While long expected, the regulatory approval nevertheless settles any lingering questions about whether the Trump administration would allow the merger of two major players.
Lockheed Martin Ventures, the venture capital arm of the Pentagon’s leading contractor, expects to significantly ramp up its investment and outreach activity this year.
The Russian military aims to gradually renew the entire range of its airlift capabilities, and its medium lifter has taken one step forward in development.
Flight testing Avic’s Dark Sword supersonic combat drone may follow the appearance of an unverified photograph of the aircraft in the form of a full-scale prototype or mockup.
Japan’s aerospace industry association will press for an early start to development of an indigenous fighter if the government decides not to use a foreign design for the country’s next combat aircraft.
The Pentagon has agreed to “resolve critical deficiencies” with the F-35 program before full-rate production begins, according to its response to a government watchdog report.
“Our strategic divestiture of EES helps AeroVironment focus on our leading small UAS [unmanned aircraft systems], tactical missile systems, high-altitude pseudosatellite, and commercial information solutions businesses," said AeroVironment CEO Wahid Nawabi.
"Experts from the transport policy community outside of aviation will also need to be engaged in the policy debate on drones,” the International Transport Forum says.
SpaceX is examining a deployable, inflatable aeroshell with a built-in flexible thermal protection system able to protect the Falcon 9's upper stage through atmospheric entry.
The remote airfield at Wyndham, in the state of Western Australia, also will be used to perform trials of the various payloads envisaged by the Zephyr customers, which include the U.K. defense ministry.
Darpa envisions an operational constellation of 60-200 satellites at 500-1,300-km altitude, each carrying one or more payloads and each costing less than $6 million including its launch.
The first director of the Israel Missile Defense Organization. says Iran has been using Yemen as a “battle laboratory” and has supplied a wide range of ballistic missiles and cruise missiles.
The rotary-wing UAV is a response to the need for real tactical intelligence, surveillance, target acquisition and reconnaissance missions at sea and on land, Steadicopter says.
The U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory is developing plans for a demonstration of detect-and-avoid technologies enabling operations in the potentially busy airport terminal area.
The Senate Committee on Appropriations wants the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to investigate whether the government is still employing UAVs manufactured by China-based DJI despite espionage concerns.
