DRS Defense Solutions to Provide Cargo Handling and Aerial Delivery Systems for Embraer KC-390 Military Transport Aircraft

BETHESDA, MD., MARCH 22, 2011 – DRS Defense Solutions announced that it has been awarded a contract by Embraer S.A., located in São José dos Campos, São Paolo, Brazil, for the design, development, testing, production, and after-market support of the KC-390 Cargo Handling and Aerial Delivery System (CHS/ADS).

Work will be performed by DRS Training & Control Systems in Fort Walton Beach, Fla.

Embraer was awarded the KC-390 design and development contract by the Brazilian Air Force in April 2009. The KC-390 is a fixed-wing transport aircraft under development for the Brazilian Air Force launch customer and targeted customers around the world. As a medium- to heavy-class military transport aircraft, the KC-390 will perform troop and cargo transport, aerial delivery, in-flight refueling and medical evacuations. The KC-390 CHS/ADS is one of the five major aircraft subsystems.

The KC-390 CHS/ADS will be integral to the aircraft cabin for transporting palletized cargo and rolling stock onboard the aircraft as well as performing various aerial delivery missions involving parachute extraction of cargo. The CHS/ADS will be comprised of an electrical pallet locking system, electronic load master control subsystem involving DO178 level A software certification, retractable guide-rails, invertible cargo rollers, tie-down devices, and other system components integrated into purpose-designed structural floor panels custom configured to meet stringent weight limitations.

“We are very pleased to win a position on the KC-390 program and enter into a strategic partnership with Embraer and the Brazilian Air Force for this new aircraft,” states Richard Danforth, president and CEO of DRS Defense Solutions.

Edwin R. “Robbie” Epstein, president of DRS Training & Control Systems, adds, “The KC-390 program is a welcomed addition to our 50-year legacy of producing military cargo handling and aerial delivery systems, onboard aircraft systems, and defense electronics. We look forward to a successful development phase and seamless transition to production, leveraging our combined in house capabilities to deliver a state-of-the-art system backed by long-term product support.”

“Establishing Embraer and the Brazilian Air Force as customers for the KC-390 program creates a solid presence for our company in the growing Brazilian Defense market,” notes Howard Hudson, vice president of business development and program capture manager.

Embraer, the world’s largest manufacturer of commercial jets up to 120 seats, is headquartered in São José dos Campos, São Paolo, Brazil and employs more than 17,000 people engaged in design, development, manufacturing and sales of aircraft for the commercial aviation, executive aviation, and defense segments.

DRS Defense Solutions, LLC, a wholly-owned subsidiary of DRS Technologies, Inc, is headquartered in Bethesda, MD. DRS Defense Solutions provides world-class products, services and systems integration in the areas of intelligence and sensor technologies, security, cyber, sonar, communications, electronic warfare, training systems, satellite communications, avionics, control systems and unmanned technologies. DRS Technologies, headquartered in Parsippany, NJ, is a leading supplier of integrated products, services and support to military forces, intelligence agencies and prime contractors worldwide, and is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Finmeccanica S.p.A. (FNC.MI) which employs more than 75,000 people worldwide.

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First Airbus Military A330 MRTT for UK Royal Air Force displays its three-point refuelling capability

The first A330 MRTT Future Strategic Tanker Aircraft (FSTA) for the UK Royal Air Force is here captured with both its underwing pods and fuselage refuelling unit (FRU) deployed simultaneously.


The first A330 MRTT Future Strategic Tanker Aircraft (FSTA) for the UK Royal Air Force is here captured with both its underwing pods and fuselage refuelling unit (FRU) deployed simultaneously. The photo was taken from a Spanish Air Force F-18 during a recent handling qualities flight as the FSTA nears civil and military certification.

Two FSTAs are currently flying and the first is on schedule to transfer to the UK in the second quarter of the year to begin qualification flights with the specified receiver aircraft types, leading to first delivery towards the end of the year.

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HC-130J Completes Developmental Testing

The new HC-130J personnel recovery aircraft, developed for the United States Air Force Air Combat Command, has completed developmental testing. The final test point was air-to-air refueling and was achieved on March 14. This was the first refueling of an HC-130J, and the first ever boom refueling of a C-130 where the aircraft's refueling receiver was installed during aircraft production. This test point also applies to the MC-130J Combat Shadow II aircraft in production for Air Force Special Operations Command. Rollout of the first MC-130J will be celebrated at the Lockheed Martin facility in Marietta, Ga. on March 29. The first HC-130Js and MC-130Js will start deliveries in August with Initial Operational Capability for both scheduled for 2012.


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CH-53K Helicopter Assembly Line Opens at Sikorsky Florida Facility

EST PALM BEACH, Florida - Sikorsky Aircraft Corp. officially opened a new facility at its Florida Assembly and Flight Operations (FAFO) campus, establishing experimental assembly line operations for the new CH-53K heavy lift helicopter. Sikorsky Aircraft is a subsidiary of United Technologies Corp. (NYSE: UTX).


Since 1959, United Technologies Corporation has been in operation in Palm Beach County with Pratt & Whitney military engine programs and Sikorsky development and certification programs that have included research aircraft such as the XH-59, fly-by-wire aircraft and the UH-60M BLACK HAWK helicopter.

"The production of the next generation of heavy lift helicopter prototype is underway," said Dennis Jarvi, vice president, Navy and Marine Corps Programs for Sikorsky.

"As we commence assembly line operations at FAFO, we are witnessing the dawn of a new age in rotorcraft development and construction. The CH-53K helicopter is being digitally designed and manufactured. We have created 'virtual tools' that will improve the learning process and identify and solve issues before they become costly delays in manufacturing. The CH-53K helicopter stands to become a model of innovative technology and capability when it takes its role in the fleet."

The CH-53K helicopter Florida Assembly and Flight Operations facility consists of approximately 60,000 square feet of space. The building, originally the home of Pratt & Whitney-Rocketdyne, has been completely updated to create a modern assembly area. Overhead power and air dropdowns, new aircraft work stands, and overhead cranes have been installed to support aircraft final assembly and rotor head/quality control assembly operations.

The state-of-the-art facility also provides wireless data connections to all operator plasma data screens. The new FAFO operation will introduce the use of digital operation sheets to aid in assembly and operate a four-position flight line to produce the new aircraft.

"The CH-53K helicopter team has combined the new advances in technology with the learning of more than 70 years of manufacturing into a robust process that is expected to gain significant efficiencies during the build of the aircraft," said John Johnson, CH-53K helicopter program manager.

Five System Development and Demonstration (SDD) prototype aircraft will be built at the FAFO facility, with two additional airframe test articles produced at Sikorsky's main manufacturing plant in Stratford, Conn. Once assembled, the aircraft will be delivered to the Sikorsky Development Flight Center (DFC) in West Palm Beach, Fla., to undergo flight testing.

Mick Maurer, president of Sikorsky Military Systems, said: "The Development Flight Center has been the starting point of many storied aircraft programs for Sikorsky. From building the S-76® series aircraft to testing the complex CH148 helicopter and flying the revolutionary X2 Technology™ demonstrator, the DFC has a history that will soon have a new success story to add to its resumé: the impressive, powerful CH-53K helicopter."

Sikorsky Aircraft received a $3 billion System Development and Demonstration (SDD) contract on April 5, 2006 to develop a replacement for the U.S. Marine Corps CH-53E heavy lift helicopter. The new aircraft program is planned to include production of more than 200 aircraft. Currently, the CH-53K helicopter is in the SDD phase with all of the major subcontracts awarded and valued at over $1.1B.

The CH-53K helicopter will maintain virtually the same footprint as its predecessor, the three-engine CH-53E SUPER STALLION™ helicopter, but will nearly triple the payload to 27,000 pounds over 110 nautical miles under "high hot" ambient conditions. The CH-53E helicopter is currently the largest, most powerful marinized helicopter in the world. It is deployed from Marine Corps amphibious assault ships to transport personnel and equipment and to carry external (sling) cargo loads.

The CH-53K helicopter's maximum gross weight (MGW) with internal loads is 74,000 pounds compared to 69,750 pounds for the CH-53E aircraft. The CH-53K's MGW with external loads is 88,000 pounds as compared to 73,500 for the CH-53E helicopter.

Features of the CH-53K helicopter include: a modern glass cockpit; fly-by-wire flight controls; fourth generation rotor blades with anhedral tips; a low-maintenance elastomeric rotor head; upgraded engines; a locking cargo rail system; external cargo handling improvements; survivability enhancements; and improved reliability, maintainability and supportability. The program is expected to achieve the Initial Operational Capability milestone in FY18.

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