Aerospace Daily & Defense Report

The U.S. Marine Corps will formally deactivate Marine Tactical Electronic Warfare Sqdn. 2, Marine Aircraft Group 14, 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing on March 9.

By Steve Trimble
Four members of Congress say the DOD bypassed normal procurement procedures to propose buying new F-15X fighters in the fiscal 2020 budget request.
Defense

By Kirby Harrison
Universal Avionics authorized dealer Heli-One has received STC OKs from Transport Canada and the Malaysia Department of Civil Aviation for a Sikorsky S-76 VVIP helo flight deck upgrade.

By Steve Trimble
An upgraded version of the GBU-69/B Small Glide Munition (SGM) used by U.S. Special Forces aircraft has emerged.
Defense

By Molly McMillin
Tru Simulation + Training has manufactured and supplied a full flight simulator for the CL-415 “water bomber” amphibious aircraft to Ansett Aviation’s training center in Milan.

By Steve Trimble
A week after Boeing unveiled a loyal wingman mockup in Australia, U.S. drone manufacturer Kratos completed the first flight of the XQ-58A Valkyrie.
Defense

By Tony Osborne
A Japanese helicopter operator has entered an agreement with Leonardo Helicopters to examine the potential use of tiltrotors in Japan.
Defense

By Guy Norris
Testing of two Airbus electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) concept vehicles is set to pass key milestones.

BOEING has $40m U.S. Air Force contract for Infra-Red Search and Track Block II Ship Sets.

London police are investigating two small improvised explosive devices (IEDs) sent to administrative offices at two of the city’s airports.

By Arie Egozi
The Israeli Air Force (IAF) has prepared a list of Israeli-made weapons and other systems it wants the F-35 Adir to carry.
Defense

By Guy Norris, Tony Osborne
Robinson Helicopter has ground tested a modified R44 with a variety of diesel engines and says work continues toward a lower-fuel-burn, longer-range derivative of the popular piston-powered light single.

By Molly McMillin
Boeing says it has completed the acquisition of ForeFlight, a provider of mobile and web-based aviation applications.

By Mark Carreau
NASA’s Mars InSight lander has paused efforts to pry into the planet’s subsurface with the Heat Flow and Physical Properties Package (HP3) for about two weeks.
Defense

India will launch three defense satellites over the next six months aimed at boosting the strategic communications and networking potential of its military.
Defense

By Bradley Perrett
Boeing is laying groundwork for a possible sale of T-X trainers to Canberra, briefing the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) on the type.
Defense

LOCKHEED MARTIN has $30.8m U.S. Navy contract for initial lay-in of repair material for ten F-35 Lightning IIs.

This week SpaceX is due to conclude its Demo Mission-1 to the International Space Station with the departure and Atlantic Ocean splashdown of its Crew Dragon spacecraft on Friday.

RiverTech, LLC,* Colorado Springs, Colorado, has been awarded a $34,513,979 firm-fixed-price contract for command and control technical support.

By Tony Osborne
MD Helicopters has revealed it has entered the U.S. Army’s Future Attack Reconnaissance Aircraft (FARA) technology demonstration contest with a platform that will use the company’s NOTAR anti-torque system.
Defense

By Jen DiMascio
The U.S. should withhold F-35s from Turkey if the Eurasian member of NATO accepts delivery of an advanced Russian air defense system, the head of U.S. European Command told Congress March 5.
Defense

By Thierry Dubois
After two years away from operational service, including 18 months of overhaul and upgrade, the Charles de Gaulle aircraft carrier has left Toulon, France, for a wide-ranging mission.
Defense

By Graham Warwick
Raytheon, now the second company on the TBG program after Lockheed Martin, has released a new artist’s impression of its concept.
Defense

By Tony Osborne
Switzerland’s Kopter Group plans to carry out helicopter assembly in the U.S. by moving into a Louisiana facility originally built for Bell.
Defense

By Tony Osborne
Organizers of the Farnborough Airshow have decided to halt its public weekend air show days.
Defense