Have a safe and relaxing Labor Day 2009.

Alion Science and Technology has been awarded a task order from the U.S. Navy valued at $48.5 million to research, design, develop, prototype, integrate and test a new torpedo detection system in conjunction with the Navy’s new anti-torpedo countermeasure technology, demonstrating the improved performance and integration of the technologies in Navy fleet systems.

The task order, awarded under the Naval Undersea Warfare Center Division Newport SeaPort-e contract, supports the Naval Sea Systems (NAVSEA) Undersea Defensive Warfare Systems Program Office with Anti-Torpedo Torpedo Defensive System (ATTDS) Torpedo Detection, Classification and Localization (TDCL) technology.

This work follows the successful demonstration of new TDCL technology developed by Alion and its team members over the past four years, which has been proven to outperform existing sonar systems on Navy ships. Alion will evaluate the TDCL system both in the laboratory and at sea.

“As other countries increase their submarine forces, the threat of torpedoes to Navy vessels also increases,” explained Rear Adm. John J. (JJ) Waickwicz (USN, Ret.), Alion Senior Vice President and Manager of the Engineering Technology Center Group. “Continued at-sea testing is intended to demonstrate that ATTDS will reliably detect and counter incoming torpedo threats, protecting Navy ships and the lives of personnel aboard,” Waickwicz added.

Qantas Airways has taken delivery of its fourth Airbus A380, with the aircraft arriving in Sydney following a ferry flight from Toulouse, France. Qantas Airways Senior Executive Vice President, The Americas and Pacific, Mr. Wally R. Mariani, A.M. said the addition of the aircraft to the fleet would see Qantas A380 services increase at Los Angeles and London from September 7, 2009. “Our A380 services, which commenced in October 2008 at LAX, have been incredibly popular with customers and the aircraft has generated extremely positive passenger feedback,” Mr. Mariani said.

“This fourth aircraft will allow us to increase Los Angeles-Sydney services from three to four per week as well as increase London-Singapore-Sydney A380 services from three to five per week. “Our fifth and sixth A380s are also due for delivery by the end of the year, after which we will provide customers daily A380 services from Los Angeles and London to Sydney and increase Los Angeles-Melbourne services from two to three per week.

“Qantas will then operate 17 weekly round trip A380 services between the U.S. and the U.K. and Australia.” The new aircraft is named Fergus McMaster in honor of one of the airline’s founders and its first Chairman. The first three Qantas A380s are named: Nancy-Bird Walton, after the first woman to fly a commercial aviation service in Australia; and Hudson Fysh and Paul McGinness, the two other founders of Qantas. Hudson Fysh was also Qantas’ first Managing Director. Since October 2008, Qantas has carried more than 300,000 passengers on its 450-seat, four class A380 services and is the only airline flying the A380 in the U.S. In addition to the fifth and sixth aircraft due by the end of 2009, three more A380 aircraft are scheduled for delivery in 2010.