From The Editor

June 11, 2008

Our operations are beginning to stablize again and we are back underway with reporting, photography and still involved in the preparation of litigation for upcoming cases.

We received our Annual "Banishment" letter from the Reno Air Racing Association's Lawyers, Jones Vargas, in Reno, Nevada, and are preparing our litigation in the existing Federal case against that organization, which has become nothing more than a front for Racketeers involved in a number of dubious activities tied into greed and their lust for power.

Sexual Harassment of the prior Office staff is among the charges we're investigating, in addition to RICO Charges, Discrimination, RARA's involvement in Major Fraud, to include State and Federal Tax Fraud and Attempted Murder. We now add negligent homicide due to three deaths experienced at last year's race alone, followed by one fatality after the races. Their "Pylon Racing Seminar" is a joke and is not accomplishing the safety tasks needed to help keep pilots alive, particularly veteran pilots. Additionally, we have the issue of the ouster of the Public from an area known as "The Valley of Speed" and Houghton/RARA/Local Law Enforcement over-ruling Property Owner's rights in that area, plus violation of the Public's First Amendment Right to Peaceably Assemble.

When we get these "Banishment" letters, and we've received one Annually since 2004, we basically thumb our noses at them. In my regards, they have posted "Wanted Dead or Alive" pictures of myself throughout the race site, then last year passed out "Mug Shots" of me with their people. Not surprising, since a two-bit, half-pint Napoleon named "Mike Houghton," whom we "lovingly refer to" as "Mickey Da Rat" (his mobster name), has attempted to utilize Police and others in an underhanded way to set people up for "Murder by Cop" and/or the appearance of "confrontation" however, it is a confrontation that Mr. Houghton himself manipulates to set up his intended victim(s) for murder.

The Federal case was filed last year, however, there is much to be expanded upon and at present, the Reno Judges have conflicts of interest in the case, currently and questionably in Reno, which require recusal that is not being accomplished. One Judge did recuse himself from the outset and that was the right thing to do. At the same time, it points a finger at other Judges with clear and obvious Conflicts of Interest whom are not acting in accordance with their mandates, as espoused in Codes of Judicial Conduct.

We will deal with those issues before the month is out.

In the meantime, the latest PRS is reportedly scheduled for the weekend beginning on June 17, 2008. We'll see what happens from there.

More information on Daniels vs RARA et al can be found at www.silverstatenews.com and now that we're home and off the road for awhile, we hope to "catch up" on that specific news story shortly.

As for our stalker, he continues his stalking, but not for much longer. He and his accomplices are ordered to appear in a Federal Court on a date and time that will likely occur in less than thirty days. We presently have a District Court Judge and four Attorneys on the hot seat for Civil Rights violations, plus a Central Nevada Crime Family (Organized Crime by Petty Thieves in this instance...), and three City Attorneys in Reno, Nevada, along with a District and Municipal Court Judge there, will also have to answer to charges in Daniels vs RARA et al, which was connected to this stalker case by Attorney and Judicial misconduct in May, 2005, resulting in a failed Entrapment effort on their part.

The Jones Vargas Law Firm and State Senator William Raggio, the Nevada Senate Majority Leader and a member of that Law Firm with major, multiple Conflicts of Interest in his "work," figure prominently in our litigation plans at this time. There are also two "Faux Journalists" involved in all of this ~ minimum ~ and one of them is guilty of Copyright violations, beyond his RICO activities, while the other is a loon and a Fraud whom had his Pilot's license pulled at one time for psychological and personality disorders. Though said "loon" shouldn't be flying, the FAA none the less allows him to fly, most likely, to avoid "Editorial" confrontations with him in hopes of staying in the "good light," an impossibility when one considers corruption and incompetence at the FAA.

A number of Federal Agencies, including but not limited to the FAA, are also subjects of the upcoming litigations. This fight has been put off long enough, so here we go!

As the saying goes: "Havin' some fun now..." <g>

Again, we apologize for the delays and hope to be back on track soon.

~ Ed.

Editor's Choice ™

~~~~~~~~~~

Link Takes You Offsite to Washington Post.Com

Naturalization Ceremony Moves to Arlington Cemetary
Photo Slideshow With Audio

~~~~~~~~~~

Link Takes You Offsite to Washington Post.Com

The Bustle on the Base ~ Andrews AFB
Photo Slideshow With Audio

Wounded Soldiers Arriving Home

~~~~~~~~~~

Links Take You Offsite To MSNBC.Com

U.S. Airstrike Video on Militants

Predator Drone video disputes Pakistani claims that U.S. killed their soldiers...

~~~~~~~~~~

Road to Adventure (Videos)

Paragliding

~~~~~~~~~~

Link Takes You to Inside Bay Area.Com

Hayward Pilot Feels the Need for Speed at Reno Air Race

Marilyn Dash campaigns in the Sport Biplane Class

Expanded to Include Televised Video from Local News Stations:

Story

http://cbs5.com/local/marilyn.dash.pilot.2.742794.html

Video Clips

http://cbs5.com/video/?id=35058@kpix.dayport.com

http://cbs5.com/video/?id=35039@kpix.dayport.com

Front Page Australia

THE HON. WARREN SNOWDON MP
Minister for Defence Science and Personnel

Wednesday, 11 June 2008
069/2008

MAKING A DIFFERENCE FOR INDIGENOUS AUSTRALIANS

The Minister for Defence Science and Personnel, the Hon. Warren Snowdon
MP, today delivered a keynote address at the 7th Annual Collaborative
Indigenous Policy Conference in Brisbane.

Mr Snowdon spoke to conference delegates about the active participation
of Indigenous people in Australian Defence Force (ADF) units in the
Northern Territory, and the direct benefit to the individuals and their
communities alike from their military training.

“There is much to be learnt from the success of ADF Regional Force
Surveillance Units such as NORFORCE in the Northern Territory and through
the infrastructure and skills transfer of the Army Aboriginal
Community Assistance Program,” Mr Snowdon said.

“Indigenous Australians benefit greatly from a range of military
employment and training opportunities which are then shared within their
local communities.

“The ADF also benefits in return through the diverse skills and
abilities that Indigenous people bring in supporting military capability in
remote and regional Australia.

“The challenge for all conference delegates in developing policies
and programs is to build on the successful examples of indigenous
engagement and bring them to the wider Indigenous population no matter where
they may live in Australia.”

Mr Snowdon also said that the ADF and the Department of Defence needs
to better address the challenges of health, education and culture before
Indigenous workforce participation rates would increase.

“Representation of Indigenous people in the ADF should and can be
higher,” Mr Snowdon said.

“There are many pathways to ADF service and work is underway to
improve not only the recruitment and retention of Indigenous members, but
the partnerships between Defence, the private sector, and other
Government Departments in making that a reality.

“The upcoming Indigenous Recruitment and Retention strategy will
implement innovative ways of attracting and preparing Indigenous people for
ADF service and providing training, education and employment
opportunities according to their needs.

“I look forward to Defence leading by example in the employment of
Indigenous Australians.”

Front Page Australia

Thursday 12 June 2008

DEFENCE OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH AND SAFETY CHAMPIONS

The 2008 Defence Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) Awards ceremony
was held in Canberra today.

The OHS awards were presented by the Secretary of the Department of
Defence, Mr Nick Warner, and the Chief of the Defence Force, Air Chief
Marshal Angus Houston, in the presence of the Minister for Defence Science
and Personnel, the Hon. Warren Snowdon MP.

“The Chief of the Defence Force and I congratulate all entrants,
finalists and winners for their efforts in improving occupational health
and safety within Defence and the Australian Defence Force,” Mr Warner
said.

“Our Defence OHS Champions have shown great innovation and commitment
in making a real difference in workplace health and safety.”

Defence OHS awards were made in four categories:

Category 1 - Leadership Award for Injury Prevention and Management

Commendation awarded to Navy’s Fleet Command for ‘Exemplary
Leadership of the Fleet Command in part Evidenced by the Efforts to Influence
and Shape the Safety Culture of the Fleet’.

Category 2 - Best Workplace Health and Safety Management System

Winning entry awarded to HMAS Harman for its Safety Management System.

Category 3 - Best Solution to an Identified Workplace Health and Safety
Issue

Winning entry awarded to RAAF Base Edinburgh for its program ‘"Flying
the Falcons", An Alternative Approach to Bird Management on a RAAF
Base’.

Category 4 - Best Individual Contribution to Health and Safety

Winning entry awarded to Lieutenant Colonel Geoff Newman-Martin for his
‘Manual of Envenomation and Poisoning from Australian Fauna and
Flora’.

“These awards demonstrate that our people play an important role in
making Defence a healthier and safer place to work,” Air Chief Marshal
Houston said.

“The Secretary and I ask that all our people, civilian and military
alike, take up the challenge of being Defence OHS leaders and help us
build on the advances Defence has made in improving occupational health
and safety.” he said.

Information about the 2008 Defence OHS Champions is available at:

http://www.defence.gov.au/dpe/ohsc/programs/DefenceOHSAwards/

Front Page

June 12, 2008

NASA AIRCRAFT EXAMINE IMPACT OF FOREST FIRES ON ARCTIC CLIMATE

WASHINGTON -- As the summer fire season heats up, NASA aircraft are
set to follow the trail of smoke plumes from some of Earth's
northernmost forest fires, examining their contribution to arctic
pollution and implications for climate change.

Starting June 29, NASA's DC-8 and P-3B aircraft, based at a Canadian
military base in Cold Lake, Alberta, will begin their final
three-week deployment of the Arctic Research of the Composition of
the Troposphere from Aircraft and Satellites, or ARCTAS, mission. A
third NASA aircraft, the B-200 King Air, will fly from Yellowknife,
Canada. The mission is the most extensive field campaign ever to
study the chemistry of the Arctic's lower atmosphere. The three
airborne laboratories are equipped to fly through the smoke plumes of
northern-latitude forest fires. The resulting data, when combined
with simultaneous satellite measurements, could reveal the impact of
forest fires on the arctic atmosphere.

"The summer campaign will focus on boreal forest fire emissions," said
Jim Crawford, manager of the Tropospheric Chemistry Program at NASA
Headquarters in Washington. "Coupled with the observations of arctic
haze during the spring deployment based in Alaska, these data will
improve our understanding of the relative importance of these two
influences on arctic atmospheric composition and climate."

Boreal forests, which span Earth's northern latitudes, have seen a
rise in natural forest fires during the last decade. Researchers have
debated the degree to which these fires contribute to the Arctic's
atmosphere compared to other sources, such as human-caused emissions
from lower latitudes. The ARCTAS flights through smoke plumes, over
and downwind from their source, will reveal their composition and
transport path.

Researchers also will use the data to examine how the chemistry of
smoke plumes changes over time and distance. Plume chemistry can
contribute to the formation of ozone in the lower atmosphere.
Particulates in smoke plumes can affect Earth's radiation balance
with consequences for climate change.

The mission also is expected to help researchers interpret data from
NASA satellites orbiting over the Arctic. NASA's Cloud-Aerosol Lidar
and Infrared Pathfinder Satellite Observation, or CALIPSO, satellite
can measure the height of various plume components in the atmosphere,
information critical to predicting plume movement. Researchers will
use data from ARCTAS to validate observations from CALIPSO and other
satellites to improve model predictions of fire impacts on chemistry
and climate.

"Aircraft experiments provide the greatest possible detail on the
state of the atmosphere, but only for short, intense periods of
sampling," Crawford said. "By conducting these flights in tight
coordination with satellites and computer models, airborne
observations lead to improvements in the interpretation of satellite
observations and better representation of atmospheric processes in
chemistry and climate models. This improves our confidence in models'
ability to monitor and predict future changes."

The Yellowknife site also will host a portable science station from
Pennsylvania State University that collects ground-based ozone and
aerosol measurements, in conjunction with daily launches of
balloon-borne instruments planned by Environment Canada and the
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

The ARCTAS flights are being coordinated with research flights being
conducted by the French space agency Centre National d'Etudes
Spatiales, and the German Aerospace Center from Kangerlussuaq,
Greenland.

The summer deployment of ARCTAS follows a spring deployment based in
Fairbanks, Alaska. That mission focused on atmospheric composition,
pollution transport pathways, and the formation of "arctic haze,"
which is fueled by sunlight that causes chemical reactions in
pollutants that accumulate over the winter.

For more information about the ARCTAS mission on the Web, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov/arctas

For information about NASA and agency programs, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov

Front Page

June 12, 2008

NASA FINDS NEW TYPE OF COMET DUST MINERAL

HOUSTON -- NASA researchers and scientists from the United States,
Germany and Japan have found a new mineral in material that likely
came from a comet.

The mineral, a manganese silicide named Brownleeite, was discovered
within an interplanetary dust particle, or IDP, that appears to have
originated from comet 26P/Grigg-Skjellerup. The comet originally was
discovered in 1902 and reappears every 5 years. The team that made
the discovery is headed by Keiko Nakamura-Messenger, a space
scientist at NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston.

"When I saw this mineral for the first time, I immediately knew this
was something no one had seen before," said Nakamura-Messenger. "But
it took several more months to obtain conclusive data because these
mineral grains were only 1/10,000 of an inch in size."

A new method of collecting IDPs was suggested by Scott Messenger,
another Johnson space scientist. He predicted comet
26P/Grigg-Skjellerup was a source of dust grains that could be
captured in Earth's stratosphere at a specific time of the year.

In response to his prediction, NASA performed stratospheric dust
collections, using an ER-2 high-altitude aircraft flown from NASA's
Dryden Flight Research Center at Edwards Air Force Base, Calif. The
aircraft collected IDPs from this particular comet stream in April
2003. The new mineral was found in one of the particles. To determine
the mineral's origin and examine other dust materials, a powerful new
transmission electron microscope was installed in 2005 at Johnson.

"Because of their exceedingly tiny size, we had to use
state-of-the-art nano-analysis techniques in the microscope to
measure the chemical composition and crystal structure of Keiko's new
mineral," said Lindsay Keller, Johnson space scientist and a
co-discoverer of the new mineral. "This is a highly unusual material
that has not been predicted either to be a cometary component or to
have formed by condensation in the solar nebula."

Since 1982, NASA routinely has collected cosmic and interplanetary
dust with high-altitude research aircraft. However, the sources of
most dust particles have been difficult to pin down because of their
complex histories in space. The Earth accretes about 40,000 tons of
dust particles from space each year, originating mostly from
disintegrating comets and asteroid collisions. This dust is a subject
of intense interest because it is made of the original building
blocks of the solar system, planets, and our bodies.

The mineral was surrounded by multiple layers of other minerals that
also have been reported only in extraterrestrial rocks. There have
been 4,324 minerals identified by the International Mineralogical
Association, or IMA. This find adds one more mineral to that list.

The IMA-approved new mineral, Brownleeite, is named after Donald E.
Brownlee, professor of astronomy at the University of Washington,
Seattle. Brownlee founded the field of IDP research. The
understanding of the early solar system established from IDP studies
would not exist without his efforts. Brownlee also is the principal
investigator of NASA's Stardust mission.

The comet researchers include Messenger; John Jones, a co-discoverer
of the mineral from Johnson; Simon Clemett and Michael Zolensky in
Johnson's Astromaterials Research and Exploration Science
Directorate; Russ Palma, Minnesota State University at Mankato;
Robert Pepin, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis; Wolfgang Kl?ck,
R?ntgenanalytik Messtechnik GmbH, Germany; and Hirokazu Tatsuoka,
Shizuoka University, Japan.

For additional information on NASA programs, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov

Front Page

June 11, 2008

RELEASE: 08-141

NASA'S GLAST LAUNCH SUCCESSFUL

CAPE CANAVERAL AIR FORCE STATION, Fla. -- NASA's
Gamma-ray Large Area Space Telescope, or GLAST, successfully launched
aboard a Delta II rocket from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida at
12:05 p.m. EDT today.

The GLAST observatory separated from the second stage of the Delta II
at 1:20 p.m. and the flight computer immediately began powering up
the components necessary to control the satellite. Twelve minutes
after separating from the launch vehicle, both GLAST solar arrays
were deployed. The arrays immediately began producing the power
necessary to maintain the satellite and instruments. The operations
team continues to check out the spacecraft subsystems.

"The entire GLAST Team is elated the observatory is now on-orbit and
all systems continue to operate as planned," said GLAST program
manager Kevin Grady of NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in
Greenbelt, Md.

After a 75-minute flight, the GLAST spacecraft was deployed into low
Earth orbit. It will begin to transmit initial instrument data after
about three weeks. The telescope will explore the most extreme
environments in the universe, searching for signs of new laws of
physics and investigating what composes mysterious dark matter. It
will seek explanations for how black holes accelerate immense jets of
material to nearly light speed, and look for clues to crack the
mysteries behind powerful explosions known as gamma-ray bursts.

"After a 60-day checkout and initial calibration period, we'll begin
science operations," said Steve Ritz, GLAST project scientist at
Goddard. "GLAST soon will be telling scientists about many new
objects to study, and this information will be available on the
internet for the world to see."

NASA's GLAST mission is an astrophysics and particle physics
partnership, developed in collaboration with the U.S. Department of
Energy, along with important contributions from academic institutions
and partners in France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Sweden and the U.S.

For more information about the GLAST mission, please visit:

http://www.nasa.gov/glast

For more information about NASA and agency programs, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov

Front Page

PRESIDENT OF CANADIAN INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT AGENCY TO JOIN WORLD ECONOMIC FORUM

Robert Greenhill, President of the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA), appointed Chief Business Officer, World Economic Forum

Greenhill to forge deeper relations with Members and Partners in pursuit of the Forum’s mission

For full details about the managing board please click here

Geneva, Switzerland, 12 June 2008 - The President of the Canadian International Development Agency, Robert Greenhill, is to join the World Economic Forum as Chief Business Officer. Greenhill has combined a career in international business with a commitment to international public policy. He will become a full member of the managing board with special responsibilities for developing deeper relations with Members and Partners committed to the Forum’s mission to improve the state of the world.

“Robert Greenhill’s experience in international business and government truly reflects the World Economic Forum’s multistakeholder approach to tackling the challenges facing the world today. Robert Greenhill will bring this experience to bear to further strengthen the Forum as a platform for leaders from all strands of society to deliver on the organization’s mission. He is ideally suited to add value to the Forum in its role as one of the world’s foremost catalysts for shaping global, regional and industry agendas,” said World Economic Forum Founder and Executive Chairman, Professor Klaus Schwab.

Commenting on his new position, Greenhill said: “I share the Forum’s deep commitment to improving the state of the world and its conviction that tackling tough international issues requires the best thinking from all parts of the globe and all sectors of society. I have been a strong supporter of these principles as a Member and Partner and have reflected them in my own career. I am, therefore, delighted to have the opportunity to contribute to the Forum directly as Chief Business Officer. By forging deeper relationships with Members and Partners, we will strengthen the Forum's role as the world’s most effective organization in addressing global issues.”

The Head of the Public Service of Canada, the Clerk of the Privy Council, Kevin G. Lynch, has endorsed Greenhill’s new appointment, “Robert Greenhill brought a private sector perspective to the senior leadership of the public service and the Canadian International Development Agency and in so doing he brought valuable new ways of thinking and doing. I wish him the very best in his new role with the World Economic Forum.”

Greenhill began his career with the international consulting firm, McKinsey & Company. He joined Bombardier in 1995 and was President of Bombardier International Group between 2000 and 2004, before moving to the International Development Research Centre. In 2005 he was appointed President of the Canadian International Development Agency which is Canada’s premier international development and humanitarian assistance organization.

Front Page

Boeing Delivers 6th C-17 to Royal Air Force

ST. LOUIS, June 11, 2008 -- The Boeing Company [NYSE: BA] delivered the United Kingdom's sixth C-17 Globemaster III to the Royal Air Force (RAF) today during a ceremony at the company's Long Beach, Calif., C-17 manufacturing facility. The delivery completes the RAF's initial order for the world's most advanced airlifter.

"We congratulate you not only on the acquisition of your sixth C-17 Globemaster III, but also for the amazing accomplishments you've had over the past seven years with the five already in your fleet," said Jean Chamberlin, Boeing vice president and C-17 program manager. "The RAF has repeatedly demonstrated the C-17's advanced capabilities in support of U.K. operations in Iraq and Afghanistan, and by providing critical humanitarian aid in numerous locations around the world."

The C-17 will operate out of RAF base Brize Norton near London, home of the Strategic Air Transport and Air-to-Air Refueling forces, and will provide critical airlift capability for the Joint Rapid Reaction Force.

"Whether our C-17s are serving in combat or on humanitarian missions, we know they are often the difference between life and death," said Air Vice-Marshal Kevin Leeson, Assistant Chief of the Defence Staff for Logistic Operations. "You've built a remarkable airlifter that means so much to British military personnel as they transit to and from operational theaters and to those in desperate need of humanitarian aid in remote, hard-to-access sites around the world."

In addition to supporting operations in Iraq and Afghanistan, the RAF's C-17s have provided humanitarian relief to the victims of tsunamis in Southeast Asia and earthquakes in Pakistan. The C-17 is the world's only tactical airlift aircraft with strategic capabilities that allow it to fly between continents and land on short, austere runways.

With today's delivery, there are nearly 190 operational C-17s worldwide -- 173 with the U.S. Air Force; six with the Royal Air Force (UK); four with the Royal Australian Air Force, and four with the Canadian Forces.

A unit of The Boeing Company, Boeing Integrated Defense Systems is one of the world's largest space and defense businesses specializing in innovative and capabilities-driven customer solutions. Headquartered in St. Louis, Boeing Integrated Defense Systems is a $32.1 billion business with 71,000 employees worldwide.

###

Front Page Malaysia

17TH WORLD ECONOMIC FORUM ON EAST ASIA OPENS THIS WEEKEND IN MALAYSIA

300 leaders will convene in Kuala Lumpur to discuss East Asia’s political and economic agenda under the theme Responding to New Uncertainties

Participants and programme details announced

For more information on the meeting, visit: www.weforum.org/eastasia2008

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia 12 June 2008 – The participants and programme of the 17th World Economic Forum on East Asia, to be held in Kuala Lumpur on 15 and 16 June, were announced at a press conference today. Held in partnership with the Institute of Strategic and International Studies (ISIS), the meeting will bring together 300 leaders from business, politics, civil society and the media from over 25 countries.

Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, Prime Minister of Malaysia, will host the participants at a Welcome Reception at Perdana Putra, his office in Putrajaya, where he will give a keynote address. Other political leaders participating in this year's gathering include Mingkwan Saengsuwan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Commerce of Thailand; Kim Jong-Hoon, Minister of Trade of the Republic of Korea; Yoshimi Watanabe, Minister of Financial Services and Administrative Reform of Japan; Mari Pangetsu, Minister of Trade of Indonesia; Arthur C. Yap, Secretary of Agriculture of the Philippines; Karel De Gucht, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Belgium; and Huang Xingguo, Mayor of Tianjin, People's Republic of China. In addition, Marcus Agius, Chairman, Barclays, United Kingdom; Ahmad Zubir Bin Murshid, Group Chief Executive Officer, Sime Darby, Malaysia; Yasuchika Hasegawa, President, Takeda Pharmaceutical Company, Japan; and So Jin Woo, President, SK Telecom, Republic of Korea, are among the business participants.Click here for a more complete list of participants.

The Co-Chairs for this year’s meeting are: Peter Brabeck-Letmathe, Chairman of the Board, Nestlé, Switzerland, and Member of the Foundation Board of the World Economic Forum; Jamshyd N. Godrej, Chairman and Managing Director, Godrej & Boyce, India; Takao Kusakari, Chairman, Nippon Yusen Kabushiki Kaisha (NYK Line), Japan; Lord Levene, Chairman, Lloyd's, United Kingdom; and Ralph R. Peterson, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, CH2M HILL Companies, USA.

Under the theme Responding to New Uncertainties, the programme will address the region’s current industrial, political and economic challenges and guide action in aligning its leaders’ agendas to tackle these issues. The programme is organized under four thematic pillars: Asian Leadership, Global Risks, Sustainable Growth and Competitiveness. Click here for an overview of the programme.

"The mood at last year’s meeting was marked by optimism about economic growth prospects in Asia, but recent events, such as rising food and fuel prices and a slowdown in demand worldwide, show that the region is facing a new economic and political reality today,” said Sushant Palakurthi Rao, Associate Director, Deputy Head of Asia, World Economic Forum. “This meeting provides a timely opportunity for the region’s leaders to discuss not only how to respond to these new uncertainties in the short term, but also how to move towards a common agenda in East Asia for dealing with these global challenges.”

Front Page

Northrop Grumman and DHS Systems Receive Contract Worth Up to $240 Million for Mobile Command Posts

HUNTSVILLE, Ala., June 12, 2008 (PRIME NEWSWIRE) -- The U.S. Army has selected Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE:NOC) and its partner DHS Systems to provide mobile tactical operations centers that can be rapidly deployed for command, control and communications on the battlefield.

Under the Army's Standardized Integrated Command Post Systems (SICPS) Family of Trailer Mounted Support System (TMSS) contract, Northrop Grumman and DHS Systems will produce, integrate and deliver suites of tents, trailers and command posts complete with climate control and power for lighting, computers and large screen displays. The systems are being fielded to Army brigade combat teams, including troops in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Northrop Grumman's Mission Systems sector, as the prime contractor, will be responsible for program management and integrated logistics support. The companies will share responsibility for testing and mission assurance.

The Army Aviation and Missile Command at Redstone Arsenal, Ala., awarded Northrop Grumman a 60-month contract on May 30 and opened the first ordering period for systems. TMSS is potentially valued at $240 million, with the Army expected to place four additional orders over the next five years.

The contract, originally awarded in February, was protested by General Dynamics. The Government Accountability Office investigated and reaffirmed the Army's selection of the Northrop Grumman team.

"Without question, Northrop Grumman is pleased to have this protest resolved favorably," said Philip Teel, corporate vice president and president of Northrop Grumman Mission Systems. "The employees working on this program can again focus on delivering this urgently needed capability to the warfighter as quickly as possible."

The TMSS medium and large Deployable Rapid Assembly Shelter (DRASH) systems, manufactured by DHS Systems, provide up to 1,100 square feet of usable space and can be set up in less than 40 minutes. The system is supported by a trailer providing electrical power and an environmental control unit capable of operating in temperatures from 50 degrees below to 131 degrees above zero Fahrenheit. Northrop Grumman produces the command post portion that completes the SICPS TMSS suite.

"We are pleased to be able to partner with a great company like DHS to meet this critical need of our Army," said Kelley G. Zelickson, sector vice president and deputy general manager of the sector's Command and Control Systems Division.

"We are delighted to continue providing our men and women in uniform with state-of-the-art command and control facilities and systems," said Jerry McAbee, general manager of the DHS Systems Huntsville facility.

TMSS will be built at DHS Systems facilities in Orangeburg, N.Y., and Huntsville, Ala. The 130,000 square-foot Huntsville production facility, which opened earlier this year, will employ more than 150 people.

Northrop Grumman Corporation is a global defense and technology company whose 120,000 employees provide innovative systems, products, and solutions in information and services, electronics, aerospace and shipbuilding to government and commercial customers worldwide.

Front Page

Northrop Grumman Wins Contract to Support U.S. Central Command Training

HERNDON, Va., June 12, 2008 (PRIME NEWSWIRE) -- Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE:NOC) was awarded a contract by the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) to operate U.S. Central Command's (USCENTCOM) Joint Training System Support Office (JTSSO) at MacDill Air Force Base, Fla.

Under the $8.5 million GSA Training Schedule task order, which has a base year and four option years, Northrop Grumman will perform work at the command's headquarters at MacDill AFB, other U.S. locations and throughout the USCENTCOM area of responsibility.

Under the JTSSO program, Northrop Grumman's Technical Services sector will provide assistance to military planners during the planning, execution and assessment of USCENTCOM's battle staff, combined and joint training exercises, and the command's newcomer Staff Indoctrination Course.

"This contract reinforces Northrop Grumman's credentials as the provider of choice in the exercise and training arenas and positions us to support the emerging requirements of our customer, the warfighter," said David Townsend, Northrop Grumman's JTSSO program manager. "With the JTSSO award, USCENTCOM has retained a skilled and proven exercise planning, training and joint lessons learned team, with more than 65 years of cumulative experience."

Northrop Grumman Corporation is a global defense and technology company whose 120,000 employees provide innovative systems, products, and solutions in information and services, electronics, aerospace and shipbuilding to government and commercial customers worldwide.

Front Page

Northrop Grumman Applauds First Flight of First F-35 STOVL Aircraft

F-35B Variant is the First Aircraft to Combine Stealth, Supersonic Speed and the Ability to Operate From Small Ships and Austere Bases Near Combat Zones

EL SEGUNDO, Calif., June 11, 2008 (PRIME NEWSWIRE) -- Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE:NOC) today congratulated F-35 Lightning II prime contractor Lockheed Martin (NYSE:LMT) for successfully completing the inaugural flight of the first F-35B short takeoff/vertical landing (STOVL) jet.

The flight of the F-35 aircraft designated BF-1 commenced today at 10:17 a.m. CDT from Naval Air Station Fort Worth, Texas, and lasted approximately 45 minutes. It was piloted by BAE Systems test pilot Graham Tomlinson.

"This historic flight marks the second stage in fulfilling the vision of an international, three-variant family of next-generation fighters derived from a common design that can be serviced and maintained by a common infrastructure worldwide," said Mark A. Tucker, vice president of tactical systems and F-35 program manager for Northrop Grumman's Integrated Systems sector. "We applaud the international collaboration that has enabled a British pilot to be the first to fly a new jet developed by a multi-national team to serve the needs of the U.S. Marine Corps, the United Kingdom's Royal Air Force and Royal Navy, and the Italian Air Force and Navy."

Eventually, added Tucker, the three F-35 variants -- the F-35A conventional takeoff and landing (CTOL); F-35B STOVL and the F-35C carrier variant -- will replace at least 13 types of aircraft for at least 11 nations, making the Lightning II program one of the most cost-effective aircraft development programs in military history.

Northrop Grumman serves as a principal member of the Lockheed Martin-led F-35 global industry team. The company's main areas of involvement include: producing and integrating the aircraft's center fuselage; producing the radar and other key avionics including electro-optical and communications subsystems; developing mission systems and mission-planning software; developing pilot and maintenance training system courseware; and developing logistic support hardware and software. BAE Systems is the other principal member of the F-35 industry team.

In recent months, Northrop Grumman has accomplished several key F-35 milestones, adding momentum to the program's steady transition from the system development and demonstration phase to the flight test and production phases. The company has delivered the center fuselage for the Air Force's first production representative F-35A CTOL aircraft; begun assembly of the center fuselage for the first production Lightning II jet; and begun training its international suppliers to produce key F-35 parts and subassemblies. The company is also currently assembling the center fuselage for the first F-35C aircraft.

In March, Northrop Grumman completed the initial flight-testing of the F-35's Electro-Optical Distributed Aperture System (EO DAS), a passive, multi-functional sensor system. EO DAS detects aircraft, missiles, and surface targets at long ranges in all directions around the F-35, and warns the pilot of potential threats. The testing was completed using the company's BAC 1-11 test bed aircraft, a flying laboratory that provides an avionics environment similar to the F-35. Northrop Grumman is also continuing to flight test the F-35's AN/APG-81 active electronically scanned array fire control radar and its advanced operational modes.

Earlier in the year, Northrop Grumman successfully demonstrated the software-defined radios that provide core communication, navigation and identification (CNI) functions on Lockheed Martin's Cooperative Avionics Test Bed aircraft. This flexible, real-time reconfigurable system will fly on the F-35 STOVL aircraft designated BF-4 in 2009 and will be expanded to provide more than 30 CNI functions, including advanced data networking capabilities. The AA-1 aircraft has successfully flown a more basic CNI system for early testing, as did BF-1.

Northrop Grumman is a global defense and technology company whose 120,000 employees provide innovative systems, products, and solutions in information and services, electronics, aerospace and shipbuilding to government and commercial customers worldwide.

Front Page

Lockheed Martin F-35B STOVL Stealth Fighter Achieves Successful First Flight

FORT WORTH, Texas, June 11th, 2008 -- With test pilot Graham Tomlinson at the controls, the short takeoff/vertical landing (STOVL) Lockheed Martin [NYSE: LMT] F-35B Lightning II streaked into blue Texas skies Wednesday, marking the first flight of an aircraft that will provide a combination of capabilities never before available: stealth, supersonic speed and STOVL basing flexibility.

Tomlinson, a former Royal Air Force Harrier pilot now employed by BAE Systems, performed a conventional takeoff at 10:17 a.m. CDT from Lockheed Martin’s Fort Worth facility. As planned, all initial F-35B flights will be made using conventional takeoffs and landings, with transitions to short takeoffs, hovers and vertical landings beginning early next year. Tomlinson guided the jet to 15,000 feet and performed a series of handling tests, engine-power variations and subsystems checks before landing at 11:01 a.m. CDT.

"A great team effort led to a relaxed first flight, with the aircraft handling and performing just as we predicted based on STOVL simulator testing and flying the F-35A," Tomlinson said. The F-35B, known as BF-1, becomes the second Lightning II to enter flight test, preceded by the conventional takeoff and landing (CTOL) F-35A, which first flew in December 2006 and has completed 43 flights. The F-35B that flew today is the second of 19 System Development and Demonstration aircraft and the first to incorporate new weight-saving design features that will apply to all future F-35 aircraft.

Though nearly identical in appearance to the F-35A, the F-35B incorporates a counter-rotating shaft-driven lift fan positioned directly behind the cockpit. The lift fan, produced by Rolls-Royce, is turned by a drive shaft from the F-35’s massively powerful single engine, which features a swiveling rear exhaust nozzle that vectors thrust downward during vertical flight. The lift fan, engine and stabilizing roll ducts beneath the F-35B’s wings combine to produce 40,000 pounds of lifting force. Converting the F-35B from STOVL to conventional flight and vice-versa requires only the push of a button by the pilot. The system otherwise operates automatically.

"We're absolutely convinced that this aircraft is going to only further enhance what is a tremendous asymmetric advantage that we hold in terms of controlling the air, taking advantage of intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance capabilities, multi-sensor capabilities, and the ability, if need be, to drop a bomb in a precision strike," said Gen. James Conway, Commandant of the U.S. Marine Corps.

The F-35B will be the first of the three Lightning II variants to achieve Initial Operational Capability, beginning with the Marines in 2012. The STOVL variant also will be used by the United Kingdom’s Royal Air Force and Royal Navy, and Italy’s Air Force and Navy. With the capability to operate from a variety of ships or austere runways, the F-35B can deploy closer to shore or near front lines, shrinking distance and time to the target, increasing sortie rates and greatly reducing the need for support assets.

"This is truly an historic day for aviation and the JSF program," said Maj. Gen. C.R. Davis, F-35 program executive officer. "It caps a commitment we made in August 2006 to the Department of Defense and the U.S. Marine Corps when we said we would fly a production-representative STOVL F-35 by June of 2008 – and the team did it. This flight is also a milestone in a 5,000-sortie flight test program that spans five years but continuously rolls out incremental F-35 war fighting capability. It’s a proud day and proud beginning."

"The STOVL aircraft represents the ideal balance of form and function. It uniquely meets the warfighter’s demanding requirements with 5th Generation capabilities to deliver lethality, survivability, supportability and affordability," said Dan Crowley, Lockheed Martin executive vice president and F-35 program general manager. "The quality of this aircraft reflects the talent of the worldwide design and manufacturing team who made today’s flight possible."

The United States and eight international participants are involved in the F-35’s funding, development, production and sustainment. Three versions of the F-35 will be produced:

F-35A CTOL variant for conventional runways

STOVL F-35B for operating off small ships and near front-line combat zones

And the F-35C carrier variant (CV) for catapult launches and arrested recoveries aboard the U.S. Navy’s large aircraft carriers.

All 19 F-35 flight-test and ground-test aircraft are in production flow or on the flightline, and assembly has begun on the first two production-model F-35s.

The F-35 Lightning II is a supersonic, multi-role, 5th generation stealth fighter. The three F-35 variants are derived from a common design and use the same sustainment infrastructure worldwide to replace at least 13 types of aircraft for 11 nations initially, making the Lightning II the most cost-effective fighter program in history.

Lockheed Martin is developing the F-35 with its principal industrial partners, Northrop Grumman and BAE Systems. BAE Systems also is the prime contractor for the Royal Navy's next two aircraft carriers, from which the United Kingdom’s 138 F-35Bs will operate.

Two separate, interchangeable F-35 engines are under development: the Pratt & Whitney F135, which powered today’s flight, and the GE Rolls-Royce Fighter Engine Team F136.

Headquartered in Bethesda, Md., Lockheed Martin employs about 140,000 people worldwide and is principally engaged in the research, design, development, manufacture, integration and sustainment of advanced technology systems, products and services. The Corporation reported 2007 sales of $41.9 billion.

F-35 and Lightning II are trademarks of Lockheed Martin Corporation.

Front Page

World's largest, oldest aviation museum preserves history

Link:

• National Museum of the United States Air Force

by Staff Sgt. Jeremy Larlee
Air Force News Agency

6/12/2008 - LACKLAND AIR FORCE BASE, Texas (AFPN) -- Skilled artisans at the National Museum of the United States Air Force on Wright Patterson Air Force Base near Dayton, Ohio, work diligently to return aircraft to their original form with no embellishments.

"We are here to preserve history," said Dave Lazzarine, the Restoration Division supervisor. "We are not trying to falsify anything. We want to duplicate things to be exactly like what they were."

Unfortunately, many of the aircraft have not survived the passage of time gracefully. Decades of sun and the elements dull paint and cause corrosion and rust. Wood rots and parts are broken and never replaced.

One of these aircraft is the famous World War II B-17 "Memphis Belle" bomber. Exposure to the elements and rampant vandalism at its former location in Memphis, Tenn. has reduced the bomber to a shadow of its former self. After the Restoration Division returns the war bird to its former glory, it will join the museum's public display of legendary aircraft.

Currently, more than a million people a year visit the museum and are treated to the sight of 400 aircraft and aerospace vehicles that are in pristine condition. The museum is the world's largest and oldest aviation museum and has more than 17 acres of indoor exhibit space. It has 96 employees and 475 volunteers.

The Restoration Division works with aviation artifacts ranging from World War I fabric-covered aircraft to elite modern fighters. The 21 craftsmen in the group use their expertise in machine and woodworking, sheet metal, painting and a variety of other techniques to revitalize the aircraft that will be displayed at the museum.

Each renovation job is unique, Mr. Lazzarine said. Aircraft come into the shop with problems ranging from vandalism to being submerged in water.

The first step is to assess the damage to the aircraft, he said. After that, the Restoration Division works closely with the museum's Research Division to determine the original specifications of the aircraft and its parts.

A major challenge they face is not enough information, Mr. Lazzarine said. It is at that point that the skilled workers at the division step up and create something from nothing.

"Sometimes all you have is a photograph and you are trying to resurrect the dead from it," he said. "We have very talented people on our floor that can do anything that is put in front of them."

The level of talent required is developed over years of training, with the nature of the job demands that workers have a jack-of-all-trades mentality and are skilled in a variety of areas.

One of those talented people is restoration specialist Robert Anderson, who has worked at the division for eight years and specializes in sheet metal. He said that he enjoys seeing visitors at the museum look at the aircraft that he has worked on.

"You see the kids looking up in awe and people asking how you did it and it gives you a good feeling," he said. "It makes all the work we put in worth it."

The hours of meticulous labor put into restoration projects such as the "Memphis Belle," are numerous. The project, started in 2004, is expected to take up to 10 years to complete.

Front Page

Delta Air Lines begins nonstop service from New York-JFK to Antigua and Barbuda

NEW YORK, June 12, 2008 ? Delta Air Lines (NYSE: DAL) today launches nonstop service today from New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport to Antigua and Barbuda as part of its continued expansion in the Caribbean.

This flight complements Delta’s existing nonstop service to Antigua and Barbuda from Atlanta’s Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport.

A prime spot for snorkeling and scuba diving among spectacular coral reef, Antigua (pronounced An-tee’ga) and Barbuda are two islands that comprise one country located in the middle of the Leeward Islands in the Eastern Caribbean. Barbuda also offers bird watching enthusiasts a significant bird sanctuary in the region.

“Delta continues to open new Caribbean routes out of JFK to bring New Yorkers closer to beautiful beaches, sun, and relaxation,” said Christophe Didier, Delta’s vice president of Sales and Government Affairs in Latin America and the Caribbean for Delta Air Lines. “We have started more than 10 new routes in the Caribbean basin in the last couple of years, many of them departing from JFK as part of our continued international expansion.”

Delta’s new flight will operate Thursdays and Sundays, beginning June 12. Flights are available for sale at delta.com and other ticketing channels, and are scheduled as follows:


Flight	Departs	Arrives	Frequency
527	New York-JFK at 8:40 a.m.	Antigua and Barbuda at 1:20 p.m.	Thursday, Sunday
528	Antigua and Barbuda at 2:20 p.m.	New York-JFK at 6:47 p.m.	Thursday, Sunday

Delta Air Lines operates service to more worldwide destinations than any airline with Delta and Delta Connection flights to 324 destinations in 62 countries. Delta has added more international capacity than any major U.S. airline during the last two years and is the leader across the Atlantic with flights to 43 trans-Atlantic destinations. To Latin America and the Caribbean, Delta offers 600 weekly flights to 62 destinations. Delta's marketing alliances also allow customers to earn and redeem SkyMiles on more than 16,000 flights offered by SkyTeam and other partners. Delta is a founding member of SkyTeam, a global airline alliance that provides customers with extensive worldwide destinations, flights and services. Including its SkyTeam and worldwide codeshare partners, Delta offers flights to 474 worldwide destinations in 104 countries. Customers can check in for flights, print boarding passes and check flight status at delta.com.

Front Page France

SUDAN AIRWAYS FLIGHT SD109 ACCIDENT IN KHARTOUM

11 June 2008

Media Information on Sudan Airways Flight SD109

Airbus regrets to confirm that an Airbus A310 operated by Sudan Airways was involved in an accident in Khartoum on 10th June at approximately 8:30 pm local time. The aircraft was operating a scheduled service, Flight SD109, from Amman, Jordan via Damascus, Syria, to Khartoum, Sudan.

The aircraft involved in the accident, with registration number ST-ATN, was MSN (Manufacturer Serial Number) 548, first delivered from the production line in August 1990, and operated by Sudan Airways since September 2007. The aircraft had logged some 52,000 flight hours and some 21,000 flight cycles. It was powered by Pratt & Whitney PW 4152 engines. At this time no further factual information is available.

In line with ICAO Annex 13 international convention, Airbus will provide technical assistance to the French Bureau d’Enquêtes et d’Analyses (BEA) and to the Authorities of Sudan. A go-team of five Airbus specialists is being dispatched to Sudan to assist the Authorities.

The Airbus A310 is a twin-engine wide-body aircraft seating 220 passengers in a standard two-class configuration. The first Airbus A310 entered service in April 1983. By the end of April 2008, 220 A310 were in service with 28 operators. To date, the entire fleet has accumulated some 11.3 million flight hours in some 4.3 million flights.

The concerns and sympathy of the Airbus employees go to the families, friends and loved ones affected by the accident of Sudan Airways Flight SD109.

Airbus is an EADS company.

Front Page

NTSB SAFETY RECOMMENDATION

National Transportation Safety Board
Washington, DC 20594

June 12, 2008

NTSB Safety Recommendations A-08-44 and -45

The National Transportation Safety Board makes the following
recommendations to the Federal Aviation Administration:

Develop guidance, based on empirical and scientific
evidence, for operators to establish fatigue management
systems, including information about the content and
implementation of these systems. (A-08-44) (This safety
recommendation supersedes Safety Recommendation A-06-11.)

Develop and use a methodology that will continually assess
the effectiveness of fatigue management systems implemented
by operators, including their ability to improve sleep and
alertness, mitigate performance errors, and prevent
incidents and accidents. (A-08-45)

http://www.ntsb.gov/recs/letters/2008/A08_44_45.pdf

The complete recommendation letter is available on the Web
at the URL indicated above.

The letter is in the Portable Document Format (PDF) and can
be read using the Acrobat Reader 5.0 or later from Adobe
http://www.adobe.com/prodindex/acrobat/readstep.html .

An archive of recommendation letters is available at
http://www.ntsb.gov/recs/letters/letters.htm .
Electronic versions of letters may or may not include
enclosures; however, related publications, accident
briefs, and aviation accident synopses may be found
on the NTSB website.

Front Page

NTSB SAFETY RECOMMENDATION

National Transportation Safety Board
Washington, DC 20594

June 12, 2008

NTSB Safety Recommendations A-08-36 through -39

The National Transportation Safety Board recommends that the
Tour Operators Program of Safety:

Coordinate with Tour Operators Program of Safety members to
set requirements for establishing and maintaining a system
for continuously analyzing the performance and effectiveness
of their inspection and maintenance programs to ensure that
all maintenance is performed with the utmost regard for
quality and safety. (A-08-36)

Expand the Tour Operators Program of Safety's safety audit
program to ensure that operators implement an effective
maintenance quality assurance program. (A-08-37)

Work with the Federal Aviation Administration to establish
appropriate guidance for Tour Operators Program of Safety
members on how to develop and implement appropriate
inspection and maintenance quality assurance programs. (A-
08-38)

Coordinate with Tour Operators Program of Safety (TOPS)
members to establish requirements for providing formal,
model-specific helicopter maintenance training for their
mechanics to ensure an adequate level of competency. Once
requirements are established, examine members' maintenance
education programs during TOPS' annual audit. (A-08-39)

http://www.ntsb.gov/recs/letters/2008/A08_36_39.pdf

The complete recommendation letter is available on the Web
at the URL indicated above.

The letter is in the Portable Document Format (PDF) and can
be read using the Acrobat Reader 5.0 or later from Adobe
http://www.adobe.com/prodindex/acrobat/readstep.html .

An archive of recommendation letters is available at
http://www.ntsb.gov/recs/letters/letters.htm .
Electronic versions of letters may or may not include
enclosures; however, related publications, accident
briefs, and aviation accident synopses may be found
on the NTSB website.

Front Page

NTSB SAFETY RECOMMENDATION

National Transportation Safety Board
Washington, DC 20594

June 12, 2008

NTSB Safety Recommendations A-08-32 through -35

The National Transportation Safety Board recommends that the
Federal Aviation Administration:

Require that all air tour operators (14 Code of Federal
Regulations Parts 91 and 135) establish and maintain a
system for continuously analyzing the performance and
effectiveness of their inspection and maintenance program to
ensure that all maintenance is performed with the utmost
regard for quality and safety. (A-08-32)

Require air tour operators to provide formal, model-specific
helicopter maintenance training for their mechanics to
ensure an adequate level of competency. (A-08-33)

Develop a mechanism to provide direct surveillance of air
tour maintenance at all locations where a company's
maintenance is conducted. (A-08-34)

Work with independent safety programs, such as the Tour
Operators Program of Safety, to establish appropriate
guidance for their members on how to develop and implement
appropriate inspection and maintenance quality assurance
programs and to encourage operators to participate in these
voluntary programs. (A-08-35)

http://www.ntsb.gov/recs/letters/2008/A08_32_35.pdf

The complete recommendation letter is available on the Web
at the URL indicated above.

The letter is in the Portable Document Format (PDF) and can
be read using the Acrobat Reader 5.0 or later from Adobe
http://www.adobe.com/prodindex/acrobat/readstep.html .

An archive of recommendation letters is available at
http://www.ntsb.gov/recs/letters/letters.htm .
Electronic versions of letters may or may not include
enclosures; however, related publications, accident
briefs, and aviation accident synopses may be found
on the NTSB website.

Front Page

June 12, 2008

RELEASE: 08-144

INTERNATIONAL MISSION STUDYING SUN TO CONCLUDE

WASHINGTON -- After more than 17 years of pioneering solar science, a
joint NASA and European Space Agency mission to study the sun will
end on or about July 1.

The Ulysses spacecraft has endured for almost four times its expected
lifespan. However, the spacecraft will cease operations because of a
decline in power produced by its onboard generators. Ulysses forever
has changed the way scientists view the sun and its effect on the
surrounding space. Mission results and the science legacy it leaves
behind were reviewed today at ESA Headquarters in Paris.

"The main objective of Ulysses was to study, from every angle, the
heliosphere, which is the vast bubble in space carved out by the
solar wind," said Ed Smith, Ulysses project scientist at NASA's Jet
Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif. "Over its long life, Ulysses
redefined our knowledge of the heliosphere and went on to answer
questions about our solar neighborhood we did not know to ask."

Ulysses ends its career after revealing that the magnetic field
emanating from the sun's poles is much weaker than previously
observed. This could mean the upcoming solar maximum period will be
less intense than in recent history.

"Over almost two decades of science observations by Ulysses, we have
learned a lot more than we expected about our star and the way it
interacts with the space surrounding it," said Richard Marsden, ESA's
Ulysses project scientist and mission manager. "Solar missions have
appeared in recent years, but Ulysses is still unique today. Its
special point of view over the sun's poles never has been covered by
any other mission."

The spacecraft and its suite of 10 instruments had to be highly
sensitive, yet robust enough to withstand some of the most extreme
conditions in the solar system, including intense radiation while
passing by the giant planet Jupiter's north pole. The encounter
occurred while injecting the mission into its orbit over the sun's
poles.

"Ulysses has been a challenging mission since launch," said Ed Massey,
Ulysses project manager at JPL. "Its success required the cooperation
and intellect of engineers and scientists from around the world."

Ulysses was the first mission to survey the environment in space above
and below the poles of the sun in the four dimensions of space and
time. It showed the sun's magnetic field is carried into the solar
system in a more complicated manner than previously believed.
Particles expelled by the sun from low latitudes can climb to high
latitudes and vice versa, sometimes unexpectedly finding their way
out to the planets. Ulysses also studied dust flowing into our solar
system from deep space, and showed it was 30 times more abundant than
astronomers suspected. In addition, the spacecraft detected helium
atoms from deep space and confirmed the universe does not contain
enough matter to eventually halt its expansion.

Ulysses collected and transmitted science data to Earth during a
5.4-billion mile journey. As the power supply weakened during the
years, engineers devised methods to conserve energy. The power has
dwindled to the point where thruster fuel soon will freeze in the
spacecraft's pipelines.

"When the last bits of data finally arrive, it surely will be tough to
say goodbye," said Nigel Angold, ESA's Ulysses mission operations
manager. "But any sadness I might feel will pale in comparison to the
pride of working on such a magnificent mission. Although operations
will be ending, scientific discoveries from Ulysses data will
continue for years to come."

Ulysses was launched aboard space shuttle Discovery, Oct. 6, 1990.
From Earth orbit, it was propelled toward Jupiter by solid-fuel
rocket motors. Ulysses passed Jupiter on Feb. 8, 1992. The giant
planet's gravity then bent the spacecraft's flight path downward and
away from the ecliptic plane to place the spacecraft in a final orbit
around the sun that would take it past our star's north and south
poles.

The spacecraft was provided by ESA. NASA provided the launch vehicle
and upper stage boosters. The U.S. Department of Energy supplied a
radioisotope thermoelectric generator to provide power to the
spacecraft. Science instruments were provided by both U.S. and
European investigators. The spacecraft is operated from JPL by a
joint NASA/ESA team. More information about the joint NASA/ESA
Ulysses mission is available at:

http://ulysses.jpl.nasa.gov

or

http://www.esa.int/esaSC/SEMPEQUG3HF_index_0_ov.html

Front Page

United States Attorney's Office
Eastern District of Virginia

June 6, 2008

Alexandria Man Sentenced for Illegal Export of Firearms Parts to Sudan

(Alexandria, Virginia) – Khalid Ahmed, age 37, of Alexandria, was sentenced today to five months in federal prison, followed by five months in community confinement, a fine of $1,500, and three years of supervised release. He was also ordered to cooperate with immigration officials in any removal proceedings. Chuck Rosenberg, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Darryl W. Jackson, Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Export Enforcement; and, Mark X. McGraw, Acting Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Washington Field Office, made the announcement after sentencing by United States District Judge T.S. Ellis, III. Ahmed pled guilty on March 13, 2008, to unlawfully attempting to export firearms parts to Sudan in violation of federal law.

According to court documents, Ahmed’s guilty plea stemmed from his attempt to export to Sudan components of an assault rifle without the requisite license issued by the U.S. Department of State. The parts were discovered on August 22, 2007, at Dulles International Airport after having been packed by Ahmed in his wife’s checked luggage prior to her leaving on a trip to her native Sudan. The seizure took place after ICE agents had previously intercepted a package of gun parts sent to Sudan in the mail by Ahmed, after which time ICE agents advised him about the licensing requirements for export, and U.S. sanctions against Sudan.

The investigation also revealed that Ahmed had purchased hundreds of export-controlled items, including tactical equipment, gun parts, and other items worth several thousand dollars, which had also been unlawfully exported to Sudan. ICE and U.S. Department of Commerce agents arrested Ahmed at his Alexandria residence on January 31, 2008. He is a native of Sudan and had applied for and received status in the United States as Legal Permanent Resident.

This case was investigated by ICE; the U.S. Department of Commerce, Office of Export Enforcement; and, the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant United States Attorney Neil Hammerstrom prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States.

Front Page

United States Department of Justice
U.S. Attorney, District of New Jersey
970 Broad Street, Seventh Floor
Newark, New Jersey 07102

Wisconsin Man Sentenced for Conveying “Sick” Terrorism Hoax
to Detonate Dirty Bombs at U.S. Football Stadiums

NEWARK, N.J. – A 22-year-old Wisconsin man was sentenced today to six months in
federal prison for conveying a terrorism hoax in his repeated posting of an Internet
message claiming that terrorists would detonate radioactive “dirty bombs” at football
stadiums in seven states, including New Jersey, U.S. Attorney Christopher J. Christie
announced.

U.S. District Judge Jose L. Linares also ordered Jake J. Brahm, of Wauwatosa, Wis., to
serve six months of home confinement following his prison term. Judge Linares ordered
Brahm to surrender to the federal Bureau of Prisons by July 21.

Additionally, Judge Linares ordered Brahm to pay restitution totaling $26,750. That
amount represents $18,000 to the Cleveland Browns and $8,750 to the New Jersey Sports
and Exposition Authority, which operates Giants Stadium in East Rutherford. The costs
cover expanded public- and privately-funded security mobilized in response to Brahm’s
bogus threats, including bomb-sniffing dogs, extra police and security.
Judge Linares characterized Brahm’s actions as a “sick hoax.”

Christie agreed, noting that Brahm’s original Internet posting included an embedded
photo of the World Trade Center towers after the jets had been flown into them.
“I’d also characterize his conduct as cruel and dangerous,” said Christie.
Brahm pleaded guilty on Feb. 28 to a one-count Indictment charging him with willfully
conveying false information indicating that the seven stadiums would be attacked by
terrorists with weapons of mass destruction and radiological dispersal devices.

Brahm admitted composing and posting a message approximately 40 times throughout
September and October 2006, stating that on Oct. 22, 2006, seven “dirty” explosive
devices would be detonated during football games at stadiums in Miami, Atlanta, Seattle,
Houston, Oakland, Cleveland and New York City. Brahm admitted that the message’s
reference to New York City was intended to indicate Giants Stadium, in East Rutherford,
where the New York Jets had been scheduled to play the Detroit Lions on the date of the
purported attack.

The message Brahm posted went on to say that the bombs would be delivered by trucks
and that “the death toll will approach 100,000 from the initial blasts and countless other
fatalities will later occur as result from radioactive fallout.”

Brahm further wrote in the posting that the stadium explosions would be lauded by
Osama bin Laden as “America’s Hiroshima” and that global conflicts would erupt in their
wake.

Until they were determined to be a hoax, Brahm’s messages caused a significant
mobilization of law enforcement, public safety and security resources.

Brahm turned himself into the U.S. Marshal’s Service in Milwaukee on Oct. 20, 2006,
after a federal criminal Complaint and arrest warrant had been issued. He was indicted on
Feb. 28, 2007.

Christie credited Special Agents of the FBI in Newark, under the direction of Special
Agent in Charge Agent in Charge Weysan Dunn, for their work in the investigation
leading to the charges against Brahm. Christie also credited FBI Special Agents and the
Joint Terrorism Task Force in Milwaukee, for their work in the investigation, as well as
the Wauwatosa, Wis. Police Department for its assistance in the case.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys L. Judson Welle and Camelia M.
Valdes, assigned to the U.S. Attorney’s Terrorism Unit, in Newark.

Front Page

United States Coast Guard Member Sentenced for Unauthorized Access of a Government Computer and Dissemination of Confidential Data

(Norfolk, VA) – Morris Wade Hughes, age 51, of Chesapeake Virginia, was sentenced in federal court today. Hughes received 9 months incarceration, 1 year of probation, which includes 5 months of home confinement and a $2000 fine. Dana Boente, Acting United States Attorney of the Eastern District of Virginia; Alex J. Turner, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Norfolk Field Division; and LT Gene Maestas, of the Fifth Coast Guard District, made the announcement.

Hughes was convicted at trial of unauthorized access of his government computer and dissemination of confidential information. The confidential information was contained in a U.S. Coast Guard law enforcement database and contained in a National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Association database. The information was conveyed to Yvonne Peabody, an officer of the Peabody Corporation, a commercial fishing company located in Newport News. According to court documents, Peabody Corporation employed at least 126 illegal aliens on 332 of their commercial fishing voyages between 2003 and 2006. The illegal aliens used fraudulent social security cards in connection with their employment. Peabody Corporation vessels were boarded by the Coast Guard on several occasions and fraudulent identification documents were seized.

This case was investigated by Federal Bureau of Investigation, with the assistance of the Coast Guard Investigative Service. Assistant United States Attorneys Joseph DePadilla prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States.

Front Page

June 11, 2008

Washington D.C.
FBI National Press Office
(202) 324-3691

Dr. Chris Hassell Named FBI Laboratory Director

Dr. David Christian (Chris) Hassell has been named as the new FBI Laboratory Director. Director Robert S. Mueller, III appointed him to this position to replace Dr. Joseph A. DiZinno, who recently retired. Dr. Hassell comes to the Bureau from the Oklahoma State University Multispectral Laboratories (UML), where he led Research, Development, Testing, and Evaluation. The UML is a national multidisciplinary interagency complex focused on the testing, evaluation, and implementation of defense, homeland security, energy, and intelligence systems.

Dr. Hassell previously served as Assistant Vice President for Science and Technology at Applied Marine Technologies Incorporated. Prior to that position, he led programs in analytical chemistry, instrumentation development, and forensics and attribution for weapons of mass destruction at Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL). During this time, he also served as a subject matter expert for chemical/biological warfare on the Iraq Survey Group. Earlier in his career, Dr. Hassell was a Senior Research Chemist for DuPont, developing online analytical instrumentation for chemical and bioprocess facilities for research and manufacturing.

Dr. Hassell earned his PhD in analytical chemistry from the University of Texas and his Bachelor of Science degree in chemistry from Brigham Young University. He has published numerous scientific articles in peer reviewed journals and books, and he has held leadership positions in professional societies and technical symposia.

The FBI Laboratory, located in Quantico, Virginia, employs over 600 talented men and women dedicated to performing a wide array of forensic services for the law enforcement and intelligence communities worldwide.

###

Front Page ~ Boeing View

Agreement to Acquire Vought Share of Global Aeronautica Closes

SEATTLE, June 11, 2008 -- Boeing [NYSE: BA] announced today it has finalized the agreement to acquire Vought Aircraft Industries' interest in Global Aeronautica, LLC, a South Carolina fuselage sub-assembly facility for Boeing's newest airplane, the 787 Dreamliner. With the completion of this transaction, Global Aeronautica is now a 50-50 joint venture between The Boeing Company and Alenia North America, a subsidiary of Italy's Alenia Aeronautica -- a Finmeccanica company.

Vought continues to produce the aft fuselage for the 787 at its facility adjacent to Global Aeronautica in North Charleston.

Closing occurred following receipt of regulatory approvals on June 3, 2008. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed. The transaction will not affect Boeing's current financial guidance.

"As a partner in the Global Aeronautica joint venture with Alenia North America, Boeing looks forward to applying its proven lean manufacturing expertise to enhance the efficiency and productivity of the facility's operations and ensure the timely delivery of high-quality assemblies to our Everett, Washington facility," said Pat Shanahan, vice president and general manager of the 787 program.

"We are proud to partner with Boeing in Global Aeronautica," said Giuseppe Giordo, president and chief executive officer of Alenia North America. "We are committed to our investment in South Carolina and to the success of the 787 program." More Information Global Aeronautica was established in December 2004 as a joint venture between Alenia North America, a Finmeccanica company, and Vought Aircraft Industries, based in Dallas.

Global Aeronautica employs more than 300 people and is responsible for joining and integrating 787 fuselage sections from Alenia and other structural partners. Along with joining the majority of the mid-body fuselage sections, the joint venture also installs and tests associated systems and applies primer on the sections. Vought produces aft fuselage sections 47 and 48 in a new 342,000-square-foot building and employs about 300 workers at its South Carolina plant.

Alenia builds the center fuselage sections 44 and 46 in its facilities and delivers these to the Global Aeronautica integration facility. Alenia also manufactures the horizontal stabilizer of the 787 in its Foggia facility.

Headquartered in Everett, Wash., Boeing's 787 program is completing work on the first 787 Dreamliner, which is scheduled for first flight in the fourth quarter of 2008. First delivery is scheduled for the third quarter 2009.

Forward-Looking Information Is Subject to Risk and Uncertainty

Certain statements in this report may constitute "forward-looking" statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Words such as "expects," "intends," "plans," "projects," "believes," "estimates," and similar expressions are used to identify these forward-looking statements. These statements are not guarantees of future performance and involve risks, uncertainties and assumptions that are difficult to predict. Forward-looking statements in this press release include, among others, statements regarding future results as a result of our growth and productivity initiatives, our 2008 and 2009 financial outlook and the benefits of the new IDS structure.

Forward-looking statements are based upon assumptions as to future events that may not prove to be accurate. Actual outcomes and results may differ materially from what is expressed or forecasted in these forward-looking statements. As a result, these statements speak only as of the date they were made and we undertake no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

Our actual results and future trends may differ materially depending on a variety of factors, including the continued operation, viability and growth of major airline customers and non-airline customers (such as the U.S. Government); adverse developments in the value of collateral securing customer and other financings; the occurrence of any significant collective bargaining labor dispute; our successful execution of internal performance plans including our company-wide growth and productivity initiatives, production rate increases and decreases (including any reduction in or termination of an aircraft product), availability of raw materials, acquisition and divestiture plans, and other cost-reduction and productivity efforts; charges from any future SFAS No. 142 review; ability to meet development, production and certification schedules for the 787 program; technical or quality issues in development programs (affecting schedule and cost estimates) or in the satellite industry; an adverse development in rating agency credit ratings or assessments; the actual outcomes of certain pending sales campaigns and the timely launch of the 787 program and U.S. and foreign government procurement activities, including the uncertainty associated with the procurement of tankers by the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) and funding of the C-17 program; the cyclical nature of some of our businesses; unanticipated financial market changes which may impact pension plan assumptions; domestic and international competition in the defense, space and commercial areas; continued integration of acquired businesses; performance issues with key suppliers, subcontractors and customers; significant disruption to air travel worldwide (including future terrorist attacks); global trade policies; worldwide political stability; domestic and international economic conditions; price escalation; the outcome of political and legal processes, changing priorities or reductions in the U.S. Government or foreign government defense and space budgets; termination of government or commercial contracts due to unilateral government or customer action or failure to perform; legal, financial and governmental risks related to international transactions; legal and investigatory proceedings; tax settlements with the IRS and various states; U.S. Air Force review of previously awarded contracts; costs associated with the exit of the Connexion by Boeing business; and other economic, political and technological risks and uncertainties. Additional information regarding these factors is contained in our SEC filings, including, without limitation, our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2007 and our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended April 23, 2008.

###

Front Page

Boeing- and SAIC-led Industry Team, Future Combat Systems Program Complete Integration of 1st Manned Ground Vehicle Prototype

ST. LOUIS, June 11, 2008 -- Boeing [NYSE: BA] and Science Applications International Corp. [NYSE: SAI], together the Lead Systems Integrator (LSI) for the U.S. Army's Future Combat Systems (FCS) program, today announced the successful integration and public debut of the first FCS Manned Ground Vehicle (MGV) prototype -- the Non-Line-of-Sight Cannon (NLOS-C).

Featuring a two-man artillery crew, the NLOS-C prototype is the first of eight FCS MGV variants and is designed to deliver precision munitions in urban and conventional battlespace environments. The NLOS-C uses advanced networked technologies that enable warfighters to quickly fire on targets with precision, as well as an automated loading system, projectile tracking and hybrid propulsion. The prototype will be on display at the National Mall in Washington, D.C., and the Pentagon in Arlington, Va., this week during Army Birthday activities.

"The NLOS-C prototype unveiling is the result of a collaborative effort by Army and industry to deliver a networked, precision-fire capability that will provide soldiers with unprecedented technological advantages in both irregular and conventional engagements," said Gregg Martin, Boeing vice president and FCS program manager. "The MGV team exemplifies the FCS 'best of industry' approach, bringing to bear the expertise of the LSI, vehicle developers BAE Systems and General Dynamics, and a vast team of suppliers to develop and deliver a networked family of vehicles that will connect and protect our soldiers -- both current and future."

The NLOS-C is the first of a family of FCS Manned Ground Vehicles that will all employ a common chassis and maximize the use of common parts and subsystems. Overall, FCS vehicles will require less fuel and logistics support than current-force vehicles. As directed by Congress, eight NLOS-C prototypes will be produced at locations in York, Pa.; Santa Clara, Calif.; Minneapolis, Minn.; Lima, Ohio; Elgin, Okla.; and Sterling Heights, Mich., and will undergo testing, safety certification and evaluations at various Army test facilities.

The completion of NLOS-C integration marks the most recent in a series of accomplishments for the FCS program. In March, the FCS One Team successfully completed the Technical Field Test (TFT), the first in a series of test activities planned for "Spin Out 1" systems that validated FCS interoperability with current-force systems. This industry-led activity, conducted in a field environment at White Sands Missile Range, N.M., was designed to test the FCS network and its ability to interoperate across the system-of-systems. Current-force vehicles equipped with FCS network interoperability, or "B-kits," interfaced with Urban and Tactical Unattended Ground Sensors (UGS) that were placed in buildings and on the desert floor, enabling information exchange and enhancing situational awareness of the location of "enemy" assets.

The TFT was followed in May by Force Development Testing & Evaluation, an activity led by the Army's Training and Doctrine Command that was designed to evaluate new and existing tactics, doctrine, training, organizations and logistics -- providing data that will help refine broader doctrinal processes associated with FCS capabilities. This summer, the Army Test and Evaluation Command (ATEC) will conduct a Spin Out 1 Limited User Test, an independent soldier evaluation of FCS system capabilities as they perform required tasks and missions in an operationally realistic live and virtual environment.

In addition, FCS represented the Army's main effort in the U.S. Air Force-led Joint Expeditionary Force Experiment (JEFX) 2008. FCS formed the ground component of JEFX by enabling near real-time threat data to be available on the network and enabling shared situational awareness between ground and air assets. The experiment, which culminated in April, demonstrated the ability to call for joint network fires to engage targets that FCS sensors acquired in real- and near real-time, spanning the joint and coalition tactical, operational and strategic operating picture.

"The FCS industry team, working together with the Army, has achieved tremendous success this year, conducting soldier testing of early FCS capabilities and providing valuable feedback that will be incorporated back into the program as a risk mitigation measure," Martin said. "The NLOS-C debut further demonstrates that FCS is reality, and that the FCS One Team is committed to equipping Brigade Combat Teams with better equipment and unmatched situational awareness that will dramatically change the way the Army fights."

SAIC is a FORTUNE 500® scientific, engineering, and technology applications company that uses its deep domain knowledge to solve problems of vital importance to the nation and the world, in national security, energy and the environment, critical infrastructure and health. The company's approximately 44,000 employees serve customers in the Department of Defense, the intelligence community, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, other U.S. government civil agencies and selected commercial markets. SAIC had annual revenues of $8.9 billion for its fiscal year ended Jan. 31, 2008. A unit of The Boeing Company, Boeing Integrated Defense Systems is one of the world's largest space and defense businesses specializing in innovative and capabilities-driven customer solutions. Headquartered in St. Louis, Boeing Integrated Defense Systems is a $32.1 billion business with 71,000 employees worldwide.

###

Front Page

Boeing Flight-Tests B-1 Equipped With New Targeting Pod

ST. LOUIS, June 10, 2008 -- The Boeing Company [NYSE: BA] today announced it has successfully flight-tested an electro-optical/infrared targeting pod system designed for the B-1 bomber. A B-1 equipped with a Sniper XR electro-optical/infrared targeting pod completed a series of flights from the Air Force Flight Test Center at Edwards Air Force Base, Calif.

Boeing engineers have worked with the U.S. Air Force for the past 14 months to develop the targeting pods as part of an urgent combat need issued by the service. B-1 crews will use the new capability to positively identify stationary and moving targets, improving the bomber's ability to meet mission requirements. The targeting pod is scheduled to be deployed by late summer.

"The Air Force identified the need and the funding and asked how fast we could get this capability to the warfighter," said Mark Metevia, B-1 targeting pod project manager for Boeing. "We assembled a best-of-Boeing team and were able to cut our usual development cycle time in half."

Design work was performed at Long Beach, Calif., and the external pylon was assembled in Mesa, Ariz. Boeing St. Louis workers built pylon parts, electrical testing was performed in Huntington Beach, Calif., and the aircraft was modified by Boeing technicians at Edwards Air Force Base and Davis Monthan Air Force Base, Ariz.

A unit of The Boeing Company, Boeing Integrated Defense Systems is one of the world's largest space and defense businesses specializing in innovative and capabilities-driven customer solutions. Headquartered in St. Louis, Boeing Integrated Defense Systems is a $32.1 billion business with 71,000 employees worldwide.

###

Front Page

Boeing/Insitu ScanEagle Flight Demonstrates Real-time Radar Imaging Using NanoSAR

ST. LOUIS, June 10, 2008 -- The Boeing Company [NYSE: BA], in partnership with ImSAR and Insitu Inc., achieved a major milestone in May with the real-time processing of Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) data aboard a ScanEagle unmanned aircraft (UA) equipped with a standard inertially stabilized electro-optical (EO) camera. Combining the radar and the camera on the ScanEagle helps warfighters adapt to conditions with poor visibility. The tests marked the first time SAR and EO capabilities have flown together on such a small, lightweight platform.

During test flights on May 28, ScanEagle, outfitted with ImSAR's NanoSAR, flew over a variety of targets as real-time SAR processing was demonstrated with streaming radar images displayed on the ground station. Creating real-time images onboard ScanEagle eliminates the requirement of either processing imagery on the ground after flight or using high-speed data links to a ground station.

"This capability builds on our previous flight tests with the NanoSAR payload," said Carol Wilke, Boeing ScanEagle chief engineer. "With real-time streaming SAR imagery now available in the ScanEagle ground station, we can provide additional tactical, actionable intelligence to the warfighter.

"We expect to continue to mature this product in the coming months and hope to begin talking with potential customers in the near future," Wilke added.

"With NanoSAR, the unmanned aircraft system (UAS) can continue to provide real-time surveillance through smoke, fog, sand, snow, rain and darkness, augmenting EO capability and expanding the range of possible missions a small UAS can accomplish," said Adam Robertson, NanoSAR program manager for ImSAR.

The weights of standard SARs range from 50 to 200 pounds, but NanoSAR weighs 2 pounds and is the size of a shoebox. NanoSAR's image processor is fully integrated and self-contained, making synthetic aperture radar's ability to "see" in poor-visibility situations viable on small UAs for the first time.

Since 2004, the ScanEagle system has proven on a daily basis that it is the best-value solution to support warfighters in the field around the world. It has logged more than 80,000 combat flight hours with the U.S. Marines Expeditionary Force, the U.S. Navy and the Australian Defence Force in Iraq and Afghanistan. The Navy has logged more than 1,000 shipboard recoveries using ScanEagle.

ScanEagle, a joint effort of Boeing Advanced Systems' Advanced Precision Engagement & Mobility Systems and Insitu, was developed as a low-cost, long-endurance autonomous unmanned aircraft to provide persistent intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance as well as flexible, rapid deployment for a variety of government and civilian applications.

Insitu, of Bingen, Wash., designs, develops and manufactures unmanned aircraft systems for commercial and military applications. Insitu created the first unmanned aircraft to fly across the Atlantic Ocean using 1.5 gallons of fuel in 1998. Insitu partnered with Boeing to develop, market and support ScanEagle operations. Visit www.insitu.com for more information.ImSAR LLC, located in Salem, Utah, combines the ability to mass-produce integrated high-radio-frequency designs with SAR processing expertise. ImSAR is the world leader in the development of lightweight Synthetic Aperture Radar for military and commercial applications. For more information, visit www.imsar.com.A unit of The Boeing Company, Boeing Integrated Defense Systems is one of the world's largest space and defense businesses specializing in innovative and capabilities-driven customer solutions. Headquartered in St. Louis, Boeing Integrated Defense Systems is a $32.1 billion business with 71,000 employees worldwide.

###

Front Page

Boeing's 1st C-130 AMP Aircraft Completes 100th Flight

ST. LOUIS, June 09, 2008 -- The Boeing Company [NYSE: BA] said today that the first C-130 Avionics Modernization Program (AMP) aircraft, H2, has completed its 100th flight. The aircraft, which is undergoing flight testing at Edwards Air Force Base (AFB), Calif., has flown several cross-country sorties and is ahead of development schedule. The milestone also marks the halfway point in the aircraft's flight-test program.

"This achievement is a testament to the robustness and reliability of the AMP systems," said Mike Harris, Boeing vice president and C-130 AMP program manager. "The systems' maturity allows the flight-test program to keep up with a high frequency of flight operations. We are very pleased with the aircraft's performance and with the Boeing and U.S. Air Force team who together are making AMP a success."

Two C-130 AMP aircraft are currently located at the Air Force Flight Test Center at Edwards AFB, and both continue to exceed ground- and flight-testing expectations.

"Testing is progressing ahead of schedule," Harris said. With the majority of the AMP aircraft's systems exercised, some testing is now being used to gather data to support the next software build, Core Complete 2.2.

A third aircraft, H3, is undergoing modifications and upgrades at Boeing Support Systems' San Antonio facility. The aircraft will receive a fully integrated, night-vision-goggle compatible, digital glass cockpit and a new digital avionics system.

The aircraft is one of more than 200 C-130 aircraft that Boeing Support Systems will modify under the AMP initiative, which provides enhanced digital avionics, increasing situational awareness for the warfighter. The AMP upgrade also brings commonality to the C-130 fleet and offers flexibility in assigning aircrew, regardless of the model design type. The Air Force awarded Boeing the AMP contract in 2001. Boeing plans to begin Low Rate Initial Production next year.

A unit of The Boeing Company, Boeing Integrated Defense Systems is one of the world's largest space and defense businesses specializing in innovative and capabilities-driven customer solutions. Headquartered in St. Louis, Boeing Integrated Defense Systems is a $32.1 billion business with 71,000 employees worldwide.

###

Front Page France

Second A380 Ro-Ro vessel named “City of Hamburg” at ceremony in Singapore

11 June 2008

The second roll-on and roll-off (RoRo) sea vessel designed to transport sections of the A380 between manufacturing countries has been officially named City of Hamburg at a ceremony in Singapore. The event took place at the shipyard of Singapore Technologies Marine (ST Marine) and was presided over by Mme Valérie Pécresse, French Minister for Higher Education and Research.

Scheduled for delivery in the third quarter of this year, the City of Hamburg will join the existing vessel Ville De Bordeaux, delivering complete A380 wings and fuselage sections from France, Northern Germany, Spain and the UK to the French city port of Bordeaux. From there, the sections are transported by river barge and road to the Airbus final assembly line in Toulouse.

A third RoRo vessel is also currently under construction at the ST Marine shipyard in Singapore and will join the fleet in early 2009. All three vessels are owned and operated by a joint venture between shipping groups Louis Dreyfus Armateurs of France and Leif Hoegh of Norway.

Speaking at the ceremony in Singapore, Thierry Larroque, Airbus Vice President Supply Chain Logistics and Transport, said that it was fitting that ST Marine had been chosen to build the City of Hamburg and its future sister ship.

“As the home country of the first airline to fly the A380, we are pleased that industry in Singapore has also played a part in this global project,” he said. “ST Marine was selected for the quality of its production and skills, and we look forward to the new vessels playing an invaluable role in the A380 production chain.”

The A380 is the world’s largest passenger aircraft and first entered service with Singapore Airlines in October 2007. Altogether, Airbus has already won 196 firm orders and commitments for the aircraft from 17 customers worldwide, with Emirates of Dubai and Qantas set to take delivery of their first A380s in the coming months.

Greener, cleaner, quieter and smarter, the A380 offers airlines unmatched fuel efficiency, consuming less than three litres per passenger per 100 kilometres and achieving seat-mile costs 20 percent lower than the previous generation of very large aircraft.

Link to A380 Flight Video at ILA ~ Berlin Air Show,
May 27th thru June 1st, 2008

Airbus at ILA ~ Berlin Air Show,
May 27th thru June 1st, 2008

Links take you off site ~ videos take time to load.
Hit Refresh if you see word "Done" but only a blank page.

Front Page

Lockheed Martin Completes Major Hardware Integration Milestone On Second Advanced EHF Satellite

SUNNYVALE, Calif., June 11th, 2008 -- Lockheed Martin [NYSE: LMT] announced today that it has successfully mated the spacecraft core structure and the payload module for the second Advanced Extremely High Frequency (AEHF) military communications satellite.

The U.S. Air Force's AEHF system will provide global, highly secure, protected, survivable communications for all warfighters serving under the U.S. Department of Defense.

Based on Lockheed Martin's flight-proven A2100 geosynchronous spacecraft series the AEHF core structure contains the integrated propulsion system as well as panels and other components that serve as the structural foundation of the satellite.

The payload module consists of the complete set of processing, routing and control hardware and software that perform the satellite’s communications function, including critical features to protect the communications against interception or jamming threats.

With the successful mate of the second AEHF satellite, the team of Lockheed Martin Space Systems, Sunnyvale, Calif., the Advanced EHF prime contractor, and Northrop Grumman Space Technology, Redondo Beach, Calif., the payload supplier, will begin system level environmental and acceptance testing of the fully integrated space vehicle in preparation for launch in early 2010.

"This marks a major event toward the delivery of this critical national security program," said Leonard Kwiatkowski, Lockheed Martin vice president and general manager of Global Communications Systems. "AEHF will speed the flow of information to the warfighter, delivering protected satellite communications with assured connectivity and we look forward to achieving mission success for our customer."

One AEHF satellite will provide greater total capacity than the entire Milstar constellation currently on-orbit. Individual user data rates will be five times improved. The higher data rates will permit transmission of tactical military communications, such as real-time video, battlefield maps and targeting data. In addition to its tactical mission, AEHF will also provide the critical survivable, protected, and endurable communications to the National Command Authority including presidential conferencing in all levels of conflict.

Lockheed Martin is currently under contract to provide three Advanced EHF satellites and the Mission Control Segment to its customer, the Military Satellite Communications Systems Wing, located at the Space and Missile Systems Center, Los Angeles Air Force Base, Calif. The program is in the early stages of adding a fourth spacecraft to the planned constellation.

Headquartered in Bethesda, Md., Lockheed Martin employs about 140,000 people worldwide and is principally engaged in the research, design, development, manufacture, integration and sustainment of advanced technology systems, products and services.

The Corporation reported 2007 sales of $41.9 billion.

Front Page

Northrop Grumman to Supply Army With Additional Lightweight Laser Designator Rangefinder Systems
APOPKA, Fla., June 11, 2008 (PRIME NEWSWIRE) -- Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE:NOC) has received a contract from the U.S. Army to provide over 150 of the company's battle-proven Lightweight Laser Designator Rangefinder (LLDR) systems that provide targeting capability for laser-guided, GPS-guided and conventional munitions.

This $53 million delivery order is part of a previously awarded $336 million indefinite-delivery, indefinite-quantity contract for lightweight laser designator rangefinder components. Work will be performed in Apopka, Fla., and is expected to be completed by 2010.

"We are cognizant of the fact that the LLDR is being used by the Army on a daily basis in mission critical situations," said Gordon Stewart, vice president and general manager of the company's Laser Systems business unit. "Knowing this not only creates a sense of pride, but also a real sense of urgency among our employees because they understand and appreciate the requirement to provide highly reliable, precision targeting systems to our warfighters who need them on the battlefield right now."

Northrop Grumman's LLDR accurately targets enemy positions during the day, at night and in nearly all battlefield conditions including haze, smoke, fog and rain. It provides a unique capability to forward observers and forward air controllers. The system can recognize targets; find the range to a target with an eye-safe laser wavelength; and calculate grid coordinates with built-in GPS, elevation and azimuth sensing capability. The system then provides this information to other digital battlefield systems. The LLDR can also be used with semi-active laser-guided munitions and laser spot trackers.

Northrop Grumman Corporation is a global defense and technology company whose 120,000 employees provide innovative systems, products, and solutions in information and services, electronics, aerospace and shipbuilding to government and commercial customers worldwide.

Front Page

Northrop Grumman Achieves Multi-Site Certification for Quality Management

EL SEGUNDO, Calif., June 11, 2008 (PRIME NEWSWIRE) -- Northrop Grumman Corporation's (NYSE:NOC) Integrated Systems sector has achieved a single AS9100/ISO 9001 certification across 10 of its operating sites, signifying that its sectorwide quality management system meets stringent international standards.

The sector received a certification covering its headquarters in El Segundo, Calif., as well as locations in Bethpage, N.Y.; Melbourne, Fla.; Moss Point, Miss.; New Town, N.D.; Palmdale, Calif.; Rancho Bernardo, Calif.; Warner Robins, Ga.; St. Augustine, Fla., and Edwards Air Force Base, Calif. The sites had been previously recognized under three separate regional quality certifications.

"This recognition is an endorsement of our pledge to practice continual improvement in the quest for ultimate customer satisfaction," said Gary W. Ervin, corporate vice president and president of Northrop Grumman Integrated Systems. "It underscores our commitment to infuse a process-based, quality-focused culture and establish quality as a core competency in all our businesses."

The AS and ISO standards define internationally recognized quality management systems. Northrop Grumman received the certification after a third-party audit by Lloyds Register Quality Assurance (LRQA), a quality management systems registrar. Auditors visited the El Segundo, Bethpage, New Town, Rancho Bernardo and Warner Robins sites in May 2008 to gather representative data. The audit score of 990, or 99 percent, reflected the finding of a single minor nonconformity.

To be certified, a company element must implement a quality management system encompassing the enterprise's activities, including management responsibility; resource management; product realization, and measurement, analysis and improvement.

"The audit validated that we successfully evolved our quality management system to one managed at the sector level," said Chris Cool, vice president of Quality Systems and Safety for Northrop Grumman Integrated Systems. "Integrating this system with our focus on enterprise quality and process is important, because it allows us to more effectively execute a Quality policy that strives to satisfy our internal and external customers."

In LRQA's final report, lead auditor Michael Harding stated, "At each site, evidence was found of a robust approach to quality requirements, customer satisfaction and continual improvement. Employees interviewed expressed personal ownership and support for the quality objectives of the company."

The audit also verified the company's commitment to eight quality management principles: customer focus, leadership, involvement of people, process approach, system approach to management, continuous improvement, factual approach to decision-making and mutually beneficial supplier relationships.

Northrop Grumman Corporation is a global defense and technology company whose 120,000 employees provide innovative systems, products, and solutions in information and services, electronics, aerospace and shipbuilding to government and commercial customers worldwide.

Front Page

Northrop Grumman Participates in 'Industry Day' for U.S. Army's Aerial Common Sensor Program

RESTON, Va., June 10, 2008 (PRIME NEWSWIRE) -- Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE:NOC) announced today that it participated in the U.S. Government's Aerial Common Sensor (ACS) Industry Day on May 29 at Ft. Monmouth, N.J.

Northrop Grumman is leading a team competing for the ACS program, an airborne collection and exploitation platform that will provide the warfighter with net-ready, survivable and sustainable, multi-sensor, tactical, persistent surveillance resulting in actionable intelligence to see first, understand first, act first and finish decisively.

The Northrop Grumman team includes AAI Corporation, an operating unit of Textron Systems Corporation; General Dynamics; and L-3 Communications Corporation.

"The ACS program will significantly increase joint battlespace awareness and enable real-time precision targeting," said Frank Moore, sector vice president and lead executive for the Aerial Common Sensor program for Northrop Grumman. "As the Army moves forward in getting this critical capability to the operational commanders, the Northrop Grumman-led team stands ready to integrate a risk-managed, affordable solution now. We are drawing on our team's collective expertise and building on mature, battle-proven technologies to help the Army realize its vision and provide soldiers a coherent, integrated airborne and ground tactical picture that will be unprecedented in warfare."

Industry Day offered participants a detailed status of the ACS program, including current information on the risk-managed, incremental capability acquisition strategy and schedule, comprehensive Concept of Operations, and requirements as outlined in the Capability Development Document.

The ACS acquisition is being managed by Project Manager, Aerial Common Sensors (PM ACS), Ft. Monmouth, N.J. An RFP is expected to be released this fall, with contract award slated for 2009.

From soldiers to brigade combat team commanders to the division level and above, ACS will offer a unique multi-sensor, tactical, persistent surveillance capability that will provide direct support to tactical formations worldwide. It will reduce sensor-to-shooter timelines and fuse multi-intelligence data to enable actionable, precision targeting.

The Northrop Grumman team brings decades of experience partnering with the Army to design, develop, and integrate airborne command, control, communications, computers, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (C4ISR) platforms and sensors. The team will leverage its broad expertise integrating complex mission-equipment requirements onto a broad range of C4ISR platforms. This combined expertise ideally positions the Northrop Grumman team to serve as the Army's systems integrator partner for ACS.

Northrop Grumman Corporation is a global defense and technology company whose 120,000 employees provide innovative systems, products, and solutions in information and services, electronics, aerospace and shipbuilding to government and commercial customers worldwide.

Front Page ~ Northrop Grumman In-house Editorial

Northrop Grumman KC-45: Why We Won -- Past Performance in Detail

Highlighting reasons the U.S. Air Force selected the KC-45 Tanker as best for our men and women in uniform

WASHINGTON -- June 10, 2008 -- The U.S. Air Force found Northrop Grumman Corporation's (NYSE:NOC) bid to build the next generation of aerial refueling tankers superior to Boeing's in four of the five most important selection criteria (the two companies tied on the fifth). Despite this fact, the losing bidder wants the Government Accountability Office to overturn the Air Force decision to award the contract to Northrop Grumman even though the Air Force conducted what even Boeing described as a fair, open and transparent bidding process. Here is another reason Northrop Grumman won, drawn from a list of facts included in a redacted version of a protected Air Force selection document.

Past Performance

When the Air Force puts a contract up for bid, a contractor's report card on related projects is a key factor in helping the Air Force decide whether the contractor can complete its work on time and on budget. While Boeing argues that its past record in building tankers should make it a clear winner over Northrop Grumman, the Air Force looked at Boeing's track record and concluded exactly the opposite. Because replacing its aging tanker fleet is a top priority for the Air Force, it paid special attention to each company's past record. After doing so, it reached this finding about Boeing's past program management, an important sub-factor in the crucial Past Performance category: "There was a notable difference between the two offerors. Northrop Grumman received a rating of 'Satisfactory Confidence,' while Boeing received a rating of 'Little Confidence.'"

A rating of little confidence means the Air Force concluded that "Based on the offeror's performance record, substantial doubt exists the offeror will successfully perform the required effort." The reasons for the Air Force's poor rating of Boeing were redacted for business competition purposes.

But it is no secret that Boeing built its last new KC-135 over 40 years ago and has now lost five consecutive tanker competitions. Before losing the KC-45 tanker contract to Northrop Grumman, Boeing had lost four straight tanker bids with foreign governments. It is also true that Boeing is three years late and counting in delivering a tanker to Italy, and Italy still has no tanker. Boeing was also more than a year late in delivering an airworthy tanker to Japan, which still does not have an operationally certified tanker. What is more, Boeing told the Air Force it would construct a new version of the KC-767 to meet the Air Force's requirements, and start-up costs for new projects often exceed what the bidder estimates, particularly when program management has performed poorly in the past.

The Air Force would have been derelict in its obligation under the law to provide taxpayers with the best value for their dollar had it not taken these facts into consideration.

By contrast, it is worth noting that the Northrop Grumman team has already built, flown and tested a prototype aircraft and conducted a successful fuel transfer through its boom -- a significant factor in the Air Force's conclusion that Northrop Grumman can provide more planes faster to the government than Boeing would have been able to do.

The Air Force stated that Northrop Grumman received a superior rating because of its "Excellent and satisfactory (risk) ratings on six (other) contracts." The Air Force document concluded, "The higher confidence rating for Northrop Grumman...was a discriminator" because "This difference in the program management provides better overall confidence. Northrop Grumman (was) more advantageous."

About the KC-45

The KC-45 Tanker aircraft will be assembled in Mobile, Ala., and the KC-45 team will employ 48,000 American workers at 230 U.S. companies in 49 states. It will be built by a world-class industrial team led by Northrop Grumman, and includes EADS North America, General Electric Aviation and Sargent Fletcher.

Northrop Grumman Corporation is a global defense and technology company whose 120,000 employees provide innovative systems, products, and solutions in information and services, electronics, aerospace and shipbuilding to government and commercial customers worldwide.

Front Page

Northrop Grumman Teams With NASA and University Partners to Test Airborne Hyperspectral Imager for Enhanced Environmental Studies

REDONDO BEACH, Calif., June 10, 2008 (PRIME NEWSWIRE) -- Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE:NOC), NASA's Ames Research Center and several university science partners recently completed a flyover of the Santa Margarita Ecological Reserve (SMER), collecting valuable test data that will enable scientists to obtain a close-up view of environmental changes and support critical decision-making efforts.

In an airborne program that leverages its expertise building the first hyperspectral imager in space, the company's Space Technology sector designed an affordable, commercial off the shelf imager, the Hyperspectral Airborne Tactical Instrument (HATI). Along with an instrument supplied by NASA's Ames Research Center, HATI was integrated onto a Piper Navajo aircraft to fly over the 4,344-acre SMER, a research field station of San Diego State University (SDSU).

"The HATI airborne demonstration shows our ability to collect and exploit high quality hyperspectral imagery, leveraging low-cost commercial hardware that we ultimately will use in our space systems," said Mark Folkman, director of civil sensor systems for Northrop Grumman Space Technology. "It will also allow for a cross-comparison with NASA's technology and provide an innovative approach to monitoring environmental change."

Northrop Grumman was chosen as an industry partner in NASA's Innovative Partnership Program to apply the technology used in its space-based hyperspectral imager to small satellite technology for cost-effective hyperspectral remote-sensing of the environment. NASA Ames is the principal investigator and Northrop Grumman is co-investigator.

In addition to SDSU, other universities participating in a ground measurement campaign in conjunction with the airborne test include the University of California at Irvine and the University of California at San Diego, Scripps Institute. Northrop Grumman has awarded the universities $100,000 in grants for their participation.

Data taken by the hyperspectral imagers will be merged with ground observation data taken on the reserve to study and map burn scars, vegetation regeneration, soil erosion, invasive species and habitats. In addition, the data will be used for land management and agricultural crop discrimination as well as other important applications. The merged data will deliver a system of systems approach to understanding environmental change that will better support decision-makers. A ground truth capability, which is used to calibrate and validate the hyperspectral images, will also be fielded.

"By further developing the technology we pioneered in our space-based Hyperion hyperspectral imager, we are able to provide a low-cost solution to more effectively track environmental change and better support decision-makers in their mitigation efforts," said Leo Andreoli, director of environmental systems for Northrop Grumman Space Technology. "This unique partnership with NASA and local universities is part of our commitment to the science community to use our resources for the important work of preserving and protecting the environment."

HATI sees the land in hundreds of narrow spectral bands, measuring reflected light from 0.4 microns in the visible light range through 1 micron in the near infrared. Since HATI flies closer to the earth than its sibling Hyperion, it achieves a higher resolution -- two meters at an altitude of approximately 7,000 feet. That compares to 30 meters for the space-based instrument.

HATI is an extension of the highly successful Northrop Grumman-built Hyperion instrument, flying aboard NASA's Earth Observing-1 satellite. Hyperion has been on orbit for 7.5 years, supporting the science community and demonstrating the utility of spectral imaging for ocean, coastal, geologic, and other applications.

The instrument also has coastal and littoral applications and can be used to measure algae growth and carbon uptake of the oceans. HATI could be used to supplement and support the existing Landsat program and function as a potential pathfinder for future Landsat missions.

Northrop Grumman Corporation is a global defense and technology company headquartered in Los Angeles, Calif. whose 120,000 employees provide innovative systems, products, and solutions in information and services, electronics, aerospace and shipbuilding to government and commercial customers worldwide.

Front Page

Northrop Grumman Participates in UK Defence Committee Enquiry Into ISTAR and Role of UAVs

LONDON -- June 9, 2008 -- Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE:NOC) welcomed the opportunity to participate in the enquiry by the House of Commons Defence Select Committee into ISTAR (Intelligence, Surveillance, Target Acquisition and Reconnaissance) and the role of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV) in providing ISTAR capability. The company gave evidence based on its extensive experience in the United States in developing UAVs with the US Air Force, US Army and the US Navy.

"UAVs are transforming the battlefield -- in war-fighting situations, they offer shortened target engagement timescales; for peacekeeping missions, they offer vital persistent ISTAR capabilities; they also have the potential to migrate into civilian roles and applications such as disaster relief and anti-terrorism surveillance," said John Brooks, president of Northrop Grumman International Inc. "Northrop Grumman has considerable capabilities to offer in delivering ISTAR solutions to international markets."

Northrop Grumman has a 60-year history of providing more than 100,000 unmanned systems to military customers in the US and around the world.

Its current portfolio spans a variety of different platforms: the high-altitude, long-endurance fully autonomous Global Hawk for the US Air Force and Navy; the Fire Scout helicopter for the US Navy and Army that has the ability to take off and land autonomously on any aviation-capable warship and at prepared and unprepared landing zones; the Hunter medium-altitude UAV first fielded for the US Army in 1996 to provide dedicated reconnaissance, surveillance and target acquisition capability, relaying information real-time via video link to ground forces; and the stealthy X-47B Unmanned Combat Air System (UCAS) for the US Navy. The Navy UCAS will perform the first ever at-sea aircraft carrier launches and recoveries with a fixed-wing unmanned air system.

"UAVs are an increasingly important capability and a strategic priority in the UK," said Graham Thornton, managing director of Northrop Grumman UK. "We are committed to bringing advanced technology into the UK defence market to accelerate the fielding of next-generation military capability and are able and willing to participate fully in helping to meet the UK's requirements in the ISTAR domain and to working with the MoD and the UK supply chain to achieve these objectives."

The Global Hawk UAV developed for the US Air Force is a fully autonomous high altitude long endurance unmanned aerial system. It can autonomously, taxi, take off, fly, remain on station while capturing imagery, return and land. It provides persistent intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance and is designed to fly up to 65,000 ft for more than 35 hours. Global Hawk is monitored during its flight by ground-based operators who can alter the system's flight path and sensor operations.

To date three Global Hawks are deployed in support of US military operations, logging nearly 17,000 combat hours conducting intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance missions and with more than 21,000 total programme flight hours. The UAV is equipped with EO/IR and synthetic aperture radar sensors to provide high-quality real-time imagery.

Northrop Grumman in the UK operates from locations across the UK -- Fareham, Chester, Coventry, New Malden, Peterborough, RAF Waddington and Solihull -- providing avionics, communications, electronic warfare systems, marine navigation systems, robotics, C4I solutions and mission planning, aircraft whole life support, IT systems and software development.

Northrop Grumman Corporation is a global defence and technology company whose 120,000 employees provide innovative systems, products, and solutions in information and services, electronics, aerospace and shipbuilding to government and commercial customers worldwide.

Front Page

Northrop Grumman-Led Team Awarded Contract to Develop Electronic Binoculars That Use Brain Activity to Detect Threats

LINTHICUM, Md., June 9, 2008 (PRIME NEWSWIRE) -- An academic and industrial consortium led by Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE:NOC) has been awarded the first phase of an advanced research contract to develop a panoramic day/night optical system that will utilize human brain activity to detect, analyze and alert foot-soldiers to possible threats.

Awarded by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), the Cognitive Technology Threat Warning System program, or CT2WS, is part of the U.S. Department of Defense's effort to address a key mission need and represents a significant leap forward in technology from that available today.

The goal of the CT2WS program is to drive a breakthrough in soldier-portable visual threat warning devices. Once successfully developed, the intelligent neuro-optical system will provide the warfighter with an unprecedented capability to detect targets of interest at an extremely long range over a wide field of view. In Phase One of the program, the Northrop Grumman team plans to demonstrate the concept by building a breadboard system and complete a preliminary design for the company's Human-aided Optical Recognition/Notification of Elusive Threats (HORNET) system.

HORNET will utilize a custom helmet equipped with electro-encephalogram electrodes placed on the scalp to record the user's continuous electrical brain activity. The operator's neural responses to the presence or absence of potential threats will train the system's algorithms, which will continue to be refined over time so that the warfighter is always presented with items of relevance to his mission.

"Northrop Grumman's HORNET system leverages the latest advances in real-time coupling of human brain activity with automated cognitive neural processing to provide superior target detection," says Michael House, Northrop Grumman's CT2WS program manager. "The system will maintain persistent surveillance in order to defeat an enemy's attempts to surprise through evasive move-stop-move tactics, giving the U.S. warfighter as much as a 20-minute advantage over his adversaries."

When deployed, HORNET will support a wide variety of military and homeland defense applications, including force protection, improvised explosive device (IED) defeat, border surveillance and applications now using aided target recognition.

Following the first 12-month, $6.7 million phase of the project, DARPA has the option to extend the contract for two additional phases to develop the subsystems and final handheld assemblies.

Northrop Grumman's multi-disciplinary team includes SAIC, San Diego, Calif.; Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Ga.; Theia Technologies LLC, Wilsonville, Ore.; Sensics, Inc., Baltimore, Md.; L-3 Communications Infrared Products, Dallas, Texas; Georgetown University, Wash., D.C.; Portland State University, Portland, Ore.; and the University of Colorado, Boulder, Colo.

Northrop Grumman Corporation is a global defense and technology company whose 120,000 employees provide innovative systems, products, and solutions in information and services, electronics, aerospace and shipbuilding to government and commercial customers worldwide.

Front Page

Front Page Canada

Bombardier Aerospace Arrives At AIREX 2008

Montréal, June 10, 2008

Bombardier Aerospace will showcase five of its aircraft at AIREX 2008 which is being held at the Atatürk Airport in Istanbul, Turkey, from June 12 to 15, 2008. This international civil aviation and airports exhibition is the main biennial aerospace event of the region – it covers Turkey, the Balkans, the Middle East and the CIS Republics.

The aircraft on static display include the midsize Learjet 60 XR aircraft, the super midsize Challenger 300 jet, the widebody Challenger 605 jet, which will be making its Turkish debut at AIREX, the ultra long-range Global Express XRS aircraft and a CRJ900 NextGen aircraft. Bombardier Aerospace will greet visitors at the Bombardier chalet located at A1-FD1. Celebrating its seventh anniversary, the number of visitors attending AIREX 2008 has continued to grow over the years, with over 18,700 attending the event in 2006.

“AIREX provides us with the opportunity to present our innovative range of products to the fast-growing business aviation market in the Middle East and Turkey” said Khader Mattar, Regional Vice-President, Sales, Middle East and Africa, Bombardier Business Aircraft. “With a growing customer base and customer support network in the region, we are best positioned to offer our customers the complete range of travel solutions that will meet their needs.”

Bombardier Business Aircraft enjoys a strong presence in the Middle East and Turkey with its regional sales headquarters based in Dubai. Bombardier’s commitment to Customer Service in the region is also emphasized with a Bombardier Authorized Service Facility (Execujet Middle East), servicing Learjet, Challenger and Global aircraft across the Middle East and a parts depot at the Dubai airport.

Bombardier dominates the large jet segment in the region with 22 Challenger 600 Series aircraft**, representing over 60 per cent of the market share for this segment in the Middle East and Turkey.

Bombardier Commercial Aircraft is enjoying a growing presence in the region as major airlines adapt their operations with more cost-efficient regional aircraft to feed their larger mainline aircraft networks. In addition, airlines such as Turkey’s AtlasJet appreciate that Bombardier’s regional jets – in its case, the 90-passenger CRJ900 aircraft – can offer a lower-cost alternative than competitive aircraft.

“Bombardier’s CRJ Series regional jets and Q-Series turboprops are very competitive in terms of operating costs, performance and passenger comfort,” said James Dailly, Senior Vice-President, Sales, Bombardier Commercial Aircraft. “Our 110- to 130-seat CSeries and 90-seat Q400X aircraft, if launched, will provide improved fuel efficiencies, comfort and reduced environmental footprint.”

Over 650 CRJ and Q-Series aircraft are in service or on order in Europe, Africa and the Middle East.

Learjet 60 XR: In service since July 2007, the Learjet 60 XR is a model of performance, comfort, value and versatility in the midsize jet market. The aircraft’s higher operating altitudes – certified to 51,000 ft (15,545 m) – translate to time savings due to better winds, less traffic and less turbulence. With a high cruise speed of Mach 0.81 (861 km/hr), the Learjet 60 XR jet is one of the fastest aircraft in its category.The aircraft can fly Istanbul-Addis Ababa non-stop and delivers superior climb capabilities, with proven fuel-efficiency and low direct operating costs per nautical mile*.

Challenger 300: The only business jet to feature Lufthansa Technik’s top of the line NICE™ cabin management system, this first true super-midsize aircraft offers transcontinental range and superior long-range cruise speed, with eight passengers. It can fly Istanbul-Delhi non-stop with a full payload and its superior airfield performance allows it to operate out of 5,000-foot (1,524-m) runways with ease*.

Challenger 605: In service since January 2007, the Challenger 605 jet features the widest stand-up cabin of any large category business jet available today. It is equipped with the Rockwell Collins Pro Line 21 avionics suite and an all-new cabin electronic system. It can whisk five-passengers from Istanbul-Beijing non-stop*, in superior comfort. Optional equipment on the Challenger 605 jet now includes the Bombardier Enhanced Vision System (BEVS), providing pilots with significantly improved situational awareness and the ability to observe runway lights and the runway environment in difficult operating conditions, such as low visibility and or darkness.

Global Express XRS: The pioneering Global Express XRS business jet features the largest cabin of any purpose-built corporate aircraft – offering more cabin volume and more floor space than its closest competitor. No other business jet in the ultra long-range segment matches the high-speed range capability delivered by this aircraft. Offering the ultimate in cabin comfort, this impressive jet can link Geneva-Lima and Istanbul-Rio de Janeiro non-stop with eight passengers and three-to-four crew*.

CRJ900 NextGen: In service since 2003, the CRJ900 airliner was given the NextGen designation when that program was introduced in 2007. CRJ NextGen aircraft are achieving improved economics from fuel burn savings and direct maintenance cost reductions achieved through lower airframe maintenance requirements. The CRJ NextGen aircraft are responding to today’s environmental challenges by offering further reduction to greenhouse gas emissions. The aircraft’s interiors include improvements designed with the overall passenger experience in mind.

About Bombardier

A world-leading manufacturer of innovative transportation solutions, from commercial aircraft and business jets to rail transportation equipment, systems and services, Bombardier Inc. is a global corporation headquartered in Canada. Its revenues for the fiscal year ended Jan. 31, 2008, were $17.5 billion US, and its shares are traded on the Toronto Stock Exchange (BBD). Bombardier is listed as an index component to the Dow Jones Sustainability World and North America indexes. News and information are available at www.bombardier.com .

Bombardier and Learjet 60 XR, Challenger 300, Challenger 605, CRJ900, Global Express XRS, Q400, CSeries and NextGen are trademarks of Bombardier Inc. or its subsidiaries.

* Under certain operating conditions

** As at December 30, 2007

Front Page

Hawker Beechcraft Corporation Delivers First Hawker 750 to Jet Asia Limited

WICHITA, Kan. (June 11, 2008) – Hawker Beechcraft Corporation (HBC) celebrated the start of customer deliveries of the segment leading Hawker 750. The Hawker 750, with the best range/payload performance and 50 percent more total cabin volume than its nearest competitor, was delivered to Jet Asia Limited for use in the Asia Pacific region on Wednesday, May 28.

The newest aircraft in the Hawker family, the Hawker 750 was announced at the National Business Aviation Association convention in October 2006. The Hawker 750 is another evolution of the world’s best-selling, mid-size business jet, the Hawker 800-series, and it has essentially redefined the entire light-mid segment by offering a cabin that is wider, taller and longer than any competitive aircraft in this segment. The Hawker 750 also retains the traditional Hawker full fuel, full seats and full bags capability. Under typical passenger/baggage loading scenario the Hawker 750 offers more range and nearly tripled the max payload capability previously offered to customers in that segment. The Hawker 750 has opened a new customer segment for Hawker Beechcraft Corporation and demand has been so high that the next available units are in 2010.

“There was an industry need for the Hawker 750 in the light-midsize aircraft segment, as demonstrated by a large backlog that includes a four aircraft order from Jet Asia made last year,” said Brad Hatt, president, Commercial Aircraft. “We’re meeting our customers’ needs for a spacious light midsize that provides unprecedented performance and value.”

Jet Asia Limited, based in Macau, is Asia’s premier aircraft charter and management company. The delivery is part of an order made by the company in September of 2007 for six of the company’s newest jets, two Hawker 900XP mid-size jets and four Hawker 750 light-midsize jets.

The 750 will be used in support of Sociedade de Jogos de Macau (SJM), a casino company owned by Sociedade de Turismo e Diversoes de Macau (STDM), and to further develop the explosive Asian jet charter marketplace. Jet Asia Limited was incorporated in Macau in 1997 for the STDM corporate flight department. Executive charters are offered under authority granted by the Macau Air Operator Certificate.
“We are honored to deliver this fine aircraft to Jet Asia Limited,” said Ted Farid, vice president, New Business Development. “The Hawker 750 is ideally suited for several international locations like Europe and Asia Pacific as it offers customers midsize cabin and comforts at a light-midsize price, with a range capable of non-stop, point-to-point travel anywhere in the region.”

The Hawker 750 has the same cabin as the Hawker 800-series, accommodating up to eight passengers and providing the largest cabin in the light-midsize aircraft segment. The aircraft features a new Hawker interior designed at HBC’s Little Rock Completion Center specifically for the 750 and its customers. Special to the size segment, the ventral fuel tank is replaced with a heated external baggage compartment, offering 32 cubic feet (0.91 cu m) of additional baggage capacity. The new aircraft also includes the highly successful Honeywell TFE731-5BR engine and state-of-the art Collins Pro Line 21TM avionics package.

Hawker Beechcraft Corporation is a world-leading manufacturer of business, special-mission and trainer aircraft – designing, marketing and supporting aviation products and services for businesses, governments and individuals worldwide. The company’s headquarters and major facilities are located in Wichita, Kan., with operations in Salina, Kan.; Little Rock, Ark.; and Chester, England, U.K. The company leads the industry with a global network of over 100 factory-owned and authorized service centers. For more information, visit

www.hawkerbeechcraft.com

###

This release may contain “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, including statements that address activities, events or developments that we or our management intend, expect, project, believe or anticipate will or may occur in the future are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are based on management’s assumptions and assessments in light of past experience and trends,

current conditions, expected future developments and other relevant factors. They are not guarantees of future performance, and actual results may differ significantly from those envisaged by our forward-looking statements. Among the factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those described or implied in the forward-looking statements are general business and economic conditions, production delays resulting from lack of regulatory certifications and other factors, competition in our existing and future markets, lack of market acceptance of our products and services, the substantial leverage and debt service resulting from our indebtedness, loss or retirement of key executives and other risks disclosed in our filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Front Page Brasil

EMBRAER PARTICIPATES IN AIREX 2008, IN TURKEY

Legacy 600 executive jet on static display São José dos Campos, June 6, 2008
Embraer will participate in the international civil aviation and airport exhibition, Airex 2008 ( www.airex.aero ), to be held June 12-
15, at Atatürk Airport, in Istanbul, Turkey.
The Company will promote its line of jets, as well as its customer services and solutions.
The Legacy 600 executive jet will be exhibited at Airex for the first time.

“We are pleased to participate in Airex 2008, Eurasia’s only air show, which is growing in
importance,” said Colin Steven, Embraer Vice President, Marketing and Sales – Europe,
Africa and the Middle East, Executive Jets. “The Legacy 600 is perfectly suited for the
Turkish market and customers will appreciate the exceptional combination of appointments,
luxurious cabin comfort, and performance. Turkey and this region, in general, have seen
steady growth in executive aviation, and we see this as an ideal opportunity to showcase our
expanding portfolio of executive jets.”

Airex is now in its seventh year and covers the aerospace and defense industries, including
commercial aviation, aircraft maintenance, airport equipment, and space technology.

About the Legacy 600

The Legacy 600 jet provides premium comfort and privacy for up to 14 passengers in three
distinct seating areas. Interior standard features include first-class leather seats, a plush divan,
an elegant credenza, and spacious tables for dining or meetings. The aircraft also has a fullsize
galley for hot and cold meals, a full-width aft lavatory, wardrobe and storage cabinet, and
an entertainment system with DVD players and satellite telecommunications. Optional High
Speed Data (HSD) and Wireless Fidelity (Wi-Fi) capabilities allow customers to browse the
Internet, access e-mails and transfer files. The 240-cubic-foot (6.8-cubic-meter) baggage
compartment of the Legacy 600 is one of the largest in the industry and is easily accessible
during flight, for greater passenger convenience.

The aircraft cruises at a speed of up to Mach 0.80 and has a range of 3,250 nautical miles (6,019
km) with eight passengers and NBAA IFR reserves, or 3,400 nautical miles (6,297 km) with
four passengers and NBAA IFR reserves. These ranges, bolstered by superior passenger and
luggage capacity, enable customers to fly nonstop from New York (U.S.) to London (U.K.);
from London or Geneva (Switzerland) to Dubai (United Arab Emirates); from Singapore
(Singapore) to Beijing (China) or to Port Moresby (Papua New Guinea); and from Jakarta
(Indonesia) to Melbourne (Australia) at lower operating costs than competitive aircraft with a
similar cabin size. Additionally, the Legacy 600 is the only super mid-size jet certified to
operate into and out of the London City and Cannes-Mandelieu airports.

The twin-engine business jet is based on the successful ERJ 145 regional jet family platform
that has accumulated over 12.5 million flight hours on 1,000 aircraft. With a platform
designed to endure an average of 2,500 hours per year, low operating cost, and a track record
of over 99 percent dispatch reliability, the Legacy 600 offers luxurious comfort and delivers
high utilization and high availability.

Priced at US$ 26.93 million, based on January 2009 economic conditions, in the baseline
configuration, for FAA certification, more than 130 Legacy jets currently operate in 23 countries.

For more information about Embraer Executive Jets, see www.EmbraerExecutiveJets.com .

Embraer Image Gallery

Visit the Embraer Image Gallery at www.embraer.com

Notes

Embraer (Empresa Brasileira de Aeronáutica S.A. - NYSE: ERJ; Bovespa: EMBR3) is the
world’s largest manufacturer of commercial jets up to 120 seats, and one of Brazil's leading
exporters. Embraer's headquarters are located in São José dos Campos, São Paulo, and it has
offices, industrial operations and customer service facilities in Brazil, the United States,
France, Portugal, China and Singapore. Founded in 1969, the Company designs, develops,
manufactures and sells aircraft for the Commercial Aviation, Executive Aviation, and
Defense and Government segments. The Company also provides after sales support and
services to customers worldwide. On March 31, 2008, Embraer had a workforce of 23,878
employees and a firm order backlog of US$ 20.3 billion.

This document may contain projections, statements and estimates regarding circumstances or events yet to take place. Those projections and estimates are based largely on current expectations, forecasts on future events and financial tendencies that affect Embraer’s businesses. Those estimates are subject to risks, uncertainties and suppositions that include, among others: general economic, political and trade conditions in Brazil and in those markets where Embraer does business; expectations on industry trends; the Company’s investment plans; its capacity to develop and deliver products on the dates previously agreed upon, and existing and future governmental regulations. The words “believe”, “may”, “is able”, “will be able”, “intend”, “continue”, “anticipate”, “expect” and other similar terms are supposed to identify potentialities.

Embraer does not feel compelled to publish updates nor to revise any estimates due to new information, future events or any other facts. In view of the inherent risks and uncertainties, such estimates, events and circumstances may not take place. The actual results can therefore differ substantially from those previously published as Embraer expectations.

Front Page France

EADS Defence & Security will carry out the Harrier AV-8B modernization programme for the Spanish Navy Contract worth 11.5 million Euros

New engine and advanced avionics amongst the new features

11 June 2008

EADS Defence & Security (DS) will carry out the modernization programme of four Harrier AV-8B "Day Attack" aircraft of the Spanish Navy. The contract, with a value of 11,5 million Euros, has been signed with Navair, the U.S. governmental authority acting on behalf of the Spanish Navy. The contract will be executed throughout the next three years, until 2011.

The new aircraft configuration upgrades the current Harrier AV-8B to a version very similar to the one already integrated into the Harrier II PLUS fleet operated by the Spanish Navy. Military Air Systems (MAS), an integrated business unit of EADS Defence & Security, will be responsible of implementing the modification, testing the upgrade, and supporting the reintroduction into service of the aircraft, including the certification process.

The modernization programme includes the installation of new Rolls Royce Pegasus 408A engines, advanced avionics, and structural and component modifications. It also foresees the incorporation of technical orders and the revision of the third level of Scheduled Depot Level Maintenance. The avionics enhancement includes a Night Vision Goggle (NVG)-compatible cockpit controls and displays, an external NVG lighting, a wide-field-of-view Head-Up Display, the installation of a new communications system ARC-210 Havequick, Automatic Target Handoff System (ATHS) and an advanced Global Positioning System (GPS)/ navigation system MINITACAN. The comprehensive upgrade further incorporates a Digital Video Mapping System as well as new computers and the integration of new screens into the cockpit. Moreover, the improved aircraft will have increased armament and electronic warfare capabilities.

This upgrade allows the Spanish Navy to homogenize most of their fleet of Harrier aircraft, as they will share the common configuration of engine, navigation, operational software and missions planning systems. Enrique Barrientos, CEO of DS Spain, declared: “This upgrade programme is strategically important, given the evident operative advantages obtained by the Spanish Navy. From an industry perspective, it is a great satisfaction to be able to carry out this sophisticated and tailor-made MRO solution here in Spain”. Barrientos added: "We are sure that the long experience of MAS in modernization programmes will optimally contribute to fulfil this new contract.”

MAS is also responsible for the Third Maintenance Level of the fixed-wing aircraft of the Spanish Navy. This task, including comprehensive maintenance, overhaul and repair (MRO) activities such technical support, maintenance revision programmes and structural repairs, is being carried out within a 7 million Euro umbrella contract, valid until 2009.

Military Air Systems is an integrated activity of EADS Defence & Security (DS). DS is a systems solutions provider for armed forces and civil security worldwide. Its portfolio ranges from sensors and secure networks through missiles to aircraft and UAVs as well as global security, service and support solutions. In 2007, DS – with around 22,000 employees – achieved revenues of € 5.5 billion. EADS is a global leader in aerospace, defence and related services. In 2007, EADS generated revenues of € 39.1 billion and employs a workforce of about 116,000.

Front Page

Air Astana Signs A Firm Order For Six A320s

Toulouse, 11 June 2008

Air Astana, the flag carrier of Kazakhstan, has signed a firm contract for the purchase of six A320s, as part of its expansion programme on domestic and medium-haul routes. The contract, which is the airline’s first with Airbus, confirms the Memorandum of Understanding which was announced in December 2007.

Air Astana’s A320s will feature the brand-new cabin recently introduced on all members of the A320 Family, which provides more comfort and space for passengers in a modern and quiet environment. The aircraft on order will accommodate up to 148 passengers in a two-class cabin layout. The choice of engines has not yet been made. The aircraft will join Air Astana’s existing fleet which already includes some A320 Family aircraft, which are currently being operated on its domestic and international network.

Peter Foster, President of Air Astana said, “This order is consistent with our strategic business plan aimed at expanding our fleet, and continuously improving the service to our passengers. The A320, which combines operational efficiency with unprecedented cabin comfort, fits perfectly in with our long-term strategy of providing modern and productive aircraft”.

“We are delighted Air Astana has decided to expand its Airbus fleet. Air Astana will benefit from the aircraft ‘s advanced technology and high fuel efficiency, while its passengers will undoubtedly like the new cabin, which has become even more spacious, lighter and quieter. We are happy to contribute to the success of this fast-growing airline with our market leading A320 Family, ” highlighted Airbus Chief Operating Officer, Customers John Leahy.

The A320 Family, which includes the A318, A319, A320 and A321, is recognised as the benchmark single-aisle aircraft family. The A320 Family’s optimised cabin cross-section – the widest single-aisle fuselage on the market – sets the standards for passenger cabin adaptability in this segment allowing for top-of-the-range comfort with wider seats and aisles. Each aircraft features fly by wire controls and all share unique cockpit commonality across the range. This allows pilots to fly the whole family, and enables the same team of mechanics to maintain the aircraft, generating valuable savings in training and operational efficiency. With proven reliability and extended servicing periods, the A320 Family has the lowest operating costs of any single aisle aircraft. In addition, the A320 Family is an environmentally responsible neighbour, offering the lowest fuel burn, emissions and noise footprints in its class.

With over 6,100 Airbus single-aisle aircraft ordered and more than 3,500 delivered to date, the A320 Family is without doubt the most successful airliner programme. The A320 Family has more than 275 customers and operators to its credit. Twelve carriers from CIS currently operate more than 100 Airbus aircraft.

Airbus is an EADS company.

Front Page North America

EADS North America begins UH-72A Light Utility Helicopter deliveries to the U.S. Army National Guard

First unit receiving the UH-72A is the Mississippi Army National Guard’s 1-114 Security & Support Battalion in Tupelo, Mississippi

Tupelo, Mississippi, 07 June 2008

EADS North America’s first two UH-72A Lakota Light Utility Helicopters for the U.S. Army National Guard were formally presented to the 1-114 Security & Support Battalion, which performs homeland security, counter-drug and other operations from its base at Mississippi’s Tupelo Regional Airport.

Army National Guard units will be the primary operators of UH-72As, ultimately receiving 200 of the total 345 Lakotas planned for acquisition through 2017.

“Today’s UH-72A presentation to the Mississippi Army National Guard marks an important milestone for EADS North America as we meet – and exceed – our company’s commitments to those in uniform who protect America and ensure its national security,” said David R. Oliver, Jr., EADS North America’s Executive Vice President, at this morning’s Tupelo, Mississippi handover ceremony.

The first two helicopters received by the Army National Guard were the 28th and 29th UH-72As delivered by EADS North America – all of which were provided on or ahead of schedule. Previously-delivered Lakotas have been assigned to the Army’s National Training Center Air Ambulance Detachment at Ft. Irwin, California; the Training and Doctrine Command’s flight detachment at Fort Eustis, Virginia; and the Joint Readiness Training Center at Fort Polk, Louisiana.

The UH-72A provides a modern helicopter for use in the Army National Guard’s state and national homeland security missions, and its introduction will enable the retirement of aging OH-58 and UH-1 rotary-wing aircraft. Additionally, Lakota deliveries to the active component of the Army will free up UH-60 Black Hawks for assignment to warfighting missions.

EADS North America’s UH-72A Lakota program represents one of the most rapid introductions of an Army aircraft in the service’s history. The Light Utility Helicopter contract was awarded in June 2006, followed by EADS North America’s startup of UH-72A deliveries in November of the same year. Operational service began in early 2007 at Ft. Irwin, and the Army issued full-rate production authorization for the Lakota last August.

Lakota deliveries currently are averaging three to four helicopters per month, with the capability of reaching five aircraft monthly. In addition to their assignment to Army and Army National Guard units in the continental United States, overseas basing of UH-72As are anticipated for U.S. Army units in Europe, Japan and the Pacific. The Lakota also has attracted interest from other U.S. military operators, and U.S.-approved foreign military sales also are a possibility.

The UH-72A is based on the EADS group’s Eurocopter EC145 multi-role civilian helicopter, which is in service worldwide for transport, medical evacuation, off-shore, law enforcement and other missions.

EC145s are built at Eurocopter’s Donauwörth, Germany facility, with UH-72A production for the U.S. Army being handled on a second production line at a new state-of-the-art facility in Columbus, Mississippi, which is operated by EADS North America’s American Eurocopter business unit. This purpose-built plant is a 220,000 sq. ft. add-on to American Eurocopter’s existing 97,000 sq. ft. helicopter assembly facility at Columbus’ Golden Triangle Regional Airport, which began operations in 2004 with two dozen workers.

Total staffing at the expanded production facility in Mississippi will surpass 200 later this year as UH-72A production hits its pace. The Columbus site’s annual payroll is estimated at approximately $15.3 million, providing an economic stimulus for Mississippi, opening dynamic new ties between industry and the state’s educational institutions, and bringing high-value technological capabilities to the region. In addition to its direct employment, this industrial activity provides an estimated $36 million in contract work for some 150 vendors within the state of Mississippi.
“The UH-72A program demonstrates how we are able to provide the U.S. military and its warfighters with a proven aircraft, built and delivered on time in this country by American workers,” said Ralph D. Crosby, Jr., Chairman and CEO of EADS North America.

Since the UH-72A’s service introduction with the U.S. Army in early 2007, Lakota helicopters have flown some 4,000 hours with over 90 percent full mission capable rate.

In its basic configuration, the UH-72A is operated by a crew of two pilots and accommodates six passengers. The helicopter carries VHF/UHF radios for military and inter-agency communications with emergency and first responder personnel. For medical evacuation, the helicopter carries two NATO-standard litters, along with a medical kit. Other mission-specific systems may be incorporated on Lakotas, including an Army National Guard equipment package consisting of a forward-looking infra-red sensor (FLIR), searchlight, digital map and air-ground data link.

Additional UH-72A Lakota information is available on EADS North America’s official program website: www.uh-72A.com .

About EADS North AmericaEADS North America is the North American operations of EADS, the second largest aerospace and defense company in the world. As a leader in all sectors of defense and homeland security, EADS North America and its parent company, EADS, contribute over $10 billion to the U.S. economy annually and support more than 190,000 American jobs through its network of suppliers and services. Operating in 32 cities and 17 states, EADS North America offers a broad array of advanced solutions to its customers in the commercial, homeland security, aerospace and defense markets.

Front Page Brasil

EMBRAER DELIVERS 400th E-JET

Aircraft will be operated by Republic Airlines

São José dos Campos, June 5, 2008 – Embraer delivered the 400th E-Jet, today, in a ceremony
held at the Company’s headquarters in São José dos Campos, Brazil. The aircraft, an
EMBRAER 175, was ordered by U.S.-based Republic Airlines, a subsidiary of Republic
Airways Holdings. The jet is configured with a single-class interior, comfortably seating up to
86 passengers. This historic event comes a little over seven months after the 300th E-Jet was
delivered, in October 2007.

“The delivery of the 400th E-Jet confirms the outstanding worldwide reception given to this
aircraft family, and we are proud that it is going to our good friends at Republic Airways
Holdings,” said Frederico Fleury Curado, Embraer President and CEO. “Our drive for customer
satisfaction and the cutting-edge design and performance of our products have repeatedly
brought airlines back to increase their orders and convert their options, in eloquent testimony
that Embraer is on the right track.”

The Company’s relationship with Republic dates back to 1999, when Chautauqua Airlines,
also a subsidiary of Republic Airways Holdings, took delivery of its first ERJ 145 for US
Airways Express operations.

Republic Airways is the largest E-Jets operator in the world with 110 aircraft – 76 EMBRAER
170s and 34 EMBRAER 175s – under the colors of US Airways Express, United Express and
Delta Connection. Chautauqua Airlines also operates the three models of the ERJ 145 family –
the ERJ 135, the ERJ 140 and the ERJ 145 – totaling 90 aircraft, under the colors of Delta
Connection, United Express, Continental Express and US Airways Express.

“We are thrilled to accept delivery of the 400th Embraer E-Jet from our good friends in São
José dos Campos. This is a wonderful milestone for Embraer and for Republic. The E-Jets
family has helped our company compete successfully in a very challenging environment over
the past four years. This delivery represents the 111th E-Jet flying at Republic and will join
our fleet of 90 ERJ 145 family aircraft,” said Bryan Bedford Chairman, President and CEO
of Republic Airways Holdings, parent of Chautauqua Airlines, Republic Airlines and Shuttle
America. “The E-Jets continue to receive high praise from our customers for their large and
comfortable cabin, which allows Republic to give our partners a seamless product
experience consistent with their mainline, narrowbody offerings.”

Although the E-Jets family has proven to be a highly versatile tool for the world’s regional
airline carriers, the aircraft are also flexible enough for mainline companies to fly them in
premium markets. Low-cost carriers have also been successful in operating the E-Jets
worldwide. Through March 31, 2008, the EMBRAER 170/190 family of E-Jets had logged
sales of 835 firm orders and 840 options from more than 45 customers in 28 countries,
surpassing 1.4 million flight hours.

About Republic Airways Holdings

Republic Airways Holdings, based in Indianapolis, Ind., is a holding company that owns
Chautauqua Airlines, Republic Airlines, and Shuttle America. The airlines offer scheduled
passenger service on approximately 1,300 flights, daily, to 121 cities in 39 states, Canada,
Mexico, and Jamaica through service agreements with six U.S. airlines. All of their flights are
operated under their airline partner brand, such as AmericanConnection, Continental Express,
Delta Connection, Frontier Airlines, United Express, and US Airways Express. The airlines
currently employ approximately 5,000 aviation professionals and operate 226 regional jets.

About the EMBRAER 170/190 Family of E-Jets

The EMBRAER 170/190 family of E-Jets consists of four commercial jets with 70 to 122
seats, featuring advanced engineering design, efficient performance, outstanding operating
economics, low emissions levels and a spacious cabin.

The E-Jets can fly at a maximum cruising speed of Mach 0.82 and at 41,000 feet (12,497
meters), with ranges of up to 2,400 nautical miles (4,448 km). The high degree of
commonality among the four aircraft results in exceptional reductions for carriers, in terms of
crew training, spare parts and maintenance costs. Another key feature of the E-Jets is the flyby-
wire technology used in the flight control systems, similar to that deployed on larger
commercial jets and advanced military aircraft.

The EMBRAER 170/190 family provides superior comfort with its double-bubble fuselage
design that includes two main passenger entrances and two service doors that minimize
aircraft turn-around time. The E-Jets offer much more space for passengers, in a single or
dual-class layout, than other aircraft with similar seating capacities.

Embraer Image Gallery

Visit the Embraer Image Gallery at www.embraer.com .

Note to Editors

Embraer (Empresa Brasileira de Aeronáutica S.A. - NYSE: ERJ; Bovespa: EMBR3) is the
world’s largest manufacturer of commercial jets up to 120 seats, and one of Brazil's leading
exporters. Embraer's headquarters are located in São José dos Campos, São Paulo, and it has
offices, industrial operations and customer service facilities in Brazil, the United States,
France, Portugal, China and Singapore. Founded in 1969, the Company designs, develops,
manufactures and sells aircraft for the Commercial Aviation, Executive Aviation, and Defense
and Government segments. The Company also provides after sales support and services to
customers worldwide. On March 31, 2008, Embraer had a workforce of 23,878 employees
and a firm order backlog of US$ 20.3 billion.

This document may contain projections, statements and estimates regarding circumstances or events yet to take place. Those projections and estimates are based largely on current expectations, forecasts on future events and financial tendencies that affect Embraer’s businesses. Those estimates are subject to risks, uncertainties and suppositions that include, among others: general economic, political and trade conditions in Brazil and in those markets where Embraer does business; expectations on industry trends; the Company’s investment plans; its capacity to develop and deliver products on the dates previously agreed upon, and existing and future governmental regulations. The words “believe”, “may”, “is able”, “will be able”, “intend”, “continue”, “anticipate”, “expect” and other similar terms are supposed to identify potentialities. Embraer does not feel compelled to publish updates nor to revise any estimates due to new information, future events or any other facts. In view of the inherent risks and uncertainties, such estimates, events and circumstances may not take place. The actual results can therefore differ substantially from those previously published as Embraer expectations.

Front Page

GULFSTREAM CELEBRATES ROLL - OUT OF 200TH GULFSTREAM G200

Milestone Comes Eight Years after Entry-into-Service

SAVANNAH, Ga., June 4, 2008 –The 200th Gulfstream G200 was rolled out today at the Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) manufacturing plant at Ben Gurion International Airport, Israel. The “green” business jet now moves to the Gulfstream Center of Excellence completion facility for mid-cabin business aircraft in Dallas, Texas, where it will be outfitted and painted.

“This is a historic moment for Gulfstream and IAI,” said Joe Lombardo, president, Gulfstream Aerospace. “Manufacturing 200 aircraft of a single model is a significant accomplishment. In addition to highlighting the hard work of IAI employees, this milestone spotlights the G200’s superior performance as well as its popularity in the business-aviation industry.”

“The strong partnership between Gulfstream and IAI over the past seven years has resulted in excellent mid-cabin business jets being made available to international operators from the perspective of safety, reliability, quality and price competitiveness,” said Itzhak Nissan, president and chief executive officer, Israel Aerospace Industries. “We rejoice with our colleagues at Gulfstream in reaching this major milestone in the G200 program.” The G200 was introduced in 1997 and was the first true super mid-size business jet to enter the marketplace. The aircraft received its Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Type Certificate in December 1998 and entered service in January 2000.

The G200 joined the Gulfstream fleet in June 2001. Since then, Gulfstream has made significant improvements to the aircraft. Within the first year, the company redesigned
the business jet’s interior, reducing the aircraft’s weight by some 450 pounds. It installed
a sound-proofing package that sliced cabin sound levels three to five decibels. Gulfstream revamped the aircraft’s scheduled maintenance program, decreasing the number of required scheduled tasks while retaining the highest level of safety standards as defined by Federal Aviation Regulations (FARs).

The G200 has proven performance and the lowest operating costs in its class. Its 12-month dispatch reliability rate of 99.77 percent matches those of larger aircraft in the Gulfstream fleet. The aircraft continued to demonstrate its performance earlier this year when it set seven city-pair records in just 10 days. Those records join 11 others the G200 has set since 2001.

The G200 cockpit features Rockwell Collins avionics. In addition to the Engine Indicating and Crew Alert System (EICAS), the flight deck features an Electronic Flight Instrument System (EFIS), which provides critical electrical, hydraulic and mechanical systems information at a glance. For efficiency and safety, the G200 also includes the Traffic alert and Collision Avoidance System (TCAS), the Enhanced Ground Proximity Warning System (EGPWS) with windshear warning, and the optional Safe Flight Instrument Corporation’s Enhanced Autopower® Automatic Throttle System (ATS).

To date, some 180 G200s are in service around the world. The G200 is certified for operation in 37 countries, including the United States, China, Hong Kong, Canada and the European Union. The fleet had recorded approximately 296,000 flight hours by the end of the first quarter of this year.

NOTES

Gulfstream Aerospace Corporation, a wholly owned subsidiary of General Dynamics (NYSE: GD), designs, develops, manufactures, markets, services and supports the world’s most technologically advanced business-jet aircraft. Gulfstream has produced some 1,600 aircraft for customers around the world since 1958. To meet the diverse transportation needs of the future, Gulfstream offers a comprehensive fleet of aircraft, comprising the wide-cabin, high-speed Gulfstream G150®; the large-cabin, mid-range Gulfstream G200®; the large-cabin, mid-range Gulfstream G350®; the large-cabin, long-range G450®; the large-cabin, ultra-long-range Gulfstream G500®; the large-cabin, ultra-long-range Gulfstream G550® and the ultra-large-cabin, ultra-long-range G650®. Gulfstream also offers aircraft ownership services via Gulfstream Financial Services Division and Gulfstream Pre-Owned Aircraft Sales®. The company employs more than 9,700 people at seven major locations. We invite you to visit our Web site for more information and photos of Gulfstream aircraft at www.gulfstream.com .

General Dynamics, headquartered in Falls Church, Va., employs approximately 83,500 people worldwide and reported 2007 revenues of $27.2 billion. The company is a market leader in business aviation; land and expeditionary combat systems, armaments and munitions; shipbuilding and marine systems; and information systems and technologies. More information about the company is available on the Internet at www.generaldynamics.com .

Front Page

The UH-72A “comes home” to its new Army assignment in Mississippi
June 7, 2008

Mississippi gave a home-style welcome to the Army National Guard’s first two UH-72A Lakotas today, unveiling the aircraft at their new basing location in Tupelo – which is about 70 miles from where the new-generation Light Utility Helicopters are built at Columbus, Mississippi.

This morning’s event at Tupelo Regional Airport marked the ceremonial delivery start-up for 200 EADS North America UH-72As that are planned for Army National Guard units across the country.

Today’s unveiling included the traditional handover of an aircraft logbook and keys – which were presented by EADS North America Executive Vice President David R. Oliver, Jr., to Brigadier General William L. Freeman, Jr., the Adjutant General of Mississippi.

The first two Lakotas are assigned to the Mississippi Army National Guard’s 1-114 Security & Support Battalion, which performs homeland security, counter-drug and other operations from Tupelo Regional Airport.

Brig. Gen. Freeman, who is the commanding general for both the Mississippi Army and Air National Guard, said it is a special distinction to have the UH-72A enter service within the state of its industrial origin.

“These Lakotas will greatly enhance our capability – not only for supporting our military, but in aiding the state of Mississippi during times of emergency and in homeland security missions,” he told invited guests at this morning’s ceremony. “We also are very excited about the additional jobs being created by the Lakota’s production in the region of Columbus, Mississippi.”

EADS North America is expected to build 345 UH-72As for the Army through 2017, with Army National Guard units being the new Light Utility Helicopter’s primary operator. Lakota deliveries from the UH-72A’s state-of-the-art facility at Columbus’ Golden Triangle Regional Airport are averaging three to four helicopters per month, with the capability of reaching five monthly.

To date, some 30 UH-72As have been delivered from the Columbus factory, which is operated by EADS North America’s American Eurocopter business unit. The previously-delivered Lakotas have gone to the Army’s National Training Center Air Ambulance Detachment at Ft. Irwin, California; the Training and Doctrine Command’s flight detachment at Fort Eustis, Virginia; and the Joint Readiness Training Center at Fort Polk, Louisiana.

Brigadier General William T. Crosby, the deputy program manager in the Army’s Program Executive Office for Aviation, said EADS North America has demonstrated its capabilities as a military supplier by providing UH-72As on time, or ahead of schedule.

“It doesn’t happen often that an acquisition officer can say something is ahead of schedule and under cost – and this happens because of such a company as EADS North America,” Crosby said. “What a great capability these UH-72As will bring the Mississippi Army National Guard as you execute your homeland security and RAID [reconnaissance and interdiction detachment] missions throughout the state and in support of our nation.”

Front Page

June 11, 2008

MEDIA ADVISORY: M08-117

OSTM/JASON 2 SATELLITE READY FOR JUNE 20 LAUNCH FROM CALIFORNIA

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- The launch of the Ocean Surface Topography
Mission, or OSTM/Jason 2, aboard a Delta II rocket is scheduled for
Friday, June 20, from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California. The
launch window extends from 12:46 a.m. to 12:55 a.m. PDT. The
satellite will be placed in an 830-mile-high orbit at an inclination
of 66 degrees after separating from the Delta II 55 minutes after
liftoff.

The five primary science instruments of the Ocean Surface Topography
Mission aboard the Jason 2 spacecraft are dedicated to measuring
ocean surface height. These measurements will be used to evaluate and
forecast climate changes and improve weather forecasting. The results
also are expected to help forecasters better predict hurricane
intensity.

The mission is an international collaboration between NASA, the
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the French
space agency Centre National d'Etudes Spatiales (CNES), and the
European Organisation for the Exploitation of Meteorological
Satellites (EUMETSAT). NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena,
Calif., manages the mission for NASA. NASA's Kennedy Space Center's
Launch Services Program is responsible for the agency's launch
management of the Delta II rocket.

ACCREDITATION
Journalists seeking accreditation for the launch should fax their
request on news organization letterhead to: 2nd Lt. Raymond Geoffroy,
30th Space Wing Public Affairs Office, Vandenberg Air Force Base, at
805/606-8303 or by e-mail to raymond.geoffroy@vandenberg.af.mil. The
Vandenberg public affairs office can be reached by phone at
805-606-3595.

PRELAUNCH NEWS CONFERENCE
A prelaunch news conference will be held at 1 p.m. PDT, Wednesday,
June 18, in the main conference room of Building 12000 on North
Vandenberg Air Force Base. Participants will be:
- Steve Neeck, OSTM/Jason 2 program executive, NASA Headquarters,
Washington
- Omar Baez, NASA launch director, Kennedy Space Center
- Kris Walsh, director of NASA and commercial programs, United Launch
Alliance
- Parag Vaze, OSTM/Jason 2 project manager, Jet Propulsion Laboratory
- Gary Davis, deputy launch weather officer, 30th Weather Squadron

MISSION SCIENCE BRIEFING
Immediately following the prelaunch news conference, an OSTM/Jason 2
mission science briefing will be held. Participants will be:
- Eric Lindstrom, OSTM/Jason 2 program scientist, NASA Headquarters
- Lee-Lueng Fu, OSTM/Jason 2 project scientist, Jet Propulsion
Laboratory
- Laury Miller, chief scientist, NOAA Laboratory for Satellite
Altimetry
- Mikael Rattenborg, director of operations, EUMETSAT, Darmstadt,
Germany

Media not attending the press conference may fax questions to be
considered for inclusion in the briefing to 805-606-8303. Questions
must be received prior to the start of the 1 p.m. PDT briefings.

Media desiring to attend the prelaunch news conference and mission
science briefing should meet at the main gate of Vandenberg on
California S.R. 1 at 12:30 p.m. PDT on Wednesday, June 18, to be
escorted by 30th Space Wing public affairs representatives to the
press conference.

REMOTE CAMERAS
Media wanting to place sound-activated remote cameras at the launch
pad should meet at noon, June 19, at the pass and identification
building, located at the main gate of Vandenberg Air Force Base on
California S.R. 1.

TOWER ROLLBACK PHOTO OPPORTUNITY AT NASA SPACE LAUNCH COMPLEX-2
On June 19, there will be an opportunity to photograph rollback of the
mobile service tower from around the Delta II launch vehicle at
NASA's Space Launch Complex-2. Media will depart by Air Force van
from the Vandenberg main gate on California S.R. 1 at 2 p.m. PDT.
Television vans, or those media with a large amount of equipment,
will be allowed direct escorted access. Press credentials and
identification from a bona fide news organization will be required
for access. A driver's license alone is not sufficient.

NEWS COVERAGE OF LAUNCH
Reporters attending the launch should meet at 11:30 p.m. PDT, June 19,
at the Vandenberg main gate to be escorted to the press viewing on
north Vandenberg. After launch, reporters will be escorted back to
the gate. A post-launch news conference will not be held. However,
reporters interested in speaking with launch officials will be
escorted to the NASA Mission Director's Center for an interview
opportunity after spacecraft separation from the Delta II and solar
array deployment have occurred, approximately 55 minutes after
liftoff.

NASA TELEVISION AND VOICE CIRCUIT COVERAGE
NASA Television will carry the prelaunch news conference and mission
science briefing starting at 1 p.m. PDT, June 18. NASA TV coverage of
launch countdown will begin at 10:45 p.m. PDT, June 19, and conclude
after the spacecraft separates from the rocket and the solar arrays
are deployed. Coverage will be webcast at:

http://www.nasa.gov/ntv

TV coverage of the OSTM/Jason 2 launch also will be available on
satellite AMC-6, transponder 12.

Audio of the prelaunch news conference and launch coverage may be
accessed directly at 321/867-1220, 1240 or 1260. Launch mission audio
of countdown activities without NASA launch commentary will be
carried on 321-867-7135, beginning at 9:45 p.m. PDT.

WEB COVERAGE
Extensive prelaunch and launch day coverage of the OSTM/Jason 2
mission will be available on the NASA Web site at:

http://www.nasa.gov

A prelaunch webcast is set for June 19 at 9 a.m. PDT. The webcast will
give visitors a close-up look at the mission, including how the
countdown will unfold, what goes into a launch and why the spacecraft
will be sent into orbit from California. Launch and mission experts
will talk about the mission and what similar spacecraft have told us
about Earth's oceans.

On June 19, live countdown coverage on NASA's launch blog begins at
10:45 p.m. PDT. Coverage features real-time updates of countdown
milestones, as well as streaming video clips highlighting launch
preparations and liftoff.

To access these interactive features, go to NASA's OSTM/Jason 2
mission Web site at:

http://www.nasa.gov/ostm

OSTM/JASON 2 NEWS CENTER The OSTM/Jason 2 news center at NASA's
Vandenberg Resident Office will be staffed beginning Monday, June 16,
and may be contacted at 805-605-3051. A recorded status report will
be available starting at that time by dialing 805-734-2693.

Front Page

NTSB PRESS RELEASE

National Transportation Safety Board
Washington , DC 20594

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: June 10, 2008

SB-08-25

NTSB RECOMMENDS FAA ADDRESS FATIGUE MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS IN AVIATION

Washington , DC -- The National Transportation Safety Board
today made two recommendations to the Federal Aviation
Administration (FAA) to address human fatigue within airline
operations. The Board recommended that the FAA develop
guidance, based on empirical and scientific evidence, for
operators to establish fatigue management systems, including
information about the content and implementation of these
systems.

The Board also made a recommendation to develop and use
methodology that will continually assess the effectiveness
of fatigue management systems implemented by operators,
including their ability to improve sleep and alertness,
mitigate performance errors, and prevent incidents and
accidents.

"The Safety Board is extremely concerned about the risk and
the unnecessary danger that is caused by fatigue in
aviation," said NTSB Chairman Mark V. Rosenker. "We have
seen too many accidents and incidents where human fatigue is
a cause or contributing factor."

The Board's recommendations letter cites three accidents and
an incident highlighting the danger of human fatigue within
airline operations:

On October 19, 2004, Kirksville , Missouri , Corporate
Airlines flight 5966 struck several trees on its final
approach and crashed short of the airport. Both
pilots and 11 passengers were killed. Two passengers
received serious injuries.

On February 18, 2007, Delta Connection flight 6488,
operated by Shuttle America, Inc., overran the end of
the runway as it was landing at Cleveland-Hopkins
International Airport . All 72 passengers and a crew of
four deplaned without serious injury.

On April 12, 2007, Pinnacle Airlines flight 4712 ran
off the runway after landing at Cherry Capital
Airport, Traverse City , Michigan . None of the 49
passengers or crew of three were injured.

On February 13, 2008, Go! flight 1002, operated by
Mesa Airlines, flew past its destination airport,
General Lyman Field, Hilo , Hawaii . Air traffic
control repeatedly attempted to contact the crew for
over 18 minutes, as it flew over Maui , crossed the big
island of Hawaii and headed southeast over the Pacific
Ocean. The airplane traveled 26 nautical miles beyond
its intended destination airport before the flight
crew responded. There were no injuries.

"It is imperative that the FAA take action to reduce human
fatigue in airline operations," Rosenker said. "Addressing
this safety related measure is long overdue. We must and
can correct this serious concern."

The Safety Board's recommendation letter, including the
recommendations, will be available on the website,
www.ntsb.gov , under Board Meetings.

Front Page

June 10, 2008

MEDIA ADVISORY: M08-116

NASA TO HOST DAYTONA 500 MEDIA DAY AT KENNEDY SPACE CENTER

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- In honor of NASA's 50th anniversary and the
50th running of NASCAR's Daytona 500 in February, NASA's Kennedy
Space Center will host a media day Tuesday, June 17, starting at
11:30 a.m. EDT. The event will include the winner of this year's
race, Ryan Newman.

During the event, NASA will present NASCAR with two green racing flags
that were flown last February aboard space shuttle Atlantis' STS-122
mission to the International Space Station. One flag will be given to
Newman, the second will be presented to Daytona International
Speedway President Robin Braig. A third flag that was flown will be
kept by NASA for public display.

At the event, Newman will drive the crawler-transporter, the huge
tracked vehicle that carries space shuttles to the launch pad. The
flag presentation ceremony will be at Launch Pad 39A. Following the
ceremony, a news media question-and-answer session will be held at
the pad. Afterward, there will be a separate interview opportunity
for print media in Kennedy's news center auditorium.

Media planning to attend the event should arrive at Kennedy's news
center by 10:30 a.m. All event participants must dress in full-length
pants, flat shoes that entirely cover the feet and shirts with
sleeves. Media without permanent Kennedy credentials should submit
their request online by Friday, June 13, at:

https://media.ksc.nasa.gov

The connection between NASA and Daytona's International Speedway
extends beyond their close proximity to one another. During recent
years, technology developed for the space program has found many uses
on Earth, including helping NASCAR drivers stay safe and increase
performance.

Video B-roll of the event will air on NASA Television's Video File
segment starting Tuesday afternoon. For NASA TV downlink information,
schedules and links to streaming video, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov/ntv

For more information about the Daytona International Speedway, visit:

http://www.daytonainternationalspeedway.com

Front Page

NTSB PRESS RELEASE

National Transportation Safety Board
Washington, DC 20594

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: June 10, 2008
SB-08-24

PILOTS' POOR DECISION MAKING CAUSED PLANE TO OVERRUN RUNWAY IN TRAVERSE CITY

Washington, DC - The National Transportation Safety Board
said that a regional jet overran the end of a runway in
Michigan last year because the pilots elected to land on a
contaminated (snowy) runway without performing the required
landing distance calculations.

The Board adopted its final report on the April 12,
2007 accident in which, a Bombardier/Canadair Regional Jet
(CRJ) CL600-2B19, operated as Pinnacle Airline 4712, ran off
the departure end of runway 28 after landing at Cherry
Capital Airport, (TVC) Traverse City, Michigan. There were
no injuries among the 49 passengers and 3 crewmembers and
the aircraft was substantially damaged. The weather at the
time of the accident was reported as snowing. Instrument
meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the
accident, which was operated on an instrument flight rules
flight plan.

"Our recommendations are designed to reduce injuries
and deaths and prevent accidents like this from occurring,"
said NTSB Chairman Mark Rosenker.
"Piloting an aircraft should not be guess work. There are
rules and guidelines that need to be followed at all times
and it is imperative that the Federal Aviation
Administration enforce these recommendations."

The probable cause cites the pilots' decision to land
without performing a landing distance assessment, which was
required by company policy because of runway contamination
initially reported by TVC ground operations personnel and
continuing reports of deteriorating weather and runway
conditions throughout the approach. This poor decision-
making likely reflected the effects of fatigue produced by a
long, demanding duty day, and, for the captain, the duties
associated with check airman functions.

Also contributing to the accident were the Federal
Aviation Administration pilot flight and duty time
regulations that permitted the pilots' long, demanding duty
day; and the TVC operations supervisor's use of ambiguous
and unspecific radio phraseology in providing runway braking
information.

During its investigation, the Safety Board evaluated
the pilots' actions and decisions during the flight,
including their decision to land at TVC, their awareness
of/attention to the weather and runway conditions at TVC,
and their actions during the landing roll. The Safety Board
concluded that the pilots failed to perform the landing
distance assessment that was required by Pinnacle's
Operations Specifications. Had the pilots done so, using
current weather information, the results would have shown
that the runway length was inadequate for the contaminated
runway conditions described.

The investigation also examined pilot fatigue. The
accident occurred after midnight at the end of a demanding
day during which the pilots had flown over 8 hours, made
five landings, been on duty more than 14 hours, and been
awake more than 16 hours. The Safety Board further notes
that the pilots had also flown in challenging weather
conditions throughout the day.

Therefore, the Safety Board concluded that the poor
decision-making shown by the accident pilots, including
their failure to account for the changing weather and runway
conditions during the approach; their failure to perform a
landing distance calculation; and their failure to reassess
or discontinue the approach accordingly, likely reflected
the effects of fatigue.

As a result of the investigation of this accident, the
Safety Board made recommendations to the Federal Aviation
Administration in the following areas: the pilots' actions
and decision-making during the approach, landing, and
landing roll; landing distance assessment training; pilot
fatigue; weather and field condition information and ground
operations personnel communications; criteria for runway
closures in snow and ice conditions; and alcohol testing.

A synopsis of the Board's report, including the
probable cause and recommendations, is available on the
NTSB's website, www.ntsb.gov , under "Board Meetings." The
Board's full report will be available on the website in
several weeks.

Front Page

Delta Requests DOT Authority to offer service between New York-JFK and Buenos Aires

If approved, new nonstop service will be the second Delta route to Argentina

NEW YORK, June 10, 2008 – Delta Air Lines (NYSE: DAL) today announced it filed an application with the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) for permission to start new nonstop service between New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport and Buenos Aires, Argentina.

Pending DOT approval, Delta currently plans to offer five flights weekly from December to April and four flights per week during the rest of the year, with the possibility of increasing frequencies depending on demand. If approved, the new flight will begin in December of this year and will complement Delta’s current daily nonstop service between Buenos Aires and Atlanta.

“Developing JFK as a major Delta hub is paramount for the success of our international expansion strategy, and reaching the Americas from New York is an important part of this equation,” said Christophe Didier, Delta’s vice president of Sales and Government Affairs for Latin America and the Caribbean. “JFK is key to our continuous growth in Latin America, especially in a market such as Buenos Aires, a destination that currently lacks sufficient nonstop service to New York City at a time when demand for travel on this route is high.”

Delta offers year-round and seasonal service to Latin America and the Caribbean from eight U.S. airports, mostly from Atlanta and Los Angeles. From JFK, the airline flies to 18 destinations, including San Juan, Puerto Rico; Mexico City, Mexico*; Sao Paulo, Brazil; Panama City, Panama; San Jose and Liberia, Costa Rica; Guatemala City, Guatemala; Georgetown, Guyana; in addition to Jamaica, the Bahamas, and several islands in the Antilles. Later this year, Delta also will start nonstop service between JFK and Bogotá, Colombia.

Delta Air Lines operates service to more worldwide destinations than any airline with Delta and Delta Connection flights to 324 destinations in 62 countries. Delta has added more international capacity than any major U.S. airline during the last two years and is the leader across the Atlantic with flights to 43 trans-Atlantic markets. To Latin America and the Caribbean, Delta offers 600 weekly flights to 62 destinations. Delta's marketing alliances also allow customers to earn and redeem SkyMiles on more than 16,000 flights offered by SkyTeam and other partners. Delta is a founding member of SkyTeam, a global airline alliance that provides customers with extensive worldwide destinations, flights and services. Including its SkyTeam and worldwide codeshare partners, Delta offers flights to 474 worldwide destinations in 104 countries. Customers can check in for flights, print boarding passes and check flight status at www.delta.com .

*Service may be provided by Delta SkyTeam partner AeroMexico.

Front Page France

Arianespace mission update: Ariane 5 is poised for liftoff with Skynet 5C and Turksat 3A

Date: Wed, 11 Jun 2008 18:15:55 -0400

Arianespace's third mission of 2008 is ready for liftoff tomorrow evening (June 12) following the roll-out of Ariane 5 to the Spaceport's ELA-3 launch zone this morning.

Emerging from the Final Assembly Building at 11:00 a.m., the heavy-lift Ariane 5 ECA's transfer was completed in 1 hr. 15 min. It rode atop one of two mobile launch tables developed for the workhorse vehicle, and moved along a 2.8-km. section of the dual-rail track that links the Spaceport's major launch infrastructure elements.

This flight will be another of Ariane 5's trademark dual-satellite missions, carrying the Skynet 5C and Turksat 3A spacecraft. Its upper passenger is Skynet 5C, which was installed atop the SYLDA 5 dispenser system, and then encapsulated in Ariane 5's ogive-shaped payload fairing.

The mission's payload "stack" places Turksat 3A in the lower passenger position, with this satellite being released in the final phase of Ariane 5's 32-minute fight.

Turksat 3A will be utilized by Ankara-based Turksat for telecommunication services and direct TV broadcasting over Turkey, Europe, the Middle East, North Africa and Central Asia. It was built by Thales Alenia Space and has a liftoff weight of 3,110 kg. The satellite is based on the Spacebus 4000B2 spacecraft design, and carries 24 Ku-band transponders.

Skynet 5C is designed to deliver resilient, survivable and secure communications for military and government users. Built by EADS Astrium, this platform weighs approximately 4,600 kg. at liftoff and will be operated by the U.K.-based operator, Paradigm. Skynet 5C carries hardened Ultra High and Super High Frequency (UHF/SHF) payloads that use multiple, steerable spot beams.

See Arianespace's Website for the latest mission news, and watch the launch live in the video corner: www.arianespace.com

1 Alabama AL	2 Alaska AK	3 Arizona AZ Copper State News Service	4 Arkansas AR
5 California CA Golden State News Service	6 Colorado CO Centennial State News Service	7 Connecticut CT	8 Delaware DE
9 Florida FL	10 Georgia GA	11 Hawaii HI Aloha State News Service	12 Idaho ID
13 Illinois	14 Indiana IN	15 Iowa IA	16 Kansas KS
17 Kentucky KY	18 Louisiana LA	19 Maine ME	20 Maryland MD
21 Massachusetts MA	22 Michigan MI	23 Minnesota MN	24 Mississippi MS
25 Missouri MO	26 Montana MT	27 Nebraska NE	28 Nevada NV Silver State News Service
29 New Hampshire NH	30 New Jersey NJ	31 New Mexico NM Enchantment State News Service	32 New York NY
33 North Carolina NC	34 North Dakota ND	35 Ohio OH	36 Oklahoma OK Will Rogers State News Service
37 Oregon OR	38 Pennsylvania PA	39 Rhode Island RI	40 South Carolina SC
41 South Dakota SD	42 Tennessee TN Smoky Mountain State News Service	43 Texas TX Lone Star State News Service	44 Utah UT Topaz State News Service
45 Vermont VT	46 Virginia VA	47 Washington WA	48 West Virginia WV
49 Wisconsin WI	50 Wyoming WY

In The News

Northrop Grumman's Michele Toth Receives HR Leadership Award of Greater Washington

MCLEAN, Va. -- June 9, 2008 -- Northrop Grumman Corporation's (NYSE:NOC) Michele Toth was awarded the Leadership award from the HR Leadership Awards of Greater Washington.

Toth is the vice president of Human Resources and Administration and Competitive Excellence for Northrop Grumman's Information Technology (IT) sector.

She was honored "For demonstrating extraordinary leadership at Northrop Grumman. She has reshaped the human resource (HR) function to be a true strategic partner with the business - constantly driving change across the organization. She has had tremendous influence over the strategic direction of the business by introducing and driving a new HR operating model that has resulted in a stronger, more efficient HR organization."

"Michele exemplifies what leadership is on a daily basis," said Linda Mills, corporate vice president and president of Northrop Grumman IT. "Northrop Grumman benefits from her hard work and dedication, and this award is a testament to her efforts."

The HR Leadership Awards of Greater Washington recognize human resources executives for outstanding contributions to their organizations, communities and/or the human resources profession.

Northrop Grumman Corporation is a global defense and technology company whose 120,000 employees provide innovative systems, products, and solutions in information and services, electronics, aerospace and shipbuilding to government and commercial customers worldwide.

In The News

Northrop Grumman Appoints Mark Gagen Vice President of Procurement Services for Enterprise Shared Services

LOS ANGELES, June 10, 2008 (PRIME NEWSWIRE) -- Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE:NOC) announced today the appointment of Mark Gagen as the vice president of Procurement Services for the company's Enterprise Shared Services organization.

In his new role, Gagen will lead procurement shared services including enterprise sourcing, global information technology procurement and commodity procurement. He reports to Carolyn Pittman, vice president of Enterprise Shared Services.

"Mark possesses a blend of leadership and financial acumen that will make him an invaluable member of our shared services organization," said Pittman. "His experience leading key profit improvement initiatives coupled with his finance, procurement, strategic planning and program management abilities will serve us well."

Gagen has more than 25 years of service at Northrop Grumman and was most recently vice president of Programs and Strategy for the company's Information Technology sector. He previously served as vice president and chief financial officer for the Information Technology sector and in the same role for the Mission Systems sector.

He earned a bachelor's degree in accounting from Grove City College and a master's in business administration in finance from Case Western Reserve University.

Northrop Grumman Corporation is a global defense and technology company whose 120,000 employees provide innovative systems, products, and solutions in information and services, electronics, aerospace and shipbuilding to government and commercial customers worldwide.

	A&M USA Photo News
	Air Racing Extravaganza
	Air Racing News 2008
	Headline News
	Humor in Aerospace
	NBAA 2007Headline News
	News Alerts 2008
	The Mustang Collection
	The Pages
	The Vestibule
	The DC-3 Page

Afghanistan	Albania	Algeria	Andorra
Angola	Anguilla	Antigua and Barbuda	Argentina
Armenia	Australia	Austria	Azerbaijan

Bahamas	Bahrain	Bangladesh	Barbados
Belarus	Belgium	Belize	Benin
Bhutan	Bolivia	Bosnia-Herzegovina	Botswana
Brazil	Brunei	Bulgaria	Burkina Faso
Burma	Burundi

Cambodiac	Cameroon	Canada	Cape Verde
Central African Republic	Chad	Chile	China
Colombia	Comoros	Congo	Congo Dem. Republic
Costa Rica	Croatia	Cuba	Cyprus
Czech Republic

Ecuador	Egypt	El Salvador	Equatorial Guinea
Eritrea	Estonia	Ethiopia

Gabon	Gambia	Georgia	Germany
Ghana	Greece	Grenada	Guatemala
Guinea	Guinea-Bissau	Guyana

Iceland	India	Indonesia	Iran
Iraq	Ireland	Israel	Italy
Ivory Coast

Kazakhstan	Kenya	Kiribati	Korea
Kuwait	Kyrgyzstan

Laos	Latvia	Lebanon	Lesotho
Liberia	Libya	Liechtenstein	Lithuania
Luxembourg

Macedonia	Madagascar	Malawi	Malaysia
Maldives	Mali	Malta	Marshall
Mauritania	Mauritius	Mexico	Micronesia
Moldova	Monaco	Mongolia	Morocco
Mozambique

Namibia	Nauru	Nepal	Netherlands
New Zealand	Nicaragua	Niger	Nigeria
North Korea	Norway

Pakistan	Palau	Panama	Papua-New Guinea
Paraguay	Peru	Philippines	Poland
Portugal

San Marino	Sao Tomé and Principe	Saudi Arabia	Senegal
Seychelles	Sierra Leone	Singapore	Slovakia
Slovenia	Solomon Islands	Somalia	South Africa
South Korea	Spain	Sri Lanka	St.Kitts e Nevis
St.Lucia	St.Vincent e Grenadine	Sudan	Suriname
Swaziland	Sweden	Switzerland	Syria

Taiwan	Tajikistan	Tanzania	Thailand
Togo	Tonga	Trinidad and Tobago	Tunisia
Turkey	Turkmenistan	Tuvalu

Ukraine	Uganda	United Arab Emirates	United Kingdom
Uruguay	United States of America (USA)	Uzbekistan

IATA	ICAO	IMO	United Nations
World Economic Forum	NATO	SEATO	Project Hope
C.A.R.E.	International Space Station (ISS)	Red Cross	American Red Cross
Red Crecent	Greenpeace

Venus	The Moon	Mercury	Venus
Earth	Mars	Jupiter	Saturn
Uranus	Neptune	Pluto

Airbus	Air Racing & Motorsports	Arianespace	Aviation Nation
Boeing	Cessna	China Southern Airways	C.R. Smith Museum, Ft. Worth, TX
Curtiss Wright	Dallas Ft. Worth Regional Airport	Delta Air Lines	Diamond Aircraft
EADS	Embraer	Euro Atlantic Airways	Eurocopter
Experimental Aircraft Association	EAA Air Venture 2007	Ethics	Featured Stories (You Are Here...)
Federation Aeronautique Internationale	Flying Boats & Amphibian News	Flying Wing News (TBA)	FedEx
FBI	General Dynamics	Gulfstream Aerospace	Historical Sections
IAE	IATA	LAN Chilean Airlines	Lockheed Martin
Maritime Directory	Millenium Master	NASA / JPL / SOFIA	NAA
NTSB	Northrop Grumman	NASA Earth Observatory	NATO/OTAN
Orbital Sciences Corporation	One World Alliance	Pakistani International Airlines	Pegasus Aviation Finance
PPG ~ PRC DeSoto	Pratt & Whitney	QANTAS	Raytheon
Rolls Royce	SAAB	Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation	Singapore Airlines
Space Tourism	Spitfire Aircraft Company	Starfighters	Sukhoi Superjet 100
TAM Brasilian Airlines	Thai International Airways	Textron	United States Air Force
United States Army	United States Coast Guard	United States Department of Defense	United States Marine Corp
United States Navy	UPS	United Technologies	Utilicraft
Virgin Galactic	Vought Aerospace	White House Press Office	World Economic Forum