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UPDATE 
Week ending April 29, 2001
+++ Airbus A340-600 flies +++ European missile companies merge +++ Bombardier delivers CRJ number 500 +++ Zurich airport: Problems with flight routes +++ Global Hawk UAV flies US-Australia +++ Lufthansa most successful in 2000 +++ News in brief +++

Airbus A340-600 flies
Gößter Airbus in der Luft

The 380-seat A340-600, Airbus' largest airliner to date, made its first flight on April 23, completing a successful mission which lasted 5 hours and 22 minutes. The first A340-600 took off from the Blagnac international airport in Toulouse, France at 10h34 hours local time (08h34GMT), and returned at 15h56 hours local time (13h56 GMT). The maiden flight was captained by Claude Lelaie, Vice President of Airbus' Flight Division, and co-piloted by test pilot Ed Strongman with Gilles Robert, the Division's Test and Development Director, Jacky Joye and Gérard Desbois as flight test engineers.
Commenting on the flight, a very satisfied Claude Lelaie confirmed that the new aircraft had handled as anticipated. "We flew the aircraft throughout the flight envelope from minimum to maximum operating speeds and despite its impressive size, the A340-600 handles just like any other A330/A340 Family aircraft thanks to cockpit commonality and fly-by-wire controls. The innovative systems introduced on this aircraft such as the latest generation LCD displays and taxi cameras worked well," he said. "This aircraft is a real tribute to everyone at Airbus, Rolls Royce and our suppliers who have worked on it over the last few years. We are proud to have inaugurated the decades of in-flight satisfaction this 21st century aircraft will bring to our customers and their passengers," he added.
The A340-600 took off at a weight of over 300 tonnes (660,000 lbs) allowing a realistic first appraisal of its in-flight behaviour. Indeed, the A340-600 is the highest capacity member of the Airbus family so far, with a maximum take off weight of 365 tonnes. The aircraft was fitted with around 36 tonnes of equipment, comprising water ballast tanks and around 14 tonnes of flight-test instrumentation that is capable of recording the thousands of parameters necessary for a full and thorough analysis of the aircraft's in-flight performance. This maiden voyage marks the beginning of a comprehensive flight test campaign involving three A340-600s in 1,600 flight hours and culminating in certification and entry into airline service in mid 2002.

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European missile companies merge
Lenkwaffenfirmen: Die Fusion steht

BAE Systems, EADS and Finmeccanica signed on April 26 the agreement for the incorporation of a single company that will re-group the missiles and missile systems activities of their respective subsidiaries, Matra BAe Dynamics, EADS Aerospatiale Matra Missiles and Alenia Marconi Systems. The name of the new company will be MBDA. With a total sales figure of more than _2 billion and an order book of around 13 billion euros, equal to more than six years total sales, the new company is strengthened in its position as Number Two worldwide for missiles. The company employs approximately 10,000 people in 10 different regions in France, the United Kingdom and Italy. Philippe Camus and Rainer Hertrich, CEOs of EADS, said: "The consolidation process of the European missile systems industry to ensure its durability against fierce competition from an already re-structured US industry, is now taking a new and decisive step forward. The new company will be supported by powerful and well-established shareholders in these sectors."

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Bombardier delivers CRJ number 500
500. Bombardier CRJ ausgeliefert

Bombardier Aerospace has delivered the milestone 500th production CRJ, a 50-seat Series 200 model, to Dulles, Virginia-based Atlantic Coast Airlines (ACA). It was the carrier's 43rd delivery from a firm order for 96 of the 50-seat regional jets. ACA holds options on an additional 80 CRJ aircraft. "The CRJ airliner program is about 10 years old now and the 500th airliner is something of an achievement because a lot of people didn't believe there was a market for this kind of airliner," said Steven Ridolfi, president of Bombardier Aerospace, Regional Aircraft. "They didn't think we would go past 400 airplanes in ten years. In fact, considering orders and options for all versions of the CRJ, our program now totals 2,105 aircraft. And along the way, the CRJ revolutionized the regional airline industry." Delivery of the 500th CRJ came not quite 10 years after the rollout of the first CRJ, on May 6, 1991. As of today, 35 operators in 16 countries or territories have accepted delivery of 500 CRJ aircraft, of which 300 aircraft are in the U.S. The firm order backlog is 545 aircraft. Conditional orders and options for 1,060 CRJ aircraft raise the program total to 2,105 aircraft, making it the best-selling regional airliner of all time.

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Zurich airport: Problems with flight routes
Schwierigkeiten für Flughafen Zürich

"The recent Swiss-German agreement to restrict the use of southern German airspace by aircraft landing at Zurich International Airport will produce serious difficulties for the airlines operating at that facility and for the travelling public" said IATA's Director General Pierre J. Jeanniot. While bilateral agreements are generally preferable to unilateral action by one of the parties involved, this agreement will severely constrain operations at Zurich airport and put into question its future as a major European hub. This agreement will mean that the airport's most important approach axis, and the one that has been equipped with all the necessary technical and safety infrastructure for landing, especially during conditions of poor visibility, will only be used to a limited extent. The decision will have also a negative knock on effect on already congested airports and airspace in the rest of Europe. "While it cannot support a decision which threatens the very framework of international civil aviation, IATA stands ready to assist in seeking a long-term solution to the issues which would take into account the welfare of the communities involved while preserving Zurich's aviation future" Jeanniot added.

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Global Hawk UAV flies US-Australia
Transpazifikflug des Global Hawk

The Northrop Grumman Global Hawk made international aviation history today when it completed the first non-stop flight across the Pacific Ocean by an autonomous aircraft, flying from Edwards Air Force Base on the west coast of the U.S. to RAAF Base Edinburgh, South Australia. Global Hawk, renamed Southern Cross II for its deployment to Australia, ended its 22-hour first trans-Pacific flight at the Royal Australian Air Force's Edinburgh Base north of Adelaide at 9pm on April 23. It will be based at Edinburgh for the next six weeks.
Dr Brendan Nelson, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Defence said this was a historic moment in world aviation. "Emerging systems such as Global Hawk offer Australia great potential for surveillance, reconnaissance and ultimately the delivery of combat power," Dr Nelson said. While in country, the Global Hawk air vehicle number five will fly about 12 missions around Australia and its maritime approaches allowing Australia's Defence Science and Technology Organisation (DSTO), the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) and the U.S. to jointly assess the military utility of high altitude endurance UAVs to conduct maritime, littoral and land surveillance, and stand-off reconnaissance operations.

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Lufthansa most successful in 2000
Lufthansa mit hohen Gewinnen

With an operating profit of more than Euro 1 billion, Lufthansa posted the best result of all European airlines for the fourth year in a row. It is 44 per cent higher than the 1999 result and impressively demonstrates Lufthansa's success and competitive strength. "The business strategy of our integrated all-round Aviation Group has proved to be both appropriate and fruitful. It has facilitated our success and has led to growth. We shall stick to it so as to sustain our profitability," Jürgen Weber, Lufthansa's Chairman and Chief Executive Officer,said at the annual press conference in Frankfurt.
In the financial year 2000 Lufthansa profited from the robust worldwide demand for air traffic services and achieved new all-time records. The Group improved overall capacity utilisation by a further 0.7 percentage point to reach an all-time high of 71.8 per cent. Lufthansa German Airlines and Lufthansa CityLine carried a combined total of 47 million passengers, year-on-year rise of 7.4 per cent. Thanks to a marked increase in sales coupled with only a moderate expansion of capacity, the passenger load factor rose to a record 74.4 per cent. This capacity planning for the Group's airlines turned out to be the right course. The record seat occupancy rate and higher average yields pushed up traffic revenue by 17.5 per cent. They climbed to Euro 12.5 billion. Passenger business alone generated Euro 10.0 billion, which was an improvement of 16.2 per cent compared with 1999. Air freight business also grew at an above-average rate, achieving a 23.3 per cent increase in revenue.
In the year 2000 Lufthansa again invested substantially in the modernisation and expansion of its fleet, spending a total of Euro 1.5 billion on aircraft procurement. The Company put 29 new airliners into service during the year under review. Capital expenditure on financial assets, at Euro 0.7 billion, was likewise up on the year. The fine earnings result, together with lower income tax payments, caused the cash flow from operating activities to swell by Euro 0.8 billion to Euro 2.1 billion. This enabled Lufthansa to finance its net capital expenditure completely from its own internally generated funds.

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NEWS IN BRIEF / KURZMELDUNGEN

Despite the difficulties, the Nordic countries still plan to buy their helicopters jointly. The defence ministers of Finland, Sweden, Norway and Denmark held a quick meeting on the afternoon of Friday April 20, at the Arlanda airport, and they reached agreement on continuing their joint effort. "The technical assessments will continue and our objective is to have the decision made during the summer," said Finnish Defence Minister Jan-Erik Enestam. He did not wish to be more specific as to the timetable. No new meetings were scheduled at this meeting, but according to Enestam the defence ministers will be holding meetings for other reasons in both May and June and they can discuss this issue as well at those times. Enestam says the project's numerous delays can be explained by the fact that assessing the characteristics of the helicopters being considered has proven to be much more complicated than was previously thought. "This is the sole and true reason for our needing more time. From Finland's perspective this is not a particularly welcome development, but we can live with it."
+++
A Navy E-2C Hawkeye equipped with state-of-the-art composite eight-blade propellers successfully completed its first flight on April 19. The NP2000 program is developing the new propellers for the E-2C Hawkeye and C-2A Greyhound. Easier and less expensive to maintain than the current four blade propellers, the NP2000 is a digitally controlled, all-composite propeller blade system that will replace the electro-mechanical, steel spar propellers that are currently on all Hawkeye and Greyhound aircraft. Phase I of the flight test program will expand the flight envelope and assess and validate flying qualities. Aircraft carrier suitability testing will take place in late summer 2001. Phase II will involve performance and additional shipboard testing. The NP2000 flight test program should be completed by fall 2002 followed by Fleet Introduction. Pilot Lt. Cmdr. Glenn Jamison, co-pilot Lt. Cmdr. Mark Light, and the Naval Flight Officer Lt. Tim Spitser flew the NP2000 Hawkeye test aircraft.
+++
Fulfilling its obligations under the 1992 EU-US Bilateral Agreement on Trade in Large Civil Aircraft, the European Commission has informed the US government of the terms of government support for the Airbus A380 programme. The information provided confirms that the support fully respects the criteria established by this Agreement for the provision of direct support by EU Member States for the development of Large Civil Aircraft. The announcement follows meetings between the EU and the US under the 1992 Agreement in January and Commissioner Lamy's visit to the US to meet with USTR Robert Zoellick, where he undertook to inform the US of the terms for financing for the A380 as soon as these were available. To date, seven (France, Germany, the United Kingdom, Spain, Belgium, the Netherlands, Finland) of the nine EU Member states participating in the A380 programme have committed support in the form provided by the Agreement. The two remaining Member States, Italy and Sweden may commit direct support in the near future. In any event, and taking account of their possible contribution, total support will not exceed the33% limit.
+++
Following the success of the earlier Maxus flights which have taken place since 1992, the countdown is underway for the launch of ESA's Maxus 4 sub-orbital microgravity mission on 29 April from ESRANGE, near Kiruna in northern Sweden. During the last two years, scientists from five European countries have been working together with the engineering teams from Astrium GmbH and the Swedish Space Corporation in preparation for the Maxus 4 mission, which is funded by the European Space Agency. The Maxus 4 flight will provide weightlessness to the experiments for the duration of about 12.5 minutes. On its flight, the payload will reach an apogee of 710km. On the down-leg, at an altitude of 6km the main parachute will be deployed to ensure the safe landing of the Maxus 4 payload at a distance of about 80km down-range. It will then be brought back by helicopter, normally within one hour after impact. The scientific payload weighing 490kg is housed in five autonomous experiment modules, each having access to telemetry, telecommand and video services.
+++
Mission managers added an extra day to STS-100's mission, with another extension being considered. As it stands currently, the shuttle should have undocked from the station on Sunday and prepare for a landing on Tuesday. While flight controllers on Earth look into computer problems aboard the space station, the astronauts plan to close Raffaello's hatch and reberth it inside Endeavour's payload bay using the shuttle's robotic arm. Though delayed thus far, a second orbital reboost using the orbiter's thruster jets is still scheduled for the International Space Station. By Friday, most of the computer systems are running well as the station crew works to bring the backup computers on line. There are three command and control computers aboard the station with the primary one fully operational and online, and the other two backups currently off-line. One back up will be swapped with a payload computer to correct a possible failed hard-drive unit. The other back up has been loaded with new software from the ground but has not been rebooted yet.
+++
The X-40A vehicle successfully performed a third free flight test at Dryden Flight Research Center at Edwards, Calif. The X-40A was lifted by an Army Chinook helicopter to an altitude of 14,975 feet (4564 meters) and released at 7:33 a.m. PDT, reaching a speed of about 430 feet (131 meters) per second to complete the test when the wheels rolled to a stop at 7:35 a.m. PDT. "I'm very pleased with the near flawless performance of the X-40A," said Susan Turner, NASA's X-37 program manager at Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Ala. "This is our third successful flight test of the vehicle, and each one enables us to better understand the systems that later will guide the flight of the X-37. This test program has been a team effort that all the partners can be very proud of."
+++
The next space shuttle crew can expect an even safer ride into orbit, thanks to the completion of a new Space Shuttle Main Engine. Workers installed one of the new engines, called the Block II configuration, on Space Shuttle Atlantis, April 24, at NASA's Kennedy Space Center, FL. Atlantis' first flight using the new engine is targeted for no earlier than June 14 on mission STS-104 to the International Space Station. Atlantis will use one Block II main engine and two Block IIA main engines to complete its full complement of three engines.Improvements to the main engines, managed by NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center, Huntsville, AL, continue to evolve to produce the safest, most reliable and reusable space transportation system in the world. The Block II Main Engine configuration includes a new Pratt & Whitney high-pressure fuel turbopump. The primary modification to the engine is elimination of welds by using a casting process for the housing, and an integral shaft/disk with thin-wall blades and ceramic bearings. This makes the pump stronger and should increase the number of flights between major overhauls. Although the new pump adds 300 pounds (135 kilograms) of weight to the shuttle, the results are a more reliable and safer engine because of increased pump robustness.
+++
The International Space Station (ISS) Partnership granted an exemption for the flight of Dennis Tito, an American businessman, to the space station aboard the Soyuz 2 Taxi mission, which is scheduled for launch April 28. Following intense and extensive consultations among all space station partners, the Multilateral Coordination Board (MCB) achieved consensus on the proposed Tito flight. The ISS partners reaffirmed that safety is the paramount consideration in the space station program. Further, the mechanisms that implement the ISS international agreements have been tested and worked well to resolve a difficult issue facing the ISS partnership.
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The government of Canada has awarded a $436 million (USD) contract to Boeing for the modernization of 80 Canadian Forces CF-18 strike fighters. This upgrade will ensure that CF-18s remain combat ready and interoperable with coalition forces well into the 21st century. Under the contract, the CF-18s will be equipped with improved communication and navigation capabilities including a new mission computer, an APG-73 radar, stores management set, a secure radio system and a Combined Interrogator/Transponder system. Canadian firm Bombardier Aerospace will perform installations required as part of the modernization program. Under the terms of the agreement, Bombardier will complete work at its facilities in Mirabel, Quebec. A validation andverification phase involving one A single-seat model and one B two-seat model CF-18 will begin in July 2002. Modification work on the remaining 78 aircraft is scheduled to begin in January 2003.
+++
Boeing reported strong financial results for the first quarter with net earnings of $762 million or $0.89 per share on $13.3 billion of revenue. These results exclude a $475 million non-recurring earnings tax benefit. Net earnings including the non-recurring tax benefit totaled $1,237 million, or $1.45 per share. Operating earnings and margins totaled $1.2 billion and 9.2 percent, respectively. Total backlog at the end of the quarter was up slightly to $153 billion, of which $124 billion is contractually committed. The company generated $850 million of free cash flow (operating cash flow less capital expenditures) in the quarter. Ending cash and short-term investment balances were nearly $1.6 billion. Consolidated debt at the end of the period totaled $8.9 billion, of which $4.6 billion is attributable to Boeing Capital Corporation.
+++
In the first quarter of 2001 Lufthansa again operated successfully in what was a difficult market. The good level of fleet capacity utilisation plus stable average yields pushed up traffic revenue significantly. It increased by 16.1 per cent to Euro 3.0 billion. The stronger demand for premium products and cross-currency parities also had a positive effect. The Group generated total revenue of Euro 3.6 billion - 15.1 per cent more than in the first three months of last year. However, the sharp increase in fuel prices - caused partly by the high US dollar exchange rate - pushed up the cost of materials. This higher cost burden dented earnings to the extent of Euro 121 million. In addition, Lufthansa commenced extensive preliminary work during the period under review for the e-business projects conceived last year. Obviously, these outlays were not yet counterbalanced by any significant savings or additional income. Consequently, the operating result for the first quarter of 2001 declined under the impact of the rise in fuel costs and the once-only project outlays. It amounted to Euro 5 million, which was Euro 94 million less than last year's first-quarter result. As the busi-ness performance of airlines in the first three months, when traffic volumes are at a low ebb, is usually not representative of the year as a whole, the first-quarter result is an inappropriate indicator for predicting the likely outcome over twelve months.
+++
Together with SAS Flight Support and the Swedish company CARMENTA, Austrian Airlines, as the "launch customer" and therefore the first airline worldwide, developed an electronic Route Manual that will considerably reduce the paper flood for pilots - and will therefore make the big pilot's case obsolete. It will be possible to have the Route Manual (route maps) available on the laptops already used by Austrian Airlines pilots to calculate take-off performance. The required data will be updated through a wireless LAN system during pilot check in at the Austrian Airlines crew building at Vienna Schwechat airport. eRM eliminates the individual paper Route Manuals until now distributed to all pilots - and will save 206 meters of paper per year - a pile comparable to one and a half the hight of St. Stephan's Cathedral!
+++
A total of 5 286 shareholders attended the 2001 SAirGroup Ordinary Shareholders' Meeting at Zurich Airport today. In a marathon eight hours of active and lively discussion, attendees acknowledged the Group's unsatisfactory 2000 annual results. Various proposals for a special audit were approved by substantial majorities. Mario A. Corti, Group Chairman & CEO, assured shareholders that the parties charged with the special audit would receive the company's full support. Board members Bénédict Hentsch, Andres Leuenberger and Lukas Mühlemann were re-elected to the Board to serve until the Extraordinary Shareholders' Meeting to be held this autumn. The 2001 Shareholders' Meeting, the company's 75th, generated exceptionally strong interest among both shareholders and the national and international media. The upheavals surrounding the change of overall airline strategy and the 2000 annual result - the worst in the company's history - had prompted thousands of shareholders to register their intention to attend. In the end, of the almost 20 000 responses, "only" 5286 shareholders reported to the hangar at the SR Technics Zurich maintenance base where the meeting was held, though this was still the highest turnout ever. Well over a hundred written questions had been submitted and had to be answered; and, after dozens of further contributions from the floor, Board Chairman Mario A. Corti formally closed the marathon meeting at 23:00 after eight hours of discussion.
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The SAirGroup is to sell its Swissôtel Hotels & Resorts group to Raffles Holdings Ltd. Raffles, the renowned Singapore-based hotel and resort company, will take over ownership, or the corresponding management agreements, for the 23 Swissôtels at the end of May. The properties will continue to operate under the established Swissôtel brand. All 23 Swissôtels will receive a new owner or management company. This includes the hotels in Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, New York and Washington D.C., all in the USA; Amsterdam, Basel, Berlin, Brussels, Düsseldorf/Neuss, Frankfurt, Geneva, London, Montreux and Zurich, in Europe; Lima and Quito, in South America; Beijing and Dalian, in China; and Cairo, Göcek, Istanbul and Sharm El Sheikh in the Middle East. The Swissôtel in Seoul will be taken over by its Korean owner. The value of the entire transaction is CHF 520 million, including the sale of holdings in Seoul and in Vienna, where Swissôtel held an interest in Hilton's "Am Stadtpark" property.
+++
The Government of Switzerland has requested a possible upgrade of their Swiss Air Force (SAF) F/A-18 aircraft. The F/A-18 Upgrade 21 Program consists of Fleet Retrofit Kits of the following systems : 34 AN/APX-111 Combined Interrogator Transponder, 34 Tactical Aircraft Moving Map Capability, 50 Multi-functional Information Distribution System/Low Volume Terminal (Airborne Link-16). Also, Validation and Verification kits of the following systems: three Joint Helmet-Mounted Cueing Systems, three Enhanced Interface Blanker Unit and three Digital Communications to Wingtips. The proposed program support includes spare and repair parts, support and test equipment, publications and technical data, personnel training and equipment, US Government and contractor engineering and other related elements of logistics and program management support. The estimated cost is $225 million.
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During its General Assembly EUROSPACE, the Association of European Space Industry, renewed its board, named a new President and Vice President and took new orienta-tions with relevant measures to implement them. Armand CARLIER, CEO of Astrium, was named President of EUROSPACE while Ivan Öfverholm, CEO of Austrian Aerospace was named Vice President. The objective of EUROSPACE is to be the only focal point for European space industry vis-à-vis European space authorities (EU, ESA, national space agencies and governments). For this pur-pose EUROSPACE will most probably open an office in Brussels. During the forthcoming months, EUROSPACE will advocate for better co-ordination and new space programmes particu-larly in the fields of environment monitoring, defence, communications and launchers in preparation of the next European Ministerial Con-ference in November.
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Virgin Atlantic has firmed up its commitment for six A380s plus options by signing a firm contract for the 21st century jetliner today. The A380, the only all-new very large aircraft on offer, has demonstrated its success in the marketplace by winning 62 firm commitments plus options from eight customers. Virgin Atlantic plans to introduce new standards of passenger comfort such as casinos and duty Free Shops on board the Superjumbo. It will operate the A380, which offers 35 per cent more seats and 49 per cent more floor space than the largest aircraft flying today, on routes to the US.
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General Dynamics announced that it has signed a definitive agreement to acquire Newport News Shipbuilding. The acquisition, approved by the boards of directors of both companies, is to be accomplished through a cash tender offer for all of Newport News Shipbuilding's publicly held outstanding shares at a price of $67.50 per share. The transaction is valued at approximately $2.6 billion, which includes the assumption of approximately $500 million of Newport News Shipbuilding debt.
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The F-22 Raptor program left its mark on aviation history April 18 as the program completed 1,000 hours of flight testing. Chuck Killberg, a Boeing project test pilot with the F-22 Combined Test Force, flew Raptor 4003 when the aircraft reached the 1,000-hour mark. The Raptor is the third production F-22 delivered to the CTF and the aircraft dedicated to expanding the flight envelope to F-22 operational requirements. The mission continued flight testing the structural capability of the Raptor as part of the envelope expansion program.
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The Royal Air Force's most up to date version of the Tornado, the GR4, has been declared fully operational. The aircraft features significantly improved capabilities, including Forward Looking Infra Red vision equipment, updated avionics, and modern flight controls. The GR4 was cleared for use in training last July, but some software problems delayed full service clearance. These have been resolved by an intensive testing programme. The aircraft will now be available to be deployed on future operations, including with the UK's Joint Rapid Reaction Force.
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BAE Systems North America announces that it has reached agreement with The Carlyle Group, Washington, DC, to spin out its Imaging Sensors business located at Milpitas, California. Imaging Sensors was previously part of BAE Systems Reconnaissance and Surveillance Systems of Syosset, New York. In the transaction, BAE Systems provided the assets of Imaging Sensors to form a new company, Fairchild Imaging, Inc. Closing of the agreement occurred April 6, 2001.
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Astrium has been selected, following an international competition, by EUTELSAT to build its most powerful satellite W3A to be launched mid 2003. W3A will provide a full range of applications that include business communications, Internet-based services and television transmission over a large zone covering Europe and Africa from the 7*degree East orbit location in Ku and Ka-bands. Astrium, as prime contractor for W3A, will design and build the satellite and supply both the payload and the platform. The satellite will fulfil a fixed and broadcast communications mission and is equipped with 50 transponders in Ku and Ka-bands. On-board digital multiplexing is also included for up to 5 channels. The spacecraft has a launch mass of 4.3 tons, a solar array span of 35 metres once deployed in orbit, and a spacecraft power of 9 kW at end of life. The satellite, operating in geostationary orbit, will provide commercial services for a minimum of 12 years. W3A is based on the E3000 version of the EUROSTAR family, five models of which are already in production. 32 EUROSTAR spacecraft have been ordered to date, of which 22 have already been launched and have proven highly reliable in operational service.
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The new obstacle warning system "Hellas" for helicopters, developed by Dornier GmbH, a corporate unit of EADS European Aeronautic Defence and Space Company, was successfully tested for night-flight capability in a test campaign. The testing of Hellas (Helicopter Laser Radar) under aggravated conditions was conducted by the EADS Airborne Systems unit in co-operation with Eurocopter Germany and the Bundeswehr Technical Centre (WTD 61) in Manching. These qualification tests are needed for the installation of Hellas into the new EC 135 helicopters for the flying unit of the Federal Border Guard (BGS). In January 1999, Dornier GmbH, an EADS group company, had won the contract for the delivery of 25 Hellas systems for the new BGS helicopters. This was reported by Dornier GmbH on Monday in Friedrichshafen. The system allows high-precision detection even of thin wires with a diameter of five millimetres over large distances. Optical and acoustic signals inform the pilot of en-route obstacles. In the future, helicopter pilots will have the possibility of viewing the obstacles on a cockpit-mounted display. The devices are already equipped with interfaces. These digital map devices, also a Dornier development, show the obstacle information on a colour map.
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The United States will make available to Taiwan "up to eight diesel submarines, four Kidd-class destroyers, 12 P-3s," White House Press Secretary Ari Fleischer told reporters April 24. "There's a series of other items, (but) that's the heart of the package," he said. "Taiwan now must make its own determinations about which of these items they want to proceed with and purchase. And that will be an ongoing unofficial dialogue," he said.
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Previous updates are still available:
Die News der letzten Wochen sind weiter abrufbar:

*April 22, 2001 *April 15, 2001 *April 8, 2001 *April 1, 2001

*March 25, 2001 *March 18, 2001 *March 11, 2001 *March 4, 2001

*February 25, 2001 *February 18, 2001 *February 4, 2001

*January 28, 2001 *January 21, 2001 *January 14, 2001 *January 7, 2001

*January to December 2000 *January to December 1999 *January to December 1998 *January to December 1997 *September to December 1996

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