Defense

The head of Air Combat Command has laid out a proposal to dramatically change the way the USAF trains fighter pilots as the Boeing T-X enters the inventory.

Sensor supplier FLIR Systems has acquired Canadian drone manufacturer Aeryon Labs for $200 million, expanding its line of military unmanned aircraft systems.

The U.S. Navy released its highly anticipated solicitation Jan. 28 to purchase a new training helicopter to replace the aging TH-57B/C fleet.

The USAF may not buy a next-generation low-observable tanker that would support fifth-gen. fighters like the F-35 and F-22, the service’s chief of staff says.

A new effort is underway to re-establish communications with the Mars Opportunity rover, which went silent last year during a global Martian dust storm.

UK weapons including the Raytheon Paveway IV and the MBDA Brimstone low-collateral air-to-ground missile will be integrated onto the UK RAF's new Protector UAS.

Canada is contracting Bell to undertake definition design work to pave the way for a limited modernization of Royal Canadian Air Force CH-146 helicopters.

An Indian Air Force (IAF) Jaguar fighter aircraft crashed in the northern state of Uttar Pradesh on Jan. 28 due to a technical issue.

France looks set to follow China, Russia and the U.S. in its pursuit of hypersonic weapons.

The UK defense ministry says it has invested $1.29 million in deployable satellite antenna technology developed by British firm Oxford Space Systems.

V-280 makes 280 kt.; UK looks at AI, Boeing eVTOL flies, Sweden flies biofuel; Airbus AI challenge.

The U.S. Air Force must replace its aging F-15C Eagle fleet but will not compromise its F-35 Joint Strike Fighter buy, Gen. Dave Goldfein says.

Secretary of the Air Force Heather Wilson confirmed plans to accept 36 KC-46s in 2019, but Boeing is pushing for additional deliveries.

Warsaw’s decision to sole-source the purchase looks set to frustrate other helicopter manufacturers who had been hoping to cash in on Poland’s military helicopter modernization.

Armasuisse, the Swiss defense procurement agency, will now begin analysis of the offers, which were requested from the German, French, Swedish and U.S. governments last summer.

U.S. military space programs received an increase in funding for fiscal 2019, and that trend is likely to continue, a service official says.

Virgin Galactic, which flew its fourth powered flight last month, has laid off 40 employees, about 5% of its workforce.

Blue Origin on Jan. 25 began construction of a rocket engine manufacturing plant in Huntsville, Alabama, to produce the methane-fueled BE-4 engines.

The F-35 Joint Program Office plans to formally award a contract to Lockheed Martin to integrate a new safety feature to prevent a common cause of crashes.

NASA is delaying annual commemorations honoring astronauts killed in the Apollo 1, Challenger and Columbia accidents.

SpaceX has conducted a static test fire of the Falcon 9 rocket slated to launch the first of two demonstration missions for NASA in advance of crew rotation missions to the International Space Station.

Russia’s plans to start launching heavy-lift Angara rockets from the new Vostocnhy commercial spaceport in 2023 is at risk due to launchpad construction delays.

The Indonesian Defense Ministry has taken delivery of five Airbus AS565 Mbe Panther multipurpose helicopters and an Airbus C235 maritime patrol aircraft from Indonesian Aerospace.

India has successfully placed into orbit a Microsat-R defense imaging satellite.

Finding the right balance will be important not just for heritage contractors, but for the Pentagon’s ability to attract new companies to meet its needs.