In Pictures: Top Aerospace & Defense Stories, Jan. 25 2023

Credit: Danazar. The U.S. Army and Bell parent company Textron on Jan. 25 expressed confidence in the aggressive schedule of the Future Long Range Attack Aircraft (FLRAA) program, as the government is considering Sikorsky’s protest of the award.

Credit: U.S. Army. The U.S. Army in the next two months will award multiple large contracts to replenish its stocks of critical munitions that have been sent to Ukraine, as the service is working out how to use new authorities given by Congress for multiple years of procurement for key weapons. 

Credit: Brian Everstine. As part of continuing efforts to position its long-researched blended wing body (BWB) for a future military transport role, Boeing has unveiled a redefined scalable configuration for potential development as a tactical airlifter C-130 replacement or a C-17-sized strategic transport.

Pentagon

Credit: Archer Aviation. MESA, Arizona–The pilot shortage that is pinching airline industry growth will not significantly slow the expansion of electric air taxi service, says Adam Goldstein, CEO of Archer Aviation, a developer of electric vertical takeoff and landing vehicles (eVTOL).

Credit: Mark Wagner/Aviation Images. Boeing recorded a net loss of more than $5 billion in 2022, at least 17% worse than in 2021, but sales rose 7% year-over-year to $66.6 billion, the company reported Jan. 25.

Credit: Bristow Group. As the world’s second-largest helicopter operator, Bristow Group knows a thing or two about vertical lift.

Credit: US Air Force. Collins-Elbit Vision Systems (CEVS) will be awarded a contract for 600 upgraded Joint Helmet Mounted Cueing Systems by the U.S. Navy, replacing the baseline day and night vision displays for pilots flying Boeing F/A-18E/F and EA-18G aircraft, the Navy said Jan. 25.

Credit: Leonardo. Leonardo has delivered the first of 18 skidded-landing variant AW169M intermediate-light twin-engine helicopters to Italy’s Guardia di Finanza as part of a revitalization of the law enforcement agency’s rotary-wing fleet.

Credit: Anthony Pecchi/Airbus. Airbus Helicopters CEO Bruno Even said he is seeing “positive momentum” toward orders for larger helicopters from the oil and gas market.