Star Dusters Newsletter
Star Dusters Newsletter Retirees and Former Employees of Lockheed Martin Corporation Affiliated With Lockheed Martin Leadership Association P. O. Box 10310, Burbank, CA 91510-0310 (818) 565-2011 or (888) 718-5328, Ext. 2011 e-mail: lmstardusters @att.net April 2015 This Issue: Announcements – President’s Corner –– New Members –– The Aerospace History Project At The Huntington – USC Institute On California And The West –– Travel Opportunities –– Eugene Reynolds Obituary –– Larry Channel Obituary –– SD Downtown Los Angeles Day Trip –– Medical and Health News –– Star Dusters Write –– Jonk-a-Matic –– In The News –– In Memoriam –– Coming Events –– Logix 2015 Day Trip to Palmdale, April 15, 2015 –This day trip is combined with the Antelope Valley Satellite Spring Luncheon. Antelope Valley Star Dusters’ Satellite Luncheon, April 15, 2015 – The Antelope Valley Spring Luncheon will be held at Gino’s Restaurant in Palmdale, CA. LAS/Ontario Satellite Star Dusters Bi-annual Meeting, April 21, 2015 – This year’s event will be held at the Double Tree Hotel Restaurant in Claremont. Spring Reunion Golf Tournament, April 27, 2015 – The golf tournament will be at the Hansen Dam Municipal Golf Course in Pacoima hosted by Tom Oatway. Spring Reunion Luncheon, Camarillo, CA, May 7, 2015 – We will gather at the Las Posas Country Club for a lunch hosted by Al Stacey and Johnny Mercer. Complete and return Insert 1A by the May 1st deadline. (See Page 12 and Inserts 1A, 1B, and 1C.) Star Dusters Downtown LA Day Trip, May 20, 2015 – See Pages 10, 11 and 12 for description of this trip. Return Insert 3 to Gary Belie before May 8, 2015 if you plan to attend. Rye Canyon Research Center Reunion, May 16, 2015 - Former Rye Canyon Research Center employees and their guests are invited to a reunion on Saturday, May 16, 2015, at Hart Park in Newhall, CA from 1 to 4 PM. Bring your own lunch. Soft drinks, bottled water, tea and coffee will be provided. lf you plan to attend, see lnsert 2 and contact Dean Oliva (818-363-7757) or Jill Trimble (661-297-3943). VIEW THE NEWSLETTER AND ROSTER ON OUR WEBSITE: http://www.lmstardusters.org Star Dusters Newsletter 2 April 2015 PRESIDENT’S CORNER By Vic Saucedo I am very pleased to report that Peter Harrigan offered to succeed Marie Schumacher as Star Dusters Corporate News Coordinator and was approved by the Board of Directors for the position effective immediately. Marie has worked with Peter in the past and was able to quickly bring him up to speed on her resources for providing Corporate News for our Newsletter every month, starting with this issue. We have been very fortunate to have Marie’s contributions to our Newsletter for many years and are now fortunate to have a person with Peter’s qualifications for this position. Peter spent 28 years with the company in various communication (PR) roles after beginning his career in journalism. He started at Lockheed Electronics Company (LEC) in New Jersey (1983-1989), joined the Corporate Communications Staff in Washington DC (1990) and then moved to Calabasas, where he was responsible for employee communications, including the “Lockheed Today” monthly newspaper and quarterly videos produced for employees. He moved back East upon the merger in 1995 and was Vice President of Management Communications, working closely with Dan Tellep, Norm Augustine and Vance Coffman. In 1998 he moved to one of the business areas (known in various configurations as Systems Integration or Electronics Systems) and remained there as Vice President of Communications under four different Executive Vice Presidents, the last of whom was Marillyn Hewson, until he retired in 2011. Peter now resides in Delaware, where he does volunteer work for a non-profit arts organization. I hope many of you will be able to join us for a number of events planned for April and May starting with the Antelope Valley Satellite Group Luncheon, Palmdale Air Park and Skunk Works Tour on April 15th. Our luncheon speaker will be Dr. Thomas McGuire who will brief us on Lockheed Skunk Works Fusion Project which aims to develop a compact, stable nuclear fusion energy source. The LAS-Ontario Satellite Group Luncheon will take place at the Double Tree Hotel Restaurant in Claremont on April 21 st with David Ellefson as guest speaker whose topic is “Putting LAS back into the LMCO History”. The last event for April is the Spring Reunion Golf Tournament which will be at the Hansen Dam Golf Course in Pacoima on April 27 th. Our Annual Spring Reunion will take place at the Las Posas Country Club on May 7 th with Dr. Robert Boyd as our guest speaker who will provide us with a presentation on Hybrid Airships. Dr. Boyd is the Hybrid Lift Portfolio Senior Program Manager at the Lockheed Martin Advanced Development Programs (ADP) or “Skunk Works” in Palmdale. He manages multiple programs including both internal development efforts (IRAD) and externally funded efforts related to heavy lift and Hybrid Aircraft Systems. Robert has been responsible for all Hybrid Aircraft development at Lockheed Martin over the past nine years, including several variants of lift vehicles. The Spring Reunion is always a very enjoyable event in a beautiful location and I encourage you to plan on sharing the experience. Dr. Gary Belie has made arrangements for a Day Trip to Los Angeles on May 20 th. The wording on the flyer at the end of this Newsletter provides a good description of exciting venues planned for our visit to the Los Angeles area and I am looking forward to being Star Dusters Newsletter 3 April 2015 there since I’m one of those persons who live reasonably close but have not visited the planned attractions. I am also looking forward to the upcoming 2015 SAE Aero Design West Competition on April 24-26 and appreciate the invitation from Gene Holloway, from LM Aero, for Star Dusters to attend with an option to participate as volunteer inspectors and/or judges as described below. UPCOMING 2015 SAE AERO DESIGN WEST COMPETITION The SAE Southern California Section will be hosting the 2015 Aero Design West Competition in Van Nuys/Encino on April 24-26. Gene Holloway from the Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Company Skunk Works organization is the Contest Director. Star Duster members and their friends are invited to attend and, if interested, to participate in the administration and judging tasks. Bringing young people to witness this event is an excellent way to get them interested in an aerospace career. The SAE Aero Design West Competition is intended to provide undergraduate and graduate students with a real-life engineering exercise, culminating in the flight test of heavy lift RC aircraft models. To help the students develop communication skills, a high percentage of a team’s score is devoted to the design report and the oral presentation required in the competition. The competition is sold out again this year and the SAE now has a full waiting list for teams who are available to participate in the event of a cancellation. Seventy-five US and international university teams are registered to participate in the competition with a significant number of the teams from non-US schools. Foreign universities from the United Kingdom, Japan, Canada, Egypt, India, Mexico, Poland, and China are sending teams. Registration, technical inspections, and oral presentations will be held on April 24 at the Airtel Plaza Hotel, 7277 Valjean Avenue, Van Nuys, CA 91486. The flying competition will be held on April 25 and 26 at the Apollo Flying Field, 6201 Woodley Avenue, Encino, CA 91436. Volunteers are needed in the following four areas. 1. Written Report Judge Experienced engineers are needed to score three to six written reports, each thirty (30) double-spaced, single-sided typewritten pages. Deadline for the students to submit their design reports is March 9. Volunteers are given about four weeks (March 23 – April 17) to score the reports. 2. Oral Report Judge Students will have 15 minutes to present their design to a panel of judges who will take about ten minutes to score each presentation. Judging will start at 9:00 am and should be finished by 6:00 pm. Star Dusters Newsletter 4 April 2015 3. Technical Inspectors The volunteers will make sure the aircraft described by each team’s report/drawings is the same as the aircraft presented to fly, and the measurements are in compliance with the rules. The inspections will be conducted from 9:30 am to 5:00 pm. 4. Flight Competition Volunteers/Judges The available flight competition positions include Flight Stewards, Fuel Technicians, Safety Inspectors, Weigh Station Technicians, Line Judge, and Flight and Pit Boss. Flight testing is expected to start at 8:00 am and should be finished by 5:00 pm on both days. If you are interested in judging the written reports and/or oral presentations as well as help with the flying portion of the competition, please contact Gene Holloway at gene.holloway@lmco.com or by phone on 661-572-4855 or by cell phone on 661-4000271. A copy of the event rules is available online at http://students.sae.org/competitions/aerodesign/rules/rules.pdf. ~end~ NEW MEMBERS AS OF MARCH 12, 2015 Beaudette, Kathie Randy Cain, Gordon Fincher, Ellen Garinger, Diane Hammer, Jonathan Shirley Hyman, Alan Lynn Lowes, Glenn Helen Maynard, Wayne Lauren Wicker, George PO Box 171 Golden, CO 2200 Monroe St # 1402 Santa Clara, CA 95050-3450 57 Hope Dr Dallas, GA 30157 26826 Claudette St Unit 242 Canyon Country, CA 91351 3345 Fulham Ct Palmdale, CA 93551 1706 St Emilion Lane Brentwood, CA 93513 991 Paseo Barona Camarillo, CA 93010 301 North Avon St Burbank, CA 91505-3504 303-582-5648 kirkraft@yahoo.com 408-249-7188 770-634-7709 ellenofdallas@aol.com 661-387-7479 dwyld@prodigy.net 661-947-5370 jon-shir@sbcglobal.net 925-997-7959 alanmark@comcast.net 805-383-7937 highlowes@verizon.net 818-384-0035 wayne@flightest.us 561-776-1257 gawicker@gmail.com ~end~ Czech Republic author Milan Kudera, on a four-legged animal: “Dogs are our link to paradise. They don’t know evil or jealousy or discontent. To sit with a dog on a hillside on a glorious afternoon is to be back in Eden, where nothing doing was not boring—it was peace” ~end~ Star Dusters Newsletter 5 April 2015 THE AEROSPACE HISTORY PROJECT AT THE HUNTINGTON – USC INSTITUTE ON CALIFORNIA AND THE WEST By Sherm Mullin In 2004 the leaders of the Huntington Library in San Marino, CA and the University of Southern California founded their joint Institute on California and the West (ICW), with the objective of expanding a sustained scholarly effort to capture, publish, and communicate California history, with particular focus on the history of Southern California in the 20th century. The Director of ICW is Professor William Deverell, who is also Chairman of the USC history department. In 2006 the ICW initiated its Aerospace History Project, “a multi-faceted research, curatorial, pedagogical, and publishing effort.” It is directed by award winning historian of science Peter Westwick. In 2007, as part of the project, the Huntington hosted a twoday conference, “Rocket Science and Region—The Rise, Fall, and Rise of the Aerospace Industry In Southern California,” featuring panels of industry pioneers, military leaders, scholars, and writers. This stimulated many continuing initiatives. I served on one panel. One key objective of the project is to build an aerospace archive at the Huntington, one of the major historical archives in the world. This archive includes personal papers, books and other publications, photographs, and transcriptions of individual oral histories. The archiving effort is managed by Dr. Daniel Lewis, Huntington director and chief curator of manuscripts. The project has accumulated a significant amount of material on Lockheed history. It includes Harvey Christen’s voluminous photograph collection, dating from 1932. Also included are the papers of Willis Hawkins, Ben Rich, Roy Anderson, Kelly Johnson, and others. Additional papers are being solicited. Oral histories of numerous Lockheed retirees have been conducted and more are planned. The papers of Willis Hawkins (at Lockheed 1937-1980, then senior advisor to 2004) are the largest and most comprehensive now in the aerospace archive. They are stored in eighty standard archive boxes, which fill about 27 shelf feet. The first book published by the aerospace project is “Blue Sky Metropolis – The Aerospace Century in Southern California,” a collection of essays edited by Dr. Peter Westwick, University of California Press, Berkeley, 2012. It includes my biographical essay on Robert E. Gross (1897-1961), CEO of Lockheed 1932-1961. Personal note: I have been an advisor to the Aerospace History Project since 2007, a very educational experience, an enjoyable free post graduate program. Seventy Years Ago: First flight of production C-130 Hercules aircraft at Marietta, Georgia on April 7, 1955, followed by delivery of 10 aircraft in 1956 and 140 in 1957! ~end~ Star Dusters Newsletter 6 April 2015 TRAVEL OPPORTUNITIES FOR STAR DUSTERS By Ann Hyden, Travel Coordinator Start your vacation planning early for those special trips you’ve been thinking about to expand your horizons! Some suggestions are listed below from our counterpart to Star Dusters in the San Francisco Bay area, LMMAR, and from Talbot Tours, which does the planning, arranging and booking for us. Many more destinations, international and domestic, are available but too numerous to list here. I invite you to call me with your ideas, questions, etc., at (818) 367–3217. Do book early to avoid disappointment from filled-up tours. Air flights and prices can be quoted and arranged from any locale. (Note that prices herein listed include airfare from the Bay Area). Yellowstone/Wildlife Experience, June 8-14, and August 3-9, 2015 and also June 20 and Aug 8, 2016 – Tour highlights include: Antelope Island State Park, West Yellowstone, Grizzly and Wolf Discovery Center, Yellowstone Wildlife Safari, Grand Teton National Park, Snake River Float Trip, cruise on Lake Jenny, visit American Heritage Center and Salt Lake City. Double rooms are $2425, each person including 12 meals. Grand Tour of Italy, Sept 29 and Oct. 6 & 27,2015; also May 10, Sept 27, Oct. 4, 2016 – A fabulous trip awaits you covering the highlights of magnificent Italy during 12 sunny days. Fly via Boston to Florence/Montecantini and Venice for guided tours of city centers, Academia Museum (Michelangelo’s David), San Marco, Doge’s Palace and much more. Drive through the Chianti Hills to medieval Siena and San Gimignana, then depart for Assisi (St. Francis’ Cathedral and Basilica) and on to Rome. Tour monuments and sites of both ancient and modern Rome with a day dedicated to the Vatican and Sistine Chapel. Next is Pompeii, Naples and Sorrento with tours of all, including the spectacular Amalfi Drive with views of the coastal resort Positano and another day to ferry to the enchanted Isle of Capri. Fly home from Naples. Prices include roundtrip airfare, Tour Manager, ten nights first class hotels, all breakfasts and dinners (20 meals), taxes and gratuities for double @ $4475 each, single @ $5230, deposit of $400 each and insurance of $495/536, resp. Final payment due 90 days before departure. Great Gatsby Getaway at the Grand Hotel on Mackinac Island, September 12–17, 2015 – On the island no motorized vehicles are allowed. Travel by horse drawn carriage through the forest to the elegant and historical Grand Hotel and into the ‘20s of the Great Gatsby Era. Be a part of the fun by dressing as a flapper, a “dandy”, a gangster or elegant dress of a famous person (Downtown Abby?). Song, dress and dance competitions with cash prizes are part of the fun, and so much more. During the day enjoy bocce ball, croquet, tennis, horseshoes, fitness center or hike the trails through the lush forest. You can take Charleston lessons, shop in the quaint village, visit the carriage museum or just sit and sip on the 600-foot veranda as did the elite and wealthy of long ago. You will have three nights in the Grand Hotel with breakfast and five-course dinners, (all guests dress for dinner!), with very special events, dancing, entertainment by the hotel’s orchestra and fun competitions to join in or watch. Prices include airfare to/from Detroit, transportation to the hotel in Dearborn and to Frankenmuth (largest Christmas store in the world), then on to the ferry to Mackinac. Star Dusters Newsletter 7 April 2015 Prices are $2150 each person, double, or $2395 single with deposit of $200 each and insurance $174 each. Final payment due July 1, 2015 Briefly, for your consideration, are the following one- or two-week or less domestic travel suggestions, except for a few international: (Call me at 818-367-3217 for brochure/info.) Note the addition of new 2016 dates, *Custer State Park & Buffalo Roundup Branson “Autumn in the Ozarks” Nantucket, Martha’s Vineyard, Cape Cod Albuquerque Balloon Fest World War II Memorials - Europe Canyon Country Exp. Grand, Arches, Bryce, Zion Costa Rica National Cherry Blossom Fest. Wash. DC & Historical Virginia Savannah and Charleston Calif. Rail Tour – Coast, Wine Co., Redwoods, Yosemite World’s Fair; Italian and French Rivieras– 9 days each Lake Como & Switzerland World’s Fair– 10 Days Kenya Safari – 13 days Colorado Train Adventure – 8 days American Queen Paddlewheel along the Mississippi & Columbia Rivers Downtown Abbey/English Castles/Bath /London/Windsor/Stonehenge Sept 23-28, 2015 October 5-10, 2015 September 13-18, 2015 Oct. 4-11, 2015 Various dates in 2015 Oct. 7-13 & 13-17, 2015; Oct 5 & 11, 2016 Oct. 20-28, 2015; Apr. 12-20, 2016 April 14-21 2016 April 7-12 and 12-19, 2016 July 25 & Aug 1, 2015; July 23-30, 2016 Sept 21-29 & Oct. 5-13, 2015; Apr 27, Sept 13 & Oct 5, 2016 Sept 17, Oct 14, 2015; Apr 20, Sept 19, Oct 16, 2016 May 11-24, 2015 & Mar 9-21, 2016 July 11-18, Sept 11, 2015 July 9, Sept 10 & 17 & 30, 2016 Various dates in 2015 and 2016 Sold out! Call now for 2016. *See Pages 11 & 12 of October’s Newsletter (Star Dusters Write - Ted Jacox) for more information on this trip. Other trips in 2015 and 2016 have been added and include: Tanzania Safari Nov. 2-13, 2015 Azalea, Plantation & Cajun March 10-16, 2016 Glacier and Waterton Nat’l Parks - 6days July 15-21, 2015 San Juan Islands & Leavenworth Sept.15-21, 2015 San Antonio New Year’s Dec 29, 2015 Jan 2, 2016 Western Caribbean New Year’s Dec. 26, 2015 – Jan 2, 2016 Scottsdale, AZ, New Year’s Dec. 29, 2015 – Jan 2, 2016 Rose Parade New Year’s Dec. 29, 2015 – Jan 2, 2016 ~end~ Star Dusters Newsletter 8 April 2015 EUGENE G. REYNOLDS OBITUARY By Ross Reynolds Eugene G. Reynolds (Gene) passed away February 13, 2015 in Camarillo, California at the age of 97. He retired in 1983 after a 42 year career with Lockheed having been the Director of Quality Control, Advanced Development Programs for 15 years under C.L. “Kelly” Johnson and Ben Rich. Gene was born January 7, 1918 in Chanute, Kansas as the youngest of 5 children. He is survived by his wife of 66 years, Jean Reynolds, and children Ross (Debby) Reynolds; Robin (Ron) Cross; Robert (Valerie) Reynolds; 6 grandchildren and 1 great-granddaughter. He was predeceased by his parents and siblings. Gene started working on aircraft at the early age of 21 at Beechcraft in Wichita, Kansas. There he performed wing rib stitching and sheet metal fabrication on the Model D-17 Staggerwing bi-plane, and the D-18, an all metal twin engine monoplane with a twin tail design that gave it an appearance similar to the Lockheed Model 12. Little did Gene know then that he would encounter these two aircraft during his time in the U.S. Navy. He began with Lockheed on December 6, 1940, as he would say 1 year and 1 day prior to the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. Gene started at the lowest inspection classification, Learner Inspector, working in an inspection booth in Burbank factory 3G, a carryover location that previously had been a whiskey distillery. This was the factory where the P-38 fighter was being developed and manufactured. After the United States was thrust into WWII, he continued work on the P-38 and the Model 322 (the British version of the P-38 without superchargers and right hand rotation on both engines). In 1942 he accepted a position in Engineering Flight Test, placing him for the first time in an organization headed by Kelly Johnson. There he had the opportunity to work on an upgraded version of the P-38, the XP-49, and the XP-58, a large twin boomed fighter. Prior to entering the U.S. Navy Gene was assigned to support the transport aircraft concept requested by Howard Hughes for TWA, the prototype evolving into the famous Constellation. A military version was also being developed with a designation of C-69, having a camouflage paint finish. Upon completion of his U.S. Navy service in 1946, Gene returned to Engineering Flight Test to work on various configurations of the P-80 fighter, a Kelly Johnson design and Lockheed’s first venture into jet powered aircraft. He was part of the team that succeeded in taking a stripped down P-80R, “R” for Racey, and regaining the United States world speed record with an average speed of 623.8 mph over a measured course at Edwards AFB (then called Muroc Army Air Base). During his extended stays with the flight test activity, the crew would frequently stay at the legendary Pancho Barnes’ “Pancho’s Rancho Ord Verde,” and Gene eventually became a proud card carrying member of the “Happy Bottom Riding Club.” Gene went on to become an inspector on the XF-90, with only two prototypes built, and was part of the flight test crew at Muroc. He worked on the flight line during the production of the T-33 and F-94 in Factory B-9 in Van Nuys, before it was eventually moved to Palmdale. He then returned to work on the Super Constellation (an Star Dusters Newsletter 9 April 2015 elongated version) where he gained experience working with both U.S. Navy and commercial customers. By the late 1950’s Gene was working on the Electra II, Model L-188, a newly designed four engine turboprop transport aircraft that had arrived at the Plant B-6 flight line. In 1963 Gene had the opportunity to join the Skunk Works. He would work on many programs during his years in the Advanced Development Programs such as the A-11, A-12, YF-12A, SR-71, D-21 Drone, U-2 and the F-117. He was a part of the team that supported the first flight of the SR-71 on December 22, 1964. In May of 1967 Kelly Johnson appointed Gene to become “ADP’s Chief Inspector”, a position later called the Director of Quality Control, ADP. He would oversee all aspects of the Quality organization for the Skunk Works from development to production and support for the balance of his career. He retired during the development of the F-117 Stealth Fighter Program. ~end~ LARRY CHANNEL, RETIRED CALAC VICE PRESIDENT, DIES AT 87 Star Duster Larry Channel, retired Calac vice president of government requirements, died March 15, 2015. He was at Lockheed from 1962 until his retirement in 1989. Earlier he worked in operational research for MIT and as a Navy civilian engineer in the Pentagon. In these jobs he carried out pioneering research in antisubmarine warfare (ASW), including the key area of underwater acoustics. Starting at Calac in 1962 as an advanced systems design engineer, he advanced to management positions in ASW systems and operational analysis, becoming the primary Lockheed manager interfacing with Navy and Department of Defense officials involved in Cold War ASW research, development, and new system acquisition. After supporting the development of the P-3C Orion patrol aircraft, he played a major role in the Navy competition for a new carrier based ASW aircraft. Lockheed won this competition in 1969, resulting in the S-3A Viking aircraft program. 187 aircraft were produced, with the final delivery in 1978. Throughout these years he built up and led a strong, respected system analysis organization, personally spending much time in Washington supporting Lockheed programs and new business initiatives. In 1984 new Calac president Dick Heppe selected Larry to become Calac vice president, government requirements, located in the Lockheed Washington office. He was involved in a wide range of programs, including the Air Force Advanced Tactical Fighter, with Lockheed and Northrop winning the first round of the competition in 1986. In 1989 he retired. He and his wife retired to Nevada City, CA. Lawrence Edward Channel was born in Boise, Idaho on March 17, 1927. He was a WW II veteran, serving as a shipboard radar operator in the Pacific. After the war he received his MS degree in physics from UCLA. In 1947 he married Elaine Leech, who predeceased him in 2006. He is survived by five children and seven grandchildren. A memorial service was held on April 4th in Nevada City, CA ~end~ Star Dusters Newsletter 10 April 2015 STAR DUSTERS DOWNTOWN LOS ANGELES DAY TRIP, MAY 20, 2015 The Los Angeles area is filled with exciting venues that people travel from all over the world to visit. Downtown LA is one such area that includes City Hall, the Music Center Complex, the Cathedral of Our Lady of Angeles, Union Station, Little Tokyo, and Olvera Street, each with its own charm and unique architecture. Ironically, many of us who live here have never visited these sites in our own backyard. On May 20, the Star Dusters, many of us for the first time, will travel to Downtown LA for a Day Trip to see some of these world renowned attractions. Star Dusters Newsletter 11 April 2015 The trip will include a group tour of the Cathedral and the four theaters that make up the Music Center, some of the area’s most unique architectural landmarks. The tour also includes a group lunch at the Cathedral and a recital featuring the Cathedral’s world class 85 foot tall organ. The more hearty Star Dusters may want to use the rest of the afternoon to explore the many other downtown sites that are all within a few blocks. These include taking in the magnificent views from the 27th floor Observation Deck at the iconic LA City Hall, enjoying the excitement and color of Olvera Street, savoring a plum wine mocha ice cream treat in Little Tokyo, or admiring the art deco architecture of Union Station. Star Dusters Newsletter 12 April 2015 The tour will include walking at and between the venues. The Cathedral tour is an hour plus and the Music Center tour is 90 minutes. The walking will be interrupted with the sit down lunch and recital. Walkers are not recommended for the Music Center portion of the tour. Although this area is hilly, the Music Center and Cathedral are on roughly the same level. Those wishing to extend their visit to include other downtown sites should be prepared to navigate the hills or use public transportation. More adventuresome Star Dusters may also want to avoid the traffic and parking hassles by traveling to downtown using the Metro Rail with its Civic Center Station right in the heart of all the action. There is a $5 charge for the Cathedral tour. Gourmet box lunch options are listed on the registration form (Insert 3) and range from $9 to $13 per person. Details on the lunch items can be seen at http://www.olacathedral.org/ under Tours and Gourmet Lunches. Registration ends on 8 May 2015 and details on schedules, location, and transportation/parking will be provided with registration confirmation by 13 May 2015. If you register and have not received confirmation by 13 May or if you have any questions, please call Gary Belie at 805-529-6539 or email at rbelie@roadrunner.com This should be a fun and informative Day Trip. Join the fun and bring your friends. SPRING LUNCHEON AT LAS POSAS COUNTRY CLUB Dr. Robert (Bob) Boyd, Hybrid Lift Portfolio Senior Program Manager, ADP will be the guest speaker for the Spring Luncheon at the Las Posas Country Club on May 7. The picture above is a Hybrid Lift vehicle that Dr. Boyd will be highlighting. (See Inserts 1A, 1B and 1C.) Star Dusters Newsletter 13 April 2015 MEDICAL AND HEALTH NEWS Gathered by Mel Kovnat Acknowledgment of the source of material for these excerpts is included, but no attempt was made to establish validity. Please check with your doctor or ignore the article if any information seems to conflict with advice given by your doctor. ~ The article this month will again consist of some thoughts about our mutual problem of how to go about signing up through the OneExchange for our new health insurance coverage. Nothing has changed since my remarks in the March Newsletter. I have learned of no changes or of anything different than first impressions. I have been able to investigate the OneExchange website somewhat and have found it to be fairly easy to navigate and informative and not hard to use. I have spoken to the OneExchange people by phone and I feel they are helpful and responsive, easy to understand, and seem to be able to answer any question. The few LM retirees I have spoken with, or heard about from others, have not complained of difficulties with the system or of having to wait very long for help. That all adds up to a positive evaluation of the system and the people running it. The major difficulty is evaluating the numerous choices available and picking what we each feel is best for ourselves and our families. So where does that leave us? Read the available material. Make a list of questions. Call the OneExchange people to get answers or guidance for your questions. Examine the available choices, preferably on-line. Make a list of tentative choices and call OneExchange again. Make a date to enroll, call, discuss and fine tune your choices and set up your final step by enrolling. The above is not really different than what the OneExchange Enrollment Guide says to do. If there is some value in what is written on this page, it is probably to put the user in a positive frame of mind and getting started with the process. I believe the momentum will carry you through. Good luck to all. ~end~ Star Dusters Newsletter 14 April 2015 STAR DUSTERS WRITE – ROBERT R. PAUL The March Newsletter page 4 asks for comments on termination of medical insurance. I offer the following. I find it interesting that we retirees worked hard, long hours and with great dedication for 35 years plus to keep the Corporation profitable and with a great future. This has provided the current Corporate Officers and Board with their jobs, compensation and they appear to pay us back by change in benefits. I know the Gross brothers, Dan Haughton, Carl Kotchian, Roy Anderson, Larry Kitchen and Dan Tellup would never have done this unless there was a benefit to the retirees. They would have explained such actions to those retired. These men built the Corporations by hiring top folks (men and women) who would follow their lead and make the Corporation great. 1. The current Officers should have told us the facts. They should be required to tell us the reason such as reduce future risk, improve profits in the future, reduce cash flow or whatever reasons. 2. Those of us retired were given medical option when we retired and I do not recall any mention the Corporation would withdraw at any time. 3. If this is correct and is there any group of retirees Lockheed/Martin employees considering a CLASS ACTION SUIT against the Corporation? I am not suggesting this is an option but simply trying to determine what is going on by retirees at this time. 4. If this was done to reduce cost to retirees and provide greater coverage over many years to come, why not simply say that. 5. Why is the Corporation offering a small financial help for the last six months of this year and a greater amount in 2016 with a qualifier indicating this may be withdrawn at any time? How can we plan our lives on such a plan? Why not promise this on an ongoing basis? 6. Is the Board of Directors in agreement with this change? 7. When I retired, I was told that the Corporate Officers and Board Members received full medical/dental/eye glasses upon retirement with no annual cost to these folks including a co-pay. Is this correct and does it apply to current Corporate Officers and Board Members, does this stop at end of May 2015 as it will for those of us now retired? They deserve good competitive benefits while the Corporation prospers. I believe the Corporation should have handled this better and if they had, some of us would not have to provide such questions or comments. Ed. Note: The Newsletter has not received any other comments from our readers about filing a Class Action suit against Lockheed Martin ~ Ralph L. Smead (Eleanor) Ralph will celebrate his 90th birthday on 3/25/15. ~ Star Dusters Newsletter 15 April 2015 Maddy Schnepp – LAS History - Thought Star Duster readers might be interested in what the LM Corp. is doing to highlight the history and accomplishments of the old, unfortunately, now defunct Lockheed Aircraft Service. Some months ago I received a lovely publication titled “INNOVATION WITH PURPOSE", the story of Lockheed Martin's first 100 years. It was a handsome document with 271 pages. Reading it I was surprised that not one page or paragraph mentioned Lockheed Aircraft Service (LAS) which served the Corporation for 60 some odd years with domestic operations in a number of locations in the States and overseas in Europe, the Middle and Far East as well as South America. Overall these operations, which included aircraft maintenance, modification and overseas technical assistance, were profitable and served the image of Lockheed around much of the world. During the Corporation’s difficult financial years of the mid-1970s, LAS cash flow helped the Corp. with more than one payroll. Having served LAS for 37 years, and an additional 15 years as a consultant, I was disappointed in our exclusion from the document. As a result I wrote a letter to Chairman Marillyn Hewson pointing out the exclusion. I was very pleased to receive a response from the Chairman in which she said she agreed that LAS deserved recognition and had assigned Clare O'Leary at the headquarters to produce a history document specifically covering the accomplishments of LAS. Also found that Dave Ellefson of LM ADP- Advanced Projects, (former LAS'er) was working on the history as well. In addition to those fine people I contacted LAS's last President, Skip Bowling, who pitched in to work on the project. We also had help from former President and long time LAS executive, D.O. Wood, and others. As a result we are hopeful that a document will be produced shortly that will recognize the accomplishments of so many past LAS employees, now retired, as well as the descendants of LAS folks no longer with us. Thanks for getting this word out and for the great work that the volunteers, who produce the Star Dusters Newsletter every month, accomplish in keeping us old timers connected with our warm memories of the days past with Lockheed. ~ Lyman “Mike” Evans Great articles, Lockheed financial data, health info and history. Keep up the wonderful work! ~ Barbara M.K. Foley Enjoy reading the star dusters and appreciate the Star Dusters activities plus photos. Love the LM Corp. news section. Star Dusters Newsletter 16 April 2015 JONK-A-MATIC By Les Jonkey When I was assigned as wing and flight station planning supervisor on the new Electra commercial airplane, it entailed developing a manufacturing plan for assembly and fabrication tooling and instructions on their uses. I was told the wing design would be the same as the C-130, in Georgia, and the 1649 starting in Burbank and that I should look at the 1649. I contacted the chief tooling engineer and revisited the 1649. The wing skins were machined extrusions 18 inches wide with stiffeners approximately 2 inches high spaced 2 inches apart for the full of the skin. In alternate bays where H clips with 8 holes pilot drilled in fabrication their legs riveted to the stiffeners risers with 4 rivets and the web with 4 rivets attached to the rib cap. The holes, stiffer to the H clip were being drilled using angle drills similar to a dentist drill, except larger and air driven. Holes in the web drilled with 12 inch line extension drills. Previous drilling tests by Manufacturing Research indicated freehand drilled holes tend to be on the high side of their allowed tolerance while holes drilled with angle drills work on the high side of the tolerances and were quite often oval if not drilled 90° to the surface. The good part was, these rivets were squeezed. And a squeezed rivet usually expands and fills the hole. I didn’t like the plan because of the flight loads on these critical parts. After several weeks of sleepless nights I decided the 8 holes could be drilled with a specially designed machine. I made several, possible designs of machine to scale and they indicated maybe they could work. I talked to my department manager and he said he did not think it could be done, I talked with several tooling engineers and they said no. A few days later I met Chuck Wagner, director of manufacturing later to become president of Burbank Calac. He asked me how I liked my new assignment. I told him I had never been involved with a large airplane, especially a new one and that I was going to request a transfer back to the P-80. After several minutes he said, “I don’t believe you, now tell me what’s bothering you.” I told him about the H clips and he asked to see the engineering drawings. After a few minutes he said, “I agree. I don’t think you have room enough for a machine. I was the one that put you on the job, I am not taking you off, now what are you going to do?” I said, “I want to find a small machine shop in the area to prove I’m right.” He agreed to gamble $15,000 and Purchasing found a company that designed and manufactured the machines shown on the following pages. 2 machines, named Jonk-A-Matic by the first using foreman, each of which drill 4 close tolerance holes at one time in one minute. One hole drilled by hand takes one minute. These machines drilled 187 Electras, 650 P-3s, an Electra derivative and 107 P-3s built by Japan. Star Dusters Newsletter 17 April 2015 In 1967 the C-130 wing panels were moved to Burbank at which time the assembly tools were modified to use the Jonk-A-Matic. The drilling time was reduced 75%. Assuming C-130 wing panels manufactured in Burbank at 2 per month since 1967, over 1100 shipsets have been manufactured. These little machines have drilled close tolerance holes in over 2,100 airplanes or about 310,000 H clips with over 2,400,000 holes with a savings of 75% per clip. The photos below show a 6-foot test panel, H clips, rib cap and first drilling machine. All of the holes were drilled by Chuck Wagner. Star Dusters Newsletter 18 ~end~ I may be flying a complicated airplane, rushing through space, But in this cabin I’m surrounded by simplicity and thoughts free of time. How detached the intimate things around me seem from the great world down below. How strange is this combination of proximity and separation. That ground—seconds away— thousands of miles away. This air, stirring mildly around me. That air, rushing by the speed of a tornado, an inch beyond. These minute details in my cockpit. The grandeur of the world outside. The nearness of death. The longness of life. Charles A. Lindbergh (1902-1974), The Spirit of St. Louis, 1953 April 2015 Star Dusters Newsletter 19 April 2015 IN THE NEWS By Pete Harrigan NON-PRODUCT RELATED Lockheed Martin Taking on Climate Change – Best known for military aircraft and missiles, the company is setting its sights on combatting climate change, recently identified by the Pentagon as a significant threat to national security, the Washington Post reports. Some analysts are skeptical, noting the effort is unlikely to benefit shareholders because any returns would be a long time in coming. Among the reasons critics question Lockheed Martin’s foray into alternative energy are that the early results have been spotty, the Post said. But the company remains confident its technical expertise will transfer to commercial industries. International Sales Push – Chief Financial Officer Bruce Tanner told The Washington Post that Lockheed Martin wants to grow international business to 25% of total sales, up from 20% -- or $9 billion – in 2014. Tanner said most of the foreign sales are funded by the U.S. government. International business accounts for 25% of the Corporation’s existing backlog, putting the sales goal within reach, Tanner said. Lockheed Martin is Second-Largest Defense Exporter – Boeing, Lockheed Martin and Raytheon were the world’s largest exporters of defense equipment in 2014, according to IHS Aerospace, Defense & Security, a consulting firm. Rounding out the top five were Airbus and Russia's United Aircraft Corporation. Global defense trade rose for the sixth straight year to $64.4 billion, up from $56.8 billion in 2013, IHS said. Saudi Arabia surpassed India to become the world's top importer of defense equipment. Company Among Top Subsidy Recipients – Lockheed Martin was the 28th largest recipient of state and local government subsidies, the Washington Post reports, citing data from Good Jobs First, a policy resource center. Boeing topped the list, with $13.4 billion in state and local government tax breaks awarded over the study period, compared to Lockheed Martin’s $700 million. Intel, Alcoa, General Motors and Ford rounded out the top five; Northrop Grumman was 20 th on the list, with $900 million in subsidies. Annual Meeting Set – Lockheed Martin’s annual meeting of stockholders is scheduled for 8 AM on April 23 at the corporation’s Center for Leadership Excellence in Bethesda, MD. In addition to electing directors and ratifying the appointment of independent auditors, stockholders will cast advisory votes on executive compensation and vote on two stockholder proposals. Lead Director Douglas H. McCorkindale has reached mandatory retirement and will leave the board. The board’s independent directors elected Nolan D. Archibald as the new lead director. CEO Hewson Earned $17.87 Million in 2014 – Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Marillyn Hewson earned $17.87 million last year, according to a Washington Business Journal analysis of the company’s proxy statement. In addition to a base salary of $1.5 million, up from the prior year's $1.37 million, Hewson earned $8.9 million in stock Star Dusters Newsletter 20 April 2015 awards, a $7.06 million in incentive payments and $415,055 in other compensation. Hewson's pension value at the end of 2014 was $33.69 million. Lockheed Martin Sells Newtown Property – The company reached an agreement to sell its 57-acre property in Newtown, PA, to KVK-Tech, a pharmaceutical company already located in the township, according to the Bucks County Courier Times. KVK President and CEO Anthony Tabasso declined to disclose the sale price. The property, previously used for commercial and military satellite work, includes 460,514 square feet of office, lab and high-tech manufacturing space as well as a conference center that was built in 2010. Lockheed Martin Unveils New Kanata Facility – The company opened a new Mission Systems and Training division headquarters in Kanata, Ontario, to consolidate several existing Lockheed Martin Canada facilities in the area. The 109,000-square-foot facility will accommodate 160 employees working on the C$1.4 billion Royal Canadian Navy frigate modernization, among other programs, the Ottawa Business Journal reports. The facility includes a gym, meeting spaces and a graffiti wall, all designed to attract a younger generation of workers, a company official said. Lockheed Martin and IERUS Technologies Win Nunn-Perry Award – The two companies were selected to receive the prestigious Nunn-Perry Award for their strong partnership forged under the Defense Department’s mentor-protégé program, which encourages prime contractors to help small businesses develop technical and business capabilities. IERUS, based in Huntsville, AL, is a certified Historically Underutilized Business Zone (HUBZone) business. Since beginning its relationship with Lockheed Martin in 2012, IERUS expanded its business-practices knowledge base and earned AS9100 quality management system certification. Company Honored for STEM Program Focused on Women – The Society of Women Engineers’ (SWE) Midwestern Division presented its first “Invaluable” award to Space Systems, recognizing the Denver unit’s efforts to champion education programs that inspire the next generation of women engineers and technologists. The company annually sponsors SWE’s Girls Exploring Science, Technology, Engineering and Math event in Denver, introducing engineering principles and female role models to approximately 1,000 middle school girls. Asian-American Engineers Honored – Five Lockheed Martin engineers were among those recognized with Asian American Engineer of the Year (AAEOY) awards during the 2015 AAEOY Awards Gala in Los Angeles. Launched in 2002 by the Chinese Institute of Engineers-USA, the AAEOY Award honors outstanding Asian-American professionals in science and engineering for their leadership, technical achievement and remarkable public service. Past recipients include Nobel laureates, academic leaders, key corporate executives and astronauts. New VP-Global Solutions Named – Roy Stevens was named vice president of global solutions for the Information Systems & Global Solutions business. He replaces Anne Mullins, who was promoted to chief information officer and vice president of Enterprise Business Services. Stevens most recently served as vice president of strategy and business development for the company’s civilian business within IS&GS. Star Dusters Newsletter 21 April 2015 Linda Gooden Joins GM Board – Linda Gooden, who retired as executive vice president of the Information Systems & Global Solutions unit in 2013, was named to the General Motors board of directors. She is the fifth woman on the 13-person GM board. Gooden also serves on the boards of Automatic Data Processing, WGL Holdings and Washington Gas Light Co., a subsidiary of WGL. AERONAUTICS Pentagon Report Sees Drop in Cost of F-35 – The projected cost to develop and buy the planned fleet of 2,457 F-35 aircraft dropped $7.5 billion to $391.1 billion, largely due to lower labor rates, revised inflation estimates and a cut in the number of spares needed, according to the Defense Department’s annual report to Congress on the status of major weapons programs. F-35 Moves Closer to Data Fusion Goal – Flight tests are under way to assess a software patch intended to improve the ability of multi-aircraft F-35 formations to fuse data, Aviation Week & Space Technology reports. The goal is to blend data collected by F-35s’ targeting, electronic warfare and radar systems to improve pilots’ situational awareness and reduce their workload. Further refinements to the software are planned after the current round of flight tests, officials said. F-35 Will Not Reach Full Close Air Support Potential Until 2022 – F-35 pilots will have to wait until 2022 to fire the U.S. military's top close-air-support bomb after the Small Diameter Bomb II enters service in 2017. According to Military.com, JSF officials said the F-35 will not have the software package required to operate the SDB II until 2022, reducing the aircraft's ability to provide close-air support to ground troops. The JSF office has already discovered that the SDB II does not fit onto the F-35B – the Marine Corps variant – without modifications to the aircraft's weapons bay. Even with the delay, officials said the F-35A will have substantial close-air support capabilities when it reaches full operational capability in 2018. This includes the ability to fire an internal gun and drop a range of munitions, including the SDB I. First F-35A Rolls Out of Production Facility in Italy – The first F-35A assembled internationally rolled out of the Final Assembly and Check Out (FACO) facility in Cameri, Italy on March 12. The aircraft will proceed to additional check-out activities before its anticipated first flight later this year. The Italian FACO is owned by the Italian Ministry of Defense and is operated by Alenia Aermacchi in conjunction with Lockheed Martin. The FACO will build all Italian F-35A and F-35B aircraft, is programmed to build F-35As for the Royal Netherlands Air Force and retains the capacity to deliver to other European partners in the future. South Korean F-35 Offset Deal Reportedly Reached – Citing a European executive with knowledge of the satellite community industry, Defense News reported that Lockheed Martin will supply one military and two civil satellites as part of the offset arrangement for South Korea’s $7 billion purchase of F-35A fighters. The publication said Blenheim Capital set up a subsidiary in Luxembourg to provide satellite communications capacity, initially to the Asia Pacific region. Both Blenheim and Lockheed Martin declined to comment on the report. Star Dusters Newsletter 22 April 2015 F-35 Cockpit Demonstrator Shown in Hawaii – Lockheed Martin showed off its F-35 Lightning II mobile cockpit demonstrator to Hawaii military representatives, business leaders and elected officials in early March, the Honolulu Star-Advertiser reports. The cockpit demonstrator was at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam for Hawaii-based military commands to check out, including U.S. Pacific Command, U.S. Pacific Fleet, Pacific Air Forces and Marine Corps Forces Pacific, officials said. Cracks Fixed, USAF F-16Ds Flying Again – Defense News reports that the U.S. Air Force F-16D fleet is returning to service after a cockpit crack grounded the jets last year. The service grounded 82 F-16D fighters last August following the discovery of cracks between the front and rear pilot seats. Officials were concerned that a major invasive procedure would be needed to repair the damage, but Air Force experts and Lockheed Martin engineers found a solution involving the attachment of steel and aluminum straps to the front fuselage area. The Air Force has 157 F-16Ds in its inventory. A Lockheed spokesman said the last three jets should be fully repaired within weeks. Company Eyes Korea, Singapore F-16 Upgrades -- Lockheed Martin is getting closer to signing up Singapore for its F-16V upgrade package while also pursuing South Korea and other Pacific region customers for upgrades. A company official who spoke to Defense News declined to name prospective customers, but a source said Singapore plans to buy the upgrade for its fleet of 60 F-16C/D block 52 aircraft. The company official said Lockheed Martin expects to book an order with a customer “in Southeast Asia” by the end of the year. P-3 Wing Line Restarted – P-3 Orion wing production will resume in Marietta in support of the Mid-Life Upgrade (MLU) program for Canada and Chile. The MLU replaces the outer wings, center wing, horizontal stabilizer and horizontal stabilizer leading edges. All necessary fatigue life-limiting structures are replaced, leading to significantly reduced maintenance and sustainment costs. New alloys are employed that provide a five-fold increase in corrosion resistance. The P-3 wing line was last in production in August 2014. Upgraded P-3 Delivered Ahead of Schedule – Lockheed Martin delivered a P-3 Orion aircraft to the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agency 37 days ahead of schedule. It was the 12th of 14 CBP P-3s to receive Mid-Life Upgrade (MLU) modifications and phased depot maintenance. The MLU replaces fatigue life-limiting structures, extending the P-3’s service life by 20 to 25 years. Lockheed Martin Has T-X Clean Sheet Backup – The company is planning to offer the T-50 trainer for the U.S. Air Force's T-X program, but also has a clean-sheet design on hand should the T-50 not meet the program’s requirements, which are expected shortly, Defense News reports. The T-X program will replace T-38 advanced trainers with 350 new production models. The T-50 is used by both South Korea and Indonesia, while Iraq and the Philippines are on contract and awaiting their first deliveries. New Bomber Program Likely to be Cost-Plus – U.S. Air Force acquisition chief William LaPlante says the service likely will adopt a cost-plus model for the development phase of new long-range strike bomber, Reuters reports. Lockheed Martin Star Dusters Newsletter 23 April 2015 is on a Boeing-led team competing against Northrop Grumman for the development contract, planned for award this summer. Company Wins 3 Manufacturing Leadership Awards – Aeronautics won three 2015 Manufacturing Leadership Awards, administered by the Manufacturing Leadership Council, Frost & Sullivan. The awards recognized advances in Applied Additive Tooling Technologies, Hole Drilling Process Improvement and Optical Projection of Fastener Installation Data. MISSION SYSTEMS AND TRAINING Lockheed Martin-Sikorsky Team Wins $2 Billion Helo Support Deal – The U.S. Navy awarded a joint venture of the two companies a contract worth $2 billion to service H-60 helicopters. The fixed-price contract runs through January 2020 and covers "performance-based logistics" for the Navy's fleet of H-60 helicopters. UTC Boss Says Sikorsky No Longer a Good Fit – Greg Hayes, United Technologies’ president and CEO, told an investor conference that the company is exploring options for divesting Sikorsky because the helicopter manufacturer is “just not quite the business that we want in terms of long-term business potential, long-term growth." Sikorsky and Lockheed Martin are teamed on the U.S. Navy’s H-60 helicopter program and on the presidential helicopter replacement program. Reuters quoted industry analysts as saying that Sikorsky could be acquired by another big defense company, though the potential for a large tax obligation would make Sikorsky’s spinoff as an independent company more likely. UK Close to Declaring AN/TPS-77 Radar Operational – The United Kingdom will declare its three newly installed Lockheed Martin AN/TPS-77 ground-based long-range air surveillance radar systems fully operational with the completion of trials against airborne targets set for late 2015, Jane’s Defence Weekly reports. The radars are intended to mitigate the “clutter” on existing system caused by onshore and offshore windfarms. Under-Secretary of State for Defence Philip Dunne told the House of Commons that one of the radars has already undergone flight trials. Testing of the remaining two will commence before the end of the year, he said. SPACE SYSTEMS Lockheed Martin Fixing GPS Software Glitch – Lockheed Martin is working to resolve a technical error that affected some global positioning system (GPS) satellites but did not degrade the accuracy of GPS signals received by users around the world. The company said the error involved the ground control system for GPS IIF satellites it runs for the Air Force. The service disclosed the problem on March 22, acknowledging that archived data showed the problem had gone unnoticed since 2013, Reuters reported. The affected GPS satellites were built by Boeing. U.S. Air Force Eyes New GPS Satellite Competition – Service officials hope to kick off a competition for the next batch of Global Positioning System satellites in 2018, seeking spacecraft with higher power and greater anti-jamming capabilities, Reuters reported. Lockheed Martin is under contract to build the first eight GPS III satellites, and is close to receiving a contract for two more satellites. An Air Force official said there Star Dusters Newsletter 24 April 2015 would definitely be a competition, given that the service secured approval for a solesource deal with Lockheed for only 12 satellites. Boeing and Northrop Grumman have expressed interest in competing for the multibillion-dollar program. Atlas V Boosts NASA Probes – An unmanned Atlas V carrying four NASA science satellites was successfully launched from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station on March 12. The rocket, built by the United Launch Alliance (ULA) joint venture of Lockheed Martin and Boeing, transported four identical satellites designed to map explosions triggered by the intersection of magnetic fields around the Earth. Each satellite is equipped with 25 sensors to record what happens when the planet's magnetic field lines break apart and reconnect. Magnetic reconnection, as the phenomenon is known, is commonplace throughout the universe, but poorly understood. The launch was the 94th successful mission since ULA’s formation in 2005. United Launch Alliance to Select New Engine By 2017 – The Lockheed MartinBoeing United Launch Alliance (ULA) will decide by 2017 between two U.S. contenders to replace the Russian-made RD-180 engines that send most military and intelligence satellites into orbit, the Wall Street Journal reports. Testifying before Congress, ULA chief executive Tory Bruno said Blue Origin, run by Amazon.com founder Jeff Bezos, is one to two years ahead of Gencorp’s Aerojet Rocketdyne unit in developing a new engine. The engine selection comes as ULA is facing competition from Elon Musk’s SpaceX. A SpaceX executive told Congress the company would be able to undercut ULA on cost, though Bruno said ULA also is taking steps to reduce costs. House Looking to Alter RD-180 Restriction – There is a growing sense on Capitol Hill that language designed to limit the procurement of Russian engines for military space launches needs to be altered to avoid unexpected fallout, Defense News reports. Congress included a provision in last year’s defense authorization bill that would allow United Launch Alliance (ULA) to use the 14 engines it had under contract before Russia invaded the Ukraine last year. Pentagon lawyers, however, believe the language allows ULA to use only five of those 14. Members of both parties on the House Armed Services Committee say the Pentagon’s interpretation could give a monopoly to SpaceX, which is awaiting certification to launch military payloads. Laser Weapon Stops Truck In Its Tracks – A 30-kilowatt fiber laser weapon system developed in Sunnyvale successfully disabled the engine of a small truck during a recent field test, demonstrating the rapidly evolving precision capability to protect military forces and critical infrastructure. The Advanced Test High Energy Asset (ATHENA) system burned through the engine manifold in a matter of seconds from more than a mile away. The truck was mounted on a test platform with its engine and drive train running to simulate an operationally-relevant test scenario. The demonstration marked the first field testing of an integrated 30-kilowatt, single-mode fiber laser weapon system prototype. Through a technique called spectral beam combining, multiple fiber laser modules form a single, powerful, high-quality beam that provides greater efficiency and lethality than multiple individual 10-kilowatt lasers used in other systems. Star Dusters Newsletter 25 April 2015 AEHF Reaches Production Milestone Early – The Advanced Extremely High Frequency (AEHF) team successfully integrated the propulsion core and payload module for the fourth satellite nearly five months ahead of schedule. The program has been cited as a model for costs savings in government contracting; overall costs for the contract of AEHF vehicles five and six were reduced by more than 35% from initial government estimates, earning DoD’s David Packard Award for acquisition excellence. AEHF is the military’s most protected communications satellite system, assuring communications for national leaders and key allies. Lockheed Martin Seeks to Cut Costs of Satellites – The company is talking with the U.S. Air Force about ways to cut the cost of future missile warning satellites by up to 25%, an executive told Reuters. Rick Ambrose, Space Systems executive vice president, said the Air Force could decide by June whether to replace the current unique spacecraft planned for the fifth and sixth Space-Based Infrared System (SBIRS) satellites with an updated and cheaper version of the A2100 satellite "bus" used for GPS satellites. Making the swap would lower the cost of the 7 th and 8th SBIRS satellites by 20% to 25%, Ambrose said, adding that Lockheed could lower the cost of the satellites by 40% in time for an expected competition in 2018. Space Tug Could Deliver Cargo to the Moon – A multinational team led by Lockheed Martin will attempt to repurpose a modular “general-purpose space utility vehicle” it has proposed for NASA’s second-round commercial-cargo competition into a humanspaceflight services business ranging from low Earth orbit to Mars, a company official told Aviation Week & Space Technology. The proposed vehicle would combine the spacecraft bus Lockheed Martin Space Systems Company builds for its interplanetary probes with a robotic arm supplied by Canada’s MacDonald Dettwiler Associates and a pressurized module built in Italy by Thales Alenia Space. At least four other companies have entered the NASA competition. Lockheed Martin Invests in Rocket Lab – The company invested an undisclosed amount in the U.S. unit of New Zealand's Rocket Lab, Reuters reports. Rocket Lab is building a carbon-composite rocket, the Electron, to launch small satellites into orbit for less than $5 million. Lockheed Martin said the company saw potential applications for Rocket Lab's technologies in light lift, hypersonic flight and low-cost flight testing. TECHNOLOGY INITIATIVES Lockheed Martin Earns Spot in DARPA Robotics Contest – The Advanced Technology Laboratories unit is leading one of 25 teams in the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency's annual Robotics Challenge, the only large contractor in the competition. ATL is partnered with the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and the University of Pennsylvania to develop a humanoid robot that can perform tasks designed to simulate disaster response scenarios. The competing teams, from the United States and abroad, will face off June 5-6 in Pomona, CA. Solar Science Work Featured at Smithsonian – The National Air and Space Museum in Washington, DC unveiled a giant video wall that shows the sun in super high definition, using the Atmospheric Imaging Assembly (AIA) designed and built at Lockheed Martin’s Palo Alto’s Advanced Technology Center. The assembly, installed Star Dusters Newsletter 26 April 2015 aboard NASA’s Solar Dynamics Observatory, was developed in conjunction with the Smithsonian’s Astrophysical Observatory. Five years after its launch, AIA recently delivered its 100 millionth image, far more data than any previous space-based solar observatory. GLOBAL TRAINING AND LOGISTICS RAAF C-130J Training Upgrades Planned – The Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) selected Lockheed Martin to supply a modern C-130J-30 Virtual Maintenance Trainer and a Multi-Function Training Aid (MFTA) to support maintenance and aircrew training. The maintenance training contract will update two classrooms, providing a modern electronic learning environment that will enable RAAF C-130J-30 training staff to modify training courseware through the aircraft lifecycle. Powered by Prepar3D® simulation software, the MFTA reduces demand on operational aircraft while providing a highly realistic simulation environment for more affordable training. INFORMATION SYSTEMS & GLOBAL SOLUTIONS Lockheed Martin Sees Growing Demand for Cyber Security – Chandra McMahon, vice president of commercial markets for Information Systems security services, tells Reuters the company has seen a "sea change" in demand for cyber security services in critical infrastructure areas such as energy, oil and gas, and financial institutions. She said the commercial cyber division doubled its clients over the past year alone, and expects to generate double digit growth over the next five years. Lockheed is one of few U.S. defense firms reporting success in efforts to break into the commercial cyber security market, Reuters said. Radware Joins Lockheed Martin Cyber Security Alliance – Radware, a provider of application delivery and security solutions for virtual and cloud data centers, joined more than a dozen other companies in a Lockheed Martin-led consortium to collaborate, combine strengths and share best practices for cyber security. Other participants include APC by Schneider Electric, CA, Cisco, Citrix, CyberPoint, Dell, EMC Corporation and its RSA security division, FireEye, HP and its ArcSight division, Intel and Intel Security (formerly McAfee), Juniper Networks, Microsoft, NetApp, Red Hat, Splunk, Symantec, Trustwave, Verizon and VMware. Company to Support U.S. Navy Intelligence Sharing Solution – The U.S. Navy awarded Lockheed Martin two contracts with a total ceiling value of $90 million over five years to support Radiant Mercury, a system that allows secure sharing of sensitive data between unclassified and classified security domains. Radiant Mercury supports simultaneous data flows to hundreds of channels, interfaces with most major C4ISR systems, and supports most transport, network and data link protocols. Used by both U.S. and allied partners at more than 400 sites worldwide, Radiant Mercury has streamlined the process of sharing critical operational and intelligence information with coalition forces. NATS Expands Lockheed Martin Relationship – The UK’s National Air Traffic Services (NATS) air traffic control business entered into a strategic partnership with Lockheed Martin, Air Traffic Management reports. The agreement calls for the partners Star Dusters Newsletter 27 April 2015 to improve efficiency, safety and passenger experience across airports and air traffic systems worldwide. Lockheed Martin already supports a number of NATS operational systems, as well as its business IT systems. MISSILES AND FIRE CONTROL Lockheed Martin, Raytheon Face Off Over European Missile Deals – The Financial Times reports the two companies are competing for almost €8 billion in contracts to supply air and missile defense systems to Germany and Poland. Lockheed is offering its Medium Extended Air Defense System (MEADS) while Raytheon is advancing its Patriot missile system. Lockheed Martin Competing for New Missile Contract – Lockheed Martin, Raytheon, Boeing and MBDA Missile Systems are vying for a new U.S. Army contract for Joint Air-to-Ground Missiles, the Orlando Business Journal reports. Bidders received the RFP in January and proposals are due in April. The Army is expected to award a contract in August. Teaming to Improve Pilot Vision – Lockheed Martin will collaborate with H.N. Burns Engineering Corp. to enhance military helicopter pilots’ ability to fly in low visibility conditions caused by weather, dust or other obstructions. Known as degraded visual environments (DVE), the blinding conditions are a primary cause of major helicopter accidents. By combining H.N. Burns’ high-resolution imaging laser radar with Lockheed Martin’s experience in pilotage and sensor systems, the team aims to develop affordable solutions that improve pilots’ spatial orientation and situational awareness. Jordan Seeking Rocket Launchers – Jordan is seeking more U.S.-made rocket launchers built by Lockheed Martin, the Wall Street Journal reports. The Journal said the State Department approved a request from Jordan, which is looking to buy 72 of the M31 rocket launchers, a portable system carried on a tracked vehicle. MLRS Battalion Deploying to Korea – A Multiple Launch Rocket System (MLRS)equipped U.S. Army battalion will deploy to South Korea in June, Army Times reported. The 400-member unit will depart in June for a nine-month rotation, the Pentagon said, after which they will leave their equipment in place for follow-on rotations. Produced by Lockheed Martin, MLRS can fire 12 surface-to-surface rockets in less than one minute. ~end~ IN MEMORIAM – as of March 12, 2015 Lloyd E. Campbell (Mimi) Larry E. Channel June Edna Gamer Charles (Ed) Jameson Carol Lohrenz Virginia Mauna George W. Niotta (Peggy) December 30, 2014 March 16, 2015 July 5, 2014 December 17, 2014 September 18, 2014 January 17, 2015 February 17, 2015 ~end~ Star Dusters Newsletter 28 April 2015 Star Dusters Newsletter P. O. Box 10310 Burbank, CA 91510-0310 PSRT STD U.S. POSTAGE PAID Change Service Requested MMP DIRECT COMING EVENTS 04-15-15 04-15-15 04-21-15 04-24 thru 26-15 04-27-15 05-07-15 05-16-15 05-20-15 Palmdale Air Park and Plant Tour Day Trip (See Page 1) AV Satellite Spring Reunion Luncheon (See Page 1) LAS Ontario Star Dusters Satellite Bi-annual Meeting (See Page 1) 2015 SAE Aero Design West Competition (See President’s Corner,. Pages 3 and 4) Spring Reunion Golf Tournament, (See Page 1) Spring Reunion Luncheon at Las Posas Country Club (See Pages 1 and 12 and Inserts 1A, 1B and 1C) Rye Canyon Research Center Reunion (See Page 1 and Insert 2) Downtown Los Angeles Day Trip (See Pages 1, 10, 11 and 12 and Insert 3) MARK YOUR CALENDARS!!! LOGIX Buy a Jumbo Home without the Jumbo Down Payment We introduced new loan programs that allow members to purchase a home of up to $1 million with as little as 10% down. A second new program requires only 5% down for homes priced from $625,501 to $850,000. Contact us at www.lfcu.com or (800) 328-5328 FREE to learn more about these unique programs. Logix is an equal opportunity lender. Logix Federal Credit Union is pleased to support the Star Dusters newsletter publication. _____________________________________________________________________ Editor: Betty O’Connor bjoc54@verizon.net or (818) 361-0419 Associate Editor: John Shelton editor@lmstardusters.org Star Dusters Newsletter Insert 1A April 2015 ANNUAL SPRING REUNION LUNCHEON CAMARILLO, CA - MAY 7, 2015 Complete the form below and mail it with your check to: Lockheed Martin Star Dusters P.O. Box 10310 Burbank, CA 91510-0310 PLEASE REMEMBER TO ENCLOSE YOUR CHECK PAYABLE TO LOCKHEED MARTIN STAR DUSTERS ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ STAR DUSTERS ANNUAL SPRING REUNION LUNCHEON MAY 7, 2015 Please reserve ____ luncheon ticket(s) at $26.00 each for the Star Dusters Annual Spring Reunion on Thursday, May 7, 2015 at the Las Posas Country Club, Camarillo, CA. My check is enclosed. Please indicate your choice(s) of: Chinese Chicken Salad_____ Sliced Tri-Tip_____ Grilled Salmon Fillet_____ LPCC Vegetarian Lasagna_____ Please print________________________________ on my member’s name tag and print________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________ On the name tag(s) of my spouse and/or guest(s) DEADLINE FOR RESERVATIONS: FRIDAY, MAY 1, 2015 Star Dusters Newsletter Insert 1B April 2015 STAR DUSTERS ANNUAL SPRING REUNION LUNCHEON CAMARILLO, CA – MAY 7, 2015 Place: Las Posas Country Club, 955 Fairway Dr., Camarillo, CA Date: Thursday, May 7, 2015 Price: $26.00 per person, including tax and gratuity Social Hour: 11:00 A.M. with luncheon served at 12:00 P.M. Program: Dr. Robert (Bob) Boyd, Hybrid Lift Portfolio Senior Program Manager, ADP Menu: The menu consists of four choices as follows: Chinese Chicken Salad (poached chicken breast), Rice Noodles, Water Chestnuts, Broccoli, Carrots, Mandarin Orange Segments, Almonds and an Oriental Vinaigrette. Grilled Salmon Fillet with tomato basil vin blanc sauce served with rice pilaf and a medley of vegetables Sliced Tri-Tip with creamy horseradish and au jus sauce, served with mashed potatoes and vegetable medley LPCC Vegetarian Lasagna with an array of low-fat cheese & garden fresh vegetables with a light cream sauce A dessert of carrot cake will also be served Reservations: Complete and return insert 1A Directions: See insert 1C Star Dusters Newsletter Insert 1C April 2015 DIRECTIONS TO SPRING REUNION, LAS POSAS COUNTRY CLUB 955 FAIRWAY DR., CAMARILLO, CA From the San Fernando Valley: Take the Las Posas off ramp off Hwy 101 Turn right on Las Posas Road to Crestview (Las Posas turns right; Crestview is straight ahead) Take Crestview to Valley Vista Turn right on Valley Vista to Fairway (Valley Vista bends right; Fairway turns slightly left) Go down hill on Fairway to Las Posas Country Club, which will be on the left. From Ventura Take the Las Posas off ramp off Hwy 101 Turn left on Las Posas Road to Crestview (Las Posas turns right; Crestview is straight ahead) Take Crestview to Valley Vista Turn right on Valley Vista to Fairway (Valley Vista bends right; Fairway turns slightly left) Go down hill on Fairway to Las Posas Country Club, which will be on the left. From the Simi Valley Take Hwy 118 through Somis, about 3 or 4 more miles to Center School Road Turn left on Center School Road to Fairway Drive (Center School Road ends at Fairway) Turn Left on Fairway to the Las Posas Country Club, which will be on the right. From Castaic Take Hwy 126 through Fillmore and Santa Paula to Wells Drive. Go south on Wells Drive through Saticoy (Wells Dr. becomes L.A. Ave. – Route 118.) Continue on L.A. Ave. (Rte 118) to Center School Road (L. A. Ave turns left at a traffic light just past the entrance to Saticoy CC). Turn right on Center School Road to Fairway Drive. Turn left on Fairway Drive to the Las Posas Country Club, which will be on the right. Star Dusters Newsletter Insert 2 April 2015 LOCKHEED RYE CANYON FOURTEENTH ANNUAL EMPLOYEES’ REUNION Saturday, May 16, 2015, 1-4 P.M. Hart Park 24151 N. San Fernando Road Newhall, CA 91321 Bring your own food. (Soft Drinks, Bottled Water, Tea and Coffee will be provided) (Alcoholic beverages are not allowed) Come visit old friends and reminisce. Please let us know if you plan to attend. Contact: Dean Oliva (818) 363-7757 or Jill Trimble (661) 297-3943 Star Dusters Newsletter Insert 3 Page 1 April 2015 Lockheed Martin Star Dusters Los Angeles Day Trip Registration 20 May 2015 (10:30 to 3:00) Member Name ______________________________________________________ Total Number in Party ___________ Registration Fee @$5 per person (total) $ ________________ Lunch Options (Full details at http://www.olacathedral.org/ under Tours) 1. Star Box (Turkey, Roast Beef or Ham on Kaiser Roll) $9 per person Turkey Number __________ Roast Beef Number _______ Ham Number ____________ Payment @ $9 ea $__________________ 2. Diamond Box (Pesto Chicken on a Poppy Seed Roll) $11 per person Number __________ Payment @ $11 ea $__________________ 3. Alabaster Box (Oven Roasted Turkey or Ham on Potato Bun) $12 per person Turkey Number __________ Ham Number ____________ Payment @ $12 ea $_______________ 4. Tapestry Box (Smoked Turkey & Swiss, Roast Beef & Cheddar, Tuna or Chicken Salad on Kaiser Roll) $12 per person Turkey Number __________ Roast Beef Number _______ Tuna Salad Number _______ Chicken Salad ____________ Payment @ $12 ea $_______________ Star Dusters Newsletter Insert 3 Page 2 April 2015 5. Platinum Box (Tuscan Style Chicken or Beef on Foccacia bread) $13 per person Chicken Number __________ Beef Number _____________ Payment @ $13 ea $_______________ 6. Gourmet Salads (California Chicken Salad, Greek Salad, Chinese Chicken Salad) $10 per person Cal Chicken Salad Number __________ Greek Salad Number _______________ Chinese Chicken Salad Number_______ Payment @ $10 ea $_______________ Vegetarian Versions of each sandwich are available. Put a V after the number above if you want the vegetarian version. Payment Totals (Make Checks Payable to LM Star Dusters) Registration Total $_________________________ Lunch Subtotals Option 1 $ ___________________________ Option 2 $ ___________________________ Option 3 $ ___________________________ Option 4 $ ___________________________ Option 5 $ ___________________________ Option 6 $ ___________________________ Lunch Total $ __________________________ Total Enclosed (Registration & Lunch) $ ______________ Send Registration Form and Total Payment (made out to LM Star Dusters) to Gary Belie, 11564 Coralberry Ct., Moorpark, CA 93021 by 8 May.
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