Citizens Critical of Wind Farm
Morning Coffee is a robust blend of links to news around the internet concerning the Naval Air Station Patuxent River economic community. The opinions expressed here do not necessarily reflect those of the Leader’s owners or staff.
A community forum on the large-scale wind farm proposed for Somerset County attracted almost 200 people, a majority of speakers accused county officials of ignoring possible negative impacts, reports delmarvanow. The forum was sponsored by Safe for Somerset, a grass roots organization formed to challenge a wind-energy company’s plan to build at least 25 turbines taller than 400 feet. NAS: Pax River officials are concerned the wind farm will interfere with flight testing radar. Somerset residents’ worries included potential noise issues and decreased property values. The Somerset County Planning and Zoning Commission is scheduled to vote Oct. 28 on proposed wind turbine provisions. The document will then be forwarded to the Somerset County Commissioners for a final vote.
An internal Navy review of the January MH-53E Sea Dragon crash that killed three sailors faults NAS:Pax River’s Naval Air Systems Command for failing to develop regular maintenance procedures to check for chafing wires. The three-star command is responsible for developing, equipping, and maintaining Navy and Marine Corps aircraft, including the Sea Dragon. The review says a full risk analysis is needed to ensure the aging fleet is safe to fly, reports The Virginia-Pilot.
Federal procurement data confirms, sequestration cut DoD contracts during 2013 by 16 percent compared to 2012, according to Federal News Radio. The automatic reductions reduced the Pentagon’s spending authority by $56 billion, or 8 percent, between 2012 and 2013. The analysis shows a disproportionate share of the cuts fell on products and services.
The E-2D radar plane’s latest version is ready for real-world Navy operations just in time for the 50th anniversary of the original E-2 Hawkeye, reports Breaking Defense. The first five-plane squadron will deploy on the USS Theodore Roosevelt next year.
The Navy and Marine Corps’ Multi-Mission Tactical Unmanned Air System (PMA-266) Program Office welcomed a new leader October 16 during a change-of-command ceremony at NAS: Pax River, according to NAVAIR News. Captain Jeff Dodge, former deputy program manager for the Navy’s Aerial Target and Decoy Systems, relieved Capt. Patrick Smith, who will retire from the Navy after 26 years of service.
A second Navy MQ-4C Triton unmanned aircraft system successfully completed its first flight last week from an airfield in Palmdale, CA, according to the Times of San Diego. The 6.7-hour flight is a critical first step in preparing the aircraft to fly to a NAS Pax River later this month.
DefSec Chuck Hagel pushed Congress last week to reverse the Pentagon’s budget cuts, saying the reductions put service members’ lives at risk at a time of growing threats, reports The Hill.
Lockheed claims a major breakthrough in nuclear fusion which could lead to development of reactors small enough to fit on the back of a truck within a decade, reports Forbes. Fusion creates three to four times as much energy as fission and doesn’t produce radioactive waste.
A night-capable version of Prox Dynamics’ PD-100 Black Hornet unmanned air vehicle, believed to be the world’s smallest operational military UAV, has been unveiled, according to Aviation Week. The 18-gram single-rotor helicopter is fitted with both long-wave infrared and day video sensors, and can transmit both video streams or high-resolution still images via a digital datalink with a 1 mile range.
When third-quarter earnings are released Tuesday, Wall Street expects Lockheed Martin to report earnings up 7 percent from a year ago, reports Forbes. The consensus estimate is $2.74 per share, up from earnings of $2.57 per share a year ago.
