Aerospace & Defense Roundup: Jul. 23

AFRL Selects Four Companies For Skyborg UAS Contracts

AFRLA Skyborg conceptual design for a low-cost unmanned combat aerial vehicle.

Senate Passes Defense Policy Bill Before August Recess

The Senate on July 23 voted 86-14 in favor of a $740 billion fiscal 2021 defense policy bill, setting the stage for committee staff to begin negotiating a conference deal with the House before entering August recess.

UK’s Jet Zero Council Begins Zero-Carbon Long-Haul Flight Push

With the goal of demonstrating zero-carbon flight across the Atlantic within a generation, the UK government’s Jet Zero Council held its first meeting on July 22. Co-chaired by the British transport and business ministers, the Council aims to create a government-industry partnership to deliver ways to reduce aviation emissions and meet the UK’s commitment to be net-zero carbon by 2050.

Swedish Medevac PC-24 Completes First Flight

A Swedish medevac PC-24 jet completed its first flight July 22, marking the first of six Pilatus PC-24s destined for the Swedish Air Ambulance organization. The flight left Buochs Airport sporting the blue and yellow national colors of Sweden less than a year after an agreement between Pilatus and Kommunalforbundet Svenskt Ambulansflyg (KSA) was signed. The PC-24 is Serial Number 186 for Pilatus, according to Aviation Week Network Fleet Discovery data.

USAFF-35

Leonardo Flies Radar-Equipped M-346FA

Leonardo has completed the first flight of its M-346 advanced jet trainer fitted with the company’s Grifo radar. The first production-standard M-346 Fighter Attack (FA) took to the air on July 13, the OEM announced July 23, with the aircraft demonstrating several differences from the standard M-346.

U.S. Releases Evidence Of Russian ASAT Test

The U.S. has released evidence that Russia conducted a “nondestructive” test on July 15 of a space-based anti-satellite weapon (ASAT). Russia fired a new object into orbit from Cosmos 2543 near another Russian satellite, according to U.S. Space Command (Spacecom). The move is similar to an on-orbit test the nation conducted in 2017.

UK Lawmakers Question Wisdom Of OneWeb Stake

OneWebOneWeb satellite.

U.S. NavyUSS Gerald R. Ford

Russian Progress Capsule Completes ISS Fast-Track Launch, Docking

Russia’s MS-15 Progress resupply capsule successfully docked to the International Space Station’s (ISS) Russian segment on July 23, less than 3 1/2 hr. after launching from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan. The freighter linked to the ISS Russian segment Pirs docking module at 1:45 p.m. EDT, delivering 5,600 lb. of propellant, crew supplies, station hardware and science experiments.

GAO Warns Of Hypersonic Interceptor, Space Sensor Risks

A new interceptor and space-based surveillance system for shooting down hypersonic missiles represent a set of daunting technical challenges for the U.S. Missile Defense Agency (MDA), the U.S. Government Accountability Office (MDA) said July 23 in a new report.

NASAMoon

French Lawmakers Propose Defense Spending Stimulus

A pair of French lawmakers are proposing a radical stimulus package to help the French aerospace and defense industry weather the novel coronavirus pandemic and likely economic crisis. The flash proposal by Benjamin Griveaux Jean-Louis Thiériot published July 21 calls upon the French government to avoid a “cliff edge” for the aerospace and defense industrial base in the fall, as public aid to companies comes to an end and loan repayments back to the government get underway.