China :: Defence :: Space

Oklahoma City OK (SPX) Nov 01, 2011 -Boeing has received a follow-on contract from the U.S. Air Force for additional upgrades of the B-1 bomber fleet's avionics software. The $57 million contract continues a software-sustainment program that has updated and improved the B-1's sustainability and operational capabilities since the aircraft entered service in 1989. Usually, one avionics software block is in development while another is in test and a third is fielded on the fleet of 66 B-1s. This new agreement authorizes Boeing to start work on Sustainment Block 16A (SB 16A). SB 16A includes changes to the aircraft's navigation, weapon delivery, radar, diagnostics, electrical multiplexing, communication/navigation management system software, and controls and displays. Design and development work will begin immediately. "The B-1 continues to be used daily in combat operations," said Rick Greenwell, B-1 program director for Boeing. "Keeping the platform relevant an...

United Nations (AFP) Oct 31, 2011 - The UN Security Council on Monday called on Libya's interim authorities and neighboring countries to stamp out the spread of weapons from Moamer Kadhafi's huge stockpile. Amid mounting fears that militant groups in Africa and beyond could get shoulder-fired rockets and other weapons from the Kadhafi cache, the 15-member council unanimously passed a resolution demanding the clampdown. Resolution 2017, drawn up by Russia, stressed international fears that the stockpile could cause unrest through Africa's Sahel region and fall into the hands of groups such as Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb. The resolution called on Libya "to take all necessary steps to prevent the proliferation of all arms," especially man-portable surface-to-air missiles, MANPADS. It also called on Libyan authorities to work with the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons to destroy new stockpiles. The Security Council said states in the region shou...

London, UK (SPX) Oct 31, 2011 -A Royal Navy minehunter fitted with Thales sonar has located and destroyed a 2,000-pound mine and torpedo lying on the seabed off the port of Tobruk in eastern Libya. HMS Bangor, a Sandown-class mine countermeasures vessel (MCMV), has been on NATO operations off the Libyan coast, tasked with searching for and disposing of any ordnance to clear a path for merchant shipping. The Sandown class operates with Sonar 2093, the most successful variable-depth multi-mode sonar in its field. ... a testament to the world-class capability of the technology." During this operation, Bangor's advanced sonar - described by the navy as 'cutting edge' - successfully detected both the heavily corroded 2,000-pound mine and the torpedo. Bangor was able to destroy both of the weapons using demolition charges dropped by her remotely controlled underwater submersible. Both munitions were spotted by a mine warfare team working in Bangor's operations room as th...

San Diego CA (SPX) Oct 31, 2011 -Boeing reports that its wholly owned subsidiary Tapestry Solutions is part of an industry team selected to upgrade and support the U.S. Air Force Air Mobility Command's Consolidated Air Mobility Planning System (CAMPS). As a subcontractor to SAIC, Tapestry was awarded a six-year contract valued at up to $15 million. Under the contract, Tapestry's engineering support team will insert new software technology into CAMPS, an airlift and air-refueling mission planning and scheduling system used since 1990 across the Department of Defense for peacetime, crisis, contingency and wartime operations. Tapestry also will lead operations and training for the updated web-services-based system. As the developer of a cornerstone component of the principal planning system for airlift worldwide, Tapestry will be able to apply its suite of planning, optimization and disruption-management software applications to enhance mission readiness. "The CAMPS win is a ...

China's first space lab module Tiangong-1, or Heavenly Palace-1, has completed a 180-degree turn-around to prepare itself for the upcoming docking with spacecraft Shenzhou-8, ready to blast off early November in northwestern desert area, a space scientist said Sunday. The target spacecraft adjusted itself to fly invertedly at 7:34 p.m. under the control of the Beijing Aerospace Flight Control Center, said Chen Hongmin, director of the command center for Chinese space program. Chen said the spacecraft was lowered to the 343-km-high rendezvous and docking orbit on Sunday after a series of maneuver including orbit control and on-orbit testing since its launch into space on Sept. 29. As of 7:30 p.m. Sunday, Tiangong-1 has orbited Earth for 30 days and 22 hours, according to Chen. Monitoring results have shown that the spacecraft has been flying smoothly and stably and met with the requirement for the docking mission, Chen said. The docking between Tiangong-1 and Shenzhou-8 has put up h...

China Defense Blog This is the blog of China defense, where professional analysts and serious defense enthusiasts share findings on a rising military power. Saturday, October 29, 2011 Photo of the day: QJY88 5.8x42mm General Purpose Machine Gun Remote Control Mount Developed by Norinco's subsidiary Jianshe Group for "anti terror" markets. Yes, War on Terror (tm) i! s consid ered a marketing opportunity for some. Posted by Coatepeque at 11:54 PM Email This BlogThis! Share to Twitter Share to Facebook 0comments: Post a Comment Older Post Home Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom) Blog Archive 2011 (354) October (32) Photo of the day: QJY88 5.8x42mm General Purpose M... Words Have Meaning: Chinese Nation, Chinese Army ... YouYi-IV Sino-Pakistan Low Intensity Conflict Oper... Hello Chicas! 4th Highland Motorized Infantry Divison, Xinjiang ... 052C LUYANG-II Class Destroyer Update. Air Force of China Airl...

Washington (AFP) Oct 25, 2011 - The US Air Force has allowed dozens of F-22 fighter jets back in the air after commanders briefly grounded the planes at two bases amid safety concerns, officials said Tuesday. After a pilot suffered a lack of oxygen in the cockpit last week, senior officers at bases in Virginia and in Alaska ordered a "pause" in flights for the sophisticated F-22 Raptors, the world's most expensive combat aircraft. At Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson in Alaska, the temporary ban was lifted on Monday and the commander at Joint Base Langley-Eustis in Virginia ended the grounding on Tuesday. "The 1st Fighter Wing has resumed flying operations at Langley AFB" at 8:00 am (1200 GMT), said Miles Brown, spokesman for the Virginia air force base. Air Force engineers will continue to collect data from the F-22 flights to ensure safety, he added. It was the second time this year that F-22 fighter jets were grounded. The Air Force stood down the entire Raptor...

China Defense Blog This is the blog of China defense, where professional analysts and serious defense enthusiasts share findings on a rising military power. Thursday, October 27, 2011 Words Have Meaning: Chinese Nation, Chinese Army and no more PLA China welcomes Taiwan president's peace proposal ReutersBy Ben Blanchard and Sally Huang | Reuters Wed, Oct! 26, 201 1 http://news.yahoo.com/china-welcomes-taiwan-presidents-peace-proposal-075008186.html BEIJING (Reuters) - China on Wednesday welcomed a proposal by Taiwan President Ma Ying-jeou to consider a peace treaty with its long-time rival, but warned Taiwan's China-skeptical opposition not to whip the matter up to make political capital. China and Taiwan have been ruled separately since 1949 when the Nationalists retreated to the island after losing control of the mainland to the communists in the civil war. China has never renounced the use of force to regain control of Taiwan, t...