Aircraft & Propulsion

A UK company developing a co-axial rotor system-equipped uncrewed rotorcraft has secured $4 million more in funding to speed testing and expand its facilities.

The UK arm of European missile manufacturer MBDA has invested in a small drone developer to assist in the making of a prototype 881.8 lb. hybrid multicopter.

The U.S. Marines are planning upgrades to their Bell helicopters to increase their survivability, integrate long-range weapons and improve connectivity.

Airbus and Shield AI will integrate the Hivemind autonomy software on an uncrewed, cargo-carrying variant of the UH-72A Lakota helicopter.

The Navy will award crewed and uncrewed contracts as part of its plan for anti-surface and anti-submarine warfare.

After dominating the U.S. stealth fighter market since the early 1990s, Lockheed is regrouping around F-22 and F-35 upgrades to grow its aeronautics division.

With new prototypes in manufacturing and domestic technologies moving forward, Turkey’s Kaan fighter program is taking shape.

Turkish Aerospace intends to expand global operations and ramp up production across its defense and aerostructures businesses.

A competition is now on hold to select a new air vehicle for autonomous resupply to U.S. Marine Corps units.

Sierra Nevada Co. on April 29 flew the fourth 747 to its Dayton, Ohio, facility as part of its U.S. Air Force Survivable Airborne Operations Center program.

The U.S. Marine Corps is now targeting 2032 for full operational capability of its CH-53K King Stallion heavy lift helicopter.

Italian Army Aviation has begun the modernization of its light helicopter fleets with the delivery of the Leonardo UH-169D light utility helicopter.

Aurora Flight Sciences has completed low-speed wind tunnel tests of the blended wing body X-plane that the Boeing company is developing for a DARPA program.

Near Earth Autonomy is to demonstrate a retrofit kit to convert the Sikorsky UH-60L Black Hawk helicopter to uncrewed capability.

Vertical lift specialist Piasecki Aircraft has acquired the Kargo UAV uncrewed logistics aircraft program from Kaman.

The U.S. Navy lost a Boeing F/A-18E Super Hornet and a tow tractor at sea while underway in the Red Sea.

Hanwha Aerospace is positioning its MRO capabilities to support U.S. military aircraft in the Indo-Pacific region.

India’s government has signed a long-awaited contract to acquire the naval version of the Dassault Rafale combat aircraft.

The UK Royal Navy has declared FOC with its Crowsnest helicopter-borne airborne early warning radar system, which is slated for replacement in the early 2030s.

Airbus says it is getting ready to demonstrate an automatic night refueling capability for its A330 MRTT after completing certification tests of the technology.

Manufacturing changes are needed to increase B-21 bomber production and to prepare for a potential program ramp-up, Northrop Grumman says.

Offshore helicopter operator Bristow Group has agreed to a long-term support package with Sikorsky to look after its S-92 rotorcraft.

Turkish Aerospace Industries is in the early stages of assembling the first prototype for the Kaan indigenous fighter project.

The German Air Force is trying to ease concerns that the Lockheed Martin F-35s it is buying could be operationally impaired by U.S. control over the Joint Strike Fighter's technology.

Hanwha Aerospace is expanding its engine R&D efforts following Seoul's commitment to pump $2.3 billion into development of a 16,000-lb. domestic fighter engine.