AFR Enterprises Blog - page 16

The tech giant Microsoft Corp. announced that it will be cutting 7,800 jobs, nearly 7-percent of its workforce, and write down approximately $7.6 billion related to its Nokia phone business. The job cuts will be primarily in the company’s phone hardware business, accentuating its change in focus to software and cloud technology. About 2,600 layoffs will occur in Finland, a third of the total layoffs, as a product development unit there will be shut down. Read more >>

Boeing and Embraer have decided to collaborate on ecoDemonstrator technology that would support the KC-390 program, the companies announced at the beginning of July 2015. Read more >>

The broadband space race heats up as start-up satellite Internet provider OneWeb LLC announced on June 25^th that it had raised half a billion dollars in equity from notable sources running the gamut from Coca-Cola to Sir Richard Branson’s Virgin Group. The equity raised will help fund OneWeb’s goal of establishing a constellation of 600 satellites in Earth’s orbit in a move to provide low-cost Internet access to underserved markets. Read more >>

At the 51^st Paris Air Show, AerCap has announced an order for 100 737 MAX 8s from Boeing. This order, valued at $10.7 billion at current list prices, is AerCap’s first 737 MAX order. The order complements AerCap’s existing order book in the single-aisle category of aircraft and will be in line with their target market along with their plan for leasing the most popular and technologically advanced equipment. The 737 MAX 8 will provide the company’s customers with a unique advantage in the heart of the single-aisle market. The 737 MAX with AT Winglets incorporates the latest CFM International LEAP-1B engines and other improvements to deliver the highest efficiency, reliability and passenger comfort in the single-aisle market. The 737 MAX will be 14 percent more fuel-efficient than today's most efficient Next-Generation 737s – and 20 percent better than the original Next-Generation 737s when they first entered service. Read more >>

Honda confirmed in April 2015 that it will discontinue the Crosstour after nearly five years due to low sales numbers for the vehicle. Read more >>

BAE Systems has been selected to provide remote electronic units (REUs) for Boeing’s up and coming new aircraft, the 777X. This twin-aisle is planned to be released in 2020, with production beginning in 2017. Two variants of this aircraft include the 777-8X and 777-9X. Boeing expects operating costs to be lowered by ten percent, which includes flight and landing costs. Furthermore, fuel efficiently is also expected to be increased by almost twelve percent, saving time on ground. Read more >>

Northrop Grumman’s LITENING Advanced Targeting System hit the milestone of two million operating hours this past Tuesday. Read more >>

In the first quarter of 2015, BAE Systems was awarded a contract to provide critical readiness support to US Army Space & Missile Defense Command. The initial contract value is USD$11.8 million. Under the Concepts and Operations for Space and Missile Defense Integration Capabilities (COSMIC) contract which covers indefinite delivery/indefinite quantity, support from BAE will last for two years. Total value of the contract will reach USD$23 million. The contract has been held by BAE Systems since its inception in 2006. Read more >>

Lockheed Martin has reached the achievement of Milestone C with the United States Army for making their Vehicle Optics Sensor System (VOSS) program the standard sensor package on mine-resistant ambush-protected vehicles. Read more >>