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14 Nov 11. Northrop Grumman Corporation has completed on schedule the preliminary design review (PDR) for its modular space vehicle (MSV), allowing the program to proceed to its critical design review and closer to manufacturing. Under MSV program milestones, a successful PDR is essential to fulfilling the NASA Ames contract, which, in turn, supports the Department of Defense (DoD) Operationally Responsive Space (ORS) office at Kirtland Air Force Base, N.M. The MSV is being developed and manufactured as a rapid response space initiative for combatant commanders. It includes major teammates ATA and DesignNet Engineering.
17 Nov 11. Northrop Grumman Corporation’s Integrated Avionics System played a key role in preparing the AH-1Z helicopter for its first operational deployment, marking the initial opportunity for the AH-1Z and UH-1Y helicopters to work together as a team. The AH-1Z and its sister aircraft, the UH-1Y, are deployed aboard the USS Makin Island with the 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU). The helicopters function as a detachment of Marine Light Attack Helicopter Squadron 367 (HMLA-367), which provided four AH-1Z and three UH-1Y helicopters. While this is the first AH-1Z deployment, the UH-1Y was first deployed in 2009 with the 13th MEU and has experienced four HMLA squadron deployments in support of Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan. The U.S. Marine Corps is now able to merge the improved capabilities of these upgraded aircraft into a single light helicopter attack squadron or as a detachment of the larger group. The dual deployment takes advantage of the 84 percent commonality of parts between the UH-1Y and AH-1Z helicopters in the H-1 upgrade program, which reduces life cycle and training costs and decreases the logistics footprint for both aircraft. The upgraded helicopters also have 100 percent software commonality through Northrop Grumman’s Integrated Avionics System (IAS) and the same operational flight program.
17 Nov 11. Conduction-cooling assemblies take the heat out of VPX, VME and CompactPCI boards. Now available from electronics packaging specialist Schroff is a range of conduction-cooling assemblies (CCAs) that have been designed specifically for use in VPX, VME and CompactPCI systems. As well as removing the heat from PCBs where convection alone is insufficient, the CCA devices also provide mechanical support for the boards to enable them to withstand conditions of severe shock or vibration. Manufactured by Birtcher, one of Schroff’s sister companies within the Pentair Technical Products Group, the CCAs are available in 3U and 6U sizes in a choice of configurations compatible with VPX, VME/VME64x and CompactPCI boards. In addition, they can accommodate and cool ccPMC or XMC mezzanine cards. With the CCA attached, the heat generated by the electronic components on a PCB is transferred through the board to the CCA frame and then on to the chassis. The CCAs incorporate high-performance 5-wedge retainers, which lock the frame into the card guide to provide a high clamping force with even pressure distribution for low thermal resistance. They are supplied with either a backing plate or backing strips, and their integral extractor handles provide ample force to easily disengage high-contact-density board connectors. Particularly suitable for use in defence, aerospace, transportation and industrial systems, the Birtcher CCAs are made from aluminium alloy to minimise weight and can be specified with black anodised, chemical film or electroless nickel finishes.
14 Nov 11. VCC, a pioneer in the development and delivery of today’s most high-performance, innovative LED indication solutions, has partnered with Lynx Micro Electronics LLC, to make its complete line of LED indicators available to OEMs in vertical markets through the franchised stocking distributor. Ly