Defense

The U.S. Air Force has a “validated requirement” to field the latest UTC Aerospace Systems 10-band MS-177A electro-optical infrared reconnaissance sensor on the Northrop Grumman RQ-4 Global Hawk.

Bigelow Aerospace says it will begin taking deposits from would-be space clients for its B330 flexible space habitat for the first time in early 2018.

Earth imagery and information provider DigitalGlobe plans to buy national security technical and analytical services provider Radiant Group for $140 million.

The U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory has partnered with the U.S. Navy to demonstrate advances in computer-frying weapon technology, culminating in AFRL’s first flight test of a directional, high-power microwave since the successful “Champ” demonstration in 2012.

The Norwegian defense ministry is proposing a 1.9 billion krona ($231 million) year-on-year budget increase to pave the way for a long-term transformation program and the introduction of the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter.

AeroVironment is to supply prototypes of a new “nano” unmanned aircraft system, the Snipe, to the U.S. Army for evaluation.

Now that the new tanker’s bumpy design phase is over, the U.S. Air Force is looking forward to bringing the fly-by-wire Pegasus online.

Russia is upgrading tanker fleets with modernized Il-76 and Il-96 platforms.

In this week’s roundup: DigitalGlobe acquisition adds to its analysis prowess; Bangladesh buys a C295W; Raytheon wraps up risk-reduction testing on GPS III OCX; and the U.S. Army opts for a new version of the Switchblade UAV.

Airbus tanker could also take on network node and intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance tasks.

The new air force platform is based on the IL-76.

Hurricane Nicole was forecast to strengthen before passing over or near Bermuda on Oct. 13, possibly triggering a further delay in an International Space Station resupply mission.

Based on lessons learned from operations of the International Space Station (ISS), the next-generation of space station is likely to be smaller, designed for a single purpose and possibly just crew-tended, NASA says.

Solid rocket motor manufacturers Aerojet Rocketdyne and Orbital ATK have been barred from exclusively teaming with prime contractors Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman or Boeing Defense, Space & Security for the U.S. Air Force’s forthcoming intercontinental ballistic missile competition.

The U.S. Air Force is looking forward to bringing online a capability that top brass say could fundamentally change the way the service conducts air refueling.

The T-X partners have run into an eleventh-hour snag in their joint bid for the lucrative contract, Aviation Week understands.

Northrop Grumman says an U.S. Air Force RQ-4B Global Hawk has flown another payload demonstrations aimed at re-hosting key U-2 sensors on the unmanned aircraft.

NASA's human-exploration planners are developing work schedules for the human-tended habitat they hope to put in orbit around the Moon in the coming decade.

Damages to NASA's Kennedy Space Center from Hurricane Matthew are expected to total “millions of dollars,” according to the center's director.

The Nautilus-X spacecraft concept is a "real option," a NASA retiree says.

Airbus CEO Tom Enders has reacted with fury over Poland’s decision to break off negotiations on a $3.5 billion deal for multi-role helicopters.

AeroVironment says its latest U.S. Army contract for the Switchblade remotely operated kamikaze drone supports an “urgent requirement” for the newest Block 10C variant.

The new CEO of Airbus Group’s Silicon Valley outpost, A3, has a background in autonomous air vehicles and flight controls.

The Finnish defense ministry will purchase 28 used Grob 115E piston-engine training aircraft from Babcock International to fulfill the country’s ab-initio/elementary pilot training needs.

Anglo-Japanese studies for improving the MBDA Meteor air-to-air missile with an advanced seeker could result in a new and larger weapon, officials here say.