Aerospace & Defense Roundup: Jan. 20

Bell has flight tested a different configuration for its Autonomous Pod Transport unmanned cargo aircraft to show that the vehicle design is flexible and can be scaled and customized for potential customers. Credit: Bell

Lloyd Austin

The UK is pursuing a two-tranche purchase of new-build Boeing CH-47 Chinooks, but it is unclear whether its whole fleet of the transport helicopters will be replaced. The UK Royal Air Force currently has the largest fleet of the tandem-rotor helicopters outside the U.S., with 60 aircraft in its inventory purchased in various batches dating back to 1980. The most recent versions, the Mk.6 models, were delivered in 2014. Credit: U.S. Army

Greece’s Hellenic Aerospace Industry (EAB) has carried out the post-modification test flights of its first upgraded F-16V. The aircraft—one of 84 Hellenic Air Force F-16C/Ds due to be upgraded to F-16V standard—took off from EAB’s facilities at Tanagra airbase near Athens on Jan. 17, almost a year since the aircraft was inducted into the program. Credit: Lockheed Martin

Transporting passengers between London City and London Heathrow Airports is one potential application of urban air mobility in the UK that will be studied by a consortium led by Eve, the spinoff from EmbraerX. Credit: Eve Urban Air Mobility Solutions

Merlin

The U.S. Navy and Marine Corps have committed to support the first operational deployment of the UK’s new Queen Elizabeth-class aircraft carrier in the spring. Officials from both countries signed a joint declaration on Jan. 19 for the U.S. to support the Carrier Strike Group 21 (CSG21) deployment, paving the way for Marine Corps Lockheed Martin F-35Bs to be embarked on the carrier when it heads to the Asia-Pacific region in May. Credit: Royal Navy

Orion

SpaceX kicked off what is expected to be a pivotal year for its fledging internet-via-satellite service with the delivery of 60 more spacecraft into orbit on Jan. 20, as public beta trials expand to the UK. The first Starlink mission of the year and the 17th devoted to deploying the high-speed, low-latency global system began at 8:02 a.m. EST from Launch Complex 39A at Kennedy Space Center. Credit: SpaceX

One reason why Japan is pursuing development of an improved, extended-range Type 12 ground-launched, anti-ship cruise missile is to push back against U.S. plans to host its intermediate-range missiles on Japanese soil, a Japanese government official told the Mainichi newspaper. Credit: Japan Ground Self-Defense Force

Vehicle developers ranging from Airbus to startup Ascendance Flight Technologies are among 30 companies that have been selected to participate in urban air mobility testing in Paris beginning in June. The trials are planned to lead to demonstration air taxi services during the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris. Credit: Volocopter