Defense

The U.S. should sell additional Javelin missiles to Ukraine so that it can better defend its sovereign territory, the head of U.S. European Command (EUCOM) says.

France is to order the Northrop Grumman E-2D Hawkeye carrier-borne airborne early warning aircraft as part of an upgrade to the country’s naval air arm.

A British Royal Air Force (RAF) test pilot is to be seconded to Virgin Orbit as part of UK plans to expand its defense domain into space.

Russia’s Soyuz MS-12 descended safely onto the plains of Central Kazakhstan early Oct. 3, returning to Earth from the International Space Station.

The Philippines is likely to arm Embraer A-29 Super Tucano light attack airplanes and Bell AH-1F Cobra attack helicopters with 70-mm (2.75-in.) rockets converted to precision weapons by the addition of BAE Systems WGU-59/B guidance units.

North Korea has test fired what appeared to be a new type of submarine-launched ballistic missile (SLBM) on Oct. 2, demonstrating what an analyst estimates as a range capability of possibly more than 3,000 km (2,000 mi.).

It takes a long time to build an aircraft carrier but it’s worth the wait. Especially when the carrier is as advanced and capable as the Gerald R. Ford (CVN-78).

The DF-17 has much the same configuration as the DARPA Falcon HTV-2. Its gliding vehicle should extend range and challenge defenses with maneuvers.

Due to moderate oil prices and the relatively low level of technology of weapons involved in the attack, the effect on A&D is likely to be muted for now.

U.S. Air Force Col. Dale White, who formerly led surveillance and special operations acquisition programs, will lead the new Advanced Aircraft office.

Pratt & Whitney will reduce the unit recurring flyaway (URF) cost of the F135 engine by 3% over a three-year ordering period for Lockheed Martin F-35s scheduled for delivery from 2020 to 2022, the company says.

Virgin Galactic and the Italian Air Force signed a contract Oct. 2 to train and carry three Italians into suborbital space aboard SpaceShipTwo to conduct research experiments in flight as soon as next year.

The U.S. Navy’s MQ-25 is being developed as a carrier-based aerial refueler, but an intelligence agency is showing interest in the unmanned aircraft system for a maritime surveillance role.

Firing units for Diehl’s ground-launched version of the IRIS-T missile have been formally handed over to begin air defense duties in Sweden.

The expansion by Flir Systems into unmanned aircraft services is rolling on as it acquires the intellectual property and certain operating assets of Aria Insights.

Avic is working toward flying an operational near-space, solar-powered drone in 2021, following a decision this year to proceed with a demonstrator of 50-m (164-ft.) wingspan.

China exhibited a new radar system for air and missile defense in its Oct. 1 National Day parade.

Inmarsat has signed a contract with the ESA to begin the second phase of the Iris development program to create a satellite data link capability for aircraft flying in Europe.

Helicopter component developer DART Aerospace has acquired aerial firefighting equipment developer Simplex Aerospace.

Sixteen vehicles purporting to be road-mobile launchers for DF-41 intercontinental ballistic missiles appeared in China’s National Day parade on Oct. 1, sending a signal that the weapon is operational.

Bell's new Invictus has a single main rotor and shrouded tail rotor, a wing to offload the rotor, and is powered by a single General Electric T901 Improved Turbine Engine, augmented by a supplemental power unit to provide higher speed.

As the Nordic nation considers a replacement for its existing fighter squadrons, partnership with the U.S. offers more than a capable platform.

The UK is considering how to integrate more autonomous systems into carriers to increase combat radius and lethality.

A scheduled flight-testing battery for a new crop of hypersonic and long-range weapons is putting pressure on operational test and evaluation sites to keep up.

Five defensive concepts, including one by Boeing and two each submitted by Lockheed Martin and Raytheon, were downselected from a pool of 21 proposals.