In Pictures: Top Aerospace & Defense Stories, Mar 17, 2022

March 18, 2022

Slovakia To Send S-300s To Ukraine If Replacements Provided

Credit: U.S. Defense Department



Slovakia is willing to give its S-300 air defense systems to Ukraine, provided it can get replacements to avoid a “security gap,” the country’s defense minister says. The S-300 is Slovakia’s sole air defense capability and it would help Ukraine protect against Russian air attacks. But giving it to Ukraine would mean both Slovakia itself and NATO would not have protection, Jaroslav Nad says.




ESA Suspends Euro-Russian ExoMars Program

Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/ASU/MSSS



The European Space Agency (ESA) has suspended the ExoMars 2022 program, a cooperative effort with Russian space agency Roscosmos to look for traces of life underneath the surface of Mars. The move is a consequence of the sanctions that ESA’s member states placed on Russia after it invaded Ukraine last month.




Commercial ISS Strategy Faces More Than Tech Challenges: Experts

Credit: NASA



NASA’s strategy for transitioning its operations aboard the International Space Station (ISS) to an assortment of commercial free flyers over the coming decade faces a number of opportunity-nurtured challenges, a panel of experts with a stake in the outcome says. They include devising a replacement for the Intergovernmental Agreement (IGA) that has helped keep the 15-nation orbital lab continuously staffed and productive for more than 21 years.




Delta, Airbus Align To Work On Hydrogen-Powered Aircraft

Credit: Airbus



Delta Air Lines and Airbus have signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to collaborate on the research and development of hydrogen-powered aircraft. Delta is the first U.S. airline to partner with the European airframer in its Airbus “ZEROe” aircraft development program, which was unveiled two years ago with a potential service entry date by 2035.




SLS Heads To Launchpad For Wet Dress Rehearsal

Credit: Glenn Benson/NASA



NASA’s debut Space Launch System (SLS) rocket began an overnight ride from Kennedy Space Center’s Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB) to Launch Complex 39B on March 17, a major milestone in a 10-year, $20 billion effort to develop a heavy-lift rocket capable of sending astronauts back to the Moon.




Secondhand Black Hawk Option Emerges For UK Medium Helicopter

Credit: U.S. Army
Black Hawk

CHC/Babcock Merger Could Stifle North Sea Competition—Watchdog

Credit: CHC Helicopter



The UK’s competition watchdog has found that a planned merger of two North Sea oil and gas helicopter operators could stifle competition in the offshore market. The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) said March 17 that it had provisionally found that CHC Helicopter’s acquisition of Babcock Offshore UK, as well as subsidiaries in Australia and Denmark, would “significantly reduce rivalry between an already limited number of suppliers.”




Pipistrel Acquisition Vaults Textron Into Electric Aviation

Credit: Pipistrel



Pipistrel may not be a household name in aviation like Cessna and Bell, but it is an undisputed pioneer in electric aircraft. Now the Slovenian company plans to join those brands under the ownership of Textron.




Israel Approves Funding For Iron Beam Laser Deployment

Credit: Israeli MOD



Israeli’s military confirmed on March 17 that the Rafael/Elbit Systems Iron Beam laser interceptor system will become operational after spending several years in research and development. A contract will be signed in the “coming days” to advance development of the system, Defense Minister Benny Gantz said in a statement.




U.S. Army Seeks Software Fix For Radar Shortcoming

Credit: U.S. Air Force



The U.S. Army has asked companies for a software solution to a fundamental vulnerability that exposes current radar systems to jamming and other electronic warfare threats. A special notice released on March 16 by Army Contracting Command for the Artificial Intelligence Radar Enhancement (AIRE) seeks companies that can perform a product demonstration of their software within 12-18 months.




Howmet Downplays Titanium Supply-Chain Risks

Credit: VSMPO



Howmet Aerospace sees potential for growth as airframe and engine manufacturers shift their titanium supply chain sourcing away from Russia but will not alter its business strategy to chase market share, its top executive said. “At this point, we see the opportunity,” CEO John Plant said during a J.P. Morgan investor conference March 15.




U.S. Space Force, Boeing Complete Critical Design Review Of PTS-P

Credit: Boeing



The U.S. Space Force’s Space Systems Command and Boeing recently finished a critical design review of the company’s Protected Tactical SATCOM Prototype (PTS-P). The process validated the technical maturity of the prototype, Boeing said on March 16.




From Slovakia to send S-300s to Ukraine if replacements are provided to ESA suspends Euro-Russian ExoMars program. Take a look at these and more in our daily roundup of aerospace & defense news.

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