Aerospace & Defense Roundup: Apr. 01

Canada Drops KC-46 For CC-150 Replacement, Leaving A330 MRTT

A Canadian procurement agency has selected only the Airbus A330 Multi-Role Tanker Transport (MRTT) as a qualified supplier for a five-aircraft order and eliminated any opportunity for a competing bid by the Boeing KC-46A. Public Works and Government Services identified the bid by Airbus Defense and Space as the only qualified supplier for the Strategic Tanker Transport Capability (STTC) project to replace the A310-derived CC-150 Polaris fleet. Credit: Airbus

Anduril Buying Tube-Launched UAS Provider Area-I

Defense technology agitator Anduril Industries said April 1 it acquired Area-I, an Atlanta-area developer of airborne tube-launched unmanned aircraft. Area-I’s offerings include its Agile-Launched, Tactically Integrated, Unmanned System (ALTIUS), whose current customers include the U.S. Army, Air Force, Navy, Special Operations Command and NASA.Credit: Area-I

Brookhouse Aerospace Is New Name For Kaman’s UK Business

The UK business of Kaman Corporation has been purchased in a management buyout. The Darwen, England-based business will now operate under its original name, Brookhouse Aerospace, with the Feb. 3 buyout backed by UK-based private equity investors, the company announced on March 29. Credit: Brookhouse Aerospace

USAF Considering Inflight Rearming For Gremlins Concept

Inflight rearming of a new class of air-launched and air-recovered attritable unmanned aircraft systems is a future concept being explored by the U.S. Air Force, the head of Air Mobility Command (AMC) said March 31. Credit: DARPA

AST Spacemobile, The Post-SPAC AST & Science, To Emerge April 6

AST Spacemobile, the new publicly traded version of nanosatellite startup AST & Science of Midland, Texas, should emerge from its reverse-merger with a special purpose acquisition company (SPAC) on April 6 sporting around $462 million. Credit: NanoAvionics

MBDA Slows Spending On TLVS, Reflects On Busy 2020

European missile manufacturer MBDA says it will scale back spending on Germany’s Tactical Air Defense System (TLVS) after a government review of ground-based air defenses prioritized a requirement for short-range air defense and upgrades to the country’s existing Patriot systems. Credit: Raytheon

NASA Takes $3 Billion Budget Hit From COVID-19

NASA estimates the economic impact of the coronavirus pandemic on the agency’s major programs through fiscal 2020 and beyond at nearly $3 billion. The agency also says it expects the $3 billion figure will undergo revisions until the “emergency” associated with the COVID-19 outbreak subsides. Credit: NASA

NPO Energomash Completes Test Firing For Soyuz 5 Engines

Russia has made another step toward the development of a new Soyuz 5 medium lift launch vehicle, with NPO Energomash reporting on March 31 that it had completed test firings of the first RD-171MV liquid rocket engine. The tests lasted for three months and included eight firings. “The [test] results confirm that the engine has succeeded,” NPO Energomash CEO Igor Arbuzov said. Credit: NPO Energomash

UK RAF Shuts Down Sentinel Unit

The UK Royal Air Force has disbanded the squadron flying its Raytheon Sentinel wide-area surveillance aircraft, ending the type’s service career. The RAF’s 5 Sqdn. based at Waddington, England, had operated the Bombardier Global business jet-based platform since the type entered service in 2008. Credit: Royal Air Force/Cpl. Tim Laurence

Brazil Clears KC-390s To Refuel Other KC-390s In Flight

The Embraer KC-390 is now qualified to refuel another KC-390 in-flight for the Brazilian air force, the manufacturer said April 1. Boom-equipped air refuelers are able to refuel others of their own type, but the capability is unique for an aircraft such as the KC-390, which uses only an underwing pod with a drogue to deliver fuel and a probe to receive.

Sierra Nevada Details Inflatable LEO Space Station Goals

Just over a week after NASA outlined renewed plans to foster the development of U.S. commercial low Earth orbit (LEO) free flyers to succeed the International Space Station, Sierra Nevada Corp. (SNC) has unveiled ambitious plans to develop an orbital ecosystem based on its inflatable habitat design and Dream Chaser lifting body space vehicle. Credit: Sierra Nevada Corporation