Based in London, Tony covers European defense programs. Prior to joining Aviation Week in November 2012, Tony was at Shephard Media Group where he was deputy editor for Rotorhub and Defence Helicopter magazines. Tony has covered avionics, unmanned vehicles, the supply chain and cyberwarfare.
NASA’s Kepler space telescope has detected its first exoplanet since it started operating with only two of its four reaction wheels functioning, validating the “K2” workaround that uses pressure from solar photons to hold its lock on nearby stars long enough to measure the faint dimming caused by transiting planets.
LONDON—Heathrow Airport Holdings has closed its sale of Aberdeen, Glasgow and Southampton airports, to a consortium of Ferrovial and Macquarie. The £1.048 billion ($1.68 billion) deal, first announced in October, formally closed on Dec. 18.
LONDON — The Netherlands government is restarting deliveries of naval versions of the NH90 helicopter six months after halting them over concerns about corrosion. Defense Minister Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert said new agreements were now in place with the aircraft’s manufacturer, NHindustries – a joint venture of AgustaWestland, Airbus Helicopters and Fokker – which gave her confidence that the corrosion issues would be resolved.
