In Pictures: Top Aerospace & Defense Stories, Mar 28, 2022

March 28, 2022

Germany Exploring Ballistic Missile Defense System Acquisition

Credit: Peter Mueller/Bundeswehr/Getty Images



Germany is studying the acquisition of a missile defense system that could protect much of the country, Chancellor Olaf Scholz has said. Scholz told broadcaster ARD on March 27 that a missile defense system was “among the things we are discussing, for good reason.”




Safran Proposing UK Assembly For AW149 Engine

Credit: Leon Neal/Getty Images



Safran Helicopter Engines is proposing final assembly and testing of Aneto 1K engines for Leonardo’s AW149 in the UK if the rotorcraft and the engine are selected for the UK defense ministry’s New Medium Helicopter (NMH) requirement. The engine manufacturer would adapt its facilities in Fareham, England, for final engine and auxiliary power unit assembly and through-life support of the program, Safran officials announced March 25.




Canada Opts For F-35

Credit: USAF
F-35A

U.S. Navy Seeks NGAD Spending Ramp-up Through 2027

Credit: U.S. Navy

F/A-18

Leanne Caret Retiring As Boeing Defense Chief; Colbert Named

Credit: Boeing



Boeing announced late March 28 that Leanne Caret, head of the company’s defense and space division, is retiring after seven years leading the business and 35 years—her entire career—at the U.S. aircraft maker and prime defense contractor. Ted Colbert, currently head of the Boeing Global Services (BGS) division, is taking over for Caret, and Stephanie Pope is succeeding him as head of the aftermarket and MRO services business. Pope has been CFO of the Boeing Commercial Airplanes (BCA) division.




NASA Seeks 2023 Funding For Ultraefficient Aircraft Demonstrator

Credit: Lockheed Martin



Award of a contract to build a large-scale, sustainable flight demonstrator aircraft is a centerpiece of NASA’s $971.5 million budget request for aeronautics research in fiscal 2023. Improving response to wildfires, preparing for autonomy and assessing the health of NASA’s aging test facilities also are on the list. The request represents an increase of almost 6.2% over the $914.8 million sought for aeronautics in the fiscal 2022 president’s budget request, but 10.3% over the $880.7 million allocated for aeronautics in the yet-to-be enacted 2022 omnibus spending bill approved by House and Senate appropriations committees in March.




NASA Seeks $26B To Advance Human Exploration, Climate Science

Credit: NASA



NASA’s spending would continue to rise through the 2020s under the Biden administration’s $25.97 billion fiscal 2023 budget request submitted to Congress March 28. The financial road map laid out in the request supports establishing a sustained human presence at the Moon, turning to the private sector for future human low Earth orbit operations, an ambitious Mars Sample Return (MSR), and greater shared scrutiny of the Earth’s environment to assess climate change.




U.S. Deploying E/A-18 Electronic Attack Jets To Germany

Credit: USAF



The U.S. military is bolstering its presence in Europe with a deployment of U.S. Navy Boeing E/A-18 Growler electronic attack aircraft. Six E/A-18s and about 240 personnel from Naval Air Station Whidbey Island, Washington, will deploy to Spangdahlem Air Base, Germany, the Pentagon announced March 28. The aircraft will “enhance NATO’s collective defense posture and further increase air integration capabilities with our allied and partner nations.




USAF Seeks Significant Funding Cut For Hypersonic ARRW Program

Credit: U.S. Air Force/Edwards AFB
ARRW flight test.

Biden Requests $813.3 Billion For National Defense

Credit: Boeing



The Biden administration is requesting $813.3 billion for national defense, including a $773 billion total for the Pentagon, in an increase of defense spending aimed at more research and development of future systems at the cost of more divestments. The increase, approximately a 4% rise when compared to the current enacted funding level, is about 1% less than GOP lawmakers are calling for. The Pentagon rolled out its request on March 28, saying it will implement an unreleased National Defense Strategy that is now expected to be released in the coming weeks.




U.S. Navy Seeks To Slow Fixed-Wing, Helo Orders

Credit: USMC



The $16.8 billion fiscal 2023 budget request for the U.S. Navy’s aviation branch taps the brakes on procurement ramp-ups for several fixed-wing aircraft programs. In addition to halving planned purchases of Lockheed Martin F-35Cs and cutting F-35Bs by a quarter, the fiscal 2023 request, released March 28, reduces Sikorsky CH-53K procurement to 10 instead of 12 and trims Northrop Grumman MQ-4C orders to four from five.




Terran Orbital Begins Trading On NYSE After SPAC Merger

Credit: Terran Orbital



Terran Orbital began publicly trading on the New York Stock Exchange on March 28, while announcing a $200 million backlog of contracted work and more than $40 million in 2021 revenue for the high-volume small-satellite manufacturer and Earth observation services provider. The Boca Raton, Florida-based startup, whose roots include cubesat inventors, merged with special purpose acquisition company Tailwind Two on March 25, a day after the SPAC’s shareholders approved the reverse merger with 94% of shares voting in favor.




The Weekly Debrief: Why The Pentagon Wants To Cut F-35 Orders

Credit: Lockheed Martin

F-35



 

 

 

USAF Wants To Give 100 MQ-9s To Other U.S. Operators

Credit: USAF
MQ-9

USAF Looking To Reduce HH-60W Helicopter Buy

Credit: Sikorsky
HH-60W

Pentagon Budget Request Calls For Sharp Hike In B-21 Spending

Credit: Northrop Grumman



The U.S. Air Force is planning large spending increases for the Northrop Grumman B-21 Raider as the bomber moves closer to its first flight and more aircraft enter production. The service’s fiscal 2023 budget request, released March 28, calls for $3.254 billion in research, development, test and evaluation (RDT&E) funding for the bomber, along with $1.787 billion in procurement spending. The latter would be a substantial increase, with the service having requested just $108 million in the 2022 budget.




USAF Looks To Slow Purchase Of F-35As, Increase Buy Of F-15EXs

Credit: USAF

F-35A

USAF Targets 33 F-22s For Retirement In 2023

Credit: U.S. Air Force
F-22

Eve Works To Set Zanite Merger Apart From Prior SPAC Deals

Credit: Eve UAM



Of the five electric air taxi developers that have been involved in going-public mergers with blank-check companies, only two are following the tried-and-tested aerospace business model of manufacturing, selling and supporting their aircraft. Archer Aviation, Joby Aviation and Lilium all plan to also operate their electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft, a strategy that promises greater revenues long term but requires more capital upfront. Embraer spinoff Eve UAM and UK startup Vertical Aerospace are taking the traditional approach.




Space Force Budget Request Invests Heavily In Resilient Sats Research

Credit: Lockheed Martin



The Pentagon’s fiscal 2023 budget request, released March 28, is the first time the U.S. Space Force has been able to plan spending as its own independent service, and the result is a big investment in research and development aimed at making key capabilities in orbit better protected from emerging threats.




From Germany discussing the acquisition of a missile defense system, to Safran Helicopter Engines proposing final assembly and testing of Aneto 1K engines for Leonardo’s AW149 in the UK. Take a look at these and more in our daily roundup of aerospace & defense news. 

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