Aerospace & Defense Roundup: Oct. 6

South Africa’s Paramount Group says it is expanding its MRO capabilities in the U.S. to support the growing fleet of Dassault Mirage F1s that will be used for red-air aggressor operations for the U.S. Department of Defense. Credit: Tony Osborne

A release of a presolicitation notice on Oct. 6 means U.S. Special Operations Command is tidying up details of a planned demonstration for a 60-kW higher energy laser on a Lockheed Martin AC-130J gunship in 2022. Credit: Air Force Research Laboratory

More state and local governments are investigating advanced air mobility as an option to meet the future transportation needs of their communities. Credit: Airbus Helicopters

British aircraft OEM Britten-Norman and unmanned system technology company Blue Bear Systems Research have teamed up to automate Britten-Norman’s Islander twin-engine utility aircraft. Credit: Dale Coleman

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Drone avionics developer Iris Automation has appointed former Boeing NeXt executive Jon Damush as its CEO. Effective immediately, Damush takes over as chief executive from Iris Automation co-founder Alexander Harmsen, who has been promoted to chairman of the board, the company announced Oct. 5. Harmsen and vice president of engineering James Howard founded San Francisco-based Iris in 2015. Credit: Iris Automation

A SpaceX Falcon 9 lifted off from Kennedy Space Center on Oct. 6 to put another batch of 60 Starlink broadband satellites into orbit. The sunrise launch ended a monthlong series of Eastern Range scrubs due to weather and technical issues that have kept three rockets toggling for launch slots. Credit: Ben Cooper/SpaceX

Turkey has shrugged off Canada’s decision to halt the transfer of electro-optical camera systems for use on domestically developed unmanned aircraft systems (UAS). Credit: Bayraktar

Less than one month before the U.S. presidential election, Defense Secretary Mark Esper has unveiled a sweeping new plan to redesign the future U.S. Navy to compete with China that includes changes to the aircraft carrier fleet and naval aviation. The new plan is called Battle Force 2045, which aligns with the year China anticipates finishing its naval buildup to reinforce its claim as a regional power. Credit: U.S. Navy