Aerospace & Defense Roundup: Sept, 26

Border Protection Agency Awards Counter-Drone Contract

Counter-unmanned aircraft system manufacturer Citadel Defense has announced a $1 million contract award from the U.S. Customs and Border Protection agency to protect against drones along the Mexican border.

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Boeing Orders 2nd Batch Of KC-46A Radar Warning Receivers

Boeing has ordered a second batch of 111 ALR-69A radar warning receivers for the KC-46A tanker, Raytheon says. 

The second order follows Raytheon’s selection in 2011 to supply 50 ALR-69As to Boeing for the KC-46A. 

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AAR Sees More Opportunity To Sell Used Aircraft To Government

AAR recently garnered attention by landing a new $118.6 million contract to deliver two 737 aircraft and associated support equipment to the U.S. Marine Corps–significant because the armed service was looking to buy new-build aircraft.

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NASA’s Low-Boom X-Plane Completes Design Review

NASA and Lockheed Martin Skunk Works have completed the critical design review for the X-59 QueSST low-boom supersonic flight demo, paving the way for the next key decision point on the program.

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U.S. To Deploy Patriot, Sentinels To Saudi Arabia

The U.S. will deploy one Patriot battery, four Sentinel radars and 200 support personnel to Saudi Arabia in response to the recent attacks on the nation’s energy infrastructure.

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DOD IG Launches Hypersonic Weapon Research Project

The DOD's $10.5 billion plan to test multiple hypersonic weapons prototypes has inspired a new research project by the Office of Inspector General.

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ADAC Demos Volocopter eVTOL In Air Medical Rescue

German air rescue service ADAC Luftrettung has conducted a simulated rescue operation using a Volocopter eVTOL to fly a doctor to the scene of an accident.

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Small Comet Solar System’s Second Interstellar Visitor

The International Astronomical Union (IAU) this week recognized and designated the small comet 2I/Borisov as the Solar System’s second interstellar visitor.

The object was discovered Aug. 30 by an amateur astronomer, Gennady Borisov, using a self-made 0.65-m telescope at the Margo Observatory in Crimea.

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Avic Expects AC312E Certification In October

Avic expects to achieve airworthiness certification next month for the AC312E helicopter while also working on a successor type, a company manager said.

The AC312E, a descendant of the Airbus AS365 Dauphin, is likely to play a gap-filling role.

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Citation Longitude Off To Strong Start

The long-awaited and now FAA-type certified super-midsize Citation Longitude is entering a crowded market niche, but its prospects appear bright because NetJets intends to buy up to 175 aircraft.

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Senate Confirms Hyten As Vice Chief

The Senate confirmed U.S. Air Force Gen. John Hyten, with a vote of 75-22, as vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, despite allegations of sexual assault made by a junior officer.

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