Aerospace & Defense Roundup: September 02

Osprey Radar To Equip Canadian Maritime Surveillance Platform

Leonardo’s Osprey flat-panel active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar has been adopted for use by Canada’s National Aerial Surveillance Program (NASP) to patrol the country’s vast coastline. Credit: De Havilland Aircraft of Canada

Japan Requests Funds To Develop Hypersonic, UAS Capabilities

The Japanese Ministry of Defense has requested billions of yen to study and develop both defensive and offensive capabilities in the unmanned, hypersonic, electronic warfare and space domains. The proposals are part of a record JPY5.48 trillion ($49.9 billion) defense budget and are targeted at emerging aerial and surface threats from China and North Korea. Credit: USAF Senior Airman Kyle Johnson

South Korea To Launch Domestic SAF Production

LG Chem, South Korea’s largest chemical company, plans to build the country’s first plant producing biodiesel and sustainable aviation fuel from vegetable oils. The plant is planned to be operational in Daesan by 2024 under a joint venture with South Korean biodiesel producer Dansuk Industrial. Credit: Korean Air

Palantir To Take Stake In BlackSky After Public Stock Debut

Just weeks after announcing a successful demonstration of their combined products and services for U.S. military and intelligence customers, big-data analytics disruptor Palantir Technologies said it will invest in BlackSky, a startup with a burgeoning constellation of imaging satellites and its own data analytics service. Credit: BlackSky

Nelson, Lawmakers Speak With Space Station Crew

NASA Administrator Bill Nelson and local members of Congress spoke to the crew aboard the International Space Station Sept. 2, discussing the ISS and the agency’s efforts to return to the Moon. Credit: U.S. Government

Firefly Flight Test Ends In High-Altitude Explosion

Firefly Aerospace’s Alpha rocket exploded less than 2 min. after liftoff on Sept. 2, ending a debut flight test some 10 years in the making. The 97.6-ft.-tall Alpha booster, powered by a quartet of liquid oxygen- and kerosene-fueled Reaver engines, lifted off from Vandenberg’s Space Launch Complex-2 at 6:59 p.m. local time/9:59 p.m. EDT. An initial launch attempt 59 min. earlier was aborted less than 30 sec. before liftoff due to an unidentified technical issue. Credit: Matthew C. Hartman

CHC Completes Babcock Offshore Acquisition

Oil and gas support helicopter operator CHC says it has completed the acquisition of Babcock’s offshore helicopters business, even though the transaction is still awaiting approvals from competition watchdogs in Australia and the UK. Credit: Andy Buchanan / AFP / Getty Images

SoftBank Advances Communications Technology For HAPS

Japan’s SoftBank and its subsidiary HAPSMobile are developing new, high-capacity communications systems as they prepare to launch commercial services providing connectivity from the stratosphere using long-endurance unmanned aircraft. Credit: HAPSMobile

UK/Qatar Training Squadron Receives First Hawks

Qatar’s first BAE Systems Hawk jet trainers, which will fly as part of a joint Qatari and UK Royal Air Force training squadron, have been formally handed over. Two of the nine aircraft on order were delivered to Leeming airbase, England, on Sept. 1. There they will form the Joint Qatar Emiri Air Force (QEAF)-RAF Hawk Training Squadron. Credit: Tim Felce

Boeing Delivers Last F/A-18E/F Block II

Boeing has delivered the last of a 16-year run of F/A-18E/F Super Hornet Block II fighters, the company announced Sept. 2 on Twitter. The company delivered the fighter, bound for the Kuwait Air Force, to the U.S. Navy, which will make the final transfer to the international customer. Credit: Boeing

Spirit AeroSystem Celebrates New Global Digital Logistics Center

Spirit AeroSystems, Boeing’s largest supplier, celebrated the opening of its state-of-the-art Global Digital Logistics Center on Sept. 2, which Spirit says puts it years ahead of the competition. Credit: Spirit AeroSystems

House Committee Passes $778 Billion Defense Bill

The House Armed Services Committee has approved a bill to authorize spending $778 billion for U.S. defense efforts in fiscal 2022, increasing by about 3% the amount it had initially sought. Credit: DOD

IAI Restarts F-16 Structure Production For Lockheed Martin

Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) has restarted production of several major structural assemblies to support new Lockheed Martin F-16 Block 70/72 deliveries. Credit: IAI

FAA Investigates Unity 22 Descent Flightpath Deviation

The Federal Aviation Administration said it is investigating a deviation in the flightpath cleared for the descent of Virgin Galactic’s SpaceShipTwo Unity to Spaceport America in New Mexico, following its suborbital flight with Richard Branson and five employees aboard on July 11. Credit: Virgin Galactic