In Pictures: Top Aerospace & Defense Stories, Apr. 12 2023

April 12, 2023

Romanian Ministers Green Light F-35 Ambitions

Credit: U.S. Air Force.

Romania appears to be accelerating its long-planned move to buy F-35 Joint Strike Fighters. 

Iceye Considering Brazilian Supplier For Satellite Components

Credit: Iceye.

Finnish radar satellite manufacturer Iceye is considering adding a Brazilian company to its global supply chain. 

Mitsubishi Heavy Awarded $2.8B Contract To Deliver Standoff Missiles

Credit: Operation 2022/Alamy Stock Photo. 

The Japanese Defense Ministry has awarded Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) a ¥378 billion ($2.84 billion) contract to develop and manufacture a range of standoff missiles and capabilities to defend the country from aggressors.

Merlin To Trial Autonomous Flight On Alaska Cargo Routes

Credit: Merlin. U.S. startup Merlin is to demonstrate its automated flight control system in a Cessna Caravan flying cargo routes in Alaska under a $1 million contract from the FAA.

Ariane 5 To Launch ESA Mission To Jupiter’s Icy Moons

Credit: ESA/M. Pedoussaut.

An Ariane 5 heavy launcher is scheduled to lift off April 13 with a probe designed to determine whether Jupiter’s icy moons meet the conditions for sustaining life.

China’s Aerofugia Begins eVTOL Certification Work

Aerofugia is a subsidiary of Chinese automaker Geely.

Credit: Aerofugia (via Weibo)

U.S. Army, Navy Project Large Savings Using Multiyear Procurement

The Defense Department Comptroller recently posted a series of multiyear procurement estimates on its fiscal 2024 budget information website.

Credit: U.S. Navy

3D-Printing Startup Relativity Space Pivots With Aluminum Manufacturing

The update comes after Relativity Space’s mostly 3D-printed Terran 1 rocket lifted off from Cape Canaveral on March 22 but failed to reach orbit.

Credit: Relativity Space

New Zealand Startup Flies Stratospheric UAV

Credit: Kea Aerospace

New Zealand startup Kea Aerospace has begun flight testing the country’s first solar-powered stratospheric uncrewed aircraft.

USAF Hiking Spending On VC-25A Upgrades Amid VC-25B Delays

Credit: U.S. Air Force

The U.S. Air Force is moving funding around and requesting more in fiscal 2024 to upgrade the two existing Boeing VC-25As that fly the Air Force One mission.

Merlin to trial autonomous flight on Alaska cargo routes and Iceye considering Brazilian supplier for satellite components. Take a look at these and more in our daily roundup of aerospace & defense news.

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