Aerospace Daily & Defense Report

India’s premier defense agency is working to build a Multi-Mission Maritime Aircraft (MMMA) for the coast guard.

Czech manufacturer Aero Vodochody completed the long-awaited first flight of its prototype L-39NG military jet trainer on Dec. 22.

BOEING has contract worth up to $1.1b for U.S. Special Operations MH-6, MH-47, MH-60 support.

One week after asking industry for proposals, the U.S. Air Force has suspended an effort to buy a ground-based laser weapon by up to 3.5 months without explanation.

In observance of the year-end holidays, Aerospace Daily & Defense Report will not publish again until the issue dated Jan. 3.

Lockheed Martin received a $997 million contract on Dec. 21 to complete a major upgrade for 84 F-16s operated by the Hellenic Air Force in Greece.

The launch customer, Russia’s defense ministry, ordered two of the type in 2017 and wanted to have the first one in 2018 and the next a year later.

London’s Gatwick Airport shut down flight operations again Dec. 21 after yet another drone sighting, then reopened 1 1/2 hr. later.

One week after asking industry for proposals, the U.S.

An Indonesian order for 11 Sukhoi Su-35 fighters supposedly placed 10 months ago remains unsigned, Russia’s ambassador to the country said.

Leonardo has flown the first prototype of its M345 High Efficiency Trainer (HET).

General Atomics Aeronautical Systems Inc. (GA-ASI) has seen interest in the jet-powered Predator C Avenger tick higher.

The U.S. withdrawal of troops from Syria and potentially Afghanistan will negatively impact the wartime funding account.

NASA space shuttle-era astronauts Janet Kavandi and James Buchli will enter the U.S. Astronaut Hall of Fame during ceremonies next April.

NASA should begin strategic investments necessary for the science community to reap the most from the extraterrestrial samples returned from future planetary science missions, an NAS assessment says.

NASA’s Insight probe is deploying instruments on Mars, starting with the seismometer that will help expand understanding of the planet’s interior structure.

Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) has added a year to the LCH-LAH civil and military helicopter development program.

AIRBUS AUSTRALIA PACIFIC has two-year contract extension for sustainment services through 2024 to Royal Australian Air Force C-130Js.

Zurich-based advanced composites manufacturer Gurit is warning investors over lower 2018 financial results.

A story in the Dec. 19 issue of the DAILY should have said that Japan budgeted for two KC-46As in fiscal 2016-18.

View the Defense Market Intelligence Notes in PDF format.

BOEING has $90.4m U.S. Navy contract for studies/analysis related to MQ-25 engineering, manufacturing and development.

Weather bedeviled SpaceX’s second attempt this week to launch the first GPS III spacecraft, dubbed “Vespucci,” for the U.S. Air Force aboard a Falcon 9 from Cape Canaveral.

AVIATION WEEK NETWORK estimates that of the 15,902 western-designed, rotary-wing aircraft in military service at the end of 2018, 14,604 (91.8%) were produced by just 10 prime contractors.

U.S. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis has submitted his resignation a day after President Donald Trump announced plans to withdraw military forces from Syria.