In Pictures: Top Aerospace & Defense Stories, Sep. 18 2023

Credit: General Aviation Manufacturers Association. 

Industry has made its case for performance-based energy reserves for electric aircraft as an alternative to the conventional prescriptive time-based reserves proposed by the FAA in its draft operating rules for powered-lift-electric-vertical-takeoff-and-landing (eVTOL) vehicles.

Credit: University of Texas at Dallas.

The U.S. Defense Department has awarded a three-year, $30 million project to establish a university-led energy storage systems campus charged with improving existing battery systems, developing new chemistries and reducing dependence on scarce materials.

Credit: Safran.

Safran Landing Systems Kentucky has unveiled an expansion of its Boone County facility for carbon composite brakes for large commercial and military aircraft.

Credit: Perimeter Solutions.

The U.S. Defense Department has added a fluorine-free firefighting foam to its Qualified Products List (QPL), making available a more environmentally friendly foam for use by commercial airports and hangar facilities, the manufacturer says.

Credit: Northrop Grumman.

Northrop Grumman made headlines earlier this year when the company’s CEO announced the service would not compete as a prime for the U.S. Air Force’s Next Generation Air Dominance (NGAD). But about one month later the U.S. Navy disclosed the company is in the running for its own future fighter.

Credit: U.S. Air Force.

The Pentagon has for years been working on a major initiative to connect its assortment of sensors to different weapon systems in the air, on the ground and at sea in what has become known as Joint All Domain Command and Control (JADC2).

Credit: Israel Aerospace Industries.

2Excel Aviation has signed an agreement with Israel Aerospace Industries to partner on potential UK government use of the OEM’s Heron medium-altitude, long-endurance uncrewed aircraft system (UAS).