News Clips

Rohde & Schwarz has begun series production of the VHF/UHF main transceiver for the new TIGER combat and support helicopter. In cooperation with Thomson of France Rohde & Schwarz will supply the VHF/UHF main transceiver featuring SATURN (Second Generation of Anti-Jam Tactical UHF Radio for NATO). The use of fast frequency hopping ensures maximum jam resistance. This will ensure compatible digital data transfer between t the army aviation forces of Germany and France on joint missions for the first time.

Northrop Grumman Corporation has been awarded a contract by the Government of Rwanda to provide an ARSR-70 air route surveillance radar and associated installation and logistics support. Contract terms were not disclosed. The ARSR-70 will be employed in Rwanda to provide air surveillance and air traffic control. It is a high-performance, three-dimensional, long-range radar derived from the Northrop Grumman TPS-70 family of tactical radars. Northrop Grumman is to provide both operator and maintenance training so that Rwanda quickly becomes self-sufficient in its ability to operate and maintain the system. To date, radars from the Northrop Grumman ARSR-70 family have been supplied to the US Air Force and to 22 countries world-wide. The radar, associated documentation, and support items will be delivered in a few months. Full operational capability is expected before the end of the year.

AAR CORP, the US based provider of inventory management and logistic support services, and Air France Industries (AFI), the Maintenance business unit of Air France airline, have formed an alliance to provide full component management support to operators of Airbus A320 family of aircraft in North and Central America. AAR and AFI will provide full spares provisioning and supply, component repair, logistics management, pool access and flexible financing options. The joint operation, which will include both AAR and AFI personnel, is intended to be based at the AAR Aircraft Component Services facility in Garden City, New York. Operations are scheduled to start July, 1999.

One of the first moves by the newly formed Aerospatiale Matra company was to sign a Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) with Lockheed Martin to cooperate on a Korean project, to provide for potential industrial cooperation with the new Korean Aircraft Industries (KAI). This agreement allows for potential industrial exploration with KAI on new aerospace and defence programmes. This project will allow the two companies to build an alliance with a major Asian player in the aerospace and defence market. Aerospatiale Matra and Lockheed Martin also confirmed that they are continuing their discussions for further partnerships on tanker, transport and multi-mission large military aircraft programmes.

Eurocopter EC135 with the serial number 100 was handed over to the Bavarian Police during a little celebration on June,16. Patrick Gavin, President of Eurocopter and Dr.Siegfreid Sobotta Co-President of Eurocopter handed over the keys to Franz Brisch, Member of the Internal Affairs Committee of the Bavarian Parliament and responsible for law enforcement.

Satellite manufacturer Matra Marconi Space has selected Arianespace to launch the Nilesat 102 direct TV broadcast satellite in 2000. The launch is scheduled for the middle of 2000, with an Ariane 4 or Ariane 5 launch vehicle from Europe's spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana. Built by Matra Marconi Space, Nilesat 102 will weigh about 1,800 kg (3,960 lb) at launch, and will be positioned at 7 degrees West, over the Gulf of Guinea. It will be equipped with 12 Ku-band transponders and a transmission antenna with a 2-3 meter (7,5 ft) diameter reflector. Covering a zone from Morocco to the Arab Gulf countries, Nilesat 102 will offer a direct-to-home transmission capacity of more than 100 digital TV channels.

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