Aerospace Daily & Defense Report

By Tony Osborne
The UK Defense Ministry has insisted there are no plans to change the New Medium Helicopter program to find a replacement for Royal Air Force Airbus Pumas.
Aircraft & Propulsion

By Mark Carreau
NASA is looking to February for the SPHEREx launch, a mission to survey more than 450 million galaxies to better understand the post-Big Bang cosmic expansion.
Space Exploration

By Matthew Fulco
The companies leading a Pentagon-backed antimony project have signed a MOU, boosting the U.S.’ growing effort to reduce critical-mineral dependency on China
Supply Chain

By Tony Osborne
UK engineering company 2Excel has begun test of its modified 757 flying testbed, which will be used for technologies leading to the Global Combat Air Program.
Aircraft & Propulsion

By Sean Broderick
Boeing has restarted 737 production and expects its widebody facilities in Everett, Washington, to follow in the coming days.
Aircraft & Propulsion

By Vivienne Machi
Lockheed Martin plans to launch a second self-funded prototype spacecraft in early 2025, on Firefly Aerospace Alpha rockets.
Satellites

By Steve Trimble
A Guam-based interceptor battery for the first time shot down a target representing a medium-range ballistic missile target, the Missile Defense Agency says.
Missile Defense & Weapons

By Chen Chuanren
Australia has become the third country to possess and fire the Tomahawk Land Attack cruise missile after a live firing test from a Hobart-class destroyer.
Missile Defense & Weapons

By Robert Wall
Earth-observation satellite service provider Planet Labs is looking to launch its Pelican-2 spacecraft in January, bolstering on-orbit capability.
Satellites

By Mark Carreau
NASA's contract with the Southwest Research Institute includes the development and operation of two magnetometers as part of NOAA's Space Weather Next program.
Operations & Safety

By Vivienne Machi
The House Armed Services and Senate Armed Services committees are providing one of the U.S. Space Force’s procurement offices with a boost in resources.
Budget, Policy & Regulation

By Steve Trimble
U.S. operators paused most Bell-Boeing V-22 Osprey operations after a material failure caused one of the tiltrotor aircraft to make a precautionary landing.
Aircraft & Propulsion

By Irene Klotz
Blue Origin reiterated its plan to launch the first New Glenn orbital rocket this month, with a key static hot-fire of the reusable first stage still pending.
Launch Vehicles & Propulsion

By Garrett Reim
Pixxel, an Indian startup developing hyperspectral satellites, has raised $24 million as part of a Series B extension round.
Commercial Space

By Vivienne Machi
For years, mention of counterspace capabilities was taboo. but U.S. Space Force formation and on-orbit activity has led to more calls for investment and focus.
Missile Defense & Weapons

By Kim Minseok
KAI and South Korea's Defense Acquisition Program Administration have signed the first KF-21 performance-based logistics contract.
Supply Chain

By Brian Everstine
U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin has rolled out the latest large tranche of aid for Ukraine as he faced up to an uncertain future for supplying Kyiv and his own department’s legacy on the issue.
Budget, Policy & Operations

By Brian Everstine
The U.S. Air Force and Navy should more closely collaborate on variants of their next-generation fighters instead of further splitting apart as development continues, an influential senator argues.
Aircraft & Propulsion

By Brian Everstine
The top U.S. officer in the Pacific says Russia has reached an agreement with North Korea to send MiG-29 and Su-27 fighter aircraft to Pyongyang.
Aircraft & Propulsion

By Brian Everstine
The House and Senate Armed Services Committees have released the compromise fiscal 2025 defense policy bill, which remains under a required spending cap despite efforts from some key lawmakers to raise the spending ceiling.
Budget, Policy & Operations

By Garrett Reim
The U.S. Defense Department is funding an uncrewed air vehicle (UAV) laser power-beaming development project.
Emerging Technologies

By Brian Everstine
Scaled Composites brings back its “Old School” test platform seven years after its last flight.
Aircraft & Propulsion

By Brian Everstine
Stratolaunch says it is receiving its final rounds of approvals to conduct its first reusable test flight of the Talon A hypersonic testbed by Dec. 31.
Emerging Technologies

By Steve Trimble
The Ukrainian government has revealed production plans for two long-range drone missiles, highlighting a campaign to strengthen the national defense industry.
Missile Defense & Weapons

By Garrett Reim
Anduril Industries and OpenAI have formed a “strategic partnership” to develop artificial intelligence systems for national security missions.
Emerging Technologies