EUROPE
26 Jul 05. The first UK-built Sentinel R Mk 1 aircraft for the MoD’s ASTOR programme, yesterday made its maiden flight from Hawarden airfield at Broughton in North Wales. Prime contractor Raytheon Systems Limited (RSL) is undertaking most of the major modification and integration work on the ASTOR system at its Broughton facility. The ASTOR aircraft was crewed by Peter Collins, Head of Flying at Raytheon Broughton and the Raytheon UK ASTOR Project Test Pilot, and Squadron Leader Tim Butler, the RAF ASTOR Project Test Pilot. During the four hour flight the aircraft reached an altitude of 17,000 ft and an indicated speed of 320 knots. After landing back at Hawarden, Peter Collins reported: “The test flight went extremely well given such an extensive rebuild and complex
mission system integration into what is an already highly advanced aircraft in its standard form. We checked all of systems that we planned to on this first functional check flight and the test points showed that aircraft handled little differently from a standard Global Express.” He went on to add, “The standard of workmanship in the aircraft is superb and I salute the whole Broughton ASTOR team, in all their roles, for such an outstanding achievement. This first flight puts Raytheon Broughton firmly on the UK aerospace map.”
29 Jul 05. UK Javelin, developed and produced by the Raytheon/Lockheed Martin Javelin Joint Venture for the U.K.’s Light Forces Anti-Tank Guided Weapon program, has been declared operational four months ahead of schedule. The announcement was made during a live-fire demonstration yesterday witnessed by industry and Ministry of Defence (MoD) officials at Warminster. Officials said the early in-service date demonstrates the successful close working relationship on this venture between the U.S. Department of Defense and Army, the U.K. MoD, and the Javelin Joint Venture.
USA
Jul 05. JTRS Cluster 1. HAC-D Language recommends $21.6m rescission of FY05 RDTE funding, and $60m of FY05 OPA funding that Army is in process of reprogramming to RDTE. In addition $55.5m of FY06 RDTE funding was also recommended to be cut. The JPEO has forwarded an impact statement to OSD. HASC and SASC marks received. SASC reduced JTRS funding lines for Cluster 1 and 5 on a total PE level, leaving $106M total for both programs in FY06 RDTE funding. SECOMP-I. A Letter of Concern was sent to General Dynamics by PM WIN-T Contracting Officer on 18 July 2005. The letter outlines several issues and concerns of PdM MST surrounding GD’s performance on the SECOMP-I contract, and requests that GD address them. We requested these issues promptly responded to in a formal written position by 29 July.
22 Jul 05. Navy using software from older ships in DD(X) program. The Navy is using software from older ships and designing platforms of “reusable software” to run the targeting, radar and other advanced systems in its DD(X) warship modernization program. Capt. Charles Goddard, the DD(X) program manager, described the process after a House Armed Services Subcommittee on Projection Forces hearing earlier this week on the status of the troubled program. “We’re reusing approximately 65 percent of the software for DD(X) from DDGs [guided missile destroyers] and from large-deck amphibious ships,” he said. “That’s saved us in excess of a billion dollars.” “There are some common functions you have between ships, such as how you manage your radar, how you track an aircraft or a cruise missile—those kinds of functionalities can be put into software configuration items,” Goddard said. “You can move them from platform to platform to the common infrastructure [each ship uses]. That’s the gist of what our architecture is all about, reusable software.” He also refuted concerns in a Government Accountability Office report that some IT work is behind schedule. Auditors in recent evaluations found four Navy systems have encountered problems and two others, including the advanc