Here are the program that made the biggest news this past week:
Early hiccup for CVN-78’s EMALS — It was a rough start for the Electromagnetic Aircraft Launching System (EMALS) aboard CVN-78 as assembled reporters watched last week, as the Navy was forced to delay the demo because of problems with the components not communicating properly, we reported. EMALS has had a very checkered past involving delays that threatened to derail the Ford-class carrier program itself. However, officials were able to overcome the problem and conduct the first dead-load test. Read more CVN-78 analysis >>>
Could the RQ-4 soon carry every sensor? — The Air Force expects to start testing a new payload adapter for the RQ-4 Global Hawk this July that would potentially allow it to carry just about any sensor the U-2 can carry, we reported. Called the universal payload adapter, the Global Hawk will be able to field the optical bar camera, and electro-optical and infrared sensors in addition to what it can carry today. The Air Force is hoping this will finally seal the fate of the U-2, as they have had to fend off plenty of criticism since their recent decision to retire the aircraft. Read more RQ-4 analysis >>>
CH-53K will be fine, Sikorsky says — The bombshell decision by United Technologies Corp. to spin off helicopter manufacturer Sikorsky Aircraft had many people wondering what that would mean for the CH-53K program — but the company says not to worry, Reuters reported. Concerns have been rising about the CH-53K, which has seen its initial operational capability continually pushed back to 2019 due to setbacks, and a big change like this was sure to cause some worries. Sikorsky still expects to conduct its first flight of the helicopter by the end of the year, and potentially sometime in the fall. Read more CH-53K analysis >>>
