Aircraft & Propulsion

South Korea’s defense ministry is moving ahead with development of a new light aircraft carrier, while foreign companies are offering design expertise for the program.

Austin would review Germany troop withdrawal; Greece’s new F-16s; CH-47F safety concerns and inside Japanese missile upgrade plan.

The tactical aircraft portfolio review pits F-16s, F-15s, attritable aircraft and a sixth-generation fighter against the F-35A for new orders.

Bell has flight tested a different configuration for its Autonomous Pod Transport unmanned cargo aircraft to show that the vehicle design is flexible and can be scaled and customized for potential customers.

The UK is pursuing a two-tranche purchase of new-build Boeing CH-47 Chinooks, but it is unclear whether its whole fleet of the transport helicopters will be replaced.

The U.S. Navy and Marine Corps have committed to support the first operational deployment of the UK’s new Queen Elizabeth-class aircraft carrier in the spring.

Greece’s Hellenic Aerospace Industry (EAB) has carried out the post-modification test flights of its first upgraded F-16V.

Spear 3 is expected to become the primary air-to-ground weapon for the UK’s F-35 fleet from 2025.

Naval aviation is essential to New Delhi’s plan to protect sea lanes after last year’s land-based standoff with Chinese forces.

The safety concerns identified by the DOT&E about the Advanced Composite Rotor Blade (ACRB) could impact an ongoing debate between Congress and the Army over the future of CH-47F Block II production.

Slovenia is to purchase a C-27J Spartan airlifter to fill a shortfall in capability left exposed by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Leonardo’s Seaspray search radar is to be integrated onto the MQ-9B SkyGuardian as General Atomics Aeronautical Systems Inc. (GA-ASI) pushes the unmanned air system for the maritime surveillance mission.

The LauncherOne rocket reached space for the first time on Jan. 17, carrying 10 small satellites to orbit.

NASA did not immediately say why the hot fire was cut off about 67 sec. after ignition.

The the acting defense secretary is skeptical about whether the fifth-generation fighter is needed.

Buoyed by a new production contract, Boeing’s improving KC-46A tanker program gears up for upgrades.

Boeing’s latest KC-46 contract; KC-390 flies to U.S.; Insitu fraud case resolution and U.S. Space Command to settle in Huntsville.

The Apache will be introduced from 2025, Australian defense minister Linda Reynolds announced Jan. 15, adding that the Boeing helicopter represented the “most lethal, most survivable and lowest-risk” option.

The U.S. Air Force could soon have a new competitor for production funding to the F-35: the Next Generation Air Dominance program.

The Greek Parliament has approved the country’s purchase of Dassault Rafale fighter jets, but the buy only fulfils part of Athens’ desire to field 40 new-generation combat aircraft by 2025.

The Brazilian Air Force (FAB) is debuting its KC-390 airlifter on a foreign military exercise for the first time, with a deployment to the United States.

AeroVironment on Jan. 13 announced its second major acquisition in as many months, unveiling a deal to buy Arcturus UAV, a privately-held provider of Group 2 and 3 unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) and contractor-owned services to military customers.

Portugal’s growing aerospace sector wants to put the pandemic behind it and build the country’s first indigenous aircraft.

The U.S. Air Force has awarded Boeing a $1.6 billion contract modification for 12 KC-46A tanker aircraft and anticipates the work will wrap up in April 2023.

The allegations concerned five contracts with the Navy and two contracts with Special Operations Command to support UAS over an eight-year period ending in 2017.