Defense

A solicitation for the Adaptive Resilient Engineered Structures program, published on April 20 by the Aviation Applied Technology Directorate, calls for technologies that could be demonstrated in a relevant operational environment—or a Technology Readiness Level of 6—between fiscal 2023 and 2026.

VERTEX AEROSPACE, MS has $882m Contractor Logistics Support (CLS) task order to provide supply chain management for the E-6B (707) Mercury Airborne

The aft section, which includes all fuselage structures aft of the cockpit, was shipped from Saab’s Linkoping site in Sweden on April 15.

The policy doesn’t name Boeing as the target, but the recent history of the company’s relations with the Canadian government provide a clear link.

Russia’s long-awaited Multipurpose Laboratory Module, which includes a new European-built robotic arm, is due to launch to the International Space Station on July 15, the European Space Agency station program manager said on April 20.

The French, German and Spanish governments are on track to reach an agreement this month on how to share work on their joint Future Combat Air System program, according to Florence Parly, France’s minister of armed forces.

The Shijian (SJ)-17 satellite, which was launched to geostationary Earth orbit in 2016, is equipped with a robotic arm.

Confronted with the seemingly ever-worsening issue of space debris, European Space Agency experts expect automation technology to help with collision avoidance maneuvers, along with better coordination between satellite operators.

NASA and SpaceX completed the Launch Readiness Review (LRR) for the SpaceX Crew-2 mission on April 20, clearing the Falcon 9-Crew Dragon system for liftoff from Kennedy Space Center at 6:11 a.m. EDT on April 22, weather permitting.

Dwayne Chandler to Director of Avionics Sales of Stevens Aerospace and Defense Systems, Greenville, SC.

BARNES GROUP was selected by Northrop Grumman to supply metallic exhaust system assemblies for B-2s as part of Spirit Stealth Bomber Tailpipe Mid/Aft

LOCKHEED MARTIN had $1.8b net income on $16.3b sales in 1Q21 vs $1.7b on $15.7b in 1Q20. It delivered 17 F-35s, two C-130Js and 17 helicopters vs 22 F

It is “highly unlikely” that NASA will return to the Moon’s surface with human explorers in 2024 due to technical, budget and workplace constraints linked to the COVID-19 pandemic, the agency’s inspector general says.

Singapore has declared its new fleet of Airbus A330 Multi-Role Tanker Transports (MRTT) fully operational.

Planning is now underway for the second flight, which could come as early as April 22.

A civilian photographer captured the photo in 2018 as the F/A-18F with the markings of VX-31 air test and evaluation squadron landed at Point Mugu, California.

As the NASA-led International Space Station partnership strives to push the science and technology development potential of the orbital science lab, astronauts assigned to missions through 2023 will be equipping six of the station’s solar power channels with new Roll Out Solar Arrays that have been under development for a dozen years.

The U.S. Army has officially signed off on the rapid development of the Tactical Space Layer, with fielding anticipated in 2028.

Two senators proposed a bill on April 16 to ensure that sales of Lockheed Martin F-35s to Middle Eastern countries could not escape a full vetting process under the export control review process.

Private equity investor Madison Dearborn Partners has bought aerospace and defense supplier Arch Precision Components from the Jordan Co. for an undisclosed amount, the companies announced April 19.

Germany has begun upgrading its Eurofighters to allow the carriage of MBDA’s Meteor beyond-visual-range, air-to-air missile.