maintaining our nation’s strategic defence capabilities.”
BAE Systems Australia managing director of defence delivery Andrew Gresham said the company would employ about 400 highly skilled people to support the aircraft’s sustainment, which would be maintained over the 30-plus years of the aircraft service life.
“This milestone is incredibly important for our business and will facilitate the redevelopment of our existing Williamtown site ahead of our work supporting the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter in Australia,” Gresham said.
The NSW Defence Advocate, Air Marshal (Ret’d) John Harvey said the NSW Government’s investment in infrastructure for the Astra Aerolab is a great example of the NSW Government working with local Councils and the regional airport authority to create the right conditions for Australian industry to support Australia’s defence capability and to become a regional hub for F-35 support. The Astra Aerolab will lead to a rewarding, technologically-focused career path in the defence sector for current and future generations in the Hunter region. (Source: Defence Connect)
14 May 19. Marshall to relocate Aerospace & Defence operations. Marshall of Cambridge is relocating its world-leading Aerospace & Defence Group to a new location in the UK’s leading business and technology cluster. Three potential new ‘homes’ are being vetted – Duxford, Cranfield and RAF Wyton near St Ives. Marshall anticipates completing the move by the end of 2030. ADG employs around 1,500 people in Cambridge.
The cost of relocation, as yet tough to specify, will run into many millions, but chief executive Robert Marshall is adamant that the result will be world-class, state-of-the-art facilities from which the group can further grow ADG and build on its envied position and reputation in the global aerospace and defence market.
The airport and airfield land will be made available for development and fed into the Local Plan. There is massive potential for housing and ancillary facilities at the coveted site but the family-owned business is insistent that any housing element should be of the highest quality.
Proceeds from the sale and development of the airfield site will also help Marshall of Cambridge deliver on its objectives of investing in all of its businesses – including the Aerospace & Defence Group – to make them stronger and also help Cambridge sustain its growth within the UK and internationally.
The company has been considering relocation of the aerospace & defence-related elements of the business for several years but until now felt the cons substantially outweighed the pros. Management now feel the time is ripe to exploit potentially massive growth opportunities for the entire group.
Vacating the site will provide space for 12,000 homes and 5 million sq ft of business and commercial space creating a large number of new jobs.
Chief Executive, Alistair McPhee, explains: “Having now completed a significant piece of work to identify and define our new organisational purpose and long-term growth ambition, it has become increasingly clear that a move to new, purpose-built facilities will afford us a fantastic opportunity to fulfil our true potential as a business. It is still very early days but we know that finding the right airfield location that will give us the necessary space and flexibility to support our planned growth, which is close enough to Cambridge to enable us to retain and attract talent, will be a complex and time-consuming task. At this stage, we have a number of potential locations in mind but are still some way away from making any definitive decisions. Cranfield, Duxford and Wyton are currently our preferred options and we will work with all three locations over the coming months to further assess their feasibility. However, the Cambridge site will continue to be our home for many years to come, and in parallel with planning for our long-term future, we remain committed to our investment plans for the site that will see us spend more than £30m over the next five years to upgrade existing infrastructure. We have won a number of very significant programmes over the past 18 months and delivering those, along with continuing to support our long-term customers, will be our key priority as we plan for the next exciting chapter of our history.”
In parallel, with the Marshall Aerospace and Defence Group announcement and in order to finance the move, the Marshall Group has recently signalled its intent to the local authorities and other key stakeholders, to put the Cambridge Airport site forward for development as part of the next Local Plan from 2030.
Commenting on the announcement, Alex Dorrian, Executive Chairman of Marshall, said: “This is a momentous day for Marshall, when two opportunities coincide to create a launchpad for ambitious long-term plans for the future of Marshall, as well as for Cambridge. Our commitment to our businesses, our employees, and to Cambridge, is driven directly by our shareholders. This is the beginning of an exciting phase for Marshall, during which time we will build on our success and focus ever more closely on delivering a unique Marshall experience to our customers.” (Source: Google/https://www.businessweekly.co.uk)
13 May 19. Grand Forks AFB Becomes Primary Base for all Global Hawk Missions. Saturday was a big day at the Grand Forks Air Force Base. It became the primary base for all the Global Hawk missions in the United States. The base welcomed Secretary Heather Wilson and Senator John Hoeven for a new mission.
“Now we’re in charge of all global hawk for the United States Air Force,” said Senator Hoeven.
Establishing North Dakota as a leader in unmanned aviation, the base will be introducing 4 Block 20 Global Hawks and 18 Block 30 Global Hawks.
“We can do voice bridges and data link bridges, it pretty amazing all the stuff we can do,” said Lieutenant Colonel Brandon Cieloha, 319th Air Base Wing Chief of Safety.
The third being the Block 40 Global Hawk.
“It can track moving targets and that’s mostly what we do with this,” said Cieloha.
He said it’s also used for imagery, which makes the Air Force Base stand out.
Senator Hoeven said he’s been working to kick start the unmanned aerial systems industry for a while now.
“We’ll get a lot more recognition throughout Air Force now because all Global Hawks, all RQ-4 Air Force-wide, globally, now they all will report up to Grand Forks,” said Senator Hoeven.
Senator Hoeven said the craft has flown over 250,000 miles. At any given time, three are always flying in the air. Since 2012, the operating costs have gone down, by two-thirds. He said that with the new technologies, Grand Forks will now be making its name on the map. Colonel Cameron Pringle is the next wing commander at the Grand Forks Air Force Base. The change of command ceremony is on June 28th. (Source: UAS VISION/Valley News Live)
MARITIME
16 May 19. DRASS Defence presents compact affordable submarine options. Italy’s DRASS Defence has entered the submarine market and aims to deliver compact and affordable solutions for smaller navies in particular.
DRASS, with a long history of building diving systems, presented its range of small submarines, comprising boats from 120 tonnes displacement and 28.2 m in length (DG120) to 450 tonnes displacement and 40 m in length (DG450), at the 2019 UDT held in Stockholm from 13 to 15 May. These compact submarines can also be equipped with heavyweight torpedoes from the DG160 model upwards.
According to DRASS, the submarines are also designed to be capable of special forces and diver support. (Source: IHS Jane’s)
16 May 19. NASSCO lays keel for first John Lewis-class fleet replenishment oiler. General Dynamics-National Steel and Shipbuilding Company (NASSCO) has laid the keel for the US Navy’s future USNS John Lewis (T-AO 205) at the company’s shipyard in San Diego.
T-AO 205 is named after US Representative John Lewis. It is the navy’s first John Lewis-class fleet replenishment oiler.
The keel laying ceremony marks the start of a ship’s construction. During the ceremony, John Lewis, and the ship’s sponsor, actress Alfre Woodard, etched their initials into the keel plate.
Program Executive Office (PEO) ships support ships, boats and craft manager Mike Kosar said: “We’re honoured to have representative Lewis and Woodard with us today as we lay the foundation for recapitalising our nation’s critical fuel-replenishment-at-sea capabilities.
“These ships are steadfast, reliable and allow our warships to defend our freedoms for which Representative Lewis has dedicated his life to protecting.”
The John Lewis-class ships are intended to recapitalise the navy’s existing T-AO 187-class fleet replenishment oilers.
Once they enter service, the ships will enable underway replenishment of fuel to the service’s ships at sea and jet fuel for aircraft assigned to aircraft carriers.
The boats are part of the US Navy’s Combat Logistics Force and will serve as the backbone of the fuel delivery system.
The US Navy’s Military Sealift Command will operate USNS John Lewis, which is anticipated to be delivered by the end of next year.
NASSCO started construction of John Lewis in September last year.
In June 2016, the company won a $3.2bn contract to design and build the first six ships of the John Lewis-class. The service intends to buy 20 ships of the new class in three different contract awards. (Source: naval-technology.com)
14 May 19. China’s eighth Type 071 in advanced stage of construction. Images have emerged on Chinese online forums showing that the hull of an eighth Type 071 (Yuzhao)-class landing platform dock (LPD) vessel for the People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) is at an advanced stage of construction at the Hudong-Zhonghua shipyard in Shanghai.
The ship is being built in the same dry dock used for construction of the seventh Type 071. A considerable number of modules for the latest ship were evident on the dockside before the seventh vessel was launched on 28 December 2018, which has enabled the hull of the latest LPD to be assembled in less than six months.
In a 2 May report to Congress about military and security developments involving China, the US Department of Defense (DoD) said that China will probably continue constructing Type 071s even as the PLAN pursues a follow-on class of amphibious assault ships that are not only larger but also incorporate a full flight deck for helicopters.
That new ship class, known as the Type 075, may be already being built in the same dock at Hudong-Zhonghua. Satellite images reveal that alongside the eighth Type 071 a second and larger ship is also being built. Construction of the Type 075 class has been anticipated for some time and there have been persistent rumours for several months that construction is under way.
The evidence available so far is insufficient to state conclusively that this is the first Type 075 and the particular dry dock has previously been used for naval and commercial ships. (Source: IHS Jane’s)
14 May 19. New High-Performance Diving Scooter. At UDT in Stockholm Rotinor are showing the Black Shadow. according to the company, this is an extreme high-performance diving scooter for professional purposes. “With its patented E-jet power system, the high-power drive of the RBS is unrivalled. Virtually silent and absolutely emission-free the electric jetstream system works on the principle of water displacement. Water is sucked in by the powerful rotating impeller and forced out in the jet channel under high pressure,” the company stated.
“The powerful motor performance of 8 HP is controlled by 10 power levels. Hereby the operator can alternate individually between slow or high speed manoeuvres through the water. The RBS can be steered down to a depth of 60m, thus making it ideally suitable for all kinds of underwater missions and special operations. The hydrodynamic design of the RBS lends the diving scooter a high degree of agility in the water. All steering and diving manoeuvres are carried out simply by shifting the weight of the body. The specially developed harness system enables the operator to easily control the enormous thrust of over 70 kg.” (Source: ESD Spotlight)
13 May 19. Ex-US Coast Guard cutter arrives in Sri Lanka. An ex-US Coast Guard (USCG) Hamilton-class cutter acquired by the Sri Lanka Navy (SLN) arrived at the Sri Lankan port of Colombo on 12 May, approximately eight months after the vessel was formally transferred to the service.
The SLN, which is expected to commission the high-endurance cutter (formerly known as USCGC Sherman ) “in the near future”, said in a statement that it had received the vessel, which now has pennant number P626, as a gift from the United States in a ceremony held in Honolulu, Hawaii, on 27 August 2018.
The SLN also pointed out that the 155.2 m-long vessel, which is to become the largest ship in the Sri Lankan fleet, is expected to “increase the operational capability of the island’s sea arm”, and be used for “patrol and surveillance missions in the deep seas around Sri Lanka, providing the maritime security and assistance to search-and-rescue operations”.
The vessel, which will have a crew of 133 (including 22 officers), has been equipped with “state-of-the-art weapons and machinery”, added the SLN, without providing further details.
In an August 2018 statement, the US Embassy in Colombo had said that Sri Lanka’s acquisition of the cutter, which was decommissioned by the USCG in March 2018, would strengthen bilateral defence co-operation and increase interoperability between the navies of the two countries.
The ship is expected to increase the South Asian country’s ability to patrol its Exclusive Economic Zone, “providing additional security for ships from all nations that transit the busy sea lanes of the Indian Ocean”, according to the US Embassy statement.
The embassy also said at the time that 110 Sri Lankan sailors were being trained on how to operate the vessel, adding that the United States would also provide overhaul and maintenance services for the vessel until February 2019. The ship will be the second former USCG cutter to join the SLN following SLNS Samudura (ex- Courageous), which was gifted to Sri Lanka in 2004. (Source: IHS Jane’s)
09 May 19. Australia lays keel for first Arafura-class OPV.
Key Points:
- Australia has laid down its first Arafura-class offshore patrol vessel
- The ship is on track to be launched in 2021
Keel for the first Arafura-class offshore patrol vessel (OPV) has been laid down at Osborne Naval Shipyard in Adelaide.
A coin positioning ceremony to commemorate the keel-laying was performed by Chief of the Royal Australian Navy (RAN), Vice Admiral Michael Noonan, on 10 May. The vessel has been named Arafura. Arafura is part of an AUD3.6bn (USD2.5n) contract for 12 OPVs procured under Australia’s SEA 1180 Phase 1 programme. The new vessels will replace the RAN’s fleet of Armidale- and Cape-class patrol boats, and also take on some duties associated with the Huon-class minehunters, and Leeuwin- and Paluma-class survey vessels. (Source: IHS Jane’s)
AIR
16 May 19. Images suggest Z-20 helicopter has entered service with China’s PLAGF. Production versions of the Harbin Z-20 helicopter appear to have entered service with the aviation units of China’s People’s Liberation Army Ground Force (PLAGF), as evidenced by photographs published on Chinese online forums.
Although images of the Z-20 had previously emerged online, they had shown the platforms with either no serial numbers or only three-digit numbers, indicating that these were development or pre-production aircraft. The latest photographs, however, show two helicopters featuring serial numbers LH953201 and LH953205: the serial number format for aircraft in service with PLA Army Aviation.
The Z-20 is a medium utility helicopter in the 10-ton class. There have been many comments that the design is derived from the Sikorsky S-70C/Black Hawk, in part due to similarities in appearance but also because China bought 24 S-70C helicopters from the US in 1986: three years before the Tiananmen Square-related arms embargo was imposed.
There are, however, notable differences between the US and Chinese helicopters, at least in the use of a five-bladed main rotor in the Z-20 rather than a four-bladed one in the S-70. The Z-20 is thought to be powered by two WZ-10 turboshaft engines, each developing 1,600 kW, which would mean an increase of about 200 kW over that provided by the General Electric T700-701A turbines used in the exported S-70Cs.
Notwithstanding their age – and China’s inability to acquire spares from the US – the S-70C helicopters have been an important aircraft for the PLAGF because of their ability to operate at high altitudes. This is an important requirement for transporting and supporting troops along the Sino-Indian border and operating on the high plateaus in Tibet and Xinjiang. (Source: IHS Jane’s)
14 May 19. Boeing offers to fast-track F-15EX deliveries to USAF. Boeing is offering to expedite deliveries of F-15EX Advanced Eagle combat aircraft to the US Air Force (USAF) by two years, should the service request it.
Speaking at the company’s St Louis facility in Missouri, Prat Kumar, Boeing’s vice-president and programme manager for the F-15 programme, said that with a live Advanced Eagle production line already running for Saudi Arabia and shortly for Qatar, Boeing could deliver the first aircraft to the USAF “early next year”, rather than in 2022 as the service has previously stated.
“We could start deliveries in early 2020 if the USAF decides. It is the difference between the USAF planning documents, which are conservative, and what is possible,” Kumar told reporters on 14 May.
The USAF requested an initial eight F-15EXs in its fiscal year 2020 (FY 2020) budget request and is expected to request 18 aircraft annually from FY 2021-24. The air force said the USD1.1 billion it requested in FY 2020 for the F-15EX would also procure associated production factory tooling, systems integration laboratory equipment, technical orders, and support equipment.
In terms of the current F-15 production line, Boeing expects to finish delivering the last of 84 F-15SAs to Saudi Arabia by the end of this year, at which time deliveries of 36 F-15QAs to Qatar will commence. With the line currently set up to build 12 aircraft a year, production is set to run through to 2023 with current orders, although Kumar noted that Qatar has options for 72 aircraft and that there are opportunities with other potential customers, including Israel, to extend the line further. (Source: IHS Jane’s)
15 May 19. Pakistan Air Force prepares for arrival of final Block II JF-17 and JF-17B fighter aircraft. The final three Pakistan Aeronautical Complex (PAC) JF-17 Thunder Block II multirole combat aircraft are set to be delivered to the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) by late June, the service has told Jane’s. The aircraft are part of an order placed by the PAF in late 2017 for an additional 12 platforms that are currently on the Aircraft Manufacturing Factory (AMF) final assembly line at PAC Kamra. AMF has built more than 100 JF-17s since the first JF-17 (serialled 09-111) was rolled out in November 2009.
Production of the Block III variant is expected to begin later this year PAF Air Chief Marshal Mujahid Anwar Khan told Jane’s, adding that the service “will make a decision on one of the two new Chinese AESA [airborne electronically scanned-array] radars we are currently evaluating for these aircraft”. He noted that, although supportability and cost will be factors in the decision, the service hopes to have the aircraft operating with the new radar by March 2020.
The Nanjing Research Institute of Electronics Technology’s KLJ-7A radar is being marketed by China Electronics Technology Group Corporation (CETC) with air-cooling and liquid-cooling options. The second contender is Leihua Electronic Technology Research Institute (LETRI), which offers an air-cooling AESA radar known as the LKF601E.
Meanwhile, the Aircraft Repair Factory (ARF) at PAC Kamra recently completed its first 1,000th hour inspection on the first JF-17. This comes after PAC Kamra and China’s Chengdu Aircraft Industry Corporation (CAC), which co-developed the fighter, worked on two JF-17s each to develop the working procedures. (Source: IHS Jane’s)
13 May 19. Indian Air Force receives first Apache attack helicopter. The Indian Air Force (IAF) has received the first of 22 Boeing ‘AH-64E (I)’ Apache Guardian attack helicopters during a ceremony held at the Boeing production facility in Mesa, Arizona, on 10 May.
In a statement issued the following day the IAF said that the first batch of these rotorcraft is scheduled to be shipped to India by July, adding that selected air and ground crew have already undergone training at US Army base Fort Rucker in Alabama and “will lead the operationalisation of the Apache fleet in the IAF”.
Boeing sources had told Jane’s on 11 April that the first four platforms will be transported by a US Air Force C-17 Globemaster III transport aircraft to Pathankot Air Force Station in northern India, where they are to be assembled ahead of their formal induction into service by the end of the year.
Delivery of the remaining 18 platforms is expected to be completed by the end of 2020.
The IAF described the acquisition of the twin-engined rotorcraft as “a significant step” towards the modernisation of its helicopter fleet, pointing out that the platforms are being customised to suit the IAF’s “future requirements”. The helicopters will have “a significant capability in mountainous terrain” and provide “a significant edge in any future joint operations in support of land forces, it added.
The IAF ordered 22 Apache rotorcraft in September 2015 for INR139.5 billion (USD2.02 billion). Senior IAF officers have said that an Apache squadron, comprising 10-11 helicopters, will be stationed at Pathankot near the border with Pakistan, while a second one will be based at Jorhat in northeastern India near the country’s disputed border with China. (Source: IHS Jane’s)
13 May 19. Portugal receives first of three upgraded F-16s. The Força Aérea Portuguesa (Portuguese Air Force, FAP) received the first of three upgraded F-16s on 9 May, the service has told Jane’s. The aircraft was the first of two single-seat F-16AMs, the second of which is scheduled for delivery in late July, to be followed by a twin-seat F-16BM in late 2019. They will join 24 F-16AMs and three F-16BMs of squadrons 201 and 301 at Monte Real airbase. Two single-seat F-16A Block 15s and a single twin-seat F-16B Block 15 jet were supplied by the US government as excess defence articles in August 2013 for the upgrade by the FAP and OGMA-Indústria Aeronáutica de Portugal using modernisation kits supplied by Lockheed Martin. (Source: IHS Jane’s)
14 May 19. Belarus receives four more Yak-130 aircraft. The Belarusian Air Force and Air Defence Forces (BAFADF) received their third consignment of four Russian-made Yakovlev Yak-130 operational trainers, the Ministry of Defence (MoD) has announced.
“Under an agreement between the Belarusian MoD and Russia’s JSC Irkut Corporation, Belarus has received four YaK-130 operational trainers. The aircraft were officially handed over to military unit No 19764 [the 206th Flight Training Center] on 11 May,” a Belarusian military spokesperson said.
The delivery increased the total number of Yak-130s in service with the BAFADF to 12 aircraft. In 2015-16 the military service received two consignments of four Yak-130s each. A Belarusian military source told Jane’s that the newly activated operational trainers can use Russian-made air-launched weapons. (Source: IHS Jane’s)
MILITARY AND GOVERNMENT
PERSONNEL
U.S. APPOINTMENTS
16 May 19. Army Command Sgt. Maj. Shawn F. Carns, currently assigned as the command sergeant major for the School for Command Preparation, Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, has been selected to replace Command Master Chief Karl W. Parsons as the command senior enlisted leader for Joint Task Force Horn of Africa (CJTF-HOA).
15 May 19. Under Secretary of the Air Force Matthew P. Donovan is set to become acting secretary of the Air Force on June 1 when Secretary Heather Wilson resigns to become the president of the University of Texas at El Paso.
INDUSTRY
PERSONNEL
EUROPE APPOINTMENTS
15 May 19. Airbus SE (stock exchange symbol: AIR) has appointed Antoine Bouvier, 59, Head of Strategy, Mergers & Acquisitions and Public Affairs, effective 1 June 2019. In this position, he will report to Guillaume Faury, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Airbus.
At MBDA, Antoine Bouvier will be succeeded as CEO by Eric Béranger, 56, who has held a number of leadership positions in Airbus Defence and Space. His appointment will also become effective 1 June 2019. MBDA, a joint venture between Airbus (37.5%), BAE Systems PLC (37.5%) and Leonardo S.p.A. (25%), is Europe’s leading missile systems house.
Furthermore, Patrick de Castelbajac, 47, is appointed Head of Region Asia-Pacific for Airbus, effective 1 June 2019. In this capacity, he succeeds Jean-Marc Nasr who was recently appointed Executive Vice President Space Systems within Airbus Defence and Space. Patrick de Castelbajac is also named Head of Sales Asia-Pacific for the Company’s commercial aircraft business as of 1 July 2019. Patrick de Castelbajac will report to Christian Scherer, Chief Commercial Officer and Member of the Executive Committee at Airbus.
15 May 19. HMG Aerospace, announced the appointment of Janine Boxall to lead sales and business development on its Regional Gateway title – the only media portfolio dedicated exclusively to the regional and business airport industry. Janine’s focus will be on growing the Regional Gateway brand across both its print and digital platforms, developing strong relationships with the airports and suppliers serving this rapidly evolving sector. With over 20 years’ experience in the aviation industry, Janine brings a wealth of knowledge to the already experienced team at HMG Aerospace. Janine’s background includes working on specialist airport titles, Airports International and Air Traffic Management, as well as Jane’s – the Defence and Aerospace publishers and Lloyd’s Register – Fairplay. (Source: Google/https://www.hmgaerospace.com)
13 May 19. Theo Priestley takes up the role of chief marketing officer at WFS Technologies and is already lined up to speak at a number of key industry conferences including this month’s Digital Oilfield event in Aberdeen, and the International IoT and Digital Transformation for Oil & Gas conference to be held in Amsterdam in June.
Widely recognised as a thought leader and evangelist on emerging technologies, Theo has written more than 100 articles for publications including WIRED, Forbes, Venturebeat, Huffington Post, The European, as well as provided commentary for BBC Radio and UK national television.
He has also delivered keynote talks and chaired conferences across the world including USA, Peru, Australia, Dubai, Germany, UK, Sweden, China, Malta and South Africa on topics including IoT, smart cities, artificial intelligence (AI), big data and analytics, digital transformation, and augmented/virtual reality.
15 May 19. Eric Beranger is to be MBDA’s new Chief Executive Officer, with effect from 1 June 2019, replacing Antoine Bouvier. Over the past 20 years Eric has worked in a number of senior positions in Airbus Defence and Space, and most lately led Global Communications Company OneWeb.
U.S. APPOINTMENTS
11 May 19. Former NGA director joins a pair of advisory boards. While he is no longer leading one of the country’s intelligence agencies, former National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency Director Robert Cardillo will stay involved in the national security community through the advisory boards of two organizations. Peraton, a national security company located in Herndon, Virginia, announced May 1 that Cardillo would join its advisory board. Less than a week later, D.C.-based Beacon Global Strategies announced that Cardillo would be joining their advisory board as well. Cardillo, who once served as President Obama’s daily intelligence briefer, retired from the NGA in February after a four-year stint as the agency’s director. The agency is charged with collecting, analyzing and distributing geospatial intelligence in support of the U.S. intelligence community and the Department of Defense.
Peraton, formerly known as the Harris Corporation Government Services Business, is a national technology security company with major contracts in the intelligence community. In November, the company was awarded a $243m contract to continue supporting NASA’s Space Communications Network Services, and it was one of 20 companies taking part in the Defense Information Systems Agency’s $17.5bn ENCORE III contract. D.C.-based Beacon Global Strategies is a strategic advisory firm founded in 2013. (Source: C4ISR & Networks)
10 May 19. Huntington Ingalls Industries Hires James J. LaCroix as Corporate Director, Advanced Technologies Office. Huntington Ingalls Industries (HII) announced today that James J. LaCroix has been named corporate director of HII’s Advanced Technologies Office in Newport, Rhode Island. He will report directly to John J. Donnelly, corporate vice president of advanced technologies.
As the director of the Advanced Technologies Office, LaCroix is responsible for interaction and cooperation with the Naval Undersea Warfare Center, Newport Division, and with the Naval War College to strengthen HII’s ability to translate innovative ideas and technologies more quickly into operational capabilities for customers. This position also supports experimentation, exercises and analytic efforts through internal research and development across the company. (Source: ASD Network)
15 May 19. Lockheed Martin (NYSE: LMT) has appointed Dean Acosta as senior vice president, Communications, effective May 20, 2019. Dean Acosta has almost three decades of experience in communications and journalism, with much of it spent leading corporate communications teams, in the technology, energy and aerospace and defense industries. Most recently, he served as vice president and chief communications officer for Resideo, a smart home technology company, where he led employee and executive communications, media relations, social media and public affairs. In support of Resideo’s recent spinoff from Honeywell, Acosta was responsible for the naming and branding of the company and the Day 1 launch campaign.
Prior to that, Acosta was vice president of Global Communications for Honeywell’s Home and Building Technologies business, and before that, for Honeywell’s Automation and Control Solutions business. He served as Phillips 66’s global head of Corporate Communications, and as director of Communications for Lockheed Martin’s Corporate Engineering and Technology organization. Acosta also served as director of communications for Boeing’s Space Exploration business and as press secretary for NASA in the aftermath of the Space Shuttle Columbia disaster and through the shuttle program’s return to flight. He began his career as a broadcast journalist, winning an Emmy award for his reporting.
Acosta earned his bachelor’s degree from the University of Texas at San Antonio and his master’s degree in strategic communication and leadership from Seton Hall University.