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Hawker Beechcraft Chairman and CEO Bill Boisture said targeting of the private aircraft industry both in terms of user fees and fiscal proposals appears to be intentional, and called fiscal policies such as user fees and depreciation schedules “irresponsible.” The perceived attacks have damaged customer confidence, and contributed to some, perhaps the last 25 percent, of all employee layoffs and workforce reductions, Boisture said. “To have singled out our industry is irresponsible,” he said. “It must be intended,” he said in later comments. In other remarks, Boisture said his staff decided long ago to treat the current recession as “the...

Freedom Works has put together a list of companies that will be laying of employees as a result of President Barack Obama's health care law: Welch Allyn Welch Allyn, a company that manufactures medical diagnostic equipment in central New York, announced in September that they would be laying off 275 employees, or roughly 10% of their workforce over the next three years. One of the major reasons discussed for the layoffs was a proactive response to the Medical Device Tax mandated by the new healthcare law. Dana Holding Corp. As recently as a week ago, a global auto parts manufacturing...

A Whole New Twist on “Buy America” by Robbin Laird This weekend in a fine piece in The New York Times, C.J. Chivers focused on the airpower dimension in Afghan operations. The title was tellingly: “Afghan Conflict Losing Air Power as U.S. pulls out.” http://www.nytimes.com/2012/07/07/world/asia/in-dwindling-afghan-war-air-power-has-become-a-way-of-life.html?_r=2&hp In its way, this strike was a model of what air power can do. It was timely, precise and effective, and it neatly integrated communications, logistics, tactics and firepower, freeing American troops from danger in a remote canyon halfway around the world. It was also so complex — with the assistance of an aerial tanker...

Struggling aircraft maker Hawker Beechcraft announced Monday that it had reached a $1.79 billion “exclusivity agreement” with a Chinese aerospace manufacturer for the sale of its business jet and general aviation operations in a deal that will save thousands of jobs in Kansas and Arkansas. Under the agreement Beijing-based aerospace manufacturer Superior Aviation Beijing Co., Ltd., will buy Hawker Beechcraft and make payments over the next six weeks to support ongoing operations until the deal is finalized. The sale does not include Hawker Beechcraft Defense Co., which will remain a separate entity.

Hawker Beechcraft's AT-6 Guns For Embraer's Super Tucano: Rival Planes Compared It's Texan versus Tucano, take two, and the embarrassed Air Force has got to get it right this time. With all the claims, counter-claims, and rumors swirling about the controversial contract to buy the Embraer Super Tucano, which the Air Force cancelled unexpectedly on Tuesday and will likely re-compete, AOL Defense went both to the rival companies and independent sources to distill this definitive guide to the competition, from the two planes' performance to the manufacturers' twenty-year history of feuding. The bottom line? Both leading competitors are offering small,...

Super Tucano Vs AT-6: The “Smoking Hole” by Ed Timperlake “While we pursue perfection, we sometimes fall short, and when we do we will take corrective action,” said Air Force Secretary Michael Donley, in a statement Tuesday (Feb 28, 2012). The USAF just withdrew their selection of the SuperTucano for the Afghan Army Air Force LAS. Numerous worldwide news stories are reporting this action. The Air Force plans to set aside a disputed $354 million contract for a light air support plane and initiate an investigation into the award. A senior USAF acquisition official, who is reportedly leaving soon in...

PREMISE This article is a summary of the problems at Hawker Beechcraft beyond the context of the lingering effects caused by the 2009 economic downturn, and provides a possible prescription regarding a transformation that would allow for a much more viable entity to emerge. DISCUSSION Another reporting period has passed with more bad news coming from Hawker Beechcraft. Even a cursory glance through the company’s recent SEC filings can make for some unsettling reading if you are an industry watcher. If you happen to be an employee, supplier or debt holder, the news is downright scary. Management is either stoically...

Mayor Alvin Brown: We need military aircraft built here Jacksonville has a long history of supporting the military and its national security role. Jacksonville is a city of nearly a million people where one of every four residents is either on active duty, is serving in the reserves, or is a proud veteran. We are honored to host a military/veteran population of nearly 250,000 people in the Jacksonville community. From the start, my administration has made military issues a top priority. When the United States Air Force announced its selection of the A-29 Super Tucano for its Light Air Support...

End-Game for USAF Competition? By Ed Timperlake November 20, 2011 11/20/2011 The headline in the Wichita Eagle says it all—“Hawker Beechcraft loses out on big Air Force contract” Reporter Dan Voorhis writing for The Wichita Eagle, (November 18 2011) points out that; “Hawker Beechcraft Corp. says the Air Force has informed the company that it lost out on a military contract worth nearly $1billion. “The company had hoped to win the Light Air Support contract with its AT-6, an armed version of its T-6 trainer. But on Friday, the company said it received a letter from the Air Force saying...

Hawker Beechcraft loses out on big Air Force contract By Dan Voorhis The Wichita Eagle Hawker Beechcraft Corp. says the Air Force has informed the company that it lost out on a military contract worth nearly $1 billion. The company had hoped to win the Light Air Support contract with its AT-6, an armed version of its T-6 trainer. But on Friday, the company said it received a letter from the Air Force saying the AT-6 had been excluded from the competition. The company wants an explanation. According to the company’s news release: “The letter provides no basis for the exclusion....

Hawker Beechcraft issued 60-day layoff notices Friday to 300 workers, the company said in a statement. A source said the notices included 210 salaried and 90 hourly workers. The same source said there could be more layoffs sometime around February. The company issued a statement saying that many of the employees were notified Friday of the cuts. Hawker Beechcraft employs about 6,000 people, including about 4,700 in Wichita and 200 in Salina. Some employees laid off were walked out the door Friday, although the company has said they would be paid for the next two months. The practice has been...

Small Weapons for Light Fighters In the recent weapon test campaign AT-6 completed firing of 2.75” unguided rockets, conducted captive carry test with guided 2.75" rockets and dropped general purpose bombs, four GBU-12, and four GBU-58 laser guided bombs (LGB - above), all LGBs scored direct hits. Additional tests are planned with other weapon types including Raytheon Griffin 35-lb. GPS/laser-guided bomb and Hellfire guided missile from Lockheed martin.. Under the U.S. Air National Guard evaluation of a future Light Attack and Armed Reconnaissance (LAAR) to be operated by the U.S. and Afghan air forces, the Air Force is seeking a...

Raytheon Aims to Integrate Griffin® on AT-6 Light Attack Aircraft Small precision weapon is ideally suited for counterinsurgency mission Published Wednesday, Sep. 14, 2011 LONDON, Sept. 14, 2011 -- /PRNewswire/ -- Raytheon Company (NYSE: RTN) is seeking to integrate the combat-proven Griffin missile onto the Hawker AT-6 light attack aircraft. Griffin weighs 44 pounds with its launch tube, is 43 inches long and is an air- and ground-launched, precision-guided missile designed for rapid integration onto rotary- and fixed-wing aircraft and ground-launch applications. "Integrating Griffin on the AT-6 aircraft gives the warfighter a cost-effective solution to provide persistent surveillance and low-collateral...

The Honorable Michael B. Donley Secretary of the Air Force 1060 Air Force, Pentagon Washington, DC 20330-1670 Dear Mr. Secretary: I am writing to you about an issue of significant importance, the Light Air Support program to supply aircraft and training to the Afghanistan National Army Air Corps as well as support our partner building efforts with other allies. This is of interest to me as I was elected to Congress to protect the American taxpayer and to protect this country’s national interests and security. I served in Afghanistan training afghan officers to take on the responsibility of securing their...

An Historic PR “fumble” in the Super Tucano Vs AT-6 Public Fight By Ed Timperlake May 26, 2011 Currently the U.S. Air Force is engaged in a source selection process to pick a Light Attack Support Aircraft (LAS) for the emerging Afghan National Army Air Corps. The Super Tucano is the only platform with proven combat success in fighting against both the communist FARC guerillas in Colombia and drug kingpins operating across borders in South America. (http://www.sldforum.com/2011/05/all-else-is-rubbish/). The AT-6, the other LAS in consideration, is not yet even certified for ordnance release. So what exactly has been the PR strategy...

Sierra Nevada Corporation and Embraer Launch BuiltForTheMission.com (Source: Sierra Nevada Corporation; issued May 19, 2011) SPARKS, Nev. --- As part of their bid to supply aircraft, training and support for the United States Air Force's Light Air Support (LAS) mission, Sierra Nevada Corporation (SNC) and Embraer have launched a new – to highlight the capabilities of the A-29 Super Tucano and how its selection benefits the warfighter and the U.S. economy. The A-29 Super Tucano will be built in Jacksonville, FL by American employees and with parts from American companies. Aircraft training will be provided in Clovis, NM. More than...

Pentagon's Light Attack Plane Competition Has Large Implications (Source: Lexington Institute; issued May 11, 2011) (© Lexington Institute; reproduced by permission) The Air Force is planning to buy a "light attack and armed reconnaissance" aircraft for use by U.S. and foreign pilots in counter-insurgency warfare. At about $10 million per plane, it's probably the cheapest combat aircraft the service will buy in this century -- which is one reason why few politicians or pundits are paying attention. But the competition to select a winning aircraft raises broader questions about the way the military buys weapons, and in particular whether Pentagon...

Fla. job growth potential harmed by misinformation By MIKE HARIDOPOLOS Created 05/07/2011 - 12:01am The State of Florida continues to work hard to diminish economic impacts resulting from the end of NASA's space shuttle program, particularly devastating to the Space Coast. It is likely that 1,900 Floridians will lose their jobs as the program comes to a close. Florida Senate President The State of Florida continues to work hard to diminish economic impacts resulting from the end of NASA's space shuttle program, particularly devastating to the Space Coast. It is likely that 1,900 Floridians will lose their jobs as the...

AT-6 Meets the Need for an Affordable Light Attack Aircraft (Source: Lexington Institute; issued April 27, 2011) (© Lexington Institute; reproduced by permission) Since the United States first became heavily engaged in fighting insurgents around the globe, it was clear there would be a requirement to supplement existing conventional weapons such as tanks and fighters with military systems suited to the unique demands of irregular warfare. That is how the military ended up acquiring a "mine-resistant, ambush-protected" armored vehicle for Iraq, and an all-terrain version of the same system for Afghanistan. The Air Force determined that it needed to complement...

U.S. Wants COIN Aircraft For Foreign Training By Graham Warwick, Bill Sweetman Washington, Washington For a time it looked as if the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan might spark demand for dedicated counterinsurgency (COIN) aircraft, the way Vietnam gave new life to the A-1 Skyraider and spurred development of the OV-10 Bronco. A little more than two years ago, the U.S. Air Force envisioned operating a fleet of 100 light-attack/armed reconnaissance aircraft as part of a specialized irregular-warfare wing, and the Navy was evaluating an organic light-attack platform for its special operations forces. Now it looks unlikely that U.S. forces...