Aerospace Daily & Defense Report, January 16, 2017

In a 62-page report that focuses primarily on delays and challenges for the F-35 program, one of the Joint Strike Fighter’s toughest critics highlighted progress toward fixing a safety issue with the aircraft’s ejection seat.

The schedule for South Korea's Chunggung PIP anti-ballistic missile system has been .

The French armament procurement agency DGA this week announced it has ordered a fourth system of three General Atomics MQ-9 Reaper medium-altitude, long endurance (MALE) UAVs and an accompanying ground segment.

Islamic State terrorists are now using small drones to drop bombs on Iraqi security forces, a top U.S. Army commander in Iraq revealed.

Boeing is looking forward to beginning full-rate production and operation of the new U.S. Air Force KC-46 tanker in 2017.

Elon Musk’s SpaceX restored some of its luster Jan. 14 with the launch of a Falcon 9 for the first time since an on-pad explosion on Sept. 1.

EUROFIGHTER has 5-year arrangement with NETMA (NATO Eurofighter & Tornado Management Organization) to support global Eurofighter Typhoon fleet; two contracts cover sustainment of engineering capabilities, program management, logistics, repairs, spares.

James Mattis, the retired Marine general chosen to become the next defense secretary, expressed absolute support for the NATO alliance and skepticism regarding Russian President Vladimir Putin during his Jan. 12 Senate confirmation hearing. In an exchange with Chairman John McCain (R-Ariz.), Mattis named Russia, global terrorism and China’s actions in the South China Sea top threats to the U.S. McCain pointed out that the last three presidents have taken office optimistic about improving relations with Russia, only to be disappointed.

In observance of the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday in the U.S., Aerospace Daily & Defense Report will not be publishing on Tuesday, Jan. 17. The next issue will be dated Wednesday, Jan. 18.

Italian industrial holding company Leonardo has withdrawn from Russian joint venture Sukhoi Civil Aircraft Company (SCAC), which designs and manufactures the Sukhoi Superjet 100.

Airbus, which had a 49% stake in naval electronics firm Atlas Elektronik, is selling its interest to majority stakeholder ThyssenKrupp.

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