Aerospace & Defense Roundup: July 06

Standards Developers Identify Concerns, Next Steps For Certifying AI

Existing aeronautical standards are not adequate for certifying artificial intelligence (AI) with safety-critical systems, and new means of compliance will have to be developed, concludes a report jointly issued by standards developers SAE International and Eurocae. Credit: Daedalean

Pentagon Cancels $10 Billion Microsoft Enterprise Cloud Pact

The Pentagon has terminated the $10 billion Joint Enterprise Defense Infrastructure (JEDI) Cloud contract with Microsoft because the effort no longer meets requirements, and instead is launching a new multi-vendor program called the Joint Warfighter Cloud Capability (JWCC). Credit: U.S. Defense Department

USAF Releases Third B-21 Rendering, Revealing Little New

The U.S. Air Force has released a third rendering of the Northrop Grumman B-21 Raider about 6-9 months ahead of a scheduled roll-out of the first test aircraft. As with the two previous renderings, the Air Force’s latest release offers only a partial glimpse of the stealth bomber’s final configuration, obscuring nearly as much as it reveals. Credit: U.S. Air Force

Lockheed Martin: 70-80 F-35s Might Meet UK Carriers’ Needs

Lockheed Martin has suggested 70-80 F-35s might be enough to fulfill the UK carriers’ air-power needs. Providing written evidence to a UK Parliamentary Defense Committee’s inquiry into the Royal Navy’s purpose and procurement process, the OEM said 70-80 aircraft would be needed to deliver a “credible and resilient Carrier Enabled Power Projection (CEPP)” capability throughout the life of the two Queen Elizabeth-class carriers: HMS Queen Elizabeth and HMS Prince of Wales. Credit: Lockheed Martin

Israel Forms Third F-35 Squadron, To Focus On Training

Israel has formed a third F-35 squadron, to focus on training aircrews for the fifth-generation fighter. The Israeli Air Force (IAF) announced July 4 it had re-formed 117 Sqdn. at Nevatim Air Base, the country’s main operating facility for the F-35, to train pilots to fly the Lockheed Martin-built platform, known locally as the Adir. Credit: Israeli Air Force

Japan’s Mars Phobos Mission Enters Critical Design Phase

The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) has said that its Martian Moons eXploration (MMX) mission has reached the critical design phase, with the team currently working towards the final configuration of the moon rover. Credit: JAXA

Tropical Storm Prompts Delay In Space Station Cargo Dragon Return

NASA and SpaceX have postponed the departure of the company’s 22nd Dragon resupply mission spacecraft from the International Space Station (ISS) until no sooner than July 7 due to tropical storm Elsa’s northerly trek toward the Florida peninsula. Credit: NASA

NASA Explores Future Commercial Lunar Transportation

Despite the dispute over NASA’s initial $2.9 billion lunar Human Landing System contract award to SpaceX, the agency is moving ahead with efforts to engage the U.S. private sector in a competition to develop and provide sustained commercial Lunar Exploration Transportation Services (LETS). Credit: NASA

Wheels Up Envisions Evolving Into eVTOL Market

As it prepares to list on the New York Stock Exchange, on-demand private aviation provider Wheels Up has detailed its vision for expanding into the electric vertical-takeoff-and-landing (eVTOL) market. The company is scheduled to go public on July 13 through a merger with Aspirational Consumer Lifestyle, a special-purpose acquisition company (SPAC) founded by a former managing partner at luxury brand LVMH. Credit: Wheels Up