Aerospace Daily & Defense Report

By Irene Klotz
President Donald Trump on March 26 called on NASA to land U.S. astronauts on the Moon within five years, Vice President Mike Pence said.
Defense

By Tony Osborne
UK-based helicopter operator Babcock Mission Critical Services has been named as one of eight helicopter operators alleged to have formed a price-fixing cartel.

By Lee Hudson
U.S. President Donald Trump has nominated Air Force Gen. John Raymond to lead U.S. Space Command as the Pentagon shifts how it plans to fight in space.
Defense

By Mark Carreau
NASA is postponing for now plans to carry out the first all-female spacewalk due to a scarcity of properly sized spacesuit elements on the International Space Station.
Defense

By Graham Warwick
Harbour Air, North America’s largest seaplane airline, has partnered with motor developer MagniX to convert its fleet to electric propulsion.

By Jen DiMascio
The FAA has published a nearly 600-page draft of proposed regulations to streamline space launch and re-entry licensing requirements for U.S. companies.
Defense

By Tony Osborne
The U.S. State Department has approved a possible Foreign Military Sale (FMS) of the General Atomics MQ-9B SkyGuardian unmanned air system (UAS) to Belgium.
Defense

By Bill Carey
UPS and drone delivery system developer Matternet have announced the launch of a new service to deliver medical samples by drone.
Defense

By Jen DiMascio
The U.S. successfully executed a the first “salvo engagement” with its Boeing-led Ground-based Midcourse Defense System on March 25, using two interceptors to engage a target.
Defense

By Steve Trimble
Boeing’s 767-based tankers use a version of the pitch augmentation system that grounded the 737 Max 8 fleet, the manufacturer and U.S. Air Force officials say.
Defense

By Jen DiMascio
Within the next six months, Lockheed Martin plans to launch a cubesat mission to demo a software-defined sat architecture that will allow a spacecraft to change missions while on orbit.
Defense

By Lee Hudson, Steve Trimble
The USAF, Marine Corps, Navy and National Nuclear Security Administration have all submitted fiscal 2020 unfunded priorities lists to Congress.
Defense

By Tony Osborne
Morocco looks set to standardize its combat aircraft fleet on the F-16, with plans to upgrade its current inventory of the Lockheed Martin fighter and top-up its order.
Defense

By Graham Warwick
Traditionally, the development of new engines comes ahead of that for new airframes, but the U.S. Army has taken a different approach.
Defense

By Bill Carey
Nav Canada began space-based tracking of aircraft flying in the eastern part of its Edmonton flight information region (FIR) on March 25.
Defense

By Tony Osborne
Leonardo will assemble light and medium helicopters in Algeria beginning in 2021 following the creation of a joint venture.
Defense

By Tony Osborne
An Italian think tank is calling on Italy to join Britain’s Tempest sixth-generation fighter development project.
Defense

India’s state-owned Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd. has rolled out its 16th Tejas Light Combat Aircraft in the initial operational clearance (IOC) configuration.
Defense

By Marhalim Abas
Indonesia plans to buy six Viking Air CL-415 amphibians for firefighting operations, the country’s air force chief said.
Defense

By Mark Carreau
The ability to fly helicopters on Mars could make possible future exploration of the red planet’s most hazardous terrain or areas off limits to humans because of planetary protection concerns.
Space

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GENERAL ATOMICS AERONAUTICAL SYSTEMS INC. has $123.3m U.S. Air Force contract for four MQ-9 unmanned air vehicles, four Mobile Ground Control Stations, spares, and support equipment for the Netherlands.

Attendees at the 4Gamechangers Festival in Vienna on April 9-11 will be able to take a flight in EHang’s multicopper electric-vertical-takeoff-and-landing air taxi.

By Lee Hudson
A senior defense official said the Pentagon decided to request the purchase of Boeing F-15EXs to maintain diversity in the industrial base.
Defense

By Mark Carreau
Two NASA astronauts on March 22 completed the first in a pair of spacewalks to replace aging batteries on the International Space Station.
Defense