28 août 2020 | International, Aérospatial
By: Joe Gould and Valerie Insinna
WASHINGTON ― Privately held drone maker General Atomics, of San Diego, is laying off approximately 630 of its roughly 10,000 employees.
“General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. can confirm a reduction in force involving 6% of its workforce,” a spokesperson wrote in an email to Defense News late Wednesday. “This reduction was made to balance resources with customer requirements.”
The layoffs were announced internally Wednesday and confirmed by the company, which did not specify which operations were impacted.
General Atomics and Northrop Grumman were two beneficiaries of the Trump administration's recent decision to ease restrictions on overseas sales of unmanned aircraft. In addition, lawmakers are expected to boost Reaper buys in the near term, with House appropriators proposing to give General Atomics $344 million for 16 more MQ-9s in fiscal 2021.
But the company was also dealt a blow earlier this year when the Air Force announced it would stop buying the MQ-9 Reaper in fiscal year 2021, at least four years earlier than expected. And now the future of the program remains uncertain, with the Air Force looking at options to replace the MQ-9 Reaper.
Over the past two decades, the Reaper has served as one of the Air Force's workhorse drones for surveillance and for striking targets in the Middle East. But service leaders believe it is ill-suited for a war with Russia and China. In addition, they believe it costs too much time and money to keep the aircraft ready for operations in low-threat environments.
“The Reaper has been a great platform for us. Four million flight hours, just undeniable overmatch in a low-end uncontested fight, and it is certainly saving lives,” Air Force acquisition executive Will Roper told lawmakers at a House Armed Services Committee hearing this March. “But as we look to the high-end fight, we just can't take them into the battlefield. They are easily shot down.”
In June, the Air Force issued a request for information for an MQ-9 successor, underscoring the service's plan to transition from the Reaper to a new surveillance and strike drone.
https://www.defensenews.com/2020/08/27/drone-maker-general-atomics-lays-offs-hundreds/
12 décembre 2023 | International, Terrestre
Global leasing giant Avolon said on Tuesday it had agreed to order 100 A321neo aircraft from Airbus and 40 737 MAX aircraft from Boeing in a deal its owner said was worth a combined $18 billion at list prices.
20 janvier 2022 | International, Aérospatial, Naval, Terrestre, C4ISR, Sécurité
28 août 2019 | International, Naval
AUSTAL Limited (ASX: ASB) is pleased to announce that the 11th Austal designed and built Expeditionary Fast Transport Vessel, the future USNS Puerto Rico (EPF 11), has successfully completed U.S. Navy Acceptance Trials. These trials, conducted in the Gulf of Mexico, were unique in that they integrated formal Builder's Trials with Acceptance Trials for the first time on an EPF vessel. By combining the two at-sea trials into one event, there are great efficiencies gained, enabling reduced costs and a shorter completion schedule. Austal CEO David Singleton congratulated Austal USA for achieving this critical program milestone. “The future USNS Puerto Rico successfully completed and passed all tests – a clean sweep – and returned from sea earlier than scheduled, a testament to the effort and expertise of Austal USA's professional shipbuilding team and the U.S. Navy's Board of Inspection and Survey (INSURV),” he said. “These trials involved the execution of intense, comprehensive testing by the Austal-led industry team while underway, which demonstrated to the U.S. Navy the successful operation of the ship's major systems and equipment. Sea trials are the last milestone before delivery of the ship. The future USNS Puerto Rico is scheduled for delivery to the U.S. Navy before the end of the year and is the eleventh Spearhead Class ship in Austal's 14-ship EPF portfolio. “The flexibility and versatility of the EPF is becoming increasingly evident. From serving as a mother ship to test unmanned aerial and undersea systems in the Atlantic to performing as command ships in Pacific Partnership 2019 (an exercise that includes more than 500 military and civilian personnel from more than 10 nations), the EPF fleet is proving to be a great asset to the future 355-ship US Navy,” Mr Singleton said. Austal's EPF program is mature with ten ships delivered and three more under construction in Mobile, Alabama, in addition to the future USS Puerto Rico. The Spearhead-class EPF is currently providing high-speed, high-payload transport capability to fleet and combatant commanders. The EPF's large, open mission deck and large habitability spaces provide the opportunity to conduct a wide range of missions from engagement and humanitarian assistance or disaster relief missions, to the possibility of supporting a range of future missions including special operations support, command and control, and medical support operations. With its ability to access austere and degraded ports with minimal external assistance, the EPF provides unique options to fleet and combatant commanders. In addition to the EPF program, Austal has also received contracts for 19 Independence-variant Littoral Combat Ships (LCS) for the U.S. Navy. Ten LCS have been delivered, five ships are in various stages of construction and four are yet to start construction. AUSTAL MEDIA CONTACT Contact: Gemma Whiting - Government Relations Mobile: +61 (0)408 982 727 Email: gemma.whiting@austal.com Website: www.austal.com ABOUT AUSTAL Austal is an Australian shipbuilder and global defence prime contractor which designs constructs and sustains some of the world's most advanced commercial and defence vessels. Austal successfully balances commercial and defence projects and celebrated 30 years of success in 2018. Austal has designed, constructed and delivered more than 300 commercial and defence vessels for more than 100 operators in 54 countries worldwide. Austal is Australia's largest defence exporter and the only ASX-listed shipbuilder. Austal has industry leading shipyards in Australia, the United States of America and Philippines and service centres worldwide. Austal delivers iconic monohull, catamaran and trimaran commercial vessel platforms – including the world's largest trimaran ferry and multiple defence programs such as the Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) and Expeditionary Fast Transport (EPF) for the United States Navy. Austal has grown to become the world's largest aluminium shipbuilder. FURTHER INFORMATION Contact: Austal Phone: 61 8 9410 1111 Fax: 61 8 9410 2564 Email: media@austal.com https://www.austal.com/news/epf-11-completes-acceptance-trials-us-navy