Tag: atlas (Page 1 of 3)

Northrop Grumman Solid Rocket Boosters aid first ULA Vulcan Rocket launch

January 8, 2024 / WIL BALDWIN

Magna, Utah, January 8, 2024 – Two of Northrop Grumman Corporation’s (NYSE: NOC) extended length, 63-inch-diameter Graphite Epoxy Motors (GEM 63XL) solid rocket boosters helped power the inaugural flight of United Launch Alliance’s (ULA) Vulcan Rocket and the first certification (Cert-1) mission.

The GEM 63XL boosters are the longest monolithic, single-cast solid rocket boosters ever manufactured and flown.
The launch represents the first flight of the GEM 63XL solid rocket boosters.
The boosters delivered more than 900,000 pounds of thrust, nearly two-thirds of the vehicle’s total thrust at lift-off.

The Cert-1 mission carried two payloads, one that will deliver science and technology to the lunar surface, including Astrobotic’s first Peregrine Lunar Lander, Peregrine Mission One, as part of NASA’s Commercial Lunar Payload Services program and the second was Celestis’ Memorial Spaceflights deep-space Voyager mission.

Northrop Grumman began development of the fifth-generation GEM 63XL strap-on boosters in 2015, under a cooperative agreement with ULA to provide additional lift capability for the Vulcan launch vehicle. The motor was qualified for flight in 2020 via static test firing at the company’s Promontory, Utah, test facilities. In June 2022, ULA awarded Northrop Grumman a multi-year contract worth more than $2 billon for increased production of its GEM boosters, which will support Amazon’s Project Kuiper and additional ULA customers.

Northrop Grumman has supplied rocket propulsion to ULA and its heritage companies for various launch vehicles since 1964. The GEM 63XL is an extended length variation of the GEM 63 boosters, which have supported eight Atlas V launches with 27 boosters to date.

The company’s Commerce, Calif., facility also manufactured the Vulcan launch vehicle’s hydrazine diaphragm propellant tank, which feeds the Centaur upper stage Reaction Control System to provide guidance and control during the later stages of launch. This tank is a more powerful successor to the ones previously supplied by Northrop Grumman for the Atlas V and Delta IV programs.

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Akiem & Alstom sign new framework agreement for 100 Traxx locomotives

July 17, 2023 / WIL BALDWIN

17 July 2023 – Alstom (OTC: ALSMY), global leader in smart and sustainable mobility, and Akiem European rolling stock leasing company have signed a framework contract for 100 Traxx Universal multi-system (MS3) locomotives. The firm part of the order includes 65 locomotives. The total amount of the framework agreement is up 500 million euros. Akiem confirms its leadership on the leasing European market and its ambition to contribute to the rail market’s accelerating activities, with major investment on corridors from France to 12 other European countries.

The Traxx Multi-system locomotives benefit from optimised energy consumption and can run both Freight and Passenger operations at a speed of up to 160 kilometres per hour. They will cover operations in 12 European countries: Germany, Austria, Switzerland, France, Italy, Belgium, Netherlands, Luxemburg, Hungary, Poland, Czech Republic, Slovakia. As a unique feature for multi-system locomotives, a part of them will be delivered with the last mile feature enabling to access ports, terminals or industrial sites without the need of a shunting locomotive.

All locomotives will be equipped with the leading signalling system ATLAS, Alstom’s onboard solution for the European Train Control System (ETCS). This system comes with the broadest coverage of countries and lines, both in ETCS as well as for legacy system operation, and superior two-out-of-three architecture.

Final assembly is planned to take place at the Alstom site in Kassel, Germany. Deliveries of the units are scheduled to take place between 2025 and 2028.

Alstom Wins Largest Railway Contract in History of Denmark

June 20, 2021 / WIL BALDWIN

First order from landmark framework agreement with DSB covers 100 Coradia Stream trains and 15 years of maintenance.

Alstom, a global leader in smart and sustainable mobility, has won the largest train tender in Danish rail history. Part of a landmark framework agreement with Danish State Railways (DSB) valued at a total of €2.6 billion, the first firm order of 100 Coradia Stream regional trains as well as a 15-year full-service maintenance agreement amounts to a value of €1.4 billion. The framework agreement includes an additional 15 years of maintenance services and the possibility to order additional trainsets.

Delivery of DSB’s new trains is scheduled to begin in the last quarter of 2024. Once in service, this new fleet will operate as a regional and fast rail service and connect Denmark’s northern region to the capital city of Copenhagen, before proceeding south to Lolland.

The Coradia Stream for DSB has been specially adapted to meet the needs of the Danish rail network and its top speed of 200 km/h will help ensure swift mobility across the country. Each trainset will consist of five single- deck coaches with a total seating capacity for 300 passengers. The trains will be pre-fitted with Alstom’s Atlas onboard ETCS Baseline 3 system, as well as an STM interface enabling it to operate on Denmark’s legacy signalling system.

Adapted Alstom Euroduplex Trains for Spanish Network Brought into Service

May 11, 2021 / WIL BALDWIN

Four Avelia Euroduplex trains from the SNCF fleet will enter commercial service on Monday 10 May 2021 on the Madrid-Barcelona route. They will be operated by OUIGO España, a local subsidiary of SNCF. The trains have been converted by Alstom and SNCF to run on the Spanish high-speed rail network.

Following on from these first four trains, 10 other trains are currently being converted by Alstom to serve several high-speed routes in Spain: initially, the Madrid-Valencia and Madrid-Alicante routes and subsequently, Andalusia (Madrid-Seville and Madrid-Malaga). OUIGO España will thus have a fleet of 14 trains for 5 destinations departing from Madrid: Barcelona, Valencia, Alicante, Seville, and Malaga.

During the conversion process of the trains, Alstom developed and deployed on-board signalling equipment architecture, necessary for rail traffic safety and performance, based on its digital ERTMS[1] solution Atlas. This solution ensures that Avelia Euroduplex trains are compliant and can be approved for Spanish infrastructures.

Boeing 747-8 Lives On With Atlas Air Worldwide Purchases of Four Freighters

January 14, 2021 / WIL BALDWIN

Boeing [NYSE: BA] and Atlas Air Worldwide announced an agreement to purchase four 747-8 Freighters. The order enables Atlas Air to leverage the operational advantages of the 747-8 Freighter to meet growing cargo demand around the globe.

“The 747-8F is the best and most versatile widebody freighter in the market, and we are excited to bolster our fleet with the acquisition of these four aircraft,” said John W. Dietrich, Atlas Air Worldwide President and Chief Executive Officer. “This significant growth opportunity will enable us to capitalize on strong demand and deliver value for our existing and prospective customers. The efficiency and capability of the 747-8F further complements our longstanding focus on leading edge technology. Dedicated freighters – like those operated by our Atlas, Polar and Southern subsidiaries – will continue to be in demand as the global airfreight market, particularly the e-commerce and express sectors, continues to grow.”

With a maximum payload capacity of 137.7 metric tonnes (137,750 kg), the 747-8 Freighter allows customers to access 20% more payload capacity while using 16% less fuel compared to previous-generation 747s. The jet also features 30% quieter engines. The 747-8 airplanes in this agreement will be the final four aircraft to roll off the production line in Everett, Washington.

“The 747 will forever hold a special place in aviation history and we are honored by Atlas Air’s longstanding commitment to the airplane. Atlas Air began operations 28 years ago with a single 747 and it is fitting that they should receive the last 747 production airplanes, ensuring that the ‘Queen of the Skies’ plays a significant role in the global air cargo market for decades to come,” said Stan Deal, president and chief executive officer of Boeing Commercial Airplanes. “With the global air cargo fleet expected to grow by more than 60% over the next 20 years, we look forward to delivering these airplanes and supporting Atlas Air’s Boeing fleet well into the future.”

Atlas Air has 53 747s in its current fleet, making it the largest 747 operator in the world. Its world-class fleet also includes 737s, 767s and 777s. The 747 and 777 models, in particular, are capable of carrying tall and outsized cargo loads on 3-meter-high (10-foot-tall) pallets. This common main-deck pallet height supports interchangeable pallets, adding to the versatility of both models.

Boeing, the market leader in air cargo aircraft, provides more than 90% of the dedicated freighter capacity around the world, including new production and converted freighters. The 747 program has produced 1,560 aircraft since launching the jumbo jet more than 50 years ago. In July 2020, Boeing announced its decision to complete production of the 747-8 in 2022.

Alstom to Provide Digital Train Control, Traffic Management and Electrification Infrastructure for the Rhine-Danube Rail Corridor

September 27, 2020 / WIL BALDWIN

– Alstom project value: 70 million EUR

– Travel time reduced to one hour on Sighisoara-Brasov section thanks to modernised infrastructure

– Alstom working on 75% of the 450 km currently in rehabilitation on the Romanian section of the European rail corridor

Alstom will provide digital train control, traffic management and electrification infrastructure as part of the rehabilitation and modernisation of Lot 2 (Apata-Cata) on the Sighisoara-Brasov section of the European Rhine-Danube rail corridor in Romania. Alstom’s share of the contract amounts to approximately €70 million. The Asocierea RailWorks consortium, of which Alstom is part, has signed the contract, with the project execution expected to last four years.

This project completes the previous one for Lots 1 and 3 of the same section, which was awarded to Asocierea RailWorks in March 2020. In total, Alstom will provide signalling and electrification works on the double line covering the railway distance of 128 kilometres – totalling more than 250 kilometres of modernized railway infrastructure – between Sighisoara and Brasov, two important touristic destinations in Romania.

The new project, totalling 28 kilometres of double railway line, includes the optimisation of the existing route by building tunnels to reduce travel time, as well as the modernisation of most of the old line, for passenger trains operating at up to 160 km/h. Alstom is directly responsible for the traffic management system, digital interlocking and ERTMS Level 2 deployment (ETCS Level 2 + GSM-R telecommunications system), passenger information systems as well as catenary upgrades and electric traction substations.

The most complex part in this project is the construction of two double tunnels (four tunnels in total, two per each direction) totalling almost 13 kilometres of double lines. In these tunnels, Alstom is responsible for an electro-ventilation system to compensate the lack of natural ventilation, along with a fire-proof system to ensure full traffic safety.

As with Lots 1 and 3 of the Sighisoara-Brasov section, for the upgrade of the catenary systems, Alstom will supply its OCS3 catenary solution for main lines.

Trains have been running between Brașov and Sighișoara since 1873. After completed rehabilitation, the train journey should take under one hour for the fastest trains, compared to 160 to 250 minutes at present.

Alstom has been active in ongoing rehabilitation works on the Romanian part of the Rhine-Danube Corridor since 2012 and now has five ongoing and two completed signalling and infrastructure projects on this section, covering over 75% of the distance of the 450 km currently in rehabilitation on the Romanian section of the European corridor.

The pan-European Rhine-Danube Corridor links the cities of Nuremberg-Prague-Vienna-Budapest-Curtici-Simeria-Brasov-Bucharest-Constanta. Through the rehabilitation programmes currently in implementation on the sections located on the Northern branch of the Romanian part of this Corridor, the traffic speed will increase to 160 km/h for passenger trains and to 120 km/h for freight trains.

Alstom is a global pioneer in the development and implementation of on-board digital train control equipment. ATLAS 200 is the Alstom’s ERTMS level 2 solution allowing trains to increase speed in perfectly safe conditions.

Alstom to Equip Regional Trains in Sweden with ERTMS Onboard Control System

March 25, 2020 / WIL BALDWIN

Alstom has been awarded a contract by AB Transitio, Region Skåne through Skånetrafiken, Region Blekinge, Hallandstrafiken AB, and DSB SOV to equip a fleet of 77 X31 regional trains with ERTMS onboard train control system, with an option of an additional 34 trains. All trains will be ready by end of 2023. The contract is worth about 35 million euro.

The trains are running in the growing Öresund region in the South of Sweden, and Eastern Denmark.

Alstom will install a solution that features an integrated dual system enabling the trains to run on legacy lines equipped with ATC-2 system in Sweden, whilst being also able to run on lines newly equipped with the ERTMS Level 2 system both in Sweden and Denmark. Furthermore, the trains are also equipped to run on the existing ZUB 123 system in Denmark. The design of the dual system minimizes hardware equipment by sharing some on-board components, and the wheel sensors. Alstom is the ERTMS market leader and is currently delivering a similar solution in Norway on over 400 trains, to be completed in 2026.

“We are very pleased to deliver an onboard control system solution for AB Transitio and their fellow vehicle owners for Öresundstrafiken. This contract is a strategic win for Alstom in Sweden, where its longstanding international ERTMS experience now will be applied to a major part of the train fleet in southern Sweden,” said Björn Asplund, Managing Director of Alstom Sweden.

“To us, an updated and modern train fleet is important as we see a steadily increasing flow of passengers to a region that continues to grow. With a new digital signalling system, the trains will continue to provide a very safe railway service in the Öresund region”, says Stefan Kallin, CEO of AB Transitio.

The project will be delivered by Alstom Sweden together with Alstom center of excellence for ERTMS in Charleroi, Belgium. Installation design and supply chain will be performed by the Alstom team in Copenhagen, Denmark.

Alstom’s Atlas is the worldwide number one in on-board ERTMS equipment, representing 70% of the on-board systems in service in ERTMS Level 2. Today, across 20 countries, trains under Atlas supervision have covered over 150 million kilometers, including Deutsche Bahn’s ICE3 fleet recently equipped in Germany. Alstom has also delivered the first ERTMS Level 3 in commercial service in the world in Germany.

thyssenkrupp, Embraer and Atech Sign Contract to Build Brazilian Navy’s Tamandaré Class Ships

March 6, 2020 / WIL BALDWIN

On March 5th, in Rio de Janeiro, Emgepron, an independent state company, linked to the Ministry of Defense through the Brazilian Navy Command, and Águas Azuis, a company created by thyssenkrupp Marine Systems, Embraer Defense & Security and Atech, signed the contract for building four state-of-the-art Tamandaré Class Ships, with deliveries scheduled between 2025 and 2028.

The construction will take place 100% in Brazil, in Itajaí, Santa Catarina State, and is expected to have local content rates above 30% for the first vessel and 40% for the others. thyssenkrupp will supply the naval technology of its proven MEKO® Class shipbuilding platform of defence vessels that is already in operation in 15 countries. Embraer will integrate sensors and weaponry into the combat system, bringing also to the program its 50 years’ experience in systems technology solutions and in-service support.

Atech, an Embraer Group company, will be the supplier of the CMS (Combat Management System) and IPMS (Integrated Platform Management System, from L3 MAPPS), and the recipient of technology transfer in cooperation with ATLAS ELEKTRONIK, a thyssenkrupp Marine Systems subsidiary that produces the CMS and sonar systems.

“We are grateful to participate again in such important milestone in the history of Brazil’s naval defence with the most advanced ships in their class. Looking back the great achievements we had since the construction of Tupi Class submarines in 1980s, it is a recognition of the technological excellence, reliability and longevity solutions we have offered for almost two centuries. The Tamandaré Class Programme will strengthen our ties by transferring technology and generating highly qualified jobs for the country”, said Dr. Rolf Wirtz, CEO of thyssenkrupp Marine Systems.

“The partnership validates our efforts to expand our defence and security portfolio beyond the aeronautical segment. Over the past few years, we have acquired expertise in developing and integrating complex systems, among others, in order to qualify Embraer to meet the needs of the Brazilian Navy, further strengthening our position as a strategic partner of the Brazilian State”, said Embraer Defense & Security President and CEO Jackson Schneider.

In addition to construction, the contract includes a sustained transfer of technology in naval engineering for building military ships and combat and platform management systems, as well as integrated logistical support and lifecycle management.

The Tamandaré Class Programme has the potential to generate direct and indirect job opportunities of high level of qualification. It provides for a solid national partnership model with proven ability to transfer technology and qualify local labour, which guarantees the development of future strategic defence projects in Brazil.

The naval alliance between thyssenkrupp Marine Systems and Embraer Defense & Security can also enable creating a base for exporting naval defence products from Brazil.

Amtrak Names William Flynn as CEO and President

March 2, 2020 / WIL BALDWIN

WASHINGTON – Amtrak announced that it has named William J. Flynn as its next Chief Executive Officer and President. Flynn, a seasoned business leader with four decades of transportation and logistics experience, will begin his role on April 15, 2020. Flynn succeeds Richard Anderson, who joined Amtrak as CEO in July 2017. Anderson, who fulfills his three-year commitment to the company this year, will remain with Amtrak through the end of the year as a senior advisor to Flynn.

Flynn, 66, has been a successful leader across multiple modes of transportation, including rail, maritime and aviation. Most recently, he served 13 years with Atlas Air Worldwide Holdings, Inc., which serves the global air freight, military charter and passenger charter markets, as President and CEO and Board Chairman. He also held senior roles with CSX Transportation, Sea-Land Services, Inc., and GeoLogistics Corp.

“Bill is the right executive to lead us into the future,” said Amtrak Board Chairman Tony Coscia. “We’ve never been stronger as a company than we are today. We are modernizing the customer experience and delivering our service to more people. Bill has a consistent track record of growing and improving complex transportation businesses. We are confident he will build upon the strong foundation of record-setting growth and improvement set by the Board, Richard and the entire Amtrak team.”

In fiscal year 2019, Amtrak set new records in ridership, revenue and earnings. In 2020, Amtrak is on pace to achieve operational breakeven for the first time in the company’s 49-year history. Additionally, Amtrak is investing billions in capital assets and is undertaking the largest fleet renewal in company history, with new high-speed Acela trains entering service on the Northeast Corridor next year.

“Amtrak’s future is incredibly bright and I’m excited to join the team,” said Flynn. “Amtrak service is vital to millions of Americans across the nation and by improving the customer experience, driving safety, and strengthening our partnership with states and other stakeholders, we can do much more for the American people. Tony, Richard and Amtrak’s dedicated employees have done an amazing job modernizing the company for the 21^st Century. It’s a privilege to join them in continuing this work and advancing something as important as Amtrak’s mission.”

“I congratulate the Board on selecting Bill to lead Amtrak into its 50th year and beyond,” said Anderson. “Bill brings deep expertise across all aspects of transportation and a true passion for the customer. As the company refleets our equipment, expands our services and advances key infrastructure projects like the Gateway Program, it will require the steady leadership and relentless drive for improvement that I know Bill can provide.”

Atlas Air Lands El Al As New Customer

January 8, 2020 / WIL BALDWIN

El Al Israel Airlines is outsourcing operation of its main freighter route between Tel Aviv and Liege, Belgium, to Atlas Air Inc. under an extended charter arrangement.

Atlas, an aviation services company headquartered in Purchase, N.Y., said Tuesday it is leasing El Al a Boeing 747-400 all-cargo aircraft, operating it with its own crew and providing maintenance and insurance (ACMI) beginning this month.

El Al, a new customer for Atlas, is experiencing strong growth in demand across its freight network, according to the announcement. The Israeli carrier sells the space on the plane and covers expenses such as ground handling, landing fees and fuel.

No terms of the commercial cooperation were disclosed, but ACMI deals typically run for one to three years.

Click the link for the full story!

https://finance.yahoo.com/news/atlas-air-lands-el-al-164407972.html

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