Aerospace & Defense Roundup: Jul. 23
July 24, 2020
AFRL Selects Four Companies For Skyborg UAS Contracts
AFRL
A 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.

USAF
F-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
OneWeb
OneWeb satellite.

U.S. Navy
USS 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.

NASA
Moon

French Lawmakers Propose Defense Spending Stimulus
Dassault Aviation
Rafale
AFRL selects four companies for Skyborg UAS contracts, U.S. releases evidence of Russian ASAT test, USAF considers five bases for F-35 FMS training center, GAO warns of hypersonic interceptor and space sensor risks, National space council releases space exploration plan and more. A roundup of aerospace, space and defense news powered by Aerospace Daily & Defense Report.