In Pictures: Top Aerospace & Defense Stories, May. 02 2023

Credit: GE Aviation.

GE Aerospace has launched a third series of monthslong ground tests on the XA100 adaptive turbofan engine, a candidate to re-engine the Lockheed Martin F-35 that the U.S. Air Force is now seeking to cancel. 

Credit: U.S. Air Force.

GE Aerospace has named its proposed engine for the Next-Generation Air Dominance program—the second in a new series of adaptive turbofan engines in development for fighter aircraft—the XA102.

Credit: Republic of Singapore Air Force.

Singapore has managed to remain politically neutral, maintaining good relations both with the United States and China.

Credit: Airbus.

The Airbus Perlan 2 stratospheric glider is en route to South America, where it will attempt unpowered flights to altitudes exceeding 90,000 ft.–a height never achieved by a wing-borne aircraft.

Credit: blickwinkel via Alamy Stock Photo.

Small satellite manufacturer Sidus Space and Lulav Space, a sensor developer, signed a memorandum of understanding to provide lunar guidance, navigation and control technology for the U.S. market.

Credit: Boeing.

The U.S. Air Force has pressed to accelerate its E-7A Wedgetail program to replace the aging E-3 airborne warning and control system (AWACS) and has received increased funding to do so, though that has not played out and now the service is asking for more funding to speed it up in a different way. 

Credit: U.S. Air Force.

The U.S. Air Force expects to move its next-generation air-to-air missile into production next year as it looks to broadly increase production capacity for critical munitions.

Credit: Lilium.

German air taxi startup Lilium has announced a plan to raise up to $250 million in fresh capital, including a large infusion from existing investor Tencent Holding, which the company says will help it get to the first manned flight of its Lilium Jet late next year.

Credit: NASA.

NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory has awarded AeroVironment a $10 million contract to co-design and co-develop engineering units for a pair of drone helicopters that are to be part of the Mars Sample Return (MSR) mission.

Credit: Woodward.

Woodward’s sales rose 22% annually to $718 million in the second quarter of fiscal 2023, driven by robust demand in the aerospace and industrial markets.