Defense

NATO’s Evolved Seasparrow Missile (ESSM) Block 2 has completed a successful flight test intercept of a BQM-74E aerial target, the U.S. Navy says.

Textron Aviation could deliver as many as 185 aircraft in 2018, up from 180 in 2017, Jefferies analyst Sheila Kahyaoglu predicts.

The Israeli Air Force is preparing a crew to operate the Boeing 767 that will carry the nation’s president and prime minister when it is delivered in 2019.

The DOD has awarded Bell-Boeing a roughly $4.2B contract modification to purchase 58 V-22s for the U.S. Navy, U.S. Marine Corps, U.S. Air Force and Japan.

Japan and Britain plan to begin test shots of the advanced version of the MBDA Meteor air-to-air missile in five years.

China’s proposed Moon rocket will have a liftoff thrust approaching 6,000 metric tons, state space-launcher builder Calt says, providing new design details.

Work should be done to implement planetary protection policies as interest grows in Mars sample return and missions to other destinations where possible astrobiology could be at risk of cross-contamination from Earth, a new report says.

Leonardo officials are calling on the British defense ministry and the government to provide some clarity about future rotary-wing programs.

India’s national space agency has successfully tested the crew escape system for its proposed human spaceflight program.

Singapore closes in on potential F-35 buy; B61 falls from a B-2; Qatar to buy nine Hawk trainers and Heron-TP’s satcom demonstration.

British expertise in solar-powered HAPS is a direct result of small-satellite sector success.

Lockheed Martin simulated a deck-handling demonstration of its MQ-25 flying-wing design UAV in mid-May at its Skunk Works facility in Palmdale, California, for U.S. Navy officials.

Israel’s Elbit Systems will feature a “unique” portfolio of avionics upgrades for military and paramilitary aircraft at the Farnborough Airshow.

Mark Sirangelo, the public face and force behind Sierra Nevada’s Corp.’s Space Systems business, has resigned for personal reasons.

The USAF has canceled the flying portion of its light attack experiment, but is on track to release an RFP in December if the Pentagon decides to pursue the buy.

A UK defense panel wants the UK defense ministry to compete a potential requirement to replace the RAF's Boeing E-3 Sentry airborne early warning jets.

The U.S. Army intends to acquire multiple off-the-shelf air vehicles for operational demos to inform requirements for the planned FTUAS program.

The first meeting of FAA’s rechartered Drone Advisory Committee (DAC) will be held July 17 in Santa Clara, California.

The Philippines finally has received two Indonesian Aerospace NC212i light transport aircraft after a three-year delay.

Lockheed Martin has secured another hypersonic weapon-related contract, with a $40.5 million U.S. Navy award for booster technology development.

The United Arab Emirates is seeking NASA’s assistance in planning a Mars colony simulation in the Emirati desert.

Vanilla Aircraft, a U.S. developer of UAS with ultra-long endurance, has been acquired by a joint venture formed by Platform Aerospace and an unnamed partner.

Generation Orbit Launch Services has completed the first hot-fire test of a full-scale prototype of its GOLauncher1 (GO1) hypersonic flight-test booster.

Washington State has formed an electric aircraft working group to explore the opportunities and challenges of electrifying aviation.

Singapore will choose a replacement for the F-16 in the coming months, its defense minister says, identifying the Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning as a candidate.