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611AWBIFC.indd 1 11/14/2016 12:12:12 PM November 21-December 4, 2016 Contents Volume 178 Number 24

Winner 2016 AVIATIONWEEK & SPACE TECHNOLOGY

Digital Extras Tap this icon The U.S. Army in articles in the digital edition has adopted the of AW&St for exclusive features. Future Airborne 55 Capability Environment— 7 Feedback aiming for avionics software 8 Who’s Where portability between — 10-11 First Take for its Future Vertical Medium 12 Going Concerns Lift mission system, whichever 13 Up Front rotorcraft it selects. 14 Inside Business Aviation 16 Airline Intel 17 Leading Edge 18 In Orbit 19 Washington Outlook 63 Classifed 64 Contact Us 65 Aerospace Calendar

THE TRUMP ERA 42 Turkey accelerates arming 30 Safran’s top priority in moving the 20 What to watch in aviation, of indigenous tactical UAVs, Leap engine program forward is targeting Kurdish militants aerospace and defense under a to reduce supply chain costs new U.S. administration 34 31 Airbus A350 and Boeing 777X may 22 European leaders wonder which be stretched further, into ultra- Trump posturing will become high-capacity territory policy and which will fade away 52 Faltering demand and political DEFENSE uncertainty take a toll on profts of 24 U.S. Air Force F-35s prepare for Emirates and Turkish Airlines frst overseas deployment as part of theater security package in 2017 SPACE China’s Casic 26 Raytheon demos high-power 32 is moving into the microwave technology that could launcher and propellant domains reduce military threat from drones of sibling state group CASC COMMERCIAL AVIATION 34 Webb Telescope will have grapple 41 RAF Eurofghter Typhoons 28 CFM assembly sites are readying prevailed in exercise against for an unprecedented production targets for in-space repair, but Malaysian Flankers, UK says increase as Leap engine rates rise NASA does not plan to use them

ON THE COVER Lockheed Martin Sikorsky’s S-76B SARA autonomy testbed fies with a modifed Cessna Caravan over the ground-station van at Poughkeepsie, New York, in a demonstration of advanced cockpit automation under DARPA’s ALIAS program (page 57). Sikorsky photograph by Ted Carlson. Elsewhere in this issue are columns and analysis of the implications of Donald Trump’s election as U.S. president (pages 13, 16, 18-22 and 66), a special report on the growing practice of hiring contractors to test the mettle of military pilots (page 36) and a look at a truly portable and reusable software developed for airborne applications (page 55). Aviation Week publishes a digital edition every week. Read it at AviationWeek.com/awst and on our app.

AviationWeek.com/awst AviAtion Week & SpAce technology/noveMBeR 21-DeceMBeR 4, 2016 3

AW_11_21_2016_p03-04.indd 3 11/17/16 6:24 PM 3636

MILITARYMILITARY TRAININGTRAINING 46 Many U.S. carriers have opted to 36 New breed of aircraft collector is postpone initial fl ights to Havana, training Air Force, Marine Corps citing and training issues and Navy combat pilots

36 Fighter training sites across the PROPULSION U.S. are pooling requirements for 53 Rolls-Royce’s power gearbox and adversary-air support aircraft ceramic matrix composites work Mobile. Online. are in future airliner engine plan 40 and are leading the way in investing in commercial Updated Daily. adversary air training TECHNOLOGY 54 NASA looks at anomalies to help Free to subscribers. Get new content 57 researchers develop an unmanned daily and read the weekly digital edition aircraft traf c management system of Aviation Week online or in our app. DESKTOP/LAPTOP 55 Avionics software that is portable Go to AviationWeek.com/awst and reusable between aircraft platforms is now within reach APPLE APP Go to the Apple App Store, search 57 DARPA program aims to build for “Aviation Week” and download the pilots’ trust in autonomy through Aviation Week & Space Technology cockpit assistance app to your iPad or iPhone. ANDROID APP SIMULATION AND TRAINING Go to Google Play, search for “Aviation Week” and download the Aviation Week ROTORCRAFT 60 Positive training upgrades are expected by both U.S. Army and & Space Technology app for your 43 With Brazilian upgrades under its Android phone or tablet. belt, Helibras looks to collaborate Navy despite dif ering fl ight needs with Airbus on more regional work LOGIN 61 Airbus and Boeing develop palette Tap on any locked article to get to the AIRLINES IN LATIN AMERICA of options to help avoid pitfalls that login screen OR on the menu icon in the 44 Copa Holdings is setting up ultra- have led to airline tragedies upper right corner of the app screen low-cost carrier Wingo as part of (image with three parallel lines) and tap Copa Airlines Colombia subsidiary VIEWPOINT “Login.” Log in using the email address associated with your subscription. 45 New bilateral agreement opens 66 How Trump should restart U.S. more competition in , may space momentum that slowed Forgot Password? Tap the “forgot free slots for low-fare carriers during the Obama administration password” link on the login screen and follow the reset instructions emailed to you (this password may not be the same 24 as your digital edition password). Customer Service If you don’t have a registered email or password, or are having problems with the download or login, contact our customer care team for assistance: Toll-free () 800-525-5003 Outside North America (+1) 847-763-9147

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MILITARYMILITARY TRAININGTRAINING 46 Many U.S. carriers have opted to 36 New breed of aircraft collector is postpone initial fl ights to Havana, training Air Force, Marine Corps citing airport and training issues and Navy combat pilots

36 Fighter training sites across the PROPULSION U.S. are pooling requirements for 53 Rolls-Royce’s power gearbox and adversary-air support aircraft ceramic matrix composites work Mobile. Online. are in future airliner engine plan 40 Germany and France are leading the way in investing in commercial Updated Daily. BREAKING THE NORM adversary air training TECHNOLOGY 54 NASA looks at anomalies to help Free to subscribers. Get new content daily and read the weekly digital edition researchers develop an unmanned Boeing T-X is a better trainer from the ground up, a clean-sheet design created with industry-leading investment, built 57 of Aviation Week online or in our app. aircraft traf c management system to train pilots for the way they fy and fght in modern combat. With state-of-the-art manufacturing and unprecedented DESKTOP/LAPTOP effciencies, it’s a complete advanced pilot training system designed to break the cost curve and the norm. 55 Avionics software that is portable Go to AviationWeek.com/awst and reusable between aircraft platforms is now within reach APPLE APP Go to the Apple App Store, search 57 DARPA program aims to build for “Aviation Week” and download the pilots’ trust in autonomy through Aviation Week & Space Technology cockpit assistance app to your iPad or iPhone. ANDROID APP SIMULATION AND TRAINING Go to Google Play, search for “Aviation Week” and download the Aviation Week ROTORCRAFT 60 Positive training upgrades are expected by both U.S. Army and & Space Technology app for your 43 With Brazilian upgrades under its Android phone or tablet. belt, Helibras looks to collaborate Navy despite dif ering fl ight needs with Airbus on more regional work LOGIN 61 Airbus and Boeing develop palette Tap on any locked article to get to the AIRLINES IN LATIN AMERICA of options to help avoid pitfalls that login screen OR on the menu icon in the 44 Copa Holdings is setting up ultra- have led to airline tragedies upper right corner of the app screen low-cost carrier Wingo as part of (image with three parallel lines) and tap Copa Airlines Colombia subsidiary VIEWPOINT “Login.” Log in using the email address associated with your subscription. 45 New bilateral agreement opens 66 How Trump should restart U.S. more competition in Mexico, may space momentum that slowed Forgot Password? Tap the “forgot free slots for low-fare carriers during the Obama administration password” link on the login screen and follow the reset instructions emailed to you (this password may not be the same 24 as your digital edition password). Customer Service If you don’t have a registered email or password, or are having problems with the download or login, contact our customer care team for assistance: Toll-free (North America) 800-525-5003 Outside North America (+1) 847-763-9147

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I understand that anyone who furnishes false or misleading information on this form or who omits material or information requested on the form may be subject to criminal sanctions (including fines and imprisonment) and/or civil sanctions (including civil Gregory Hamilton President, Aviation Week Network penalties).

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Complete Mailing Address of Headquarters or General Business Office of Publisher (Not Printer): Penton Media, Inc. ,1166 Avenue of Americas 10th design and build an engine for their ‘GUTSY’ OR MISGUIDED? seen where people really “get it.” It’s Floor New York, NY 10036 Associate Managing Editor Andrea Hollowell fi rst successfully powered airplane. “Critical Mass” (Nov. 7-20, p. 32) a freight train rolling down the tracks Art Director Lisa Caputo 9. Full Names and Complete Mailing Addresses of Publisher, Editor, and Managing Editor - Publisher: Gregory Hamilton, Penton Media, Inc., 1166 Avenue of the Boom is fortunate to have some about Boeing’s gutsy innovation for aimed straight at the economic model Editors Michael Bruno, John Croft, James Drew, Americas, 10th Floor, New York, NY 10036; Editor: Joseph Anselmo, Penton Media, Inc., 1911 Fort Myer Drive, Suite 600, Arlington, VA 22209; Managing Thierry Dubois, William Garvey, Frank Morring, Jr., Editor: James Asker, Penton Media, Inc., 1911 Fort Myer Drive, Suite 600, Arlington, VA 22209 of -the-shelf power possibilities, and I 777X development elicited a lot of that’s sustained global growth since Jeferson Morris, Guy Norris, Tony Osborne, Bradley Perrett, James Pozzi, Adrian Schofeld, Lara Seligman, Lee Ann Shay look forward to Aviation Week provid- discussion online, including: WW II. 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Extent and Nature of Circulation Preceding 12 Months Nearest to Filing Date to generate profi ts for their compa- Earth science.” Editorial Offces a. Total Number of Copies (Net press run) 65,648 70,851 nies’ shareholders have gotten control Use of the word “deniers” is of ensive 1166 Avenue of the Americas, New York, N.Y. 10036 b. Legitimate Paid and/or Requested Distribution (By Mail and Outside the Mail) because it is intended to bring to mind Phone: +1 (212) 204-4200 (1) Outside County Paid/Requested Mail Subscriptions stated on PS Form 3541. (Include direct written 40,203 44,586 of their industry. They know what 1911 Fort Myer Drive, Arlington, Va. 22209 request from recipient, telemarketing and Internet requests from recipient, paid subscriptions including they want and what they want to do “holocaust deniers.” I see it as a blatant Phone: +1 (703) 997-0333 nominal rate subscriptions, employer requests, advertiser’s proof copies, and exchange copies.) 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Whoever cuts and of ensive to scientists and anyone [email protected] (1) Outside County Nonrequested Copies Stated on PS Form 3541 (include Sample copies, Requests 9,870 9,582 the LA-NY red-eye trip to under 3 hr. who believes in a free society. Chicago Over 3 years old, Requests induced by a Premium, Bulk Sales and Requests including Association Bureau Chief Lee Ann Shay or the 14-hr. LA-Taipei trip to 5-6 hr., Jack O’Leary [email protected] Requests, Names obtained from Business Directories, Lists, and other sources) will fi nd business travelers fl ocking to PLYMPTON, MASSACHUSETTS Frankfurt Bureau Chief Jens Flottau (2) In-County Nonrequested Copies Stated on PS Form 3541 (include Sample copies, Requests Over 3 00 them, willing to pay for saving hours [email protected] years old, Requests induced by a Premium, Bulk Sales and Requests including Association Requests, in a day, if not days. LEANING IN Houston Names obtained from Business Directories, Lists, and other sources) I agree with reader Mark Simmons Bureau Chief Mark Carreau (3) Nonrequested Copies Distributed Through the USPS by Other Classes of Mail (e.g. First-Class Mail, 1,880 1,825 [email protected] Nonrequestor Copies mailed in excess of 10% Limit mailed at Standard Mail® or Package Services Rates) guillaum.disayo pointing out: (Oct. 24-Nov. 6, p. 7 ) about the unin- Kuala Lumpur Even without the noise issue, they jlump responding: tended sexist comment in “Collision Bureau Chief Marhalim Abas [email protected] (4) Nonrequested Copies Distributed Outside the Mail (Include Pickup Stands, Trade Shows, Showrooms 2,661 2,122 would be slammed by what killed Someone still has to design, build and Course” (Oct. 10-23, p. 18) while refer- London and Other Sources) the Concorde—fuel prices. Also, the program the robot—and maintain it. ring to installations possible “by a Bureau Chief Tony Osborne ability now to teleconference and Jobs are still there, but are dif erent. high school girl.” But as a parent with [email protected] e. Total Nonrequested Distribution (Sum of 15d (1), (2), (3), and (4)) 14,412 13,529 Los Angeles eventually to conduct virtual meetings We need to fi nd a better way to retrain four daughters who also excelled in f. Total Distribution (Sum of 15c and 15e) 64,836 68,281 Bureau Chief Guy Norris further diminishes the need to be in people so they can get new jobs, which math and science, I should add that [email protected] g. Copies not Distributed 663 2,570 Lyon a specifi c place in a matter of hours. are also generally better paying. although installation was well within 65,499 70,851 Bureau Chief Thierry Dubois h. Total (Sum of 15f and g) Then there is the 90 min. it takes at their ability as teenagers, owning the [email protected] i. Percent Paid and/or Requested Circulation (15c divided by 15f times 100) 77.77% 80.19% Moscow rush hour to get into Manhattan. Ilya Katsnelso of ering: company hired to do the installations Contributing Editor Maxim Pyadushkin 16 Electronic Copy Circulation Take a look at how Germany—an was closer to their interest. [email protected] a. Requested and Paid Electronic Copies - 32,649 deltafl yer waxing optimistic: industrial country with a lot of manu- Nat Jennings New Delhi Contributing Editor Jay Menon b. Total Requested and Paid Print Copies (Line 15c)+ Requested/Paid Electronic Copies (Line 16a) 50,424 87,401 If you don’t have dreams, your dreams facturing and low unemployment APALACHIN, NEW YORK [email protected] c. Total Requested Copy Distribution Distribution(Line 15f) + Requested/Paid Electronic Copies 64,836 100,930 won’t come true. rate—approached the same problem. San Francisco Bureau Chief Madhu Unnikrishnan (Line 16a) They instituted very good apprentice POLLUTION QUESTION [email protected] d. Percent Paid an/dor Requested Circulaltion (Both Print & Electronic Copies) 77.77% 86.60% MORE THAN ONE WAY TO SEE programs to retrain workers. What is the pollution impact of a Washington (16b diveded by 16c x 100) Bureau Chief James R. Asker In relation to reader Dick Jacobson’s rocket launch? The airline industry, in [email protected] X I certify that 50% of all my distribution copies (electronic and print) are legitimate requests or paid copies: lament about future blended wing body jkdrummer advising: which I am a worker, is increasingly Wichita 17. Publication of Statement of Ownership for a Requester Publication is required and will be printed in the: (BWB) airliner passengers not having Read the book Rise of the Robots by scrutinized for its negative contribu- Bureau Chief Molly McMillin [email protected] issue of this publication. November 21, 2016 access to windows (Oct. 24-Nov. 6, p. 7) , Martin Ford. tion to pollution. Are there studies PENtON 18 Date the solution will be ready before those that outline what the space industry David Kieselstein Chief Executive Offcer Nicola Allais Chief Financial Offcer/Executive Vice President Laurie Becker-Sola 9/30/16 aircraft are certifi ed. Virtual-reality billsett1 weighing in: and its (increasing) rocket launches Andrew Schmolka Senior Vice President & General Counsel cameras on all sides of the BWB would I’ve been following this issue and do and will do to the environment? Warren N. Bimblick Group President I certify that all information furnished on this form is true and complete. I understand that anyone who furnishes false or misleading information on this form or who omits material or information requested on the form may be subject to criminal sanctions (including fines and imprisonment) and/or civil sanctions (including civil allow passengers with VR headsets have read Rise of the Robots. This is Riccardo Sala Gregory Hamilton President, Aviation Week Network penalties). to have the experience of looking at the fi rst online comment thread I’ve TORONTO, ONTARIO

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AW_11_21_2016_p06.indd 6 11/16/16 12:37 PM AW_11_21_2016_p07.indd 7 11/17/16 5:50 PM Who’s Where To submit information for the Who’s Where column, send Word or attached text files (no PDFs) and photos to: [email protected] For additional information on companies and individuals listed in this column, please refer to the he U.S. Air Force has made sev- named president of Seeker Air- Bart Reijnen Aviation Week Intelligence Network Teral general ofcer assignments: craft Inc. as well as managing at AviationWeek.com/awin For Maj. Gen. Timothy G. Fay has director of Seabird Aviation information on ordering, telephone been named director of operations, . Lundeen had been U.S.: +1 (866) 857-0148 or strategic deterrence and nuclear business operations execu- +1 (515) 237-3682 outside the U.S. integration for the U.S. Air Forces tive vice president for Eclipse in Europe and Africa, Ramstein AB, Aerospace Inc. Germany. Fay, who had been direc- U.S. industry trade organi- regional sales man- tor of strategic plans, deputy chief of zation Airlines for America has Dov Sella ager for King Air and Cessna staf for strategic plans and programs appointed veteran aviation aircraft, and Pat Belokas to at the Pentagon, replaces Maj. Gen. counsel Francis C. Heil as aircraft sales for Piper, Ma- John K. McMullen, who has been managing director for safety. trix and Archer LX aircraft, named vice commander of Air Com- Heil has held senior positions among others. bat Command Headquarters, Joint with both American Airlines SITA has named Klaas Base Langley-Eustis, Virginia. Also, and the FAA. Fokkema vice president for Brig. Gen. Douglas K. Lamberth has Baines Simmons, an Air sales, Northern Europe. He been named inspector general, Air Partner aviation safety con- had been vice president of Mobility Command Headquarters, sultancy, has named Jason Ed Lundeen business management for ai- Scott AFB, Illinois; he had been vice Greenslade and Malcolm port services in Europe. superintendent at the U.S. Air Force Rusby as consultants. Academy, Springs. Brig. Greenslade will focus on avail- HONORS & ELECTIONS Gen. Corey J. Martin has been named ability, reliability and main- Colleen Barrett (see photo), U.S. senior defense ofcial/defense at- tainability; Rusby will special- Southwest Airlines’ president tache, U.S. Embassy, Tel Aviv. He had ize in safety management and emeritus, will receive the been special assistant to the vice chief fatigue risk standards. 2016 Wright Brothers Memorial of staf at the Pentagon. Executive AirShare has hired Trophy for “signifcant public Pauline Smith Satair Group has appointed Bart John Owen as chief fnancial service of enduring value to Reijnen (see photo) as CEO. Reijnen ofcer. Owen had been vice aviation in the U.S.” has held a number of Airbus Group president at executive search Airbus Group and the Global leadership roles, most recently as se- frm EFL Associates, and CFO Engineering Deans Council nior vice president at Airbus Defense for OrTran, a supply chain (GEDC) have given Yacob and Space, and before that was CEO management company. Astatke (see photo) the 2016 of Dutch Space B.V. Flying Magazine has pro- GEDC Airbus Diversity Award RADA Electronic Industries Ltd. has moted Lisa DeFrees to for his work in engineering edu- promoted Dov Sella (see photo) to associate publisher, from Colleen Barrett cation, at a ceremony in Seoul. CEO from chief business development account manager, and David Astatke was chosen for his ofcer. He succeeds Zvi Alon, who is Carr to director of business training initiatives at universi- retiring. Before joining RADA, Sella development, from marketing ties across Ethiopia. was at Elbit Systems Ltd. manager. Amerijet LLC has appointed U.S. Navy Rear Adm. (lower half) Arcadis has hired Andrew Neel Jones Shah (see photo) Daniel H. Fillion has been named Alexander as Seattle-based to its board of managers. Shah director of global operations, J-3, U.S. aerospace markets principal- has extensive experience in Strategic Command, Ofutt AFB, Ne- in-charge. Alexander had led the global air cargo industry at braska. Fillion had been commander Atkins’s North America aero- Yacob Astatke United Airlines and Delta Air of Expeditionary Strike Group 3, San space sector. Lines. Diego. Falcon Aviation in Dubai The General Aviation Manu- Science Applications International has hired Pauline Smith (see facturers Association has elect- Corp. has named Charles A. Mathis photo) as fxed base opera- ed Simon Caldecott of Piper executive vice president/chief fnan- tions manager. She had been Aircraft as 2017 board chair- cial ofcer. head of customer services and man; Phil Straub of Garmin American Airlines has appointed terminal manager at Marshall International as vice chair- Kevin Brickner vice president for Aerospace. Neel Jones Shah man; and Nicolas Chabbert of safety, regulatory compliance and en- SkyWorld Aviation has hired Daher Airplane as chairman of vironmental. He succeeds Capt. Paul Patrice Candaten as director the Safety and Accident Inves- Morell, who is retiring. Brickner has of sales. Candaten had been Embraer tigation Committee. held several company leadership posi- senior sales director and before that Drone USA Inc., a manufacturer of tions, most recently vice president for was with Saab Aircraft. low-altitude unmanned air vehicles, operations integration. Greenwich AeroGroup’s Western has appointed David Y. Williams, Jr. Ed Lundeen (see photo) has been Aircraft has promoted Jay Reeder to to its board of directors. c

8 AvIATION WEEK & SPACE TECHNOLOGY/NOvEMBER 21-DECEMBER 4, 2016 AviationWeek.com/awst

AW_11_21_2016_p08.indd 8 11/17/16 12:57 PM Who’s Where To submit information for the Who’s Where column, send Word or attached text files (no PDFs) and photos to: [email protected] For additional information on companies and individuals listed in this column, please refer to the he U.S. Air Force has made sev- named president of Seeker Air- Bart Reijnen Aviation Week Intelligence Network Teral general ofcer assignments: craft Inc. as well as managing at AviationWeek.com/awin For Maj. Gen. Timothy G. Fay has director of Seabird Aviation information on ordering, telephone been named director of operations, Australia. Lundeen had been U.S.: +1 (866) 857-0148 or strategic deterrence and nuclear business operations execu- +1 (515) 237-3682 outside the U.S. integration for the U.S. Air Forces tive vice president for Eclipse in Europe and Africa, Ramstein AB, Aerospace Inc. Germany. Fay, who had been direc- U.S. industry trade organi- turboprop regional sales man- tor of strategic plans, deputy chief of zation Airlines for America has Dov Sella ager for King Air and Cessna staf for strategic plans and programs appointed veteran aviation aircraft, and Pat Belokas to at the Pentagon, replaces Maj. Gen. counsel Francis C. Heil as aircraft sales for Piper, Ma- Your customers have their John K. McMullen, who has been managing director for safety. trix and Archer LX aircraft, named vice commander of Air Com- Heil has held senior positions among others. pick of service options. bat Command Headquarters, Joint with both American Airlines SITA has named Klaas Base Langley-Eustis, Virginia. Also, and the FAA. Fokkema vice president for Brig. Gen. Douglas K. Lamberth has Baines Simmons, an Air sales, Northern Europe. He been named inspector general, Air Partner aviation safety con- had been vice president of We believe you deserve Mobility Command Headquarters, sultancy, has named Jason Ed Lundeen business management for ai- Scott AFB, Illinois; he had been vice Greenslade and Malcolm port services in Europe. the same. superintendent at the U.S. Air Force Rusby as consultants. Academy, Colorado Springs. Brig. Greenslade will focus on avail- HONORS & ELECTIONS Our TrueChoice™ services suite of ers an unmatched Gen. Corey J. Martin has been named ability, reliability and main- Colleen Barrett (see photo), U.S. senior defense ofcial/defense at- tainability; Rusby will special- Southwest Airlines’ president breadth of services and materials. tache, U.S. Embassy, Tel Aviv. He had ize in safety management and emeritus, will receive the been special assistant to the vice chief fatigue risk standards. 2016 Wright Brothers Memorial of staf at the Pentagon. Executive AirShare has hired Trophy for “signifcant public With TrueChoice, we can work with operators, lessors Pauline Smith Satair Group has appointed Bart John Owen as chief fnancial service of enduring value to and MROs to create tailored of erings across the entire Reijnen (see photo) as CEO. Reijnen ofcer. Owen had been vice aviation in the U.S.” has held a number of Airbus Group president at executive search Airbus Group and the Global engine lifecycle. So even as your operating horizon and leadership roles, most recently as se- frm EFL Associates, and CFO Engineering Deans Council priorities change, we’ll help you realize maximum value, nior vice president at Airbus Defense for OrTran, a supply chain (GEDC) have given Yacob and Space, and before that was CEO management company. Astatke (see photo) the 2016 whether it’s a single engine or an entire f eet. of Dutch Space B.V. Flying Magazine has pro- GEDC Airbus Diversity Award RADA Electronic Industries Ltd. has moted Lisa DeFrees to for his work in engineering edu- See what true choice looks like promoted Dov Sella (see photo) to associate publisher, from Colleen Barrett cation, at a ceremony in Seoul. CEO from chief business development account manager, and David Astatke was chosen for his at geaviation.com/truechoice. ofcer. He succeeds Zvi Alon, who is Carr to director of business training initiatives at universi- retiring. Before joining RADA, Sella development, from marketing ties across Ethiopia. was at Elbit Systems Ltd. manager. Amerijet LLC has appointed U.S. Navy Rear Adm. (lower half) Arcadis has hired Andrew Neel Jones Shah (see photo) Daniel H. Fillion has been named Alexander as Seattle-based to its board of managers. Shah director of global operations, J-3, U.S. aerospace markets principal- has extensive experience in Strategic Command, Ofutt AFB, Ne- in-charge. Alexander had led the global air cargo industry at braska. Fillion had been commander Atkins’s North America aero- Yacob Astatke United Airlines and Delta Air of Expeditionary Strike Group 3, San space sector. Lines. Diego. Falcon Aviation in Dubai The General Aviation Manu- Science Applications International has hired Pauline Smith (see facturers Association has elect- Corp. has named Charles A. Mathis photo) as fxed base opera- ed Simon Caldecott of Piper executive vice president/chief fnan- tions manager. She had been Aircraft as 2017 board chair- cial ofcer. head of customer services and man; Phil Straub of Garmin American Airlines has appointed terminal manager at Marshall International as vice chair- Kevin Brickner vice president for Aerospace. Neel Jones Shah man; and Nicolas Chabbert of safety, regulatory compliance and en- SkyWorld Aviation has hired Daher Airplane as chairman of vironmental. He succeeds Capt. Paul Patrice Candaten as director the Safety and Accident Inves- Morell, who is retiring. Brickner has of sales. Candaten had been Embraer tigation Committee. held several company leadership posi- senior sales director and before that Drone USA Inc., a manufacturer of tions, most recently vice president for was with Saab Aircraft. low-altitude unmanned air vehicles, operations integration. Greenwich AeroGroup’s Western has appointed David Y. Williams, Jr. Ed Lundeen (see photo) has been Aircraft has promoted Jay Reeder to to its board of directors. c

8 AvIATION WEEK & SPACE TECHNOLOGY/NOvEMBER 21-DECEMBER 4, 2016 AviationWeek.com/awst

AW_11_21_2016_p08.indd 8 11/17/16 12:57 PM 611AWB9.indd 1 11/14/2016 12:18:15 PM First Take

Straightline Aviation has signed a memorandum of understanding to operate seven Lockheed Martin LMH-1 heavy-lift hybrid airships for ’s Rare Earth Minerals, for a shuttle service to a mining site in remote northern Quebec beginning in 2019 to transport ore, supplies and personnel.

Boom Technology unveiled an engi- GENERAL ATOMICS AERONAUTICAL SYSTEMS neering mockup of the XB-1 super- DEFENSE sonic demonstrator planned to fl y in late 2017. The one-third-scale model General Atomics Aeronautical Sys- E/F models to add to its fi ve ex-Canadi- tems has fl own the Avenger Extended an CF-5Ds (page 36). Range unmanned aircraft for the fi rst time. An increased wingspan of 76 ft. Boeing is to cut 500 jobs over four and 2,200 lb. of additional fuel extend years from its defense and space the jet-powered UAV’s endurance to business, close two smaller plants in 20 hr. from 15 hr. and Virginia and transfer work to existing facilities in Southern California, Singapore has selected the Airbus St. Louis and Huntsville, Alabama, to Helicopters H225M and Boeing reduce manufacturing and of ce space. BOOM TECHNOLOGY CH-47F to replace the fl eet of a dozen of a small supersonic airliner planned AS332M Super Puma medium-lift- and A UK consortium has won a con- to enter service by 2023 is designed CH-47D Chinook heavy-lift helicopters tract, potentially worth £2 billion to cruise at Mach 2.2 on three J85 operated by the air force. Deliveries are ($2.5 billion), to support avionics and engines. to begin in 2020. other systems for the global fl eet of Lockheed Martin F-35s. GKN-owned An Alaska Airlines 737-800 made Boeing has received a $478 million Fokker Technologies in the Nether- the fi rst commercial fl ight on Nov. 14 U.S. Air Force contract for full-scale lands and a team led by BAE Systems using alcohol-to-jet biofuel produced development of a new electronic-war- Australia will also support the F-35. from forest residuals by Gevo with fare suite for the F-15. BAE Systems the Northwest Advanced Renewables was selected in 2015 to supply the all- COMMERCIAL AVIATION Alliance. The fuel, made from waste digital Eagle Passive/Active Warning limbs and branches, was used in a and Survivability System. CFM Leap 1C engines on the fi rst 20% blend with conventional fuel. Comac C919 were started for the fi rst India’s Rustom-2 indigenous time on Nov. 9, a step toward fi rst fl ight Airlines have mixed reactions to medium-altitude, long-endurance of the Chinese narrowbody aircraft. Canadian plans to change owner- unmanned aircraft made its fi rst fl ight Electrical power has been applied to ship rules. International companies on Nov. 17. Designated TAPAS 201, the the fi rst Irtuk MC-21 as the Russian air- will be able to own 49% of a Canadian 4,500-lb., twin-turbodiesel, 24-hr.-en- liner heads for a fi rst fl ight by March. airline—up from 25%—but a single foreign investor, or combination of United Airlines is to convert its foreign investors, will be capped at January order for 65 Boeing 737-700s 25%. into four 737-800s and 61 737 MAX air- craft, reducing expenditures by about China’s Avic plans to of er a civil $1.6 billion through 2018. Additionally, freighter version of the Y-20, appar- United will purchase, directly from ently with a high-bypass engine under Embraer, 24 175s originally ordered for development for the military trans- Republic Airways. port. The manufacturer displayed a DEFENSE RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT ORGANIZATION cabin mockup of the 65-ton-payload durance UAV is being developed by the Warren Buf ett has long said airlines civil Y20F-100 at Airshow China in Aeronautical Development Establish- make risky investment bets, but his Zhuhai on Nov. 1-6. ment with production by HAL and BEI. company Berkshire Hathaway re- vealed in a third-quarter fi ling that it As of Nov. 9, the FAA had received Tactical Air Support is to become has invested $797 million in American more than 30,000 commercial the world’s largest private operator Airlines, $249 million in Delta Air Lines drone registrations and 22,500 ap- of Northrop F-5s after snapping up the and $238 million in United Airlines, as plications for remote licenses since Royal Jordanian Air Force’s remaining well as Southwest Airlines after the releasing its small unmanned aircraft inventory of 21 single- and dual-seat quarter closed. system rule on Aug. 29.

10 AVIATION WEEK & SPACE TECHNOLOGY/NOVEMBER 21-DECEMBER 4, 2016 AviationWeek.com/awst

AW_11_21_2016_p10-11.indd 10 11/17/16 6:47 PM For the latest, go to AviationWeek.com

QUOTED ‘YouYou maymay die.die. YouYou sstilltill wwantant ttoo ddoo iit?t? SSignign hhere.ere.’ — GeorgeGeorge Nield,Nield, FAAFAA associateassociate AEROVIRONMENT administratoradministrator forfor commercialcommercial spacespace transportation,transportation, onon thethe Military small unmanned-aircraft so-called informed consent manufacturer AeroVironment has model that suborbital space entered the commercial drone market tourists will fl y under at Blue with the Quantix, a hybrid quadrotor Origin and other space access that takes of vertically and transitions providers. The FAA licenses to wingborne fl ight to extend range. Deliveries begin early in 2017. launches and reentries for public safety. Drone delivery startup Flirtey has begun the fi rst commercial trials of NASA autonomous pizza delivery, fl ying to cus- Bell Helicopter is preparing to expected in the fi rst quarter of 2017. tomers’ homes from a Domino’s Pizza in support assembly of the 407GXP in Whangaparaoa, north of Auckland . China as part of a prospective sale of SPACE 100 aircraft. Partners and customers in BUSINESS AVIATION the deal are Shaanxi Aviation Industry SpaceX fi led on Nov. 17 for approval Development and two-year-old general to build a constellation of 4,425 small Bombardier’s Global 7000 ultra- aviation operator Xian Helicopter. Ka/Ku-band spacecraft in low Earth long-range, ultra-large-cabin busi- orbit over the next decade to provide ness jet completed its 2 hr. 27 min. fi rst Customers have signed letters of in- broadband internet with “full and tent for 17 AG600 amphibian aircraft, continuous global coverage.” CEO Elon says its manufacturer, Avic’s general- Musk revealed the plan in January 2015, aviation unit CAIGA. First fl ight of estimating it would take 12-15 years to the large four-turboprop fl ying boat is complete and cost $10-15 billion.

55 YEARS AGO IN AVIATION WEEK

Our Nov. 20, 1961, cover showed BOMBARDIER North American’s X-15 supersonic fl ight on Nov. 4, from Toronto. Entry research aircraft over a lakebed at into service is scheduled in the second Edwards AFB, California, shortly half of 2018. The aircraft has a new wing, fl y-by-wire controls and General after the “rocket plane” set a new Electric Passport engines. speed record of Mach 6.04 at an alti- tude of 95,800 ft. The U.S. Air Force/ U.S. helicopter operator Erickson Navy/NASA research program “has has fi led for Chapter 11 bankruptcy certainly given the United States a protection, citing the volatility in the commanding lead in manned vehicle helicopter market, which has been technology in the previously unex- hit by low oil prices. The company operates 69 helicopters supporting oil plored frontier between Mach 2 and and gas, government and fi refi ghting Mach 6 and in the extreme ranges contracts across the world. of altitude,” Editor-in-Chief Robert Hotz wrote in an accompanying edi- Avic’s Chengdu fi ghter works is torial. Ultimately, three X-15s would aiming for a range of 8,050 km be built and make 199 flights. In (4,350 nm) for a proposed business October 1967, one of them achieved Access every complete issue jet. Dubbed the Avic New Generation , the aircraft would have a speed of Mach 6.72—a record that of Aviation Week back to 1916 at: a payload of 4,900 lb. and maximum stands to this day. archive.aviationweek.com cruise speed of Mach 0.85.

AviationWeek.com/awst AVIATION WEEK & SPACE TECHNOLOGY/NOVEMBER 21-DECEMBER 4, 2016 11

AW_11_21_2016_p10-11.indd 11 11/17/16 7:34 PM Going Concerns By Michael Bruno Michael Bruno is Senior Business Editor Join the conversation at: AviationWeek.com/GoingConcerns [email protected]

commentary supposed to help eliminate such future shocks for legacy providers. “Our mandate is to disrupt the Venture Corp-ital mothership before someone else does,” says Thomas d’Halluin, CEO Stodgy old defense primes and aerospace and COO of Airbus Group’s U.S. Ven- ture Investments unit. giants are sporting new venture capital funds From the government-customer perspective, the legacy industry’s stake in the startups also guarantees ey, startup U.S. A&D Corporate VC Grows $277 their technology or service will stick Hcompanies: Capital Invested (in millions of U.S. dollars) 8 9 8 around for years or decades and not Need a little cash fast Number of deals closed fall victim to consumer trends and life 66 cycles. “The dinosaurs will be around or looking to ride the for a while,” jests Brett Lambert, Donald Trump Northrop vice president for corpo- 4 military buildup? $121 rate strategy and a former Pentagon $99 industrial base policy chief. 33 3 $91 Sure, you can try one of $76 Last but not least, it was almost the Pentagon’s new technol- $66 inevitable that CVCs would emerge, 1 $40 ogy-acquisition ofces, or $29 given the wave of venture capital press your luck in an initial $11 $10 0 swamping A&D (AW&ST April 11-21,

public ofering of stock. 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016* p. 56). Data from the National Venture But increasingly there is Capital Association (NVCA) on U.S. *2016 figures are through the third quarter of this year, or Sept. 30. another option to consider: Source: National Venture Capital Association A&D VC investment activity from prime defense contractors 2006 through the third quarter of 2016 and aerospace OEMs. capabilities for their government cus- shows the annual number of deals Widely criticized as the last place tomers, who have become more con- rising steadily to at least 50 this year to look for breakthrough innovations cerned about price and afordability from 16 a decade ago. Total capital in- in recent years—remember former since the Budget Control Act of 2011 vested per year has more than doubled Boeing CEO Jim McNerney’s “no reintroduced sequestration spending to $367 million at the same time. more Moon shots” comment—primes caps. Also, they are concerned about A&D CVC activity has tracked that and OEMs ironically are on the verge losing their technological superior- growth, NVCA data shows (see graph). of becoming the perfect partner for ity as the world shifts from the Cold Indeed, the percentage of yearly U.S. startups in the aerospace and defense War paradigm where the government A&D VC deals with CVC participation sector. According to several executives, decided and controlled most techno- looks to have made a step increase to large-cap companies like Lockheed logical advances to today’s relative around 16% of all deal-making start- Martin, Northrop Grumman and many free-for-all in the Information Age. ing around 2014, a level not seen since European providers are working hard “I have to recognize a lot of our before the fnancial crisis of 2008. to buy their way into entrepreneurial technology is commercial and global Clearly, primes and OEMs don’t and innovative eforts elsewhere. [in origin], and a lot of innovations want to be left out. But what are Now these stodgy old primes and are outside our walls,” says Defense they willing to invest in? A panel of OEMs are increasingly launching new Secretary Ash Carter. corporate venture investing leaders, corporate venture capital (CVC) eforts He appeared Nov. 14 at the 1776 tech including d’Halluin and Lambert, to entice startups to work with them, incubator in Washington before meet- spoke Nov. 9 at the Atlantic Council in with obvious benefts for all involved. ing with local startups. In that vein, Washington and ofered clues. For startups, CVCs represent Carter has pushed the department to For starters, any investment is another funding pool to help them open Defense Innovation Unit Experi- supposed to make money for the bridge the “valley of death”—the time mental ofces in Silicon Valley last year corporate parent—and sooner rather between developing and proving a and Austin and Boston this year, and than later. That means something that product or service and delivering it at he promises more to come. But more helps a current customer’s program of scale to make money. Plus, who better pressing for primes is the fact that the record, or the parent’s bottom line via to help you break into and navigate government continues to turn directly cost savings, for instance. the Pentagon’s roughly $300 billion an- to nontraditional providers such as So don’t expect paradigm-shifting nual—and reliable—buying spree than SpaceX and Palantir Technologies, two consumer products such as iPhones a key member of the military-industrial Valley vets fueled by venture capitalists from the primes or OEMs anytime soon. complex? that, among others, are disrupting the But make no mistake, the days of being For the giant companies, CVCs help hidebound government marketplace slumbering giants rudely awakened by them scout for new technologies and with great fanfare. CVC eforts are upstarts could be limited, too. c

12 AviAtion Week & SpAce technology/noveMBeR 21-DeceMBeR 4, 2016 aviationWeek.com/awst

AW_11_21_2016_p12.indd 12 11/16/16 2:29 PM Going Concerns By Michael Bruno Up Front By Byron Callan Michael Bruno is Senior Business Editor Contributing columnist Join the conversation at: Byron Callan is a director AviationWeek.com/GoingConcerns at Capital Alpha Partners. [email protected] commentary supposed to help eliminate such future commentary defense enterprises to readily attract shocks for legacy providers. new workers to implement higher “Our mandate is to disrupt the production rates. Defense enterprises Venture Corp-ital mothership before someone else Calm Before the Storm? may want to start planning now how does,” says Thomas d’Halluin, CEO their workforce and supply-chain Stodgy old defense primes and aerospace and COO of Airbus Group’s U.S. Ven- How Trump’s stances, Pentagon allocations and needs could change in order to miti- ture Investments unit. gate risk. giants are sporting new venture capital funds From the government-customer geopolitical uncertainties could roil defense in 2017 Global defense markets have been perspective, the legacy industry’s a positive story for companies outside stake in the startups also guarantees he results of the Nov. 8 U.S. election were greeted warmly by the U.S. in recent years. However, U.S. ey, startup U.S. A&D Corporate VC Grows $277 their technology or service will stick Tdefense shareholders. From the close of trading on Election industry may need to revisit some as- Hcompanies: Capital Invested (in millions of U.S. dollars) 8 9 8 around for years or decades and not pects of its international strategy, and Need a little cash fast Number of deals closed fall victim to consumer trends and life Day through Nov. 11, the largest U.S. and European companies there are factors that could change the 66 cycles. “The dinosaurs will be around saw their stock prices increase 8-9%. Some U.S. defense services nature of the global defense trade. or looking to ride the for a while,” jests Brett Lambert, Trump has called for U.S. allies to Donald Trump Northrop vice president for corpo- companies, notably Engility and Vectrus, saw even higher gains, assume more of their own defense 4 up 27% and 30%, respectively. The market response was global: military buildup? $121 rate strategy and a former Pentagon burden, and he appears willing to $99 industrial base policy chief. restore more normal relations with 33 3 $91 The stock price of South Korean defense electronics company Sure, you can try one of $76 Last but not least, it was almost Russia. If these views carry through the Pentagon’s new technol- $66 inevitable that CVCs would emerge, Victek rose 20%, and the price of Turkey’s Aselsan popped 10%. to U.S. policy, the impact on the sector 1 $40 ogy-acquisition ofces, or $29 given the wave of venture capital Total Public Debt as Percent of Gross Domestic Product could be more uneven. Other countries press your luck in an initial $11 $10 0 swamping A&D (AW&ST April 11-21, 110% that increase defense spending will public ofering of stock. p. 56). Data from the National Venture likely favor local industry. Additionally, 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016* 100 But increasingly there is Capital Association (NVCA) on U.S. a more relaxed U.S. attitude toward *2016 figures are through the third quarter of this year, or Sept. 30. 90 another option to consider: Source: National Venture Capital Association A&D VC investment activity from Russia could lead some countries to prime defense contractors 2006 through the third quarter of 2016 80 cooperate with Russia, and that may and aerospace OEMs. capabilities for their government cus- shows the annual number of deals reduce their defense spending needs. Widely criticized as the last place tomers, who have become more con- rising steadily to at least 50 this year 70 Macroeconomic factors could prove to look for breakthrough innovations cerned about price and afordability from 16 a decade ago. Total capital in- 60 more enduring than feeting. The initial in recent years—remember former since the Budget Control Act of 2011 vested per year has more than doubled of GDP Percent market reaction to Trump’s win and 50 Boeing CEO Jim McNerney’s “no reintroduced sequestration spending to $367 million at the same time. Republican retention of a majority in more Moon shots” comment—primes caps. Also, they are concerned about A&D CVC activity has tracked that 40 Congress is that more fscal expansion and OEMs ironically are on the verge losing their technological superior- growth, NVCA data shows (see graph). 30 is coming and with it, more federal of becoming the perfect partner for ity as the world shifts from the Cold Indeed, the percentage of yearly U.S. 1980 1985 1990 1995 2000 2005 2010 2015 borrowing. That will lead to higher U.S. startups in the aerospace and defense War paradigm where the government A&D VC deals with CVC participation Note: Shaded areas indicate U.S. recessions Source: Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis, U.S. Office of Management and Budget interest rates, a further increase in the sector. According to several executives, decided and controlled most techno- looks to have made a step increase to The markets’ initial conclusion that could entail signifcant additional exchange rate of the U.S. dollar and large-cap companies like Lockheed logical advances to today’s relative around 16% of all deal-making start- Trump will be good for defense, how- outlay. Initiatives to consider include other global currencies and the pum- Martin, Northrop Grumman and many free-for-all in the Information Age. ing around 2014, a level not seen since ever, will likely be challenged by cross the costs of deporting undocumented meling of some emerging ones. Higher European providers are working hard “I have to recognize a lot of our before the fnancial crisis of 2008. currents that the defense industry will immigrants, construction of a wall rates may help companies fund pen- to buy their way into entrepreneurial technology is commercial and global Clearly, primes and OEMs don’t have to navigate in 2017 and beyond. along the border with Mexico and sion plan liabilities, but a stronger U.S. and innovative eforts elsewhere. [in origin], and a lot of innovations want to be left out. But what are The frst may be the uncertainty additional infrastructure spending. dollar could make American defense Now these stodgy old primes and are outside our walls,” says Defense they willing to invest in? A panel of over how much the Trump adminis- Federal debt and the defcit will also products less afordable. OEMs are increasingly launching new Secretary Ash Carter. corporate venture investing leaders, tration will want to spend on defense have to be factored in. Some may A fnal issue for the defense sector to corporate venture capital (CVC) eforts He appeared Nov. 14 at the 1776 tech including d’Halluin and Lambert, and what Congress will approve. The believe that the U.S. is on the cusp of navigate is the risk of geopolitical sur- to entice startups to work with them, incubator in Washington before meet- spoke Nov. 9 at the Atlantic Council in fscal 2017 Defense Department budget another Reagan-era defense buildup, prise. The Defense Business Board’s with obvious benefts for all involved. ing with local startups. In that vein, Washington and ofered clues. submitted in the frst quarter of the but the federal debt-to-GDP ratio was recently issued report titled “Focus- For startups, CVCs represent Carter has pushed the department to For starters, any investment is 2017 calendar year should provide a 32% in 1980, compared to 101% at the ing a Transition: Challenges Facing another funding pool to help them open Defense Innovation Unit Experi- supposed to make money for the preliminary answer, but it will take a end of 2015. the New Administration” includes bridge the “valley of death”—the time mental ofces in Silicon Valley last year corporate parent—and sooner rather couple of months for Trump’s national Human capital, workers and a timely reminder that new U.S. ad- between developing and proving a and Austin and Boston this year, and than later. That means something that security team to fnalize its fscal 2018 supply-chain capacity are other issues ministrations face “disruptive events” product or service and delivering it at he promises more to come. But more helps a current customer’s program of budget request and plan through 2022. that industry will have to navigate in the frst 270 days of ofce from scale to make money. Plus, who better pressing for primes is the fact that the record, or the parent’s bottom line via The growth rate should be higher than and that often are not appreciated by international security developments. to help you break into and navigate government continues to turn directly cost savings, for instance. the Obama administration’s plan, and shareholders. The unemployment rate These events can profoundly reshape the Pentagon’s roughly $300 billion an- to nontraditional providers such as So don’t expect paradigm-shifting the Republican-controlled Congress in the U.S. was 7.5-8.5% in 1981—the defense plans, as did the Sept. 11, nual—and reliable—buying spree than SpaceX and Palantir Technologies, two consumer products such as iPhones should be able to remove the defense frst year of the Reagan administra- 2001, attacks on U.S. This is one of a key member of the military-industrial Valley vets fueled by venture capitalists from the primes or OEMs anytime soon. caps in the Budget Control Act. tion—compared to 4.9% in October those known unknowns that the de- complex? that, among others, are disrupting the But make no mistake, the days of being However, U.S. defense spending 2016. Infrastructure spending, relaxed fense sector will have to monitor and For the giant companies, CVCs help hidebound government marketplace slumbering giants rudely awakened by will still have to compete for spending energy regulations and immigration be prepared to respond to with agility, them scout for new technologies and with great fanfare. CVC eforts are upstarts could be limited, too. c resources, and some of Trump’s plans policies may weigh on the ability of whatever new need arises. c

12 AviAtion Week & SpAce technology/noveMBeR 21-DeceMBeR 4, 2016 aviationWeek.com/awst aviationWeek.com/awst AviAtion Week & SpAce technology/noveMBeR 21-DeceMBeR 4, 2016 13

AW_11_21_2016_p12.indd 12 11/16/16 2:29 PM AW_11_21_2016_p13.indd 13 11/16/16 1:33 PM Inside Business Aviation By William Garvey William Garvey is Editor-in-Chief of Business & Commercial Aviation Join the conversation at: AviationWeek.com/IBA [email protected]

commentary sole authorized manufacturer of hard- ware to access its Jet ConneX broad- band satcom infight service for busi- Show-and-Tell Time ness aviation. The near-global service is powered by Inmarsat’s ffth-generation NBAA’s annual get-together highlighted a Ka-band satellite system. Meanwhile, Honeywell ofers JetWave equipment, smorgasbord of new products and services including modem and router hardware, with tail-mounted antenna and control- he most prominent news, such as it was, emanating from ler for business aircraft. Tthe National Business Aviation Association’s (NBAA) annual Avinode, the online air charter buy- convention, Nov. 1-3 in Orlando, Florida, predictably centered ing/selling marketplace, unveiled a new service for facilitating such transac- on the glitziest players, the airframers. tions: PayNode, essentially a PayPal for There was much ado about the the charter industry. At frst, PayNode recent initial delivery of the Das- will allow customers to pay with the sault Falcon 8X; the fight-test American Express card and eventually program milestones achieved will accept bank wire transfers as well. by the Gulfstream G500; the Blackhawk Modifcations detailed imminent frst fight—since its latest engine-upgrade program, completed—of the Global 7000; which targets the King Air 350, replac- and the one-day appearance of ing that aircraft’s 1,050-shp PT6A-60A the PC-24, Pilatus Aircraft’s go- engines with a pair of -67As, each rated everywhere light jet, expected to win its feet had grown to 70 aircraft—55 at 1,200 shp. The company expects to certifcation next year. Also, Cessna King Air 350i (see photo receive approval for the upgrade in the brought a green Citation Longitude above) and 15 Citation XLS jets—and second quarter of 2017. The change-out and announced its selection of Safran’s 3,700 names on its rolls, divided among will beneft those operators—including long-delayed Silvercrest engine for the corporations and individuals. Co- military units—looking for improved Hemisphere, its large-cabin Citation founder and CEO Kenny Dichter says hot-and-high performance. set to fy in 2019; and the lights shone he expects the feet to possibly treble Jeppesen launched Operator, a new brightly during the at-show certifca- within the next two years, and he will cloud-based business aviation platform tion award to the Cirrus SF-50 Vision likely expand King Air operations to that integrates fight planning, (see photo below), the frst single-en- Europe as soon as next year. performance and weight-and-balance Satcom Direct, the airborne con- calculations, crew scheduling, account- nectivity services provider headquar- ing, pricing, regulatory compliance and tered in Melbourne, Florida, revealed trip checklists, among other things. plans to acquire TrueNorth, a 10-year- BoldIQ, the feet optimization and old avionics manufacturer based in Ot- management program evolved from tawa. Satcom Direct founder and CEO the failed DayJet operation is intrinsic Jim Jensen said the transaction should to the new Jeppesen service. close before year-end. Just two months Gogo Inc. has a way with languages. earlier, the company bought Aircraft- The company’s infight entertainment Logs, which makes fight-scheduling service, Gogo Vision, is now ofering ShowNewS PhotoS and tax-reporting software. studio-licensed movies and television gine “personal” jet to enter production. Aeron Corp. co-chairman Brian programs in English, French, German, All well and good. But more than Barents said a popular commercial Italian, Russian, Spanish and Swedish. 1,000 nonairframers also set up booths engine, which he declined to identify, The enhanced language capability will to spotlight their new wares and has been selected for the AS2. be available in early 2017. services, and it is only fair to give an However, he noted the unit’s fan will Fortem Technologies Inc. of Provo, accounting or at least a sampling. have to be reduced to satisfy technical Utah, introduced its DAA-R20 radar, After a protracted process involving constraints demanded by the Mach 1.5 designed to alert pilots to the presence local government and private interests, business aircraft. While the modifed of small drones and “other noncooper- Hawthorne Aviation announced it had engine will meet Stage 4 noise limita- ative objects” within 600 m (1,970 ft.). completed the acquisition of Bama Air, tions, he says it is unlikely to meet The compact 1-lb. unit covers 120 deg. a fxed base operation at Tuscaloosa Stage 5, so the goal is to complete the and can be combined with two others Regional Airport in Alabama. That necessary certifcation work in time for full 360-deg. coverage. increases the chain’s base count to fve. to have it “grandfathered” under the Expect another round of unveilings Wheels Up, the private aviation more restrictive level. at the next NBAA annual, set for Las membership company, reported that Inmarsat named Honeywell as the Vegas Oct. 10-12, 2017. c

14 AvIAtIon Week & SpAce technology/noveMBeR 21-DeceMBeR 4, 2016 aviationWeek.com/awst

AW_11_21_2016_p14.indd 14 11/16/16 11:21 AM Inside Business Aviation By William Garvey William Garvey is Editor-in-Chief of Business & Commercial Aviation Join the conversation at: AviationWeek.com/IBA [email protected] commentary sole authorized manufacturer of hard- ware to access its Jet ConneX broad- band satcom infight service for busi- Show-and-Tell Time ness aviation. The near-global service is powered by Inmarsat’s ffth-generation NBAA’s annual get-together highlighted a Ka-band satellite system. Meanwhile, Honeywell ofers JetWave equipment, smorgasbord of new products and services including modem and router hardware, with tail-mounted antenna and control- he most prominent news, such as it was, emanating from ler for business aircraft. Tthe National Business Aviation Association’s (NBAA) annual Avinode, the online air charter buy- convention, Nov. 1-3 in Orlando, Florida, predictably centered ing/selling marketplace, unveiled a new service for facilitating such transac- on the glitziest players, the airframers. tions: PayNode, essentially a PayPal for There was much ado about the the charter industry. At frst, PayNode recent initial delivery of the Das- will allow customers to pay with the sault Falcon 8X; the fight-test American Express card and eventually program milestones achieved will accept bank wire transfers as well. by the Gulfstream G500; the Blackhawk Modifcations detailed imminent frst fight—since its latest engine-upgrade program, completed—of the Global 7000; which targets the King Air 350, replac- and the one-day appearance of ing that aircraft’s 1,050-shp PT6A-60A the PC-24, Pilatus Aircraft’s go- engines with a pair of -67As, each rated everywhere light jet, expected to win its feet had grown to 70 aircraft—55 at 1,200 shp. The company expects to certifcation next year. Also, Cessna King Air 350i turboprops (see photo receive approval for the upgrade in the brought a green Citation Longitude above) and 15 Citation XLS jets—and second quarter of 2017. The change-out and announced its selection of Safran’s 3,700 names on its rolls, divided among will beneft those operators—including long-delayed Silvercrest engine for the corporations and individuals. Co- military units—looking for improved Hemisphere, its large-cabin Citation founder and CEO Kenny Dichter says hot-and-high performance. set to fy in 2019; and the lights shone he expects the feet to possibly treble Jeppesen launched Operator, a new brightly during the at-show certifca- within the next two years, and he will cloud-based business aviation platform tion award to the Cirrus SF-50 Vision likely expand King Air operations to that integrates fight planning, runway (see photo below), the frst single-en- Europe as soon as next year. performance and weight-and-balance Satcom Direct, the airborne con- calculations, crew scheduling, account- nectivity services provider headquar- ing, pricing, regulatory compliance and tered in Melbourne, Florida, revealed trip checklists, among other things. plans to acquire TrueNorth, a 10-year- BoldIQ, the feet optimization and old avionics manufacturer based in Ot- management program evolved from tawa. Satcom Direct founder and CEO the failed DayJet operation is intrinsic Jim Jensen said the transaction should to the new Jeppesen service. close before year-end. Just two months Gogo Inc. has a way with languages. earlier, the company bought Aircraft- The company’s infight entertainment Logs, which makes fight-scheduling service, Gogo Vision, is now ofering ShowNewS PhotoS and tax-reporting software. studio-licensed movies and television gine “personal” jet to enter production. Aeron Corp. co-chairman Brian programs in English, French, German, All well and good. But more than Barents said a popular commercial Italian, Russian, Spanish and Swedish. 1,000 nonairframers also set up booths engine, which he declined to identify, The enhanced language capability will to spotlight their new wares and has been selected for the trijet AS2. be available in early 2017. services, and it is only fair to give an However, he noted the unit’s fan will Fortem Technologies Inc. of Provo, accounting or at least a sampling. have to be reduced to satisfy technical Utah, introduced its DAA-R20 radar, After a protracted process involving constraints demanded by the Mach 1.5 designed to alert pilots to the presence local government and private interests, business aircraft. While the modifed of small drones and “other noncooper- Hawthorne Aviation announced it had engine will meet Stage 4 noise limita- ative objects” within 600 m (1,970 ft.). completed the acquisition of Bama Air, tions, he says it is unlikely to meet The compact 1-lb. unit covers 120 deg. a fxed base operation at Tuscaloosa Stage 5, so the goal is to complete the and can be combined with two others Regional Airport in Alabama. That necessary certifcation work in time for full 360-deg. coverage. increases the chain’s base count to fve. to have it “grandfathered” under the Expect another round of unveilings Wheels Up, the private aviation more restrictive level. at the next NBAA annual, set for Las membership company, reported that Inmarsat named Honeywell as the Vegas Oct. 10-12, 2017. c

14 AvIAtIon Week & SpAce technology/noveMBeR 21-DeceMBeR 4, 2016 aviationWeek.com/awst

AW_11_21_2016_p14.indd 14 11/16/16 11:21 AM 611AWB15.indd 1 11/14/2016 12:19:09 PM Airline Intel By Jens Flottau Jens Flottau is Managing Editor for Civil Aviation Join the conversation at: AviationWeek.com/AirlineIntel [email protected]

commentary Anderson did not mention trade policy, but he should have. China is one example: Delta has substantial Which Trump Prevails? interests there, not least because of its minority stake in China Eastern and its desire to enter into deeper cooperation Next U.S. president’s trade and market protection with a Chinese joint venture partner. policies could afect air transport profoundly But these kinds of deals are only pos- sible, so far at least, in an open-skies hether or not the looming Donald Trump presidency will environment, which does not yet exist W between China and the U.S. mean more protectionism is the key question that airlines How open skies will continue is also and aircraft manufacturers worldwide are asking ahead of the a question for transatlantic routes: The Jan. 20 transition. UK is leaving the European Union and will need a new bilateral air service Some—like Qatar agreement with the U.S. at some point Airways CEO Akbar Al during Trump’s four-year term. What Baker—are relatively will it look like? Again, Delta has a 49% relaxed: “I don’t think stake in Virgin Atlantic and is operat- Trump means what he ing a joint venture with its partner, so says,” Al Baker said ear- it has a keen interest in the existing lier this year, referring arrangement remaining in place. to the then-candidate’s Moreover, U.S. airlines are in the statement that all Mus- process of initiating many new routes lims should be banned to Cuba following President Obama’s from entering the U.S. Al historic decision to move toward more Baker could, of course, Felix GoettinG/wikimedia normal relations with that country. have cited many other examples. And has reported a 75% decline in net But will the opening be reversed? many months ago, Emirates Airline proft for the April-September period. Boeing and Airbus are hoping for President Tim Clark seemed to agree, Consider also the TPP (the Trans- major aircraft deals with and saying that ultimately Trump is “a Pacfc Partnership) and TTIP (the to fnally receive all the necessary man of business.” Trans-Atlantic Trade and Investment approvals, but will the future U.S. But which Donald Trump will we Partnership) that could have had a government still stand behind the see? If the businessman and pragma- positive efect on air travel demand Iran compromise that is the basis for tist in Trump wins out, things may but are now unlikely to materialize. normalized economic ties? And fnally, not be so bad for air transport. But The continuation of the U.S. open- a signifcant part of U.S. international if the nationalist open to racist and skies policy and Trump’s approach to air travel is to and from one country: xenophobic remarks, populism and other aviation-related foreign policy Mexico. Introducing strict visa re- protectionism prevails, aviation might issues will be watched, including his quirements could have a devastating well see a dramatic turn back to an era views on normalizing relations with efect on demand because it makes of slower growth, if any, and much less Cuba, the nuclear deal with Iran, the fying a much more complex and te- opportunity. The efects would be felt administration’s position regarding dious process for business and leisure by airlines and manufacturers alike. Gulf carriers and the alleged subsi- travelers alike. There are multiple policy areas in dies, the proposed tight visa regime Donald Trump will be the frst U.S. which a Trump administration can for Mexicans wanting to travel to the president with no previous political infuence commercial aviation. Most U.S., low-cost transatlantic air travel experience—and the frst with previ- important, how the general economy fostered by Norwegian Air Interna- ous airline experience: His Trump trends will be crucial for air trans- tional and the future relationship with Shuttle, a high-end, domestic, short- port, since air travel demand growth China. There are many other issues, haul carrier operating Boeing 727s is directly linked to GDP growth. but these are the most important ones geared toward business travelers in Besides that basic premise, it will be concerning aviation. the early 1990s, folded after a few years crucial for the industry to see what In an Oct. 29 opinion piece for the and growing losses. It is an unthink- position Trump takes on free trade, Salt Lake Tribune, Delta Air Lines able model in today’s era of low-cost since trends in world trade have a former chairman Richard Anderson travel. Airlines and manufacturers will direct impact on air travel. endorsed Hillary Clinton for presi- have to hope that Trump learns fast, More protectionist policies world- dent. His main argument was that or at least appoints the right people wide have already led to sluggish her domestic economic policies were to handle air transport policy. So far, international trade, and airlines feel more suitable and “her commitment it is anyone’s guess whether that will the efect. Just ask Emirates, which to innovation makes it an easy choice.” happen. c

16 AviAtion Week & SpAce technology/noveMBeR 21-DeceMBeR 4, 2016 aviationWeek.com/awst

AW_11_21_2016_p16.indd 16 11/17/16 1:07 PM Airline Intel By Jens Flottau Leading Edge By Graham Warwick Jens Flottau is Managing Graham Warwick is Editor for Civil Aviation Managing Editor for Technology Join the conversation at: Join the conversation at: AviationWeek.com/AirlineIntel AviationWeek.com/LE [email protected] [email protected] commentary Anderson did not mention trade commentary corporate biofuel program—which policy, but he should have. China is include major Dutch banks—are one example: Delta has substantial covering the price diference between Which Trump Prevails? interests there, not least because of its Biofuel Injection renewable and conventional Jet A. minority stake in China Eastern and its Another option is being investigat- desire to enter into deeper cooperation ed by Seattle-Tacoma International Next U.S. president’s trade and market protection with a Chinese joint venture partner. Nascent industry looks for new ways to get Airport with the nonproft Carbon policies could afect air transport profoundly But these kinds of deals are only pos- sustainable jet fuels to commercial scale War Room and sustainable jet fuel sible, so far at least, in an open-skies distributor SkyNRG. Sea-Tac hopes to hether or not the looming Donald Trump presidency will environment, which does not yet exist be frst to supply biofuel to all airlines inding the fnancing to build a new industry is the gap fac- Wmean more protectionism is the key question that airlines between China and the U.S. serving an airport, and the team is How open skies will continue is also Fing the aviation alternative fuels market. To create com- working to identify long-term fnanc- and aircraft manufacturers worldwide are asking ahead of the a question for transatlantic routes: The mercial-scale supply chains for biofuels requires investment, ing mechanisms under which the air- Jan. 20 transition. UK is leaving the European Union and port would cover the price premium. will need a new bilateral air service investors want to see customers, and customers want competi- Airlines, and not , are the Some—like Qatar agreement with the U.S. at some point tive prices, which require commercial-scale supply chains, and traditional buyers of fuel, so there Airways CEO Akbar Al during Trump’s four-year term. What are legal and other issues to work Baker—are relatively will it look like? Again, Delta has a 49% so it goes round. through, says the Carbon War Room, relaxed: “I don’t think stake in Virgin Atlantic and is operat- But the circle is being founded and supported by Richard Trump means what he ing a joint venture with its partner, so broken. Airlines are buying Branson to accelerate greenhouse-gas says,” Al Baker said ear- it has a keen interest in the existing biofuel, refneries are being emissions reductions. A precedent lier this year, referring arrangement remaining in place. built, and fuel is being deliv- was set in January, the nonproft says, to the then-candidate’s Moreover, U.S. airlines are in the ered in commercial quan- when Norwegian airport operator statement that all Mus- process of initiating many new routes tities. New mechanisms Avinor, SkyNRG and fuel supplier lims should be banned to Cuba following President Obama’s are emerging to ofset the Air BP provided biofuel produced by from entering the U.S. Al historic decision to move toward more premiums on biofuels, pro- Finland’s Neste to airlines fying from Baker could, of course, Felix GoettinG/wikimedia normal relations with that country. vide airlines an incentive to Oslo Gardermoen Airport under a have cited many other examples. And has reported a 75% decline in net But will the opening be reversed? buy sustainable jet fuel and demonstration project. many months ago, Emirates Airline proft for the April-September period. Boeing and Airbus are hoping for bring major players into the Another step toward accelerating President Tim Clark seemed to agree, Consider also the TPP (the Trans- major aircraft deals with Iran and emerging market. the commercialization of alternative saying that ultimately Trump is “a Pacfc Partnership) and TTIP (the to fnally receive all the necessary Much lauded by the fuels is to involve the existing major man of business.” Trans-Atlantic Trade and Investment approvals, but will the future U.S. global aviation community, players in the aviation fuel market. But which Donald Trump will we Partnership) that could have had a government still stand behind the October’s agreement by So far, the big energy companies have see? If the businessman and pragma- positive efect on air travel demand Iran compromise that is the basis for 191 member states of the played little if any role, but in early tist in Trump wins out, things may but are now unlikely to materialize. normalized economic ties? And fnally, International Civil Avia- AlAskA Airlines November BP announced a $30 mil- not be so bad for air transport. But The continuation of the U.S. open- a signifcant part of U.S. international tion Organization (ICAO) to launch a emissions 50% from 2005 levels by lion investment in U.S.-based Fulcrum if the nationalist open to racist and skies policy and Trump’s approach to air travel is to and from one country: carbon-ofsetting scheme for interna- 2050. The biofuel provision in Corsia BioEnergy through its AirBP and BP xenophobic remarks, populism and other aviation-related foreign policy Mexico. Introducing strict visa re- tional aviation, called Corsia, contains will play a key role, but the devil will Ventures businesses. protectionism prevails, aviation might issues will be watched, including his quirements could have a devastating provisions that could prove critical be in the implementation details now As an equity investor, BP has se- well see a dramatic turn back to an era views on normalizing relations with efect on demand because it makes to the adoption of biofuels and the being worked out at ICAO. cured a 10-year oftake agreement for of slower growth, if any, and much less Cuba, the nuclear deal with Iran, the fying a much more complex and te- reduction of emissions. Issues include how to ensure one 50 million gal. a year of sustainable jet opportunity. The efects would be felt administration’s position regarding dious process for business and leisure Under Corsia, which takes efect in airline cannot claim credit for using fuel for distribution by Air BP at key by airlines and manufacturers alike. Gulf carriers and the alleged subsi- travelers alike. 2021, airlines will be able to reduce the biofuel purchased by another, when hubs across North America. Fulcrum There are multiple policy areas in dies, the proposed tight visa regime Donald Trump will be the frst U.S. cost of carbon ofsetting if they use sustainable jet fuel will be mixed in produces biofuel from municipal solid which a Trump administration can for Mexicans wanting to travel to the president with no previous political biofuels that have validated net reduc- with conventional Jet A at the fuel waste, and both Cathay Pacifc and infuence commercial aviation. Most U.S., low-cost transatlantic air travel experience—and the frst with previ- tions in greenhouse-gas emissions farm and delivered by hydrant to all United Airlines are already investors important, how the general economy fostered by Norwegian Air Interna- ous airline experience: His Trump over their life cycle, from growing the carriers serving an airport. This is al- with 10-year agreements in place—Ca- trends will be crucial for air trans- tional and the future relationship with Shuttle, a high-end, domestic, short- feedstock to burning the jet fuel. The ready happening at Los Angeles Inter- thay for an initial 375 million gal. and port, since air travel demand growth China. There are many other issues, haul carrier operating Boeing 727s sustainable biofuels in which airlines national Airport (LAX), where biofuel United for up to 180 million gal. a year. is directly linked to GDP growth. but these are the most important ones geared toward business travelers in are interested have life-cycle-analysis purchased by United Airlines under a While ICAO’s carbon-ofset scheme Besides that basic premise, it will be concerning aviation. the early 1990s, folded after a few years reductions in CO2 of 60-80%. pioneering three-year, 15-million-gal. will help cap emissions from interna- crucial for the industry to see what In an Oct. 29 opinion piece for the and growing losses. It is an unthink- Voluntary at frst, ofsetting under oftake agreement with AltAir Fuels is tional aviation, it is only a gap-fller. position Trump takes on free trade, Salt Lake Tribune, Delta Air Lines able model in today’s era of low-cost Corsia is expected to enable inter- being delivered via the hydrant system. Continued improvements in aircraft since trends in world trade have a former chairman Richard Anderson travel. Airlines and manufacturers will national aviation to achieve carbon- Sustainable jet fuel qualifes for efciency will close some of the gap, direct impact on air travel. endorsed Hillary Clinton for presi- have to hope that Trump learns fast, neutral growth from around 2024, government incentives to produce but the industry’s long-term goal of More protectionist policies world- dent. His main argument was that or at least appoints the right people slightly later than the goal set by renewable fuels, but there is still a halving its emissions relies heavily on wide have already led to sluggish her domestic economic policies were to handle air transport policy. So far, industry in 2009. But biofuels will be premium of $1-2 per gallon to be paid. adoption of low-carbon biofuels. Now international trade, and airlines feel more suitable and “her commitment it is anyone’s guess whether that will critical to achieving the sector’s next KLM is also buying fuel from AltAir that Corsia is agreed to, there are the efect. Just ask Emirates, which to innovation makes it an easy choice.” happen. c environmental target—to reduce CO2 at LAX, but members of the airline’s signs the market is ready to move. c

16 AviAtion Week & SpAce technology/noveMBeR 21-DeceMBeR 4, 2016 aviationWeek.com/awst aviationWeek.com/awst AviAtion Week & SpAce technology/noveMBeR 21-DeceMBeR 4, 2016 17

AW_11_21_2016_p16.indd 16 11/17/16 1:07 PM AW_11_21_2016_p17.indd 17 11/16/16 11:19 AM In Orbit By Frank Morring, Jr. Frank Morring, Jr. is Senior Space Editor Join the conversation at: AviationWeek.com/InOrbit [email protected]

commentary icy was reconstitution of the National Space Council at the White House. “I’m completely supportive of the Coming Onboard reestablishment of the National Space Council,” says Mark Albrecht, who was Detailed briefngs are set for the the most recent executive director of the body during the administration of president-elect’s NASA ‘artists’ President George H.W. Bush. “There is a general consensus in the commu- ow that the Electoral College vote count has made Donald nity that communitywide issues need NTrump the U.S. president-elect, NASA is preparing to brief addressing and can only be addressed at the White House level. I would its “Agency Research Team (ART),” as presidential transition welcome it.” teams are ofcially designated. Unofcially known within NASA Albrecht is said to be in line to head as the “boarding party,” the team will spend the next month or the space-policy portion of the Trump transition team, overseeing the ART so perusing tablet computers provided by NASA headquarters and guiding its output. Walker stresses that are chock full of what one insider terms “eye-glazing” de- that he speaks only for the campaign, tail on the agency’s programs and plans. although he is ready and willing to help with transition space-policy issues Ultimately, the “artists”— when the time comes. more transition slang based on “I think there is a concern that at the acronym—will recommend the time we are building the SLS, Elon policy changes to Trump and Musk is building a heavy-lift vehicle, his senior advisors, who will also the Air Force is talking about building pick the administrator and other a heavy-lift vehicle, all with about the appointees to carry them out. same capacity; and part of the reason As the election-day dust for having a National Space Council is, cleared, the names of potential as we move forward, to see to it that NASA appointees began to we do not have duplication of efort appear. There is an old Wash- that does not make any sense,” Walker ington aphorism that bears NASA CoNCept says. Musk and fellow billionaire repeating: “Those who know aren’t former House Science Committee spacefight entrepreneur Jef Bezos saying anything, and those who don’t chairman and Trump-campaign space have both outlined plans for SLS-class know anything are.” advisor, says the incoming adminis- launch vehicles to move large numbers Speculation aside, space usually tration will follow the public-private of humans of the planet. is not very high on the priority list approach hammered out between the In keeping with Republican re- of incoming administrations as they Obama White House and Congress. luctance to fnance climate-change lick their campaign wounds. Some of “Such partnerships ofer not only the research at NASA, Walker declared Trump’s likely space-policy direction beneft of reduced costs, but the beneft for the Trump campaign that “NASA is pretty clear, based on statements of partners capable of thinking outside should be focused primarily on deep by his campaign space advisors and of bureaucratic structures and regula- space activities rather than Earth- on bipartisan legislation pending in tions,” wrote Walker, an early advocate centric work that is better handled by Congress. That includes the NASA of private spacefight in his Capitol Hill other agencies,” such as the National Transition Authorization Act of 2016. days, in a pre-election article. Oceanic and Atmospheric Adminis- Still awaiting fnal action, the legisla- Less clear during the campaign was tration. Although many Republican tion cosponsored by Sens. Ted Cruz the approach Trump will take on tradi- members of the U.S. space community (R-Texas) and Bill Nelson (D-Fla.) tional NASA spacefight developments, favor a return to the Moon—a position “provides stability for NASA to sustain starting with the Orion crew capsule pushed by many of NASA’s internation- and build upon existing national space and the heavy-lift Space Launch al partners as well—the campaign took investments.” That means the senators System (SLS). Walker says the new no position on that issue, Walker says. who watch NASA and civil space do administrator will defnitely want to Instead, it set as a goal the explora- not want a repeat of the painful course review those programs, which he says tion of “the entire Solar System” with change that followed Barack Obama’s are over budget and behind schedule. humans over the remainder of the 21st election eight years ago. “They are awfully far along now to century, using that “stretch goal” to Trump’s campaign advisors appear back of them,” he says. “I think unless pull technology developments such as to agree, as far as the only word on the it is a catastrophic kind of situation nuclear propulsion (see image) not con- subject cleared by Trump Tower goes. they will probably continue.” sidered seriously in the NASA “Journey Bob Walker, a Washington lobbyist, A key element of the campaign’s pol- to Mars” approach, Walker says. c

18 AviAtion Week & SpAce technology/noveMBeR 21-DeceMBeR 4, 2016 aviationWeek.com/awst

AW_11_21_2016_p18.indd 18 11/16/16 10:53 AM In Orbit By Frank Morring, Jr. Washington Outlook Edited by Jen DiMascio Frank Morring, Jr. is Jen DiMascio is Managing Senior Space Editor Editor for Defense and Space Join the conversation at: Join the conversation at: AviationWeek.com/InOrbit AviationWeek.com/WashingtonOutlook [email protected] [email protected] commentary icy was reconstitution of the National Commentary A former House Science Commit- Space Council at the White House. tee chairman and Republican foor “I’m completely supportive of the leader, Walker says China should be Coming Onboard reestablishment of the National Space The Russia Question invited to join the International Space Council,” says Mark Albrecht, who was Station partnership. “I think that they Detailed briefngs are set for the the most recent executive director of have become a spacefaring nation that the body during the administration of Think tank ofers a view of U.S. military has a lot to ofer,” he says, stressing president-elect’s NASA ‘artists’ President George H.W. Bush. “There strengths and shortcomings that he is ofering a personal view. is a general consensus in the commu- “They are not going to learn anything ow that the Electoral College vote count has made Donald nity that communitywide issues need about technology from being aboard NTrump the U.S. president-elect, NASA is preparing to brief addressing and can only be addressed President-elect Donald Trump has vowed to “drain the the station with us that they don’t al- its “Agency Research Team (ART),” as presidential transition at the White House level. I would swamp” of entrenched Washington interests. Creatures ready know. Having them there would welcome it.” of D.C. have been around long enough to hear that kind of allow us to share knowledge and teams are ofcially designated. Unofcially known within NASA Albrecht is said to be in line to head expand the space ambitions of both as the “boarding party,” the team will spend the next month or the space-policy portion of the Trump promise before. They know that after the campaign rhetoric nations.” Walker says the question of so perusing tablet computers provided by NASA headquarters transition team, overseeing the ART dies down, it’s time to put forward solid recommendations that U.S.-Chinese space cooperation was and guiding its output. Walker stresses might actually help guide policy. not addressed in the Trump campaign that are chock full of what one insider terms “eye-glazing” de- that he speaks only for the campaign, space-policy discussions he attended, tail on the agency’s programs and plans. although he is ready and willing to help That includes input from the nor was the longstanding U.S.-Rus- with transition space-policy issues conservative Heritage Founda- When America sian space partnership. c Ultimately, the “artists”— when the time comes. tion, which has released its 2017 ‘ more transition slang based on “I think there is a concern that at Index of U.S. Military Strength. has been at its Up and away the acronym—will recommend the time we are building the SLS, Elon In addition to serving as an greatest, it is The number of commercial UAV policy changes to Trump and Musk is building a heavy-lift vehicle, argument to bolster the think pilots is booming. Since releasing its his senior advisors, who will also the Air Force is talking about building tank’s perennial calls to increase when we have Part 107 Small Unmanned Aircraft pick the administrator and other a heavy-lift vehicle, all with about the the defense budget, the docu- stood on the side System (UAS) rule Aug. 29, the FAA appointees to carry them out. same capacity; and part of the reason ment is also a handy primer as of Nov. 9 had received more than As the election-day dust for having a National Space Council is, on global threats and how U.S. of those fghting 30,000 new-aircraft registrations cleared, the names of potential as we move forward, to see to it that forces stack up against them. tyranny.’ from commercial operators, and more NASA appointees began to we do not have duplication of efort Part of that is drawing a than 22,500 remote-pilot applications. appear. There is an old Wash- that does not make any sense,” Walker picture of military expansion —SEN. JOHN MCCAIN A little less than half of those remote- ington aphorism that bears NASA CoNCept says. Musk and fellow billionaire by Russia, a country with which pilot applicants—about 10,000— repeating: “Those who know aren’t former House Science Committee spacefight entrepreneur Jef Bezos Trump wants “a strong and Chip Somodevilla/Getty imaGeS passed the test, says Jay Merkle, the saying anything, and those who don’t chairman and Trump-campaign space have both outlined plans for SLS-class enduring relationship.” Dakota Wood, invaded his neighbors, threatened FAA’s director of systems integration know anything are.” advisor, says the incoming adminis- launch vehicles to move large numbers senior research fellow on defense America’s allies, and attempted to un- and requirements analysis. Speculation aside, space usually tration will follow the public-private of humans of the planet. programs at Heritage, says the think dermine America’s elections,” McCain The Part 107 rule takes the place is not very high on the priority list approach hammered out between the In keeping with Republican re- tank’s study lays out in great detail says. “When America has been at its of what was previously an onerous of incoming administrations as they Obama White House and Congress. luctance to fnance climate-change how the Russian military has modern- greatest, it is when we have stood certifcate-of-authorization process lick their campaign wounds. Some of “Such partnerships ofer not only the research at NASA, Walker declared ized and grown in competence and on the side of those fghting tyranny. for each operation. A commercial Trump’s likely space-policy direction beneft of reduced costs, but the beneft for the Trump campaign that “NASA confdence since it invaded Georgia That is where we must stand again.” c operator who obtains a remote-pilot is pretty clear, based on statements of partners capable of thinking outside should be focused primarily on deep when George W. Bush was president. certifcate, registers the vehicle by his campaign space advisors and of bureaucratic structures and regula- space activities rather than Earth- Meanwhile, U.S. allies in Europe have China Card (which has to weigh less than 55 lb. on bipartisan legislation pending in tions,” wrote Walker, an early advocate centric work that is better handled by underinvested in defense, Wood says. Republican lawmakers have long but does not have to be FAA certi- Congress. That includes the NASA of private spacefight in his Capitol Hill other agencies,” such as the National In that environment, Trump and Con- blocked NASA from bilateral coopera- fed) and performs a prefight check. Transition Authorization Act of 2016. days, in a pre-election article. Oceanic and Atmospheric Adminis- gress will have to decide whether it tion in space with China, but might As such, that pilot can fy a single Still awaiting fnal action, the legisla- Less clear during the campaign was tration. Although many Republican will match Russian military strength things change once Trump moves into UAS with no additional permission tion cosponsored by Sens. Ted Cruz the approach Trump will take on tradi- members of the U.S. space community in Eastern Europe. Wood asks: “Is it the White House? Rep. John Culber- when fown in uncontrolled airspace (R-Texas) and Bill Nelson (D-Fla.) tional NASA spacefight developments, favor a return to the Moon—a position important for the U.S. or not?” son (R-Texas), chairman of the House under 400 ft. high, slower than “provides stability for NASA to sustain starting with the Orion crew capsule pushed by many of NASA’s internation- Senate Armed Services Commit- Appropriations subcommittee that 80 kt., within line of sight and not and build upon existing national space and the heavy-lift Space Launch al partners as well—the campaign took tee Chairman John McCain (R-Ariz.) funds the U.S. space agency, is dead over people involved in the fight. investments.” That means the senators System (SLS). Walker says the new no position on that issue, Walker says. still considers the defense of Europe set against cooperation with Beijing Flights beyond that kind of airspace who watch NASA and civil space do administrator will defnitely want to Instead, it set as a goal the explora- against Russia important. He warns on human-rights and national-secu- will require a waiver. not want a repeat of the painful course review those programs, which he says tion of “the entire Solar System” with about Russian President Vladimir rity grounds, as was his predecessor, Currently, the top fve requests for change that followed Barack Obama’s are over budget and behind schedule. humans over the remainder of the 21st Putin’s recent reciprocal olive branch retired Rep. Frank Wolf (R-Va.). But waivers have been for night opera- election eight years ago. “They are awfully far along now to century, using that “stretch goal” to to Trump. “We should place as much one of Wolf’s colleagues in the House tions, fights over people, beyond-visu- Trump’s campaign advisors appear back of them,” he says. “I think unless pull technology developments such as faith in such statements as any other GOP leadership, former Rep. Bob al-line-of-sight (BVLOS) operations, to agree, as far as the only word on the it is a catastrophic kind of situation nuclear propulsion (see image) not con- made by a former KGB agent who Walker (R-Pa.), takes a diferent view at higher altitudes or without a visual subject cleared by Trump Tower goes. they will probably continue.” sidered seriously in the NASA “Journey has plunged his country into tyranny, and is emerging as a potential senior observer, a nod to efcient BVLOS Bob Walker, a Washington lobbyist, A key element of the campaign’s pol- to Mars” approach, Walker says. c murdered his political opponents, space-policy advisor for Trump. operations. c

18 AviAtion Week & SpAce technology/noveMBeR 21-DeceMBeR 4, 2016 aviationWeek.com/awst aviationweek.com/awst AviAtion Week & SpAce technology/noveMBeR 21-DeceMBeR 4, 2016 19

AW_11_21_2016_p18.indd 18 11/16/16 10:53 AM AW_11_21_2016_p19.indd 19 11/17/16 5:10 PM THE TRUMP ERA

MARK WILSON/GETTY IMAGES support of Russian-derived RD-180 engines for Atlas rockets in the United Launch Alliance program for the Pen- tagon. In the end, many analysts expect the Defense Depart- ment budget to grow by low- to-mid-single-digit percent- ages annually over the next five years. The 2011 Budget Control Act’s sequestration spending caps are almost cer- tain to be repealed, but grow- ing federal defi cits also could act as a damper on defense Now What? spending long term. SPACE Under Trump, the aerospace, defense and aviation Space-policy advisers to the nascent administration see a world is guaranteed only ups and downs revived National Space Coun- cil under Vice President-elect Michael Bruno and Frank Morring, Jr. Washington, Mike Pence, coordinating civil, military Jens Flottau Frankfurt and Molly McMillin Wichita and intelligence space activities from the White House to try to avoid costly onald Trump’s election to the White House means change duplications. Drawing on the practice last used under President George H.W. Dis coming to the aerospace and defense world, but practi- Bush, the council would oversee all fed- cally no one—maybe not even the president-elect—knows eral space activities and give the new exactly what those changes will be. commercial U.S. space industry a big- ger role. And that uncertainty will prevail if DEFENSE Trump advisors say private-sector Trump’s cries against crony govern- For national security and the defense investment could supplement govern- ment contracting are a good indica- industry, Trump’s victory brings mixed ment funding in heavy-lift launch and tion of what lies ahead, along with his implications, say numerous fi nancial International Space Station operations. promises to renegotiate many of the and policy analysts. The billionaire owners of SpaceX and high-profi le security and trade trea- “Although almost all defense contrac- Blue Origin, Elon Musk and Jef Bezos, ties the U.S. has signed with every- tors would likely see higher revenues if respectively, are developing heavy-lift one from NATO partners to North defense spending increases above cur- launch vehicles with long-term goals American neighbors. His lack of fa- rent expectations, the impact on indi- of colonizing the Solar System, and miliarity with the specifi cs of national vidual companies is hard to determine some Republican space experts sug- security, including the nuclear triad, without more specifi cs on which pro- gest NASA’s Space Launch System and and his criticism of Boeing’s new 737 grams will receive additional funding,” Orion crew capsule are due for review fi nishing facility in China add to the S&P Global Ratings analysts say. “It’s by new agency managers. uncertainty. also possible that poorly performing Meanwhile, the Earth-science pro- What is known is that, no matter programs could be cut to free up funds grams that have tracked global warm- what degree of campaign rhetoric is for these initiatives.” ing in the face of Republican opposi- turned into policy, Trump’s tenure is Moreover, the fi rst defense budget tion on Capitol Hill are likely to be bound to shake up a sector that simul- that would refl ect any Trump plus-up spun of to the National Oceanic and taneously remains one of the most likely would be for fi scal 2019, which Atmospheric Administration or other hidebound, government-blinded cor- begins Oct. 1, 2018, so most contractors federal agencies. Theoretically, that ners of business, as well as one of the would not see any increase in revenues would better focus NASA spending world’s most technologically and glob- until 2019 or afterward. Regardless, on advanced in-space propulsion and ally oriented industries. much will depend on the next defense other technologies needed to fulfill How much good is achieved, or mis- secretary. Trump’s campaign goal of human ex- takes made in the process of change, re- In the little that is known about his ploration of the entire Solar System by mains to be seen. But one thing is sure: approach to weapons systems, Trump the end of the century. Like Britain’s vote in June to leave the has called for more missile defenses, “What we’re saying is we ought to European Union, the surprise Nov. 8 thousands more active Army soldiers have another kind of stretch goal that U.S. election results are likely to set in and more Navy ships, Capital Alpha drives us toward doing something dif- motion a rollercoaster ride of puts and Partners analyst Byron Callan notes. ferent,” says Bob Walker, a Washington takes for months or years. There are further indications of more lobbyist and former House Science

20 AVIATION WEEK & SPACE TECHNOLOGY/NOVEMBER 21-DECEMBER 4, 2016 AviationWeek.com/awst

AW_11_21_2016_p20-21.indd 20 11/17/16 6:58 PM THE TRUMP ERA

MARK WILSON/GETTY IMAGES support of Russian-derived chairman who helped draft space-policy Business AviAtion managing director of the aerospace and RD-180 engines for Atlas positions for the Trump campaign. “You In contrast to his stance on commer- defense practice at consulting company rockets in the United Launch can go to Mars by drifting to Mars for cial aviation, Trump has demonstrated AlixPartners. “Most major players are Alliance program for the Pen- months. Politically and economically,, the importance of business aviation, highly dependent on international cus- tagon. it would be much better to go there in which is good for the industry, says tomers and suppliers just to function, In the end, many analysts weeks rather than months.” aviation consultant Rolland Vincent. including on the commercial side. So expect the Defense Depart- The day before the Nov. 8 election, for we’re talking about some very, very ment budget to grow by low- CommerCiAl AviAtion example, Trump flew to at least five complicated things here.” to-mid-single-digit percent- Many air transport-related lobby diferent campaign events around the What is known is how the industry ages annually over the next groups have reacted to Trump’s elec- U.S.—travel that would have not been stands as the Trump team prepares five years. The 2011 Budget tion with optimism. Numerous trade possible without private aviation. to take ofce in January. According to Control Act’s sequestration associations—from the National Air But as with commercial air transport the Aerospace Industries Association spending caps are almost cer- Trafc Controllers Association to Air- and its supply chain, macroeconomic (AIA), the U.S. aerospace and defense tain to be repealed, but grow- lines for America and American Associ- conditions matter more for future busi- industry notched a record $142 bil- ing federal defi cits also could ation of Airport Executives—promised ness aviation orders. “Bizjet OEMs have lion worth of exports in 2015. In fact, act as a damper on defense to work with a Trump administration long blamed uncertainty as one of the it accounted for 9% of all U.S. exports Now What? spending long term. and see opportunity for their agendas. issues that have been and was the nation’s Those items include privatizing U.S. holding down new biz- What To Watch third-largest export- SPACE air trafc control and airport improve- jet demand, and the ing industry. But it is Defense Under Trump, the aerospace, defense and aviation Space-policy advisers to the ments under any grander U.S. infra- uncertainty level has How much not just a recent phe- nascent administration see a structure rebuilding efort. arguably moved up will spending grow? nomenon: Exports world is guaranteed only ups and downs revived National Space Coun- Taken alone, these early statements another notch,” Verti- Security NATO’s future? have grown 62% from cil under Vice President-elect imply that civil aviation could be high cal Research Partners Relations with Russia? $88 billion in 2010. Mike Pence, coordinating civil, military on the list for Trump, who once owned analyst Robert Stal- Overall, industry Michael Bruno and Frank Morring, Jr. Washington, Trade and intelligence space activities from a business shuttle airline serving the lard says. “However, if generated a trade Jens Flottau Frankfurt and Molly McMillin Wichita Will the U.S. become the White House to try to avoid costly U.S. East Coast. But there are few in- we now see more ‘pro- surplus of $81 billion protectionist? The efect onald Trump’s election to the White House means change duplications. Drawing on the practice dications among his statements start- business’ legislation in last year. Since 2010, last used under President George H.W. ing almost two years ahead of the elec- the U.S., such as tax on the global economy? the trade surplus has Dis coming to the aerospace and defense world, but practi- Bush, the council would oversee all fed- tion that air transport is a top priority. breaks on new jets, Space The role of increased by an annu- cally no one—maybe not even the president-elect—knows eral space activities and give the new While air trafc control needs modern- whilst a weakening in commercial space? Earth alized growth rate of exactly what those changes will be. commercial U.S. space industry a big- ization, the sector is not in crisis mode, the U.S. dollar helps science versus exploration? 8.2%, AIA data shows. ger role. and U.S. airlines are in better fnancial the price for overseas Air Traffc Control To that efect, Boe- DEFENSE And that uncertainty will prevail if Trump advisors say private-sector shape than they have ever been. buyers, this could help Privatized,“corporatized” ing, the sector’s single Trump’s cries against crony govern- For national security and the defense investment could supplement govern- Thus, the new administration’s efect the demand set-up for largest provider, or government-controlled? ment contracting are a good indica- industry, Trump’s victory brings mixed ment funding in heavy-lift launch and on airlines and their suppliers is likely the longer term, par- makes for a case in tion of what lies ahead, along with his implications, say numerous fi nancial International Space Station operations. to be more indirect: There are many ticularly as new mod- Infrastructure point: “Trump’s prom- promises to renegotiate many of the and policy analysts. The billionaire owners of SpaceX and ways in which its general economic els start to ramp.” Will airports beneft? ise to revise U.S. trade high-profi le security and trade trea- “Although almost all defense contrac- Blue Origin, Elon Musk and Jef Bezos, agenda can afect air transport. For in- But again, Trump Business Aviation agreements to bring ties the U.S. has signed with every- tors would likely see higher revenues if respectively, are developing heavy-lift stance, some Latin American curren- brings a lot of un- Will a president as fan jobs back to the U.S. one from NATO partners to North defense spending increases above cur- launch vehicles with long-term goals cies are being hammered in exchange knowns. “What we make a diference? clearly is a risk, since American neighbors. His lack of fa- rent expectations, the impact on indi- of colonizing the Solar System, and markets, which is not good for local don’t know is what exports account for miliarity with the specifi cs of national vidual companies is hard to determine some Republican space experts sug- carriers locked in with a large portion scares me,” Vincent about two-thirds of security, including the nuclear triad, without more specifi cs on which pro- gest NASA’s Space Launch System and of their costs in U.S. dollars. tells Aviation Week. “We have the po- Boeing Commercial Aircraft sales, with and his criticism of Boeing’s new 737 grams will receive additional funding,” Orion crew capsule are due for review Above all, should Trump enter one or tential for a reactive policy. It’s intimi- about 15-20% going to China, which has fi nishing facility in China add to the S&P Global Ratings analysts say. “It’s by new agency managers. more trade wars with other countries, dating because we really don’t know. We been willing to shift orders between Boe- uncertainty. also possible that poorly performing Meanwhile, the Earth-science pro- especially to promote local employ- don’t have details on policy.” ing and Airbus for political advantage,” What is known is that, no matter programs could be cut to free up funds grams that have tracked global warm- ment and turn back globalization, air That uncertainty would make it dif- say Cowen and Co. analysts. what degree of campaign rhetoric is for these initiatives.” ing in the face of Republican opposi- transport will sufer. A U.S. trade war fcult for businesses and corporations “[Trump] also may oppose continu- turned into policy, Trump’s tenure is Moreover, the fi rst defense budget tion on Capitol Hill are likely to be or worse with China, home to future to invest in major capital projects. The ing the U.S. Export-Import Bank, which bound to shake up a sector that simul- that would refl ect any Trump plus-up spun of to the National Oceanic and airliner order growth, could cut into rhetoric has been severe, Vincent notes, provided fnancing for 11% of Boeing’s taneously remains one of the most likely would be for fi scal 2019, which Atmospheric Administration or other Boeing’s aircraft backlog. adding that still, “it may be fne.” sales in 2015,” the analysts continue. hidebound, government-blinded cor- begins Oct. 1, 2018, so most contractors federal agencies. Theoretically, that Finally, there are conflicting in- “And the proposed sale of 80-plus air- ners of business, as well as one of the would not see any increase in revenues would better focus NASA spending terests inside the U.S., too. Boeing is looKinG AHeAD planes to Iran may be in jeopardy if world’s most technologically and glob- until 2019 or afterward. Regardless, on advanced in-space propulsion and keen to see Gulf carriers thrive, since Little of this uncertainty is new, and Trump scraps U.S. participation in the ally oriented industries. much will depend on the next defense other technologies needed to fulfill they have investments lined up with much has been discussed about what nuclear deal with Iran. How much good is achieved, or mis- secretary. Trump’s campaign goal of human ex- multiple billions of dollars, and those Trump has said and what it could mean “On the other hand,” they note, “be- takes made in the process of change, re- In the little that is known about his ploration of the entire Solar System by airlines were key to the launch of the (AW&ST Aug 15-28, p. 51). But it is none- cause creating jobs is his key priority mains to be seen. But one thing is sure: approach to weapons systems, Trump the end of the century. 777X. Open-skies policies have also theless curbing initial enthusiasm. and Boeing is a leading exporter, Trump Like Britain’s vote in June to leave the has called for more missile defenses, “What we’re saying is we ought to been a key ingredient for U.S. airline “While many see the election results may temper his positions.” c European Union, the surprise Nov. 8 thousands more active Army soldiers have another kind of stretch goal that success as carriers pushed more onto as leading to increased U.S. defense U.S. election results are likely to set in and more Navy ships, Capital Alpha drives us toward doing something dif- international routes in an effort to spending, it’s worth keeping in mind Check 6 Aviation Week editors discuss motion a rollercoaster ride of puts and Partners analyst Byron Callan notes. ferent,” says Bob Walker, a Washington grow further despite a near-saturated that the aerospace industry today is a aerospace and defense in the Trump era: takes for months or years. There are further indications of more lobbyist and former House Science domestic market. truly global animal,” says Luigi Peluso, AviationWeek.com/podcast

20 AVIATION WEEK & SPACE TECHNOLOGY/NOVEMBER 21-DECEMBER 4, 2016 AviationWeek.com/awst AviationWeek.com/awst AviAtion Week & SpAce technology/noveMBeR 21-DeceMBeR 4, 2016 21

AW_11_21_2016_p20-21.indd 20 11/17/16 6:58 PM AW_11_21_2016_p20-21.indd 21 11/17/16 6:58 PM THE TRUMP ERA

While a Trump presidency is considered good for the defense industry, there are concerns about his views on European defense and NATO.

a Crimea-style invasion by Moscow. All three currently enjoy a heavy U.S. and NATO presence. In congratulating Trump, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said U.S. leadership of NATO is “as important as ever” and that a strong NATO is “good for the U.S. and good for Europe.” ELLIS STRINGER/GETTY IMAGES But the optimistic language used by Moscow in welcoming Trump’s elec- tion does not help. President Vladimir Winds of Change Putin talked about reestablishing “fully fl edged relations” despite its continuing After Britain’s Brexit, Trump’s ascendancy adds aggression on NATO’s eastern frontiers and its ongoing support for the confl ict more ambiguity to Europe’s politics and fi nance in eastern Ukraine. Britain is hoping it can continue its Tony Osborne London ongoing special relationship with its cousins over the pond, and there is no f there is one certainty concerning stitutions and diplomacy will now be at reason why it cannot be business as IPresident-elect Donald Trump’s for- least more unpredictable and likely less usual. Trump himself has significant eign policy and approach to NATO, constructive.” business interests in Scotland that he it is the uncertainty that surrounds it. In his victory speech, Trump tried is unlikely to want to endanger. But a When he takes of ce early next year, to sound a conciliatory tone to calm more isolationist U.S. could give the UK Trump will be facing a more unstable fears, stating that under his presidency a colder shoulder, leaving a post-Brexit world than his predecessor Barack the U.S. would “get along with all other Britain without strong ties to either the Obama did eight years before. nations willing to get along with us.” European Union or its transatlantic ally. And he will have to confront issues He noted, “While we will always put “Prime Minister Theresa May will such as war in the Middle East and America’s interests fi rst, we will deal have to play a clever hand to ensure that tensions in the South China Sea and fairly with everyone.” Trump remains as much of a friend to relationships with key allies, particu- But the concerns are shared by Eu- the UK as President Barack Obama,” larly those in Europe unsure about his ropean leaders, who were cautious in says Peter Roberts, a senior fellow at agenda. welcoming the results. German Chan- the Royal United Services Institute think During the campaign Trump repeat- cellor Angela Merkel said Germany’s re- tank in London. “How much a [relative- edly said that the price the U.S. pays for lationship with the U.S. would continue ly] liberal UK is willing to compromise its place in NATO is disproportionately as long as it was linked by values of “de- its values and morals in order to stay high and that European members need mocracy, freedom, respect for the rights at the U.S. table may be a question that to be more willing to spend on defense. and dignity of man.” French President needs to be addressed, and soon.” Few would disagree with him. Francois Hollande said Trump’s elec- Unpredictability in policy also brings And although President Obama has tion had opened a period of uncertainty. with it unpredictability in the markets sought to reassure members of the al- German Foreign Minister Frank- and foreign exchange rates that under- liance, some countries are beginning to Walter Steinmeier was less diplomatic, pin key defense programs. But this did wonder whether the president-elect’s however, suggesting that things would not seem to af ect the stocks of the big posturing will translate into policy. become “more dif cult” with the elec- defense companies, which rallied as the “If there is one characteristic of a tion of Trump. “I think we must expect election results were announced. The Trump foreign policy right now, it is one that American foreign policy will be- companies are keeping their views to of uncertainty,” says Matthew Harries, come less predictable for us, and we themselves for now. While Republican a research fellow on Transatlantic af- must expect that the United States will governments are generally seen as good fairs at the London-based International be more inclined to make decisions on news for the defense business, and Institute for Strategic Studies think its own,” Steinmeier said. Trump himself is seen as a friend to tank. “We do not know which of his for- Interestingly, none of the leaders of industry, his so-called “America First” eign policy [remarks] were exaggerated the Baltic States have commented on policies could cause issues. It could be boasts in the heat of the campaign and Trump’s election. The president-elect is that companies looking to export to the which were policies of principle.” said to be ambivalent toward the Baltic Pentagon may fi nd the already high bar- This is a “new situation,” he added. NATO members bordering Russia—Es- riers to entry stacked even higher, or “The U.S. as an actor in multilateral in- tonia, Latvia and Lithuania—that fear the path shut to them completely. c

22 AVIATION WEEK & SPACE TECHNOLOGY/NOVEMBER 21-DECEMBER 4, 2016 AviationWeek.com/awst

AW_11_21_2016_p22.indd 22 11/17/16 4:33 PM THE TRUMP ERA

While a Trump presidency is considered good for the defense industry, there are concerns about his views on European defense and NATO. a Crimea-style invasion by Moscow. All three currently enjoy a heavy U.S. and NATO presence. In congratulating Trump, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said U.S. leadership of NATO is “as important as ever” and that a strong NATO is “good for the U.S. and good for Europe.” ELLIS STRINGER/GETTY IMAGES But the optimistic language used by ALWAYS THERE Moscow in welcoming Trump’s elec- tion does not help. President Vladimir Winds of Change Putin talked about reestablishing “fully TO KEEP YOU AT THE READY. fl edged relations” despite its continuing After Britain’s Brexit, Trump’s ascendancy adds aggression on NATO’s eastern frontiers and its ongoing support for the confl ict more ambiguity to Europe’s politics and fi nance in eastern Ukraine. Britain is hoping it can continue its Tony Osborne London ongoing special relationship with its cousins over the pond, and there is no f there is one certainty concerning stitutions and diplomacy will now be at reason why it cannot be business as IPresident-elect Donald Trump’s for- least more unpredictable and likely less usual. Trump himself has significant eign policy and approach to NATO, constructive.” business interests in Scotland that he it is the uncertainty that surrounds it. In his victory speech, Trump tried is unlikely to want to endanger. But a When he takes of ce early next year, to sound a conciliatory tone to calm more isolationist U.S. could give the UK Trump will be facing a more unstable fears, stating that under his presidency a colder shoulder, leaving a post-Brexit world than his predecessor Barack the U.S. would “get along with all other Britain without strong ties to either the Obama did eight years before. nations willing to get along with us.” European Union or its transatlantic ally. And he will have to confront issues He noted, “While we will always put “Prime Minister Theresa May will such as war in the Middle East and America’s interests fi rst, we will deal have to play a clever hand to ensure that tensions in the South China Sea and fairly with everyone.” Trump remains as much of a friend to relationships with key allies, particu- But the concerns are shared by Eu- the UK as President Barack Obama,” larly those in Europe unsure about his ropean leaders, who were cautious in says Peter Roberts, a senior fellow at agenda. welcoming the results. German Chan- the Royal United Services Institute think During the campaign Trump repeat- cellor Angela Merkel said Germany’s re- tank in London. “How much a [relative- edly said that the price the U.S. pays for lationship with the U.S. would continue ly] liberal UK is willing to compromise its place in NATO is disproportionately as long as it was linked by values of “de- its values and morals in order to stay high and that European members need mocracy, freedom, respect for the rights at the U.S. table may be a question that to be more willing to spend on defense. and dignity of man.” French President needs to be addressed, and soon.” Few would disagree with him. Francois Hollande said Trump’s elec- Unpredictability in policy also brings And although President Obama has tion had opened a period of uncertainty. with it unpredictability in the markets sought to reassure members of the al- German Foreign Minister Frank- and foreign exchange rates that under- liance, some countries are beginning to Walter Steinmeier was less diplomatic, pin key defense programs. But this did wonder whether the president-elect’s however, suggesting that things would not seem to af ect the stocks of the big posturing will translate into policy. become “more dif cult” with the elec- defense companies, which rallied as the “If there is one characteristic of a tion of Trump. “I think we must expect election results were announced. The Trump foreign policy right now, it is one that American foreign policy will be- companies are keeping their views to TRAINING AND LEARNING. Whatever the requirements, wherever the need may be, the full resources of of uncertainty,” says Matthew Harries, come less predictable for us, and we themselves for now. While Republican a research fellow on Transatlantic af- must expect that the United States will governments are generally seen as good Boeing will be there to deliver a world of training and learning solutions to ensure the highest level of readiness fairs at the London-based International be more inclined to make decisions on news for the defense business, and and profciency. Working together with customers, Boeing offers affordable, comprehensive programs for Institute for Strategic Studies think its own,” Steinmeier said. Trump himself is seen as a friend to tank. “We do not know which of his for- Interestingly, none of the leaders of industry, his so-called “America First” Boeing and non-Boeing platforms. It’s readiness and value you can depend upon anytime, anywhere. eign policy [remarks] were exaggerated the Baltic States have commented on policies could cause issues. It could be boasts in the heat of the campaign and Trump’s election. The president-elect is that companies looking to export to the which were policies of principle.” said to be ambivalent toward the Baltic Pentagon may fi nd the already high bar- This is a “new situation,” he added. NATO members bordering Russia—Es- riers to entry stacked even higher, or “The U.S. as an actor in multilateral in- tonia, Latvia and Lithuania—that fear the path shut to them completely. c boeing.com/training

22 AVIATION WEEK & SPACE TECHNOLOGY/NOVEMBER 21-DECEMBER 4, 2016 AviationWeek.com/awst

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the famous red flag training event at F-35As Travel Abroad Nellis AFB, , an exercise that will prove the fledgling ’s U.S. Air Force squadron participation in theater readiness for combat. Already, airmen say the F-35A is security package will signal support of allies a signifi cant leap forward in capabil- ity from fourth-generation fighters, Lara Seligman, Hill AFB, Utah and many of its early technical prob- lems seem to have been resolved. As ifteen years after the Penta- across the ocean will serve not only recently as this spring, development F gon awarded Lockheed Martin to demonstrate its capabilities to U.S. test (DT) F-35As at Edwards AFB, the initial contract to build the partners but also to underscore the California, were plagued by a glitch F-35 Joint Strike Fighter, the U.S. Air military’s capability and willingness to called 3i in the latest software load, Force’s fi rst operational F-35A squad- retaliate against potential adversaries, which causes the fi ghter’s systems to ron is preparing for its fi rst overseas top brass suggests. The Air Force will shut down and have to be rebooted— deployment. not be the fi rst U.S. service to deploy its both on the ground and even in mid- The “Rude Rams” 34th Fighter Sqdn. F-35s overseas: Marine Fighter Attack fl ight. But Capt. Richard Palz, of cer here at Hill AFB, Utah, is gearing up to Sqdn. (VMFA) 121, the “Green Knights,” in charge with the 388th Maintenance participate in a so-called theater secu- based out of Marine Corps Air Station Sqdn., says F-35 prime contractor rity package (TSP) next year, squadron (MCAS) Yuma, Arizona, fl ies to MCAS Lockheed Martin was able to fi x the commander Lt. Col. George Watkins Iwakuni, , in January. issue, and the Hill-based aircraft are tells Aviation Week. The Air Force has “I think it’s a powerful signal that we operating largely glitch-free. not yet settled on a location, but Air are sending our very best fi ghter air- Where DT pilots at Edwards were Combat Command (ACC) is consider- craft to the Indo-Asia-Pacifi c fi rst, be- having trouble booting up their air- ing a range of options, including U.S fore we deploy anywhere else, and it will craft about once out of every three Air Forces Europe as well as Pacific showcase not only American technol- fl ights, Palz says the F-35s at Hill have Air Forces Command. ogy but also American capability,” says been able to maintain an “abort rate” of At a time when China and Russia are Adm. Harry Harris, commander of U.S. less than 2%. This level of reliability is fl exing their muscles in the Pacifi c and Pacifi c Command. “There is no other impressive, he says, particularly com- Eastern Europe, the F-35’s presence aircraft on the planet that can touch it, pared to legacy aircraft. abroad will signal the U.S. military’s any adversary aircraft, nothing like that “I could tell you, for my F-16 unit next commitment to the security of its allies. will be able to touch the F-35,” he says. door—that is not the case,” Palz says. The aim of the TSP is to support inter- To prepare for the upcoming deploy- Meanwhile, the “break rate” for national treaties and train with U.S. ment, the pilots and maintainers of the the Hill F-35s—how often the aircraft allies, as well as demonstrate that the 34th Fighter Sqdn. will continue honing breaks after a fl ight—is just 5%, com- aircraft is capable of providing support their technical skills and processes as pared to about 13% for the F-16s here, to combatant commanders in theater, well as training six brand-new pilots. Palz notes. The F-35 pilots rarely see according to an ACC spokeswoman. Meanwhile, the Rude Rams will soon shutdown events of the aircraft’s mis- Sending the fi fth-generation fi ghter take 12 F-35As to make their debut at sion systems during fl ight, and so far

Airmen assigned to the 34th Aircraft Maintenance Unit and 75th Logistics Readiness Sqdn. perform hot refueling operations on an F-35 Nov. 8 at Hill AFB TODD CROMAR/U.S. AIR FORCE TODD CROMAR/U.S. 24 AVIATION WEEK & SPACE TECHNOLOGY/NOVEMBER 21-DECEMBER 4, 2016 AviationWeek.com/awst

AW_11_21_2016_p24-27.indd 24 11/17/16 6:04 PM DEFENSE the famous red flag training event at F-35As Travel Abroad Nellis AFB, Nevada, an exercise that will prove the fledgling squadron’s U.S. Air Force squadron participation in theater readiness for combat. Already, airmen say the F-35A is security package will signal support of allies a signifi cant leap forward in capabil- ity from fourth-generation fighters, Lara Seligman, Hill AFB, Utah and many of its early technical prob- lems seem to have been resolved. As Picture yourself ifteen years after the Penta- across the ocean will serve not only recently as this spring, development F gon awarded Lockheed Martin to demonstrate its capabilities to U.S. test (DT) F-35As at Edwards AFB, a generation ahead. the initial contract to build the partners but also to underscore the California, were plagued by a glitch F-35 Joint Strike Fighter, the U.S. Air military’s capability and willingness to called 3i in the latest software load, Force’s fi rst operational F-35A squad- retaliate against potential adversaries, which causes the fi ghter’s systems to ron is preparing for its fi rst overseas top brass suggests. The Air Force will shut down and have to be rebooted— deployment. not be the fi rst U.S. service to deploy its both on the ground and even in mid- The “Rude Rams” 34th Fighter Sqdn. F-35s overseas: Marine Fighter Attack fl ight. But Capt. Richard Palz, of cer here at Hill AFB, Utah, is gearing up to Sqdn. (VMFA) 121, the “Green Knights,” in charge with the 388th Maintenance participate in a so-called theater secu- based out of Marine Corps Air Station Sqdn., says F-35 prime contractor rity package (TSP) next year, squadron (MCAS) Yuma, Arizona, fl ies to MCAS Lockheed Martin was able to fi x the commander Lt. Col. George Watkins Iwakuni, Japan, in January. issue, and the Hill-based aircraft are tells Aviation Week. The Air Force has “I think it’s a powerful signal that we operating largely glitch-free. not yet settled on a location, but Air are sending our very best fi ghter air- Where DT pilots at Edwards were Combat Command (ACC) is consider- craft to the Indo-Asia-Pacifi c fi rst, be- having trouble booting up their air- ing a range of options, including U.S fore we deploy anywhere else, and it will craft about once out of every three Air Forces Europe as well as Pacific showcase not only American technol- fl ights, Palz says the F-35s at Hill have Air Forces Command. ogy but also American capability,” says been able to maintain an “abort rate” of At a time when China and Russia are Adm. Harry Harris, commander of U.S. less than 2%. This level of reliability is fl exing their muscles in the Pacifi c and Pacifi c Command. “There is no other impressive, he says, particularly com- Eastern Europe, the F-35’s presence aircraft on the planet that can touch it, pared to legacy aircraft. abroad will signal the U.S. military’s any adversary aircraft, nothing like that “I could tell you, for my F-16 unit next commitment to the security of its allies. will be able to touch the F-35,” he says. door—that is not the case,” Palz says. The aim of the TSP is to support inter- To prepare for the upcoming deploy- Meanwhile, the “break rate” for national treaties and train with U.S. ment, the pilots and maintainers of the the Hill F-35s—how often the aircraft allies, as well as demonstrate that the 34th Fighter Sqdn. will continue honing breaks after a fl ight—is just 5%, com- aircraft is capable of providing support their technical skills and processes as pared to about 13% for the F-16s here, to combatant commanders in theater, well as training six brand-new pilots. Palz notes. The F-35 pilots rarely see according to an ACC spokeswoman. Meanwhile, the Rude Rams will soon shutdown events of the aircraft’s mis- Sending the fi fth-generation fi ghter take 12 F-35As to make their debut at sion systems during fl ight, and so far

Airmen assigned to the 34th Aircraft Maintenance Unit and 75th Logistics Readiness Sqdn. perform hot refueling operations on an F-35 Nov. 8 at Hill AFB

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A United Technologies Company Connect with us TODD CROMAR/U.S. AIR FORCE TODD CROMAR/U.S. 24 AVIATION WEEK & SPACE TECHNOLOGY/NOVEMBER 21-DECEMBER 4, 2016 AviationWeek.com/awst

AW_11_21_2016_p24-27.indd 24 11/17/16 6:04 PM 611AWB25.indd 1 11/14/2016 12:21:33 PM Defense

there have been no instances where so-called “concurrency”—the oft-crit- with the Autonomic Logistics Informa- fights were diverted or aborted due icized method of beginning production tion System (ALIS), the F-35’s internal to software glitches, he says. before completing design and testing. logistics system—for instance, error One reason for the improvement is Now the Rude Rams can use concur- messages when ordering spare parts, that Hill has Lockheed’s most recent rency to their advantage: The pilots says Staff Sgt. Brandon Ewing, F-35 F-35 production build—low-rate initial and maintainers report any problems to crew chief for the 34th Aircraft Mainte- production lots (LRIP) 7 and 8—while Lockheed technicians, who then incor- nance Unit. However, airmen expect to the aircraft at Edwards are from LRIP porate the necessary modifcations into see fewer such challenges as the system 4, an earlier F-35 build. “It’s almost a dif- the production line much earlier than matures, he says. ferent version, so we have the most ma- contractors could during early felding “There’s an automation piece and ture, vetted, capable, modifed aircraft of legacy aircraft. a streamlining piece for maintenance in the feet, where your Eglin and Luke “So before we rip of 1,700-plus cop- that I think will be the true beauty [AFBs] do not,” Palz says. “I couldn’t do ies of this thing, we make sure we get of the system, and quite frankly we half with those aircraft what I can do it right, so we only have to go back and haven’t gotten to some of those areas with these aircraft.” modify maybe 200 instead of having to yet,” says Col. Brad Lyons, 388th Fight- In this way, the airmen of the Air go back and modify the whole fleet,” er Wing commander. “Again, ALIS is Force’s first operational F-35 squad- Palz says. doing what it needs to do, it’s not bro- ron are finally seeing the benefits of Maintainers do continue to see issues ken, but the elegant pieces of it, the

for the service. It conducted a live-fre Drone Destroyer investigation of the Raytheon-built weapon from Sept. 30 to Oct. 3, using it to bring down a Tier I Flanker and Microwave technology may be the answer Tier II Tempest drone. to the military threat from UAVs The HPM weapon is mounted on a 20-ft. trailer with power provided by an James Drew Washington internal diesel generator. The Phaser system can detect and track threats here is no shortage of innovative ority for the Pentagon in recent years, using its own radar or be cued by third- Tways to shoot down drones. Some and in response, Raytheon has turned party sensors. The device’s parameters companies are pitching lasers, its high-power microwave (HPM) tech- can be set to “disrupt” or “damage.” In others prefer radio-frequency disrup- nology skyward. this demonstration, the Flanker and tion or, if you prefer explosions, the On Nov. 10, the company provided Tempest drones were detected, tracked U.S. Army has tested Raytheon AIM- Aviation Week with footage of its de- and cued for destruction by a three- 9X Sidewinder air-to-air missiles and ployable, ground-based Phaser knock- dimensional X-band Thales/Raytheon fred course-corrected projectiles with ing out two small drones during a 2013 MPQ-64 Sentinel radar and vehicle- forward-blast fragmentation warheads experiment at the Army Fires Center of mounted Ku-band Close Combat Tacti- from a 50-mm Bushmaster cannon. But Excellence at Fort Sill, Oklahoma. The cal Radar, with Raytheon’s radio-linked could a whole swarm be destroyed elec- Defense Department cleared the video Command View-Tactical system pro- tronically with a 1-millisec. zap? footage of the live-fre demonstration viding command and control. The answer may lie with the Phaser for public release on Oct. 5, but some “The objectives of this investiga- system, designed and developed by details such as its effective range re- tion were to engage real targets with Raytheon’s Albuquerque, New Mexi- main classifed. a deployable directed-energy system, co-based Ktech group, the same team The technology is not known to have attack more than one type of threat, that worked with Boeing to produce the been fielded operationally, although engage multiple threats simultaneously “CHAMP” counter-electronics cruise several initiatives are underway to and kill these threats at operational missile for the Air Force. transition the technology to programs ranges,” the video’s narrator says. There was a time when radio-con- of record. Raytheon lifted the veil on “The Phaser system engaged and shot trolled drones were mostly in the hands its Fort Sill experiment during a me- down two types of UAS targets. Both of militaries and model-aircraft hobby- dia roundtable in Washington in June, engagements took place at the speed of ists, but now anybody, including terror- saying the trailer-mounted device is light, and target kill confrmation was ists, can purchase relatively sophisticat- efective against drone swarms over a immediate.” ed and inexpensive unmanned aircraft wide area, has been proven to stop cars In June, Raytheon’s Albuquerque systems (UAS) online. Although UAS and vehicles and could even throw of site director, Steve Downie, said the were once feared for their spying poten- missiles guided by electronics. Unlike Phaser demonstrated multiple kills in tial, there have been several accounts lasers, these types of HPM weapons can a single shot over the target area, as of self-proclaimed Islamic State group disrupt or destroy electronic devices opposed to a laser, which must narrow militants in Iraq and using them across a wide area. in on a single point until the air vehicle as fying improvised explosive devices. Fort Sill is home to the Army Field is burned out of the sky. Anything that Finding agile, inexpensive ways to Artillery School and is leading the de- fies through the HPM’s beam will be destroy these threats has become a pri- velopment of directed-energy doctrine destroyed, he says.

26 AviAtion Week & SpAce technology/noveMBeR 21-DeceMBeR 4, 2016 AviationWeek.com/awst

AW_11_21_2016_p24-27.indd 26 11/17/16 6:04 PM Defense there have been no instances where so-called “concurrency”—the oft-crit- with the Autonomic Logistics Informa- style points, are still slowly coming in.” is set up?’” he says. “Can we turn it be- says. The pilots resorted to fipping on fights were diverted or aborted due icized method of beginning production tion System (ALIS), the F-35’s internal As ALIS and maintenance processes tween sorties a diferent way? Can we their transponders, used for FAA iden- to software glitches, he says. before completing design and testing. logistics system—for instance, error evolve, airmen here expect the F-35 to load it diferently?” tification, so simulated anti-aircraft One reason for the improvement is Now the Rude Rams can use concur- messages when ordering spare parts, be a logistics game changer. The ffth- The capabilities of the F-35 are weapons could track their movements that Hill has Lockheed’s most recent rency to their advantage: The pilots says Staff Sgt. Brandon Ewing, F-35 generation fghter presents opportuni- also forcing the airmen here to look and actually present a challenge. F-35 production build—low-rate initial and maintainers report any problems to crew chief for the 34th Aircraft Mainte- ties to fundamentally improve the way differently at the way they tradition- “It’s such a leap in technology and a production lots (LRIP) 7 and 8—while Lockheed technicians, who then incor- nance Unit. However, airmen expect to maintenance crews support aircraft ally conduct training. The Air Force’s leap in capability that you can’t treat it the aircraft at Edwards are from LRIP porate the necessary modifcations into see fewer such challenges as the system squadrons, says Lt. Col. Steven Ander- test ranges aren’t large enough, and like a fourth-generation platform,” says 4, an earlier F-35 build. “It’s almost a dif- the production line much earlier than matures, he says. son, 388th Maintenance Group deputy the simulated threats aren’t realistic Lyons. “We need to go with a blank sheet ferent version, so we have the most ma- contractors could during early felding “There’s an automation piece and commander. enough, to really test the limits of the of paper.” ture, vetted, capable, modifed aircraft of legacy aircraft. a streamlining piece for maintenance “We took a fifth-generation plat- ffth-generation aircraft, says squadron The Rude Rams will get the fnal 3F in the feet, where your Eglin and Luke “So before we rip of 1,700-plus cop- that I think will be the true beauty form and dropped it into a very fourth- commander Watkins. software confguration, which will give [AFBs] do not,” Palz says. “I couldn’t do ies of this thing, we make sure we get of the system, and quite frankly we generation operational construct, and During a recent exercise at Moun- the F-35 full warfghting capability—in- half with those aircraft what I can do it right, so we only have to go back and haven’t gotten to some of those areas we’re taking the opportunity to [ask]: tain Home AFB, Idaho, for instance, the cluding the ability to load external weap- with these aircraft.” modify maybe 200 instead of having to yet,” says Col. Brad Lyons, 388th Fight- ‘What can a ffth-generation do in the F-35 pilots wanted to practice evading ons—sometime in late 2017, says Ander- In this way, the airmen of the Air go back and modify the whole fleet,” er Wing commander. “Again, ALIS is way we’re going to employ it, maintain surface-to-air threats. But the mission son. Ultimately, the 388th Fighter Wing Force’s first operational F-35 squad- Palz says. doing what it needs to do, it’s not bro- it and support it, that is diferent from proved too easy because no one on the will stand up three F-35A squadrons, a ron are finally seeing the benefits of Maintainers do continue to see issues ken, but the elegant pieces of it, the the way our fourth-generation structure ground could track the aircraft, Watkins total of 78 F-35As by the end of 2019. c

for the service. It conducted a live-fre Because the HPM weapons do not The Air Force was among the frst to co. That program, dubbed High-power Drone Destroyer investigation of the Raytheon-built discriminate between friendly or enemy build an operational microwave weap- Joint Electromagnetic Non-Kinetic weapon from Sept. 30 to Oct. 3, using electronics, extra care must be taken to on, the non-lethal, vehicle-mounted Strike or HiJENKS, will probably ex- it to bring down a Tier I Flanker and avoid wrecking your own systems. But Active Denial System or “Pain Ray” plore a more operationally relevant ver- Microwave technology may be the answer Tier II Tempest drone. the technology shows promise for fxed- that was deployed to Afghanistan sion of the CHAMP weapon based on to the military threat from UAVs The HPM weapon is mounted on a base protection or to destroy airborne to disperse crowds or force people a modern cruise missile instead of the 20-ft. trailer with power provided by an threats on the move as part of a convoy. to drop their weapons by causing a outdated AGM-86C Conventional Air- James Drew Washington internal diesel generator. The Phaser Raytheon says it has halved the size of burning sensation under their skin. In Launched Cruise Missile, with flight system can detect and track threats the Phaser payload since the experi- 2012, Boeing and Raytheon success- testing expected around 2018-19, based here is no shortage of innovative ority for the Pentagon in recent years, using its own radar or be cued by third- on available funding. ways to shoot down drones. Some and in response, Raytheon has turned party sensors. The device’s parameters Directed-energy proponent Mark T ytheon companies are pitching lasers, its high-power microwave (HPM) tech- can be set to “disrupt” or “damage.” In Gunzinger, of the Center for Strategic others prefer radio-frequency disrup- nology skyward. this demonstration, the Flanker and and Budgetary Assessments, says the tion or, if you prefer explosions, the On Nov. 10, the company provided Tempest drones were detected, tracked government needs to do a better job U.S. Army has tested Raytheon AIM- Aviation Week with footage of its de- and cued for destruction by a three- U.S. Army vi A rA 9X Sidewinder air-to-air missiles and ployable, ground-based Phaser knock- dimensional X-band Thales/Raytheon Raytheon’s Phaser weapon can de- fred course-corrected projectiles with ing out two small drones during a 2013 MPQ-64 Sentinel radar and vehicle- stroy whole swarms of drones with forward-blast fragmentation warheads experiment at the Army Fires Center of mounted Ku-band Close Combat Tacti- a single burst of microwave energy. from a 50-mm Bushmaster cannon. But Excellence at Fort Sill, Oklahoma. The cal Radar, with Raytheon’s radio-linked could a whole swarm be destroyed elec- Defense Department cleared the video Command View-Tactical system pro- transitioning successful experiments tronically with a 1-millisec. zap? footage of the live-fre demonstration viding command and control. into operational weapons systems. The answer may lie with the Phaser for public release on Oct. 5, but some “The objectives of this investiga- Examples of missed opportunities in- system, designed and developed by details such as its effective range re- tion were to engage real targets with clude CHAMP and the Boeing X-51 Raytheon’s Albuquerque, New Mexi- main classifed. a deployable directed-energy system, WaveRider, a hypersonic missile pro- co-based Ktech group, the same team The technology is not known to have attack more than one type of threat, totype. He has called on the incoming that worked with Boeing to produce the been fielded operationally, although engage multiple threats simultaneously Trump administration to more quickly “CHAMP” counter-electronics cruise several initiatives are underway to and kill these threats at operational ment in 2013 and believes it can deliver fully fight-demonstrated their cruise- move directed-energy and electronic- missile for the Air Force. transition the technology to programs ranges,” the video’s narrator says. an operational system with 18 months missile-based HPM weapon under the warfare systems from the laboratory There was a time when radio-con- of record. Raytheon lifted the veil on “The Phaser system engaged and shot of a contract award and could build 5-10 Counter-electronics High-powered into programs of record, particularly trolled drones were mostly in the hands its Fort Sill experiment during a me- down two types of UAS targets. Both units per year at its Albuquerque site. Microwave Advanced Missile Project, for defending U.S. forces and bases of militaries and model-aircraft hobby- dia roundtable in Washington in June, engagements took place at the speed of “The efect from a high-power micro- or CHAMP, experiment, launching one from air and missile threats. ists, but now anybody, including terror- saying the trailer-mounted device is light, and target kill confrmation was wave is not instantaneous but certainly from a B-52H bomber to destroy elec- “The new administration needs to be- ists, can purchase relatively sophisticat- efective against drone swarms over a immediate.” [evident] within milliseconds,” Downie tronics at the Utah Test and Training gin to transition new, mature technolo- ed and inexpensive unmanned aircraft wide area, has been proven to stop cars In June, Raytheon’s Albuquerque says. “A laser is typically going to focus Range. Three of those weapons were gies to acquisition programs rather than systems (UAS) online. Although UAS and vehicles and could even throw of site director, Steve Downie, said the on a target for seconds to kill it. If you’re built, and Raytheon has been put on continue to fund a seemingly endless were once feared for their spying poten- missiles guided by electronics. Unlike Phaser demonstrated multiple kills in addressing a swarm, an HPM is going contract to refurbish two unexpended series of experiments and demonstra- tial, there have been several accounts lasers, these types of HPM weapons can a single shot over the target area, as to put out a feld and anything that fies rounds as test and training assets. tions,” Gunzinger tells Aviation Week. c of self-proclaimed Islamic State group disrupt or destroy electronic devices opposed to a laser, which must narrow through that feld is going to go down. Meanwhile, the Air Force and Navy militants in Iraq and Syria using them across a wide area. in on a single point until the air vehicle Once you’re invested in the cost of the are now embarking on another dem- as fying improvised explosive devices. Fort Sill is home to the Army Field is burned out of the sky. Anything that system, it costs cents per firing. It is onstration efort, led by the Air Force Video Watch Raytheon’s swarm- Finding agile, inexpensive ways to Artillery School and is leading the de- fies through the HPM’s beam will be negligible compared to a missile. This Research Laboratory’s directed-energy destroying HPM technology destroy these threats has become a pri- velopment of directed-energy doctrine destroyed, he says. technology really does exist.” division at Kirtland AFB in New Mexi- demonstration: AviationWeek.com/Phaser

26 AviAtion Week & SpAce technology/noveMBeR 21-DeceMBeR 4, 2016 AviationWeek.com/awst AviationWeek.com/awst AviAtion Week & SpAce technology/noveMBeR 21-DeceMBeR 4, 2016 27

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“So it’s a scary, daunting ramp, but Record Ramp that is what focused us on doing some- thing diferent with the supply chain this CFM assembly sites poised for unprecedented time. We know we must deliver,” she says. Diferences from the tack taken production increase as Leap engine rates rise with the CFM56 include a parallel tech- nology readiness level/manufacturing Guy Norris Lafayette, Indiana readiness level development approach. “It’s a very regimented approach with he quiet atmosphere and open this year and over 500 in 2017. How- toll gates [that] take the part from the Tspaces of General Electric’s newly ever, the rate will sharply increase, design phase all the way to the highest opened facility—dedicated to CFM with approximately 1,100 Leap engines levels of production,” says Seda-Hoelle. Leap assembly—at Lafayette, Indiana, slated to be delivered in 2018. Beyond “We don’t do it on every part, and belies the massive scale of the industrial that point, the rate begins to ease as it we only pick certain key technolo- buildup about to burst forth as engine passes the 1,900-engines-per-year mark gies above and beyond parts like the production accelerates for both the Air- in 2019 and to steady at an anticipated composite blade, ceramic shroud and bus A320neo and Boeing 737 MAX. 2,000 per year in 2020. additively manufactured fuel nozzle.” Although preparations for this mo- “So there are about 14,000 engines The most complex parts, which num- mentous ramp-up have been underway in the backlog between CFM56 and ber about 30, have been built in the for at least fve years, the sheer scale of Leap—that’s quite a big number and company’s lean labs to make sure that “when these parts hit production they can make rate,” she adds. About 75% of the Leap parts are out- sourced from the GE side. “Early on, we set the stage for anyone who wanted to participate in the Leap program. They had to go through some pretty rigorous The Lafayette site began assem- bly of Leap 1A cores (right) and complete Leap 1B engines earlier this year.

self- and on-site assessments with our sourcing team [just to] bid on Leap,” says Seda-Hoelle. “We assessed their capabilities and capacity and said, ‘Look, if you want a ticket to the game you’ve got be ready, and we want to see it frst-hand,’ so we’ve [conducted CFM many] on-site assessments.” the production challenge facing CFM there is a lot to do still,” says Cristina However, as the recent experience of joint venture partners GE and Safran Seda-Hoelle, Leap manufacturing pro- Pratt & Whitney’s ramp-up issues for is beyond anything predicted when the gram director for GE. “We can’t forget the geared turbofan shows, unexpect- program began. With orders for 1,554 the CFM56; it’s a record production year ed challenges can thwart the best-laid Leap and 855 CFM56 engines taken for that,” she adds, noting that about plans. Supply chain hurdles may crop up so far in 2016 alone, CFM’s backlog ex- 1,600 CFM56s will be delivered in 2016, with new technology areas or, because ceeds 14,000 units representing eight from a backlog of over 2,500. of the sheer volumes, with “something years of production. The scale of the ramp-up of the Leap relatively mundane like forgings and The first signs of the coming tidal and the transition at full-rate from the castings,” says AeroDynamic Advisory wave of Leap engines can be seen at CFM56 between now and 2020 “keeps President Kevin Michaels. “Could we Lafayette, where GE has begun making us up at night, I’ll be honest with you,” be in for a surprise there? Not everyone the frst Leap 1B production engines for says Seda-Hoelle. “The volumes we hit may have capitalized for that type of pro- the MAX. The frst units produced here, on CFM56 took us 20 years to get to, duction rate,” he adds. “I’m just raising and by GE’s sister Leap production line and we have do that in four years on a yellow fag on the part of the subtiers.” in Durham, North Carolina, are now at Leap. It is a CFM56 replacement, but To maintain a watch on supply chain the company’s Peebles, Ohio, facility for it has new technologies, a complicated status, GE’s CFM sourcing team visits predelivery testing. supply chain, a lot more externals—it’s suppliers often. “We have some SWAT Having delivered 50 Leap 1A engines a diferent engine. We think of it often (special weapons and tactics) team to Airbus for its growing A320neo feet, as a baby GEnx,” she adds, referring to resources we have put in place too, to plus a handful of engines for 737 MAX the similarities of the Leap confgura- make sure that as we see issues come testing, CFM says it is on track to de- tion to the larger powerplant developed up we can address them,” Seda-Hoelle liver more than 100 Leap 1A/B engines by GE for the Boeing 787 and 747-8. adds. Digital tools are also employed to

28 AviAtion Week & SpAce technology/noveMBeR 21-DeceMBeR 4, 2016 AviationWeek.com/awst

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“So it’s a scary, daunting ramp, but Record Ramp that is what focused us on doing some- thing diferent with the supply chain this CFM assembly sites poised for unprecedented time. We know we must deliver,” she says. Diferences from the tack taken production increase as Leap engine rates rise with the CFM56 include a parallel tech- nology readiness level/manufacturing Guy Norris Lafayette, Indiana readiness level development approach. “It’s a very regimented approach with he quiet atmosphere and open this year and over 500 in 2017. How- toll gates [that] take the part from the Tspaces of General Electric’s newly ever, the rate will sharply increase, design phase all the way to the highest opened facility—dedicated to CFM with approximately 1,100 Leap engines levels of production,” says Seda-Hoelle. Leap assembly—at Lafayette, Indiana, slated to be delivered in 2018. Beyond “We don’t do it on every part, and belies the massive scale of the industrial that point, the rate begins to ease as it we only pick certain key technolo- buildup about to burst forth as engine passes the 1,900-engines-per-year mark gies above and beyond parts like the production accelerates for both the Air- in 2019 and to steady at an anticipated composite blade, ceramic shroud and bus A320neo and Boeing 737 MAX. 2,000 per year in 2020. additively manufactured fuel nozzle.” Although preparations for this mo- “So there are about 14,000 engines The most complex parts, which num- mentous ramp-up have been underway in the backlog between CFM56 and ber about 30, have been built in the for at least fve years, the sheer scale of Leap—that’s quite a big number and company’s lean labs to make sure that “when these parts hit production they can make rate,” she adds. READY TO KEEP GPS III About 75% of the Leap parts are out- sourced from the GE side. “Early on, we set the stage for anyone who wanted to ON TRACK. participate in the Leap program. They had to go through some pretty rigorous The Lafayette site began assem- bly of Leap 1A cores (right) and complete Leap 1B engines earlier this year. self- and on-site assessments with our sourcing team [just to] bid on Leap,” says Seda-Hoelle. “We assessed their capabilities and capacity and said, ‘Look, if you want a ticket to the game you’ve got be ready, and we want to see it frst-hand,’ so we’ve [conducted CFM many] on-site assessments.” the production challenge facing CFM there is a lot to do still,” says Cristina However, as the recent experience of joint venture partners GE and Safran Seda-Hoelle, Leap manufacturing pro- Pratt & Whitney’s ramp-up issues for is beyond anything predicted when the gram director for GE. “We can’t forget the geared turbofan shows, unexpect- program began. With orders for 1,554 the CFM56; it’s a record production year ed challenges can thwart the best-laid Leap and 855 CFM56 engines taken for that,” she adds, noting that about plans. Supply chain hurdles may crop up so far in 2016 alone, CFM’s backlog ex- 1,600 CFM56s will be delivered in 2016, with new technology areas or, because ceeds 14,000 units representing eight from a backlog of over 2,500. of the sheer volumes, with “something years of production. The scale of the ramp-up of the Leap relatively mundane like forgings and The first signs of the coming tidal and the transition at full-rate from the castings,” says AeroDynamic Advisory wave of Leap engines can be seen at CFM56 between now and 2020 “keeps President Kevin Michaels. “Could we Lafayette, where GE has begun making us up at night, I’ll be honest with you,” be in for a surprise there? Not everyone the frst Leap 1B production engines for says Seda-Hoelle. “The volumes we hit may have capitalized for that type of pro- For GPS III, Boeing can deliver a seamless and technically proven digital payload solution. Based upon the the MAX. The frst units produced here, on CFM56 took us 20 years to get to, duction rate,” he adds. “I’m just raising and by GE’s sister Leap production line and we have do that in four years on a yellow fag on the part of the subtiers.” successful 702 satellite series, Boeing’s GPS digital payload is simpler to integrate and test, offering a resilient, in Durham, North Carolina, are now at Leap. It is a CFM56 replacement, but To maintain a watch on supply chain the company’s Peebles, Ohio, facility for it has new technologies, a complicated status, GE’s CFM sourcing team visits modular, flexible product with proven reliability. Add Boeing’s 40 years of GPS experience, and you’ve got a predelivery testing. supply chain, a lot more externals—it’s suppliers often. “We have some SWAT one-of-a-kind commitment to keeping GPS III right on track while further modernizing this vital service. Having delivered 50 Leap 1A engines a diferent engine. We think of it often (special weapons and tactics) team to Airbus for its growing A320neo feet, as a baby GEnx,” she adds, referring to resources we have put in place too, to plus a handful of engines for 737 MAX the similarities of the Leap confgura- make sure that as we see issues come testing, CFM says it is on track to de- tion to the larger powerplant developed up we can address them,” Seda-Hoelle liver more than 100 Leap 1A/B engines by GE for the Boeing 787 and 747-8. adds. Digital tools are also employed to

28 AviAtion Week & SpAce technology/noveMBeR 21-DeceMBeR 4, 2016 AviationWeek.com/awst

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help CFM independently verify work- done ahead of that schedule because it to hit the rates that are coming later. in-process (WIP) in the supply chain. suits the plan to pull them in earlier. “Right now, we are testing rates CFM is also dual sourcing and, in the This year, suppliers are also being for the fourth quarter in 2017,” Seda- case of some parts, triple sourcing up to included in CFM’s “run-rate” process, Hoelle says. “This covers everything 80% of the Leap. “We have done that for which simulates the higher production from raw materials to inspection at the reasons of business continuity. You’ve rates of the coming months and years. end of the line to see what breaks in got to have a back-up plan because of The protocol, fi rst tested in 2015 at Saf- the process.” The stress testing, which the sheer capacity needed. It’s been ran’s recently opened Leap fan blade and involves about 60 GE and Safran sup- quite a challenge, and we are on track,” casing facility in Rochester, New Hamp- pliers, can run 2-12 weeks, depending Seda-Hoelle says. She notes that most shire, evaluates the manufacturing pro- on the lead time of the part. “We are of the dual sources will be in place by cess in a safe environment and ensures running 12 sets per week for two weeks the end of 2017, although some will be confi dence in the ability of the system now,” she adds. c

have hundreds of ideas—[though] they won’t all have the same SHIFTING FOCUS impact,” Andries says. Inspections are one area where costs could be reduced. “In- Thierry Dubois Lyon spection costs are important in the total cost and the production cycle of a part,” he points out. Also, manufacturing requires nu- educing production costs is Safran Aircraft Engines’ new merous steps and some may eventually be deemed useless, or its Rfocus in the CFM Leap engine program, as the 1A and 1B added value insuf cient. Transportation costs could also be cut. versions of the turbofan have been certifi ed (in November 2016 In some cases, it may also be worth investing in changing and May 2016, respectively) and after the 1A entered service in the design of parts, Andries explains. “We will not hesitate to August. The shift in priorities signals the program’s entry into a redesign a part if it allows [us] to reduce costs,” he adds. Other new phase, with the production challenge being no smaller than cost-saving ideas may involve recycling more materials on the the development ef ort. production line. Safran quietly launched an in-house cost-reduction program The backlog for the Leap is much greater than initially fore- for the Leap and in July extended it to its suppliers. The initiative, cast—by 50%, according to Safran. CFM has received some dubbed “Leap Together,” is seeking ideas to cut costs at every 11,500 orders and commitments for the Leap’s three versions— level of the supply chain, as well as on the assembly line. “We’re the 1A on the Airbus A320neo, the 1B on the Boeing 737 MAX ready and willing to help [our suppliers], and support their own and the 1C on the Comac C919. Therefore, the company believes initiatives through cross-fertilization, by sharing best practices the situation is comfortable enough to give it some leverage with and using the same levers,” says Safran Aircraft Engines CEO suppliers in upcoming price talks. Olivier Andries. Safran has always warned that ramping up Leap production At least Safran and CFM partner GE can deal with the two en- will be a daunting task. “In just four years, we will achieve a Leap deavors in sequence, while competitor Pratt & Whitney is grap- production rate higher than the current rate for the CFM56—a pling simultaneously with technical issues and ramp-up delays. rate that took us 35 years to reach,” Andries says. To underline Safran already had planned on a 40% reduction of production the dif culty of the challenge, Pratt & Whitney—another leading costs for Leap in 2016-20. This will occur thanks to the expected engine manufacturer—is also experiencing problems in the early learning curve, the volume factor and better use of double- production stages of its competing PW1100G. sourcing, meaning buying more from lower-cost suppliers. Leap So how confi dent is Andries about keeping promises made Together is aimed at reducing production costs by another 15% for Leap output in the coming years? “The challenge is real,” he over the same period. admits. “We estimate we have a number of assets on our side So when did Safran decide to launch Leap Together? “It came that make us confi dent. I do not want to be arrogant; it will be a rather naturally when entering this period of fi nancial transition, marathon until 2020.” after the end of the development phase; it is the right time to do About 60 Safran employees monitor the supply chain. “As we it,” Andries tells Aviation Week. speak, we are doing well, as our deliveries to Airbus are meeting In terms of Safran’s fi nancial results, the Leap program is their needs,” Andries says. Although the Leap Together cost- anticipated to have a negative impact for years before the invest- reduction plan is purely a Safran-led initiative, information about ment pays of . The contribution of the combined CFM programs it has been shared with GE. (production ramp-up of the Leap and decrease of the CFM56) to Launching such a cost-cutting ef ort means that Safran is Safran’s gross margin is expected to start signifi cantly decreas- “super-confi dent in its supply chain,” an industry analyst notes. ing this year. It is then predicted to hit zero in 2018, rebounding in The plan is ambitious and is great news for Safran as well as 2019 before it increases—the hope is sharply—from 2020. Airbus and Boeing, he adds. Since the beginning of the A320neo More than 150 companies supply parts that account for two- and 737 MAX programs, both airframers have been demanding thirds of the cost of a Leap turbofan. “With our suppliers, we will cost reductions from their suppliers. c

3030 AAVIATIONVIATION WWEEKEEK & SSPACEPACE TTECHNOLOGY/NOVEMBERECHNOLOGY/NOVEMBER 21-DECEMBER21-DECEMBER 4,4, 20162016 AviationWeek.com/awstAviationWeek.com/awst

AW_11_21_2016_p28-30.indd 30 11/17/16 1:51 PM COMMERCIAL AVIATION help CFM independently verify work- done ahead of that schedule because it to hit the rates that are coming later. in-process (WIP) in the supply chain. suits the plan to pull them in earlier. “Right now, we are testing rates Stretching CFM is also dual sourcing and, in the This year, suppliers are also being for the fourth quarter in 2017,” Seda- case of some parts, triple sourcing up to included in CFM’s “run-rate” process, Hoelle says. “This covers everything 80% of the Leap. “We have done that for which simulates the higher production from raw materials to inspection at the the Market reasons of business continuity. You’ve rates of the coming months and years. end of the line to see what breaks in got to have a back-up plan because of The protocol, fi rst tested in 2015 at Saf- the process.” The stress testing, which Airbus and Boeing are considering the sheer capacity needed. It’s been ran’s recently opened Leap fan blade and involves about 60 GE and Safran sup- quite a challenge, and we are on track,” casing facility in Rochester, New Hamp- pliers, can run 2-12 weeks, depending even larger versions of twinjets Seda-Hoelle says. She notes that most shire, evaluates the manufacturing pro- on the lead time of the part. “We are of the dual sources will be in place by cess in a safe environment and ensures running 12 sets per week for two weeks Jens Flottau Frankfurt and Guy Norris Los Angeles the end of 2017, although some will be confi dence in the ability of the system now,” she adds. c irbus and Boeing appear to be moving closer to defn- Airbus Aing additional stretch versions of their big A350 and 777X twinjets, prospects for which were raised by both Singapore Airlines CEO Goh Choon Phong (right) talks have hundreds of ideas—[though] they won’t all have the same manufacturers earlier this year. with Airbus Executive Vice President of Programs SHIFTING FOCUS impact,” Andries says. If the plans come to fruition, the aircraft could grow to well Didier Evrard (center) and Rolls-Royce Civil Aerospace Inspections are one area where costs could be reduced. “In- beyond 400 seats in some of the more dense airline confgu- President Eric Schulz. The airline may launch a rations. The fact that such an initiative is being considered stretched version of the A350. Thierry Dubois Lyon spection costs are important in the total cost and the production shows how far twin widebody aircraft are advancing into the cycle of a part,” he points out. Also, manufacturing requires nu- ultra-high-capacity markets that have previously been the bus’s choice of an engine. The A350-900 and -1000 are pow- educing production costs is Safran Aircraft Engines’ new merous steps and some may eventually be deemed useless, or its exclusive territory of four-engine aircraft such as the Boeing ered by versions of the Rolls-Royce Trent XWB, the largest Rfocus in the CFM Leap engine program, as the 1A and 1B added value insuf cient. Transportation costs could also be cut. 747 and Airbus A380. of which is the XWB-97, at 97,000 lb. Although Bregier has versions of the turbofan have been certifi ed (in November 2016 In some cases, it may also be worth investing in changing If launched, the new large twins would make it even harder indicated he would prefer a relatively simple and small stretch and May 2016, respectively) and after the 1A entered service in the design of parts, Andries explains. “We will not hesitate to for Boeing to sustain production of the 747-8 over a longer peri- of the A350 beyond the -1000, a more powerful version of the August. The shift in priorities signals the program’s entry into a redesign a part if it allows [us] to reduce costs,” he adds. Other od of time, in spite of recent freighter orders. And while the size engine is almost certainly needed. The A350 already has a gap between the proposed 777-10X and the A350-2000 on the complicated engine history: Airbus and Rolls-Royce were new phase, with the production challenge being no smaller than cost-saving ideas may involve recycling more materials on the one hand and the A380 on the other is more signifcant, their forced by key customers such as Qatar Airways and Emir- the development ef ort. production line. availability could sway carriers that have considered orders for ates to beef up the XWB-97 because Gulf carriers at the time Safran quietly launched an in-house cost-reduction program The backlog for the Leap is much greater than initially fore- the Airbus quad to remain conservative as more suitable alter- were concerned about an earlier proposal’s performance limi- for the Leap and in July extended it to its suppliers. The initiative, cast—by 50%, according to Safran. CFM has received some natives—even for big hub markets—are becoming available. tations. Qatar stuck to its order, but Emirates backed of from dubbed “Leap Together,” is seeking ideas to cut costs at every 11,500 orders and commitments for the Leap’s three versions— The potential launch of a larger A350 could create the frst its commitment in 2014, unconvinced by the changes. level of the supply chain, as well as on the assembly line. “We’re the 1A on the Airbus A320neo, the 1B on the Boeing 737 MAX application opportunity for Rolls-Royce’s Advance engine If Airbus prolongs a decision, the A350-2000 could be the ready and willing to help [our suppliers], and support their own and the 1C on the Comac C919. Therefore, the company believes initiative. frst application for Rolls-Royce’s Advance program, the new Airbus has been considering a further A350 stretch for baseline architecture that supersedes all the engines that have initiatives through cross-fertilization, by sharing best practices the situation is comfortable enough to give it some leverage with around two years. The rationale behind that move would be been based on the RB.211—including the Trent family. and using the same levers,” says Safran Aircraft Engines CEO suppliers in upcoming price talks. the ability to ofer a version similar in size to the 777-9X, which The Advance engine is targeted primarily at the next step- Olivier Andries. Safran has always warned that ramping up Leap production can seat around 400 passengers. The A350-1000 is about 30 change in thermodynamic efciency and will be built around At least Safran and CFM partner GE can deal with the two en- will be a daunting task. “In just four years, we will achieve a Leap seats smaller in typical airline confgurations and matches the a new high-pressure core with a pressure ratio at or above deavors in sequence, while competitor Pratt & Whitney is grap- production rate higher than the current rate for the CFM56—a capacity of the current 777-300ER, but the proposed -2000 60:1. The new core provides the foundation of a potential new pling simultaneously with technical issues and ramp-up delays. rate that took us 35 years to reach,” Andries says. To underline would be superseded again in size by the proposed 777-10X if turbofan family in its own right, as well as a stepping-stone to Safran already had planned on a 40% reduction of production the dif culty of the challenge, Pratt & Whitney—another leading that version is launched. a follow-on engine called the UltraFan. Advance will have a Both manufacturers are pitching the proposed aircraft to in excess of 11:1 and a fuel burn at least 20% bet- costs for Leap in 2016-20. This will occur thanks to the expected engine manufacturer—is also experiencing problems in the early Singapore Airlines, among others. Airbus has been arguing ter than the current Trent 700 when it enters service around learning curve, the volume factor and better use of double- production stages of its competing PW1100G. that Boeing went up in capacity for the -9X to drive down unit the end of the decade. sourcing, meaning buying more from lower-cost suppliers. Leap So how confi dent is Andries about keeping promises made costs but said it was unclear whether airlines actually needed Talks about the proposed -2000 and the 777-10X have in- Together is aimed at reducing production costs by another 15% for Leap output in the coming years? “The challenge is real,” he the additional capacity in that market segment. Airbus CEO tensifed with several airlines this year, notably Asian carriers. over the same period. admits. “We estimate we have a number of assets on our side Fabrice Bregier said last summer that he was concerned the Among those that have expressed interest publicly in an even So when did Safran decide to launch Leap Together? “It came that make us confi dent. I do not want to be arrogant; it will be a proposed -2000 could cannibalize sales of the -1000. larger A350 is Cathay Pacifc. rather naturally when entering this period of fi nancial transition, marathon until 2020.” However, should Boeing stretch the 777X again, Airbus Boeing confrmed studies of a 777-10X stretch at this sum- would presumably have to counter with a larger A350 to of- mer’s Farnborough Airshow. after the end of the development phase; it is the right time to do About 60 Safran employees monitor the supply chain. “As we fer a similar range of products. Boeing is on track to complete engineering release of the it,” Andries tells Aviation Week. speak, we are doing well, as our deliveries to Airbus are meeting Entry-into-service timing also remains unclear. Unlike Boe- 406-passenger 777-9X, which is the frst and, so far, largest In terms of Safran’s fi nancial results, the Leap program is their needs,” Andries says. Although the Leap Together cost- ing, Airbus could bring its new largest twin to market relative- planned member of the new 777X family, by mid-2017. The anticipated to have a negative impact for years before the invest- reduction plan is purely a Safran-led initiative, information about ly quickly, as it is nearing the end of its current development -9X is slated to enter service in 2020, and its shorter, 355-pas- ment pays of . The contribution of the combined CFM programs it has been shared with GE. cycle, which includes the A320neo family and the two smaller senger 777-8X stablemate will follow in 2022. (production ramp-up of the Leap and decrease of the CFM56) to Launching such a cost-cutting ef ort means that Safran is versions of the A350. Boeing, in contrast, still has its hands full At 251 ft. long, the 777-9X already edges out the 747-8 as the Safran’s gross margin is expected to start signifi cantly decreas- “super-confi dent in its supply chain,” an industry analyst notes. fnalizing development of the 737 MAX family and ramping world’s longest airliner, but a further stretch would ensure the up 777X work. The U.S. manufacturer also has to weigh the 777X’s status as the largest twinjet ever developed. Accord- ing this year. It is then predicted to hit zero in 2018, rebounding in The plan is ambitious and is great news for Safran as well as impact of its potential new-midsize airplane, which may com- ing to CNN, the larger 777X variant would be extended by a 2019 before it increases—the hope is sharply—from 2020. Airbus and Boeing, he adds. Since the beginning of the A320neo pete for development resources with another 777X derivative, further 12 ft. to around 263 ft. in length overall. The current More than 150 companies supply parts that account for two- and 737 MAX programs, both airframers have been demanding although the added version would require much less work. 777-300ER is 242 ft. long; the rival A350-1000 is some 237 ft. thirds of the cost of a Leap turbofan. “With our suppliers, we will cost reductions from their suppliers. c The exact timing will likely have a major infuence on Air- in length overall. c

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ber or soon after, say ofcials of the state manufacturer. Pushing Back Displayed in model form at Airshow China, held here Nov. 1–6, KZ-11 can hurl 1 metric ton (2,200 lb.) to a 700- China’s two space launcher builders km (430-mi.) sun-synchronous orbit, Casic says. That is exactly the same as the capability CASC attributed last are increasingly in competition year to Long March 6, although that new liquid-propellant launcher has also been credited with a payload in the 500 kg Bradley Perrett Zhuhai, China (1,100-lb.) class. Casic has a smaller solid-propellant launcher, KZ-1, of asic is not taking this lying down. Faced with an inva- which the current version is KZ-1A, capable of delivering Csion of its solid-propellant turf by sibling state group 300 kg to an unstated orbit. KZ-1, which few in 2013, could CASC, the Chinese defense and space contractor is place 300 kg in a sun-synchronous orbit, media have re- preparing a medium-capacity launcher that could take busi- ported. Some systems are shared between KZ-1 and KZ-11, ness from its rival. Casic is also moving into liquid-propel- Casic ofcials say. lant technology, another domain of CASC. Exploiting its inherent ease of handling as a solid-pro- It is already well into development of a solid-propellant pellant rocket, KZ-11 can be carried and fred by a trans- launcher that would compete closely with CASC’s Long porter-erector-launcher (TEL) vehicle, as can KZ-1. It can March 6. The new Casic launcher, KZ-11, will fy in Decem- therefore be fred from any clear site, say the ofcials. That contrasts it with the dependence on elaborate fxed-launch facilities of CASC’s liquid-propel- lant launchers. Mobility is militarily useful, since an enemy can destroy fxed facilities. Moreover, it ofers the possibility of hiding the launcher, though an official drawing of the KZ-11 on its TEL depicts an enormous assemblage that would require wide roads with long-radius curves. A second advantage of solid propellants is a short reaction time. Casic presents this as valuable for quickly surveying the scene of a natural disaster such as an earthquake, but the Chinese armed forces likely are interested in a The “model” of the CASC methane-burning reusable rocket engine displayed at Airshow China in Zhuhai.

launcher they can use to quickly loft satellites in response to a changing military situation. KZ-1 has been launched with a week’s notice, but the response time will be cut to 2 hr., of- fcials say. The letters of the designation are an abbreviation of the Mandarin Chinese name, Kuai Zhou, meaning “rapid vessel.” Confusing- ly, the same name has been used for satellites that KZ-1 has lofted. In the intertwined Chinese space and weap- ons-systems industry, Casic and CASC have long concentrated on complementary rather than overlapping specialties. Casic, primarily a weapons-maker, has concentrated on small space launchers that use the solid-propellant technology from missile systems. CASC, most- ly a space contractor with a sideline in weap- ons, has built China’s big rockets, all with liquid propellant. For decades, these have been the Long March 2, 3 and 4 series, using hydrazine fuel and derived ultimately from early ballis- tic-missile technology. Last year, CASC intro- duced a family of kerosene-fueled launchers, the last and largest member of which, Long March 5, few on Nov. 3. But CASC also moved into the solid-pro- Bradley Perrett/aW&St

32 AviAtion Week & SpAce technology/noveMBeR 21-DeceMBeR 4, 2016 AviationWeek.com/awst

AW_11_21_2016_p32-33.indd 32 11/17/16 2:27 PM SpAce Bradley Perrett/ a Bradley ber or soon after, say ofcials of the state manufacturer. pellant business last year when it launched Pushing Back Displayed in model form at Airshow China, held here the frst Long March 11. The group said Long Nov. 1–6, KZ-11 can hurl 1 metric ton (2,200 lb.) to a 700- March 11, of 2 m (6.6-ft.) diameter, had the W&S t China’s two space launcher builders km (430-mi.) sun-synchronous orbit, Casic says. That is largest solid-propellant motor so far devel- exactly the same as the capability CASC attributed last oped in China. That cannot have been com- are increasingly in competition year to Long March 6, although that new liquid-propellant fortable news for Casic. launcher has also been credited with a payload in the 500 kg Technical preparation to make solid-propel- Bradley Perrett Zhuhai, China (1,100-lb.) class. lant boosters for the proposed Long March 9 Casic has a smaller solid-propellant launcher, KZ-1, of Moon rocket has probably prompted CASC asic is not taking this lying down. Faced with an inva- which the current version is KZ-1A, capable of delivering to develop this form of propulsion. This year, Csion of its solid-propellant turf by sibling state group 300 kg to an unstated orbit. KZ-1, which few in 2013, could CASC ground-tested a multisegment solid CASC, the Chinese defense and space contractor is place 300 kg in a sun-synchronous orbit, media have re- motor of 3-m diameter (AW&ST Aug. 29- preparing a medium-capacity launcher that could take busi- ported. Some systems are shared between KZ-1 and KZ-11, Sept. 11, p. 41). ness from its rival. Casic is also moving into liquid-propel- Casic ofcials say. Casic’s response may be lagging, but it is lant technology, another domain of CASC. Exploiting its inherent ease of handling as a solid-pro- not fnished yet. Looking beyond KZ-11, the It is already well into development of a solid-propellant pellant rocket, KZ-11 can be carried and fred by a trans- group is planning a solid-propellant launcher launcher that would compete closely with CASC’s Long porter-erector-launcher (TEL) vehicle, as can KZ-1. It can capable of hurling 10 metric tons to low Earth March 6. The new Casic launcher, KZ-11, will fy in Decem- therefore be fred from any clear site, say the ofcials. That orbit, ofcials say. That would be a competitor contrasts it with the dependence on elaborate to the Long March 7, a member of CASC’s new fxed-launch facilities of CASC’s liquid-propel- family with a low-orbit throw weight of 13.5 lant launchers. metric tons. KZ-11’s capacity may be diferen- Mobility is militarily useful, since an enemy tiated from Long March 7 just enough to avoid can destroy fxed facilities. Moreover, it ofers censure from higher levels of the government. the possibility of hiding the launcher, though But it would be a very close competitor to old- an official drawing of the KZ-11 on its TEL er CASC launchers such as Long March 2F. depicts an enormous assemblage that would Long March 7 frst few in June. CASC expects require wide roads with long-radius curves. it to be the workhorse rocket of the Chinese A second advantage of solid propellants is space program. a short reaction time. Casic presents this as As to CASC’s liquid-propellant territory, valuable for quickly surveying the scene of a Casic officials say they are working on the natural disaster such as an earthquake, but the technology with a view to starting out with Chinese armed forces likely are interested in a a small launcher. Preliminary research has begun, they add, without disclosing the pro- The “model” of the CASC methane-burning pellant they are working on. reusable rocket engine displayed at Airshow Meanwhile, CASC is pushing ahead with China in Zhuhai. the wide-ranging efort on new engines and launchers that it described four years ago. launcher they can use to quickly loft satellites (AW&ST March 12, 2012, p. 32). Included in in response to a changing military situation. this initiative is a reusable rocket engine that KZ-1 has been launched with a week’s notice, burns methane with liquid oxygen. but the response time will be cut to 2 hr., of- The engine has a thrust of 60 metric tons, One-third scale models of KZ-1A (front) and KZ-11 at Airshow China. fcials say. The letters of the designation are an presumably at sea level, according to a bro- abbreviation of the Mandarin Chinese name, chure issued at Airshow China. Thrust in a vacuum is CASC will work on improving the system’s reusability, Kuai Zhou, meaning “rapid vessel.” Confusing- 79 metric tons. says China National Radio. Aviation Week frst reported ly, the same name has been used for satellites “The engine is designed to be used 50 times,” says CASC. in 2012 that CASC had foreshadowed a methane engine as that KZ-1 has lofted. “Its main specifcations reach the level of comparable for- one of a range of products for “quick response, small size, In the intertwined Chinese space and weap- eign liquid-fueled engines.” The engine can be relit and low cost and high reliability.” Rapid launching is one of the ons-systems industry, Casic and CASC have throttled through a wide thrust range, says the group. features claimed now for the methane engine, along with long concentrated on complementary rather At the show, CASC exhibited what an official called a real-time fault diagnosis. Quick response has become a dis- than overlapping specialties. Casic, primarily model of the engine. The “model,” unusually, was built of tinct theme in Chinese space-launch development over the a weapons-maker, has concentrated on small metal. Moreover, it and a photograph of the engine in the past few years. space launchers that use the solid-propellant brochure resembled CASC’s YF-77 hydrogen-fueled engine. The methane engine can be applied to a reusable launch technology from missile systems. CASC, most- CASC said in 2013 that it had adapted a YF-77 to test meth- vehicle and for upper stages, including those that may be ly a space contractor with a sideline in weap- ane technology. used for deep space exploration, says CASC. ons, has built China’s big rockets, all with liquid Like the YF-77, the methane engine drives its pumps Methane “is defnitely going to be an option for the fu- propellant. For decades, these have been the with an arrangement called the gas-generator cycle, which ture launch vehicle propulsion,” Zhang Nan, president of Long March 2, 3 and 4 series, using hydrazine involves some loss of propellant without combustion. The the Beijing Aerospace Propulsion Institute, told a meeting fuel and derived ultimately from early ballis- choice brings the “advantages of simple structure, high reli- of the International Astronautical Congress in Beijing in tic-missile technology. Last year, CASC intro- ability and convenient maintenance,” CASC says. September 2013. A month later, CASC said it had for the duced a family of kerosene-fueled launchers, The YF-77, with a sea-level thrust of 70 metric tons, few frst time conducted a hot test of a methane-fueled propul- the last and largest member of which, Long for the first time as the first-stage core engine of Long sion system. March 5, few on Nov. 3. March 5. CASC’s full name is China Aerospace Science and Tech- But CASC also moved into the solid-pro- The methane-engine program is still developmental. nology Corp. c Bradley Perrett/aW&St

32 AviAtion Week & SpAce technology/noveMBeR 21-DeceMBeR 4, 2016 AviationWeek.com/awst AviationWeek.com/awst AviAtion Week & SpAce technology/noveMBeR 21-DeceMBeR 4, 2016 33

AW_11_21_2016_p32-33.indd 32 11/17/16 2:27 PM AW_11_21_2016_p32-33.indd 33 11/17/16 2:27 PM SPACE Make or Break Webb telescope will carry grapple targets, but chances they will be used are slim Frank Morring, Jr. Goddard Space Flight Center

ASA has no plans to service followed by a trip to Johnson Space Nthe $8.7 billion James Webb Center on a C-5 Galaxy military trans- Space Telescope (JWST), but port aircraft—for thermal vacuum has not completely closed the door testing in a huge chamber originally on the idea as it prepares a rigorous built for the Apollo spacecraft that series of tests designed to ensure that landed humans on the Moon. in-space repairs will not be needed. In parallel, Northrop Grumman will When the 6.5-m (21-ft.) telescope be completing the mission’s Space- launches to the Sun-Earth Lagrange craft Element—its housekeeping bus point (L2) in 2018, its launch interface and the fve-layer sunshield that will ring will carry optical targets that keep it chilled to about 45K (−380F) could be sought out by a service robot’s for infrared observations. As large as mechanized vision as it approaches to a tennis court, the roughly trapezoi- attach itself in order to make repairs. dal structure will shade the telescope There are no plans to use the and its sensors from sunlight at L2, targets. Unlike the Hubble Space 1 million mi. past Earth from the Sun. Telescope, which was designed for Testing of the full spacecraft at there are probably, maybe, a half hands-on servicing by space shuttle ambient temperatures will follow at dozen or so that if they didn’t work, astronauts, the JWST is built to go Northrop Grumman. The telescope we could probably adjust to and live through its complex deployment se- will travel by ship from California to with,” says Ochs. “For the most part, quence perfectly the frst time, and to the European spaceport near Kourou, it all has to work.” perform its groundbreaking science French Guiana, for launching on an The JWST engineering team is de- without repairs or upgrades. Ariane 5. veloping canned sequences to trou- “There were brief discussions back Ochs says the project remains on bleshoot and fx any snags that arise in 1997 when the mission was being schedule and budget, at a total cost of along the way “so you’re not spend- architected, but we quickly came to $8.7 billion. The program was restruc- ing days trying to solve the problems,” the conclusion that servicing was not tured in 2011 after a congressionally Ochs says. If something insurmount- practical,” says Eric Smith, JWST mandated study found it over bud- able happens that renders the tele- program director. “Other than the get and behind schedule, in part be- scope useless, the optical targets on decision to put optical targets on the cause of the difculty developing the the ring that holds the spacecraft to launch vehicle adapter ring, there has advanced instrument technologies the launch vehicle will certainly be- been no further discussion of circum- needed to make it work as planned come a factor as NASA tries to de- stances that would lead NASA to con- (AW&ST April 23, 2012, p. 36). velop a rescue plan. sider servicing.” The telescope will be folded and “These are basically black-and- The business end of the telescope refolded to ft its 22-m-long sunshield white patches that computer vision is now complete, keeping it on track and 6.5-m mirror inside the launch systems can easily identify and use for launch in October 2018, mission vehicle’s fairing, which is 4.57 m in to measure orientation and distance managers say. That will allow the ob- diameter and 16.19 m long inside. Un- from a target,” says Smith, who over- servatory to begin groundbreaking folding it will require what Ochs calls sees JWST from NASA headquarters. science, including cooperative obser- “two-and-a-half-weeks of high anxi- Goddard also developed the Hub- vations with the Hubble, about six ety,” in a hat-tip to the “seven min. of ble Telescope, and studied robotic months after that. terror” that put the Curiosity rover servicing techniques for it along with “What you see behind us repre- on the surface of Mars. planning the instrument repairs and sents 15 years of designing and build- First out will be the solar arrays, changeouts that were handled by as- ing hardware,” said Bill Ochs, NASA’s followed by the telemetry dish. After a tronauts. Its Satellite Servicing Capa- JWST project manager at Goddard, pause to allow water vapor to outgas, bilities Office runs robotic-servicing as he presented the telescope’s Opti- the sunshield and its support struc- testbeds on the International Space cal Telescope Element and Integrated ture will unfold and separate into its Station, and it is developing a flight Science Instrument Module at a press fve-layer thermal barrier. The 18-seg- test called Restore-L to demonstrate conference overlooking the huge clean ment mirror will launch with its two robotic on-orbit refueling with the room where the 6.5-m observatory outer “wings” folded in; folding them Landsat-7 satellite (AW&ST May 23- was integrated. out to form the primary light-gather- June 5, p. 38). Next up will be acoustic and vibra- ing structure will follow. That free-fying mission will use the tion testing in Goddard’s facilities— “Out of the 180 or so deployments, launch interface ring on Landsat-7 to

34 AviAtion Week & SpAce technology/noveMBeR 21-DeceMBeR 4, 2016 AviationWeek.com/awst

AW_11_21_2016_p34-35.indd 34 11/16/16 11:14 AM SPACE

The complexity of the James Webb coated with 3 oz. of gold in total. Gold Make or Break Space Telescope makes in-space was selected for maximum sensitiv- repairs unlikely, but not impossible. ity in the 0.6-28-micron wavelengths Webb telescope will carry grapple targets, that will allow the observatory to peer happened to cause you to need to go back into the red-shifted universe to but chances they will be used are slim there.” the period post-Big Bang, when the The Hubble was designed with stars and galaxies began lighting up. Frank Morring, Jr. Goddard Space Flight Center a grapple fixture that enabled the Mather says the telescope also shuttle’s Canadian-built robotic arm will give scientists unprecedented ASA has no plans to service followed by a trip to Johnson Space to snare it and place it on a stand in observational capability to study Nthe $8.7 billion James Webb Center on a C-5 Galaxy military trans- the payload bay for maintenance and exoplanets, the Solar System and the Space Telescope (JWST), but port aircraft—for thermal vacuum upgrades. Smith says it became ap- inevitable surprises. It may be able to has not completely closed the door testing in a huge chamber originally parent early in the design process detect water vapor and other poten- on the idea as it prepares a rigorous built for the Apollo spacecraft that that a similar approach would not be tial biosignatures in the atmospheres series of tests designed to ensure that landed humans on the Moon. practical on the Webb. of Earth-like planets orbiting other in-space repairs will not be needed. In parallel, Northrop Grumman will “We did take a quick study of what stars via spectral analysis of light When the 6.5-m (21-ft.) telescope be completing the mission’s Space- the deployed, or partially deployed de- passing through the exoatmospheres. launches to the Sun-Earth Lagrange craft Element—its housekeeping bus sign can handle, and quickly concluded The Webb also should be able to point (L2) in 2018, its launch interface and the fve-layer sunshield that will that approaching and touching this work in conjunction with the Hubble ring will carry optical targets that keep it chilled to about 45K (−380F) very delicate and sensitive observatory to study fuctuating phenomena and could be sought out by a service robot’s for infrared observations. As large as presented more risks to the success of planets from different angles with mechanized vision as it approaches to a tennis court, the roughly trapezoi- the mission than were acceptable,” he different instruments, according to attach itself in order to make repairs. dal structure will shade the telescope says. “Rather than spending funds on Mather. There are no plans to use the and its sensors from sunlight at L2, how to address an unsuccessful de- “It’s good to get them all at the targets. Unlike the Hubble Space 1 million mi. past Earth from the Sun. NASA/GSFC ployment or activation, NASA has in- same time with all of the equipment Telescope, which was designed for Testing of the full spacecraft at there are probably, maybe, a half attach itself before the robotic servic- vested considerable time and money in you’ve got,” says Mather, who shared hands-on servicing by space shuttle ambient temperatures will follow at dozen or so that if they didn’t work, ing demo, but Smith emphasizes that its build-and-test program to validate, the 2006 Nobel Prize in Physics for astronauts, the JWST is built to go Northrop Grumman. The telescope we could probably adjust to and live it would be a major undertaking to to the highest degree possible, the reli- his space-based measurements of the through its complex deployment se- will travel by ship from California to with,” says Ochs. “For the most part, take a similar approach on the JWST ability of those mechanisms and sys- cosmic microwave background radia- quence perfectly the frst time, and to the European spaceport near Kourou, it all has to work.” out at L2. tems that must activate.” tion. “Just [last] week it was pointed perform its groundbreaking science French Guiana, for launching on an The JWST engineering team is de- “If the unthinkable would happen If everything goes as planned, it out that Hubble and Webb can look without repairs or upgrades. Ariane 5. veloping canned sequences to trou- [so] that you have to do something, it will take about six months for the at the same planets from different “There were brief discussions back Ochs says the project remains on bleshoot and fx any snags that arise would require an entire design efort telescope to cool to its supercold op- angles. It gives you a stereoscopic in 1997 when the mission was being schedule and budget, at a total cost of along the way “so you’re not spend- for such a mission,” he says. “At that erating temperature and be focused viewpoint that I hadn’t appreciated. architected, but we quickly came to $8.7 billion. The program was restruc- ing days trying to solve the problems,” time we’d have to [decide if] it is worth and calibrated, according to John They are a million miles apart. The the conclusion that servicing was not tured in 2011 after a congressionally Ochs says. If something insurmount- going up there, investing in this new Mather, NASA’s senior project scien- two eyes are separated by 1 million practical,” says Eric Smith, JWST mandated study found it over bud- able happens that renders the tele- thing to service something like Webb, tist on the JWST. Actuators behind mi., so you’ll be able to see a nice per- program director. “Other than the get and behind schedule, in part be- scope useless, the optical targets on because how you would service it them will precisely align each of the spective on the planets. I think that’s decision to put optical targets on the cause of the difculty developing the the ring that holds the spacecraft to would be highly dependent upon what primary mirror’s segments, which are pretty cool.” c launch vehicle adapter ring, there has advanced instrument technologies the launch vehicle will certainly be- been no further discussion of circum- needed to make it work as planned come a factor as NASA tries to de- stances that would lead NASA to con- (AW&ST April 23, 2012, p. 36). velop a rescue plan. sider servicing.” The telescope will be folded and “These are basically black-and- The business end of the telescope refolded to ft its 22-m-long sunshield white patches that computer vision is now complete, keeping it on track and 6.5-m mirror inside the launch systems can easily identify and use for launch in October 2018, mission vehicle’s fairing, which is 4.57 m in to measure orientation and distance Bridge the Training Gap managers say. That will allow the ob- diameter and 16.19 m long inside. Un- from a target,” says Smith, who over- servatory to begin groundbreaking folding it will require what Ochs calls sees JWST from NASA headquarters. With Cockpit 4000 NexGen science, including cooperative obser- “two-and-a-half-weeks of high anxi- Goddard also developed the Hub- vations with the Hubble, about six ety,” in a hat-tip to the “seven min. of ble Telescope, and studied robotic Confi gurable Glass Cockpit for Military Trainer months after that. terror” that put the Curiosity rover servicing techniques for it along with and ISR/Attack Aircraft “What you see behind us repre- on the surface of Mars. planning the instrument repairs and sents 15 years of designing and build- First out will be the solar arrays, changeouts that were handled by as- • Low-profi le digital HUD ing hardware,” said Bill Ochs, NASA’s followed by the telemetry dish. After a tronauts. Its Satellite Servicing Capa- • Smart 20”x8” large area display with touchscreen JWST project manager at Goddard, pause to allow water vapor to outgas, bilities Office runs robotic-servicing • Open mission system architecture as he presented the telescope’s Opti- the sunshield and its support struc- testbeds on the International Space cal Telescope Element and Integrated ture will unfold and separate into its Station, and it is developing a flight Science Instrument Module at a press fve-layer thermal barrier. The 18-seg- test called Restore-L to demonstrate conference overlooking the huge clean ment mirror will launch with its two robotic on-orbit refueling with the room where the 6.5-m observatory outer “wings” folded in; folding them Landsat-7 satellite (AW&ST May 23- was integrated. out to form the primary light-gather- June 5, p. 38). Next up will be acoustic and vibra- ing structure will follow. That free-fying mission will use the www.esterline.com/avionicssystems tion testing in Goddard’s facilities— “Out of the 180 or so deployments, launch interface ring on Landsat-7 to

34 AviAtion Week & SpAce technology/noveMBeR 21-DeceMBeR 4, 2016 AviationWeek.com/awst AviationWeek.com/awst AviAtion Week & SpAce technology/noveMBeR 21-DeceMBeR 4, 2016 35

AW_11_21_2016_p34-35.indd 34 11/16/16 11:14 AM AW_11_21_2016_p34-35.indd 35 11/16/16 11:14 AM MILITARY TRAINING Red Air Rising Burgeoning adversary industry in the U.S. eyes foreign-owned jets to import as aggressors James Drew Washington

new breed of aircraft A collector is fi nding a market at the weap- ons schools of the U.S. mili- tary, where Air Force, Ma-

DISCOVERY AIR DEFENCE/ AIR DISCOVERY rine Corps and Navy combat aces are trained in the art of air warfare. Discovery Air Defence’s Top Aces is answering the Pentagon’s call for more contractor-provided aggressor aircraft. Its fl eet includes A-4N Skyhawks, Alpha Jets and soon-to-be imported F-16s. SO GOES NELLIS here is a saying among Air Combat Command’s (ACC) fi ghter respectively. Draken is also supporting training at Nellis, fl ying Tgroups that as the weapons school and fl ag exercises at Nel- A-4Ks and L-159s. lis AFB in Nevada go, so goes the Air Force in terms of training, Through 2025, the Air Force wants to signifi cantly increase tactics and doctrine. So when the base turned to contractors such its use of fourth-generation-equivalent contractor aircraft sup- as to provide much-needed red-air sorties port at Nellis and other fi ghter bases including an undetermined after its F-15 closed, fi ghter training locations training site on the East Coast. From 2025 onward, it also wants across the U.S. took note and are now pooling their requirements to introduce 70 low-cost “ADAIR-X” platforms, such as T-X de- for training support aircraft. rivative or purpose-built aircraft integrated with the next-gener- Nellis says it has an immediate need for more organic and con- ation T-X program’s live, virtual and constructive (LVC) network. tractor-provided adversary air support for fl ag exercises, weapons Self-generated aggressors from operational F-16, F-15 and F-35 instructor courses, F-22 training and F-35 operational test and squadrons will also continue to meet a signifi cant portion of the evaluation. total sortie requirement, although it is preferable to preserve the The 57th Adversary Tactics Group, which oversees fl ying op- service life of these combat-capable fi ghters by using other air- erations at Nellis, says the requirements will only increase as more craft where possible. The service notes in industry day presenta- F-35s are introduced. The immediate need cannot be satisfi ed by tions that an expanding portion of its adversary air needs will be more virtual training in simulators or through the use of blended met by LVC once the T-X is delivered, but until then it simply needs live and virtual assets as an of set—just yet. more aircraft to train against. The Air Force’s aggressor force currently consists of 36 early- Garrick Ngai, a spokesperson for Discovery Air Defence and model F-16s split between two aggressor squadrons located at its Top Aces division, says there is a requirement for contractor- Nellis and Eielson AFB in Alaska, plus two groups of Northrop owned, contractor-operated aircraft over the near- and long-term, Grumman T-38 Talons supporting F-22 training at Langley AFB, even as the LVC training network is rolled out under T-X. He says Virginia, and Tyndall AFB, Florida—home to 42 and 49 Raptors, the U.S. market promises to be the largest in the world for ad-

36 AVIATION WEEK & SPACE TECHNOLOGY/NOVEMBER 21-DECEMBER 4, 2016 AviationWeek.com/awst

AW_11_21_2016_p36-39.indd 36 11/17/16 1:04 PM MILITARY TRAINING

Companies such as Draken Interna- Gone are the days of fl ying one or F-15 aggressors at Nellis, so they’re tional, Tactical Air Support (TacAir), two “red air” adversarial aircraft one squadron down and organically Red Air Textron-owned Airborne Tactical Ad- against a fourth-generation type. In don’t have the numbers. The systems vantage Co. (ATAC), Top Aces and Air live training, the F-22 and F-35 need they’re fi elding today are an inordinate USA are searching worldwide for high- at least four aggressors each to truly amount more complex than they were ly capable third- and fourth-generation make their operators, or “Blue Pilot,” in the 1960s and ’70s, and the cost to Rising warplanes, often buying up whole air sweat. use them is orders of magnitude great- forces, to support an insatiable appe- TacAir CEO and founder Rolland er, so you need to make every training tite for contractor-provided adversary Thompson and James Dormer, senior hour count. We’ve built a company fo- Burgeoning adversary air services. manager of business development, say cused on getting the maximum amount The reason for this trend toward the introduction of upgraded “four- of training from the cost and precious industry in the U.S. industry-provided aggressors is three- plus” and fi fth-generation aircraft into fl ight hours of those aircraft.” fold. One, the security environment the U.S. inventory as well as the “sky- For years, the Navy has employed eyes foreign-owned jets has worsened, with standof s between rocketing” cost per fl ight hour of the contractors at its Topgun school such to import as aggressors U.S. and Chinese and Russian spy- F-35 and F-22 are driving up demand as TacAir and ATAC as advisors and planes, fi ghters and bombers becom- for adversary air to the point it cannot fliers. The latter’s supersonic Israel James Drew Washington ing almost as commonplace as during be provided organically. The U.S. main- Aerospace Industry (IAI) Kfi rs have the Cold War. tains 183 Raptors and declared the F- been flying red air for the weapons new breed of aircraft Second, after 25 years supporting 35B and F-35A operational for the Ma- school since 2004, operating along- major military campaigns in the Bal- rine Corps and Air Force in July 2015 side F-16s, F-15, F/A-18s and the Navy’s A collector is fi nding a kans, Iraq, Afghanistan, and now and August 2016, respectively. As new Northrop F-5 Tiger aggressor groups. market at the weap- Syria, U.S. aircraft are wearing out and squadrons are fielded, more aggres- The Air Force has been slower to ons schools of the U.S. mili- the slow introduction of replacements sors will be needed for fighter train- adopt contracted air support, but means service lives must be preserved ing at weapons schools, fl ag exercises when its 65th Aggressor Sqdn. dis- tary, where Air Force, Ma- and extended. Third, the Lockheed schoolhouses and operational bases. banded in September 2014, it reached

DISCOVERY AIR DEFENCE/TOP ACES AIR DISCOVERY rine Corps and Navy combat Martin F-22, three F-35 variants and “The F-22 and F-35 are so capable out to privateers, putting Draken In- aces are trained in the art of Boeing F/A-18E/F Super Hornets are that you really need to saturate them ternational on contract in late 2015 as costly to buy and fl y—but also vastly with advanced capabilities and higher a stopgap measure while it explores a air warfare. more capable than legacy F-16s, F-15s numbers to challenge the system and longer -term contracting solution. Discovery Air Defence’s Top Aces is answering the Pentagon’s call and F/A-18s—so they must be pre- stress the pilot,” Dormer says. “The Air Combat Command says it fell for more contractor-provided aggressor aircraft. Its fl eet includes sented with more adversary aircraft Air Force has experienced a budget short of its adversary air requirement A-4N Skyhawks, Alpha Jets and soon-to-be imported F-16s. to maximize training value. crunch and decommissioned their at Nellis AFB, home of the service’s SO GOES NELLIS TACTICAL AIR SUPPORT here is a saying among Air Combat Command’s (ACC) fi ghter respectively. Draken is also supporting training at Nellis, fl ying versary air services, just by its sheer the Secretary of Defense (OSD). Tgroups that as the weapons school and fl ag exercises at Nel- A-4Ks and L-159s. number of fi ghters, and the strategy it This could be because the Navy lis AFB in Nevada go, so goes the Air Force in terms of training, Through 2025, the Air Force wants to signifi cantly increase puts in place will probably be replicated also wants to expand its use of con- tactics and doctrine. So when the base turned to contractors such its use of fourth-generation-equivalent contractor aircraft sup- around the world, particularly by F-35 tractor aggressors, seeking aircraft as Draken International to provide much-needed red-air sorties port at Nellis and other fi ghter bases including an undetermined customers. with speed, agility, radar and electronic after its F-15 aggressor squadron closed, fi ghter training locations training site on the East Coast. From 2025 onward, it also wants “T-X will be the fi rst to introduce a warfare capabilities similar to the across the U.S. took note and are now pooling their requirements to introduce 70 low-cost “ADAIR-X” platforms, such as T-X de- true LVC capability, and we want to be F-16 and F/A-18. There are simply not for training support aircraft. rivative or purpose-built aircraft integrated with the next-gener- the ‘Live’ in LVC. That’s the domain we enough aircraft to go around, and the Nellis says it has an immediate need for more organic and con- ation T-X program’s live, virtual and constructive (LVC) network. want,” Ngai says. “The Air Force’s in- industry hopes for multiple long-term tractor-provided adversary air support for fl ag exercises, weapons Self-generated aggressors from operational F-16, F-15 and F-35 ventory is getting very old, and they do indefi nite-delivery, indefi nite-quanti- instructor courses, F-22 training and F-35 operational test and squadrons will also continue to meet a signifi cant portion of the not have a lot of cost-ef ective options ties contracts that will allow them to evaluation. total sortie requirement, although it is preferable to preserve the left. Simulators cannot do everything import new fl eets and build capacity. for you.” Nevada-based Tactical Air Support is Now we’ve got the All-Stars run- The 57th Adversary Tactics Group, which oversees fl ying op- service life of these combat-capable fi ghters by using other air- expanding its fl eet of F-5s to meet erations at Nellis, says the requirements will only increase as more craft where possible. The service notes in industry day presenta- Draken’s sole-source contract at Air Force and Navy demand for contractor- ning the show, which means this is F-35s are introduced. The immediate need cannot be satisfi ed by tions that an expanding portion of its adversary air needs will be Nellis was the fi rst contractual step provided adversary aircraft. going to be a very big program,” ATAC more virtual training in simulators or through the use of blended met by LVC once the T-X is delivered, but until then it simply needs in a three-phased “AdAir” program for CEO Jeffrey Parker says of the Air live and virtual assets as an of set—just yet. more aircraft to train against. easing ACC into the for-hire aggressor business. ACC is setting Force AdAir requirement. “They have also highlighted 10 or 12 The Air Force’s aggressor force currently consists of 36 early- Garrick Ngai, a spokesperson for Discovery Air Defence and up a competition for Phases II and III to meet Nellis’s immediate bases instead of four or fi ve, and the number of fl ight hours they model F-16s split between two aggressor squadrons located at its Top Aces division, says there is a requirement for contractor- needs for 2018-19 and then out to fi scal 2022. The program are planning on funding is truly astonishing. This progression of Nellis and Eielson AFB in Alaska, plus two groups of Northrop owned, contractor-operated aircraft over the near- and long-term, has until recently been for Nellis only, but now ACC is taking a going from literally nothing to a program plan at the OSD level is Grumman T-38 Talons supporting F-22 training at Langley AFB, even as the LVC training network is rolled out under T-X. He says servicewide approach by adding other training locations. The really astonishing to watch, and it has surprised all of us who have Virginia, and Tyndall AFB, Florida—home to 42 and 49 Raptors, the U.S. market promises to be the largest in the world for ad- program’s visibility has been raised to the level of the Of ce of been beating on their door for 18 years.” c

36 AVIATION WEEK & SPACE TECHNOLOGY/NOVEMBER 21-DECEMBER 4, 2016 AviationWeek.com/awst AviationWeek.com/awst AVIATION WEEK & SPACE TECHNOLOGY/NOVEMBER 21-DECEMBER 4, 2016 37

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premier weapons school, by 3,418 sor- ercises, as well as assets to replicate Zealand’s entire combat fl eet, a squad- ties in fi scal 2015 and 3,742 in 2016. It missile or drone threats and support ron of Kiwi A-4K Skyhawks that were predicts it will need another 30,000- weapons development and testing. originally operated by Australia and 40,000 adversary air sorties per year The demand is not just increasing were upgraded with F-16A avionics across the enterprise to meet its train- in the U.S.. Nations with a shrinking, including APG-66 radar. It also pur- ing needs. The challenge will only get aging fighter force and those look- chased Poland’s fl eet of 27 supersonic worse in the early 2020s as the F-35 ing to induct the F-35 face the same Soviet-era MiG-21s, equipped with “Jay- begins flying from more bases. The fundamental challenge of generating Bird” radars, and “almost new” Aero Navy is also looking to expand its use enough aggressors. Some even want to Vodochody L-159 advanced light com- bat aircraft from the Czech manufac- turer. The A-4Ks and fi rst three L-159s are now fl ying at Nellis under the path-

TEXTRON/ATAC fi nder contract awarded in 2015, which has been extended through late-2017. An IAI F-2 1 Kfi r belonging to Textron-owned Airborne Tactical Advantage Co. fl ies alongside a U.S. Navy Lockheed Martin F-35C. “We bought aircraft before the re- quirements were needed, and we knew that would shape the future of the in- dustry,” Gustafson says. “With the F- 35s coming online, you need four ad- versaries as opposed to two needed for an F-16, F-15 or [Eurofi ghter] Typhoon. Before it was just the U.S. Navy, and now it’s expanded throughout Europe to Germany, and now Canada and Aus- of contractor red air, saying it needs outsource their red air needs entirely. tralia are looking at it, too.” more aircraft to present fourth-gener- Sean Gustafson, vice president of Although numbers count, the U.S. ation-like combat threats to its carrier- business development at Draken, says government’s high-end training re- based F-35C and Marine Corps F-35B his company launched in November quirements demand supersonic air- squadrons as they come online. 2011 after sensing strong demand for craft equipped with radars that can There is also a Defense Depart- realistic threat representation. After detect and track targets beyond 50- ment-wide requirement for contrac- missing out on a Navy contract that 100 nm, or that carry government- tor aircraft to support joint terminal went to ATAC, it shifted its focus to furnished jammers and electronic attack controller and close-air support the growing Air Force requirement. threat simulators. These aircraft fetch courses by dropping bombs during ex- In 2012, the company bought New a premium on the international mar- Bandits for Hire Douglas/McDonnell Douglas Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-21 Israel Aerospace Industries A-4 Skyhawk ‘Fishbed’ F-21 Kfi r

DRAKEN INTERNATIONAL DRAKEN INTERNATIONAL TEXTRON/ATAC

ROLE: SUBSONIC LIGHT ATTACK ROLE: SUPERSONIC INTERCEPTOR ROLE: SUPERSONIC AIR SUPERIORITY FIGHTER FIRST FLIGHT: JUNE 1954 FIRST FLIGHT: FEBRUARY 1956 FIRST FLIGHT: JUNE 1973 PRODUCTION: 1954–79, ~2,900 DELIVERED PRODUCTION: 1959-85, ~11,400 DELIVERED PRODUCTION: 1973-86, 210+ DELIVERED ENGINE: 1 X PRATT & WHITNEY J52 ENGINE: 1 X TUMANSKY R-25 ENGINE: 1 X GENERAL ELECTRIC J79 LENGTH: 40 FT. SPEED: MACH 1.8 SPEED: MACH 2 WINGSPAN: 28 FT. CEILING: 58,000 FT. CEILING: 58,000 FT. CEILING: 42,000 FT.+ LENGTH: 40 FT. LENGTH: 51 FT. OPERATORS: 11+, INCLUDING U.S., WINGSPAN: 24 FT. WINGSPAN: 27 FT. ISRAEL, ARGENTINA OPERATORS: 60+, INCLUDING SOVIET UNION, OPERATORS: FIVE, INCLUDING ISRAEL, POLAND U.S., COLOMBIA

38 AVIATION WEEK & SPACE TECHNOLOGY/NOVEMBER 21-DECEMBER 4, 2016 AviationWeek.com/awst

AW_11_21_2016_p36-39.indd 38 11/17/16 1:04 PM MILITARY TRAINING premier weapons school, by 3,418 sor- ercises, as well as assets to replicate Zealand’s entire combat fl eet, a squad- ket, since they are still considered the ties in fi scal 2015 and 3,742 in 2016. It missile or drone threats and support ron of Kiwi A-4K Skyhawks that were “gold standard” of combat aircraft and predicts it will need another 30,000- weapons development and testing. originally operated by Australia and are typically fl own to the end of their 40,000 adversary air sorties per year The demand is not just increasing were upgraded with F-16A avionics useful design life before being sold or across the enterprise to meet its train- in the U.S.. Nations with a shrinking, including APG-66 radar. It also pur- junked. Two Draken ing needs. The challenge will only get aging fighter force and those look- chased Poland’s fl eet of 27 supersonic There has also been an acknowledg- International A-4K worse in the early 2020s as the F-35 ing to induct the F-35 face the same Soviet-era MiG-21s, equipped with “Jay- ment that stealthy fi fth-generation ag- Skyhawks fl y begins flying from more bases. The fundamental challenge of generating Bird” radars, and “almost new” Aero gressor support will be needed in the alongside a Lockheed Navy is also looking to expand its use enough aggressors. Some even want to Vodochody L-159 advanced light com- mid-2020s as the Russian Sukhoi T-50 Martin F-35 and F-16 bat aircraft from the Czech manufac- and Chinese Chengdu J-20 are fi elded at Edwards AFB, U.S. AIR FORCE turer. The A-4Ks and fi rst three L-159s in greater numbers. Industry experts California. are now fl ying at Nellis under the path- say these capabilities are probably be-

TEXTRON/ATAC fi nder contract awarded in 2015, which yond their reach and would likely be too has been extended through late-2017. expensive to operate privately anyway. An IAI F-2 1 Kfi r belonging to Top Aces, backed by parent com- Textron Airborne Solutions Presi- and logistics for the Navy and Marine Textron-owned Airborne Tactical pany Discovery Air Defence, says it dent and CEO Russ Bartlett and ATAC Corps’ F-5 aggressor fl eets. Cost, re- Advantage Co. fl ies alongside a U.S. has secured F-16s sourced from an counterpart Jef rey Parker say there is liability, ease of operation and multi- undisclosed Middle East nation. The strong competition not only for F-16s, engine safety steered the company to- Navy Lockheed Martin F-35C. Mesa, Arizona-based company is still but also for Russian and Chinese-ori- ward the F-5 business, and it has even “We bought aircraft before the re- waiting on State Department approval gin aircraft if they come with enough set up shop alongside Northrop’s St. quirements were needed, and we knew to import the jets but will move quickly spare parts and are backed by the Augustine, Florida, site as an assembly that would shape the future of the in- if it captures more adversary-air work original equipment manufacturer. location for future F-5 imports. dustry,” Gustafson says. “With the F- with the U.S. military, says company “We have our eye on literally every “The important thing is logistics; I 35s coming online, you need four ad- spokesman Garrick Ngai. fl eet of aircraft around the world that have seen that destroy squadrons in versaries as opposed to two needed for “We’re going to be the world’s fi rst could meet or exceed the require- my career,” says Thompson, a former an F-16, F-15 or [Eurofi ghter] Typhoon. provider of a highly advanced, super- ments coming out of the Navy and the commanding officer at Topgun. “We Before it was just the U.S. Navy, and sonic-capable, radar-equipped aggres- Air Force,” Parker says. “We are also got all of [’s] spare parts, all of now it’s expanded throughout Europe sor aircraft. Period,” he says without looking consistently at countries that the support infrastructure—we got to Germany, and now Canada and Aus- revealing the seller or quantity. “The fly Russian-made airplanes to make their entire air force, or what was left of contractor red air, saying it needs outsource their red air needs entirely. tralia are looking at it, too.” industry and our customer base know sure we don’t miss an opportunity.” of it.” c more aircraft to present fourth-gener- Sean Gustafson, vice president of Although numbers count, the U.S. we have access to [those F-16s], and TacAir will soon begin import- ation-like combat threats to its carrier- business development at Draken, says government’s high-end training re- we’re working closely with the State ing what’s left of the Royal Jorda- based F-35C and Marine Corps F-35B his company launched in November quirements demand supersonic air- Department. Fifth-gen aircraft can nian Air Force, two squadrons of Gallery See more about the companies squadrons as they come online. 2011 after sensing strong demand for craft equipped with radars that can chew up red air like there’s no tomor- radar-equipped single- and twin- that are putting fi ghter pilots to the test: AviationWeek.com/RedAirContractors There is also a Defense Depart- realistic threat representation. After detect and track targets beyond 50- row. To provide meaningful training seat Northrop F-5E/F Tiger IIs. The ment-wide requirement for contrac- missing out on a Navy contract that 100 nm, or that carry government- and a real challenge to the advanced company already owns what is left of Digital Extra Will Canada choose Discovery tor aircraft to support joint terminal went to ATAC, it shifted its focus to furnished jammers and electronic capabilities of these fi fth-gen aircraft, Canada’s license-built CF-5Ds, includ- Air Defence or Draken International for attack controller and close-air support the growing Air Force requirement. threat simulators. These aircraft fetch you need to at least have a fourth-gen ing 65 spare General Electric J85 en- airborne training services? courses by dropping bombs during ex- In 2012, the company bought New a premium on the international mar- aircraft like the F-16.” gines, and now provides maintenance AviationWeek.com/RedAirCanada Bandits for Hire Douglas/McDonnell Douglas Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-21 Israel Aerospace Industries Northrop F-5 Tiger & Tiger II General Dynamics/Lockheed Aero Vodochody L-159 Advanced A-4 Skyhawk ‘Fishbed’ F-21 Kfi r Martin F-16 “Viper” Light Combat Aircraft

DRAKEN INTERNATIONAL DRAKEN INTERNATIONAL TEXTRON/ATAC ROYAL JORDANIAN AIR FORCE U.S. AIR FORCE AERO VODOCHODY

ROLE: SUBSONIC LIGHT ATTACK ROLE: SUPERSONIC INTERCEPTOR ROLE: SUPERSONIC AIR SUPERIORITY FIGHTER ROLE: SUPERSONIC LIGHT FIGHTER ROLE: SUPERSONIC LIGHTWEIGHT FIGHTER ROLE: SUBSONIC LIGHT COMBAT/ FIRST FLIGHT: JUNE 1954 FIRST FLIGHT: FEBRUARY 1956 FIRST FLIGHT: JUNE 1973 FIRST FLIGHT: JULY 1959 (TIGER), FIRST FLIGHT: JANUARY 1974 (YF-16), FIRST FLIGHT: AUGUST 1997 PRODUCTION: 1954–79, ~2,900 DELIVERED PRODUCTION: 1959-85, ~11,400 DELIVERED PRODUCTION: 1973-86, 210+ DELIVERED AUGUST 1972 (TIGER II) DECEMBER 1976 (F-16A) PRODUCTION: 1997-PRESENT, 70+ DELIVERED PRODUCTION: ENGINE: 1 X PRATT & WHITNEY J52 ENGINE: 1 X TUMANSKY R-25 ENGINE: 1 X GENERAL ELECTRIC J79 PRODUCTION: 1959-89, ~2,600 DELIVERED 1974-2017, 4,500+ DELIVERED ENGINE: HONEYWELL/ITEC F124 ENGINE: LENGTH: 40 FT. SPEED: MACH 1.8 SPEED: MACH 2 ENGINE: 2 X GENERAL ELECTRIC J85 1 X PRATT & WHITNEY F100 SPEED: MACH 0.85 SPEED: WINGSPAN: 28 FT. CEILING: 58,000 FT. CEILING: 58,000 FT. SPEED: MACH 1.6 MACH 2 CEILING: 43,000 FT. CEILING: CEILING: CEILING: 42,000 FT.+ LENGTH: 40 FT. LENGTH: 51 FT. 50,000 FT.+ 55,000 FT. LENGTH: 42 FT. LENGTH: LENGTH: 49 FT. OPERATORS: 11+, INCLUDING U.S., WINGSPAN: 24 FT. WINGSPAN: 27 FT. 48 FT. WINGSPAN: 31 FT. ISRAEL, ARGENTINA WINGSPAN: 26 FT. WINGSPAN: 33 FT. OPERATORS: 60+, INCLUDING SOVIET UNION, OPERATORS: FIVE, INCLUDING ISRAEL, OPERATORS: CZECH REPUBLIC, IRAQ OPERATORS: 16+, INCLUDING U.S., TAIWAN, POLAND U.S., COLOMBIA OPERATORS: 25+ COUNTRIES, INCLUDING U.S., SOUTH KOREA, SAUDI ARABIA ISRAEL, , , TURKEY

38 AVIATION WEEK & SPACE TECHNOLOGY/NOVEMBER 21-DECEMBER 4, 2016 AviationWeek.com/awst AviationWeek.com/awst AVIATION WEEK & SPACE TECHNOLOGY/NOVEMBER 21-DECEMBER 4, 2016 39

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Seven Discovery Air Defence A-4 Skyhawks are based at Wittmund in northern Germany to support the German air force’s Eurofi ghter fl eet training needs.

Now European air arms have shrunk, budgets have tightened, and the pool of aircraft is decreasing. Several Eu- TONY OSBORNE/AW&ST ropean air forces have their own spe- cialist aggressor squadrons—Britain’s Seeing Red 100 Sqdn. fl ies the BAE Systems Hawk trainer, a French aggressor unit fl ies the Alpha Jet, and recently Italy deployed Germany and France lead the way in its M-346 trainer to to act as an aggressor in the multinational Tactical investing in European adversary air training Leadership Program exercises at Al- Tony Osborne London bacete in Spain. However, the increasing complexity hile the attention of civil- ers to Italy and the Canary Islands. The and sophistication of fighters means Wian adversary-air providers aircraft have also been used to support they need more capable prey against may be focused on the future Germany’s Joint Terminal Attack Con- which to train, and two-seat trainers needs of the U.S. Air Force, the concept troller Training. dating back to the 1960s with no radar appears to have been born in Europe. Germany has long been a user of are simply not enough of a match. It is For 30 years, European air arms contractor fl ying services. GFD-owned no wonder then that the big live-fl ying and navies have turned to civilian con- Learjets provide electronic-warfare training companies see market poten- tractors to provide aerial gunnery and training and EIS GmbH-operated Pila- tial in Europe as well. electronic-warfare training for ships tus PC-9 perform as target tugs. The UK is considering adding the and aircraft, although only Germany Key to the commercial provision of red-air mission to the Tranche 1 Ty- and more recently France have gone an aggressor service is the cheaper rate phoons that will be part of its fast-jet the extra mile to invest in commercial at which aircraft are of ered, much low- fl eet expansion, scheduled to begin as adversary-air training. er than an air force could match, and the Tornado GR4 exits service in 2019. Much of the need for commercial the alternative aircraft against which But the UK is also looking to reshape involvement stems from the high cost they give pilots a chance to fl y . its live air training fleet by including of supporting specialist aircraft fl eets. Some German officers say flying contracted red-air aggressor capability. Britain’s Royal Navy used to fl y a fl eet of against the same type of aircraft can The Air Support Defense Operational English Electric Canberras to simulate be a negative form of training. Ger- Training (ASDOT) is being studied as ship attacks, but this capability was re- many should know—it was one of the a way to deliver red-air and electronic- placed on a commercial basis using con- few Western air arms to operate the warfare training under a single umbrel- verted 20 business jets Mikoyan MiG-29 Fulcrum, when East la program instead of through several that remain in use for the task today. and West Germany unifi ed. The MiGs individual contracts. Discovery Air Defence provides ag- were some of the most sought-after air A competition is due to open in 2017 gressor training and target-towing assets in NATO, flying against many for a 15-year contract worth up to £1.2 capabilities to the German air force us- European air arms and participating in billion ($1.5 billion) if additional phases ing seven ex-Israeli McDonnell Douglas the U.S. Air Force’s Red Flag exercise. are added. Several companies have A-4N Skyhawks based at Witt-mund Yet 15-25% of sorties currently fl own by expressed interest in bidding, among AB in northern Germany. Discovery front-line aircraft in many European air them a consortium of Qinetiq and Air Defence snatched away the con- forces are so-called “red-air” missions Thales—which selected Textron Air- tract from BAE Systems Flight Sys- to support the training of pilots fl ying land’s Scorpion light attack aircraft—as tems, which inherited the contract from the same type of aircraft. well as CAE, Draken International and its takeover of Tracor Flight Systems In France, local training company Babcock International . in 1998. Prior to the Skyhawk, Tracor Secapem in conjunction with Draken Studies are also underway within had been fl ying F-100 Super Sabres as International is supporting French na- the European Air Group (EAG), an or- aggressors and target tugs against Ger- val training, fl ying A-4 Skyhawks and ganization set up by seven European many’s F-4 Phantoms. Aermacchi MB-339s from Nimes. air forces to look at “multinational so- The cost per hour of the Skyhawk is During the Cold War, European coun- lutions to fulfi ll a possible common ca- as much as one-sixth or one-seventh tries enjoyed access to European-based pacity gap for a future Red Air [capabil- that of fl ying the Eurofi ghter Typhoon, U.S. Air Force aggressor squadrons ity],” EAG’s annual report states. “The Discovery Air Defence says. Since the based in England, and the huge array of need for current and future live and beginning of the contract in January dif erent types in the various NATO in- synthetic Red Air training was stated 2015, the company has deployed the ventories meant there was a vast range as a common requirement which will Skyhawks with the German Eurofi ght- of aircraft against which to train. be further explored,” the report says. c

40 AVIATION WEEK & SPACE TECHNOLOGY/NOVEMBER 21-DECEMBER 4, 2016 AviationWeek.com/awst

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mission computers was used for debriefng after each sortie. Seven Discovery Air Defence A-4 Typhoon Win Targets seen by the pilot on the HMSS can be data linked Skyhawks are based at Wittmund using Link 16, the NATO standard, to another Typhoon by in northern Germany to support British pilots name a key factor in hitting a switch. Air and ground targets can be designated the German air force’s Eurofi ghter and fred upon using the same system. fl eet training needs. mock-combat success Asked how important the helmet-mounted system is, Sut- ton says: “It is essential equipment nowadays.” Earlier this Now European air arms have shrunk, Marhalim Abas Kuala Lumpur year, 1 Sqdn. deployed with the HMSS during operations in budgets have tightened, and the pool Iraq and Syria. of aircraft is decreasing. Several Eu- he Royal Air Force (RAF) does not usually claim vic- Typhoons have not previously appeared with the HMSS at TONY OSBORNE/AW&ST ropean air forces have their own spe- Ttory in an exercise—it prefers to stay quiet about such Bersama Lima, an annual exercise of the Five Power Defense cialist aggressor squadrons—Britain’s matters. But British Eurofghter Typhoon pilots report Arrangements grouping, which includes Australia, Malaysia, Seeing Red 100 Sqdn. fl ies the BAE Systems Hawk that they defeated Malaysian Sukhoi Su-30MKM Flankers in New Zealand, Singapore and the UK. The RAF has deployed trainer, a French aggressor unit fl ies the mock battles in October, with a new helmet-mounted sight- eight of the fghters from Lossiemouth to Asia, including Alpha Jet, and recently Italy deployed ing system regarded as essential. six used in the exercise; the other two are in India awaiting Germany and France lead the way in its M-346 trainer to Spain to act as an Warm-up drills for Exercise Bersama Lima 16, held in Ma- orders. The aircraft at Bersama Lima were equipped with aggressor in the multinational Tactical laysia in October, provided the frst opportunity for RAF the training versions of the AIM-120 Amraam and AIM-132 investing in European adversary air training Leadership Program exercises at Al- Typhoons to be pitched against the Su-30MKMs of the Royal Asraam air-to-air missiles. Tony Osborne London bacete in Spain. Malaysian Air Force (RMAF). The need to attend Bersama Sutton says the air-to-air duels with the Flankers took place However, the increasing complexity Lima has created an opportunity for further exercises in two days ahead of Bersama Lima as a preparation. Also in- hile the attention of civil- ers to Italy and the Canary Islands. The and sophistication of fighters means volved in those engagements were Royal Austra- Wian adversary-air providers aircraft have also been used to support they need more capable prey against An RAF Typhoon from No. 1 Sqdn. refueling lian Air Force (RAAF) F/A-18 Hornets. The RAAF may be focused on the future Germany’s Joint Terminal Attack Con- which to train, and two-seat trainers from a Voyager tanker aircraft en route to sent 12 Hornets to Bersama Lima. Later, during needs of the U.S. Air Force, the concept troller Training. dating back to the 1960s with no radar Malaysia for Exercise Bersama Lima. the exercise proper, the Typhoons engaged Lock- appears to have been born in Europe. Germany has long been a user of are simply not enough of a match. It is heed Martin F-16s and Boeing F-15SGs of the Re- For 30 years, European air arms contractor fl ying services. GFD-owned no wonder then that the big live-fl ying public of Singapore Air Force (RSAF). and navies have turned to civilian con- Learjets provide electronic-warfare training companies see market poten- It was not revealed how many aircraft took tractors to provide aerial gunnery and training and EIS GmbH-operated Pila- tial in Europe as well. part in the warm-up fights or in the exercise electronic-warfare training for ships tus PC-9 perform as target tugs. The UK is considering adding the proper. During our interview with Sutton, four and aircraft, although only Germany Key to the commercial provision of red-air mission to the Tranche 1 Ty- Typhoons took of in pairs for afternoon sorties. and more recently France have gone an aggressor service is the cheaper rate phoons that will be part of its fast-jet They departed within 5 min. of engine start. the extra mile to invest in commercial at which aircraft are of ered, much low- fl eet expansion, scheduled to begin as Only six members of the ground crew attended adversary-air training. er than an air force could match, and the Tornado GR4 exits service in 2019. to them. Much of the need for commercial the alternative aircraft against which But the UK is also looking to reshape The engagements with the Malaysian Flank- involvement stems from the high cost they give pilots a chance to fl y . its live air training fleet by including ers were the frst for RAF Typhoons because the of supporting specialist aircraft fl eets. Some German officers say flying contracted red-air aggressor capability. big Russian-built fghters were conspicuously Britain’s Royal Navy used to fl y a fl eet of against the same type of aircraft can The Air Support Defense Operational absent during the Bersama Lima deployments English Electric Canberras to simulate be a negative form of training. Ger- Training (ASDOT) is being studied as Crown Copyright of the British aircraft in 2010 and 2012. The ship attacks, but this capability was re- many should know—it was one of the a way to deliver red-air and electronic- East Asia, so the deployment, Eastern Venture, is also send- RMAF operates 18 Flankers, which were ordered in 2003 placed on a commercial basis using con- few Western air arms to operate the warfare training under a single umbrel- ing Typhoons to Japan and South Korea. and delivered in 2007-09. verted business jets Mikoyan MiG-29 Fulcrum, when East la program instead of through several Pilots of the RMAF Su-30s were unavailable for inter- RAF Typhoons exercised in 2015 against four Indian air that remain in use for the task today. and West Germany unifi ed. The MiGs individual contracts. view, so the RAF claim of victory is unverifed. But Wing force Su-30MKIs, similar to the Malaysian fghters. An In- Discovery Air Defence provides ag- were some of the most sought-after air A competition is due to open in 2017 Cmdr. Mike Sutton, commanding officer of the RAF’s 1 dian broadcaster reported that the Indian aircraft won 12-0 gressor training and target-towing assets in NATO, flying against many for a 15-year contract worth up to £1.2 (Fighter) Sqdn., which fies the Typhoons, says video record- but RAF sources said there was no such score and that the capabilities to the German air force us- European air arms and participating in billion ($1.5 billion) if additional phases ings of the engagements demonstrate their success. Typhoons had performed best. The RAF and Indian govern- ing seven ex-Israeli McDonnell Douglas the U.S. Air Force’s Red Flag exercise. are added. Several companies have Sutton points to the importance of the BAE Systems ment played down the media report. A-4N Skyhawks based at Witt-mund Yet 15-25% of sorties currently fl own by expressed interest in bidding, among Striker 1 helmet-mounted sighting system (HMSS), which The Flankers and the RAAF’s Hornets also have helmet- AB in northern Germany. Discovery front-line aircraft in many European air them a consortium of Qinetiq and was rolled out to RAF Typhoon squadrons in 2011 and be- mounted sights. The RMAF aircraft used the Ukrainian- Air Defence snatched away the con- forces are so-called “red-air” missions Thales—which selected Textron Air- came fully operational in 2015. designed Sura-M helmet-mounted target designator, while tract from BAE Systems Flight Sys- to support the training of pilots fl ying land’s Scorpion light attack aircraft—as “With the Striker 1 HMSS, we just look at the target; we the Hornets are equipped with the Boeing Joint Helmet- tems, which inherited the contract from the same type of aircraft. well as CAE, Draken International and can engage it with a weapon or point our radar on it,” he tells Mounted Cueing System. its takeover of Tracor Flight Systems In France, local training company Babcock International . Aviation Week at RMAF Butterworth, a base some 350 km Sutton says that although the squadron pilots and aircraft in 1998. Prior to the Skyhawk, Tracor Secapem in conjunction with Draken Studies are also underway within (220 mi.) north of Kuala Lumpur. The engagements with were swing-role capable, they were mainly limited to air-to- had been fl ying F-100 Super Sabres as International is supporting French na- the European Air Group (EAG), an or- the Flankers were within visual range, where the helmet- air in Bersama Lima 16, as that was the capability that the aggressors and target tugs against Ger- val training, fl ying A-4 Skyhawks and ganization set up by seven European mounted sight allowed of-boresight missile launches. exercise planner asked to have demonstrated. many’s F-4 Phantoms. Aermacchi MB-339s from Nimes. air forces to look at “multinational so- “It’s amazing the diference it makes” during air combat The Typhoon pilots conducted air-to-air refueling with The cost per hour of the Skyhawk is During the Cold War, European coun- lutions to fulfi ll a possible common ca- maneuvering, says Group Capt. Paul Godfrey, the command- RSAF KC-135 tankers. Sutton says they were all qualifed for as much as one-sixth or one-seventh tries enjoyed access to European-based pacity gap for a future Red Air [capabil- er of RAF Lossiemouth in Scotland, where the Typhoons are refueling with the KC-135s, so they had no issues in doing so. that of fl ying the Eurofi ghter Typhoon, U.S. Air Force aggressor squadrons ity],” EAG’s annual report states. “The based. Without the HMSS, a pilot in a cloud could “spend An RAF Voyager tanker accompanied the Typhoons on their Discovery Air Defence says. Since the based in England, and the huge array of need for current and future live and all the time looking for the wingman,” he notes. “With this, long journey from Scotland, but when the group arrived in beginning of the contract in January dif erent types in the various NATO in- synthetic Red Air training was stated you look and there he is.” Malaysia it was sent to the Middle East. c 2015, the company has deployed the ventories meant there was a vast range as a common requirement which will The Typhoons did not carry air-combat maneuvering in- Skyhawks with the German Eurofi ght- of aircraft against which to train. be further explored,” the report says. c strumentation pods, Sutton says, so data from the fghters’ —With Bradley Perrett in Beijing

40 AVIATION WEEK & SPACE TECHNOLOGY/NOVEMBER 21-DECEMBER 4, 2016 AviationWeek.com/awst AviationWeek.com/awst AviAtion Week & SpAce technology/noveMBeR 21-DeceMBeR 4, 2016 41

AW_11_21_2016_p40.indd 40 11/17/16 1:03 PM AW_11_21_2016_p41.indd 41 11/16/16 3:26 PM BAYKARMAKINA/YOUTUBE DEFENSE

Indigenous Eyes

A Roketsan SMM/MAM-L falls away from a Bayraktar Turkey becomes sixth country to develop TB2 over Konya air base ranges during early arming and fi eld an armed UAV capability trials in 2015.

TonyTony OsborneOsborne LLondonondon inin earnestearnest inin 20152015 withwith BaykarBaykar MakinaMakina developingdeveloping a weaponweapon capabilitycapability forfor thethe BayraktarBayraktar TB2,TB2, pairingpairing itit withwith Roketsan’sRoketsan’s he Turkish government has made no secret of its desire Small Micro Munition (SMM) also known as MAM-L, a 50- Tto operate armed unmanned air systems, but Ankara’s lb. (22-kg) laser-guided munition. The capability was proved attempts to field foreign-made systems, particularly to senior Turkish military of cials in December 2015 during those from the U.S., have usually not been successful. drop trials at a test range in Konya. Later, Vestel Savunma But now Ankara has not only fi elded indigenous armed added an armed capability to its Karayel UAVs in service UAVs but has sent them into harm’s way, targeting the Kurd- with the Turkish land forces—the main branch of the army— istan Workers Party (PKK) militants in the southeast of the allowing them to drop up to two SMMs. Reports in Turkey country. Turkey now becomes the sixth nation to develop say this work was carried out in just three months. Both and fi eld an indigenous armed UAV system after China, Iran platforms are entirely indigenous, which frees them from Israel, Pakistan and the U.S. U.S. International Traf c in Arms Regulations, and so theo- Details of the fi rst armed UAV missions emerged in late retically will be easier to export. September, when several Turkish newspapers reported that Turkey has tried several times to procure armed UAVs. an armed UAV or IHA—air vehicle without human—as they I n the early 2000s, the country purchased IAI Herons from are referred to in Turkey, had killed six PKK militants. The Israel, but Ankara was reportedly unhappy both with the UAVs had also been used to cue Turkish army Cobra heli- drone’s performance and lengthy delivery delays . In 2010, copter missile strikes. an Israeli commando raid on a Turkish ship headed for Gaza In October, the country’s defense minister, Fikri Isik, con- resulted in a dramatic deterioration in Israeli-Turkish rela- fi rmed that the armed systems had killed 72 PKK fi ghters tions that are only now being repaired. Ankara’s requests for in the Hakkari region over a two-month period. Isik’s state- the General Atomics MQ-9 Reaper failed to meet U.S. State ment— communicated via Twitter—was the fi rst of cial gov- Department approvals. ernment confi rmation that the armed UAVs were being used. An amalgam of these frustrations has pushed Turkey down It has since emerged that the fi rst strikes took place in ear- the indigenous path. In May, Ismail Demir, undersecretary of ly September using privately owned UAV company Baykar Turkish Defense Industries, told a think tank in Washington: Makina’s Bayraktar TB2, the fi rst of two locally developed “I don’t mean to be sarcastic, but I would like to thank [the platforms that have been pressed into the armed surveil- U.S. government] for the projects that were not approved lance mission. because it forced us to develop our own systems.” S everal Turkish newspapers have published transcripts Ankara now has ambitions for an even larger armed UAV of communications among PKK fi ghters describing the ap- platform. In early September, the minister of science, indus- parent impact that the systems have been having on their try and technology, Faruk Ozlu, announced a goal to create operations. “Wings without men are killing us,” one PKK 3.5-4-metric-ton platforms with more advanced sensors and fi ghter reportedly said. “When they see our heads, they just weapons. bomb us.” This suggests that the UAVs had infl icted heavy The basis of such a platform could be Turkish Aerospace In- casualties and were sapping morale. dustries’ new model Anka-S medium-altitude, long-endurance “Turkey views the UAVs as a force multiplier for its cur- air vehicle, the fi rst fully equipped prototype of which fl ew on rent military operations against the PKK,” says Aaron Stein, Sept. 25. Unlike previous versions of the Anka, the Anka-S senior fellow at the Atlantic Council and an expert on Turk- is fi tted with a beyond-line-of-sight communications system ish defense. “There is also considerable government support for over-the-horizon use. Ten Anka-S have been ordered by to develop an indigenous defense sector, including UAVs,” the Turkish air force; deliveries of the fi rst two systems, set he says. to take place in the fi rst quarter of 2017, are to be used for ac- Work to begin outfi tting the locally built platforms began ceptance trials. Two batches of four aircraft will follow later . c

42 AVIATION WEEK & SPACE TECHNOLOGY/NOVEMBER 21-DECEMBER 4, 2016 AviationWeek.com/awst

AW_11_21_2016_p42.indd 42 11/16/16 11:29 AM BAYKARMAKINA/YOUTUBE DEFENSE ROTORCRAFT

ing 50% Brazilian content, and 37 local companies are involved Course Correct as suppliers. Meanwhile, upgrades for the Brazilian army’s AS550/H125M Esquilo/Fennec and AS565 Super Pantera K2 Brazil’s Helibras hopes to widen have also been delayed. The Pantera program had been due to conclude in 2021 but will now be completed in 2024, while the scope of work with parent Airbus Esquilo upgrade will run for another three years, until 2022. The development of the Super Pantera is one of the most Tony Osborne Itajuba, Brazil complex programs undertaken by Helibras, building on what Indigenous Eyes the U.S. Coast Guard has done with its HH-65 Dolphin search- hen Eurocopter opened a new assembly line for and-rescue helicopters, adding the Arriel 2C2 engine, a new Wthe EC725 Caracal helicopter here in October 2012, main gearbox, an improved fenestron antitorque system and the company had ambitions that its Brazilian afli- a new avionics suite, including a four-axis autopilot. ate Helibras could hone the skills to develop an indigenous Helibras’s integration capabilities have also been tested helicopter in the 2020s. with development of an H225M version for the Brazilian navy But four years on, the company, now Airbus Helicopters, armed with an antiship missile. Five of these 16 H225Ms A Roketsan SMM/MAM-L has tempered those ambitions. will be delivered in the new confguration, which will allow falls away from a Bayraktar In the midst of one of the worst economic and political the helicopters to guide and launch two 655-kg (1,500-lb.) Turkey becomes sixth country to develop TB2 over Konya air base crises in Brazil’s history, the Brazilian commercial helicop- MBDA Exocet Block 2 missiles. Airbus last integrated such ranges during early arming ter market has slumped and military programs have been a weapon onto a helicopter more than 20 years ago on ro- and fi eld an armed UAV capability trials in 2015. pushed to the right. torcraft destined for Saudi Arabia and . Aspirations to build the commercial H225 helicopter for The helicopters have been equipped with a Star Safre 3 TonyTony OsborneOsborne LLondonondon inin earnestearnest inin 20152015 withwith BaykarBaykar MakinaMakina developingdeveloping a weaponweapon the Brazilian oil and gas market have also been dashed be- electro-optical camera in the nose and a Telephonics APS- capabilitycapability forfor thethe BayraktarBayraktar TB2,TB2, pairingpairing itit withwith Roketsan’sRoketsan’s cause of the fall in energy prices. 143 OceanEye radar as well as the Saab IDAS3 defensive aids he Turkish government has made no secret of its desire Small Micro Munition (SMM) also known as MAM-L, a 50- But this has not stopped Helibras from developing talents suite, which provides self-defense capability and doubles the Tto operate armed unmanned air systems, but Ankara’s lb. (22-kg) laser-guided munition. The capability was proved that could eventually be used to build an indigenous platform. aircraft’s electronic support measures systems. The Brazil- attempts to field foreign-made systems, particularly to senior Turkish military of cials in December 2015 during Thanks to technology transfers that were those from the U.S., have usually not been successful. drop trials at a test range in Konya. Later, Vestel Savunma part of the H-XBR program to deliver the But now Ankara has not only fi elded indigenous armed added an armed capability to its Karayel UAVs in service Caracals, the company has been able to em- UAVs but has sent them into harm’s way, targeting the Kurd- with the Turkish land forces—the main branch of the army— bark on a number of signifcant retrofts and istan Workers Party (PKK) militants in the southeast of the allowing them to drop up to two SMMs. Reports in Turkey upgrades to military platforms that have pro- country. Turkey now becomes the sixth nation to develop say this work was carried out in just three months. Both vided valuable experience. and fi eld an indigenous armed UAV system after China, Iran platforms are entirely indigenous, which frees them from The Brazilian navy plans to purchase fve Israel, Pakistan and the U.S. U.S. International Traf c in Arms Regulations, and so theo- H225Ms that can fre the Exocet antiship Details of the fi rst armed UAV missions emerged in late retically will be easier to export. missile, a capability developed by Helibras. September, when several Turkish newspapers reported that Turkey has tried several times to procure armed UAVs. an armed UAV or IHA—air vehicle without human—as they I n the early 2000s, the country purchased IAI Herons from Emboldened, Helibras now wants to play a are referred to in Turkey, had killed six PKK militants. The Israel, but Ankara was reportedly unhappy both with the greater role and work more closely with col- UAVs had also been used to cue Turkish army Cobra heli- drone’s performance and lengthy delivery delays . In 2010, leagues in Europe on projects beyond Brazil’s copter missile strikes. an Israeli commando raid on a Turkish ship headed for Gaza borders. In October, the country’s defense minister, Fikri Isik, con- resulted in a dramatic deterioration in Israeli-Turkish rela- “I want to be able to support the mother fi rmed that the armed systems had killed 72 PKK fi ghters tions that are only now being repaired. Ankara’s requests for company with projects for niche markets,” in the Hakkari region over a two-month period. Isik’s state- the General Atomics MQ-9 Reaper failed to meet U.S. State says Helibras President Richard Marelli. “My Tony osborne/AW&sT ment— communicated via Twitter—was the fi rst of cial gov- Department approvals. design ofce is qualifed in the same way as ernment confi rmation that the armed UAVs were being used. An amalgam of these frustrations has pushed Turkey down the design ofce in Marignane [Airbus’s main site near Mar- ian navy wants the H225M to be able to operate from ships It has since emerged that the fi rst strikes took place in ear- the indigenous path. In May, Ismail Demir, undersecretary of seille]. My fight-test engineers and pilots are at the same and land bases with an over-the-horizon capability to target ly September using privately owned UAV company Baykar Turkish Defense Industries, told a think tank in Washington: level, so if I develop one installation here, Marignane can use ships. The helicopter’s range could also be extended with Makina’s Bayraktar TB2, the fi rst of two locally developed “I don’t mean to be sarcastic, but I would like to thank [the it.” Marelli adds that he wants “to develop activity in Brazil, aerial refueling, although adding a refueling probe would platforms that have been pressed into the armed surveil- U.S. government] for the projects that were not approved even if it is not for Brazil.” cost the carriage of one weapon. lance mission. because it forced us to develop our own systems.” But times are tough. Helibras sold just two commercial light Qualifcation testing of the Exocet-armed H225M is under- S everal Turkish newspapers have published transcripts Ankara now has ambitions for an even larger armed UAV helicopters last year, and it is targeting sales of seven aircraft way, and the helicopter is due to enter service in 2018, with of communications among PKK fi ghters describing the ap- platform. In early September, the minister of science, indus- this year but has yet to receive down payments on fve of them. deliveries following at the rate of one per year until 2022. parent impact that the systems have been having on their try and technology, Faruk Ozlu, announced a goal to create By comparison, in an average year, the manufacturer Helibras has identifed a number of other opportunities for operations. “Wings without men are killing us,” one PKK 3.5-4-metric-ton platforms with more advanced sensors and would deliver 25 aircraft annually. potential upgrades for Latin American feets of Cougar utility fi ghter reportedly said. “When they see our heads, they just weapons. Despite the economic challenges, few of Brazil’s military helicopters as well as Panthers operating in Chile and Argenti- bomb us.” This suggests that the UAVs had infl icted heavy The basis of such a platform could be Turkish Aerospace In- programs have actually been canceled or postponed. Instead, na, and it sees potential in Airbus’s development of the Hforce casualties and were sapping morale. dustries’ new model Anka-S medium-altitude, long-endurance they are being renegotiated in the hope that the fscal situ- generic weapon system to arm dual-use helicopters. Marelli “Turkey views the UAVs as a force multiplier for its cur- air vehicle, the fi rst fully equipped prototype of which fl ew on ation will improve in the near future. is working with the Brazilian army to retroft Hforce onto the rent military operations against the PKK,” says Aaron Stein, Sept. 25. Unlike previous versions of the Anka, the Anka-S The H-XBR program, under which 50 EC725 (now H225M) service’s Fennecs and wants to modify one as a demonstrator. senior fellow at the Atlantic Council and an expert on Turk- is fi tted with a beyond-line-of-sight communications system helicopters are being assembled locally for the Brazilian Meanwhile, he is optimistic that Brazil is heading for ish defense. “There is also considerable government support for over-the-horizon use. Ten Anka-S have been ordered by armed forces, has helped to grow Helibras’s capabilities, but recovery and interest in helicopters will increase. “The to develop an indigenous defense sector, including UAVs,” the Turkish air force; deliveries of the fi rst two systems, set the production rate is being slashed and deliveries, originally economic situation in Brazil is not so good, but since the he says. to take place in the fi rst quarter of 2017, are to be used for ac- due to be completed by the end of 2017, have been pushed back impeachment [of Brazilian President Dilma Roussef], we Work to begin outfi tting the locally built platforms began ceptance trials. Two batches of four aircraft will follow later . c to 2022. However, the program will still meet its aims of featur- have a stabilization,” Marelli says. c

42 AVIATION WEEK & SPACE TECHNOLOGY/NOVEMBER 21-DECEMBER 4, 2016 AviationWeek.com/awst AviationWeek.com/awst AviAtion Week & SpAce technology/noveMBeR 21-DeceMBeR 4, 2016 43

AW_11_21_2016_p42.indd 42 11/16/16 11:29 AM AW_11_21_2016_p43.indd 43 11/16/16 10:58 AM Airlines in lAtin AmericA The Wingo Way Copa America ■ Its four-aircraft subfeet will operate on Copa Airlines Colombia’s air operator certifcate—Copa Colombia will have Copa Holdings is setting up a ULCC as part 17 Boeing 737s, including Wingo’s. The carrier’s Embraer E190s will transfer back of its Copa Airlines Colombia subsidiary to Copa’s mainline carrier in . Madhu Unnikrishnan San Francisco ■ Its aircraft will have their own livery and be confgured with 142 seats in a single opa Airlines is seeking to diver- under that company’s Colombian air class, compared with 124 seats in a dual- Csify its business model by soon operator’s certifcate, Heilbron says. class confguration for Copa mainline. launching an ultra-low-cost- The four aircraft are being reconfg- ■ It will fulfll two of Copa Colombia’s carrier (ULCC), Wingo, in Colombia. It ured and painted, and are expected to missions: intra-Colombia fying and fights will operate as a subfeet of its existing go into service as Wingo aircraft on from Bogota to leisure destinations in subsidiary, Copa Airlines Colombia. Dec. 1. Copa’s Colombian subsidiary the Caribbean. The mainline carrier will If the concept works, the Panama- is expected to have 17 aircraft in total. fy between nine Colombian cities and based company could export the Heilbron acknowledges that a sub- Panama. model to other countries in which it fleet could be a risky move. “In the ■ Its reservations system will be separate operates. But will it succeed in creat- past, legacy carriers have tried to from Copa Airlines and Copa Colombia. ing an airline-within-an-airline? The establish LCCs or ULCCs with mixed Wingo tickets will be sold directly from strategy has produced notoriously results,” he says. “We are confident Wingo’s website and at the Bogota airport mixed results. And even if it proves to [of success], because Copa has always as well as at supermarkets and cash be successful in Colombia, could it be been a very cost-efcient airline.” payment centers. They will not be sold replicated elsewhere in Latin America? In the early 2000s, both United Air- on global distribution systems or via call Copa says its rationale for launch- lines and Delta Air Lines tried launch- centers.

team and they should be able to do it.” Despite the “product mismatch” Heilbron described, Copa’s Colombian A I rl n E s Con CEPT subsidiary, Copa Airlines Colombia, Co P currently serves three distinct mis- sions and has not been as proftable as Copa’s main Panama-based airline, he adds. First, it operates fights between nine Colombian cities and Copa’s main hub at Tocumen International Airport in Panama City. These fights will con- tinue to operate with two-class aircraft. Second, Copa Airlines Colombia op- erates domestic routes in that country. Copa Holding is diversifying its Colombian operations with Wingo, a new And third, it operates leisure routes ultra-low-cost carrier, set to launch in that country on Dec. 1. from the capital, Bogota, to the Carib- bean. These last two missions will be ing a new Colombian airline is to better ing separate carriers as a subfleet of assigned to Wingo, Heilbron says. match product with demand. “There their existing operations—United with Embraer E190s currently operat- was a mismatch in Colombia,” CEO Ted and Delta with Song. The experi- ing in Colombia will transfer back to Pedro Heilbron tells Aviation Week. ments failed; both sub-entities folded Copa’s Panama-based airline, he says. “We were offering a full-service and within a few years. However, Air Can- One thing that diferentiates Wingo expensive product in a low-yield mar- ada has been highly successful with its from Rouge, Song and Ted is that ket where we couldn’t compete.” Rouge subsidiary, proving the model it will have a separate distribution Wingo will be a ULCC with an un- can work if executed well and in an model from Copa’s. To keep costs low, bundled service offering, compared environment, such as Colombia, where tickets will be available only through with Copa, which offers two classes pilots unions are not as strong as they Wingo’s website. In an efort to reach of service, complimentary food and are in the U.S., analysts say. “unbanked” customers—those with- checked bags. Wingo will launch with Heilbron’s disciplined management out access to credit cards or bank ac- four Boeing 737-700s confgured in a team should be able to pull it of. “Nor- counts—Wingo tickets also will be sold single class of service with 142 seats, mally, I’m not a big fan of an airline- for cash at certain supermarkets and compared with mainline Copa aircraft within-an-airline,” says Cowen & Co. the airport in Bogota. of the type that have 12 business- and analyst Helane Becker. “[Management “Having a separate reservations sys- 112 economy-class seats. must] show employees the reason for tem is really radical,” says Craig Jenks, The new airline will function as a the separate model, but this is a par- founder of New York-based consultancy subfeet within Copa Airlines Colombia ticularly high-quality management Airline/Aircraft Projects Inc. “It sug-

44 AviAtion Week & SpAce technology/noveMBeR 21-DeceMBeR 4, 2016 AviationWeek.com/awst

AW_11_21_2016_p44-47.indd 44 11/17/16 12:01 PM Airlines in lAtin AmericA The Wingo Way gests that this new one will have zero Copa America ■ Its four-aircraft subfeet will operate interlining with Copa mainline, and that Mexico Rising on Copa Airlines Colombia’s air operator Wingo will operate as a pure ULCC. Copa Holdings is setting up a ULCC as part certifcate—Copa Colombia will have This is not a half-hearted segmenta- There will be more competition in Mexico’s 17 Boeing 737s, including Wingo’s. The tion,” Jenks continues. “This is bold.” carrier’s Embraer E190s will transfer back Another bold idea could be export- airspace, but nothing is set in stone yet of its Copa Airlines Colombia subsidiary to Copa’s mainline carrier in Panama. ing the Wingo model to other coun- Madhu Unnikrishnan San Francisco ■ Its aircraft will have their own livery and tries, although risks mount. On the one Kristin Majcher Boston be confgured with 142 seats in a single hand, Copa needs to grow beyond its opa Airlines is seeking to diver- under that company’s Colombian air class, compared with 124 seats in a dual- successful business connecting North, irlines overwhelmingly ap- weather and multiple winter holidays Csify its business model by soon operator’s certifcate, Heilbron says. class confguration for Copa mainline. South and Central America through its Aplauded the recent updated approach. launching an ultra-low-cost- The four aircraft are being reconfg- ■ It will fulfll two of Copa Colombia’s hub at Tocumen, and the Panama do- bilateral aviation agreement Delta Air Lines and Southwest Air- carrier (ULCC), Wingo, in Colombia. It ured and painted, and are expected to missions: intra-Colombia fying and fights mestic market is minuscule. Arguably, between the U.S. and Mexico, which lines both announced new services will operate as a subfeet of its existing go into service as Wingo aircraft on from Bogota to leisure destinations in the airline began to diversify when it allows more carriers to compete on between Los Angeles and Los Cabos, subsidiary, Copa Airlines Colombia. Dec. 1. Copa’s Colombian subsidiary the Caribbean. The mainline carrier will fnalized the deal to buy Aero Repub- routes between the two countries. And Mexico, which American Airlines, If the concept works, the Panama- is expected to have 17 aircraft in total. fy between nine Colombian cities and lica in 2010 and converted that airline pending developments could have even United Airlines and Alaska Airlines based company could export the Heilbron acknowledges that a sub- Panama. into Copa Airlines Colombia. more far-reaching efects on Mexico’s already serve. Delta plans to start daily model to other countries in which it fleet could be a risky move. “In the ■ Its reservations system will be separate Copa’s competitors are expanding in air transport market. service between the airports on Dec. operates. But will it succeed in creat- past, legacy carriers have tried to from Copa Airlines and Copa Colombia. the region. Mexican ULCC Volaris last The long-awaited new bilateral pact, 17, and Southwest plans to start twice- ing an airline-within-an-airline? The establish LCCs or ULCCs with mixed Wingo tickets will be sold directly from month detailed plans for its own Costa which rescinds limits on the carriers in daily service Dec. 4. Also in December, strategy has produced notoriously results,” he says. “We are confident Wingo’s website and at the Bogota airport Rica subsidiary. VivaLatinamerica—the each country that can serve transbor- Delta will introduce service between mixed results. And even if it proves to [of success], because Copa has always as well as at supermarkets and cash ULCC holding company that operates der routes, fnally entered force on Aug. New York’s John F. Kennedy Interna- be successful in Colombia, could it be been a very cost-efcient airline.” payment centers. They will not be sold Mexico’s VivaAerobus and Colombia’s 21. It had been slated to take efect in tional (JFK) and Cancun International, replicated elsewhere in Latin America? In the early 2000s, both United Air- on global distribution systems or via call VivaColombia—is backed by Ryanair’s January, but Mexican senate ratifca- a route that its partner, AeroMexico, Copa says its rationale for launch- lines and Delta Air Lines tried launch- centers. founding family and has had ambitious tion and the integral step of exchanging currently offers along with JetBlue plans to launch a new airline every year diplomatic notes held up the process. Airways, American Airlines and Mex- but has since scaled back its vision. Now airlines can apply for routes ico’s Interjet. team and they should be able to do it.” So could Copa join the fray? Heilbron that had been denied them due to a Southwest also plans to start two Despite the “product mismatch” notes that Wingo is a test run. “With maximum-airlines cap under the pre- other routes on Dec. 4, in addition Heilbron described, Copa’s Colombian Wingo we will gain ULCC expertise,” vious bilateral’s terms. So far, this ap- to Los Cabos. The airline is planning A I rl n E s Con CEPT subsidiary, Copa Airlines Colombia, Heilbron says. “We will have a unit pears to have the most impact on fights service between Los Angeles Inter- Co P currently serves three distinct mis- where we can learn how to be a ULCC to leisure and beach destinations, and national Airport (LAX) and Cancun sions and has not been as proftable as that we can export to other countries.” competition on these new routes is twice daily. Delta, United and Virgin Copa’s main Panama-based airline, he But which countries might be viable expected to ramp up soon as colder America operate that route with vary- adds. First, it operates fights between is far from clear, says Jenks. “It’s not nine Colombian cities and Copa’s main like people aren’t trying in any signif- A recent bilateral agreement to strengthen Delta Air Lines’ and hub at Tocumen International Airport cant market in Latin America.” Jenks AeroMexico’s eligibility to serve transborder routes means each airline in Panama City. These fights will con- believes another possibility for Copa must relinquish some slots at JFK and Mexico City International. tinue to operate with two-class aircraft. is to establish elsewhere the type of joepriesaviation.net Second, Copa Airlines Colombia op- hub-and-spoke model it uses in Tocu- erates domestic routes in that country. men—becoming what he calls a “mul- Copa Holding is diversifying its Colombian operations with Wingo, a new And third, it operates leisure routes tihub Latin American airline”—rather ultra-low-cost carrier, set to launch in that country on Dec. 1. from the capital, Bogota, to the Carib- than setting up discrete ULCCs. “Copa bean. These last two missions will be really does face a choice,” he says. ing a new Colombian airline is to better ing separate carriers as a subfleet of assigned to Wingo, Heilbron says. Cowen’s Becker also sees difculty match product with demand. “There their existing operations—United with Embraer E190s currently operat- in expanding the Wingo model. Al- was a mismatch in Colombia,” CEO Ted and Delta with Song. The experi- ing in Colombia will transfer back to though much of the physical geography Pedro Heilbron tells Aviation Week. ments failed; both sub-entities folded Copa’s Panama-based airline, he says. of Central and South America makes “We were offering a full-service and within a few years. However, Air Can- One thing that diferentiates Wingo fying—rather than surface transporta- expensive product in a low-yield mar- ada has been highly successful with its from Rouge, Song and Ted is that tion—an attractive proposition, “Are ket where we couldn’t compete.” Rouge subsidiary, proving the model it will have a separate distribution there that many countries with a popu- Wingo will be a ULCC with an un- can work if executed well and in an model from Copa’s. To keep costs low, lation wealthy enough to aford fying?” bundled service offering, compared environment, such as Colombia, where tickets will be available only through she asks. And second, ULCCs work with Copa, which offers two classes pilots unions are not as strong as they Wingo’s website. In an efort to reach best when stage lengths are short; but of service, complimentary food and are in the U.S., analysts say. “unbanked” customers—those with- in much of South America, population checked bags. Wingo will launch with Heilbron’s disciplined management out access to credit cards or bank ac- centers are far-fung. In many South four Boeing 737-700s confgured in a team should be able to pull it of. “Nor- counts—Wingo tickets also will be sold American countries you might be able single class of service with 142 seats, mally, I’m not a big fan of an airline- for cash at certain supermarkets and to do only one fight a day, and that is compared with mainline Copa aircraft within-an-airline,” says Cowen & Co. the airport in Bogota. problematic for a ULCC, she notes. of the type that have 12 business- and analyst Helane Becker. “[Management “Having a separate reservations sys- But Heilbron is optimistic. “In Co- 112 economy-class seats. must] show employees the reason for tem is really radical,” says Craig Jenks, lombia, we are converting a network The new airline will function as a the separate model, but this is a par- founder of New York-based consultancy that we are already operating—one we subfeet within Copa Airlines Colombia ticularly high-quality management Airline/Aircraft Projects Inc. “It sug- know and operate very well,” he says.c

44 AviAtion Week & SpAce technology/noveMBeR 21-DeceMBeR 4, 2016 AviationWeek.com/awst AviationWeek.com/awst AviAtion Week & SpAce technology/noveMBeR 21-DeceMBeR 4, 2016 45

AW_11_21_2016_p44-47.indd 44 11/17/16 12:01 PM AW_11_21_2016_p44-47.indd 45 11/17/16 12:01 PM Airlines in lAtin AmericA

ing frequency, and Interjet added the Mexico City and JFK. The airlines frst proposed that the slots be made avail- route on May 19. Southwest will also applied for antitrust immunity in late able only to low-cost carriers (LCC). begin daily service between LAX and March 2015. Several airlines, including JetBlue Puerto Vallarta, a route that Delta, The Transportation Department said and Southwest, have raised concerns United and Alaska already fy. the airlines would have to divest enough about how the proposed deal would af- In addition to enabling these new roundtrip slot pairs to facilitate 24 daily fect competition in Mexico City, citing routes, the new bilateral is signifcant services between the U.S. (JFK) and problems with gaining commercially for another reason: It was a prerequi- Mexico at Mexico City International viable slots there. site for SkyTeam partners Delta and (MEX), and to open six daily transbor- “While we recognize that other large AeroMexico to solidify a joint venture der fights in New York. In addition, it airline network competitors will also agreement. This was to allow the air- proposed limiting the antitrust immu- exert some degree of competition in lines to work more closely on schedul- nity for the partnership to fve years. the market, the department has previ- ing, route planning, sales and pricing, “The department tentatively finds ously found that LCCs have the great- and to increase their network and these conditions are necessary to pre- est competitive impact when entering frequencies within Mexico. vent harm to consumers resulting from constrained markets,” the Transporta- On Nov. 4, the U.S. Transportation the carriers’ dominant positions at MEX tion Department fling said. “We ten- Department proposed approving an- and JFK, and the inability of new entrant tatively believe that the same market titrust immunity for Delta and Aero- carriers to access slots at the airports,” dynamics will apply here and . . . to Mexico’s joint venture, but with condi- according to a Nov. 4 statement. keep the number of divested slots to tions including divestiture of slots in The Transportation Department also a minimum while achieving the neces-

JetBlue became the frst U.S. car- rier in more than 50 years to ofer Havana and Beyond scheduled service to Cuba. Its in- augural fight to the island nation’s Some U.S. airlines are cleared to ofer fights to Santa Clara took place on Aug. 31.

Cuba, but want later start dates American, JetBlue, Silver, Frontier, Southwest and Sun Country Airlines received awards. Those airlines will fy to Cuba’s nine secondary cities from fve U.S. cities: Miami, Chicago, Phila- delphia, Fort Lauderdale, Florida, and Minneapolis. JetBlue was the first airline to launch the renewed scheduled fights with its service between Fort Lauder- dale and Santa Clara, Cuba, on Aug. 31. The airline subsequently launched service to Camaguey, Cuba, on Nov. 3. Under the Transportation De- partment’s fnal order, airlines were required to start flights by Nov. 29. However, many carriers have re- JetBlue quested more time to start the fights Kristin Majcher Boston for various reasons. In many cases the extensions are only for a few days, but or the frst time in more than 50 coveted slots to the capital city through a few seek a longer period to prepare F years, U.S. carriers are ofering a fnal order released on Aug. 31. for Havana fights. scheduled fights to Cuba. How- The Transportation Department For example, Southwest Airlines re- ever, many airlines have asked for a elected to award services to Havana to quested an extension to Dec. 12. The bit more time to start Havana fights the following: Alaska Airlines, Ameri- airline had cited that date when it an- past the imposed deadline in late No- can Airlines, Delta Air Lines, Frontier nounced that tickets were on sale in vember, which falls right after the Airlines, JetBlue Airways, Southwest mid-October. The Transportation De- Thanksgiving holiday period. Airlines, Spirit Airlines and United partment approved the request in an Many services to Cuba have not Airlines. Two other carriers, Eastern Oct. 21 fling. yet started, and those that have are Air Lines and Silver Airways, were not “Due to airport facility constraints, relatively new. The U.S. Transporta- selected despite fling objections to the time required to train local support tion Department granted airlines in- Transportation Department’s tenta- personnel and the complexities as- creased access to Cuba’s non-Havana tive decision. sociated with positioning equipment frequencies in June, followed by 20 For the non-Havana frequencies, in Cuba, Southwest has determined

46 AviAtion Week & SpAce technology/noveMBeR 21-DeceMBeR 4, 2016 AviationWeek.com/awst

AW_11_21_2016_p44-47.indd 46 11/17/16 12:01 PM Airlines in lAtin AmericA ing frequency, and Interjet added the Mexico City and JFK. The airlines frst proposed that the slots be made avail- sary competitive discipline, we are ten- pave the way for Delta to increase its cantly more capacity in the long term, route on May 19. Southwest will also applied for antitrust immunity in late able only to low-cost carriers (LCC). tatively proposing to limit eligibility to stake in AeroMexico, the latter airline’s thanks to a new airport under construc- begin daily service between LAX and March 2015. Several airlines, including JetBlue acquire the divested slots to U.S. and CEO, Andres Conesa, mentioned on the tion there. According to a recent pre- Puerto Vallarta, a route that Delta, The Transportation Department said and Southwest, have raised concerns Mexican LCCs and low-fare carriers.” latest analyst call. Delta announced in sentation by airport planning ofcials, United and Alaska already fy. the airlines would have to divest enough about how the proposed deal would af- The airlines already accepted the November 2015 that it intended to ac- the facility will be designed to handle up In addition to enabling these new roundtrip slot pairs to facilitate 24 daily fect competition in Mexico City, citing terms of Mexico’s competition au- quire up to 49% of the carrier; at the to 68 million passengers per year during routes, the new bilateral is signifcant services between the U.S. (JFK) and problems with gaining commercially thority Cofece earlier this year, which time it owned about a 4.1% stake in the its frst phase of operation slated to run for another reason: It was a prerequi- Mexico at Mexico City International viable slots there. included a condition to yield eight slot carrier’s outstanding shares with an op- from 2020-30. By comparison, Mexico site for SkyTeam partners Delta and (MEX), and to open six daily transbor- “While we recognize that other large pairs in Mexico City to other carriers. tion to add a further 8.1%. City’s current airport trafc was about AeroMexico to solidify a joint venture der fights in New York. In addition, it airline network competitors will also In a separate proceeding from the Now that the Transportation Depart- 38.4 million passengers in 2015, airport agreement. This was to allow the air- proposed limiting the antitrust immu- exert some degree of competition in one pertaining to the proposed Delta- ment has issued a tentative decision, statistics show. In those 10 years, the lines to work more closely on schedul- nity for the partnership to fve years. the market, the department has previ- AeroMexico deal, Cofece issued a pre- airlines will be able to submit public airport will have three parallel runways ing, route planning, sales and pricing, “The department tentatively finds ously found that LCCs have the great- liminary report in February stating that comments about its specifc proposal. with simultaneous operations, and one and to increase their network and these conditions are necessary to pre- est competitive impact when entering the airport’s slot-allocation procedures Interested parties have until Nov. 18 to terminal building. frequencies within Mexico. vent harm to consumers resulting from constrained markets,” the Transporta- had anti-competitive efects, and pro- submit comments, and until Nov. 30 to Plans exist to further expand the On Nov. 4, the U.S. Transportation the carriers’ dominant positions at MEX tion Department fling said. “We ten- posed ways to amend those procedures. reply to them. After that, the Trans- airport’s footprint. At its maturity by Department proposed approving an- and JFK, and the inability of new entrant tatively believe that the same market The U.S. Transportation Department portation Department will make its f- 2065, it is anticipated the airport will titrust immunity for Delta and Aero- carriers to access slots at the airports,” dynamics will apply here and . . . to said it considered the report when it nal decision about whether to ofcially grow to 125 million passengers per year Mexico’s joint venture, but with condi- according to a Nov. 4 statement. keep the number of divested slots to drew up its tentative proposal. grant the carriers antitrust immunity. and have six parallel runways, with tions including divestiture of slots in The Transportation Department also a minimum while achieving the neces- In addition, antitrust immunity would Mexico City is poised to add signif- three able to operate simultaneously. c

JetBlue became the frst U.S. car- that a modest extension is in the best day, as well as Frontier Airlines for its the frequency so that it could start rier in more than 50 years to ofer interest of Southwest and our valued Miami-Havana fights and Spirit Air- nonstop daily fights between Boston Havana and Beyond scheduled service to Cuba. Its in- customers, as well as the entities and lines for its Fort Lauderdale-Havana and Havana, or at least “backup au- augural fight to the island nation’s personnel that will be supporting our route. thority” on the route in the event that Some U.S. airlines are cleared to ofer fights to Santa Clara took place on Aug. 31. operation at [Havana],” the carrier Delta Air Lines, which gained ap- Alaska did not use it in the future. wrote in its Transportation Depart- proval to start Havana flights from “While it is possible that a U.S. car- Cuba, but want later start dates American, JetBlue, Silver, Frontier, ment filing. “Indeed, Cuban officials New York’s John F. Kennedy Inter- rier might have legitimate reasons to Southwest and Sun Country Airlines recently suggested that Southwest national Airport, Atlanta and Miami, postpone the launch of Havana ser- received awards. Those airlines will fy consider initiating service in Decem- requested a two-day extension to vice for a few days past the 90-day to Cuba’s nine secondary cities from ber to allow all parties time to make start Havana fights on Dec. 1. It said deadline, particularly as the Nov. 29 fve U.S. cities: Miami, Chicago, Phila- fnal preparations.” the extension would allow it to better deadline follows immediately after the delphia, Fort Lauderdale, Florida, and JetBlue also cited airport issues in serve customers over the busy travel peak Thanksgiving travel weekend, a Minneapolis. an Oct. 31 fling, in which it asked the season around the Thanksgiving holi- 37-day delay is clearly a commercial JetBlue was the first airline to Transportation Department to grant day on Nov. 25. American Airlines also decision to not serve a new market launch the renewed scheduled fights it more time to start up daily frequen- has a pending request for a one-day over the December holiday season with its service between Fort Lauder- cies between Fort Lauderdale and Hol- extension to three of its four Miami- and evidences a lack of preparation dale and Santa Clara, Cuba, on Aug. guin, Cuba, which are set to start on Havana frequencies, as well as a one- and readiness to accept the depart- 31. The airline subsequently launched Nov. 10. day extension for its Charlotte, North ment award of this scarce resource,” service to Camaguey, Cuba, on Nov. 3. “Due to a delay in obtaining slots Carolina-Havana service. JetBlue said of Alaska’s proposal. Under the Transportation De- at Frank Pais Airport in Holguin, Most petitions for date adjustments In the end, the Transportation De- partment’s fnal order, airlines were JetBlue was unable to commit to went unchallenged by carriers, with the partment decided to grant Alaska the required to start flights by Nov. 29. daily service beginning on Nov. 10, exception of Alaska Airlines’ request to start-up extension for the route, and However, many carriers have re- 2016, without risking customer and push back its Havana-Los Angeles ser- denied JetBlue the backup authority. JetBlue quested more time to start the fights crewmember disruption related to vice more than a month, to Jan. 5. The “The department does not fnd Jet- Kristin Majcher Boston for various reasons. In many cases the its existing schedules for November carrier said the original late-November Blue’s objection sufciently compel- extensions are only for a few days, but and December, including aircraft al- start date was problematic because of ling to forgo the anticipated benefts or the frst time in more than 50 coveted slots to the capital city through a few seek a longer period to prepare location schedules,” the airline wrote the tourism restrictions on U.S. travel- of Alaska’s proposed Los Angeles- F years, U.S. carriers are ofering a fnal order released on Aug. 31. for Havana fights. in the fling. ers to Cuba, which still remain in efect. Havana service,” the Transportation scheduled fights to Cuba. How- The Transportation Department For example, Southwest Airlines re- The airline said it will still launch Although scheduled fights between the Department said in the fling. “The de- ever, many airlines have asked for a elected to award services to Havana to quested an extension to Dec. 12. The service on that day, but will run the U.S. and Cuba have begun, U.S. citizens partment recognizes that, in granting bit more time to start Havana fights the following: Alaska Airlines, Ameri- airline had cited that date when it an- service four times per week until Jan. are not allowed to visit Cuba solely for an extension of the start-up deadline, past the imposed deadline in late No- can Airlines, Delta Air Lines, Frontier nounced that tickets were on sale in 4 “when daily service will begin at op- tourism purposes. Alaska said most the anticipated benefits of Alaska’s vember, which falls right after the Airlines, JetBlue Airways, Southwest mid-October. The Transportation De- erationally feasible times.” U.S. travelers are visiting the Carib- service might be somewhat delayed. Thanksgiving holiday period. Airlines, Spirit Airlines and United partment approved the request in an The Transportation Department bean for leisure during this period, On balance, however, and in the cir- Many services to Cuba have not Airlines. Two other carriers, Eastern Oct. 21 fling. has also awarded several airlines short and the restrictions would limit their cumstances presented, the depart- yet started, and those that have are Air Lines and Silver Airways, were not “Due to airport facility constraints, extensions to initiate fights to Cuba, vacation plans. ment has determined that a relatively relatively new. The U.S. Transporta- selected despite fling objections to the time required to train local support with many opting to start the Havana JetBlue, however, promptly ob- short delay does not warrant the car- tion Department granted airlines in- Transportation Department’s tenta- personnel and the complexities as- services on Dec. 1. JetBlue was award- jected, and urged the Transportation rier’s loss of authority and the real- creased access to Cuba’s non-Havana tive decision. sociated with positioning equipment ed a two-day extension to begin Fort Department to deny Alaska Airlines’ location of the frequency to an alter- frequencies in June, followed by 20 For the non-Havana frequencies, in Cuba, Southwest has determined Lauderdale-Havana service on this request. It asked that it be granted native carrier and gateway,” it said.c

46 AviAtion Week & SpAce technology/noveMBeR 21-DeceMBeR 4, 2016 AviationWeek.com/awst AviationWeek.com/awst AviAtion Week & SpAce technology/noveMBeR 21-DeceMBeR 4, 2016 47

AW_11_21_2016_p44-47.indd 46 11/17/16 12:01 PM AW_11_21_2016_p44-47.indd 47 11/17/16 12:01 PM AviAtion Week 2016 ProgrAm excellence AWArds

As Diffcult as it is to Achieve, 2016 Program Excellence Award Winners Hit the Mark n today’s aerospace and defense environment, make a system work better, boost a team to improved Iachieving excellence is no easy task. Programs are effciency, or innovate a process or technology that will more complex, their technologies more advanced, keep the program relevant. their customers ever-more demanding. This year’s Program Excellance nominated Whether it’s guarding the borders, managing air programs were judged on the basis of creating value— traffc, designing an all-new system or sustaining an for customers but also for the companies and entire aircraft that has fown for decades, program managers value chain involved in the program; managing continue to push to higher levels of employee market and technological complexity; organizational engagement, to learn from the experience of others, and excellence; and metrics that exceed basic requirements to carefully look at data and trends to determine what to indicate ongoing ability to execute. might happen. Each program team submitted data for the period And it is in this cloudy area of what might January 2013 to January 2016. Evaluators included happen that true program leaders identify unknown program leadership experts from industry, academia risks. Or they see a gap, a glimmer of opportunity to and government agencies.

The Aviation Week’s Program Excellence Awards were established in 2004 as a joint effort by leaders from government agencies, academia and industry to identify best practices and develop the next generation of program leaders.

2016 Program the unique aspects of this that affects every program sub-systEm Special Project was a unique but that isn’t usually fully r&D/systEm ExcEllEncE measure—“willingness”— understood as a program DEsign which was the gauge as to necessity. DEvEloPmEnt WinnErs acceptance of help on a topic james Webb observa- sPEcial tory telescope Program ProjEcts Program Leader: Scott national C. Texter, Telescope cyber range Program Manager, Program Leader: Patrick Northrop Grumman Lardieri, Chief Engineer/ The Webb Telescope is in- Lockheed Martin Fellow tended to observe the birth The National Cyber Range and evolution of the frst helps Defense Department stars and galaxies, which development programs un- came into existence after derstand and mitigate their the Big Bang. In addition system’s cyber-attack surface to developing this one-of- in a broad system-of-systems a-kind telescope, the team operational environment, broke the cost/learning and helps cyber warriors curve—the holy grail of train to defend US systems Lockheed Martin’s National Cyber Range program claimed the Special Projects category award. program leadership. The against adversaries with Patrick Lardieri, right, is the program’s chief engineer. Joining him are, from left, Peter Christensen, Telescope has, in effect, constantly changing tactics director of the NCR for the Defense Departmebnt’s Test Resource Management Center, and Carole experienced an equivalent Rickard Hedden, Aviation Week’s Program Excellence project leader. (Photo Credit: Guy Mancuso and technology. Among Photography) doubling of capability per Program Excellence Awards are proudly supported by:

48 AviAtion Week & SpAce technology/november 21, 2016 AviationWeek.com/awst

2016 Program Exel16_F.indd 48 11/15/16 11:11 AM AviAtion Week 2016 ProgrAm excellence AWArds AviAtion Week 2016 ProgrAm excellence AWArds

As Diffcult as it is to Achieve, 2016 Program Excellence Award unit cost, about every four Program Leaders: John years. Halvey, JJV President, Winners Hit the Mark Along the way to Raytheon; and Richard delivering to more than Benton, JJV Vice Presi- n today’s aerospace and defense environment, make a system work better, boost a team to improved 13,000 requirements, the dent, Lockheed Martin achieving excellence is no easy task. Programs are effciency, or innovate a process or technology that will team refned best practices The program enabled suc- I in supply chain teaming, cessful missions in Southwest more complex, their technologies more advanced, keep the program relevant. their customers ever-more demanding. This year’s Program Excellance nominated handling and dispensing Asia, better than 99% mis- Whether it’s guarding the borders, managing air programs were judged on the basis of creating value— of risk, and putting into sion reliability, and less than place predictive indicators 2-day material availability traffc, designing an all-new system or sustaining an for customers but also for the companies and entire to cover more than 50,000 while providing $45M sav- aircraft that has fown for decades, program managers value chain involved in the program; managing logic-linked tasks. ings over the past 2 years. continue to push to higher levels of employee market and technological complexity; organizational The effort has a mix of both engagement, to learn from the experience of others, and excellence; and metrics that exceed basic requirements Sub-SyStem LeveL Firm-Fixed Price and Cost Sub-System Research and Development/System Design Development winning award went to the to carefully look at data and trends to determine what to indicate ongoing ability to execute. James Webb Space Telescope program. Aviation Week’s Carole Rickard Hedden congratulates Lee Production Plus Fixed Fee agreements. Feinberg (center), telescope manager for NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, and Scott C. Texter, might happen. Each program team submitted data for the period mars Atmosphere and Modeling using real data telescope manager for the James Webb Space System, Northrop Grumman Aerospace. (Photo And it is in this cloudy area of what might January 2013 to January 2016. Evaluators included volatile evolution mission from the previous contract Credit: Guy Mancuso Photography) happen that true program leaders identify unknown program leadership experts from industry, academia (mAven) versus directed OPTEMPO risks. Or they see a gap, a glimmer of opportunity to and government agencies. Program Leader: Guy and reliability failure projec- Beutelschies, MAVEN tions allowed for extremely Program Manager, Lock- accurate supportability pre- The Aviation Week’s Program Excellence Awards were established in 2004 as a joint effort by leaders from government heed Martin dictions—and improved over agencies, academia and industry to identify best practices and develop the next generation of program leaders. Long ago, Mars had rivers, all performance. lakes, and oceans; today it is 2016 Program the unique aspects of this that affects every program sub-systEm a barren desert, indicating SyStem LeveL r&d/ Special Project was a unique but that isn’t usually fully r&D/systEm the atmosphere was once SyStem deSign ExcEllEncE measure—“willingness”— understood as a program DEsign much thicker than it is to- And deveLoPment which was the gauge as to necessity. DEvEloPmEnt day. The Mars Atmosphere boeing’s mH-47g new WinnErs acceptance of help on a topic james Webb observa- and Volatile Evolution (MA- build sPEcial tory telescope Program VEN) mission is designed Chuck Dabundo, Vice ProjEcts Program Leader: Scott to fgure out what happened President of Cargo He- national C. Texter, Telescope to the Martian atmosphere. licopter Programs/H-47 The space sector of the aerospace and defense industry also claimed the sub-system production cyber range Program Manager, MAVEN represented an Program Manager, Boe- category award. Guy Beutelschies, director of the Mars Atmosphere & Volatile Evolution Mission for Program Leader: Patrick Northrop Grumman opportunity demonstrate ing Defense Space & Lockheed Martin, receives the award at the annual Program Excellence Awards banquet. With him Lardieri, Chief Engineer/ The Webb Telescope is in- innovative management Security is Aviation Week’s Carole Rickard Hedden. (Photo Credit: Guy Mancuso Photography) Lockheed Martin Fellow tended to observe the birth techniques for controlling This team developed and The National Cyber Range and evolution of the frst costs. Planetary spacecraft delivered its frst aircraft in helps Defense Department stars and galaxies, which are expected to meet all of less than 24 months—to the development programs un- came into existence after its mission requirements delight of the team’s Special derstand and mitigate their the Big Bang. In addition including the hard launch Operations Command cus- system’s cyber-attack surface to developing this one-of- deadlines dictated by orbital tomer. The team transformed in a broad system-of-systems a-kind telescope, the team mechanics, but to do so older CH-47 aircraft into operational environment, broke the cost/learning while under running budget new, long range, assault and helps cyber warriors curve—the holy grail of by 8% is unprecedented. aircraft. Using a new air- train to defend US systems Lockheed Martin’s National Cyber Range program claimed the Special Projects category award. program leadership. The The team also worked to frame baseline developed for against adversaries with Patrick Lardieri, right, is the program’s chief engineer. Joining him are, from left, Peter Christensen, Telescope has, in effect, reduce complexity, while Canada, the program team constantly changing tactics director of the NCR for the Defense Departmebnt’s Test Resource Management Center, and Carole experienced an equivalent increasing the spacecraft’s designed a monolithic frame, Rickard Hedden, Aviation Week’s Program Excellence project leader. (Photo Credit: Guy Mancuso and technology. Among Photography) doubling of capability per fexibility in use. reducing manufacturing time but also increasing the Program Excellence Awards are proudly supported by: Sub-SyStem LeveL airframe’s strength and “tun- SuStAinment ing” that frame to reduce The Javelin missile remains one of the U.S. Army’s most dependable – and affordable – missile Javelin Joint venture Life vibration. The close work systems, thanks to the work of the Javelin Joint Venture, a partnership between Raytheon and between SOCOM, Boeing Lockheed Martin. The JV’s leaders are John Halvey (left), president of JJV from Raytheon, and cycle contract Support Richard Benton, JJV vice president from Lockheed Martin. Congratulating the duo is Jen DiMascio, Program and suppliers allowed sup- Aviation Week’s managing editor-defense and space. (Photo Credit: Guy Mancuso Photography)

48 AviAtion Week & SpAce technology/november 21, 2016 AviationWeek.com/awst AviationWeek.com/awst AviAtion Week & SpAce technology/november 21, 2016 49

2016 Program Exel16_F.indd 48 11/15/16 11:11 AM 2016 Program Exel16_F.indd 49 11/15/16 11:12 AM AviAtion Week 2016 ProgrAm excellence AWArds

Advanced EHF Programs, Barrett, managing direc- Lockheed Martin tor for Aquila Air Traffc This is the story of how Management Services a military space systems This program transformed team dug deep into its terminal air traffc man- commercial satellite roots, agement for all MoD sites crafting a balanced ap- around the world to enable proach to deliver on a fxed civil and military aircraft price commitment, achiev- to operate safely in military ing production effciencies terminal airspace with no and extraordinary mission loss of tactical freedom. success. Lockheed Martin Project Marshall combined proceeded in advance of the 70 different projects into contract options closure to a single effort. The only Sometimes making what is old all-new again makes a critical difference for the end-user, the acquire long-lead items at requirement was output of warfghter. Such is the case for this year’s System R&D/SDD winning program, the MH-47 New risk. This resulted in cost- fights handled, with no BuildMH-47. The refresh of the Chinook, from airframe to sub-systems, was completed in 24 per-hour savings , build defnition of the technology months using a digital design-to-production approach. Celebrating the win for the Boeing team are (from left to right) Charles Lee, David Koopersmith, Scott Merrell, Chuck Dabundo, Kevin Cohen, over build, of 20% to 40% required included. With Rob Boyton, Jeff Harling and Aviation Week’s Jen DiMascio, managing editor-defense and space. depending on the maturity/ a combined effort from (Photo Credit: Guy Mancuso Photography) complexity of the part. the Aquila program offce, Parts defects dropped 80% Thales and the UK’s Na- from frst build to last. In tional Air Traffc Systems, addition, the satellite car- the team dramatically in- ries two payloads—one that creased system availability is new generation and a sec- and fight throughput, ond that deals with legacy achieved required certif- systems, providing an easy cation and has built in a mode of transition. The process to continuously up- team designed next-gen- grade the operations. In all, eration systems that took Project Marshall has saved advantage of components, the British government 1 subsystems and spacecraft billion pounds. that were previously prov- en. Another philosophy was Aviation Week’s Program Excellence awards recognize more than that which flies – the to provide opportunities for 2016 Program infrastructure required is just as important. This year’s System Sustainment program winner people to rotate within the is Project Marshall, a UK Ministry of Defense program to transform and maintain air traffic program. Thus an engineer exceLLence management for MoD sites around the world, for both civil and military aircraft. Aquila Air Traffc who started on the produc- Management Services — a venture between Thales and the UK’s NATS — took the award home. Accepting the award from Jen DiMascio, Aviation Week’s managing editor-space and defense, tion foor could rotate into FinaLiStS are (left) Tedd Davies, deputy for the UK MoD Prject Marshall Offce, and (center) Justin Barratt, a systems engineering posi- managing director, Aquila Air Traffc Management Services/Thales. (Photo Credit: Guy Mancuso tion on the program, and Photography) then support on-orbit mis- SPeciaL ProjectS sion test operations—creat- c-17 Program transition pliers to plan more realisti- the team moved forward. ing a learning environment, Troy Dawson, VP/Program cally, reducing time and but also keeping employees Manager, The Boeing Co. cost. The engineering team SyStem LeveL engaged with the mission. used a new digital design ap- Production Hunter unmanned air- proach to reduce errors and mobile user objective SyStem LeveL craft System Program interference while improving System Program SuStainment Stephen W. Wilson, Pro- frst-time quality. This digi- Program Leader: Iris aquila air traffc man- gram Manager, Northrop tal approach became part of Bombelyn, former MUOS agement Services’ Project Grumman Technology the team’s DNA—modeling program manager and marshall/uK ministry of Services provided visual context, and current VP of Protected defense enabled virtual reviews as Communications and Program Leader: Justin indianapolis operations

50 AviAtion Week & SpAce technology/november 21, 2016 AviationWeek.com/awst

2016 Program Exel16_F.indd 50 11/15/16 11:12 AM AviAtion Week 2016 ProgrAm excellence AWArds AviAtion Week 2016 ProgrAm excellence AWArds

Advanced EHF Programs, Barrett, managing direc- Production System Warhead engineering & Lockheed Martin tor for Aquila Air Traffc Allan Swan, VP Opera- manufacturing and Devel- 2016 Best Next Practices This is the story of how Management Services tions, Rolls-Royce U.S. De- opment (GmLRS AW emD) a military space systems This program transformed fense Sector Aubert Clanan, Program TranslaTing Program ProPosal To Program team dug deep into its terminal air traffc man- Manager, Lockheed realiTy commercial satellite roots, agement for all MoD sites Wes Sloan, Head of Martin Missiles and Fire au bert Clanan, Program manager-gmlrs aW emD, crafting a balanced ap- around the world to enable Operations Capability, Control lockheed martin missiles and Fire Control proach to deliver on a fxed civil and military aircraft Rolls-Royce Jo el Friederich, VP Public safety & Home land security price commitment, achiev- to operate safely in military SyStem ing production effciencies terminal airspace with no Sub-SyStem PRoDuction systems, elbit systems of america (alpha team and and extraordinary mission loss of tactical freedom. R&D/SDD integrated Fixed tower baseline index) success. Lockheed Martin Project Marshall combined Adaptive Vehicle man- System Ke nt r. selby, sr. Program manager-Honeywell aPs afoat, proceeded in advance of the 70 different projects into agement System Joel Friederich, VP Pub- Honeywell Technology solutions inc./KBrwyle (tracking contract options closure to a single effort. The only Jamie Dryfoos, AVMS lic Safety & Home Land key bid assumptions) Sometimes making what is old all-new again makes a critical difference for the end-user, the acquire long-lead items at requirement was output of Program Manager, Security Systems, Elbit ri chard C. robinson, Director, Dla support Programs/Boeing warfghter. Such is the case for this year’s System R&D/SDD winning program, the MH-47 New risk. This resulted in cost- fights handled, with no The Boeing Co. Systems of America BuildMH-47. The refresh of the Chinook, from airframe to sub-systems, was completed in 24 per-hour savings , build defnition of the technology Captains of industry, The Boeing Co. (proposal turnaround months using a digital design-to-production approach. Celebrating the win for the Boeing team are and time to award metrics) (from left to right) Charles Lee, David Koopersmith, Scott Merrell, Chuck Dabundo, Kevin Cohen, over build, of 20% to 40% required included. With t408/Ge38 engine GPS iiF Satellite Rob Boyton, Jeff Harling and Aviation Week’s Jen DiMascio, managing editor-defense and space. depending on the maturity/ a combined effort from Program Munzir Badawi, GPS (Photo Credit: Guy Mancuso Photography) complexity of the part. the Aquila program offce, Paul Acquaviva, Program Program Manager, The WHiCH BesT meTriCs, anD WHy? Parts defects dropped 80% Thales and the UK’s Na- Director, GE Aviation Boeing Co. ri chard Benton, Javelin JV Vice President, lockheed martin from frst build to last. In tional Air Traffc Systems, missiles & Fire Control (what happens when govt changes addition, the satellite car- the team dramatically in- Long Range Anti-Ship SyStem ries two payloads—one that creased system availability missile (LRASm) SuStAinment CPars – and managing through it) is new generation and a sec- and fight throughput, Mike Fleming, Program Army Prepositioned gl en Cushman, Program manager-F-22 Training systems, ond that deals with legacy achieved required certif- Director, Lockheed Martin Stocks-Afoat (APS-3) The Boeing Co. (metrics along the way to improving speed/ systems, providing an easy cation and has built in a Corp. Kent R. Selby, Sr. Pro- cycle) mode of transition. The process to continuously up- gram Manager, Honey- Ti m Van luven, sr. Director, UsaF Programs/secondary team designed next-gen- grade the operations. In all, SyStem well Technology Solutions Power logistics solutions, eration systems that took Project Marshall has saved PRoDuction Inc. (now KBRwyle) advantage of components, the British government 1 Data Repositories Pro- (availability, reliability and quality linked to business subsystems and spacecraft billion pounds. gram H-60 Performance based systems) that were previously prov- Kristie Harris, Program Logistics Program ro n struble, Program manager Bell V-280 Valor, en. Another philosophy was Manager, Northrop Rod Skotty, President, spiritaerosystems (shifting supply chain to “best Aviation Week’s Program Excellence awards recognize more than that which flies – the to provide opportunities for 2016 Program Grumman Mission Sys- Maritime Helicopter Sup- delivery” metric) infrastructure required is just as important. This year’s System Sustainment program winner people to rotate within the tems Division port Co. is Project Marshall, a UK Ministry of Defense program to transform and maintain air traffic program. Thus an engineer exceLLence management for MoD sites around the world, for both civil and military aircraft. Aquila Air Traffc who started on the produc- Sub-SyStem northrop Grumman inTegraTing lessons learneD/BesT PraCTiCes Management Services — a venture between Thales and the UK’s NATS — took the award home. Pa ul acquaviva, Program Director-T408/ge38 engine Accepting the award from Jen DiMascio, Aviation Week’s managing editor-space and defense, tion foor could rotate into FinaLiStS SuStAinment Autonomous Systems/ are (left) Tedd Davies, deputy for the UK MoD Prject Marshall Offce, and (center) Justin Barratt, a systems engineering posi- Ground-based midcourse RQ-4 Global Hawk Program, ge aviation (integrating lessons learned from managing director, Aquila Air Traffc Management Services/Thales. (Photo Credit: Guy Mancuso tion on the program, and Defense Michael W. Jaggers, both military and commercial engine programs) Photography) then support on-orbit mis- SPeciaL ProjectS Robert A. Green, VP and Program Man- ir is Bombelyn, Vice President, Protected Communications/ sion test operations—creat- c-17 Program transition Program Manager, ager, Northrop Grumman mUos, lockheed martin space systems (setting the tone/ pliers to plan more realisti- the team moved forward. ing a learning environment, Troy Dawson, VP/Program The Boeing Co. Corp. cally, reducing time and but also keeping employees Manager, The Boeing Co. the book, movie, but the program always frst) cost. The engineering team SyStem LeveL engaged with the mission. Secondary Power boeing captains of Kr istie Harris, Program manager (acting)-Data repositories, used a new digital design ap- Production Hunter unmanned air- Logistics industry northrop grumman mission systems Division proach to reduce errors and mobile user objective SyStem LeveL craft System Program Tim Van Luven, Sr. Direc- Richard Robinson, Di- (transitioning lessons learned into effort) interference while improving System Program SuStainment Stephen W. Wilson, Pro- tor, USAF Programs, Hon- rector DLA Support Pro- Pa trick lardieri, Chief engineer and Fellow, national Cyber frst-time quality. This digi- Program Leader: Iris aquila air traffc man- gram Manager, Northrop eywell Aerospace grams, Boeing Defense range, lockheed martin (why “willingness is important tal approach became part of Bombelyn, former MUOS agement Services’ Project Grumman Technology Space & Security the team’s DNA—modeling program manager and marshall/uK ministry of Services SyStem R&D/SDD and how to measure it) provided visual context, and current VP of Protected defense Guided multiple Launch al lan swan, VP operations, rolls-royce (create a rallying enabled virtual reviews as Communications and Program Leader: Justin indianapolis operations Rocket System Alternative cry to succeed)

50 AviAtion Week & SpAce technology/november 21, 2016 AviationWeek.com/awst AviationWeek.com/awst AviAtion Week & SpAce technology/november 21, 2016 51

2016 Program Exel16_F.indd 50 11/15/16 11:12 AM 2016 Program Exel16_F.indd 51 11/15/16 11:12 AM COMMERCIAL AVIATION

capacity deployment to ensure the best utilization of our Slowing Down fl eet in order to serve customer demand.” Developments at Emirates are closely watched by Airbus, as the airline is Emirates and Turkish Airlines feel the current life insurance for the struggling A380 program. The carrier identifi ed three major factors for the deteriora- the pinch in their profi t margins tion of its results: the strength of the U.S. dollar, which af ects its cost base, as the United Arab Emirates dirham is tied to it, Jens Flottau Frankfurt and Cathy Buyck Brussels while the shortage of hard currency in some African countries has forced the airline to consider withdrawing or reducing he big three Gulf carriers and Turkish Airlines have services; geopolitics; and the weak economic climate. Tlong been perceived as a dangerous threat to established Turkish Airlines is now also deep in crisis mode and, judg- legacy airlines in Asia, Europe and the Americas. But ing by its fl eet plans, it expects to remain there a long time. the latest trends at Emirates Airline and Turkish show that The carrier is making a sharp U-turn as far as expansion is the fast-growing superconnectors are by no means insulated concerned and is scaling down both its short-haul and, more against external shocks. signifi cantly, its long-haul fl eet in the coming years. In fact, their latest results are alarming. And if the trends Revenue in the nine months fell 6.1% while total expenses continue, the four carriers could well have their steepest increased 7%. Consequently, the carrier posted a $463 mil- growth behind them for now. Turkish is even announcing a sig- lion net loss, compared to an $872 million net profi t in the nifi cant reduction in fl eet size. The development is also remark- year-ago period. Following a fi rst half deeply in the red, net able in the context of the recent fi erce dispute about alleged profi t in the third quarter took a 60.9% dive, to $184 mil- subsidies and market access—the pressure for competitors lion. Business and consumer uncertainty due to terrorist in Europe, the U.S. and Asia may now be somewhat reduced. attacks in Turkey and Europe, the failed Turkish coup in Emirates, the biggest of the three Gulf carriers and the only July and subsequent political tension, and overcapacity in one to publish audited fi nancial reports, warns it does not see Emirates has no plans to de- fer aircraft deliveries, includ- ing for Airbus A380s, despite a massive drop in profi ts.

signs of market improvement TONY OSBORNE/AW&ST after posting much-deteriorat- ed results for the fi rst six months of its fi nancial year. many markets are factors increasingly dampening the air- “The bleak global economic outlook appears to be the new line’s performance and outlook. norm, with no immediate resolution in sight,” Emirates Group The carrier’s fl eet will be reduced to 324 aircraft in 2017 and Chairman and CEO Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum 320 in 2018, down from 333 at the end of this year. The number says. “Increased competition as well as the sustained eco- of narrowbody aircraft will be cut from 234 at the end of 2016 nomic and political uncertainty in many parts of the world to 221 in 2017 and 217 in 2018. The number of widebody aircraft have added downward pressure on prices as well as dampened is still showing growth from 86 units now to 94 in 2017 and travel demand.” 2018. But Turkish will cut back its long-haul fl eet in several The carrier, one of the fastest-growing and financially steps by almost 30% to a mere 70 aircraft in 2023. healthiest airlines worldwide, suf ered a 75% contraction in The company disclosed to the Istanbul stock market on net profi t (to $214 million) in the fi rst six months of its fi scal Oct. 7 that it had decided to reschedule the deliveries of 92 year to Sept. 30. Its net profi t margin of 1.9% is far below the Airbus A321neos, 65 Boeing 737-8s and 10 737-9s that were profi tability levels enjoyed by North American and even some planned to enter the fl eet in 2018-22. Turkish so far has not European carriers. And it burnt through a bout $2 billion in confi rmed reports that it is grounding up to 30 aircraft, of net cash in six months mainly to fund aircraft acquisitions. which 12 Airbus A330-200s are allegedly already parked at While Emirates did not disclose precise yield numbers, Antalya Airport. the trend has been very negative: The airline unit’s revenues In 2017, Turkish Airlines is scaling down its capacity dropped by 1% to $11.4 billion, despite a 9% increase in pas- growth to just 1% and will even decrease seat production senger numbers and an 8% increase in revenue passenger by 1% in 2018. As recently as August, the airline had still kilometers (RPK). Emirates also grew capacity by 12%, planned for 5% seat growth in 2018. leading to a three-point drop in its load factor, which was a Over the fi rst nine months of the year, Turkish recorded relatively low 75.3%. a systemwide 17.2% revenue-per-available-seat-kilometer The gap between capacity and demand could widen in the (RASK) contraction ( a drop of 15% excluding currency ef- next six months: In the fi rst half of the year, the carrier took fects) and a 14.1% year-on-year decline in yield, or an 11.7% fall eight more Airbus 380s and eight Boeing 777-300ERs, though excluding currency ef ects. The airline increased capacity by it also retired 19 aircraft. The net result is a small reduction in 14.3% in the fi rst nine months of the year, but traf c did not aircraft to 248 units. However, in the second half it is due to re- follow the same pace. RPKs grew only 8.2% year-on-year and ceive 20 additional aircraft and so far plans to retire only eight. passengers carried 3.9%, load factor suf ered a decline of 4.2 “There are no plans to cut or slow down deliveries,” an percentage points to 74.5% systemwide. Last year, Turkish Emirates spokesperson says. “We constantly review our Airlines recorded a 12% increase in passengers carried. c

52 AVIATION WEEK & SPACE TECHNOLOGY/NOVEMBER 21-DECEMBER 4, 2016 AviationWeek.com/awst

AW_11_21_2016_p52.indd 52 11/16/16 11:20 AM COMMERCIAL AVIATION PROPULSION capacity deployment to ensure the best utilization of our Los Angeles, the 62,000-ft.2 facility is Slowing Down fl eet in order to serve customer demand.” Developments at Twin Thrusts already producing initial silicon car- Emirates are closely watched by Airbus, as the airline is bide fiber-reinforced silicon carbide Emirates and Turkish Airlines feel the current life insurance for the struggling A380 program. Propulsive and thermodynamic advances mark (Sic/SiC) matrix CMC test panels that The carrier identifi ed three major factors for the deteriora- will form the basis for next-generation the pinch in their profi t margins tion of its results: the strength of the U.S. dollar, which af ects progress on Rolls-Royce advanced product plan components to be tested in future Rolls- its cost base, as the United Arab Emirates dirham is tied to it, Royce technology demonstrators. The Jens Flottau Frankfurt and Cathy Buyck Brussels while the shortage of hard currency in some African countries Guy Norris Los Angeles unit, which employs just over 50 staf, is has forced the airline to consider withdrawing or reducing expected to grow to about 100 as work he big three Gulf carriers and Turkish Airlines have services; geopolitics; and the weak economic climate. increases. Tlong been perceived as a dangerous threat to established Turkish Airlines is now also deep in crisis mode and, judg- The core of the employees came legacy airlines in Asia, Europe and the Americas. But ing by its fl eet plans, it expects to remain there a long time. from Hyper-Therm High-Temperature the latest trends at Emirates Airline and Turkish show that The carrier is making a sharp U-turn as far as expansion is Composites Inc., a specialist engineer- the fast-growing superconnectors are by no means insulated concerned and is scaling down both its short-haul and, more ing company based in nearby Hunting- against external shocks. signifi cantly, its long-haul fl eet in the coming years. ton Beach that Rolls acquired in 2013. In fact, their latest results are alarming. And if the trends Revenue in the nine months fell 6.1% while total expenses continue, the four carriers could well have their steepest increased 7%. Consequently, the carrier posted a $463 mil- Versions of the power gearbox growth behind them for now. Turkish is even announcing a sig- lion net loss, compared to an $872 million net profi t in the under test in Dahlewitz, Germany, nifi cant reduction in fl eet size. The development is also remark- year-ago period. Following a fi rst half deeply in the red, net will feature in the UltraFan. able in the context of the recent fi erce dispute about alleged profi t in the third quarter took a 60.9% dive, to $184 mil- subsidies and market access—the pressure for competitors lion. Business and consumer uncertainty due to terrorist Rolls developed the facility in Cypress in Europe, the U.S. and Asia may now be somewhat reduced. attacks in Turkey and Europe, the failed Turkish coup in for planned expansion and began phas- Emirates, the biggest of the three Gulf carriers and the only July and subsequent political tension, and overcapacity in ing over to the new site this April. The one to publish audited fi nancial transition is due to be completed in No- reports, warns it does not see vember, when the old site will make its fnal batch of CMC products. Emirates has no plans to de- CMC components from the original fer aircraft deliveries, includ- Huntington Beach facility are running ing for Airbus A380s, despite Rolls-Royce in the Advance3, an engine demon- a massive drop in profi ts. olls-Royce has begun tests of a The gear system, developed by Rolls strator that will pave the way for the R powerful gearbox and inaugu- and made by joint-venture partner Advance turbofan—a follow-on engine signs of market improvement TONY OSBORNE/AW&ST rated a research site focused on Liebherr-Aerospace, was produced in family to the current Trent that Rolls after posting much-deteriorat- high-temperature composite materials, Friedrichshafen, Germany, and tested is targeting for development at the ed results for the fi rst six months of its fi nancial year. many markets are factors increasingly dampening the air- both key steps toward its future vision at the engine-maker’s purpose-built turn of the decade. Together with the “The bleak global economic outlook appears to be the new line’s performance and outlook. of developing an all-new family of ad- power gearbox (PGB) evaluation facil- PGB rig, the Advance3 demonstrator norm, with no immediate resolution in sight,” Emirates Group The carrier’s fl eet will be reduced to 324 aircraft in 2017 and vanced very-high-bypass-ratio turbofan ity in Dahlewitz, near Berlin. The frst forms fundamental building blocks of Chairman and CEO Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum 320 in 2018, down from 333 at the end of this year. The number engines for the mid-2020s. run—on the site’s Attitude Rig, which the new family plan architecture. While says. “Increased competition as well as the sustained eco- of narrowbody aircraft will be cut from 234 at the end of 2016 The two events mark major mile- runs the gearbox at various angles sim- the Advance core is the foundation for nomic and political uncertainty in many parts of the world to 221 in 2017 and 217 in 2018. The number of widebody aircraft stones on the company’s strategic road ulating climbing, banking and descend- the follow-on Trent engine, it will also have added downward pressure on prices as well as dampened is still showing growth from 86 units now to 94 in 2017 and map to developing a next-generation ing—confirmed rig dynamics and oil ultimately be married with the gear sys- travel demand.” 2018. But Turkish will cut back its long-haul fl eet in several product family based on leaps in pro- system functionality at low pressures tem to form the UltraFan. The carrier, one of the fastest-growing and financially steps by almost 30% to a mere 70 aircraft in 2023. pulsive and thermodynamic efciency. and speeds, Rolls says. Steve Richards, president and gen- healthiest airlines worldwide, suf ered a 75% contraction in The company disclosed to the Istanbul stock market on The plan will culminate in the UltraFan, The company, which cites earlier her- eral manager of Rolls-Royce High Tem- net profi t (to $214 million) in the fi rst six months of its fi scal Oct. 7 that it had decided to reschedule the deliveries of 92 an engine aimed at future airliners for itage gear drive system experience with perature Composites (HTC) and head year to Sept. 30. Its net profi t margin of 1.9% is far below the Airbus A321neos, 65 Boeing 737-8s and 10 737-9s that were 2025 onward and the frst Rolls-Royce turboprops such as the AE2100 and T56 of CMC programs at Rolls, says the profi tability levels enjoyed by North American and even some planned to enter the fl eet in 2018-22. Turkish so far has not large commercial turbofan to incorpo- and the lift fan for the F-35 Joint Strike facility will pave the way for methods European carriers. And it burnt through a bout $2 billion in confi rmed reports that it is grounding up to 30 aircraft, of rate a gear-driven fan. Fighter, says gear tests will eventually of large-scale Sic/SiC CMC manufac- net cash in six months mainly to fund aircraft acquisitions. which 12 Airbus A330-200s are allegedly already parked at Aimed at medium- and high-power reach up to 100,000 hp. “More advanced turing. “The facility we came out of is While Emirates did not disclose precise yield numbers, Antalya Airport. applications up to the 100,000-lb.- testing will take place during the rest of 18,000 ft.2 and this is three times as the trend has been very negative: The airline unit’s revenues In 2017, Turkish Airlines is scaling down its capacity thrust range, the UltraFan will have a the year to provide additional data on large. We have only flled out two-thirds dropped by 1% to $11.4 billion, despite a 9% increase in pas- growth to just 1% and will even decrease seat production very large, 15:1 bypass ratio and overall low-power high-speed combinations at of the space, so there is expansion capa- senger numbers and an 8% increase in revenue passenger by 1% in 2018. As recently as August, the airline had still pressure ratio of 70:1. For the higher- various pitch and roll angles and at dif- bility here. There are a number of com- kilometers (RPK). Emirates also grew capacity by 12%, planned for 5% seat growth in 2018. thrust family variants this is expected ferent simulated altitudes. High-power ponents we are going to progressively leading to a three-point drop in its load factor, which was a Over the fi rst nine months of the year, Turkish recorded to provide a fuel-burn improvement of testing will take place next year on the march through, and the idea is we will relatively low 75.3%. a systemwide 17.2% revenue-per-available-seat-kilometer at least 25% over the Trent 700. The PGB Power Rig where the gearbox will standardize a method of manufacture The gap between capacity and demand could widen in the (RASK) contraction ( a drop of 15% excluding currency ef- gains in propulsive efciency will come reach full power,” it adds. so we can productionize that.” next six months: In the fi rst half of the year, the carrier took fects) and a 14.1% year-on-year decline in yield, or an 11.7% fall largely from development of a large, Research and development of CMCs The Rolls-Royce CMC development eight more Airbus 380s and eight Boeing 777-300ERs, though excluding currency ef ects. The airline increased capacity by gear-driven lightweight fan, while for hot-section components in the Ul- “road map takes us through a lot of hot it also retired 19 aircraft. The net result is a small reduction in 14.3% in the fi rst nine months of the year, but traf c did not thermodynamic gains in the core will traFan is meanwhile stepping up in parts, starting with static structures,” aircraft to 248 units. However, in the second half it is due to re- follow the same pace. RPKs grew only 8.2% year-on-year and derive from a higher-compression core California, where the company ofcially Richards says. These will be the sim- ceive 20 additional aircraft and so far plans to retire only eight. passengers carried 3.9%, load factor suf ered a decline of 4.2 incorporating advanced heat-tolerant dedicated a newly developed high-tem- pler structures frst, then more com- “There are no plans to cut or slow down deliveries,” an percentage points to 74.5% systemwide. Last year, Turkish ceramic matrix composites (CMC) and perature composites research facility plex parts, but the goal is all the way Emirates spokesperson says. “We constantly review our Airlines recorded a 12% increase in passengers carried. c other new materials. on Oct. 27. Based in Cypress, south of through the rotating parts. We have

52 AVIATION WEEK & SPACE TECHNOLOGY/NOVEMBER 21-DECEMBER 4, 2016 AviationWeek.com/awst AviationWeek.com/awst AviAtion Week & SpAce technology/noveMBeR 21-DeceMBeR 4, 2016 53

AW_11_21_2016_p52.indd 52 11/16/16 11:20 AM AW_11_21_2016_p53-56.indd 53 11/17/16 12:09 PM PROPULSION

not committed exactly when we will get nor engine from the Airbus A350-1000 als. The CMC in the Advance3 will not there for some of the products to get to certifcation and test efort and follows be the same one that goes into the next frst application.” on from the Trent 1000-based EFE demonstrator,” says Allan Jamieson, Whereas initial CMC elements tested (Environmentally Friendly Engine) manufacturing engineering manager in Advance3 “went along for the ride,” demonstrator program. Initial CMC at Rolls-Royce HTC. “We are used to Richards says the true thermodynam- applications envisaged by Rolls include working in metals, but the manufactur- ic benefts of the material will be fully shroud segments and vanes, with pro- ing challenge here is that it is not writ- explored in follow-on demonstrators gressively more complex applications ten down, there is no guidebook, no ref- such as the High-Temperature Turbine as testing proceeds. erence. The control of the process will Technology (HT3) program. The HT3 “We are making test panels here to really make or break CMCs. You can will be based on a Trent XWB-97 do- build up and characterize the materi- have the best design and the best ma-

TECHNOLOGY Out of Sight

NASA and industry tackle Am A zon next phase of drone fight John Croft Syracuse, New York Package delivery services, including Amazon’s Prime- salvo of increasingly complex tests of unmanned air- Air, will rely heavily on trafc management architec- A craft using newly developed air trafc management tures being developed by NASA and industry. aids and confict-avoidance tools for smaller unmanned air vehicles fying beyond-visual-line-of-sight (BVLOS) are including BVLOS and at night and in controlled airspace, re- uncovering the realistic factors that will afect large-scale gimes that commercial UAS operators will require to thrive. multivehicle operations. As such, much of the near-term research is aimed at allowing In a test of 11 diferent types of small unmanned aircraft operators to routinely access airspace with multiple aircraft systems (UAS) at Nevada’s Reno Stead Airport in mid-Oc- with few or no restrictions compared to manned aircraft. The tober, NASA found that relatively small perturbations with timeline is relatively tight, with the FAA expecting to issue a major impact—like an unanticipated increase in wind speed proposed rulemaking for BVLOS and expanded operations by or a wandering light general aviation aircraft—are helping to the end of fscal 2017, one year after Part 107 was fnalized. defne how to manage disruptions. “If everything is working DCL 1, which ended with a test of 20 UAS fying simultane- fne, there really is no need to have air trafc management,” ously in line of sight at the six FAA test sites in April, proved says Parimal Kopardekar, project manager for NASA’s Safe that operators could successfully use a NASA-provided web- Autonomous Systems Operations Project. “It’s all about the based interface, or client, to fle a fight plan, which would then ability to handle of-nominal conditions.” be accepted or rejected based on all submitted fight plans. NASA’s key contribution is a UAS traffic management The system then tracked the real-time position telemetry (UTM) system architecture that allows for operators to sub- from the vehicles during the test. mit a fight plan over the Internet and become a client in a During the DCL 2 test at Reno last month, all UAS few real-time monitoring system that keeps operators updated BVLOS at some point during the demonstration of four op- on the status of the airspace. erational scenarios (agricultural, lost hiker, ocean and earth- The Reno test was part of what NASA is calling Develop- quake), with at least two aircraft BVLOS of the pilot in com- ment Capability Level 2 (DCL 2), the second of four DCLs mand at any given time, says NASA. Each scenario featured designed to result in the ability of UAS operators to freely fve aircraft fying simultaneously. NASA says command and “fle and fy” with their small vehicles in FAA uncontrolled control of the aircraft remained with each operator’s ground and controlled airspace by 2020. The efort is being buoyed control station, but situational awareness and alerting was by a groundswell of activity from the FAA, NASA, private provided by each ground station’s UTM client, which was con- industry and academia, with demonstrations and research nected to the NASA UTM research platform. largely taking place at the FAA’s six UAS test sites across the What researchers did not expect was the efect of vehicle U.S., through its UAS center of excellence, a grouping of 22 performance degradations caused by hot and high conditions research institutions headed by Mississippi State University and increasing winds. “The density altitude can go up to 9,000 and by companies such as BNSF and CNN, taking part in four ft.,” says Kopardekar. “The aircraft are working really hard “pathfnder” programs. to operate in that hot, high air, and on top of that, you hit Through the Part 107 small UAS rulemaking published in headwinds. You’re struggling to keep up.” There was also a August, the FAA now allows for line-of-sight operations with situation where a rogue aircraft—what Kopardekar described aircraft weighing less than 55 lb. at altitudes of 400 ft. and as a “Piper Cub that was going his merry way” out of radio below in uncontrolled airspace (away from most airports), seg- communications and circling the range—disrupted the test. regated from manned aircraft. However, operators must seek Kopardekar says a few of the unmanned aircraft were BVLOS waivers to be able to take advantage of expanded capabilities, at the time, but they were able to maintain separation based

54 AviAtion Week & SpAce technology/noveMBeR 21-DeceMBeR 4, 2016 AviationWeek.com/awst

AW_11_21_2016_p53-56.indd 54 11/17/16 12:09 PM PROPULSION not committed exactly when we will get nor engine from the Airbus A350-1000 als. The CMC in the Advance3 will not terials, but if you can’t make it Rolls-Royce’s CMC research there for some of the products to get to certifcation and test efort and follows be the same one that goes into the next in the volumes for something center in California will pave frst application.” on from the Trent 1000-based EFE demonstrator,” says Allan Jamieson, like a Trent XWB, then it will the way for mass produc- Whereas initial CMC elements tested (Environmentally Friendly Engine) manufacturing engineering manager limit the success of CMCs. So tion of high-temperature in Advance3 “went along for the ride,” demonstrator program. Initial CMC at Rolls-Royce HTC. “We are used to manufacturing is the key.” materials. Richards says the true thermodynam- applications envisaged by Rolls include working in metals, but the manufactur- Tas Singh Purewal, Rolls- ic benefts of the material will be fully shroud segments and vanes, with pro- ing challenge here is that it is not writ- Royce chief of capability ac- ufacturing technology. We explored in follow-on demonstrators gressively more complex applications ten down, there is no guidebook, no ref- quisition, says: “This facility have demonstrated that we such as the High-Temperature Turbine as testing proceeds. erence. The control of the process will represents our ability to take Rolls-Royce can take a technology in its Technology (HT3) program. The HT3 “We are making test panels here to really make or break CMCs. You can something that is innovative and new, of designing those new materials but infancy and mature it through facilities will be based on a Trent XWB-97 do- build up and characterize the materi- have the best design and the best ma- and not just go through the challenges also use the latest state-of-the-art man- like this in terms of preproduction.” c

TECHNOLOGY on range surveillance on the Piper. “We need to expect the un- protocols, detect-and-avoid capabilities, communication and expected, particularly for non-cooperative aircraft,” he says. navigation needs, UAS minimum performance criteria, elec- Out of Sight Those lessons as well as other potential occurrences—delayed tromagnetic spectrum needs and weather information require- communications, radio malfunctions, “fy-aways,” community ments. Ongoing vehicle research areas include geo-fencing noise, GPS- or cellular service-denied situations and cyberse- conformance, detect-and-avoid as well as track-and-locate ca-

NASA and industry tackle Am A zon curity—are on the broader to-do list. pabilities, hazard avoidance, trajectory uncertainty, vehicle con- Next steps for UTM and airspace research include BVLOS tingencies and needs for the “frst and last 50 ft. of operations.” next phase of drone fight exercises at all six test sites, likely in about six months, and the “All of this will culminate in a giant NASA and FAA UTM John Croft Syracuse, New York culmination of eforts by several working groups to defne or pilot project,” says Kopardekar. “We’re working with the FAA Package delivery services, including Amazon’s Prime- develop concepts of operations and “use” cases, data exchange to defne the content of that project.” c salvo of increasingly complex tests of unmanned air- Air, will rely heavily on trafc management architec- A craft using newly developed air trafc management tures being developed by NASA and industry. aids and confict-avoidance tools for smaller unmanned air vehicles fying beyond-visual-line-of-sight (BVLOS) are including BVLOS and at night and in controlled airspace, re- place, which is to enable a conformance uncovering the realistic factors that will afect large-scale gimes that commercial UAS operators will require to thrive. About FACE program and a verification program, multivehicle operations. As such, much of the near-term research is aimed at allowing develop a business model that is attrac- In a test of 11 diferent types of small unmanned aircraft operators to routinely access airspace with multiple aircraft A conformance program aims for avionics tive to both industry and government, systems (UAS) at Nevada’s Reno Stead Airport in mid-Oc- with few or no restrictions compared to manned aircraft. The defne an acquisition approach to make tober, NASA found that relatively small perturbations with timeline is relatively tight, with the FAA expecting to issue a software portability between aircraft FACE meaningful in competition . . . major impact—like an unanticipated increase in wind speed proposed rulemaking for BVLOS and expanded operations by and make it successful for adoption by or a wandering light general aviation aircraft—are helping to the end of fscal 2017, one year after Part 107 was fnalized. Graham Warwick Washington the avionics industry,” she says. defne how to manage disruptions. “If everything is working DCL 1, which ended with a test of 20 UAS fying simultane- Use of the FACE standard has al- fne, there really is no need to have air trafc management,” ously in line of sight at the six FAA test sites in April, proved government-industry initiative as portable and reusable would reduce ready been required by the U.S. Navy says Parimal Kopardekar, project manager for NASA’s Safe that operators could successfully use a NASA-provided web- A to enable truly portable and re- the time and cost to integrate new capa- for a C-130T avionics modernization by Autonomous Systems Operations Project. “It’s all about the based interface, or client, to fle a fight plan, which would then usable software for airborne ap- bilities onto existing platforms. Lockheed Martin and the U.S. Army for ability to handle of-nominal conditions.” be accepted or rejected based on all submitted fight plans. plications has reached a milestone with FACE differs from previous open the UH-60V cockpit upgrade under de- NASA’s key contribution is a UAS traffic management The system then tracked the real-time position telemetry completion of an ecosystem that extends system standards in that software velopment by Northrop Grumman. The (UTM) system architecture that allows for operators to sub- from the vehicles during the test. from a technical standard for software must pass formal verifcation testing Army is also requiring FACE confor- mit a fight plan over the Internet and become a client in a During the DCL 2 test at Reno last month, all UAS few design through conformance testing to to be certifed as conforming with the mance for the planned Future Vertical real-time monitoring system that keeps operators updated BVLOS at some point during the demonstration of four op- a library for available programs. technical “standard of standards,” and Lift program. on the status of the airspace. erational scenarios (agricultural, lost hiker, ocean and earth- Establishment of a conformance is therefore fully portable and reusable Conformance is a key tenet of FACE, The Reno test was part of what NASA is calling Develop- quake), with at least two aircraft BVLOS of the pilot in com- program for open software completes between diferent platforms. and differs from compliance with an ment Capability Level 2 (DCL 2), the second of four DCLs mand at any given time, says NASA. Each scenario featured a plan launched more than six years ago Creation of the conformance author- open systems standard, says Kirk Avery, designed to result in the ability of UAS operators to freely fve aircraft fying simultaneously. NASA says command and by the Future Airborne Capability En- ity completes “version 1.0” of an ecosys- FACE technical working group chair “fle and fy” with their small vehicles in FAA uncontrolled control of the aircraft remained with each operator’s ground vironment (FACE) Consortium, which tem that includes the FACE reference and Lockheed Martin fellow. “Many and controlled airspace by 2020. The efort is being buoyed control station, but situational awareness and alerting was comprises the U.S. armed services, the architecture and technical standard, operating-system [OS] developers can by a groundswell of activity from the FAA, NASA, private provided by each ground station’s UTM client, which was con- major avionics suppliers and many of independent entities that conduct the state they are Posix-compliant. But industry and academia, with demonstrations and research nected to the NASA UTM research platform. the smaller players. verification testing, the conformance Posix is a large standard and compliant largely taking place at the FAA’s six UAS test sites across the What researchers did not expect was the efect of vehicle Vanderbilt University’s Institute for authority and the software registry. means for that, for the APIs [application U.S., through its UAS center of excellence, a grouping of 22 performance degradations caused by hot and high conditions Software Integrated Systems has been “Announcement of the conformance programming interface] they choose to research institutions headed by Mississippi State University and increasing winds. “The density altitude can go up to 9,000 established as the conformance author- launch means the FACE ecosystem ver- implement, they meet the standard. and by companies such as BNSF and CNN, taking part in four ft.,” says Kopardekar. “The aircraft are working really hard ity and will operate the FACE registry, sion 1.0 is live and ready for business,” “Three manufacturers can develop “pathfnder” programs. to operate in that hot, high air, and on top of that, you hit which will list software available for re- says Judy Cerenzia, FACE Consortium Posix-compliant operating systems. Through the Part 107 small UAS rulemaking published in headwinds. You’re struggling to keep up.” There was also a use that has been certifed as conform- program director at the Open Group, That does not mean that each chose to August, the FAA now allows for line-of-sight operations with situation where a rogue aircraft—what Kopardekar described ing to the FACE technical standard. which leads the development of open in- implement the same set of APIs from aircraft weighing less than 55 lb. at altitudes of 400 ft. and as a “Piper Cub that was going his merry way” out of radio The initiative tackles the perennial formation technology standards across Posix,” he says. “If somebody designs below in uncontrolled airspace (away from most airports), seg- communications and circling the range—disrupted the test. problem that software developed for industries. a piece of software using one of those regated from manned aircraft. However, operators must seek Kopardekar says a few of the unmanned aircraft were BVLOS one aircraft cannot be moved to anoth- “We have the technical standard in operating systems, because the APIs waivers to be able to take advantage of expanded capabilities, at the time, but they were able to maintain separation based er quickly and easily. Software certifed place. We have the business strategy in could be diferent it doesn’t mean they’ll

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have portability to take that software Northrop Grumman’s UH-60V and move it between each of them.” digital cockpit upgrade for the U.S. In both the FACE standard and con- Army’s Sikorsky UH-60Ls uses formance, the operating system APIs FACE-conformant avionics. are dictated. “We embrace Posix be- cause it is a standard that is used prev- product lines, and have many programs alently across many domains. But we that are implementing the architecture needed to normalize the APIs required and infrastructure and deploying difer- to be within any FACE operating-sys- ent units of compliant [pieces of soft- tem component so we could ensure ware], regardless of whether there is a portability of any software,” says Avery. Northrop GrummaN FACE requirement,” says Avery. “That way I can develop software for what the software does, so that they FACE began with the U.S. Navy and vendor X’s FACE-conformant OS, move are able to integrate it into their system was quickly embraced by the Army. it to vendor Y’s FACE-conformant OS faster and with less cost.” The U.S. Air Force fnally joined as a and know it will execute.” Examples of software components full sponsor in 2015, and efforts are “Compliance implies partial confor- from many diferent locations are fow- underway to ensure compatibility be- mance,” says Cerenzia. “With the FACE ing through the FACE development tween FACE and the service’s Sensor conformance program, you are either and verifcation pipeline. “We have two Open Systems Architecture (SOSA) fully compliant or you are not. We don’t examples that have completed FACE standard, which covers software, hard- want extra APIs in there that will in- verifcation. One of those comes from ware and mechanical and electrical in- hibit portability or interoperability. We [Rockwell Collins] in the flight-man- terfaces for intelligence, surveillance also don’t want any to be missing, for agement software product line,” says and reconnaissance systems. the same reason.” Howington. The other is from the U.S. “They are looking at the FACE stan- “It’s a higher standard to reach, Army. “I expect to hear soon of software dard as an enabler for the software but it is necessary to ensure you have components that have completed both portion,” says Cerenzia. The Air Force portability and reusability of software certifcation and entry into the regis- and Navy have joint programs to inter- components,” says Jef Howington, vice try,” he says. face and integrate the SOSA and FACE chair of the FACE steering committee Vendors can choose whether their standards. and software business development software is listed in the registry for po- “The key thing is interoperability,” manager with consortium founding tential reuse. “You can become certifed says Avery. “How can you use units member and sponsor Rockwell Collins. without being listed in the library,” says of conformance and infrastructures “FACE will help in reducing inte- Davis. “But if a supplier chooses not to from one standard to another? One of gration time, but it doesn’t eliminate register, they cannot make any public the eforts the Air Force has ongoing is it,” says James Davis, a researcher at claims that they are certifed as confor- studies on how the two standards can Vanderbilt and vice chair of the FACE mant,” says Cerenzia. interoperate so that you can use those data architecture working group. “We In addition to customers specifying software components across both, and are not saying software components FACE, companies such as Lockheed are they can communicate and coexist in built to the FACE standard are plug- using the standard internally to meet one system environment or enterprise.” and-play. But FACE does give the inte- requirements for openness and modu- With software making up 80% of grator tools to help them understand larity. “We have embraced FACE for our avionics, FACE is intended as a “liv- ing” standard that adapts to changes in technology. The technical standard Whichever rotorcraft it is already at version 2.1, and 3.0 is in de- selects, the U.S. Army velopment. “As we have gone from 1.0 has adopted FACE for the to 2.0 to 2.1, and now we’re moving to Future Vertical Medium 3.0, there have been many things indus- Lift mission system. try and the government have brought forward to the consortium to make the standard broader and more robust,” says Avery. For version 3.0, that includes looking at how the data architecture associated with the FACE technical standard could be used by markets other than aviation. Citing the automotive and industrial control markets, Avery says, “The key attributes of FACE—portability, reuse, interoperability, develop once and use everywhere—are what other domains also long for. The ability to make sys- tems more evolvable and manage ob- solescence better—those are what the FACE standard will allow you to do.” c Bell helicopter

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AW_11_21_2016_p53-56.indd 56 11/17/16 12:09 PM Technology TECHNOLOGY have portability to take that software Northrop Grumman’s UH-60V and move it between each of them.” digital cockpit upgrade for the U.S. Assisted by Autonomy In both the FACE standard and con- Army’s Sikorsky UH-60Ls uses formance, the operating system APIs FACE-conformant avionics. are dictated. “We embrace Posix be- cause it is a standard that is used prev- product lines, and have many programs Demos suggest the path to autonomous systems on the alently across many domains. But we that are implementing the architecture fl ight deck is to improve safety fi rst, reduce crew later needed to normalize the APIs required and infrastructure and deploying difer- to be within any FACE operating-sys- ent units of compliant [pieces of soft- tem component so we could ensure ware], regardless of whether there is a but is able to use his time more portability of any software,” says Avery. Northrop GrummaN FACE requirement,” says Avery. productively.” On a surveillance “That way I can develop software for what the software does, so that they FACE began with the U.S. Navy and fl ight, says Patt, “the pilot could vendor X’s FACE-conformant OS, move are able to integrate it into their system was quickly embraced by the Army. be thinking about the context of it to vendor Y’s FACE-conformant OS faster and with less cost.” The U.S. Air Force fnally joined as a the mission and the information and know it will execute.” Examples of software components full sponsor in 2015, and efforts are being collected versus managing “Compliance implies partial confor- from many diferent locations are fow- underway to ensure compatibility be- the stick and throttle.” mance,” says Cerenzia. “With the FACE ing through the FACE development tween FACE and the service’s Sensor But the autonomy ALIAS conformance program, you are either and verifcation pipeline. “We have two Open Systems Architecture (SOSA) brings to the cockpit goes beyond fully compliant or you are not. We don’t examples that have completed FACE standard, which covers software, hard- the military and could have near- want extra APIs in there that will in- verifcation. One of those comes from ware and mechanical and electrical in- term applications and long-term hibit portability or interoperability. We [Rockwell Collins] in the flight-man- terfaces for intelligence, surveillance implications. Elements of the also don’t want any to be missing, for agement software product line,” says and reconnaissance systems. system could transition within the same reason.” Howington. The other is from the U.S. “They are looking at the FACE stan- fi ve years, Patt says, but reducing “It’s a higher standard to reach, Army. “I expect to hear soon of software dard as an enabler for the software commercial aircraft to one “mis- but it is necessary to ensure you have components that have completed both portion,” says Cerenzia. The Air Force sion commander” from two pilots portability and reusability of software certifcation and entry into the regis- and Navy have joint programs to inter- “requires regulatory change, and components,” says Jef Howington, vice try,” he says. face and integrate the SOSA and FACE generating enough data to prove chair of the FACE steering committee Vendors can choose whether their standards. it is as—or more—safe will take and software business development software is listed in the registry for po- “The key thing is interoperability,” decades.” manager with consortium founding tential reuse. “You can become certifed says Avery. “How can you use units The ALIAS demos involved member and sponsor Rockwell Collins. without being listed in the library,” says of conformance and infrastructures several technologies to bring au- “FACE will help in reducing inte- Davis. “But if a supplier chooses not to from one standard to another? One of Aurora’s perception system tonomy to almost any aircraft, gration time, but it doesn’t eliminate register, they cannot make any public the eforts the Air Force has ongoing is uses cameras that read analog even those without avionics data- it,” says James Davis, a researcher at claims that they are certifed as confor- studies on how the two standards can instruments and monitor buses. These range from camera Vanderbilt and vice chair of the FACE mant,” says Cerenzia. interoperate so that you can use those controls and switches to systems reading analog instru- data architecture working group. “We In addition to customers specifying software components across both, and determine aircraft state. ments through robot arms mov- are not saying software components FACE, companies such as Lockheed are they can communicate and coexist in ing controls to tablets allowing built to the FACE standard are plug- using the standard internally to meet one system environment or enterprise.” AURORA FLIGHT SCIENCES multiple users, on the ground and-play. But FACE does give the inte- requirements for openness and modu- With software making up 80% of and in the air, to collaboratively grator tools to help them understand larity. “We have embraced FACE for our avionics, FACE is intended as a “liv- Graham Warwick Manassas, Virginia, and Poughkeepsie, New York control the aircraft. ing” standard that adapts to changes “We have this vision where au- in technology. The technical standard nmanned technology is often portrayed as potentially replac- tomation can ultimately manage Whichever rotorcraft it is already at version 2.1, and 3.0 is in de- ing the pilot. But a DARPA program is showing how autonomy all the lower-level fl ight tasks. In selects, the U.S. Army velopment. “As we have gone from 1.0 U the meantime, pieces of the tech- has adopted FACE for the to 2.0 to 2.1, and now we’re moving to could be used to reduce workload and improve safety in existing nologies can make aviation safer Future Vertical Medium 3.0, there have been many things indus- aircraft, while at the same time building trust in automation to pave with conventional crew opera- Lift mission system. try and the government have brought the way toward reduced crew sizes on certain missions. tions,” says Patt. He draws a par- forward to the consortium to make the allel with the automotive sector, standard broader and more robust,” Aurora Flight Sciences and Sikorsky conducted demonstra- where there are safety concerns with self-driving cars but says Avery. tions in October concluding Phase 2 of the Aircrew Labor many of the individual technologies can make driving safer. For version 3.0, that includes looking In-Cockpit Automation System (ALIAS) program. Both are Aurora’s perception system, with its ability to monitor at how the data architecture associated bidding for Phase 3. ALIAS aims to develop a drop-in kit that gauges and alert the pilot, is “something you can imagine go- with the FACE technical standard could can bring high-level automation to an aircraft and be moved ing into cockpits soon and improving safety without removing be used by markets other than aviation. between types. anybody,” Patt says. The longer-term model for ALIAS “is Citing the automotive and industrial As a DARPA program, ALIAS is focused on enabling re- automation that is capable of handling contingencies and can control markets, Avery says, “The key duced-crew operation of existing military aircraft. “Operating help triage all the complex information coming in and distill it attributes of FACE—portability, reuse, the same aircraft with fewer crew by making each human op- into something that is human-understandable.” interoperability, develop once and use erator more ef cient would help with the shortage of trained Aurora’s ALIAS demonstration at its Manassas, Virginia, everywhere—are what other domains military crews and have a large payof for the Defense Depart- headquarters, involved fl ights of a DARPA-provided Cessna also long for. The ability to make sys- ment,” says program manager Dan Patt. Caravan and ground demos in a second Caravan and a Bell tems more evolvable and manage ob- The program is about making a self-fl ying aircraft but not UH-1 helicopter used as hardware-the-loop simulators. The solescence better—those are what the about eliminating the human, he says. “ALIAS can manage all program has also involved fl ights by Aurora’s optionally pi- FACE standard will allow you to do.” c the basic procedures so that the pilot is not fl ipping switches, loted Centaur, a modifi ed Diamond DA42 piston twin. Bell helicopter

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The cargo Caravan, from an unnamed commercial opera- says Patt. “With an existing aircraft, it is all written down in tor, was modifi ed to add the perception system in the right the manual. The autonomy just has to learn it.” side of the cockpit. This includes four cameras mounted to Aurora’s knowledge-acquisition system is based on general- stare at the instrument panel and monitor the gauges, switch- ized templates that take advantage of the fact that procedures es and controls. The system reads and digitizes needle and are similar within classes of aircraft—single- or multi-engine, switch positions and feeds this aircraft-state data into ALIAS. for example. “If it is a single-engine, fi xed-gear aircraft, we do Replacing the right seat are pallet mounting actuators that not need to know how to retract the gear. We can produce a move the control column and rudder pedals, and a six-de- generalized fl ight manual in signifi cantly less time,” Aurora grees-of-freedom robot arm that engages to move the throttles says. and deploy the fl aps. The pilot can disengage the arm quickly; This knowledge was seen in action during the Caravan it will also withdraw if it comes into confl ict with the pilot. ground demo. After a simulated takeof , the pilot engaged Not implemented on the Caravan, but under development, ALIAS using the tablet. The arm moved to grasp the throttle is a speech recognition system enabling the pilot to interact and the system took control of the aircraft. Using the tab- verbally with ALIAS as he would with a co-pilot. “It will listen let, the pilot commanded a 90-deg. turn; the system read to air traf c control and feed that digitally into the system. the gauges and the arm moved the throttle up to maintain It will listen to the pilot and do challenge-and-response, as a altitude. co-pilot does. And if you miss a step, it will remind you,” says Aurora then demonstrated how autonomy could help a dis- John Tylko, chief innovation of cer. oriented pilot recover from an unexpected attitude through a Key to ALIAS is the knowledge it needs to fl y an aircraft rapid handover of control to ALIAS to stabilize the aircraft in and that it must assimilate to adapt to a dif erent platform. level fl ight. The system’s knowledge of the procedures in the This includes a fl ight dynamics model and all the normal and fl ight manual was then demonstrated by simulating gearbox abnormal procedures in the pilot’s manual. “The hard part contamination leading to an engine failure. with programming a UAV is fi guring out every state possible,” The perception system saw the chip light illuminate, and was watching the oil pressure gauge. If pressure stays above a certain level, the manual says, the alert is not serious. But the system saw oil pressure decreasing and the low-pressure light illuminate. ALIAS alerted the pilot and brought up the engine- failure checklist on his tablet. The pilot confirmed engine failure; the sys- tem brought the throttle back to idle and the aircraft to best glide speed. The pilot then went through the checklist, on which some tasks were assigned to ALIAS. The perception system moni- tored the pilot’s actions and cockpit indications to verify checklist items had been completed, and it prompted him if required. The perception system is installed in the Cen- taur and Huey, and Aurora says all ALIAS hard- ware and software is identical across the Caravan, DA42 and UH-1, showing its extensibility to dif er- ent platforms. The rival ALIAS demonstration involved the Sikorsky Autonomy Research Aircraft (SARA), an S-76B converted to an optionally piloted vehicle, another Caravan and a ground-station van. The demo was at Poughkeepsie, New York, home of AAG, a Sikorsky subsidiary providing fractional shares in S-76s. Modifi ed to fl y by wire under Sikorsky’s Matrix Technology autonomy program, SARA represents one end of the ALIAS application spectrum. The DARPA-provided Caravan, from the same com- mercial operator, is toward the other end, its ex- Actuation is dif erent, and isting autopilot actuators modifi ed to work with control laws modifi ed, but the system. autonomy software is identical The demo simulated a cargo mission—“one of between Sikorsky’s S-76B SARA the simplest,” says Igor Cherepinsky, Sikorsky and Cessna Caravan. director of autonomy programs. The concept of operations was to create “one big cockpit,” with ground and aircrew operating as a team, all us- ing the same tablets, on a network, to manage the aircraft via the autonomy system. SIKORSKY

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The cargo Caravan, from an unnamed commercial opera- says Patt. “With an existing aircraft, it is all written down in The pilot controls SARA through tor, was modifi ed to add the perception system in the right the manual. The autonomy just has to learn it.” a tablet. The same tablet is used to side of the cockpit. This includes four cameras mounted to Aurora’s knowledge-acquisition system is based on general- fy the ALIAS-equipped Caravan. stare at the instrument panel and monitor the gauges, switch- ized templates that take advantage of the fact that procedures es and controls. The system reads and digitizes needle and are similar within classes of aircraft—single- or multi-engine, Capable of flying fully unmanned, SARA has full- switch positions and feeds this aircraft-state data into ALIAS. for example. “If it is a single-engine, fi xed-gear aircraft, we do authority digital fight controls and triple-redundant Replacing the right seat are pallet mounting actuators that not need to know how to retract the gear. We can produce a autonomy mission managers. The Caravan has dual mis- move the control column and rudder pedals, and a six-de- generalized fl ight manual in signifi cantly less time,” Aurora sion managers. Because ALIAS fies the turboprop via grees-of-freedom robot arm that engages to move the throttles says. its existing autopilot servos, its fight-control authority and deploy the fl aps. The pilot can disengage the arm quickly; This knowledge was seen in action during the Caravan is limited to 50-80%, Cherepinsky says. The high-perfor- it will also withdraw if it comes into confl ict with the pilot. ground demo. After a simulated takeof , the pilot engaged mance computing hardware difers, but the two aircraft SikorSky Not implemented on the Caravan, but under development, ALIAS using the tablet. The arm moved to grasp the throttle run the same software. vided to demonstrate portability and “represents what we can is a speech recognition system enabling the pilot to interact and the system took control of the aircraft. Using the tab- The goal of Sikorsky’s demo was to show the pilot could fy do in two months,” he says. Between them, the two aircraft verbally with ALIAS as he would with a co-pilot. “It will listen let, the pilot commanded a 90-deg. turn; the system read a cargo mission in the helicopter, land, take the same tablet “show how we can provide a spectrum of applications and not to air traf c control and feed that digitally into the system. the gauges and the arm moved the throttle up to maintain and attach it to the instrument panel of the Caravan, then just a one-size-fts-all approach.” It will listen to the pilot and do challenge-and-response, as a altitude. take of and fy a cargo mission using the same hardware and As required for ALIAS, the Caravan demonstrates the ro- co-pilot does. And if you miss a step, it will remind you,” says Aurora then demonstrated how autonomy could help a dis- software. A second crewmember few as safety pilot on both. botic control required in an aircraft that lacks an autopilot. John Tylko, chief innovation of cer. oriented pilot recover from an unexpected attitude through a In SARA, the pilot operates the helicopter via the tablet An electromechanical actuator in the pedestal drives a claw Key to ALIAS is the knowledge it needs to fl y an aircraft rapid handover of control to ALIAS to stabilize the aircraft in on his kneepad. The mission is planned on the touch screen, that clasps and moves the throttle, while another moves the and that it must assimilate to adapt to a dif erent platform. level fl ight. The system’s knowledge of the procedures in the and tasks are allocated between pilot, ground operator and faps under control of the autonomy system. This includes a fl ight dynamics model and all the normal and fl ight manual was then demonstrated by simulating gearbox ALIAS. A six-degree-of-freedom SpaceMouse mounted on the Sikorsky is not putting any emphasis on the robotic system abnormal procedures in the pilot’s manual. “The hard part contamination leading to an engine failure. right windowsill allows the pilot to “bump” aircraft position, but has installed cameras in the Caravan’s cockpit to collect with programming a UAV is fi guring out every state possible,” The perception system saw the chip light illuminate, and making terminal-area operations easier, but the commands data to develop the capability to read the analog gauges and was watching the oil pressure gauge. If pressure still go through the autonomy system. switches and is working on speech recognition, says Cherepin- stays above a certain level, the manual says, the When a mission or command is input, and throughout the sky. A UTC Aerospace Systems lidar and short-wave infrared alert is not serious. But the system saw oil pressure fight, the path-planning system automatically checks the sensor has since been installed to bring in collision avoidance. decreasing and the low-pressure light illuminate. route ahead for any obstacles detected by lidar sensors on- Sikorsky’s ALIAS implementation concept ranges from a ALIAS alerted the pilot and brought up the engine- board SARA. Within constraints set by the autonomy mission “distributed solution” that provides highly reliable and bal- failure checklist on his tablet. manager, the system then automatically adjusts the plan to listically tolerant “always on” augmentation—but involves The pilot confirmed engine failure; the sys- avoid collisions. modifcations at several locations around the airframe—to tem brought the throttle back to idle and the A mission plan is built up from goal points. “A goal is as- an “integrated solution” where everything is in the cockpit. aircraft to best glide speed. The pilot then went signed to each point in space,” says Cherepinksy, and the au- With the distributed approach, it will take 200 hr. or more through the checklist, on which some tasks were tonomy system knows when it can deviate from that goal, by to retroft each aircraft and about a year to adapt ALIAS to a assigned to ALIAS. The perception system moni- how much, and still fulfll the mission. “If you tell it to ‘land at’ new platform. The integrated system can be adapted rapidly tored the pilot’s actions and cockpit indications to and it cannot, it bubbles up to the operator,” he says. “If you and retroftted quickly, in a day to a week, but provides only verify checklist items had been completed, and it tell it to ‘land near’ and it cannot, it fnds a good site and tells “autopilot-like” reliability and is not full-authority. “The Cara- prompted him if required. the operator ‘If you do nothing, I will land here.’ ” van is somewhere in between,” says Cherepinksy. The perception system is installed in the Cen- In the demo, SARA taxied out manually. The ground sta- Both companies have submitted bids for Phase 3 of ALIAS, taur and Huey, and Aurora says all ALIAS hard- tion commanded takeof, and the S-76B lifted autonomously which will mature selected technologies and includes fying ware and software is identical across the Caravan, to a 40-ft. hover, where the lidar sensors began scanning, them on another, diferent platform. Patt says DARPA has a DA42 and UH-1, showing its extensibility to dif er- generating a hazard map on the tablet, conficting terrain in transition partner, which remains unidentifed. ent platforms. red. Cherepinsky then showed how the tablet can be used on Aurora’s bid focuses on perception and speech recogni- The rival ALIAS demonstration involved the the ground to reposition the helicopter by touching the map tion, and not robotic actuation. “We have learned what the Sikorsky Autonomy Research Aircraft (SARA), an display. community is prepared to accept,” says President and Chief S-76B converted to an optionally piloted vehicle, Tablets are connected to the ground station by Wi-Fi, and Operating Ofcer Mark Cherry. “Near-term, pilots are not another Caravan and a ground-station van. The via the ground station to the aircraft by a commercial com- ready for actuation. They are ready for perception, checking, demo was at Poughkeepsie, New York, home of munications link using a steerable antenna. “We use the data speech recognition and reading back checklists.” AAG, a Sikorsky subsidiary providing fractional link’s encryption, and ours on top,” says Cherepinksy. A high- Sikorsky’s strategy for Phase 3 “is centered around tran- shares in S-76s. capacity link is needed to share the lidar data. Commands sition to the feld and qualifcation. Focused technology ad- Modifi ed to fl y by wire under Sikorsky’s Matrix take less bandwidth, and SARA can be controlled beyond line vancement would continue and center on additional intel- Technology autonomy program, SARA represents of sight using a low-rate Iridium satcom link. ligence, planning and man-machine interface capabilities,” one end of the ALIAS application spectrum. The Via the network, the pilot’s tablet shows commands as says Cherepinsky. DARPA-provided Caravan, from the same com- they are entered by another user. He can press an “execute” Technologies demonstrated by ALIAS are key to more ro- mercial operator, is toward the other end, its ex- button to accept the changes, or “abort” to reject them. Con- bust cockpit automation and, long term, “could fundamentally Actuation is dif erent, and isting autopilot actuators modifi ed to work with trol of the aircraft is transferred verbally because that is change the way people interact with aircraft,” Patt says. It is control laws modifi ed, but the system. how the U.S. Army performs the cargo mission, but it works hard to break out of a paradigm, but this might be the way to autonomy software is identical The demo simulated a cargo mission—“one of seamlessly, he says. introduce this technology to fight. “What is clear is that the between Sikorsky’s S-76B SARA the simplest,” says Igor Cherepinsky, Sikorsky After takeof, the pilots did not touch the controls. “ALIAS cockpit of the future for a single-crew or self-fying aircraft and Cessna Caravan. director of autonomy programs. The concept of can take the aircraft all the way to the ground,” says Chere- cannot look anything like today’s.” c operations was to create “one big cockpit,” with pinsky. After landing, and manually taxiing back to the ramp, ground and aircrew operating as a team, all us- the crew transferred to the Caravan and, following a manual ing the same tablets, on a network, to manage the takeof, control was handed over to the ALIAS tablet. Check 6 Aviation Week editors debate the promise and the aircraft via the autonomy system. Where SARA is a pre-existing asset, the Caravan was pro- peril of aircraft under robotic control: AviationWeek.com/podcast SIKORSKY

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students must pass to continue to the Remaking the King next phase of training. Other live fl ights that can potentially be moved into the U.S. Army and Navy retool King Air simulator include instrument flying and Naval Air Training and Operating simulation and training Procedures Standardization program checks, says Phil Kruse, CAE’s program John Croft Dothan, Alabama, and Corpus Christi, Texas manager for the T-44C. It is too soon to tell how much extra t the U.S. Navy’s T-44C King Air training the Army will be able Atraining center in Cor- to transfer to simulators, since the new pus Christi, Texas, a program does not of cially begin until facelift two years ago of the March when CAE takes over from the multiengine simulation and previous provider, FlightSafety. CAE training program is now pro- last year won a contract from the Army ducing better-prepared stu- to provide initial and recurrent in-air- dents for fleet replacement craft and simulator training for pilots squadrons (FRS) and increas- ing the simulated-to-live fl ight Navy multiengine trainee pilots exit training ratio. The T-44C is one of six CAE-built T-44C fl ight the Navy’s designation for the simulators at the Navy’s Corpus 90 twin- Christi , Texas, training center. engine turboprop. At the Army’s Dothan who fl y the Army and Air Force C-12s. training center in Alabama, The Army uses the C-12U model, which where an overhaul of the C-12 features a Rockwell Collins Pro Line 21 (King Air 200) multiengine cockpit; the Air Force uses the C-12V training will go operational in model, with a Universal Avionics EFI- March, of cials expect similar 890-based cockpit. benefi ts. CAE will of er seven courses, four for While the flight needs of Army pilots—initial fi xed-wing training the two services could not CAE PHOTOS in a Grob 120TP single-engine turbo- be more dissimilar, the expectation for about 400 T-44C pilots per year, most prop trainer, C-12 aviator initial qualifi - positive results through simulation and of whom will fl y the E-2 Hawkeye, P-3 cation (AQC), C-12 instructor qualifi ca- training upgrades has two factors in Orion and P-8 Poseidon—CAE is oper- tion and C-12 refresher training—and common—both take advantage of tech- ating two FAA Level 6 “unit training three for the Air Force: C-12 AQC, C-12 nology refreshes and both have CAE at devices” (fi xed-based simulators with instructor qualification and C-12 re- their core. The Montreal-based simula- no visual system) and four FAA Level tor manufacturer and training provider 6 flight-training devices with visual has seven-year contracts with the Army systems. and Navy to operate their multiengine Training takes approximately 100 training programs in part with new days, 60% of which is spent in the simulators, and in the Army’s case, with classroom, 16% in the simulator and new entry-level training aircraft. 24% in a fl eet of 54 T-44Cs owned and From a broader perspective, the maintained by the Navy. CAE owns the new training systems could allow the simulators and provides the simula- military to further increase the cost- tor instructors. New pilots are initially savings attained with simulators versus trained in the single-engine T-6 turbo- live fl ight when that transfer results in a prop, starting with classroom and simu- net gain in the profi ciency of the pilot or lator training in FlightSafety Interna- other aircrew. Of cials do not take the tional simulators, taught by instructors tradeof lightly. “You can step over that working for defense contractor Cubic line of creating tactical wizards who Corp. Active duty military pilots, mostly cannot fl y their way out of a paper bag,” with the Navy and Marine Corps, pro- says Rear Adm. Dell Bull, the Navy’s vide the live fl ight instruction. Chief of Naval Air Training (Cnatra) For the T-44C program, the simula- of the simulator versus live-fl ight ratio. tor-to-live fl ight ratio is approximately Approximately one-third of all flight 42%, but the number is trending up- hours per year are dedicated to train- ward. For the P-3 and P-8 programs, the CAE has purchased six Grob 120TP ing using approximately one-fourth of Navy has identifi ed as many as 11 live single-engine turboprops for entry- the Navy’s aircraft. training fl ights out of a total of 38 that level fi xed-wing training for Army For its multiengine training track at can be moved to the simulator. Includ- King Air pilots. Corpus Christi—where the Navy trains ed is an intermediate stage check that

60 AVIATION WEEK & SPACE TECHNOLOGY/NOVEMBER 21-DECEMBER 4, 2016 AviationWeek.com/awst

AW_11_21_2016_p60-62.indd 60 11/16/16 5:14 PM SIMULATION AND TRAINING students must pass to continue to the fresher training. About 600 pilots per the Army is refurbishing 10 previously people at the introductory level [in cer- Remaking the King next phase of training. Other live fl ights year will use the training center, with owned King Air 200s into the C-12U and tain tracks] to experience those fight that can potentially be moved into the refresher training taking approximately C-12V confguration for the program. dynamics,” he says. U.S. Army and Navy retool King Air simulator include instrument flying one week and transition courses taking Given the fnancial pressures to do Simulators can be uniquely advan- and Naval Air Training and Operating about three months. more with less, the Army and Air Force tageous even without such dynamics. simulation and training Procedures Standardization program The curriculum for Army helicop- will no doubt be evaluating the simulat- Capt. Bennie Sanchez, Cnatra’s deputy checks, says Phil Kruse, CAE’s program ter pilots transitioning to the C-12 will ed versus live-fight ratio of the Dothan chief of staf for operations, says pilots, John Croft Dothan, Alabama, and Corpus Christi, Texas manager for the T-44C. include live fight training on six Grob program compared to its predecessor despite knowing they are not going to It is too soon to tell how much extra G120TPs, owned and serviced by CAE, once the pilot pipeline begins to fow. crash, become completely immersed t the U.S. Navy’s T-44C King Air training the Army will be able and 10 C-12U King Air twin-engine Lessons learned from the Navy at Cor- in a simulated fight, particularly when Atraining center in Cor- to transfer to simulators, since the new turboprops. Army pilots must receive pus Christi could help. While ofcials do anomalies are introduced. “The threat pus Christi, Texas, a program does not of cially begin until training in the Lakota helicopter before not plan to reduce the overall amount of failure is a big motivator,” he says. facelift two years ago of the March when CAE takes over from the selecting the fixed-wing track. Grob of training, their desire is to be able to From a scientific standpoint, in- multiengine simulation and previous provider, FlightSafety. CAE training will take place in two Frasca move training currently taking place in structors in the simulator are able to training program is now pro- last year won a contract from the Army simulators, while C-12 training will be the FRS to Corpus Christi, backflling probe the edges of a pilot trainee’s sat- ducing better-prepared stu- to provide initial and recurrent in-air- conducted in four CAE full-fight simu- the time with new FRS tasks. uration point, ensuring that the pilot dents for fleet replacement craft and simulator training for pilots lators, two of which have “roll-on, roll- Such shifts have to be done on a will revert to frst principles to resolve squadrons (FRS) and increas- of” cabs (for variants of the C-12 cock- case-by-case basis, however, and only the crisis. “In aircraft, you generally ing the simulated-to-live fl ight Navy multiengine trainee pilots exit pit) that can be mounted to the same when such a move makes sense. “For get there by mistake,” says Sanchez. training ratio. The T-44C is one of six CAE-built T-44C fl ight motion platform. CAE is providing the jets, you need more time in the aircraft “In the simulator, you can work up to the Navy’s designation for the simulators at the Navy’s Corpus simulator and in-aircraft instructors for due to the G Forces,” says Wil Merkel, that point and train the response. You Beechcraft King Air 90 twin- Christi , Texas, training center. both the Grob and the King Air. simulator requirements ofcer for Cna- can fall back to basics.” c engine turboprop. A key feature of the CAE program tra. “But for multiengine aircraft, you At the Army’s Dothan who fl y the Army and Air Force C-12s. is the shift from the succession of four don’t need the motion.” He says a 50-50 Digital Extra An Alabama company is training center in Alabama, The Army uses the C-12U model, which training aircraft in the FlightSafety ratio is possible “eventually,” although teaching oil and gas company pilots and where an overhaul of the C-12 features a Rockwell Collins Pro Line 21 program—the Cessna 182, Zlin 242L there are some training programs in trainers in the Americas all things Mil (King Air 200) multiengine cockpit; the Air Force uses the C-12V (for upset prevention and recovery), which the ratio will be lower. “We want Mi-17. AviationWeek.com/Mi17Training training will go operational in model, with a Universal Avionics EFI- Beechcraft B55 Baron and King Air— March, of cials expect similar 890-based cockpit. to two aircraft, the Grob and the King benefi ts. CAE will of er seven courses, four for Air, both of which are turbine-powered While the flight needs of Army pilots—initial fi xed-wing training and have glass cockpits. Scott Wagner, the two services could not CAE PHOTOS in a Grob 120TP single-engine turbo- director of operations and training for Simulator Strategies be more dissimilar, the expectation for about 400 T-44C pilots per year, most prop trainer, C-12 aviator initial qualifi - CAE’s Dothan Training Center, says positive results through simulation and of whom will fl y the E-2 Hawkeye, P-3 cation (AQC), C-12 instructor qualifi ca- “many” of the FlightSafety instructors Airframers add enhanced simulator models training upgrades has two factors in Orion and P-8 Poseidon—CAE is oper- tion and C-12 refresher training—and will be joining the CAE team; however, common—both take advantage of tech- ating two FAA Level 6 “unit training three for the Air Force: C-12 AQC, C-12 the existing feet of King Airs will not to meet impending training requirements nology refreshes and both have CAE at devices” (fi xed-based simulators with instructor qualification and C-12 re- be used for the new program. Instead, their core. The Montreal-based simula- no visual system) and four FAA Level John Croft Washington tor manufacturer and training provider 6 flight-training devices with visual has seven-year contracts with the Army systems. irbus and Boeing are revamp- on simulators. The requirements are and Navy to operate their multiengine Training takes approximately 100 Aing simulators and training codifed in new Part 60 simulator rules training programs in part with new days, 60% of which is spent in the programs to address a variety published earlier this year, which also simulators, and in the Army’s case, with classroom, 16% in the simulator and of aircraft handling deficiencies by call for the devices to incorporate an new entry-level training aircraft. 24% in a fl eet of 54 T-44Cs owned and pilots ahead of an FAA mandate in instructor’s workstation that shows From a broader perspective, the maintained by the Navy. CAE owns the March 2019. the validity of maneuvers with respect new training systems could allow the simulators and provides the simula- The so-called fight training rule, f- to the expanded envelope of the simu- military to further increase the cost- tor instructors. New pilots are initially nalized by the FAA in 2013 in the wake lator. Airlines in many cases are de- savings attained with simulators versus trained in the single-engine T-6 turbo- of a series of fatal accidents including veloping their own enhanced training live fl ight when that transfer results in a prop, starting with classroom and simu- the 2009 Colgan Air/Continental Con- programs or extended aerodynamic net gain in the profi ciency of the pilot or lator training in FlightSafety Interna- nection Bombardier Q400 crash near models that meet FAA guidelines, but other aircrew. Of cials do not take the tional simulators, taught by instructors Bufalo, New York, calls for airlines to they can also turn to airframers and tradeof lightly. “You can step over that working for defense contractor Cubic provide pilots with enhanced train- simulator manufacturers for help with line of creating tactical wizards who Corp. Active duty military pilots, mostly ing in aerodynamic stalls, wind gusts, the upgrades. cannot fl y their way out of a paper bag,” with the Navy and Marine Corps, pro- bounced landings, icing and upset pre- Airbus is particularly concerned says Rear Adm. Dell Bull, the Navy’s vide the live fl ight instruction. vention and recovery training (UPRT) about the fidelity of the simulators Chief of Naval Air Training (Cnatra) For the T-44C program, the simula- skills starting in March 2019. and the potential for “negative trans- of the simulator versus live-fl ight ratio. tor-to-live fl ight ratio is approximately The training is to take place in fer of training,” a situation that can Approximately one-third of all flight 42%, but the number is trending up- full-motion simulators, which must occur when pilots learn skills based hours per year are dedicated to train- ward. For the P-3 and P-8 programs, the CAE has purchased six Grob 120TP be upgraded with enhanced models on a simulator operating outside of its ing using approximately one-fourth of Navy has identifi ed as many as 11 live single-engine turboprops for entry- to accurately emulate aircraft per- validated envelope. The textbook ex- the Navy’s aircraft. training fl ights out of a total of 38 that level fi xed-wing training for Army formance and handling at or beyond ample of the unintended consequences For its multiengine training track at can be moved to the simulator. Includ- King Air pilots. the aircraft’s angle of attack, a of negative training was the 2001 crash Corpus Christi—where the Navy trains ed is an intermediate stage check that requirement not previously placed of American Airlines Flight 587. After

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taking of from New York’s John F. Ken- the stall angle of attack. For the A320, Parisis says the short-term solution nedy International Airport, the frst Parisis says there is no audio alert for to such problems is for the pilot-mon- ofcer used “unnecessary and too ag- an impending stall at high altitude, itoring to take over, but the long-term gressive” rudder inputs and snapped hence the buffet is a key indicator. solution is to mitigate the startle re- the vertical stabilizer, according to Airbus previously had been providing sponse for the pilot-fying. “You have the NTSB fnal report. The carrier’s data to simulator manufacturers on to have pilots be confident in their simulation-based Advanced Aircraft the bufet characteristics, but Parisis own skills to manage these events,” he Maneuvering Program, which did not says the airframer was “not satisfed” says. “Flying an envelope-protected realistically mimic the aircraft’s mo- with a sampling of those models. aircraft is not an excuse for not hav- tion in wake turbulence, contributed “Our decision starting at the end of ing basic fying skills. The pilot has to to the pilot’s actions. the year is that we will no longer pro- take over when there is an issue, so he Marc Parisis, Airbus’s vice presi- vide the data but we will provide the or she needs more simulator training dent of training and fight operations, simulation software,” he says. “That in manual fying skills.” says that along with enhanced aero- means we will provide a specifc soft- John Steinnes, Boeing’s 737 fleet dynamic models for stall recoveries, ware package so that when the simula- manager, is developing the feetwide the company is also developing its tor generates the input angle-of-attack extended envelope and UPRT pro- own “maneuver-based exercises” and and Mach number, we will provide the grams to be used in the company’s “macro scenarios,” including wind- outputs for the bufet.” simulator training operation. Boeing operates more than 38 full-motion simulators and has a staf of 450 Boe- ing and contractor instructors. “It is a huge efort for us to develop the courseware and curriculum and to Like Airbus, Boeing is developing extended aerodynamic models and scenarios for in-house training programs and customers.

modify the simulators for extended envelope training,” says Steinnes, add- ing that Boeing is spending $20 million on the efort, including training for the 450 instructors. BOEING “We are in the process of developing shear events that instructors will be As for pilot-induced upset scenar- our programs now and hope to have able to select at the instructor station ios, which were at the root of both our instructors trained by the end of to carry out maneuvers and scenari- the Colgan and Air France Flight 447 2017 or possibly halfway through 2018 os called for in the FAA rule. Parisis, accidents, Parisis says simulator sce- to get ahead of the deadline in 2019,” speaking at the Air Line Pilots Asso- narios should attempt to “startle and says Steinnes. He says that Boeing is ciation Safety Forum in late August in surprise” pilots in order to distinguish integrating the extended envelope and Washington, said the enhanced models inappropriate actions from correct re- UPRT into its full transition course and scenarios for all Airbus aircraft sponses. Like Boeing, Airbus operates “starting from Day 1.” The course will types would be ready by year-end. a network of training centers globally, include human factors “soft skills,” “Today we do not have any scenarios including one in Miami. The idea is stalls, recovery techniques and sce- at simulator manufacturers that have to highlight monitoring and aware- nario-based training. been validated by Airbus,” he says. “We ness for early recognition and recov- Steinnes says engineers at the com- have even written to some simulator ery of an impending upset, with the pany’s research center in Russia are companies that we disagree with the pilot-monitoring using standard call- studying motion cueing in the simula- scenarios.” One manufacturer was us- outs and possibly taking over control tor, analyzing eye-gazing techniques, ing a scenario in which the instructor from the pilot-fying using the priority developing an assessment tool to could introduce an upset situation that switch, a feature of the fy-by-wire Air- determine how well pilots are learn- would bring the aircraft “quite rapidly” bus side-stick control system. ing, and researching incidents and ac- from cruise attitude to an angle of at- He cited an incident in early August cidents to devise 20-25 scenarios for tack of 25 deg. nose-up without chang- in which the pilot-fying of an Airbus Boeing’s scenario-based training. ing the fightpath, virtually impossible aircraft in cruise flight made an in- With time getting relatively short from a physics standpoint, he notes. appropriate input when the aircraft for airlines to put in place the en- “It’s not realistic, and it’s not recover- momentarily exceeded its maximum hanced pilot training, Steinnes says able,” he says. speed due to a slight change in wind. Boeing is beginning to get requests “on Included with the models will be “The pilot-fying’s reaction was to go what we are doing” and how to train simulator software for a more accu- full back on the stick,” says Parisis. pilots. “Some want to hit the ‘easy’ but- rate stall bufet, the rumbling of air- “The pitch attitude went to 18 deg., and ton and asked if there’s something we fow over the wing as the aircraft nears the pilot-monitoring did not take over.” can give them,” he says. c

62 AviAtion Week & SpAce technology/noveMBeR 21-DeceMBeR 4, 2016 AviationWeek.com/awst

AW_11_21_2016_p60-62.indd 62 11/16/16 5:14 PM simulAtion And trAining CLASSIFIED ADVERTISING taking of from New York’s John F. Ken- the stall angle of attack. For the A320, Parisis says the short-term solution To Place Your Classified Ad Contact: nedy International Airport, the frst Parisis says there is no audio alert for to such problems is for the pilot-mon- Miguel Ornelas; Tel: 661-480-7000 • [email protected] ofcer used “unnecessary and too ag- an impending stall at high altitude, itoring to take over, but the long-term gressive” rudder inputs and snapped hence the buffet is a key indicator. solution is to mitigate the startle re- the vertical stabilizer, according to Airbus previously had been providing sponse for the pilot-fying. “You have COURSES EQUIPMENT ADVANCED COMPOSITE TRAINING the NTSB fnal report. 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Aircraft Collateral Verifcation & Audit been validated by Airbus,” he says. “We ness for early recognition and recov- Steinnes says engineers at the com- from an accredited aircraft appraiser is have even written to some simulator ery of an impending upset, with the pany’s research center in Russia are important for ensuring your aircraft is Portfolio Audits companies that we disagree with the pilot-monitoring using standard call- studying motion cueing in the simula- scenarios.” One manufacturer was us- outs and possibly taking over control tor, analyzing eye-gazing techniques, accurately refecting its fair market value. Diminution of Value ing a scenario in which the instructor from the pilot-fying using the priority developing an assessment tool to could introduce an upset situation that switch, a feature of the fy-by-wire Air- determine how well pilots are learn- would bring the aircraft “quite rapidly” bus side-stick control system. ing, and researching incidents and ac- from cruise attitude to an angle of at- He cited an incident in early August cidents to devise 20-25 scenarios for tack of 25 deg. nose-up without chang- in which the pilot-fying of an Airbus Boeing’s scenario-based training. Carl Janssens Chris Reynolds ing the fightpath, virtually impossible aircraft in cruise flight made an in- With time getting relatively short Accredited Senior Appraiser Accredited Senior Appraiser from a physics standpoint, he notes. appropriate input when the aircraft for airlines to put in place the en- “It’s not realistic, and it’s not recover- momentarily exceeded its maximum hanced pilot training, Steinnes says able,” he says. speed due to a slight change in wind. Boeing is beginning to get requests “on Included with the models will be “The pilot-fying’s reaction was to go what we are doing” and how to train simulator software for a more accu- full back on the stick,” says Parisis. pilots. “Some want to hit the ‘easy’ but- 877.531.1450 | jetappraisals.com rate stall bufet, the rumbling of air- “The pitch attitude went to 18 deg., and ton and asked if there’s something we fow over the wing as the aircraft nears the pilot-monitoring did not take over.” can give them,” he says. c

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AW_11_21_2016_p64.indd 64 11/9/16 1:00 PM AW_11_21_2016_p65.indd 65 11/17/16 4:21 PM Viewpoint Obama Passed on Space Issues

By ScOtt Pace NASA hina recently launched its second space labo- native for crewed missions and a smoother transition Cratory, a man-tended module that currently to heavy-lift vehicles. With the objective of returning houses two astronauts. The country is work- to the Moon gone, the Obama administration doubled ing toward a full space station of roughly 60 metric down on government funding of “commercial” crew tons by 2022 and is actively courting international vehicles and set aside the momentum to build a dra- participation. Some in the U.S. debate whether or not matically safer launch vehicle after the space shuttle to cooperate with China. The Chinese frankly don’t Columbia accident. care; they are seeking other partners. In space, as in But it was not just exploration that saw a fading of so many other areas of international leadership, the administration interest. The White House punted on Obama administration’s decisions have resulted in a a whole host of civil, commercial and military space diminished role for the U.S. issues and left Congress to fll the vacuum. GPS spec- The U.S. remains a space power second to none, trum has been under attack for years by the Federal but it is also more dependent on space—economically Communications Commission, seeking more mobile and militarily—than any other country. A strange in- bandwidth, and the White House has largely left its version of space policy leadership has occurred in the defense to the agencies. Commercial remote-sensing last seven years. The White House has become less licensing has stalled even as U.S. companies are ever relevant, while the role of Congress has increased. more innovative. The National Oceanic and Atmo- Space is one of the few issues that is usually biparti- spheric Administration is conducting a pilot efort to san. There have been exceptions, such as the fctitious use commercial data but only under congressional missile gap in the 1960 election or debates in the 1980s pressure. Similarly, it has been congressional pres-

sure that has brought attention to a long-festering is- In the absence of a sue of the U.S. use of Russian rocket engines.

In the face of growing Russian and Chinese counter- White House that cares space weapons demonstrations, the White House de- serves some credit for putting new money and atten- “ “ about U.S. power and tion on space defense and resilience—a topic too long neglected by prior administrations. Hopefully, this ef- leadership, Congress will fort will survive transition with congressional support. But there remains a more fundamental lack of strate- need to fll the vacuum. gic vision for space given its critical importance to U.S. national interests. Does the U.S. want to be a leader over the Strategic Defense Initiative. Most recently, in space-based information services? Then it needs a however, the most serious clashes have been between regulatory process that supports innovation while pro- Congress and the White House, not Republicans and tecting crucial utilities like GPS. Does the U.S. want to Democrats. have greater depth and resilience in national security In 2010, there was a bipartisan congressional revolt space systems? If so, it needs to organize, train and against the Obama administration’s efort to cancel equip its armed forces to realistically operate under government-led human spacefight and reduce NASA combat conditions. Does the U.S. want to shape the to a smaller science and technology agency. The can- international norms of behavior in space? If it does, cellation of the Constellation program, particularly then it must lead projects in which other nations gain a the goal to return to the Moon, was a shock to NASA, stake in protecting a stable international order. industry and U.S. allies. The administration continued These are not separate ideas to be parceled out to to push away partners, telling Europeans to go to the separate agencies but complementary aspects of U.S. Russians for their next robotic science mission. Plans national power. In the absence of a White House that to send astronauts to Mars orbit or a distant aster- cares about U.S. power and leadership, Congress will oid failed to fnd international partners. Today, it is continue to fll the vacuum. The Trump administra- increasingly hard to hold the International Space Sta- tion has a historic opportunity to forge a new part- tion partnership together when no one knows what is nership with Congress and create a better future for supposed to come next. America in space. c Congress created a new, if awkward, consensus around Orion and the Space Launch System, essential- Scott Pace is a professor of the practice of international ly an improved Constellation crew vehicle and heavy- afairs at the George Washington University and the lifter, but without the Ares 1 to provide a safer alter- director of its Space Policy Institute.

66 AviAtion Week & SpAce technology/noveMBeR 21-DeceMBeR 4, 2016 aviationWeek.com/awst

AW_11_21_2016_p66.indd 66 11/17/16 4:55 PM Viewpoint Obama Passed on Space Issues

By ScOtt Pace NASA hina recently launched its second space labo- native for crewed missions and a smoother transition Cratory, a man-tended module that currently to heavy-lift vehicles. With the objective of returning houses two astronauts. The country is work- to the Moon gone, the Obama administration doubled ing toward a full space station of roughly 60 metric down on government funding of “commercial” crew tons by 2022 and is actively courting international vehicles and set aside the momentum to build a dra- participation. Some in the U.S. debate whether or not matically safer launch vehicle after the space shuttle to cooperate with China. The Chinese frankly don’t Columbia accident. care; they are seeking other partners. In space, as in But it was not just exploration that saw a fading of so many other areas of international leadership, the administration interest. The White House punted on Obama administration’s decisions have resulted in a a whole host of civil, commercial and military space diminished role for the U.S. issues and left Congress to fll the vacuum. GPS spec- The U.S. remains a space power second to none, trum has been under attack for years by the Federal but it is also more dependent on space—economically Communications Commission, seeking more mobile and militarily—than any other country. A strange in- bandwidth, and the White House has largely left its version of space policy leadership has occurred in the defense to the agencies. Commercial remote-sensing last seven years. The White House has become less licensing has stalled even as U.S. companies are ever relevant, while the role of Congress has increased. more innovative. The National Oceanic and Atmo- Space is one of the few issues that is usually biparti- spheric Administration is conducting a pilot efort to san. There have been exceptions, such as the fctitious use commercial data but only under congressional missile gap in the 1960 election or debates in the 1980s pressure. Similarly, it has been congressional pres- sure that has brought attention to a long-festering is- In the absence of a sue of the U.S. use of Russian rocket engines.

In the face of growing Russian and Chinese counter- White House that cares space weapons demonstrations, the White House de- serves some credit for putting new money and atten- “ “ about U.S. power and tion on space defense and resilience—a topic too long Affordable training solutions neglected by prior administrations. Hopefully, this ef- leadership, Congress will fort will survive transition with congressional support. But there remains a more fundamental lack of strate- for extreme military environments need to fll the vacuum. gic vision for space given its critical importance to U.S. national interests. Does the U.S. want to be a leader over the Strategic Defense Initiative. Most recently, in space-based information services? Then it needs a however, the most serious clashes have been between regulatory process that supports innovation while pro- Around the globe, military and service providers have turned to Congress and the White House, not Republicans and tecting crucial utilities like GPS. Does the U.S. want to Meggitt to help them achieve low cost training solutions for weapon Democrats. have greater depth and resilience in national security system engagements. Meggitt is the world leader in design and In 2010, there was a bipartisan congressional revolt space systems? If so, it needs to organize, train and against the Obama administration’s efort to cancel equip its armed forces to realistically operate under production of towed targets, reeling machines and scoring systems. government-led human spacefight and reduce NASA combat conditions. Does the U.S. want to shape the Our products provide a low cost alternative to high performance to a smaller science and technology agency. The can- international norms of behavior in space? If it does, drone targets and allow militaries around the globe to exercise both cellation of the Constellation program, particularly then it must lead projects in which other nations gain a personnel and weapon systems effciently and effectively. the goal to return to the Moon, was a shock to NASA, stake in protecting a stable international order. industry and U.S. allies. The administration continued These are not separate ideas to be parceled out to to push away partners, telling Europeans to go to the separate agencies but complementary aspects of U.S. Ranging from customizable radar targets, to realistic jet engine Russians for their next robotic science mission. Plans national power. In the absence of a White House that exhaust IR targets, our low cost training solutions have been to send astronauts to Mars orbit or a distant aster- cares about U.S. power and leadership, Congress will delivered to nearly 20 countries and are ready to meet the challenges oid failed to fnd international partners. Today, it is continue to fll the vacuum. The Trump administra- of today’s most advanced training requirements. increasingly hard to hold the International Space Sta- tion has a historic opportunity to forge a new part- tion partnership together when no one knows what is nership with Congress and create a better future for supposed to come next. America in space. c Congress created a new, if awkward, consensus around Orion and the Space Launch System, essential- Scott Pace is a professor of the practice of international ly an improved Constellation crew vehicle and heavy- afairs at the George Washington University and the Tel: +1 949 465 7700 lifter, but without the Ares 1 to provide a safer alter- director of its Space Policy Institute. E-mail: [email protected] www.meggittdefense.com

66 AviAtion Week & SpAce technology/noveMBeR 21-DeceMBeR 4, 2016 aviationWeek.com/awst

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