Aerospace & Defense Roundup: Mar. 11

Rolls-Royce CEO Warren East said he is confident about a rapid recovery of the air transport sector after the pandemic led the company to a £4 billion ($5.6 billion) loss in 2020. The loss, which contrast with a £583 million profit in 2019, reflects the dramatic fall in average engine flying hours in 2020 to just 20% of 2019 levels, East told investors as the company detailed its fiscal 2020 results on March 11. Credit: Rolls-Royce

Norwegian domestic airline Widerøe has partnered with Rolls-Royce and Italy’s Tecnam to become the potential launch operator of the P-Volt electric-powered passenger aircraft. Tecnam and Rolls-Royce linked up last October to develop the P-Volt, a nine-seat electric derivative of Tecnam’s P2012 Traveller aircraft, while Widerøe and Rolls-Royce have agreements in place dating back to 2019 on the development of technology for fossil fuel-free aviation. Credit: Rolls-Royce

Babcock is to sell its offshore oil and gas support helicopter business to CHC in a further consolidation of the offshore helicopter industry. Conditional agreements between the two operators announced March 11 will see Babcock exit the business, selling its 30-strong fleet of helicopters and its operations in the UK, Denmark and Australia to Texas-based CHC for an undisclosed sum. Credit: Babcock

Startup Reliable Robotics has remotely piloted a Cessna 208B Caravan from a ground station 50 mi. away, a key step toward certifying an autonomy retrofit for the aircraft that will enable unmanned regional cargo operations. Using a workstation at the company’s headquarters in Mountain View, California, the remote pilot commanded the modified Caravan to taxi, take off, and maneuver in Class E-controlled airspace and land autonomously. Credit: Reliable Robotics

In a further sign of warming relations between UAE and Israeli industries, Abu Dhabi-based EDGE and Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) have agreed to partner to develop an advanced counter-unmanned aircraft systems (C-UAS) program. Credit: Gov.UK

Germany is set to receive its first C-130J Hercules airlifter in early 2022, which will join a new Franco-German air transport unit that will become operational this September with French C-130Js. Germany is buying six C-130Js to equip the squadron, which will be combined with four French Hercules to provide the Évreux, France-based unit a fleet of 10 aircraft. Credit: USMC

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