Aerospace Daily & Defense Report

By Vivienne Machi
A U.S. Space Force-led on-orbit refueling demonstration is now slated for next year.
Commercial Space

By Steve Trimble
A recovery plan for the Boeing KC-46 pushes the arrival of the Remote Vision System (RVS) 2.0 upgrade by more than a year.
Aircraft & Propulsion

By Tony Osborne
Aviation services company Metrea is gearing up to demonstrate its Fireswift aerial firefighting aircraft to European governments in the coming weeks.
Advanced Air Mobility

By Garrett Reim
Startup Star Catcher Industries plans to demonstrate orbital optical power beam before the end of the year.
Satellites

By Robert Wall
Pentagon plans to buy 10,000 low-cost cruise missiles and 500 hypersonic missiles annually, expanding its industrial base and accelerating procurement timelines.
Missile Defense & Weapons

By Tony Osborne
Multiple modifications made by Russia to improve the lethality and survivability of the Kh-101cruise missile against air defenses have achieved only limited success.
Missile Defense & Weapons

By Chen Chuanren
InAir prepares first drone deliveries for South Korea Army.
Missile Defense & Weapons

By Tony Osborne
Norway’s armed forces are experimenting with artificial intelligence to speed up helicopter search and rescue missions.
Budget, Policy & Operations

By Tony Osborne
Rheinmetall and Deutsche Telekom have teamed on an initiative to improve drone defense of urban areas and critical infrastructure.
Advanced Air Mobility

By Chen Chuanren
Australia selects PteroDynamics Transwing P4 for naval logistics, marking its first export and advancing autonomous systems for maritime operations.
Missile Defense & Weapons

By Tony Osborne
The UK’s National Police Air Service (NPAS) has been granted funding to buy additional helicopters, in addition to aircraft already on order from Airbus.
Aircraft & Propulsion

By Robert Wall
SES reviews IRIS² participation as financial viability remains key, cancels two satellites and adjusts fleet plans to align with return criteria.
Satellites

By Steve Trimble
The U.S. Air Force has ordered a batch of one-way attack drones and support services from Aevex, according to the U.S. company which has supplied thousands of similar systems to Ukraine.
Missile Defense & Weapons

By Chen Chuanren
BlueTide and KARI partner to expand South Korean space startups into Singapore, focusing on commercialization, investment access and global market entry.
Launch Vehicles & Propulsion

By Steve Trimble
The Pentagon’s Drone Dominance program is expanding to include the acquisition of recoverable “bomber” types of uncrewed aircraft systems.
Missile Defense & Weapons

By Chen Chuanren
SkyFi secures SOCOM contract to develop imagery tools for troops and explores Asia-Pacific partnerships for sovereign intelligence and shared imagery platforms.
Satellites

By Robert Wall
The Swizz government said it will lean more heavily on RUAG to help manage development of an expansive military and civil air traffic surveillance program that it now believes may come in on time and on budget.
Budget, Policy & Operations

By Robert Wall
Bern expects to assess French, German, Israeli, and South Korean air and missile defense options to augment its needs given expanding issues with delivery of the U.S. Patriot systems.
Missile Defense & Weapons

By Robert Wall
Avio sees rising demand for rocket motors driven by missile stockpile depletion and prepares for P160C booster flights on Ariane 6 and Vega-C rockets.
Launch Vehicles & Propulsion

By Irene Klotz
After a seven-month hiatus, SpaceX is preparing to resume flight tests of the Starship-Super Heavy with launch of a re-engineered, orbital-class vehicle slated for May 19.
Launch Vehicles & Propulsion

By Steve Trimble
U.S. Air Force Futures has approved a requirements document for an aircraft that will replace the General Atomics Aeronautical Systems Inc. MQ-9A Reaper.
Aircraft & Propulsion

Aviation Week Staff
ELECTRIC BOAT gets $2.3b Virginia-class sub award... QUANTUM SPACE expands in Tulsa... New NASA director of launch ops...
Aerospace_Daily_departments

Aviation Week staff
Swissto12 To Use Unfurling Antenna For GEO Broadcast To Phones
Aerospace_Daily_departments

By Mark Carreau
Unfavorable weather has delayed the planned launch of SpaceX’s 34th NASA-contracted resupply mission to the International Space Station until May 13.
Space Exploration

By Vivienne Machi
The stand-up and operation of a notional Golden Dome missile defense architecture would cost about $1.2 trillion over the next 20 years, the Congressional Budget Office says in a new report.
Missile Defense & Weapons