Aircraft & Propulsion

The U.S. State Department has given the go-ahead to sell a single Boeing EA-18G Growler to Australia to replace an aircraft that was written off after an engine fire in 2018.

U.S. Air Force wants to add hypersonics to B-1s; North Korea’s hypersonic missile; Boeing wins German P-8, C-17 sustainment contracts.

Stealth aircraft have struggled to meet cost and schedule targets, but Northrop Grumman shows how B-21 can break the cycle.

Boeing and the Defense Department have agreed on a contract worth up to $23.8 billion for C-17 sustainment over the next decade, starting with $3.5 billion for Globemaster III work through September 2024.

The UK Royal Air Force has formally retired its Boeing E-3 Sentry airborne early warning aircraft from service.

The UK Royal Navy has launched unmanned air systems from the flight deck of its new carrier HMS Prince of Wales.

Germany is the third European nation to choose the P-8 following the UK and Norway after awarding a $756 million contract to Boeing for five of the maritime patrol aircraft.

Airbus Helicopters has been extolling the virtues of its H175 super-medium helicopter as a platform for the UK’s New Medium Helicopter with a series of demonstration flights.

RE2 Robotics has received U.S. Air Force funding to develop an autonomous system to automate certain flight line maintenance tasks during aircraft turnarounds.

China has again flexed its domestic fighter-development capabilities at the Zhuhai Airshow, this time flying the Chengdu J-20 with the locally built WS-10C turbofan as well as rolling out the Shenyang J-16D electronic warfare aircraft.

China unveiled its new Cai Hong-6 jet-powered high-altitude long-endurance (UAS, along with a number of other unmanned technologies at the 2021 Zhuhai Airshow on Sept. 28.

U.S. Air Force leaders signal new interest in F-35 reengining, as Pratt & Whitney and GE Aviation start testing adaptive turbofans.

The so-called “production smoothing” agreement establishes the likely ceiling for annual F-35 deliveries at 156 aircraft after 2023.

The first Embraer KC-390 Millennium airlifter destined for the Portuguese Air Force has been powered on for the first time. Portuguese Air Force officials from the service’s Monitoring and Inspection Mission to the KC-390 program watched the aircraft being powered up on Sept. 21, the Portuguese Air Force said.

The U.S. Defense Department has received the first operational Sikorsky CH-53K and F/A-18F Block III fighter over the past four days.

Astraius wants to use a Boeing C-17 airlifter to conduct horizontal launch of its Hera II two-stage launch vehicle, which is an adaptation of the Hera target missile used by the U.S. Defense Department to test missile defense systems.

The sell-off of ITP has been at the top of a list of potential asset disposals as Rolls-Royce looks to rebuild its balance sheet following the pandemic, which has heavily impacted the company’s commercial engine business.

Wing of Tomorrow; carbon-neutral fuel; autonomous ag tie-up; Kama’s unmanned Kargo; and doors for the Heart.

Rolls-Royce has won a competition to re-engine the Boeing B-52H fleet with 608 F130 turbofan engines, the U.S. Defense Department said on Sept. 24

As part of preparations to develop a full-scale, ultra-efficient X-plane technology demonstrator later this decade, NASA has issued a request for information to industry ahead of a formal solicitation for proposals planned for early 2022.

India has signed a contract for the long-awaited purchase of 56 Airbus C295 twin-turboprop airlifters for the country’s air force.

LaunchPoint Electric Propulsion Systems is targeting the power needs of advanced military unmanned aircraft with a new generation of electric generators using efficient, lightweight Halbach array technology.

Air Force Global Strike Command on Sept. 23 completed its planned retirement of 17 B-1Bs as the last Lancer flew to the boneyard.

Sikorsky has approved the use of Sustainable Aviation Fuel on its S-92 twin-engine heavy helicopter, as the greater aviation industry looks to more widely adopt the fuels to reduce carbon emissions.

Singapore’s UAS teaming test; Boeing to make Loyal Wingman down under; U.S. titanium imports down; and Raytheon expands AESA radar sales.