Defense

On Earth and in space, NASA’s nationwide work force paused on Jan. 28 to mark the space agency’s annual Day of Remembrance, a tribute to the 17 astronauts and the families of those who perished in three tragedies.

Northrop Grumman and Raytheon are to further develop their competing radars for the Joint Surveillance Target Radar System (JStars) replacement under 18-month contracts to be awarded by the U.S. Air Force.

The Pacific Command (Pacom) is still looking anxiously to welcome the big-gun DDG 1000 Zumwalt-class destroyer into its fleet.

Airbus Safran Launchers (ASL), a joint venture of Airbus Group and Safran SA, has finalized the design of Europe’s next-generation Ariane 6 launch vehicle.

Ukrainian aircraft manufacturer Antonov has hit back at reports that the company was liquidated by the government of Kiev.

The U.S. is avoiding Asia-Pacific island disputes, but is adamant about its right to transit or patrol those areas.

Carrier Strike Group 10, nicknamed IKE CSG, participated in the Fleet Synthetic Training - Group Commander exercise earlier this month in Norfolk, U.S. Navy officials say.

Denel has established Denel Asia to expand its business into South East Asia as a joint-venture company in Hong Kong.

Falcon 9 Upgrade is certified; F-35 tests AIM-9X; new Russian transporter in production; Pakistan’s cruise missile test.

The Pentagon’s weapons-test watchdog and the F-35 program leaders are at loggerheads. Don’t expect it to change any time soon.

Germany wants to find partners for a combat aircraft to replace the Tornado, but are its neighbors willing?

The U.S. Defense Department plans to initiate a launch services procurement this year for at least two “public-private partnerships” that would see the government and private companies share the cost.

The fiscal 2017 defense budget to be released on Feb. 9 will contain few surprises, and is unlikely to address a looming acquisition “bow wave” dominated by Air Force aircraft programs, according to analysts at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS).

Boeing’s more modest expectations for 2016 business and financial results upset Wall Street on Jan. 27, with traders knocking the OEM’s shares down almost 9% in the minutes before the regular close of New York stock markets.

Textron Aviation posted lower revenue but higher profit and business jet deliveries during the fourth quarter of 2015. For the full year, it posted higher revenue and profit.

The U.K.’s Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) will tighten regulations for air displays following the crash of a former military Hawker Hunter at the Shoreham air show last September that killed 11 people.

The French space agency CNES signed a letter of intent on Jan. 25 with the Indian Space Research Organization for French participation in what will be India’s second interplanetary space mission.

With the growing proliferation of missiles in the Asia-Pacific region, Adm. Harry Harris, the commander of Pacific Command, sees a possible need for increased ballistic missile defense (BMD).

Airbus Group’s tie-up with Uber to test-market extending ridehailing services to include helicopter flights has stumbled after local opposition prompted the speedy halt of a pilot project at the Sundance Film Festival, but further trials are planned this year.

Okinawa is becoming more important for U.S. strategic interests, according to a recent Congressional Research Service report.

Two years after the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter failed to make its planned international debut in the U.K., the U.S. Marine Corps has pledged to get the new fighter to a pair of U.K. air shows this summer.

Federal services provider Leidos will pay lead Pentagon contractor Lockheed Martin about $1.8 billion to take the latter’s portfolio of federal information technology business, the companies announced Jan. 26.

Airbus Defense and Space and OneWeb Ltd. have announced the creation of OneWeb Satellites, a 50-50 joint venture that will build a new global communications system comprising hundreds of Internet satellites circling in low Earth orbit.

The U.S. Navy and Marine Corps’ RQ-21A Blackjack UAV received the official green light for operation earlier this month, marking a major milestone for the program, service officials say.

The space division of Airbus Defense and Space will report record sales for 2015, with orders for several telecommunications and Earth observation satellites, as well as 900 small spacecraft being developed for OneWeb Ltd.’s planned global-Internet constellation in low Earth orbit.