Defense

By Tony Osborne
The Austrian order is the second the Italian OEM has secured in recent months through a new model of government-to-government contract.
Aircraft & Propulsion

By Tony Osborne
Leonardo has been awarded contracts worth €260 million to support Hensoldt of Germany’s development of an active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar for Eurofighters operated by Germany and Spain.
Sensors & Electronic Warfare

By Irene Klotz
With a collective sigh of relief, Webb deployments are complete.
Space

By Jay Menon
After years of negotiations, the Philippines is set to become the first export customer of the Indo-Russian BrahMos cruise missile.
Defense

By Chen Chuanren
Manila becomes the first foreign customer for the Indo-Russian supersonic anti-ship cruise missile.
Missile Defense & Weapons

By Irene Klotz
Hours after SpaceX delivered a batch of satellites into polar orbits from Florida—previously an exclusive West Coast route—Virgin Orbit pulled off the reverse feat: deploying its customers’ spacecraft into 45-deg. inclination orbits from the California-launched LauncherOne rocket.
Commercial Space

By Steve Trimble
United Aircraft Corp. (UAC) on Jan. 12 flew the first newly assembled Tu-160M2 bomber from the Kazan Aviation Plant in Russia. The first flight lasted
Aircraft & Propulsion

By Brian Everstine
The U.S. Air Force has made some progress in addressing its pilot shortage thanks to increased production and retention, but still remains far below its goal.
Budget, Policy & Operations

By Steve Trimble
The U.S. Missile Defense Agency (MDA) has corrected a fact sheet after acknowledging that one successful test was double-counted in a tally of midcourse intercept tests of the Boeing Ground Based Interceptor.
Missile Defense & Weapons

By Michael Bruno
Virgin Galactic, the space tourism company that helped sweep in the current era of startup space companies quickly going public, shocked investors Jan. 13 with news it will raise as much as $500 million by issuing new debt.
Commercial Space

By Graham Warwick
The Airbus-sponsored Perlan 2 stratospheric glider will carry a Thales FlytLink satellite communications terminal when it returns to flight, enabling real-time data downloads from altitudes exceeding 90,000 ft.
Commercial Space

TUPOLEV made first flight of Tu-160M strategic missile carrier, an upgraded (engines, aircraft controls, avionics, and weapons) version of the Tu-160.
Defense

By Chen Chuanren
The Thai government has approved in-principle funding for the Royal Thai Air Force (RTAF) to acquire four new fighter jets in the next fiscal year.
Budget, Policy & Operations

By Guy Norris
Hypersonix Launch Systems has signed a collaborative agreement with the University of Sydney to research and manufacture key components of its proposed spaceplane, including its Spartan scramjet propulsion system.
Commercial Space

By Maksim Pyadushkin
Success Rockets aims to survive in a nation dominated by state-owned industry.
Commercial Space

By Maksim Pyadushkin
Russia’s launch manifest for 2022 includes 30 launches, a 20% increase over 2021, Dmitry Rogozin, CEO of the Russian State Space Corp. Roscosmos, said on Jan. 12.
Space

By Brian Everstine
It has become a familiar chorus from Pentagon leaders: A long-term continuing resolution would hurt the U.S. Defense Department.
Budget, Policy & Operations

By Mark Carreau
NASA has reached an “inflection point” as it prepares to reach out sustainably to the Moon, Mars and other deep space destinations with human explorers, a steep and risky slope, NASA’s Aerospace Safety Advisory Panel says.
Space

By Steve Trimble
A long-range infrared search and track sensor, manned-unmanned teaming capability and a Thales Scorpion helmet-mounted display are on a list of new upgrades by third-party vendors sought by the U.S. Air Force for the Lockheed Martin F-22 Raptor.
Aircraft & Propulsion

By Tony Osborne
Boeing has begun taking the first steps toward establishing an industrial team in Germany to provide support for a planned fleet of F/A-18 Super Hornets and EA-18G Growlers that would replace the country’s Panavia Tornado fleet.
Aircraft & Propulsion

BOEING issued RFI to >10 German companies to solicit bids for support equipment, logistics, parts, local sustainment programs, training, and other
Defense

By Tony Osborne
Hungary will update its Saab Gripen fighters to the MS20 Block 2 standard, which could enable them to launch MBDA’s Meteor beyond visual range air-to-air missile. The Hungarian Air Force, which leases its 14 C/D model Gripens, has contracted the upgrade with Sweden’s FMV defense material agency. This will put the Hungarian fleet into a configuration similar to Sweden’s aircraft.
Aircraft & Propulsion

By Brian Everstine
The U.S. Air Force has started installation of the “enhanced” Remote Vision System (RVS) on its Boeing KC-46 fleet.
Aircraft & Propulsion

By Tony Osborne
French defense materiel agency the DGA has begun testing engine technologies to support the development of a powerplant for the European Future Combat Air System (FCAS).
Aircraft & Propulsion

The JF-17N Thunder fighter aircraft has now entered service with the Nigerian Air Force. Jon Lake looks at what this could mean for the future.
Defense