Morocco and Boeing sign major deal to attract suppliers - Deutsche Welle

http://www.dw.com/en/morocco-and-boeing-sign-major-deal-to-attract-suppliers/av-35913773

Morocco and Boeing sign major deal to attract suppliers
Deutsche Welle
Morocco's aerospace sector is hoping for a major boost from a new deal with Boeing. The US aeronautics firm has agreed to set up an industrial ecosystem and bring 120 suppliers to the country. The deal could lead to the creations of thousands of new ...

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HAL approaches Tatas to make Sukhoi floor beams again - Times of India

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/nagpur/HAL-approachesTatasto-makeSukhoifloor-beams-again/articleshow/54573151.cms

HAL approaches Tatas to make Sukhoi floor beams again
Times of India
Nagpur: Tata Group's TAL Manufacturing Solutions, which has a unit at Mihan-SEZ, was recently approached by Bangalore-based defence PSU Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), for making floor beams and other similar components for Sukhoi fighter ..

Antonov gets US flight exemptions - Heavy Lift

Antonov gets US flight exemptions
Heavy Lift
September 28 - Ukrainian operator Antonov Company (Antonov Airlines) has been granted broad air charter exemptions for flights to and from the USA by the US Department of Transportation (US DOT).

http://www.heavyliftpfi.com/news/antonov-gets-us-flight-exemptions.html

From Under the Sea to Up in the Air: Lockheed Martin Conducts First Underwater Unmanned Aircraft Launch from Unmanned Underwater Vehicle

http://www.lockheedmartin.com/us/news/press-releases/2016/september/160928-rms-first-underwater-unmanned-aircraft-launch-from-unmanned-underwater-vehicle.html

NEWPORT, R.I., Sept. 28, 2016 – In a testament to the versatility and adaptability that its unmanned systems bring to complex missions, Lockheed Martin (NYSE: LMT) successfully launched Vector Hawk, a small, unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), on command from the Marlin MK2 autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) during a cross-domain command and control event hosted by the U.S. Navy. In addition to Marlin and Vector Hawk, the Submaran, an unmanned surface vehicle (USV) developed by Ocean Aero, provided surface reconnaissance and surveillance.

"This effort marks a milestone in showing that an unmanned aircraft, surface vessel and undersea vehicle can communicate and complete a mission cooperatively and completely autonomously," said Kevin Schlosser, chief architect, unmanned systems technology, Lockheed Martin.

During the Annual Navy Technology Exercise (ANTX) activities in August, the Submaran relayed instructions to Marlin from a ground control station via underwater acoustic communications. Following these instructions, the Marlin launched the Vector Hawk using a specially-designed canister from the surface of the Narragansett Bay. Following launch, Vector Hawk successfully assumed a mission flight track. All three autonomous vehicles—Marlin, Submaran and Vector Hawk—communicated operational status to the ground control station to maintain situational awareness and provide a means to command and control all assets.

"Lockheed Martin has heard loud and clear the U.S. Navy's call to get faster, be more agile, and to be continually creative," said Frank Drennan, director, mission and unmanned systems business development. "We have clearly illustrated that we have the necessary agility and quickness combined with innovative technology to increase the range, reach, and effectiveness of undersea forces."

Lockheed Martin's Vector Hawk is designed for canister or hand-launch in all-weather, maritime environments to provide customers with an organic, tailored intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) capability at the moment they need it. 

"This signifies the versatility of Lockheed Martin's unmanned systems to communicate seamlessly across domains to conduct a diverse set of missions in all environments. The capability is quickly reconfigured in the field," said Schlosser. "In a short time, we enabled these systems to work together by rapidly changing sensor packages."

In addition to its configuration versatility, Vector Hawk is capable of fully autonomous flight and landing, which enables operators' to shift their focus from flying the aircraft to managing the mission.

The four-pound Vector Hawk can fly for 70-plus minutes, at line-of-sight ranges up to 15 kilometers.  Operators can recover and re-launch the Vector Hawk in a matter of minutes (including changing the system's battery). Vector Hawk is built on an open architecture to enable rapid technology insertion and payload integration.

Marlin MK2 is a battery powered, fully autonomous underwater vehicle that is 10 feet long with a 250 pound payload capacity, 18-24 hour endurance, depth rating of 1000 feet and weighs approximately 2,000 pounds. Its open architecture design and modularity allow new mission packages to be quickly integrated into Marlin to meet emerging customer needs.

Also during the three-day event, Marlin surveyed a sunken barge with its 3D imaging sonar. Teams on the ground used that data to create a 3D printed model of the barge. Marlin can quickly generate accurate, hi-resolution, 3D, geo-referenced models, giving users a clear view of subsea structures.

Lockheed Martin has five decades of experience in unmanned and robotic systems for air, land and sea. From the depths of the ocean to the rarified air of the stratosphere, Lockheed Martin's unmanned systems help our military, civil and commercial customers accomplish their most difficult challenges.

For additional information, visit our website:www.lockheedmartin.com/unmanned

Clean Sky BLADE: Laminar-Flow Wings En Route To A340 Demonstrator

http://aviationweek.com/awincommercial/laminar-flow-wings-en-route-a340-demonstrator

Major components for Europe's laminar-flow flight demonstrator have been shipped to Airbus for installation on a modified A340-300, which is scheduled to begin flight tests in 2017.

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Lockheed Martin conducts UAV launch from UUV - IHS Jane's 360

http://www.janes.com/article/64188/lockheed-martin-conducts-uav-launch-from-uuv

IHS Jane's 360

Lockheed Martin conducts UAV launch from UUV
IHS Jane's 360
Lockheed Martin deployed its maritime, canister-launched Vector Hawk unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) from the Marlin MK2 unmanned underwater vehicle (UUV) during a US Navy exercise in August, the company announced on 28 September. Lockheed ...
From Under the Sea to Up in the Air: Lockheed Martin Conducts First ...Robotics Tomorrow (press release)

los 2 artículos informativos »

First A330neo starts its final assembly in Toulouse

Newest member of the world’s most popular wide-body family takes shape
PRESS RELEASE


Airbus has commenced the final assembly of its first A330neo, an A330-900, at its Final Assembly Line in Toulouse with the joining of the wings to the centre fuselage at station 40.

As the newest member of the world’s most popular A330 wide-body family the A330neo builds on the Family’s proven economics, versatility and reliability, set to reduce fuel consumption by a further 14 per cent per seat. Both the A330-800 and A330-900 feature a new A350-inspired wing with Sharklet wingtip devices for state-of-the-art aerodynamics, incorporating latest-generation Rolls-Royce Trent 7000 engines, and the new AirSpace by Airbus cabin for the latest experience in cabin comfort.

“We have started with a very tight development schedule and are today right on time,” says Odile Jubécourt, Airbus Head of the A330neo programme. “I am happy to say we are in good shape to meet the high standards of maturity and reliability our customers expect from us and I want to thank the teams for this outstanding achievement.”

Thanks to its low, new generation fuel-burn, the A330neo expands its operators’ market opportunities by offering an additional 400 nautical miles range, leading to a 6,550 nautical miles range on the A330-900 and 7,500 nautical miles on the A330-800. To date, 10 customers have ordered a total of 186 A330neo.

The A330-800 and the A330-900 are 99 per cent common, sharing a 95 per cent commonality across the entire A330 fleet, set to optimize costs and flexibility for all its operators. Airlines will also benefit from the Family’s market-leading reliability and reduced maintenance costs.

The A330 is the most popular mid-size wide-body aircraft ever, having won over 1,600 orders to date. Today, over 1,250 aircraft are flying with over 120 airlines worldwide on a wide range of routes, from domestic and regional flights to long range intercontinental services.

Offering the lowest operating costs in its category, and due to continuous investments in latest innovations, the new generation A330neo is the most profitable and best performing aircraft in its size category.

Airbus Expands its German Satellite Building Facility / METimage: New Weather Data Every 1.7 seconds / Airbus DS Invests in Very High-Resolution Satellite Imagery from 2020 Onwards

• Airbus Defence and Space invests €43 million to expand and optimise its Friedrichshafen space installations complex
• Integrated Technology Centre is a building block for future site developmenta

https://airbusdefenceandspace.com/newsroom/news-and-features/airbus-expands-its-german-satellite-building-facility/

• DLR and Airbus Defence and Space sign 291 million euro contract for innovative meteorological instruments
• Launched on Metop-SG-A polar-orbiting weather satellites from 2021

https://airbusdefenceandspace.com/newsroom/news-and-features/metimage-new-weather-data-every-1-7-seconds/

• Four very high-resolution (VHR) optical Earth observation satellites to be launched in 2020 and 2021 will ensure continuity of Pléiades misión
• Highly responsive dual VHR constellation will offer state-of-the art service to the Airbus Defence and Space imagery user’s community for the next decade
• Recognised operational Pléiades system features will be improved to match the market requirements expected to be the norm at the time of launch, and will deliver new applications such as business intelligence and analytics

https://airbusdefenceandspace.com/newsroom/news-and-features/airbus-defence-and-space-invests-in-very-high-resolution-satellite-imagery-from-2020-onwards/

Airbus Defence and Space Secures Europe’s First DOA (Design Organisation Approval) for UAS

EASA recognition lays the ground for civil certification of large UAS

After more than two years’ work Airbus Defence and Space has become the world’s first company to be approved by the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) for the design and development of unmanned aerial systems (UAS) intended for civil type certification.

The company’s existing Design Organisation Approval (DOA) for conventional manned aircraft has been extended to cover UAS – the critical step in allowing it to achieve type certification for that class of aircraft.

The milestone was reached two years after its Atlante UAS became the first UAS to be submitted to EASA for civil certification.

EASA and Airbus Defence and Space have been working closely together to develop certification processes based on the existing system for manned aircraft and to agree new practice where no procedures were previously in place.

Jana Rosenmann, Head of UAS, Airbus Defence and Space said: “Establishing the UAS category in DOAs will be a key element in the regulatory regime needed to foster UAS development in Europe. As a company we are determined to maintain a leading industrial position in the civil UAS sector, but all players stand to benefit from the establishment of the optimum regulatory framework.”

European MALE RPAS (Medium Altitude Long Endurance Remotely Piloted Aircraft System) Programme takes off

September 28th 2016 - Manching, Germany. Since beginning of September the development of a common European drone has entered a new phase. The contract for the Definition Study of the European MALE RPAS (Medium Altitude Long Endurance Remotely Piloted Aircraft System) Programme, assigned to Airbus, Dassault Aviation and Leonardo-Finmeccanica has been launched by a kick-off meeting chaired by the Organisation for Joint Armament Cooperation (OCCAR) with the attendance of the programme participating States France, Germany, Italy and Spain.

MALE RPAS will be a new generation remotely piloted air system for armed Intelligence, Surveillance, Target Acquisition and Reconnaissance (ISTAR) missions. Air traffic integration and certification for European densely populated environment are part of the key distinctive objectives of the programme.

The two-year definition study starts from September 2016. It will be jointly executed by Airbus Defence and Space, Dassault Aviation and Leonardo-Finmeccanica Aircraft Division with an equal work allocation. The three companies are co-contractors to perform the definition study.

Following the study, the start of the development phase is planned for 2018, with a prototype first flight in early 2023 and a first delivery of the system in the 2025 timeframe.

Operational requirements of the nations will be defined in close cooperation with the Armed Forces.

"Successfully teaming European nations, industries and defense ministries to improve sovereignty and independence is an outstanding mission, and today marks a new milestone in this innovative partnership" said Dirk Hoke, Chief Executive Officer of Airbus Defence and Space.

"This cooperative programme will contribute to European Industry leadership and autonomy in the strategic field of surveillance drones and will provide Armed Forces with high performance and sovereign operational systems" emphasized Eric Trappier, Dassault Aviation Chairman and Chief Executive Officer.

"The European Male RPAS programme is a unique opportunity to promote the development of high technologies expertise, capabilities and jobs, of fundamental importance within Europe. Technological and operational sovereignty will be delivered to Nations, relying on the experience of decades of European cooperation in military programmes," said Mr. Filippo Bagnato, Leonardo-Finmeccanica Aircraft Division Managing Director.

About European MALE RPAS - Previously known as MALE 2020 Project, the European MALE RPAS Project foresees the development of an European Unmanned Aerial System for long-range missions at medium flight altitudes (MALE). Besides being an answer to the European armed forces’ requirements, it will take into account the need to optimize budgetary resources through pooling of research and development funding. With a European development, critical requirements around the certification of drones and sovereignty of operations by Armed Forces are inherently built into the programme from the onset. The European MALE RPAS is orientated to foster the development of high technologies and will contribute to sustaining key competencies and jobs within Europe.

Airbus Defence and Space, a division of Airbus Group, is Europe’s number one defence and space enterprise and the second largest space business worldwide. Its activities include space, military aircraft and related systems and services. It employs more than 38,000 people and in 2015 generated revenues of over 13 billion Euros.

About Dassault Aviation: With more than 8,000 military and civil aircraft delivered to more than 90 countries over the past 60 years, and having logged nearly 28 million flight hours to date, Dassault Aviation can offer recognized know-how and experience in the design, development, sale and support of all types of aircraft, from the Rafale fighter to the Falcon range of high-end business jets, as well as military unmanned air systems. In 2015, Dassault Aviation reported revenues of €4.20 billion. The company has almost 12,000 employees. In 2016, Dassault Aviation is celebrating the first centennial of its history, which started in 1916 with Marcel Dassault and the Éclair propeller.

Leonardo-Finmeccanica Aircraft Division is one of the Leonardo-Finmeccanica’s business divisions. Leonardo-Finmeccanica is among the top ten global players in Aerospace, Defence and Security and Italy’s main industrial company. As a single entity from January 2016, organised into business divisions (Helicopters; Aircraft; Aero-structures; Airborne & Space Systems; Land & Naval Defence Electronics; Defence Systems; Security & Information Systems), Leonardo-Finmeccanica operates in the most competitive international markets by leveraging its areas of technology and product leadership. Listed on the Milan Stock Exchange (LDO), at 31 December 2015 Finmeccanica recorded consolidated revenues of 13 billion Euros and has a significant industrial presence in Italy, the UK and the U.S.

Airbus Defence and Space and Australia’s Neumann Space Sign First Payload Agreement for the New Bartolomeo Platform on ISS

Airbus Defence and Space, the world’s second largest space company, and Neumann Space, an Australian Space technology company, have signed the very first agreement for a hosted payload aboard the new Bartolomeo platform of the International Space Station (ISS) during this week’s IAC Conference in Guadalajara, Mexico.

The Bartolomeo platform will provide an end-to-end service for fast, cost-efficient and reliable access to the ISS for private and institutional users on commercial terms. Its all-in-one payload mission service will attract customers from areas including Earth observation, technology demonstrators, astro- and heliophysics, material science and new space flight applications.

Named after the younger brother of Christopher Columbus, the Bartolomeo platform will be attached to the European Columbus Module and operated by Airbus Defence and Space starting in 2018. With its All-in-One Mission Service, Airbus Defence and Space provides all mission-related elements and can even assist when it comes to building the actual payload.

“Our 'ISS balcony' provides a highly cost- and time-efficient means to perform a space mission in LEO or to test and validate new technology in orbit,” said Bart Reijnen, Head of On-Orbit Services and Exploration at Airbus Defence and Space. “Customers can benefit from our extensive experience in integrating and operating payloads on the ISS and are hence free to fully concentrate on their individual Space mission, without needing to develop a complex space system or a deep understanding of the ISS.”

Neumann Space will use their 50+ litres of payload space on Bartolomeo for their FAST - Facility for Australian Space Testing programme: “The FAST programme provides a unique opportunity for the in-orbit demonstration of technology for small and medium enterprises, schools and universities filling a gap in the current market,” said Patrick Neumann, Chief Scientist and co-founder of Neumann Space. “With FAST, a collection of payloads starting at just 1 kg mass will be sent together with our Neumann Drive to be operated in space for up to twelve months. We are glad to rely on Airbus Defence and Space to handle launch, power, in-orbit installation, communications down from the ISS and all the other bits and pieces needed to make this programme a success.”

The payload launch is envisioned for late 2018, and Neumann Space is already working on following up the first payload with others, including the possibility of returning payload elements back to Earth at the end of the mission.

About Neumann Space
Neumann Space is a space start-up dedicated to making a bigger world by helping humanity to the stars. Our patented solar-electric ion drive is more efficient than anything else on the market. We are uniquely suited to delivering affordable, efficient drives that can greatly prolong the lifespan of satellites, as well as lowering the fuel and mass costs for long missions, such as space exploration and mining. We are dedicated to building the Australian space industry, and fostering a spirit of community and discovery.

About Airbus Defence and Space
Airbus Defence and Space, a division of Airbus Group, is Europe’s number one defence and space enterprise and the second largest space business worldwide. Its activities include space, military aircraft and related systems and services. It employs more than 38,000 people and in 2015 generated revenues of over 13 billion Euros.

Despega el programa europeo MALE RPAS (Medium Altitude Long Endurance Remotely Piloted Aircraft System)

Manching (Alemania), 28 de septiembre de 2016 – Desde principios de septiembre el proyecto para el desarrollo de un dron europeo común ha entrado en una nueva fase. El contrato relativo al estudio de definición del programa europeo MALE RPAS (Medium Altitude Long Endurance Remotely Piloted Aircraft System), adjudicado a las compañías Airbus, Dassault Aviation y Leonardo-Finmeccanica, se ha puesto en marcha en una reunión de lanzamiento presidida por la Organización Conjunta de Cooperación en Materia de Armamento (OCCAR), en presencia de representantes de las naciones que integran el programa: Francia, Alemania, Italia y España.

MALE RPAS será una nueva generación de sistemas aéreos pilotados remotamente para misiones armadas de Inteligencia, Vigilancia, Adquisición de Blancos y Reconocimiento (ISTAR). La integración y la certificación del tráfico aéreo en el densamente poblado entorno europeo son solo dos de los objetivos clave del programa.

El estudio de definición, de dos años de duración, comienza a partir de septiembre de 2016. Lo desarrollarán conjuntamente Airbus Defence and Space, Dassault Aviation y Leonardo-Finmeccanica con una asignación de trabajo equitativa. Las tres compañías llevarán a cabo el estudio en calidad de co-contratistas.

Una vez finalizado el estudio, está previsto que la fase de desarrollo comience en 2018, con el vuelo inaugural de un prototipo programado para principios de 2023 y la primera entrega del sistema para 2025, respectivamente.

Los requerimientos operativos de las distintas naciones se definirán en estrecha cooperación con las Fuerzas Armadas.

"Conseguir que naciones, compañías y ministerios de defensa europeos colaboren con éxito para mejorar la soberanía y la independencia supone una misión extraordinaria que hoy marca un nuevo hito en esta asociación innovadora", dijo Dirk Hoke, consejero delegado (CEO) de Airbus Defence and Space.

"Este programa colaborativo impulsará el liderazgo y la autonomía de la industria europea en el campo estratégico de sistemas aéreos no tripulados para vigilancia, y suministrará a las Fuerzas Armadas sistemas operativos soberanos y de alto rendimiento", subrayó Eric Trappier, presidente y CEO de Dassault Aviation.

"El programa europeo MALE RPAS es una oportunidad única para promover el desarrollo de conocimientos, capacidades y empleos en el ámbito de tecnologías avanzadas que revisten una importancia fundamental en Europa. Se proporcionará soberanía tecnológica y operativa a las naciones participantes, basada en las décadas de experiencia acumuladas por la cooperación europea en programas militares", comentó Filippo Bagnato, director general de la división de Aeronaves en Leonardo-Finmeccanica.

Acerca de European MALE RPAS: Conocido previamente como proyecto MALE 2020, el programa europeo MALE RPAS prevé el desarrollo de un sistema aéreo no tripulado europeo para misiones de media altitud y largo alcance (MALE, por sus siglas en inglés). Además de responder a los requerimientos de las Fuerzas Armadas europeas, tendrá en cuenta la necesidad de optimizar los

recursos presupuestarios mediante una financiación conjunta de la investigación y el desarrollo. Con un desarrollo europeo, tanto los requisitos críticos en torno a la certificación de sistemas aéreos no tripulados como las operaciones soberanas por parte de las Fuerzas Armadas estarán integrados en el programa desde un principio. El programa europeo MALE RPAS pretende fomentar el desarrollo de tecnologías avanzadas y contribuirá a mantener competencias y empleos clave en Europa.

Acerca de Airbus Defence and Space: Airbus Defence and Space, una división de Airbus Group, es líder europea en la industria aeroespacial y de defensa y número dos mundial de la industria espacial. Sus actividades incluyen espacio, aviones de transporte militar y sistemas y servicios relacionados. Emplea a más de 38.000 personas y en 2015 obtuvo unos ingresos de más de 13 mil millones de euros.

Acerca de Dassault Aviation: Con más de 8.000 aviones civiles y militares suministrados a más de 90 países a lo largo de las últimas seis décadas, y tras acumular casi 28 millones de horas de vuelo hasta la fecha, Dassault Aviation cuenta con know-how y experiencia reconocidos en el diseño, desarrollo, venta y soporte técnico de todo tipo de aeronaves, desde el caza Rafale y los aviones de negocios de gama alta Falcon hasta sistemas aéreos militares no tripulados. En 2015, Dassault Aviation obtuvo unos ingresos de 4.200 millones de euros con una plantilla de casi 12.000 personas. En 2016 se celebra el primer centenario de Dassault Aviation, cuya historia comenzó en 1916 con Marcel Dassault y la hélice Éclair.

www.dassault-aviation.com

Leonardo-Finmeccanica se ubica entre las diez mayores compañías de aeroespacio, defensa y seguridad a escala mundial y es la principal empresa industrial de Italia. Leonardo-Finmeccanica es

desde enero de 2016 una entidad única organizada en divisiones comerciales (helicópteros;aeronaves; aeroestructuras; sistemas aerotransportados y espaciales; electrónica para la defensa terrestre y naval; sistemas de defensa; sistemas de seguridad y de información) y opera en los mercados internacionales más competitivos aprovechando sus áreas de liderazgo tecnológico y de producto. Finmeccanica –cotiza en Bolsa de Milán (LDO)– reportó a 31 de diciembre de 2015 unos ingresos consolidados de 13.000 millones de euros y cuenta con una sólida presencia industrial en Italia, el Reino Unido y los Estados Unidos.