Aerospace & Defense Roundup: June 21
June 22, 2021![](/sites/default/files/styles/crop_freeform/public/2021-06/elbit_systems_high-power_laser_weapon_system_installed_on_an_aircraft_during_the_tests.jpeg?itok=kAYxCoA7)
Israel Scores Airborne Laser Intercept Breakthrough
Credit: Elbit Systems
Elbit Systems successfully shot down an unmanned aircraft system with a High Power Laser in June 2021.
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U.S. ExIm Bank Backs SpaceX Launch In First Satellite Deal In Six Years
Credit: SpaceX
Falcon 9
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Liebherr, GM To Demo Fuel-Cell Power Generation For Aircraft
Liebherr-Aerospace has teamed with General Motors to demonstrate a hydrogen fuel-cell-based electrical power generation system for aircraft. The demonstrator will be based on GM’s Hydrotec fuel cell technology for electric vehicles. Credit: General Motors
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Qarbon To Manufacture Lift’s Hexa EVTOL
Credit: Lift Aircraft
Hexa
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Intuitive Machines To Initiate Lunar Communications Capability
Intuitive Machines (IM), one of NASA’s early Commercial Lunar Services Payload Services (CLPS) providers, announced plans on June 21 to place a communications satellite in orbit around the Moon to provide a data link to Earth as part of its second lunar mission planned for late 2022. Credit: NASA
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Jet It, JetClub Become EFlyer 800 Turboprop Launch Customers
Fractional ownership companies Jet It and JetClub are the launch customers for Bye Aerospace’s eight-seat, all-electric twin turboprop aircraft, the eFlyer 800. Jet It and Jet Club are sister businesses operating in North America and Europe, respectively. The two companies have signed a purchase agreement for “a fleet” of eFlyer 800 aircraft plus a number of purchase options, along with four eFlyer 4 aircraft, Bye Aerospace announced. It did not release a specific number of aircraft to be purchased. Credit: Bye Aerospace
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Japan May Drop Plans To Buy LRASM, Reports Suggest
Japan reportedly is considering dropping plans to acquire Lockheed Martin’s AGM-158C Long Range Anti-Ship Missile (LRASM) due to “ballooning costs.” Tokyo had wanted to integrate the LRASM on the F-15J as part of plans to bring its Eagle fleet up to its planned Japanese Super Interceptor upgrade standard, which was itself suspended earlier this year. Credit: DRDO
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Aerojet Completes OpFires Full-Scale Static Test
A concept for a variable-range, hypersonic missile got a boost last month by a successful, full-scale test of a new Aerojet Rocketdyne solid rocket motor, the company announced June 21. The static test at sea level at Redstone Arsenal in Alabama demonstrated the throttleable motor funded by Phase 2 of DARPA’s Operational Fires (OpFires) program. Credit: DARPA
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Japanese Carriers Test Domestically Produced SAFs
All Nippon Airways and Japan Airlines have conducted demonstration flights with aircraft using different blends of sustainable aviation fuel produced in Japan. Both airlines have committed to being net-zero carbon by 2050 and Japan aims to commercialize domestically produced sustainable aviation fuels (SAF) by 2030. Credit: Japan Airlines
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UK Royal Air Force Envisions Electric Aircraft In Service By 2024
The UK Royal Air Force could have an electric-powered aircraft in service by 2024, a senior officer has suggested, as the air arm takes steps to reduce its environmental footprint. Air Marshal Andrew Turner, Royal Air Force deputy commander for capability, told the Paris Air Forum on June 21 that an electric aircraft fleet would be in service “before the end of this Parliament.” Credit: UK Royal Air Force
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Volocopter Takes First Step Toward Paris UAM
In a first step toward urban air mobility demonstrations at the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris, Volocopter conducted a remotely controlled flight of its 2X prototype at Le Bourget Airport during the online Paris Air Forum on June 21. Credit: Volocopter
Aerojet completes OpFires full-scale static test, UK RAF envisions electric aircraft in service by 2024, Volocopter takes first step toward Paris UAM, Japan may drop plans to buy LRASM and more. A roundup of aerospace, space and defense news powered by Aviation Week Intelligence Network (AWIN).
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