Swift Engineering, Inc. congratulates Dallara Automobili on being selected to design and manufacture the next generation IndyCar.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
San Clemente, California – July 16, 2010

“Just as in motorsport, every fiercely fought race produces one victor,” said Jan Wesley Refsdal, Swift’s president. “We congratulate Dallara on being chosen to provide the next generation IndyCar chassis. We would also like to recognize all of those in this competition whose technical innovation, strategy and execution helped promote the series and American motorsports. Given a more favorable economic climate and the freedom of an open business model, Swift would have welcomed the opportunity to compete with other manufacturers in a truly open chassis competition environment.”

Swift is honored to have been considered amongst the best racecar designers, engineers and manufacturers in the world. To meet this high standard, Swift developed many inspirational concepts and solutions with the direct assistance of partners such as, Cray, Inc., Cruden, Firestone, Honda America, Honda Performance Development, Mark One Composites, Inc. and Metacomp Technologies, Inc. Swift wishes to publically recognize and thank them for their help and support and hopes to continue these valued relationships into other exciting collaborative projects in the near future.

In addition, we would like to thank Swift’s many fans, Facebook and Twitter followers for their passionate support, feedback and ideas during the entire bid process.

We wish IndyCar and Dallara every success in their continued partnership.”

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Swift releases “Road to Indy” next generation IZOD IndyCar ® concept #70
San Clemente, California – June 9, 2010 – Swift Engineering presented it’s complete value proposition to the IZOD IndyCar ICONIC Committee earlier this week in its bid to partner with the series to design and manufacture the next generation IndyCar for 2012 through 2016.

“I’m very proud of the Swift team who over the past nine months, have put together a compelling value proposition for the Indy Racing League,” said Jan Wesley Refsdal, Swift’s president. “Swift’s engineering, manufacturing and commercial departments contributed significant effort and internal budget to develop a cost-effective, safe, exciting and modern look race car. We believe our latest concept is worthy of the fastest and most technically diverse racing series in the world. Swift even reached out to a well-established chassis competitor also answering IndyCar’s RFP, but collectively determined that under current timing and economic constraints, it was not viable to control competition in a joint-venture. I think all the chassis manufacturers would like to compete in IndyCar, but that would mean teams would have to pay significantly more to cover the R&D costs needed to remain competitive. IndyCar teams can’t justify the high cost of chassis development experienced in the past.”

Swift’s concept #70 (images attached) is the latest evolution concept and incorporates aspects of the six previously launched concepts Swift has designed over the past nine months.

“Our latest concept evolves elements from our previous concepts and from the direct feedback we have received from the series, teams and fans,” said Casper van der Schoot, Swift’s motorsport director. “I would like to thank the fans who have provided great feedback to us through our Facebook page and in particular Erik Berkman and Dave Marek from Honda for sharing with us their data and modeling for their next generation V-6 power plant as well as their chassis styling concept that weighed heavily in our design.”

The seventh Swift IndyCar concept is dubbed #70 “Road to Indy” and proudly displays the Interstate 70 sign as this is the main road travelling from west to east through Indianapolis, Indiana.

“#70 has increased signage real-estate as demanded by the teams,” said Mark Page, Swift’s Chief Scientist. “We enlarged the car’s body work and angled the surfaces so that they present the best view to the fans. We also have a new Mushroom Buster ® design. This promotes passing by busting the mushroom cloud of dead air behind the racecar. Our #70 model was run through extensive Computational Fluid Dynamics on our new Cray Supercomputers. The Cray has increased our capability 50-fold, and we now know our car will have significantly less drag than the current car.”

Safety was also a very important consideration in the design process and our concept incorporates new features resolving many issues the current chassis inherently (and recently) demonstrates.

“The monocoque is larger than the current spec,” stated Chris Norris, Swift’s chief designer. “It is designed to accommodate driver size from Danica (Patrick) to Justin (Wilson) with added padding beneath and behind the driver. In addition we have added anti-wheel lock blades dubbed, ‘Satan’s teeth’ aft of the front wheels, attached to the front of the sidepods. Also an anti-lift approach to the design of the front wings and sidepods will dramatically reduce the likelihood of the car getting airborne.”

The IndyCar series is reviewing Swift’s and four other manufacturer’s value propositions and is expected to make its decision for the next generation IndyCar for 2012 – 2016 competition in the near future.c.

www.facebook.com/swiftengineering

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Richard S. James - May 21, 2010

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The phrase, “It looks like it was designed by a committee!” is seldom a comment of kindness. Applied to everything from a duckbill platypus to the Ford Edsel to numerous examples of bad architecture, it implies that the whole is far less than the sum of its parts.

While every modern racecar is essentially designed by a committee – aerodynamicists, engineers, stylists, engine manufacturers and tire manufacturers all work together to try to achieve speed, safety, cost-effectiveness and beauty in one package – Swift Engineering has taken it a step further in designing what it hopes is the car that will fill the grid when the IZOD IndyCar Series opens its 2012 season.

And although racecar development is usually done in strict secrecy, as the Indy Racing League goes through the process of deciding what the replacement for the aging Dallara chassis should be, the competing manufacturers – Swift, Dallara Automobili, Lola Cars, DeltaWing Racing Cars and BAT Engineering – have all shared their designs with the public. In some cases they have offered more than one design, or allowed the fans to follow along with the process.

That's where the “committee” comes into play. Swift's design team says they have tried to involve every stakeholder – including the IRL, Honda and Firestone, but also the teams, sponsors and the fans, who ultimately decide whether the on-track product is worth their attention – in the process as it evolves the car from its initial design.

“Typically we do these design iterations in house,” says Swift Senior Engineer Neil Roberts. “But for this program we decided to involve everyone we possibly could and make this more of a team effort. We certainly have our own ideas of what a racecar should look like, and so does everybody else. We're willing to listen to input from all sources.”

Swift has given RACER.com an exclusive look inside the process of evolution of what it hopes will be the next Indy car. And the reality is that the different manufacturers are likely competing against each other now, rather than on the track later. The direction the design team is taking is leading them to the production of a spec chassis – not necessarily because they want it that way, but because they say the only way to achieve the cost containment the league wants is with a one-make series.

Swift Chief Scientist Mark Page, like many open-wheel fans, fondly remembers the glory days of CART when Swift, Penske, Lola, Reynard and Eagle all competed against each other with Toyota, Honda, Mercedes-Benz and Ford engines on Firestone and Goodyear tires. That competitive spirit goes back to the San Clemente, Calif., firm's beginnings, when it produced a fairly radical Formula Ford chassis for 1983 that soon dominated the market and is still competitive nearly 30 years later. The company went on to produce a variety of winning club and entry-level pro chassis for a variety of categories before building a Champ Car that won on its first outing at Homestead in 1997, with Michael Andretti at the wheel (below).

Both the company and the racing world have changed significantly in the past 13 years. While Swift is still obviously heavily involved in motorsports, having been the sole supplier of the hopefully-on-temporary-hiatus professional Formula Atlantic series chassis since 1998 and now the chassis supplier for the Formula Nippon Series in Japan, much of its business now involves aerospace, including producing unmanned aerial vehicles and making composite pieces for other manufacturers. The wind tunnel next door is also kept busy, not only testing automotive and aerospace designs, but also designs of buildings, to make sure they can withstand high winds.

Motorsports, especially with the recent economic times, have changed as well. CART/Champ Car is no more and the IZOD IndyCar Series is suffering like every other entertainment venue in a tough economy. The budgets are no longer there for most teams to run in a competitive chassis program. According to Page, it's simply not possible to have that and meet the cost goal of $370,000 for a complete chassis kit.

“The number they're talking about needing today is at least threefold less than a competitive chassis program,” says Page. “If you have to win to keep getting fed, you have to invest hugely more than you would on a spec car. And it kills us, because we want that. But you can't have it all. Everybody's hope is that when the economics for open-wheel racing return, everybody wants to aim that way. Nobody wants to see an eternal single chassis.”

As critical as cost, many of the innovations that Swift is looking to incorporate are simply not possible if they have to build a car to compete with others. One area they're looking at is to tweak the aerodynamics to make passing easier. No manufacturer is going to make its car easier to pass by a competing chassis if they can help it...

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Neil Roberts’ Breakthrough Race Car Engineering Book
San Marcos, CA, USA – May 10, 2010

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Being successful in racing is completely reliant on understanding and mastering the basics. Until one learns the practical approach to building,tuning, and racing, racers will simply spend money with average results. Neil’s practical and proven approaches to success in race car driving, tuning, and designing makes him uniquely qualified to pen this ‘Why‐To’ guide to winning. Neil shares his techniques and more importantly, his reasons for why to approach things a certain way. Rarely does a technical book in the motorsports field cover the topic from this angle. THINK FAST is that rare text that not only educates, but also provides understanding.

Neil Roberts has had an extensive and successful motorsports career, spanning autocross, club racing, Indy car development, and he has a lengthy race car design portfolio at Swift Engineering. Discussing his motivation for writing THINK FAST, Roberts said “Carroll Smith’s books are an excellent foundation to help the racer tackle the challenges that race cars present. THINK FAST builds on the foundation he created and covers a lot of new ground, detailing the approaches to the racer’s challenge that I have developed into a proven winning philosophy.”

Neil’s book will help the reader grasp why ‘everything depends on everything else’, but more importantly will help the reader understand to what degree all those interactions matter. Neil divides the book into two sections. ‘FAST FUNDAMENTALS’ lays the groundwork on crucial topics such as reliability, driver development, setups, etc. ‘FAST PHYSICS’ is the technical section where Neil really delves into the nuts and bolts of getting the reader to grasp why these things matter. He covers tire behavior, suspension stiffness, damper tuning, geometry goals, alignment and more without using complicated mathematical formulas. With the knowledge of why to do things a certain way, every racer will strengthen their foundation for success. This book provides that knowledge.

Signed copies of THINK FAST with custom inscriptions are available for delivery to addresses in America through thinkfastbook.com for $30.00 US. THINK FAST is also available direct from createspace.com, Amazon’s Canada, France, Germany, Japan, United Kingdom, and United States web sites, as well as other retailers. The ISBN number is 1451558759. THINK FAST is available exclusively in paperback book form. Contact the author for dealer inquiries.

Author contact:
Neil Roberts
(760) 310‐8460 cell
thinkfastbook@gmail.com
thinkfastbook.com

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By Brittany Levine, The Orange County Register

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Move over, Italy, a San Clemente company wants in on Indy racing.

Since 2003, the chassis, or shell, of all racing cars in the IndyCar series have been made by Dallara, an Italian company. But the Indy Racing League is considering contracting with a new chassis maker, preferably one that's American and can slim down the price tag.

The league is considering four companies' concepts; Swift Engineering Inc. of San Clemente is one of them.

"It's the pinnacle of racing – it's what we as a company, as a chassis manufacturer, strive to do," Jan Refsdal, Swift's president, said of the company's push for the contract.

The Indy Racing League is best known for the Indianapolis 500 race held every Memorial Day weekend. It also ran the headline race at the Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach on April 18.

Swift, founded in 1983, is the official chassis maker of Formula Nippon, a Japanese racing league, and it used to contract with Champ Car, a now-defunct racing series that merged with IndyCar a few years ago. Refsdal said he is confident Swift can take home the contract because his company is based in the United States and can meet cost-reduction requirements.

The other companies vying for the deal include Dallara, the United Kingdom's Lola and Indiana's DeltaWing. Swift beat out Lola for the Nippon chassis contract.

Indy chassis currently cost about $700,000 each, but the IRL wants to reduce that by about 40 percent. The league plans to make its decision in June on the new chassis, which would be used starting in 2012, Refsdal said.

According to news reports, DeltaWing may have the upper hand because IRL President Brian Barnhart has said he would prefer an Indiana-based manufacturer. However, Refsdal said that's not a problem for Swift because it has partnered with Mark One Composites Inc., an Indiana-based carbon-fiber composite manufacturer, to make the Swift product there if Swift gets the contract. Chassis are made out of carbon fiber.

Everyone in the IRL must use the same chassis in order to have a level playing field, Refsdal said. The league has said it hopes getting a new chassis may open the series to new competitors because it would give all racers a fresh start.

"Our chassis is the most complex challenge in world motorsports because of the variety of race courses where we compete," Barnhart said in a statement. "It must be designed to run at 235 mph at Indianapolis Motor Speedway and protect drivers and spectators in high-speed crashes. It must be able to perform on superspeedways, speedways and short ovals as well as natural-terrain road courses and temporary circuits."

Swift has modeled its concept, which looks almost like a blend between a shark and a rocket, after its Nippon chassis. It has changed some things to meet IndyCar specifications and to withstand Indy's high speeds, Refsdal said.

Another thing separating Swift from the competition is its experience in aerospace design, Refsdal said. The company, which has designed military-grade aircraft and is working on an unmanned plane, has blended that work with its race-car roots to create an aerostyle design, he said.

Swift went through several versions of its concept before submitting a final design. At first, the company tried an open-engine look, but after getting fan and racer feedback, decided to nix that idea because it would kill valuable advertising space. A three-pronged nose also was tested, but the triton shape was tossed out because it didn't optimize down force, or pressure that enables a car to travel faster.

Along the way, Swift started getting feedback from the blogosphere and Twitterverse. Rachel Nichols, also known as "pinkgineer" on Twitter (she's a Swift mechanical engineer with pink hair), channeled that feedback through a blog, Facebook and Twitter and gave it to the scientists and engineers working on the design. Swift also put the designs on its website and asked fans to vote on which they liked best.

(What do you think? Click here to vote now.)

Fans said they liked a fin placed near the front wheels, so Swift kept that. Some said the nose looked too full, so Swift sheared it down. "We're trying to be proactive," Refsdal said. "Fans are big stakeholders in this."

Contact the writer: blevine@ocregister.com or 949-492-5135

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Swift Engineering, Inc., a California-based designer and manufacturer of open-wheel race cars, is the first Cray CX1000 customer. In addition to the Cray CX1000, Swift will also use a Cray CX1 system to further enhance its capabilities in Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD), an important tool in the design and development of aerodynamic concepts. Swift is aligning with companies such as Cray to further its bid to design and build the next generation race car chassis for the 2012 IZOD IndyCar Series®.

“The Cray CX1000 system is uniquely designed so that HPC users intent on solving scientific and engineering challenges can now apply the latest, most cutting-edge supercomputing technology – in fact the first delivery of Cray CX1000s is going to Swift Engineering to further assist them in their bid to design the next generation race car for the IZOD IndyCar Series, the fastest race series in the world. Swift demanded the unfair advantage of Cray’s CX1000 capabilities to beat out other manufacturer competition. Expanding our total addressable market is an important strategic goal for the company. From petascale technologies to deskside supercomputing systems and now to GPUs, we now provide a supercomputing solution for virtually any supercomputing need.”

—Ian Miller, Senior Vice President, Productivity Solutions Group Sales and Marketing, Cray Inc.

“Cray’s CX1000 and CX1 systems will play a pivotal role in Swift’s continuing commitment to motorsport and will help Swift again re-set new industry standards in innovative design and manufacturing. The decision to use Cray supercomputers was the result of a focused effort to find the right resources to meet our significant and demanding design challenges. In the competitive world of motorsports, second place is the first loser and Cray’s system solutions gives Swift an unfair advantage. Cray is synonymous with supercomputing and we are thrilled to be owners of Cray supercomputers.”

—Jan Wesley Refsdal, President, Swift Engineering, Inc.

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San Clemente, California – USA February 2010

American race car company, Swift Engineering, Inc. is proud to announce key motorsport partnerships with industry leading companies to further its bid to design and build the next generation race car chassis for the 2012 IZOD IndyCar Series ®.

“Given Swift is the leading US race car design and manufacturing company and our 27-year history was founded in motorsport, it is only natural that we aspire to partner with the nations’ premier open-wheel formula, the IZOD IndyCar Series,” Jan Wesley Refsdal, Swift’s president said.

Key business alliances have been cemented between Swift and Cray Inc. (The Supercomputer Company), Indianapolis-based Mark One Composites, Inc. and Cruden America, world leaders in motion racing simulators

“Individually, each one of these partnerships is critical to Swift’s continuing commitment to motorsport; however, collectively and in conjunction with one another they will help us set new industry standards in innovative design, manufacturing and support,” Refsdal stated.

Swift’s strategic industry partnerships were carefully selected and cultivated through a focused effort to realize the challenge the IZOD IndyCar Series has set for its next generation car.

Cray supercomputers will be used at Swift’s facility to further enhance its capabilities in Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD), an important tool in the design and development of aerodynamic concepts. In conjunction with Swift’s existing on-site wind tunnel designs will be tested in accurate virtual models allowing for valuable driver feedback and performance data collection on Cruden’s state-of-the-art 3Ctr 6-DOF motion racing simulator which is soon to be operational at Swift.  

“Speed-to-market is critical in any business, but probably more so in racing as the green flag doesn’t wait for anyone,” Refsdal said. “Rapid development is just as much about the speed and quality of the design process as it is manufacturing. We are evolving our four-year exclusive certified composite repair relationship with Mark One Composites, Inc. to provide further manufacturing and inventory support directly to teams from its Indianapolis-based facility.”

For more information:
Kanna Place - Swift Engineering Sales Manager
Phone: 949-940-4325
KPlace@Swiftengineering.com

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2009 SEMA - Prius Aerius Aemulus 001

Toyota, the worldwide leader in hybrid sales and technology, is publicly debuting two uniquely modified Prius gas-electric hybrids at the 2009 SEMA Show. The Prius Aerius (Latin for “belonging to the air”) is a show car that integrates performance and design modifications with environmental elements, which embody the principals of sustainability. The Prius Aemulus (meaning “envious imitation”) is a drivable close replica of the Prius Aerius that has been donated to the Environmental Media Association (EMA) for a charity auction.

Built on two third-generation 2010 Prius, Five Axis Design created a four-piece Aero Kit using polyurethane and partially recycled materials manufactured by 3D Carbon. The kit includes a front lip spoiler, side skirts, and a rear lower valance. The Aero Kit was designed and aerodynamically tested by using state-of-the-art Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) software by Swift Engineering to ensure the kit maintained the Prius’ remarkable 0.25 coefficient of drag.

Nippon Color Design Studio America (CDSA) provided a custom paint to the exterior of both vehicles. CDSA used an environmentally-sensitive waterborne technology to produce a custom three-coat color using a blue-green Lumina pigment that resembles airiness and the color of the sky.

The Prius Aerius Show Car rides on Yokohama Super E-Spec™ low rolling resistance tires made from 80 percent non-petroleum materials and feature a special tread with leaf graphics. The special tires are mounted to unique Five Axis, FIVE:AD S6:F 19-inch wheels, with smooth, clear covers that reduce the coefficient of drag. The Prius Aemulus Auction Car rides on factory wheels with an exclusive art design that includes body color-keyed accents and a special two-tone treatment.

The side and rear glass on both vehicles receive a Crystalline Automotive Window Film, the latest in window film technology from 3M. The special window treatment increases passenger comfort and energy savings by blocking 99.9 percent of UV light and has a SPF rating equivalent to well over 1,000.

The Prius Aerius Show Car is installed with an interior seat fabric provided by True Textiles that is made from 100 percent consumer recycled polyester. Polyurethane produced by Ultrafabrics was provided for the design of the bolster and seatback. Ultrafabrics uses a polyurethane manufacturing process that captures and recycles over 99 percent of solvents used in production, leading to almost zero pollutants. Interior accents of the Prius Aerius are made from 3form’s eco-recycled resin, which is comprised of reclaimed birch trees and 40 percent post-industrial recycled content.

Audio entertainment in the Prius Aerius Show Car was provided by a Pioneer premium upgraded 900-watt 10 speaker audio system with two 10-inch subwoofers, 6.75-inch front and 5.25-inch rear component speakers and two Vizualogic 7-inch DVD headrest rear entertainment units. The Prius Aemulus Auction Car receives an upgraded Pioneer 700-watt nine speaker audio system featuring one 8-inch subwoofer and new 6.75-inch front and 5.25-inch rear component speakers.
The original seat materials removed from the Prius Aerius were recycled by Toyota to help make business cards and cosmetic cases with left over parts donated to local trades.

Both vehicles include a special Car Planet detailing kit featuring 100 percent eco-sensitive products, packaged in a bag made from leftover Show Car seat material.

The two special Prius vehicles were privately revealed at the EMA annual awards event on October 25 in Hollywood. The Prius Aemulus is currently being auctioned off as part of the EMA benefit online at CharityFolks.com/EMA.

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San Clemente, California – USA May 2009 -- Swift Engineering, Inc. has announced the sale of its KillerBee Unmanned Aerial System to Northrop Grumman.

Swift Engineering has been engaged by Northrop Grumman to continue to work on design refinement, product line development, flight test support and manufacturing, with the product line now named the Bat(tm).

Jan Wesley Refsdal, President of Swift Engineering stated that “We’ve attained a unique position in the market place for the Bat by taking the most versatile small unmanned vehicle available today and placing it with the premier UAS company in the world while still supporting product development. We’ve created a product that will be tough to beat.”

Swift Engineering has diverse experience as a designer, developer, and manufacturer of lightweight advanced composite products and concept vehicles. Recent achievements include the Eclipse Concept Jet, and Formula race car for the Formula Nippon series race in Japan.

About Swift Engineering, Inc.
Founded in 1983 and headquartered in San Clemente, CA, Swift Engineering is a leading provider of light weight aerodynamic structures and high performance vehicles. The company's products support commercial and U.S. national security initiatives in highly complex environments requiring world-class engineering reliability, scalability, flexibility, and rapid manufacturing. For more information on Swift Engineering, please visit www.swiftengineering.com

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Raytheon teams with Swift Engineering to offer “KillerBee” unmanned aircraft system to U.S. Navy and Marine Corps

Press Contact:
John Nelson / Office: 520.794.7810 / Mobile: 520.664.8560 / John_H_Nelson@raytheon.com

TUCSON, Ariz., (May 12, 2008) – Raytheon Company (NYSE: RTN) has teamed with Swift Engineering, Inc. to provide the U.S. Navy and U.S. Marine Corps with an unmanned aircraft system for their respective Small Tactical Unmanned Aircraft Systems and Tier 2 missions.
Raytheon leads the team and offers aircraft and mission systems integration with connectivity to the customers’ combat systems and command and control systems. Swift Engineering, based in San Clemente, Calif., is providing its innovative KillerBee unmanned aerial vehicle.
KillerBee has the ability to insert persistent intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) into the battle space and rapidly deliver actionable intelligence to combatant commanders. Raytheon Missile Systems leads the integrated team, which includes other Raytheon business units for the ground control system, C4ISR integration, and Mission Support, plus the efforts of Swift Engineering and Optical Alchemy.

“KillerBee offers the warfighter an affordable unmanned aircraft system, and the Swift Engineering vehicle has both longer endurance and the ability to carry a larger payload,” said Ken Pedersen, Raytheon vice president of Advanced Programs. “The Raytheon team is using proven, existing technology, so KillerBee can be fielded in the near term.”
The Swift Engineering blended wing body design sets KillerBee apart from similar sized unmanned aerial vehicles and is designed to operate ashore or aboard ships with a minimal footprint.

The KillerBee Ground Control System will leverage the benefits of Raytheon’s Tactical Control System while incorporating advancements realized from the development of Raytheon’s Multi-Vehicle Control System The GCS can simultaneously control multiple, dissimilar vehicles and is based on standard NATO architecture, providing vehicle flight control and a visual presentation of flight data.

“Raytheon has more than 35 years of unmanned aircraft system command and control expertise dating back to the Vietnam War,” said Mark Bigham, director of business development for Raytheon’s Intelligence and Information Systems business. “With the KillerBee Ground Control System and our expertise in video dissemination capabilities, we will deliver a new level of situation awareness and targeting to the warfighter.”

Repeated air and ground testing has demonstrated that KillerBee outperforms any vehicle in its class, validating control, processing and display functions, and demonstrating its suitability as a solution for the U.S. Navy and U.S. Marine Corps’ Small Tactical Unmanned Aircraft System/Tier 2 program. Flight tests throughout 2008 will ensure a high-technology readiness level of the entire KillerBee system.

Raytheon Company, with 2007 sales of $21.3 billion, is a technology leader specializing in defense, homeland security and other government markets throughout the world. With a history of innovation spanning 86 years, Raytheon provides state-of-the-art electronics, mission systems integration and other capabilities in the areas of sensing; effects; and command, control, communications and intelligence systems, as well as a broad range of mission support services. With headquarters in Waltham, Mass., Raytheon employs 72,000 people worldwide.

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Note to Editors:
Ongoing flight tests have demonstrated the integrated architecture that includes the hosting of the vehicle specific module in the aircraft mission computer, further validating the STANAG 4586 architecture, and the KJ-640 electro optical-infrared sensor system.

STANAG 4586 is a NATO Standardization Agreement developed in conjunction with the Conference of National Armaments Directors and other authorities; the resulting architecture is an international standard specifically for unmanned aircraft systems.

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Written by: Marshall Pruett Detroit, MI – 1/13/2008

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View Mazda Furai Image Slideshow

The Mazda design and R&D teams worked closely with Swift Engineering to refine the aerodynamic characteristics, assuring that Furai remains glued to the ground at high speeds. As the latest in Mazda’s award-winning and highly acclaimed series of Nagare concept cars, the Furai P2 concept vehicle celebrates 40 years of rotary engine and international motorsports heritage with the raciest interpretation of NAGARE design language to-date.

NAGARE: (pronounced “na-ga-reh”), Japanese for flow and the embodiment of motion
FURAI: (pronounced “foo-rye”), Japanese for sound of the wind

Furai is the sort of car that could only come from a company that incorporates the “Soul of a Sports Car” into everything it builds, but with an eye toward the future and the environment through the use of renewable fuels. Driving toward sustainability, Furai was initially tuned to operate on 100 percent ethanol fuel, the first time a racing three-rotor rotary engine has been fueled by ethanol. Research continues in earnest with partner BP into other renewable and future fuels, including ethanol gasoline blends like E10.

On any given weekend, there are more Mazdas and Mazda-powered cars road-raced in North America than any other brand of car. This is because every Mazda sedan, coupe and sports car really is developed with the highest possible dose of the company’s trademark Zoom-Zoom – truly the Emotion of Motion. However, Zoom-Zoom is more than simply vehicle performance. The look and style that is Zoom-Zoom can best be seen in previous NAGARE-based efforts, including the Mazda Nagare concept that debuted at Los Angeles in 2006; Mazda Ryuga, which was first shown a year ago in Detroit; Mazda Hakaze, which appeared in Geneva last year; and Mazda Taiki, the star of the 2007 Tokyo Motor Show. “Nagare” is how Mazda’s future models will sustain the Zoom-Zoom spirit by exhibiting their strong affinity for motion.

Manufacturers commonly showcase design studies with little or no intention of actually using the theme presented. Mazda’s approach is the opposite: All of the Nagare concepts, including Furai, help evolve this evocative surface language for future use. Every vehicle Mazda sells embodies the soul of a sports car to achieve a true Zoom-Zoom dynamic character. Nagare is how this celebration of motion will be portrayed on interior and exterior surfaces in future models. Instead of form following function, the two merge as one.

Franz von Holzhausen, Mazda North American Operations’ (MNAO) Director of Design and the person who lead the team that created the Furai, explains the concept behind the concept, “We were looking for a way to bridge the gap between Mazda Motorsports and the production vehicles in our lineup. The mindsets of road-car and racing car fans are quite different, so the purpose of Furai is to find a meeting point for these disparate interests.”

He continued, “Furai achieves this by purposely blurring boundaries that have traditionally distinguished the street from the track. Historically, there has been a gap between single-purpose racecars and street-legal models — commonly called supercars — that emulate the real racers on the road.” While Mazda’s rotary has proven readily adaptable to various alternative fuels, including considerable work with hydrogen fuel, this is the first time it’s been engineered for other renewable Ethanol blends. (Photo: Marshall Pruett)

Track cars are, by their competitive nature, ill-suited for practical highway use, as well as generally far from road-legal. Some supercars visit the track on occasion, but they are primarily road cars not properly equipped for racing. The aim of Furai is to bridge this gap. That said, Mazda neither intends to race Furai, nor is it a supercar the company plans to build and sell in the near future. Rather, Furai is a design study that lives between those extremes. Without the restrictions imposed by serial production models, and with the freedom of an autoshow environment, Mazda is using the opportunity to evolve the company’s Nagare design theme one more step closer to reality.

Instead of mimicking racecar components and design elements in a road car – the strategy preferred by supercar manufacturers – the “Mazda way” was to begin this project with the real McCoy: a Courage C65 chassis that earned its stripes during two seasons of LMP-2 endurance racing in the American Le Mans Series (ALMS). This sports car was successfully campaigned under the MAZDASPEED Motorsports Development banner by B-K Motorsports during the 2005 and 2006 seasons. Drivers Jamie Bach, Guy Cosmo, Elliott Forbes-Robinson, and Raphael Matos piloted the car to one victory and a total of nine podium finishes in 15 ALMS events. B-K finished third in championship standings both years; Bach and Cosmo were co-Rookies of the Year in 2005.

“Anticipating future rules changes in the ALMS, we created a new closed cockpit which would be more appropriate for a future production model,” said von Holzhausen. “The major element we did not change is the 450-horsepower RENESIS-based R20B three-rotor rotary engine that provides Furai ample Zoom-Zoom. The ultimate Mazda in our minds is rotary powered; as a company, we have no intention of abandoning that valuable asset. When people think of the very best sports cars in the world, the rotary powered Mazda RX-7 is always on that list.”

The Furai concept serves as a turning point in the Nagare developmental process. While the four previous concept cars explored different ways to express Mazda’s emerging design philosophy and to explore an aesthetic, this one is all about function – every last texture and detail serves some functional purpose. In essence, the Furai creative process boiled down to guiding air over and through the body in fruitful ways. To prove that this concept goes far beyond static aerodynamic analysis, Mazda’s design, motorsports and R&D teams worked together to construct Furai as a 180-mph rolling laboratory to demonstrate its functional capabilities on demand.

“The basic proportions of contemporary race cars are every designer’s dream,” enthused von Holzhausen. “Furai is less than 40-inches high but nearly 80-inches wide.” The basic proportions of contemporary race cars are every designer’s dream,” enthused von Holzhausen. “Furai is less than 40-inches high but nearly 80-inches wide. While Furai strikes an incredibly strong presence, the real beauty of the project – and it’s most valuable asset as a real-world test-bed – is in the details that von Holzhausen and his team incorporated:

• The body surface provides ample opportunity to feature core design elements such as aggressive headlamps and Mazda’s trademark five-point grille.
• The headlamp trim pieces function as guide frames to help cancel aerodynamic lift.
• High-pressure zones just above the front wheels are relieved to serve the same end.
• The air flow package takes air moving under the front of the car and guides it inside the body to the engine-cooling radiators.
• Nagare textures incorporated in the side surfaces feed air to the rear brakes, the oil cooler and the transmission cooler.
• An under-car diffuser that begins rising aft of the cockpit helps draw the volume of air flowing through the heat exchangers and engine bay out the rear.

The Mazda design and R&D teams worked closely with Swift Engineering to refine the aerodynamic characteristics, assuring that Furai remains glued to the ground at high speeds. Through its existing relationship with Swift Engineering, forged through development of the Mazda/Cosworth-powered Champ Car Atlantic chassis, the team used complex Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) software to tune various Nagare design elements to function at a high degree of efficiency. Drag, downforce, lift and overall esthetics were all key considerations.

Sourced straight from the race track, the Courage carbon-composite tub is essentially intact under the new Furai body, including the right-side driver’s seat. Instead of the stark interior typical of race cars though, this cockpit is finished with more comfortable but still highly functional surfaces. An electronic display screen and shift paddles are built into the steering wheel. Instead of the stark interior typical of race cars though, this cockpit is finished with more comfortable but still highly functional surfaces. An electronic display screen and shift paddles are built into the steering wheel.

In the chassis’ original racing configuration, the passenger seat is filled with electronic gear, so those components were relocated elsewhere to provide adequate space for two occupants. The greenhouse is somewhat wider than the original cockpit to provide adequate head and shoulder room and suitable outward visibility. Doors attached with butterfly hinges provide a very efficient means of entering the cockpit. In this instance, the design team followed an approach that has proven very effective during years of endurance racing.

“One thing we learned from CFD studies is that we don’t need much rear wing to balance the down force created by the front splitter and the Nagare features we’ve sculpted into the body” offered von olzhausen. “Combustion air is provided by a variation of the Turbo Tongue device that Swift developed for Indy car use a decade ago. It rises slightly higher than the surrounding roof surface to ingest clean air above the boundary layer. Our final design works so well that we applied for a joint patent with Swift. Of course, it helps that it’s a real piece of art, too, and one we had to incorporate into the design.”

Irvine, Calif.-based Aria Group was responsible for creating new composite panels and they worked hand-in-hand with Mazda North American Operations’ own in-house fabrication team to mate them to the Courage chassis. The dark matte finish with red and orange accents harkens back to the livery worn by Mazda’s legendary 787B when it won the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1991, making the company the first – and still only – Japanese company to ever win the endurance classic.

Furai not only probes future design possibilities, it also ventures ahead with alternative renewable fuels. Consistent with Mazda’s recently announced “Sustainable Zoom-Zoom” initiatives, Furai’s three-rotor powerplant has been tuned to run powerfully on ethanol (ethyl alcohol) and ethanol gasoline blends. There are exciting advances being made in renewable fuels, from current blends like E10 (10% ethanol and 90% gasoline) with research ongoing in making Ethanol from cellulostic materials, to future renewable gasoline components like Butanol, a higher order alcohol which is fungible with gasoline. The addition of these renewable components improves Mazda’s understanding of how these fuels work with the company’s technology. and reduces the consumption of fossil hydrocarbons and the emission of harmful greenhouse gasses.

John Doonan, Mazda’s manager of motorsports team development, explains the thinking behind Furai’s use of alternative renewable fuels: “One of our key technical partners in our motorsports activity — BP — helped facilitate our use of renewable fuels for this concept vehicle. Going forwards, we are working with BP to determine appropriate renewable fuels for the vehicle and potentially our team entry for the 2008 ALMS series. BP is a strong leader in the renewable fuels areas, recently announcing a $500M investment in the Energy Biosciences Institute, and we are proud to partner with them.”

One thing we learned from CFD studies is that we don’t need much rear wing to balance the down force created by the front splitter and the Nagare features we’ve sculpted into the body” offered von Holzhausen. (Photo: Marshall Pruett)

Doonan continued, “In 2007, ALMS required use of renewable fuels, so we’re projecting ahead with this application to gain experience. BP has a very green focus in the marketplace, and it’s Mazda’s intention to sustain its Zoom-Zoom performance image on and off the racetrack. While Mazda’s rotary has proven readily adaptable to various alternative fuels, including considerable work with hydrogen fuel, this is the first time it’s been engineered for other renewable Ethanol blends.”

Through the BP partnership, Furai has been specially tuned to operate on renewable fuels. BP engineers continue to work to optimize other fuels, including investigating new future renewable fuel components. This is Mazda’s first experience with ethanol fuel in a three-rotor racing engine, and the results have been convincing that, once again, the Mazda rotary engine is unique in its ability to run well on multiple fuels.

Ethanol is derived from grains such as corn and wheat or soybeans. Corn, the predominant feedstock, is converted to ethanol in either a dry or wet milling process. Future advances for renewable gasoline components include utilizing a wide variety of cellulosic biomass feedstocks, including agricultural plant wastes (corn stover, cereal straws, sugarcane bagasse), plant wastes from industrial processes (sawdust, paper pulp) and energy crops grown specifically for fuel production, such as switchgrass. Every vehicle Mazda sells embodies the soul of a sports car to achieve a true Zoom-Zoom dynamic character. But what Furai has shown the Mazda team is the real value of teamwork and key partners:

• Racing Beat worked tirelessly to develop the world’s only ethanol powered three-rotor rotary engine.
• Mother’s Waxes and Polishes supplies an extensive range of waxes, polishes, and cleaners to keep the car looking its best at all times.
• Together with Liferacing, AER developed a six-speed paddle-shift mechanism.
• Brembo worked with the Mazda team to ensure the brakes were as effective on Furai as they were in competition
• Sachs and Eibach worked together to bring an aggressive, but steetable, shock and spring package.
• Nippon Paint provided the amazing three-feet-deep paintwork.
• Castrol supplies all the high-performance lubricants.
• Mazda’s 2006 and 2007 ALMS tire development partner Kumho created the special tread patterns necessary for Furai’s tires.
• Wheels are from partner BBS, and are 14-spoke, centerlock aluminum.
• Seatbelts come from Sparco Motor Sports.
• Data acquisition and powertrain controllers are manufactured and tuned by MoTeC, one of the world’s leaders in racing electronics.

Headquartered in Irvine, California, Mazda North American Operations oversees the sales, marketing, parts and customer service support of Mazda vehicles in the United States, Canada and Mexico through nearly 900 dealers. Operations in Canada are managed by Mazda Canada, Inc., located in Ontario, Canada, and in Mexico by Mazda Motor de Mexico in Mexico City.

For more information on Mazda products, visit the online Mazda media center at www.mazdausamedia.com

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January 11, 2008 – In a recent demonstration at the US Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center in 29 Palms, California, Swift Engineering, working with Northrop Grumman, has validated the utility of its 4th generation KillerBee (KB4) unmanned aircraft systems as linked tactical communications relays.

In the December 2007 'Beyond Line of Sight Tactical Communications Relay (BTCR)' demonstration, two KB4 air vehicles were sequentially launched and flown simultaneously to link remote ground units operating well beyond line of sight. The use of two KB4's under control by a single ground station established a ground-to-air-to-air-to-ground network relay that extended tactical communications to over-the-horizon ranges.

DSD understands this experiment to be the first of its kind.According to Swift Engineering, the KB4 air vehicles were configured in the field with a series of communications relay payloads based upon EPLRS, SecNet 11, and MeshNet capabilities.The demonstration proved the reliability and compatibility of the KB4 command and control (C2) links, the KB4's pilot situational awareness video link, and the various communications payloads. Secure voice, data, and video flow were maintained by the ground units across the various communications payloads, demonstrating the KB4's ability to handle multiple payload configurations as may be demanded by specific expeditionary mission requirements.

According to Rick Egan, President of Swift Engineering: "The BTCR demo validated the KB4's effectiveness as a communication relay platform capable of integrating data, voice, and C4ISR capabilities and opening the door for unmanned systems to serve another critical role in support of the warfighter."

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Ricardo and Swift Engineering Join Forces to Supply New Race Car to Formula Nippon Series

Media Contacts:
Anthony Smith / Ricardo Media Office / +44 1273 382710 / media@ricardo.com
Joe Kirik / The Quell Group / (248) 649-8900 / jkirik@quell.com
Kanna Place / Swift Engineering / (949) 492-6608 kplace@swiftengineering.com

VAN BUREN TWP., Mich., January 10, 2008 – Ricardo UK Ltd. will be the exclusive supplier of transmissions to California-based Swift Engineering Inc. for a new chassis that will see action starting in the 2009 season of Formula Nippon, Japan’s premier open-wheel racing series. Ricardo already supplies transmissions for Japan’s Super GT series as well as single-make series including the World Series by Renault and the Indy Pro Series.

This contract award builds on the established reputation of Ricardo as transmission, driveline and engine-technology supplier to the highest levels of international competitive motorsport. In May 2007, the FIA announced the appointment of Ricardo to provide technical support and advice on the development of future regulations for the Formula One World Championship.

Work already is underway on the design and development of the transmission for the Formula Nippon chassis. The first Ricardo transmissions for the Swift 017.n are due to be delivered in June 2008.

“Formula Nippon is a highly prestigious project for Swift Engineering and we are very pleased to have Ricardo partner with us for the supply of transmissions,” said Casper van der Schoot, Swift Engineering program director. “Ricardo has a proven track record in the highest echelons of motorsport and will be able to provide us with first-rated products and support in this program.
We are very excited about this new relationship and are looking forward to see the results when the 017.n first hits the track in the fall of this year.”

“We are proud to have been nominated as transmission supplier for the next-generation Formula Nippon chassis,” said Ricardo director of high performance transmissions products, Mark Barge. “This contract award further reinforces our growing reputation as the supplier of choice for leading motorsport customers in all parts of the world. We look forward to working together as a team with Swift in order to deliver a state-of-the-art transmission for the next generation of Formula Nippon.”

With technical centres and offices in the UK, USA, Germany, the Czech Republic, China, Japan and Korea, Ricardo is a leading independent technology provider and strategic consultant to the world’s transportation sector industries. The company’s engineering expertise ranges from vehicle systems integration, controls, electronics and software development, to the latest driveline and transmission systems and gasoline, diesel, hybrid and fuel cell powertrain technologies. Its customers include the world’s major vehicle, engine and transmission manufacturers, tier 1 suppliers and leading motorsport teams. Ricardo is committed to excellence and industry leadership in people, technology and knowledge; approximately 70 per cent of its employees are highly qualified multi-disciplined professional engineers and technicians. A public company, Ricardo plc posted sales of £171.5 million in financial year 2007 and is a constituent of the FTSE techMark 100 index – a group of innovative technology companies listed on the London Stock Exchange. For more information, visit www.ricardo.com.

Swift Engineering, Inc: Since 1983 California-based Swift has designed and built over 500 high-performance racing cars. Swift started by building the DB-1, the most successful Formula Ford in history, and has continued to build ever faster and technically more challenging vehicles. Notable Swift racing cars have included CART Racing cars (Indianapolis type) driven by Michael Andretti and all of the Formula Atlantic racing cars (over 200) used by the Champ Car Series since 1998, the latest of which is the Swift 016.a Atlantic car.

Following the success of its own racing cars, Swift earned the opportunity to assist other well known racing programs, both in Formula 1 and NASCAR, utilizing the talents that brought Swift its own success. Those racing programs included assisting the Williams Grand Prix Engineering Team, Jaguar Racing F1 Team and Toyota’s NASCAR programs in the Nextel Cup and Craftsman Truck Series. Swift will exclusively be supplying cars to the Formula Nippon series, starting in 2009.

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Contact:
Chris Norris / Swift Engineering, Inc. / 949-492-6608 ext.277 / cnorris@swiftengineering.com

San Clemente, California – USA August 2007 - Swift Engineering, Inc. is pleased to announce the next generation race car for the Formula Nippon Racing Series. The new racing chassis dubbed 017.n is a clean sheet design with futuristic styling and performance improvements to supply the Japanese based racing series for competition 2009-2011.

“It is a tremendous honor to have been selected as the chassis provider for this prestigious race series” says Hiro Matsushita, chairman and CEO of Swift Engineering and former race car driver. Working together with the engine manufacturers and other technical partners, the team at Swift Engineering shall endeavor to produce an exceptional race car for this international series.

The new race car will be larger and more powerful than the car currently supplied, with an emphasis on producing a car that will provide exceptional performance and exciting racing.

The cars will be powered by a new generation of 3.4 liter normally aspirated V-8 engines producing 600 BHP. Initial testing will begin in early summer of 2008.

Swift Engineering, Inc. has designed and manufactured over 500 successful race cars for many levels of racing.

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Eclipse Aviation Partners with Swift Engineering to Develop Eclipse Concept Jet

Press Contact:
Andrew Broom / Eclipse Aviation / (505) 724-1369 / andrew.broom@eclipseaviation.com

VLJ leader and aerodynamic design pioneer team up to build single-engine concept aircraft in less than 7 months

OSHKOSH, WI — July 23, 2007 — Concurrent with the unveiling of its new single-engine concept jet today at EAA’s AirVenture Convention, Eclipse Aviation announced the previously formed partnership with Swift Engineering of San Clemente, California to assist with the design and subsequently build the Eclipse Concept Jet (ECJ) in less than seven months. Specializing in aerodynamic design, Swift is a respected engineering leader in the aerospace, motorsports and automotive markets.

“Swift Engineering has been a tremendous partner, and was instrumental in taking this new aircraft from design to flight test so rapidly,” said Vern Raburn, president and CEO of Eclipse Aviation. “We needed a proven aerodynamics expert to aggressively drive this new initiative forward while we stayed focused on our core business of ramping up Eclipse 500 production and deliveries. Swift made it happen in record time, and the result is a very innovative idea for an aircraft that we are excited to share with attendees at EAA AirVenture this week.”

Swift’s aerodynamic testing and research facility includes the largest and fastest moving ground plane wind tunnel in America, and its aerospace engineering team is experienced in the design of blended-wing and conventional aircraft. Swift’s legendary accomplishments include designing and building more than 500 high-performance racecars , and all of the Formula Atlantic racing cars used by the Champ Car Series since 1998.

Leveraging Swift’s advanced virtual design capabilities, Swift and a small team of Eclipse employees worked together in complete secrecy to rapidly take the ECJ from conception to production. “We went from zero to 200 knots in 200 days” Says Dr. Oliver Masefield, Eclipse Vice President, who provided the design vision, specifications and project guidance, while Swift was responsible for designing the airframe, building the new structure and driving day-to-day progress.

“We were incredibly proud to be selected by Eclipse Aviation for the Eclipse Concept Jet project,” said Mark Page, Chief Scientist for Swift Engineering. “It was very rewarding to leverage all of our expertise in aerodynamics, styling, composites and rapid prototyping, while simultaneously learning from the aviation and technology experts at Eclipse. Together we used the latest tools in aerodynamic design and styling to evolve a very organic form, set off by the ECJ’s swept V-tail and high-mounted engine. This was a dream assignment for our team and the flying results were just as predicted.”

The Eclipse Concept Jet was constructed with the support of BaySys Technologies of Onancock, Virginia and International Aero Engineering (IAE) of Bellflower, California. Swift Engineering contracted the companies to support the aircraft build and the design of the interior cabin and flight deck. With primary responsibility for system engineering and aircraft assembly, BaySys performed a rapid build that was pivotal to meeting Eclipse’s timetable. IAE , an expert in interior and exterior finishing produced the full-scale interior mockup, and painted both the mock-up and flight article. The ECJ’s interior styling and exterior paint-scheme were conceived by industrial designer Deborah Beron-Rawdon.

Similar to concept cars in the automotive industry, Eclipse’s concept jet was designed to help the company research and evaluate the emerging market for single-engine turbine aircraft. Eclipse will use the jet to determine if there is a viable market for this category of aircraft, and to learn more about what type of single-engine jet might best suit the owner/operator market

About Eclipse Aviation
Eclipse Aviation, manufacturer of the world’s first very light jet, is in the business of designing, certifying and producing modern, affordable jet aircraft that will revolutionize the transportation market. The company is applying advanced electronics systems, manufacturing and business practices to produce aircraft that cost half that of today’s small jet aircraft, will be significantly safer and easier to operate than those of today, and have the lowest cost of ownership ever achieved in a jet aircraft.

The goal of Eclipse is to bring the word “personal” into aviation, making it possible for business travelers to move directly between cities on a quick, affordable and convenient basis. It will also allow pilot owners to enter the world of jet-powered aviation. Contact Eclipse at http://www.eclipseaviation.com.

Eclipse Aviation Corporation, Eclipse and Eclipse 500 are trademarks of Eclipse Aviation Corporation.

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Swift Engineering and Raytheon Team for the Navy/Marine Corps’ STUAS/Tier II UAS Competition

Building a new UAS paradigm – Expeditionary, Interoperable, Persistent, and Affordable.

San Clemente, CA, USA; 17 July 2007 – Swift Engineering Inc., a leading manufacturer of aircraft, aerospace and designer of highly engineered vehicles, has chosen to team with Raytheon Company (www.raytheon.com) to pursue the STUAS/Teir II competition providing a dynamic solution to meet the Navy’s and Marine Corps’ critical requirements for a state-of-the-art small tactical unmanned aircraft system.

Swift Engineering, Inc. has designed and created the KillerBee Unmanned System for just such a role, and feels that Raytheon will provide the expertise in defense systems assuring a successful STUAS/Tier II bid.

"The need for a robust UAS that will allow sailors and Marines to operate in demanding environments both aboard ships and ashore" said Rick Egan, President of Swift Engineering, "drove our design team to create a system that meets or exceeds all proposed Navy and Marine Corps requirements today, with a capacity to adapt for more challenging missions tomorrow."

KBUAS Features
Expeditionary, Shipboard Compatible and Runway Independent. The system – Trailer/Launcher, Recovery Net, 3 KB4s, and the Ground Control Station (GCS) – fit inside two ISO 20’ containers and are transportable inside an MV-22 as well as HMMWV towable.

Interoperable, Integrated, and offering Fully Autonomous Missions. The GCS will be integrated through a common C2 architecture and the operator interface will be STANAG 4586 level 5 compliant.

Persistent ISR with Multiple Sensors available for Multiple Missions. A Payload capacity of up to 66 lbs allows for adaptable and flexible fuel loads and combinations of sensors.

Affordable. The system requires minimum maintenance, and total Life Cycle Costs will be a fraction of currently available systems.

Swift and Raytheon – Complementary Characteristics for STUAS/Tier II Competition
In the air and on the ground, the Swift KBUAS outperforms any vehicle in the STUAS/Tier II competitive class. Swift designed the KBUAS to provide tailored and more effective support to Navy and Marine Corps units prosecuting missions across the range of military operations. Other STUAS/Tier II competitors have recognized the fact that no other currently available system could accommodate as many varied sizes and weights of payloads and have the range and endurance of the KBUAS while requiring only three people to operate the aircraft.

Raytheon saw these attributes as proof of Swift Engineering’s emphasis on using best business and manufacturing processes, commercial off-the-shelf technologies, line-replaceable units, and the nuanced application of a design philosophy focused on incorporating an open architecture approach to systems integration.

The two companies will now combine their notable strengths in research, engineering, and production capacity in a specifically focused teaming effort for the Navy and Marine Corps STUAS/Tier II competition in order to bring essential capabilities to the warfighter all within the 10-foot wingspan of the KBUAS’ blended wing body.

About Swift Engineering, Inc.
Founded in 1983 and headquartered in San Clemente, CA, Swift Engineering is a leading provider of light weight aerodynamic structures and high performance vehicles. The company's products support commercial and U.S. national security initiatives in highly complex environments requiring world-class engineering reliability, scalability, flexibility, and rapid manufacturing.

About Raytheon Company
Raytheon Company, with 2006 sales of $20.3 billion, is a technology leader specializing in defense, homeland security and other government markets throughout the world. With a history of innovation spanning 85 years, Raytheon provides state-of-the-art electronics, mission systems integration and other capabilities in the areas of sensing; effects; and command, control, communications and intelligence systems, as well as a broad range of mission support services. With headquarters in Waltham, Mass., Raytheon employs 73,000 people worldwide.

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Yuma, Arizona, April 12, 2007 – The KillerBee fourth generation Unmanned Aircraft System (KBUAS) flew for the first time today at Yuma Proving Grounds (YPG) in Yuma Arizona.

Developed by Swift Engineering of San Clemente, CA , the all new KB4 unmanned aircraft (KB4 UA) flew for 70 minutes and became the latest success story in the company’s family of blended wing UAS.

“The air vehicle surpassed our expectations in performance and handling” said Mark Page, Chief Scientist at Swift Engineering. “The data captured in the Swift Wind tunnel was right on target. Our testing left nothing to chance and allowed us to optimize the flying characteristics and responsiveness of the UAS.”

The KB4 pushes the envelope in UAS design, incorporating lessons learned during the development of earlier models of the KillerBee. With a 10 foot wingspan and a gross weight of 136 pounds, the KB4 can carry 30 pounds of payload for up to 15 hours or, with its easily reconfigurable fuel tanks, the UAS can simultaneously carry multiple payloads weighing as much as 66 pounds.

“The airframe has taken the best of what we have learned from the past four years of development and improved manufacturability” said Larry Reding KB Program Manager. Outer wings, engine package and systems have all been redesigned for quick removal and replacement as Line Replaceable Units (LRU). The wing tips have been significantly increased in length giving the air vehicle improved yaw stability and ample space for antennas.

The next KBUAS flights are scheduled for early May at YPG. The upcoming series of flights will further test and validate the complete system including the new, expeditionary, all-in-one supply-trailer/launcher and enhanced net recovery system.

For more information on the KillerBee family of UAS contact Larry Reding or Jan Refsdal of Swift Engineering at (949) 492-6608

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