Lockheed, tiny firm compete for blimp deal

Posted at: Wed Jan 18th, 2006

LOS ANGELES, Jan. 17 (UPI) -- The race for a U.S. contract to build a blimp for troop transport has come down to Lockheed Martin and a group of Russian emigres at a California firm. Both tiny Worldwide Aeros, which has 40 workers and makes blimps used for flying billboards, and Lockh...

MoD accused of 'superhangar' waste

Posted at: Wed Jan 18th, 2006

The Ministry of Defence (MoD) has been castigated by MPs over the construction of a £100 million "superhangar" to service the RAF's fighter jets which is now facing possible closure just a year after it opened. The Commons Defence Committee said it was "incomprehensible" that the MoD...

Laser weapons going strong, fielding needed --Northrop

Posted at: Wed Jan 18th, 2006

WASHINGTON, Jan 17 (Reuters) - The U.S. defense industry is making great strides in developing powerful laser weapons, and an initial weapon could be ready for combat use in Iraq and Afghanistan within 18 months, Los Angeles-based Northrop Grumman Corp. (NOC.N: Quote, Profile, Research) said on Tues...

NASA delays Pluto launch again

Posted at: Wed Jan 18th, 2006

(CNN) -- NASA officials have scrubbed Wednesday's launch attempt of the New Horizons spacecraft because of an unresolved power outage. Tuesday's launch was scrubbed because of strong winds. The next launch window is Thursday from 1:08 p.m. ET to 3:07 p.m. ET. NASA has until February ...

RAF Eurofighter Crash-Landed: British Defense Chiefs

Posted at: Wed Jan 18th, 2006

A British Royal Air Force Eurofighter crashed on landing in eastern England when its front wheel failed to descend properly, the Ministry of Defence in London said Jan. 17. The Typhoon jet suffered damage following a malfunction of its l...

NASA to Try to Launch Pluto Mission Today After Delay Yesterday

Posted at: Wed Jan 18th, 2006

Jan. 18 (Bloomberg) -- NASA today will try to launch the New Horizons spacecraft on the first-ever mission to Pluto after high winds forced it to abandon an attempt to do so yesterday. The piano-shaped craft is set for launch aboard an Atlas V- 551 rocket from Launch Pad 41 at the Ke...