Defense

F-22 fighter maintainers are already tackling an issue with the fleet’s stealth coating that, if left untreated, could cause the radar-evading material to peel off the aircraft.

The Pentagon has awarded Lockheed Martin $1.3 billion to continue production of the next batch of F-35s.

Israel’s security cabinet has unanimously approved the purchase of an additional 17 F-35s.

Orbital ATK’s sixth NASA-contracted Cygnus resupply mission to the International Space Station came to its anticipated end late Nov. 27.

The European Data Relay System (EDRS), also known as SpaceDataHighway, entered into service last week.

Possible changes to the NH90 helicopter include more payload, enhanced electro-optical system and teaming with unmanned aircraft.

After 10 years of development, the Navy’s $14 billion MQ-4C Triton program is preparing its fifth and sixth aircraft for deployment to Guam.

Facebook Aquila to fly again; TsAGI eyes hydrogen-fueled widebody; Northrop’s Tern takes shape; Denver hosts counter-UAS demo.

JSC Sukhoi Civil Aircraft (SCAC) and The Central Aerohydrodynamic Institute named after Professor N. Ye. Zhukovsky (TsAGI), an aircraft design and test centre, completed another series of tests with regard to Sukhoi Superjet 100 (SSJ100) aircraft.

The Nigerian Immigration Services (NIS) has allegedly failed to explain why it grounded three Dornier 228 turbo-prop surveillance aircraft, which could have been deployed effectively to provide aerial surveillance services to the army's counter-terrorism war against the Islamist Boko Haram militant group in the north-east. Oscar Nkala reports.

In this week’s Washington Outlook: punting could limit number of KC-46A aircraft ordered this year; and a plan to send humans past Venus and Mars.

Just off the coast of San Diego on the USS America, the JSF is fundamentally changing the way the U.S. Marine Corps operates from amphibious assault ships.

In this week’s roundup: Russia tests engine for its T-50 fighter; Lockheed to upgrade F-16s for South Korea; Malaysia’s defense budget squeeze and Airbus advances Australian rotorcraft training program.

The company had originally planned to fly the prototype, 39-8, by the end of the year, but has elected to push the first flight into the second quarter of 2017.

Spirit AeroSystems CEO and President Tom Gentile will not cop to a turnaround for the leading aerostructures provider, but the relatively new chief executive is happy to point out his Wichita company has entered a new moneymaking era.

NASA has successfully downlinked images from all nine Saffire-II material samples ignited aboard an unmanned Orbital ATK Cygnus cargo capsule.

India has announced plans to build nine more long-endurance UAVs following the successful flight of the Rustom-II, meant to boost the country’s homeland security.

Russia’s United Engine Corporation (UEC) has performed the first ground test start of the new engine for Sukhoi’s T-50 fifth-generation fighter.

The European Aviation Safety Agency has certified a new version of Airbus’ H135 twin-engine light helicopter kitted with the company’s self-developed Helionix avionics suite.

Australia is pushing for a multinational effort at improving the NH90 military helicopter, with a larger payload and better sensors under consideration.

Airbus has delivered the first three of 11 AS565 MBe Panther helicopters to Indonesia.

The Indian air force has granted initial operational clearance to the upgraded Sepecat Jaguar ground attack aircraft.

The Canadian government is beginning negotiations with Boeing for 18 “interim” F/A-18 Super Hornets to bridge a widening airpower gap until a new fighter can be competitively selected to replace the Royal Canadian Air Force’s (RCAF) remaining 1980s-vintage CF-18s.

The U.S. Missile Defense Agency is planning three major flight tests.

Switzerland’s defense ministry hopes to extend the life of the country’s F/A-18 Hornets and keep its F-5 Tigers in service longer until a replacement for both aircraft is fully introduced by 2030.