Aerospace Daily & Defense Report

The single-engine M40—Mirach 40—is able to simulate a wide range of airborne threat targets, mimicking a variety of aircraft as well as infrared- and radar-guided missiles.

By Maxim Pyadushkin
Despite the Western sanctions, famed Russian jet maker MiG is at the Paris Air Show to remind the public—and the industry—of its latest iteration of the Fulcrum family, the MiG-35 fighter, and to attract attention to its other efforts.

By Noam Eshel
Israel’s missile pioneer Rafael Advanced Defense Systems is showcasing the latest version of its multipurpose guided missile – Spike LR II.

By Noam Eshel
Elbit Systems has received the first order, worth USD17 million, from a NATO country, for its BrightNite vision system, designed to enhance the visibility and situational awareness of helicopter pilots in degraded visual environment flight conditions.

By Noam Eshel
Fielding a new wing of fifth-generation Lockheed Martin F-35A fighter jets, modernizing its existing air power and quadrupling its strike capacity, the Israeli Air Force is undergoing a generation leap that will prepare it to meet future challenges.

Kaman says it will extend the production run of its K-Max utility helicopter out to 2019, having been encouraged by increased demand and interest for the aircraft.

By Tony Osborne
Leonardo refocuses on U.S. market, targeting helicopter and trainer needs.

LOCKHEED MARTIN has $471m U.S. Army foreign military sales contract for guided Multiple Launch Rocket System full-rate production 12 for alternative warhead (2,868 rockets); unitary warhead (648 rockets); low-cost reduced-range practice rocket (370 pods); and integrated logistics support for Finland, France, Germany, and Singapore. ROSTEC says it may sign contract with China’s AVIC for Advanced Heavy Lifter Helicopter by year’s end.

Defense Secretary James Mattis says the Pentagon will look to grow 3-5% annually through 2023, saying it is necessary to preserve the nation’s competitive advantage. The growth started with the Trump administration’s request for a $30 billion fiscal 2017 supplemental, is included in the fiscal 2018 budget and will be supported in the years beyond by a military strategy currently in the works, Mattis says. But while the increase is music to the ears of many in the defense industry, smart companies might not want to plan on continued growth.

To list an event, send information in calendar format to Donna Thomas at [email protected]. For a complete list of Aviation Week Network’s upcoming events, and to register, visit www.aviationweek.com/events (Bold type indicates new calendar listing.) June 20-22—Earth Observation Summit 2017, Montreal, Quebec, Canada. For more information go to http://www.spaceagenda.com/future-events/

The Pentagon is working to restore the deconfliction line with Russia for safer air operations over Syria in the wake of the Sukhoi Su-22 shootdown on June 18.
Defense

By Mark Carreau
By leveraging advances in telescope optics and computing, the B612 Foundation’s new Asteroid Institute (AI) expects to dramatically increase the discovery of small asteroids that still pose a threat to Earth.
Defense

By Bradley Perrett
A second, simplified version of the Long March 5 space launcher will be used to build the space station that China plans to complete by 2022.
Defense

The U.S. Air Force is taking steps to rebuild pilots’ confidence in the F-35’s oxygen system at an Arizona Air Force base as the aircraft remains grounded through at least June 20.
Defense

The Syrian Armed Forces have warned the U.S. of “serious repercussions” after a Boeing F/A-18E Super Hornet belonging to the U.S. Navy shot down a Syrian Sukhoi Su-22.
Paris Air Show

The Missile Defense Agency has begun exploring potential high-altitude, long-durance UAVs capable of destroying intercontinental ballistic missiles in the boost phase with an airborne laser weapon.
Defense

By Maxim Pyadushkin
Russian Helicopters has not brought any of its rotorcraft to Le Bourget this year. But a few weeks before the Paris Air Show, the Russian manufacturer reported the first horizontal flight of its newest Kamov Ka-62 medium twin.

IAI MLM will supply the Israel Air Force the latest generation of EHUD air combat maneuvering instrumentation pods, to be carried on conventional fighter jets.

By Tony Osborne
With the delivery by Leonardo of the 500th Eurofighter to the Italian air force, production of the multinational combat aircraft is entering its twilight years. Work is now underway to further slow production rates in a bid to be ready for potential future customers.

AIRBUS marked 10 years of operation forTerraSAR-X satellite, originally slated for 5 years of service.

The FAA has granted a supplemental type certificate (STC) for an updated digital avionics and cockpit for L3 Technologies’ AT-802L Longsword surveillance/light attack aircraft.

View the Forecast Friday: Western Scout Helicopter MRO Demand 2017-2026 chart in PDF format.

The new position is part of USAF Secretary Heather Wilson’s push to “integrate, normalize and elevate” space within the Air Force and wider Defense Department.
Defense

The F-35A Lightning II multinational training center at Luke AFB, Arizona, will keep its jets grounded through June 20 or perhaps longer.
Defense

By Mark Carreau
NASA’s Orion program will spend several weeks assessing performance and engineering data from Orbital ATK’s Utah desert test firing on June 15 of the Launch Abort System motor.
Defense