Defense

The head of U.S. Air Force Mobility Command has not been briefed on the latest fix to the KC-46A Pegasus cargo restraint devices but intends to meet with Boeing Sept. 30 to discuss the program.

Singapore Technologies Engineering (ST Engineering) has announced its U.S. subsidiary iDirect Government has acquired Glowlink Communications Technology, a satellite interference mitigation provider, for $24.3 million in cash.

Inmarsat and its likely new owners announced that on Sept. 16, the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS) confirmed that its review of the proposed acquisition is complete and that there are no unresolved national security issues in respect of its review.

Boeing and Lockheed Martin, NASA’s prime contractors for the Space Launch System and Orion capsule programs, will face tougher standards for award fees as part of ongoing talks for current and future work on the deep-space human launch system.

Sensing another new-space business opportunity, investment network Space Angels has launched SpaceTalent.org, a free career platform built for the burgeoning ecosystem of companies aimed at or enabled by outer space.

The U.S. Air Force is looking to move roughly $35 billion in the future years defense plan (FYDP) beginning in fiscal 2021 to better align with the National Defense Strategy as part of Defense Secretary Mark Esper’s zero-based review initiative.

DARPA is working to identify alternative locations to test its Dynetics Gremlins unmanned aircraft airborne launch and recovery system after July earthquakes heavily damaged China Lake Naval Weapon Station in California, where flight tests were planned.

Aero Engine Corp. of China is in the early stages of developing a powerful turboprop engine for passenger or cargo aircraft in the 2030s.

The Japanese helicopter carriers Izumo and Kaga should be modified as soon as possible to operate Lockheed Martin F-35B Lightnings, the defense ministry said.

The Netherlands becomes the first European nation to commit to an additional follow-up order for the F-35 on top of their requirements, but the additional aircraft still only bring the Royal Netherlands Air Force’s fleet to just over half of the 85 the country pledged to buy when it joined the program in 2002.

Paramount Group has announced that the Mbombe 4x4, the newest addition to its advanced Armoured Personnel Carrier (APC) family of vehicles, has received final certification for the independently verified blast tests which exceeded the criteria for NATO STANAG 4569 – one of the highest levels of protection that can be achieved by an armoured vehicle in its class.

The upgrades, the details of which will be defined in about six months, are focused on improvements to the fan and the engine accessories.

The UK Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy said on Sept. 18 it is intervening of the £4 billion ($5 billion) takeover of Cobham by Advent International on national security grounds.

Norwegian scalable ramjet could have applications across air-, ground- and sea-launched weaponry.

Shadows covered much of the landing site and the lander may not be in the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter's field of view, NASA says.

“Initially, we though a multiyear [contract] would be the right way to go and I still think we can get more savings if we can guarantee the funding for that five-year period, but we think it might be too tough to sell on the Hill,” Merchant said.

Northrop Grumman is preparing for the first launch of its Mission Extension Vehicle, a spacecraft designed to supply propulsion to in-orbit satellites that would otherwise run out of fuel.

As Virgin Galactic continues to transition flight testing to its New Mexico operations site, the company’s sister production unit, The Spaceship Company, has announced completion of fuselage and wing mating for the spaceline’s second suborbital vehicle at its Mojave site in California.

The USMC has released plans to select multiple vendors to perform “concept advancement” studies on the Attack Utility Replacement Aircraft, a high-speed rotorcraft to replace the UH/AH-1 fleet.

Boeing began assembling Japan’s first KC-46 Pegasus aircraft after being awarded a foreign military sales contract in December 2017.

The U.S. Air Force has awarded Iridium Communications a $738.5 million contract to provide services from its new Iridium Next constellation of satellites.

The USAF canceled acquisition plans for a new boost phase missile interceptor after the undisclosed contractor became unwilling to accept a cost-sharing agreement.

L3Harris Technologies has showcased its Venom adversary air mission software suite integrating air-to-air capabilities using commercial-off-the shelf components.

Oberon will lean on British expertise in radars and smallsat technology.

A group of high-altitude RQ-4 unmanned aircraft systems will be drafted into service to support an upcoming series of hypersonic missile flight tests, the commander of the Air Force Flight Test Center (AFFTC) says in an interview.