Gallery Of Laureates 2024 Winners - Defense

Aviation Week Network Staff January 17, 2024

Saab Gripen E

The aircraft entered service with the Brazilian Air Force in December 2022, marking a milestone in development of the next-generation version of the Swedish fighter. With Brazil’s selection of the Gripen E/F in December 2013, the program became a joint development effort, with Brazilian industry joining Saab’s supplier partners. The first series production Gripen E for Sweden was handed over in October 2023.

Credit: Saab

Nammo THOR-ER

In August 2023, the THOR-ER team from Norway and the U.S. twice test-fired a solid-fuel ramjet missile, demonstrating significant increases in effective range. The tests demonstrated new high-energy fuels, advanced air injection and throttling methods needed for future solid-fuel ramjet systems. The tests also highlighted international collaboration, involving the U.S. Naval Air Warfare Center, Norwegian Defense Research Establishment and Nammo.

Credit: Nammo


 

Northrop Grumman B-21 Raider

The U.S. Air Force’s B-21 Raider bomber flew for the first time on Nov. 10, 2023—eight years after contract award and less than a year after its public rollout at Northrop Grumman’s Plant 42 facility in Palmdale, California. The milestone opens the door for the company to begin low-rate initial production of the first new U.S. bomber in three decades.

Credit: U.S. Air Force

X-62A VISTA

The U.S. Air Force Test Pilot School, Calspan and Lockheed Martin collaborated to transform the U.S. Air Force’s F-16D Variable In-flight Simulation Test Aircraft (VISTA) into the X-62 and enabled the first testing of synthetic artificial-intelligence pilots in a supersonic aircraft. This has provided the template for work on developing autonomy for the Air Force’s planned Collaborative Combat Aircraft family. 

Credit: Lockheed Martin

Western Missile Integration for Ukraine

A challenge for the Ukrainian forces has been to erode the advantage of Russian’s much larger air force and air defense systems. A team from the UK rapidly figured out how to launch MBDA Storm Shadow long-range cruise missiles from Ukrainian Sukhoi Su-24 aircraft, allowing Ukraine to hit military targets and supply lines deep inside Russian-held territory.

Credit: Ukrainian Air Force

Eren Ozmen, Sierra Nevada Corp., for Leadership

Ozmen and her husband, Fateh, purchased Sierra Nevada Corp. (SNC) in 1994 and have turned it into a multibillion-dollar force to be reckoned with in the defense industry. In 2023, SNC notched a win to provide the U.S. Army with airborne intelligence, reconnaissance and surveillance services, putting itself in a strong position to win follow-on business.

Credit: Sierra Nevada Corp.

Aviation Week's editors announced the winners of the 66th Laureate Awards, continuing a long tradition of honoring innovators, extraordinary achievements, and exemplary leadership in aerospace and other categories. This year's awards honored 29 individuals, companies, and programs across five industry sectors, including defense.

Aviation Week Network's 67th Laureate Awards 2025

The prestigious Aviation Week Network's 67th Laureate Awards are now open for nominations, recognizing outstanding achievements in the aviation industry. Nominations should be submitted by October 25, 2024, and the winners will be announced on November 8, 2024.

The 67th Laureate Awards ceremony is scheduled to take place on March 6, 2025, at the renowned National Museum in Washington, D.C. This prestigious event promises to be a celebration of excellence, recognizing the remarkable achievements of the awardees.

You can find more information about the Laureate Awards on our website. Check out the brochure highlighting the Laureate winners over the years.

Submit your nomination today.

Comments

1 Comment
Kurt
Wed, 09/11/2024 - 20:29
New high energy fuel? Spell that magnesium and boron both of which are tough to work with, without the Kn going to moon and over pressurizing a motor casing. Although may be they have something out there better than APCP (Ammonium Perchlorate Composite Propellant)
Dancing with Mg, sometimes Zn and B for Boron as additives can be a dance with the devil to get them to work consistently. I don't know as I am but an amateur and had a lot of fun mixing and flying rockets and propellant on licensed sites legally for fun.