Aerospace Daily & Defense Report

Ax-4, Axiom Space's fourth private astronaut mission, departed the International Space Station early July 14, ending an 18-day stay.

India’s Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau preliminary report suggests an A171 pilot toggled the aircraft’s engine fuel supply switches just after liftoff.

Norway can buy nine Sikorsky HH-60W combat search-and-rescue helicopters, the U.S. government announced on July 11.

Vertical Aerospace announced the successful closing of a $60 million equity raise, extending its cash runway through the middle of 2026.

The BAE Systems PHASA-35 high-altitude, solar-electric, uncrewed aircraft system (UAS) will carry an Aloft Sensing X-band synthetic aperture radar.

The U.S. Missile Defense Agency (MDA) wants to cancel its Space-based Kill Assessment (SKA) experiment in favor of higher priority Pentagon investment.

Rocket Lab has awarded a contract to build the sea-based landing platform for its forthcoming Neutron reusable launch vehicle, the company announced July 10.

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Axiom Space is partnering with Oakley, known for its rugged sportswear and advanced optics, to provide future astronauts with high-tech visors.

Spanish-Australian startup Dovetail Electric Aviation has announced plans to partner with Netherlands-based Zeusch Aviation to develop hybrid-electric retrofits for the Beechcraft King Air twin turboprop.

Spanish startup Grasshopper Air Mobility has partnered with Swedish delivery service Jetpak to offer uncrewed parcel deliveries in Sweden.

The Senate Armed Services Committee (SASC) looks to add $30 billion to the Pentagon’s budget, while blocking some aircraft retirements and increasing F-35As.

Pratt & Whitney has released imagery of its digitally designed XA103 next-generation adaptive combat engine and says initial parts production is underway.

Japan’s Marubeni is to resume demonstration flights with Lift Aircraft’s electric vertical-takeoff-and-landing (eVTOL) Hexa at the 2025 World Expo in Osaka.

Chinese automaker GAC conducted the first flight of its Govy AirJet winged electric vertical-takeoff-and-landing AirJet on July 3.

The European Space Agency says it has made the first optical communications connection between a ground station and NASA’s Psyche mission.

Leonardo, in a July 10 statement, said it would equip six of the Lockheed Martin C-130Js with laser-based Miysis systems.

An audit of the UK’s F-35 program shows it continues to suffer from delays in deliveries, capability enhancements and reliability shortfalls.

In the July 10 memo, released then redacted, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth outlines a goal of making the U.S. the world’s leader in drone operations.

For the Defense Threat Reduction Agency (DTRA) and the U.S. Air Force, devoting the time and money to build an effective bunker-buster bomb is challenging.

The Pentagon will become the largest shareholder in Nevada-based rare earth producer MP Materials in the latest move by the Trump administration.

U.S. Sen. James Risch, R-Idaho, said he will continue blocking indefinitely the transfer of Lockheed Martin F-35s purchased by Turkey during a July 9 hearing.