Aviation Week & Space Technology

The U.S. plans to rebuild its entire nuclear triad over the next 30 years, and a smaller nuclear force would reduce the cost of doing so.

Ahead of NBAA next week, our editors discuss the state of the business aviation industry, the factors that could help revive it and how retrofitting used aircraft is the next big thing.

Folding wings could become commonplace on future aircraft as wingspans increase in an effort to reduce drag and fuel burn.

The Chinese seem to be following in the footsteps of their former Soviet allies, developing a space presence that could lead to low-Earth-orbit commercial possibilities.

Airbus and Boeing are developing a palette of simulator and training options to help pilots avoid the pitfalls that have led to airline tragedies.

Nuclear-thermal propulsion could be an option for travel to Mars, but more work is needed.

The new U.S. president will likely have to choose between upgrading the nuclear arsenal and funding critical conventional weapons replacement programs.

In seeking manufacturing efficiencies, Fuji Heavy Industries is targeting work time spent moving parts onto and off tools.

The deal comes at a price but adds a portfolio of popular cabin-interior products to Rockwell’s highly regarded avionics and connectivity systems.

The U.S. Air Force will kick off its analysis of alternatives for a future air superiority jet in January with an eye toward enemy threats beyond 2030 and beyond the Russian T-50 and Chinese J-20.

Fierce competition from Gulf airlines and LCCs are among the problems affecting Cathay Pacific’s bottom line.

The new battlefield necessitates a short-takeoff, lower-signature—if not fully stealthy—refueling aircraft that moves away from the commercial-derivative tankers of years past, Lockheed Martin says.

Airbus unveils air taxi; R44 flies on batteries; Vos leaving Project Wing; Europe on drone collision risk; more UAS news.

Textron is hoping its early Scorpion production run, and participation in a new U.S. Air Force accreditation process, will help attract buyer.

An unannounced slippage in C919 flight testing implies a delay in the undisclosed target for first delivery, which had previously been set for 2019.

Christian Scherer named CEO of ATR Aircraft. Air France Industries KLM Engineering & Maintenance appoints executives.

Aviation Week Aircraft Evaluation Editor Fred George flies Gulfstream’s in-development G500 and finds the all-new large-cabin business jet offers impressive levels of fuel efficiency, flight-deck sophistication, pilot situational awareness and low noise coupled with natural flying characteristics

From Bombardier to Piaggio, business aircraft manufacturers are making changes forced by sustained lower sales in a market besieged by negative pressures.

Backlogs for new business jets now in development should help shore up deliveries over the next three years

An Australian parliamentary panel calls for “a hedging strategy to address the risk of a capability gap resulting from further delays to the acquisition of the F-35A.”

Upcoming aviation and aerospace industry events and Aviation Week Network events

Our roundup of the main aerospace and defense stories making the news this week.

After almost two decades of development, the GPS-based Joint Precision Approach and Landing System is on the final stretch to deployment on U.S. Navy ships that will operate the F-35 JSF and unmanned MQ-25 Carrier-Based Aerial Refueling System

Although ExoMars mission's landing demonstration may have failed, the orbiter’s mission to search for life will continue.

The rendezvous and docking of Shenzhou-11, a manned mission launched on Oct. 17, with the Tiangong-2 orbiting laboratory relied on improved technology.