Australia Commits to Additional MQ-4C Triton

On the same subject

• 

  January 30, 2019 | International, Aerospace

  Iwakuni Marines use 3D printers to revolutionize maintenance for fighter jets

  By JAMES BOLINGER | STARS AND STRIPES MARINE CORPS AIR STATION IWAKUNI, Japan — Using 3D printers, Marines based in southern Japan created two products that reduce the time it takes to repair F/A-18 Hornets and may save the Defense Department money. Called an engine ship kit, the first innovation is a set of plastic clips and plugs to prevent oil and hydraulic fluid leaking from aircraft engines removed for repairs. The other is a tool that helps maintainers grease the bearings on the F/A-18's high-speed Gatling gun. Designed by Marines from MCAS Iwakuni's Marine Aviation Logistics Squadron 12, the engine ship kit will have an immediate impact on operations, squadron commander Lt. Col. Javier Garcia recently told Stars and Stripes. The kit eliminates the need for maintainers to travel to austere locations to drain oil and hydraulic fluids so an engine can be taken safely back to Iwakuni for repair. The plastic drain plugs prevent the fluid from leaking and the clips ensure the plugs are not dislodged as the engine is readied for transport. The kit is the brain child of 1st Lt. Simon Miller and Chief Warrant Officer 3 Mark Willems, who needed to get a broken F/A-18 engine from Wake Island to MCAS Iwakuni late last year. The engine began to leak while a C-130 crew tried to load it, Garcia said. In the past, a team of maintenance Marines would have traveled to the location to prepare the engine for safe transport, but that takes away from their mission at MCAS Iwakuni. To solve the problem, Willems had the idea of creating plugs that would stop the leaks. Miller created the pieces using 3D drafting software and MALS 12's new 3D printers. “I'm not really sure why no one thought to make this kind of kit before, but this design is going to have an impact across the Navy and Marine Corps,” Garcia said. The same team behind the engine ship kit also created a tool that makes it easier for maintenance Marines to grease the bearing on the F-18's M61A Vulcan, a Gatling-style rotary cannon that can fire 6,000 rounds a minute. The bearing on the cannon must be packed with grease every 30,000 rounds, a job that used to take two Marines more than 30 minutes, said Cpl. Christian Smellie, an aviation life-support systems technician who works at Iwakuni's 3D printing lab. Full article: https://www.stripes.com/news/pacific/iwakuni-marines-use-3d-printers-to-revolutionize-maintenance-for-fighter-jets-1.566446

• 

  June 5, 2020 | International, Aerospace, Naval, Land, C4ISR, Security

  CEOs of Major Defense Companies Speak Out About Racism, Call for Unity

  n many cases, their internal messages and social media posts went out days before military leaders issued their own calls for reflection. It's rare for defense CEOs to speak out about social or political issues, but many spent the early part of the week doing just that, sending internal messages to their employees and posting to social media about racism in America. In many cases, their messages went out days before military leaders issued their own calls for reflection on Tuesday and Wednesday. “The death of George Floyd was the result of a reprehensible act,” Raytheon Technologies CEO Greg Hayes said in a June 1 note to employees — a reference to the black man killed by a white Minneapolis police officer last week. “Although authorities are taking action to ensure justice, the national response and global dialogue related to Mr. Floyd's death point to a serious issue ― and we must not look away. “We must take notice,” Hayes continued. “We have to respond clearly that racism, discrimination and hatred will not be tolerated. We must take this moment to embrace the fundamental values that unite us.” Northrop Grumman CEO Kathy Warden wrote her own note to employees, a copy of which was obtained by Defense One: “I am deeply saddened and concerned about the acts of senseless violence against Black men and women in our society. I know many of you are struggling right now, and I want you to know that on behalf of our company and as an individual, I stand with you. Now is the time for unity.” Boeing CEO Dave Calhoun, on the job just six months, wrote in a May 29 note to employees that the company has a zero-tolerance policy for people who discriminate. “There is no room in our company for them, and in fact in my short time as your CEO we have already terminated individuals for engaging in that behavior,” Calhoun wrote. In a LinkedIn post, Bill Brown, the CEO of L3 Harris Technologies, said: “Change is necessary – and we all need to be part of the solution.” Lockheed Martin CEO Marillyn Hewson told employees that she “was shocked and deeply saddened watching the recent events surrounding the tragic death of George Floyd and the ensuing protests and unrest across the United States.” “The reaction of anger, shock, and frustration in communities across the nation has created a moment for each of us to assess how we engage, interact, respect and value each other as human beings,” Hewson said. https://www.defenseone.com/business/2020/06/ceos-major-defense-companies-speak-out-about-racism-call-unity

• 

  October 1, 2020 | International, Naval

  South Korea's Hanjin up for sale

  Jon Grevatt Hanjin Heavy Industries and Construction (HHIC) – one of South Korea's most prominent naval shipbuilders – has announced that the state-owned Korea Development Bank (KDB), its main creditor and largest shareholder, is looking to sell its stake in the company. HHIC, based in Busan, said in a filing to the South Korean stock exchange on 29 September that the KDB has invited bidders to acquire all or part of its 83.45% stake in HHIC, with the aim to finalise a preliminary bidding phase by the end of October. The stake in its entirety is expected to be worth around USD430 million. In a separate statement, the KDB said it plans to sell at least 63.44% of its shareholding in HHIC and to decide on whether to divest the remaining stake before the end of final bidding. It added that its shareholding in HHIC is split across several financial institutions including the KDB itself. Institutions in the Philippines are also shareholders in the company, said the KDB. HHIC has been facing severe economic pressure for several years: a result mainly of a downturn in sales in commercial shipbuilding and construction sectors. In fiscal year 2018, the company's sales increased year-on-year by 3% to KRW1.69 trillion (USD1.44 billion). However, HHIC's losses expanded from KRW278 billion in 2017 to KRW1.32 trillion in 2018. While no HHIC sales figures for the defence sector are available, these are expected to have remained relatively strong. https://www.janes.com/defence-news/news-detail/south-koreas-hanjin-up-for-sale_12630