Defense

Three U.S. and Russian International Space Station (ISS) crewmembers descended safely to Earth early April 17 to end lengthy, productive missions.

With Lockheed Martin’s U-2S poised for a comprehensive avionics upgrade that will position the spy plane at the heart of the U.S. Air Force’s ambitious next-generation airborne battle management plan, Aviation Week senior editor Guy Norris and defense editor Steve Trimble join executive editor Graham Warwick on Check 6 to discuss what appears to be a new lease of life for the famed Dragon Lady.

Northernmost U.S. fighter base gives F-35 unique training environment in strategic location.

Deemed to be an essential service, defense manufacturing avoids pandemic shutdowns.

F-15QA’s vertical climb; a new Space Acquisition Council; how to deter China and Russia; and defense execs advise White House.

Readers write about “balanced capitalism” in aerospace, flying UAVs to help fight COVID-19 and cleaner airline cabin air.

The U.S. Air Force may award an $85 billion contract to Northrop Grumman early to develop the Ground-Based Strategic Deterrent missile to replace the Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missile.

A senior U.S. Air Force general warned on April 16 that the Defense Department cannot afford some of the long range strike programs funded by other services.

Over vehement objections, Federal Communications Commission Chairman Ajit Paj circulated a draft order on April 16 that would allow Ligado to use L-band spectrum allocation originally approved for satellite communications for a terrestrial network to support 5G and internet of things services.

The Pentagon’s Space Acquisition Council will hold an emergency meeting to support the space industrial base in the wake of the novel coronavirus.

Heico leaders said late April 15 they have laid off “some” employees across their aerospace and defense supplier portfolio and have cut work hours and pay at subsidiaries, but they are trying to avoid mass-layoffs as the COVID-19 pandemic rolls back the worldwide aerospace business.

BOEING has $84m contract modification from USAF to update VC-25B (747-8I) technical publications for two aircraft being manufactured to replace

Russia has adjusted the dates for resumption of its Moon exploration efforts, an official says.

Russia’s space activity is likely to be limited due to coronavirus restrictions, officials say.

A review of Britain’s defense capabilities has been paused in the wake of the novel coronavirus pandemic.

South Korean military equipment acquisition spending will suffer from a shift in allocations from the defense budget to COVID-19 relief efforts.

AVIATION WEEK NETWORK forecasts that from 2020 to 2029, Western-built aircraft performing military C4ISR (command, control, communications, computers

The U.S. Army plans to beef up legacy aviation platforms for future multidomain fight.

With automated flight safety systems, polar orbits from Florida are back in the offing.

A linchpin of the Army’s aviation modernization is still on track, but pressure is growing.

A 20 mm cannon, 360-deg. visibility in brownout conditions and a sensor-fused cockpit are among the items on the U.S. Army’s wish list for the Future Attack Reconnaissance Aircraft.

U.S. Space Command is tracking a Russian direct-ascent anti-satellite missile test, it said April 15.

With the country focused on stemming the spread of the coronavirus, legislators have asked the Federal Communications Commission to suspend work on proposed rulemaking for mitigating orbital debris.

FLIGHTSAFETY INTL has $25m contract to provide KC-46 aircrew/maintenance training to International Military Students (IMS) at Altus AFB, OK through