Latest News

Rafael CEO Outlines Network Developments
June 17, 2013, 2:30 AM
2013

Israeli defense specialist Rafael (Chalet A194, Static A33) is exhibiting a range of the company’s products and solutions at Paris, including the new Spice 250 weapon and a wide range of air defense missiles and control systems. Although it is well known for its missiles and electro-optical sensors, Rafael is involved in the creation of complex systems that bring increasing effectiveness, efficiency and economy to the defense arena.

Rolls-Royce Pushing Ahead With Trent 1000 Ten For Boeing 787
June 17, 2013, 1:00 AM
2013
With the Trent 1000 Package C upgrade, Rolls-Royce aims to offer 76,000 pounds of thrust “with margin” to meet Boeing 787-9 power requirements and provide increased performance for the 787-10X.

Rolls-Royce says that by August it expects to have demonstrated a new high-pressure turbine (HPT) destined for its Trent 1000-Ten engine, which is being offered to power the prospective Boeing 787-10. Assembly of the first full development engine is scheduled before year-end.

Boeing Hoping To Consign Dreamliner Woes To Memory
June 17, 2013, 12:50 AM
2013
Final assembly of the 787-9 started on May 30 on the 787 surge line at Boeing’s widebody plant in Everett, Washington.

Boeing has finished modifying the lithium-ion battery systems on all 50 of its 787 Dreamliners in the field and all the airplanes’ operators have re-launched service.

Boeing Turns Up Heat On Suppliers
June 17, 2013, 12:40 AM
2013

Recent remarks by Boeing CEO Jim McNerney about creating a so-called no-fly list of suppliers who fail to meet certain standards for quality, speed of delivery and cost has turned a spotlight on the company’s four supply chain management heads, all tasked with implementing the boss’s decree within their respective areas of responsibility and keeping vigil for “divide and conquer” tactics sometimes employed by program partners.

Boeing Approaching Firm Configuration With 737 Max
June 17, 2013, 12:30 AM
2013
An artist’s concept shows the future configuration of Boeing’s narrowbody plant in Renton, Washington, where plans call for creating a third line meant to ease the full transition to 737 Max production by 2019.

A switch from composite to titanium inner wall of the thrust reversers on the Boeing 737 Max has allowed designers to increase the fan diameter in the airplane’s CFM Leap-1B turbofans without a proportional increase in the size of the nacelle.

Shanahan Ponders Prospects For Further 787 Rate Hikes
June 17, 2013, 12:20 AM
2013
Plans call for Boeing’s new 787 factory in Charleston, South Carolina, to produce three airplanes a month by the end of the year.

Boeing has left little doubt that it harbors bigger plans for its new plant in Charleston, South Carolina, where by the end of this year it expects to deliver three Dreamliners a month.

Rolls-Royce Prepares XWB-97 Engine To Join Trent Fan Club
June 17, 2013, 12:10 AM
2013
Following manufacture of 12 development Trent XWBs, Rolls-Royce had built at least six preproduction units for the Airbus A350 by the beginning of June.

Orders from Singapore Airlines covering up to 50 additional Rolls-Royce (R-R) Trent XWB-engined A350-900s boosted Airbus as it made final preparations late last month [May] for the new airliner’s first flight. The Asian carrier has booked 30 examples and taken options on 20 more (convertible to larger A350-1000s), boosting the total number of A350-900s it has ordered to 70.

Dassault Boss: Indian Rafale Contract By Year-end
June 16, 2013, 7:15 PM
2013
Three generations of Dassault

The $10 billion-plus contract to sell 126 Rafale combat jets to India will be completed by the end of the year. That was the confident prediction of Eric Trappier, Dassault Aviation president and director-general, at an eve-of-show press conference. Since India selected the French combat jet in January 2012, negotiations have dragged on, with thorny issues of local partnerships, offsets and liabilities unresolved.

Dassault Rafale Looks Good For India, Maybe Canada
June 16, 2013, 7:15 PM
2013
Dassault Trio

At an eve-of-show press conference, Eric Trappier, Dassault Aviation president and director-general, predicted that the $10 billion-plus contract to sell 126 Rafale combat jets to India would be completed by the end of the year. And he confirmed that the option for a further 63 aircraft was under active discussion.

New UCAV In A Bubble
June 16, 2013, 6:35 PM
2013
pan-European Neuron UCAV

The pan-European Neuron UCAV is making its public debut, outside Hall 2 here as part of the Dassault Aviation static display. But you could easily miss it. For security reasons, the stealthy, arrow-shaped drone has been enclosed in a dome, with the only public view being through a clear plastic curtain. Dassault is lead contractor, and France the lead country, for the six-nation technology demonstration project. The other participants are Greece (HAI); Italy (Alenia); Spain (EADS-CASA); Sweden (Saab); and Switzerland (Ruag).

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