Aircraft & Propulsion

China is rapidly advancing its uncrewed cargo aircraft capabilities—ostensibly for commercial use but with potential military applications.

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

The B-21 Raider program completed the first flight of a second airborne test aircraft in Palmdale, California, on Sept. 11, clearing a key milestone a month before the 10-year anniversary of the U.S. Air Force contract award to Northrop Grumman.

German light aircraft manufacturer Grob delivered the first two of 23 G 120TP trainers ordered by the Royal Canadian Air Force on Sept. 11.

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AeroVironment says the company's Switchblade 600 loitering munition system completed the first launch from a General Atomics MQ-9A Reaper uncrewed air system.

A recent series of demonstration flights shows that the Boeing MQ-28 now leads an international pack of Collaborative Combat Aircraft projects.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy told European leaders Sept. 10 that Europe and Ukraine need a ”joint air defense system and [to] create an effective air shield."

South Korea is preparing to launch two new military jet engine development programs next year.

Leonardo is looking to replicate its success selling the BriteCloud active decoy to the Pentagon with its BriteStorm jammer system.

Royal Netherlands Air Force F-35s shot down Russian drones as part of a NATO mission to help protect Polish air space, the Dutch defense minister confirmed.

The Republic of Singapore Air Force is testing mini-UAS as part of an effort to establish a multi-tiered UAS network for swarm, ISR and counter-drone missions.

Singapore says it will acquire four Boeing P-8A Poseidons as its next-generation maritime patrol aircraft, replacing its Air Force’s Fokker 50 Enforcers.

Mauritania has built a modest but modern air force thanks to a fivefold increase in defense spending from 2003 to 2023.

Portuguese UAS developer Tekever has lifted the veil on the latest version of its AR3 platform after redeveloping it based on lessons learned in Ukraine.

After languishing in budgetary limbo, an electronic warfare suite developed for the F-16 is now being pressed quickly into service.

Italy’s Avio Aero, Japan’s IHI Corporation and Rolls-Royce say they have advanced their work in additive manufacturing, cooling systems and high-pressure compressor design.

Lockheed Martin and BAE Systems are developing a family of autonomous collaborative platforms initially focused on delivering electronic warfare effects.

The trinational industry team developing the sensor and communication suite for the fighter at the heart of the Global Combat Air Program formed a consortium.

Electro Optic Systems is looking to up the kill rate of its new counter-drone laser system to address the growing focus of armed forces on fighting UAS swarms.

The French Navy chief of staff says the program must be launched soon in order to transition from the Charles de Gaulle carrier in 2035-38.

Austrian uncrewed helicopter maker Schiebel is getting into the armed drone business, unveiling two new Camcopter systems.

The UK defense ministry is exploring interim alternative standoff weapons for its Lockheed Martin F-35 Joint Strike Fighter.

A series of teaser images suggest Shield AI's VTOL aircraft is a tailsitter with swept wings and an internal weapons bay large enough to carry two cruise missiles.

Bird Aerosystems has secured a contract to develop and test an enhanced self-protection system for the Israeli Air Force’s AH-64 Apache attack helicopters.