Tag: Center (Page 2 of 10)

SWISS to introduce new service to Rotterdam, Netherlands

October 29, 2023 / WIL BALDWIN

Swiss International Air Lines (SWISS) plans to further expand its route network in the coming 2023-24 winter schedules. The airline will offer its first ever nonstop services between Zurich and Rotterdam in the Netherlands. The Dutch port city will be served six times weekly from January 22, 2024.

Rotterdam is the Netherlands’ second-largest city and a lively major port. The city itself is famed for its skyline and for such iconic structures as the Erasmus Bridge and the Cube Houses. Its impressive port is among the biggest in the world, and strongly colours the city’s character and feel. Rotterdam also boasts a varied arts scene, top-notch museums such as the Boijmans Van Beuningen and a wide range of shopping and nightlife options. The city is a cultural melting pot, too, and offers a unique blend of the past and the future that makes it a truly fascinating destination.

In adding Rotterdam to its network, SWISS is expanding its connections with the Randstad conurbation in the Western Netherlands. So in addition to its existing Amsterdam flights, SWISS will now offer a further attractive air travel option to and from the country’s economic and cultural center.

Short transits, good connections

The flight between Zurich and Rotterdam takes an hour and 30 minutes. The city’s modestly-sized airport is quick and easy to negotiate. The city centre is around ten minutes away by car traffic permitting, or 20 minutes by public transport. Rotterdam is about an hour’s drive from Amsterdam and half an hour from The Hague. Swift public transport services are also available to and from both cities.

Rolls-Royce supports mission critical data center power in Japan

October 23, 2023 / WIL BALDWIN

Rolls-Royce Holdings PLC (LSE: RR, ADR: RYCEY) is supplying a total of 31 mtu emergency gensets and a complete mtu EnergetIQ control system for the latest data center of a leading global provider of hyperscale data center solutions. The hyperscale data center, located near Osaka, is one of the largest data centres in Japan, with a designed capacity of 45.9MW. Designed specifically with the scalable capacity requirements of hyperscale and enterprise customers in mind, it gives users the flexibility to grow over the long term. According to Mordor Intelligence, Japan is one of the fastest growing digital content delivery markets in all of Asia, driven by the increasing use of mobile devices and the adoption of cloud technologies.

Rolls-Royce Solutions Japan has already installed and commissioned eight of the 31 container gensets, which are based on 20-cylinder mtu Series 4000 engines. The remaining emergency generators will be added gradually as the data center’s capacity increases. The mtu containers compactly contain the diesel engine with generator, a switchgear – including the mtu EnergetIQ control and monitoring system – and all the necessary connections and supply systems and are installed outside of the building.

The fully redundant mtu EnergetIQ Manager used in Osaka monitors both the incoming grid connections and the status of all generators within the plant. It starts the emergency diesel generators in the event of a grid failure, regulates the supply of electricity to the consumers and ensures that the load is transferred back to the grid and the generators are stopped when the grid is stable again.

Beechcraft King Air 360 reaches 100th delivery

October 18, 2023 / WIL BALDWIN

Wichita, Kansas, Business Wire, October 18, 2023 – Textron Aviation today announced the delivery of the 100th Beechcraft King Air 360 turboprop to the Comprehensive Blood and Cancer Center (CBCC), a longtime Textron Aviation customer. This delivery further solidifies the Beechcraft King Air’s place as the world’s most popular family of business turboprop aircraft.

The Beechcraft King Air 360/360ER is designed and manufactured by Textron Aviation Inc., a Textron Inc. (NYSE: TXT) company.

Nearly 7,800 Beechcraft King Air turboprops have been delivered to customers around the world since 1964, making it the world’s best-selling business turboprop family. The worldwide fleet has surpassed 62 million flight hours in its 59 years, serving roles in all branches of the U.S. military and flying both commercial and special mission roles around the world.

Tri-Cities Intermodal moves forward to develop intermodal center

October 10, 2023 / WIL BALDWIN

Wallula, Washington, October 10, 2023 – Tri-Cities Intermodal (TCI) has signed a lease/purchase agreement to acquire the former Cold Connect warehouse and property, with plans to develop an adjacent intermodal ramp in Wallula, WA. The plan represents a revival of the plans previously announced by Tiger Cool Express before they shut down operations in June. Tri-Cities Intermodal is an entirely new company – and the transaction had no connection to Tiger Cool.

Tri-Cities signed the lease/purchase agreement on Sept. 27, 2023, with Union Pacific Railroad Corporation (NYSE: UNP).

The envisioned Tri-Cities Intermodal Center will benefit the entire agricultural community in the three-state region by providing cost-effective and sustainable transportation capacity. Initially, service is intended to be offered between: Wallula and the Northwest Seaport Alliance on-dock facilities for dry imports and exports (in ISO equipment.) It will also support Union Pacific’s intermodal customers moving between Wallula and Chicago and beyond.

Boeing and Nammo Ramjet 155 test sets distance record

October 9, 2023 / WIL BALDWIN

Arlington, Virginia, October 9, 2023 – A Boeing (NYSE: BA) and Nammo team set a record for longest indirect fire test of a ramjet-powered artillery projectile alongside officials from the U.S. Army — firing a Ramjet 155 munition from a 58-caliber Extended Range Cannon Artillery (ERCA) at Yuma Proving Ground, Ariz. The test advances development efforts for the Army’s top modernization priority, Long Range Precision Fires.

The success follows last year’s Boeing-Nammo test recording the longest-ever indirect fire test of a Ramjet 155 munition. That test was completed using a 39-caliber towed artillery cannon at the Andøya Test Center in Norway.

The Boeing-Nammo solution is being developed under the Army’s XM1155 program. Considered a powered guided artillery munition, Ramjet 155 utilizes an air-breathing engine design that uses the cannon firing to provide the speed needed for combustion.

In an upcoming test, Boeing and Nammo will integrate a precision guidance system, leveraging a Joint Direct Attack Munition (JDAM) mission computer onto the Ramjet 155. The demonstration will evaluate the system’s maturity and effectiveness against stationary and moving targets, and readiness to transition into the next phase of development.

Maersk & Kodiak Robotics launch commercial autonomous trucking lane between Houston and Oklahoma City

October 6, 2023 / WIL BALDWIN

Florham Park, New Jersey/Mountain View, California — A.P. Moller – Maersk AS (OTC: AMKBY) and Kodiak Robotics, Inc., have launched the first commercial autonomous trucking lane between Houston and Oklahoma City. The freight lane marks an expansion of the collaboration between Kodiak and Maersk, which began with their first autonomous freight deliveries together in November 2022 as part of Maersk’s Global Innovation Center Program. Kodiak has been delivering eight loads per week, with a safety driver behind the wheel, for Maersk customers since August.

Kodiak and Maersk are completing four round trips per week on a 24-hour-a-day, four-day-a-week basis between a Houston facility, where consumer products are loaded onto 53-foot trailers, to a distribution center in Oklahoma City. Operational learnings gained from the activity are captured and documented as part of the Kodiak Partner Deployment Program, which is designed to help companies learn how Kodiak’s self-driving trucks can become an integral part of their overall logistics strategy and offerings.

Autonomous trucking solutions have the potential to address long-term challenges faced by the trucking industry. According to the American Trucking Association, the trucking industry faces a shortage of roughly 78,000 drivers. The ATA estimates that, based on current driver demographic trends, as well as projected growth in freight demand, the shortage could swell to more than 160,000 over the next decade.

Safety continues to be a perennial challenge for the trucking industry as well. U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) research also estimates that 94% of crashes occur due to human error. For Kodiak, safety and performance are foundational to its autonomous trucking solution. Each vehicle is equipped with 18 different sensors, including cameras, radar, and lidar, that provide the platform with a 360-degree view around the truck. Every tenth of a second, the truck evaluates the performance of more than 1,000 safety-critical processes and components in both the self-driving stack and the underlying truck platform. The trucks learn in parallel, with system upgrades shared to the entire fleet simultaneously, and are not subject to environmental distractions.

Embraer and Scoot sign pool agreement for E190-E2 fleet

September 26, 2023 / WIL BALDWIN

Singapore, September 26, 2023 – Embraer (NYSE: ERJ) announced that it has signed a Pool Program services agreement with Scoot [Singapore Airlines Ltd (OTC: SINGF)] to support the airline’s incoming fleet of nine E190-E2. The Pool Program provides access to component exchanges and repair services for more than 300 repairable parts to support Scoot’s Embraer aircraft, allowing the airline to minimize their upfront investment in high-value repairable inventories and resources, while taking advantage of Embraer’s technical expertise along with its vast component repair service provider network. Currently, the Pool Program supports more than 60 airlines worldwide.

The E190-E2 jet is the world’s most efficient and quietest single-aisle aircraft and the first batch of E190-E2 will be delivered to Scoot in 2024. In addition to the Pool Program, Scoot’s operations will benefit from the AHEAD (Aircraft Health Analysis and Diagnosis) which comprises early detection capabilities for critical systems, reducing technical interruptions and avoiding flight cancellations; the eSight, with real-time fleet performance monitoring.

Singapore is the nerve centre for Embraer’s services and support Asia Pacific operations. In addition to personnel based in Singapore, the Company has a Regional Distribution Centre within Changi Airport’s free trade zone. Recently, Embraer and CAE announced the establishment of a state-of-the-art E2 full flight simulator and pilot training program in Singapore which will commence in 2023. The full flight simulator will be based at the Singapore-CAE Flight Training Centre located at SIA Training Centre.

BAE Systems & L3Harris deliver first EC-37B Compass Call aircraft to the U.S. Air Force

September 12, 2023 / WIL BALDWIN

BAE Systems PLC (London: BAES) and L3Harris Technologies Inc. (NYSE: LXH) delivered the first of 10 EC-37B Compass Call aircraft to the U.S. Air Force for formal combined developmental and operational testing. The next-generation system evolves the Air Force’s 40-year mission of employing electromagnetic attack (EA) capabilities in support of U.S. and coalition air, surface, and special operations forces.

Mission system prime BAE Systems produces the Compass Call Airborne Electromagnetic Attack mission system at its Hudson, New Hampshire facility. The system disrupts enemy communications, radars and navigation systems, and suppresses enemy air defenses by preventing the transmission of essential information between adversaries, weapon systems and command-and-control networks.

Platform integration prime L3Harris integrated the EC-130H Compass Call mission system into a modern Gulfstream G550 business jet at its Waco, Texas aircraft missionization center. The EC-37B has increased speed, endurance and high-altitude operation for improved survivability and range to deliver EA effects.

Saab opens new radar production site in Fareham, Hampshire, England

September 9, 2023 / WIL BALDWIN

Saab (SAAB-B.ST) UK’s Sensor Systems business operates from Saab’s site in Fareham, with a team also located in Farnborough. The skilled staff in Fareham primarily produce and integrate the new Deployment Set, a configuration of the Giraffe 1X highly mobile, compact, rapidly deployed, software-based, 3D AESA radar. This increases Saab’s production capacity for its Giraffe 1X Deployment Set and the first units are already in production at the Fareham site.

Saab UK’s Sensor Systems business will also act as a Centre of Excellence developing follow-on UK Intellectual Property in the radar domain. It will also grow to maintain existing radars in-service with the UK Ministry of Defence, such as Giraffe 1X and Giraffe AMB air defence radars and artillery locating MAMBA (Arthur) radars.

Saab UK’s Fareham site has been growing with the announcement in February 2023 of the expansion of its Underwater Systems business of Seaeye autonomous and remotely operated vehicles. Across the UK, Saab has eight principal sites which focus on software engineering, underwater robotics, training services, radars and more.

Saab UK’s presence has been growing at pace, with employee numbers quadrupling through consolidation, acquisition and organic growth, bringing together the best of Swedish and British innovation.

The whole site in Fareham benefits 400 jobs at Saab, in established and future roles across various business activities.

Rolls-Royce to complete initial F130 engine testing for B-52J by year end

September 7, 2023 / WIL BALDWIN

Rolls-Royce (OTC: RYCEY) today announced that it is on track to complete initial F130 engine testing for the United States Air Force B-52J Stratofortress by the end of the year. Continued Rapid Twin Pod Tests at NASA Stennis Space Center in Mississippi have accomplished all of Rolls-Royce’s initial goals and allowed for the gathering of unprecedented amounts of data early in the program, further de-risking the integration of the F130 engine onto the B-52J.

In September 2021, Rolls-Royce F130 engines were selected by the Air Force to replace the existing powerplants in the B-52 fleet, with over 600 new engine deliveries expected. The new engines will extend the life of the B-52 aircraft for 30 years and are so durable they are expected to remain on wing for the remainder of the aircraft life.

F130 engines will be manufactured, assembled and tested at Rolls-Royce facilities in Indianapolis, the company’s largest production facility in the U.S. The F130 is derived from the Rolls-Royce BR family of commercial engines, with over 30 million hours of operation and a high reliability rate. It’s a proven, dependable engine with a fuel-efficient design.

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