Aerospace & Defense Roundup: Dec. 01

December 02, 2020

ESA Signs Contract For Active Debris Removal Mission

The European Space Agency (ESA) has signed an €86 million ($100 million) contract with an industrial team led by Swiss start-up company ClearSpace for the provision of a debris removal service. For ESA, the idea is both to remove a piece of space debris from orbit for the first time and prime the pump for the creation of a viable business. Credit: ClearSpace SA

China Reports Successful Moon Landing

China’s Chang’e 5 lunar sample return mission successfully touched down on the Moon’s surface on Dec. 1, the China National Space Administration (CNSA) said. The landing took place at a preselected zone, Oceanus Procellarum, “the Ocean of Storms,” on the near side of the Moon at 10:11 a.m. EST, or 11:11 p.m. Beijing time. Credit: CNSA

Former Bombardier Exec Coleal Joins Incora As CEO

David Coleal, most recently president of Bombardier Aviation, has been named group CEO of Incora, a provider of supply chain management services to aerospace, defense and other industries, effective Nov. 30. Credit: bombardier.com

Spain To Convert Ex-Iberia A330s To MRTTs

Spain is planning to purchase a trio of former Iberia Airbus A330-200s to convert them into Multi-Role Tanker Transports for the country’s air force. Credit: Joe Pries

Basing USAF F-35As In Japan Seen Offering 'Great Benefit'

The top U.S. Air Force official in Japan said on Dec. 1 that he would like to see U.S.-owned Lockheed Martin F-35As permanently assigned to the country. The remarks by Lt. Gen. Kevin Schneider, commander of U.S. Forces in Japan and the 5th Air Force, during a webinar hosted by the Mitchell Institute comes as the U.S Air Force reviews force posture assignments globally. Credit: U.S. Air Force
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F-35

A&D-Focused Blank-Check SPACs Grow

Blank-check company Genesis Park Acquisition has been seeded with $150 million through its initial public offering and is on the hunt for aerospace or aviation services businesses to buy. The special purpose acquisition company (SPAC) is just the latest to capitalize under a thesis of piecing together the next aerospace and defense giant. Credit: Genesis Park Acquisition

Hungarian KC-390s To Bolster NATO Capacity In Eastern Europe: Officials

Hungarian officials say the country’s purchase of Embraer’s KC-390 airlifter “represents a gap-filling development” for NATO in Eastern Europe. Credit: U.S. Air Force

Virgin Orbit Targets December For Second Launch Attempt

Virgin Orbit will make a second attempt to reach orbit with the air-dropped LauncherOne small satellite rocket on Dec. 19, with backup launch windows available later in the month in the event of a delay. Credit: Virgin Orbit

Boeing Starts Assembling First Simulators For T-7A Trainer

Boeing has started production of the first two simulators for the T-7A Red Hawk, the next advanced jet trainer ordered by the U.S. Air Force. Workers at Boeing’s complex in St. Louis are now assembling the weapons systems trainer (WST) and the operational flight trainer (OFT), the company said in a Dec. 1 news release. Credit: Boeing

Hungary Buying Surface To Air Missile System

Hungary has ordered Kongsberg’s Norwegian Advanced Surface to Air Missile System (Nasams) to replace its Soviet-era ground-based air defense system. Defense officials in Budapest signed a €410 million ($490 million) contract for Nasams to replace the Vympel 2K12 Kub (SA-6 Gainful) system, joining other Eastern European countries in renewing surface-to-air missile capabilities. Credit: Kongsberg

Australia, U.S. To Test Hypersonic Cruise Missile Prototypes

Australia said it will work with the U.S. in developing and testing prototype hypersonic cruise missiles. Agreement in late November to go ahead with the work follows revelation in July of plans to build prototypes of high-speed long-range strike and missile defense weapons “to inform future investments.” Credit: Dawid Preller
U.S. Government
U.S. Capitol

Third Accident Strikes Arecibo Observatory

Days after unveiling plans to decommission and dismantle the Arecibo Observatory in Puerto Rico, the National Science Foundation announced a third wave of damage, the collapse on Dec. 1 of the suspended 900-ton instrument platform. The accident occurred at 6:55 a.m. EST, or 7:55 a.m. local time. Credit: National Science Foundation
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XQ-58A Valkyrie

Basing USAF F-35As in Japan seen offering 'great benefit', Hungarian KC-390s to bolster NATO capacity in Eastern Europe, Virgin Orbit targets December for second launch attempt, Boeing starts assembling first simulators for T-7A trainer, Hungary buying surface to air missile system and more. A roundup of aerospace, space, and defense news powered by Aviation Week Intelligence Network (AWIN). 

 

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