Monthly Archives: August 2009

Air Force, Contractors & Vendors, Defense Department

Boeing baffled by C-130 modernization program holdup

(UPDATE: The Air Force is reportedly considering C-130 AMP for cancellation. )

Jane’s reports that Boeing is chomping at the bit to move forward with Milestone C for its  C-130 Avionics Modernization Program. The Air Force cancelled the scheduled Defense Aquisition Board meeting on July 3o a few days in advance, and has not yet rescheduled.

Mark Angelo, program manager for C-130 AMP, told Jane’s that he and Boeing “have been given no idea as to … why it was postponed. With development complete, the risk is behind us, and the aircraft upgrade is ready.”

The C-130 AMP program is intended to “modernize, standardize, and reduce total ownership cost for the US Air Force C-130 fleet,” according to Boeing.  Its features include a “glass cockpit”, with the majority of instrumentation replaced by digital displays. Milestone C is the acquisition process decision point that approves the production and deployment of a system.

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Coalition/Allies, Space, tech

South Korean satellite fails to orbit

YONHAP NEWS reports that South Korea’s first attempt to put its own satellite into orbit has failed.  One of the two fairings — the aerodynamic covers for the satellite–failed to detach, resulting in it not achieving enough lift to make orbit.  The satellite is suspected to have re-entered and burned up.
“Only one fairing was ejected 216 seconds after launch with the other section remaining in place until the Science and Technology Satellite-2 (STSAT-2) separated from the second stage rocket 540 seconds into the flight, the ministry in charge of the country’s science and technology policies said. ‘The fairings weigh 300kg or three times more than the scientific satellite, making it effectively impossible for the second stage rocket to generate the necessary thrust to keep the satellite in orbit,’ said Vice Science and Technology Minister Kim Jung-hyun.”

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