Aerospace Daily & Defense Report

Rocket Lab has signed a preliminary memorandum of terms with the Department of Commerce for up to $23.9 million in funding from the CHIPS and Science Act.

EpiSci and PhysicsAI are the first contractors selected for a DARPA program to develop software to enable beyond-visual-range engagement with multiple aircraft.

The V-22 fleet will not be fully mission capable until mid-2025 as the aircraft return to flight with strict restrictions and tests of a new clutch beginning.

News in brief.

Raytheon to provide DDG-100 tech refresh... Augmentation Systems market reached $559m in 2022... Kongsberg Nanoavionics names Atle Wøllo new CEO...

Private space station developer Vast Space has signed a cargo services agreement with The Exploration Co. of Munich.

The Aviation Industry Corp. of China has conducted the first test flight of the HH-100 cargo uncrewed aircraft system.

When a potential adversary’s radar picks up numerous cruise missiles, each target needs to be tracked and treated as a threat. The targets need “Respect.”

Sweden plans to contribute to NATO air missions including the Baltic Air Policing operation performed by allies from Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania.

Singapore is getting into the booming low-Earth-orbit (LEO) satellite game as it tries to build out its space credentials.

Romania has started building a new runway at its Mihail Kogalniceanu Air Base, as part of an expansion to make it one of the largest NATO facilities in Europe.

Patria and Pratt & Whitney have signed an agreement that paves the way for F135 engine production and sustainment in Finland to support Helsinki's future F-35 fleet.

The new head of South Korea's Defense Acquisition Program Administration is taking a tough line on Indonesia's wavering commitment to the KF-21 program.

Hanwha will integrate its new AESA radar, featuring the "tile" type transmitter/receive (T/R) block design, on to the KUS-LW.

The targeting pod failed within two months of use, Danish auditors said, and in some cases did not pass its first test.

Kepler Communications says it has used optical inter-satellite links to transfer data between two systems in low-Earth orbit.

The White House has outlined concerns about the House of Representatives’ version of the fiscal 2025 defense policy bill but stopped short of veto threats.

The announcement comes as Boeing’s air dominance unit competes for the U.S. Air Force’s Next Generation Air Dominance contract, plus builds fighters and UAS.

Autonomous flight system startup Merlin Labs has won a contract potentially worth $105 million to demonstrate a reduced aircrew capability for SOCOM C-130Js.

The location emerged in local news reports in Jacksonville about a $135 million economic development opportunity involving 100 jobs.

Users of iPhone 14 and newer models will be able to send and receive text messages via a satellite connection, Apple announced at its developer conference.

A Canadian judge has found UIA liable for the deaths of 176 passengers and crew on board a flight shot down by Iranian surface-to-air missiles.

Lilium CEO Klaus Roewe expects $100 million in loan guarantees from the German and Bavarian governments, while talks with France toward $200 million continue.

Aegis Aerospace anticipates its new Easy-to-Use Payload Interoperable Integration Carrier (EPIIC) will be available for purchase and flight by late 2025.

Temel Kotil, the general manager of Turkish Aerospace, has been replaced after leading the company for eight years.