Defense

The modernized version of the Russian Rockot light launch vehicle is gradually taking shape, as the technical design of the new Rockot-M variant is complete, according to Russian media reports.

Europe’s new Multinational Multi-Role Tanker Transport Unit (MMU) will fly its first aerial refueling training missions in August.

Brief news items of interest to aerospace & defense professionals.

The U.S. Senate has confirmed U.S. Air Force Maj. Gen. Michael Loh to serve as the 13th Air National Guard director. A 1984 graduate of the U.S. Air

An $862 million contract award ends the year-old mystery over the disposition of F-35As ordered by Turkey since the country's expulsion from the international fighter program.

Lockheed still boasts commitments from 13 countries to buy nearly 3,220 jets, with deliveries projected out to 2046.

Stabilizing the production system and securing a funded, long-term upgrade plan are now the main objectives for the F-35’s propulsion system.

Israel’s Upper Tier Layer appeared to reach fruition with Arrow 3 deployment, but the program is continuing to advance.

Early second-stage shutdown dooms ride-share mission.

A 2017 call to embrace a new, digital-based tack to design and production is guiding Boeing’s path to future defense and space contracts.

U.S. manufacturer Skydio eyes commercial and military customers, claiming its autonomy technology is unrivaled.

Fifty-two days after launching a crewed capsule to space on May 30, SpaceX recovered the first stage again during a mission to deliver a South Korean military communications satellite to space

The House fiscal 2021 defense policy bill is on the floor this week, featuring 407 new amendments approved by the Rules Committee.

SpaceX is aiming for its quickest turnaround between reflights of a Falcon 9 booster, with launch of a South Korean military communications satellite poised to fly as early as July 20 using the same first stage that carried NASA astronauts into orbit on May 30.

Nationalizing the industrial base to design, manufacture and sustain new fighters and bombers is not currently official Trump administration policy. But the topic dominated headlines last week anyway.

The appearance of a test airframe for the Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) ASM-3 this month shows that the Japanese have worked through at least five configurations for the supersonic anti-ship missile.

The Netherlands has suspended operations with its NH90 naval helicopters following a fatal accident in Aruba.

Indonesia has approached Austria as a potential buyer for the country’s unwanted Eurofighter Typhoons.

The UK has brought another seven aerospace companies into the Team Tempest consortium to develop technologies for a future UK-led combat air system.

The British government has signed a long-awaited contract with Airbus for the next-generation Skynet communications satellite.

Leaps in computing power, sensors and weapons will benefit the F-35 in the next eight years—if Lockheed can keep modernization on track.

Selected U.S. military contracts from the past week.

News in brief

Brief news items of interest to aerospace & defense professionals.

The United Arab Emirates’ first interplanetary spacecraft began a seven-month journey to Mars on July 20 following a successful launch aboard a Mitsubishi Heavy Industries’ H-IIA rocket.