U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL)

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

General Atomics Aeronautical Systems announced Feb. 29 that its XA-67A Off-Board Sensing Station (OBSS) flew for the first time the day before.

The service will select two companies to begin building CCAs, though with a cost-sharing agreement to bring along a third.

The U.S. AFRL has decided to wind down its ambitious air-breathing hypersonic Mayhem development program, citing insufficient operational demand.

The San Diego-based UAS, propulsion and sensor company decided not to offer a bid for a high-profile UAS program as a prime contractor.

The service, blocked from starting new acquisition programs, used a long-standing autonomy demonstration effort to begin CCA work.

A new contract awarded to Raytheon aims to expand the application and understanding of high-power microwave weapons beyond capabilities now entering service.

New office outlines plans for future servicing, mobility and logistics.

The startup details the Quarterhorse flight-test plan as concept design work accelerates for the follow-on Darkhorse hypersonic cruiser.

As the first U.S. hypersonic weapons enter service, defense officials are searching for new ideas for high-speed propulsion and to dramatically reduce prices.

General Electric has released new details of a plan to achieve reusable, air-breathing propulsion at hypersonic speeds by 2025.

Startup propulsion company Ursa Major has begun assembly of the first Draper engine for a new-generation, air-launched hypersonic target vehicle.

Hypersonic test company Stratolaunch completed the first taxi test of the Roc carrier aircraft and rocket-configured Talon TA-1 vehicle.

The award by the innovation arm of the Air Force Research Laboratory supports testing of the Aerial Reconfigurable Embedded System and a hydrogen fuel cell.

The spacecraft is the Pentagon’s first experimental navigation satellite in nearly 50 years.

Over 50 years, GPS has evolved and inspired the development of similar systems by other nations.

Lockheed Martin sees NEP systems as a crucial stepping stone for efficient spacecraft maneuvers in cislunar and deep space.

The AFRL is leading its first cooperative research and development agreement (CRADA) between the U.S. Space Force and companies outside the U.S.

After focusing exclusively on eVTOL aircraft, the U.S. Air Force's Agility Prime program is expanding to fixed-wing types with the planned lease of a Pipistrel electric sport aircraft.

Laboratory invites startups to test munitions algorithms in simulations.

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

A $19 million contract launches the Flyer One program, with the goal of dramatically accelerating the airworthiness approval process for new aircraft designs.

The series of tests by the 40th Flight Test Squadron is being used to inform how the U.S. Air Force tests and applies the synthetic decision-making technology.

Collins Aerospace has begun manufacturing a 1-megawatt electric generator for the U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory.

Previous work on hypersonic accelerator and high-speed patent provide possible clues as to GE’s ambitions for rotating detonation technology.