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Lockheed Martin awarded contract for MH-60R/S cockpits and integrated systems
The U.S. Navy awarded Lockheed Martin a $1.05 billion, five-year contract to provide more than 200 digital cockpits and integrated mission systems and sensors for the Navy MH-60R "Romeo" and MH-60S "Sierra" helicopters. The contract includes 162 cockpits, integrated missions systems, and sensors for MH-60R "Romeo," an anti-surface and anti-submarine warfare helicopter. It also funds 62 digital cockpits to complete the Navy's program of record for Sierra aircraft, used for ship-to-ship cargo resupply, search and rescue, and close-in defense of Navy ships. Lockheed Martin provides the digital cockpit common to the MH-60R and MH-60S and integrates the mission systems and sensors aboard the MH-60R helicopter in Owego, NY. Both aircraft are designed and manufactured by Sikorsky Aircraft, Stratford, CT.
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Sikorsky dubs the MH-60R model as the world's most capable naval helicopter available today designed to operate from frigates, destroyers, cruisers, and aircraft carriers.
Aircelle and Applied Composites Engineering expand services agreement
The Safran group's Aircelle business unit signed an agreement to enlarge the scope of jet engine thrust reverser and nacelle repair and services performed by Applied Composites Engineering (ACE) in the U.S., building on three years of successful cooperation. This new agreement sets the framework to expand ACE's maintenance, repair, overhaul, and services activities for Aircelle with jet engines that power regional airlines and business jets in the Americas. It follows the work performed by ACE since early 2009 on Aircelle-manufactured thrust reversers on three regional airliners, for the following platforms: Embraer's ERJ 145, powered by AE 3007 jet engines; along with the Embraer 170 and 175, which are equipped with CF34 engines. During a three-year period, ACE has processed several hundred thrust reversers at its Indianapolis, IN, facility, demonstrating the company's capabilities to deliver high-quality, efficient, and on-time work.
Boeing to open Research and Technology Center in Brazil
Boeing will establish Boeing Research & Technology-Brazil, a research and technology center in Sao Paulo that will work with the country's leading researchers and scientists to develop aerospace technologies. Boeing Research & Technology-Brazil, which will open later this year, will serve as a hub for collaboration between Boeing and Brazilian R&D organizations, including government agencies, private-sector companies, and universities. Areas of research focus for the new center will include sustainable aviation biofuels, advanced air traffic management, advanced metals and bio-materials, and support and services technologies. Boeing Research & Technology-Brazil will be Boeing's sixth advanced research center outside the United States; the others are in Europe, Australia, India, China, and Russia. Brazil has Latin America's fastest-growing commercial aviation market. Boeing has forecasted that Brazil will need to purchase more than 1000 airplanes worth more than $100 billion in the next 20 years.
SAE International acquires ABP International, dba Tech Briefs Media Group
SAE International has acquired ABP International, dba Tech Briefs Media Group, which is now a subsidiary of SAE International. With primary offices in New York and New Jersey, Tech Briefs Media Group employs 35 people and publishes a variety of design engineering magazines and supplements in both print and digital formats, including flagship publication, NASA Tech Briefs. Its various publications, supplements, and websites focus on R&D, design, and manufacturing topics spanning many technologies, including: motion control, lighting, medical, defense, RF & microwave, embedded computing, photonics, and imaging. The magazines have more than 400,000 readers monthly and, with digital products, total audience reach is about 600,000 worldwide.
Dassault Falcon Aircraft Services–China to launch in Shanghai
Dassault Falcon will set up a new operation in Shanghai to help support its rapidly growing Chinese fleet. The new entity, to be known as Dassault Falcon Aircraft Services–China, will be established by the end of the second quarter of 2012 in partnership with Shanghai Hawker Pacific and will be located within the Shanghai Hawker Pacific complex at Shanghai's Hongqiao International Airport. Dassault Falcon Aircraft Services–China will play a key role in ensuring first-class support for the Falcon fleet that is expected to triple by the end of 2012. The unit will be staffed by a team of technicians with an average experience of more than 10 years working with Falcon business jets. The technicians are specially trained on Falcon 7X, Falcon 2000LX, and Falcon 900LX models. Line maintenance, AOG support, troubleshooting, and component replacement will be among the services offered. The Shanghai Hawker Pacific complex features a 4000-m² facility for maintenance, repair, and overhaul, in addition to its fixed-base operations capabilities. It was the first third-party MRO facility in mainland China and is a joint partnership with the Shanghai Airports Authority.
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On March 28, Dassault Falcon in partnership with Shanghai Hawker Pacific announced the formation of Dassault Falcon Aircraft Services–China, which will be located within the Shanghai Hawker Pacific complex at Shanghai's Hongqiao International Airport.
Mahindra announces two joint ventures in India
Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd. announced two joint ventures at the DefExpo 2012 held in Delhi. The company's memorandum of understanding with Rafael Advanced Defence Systems Ltd., a manufacturer of high-tech defense systems for air, land, sea, and space applications, will lead to the formation of a joint venture company in India. The JV will develop and manufacture products such as anti-torpedo defense systems, electronic warfare systems, advanced armoring solutions, and remotely operated weapon stations for Futuristic Infantry Combat Vehicles (FICVs). Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd. and Telephonics Corp., a designer, developer, and manufacturer of high-technology integrated information, communication, and sensor system solutions to military and commercial markets worldwide, also announced the impending formation of a JV company that will provide the Indian Ministry of Defence and the Indian civil sector with radar and surveillance systems, Identification Friend or Foe (IFF) devices, and communication systems. In addition, the JV intends to provide systems for air-traffic management services, homeland security, and other emerging surveillance requirements.
MacLean-Fogg forms Engineered Plastics Company
MacLean-Fogg Component Solutions has announced the formation of the new Engineered Plastics Company (EPC)—a merger of its Polymer Technologies business in Whitewater, WI, with EPC of Menomonee Falls, WI. EPC, which has been in operation since 1981, is a plastic injection molding supplier. The new Engineered Plastics Co. will be aligned under the Engineered Components Group of MacLean-Fogg Component Solutions. MacLean-Fogg supplies engineered components, fastener components, and linkage and suspension components to a range of industries including automotive, heavy truck, aerospace, appliance, wind, and mining. Engineered components include cold formed and machined components, horizontal hot-formed components, and engineered functional plastics. Fastener components include Securex and Decorex brand wheel fasteners, high-temperature Lockthread bolts, ESNA locknuts, and a variety of internally threaded fasteners such as Whiz-Lock, Clinch-Lok, and Step-Lok nuts. Linkage and suspension components include aluminum control arms, ball studs, housings, plastics, and PogoStik linkages.
LightPath, Raytheon partner for low-cost molded IR optics development
LightPath Technologies entered into a $1.1 million research and development contract with Raytheon Vision Systems for the development of low-cost manufacturing processes for IR optics. The award is in support of Raytheon Vision Systems' $13.4 million DARPA, Low Cost Thermal Imaging Manufacturing (LCTI-M) program, which intends to develop a wafer scale manufacturing process that will result in a camera on a chip, making thermal imagers affordable, accessible, and ubiquitous to every warfighter. LightPath is currently targeting multiple high growth markets and applications with this technology such as IR countermeasures, thermography, gas sensing, and commercial night vision systems.
NASA, GM jointly developing robotic gloves
NASA and General Motors are jointly developing a robotic glove that astronauts and autoworkers can wear to help do their respective jobs better while potentially reducing the risk of repetitive stress injuries. The Human Grasp Assist device, known as the K-glove or Robo-Glove, resulted from NASA and GM's Robonaut 2 (R2) project, which launched the first humanoid robot into space in 2011. Research shows that continuously gripping a tool can cause fatigue in hand muscles within a few minutes, but initial testing of the Robo-Glove indicates the wearer can hold a grip longer and more comfortably. Inspired by the finger actuation system of R2, actuators are embedded into the upper portion of the glove to provide grasping support to human fingers. The pressure sensors are incorporated into the fingertips of the glove to detect when the user is grasping a tool. When the user grasps the tool, the synthetic tendons automatically retract, pulling the fingers into a gripping position and holding them there until the sensor is released. The current prototypes weigh about 2 lb (1 kg) and include the control electronics, actuators, and a small display for programming and diagnostics.
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The Human Grasp Assist is designed to allow the wearer to hold a grip longer and more comfortably. The glove, still in prototype stage, is expected to be used in space and applied to manufacturing plant use on Earth.
API Technologies acquires U.K.-based C-MAC Aerospace
API Technologies Corp., a provider of electronic systems, subsystems, RF, and secure solutions for the defense, aerospace, and commercial industries, has acquired through its U.K.-based subsidiary API Technologies (U.K.) Ltd. C-MAC Aerospace Ltd. for £20.95 million. Based in Great Yarmouth and Milton Keynes, U.K., C-MAC is a provider of electronic systems, modules, and components to the defense, aerospace, space, industrial, and energy sectors. Founded in 1943 with approximately 300 employees worldwide, C-MAC's featured certifications include AS9100 and Class K MIL-PRF-38534, the latter a certification for space applications.
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