Defense

Textron’s business aircraft and helicopter segments saw revenues grow in the second quarter of 2021 based on increased sales of Cessna Citation jets and Caravan turboprops, Beechcraft King Air turboprops and Bell helicopters.

With the successful launch of an experimental cubesat for the U.S. Space Force, Rocket Lab returned its Electron small satellite launcher into commercial service on July 29, with about six more missions on its manifest for the year.

BAE Systems says it has begun work on producing components for Germany’s order of 38 new-build Eurofighters.

Tokyo is reportedly considering inviting the U.S. Marine Corps to fly its Lockheed Martin F-35Bs from its newly converted aircraft carrier.

An initial tranche of funding has been awarded to the Team Tempest industrial consortium.

Aircraft propulsion concepts, radio-frequency sensors, mesh networks and autonomous control systems are driving a reimagining of roles.

How to ease engine shortage?; NDIA creates think tank; missile defense laser development; and Lockheed takes $225 million charge.

The U.S. Air Force has retired the first Kratos XQ-58A to become a new exhibit at the National Museum of the Air Force after the pioneering unmanned aircraft system logged a total of four flight hours on three flights in 2019.

BRITTEN-NORMAN has acquired fleet of high-capacity BN2T-4S Islanders that had been operating in surveillance roles for US DOD, and plans to launch

UK utility aircraft manufacturer Britten-Norman has acquired a fleet of Defender aircraft previously operated by the British Army.

Rocket Lab intends to return its Electron small satellite launcher into commercial service as early as July 29 following an accident two months ago.

A week after acquiring an artificial intelligence company for combat aircraft, Shield AI on July 29 announced the acquisition of Martin UAV.

German satellite launch startup Isar Aerospace has secured $75 million from investors which include Porsche, the majority owner of the Volkswagen automobile company.

The restored Superfortress has paused its tour and will miss this year’s show after the warbird experienced trouble with one of its engines.

The Portuguese Navy has taken delivery of the first of five upgraded Lynx shipboard naval helicopters.

A tacair subcommittee member has proposed that the Air Force study the “feasibility and advisability” of integrating a Raytheon ALQ-249 mid-band radar jammer on its tactical fighter fleet.

Dassault is proposing the Falcon 10X maritime patroller as the Atlantique replacement, after Germany opts for the P-8.

Lawmakers will consider draft legislation that would give the Pentagon a way to allow the Missile Defense Agency to develop laser technology to counter ballistic and hypersonic missiles.

The space agencies of Canada, Italy and Japan are joining with NASA in a worldwide call for qualified applicants to contribute to a measurement definition team that will support a future International Mars Ice Mapper Mission orbiter.

A near-term solution for the engine shortage grounding 15% of the U.S. Air Force fleet of Lockheed Martin F-35As may be to simply buy more spares, a Pratt & Whitney executive said on July 27.

Spain has independently developed and installed a new operating software load for its F/A-18 Hornet, bolstering the aircraft’s capabilities at a time when other nations are replacing their legacy Hornet fleets.

German space launch startup Polaris has been awarded a study contract by the German ministry of defense to look at how its winged Aurora suborbital spaceplane could be adapted for reconnaissance missions.

Electra.aero was founded on the premise that ultrashort-takeoff regional aircraft enabled by distributed electric propulsion would fly more payload longer distances than vertical-takeoff vehicles while still being able to operate from a similarly constrained urban footprint.

A new think-tank formally introduced on July 26 by the National Defense Industrial Association (NDIA) will seek to bring industry’s voice to help

The charge arose during a government-led review of the classified program in May, Lockheed’s chief financial officer told analysts during a teleconference.