Aerospace Daily & Defense Report

L3Harris Technologies has picked Maxar Space Systems to design and build 18 spacecraft for the Space Development Agency’s Tranche 2 Tracking Layer program.

The U.S. Navy and Marine Corps will reduce its buy of Lockheed Martin F-35s in the soon-to-be-released fiscal 2025 budget request.

GE Aerospace will become a standalone company April 2.

The USAF may have to convert some F-35s with outdated avionics to combat roles due to the ongoing, “deeply concerning” delays with software certification.

The U.S. Air Force is evaluating bids from Airbus and Boeing for a planned replacement of the KC-135 ahead of a future tanker.

Sweden has ended its more than two-century-long policy of nonmilitary alignment by joining NATO.

The U.S. Air Force wants the Raytheon Hypersonic Attack Cruise Missile (HACM) to transition to production ahead of any tests of the missile.

A new U.S. Army cross-functional team will be created to usher in a new stratospheric layer of aerial sensing platforms.

Airbus has unveiled the completed prototype of its CityAirbus NextGen electric vertical-takeoff-and-landing advanced air mobility aircraft.

Chile's decision to ban Israeli companies from taking part in the FIDAE Airshow will damage bilateral relations, Israel’s ambassador to Chile says.

CAeS has released details of the finalized hydrogen fuel cell packing design it is developing for flight tests on a modified Britten-Norman BN-2 Islander.

Japanese startup SkyDrive has begun construction of its first prototype SD-05 electric vertical-takeoff-and-landing air taxi.

Baltimore-based Wave Engine Corp. has successfully flown a UAV from a standing start on the runway powered by a valveless pulsejet, also known as a wave engine.

The Pentagon will lift its more than 90-day grounding of the Bell Boeing V-22 tiltrotor fleet, the head of a House committee investigating the aircraft announced March 6.

News in brief.

SOUTH DAKOTA adopts drone operator rights bill... PLANET LABS providing ship detection for NIWC Pacific... SWEDISH SPACE CORP. teams with DHRUVA on LEAP-1...

The disclosure adds another benefit to Sikorsky after the U.S. Army decided not to proceed with the FARA competition after fiscal 2024.

Engineered parts provider Barnes Group has settled with an activist hedge fund and will change its board of directors.

Palantir will build 10 prototypes of the U.S. Army’s Tactical Intelligence Targeting Access Node (TITAN) ground stations.

Space Florida, a quasi-public economic development and financing agency, plans to expand the state’s aerospace footprint in south Florida and the Panhandle.

Pending clearance from the FAA, SpaceX said on March 6 that it could be ready for its third Starship/Super Heavy flight test from Boca Chica Beach, Texas, as early as March 14.

Space Systems Command’s (SSC) Electro-Optical/Infrared Weather Systems (EWS) cubesat technology demonstrator was successfully launched on March 4.

Ukrainian forces appear to have used French-supplied Hammer AASM air-launched guided bombs in action, reports from both sides of the frontline have indicated.

Jason Hill, founder of UK startup Hill Helicopters, has committed to achieving a first flight of the company’s HX50 turbine-powered light helicopter this year.

The tests will establish the performance of the unmodified aircraft before the start of the hybrid-electric conversion effort.