Defense

The winged Reusable Launch Vehicle Technology Demonstrator (RLV-TD) was scheduled to be tested in the first week of February.

The contract appears to launch full-scale development of the KF-X with assistance from Indonesia. But it is unclear whether KAI can make much progress in 2016, since the defense ministry has secured very modest funding for the coming 12 months.

The Dec. 19 flyby was the last in a series of 22 close encounters between Cassini and Enceladus that have revealed a small, ice-covered, geologically active world with a global ocean.

Pursuit of international sales pits U.S. missile manufacturers against their European rivals, but it is not always a two-way fight—or a definite victory.

A refugee crisis, the threat of terrorism and a militant Russia with anti-NATO rhetoric continue to dominate the strategic picture for European nations.

Development programs for new fighters focus on stealth, while legacy fighters struggle to keep production lines open.

Lockheed Martin, Raytheon stand to benefit as worldwide demand for missile defense systems continues to grow.

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At least some of the improvements for the T-50 that KAI is developing for the T-X program, notably the inflight-refueling module, should become lasting assets for KAI, and not just for the trainer version of the type.

Sustainment costs for the V-22 Osprey tiltrotor are likely to be higher than those of previous aircraft performing similar missions, but the design differences of the aircraft make accurate comparisons difficult.

Despite some new programs and higher spending in some categories, overall defense spending in Europe has declined for seven consecutive years.

Big orders for antisubmarine warfare aircraft and helicopters, sea-based V-22B Osprey tiltrotor aircraft, a new-technology submarine and surveillance aircraft are priorities in Japan’s 2016 defense budget.

South Korea's 2016 defense budget request is 4% higher than the 2015 budget, a slight slowdown from the 4.9% increase of 2015. The share of investment for new equipment in the total defense budget will hit 30%.

Reported reforms could include slashing army troop levels by 300,000 but a great increase in the PLA’s ability to project power abroad.

Budget cuts amid political and economic instability in Brazil is forcing rethinking of major defense projects.

Commercial lows and military highs help define a challenging time for the rotorcraft industry.

To counter distant threats, Israel has reinforced its “long arm”—first established to deter missile attacks—enabling the military to operate thousands of miles from Israel’s borders.

The government’s ability to boost the non-salary segment of the defense budget will be hampered by other commitments such as pension benefits.

Maritime patrol aircraft are also being sought.

Britain strengthens defenses in response to different threats, including Russian aggression and European terrorist attacks.

Middle East nations arm themselves for continuing conflict, from fighting the Islamic State group in Iraq and Syria to operations in Yemen.

“To respond to threats, there must be a balance between the resources that are given to the armies and the missions entrusted to them,” Gen. Pierre de Villiers, chief of staff of the French armed forces, told lawmakers.

Military customers focus on upgrades in the absence of clarity and funding for new programs, while the civil market races ahead in technology and numbers, but remains relatively small in value.

From terrorist attacks to China’s aggressive “terraforming” of new bases in international waters, threats to a rules-based international order have seldom been so diverse.

The gap between the Defense Department’s plans and actual funding is about $15 billion.