Defense

Arianespace is gearing up to launch the European Space Agency’s Sentinel-2C Earth observation satellite on its last Vega light rocket.

By 2034, the in-service fleet of Saab JAS 39E/F Gripens will have grown to 130, with the Thailand sale potentially raising that total by 12 to 14 aircraft.

At issue is a founding principle of the Copernicus program.

The move was confirmed by Kim Kyung-nam, head of KAL Aviation Technology Research Institute.

Gen. Eric Smith’s new guidance doubles-down on the mobility and connectivity elements of his predecessor's controversial Force Design plan.

The 10-min, 10-sec. flight from the company’s East Texas launch site near Van Horn began with a 9:20 a.m. EDT liftoff.

The contract was signed on Aug. 29 after more than two years of negotiations.

The South Korean defense ministry is proposing a 3.6% year-on-year spending hike.

A newly appointed special commission will investigate the cause of the crash, the air force said.

The new agreement extends deliveries through at least the end of the year, and comes six weeks after the Joint Program Office accepted an initial version.

Dubbed the “Digital Pathfinder,” the aircraft is a testbed for Northrop Grumman’s new aircraft development digital ecosystem.

Romania plans to spend $6.5 billion buying 32 Lockheed Martin F-35A Joint Strike Fighters for its future fighter needs.

Austria is considering a joint procurement with Italy of Leonardo M-346 trainers to replace the Saab 105 aircraft it retired in 2020.

Army and Air Force leaders are discussing options for protecting dispersed bases from air and missile attacks.

SNC won a U.S. Army award for ISR aircraft as it is breaking ground on a major site for the USAF “doomsday plane” program.

The Kent, Washington-based space company is developing a reusable two-stage launch vehicle called Nova.

The funding would help develop Outpost Space’s Carryall reentry capsule.

The contract is potentially worth €3 billion ($3.3 billion) for an unspecified version of the Rafale.

Poland’s first aircraft, AZ-01, was rolled out in front of Polish politicians and senior air force figures at the company’s Fort Worth facility on Aug. 28.

Qatar and Turkey appear to have formed a joint air force unit, deepening the military ties between the two countries.

In September 2004, Aviation Week featured DARPA’s Unmanned Combat Armed Rotorcraft (UCAR) on its cover, just a few months before the highly ambitious effort was canceled. UCAR was being designed to operate autonomously and distinguish combatants from non-combatants in hostile environments, reclaiming battlespace in which manned helicopters would not fly (see p. 46).

Thailand’s fighter decision shifts focus to the Philippines and Colombia in Saab’s drive to bolster the Gripen E/F orderbook.

STANDARDAERO purchased Northern California's AERO TURBINE (military engine MRO) from Gallant Capital Partners.

The Uruguayan Air Force is reaping the benefits of a rapid increase in defense spending over the past few years, and has10 planned new aircraft purchases.