Defense

By Irene Klotz
With the successful deployment of seven small satellites into low Earth orbit, Virgin Orbit has begun commercial launch service operations as
Commercial Space

By Tony Osborne
European Defense Agency has been conducting market research into the Europe’s adversary air needs.
Light Attack and Advanced Training

By Jen DiMascio
Admiral reveals new Trident details; MEO satellite test coming in 2022; the Netherlands’ Reaper and NGI approach questioned.
Missile Defense & Weapons

By Jen DiMascio, Irene Klotz
Company is partnering to supply internet-via-satellite services to customers.
Commercial Space

By Graham Warwick
Our roundup of the main aerospace and defense stories making the news this week.
Aerospace

By Lee Hudson
The U.S. Navy and Marine Corps are lacking the necessary training capacity for a war with China or Russia and plan to issue an in-depth analysis in December that could reveal what will be required.
Aircraft & Propulsion

By Steve Trimble, Tony Osborne
A photo taken from within a Lockheed Martin Skunk Works facility reveals the existence of four previously undisclosed projects, including one linked
Aircraft & Propulsion

By Mark Carreau
SpaceX’s 22nd Dragon resupply mission spacecraft is headed for a late July 9 splashdown and recovery off Florida’s Gulf Coast, following a weather-delayed departure from the International Space Station’s U.S. segment with a 5,300-lb. return payload of science experiments, technology development hardware and other equipment.
Space

By Maksim Pyadushkin
Launch of the long-delayed Nauka was planned for July 15, but technical issues have pushed back the launch.
Space

By Tony Osborne
Senior Dutch defense officials were present for a ceremony held at General Atomics’ Reaper production line in Poway, California on July 7 for the unveiling of the Block 5-model aircraft, the first of four systems being acquired for the Royal Netherlands Air Force.
Aircraft & Propulsion

By Irene Klotz
NASA is mulling a request to rename the James Webb Space Telescope.
Space

By Graham Warwick, Lee Hudson
Paul Lemmo, a seasoned veteran at Lockheed Martin, chats with Aviation Week about rotorcraft and Future Vertical Lift competitions.
Aircraft & Propulsion

By Lee Hudson
Lockheed Martin Aeronautics has agreed to pay the Pentagon $34.3 million in recompense for F-35 spare parts that were not ready for installation when they were first delivered, resulting in additional costs for the stealthy fighter program.
Budget, Policy & Operations

By Tony Osborne
NATO has launched a new phase in its Alliance Future Surveillance and Control (AFSC) contest to find a replacement for its Boeing E-3 Sentry airborne-early-warning platforms.
Sensors & Electronic Warfare

By Tony Osborne
Japan and the UK have entered the final stage of discussions about joint development of the engine for Japan’s F-X fighter, according to the Asahi newspaper.
Aircraft & Propulsion

By Steve Trimble
The U.S. Air Force has detonated a warhead for the first Lockheed Martin AGM-183A Air-launched Rapid Response Weapon, the service said on July 7.
Missile Defense & Weapons

By Tony Osborne
The UK is looking for a zero-emission training aircraft as the Royal Air Force (RAF) targets net-zero carbon emissions by 2040.
Light Attack and Advanced Training

By Steve Trimble
“Although we call it a life extension, aside from energetics, everything in [the Trident II D5 Life Extension 2 missile] is going to be completely new,” Vice Adm. Johnny Wolfe, director of the Navy's Strategic Systems Program (SSP) office, said July 7.
Missile Defense & Weapons

By Tony Osborne
The UK Royal Navy is bolstering the firepower of its six Type 45 air-defense destroyers with the installation of MBDA’s Sea Ceptor surface-to-air missile system.
Missile Defense & Weapons

By Chen Chuanren
Blacktree has joined Airbus Defense and Space’s Team Maier initiative, established in October 2020 to provide solutions for Australia's JP 9102 military satellite communication program.
Space

By Chen Chuanren
The airshow's organizers say attendance by overseas visitors, which may be difficult depending on COVID-related border restrictions, is not critical to the success of this year's event.
Aircraft & Propulsion

By Steve Trimble
As defense budgets globally tighten, IAI is positioning the Kfir NG as an affordable alternative to new fourth-generation jets.
Aircraft & Propulsion

By Lee Hudson
The U.S. Space Force may begin testing early-warning satellites in medium-Earth orbit as early as 2022, which aligns with comments made by a service official last week who said the Force Design team will assess the theory of putting missile-warning satellites into non-traditional orbits.
Space

By Lee Hudson
The Pentagon has terminated the $10 billion Joint Enterprise Defense Infrastructure Cloud contract with Microsoft because the effort no longer meets requirements, and instead is launching a new multi-vendor program called the Joint Warfighter Cloud Capability.
Budget, Policy & Operations