Defense

SpaceX’s 23rd NASA-contracted Dragon resupply mission to the International Space Station splashed down under parachute in the ocean waters off Florida’s Atlantic coast near St. Augustine late Sept. 30, returning a 4,600-lb. cargo that included time-sensitive scientific research.

China is in the process of trialing two types of domestically built turbofans on its Xian Y-20 strategic airlifter.

With the eyes of the defence world about to turn towards Egypt for the forthcoming Egypt Defence Expo (EDEX) the Egyptian Air Force has been exploring new training opportunities with a range of partners and allies, writes Jon Lake

The U.S. State Department has given the go-ahead to sell a single Boeing EA-18G Growler to Australia to replace an aircraft that was written off after an engine fire in 2018.

Velo3D, a metal 3D-printing startup that is targeting aerospace and defense customers among others, started trading as a public company Sept. 30 when its shares moved on to the New York Stock Exchange.

U.S. Air Force wants to add hypersonics to B-1s; North Korea’s hypersonic missile; Boeing wins German P-8, C-17 sustainment contracts.

U.S. startup Launchspace Technologies has signed a contract with Airbus to test its orbital debris remediation and spacecraft shielding technology for 12 months on the Bartolomeo external platform on the International Space Station.

U.S. satellite servicing startup Starfish Space has raised $7 million in funding to develop its planned Otter space tug.

Key Wichita-based aerospace and defense supplier Spirit AeroSystems is reorganizing its business structure around commercial, defense and space and aftermarket end markets as it continues to diversify its revenue streams and stabilize its outlook.

Congress on Sept. 30 approved a continuing resolution to fund the government through Dec. 3, just hours before an impending government shutdown.

The Pentagon is seeking industry’s input on supply chain issues in four key areas ranging from weapons capabilities to manufacturing, as well as the health of the defense industrial base, according to a Federal Register notice.

Dynetics has won a competition to field a 360-deg., counter-unmanned aircraft system and cruise missile defense system for the U.S. Army.

Stratolaunch has started installing subsystems in the first completed airframe of an initial version of the Talon-A before the start of expendable hypersonic testing early next year, the Mojave, California-based company said.

Stealth aircraft have struggled to meet cost and schedule targets, but Northrop Grumman shows how B-21 can break the cycle.

The UK Royal Air Force is working with the wind farm industry and the government to develop methods to mitigate the interference caused by wind turbines on air defense radar systems.

This webinar took place on September 30, 2021. The U.S. Air Force revolutionized air warfare with its use of the General Atomics Aeronautical Systems

Czech aircraft manufacturer Aero Vodochody has a new CEO following the purchase of the company by a Hungarian businessman. Viktor Sotona, formerly the managing director of Czech multilateration technology company ERA, takes over from Dieter John as of Sept. 30 as part of the change in ownership.

SpaceX’s 23rd NASA-contracted Dragon resupply mission capsule departed the International Space Station early Sept. 30 and headed for a late-night splashdown in the Atlantic or Gulf of Mexico waters off the Florida peninsula with a 4,200-lb. return cargo, including time-sensitive science experiments.

Abu Dhabi’s National Defense College (NDC) and the Abu Dhabi School of Government (ADSG) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to develop joint training programs fostering knowledge exchange and enhancing participants’ leadership capabilities, while also aligning with the wider strategy of the UAE.

The facility reports directly to the Republic of Korea Air Force's chief of staff and is designed to act as a coordinating agency for domestic civilian and military space units as well as foreign space counterparts such as the U.S. Space Force.

DARPA’s HAWC demonstration program scores first successful scramjet test despite new scrutiny for U.S. hypersonic weapons.

The FAA on Sept. 29 signed off on Virgin Galactic’s plan to improve communications with the FAA during flight operations of SpaceShipTwo and request a larger zone of protected airspace to ensure violations, such as what occurred during its last flight on July 11, do not reoccur.

Boeing and the Defense Department have agreed on a contract worth up to $23.8 billion for C-17 sustainment over the next decade, starting with $3.5 billion for Globemaster III work through September 2024.

Integrating hypersonic glide missiles and scramjet-powered cruise missiles on the B-1B fleet is needed to “remain ahead of our strategic competitors,” a U.S. Air Force Global Strike Command spokesman says.