Aircraft & Propulsion

Stratolaunch’s Roc retracted and extended its landing gear for the first time on the 385-ft.-wingspan carrier aircraft’s fourth test flight from Mojave, California, on Feb. 24.

The signing of the global contract for the four-nation Eurodrone program on Feb. 24 brings to an end nearly a decade of lobbying by industry for governments to fund a European MALE UAS program.

Look to Syria to learn how U.S. and Russian forces handled congested airspace.

Serbia has become the latest country to adopt Airbus’ C295 twin-turboprop airlifter, contracting for two aircraft for use by the Serbian air force.

An ongoing radar upgrade could result in a roundabout way of increasing the airspeed of the Boeing B-52H fleet by nearly 8%.

The U.S. Air Force has retired the first of 16 Northrop Grumman E-8C Joint Surveillance Target Attack Radar System (J-Stars) surveillance aircraft, the service announced on Feb. 22.

The surprise decision follows the appearance of the jet trainer at last year’s Dubai Airshow, and would make the UAE the first Middle Eastern customer for the platform.

Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) has wrapped up two months of low-temperature tests of the Light Armed Helicopter (LAH), ticking off another item as it aims to complete evaluation tests by June this year.

BAE Systems has been awarded a A$1.5 billion ($1 billion) contract by Canberra to upgrade and lengthen the service life of the Royal Australia Air Force (RAAF) Hawk 127 lead-in fighter trainer through 2031.

The UK is facing further delays to the integration of MBDA’s Meteor beyond-visual-range air-to-air missile onto the Lockheed Martin F-35.

Emirati defense manufacturer Edge Group says it has developed a swarming drone capability designed to overwhelm an adversary’s defenses.

Indonesian airframer PT Dirgantara Indonesia (PTDI) plans to improve its aircraft assembly capabilities and is in “constant discussion” with Airbus on building C295 turboprops for export from Indonesia.

Thailand’s light attack helicopter program has seen some progress after the U.S. Army awarded Boeing a contract to build AH-6i helicopters for the Southeast Asian nation.

The U.S. military is relying more on allies in the region as American companies aim to increase manufacturing in Pacific nations.

A major Rafale sale to Indonesia shakes up murky Southeast Asia fighter spending plans.

Leonardo has revealed it has completed firings of guided and unguided rockets from its AW149 twin-engine troop transport helicopter.

Airbus is confident that it will finally secure FAA certification of its H160 twin-engine medium rotorcraft later this year, more than two years after European approval was granted for the aircraft.

As the U.S. Army heads toward selecting a winner of its Future Long-Range Assault Aircraft competition by mid-2022, the Sikorsky/Boeing team is continuing to flesh out the capabilities of its offering with new flight-test milestones for the SB-1 Defiant demonstrator.

Engineers are advancing the final assembly of Airbus’ Racer compound high-speed rotorcraft demonstrator.

Airbus says it will continue to maintain a “strong position” in defense despite apparent pressures from European investors over the company’s environmental, social and governance credentials.

Airbus says discussions with interested clients have intensified.

The U.S. Defense Department has funded operational demonstrations of Silent Arrow’s GD-2000 unmanned cargo glider.

Air Force goal is ability to connect with any tanker.

OEM aims for one-fifth of the market.

The Raptors from the 27th Fighter Squadron at Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Virginia, touched down Feb. 12 at Al Dhafra Air Base.