Aerospace Daily & Defense Report

Airbus has completed three test flights using two of its own Airbus A350s with the autopilot engaged in its Fello’fly wake vortex-riding project.

Catherine Koerner has assumed management responsibility for development and operations of NASA’s Orion program headquartered at Johnson Space Center.

The French government has reiterated its desire to see a hydrogen-fueled Airbus flying in service by 2035, firmly reacting to those claiming the move is too risky.

The organizer of Airshow China issued then retracted a cancellation announcement for the biennial exhibition set to be held at Zhuhai in November.

Brief news items of interest to aerospace & defense professionals.

The U.S. Air Force has awarded Northrop Grumman a $13.3 billion contract to replace the nation’s aging intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM)

A bipartisan group of U.S. senators is urging President Donald Trump to extend the New START arms control treaty with Russia for another five years before the agreement expires in February.

While NASA strives through the Artemis Accords to promote peaceful efforts to explore the Moon, the Vienna-based Moon Village Association is assessing how to achieve a similar outcome through its Best Practices for Sustainable Lunar Activity.

A program renaming is in store for the U.S. Air Force's Advanced Battle Management System to reflect its ever-expanding mission, but some of the fundamental questions have not changed.

Over the past year, corroded floorboards on U.S. Navy MH-60S multimission helicopters have interfered with installing auxiliary fuel tanks needed for longer flights.

British Defense Secretary Ben Wallace has hinted that the UK’s future combat air system initiative, Tempest, could be one of the winners in the government’s Integrated Review of defense and foreign policy.

France will focus on investing in hydrogen technology as part of a broader post-COVID-19 economic relaunch plan with the government planning to have a hydrogen-powered aircraft ready for 2035.

UK aerospace and trade association ADS is again warning of the dangers of a no-deal Brexit after it emerged that the British government plans to renege on elements of the Withdrawal Agreement it previously struck with the EU.

British rotorcraft start-up Hill Helicopters has confirmed it will develop a turbine engine in-house for its five-seat, 1.65-metric ton light helicopter.

Brief news items of interest to aerospace & defense professionals.

This week in Washington the U.S. Congress returns to work after its summer recess. Also this week the Association for Unmanned Vehicle Systems

U.S. Military Contracts

German electric aircraft start-up Lilium has partnered up with Dusseldorf and Cologne/Bonn airports to study air mobility networks in the region.

Leonardo has delivered the first of four counter-drone systems to the UK Royal Air Force (RAF) as the air arm seeks to protect its bases.

During a 20-sec. flight, India's Hypersonic Technology Demonstration Vehicle reached a maximum speed of Mach 6.0, validating critical functions of the scramjet propulsion speed at hypersonic speed.

Austria has begun negotiating with Indonesia on the possible sale of Vienna’s unwanted fleet of Eurofighter combat aircraft.

Erickson has inked agreements with Bell Textron for the transfer of type certificates for the Model 214-family of twin-engine medium helicopters.

The mission adds China to an exclusive club of countries that have landed an orbital, reusable spacecraft.

The White House has issued a new space policy directive designed to improve the cybersecurity of space systems.

Pratt & Whitney is now set to challenge GE Aviation for the F-15EX engine contract after the U.S. Air Force committed to a competitive selection process for the first time on September 4.