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04 Jul 14. Australian Navy’s HMAS Newcastle integrated with night vision capability. The Royal Australian Navy (RAN) has integrated aeronautical and visual-landing aid equipment in its Adelaide-class frigate HMAS Newcastle, making it the first in its class and second navy vessel to receive the equipment. Designed to work with the night vision equipment worn by navy helicopter crews, the new externally fitted device features a pilot information display, stabilised glide-slope indicator, modified stabilised horizon reference bar lighting, obstruction lights and helicopter in-flight refuelling lights. The operator-control device offers interface between helicopter control officers and external equipment, in addition to the remote panels in the operations room, bridge and recovery-assist secure transverse (RAST) control room. HMAS Navy Newcastle flight control officer lieutenant commander Chris Mitchell said the new kit will provide users in key positions with an indication of the deck status and control of the wave-off lights, if approval to land is revoked due to a safety or operational requirement. “Current night flying operations require aircrew to ‘de-goggle’ prior to recovery, due to the type of lighting and visual-landing aids ships currently have,” Mitchell said. In a bid to become familiar with the new device and its maintenance, a two-day guided-missile frigate visual-landing aids operator and maintainer training course was attended by personnel deployed on the vessel. “It is envisaged that the enhanced capability will enable navy pilots to conduct night launch, recovery and transfer operations whilst utilising night vision goggles.” “It is envisaged that the enhanced capability will enable navy pilots to conduct night launch, recovery and transfer operations whilst utilising night vision goggles,” Mitchell added. In addition, members of 816 Squadron, Aviation Maintenance and Flight Test Unit, Fleet Aviation and the Fleet Engineering Division have also completed relevant training sessions. Flight trials are scheduled to be carried out by the Aviation Maintenance and Flight Test Unit, after which the vessel’s company and the embarked flight will be allowed to merge training and increase system facts during the sea qualification and work-up period. (Source: naval-technology.com)
08 Jul 14. Northrop Grumman and Boeing have responded to a U.S. Air Force call for contractors interested in building a follow-on set of GPS III satellites, according to a report in Space News. Lockheed Martin is under contract to deliver the first eight GPS III satellites, but the award for up to 22 further IIIs remains open. Difficulties with the payload for the first batch of satellites mean that although the Lockheed has three space vehicles ready, it has no signal payload to put aboard them. Subcontractor Exelis is at work on that. Delivery delays have prompted the Air Force to look about for alternatives. Lockheed Martin itself began investigating options for its supply line last year. The U.S. Air Force issued an official “Sources sought” notice in June on a production-ready GPS space vehicle, equipped with an alternate payload, for consideration alongside the Lockheed Martin-built GPS III vehicle. The first phase of the contract would include two firm-fixed price contracts worth $100–$200m to demonstrate a competitor to GPS III. Key requirements are that the satellite must offer a payload alternative to that built by Exelis; the satellite must be ready to launch by 2023; and the production line must turn out two to three new satellites per year. The second phase features a competition between Lockheed Martin and one or more other companies for as many as 22 satellites. A final contract award would be made in 2017 or 2018. Current GPS III contractor Lockheed Martin reportedly sent an engineerin