Aerospace Daily & Defense Report

Demand for eventual reuse has prompted redesign of China’s Long March 8 space launcher.

Based in New South Wales, the squadron is operating two types of drone, the Boeing Insitu ScanEagle and Schiebel S-100 Camcopter.

Spirit AeroSystems is withdrawing its application for European Commission approval of its acquisition of Asco Industries so it can address a hang-up.

The long-planned second version, intended for launching satellites to geostationary transfer orbit, could be flown next year if development is begun soon, a source says.

Japanese program planners hope the country’s next fighter will make its first flight in 2025, local researchers believe, although separate reports put this target in doubt.

A senior Russian defense official says analysis by the Russian military indicates the swarming drone attack must have been orchestrated by a U.S. Navy P-8 flying off the coast of Syria.

Taiwan’s program to upgrade Lockheed Martin F-16A/Bs to the F-16V standard is running behind schedule, with completion now due in 2023, a year later than previously planned.

“Textron Systems is now positioned to be a global provider of unmanned capabilities across all three domains," President and CEO Lisa Atherton said.

GENERAL ATOMICS AERONAUTICAL SYSTEMS INC. has $192.7m U.S. Army contract for Gray Eagle performance-based logistics.

Lt. Gen. Gadi Eisenkot, chief of staff of the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), will decide before the end of the month on the vertical lift part of the IDF’s acquisition plan.

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NASA’s planned return to the Moon with astronauts nurture a range of technologies and capabilities needed to establish an Antarctic-like field station on Mars, according to a recent exploration workshop.

Insitu is moving toward full FAA type certification of its ScanEagle3 unmanned aircraft system by the fourth quarter of 2019.

“Everything remains in play,” Raytheon CFO Toby O’Brien said Oct. 25.

Defense minister Steven Vandeput said the F-35 had won out against the competing Eurofighter Typhoon on price.

Malaysia has conducted test firings of its Thales Starstreak short range air-defense missiles from new launchers.

The new site will make 100 actuation system components for 737 and 767-family aircraft using raw materials sourced in the UK, the company announced as it opened the plant Oct. 25.

The Russian aircraft industry went through another round of consolidation Oct. 25 as the country’s aircraft manufacturing conglomerate United Aircraft Corporation (UAC) fell under control of industrial giant Rostec.

The Callisto, program includes five flights, the last one involving landing on a barge in the Atlantic Ocean.

Boeing Global Services increased revenue 14% in the third quarter (Q3) to $4.1 billion, and the strong environment combined with the folding in of parts distributor KLX led the company to raise full-year revenue guidance to $16 billion-$16.5 billion.

SpaceX has signed two new commercial customers for Falcon Heavy launches, while competitor United Launch Alliance (ULA) has nabbed a sole-source Delta IV Heavy launch contract from the National Reconnaissance Office.

Top-line growth in its defense and services businesses helped Boeing offset production-related challenges in its Commercial Airplanes unit.

SAAB and Dutch shipbuilder DAMEN SHIPYARDS GROUP are teaming to compete for Netherlands’ Walrus submarine replacement program.

Bombardier has sued the aircraft unit of Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Ltd.

“We see T-X as a market for about 2,600 aircraft in addition to ground-based trainers and other support and services,” Boeing CEO Dennis Muilenburg says.