Posted on 06/14/2004 2:07:09 PM PDT by avg_freeper
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. Navy on Monday awarded Chicago-based Boeing Co. a multibillion dollar deal to design a replacement for the Navy's fleet of submarine-hunting P-3 aircraft, congressional sources said.
(Excerpt) Read more at money.cnn.com ...
I graduated with Comm. Inst./ Multi engine. Didn't have the $$$ to go on to the CFI program. Economics hit hard after graduation back then.
Yah, that was a bad time for Aerospace.
Damn! That's quick.
If my massively assumption ridden climb performance guess is right, you'd exceed the P-3's ROC in less then 1 second after pilot/computer reaction....if a 737 engine spools up at a similar rate.
Unmanned drones is the way to go on this. Lots of them.. Armed too.. Shooting down a drone would be a serious mistake, marks an area of concern.. Already have much of the technology needs refitting with new gizmo's..</p>
Can then have slow and low or fast and ordinance ridden.. or BOTH... Convert the P3's to AWACS type drone-o-mobiles. BUT military procurement don't like effective and cheap, they want expensive and looks dangerous..
From Boeing's PR site.
" Northrop Grumman's Baltimore-based Electronic Systems sector will provide the electro-optical/infrared (EO/IR) sensor, the directional infrared countermeasures system, and the electronic support measures system. Northrop Grumman's Mission Systems sector, based in Reston, Va., will develop data links for MMA. The company's Integrated Systems sector, based in El Segundo, Calif., will support the mission planning effort.
Raytheon will provide an upgraded APS-137 Maritime Surveillance Radar and Signals Intelligence (SIGINT) solutions. Raytheon is also offering its revolutionary GPS Anti-Jam, Integrated Friend or Foe, and Towed Decoy Self-Protection Suites, and the aircraft's Broadcast Info System (BIS) and secure UHF Satcom capability."
I think that Northrop's radar boys used to be Westinghouse and W. sold them to N-G. But I wouldn't testify to that :]
But anyway,,,,Since Boeing is still churning out 737s like Keebler making cookies it sure seems to make more sense manufacturing-wise to go with them instead of the P7. Does Lockheed still even have the tooling for the P3s--{which was to be the base airframe, right}?
Ping! Our new steed makes the news...
After my 4th interview with Boeing in El Segundo, I put a smock on and toured the satellite construction building. There were 7 in various stages of assembly. I can identify every component on them, and the test equipment for electrical alignment. And what the techs were climbing around to achieve. The multiplexers and RF networks I didn't have time to get into, and wouldn't ask anyway.
I got hired. I quit my current job. My current job said "You're not going anywhere. We're giving you a big raise and you're staying right here!"
So I learned how to get a raise. But I need new challenges, so I'm looking. I know all about milliles and aircraft radar, TACAN, etc....
As far as the ABM goes, you mean they are FINALLY in production after what, three decades? Better late than never I reckon. It still amazes me that they could physically hit a target going that fast.
Extremely fast at very high frequency boresight. Kinetic energy alone destroys the target.
Now! It's only a software rev away.
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