From: skunk-works-digest-owner@mail.orst.edu To: skunk-works-digest@mail.orst.edu Subject: Skunk Works Digest V5 #378 Reply-To: skunk-works-digest@mail.orst.edu Errors-To: skunk-works-digest-owner@mail.orst.edu Precedence: bulk Skunk Works Digest Tuesday, 8 August 1995 Volume 05 : Number 378 In this issue: Re: SR-71 Blackbird on TV RPV RPV as a Delivery System JAST - Stealth Fighter Lockheed in GA. Air Force Future [2025] Study BLACK Defense contractor Re- E-Systems Re: BLACK Defense contractor Re: BLACK Defense contractor Re: Aera rule Re: BLACK Defense contractor See the end of the digest for information on subscribing to the skunk-works or skunk-works-digest mailing lists and on how to retrieve back issues. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- From: dadams@netcom.com (Dean Adams) Date: Mon, 7 Aug 1995 01:18:26 -0700 (PDT) Subject: Re: SR-71 Blackbird on TV > Just caught this listing for the Discovery Channel on Sunday, September 3rd. > ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ > 9:00 p.m.--DISCOVERY SUNDAY > SR-71 Blackbird--The Secret Vigil > > This spyplane flies over 2,000 miles an hour at 80,000 feet, yet its cameras > see everything. > ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Yes, thats a good one. Chances are a lot of people have already seen it though, since it was produced in 1989 by Aviation Week. ------------------------------ From: dosgood@proxima.gsfc.nasa.gov (Dean Osgood) Date: Mon, 7 Aug 1995 08:35:42 -0500 Subject: RPV I was working from memory, have the artical in front of me today. Its from a "special supplement " to "Design News" dated 7-10-95 the supplement is for precision motion control and on page S-6 there is a blurb about Virtual Control Corperations Remote Aerial Assesment Link un-manned surveillence aircraft. The current RAVAL has a Pam-Air Canopy (para-foil), 28 hp piston engine, 15,000 ft ceiling. The "next project"under development for "an international client" specs as " 80,000 foot continous operation, ultra-high endurance, geosynchronous platform with a 300-500 lb payload". Sounds good for the UN to use over any trouble spots. Dean ------------------------------ From: RHOEFELM Date: Mon, 07 Aug 1995 08:03:30 -0400 (EDT) Subject: RPV as a Delivery System Nasty, Nasty Idea: Take your long endurance, high altitude stealthy unmanned platform and use it to deliver a biological weapon (Anthrax spores, a tailored virus, etc). Now any 3rd world fanatic can deliver death and destruction world wide. I guess these RPVs will have to be controlled to prevent proliferation, just like nukes and chemical weapons ... I'm sure the U.N. is up for it, given their demonstrated abilities in Bosnia. :)= Ralph S. Hoefelmeyer rhoefelm-cos3@kaman.com or Wolf666 70436.511@compuserve.com Enjoy Nature ... from the top of the food chain. ------------------------------ From: "Terry Colvin" Date: Mon, 07 Aug 95 10:24:43 EST Subject: JAST - Stealth Fighter :PENTAGON PURSUES NEXT-GENERATION JET FIGHTER The U.S., despite cuts in its defense budget, is moving ahead with plans to sink as much as $100 billion into a new supersonic attack fighter. Defense planners want to build at least 2,916 planes. If approved by Congress, each Joint Advanced Strike Technology (JAST) stealth-type aircraft is expected to cost $35 million. Three competitive design contracts for the JAST fighter have been let over the past eight months to Lockheed Martin Company, Boeing, and a corporate triumvirate of McDonnell Douglas, Northrop Grumman, and British Aerospace. Two firms will be selected next year to build two flying prototypes each for the multi-service plane. One company will be chosen around 2001 to manufacture and oversee preliminary test flights. The JAST fighter is intended to replace the Air Force's F-16 and A-10, the Navy's A-6, as well as the Marine's AV-8B and FA-18s. The British Royal Navy is also considering buying 100 of the ASTOVL version JASTs. Several developments contribute to current multi-service cooperation, says General George Muellner, director of the JAST program. First, the ratio of engine thrust to weight has gone up significantly over the years. This means the same size engine now can perform STOVL tasks, or thrust a plane off of a carrier deck. Second, new construction techniques, utilizing composite materials, mean far fewer parts, cheaper manufacturing, more strength, and less weight. Finally, reports yesterday's edition of The Christian Science Monitor, the services now have a much more common set of needs, in respect to their missions and weapons-delivery systems. ------------------------------ From: Jay.Waller@analog.com Date: Mon, 7 Aug 95 14:20 EDT Subject: Lockheed in GA. Does anyone know if the Lockheed plant outside of Marietta GA is open to the public for tours? There are no major defense contractors around here, so I don't even know if they do that sort of thing or not. I'm going to be down there next week so I thought I'd ask. If anyone knows of any aircraft museums or bases in the area (Atlanta), I'd like to know. Email me directly if you like. Sorry for the off topic post, but I don't know who else to ask. Jay ------------------------------ From: bgresham@cclink.fhcrc.org (Randy Gresham) Date: Mon, 7 Aug 1995 13:11:45 -0700 Subject: Air Force Future [2025] Study If current reality isn't enough for you, here is a chance to influence the future "skunk-works" activities. [QUOTE] From: tkelso@afit.af.mil (TS Kelso) Subject: Air Force Future Study Date: 1 Aug 95 02:15:26 GMT The 2025 study on future air and space capabilities required to support national and international security has commenced. A detailed description of the study objectives and the tools for harvesting your ideas on new capabilities, systems, concepts of operations, applications of existing technology, and uses of high leverage emerging technology for air and space operations are on the World Wide Web at http://www.au.af.mil/2025/2025home.html Please submit ideas on the "concept" format or the "technology abstract" format provided at the web site. Please let your colleagues, bosses, and employees know we are looking for ideas. If you are an educator, we would be grateful if you alerted your students that we are looking for their ideas, too. Our administrative address is 2025%2025@awc.au.af.mil, phone (334) 953-4962. The research director's address is jae@awc.au.af.mil (phone (334) 953-7676). Fax is (334) 953-7154. - -- Lt Col TS Kelso, PhD Deputy Research Coordinator Kelso=Thomas%DR%ACSC@acscsvr2.au.af.mil Air University tkelso@tuvok.au.af.mil [CLOSE QUOTE] Have at it. Randy ------------------------------ From: Bill Wallace Date: Mon, 7 Aug 95 08:35:15 PDT Subject: BLACK Defense contractor Hi all, I was watching a program on television last night, and for the life of me can not remember the name of it, but I was wondering if anyone out there knows anything about E SYSTEMS??? E Systems is a manufacturer of listening devises and all kinds of real weird stuff, but television and the media have yet to get any info on tis company, the only information the press has is a video provided by the DoD under the freedom of information act, but its just a info video for prospected clients. the reporters doing the story even went so far as to go to an arms trade show and noone in E Systems employment would give a comment or even tell the reporters, what kinds of products were made by E Systems. They really know how to keep a secret!!!......and I have never even heard of E Systems, some reporters have the feeling it has ties to the CIA, DoD, and other covert government agencies. billwa@microsoft.com ------------------------------ From: "Matt Velazquez" Date: 7 Aug 1995 16:58:51 U Subject: Re- E-Systems Re: E-Systems Bill Wallace wrote: >Hi all, >I was watching a program on television last night, and for the life of >me can not remember the name of it, but I was wondering if anyone out >there knows anything >about E SYSTEMS??? E-Systems used to be a very black company that did reconaissance tech development for various defense agencies. I saw a story on the company a while back that explained how they were having a hard time adapting to the new world order (OMIGOD PEACE IS BREAKING OUT!!! WE'LL BE RUINED!!!). For a very long time they were one of the blackest companies around, so I'm not surprised you haven't heard of them. Aurora has a lot (read: like 10% of the company) of people formerly from E-Systems. I live seconds away from one. I still don't really know anything about the company, it's that secretive. Aurora is operating a Grob Egrett formerly owned by E-Systems. We're using it for deployable radiosonde testing at Lawrence Livermore National Lab; I don't know what E-Systems was using it for, but judging from the amount of payload space on the airplane, I'd say it was quite a bit. ------------------------------ From: wizard@fs1.houston.sccsi.com (John F. Regus) Date: Mon, 7 Aug 1995 17:07:47 -0500 Subject: Re: BLACK Defense contractor I generally like 60 Minutes, but, I think they were looking for a problem where none exists when they looked into E-Systems. E-Systems is a C3, ELINT, COMSEC, EW, ECW, ECM, on and on, etc., concept and construct company. 60 Minutes tried to show some form of ominous, foreboding nature to the fact that E-Systems is not going to discuss their work in the media, period. I almost fell off the couch laughing when the rep from Booz, Allen was critical of E-Systems. Booz, Allen is a competitor to the concept work done at E-Systems. If the shoe was on Booz, Allen's foot and the directive was not to discuss the work they have been engaged in on behalf of any governmental agency, you can bet Booz, Allen would not discuss what they were doing.... Bottom line...sour grapes and spin doctoring. ************************************************************************* * STRATACOM WORLDNET * internet: wizard@sccsi.com | SYS/370/390 * internet: STRATACOM_WORLDNET@msn.com | Systems Software Engineering * voice: 713-960-0045 | Data and Tele-Communications * fax/data:713-960-0015 | * WUI: REGUSHOU | John F. Regus, Consultant ************************************************************************* ------------------------------ From: kuryakin@arn.net (Rick Pavek) Date: Mon, 7 Aug 1995 17:55:24 -0500 Subject: Re: BLACK Defense contractor +Hi all, +I was watching a program on television last night, and for the life of +me can not remember the name of it, but I was wondering if anyone out +there knows anything about E SYSTEMS??? I might have the name mixed up but I think they do A/C depot maintenance, too. Or did. Illya ------------------------------ From: Marc Studer Date: Mon, 7 Aug 1995 17:02:15 -0700 (PDT) Subject: Re: Aera rule I was looking though a book on MiG's and the authors spent quite a lot of time talking about the Soviet's understanding of the aera rule as regards to the construction of the MiG 25 interceptor. The authors went on to compare Russian aera rule philosophy with other hi proformance aircraft at the time such as the A-12 and the XB-70. Despite the four or five paragraphs devoted to the theory, it never really stated what the aera rule was. If some one could give a quick run down of the aera rule and how it relates to high mach aircaft I would be your debt. Thanks. Marc ------------------------------ From: "Brent Kellogg" Date: Mon, 7 Aug 95 21:34:05 PDT Subject: Re: BLACK Defense contractor Bill, Per our conversation, E-Systems, recently acquired by Raytheon, is a Texas company with longstanding contracting ties with U.S. Intelligence services. I believe it has some relationship to the LTV or Temco corp. out of Dallas in the early sixties. Thanks for the Windows info! Brent ******************************************************** Brent N. Kellogg Open wide, now, this won't Bkello02@interserv.com hurt a bit! Voice 206-742-1641 Fax 206-742-5967 ******************************************************** ------------------------------ End of Skunk Works Digest V5 #378 ********************************* To subscribe to skunk-works-digest, send the command: subscribe skunk-works-digest in the body of a message to "majordomo@mail.orst.edu". If you want to subscribe something other than the account the mail is coming from, such as a local redistribution list, then append that address to the "subscribe" command; for example, to subscribe "local-skunk-works": subscribe skunk-works-digest local-skunk-works@your.domain.net To unsubscribe, send mail to the same address, with the command: unsubscribe skunk-works-digest in the body. 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