Defense

A bipartisan group of senators has introduced legislation to block President Donald Trump from loosening a treaty obligation that restricts the export of large U.S. unmanned aerial systems.

A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket lifted off from Kennedy Space Center on Aug. 7 carrying 57 new Starlink broadband satellites—all outfitted with visors to cut Sun glint that interferes with astronomical observations—and two BlackSky Global imaging satellites.

The U.S. Space Force has wrapped up a major upgrade to its GPS Military-Code signal that will improve its anti-jamming and anti-spoofing capabilities.

As the push to return to deep-space exploration becomes more international and commercial, so too do concerns over norms of behavior among those who venture beyond Earth’s orbit.

South Korea’s defense ministry and Hanwha have rolled out a prototype for the radar of the Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) KF-X fighter, following delivery of a ground-test unit in April.

The new Mi-8AMTSh-VN military helicopter intended for Russian special forces has started flight tests, Rostec Corp. subsidiary Russian Helicopters says.

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The U.S. National Reconnaissance Office is pursuing an “integrated hybrid architecture” for its constellation of intelligence-gathering satellites

Two NASA astronauts return from extended SpaceX flight test to the ISS.

A two-year evaluation has coalesced into plans to field a sea-based interceptor as quickly as possible.

This week, NASA astronauts Doug Hurley and Bob Benhken splashed down in their SpaceX Dragon capsule in the Gulf of Mexico after two months at the

During a three-day exercise, the U.S. Air Force assessed F-35 tactics and the viability of the fifth-generation fighter to provide access for friendly forces behind enemy lines in support of the B-2 and RQ-170.

A Purdue University spinoff is to test an improved propellant for solid-fuel ramjet propulsion systems in hypersonic weapons under more than $1.1 million in contracts from the U.S. military.

Bell has opened a facility here to support multiple company programs and business areas, including engineering, supply chain, professional manufacturing and corporate services.

U.S. Air Force Secretary Barbara Barrett officially swore in Gen. C.Q. Brown Aug. 6 as the 22nd Air Force chief of staff and the first African-American to hold the position.

ICARUS AEROSPACE, Canada introduced clean-sheet, 2-seat (optionally-piloted) TAV twin-turboprop tactical aircraft with planned payload of 8,000 lb and

A portion of the nearly 12,000 U.S. troops withdrawing from Germany may redeploy to Romania or another Eastern European locale, Defense Secretary Mark Esper says.

France has taken delivery of the first of two Beechcraft King Air 350-based intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance platforms.

Hypersonic aircraft developer Hermeus is working with the U.S. Air Force to evaluate how the company’s Mach 5 concept could be modified into a high-speed executive vehicle, including potentially a presidential transport.

Following the successful launch and operation of Saudi Arabia’s newest commercial communications satellite, SaudiGeoSat-1 (SGS-1), Lockheed Martin has been selected to develop a new ground system to control, manage and operate the satellite.

AVIATION WEEK NETWORK forecasts that maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) demand for Western-designed military transport helicopters will increase

Brief news items of interest to aerospace & defense professionals.

KARI plans to send a 300-kg probe to the Moon on a KSLV-2 with solid-propellant boosters.