The U.S. Air Force has expanded its interest in emerging electric vertical-takeoff-and-landing aircraft to encompass vehicles able to carry one-two people or more than 500 lb. of cargo.
Boeing still is negotiating with the Trump administration over receiving U.S. bailout funds, but company leaders believe they can maintain investor-grade ratings and see a sustainable financial path to when its commercial aircraft business returns to growth in 3-5 years.
The Pentagon’s plan to dramatically redesign the Boeing KC-46A Pegasus vision system is responsible for the bulk of an $827 million charge for the program in the first quarter.
Boeing is facing a novel coronavirus-related setback to the VC-25B presidential transport program, causing the company to recognize a $168 million impact in the first quarter.
Manufacturers of high-altitude pseudo-satellites (HAPS)–stratospheric balloons and unmanned aircraft–are touting a multibillion-dollar market opportunity in telecommunications, Earth observation and weather prediction.
Fielding a technology that can expand the use of additive manufacturing in parts production, startup Velo3D has secured $28 million in Series D funding, taking total financing raised so far to $138 million.
Saudi Arabia has given approvals to local company Intra Defense to start producing unmanned air vehicles, with the company expected to deliver 40 platforms in five years.
The spread of the novel coronavirus has changed the way the Defense Department views its supply chain and the military is beginning to understand where the industrial base is “hyper efficient but very brittle,” according to the U.S. Navy acquisition executive.
The Trump administration has unveiled significant new export restrictions on China that limit U.S. aircraft systems, sensors and electronics, essentially trying to keep away products that may go to any end user affiliated with the Chinese military.
The U.S. National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency has awarded Maxar Technologies $20 million in contracts for land-cover classification and change-detection services.
Germany’s Aerospace Industries Association has sided with Airbus and called on the government to accelerate the procurement of Eurofighters as a replacement for the Panavia Tornado.
The U.S. Air Force fired the Pentagon programmer’s equivalent of a standoff range weapon at the Army earlier this month. The question now is whether either side of a simmering, internal debate has enough firepower left to win the argument.
