Defense

Brief news items of interest to aerospace & defense professionals.
Defense

By Tony Osborne
Technology is rapidly shaping new generations of Western air-to-air missiles, as the need to outrange adversary weapons grows.
Missile Defense & Weapons

By Steve Trimble
New experiments show the concept works, but is the "Arsenal Plane" the answer to the Air Force's capacity problem?
Aircraft & Propulsion

By Steve Trimble
When discussing the U.S. Air Force's next C2 architecture, the temptation is to focus on the E-3 AWACS and E-8C J-Stars. Less attention is paid to the ground-based, and in many ways more powerful, corollaries of both aircraft.
Sensors & Electronic Warfare

By Mark Carreau
“Things worked exactly the way we expected them to work," Demo-2 astronaut Doug Hurley said. " It’s a pretty awe-inspiring trip so far, pretty humbling,”
Space

By Tony Osborne
Cairo reportedly is looking to purchase 24 Eurofighters, 24 M-346 jet trainers, a satellite produced by Leonardo, and up to six FREMM frigates and offshore patrol vessels.
Aircraft & Propulsion

By Lee Hudson
The counter-UAS system must allow a single operator to intercept drones and employ countermeasures.
Sensors & Electronic Warfare

By Tony Osborne
Germany is looking to arm its future fleet of EuroDrone unmanned aircraft systems with MBDA Brimstone air-to-ground missiles and Enhanced Paveway
Aircraft & Propulsion

GE AVIATION has $394m contract to provide J85 engine supplies for T-38s operated by USAF and Navy; T-38 is expected to remain operational until 2040.
Defense

By Tony Osborne
BAE says the successful firings at the U.S. Army’s Yuma Proving Ground in Arizona show the weapon can allow mounted and dismounted units to engage soft and lightly armored targets.
Missile Defense & Weapons

By Mark Carreau
“I’m very confident that we’ll continue to fund NASA and fund NASA aggressively,” Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) said shortly after SpaceX's Demo-2 mission successfully docked with the International Space Station.
Space

By Graham Warwick
Beta Technologies and Joby Aviation are the first developers of urban air mobility vehicles to progress to the third stage of the U.S. Air Force’s Agility Prime program.
Aircraft & Propulsion

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

Brief news items of interest to aerospace & defense professionals.
Defense

By Irene Klotz
SpaceX's first Dragon capsule to carry astronauts will remain docked for up to four months at the space station.
Space

By Irene Klotz
The 3:22 p.m. liftoff marked SpaceX’s first launch with people aboard and the first U.S. human orbital launch since the final STS-135 shuttle mission in July 2011.
Space

By Jen DiMascio
U.S. Navy’s training system search; Finland seeks export OK for fighters; an Army SHORAD slowdown; and satellite sensor design advances.
Aircraft & Propulsion

By Lee Hudson
After six months without a permanent U.S. Navy secretary, the Pentagon swore in Kenneth Braithwaite for the post on May 29.
Budget, Policy & Operations

By Irene Klotz
A SpaceX Starship prototype exploded and was destroyed on a test stand in Boca Chica, Texas, on May 29, joining three previous company test vehicles lost during pressurization checks.
Space

By Lee Hudson
The Pentagon signed two contracts worth $18.45 million under Defense Production Act Title 3 for investment in the space industrial base.
Space

By Tony Osborne
Aerospace and defense firm Cobham has snapped up the defense business of British composite manufacturer Tods Aerospace after it was placed into administration.
Supply Chain

By Mark Carreau
Despite the COVID-19 pandemic, NASA is moving ahead on schedule to make the July-August launch window for the Mars 2020 Perseverance rover.
Space

By Graham Warwick
A full-scale proprotor incorporating the key features of Karem Aircraft’s Optimum Speed Tiltrotor (OSTR) concept has run on a ground rig in Victorville, California.
Aircraft & Propulsion

By Tony Osborne
A civilian Pilatus PC-12 aircraft made an unauthorized landing at a Royal Air Force (RAF) base in Wales because the aircraft’s pilot wanted to visit a nearby beach.
Aircraft & Propulsion

Brief news items of interest to aerospace & defense professionals.
Defense