Manufacturing & Supply Chain

Vertex Aerospace, a legacy L3 Technologies unit providing logistics, MRO and supply chain management, has bought up a number of business lines from Raytheon Technologies as it moves into the latter stages of post-merger divestitures.

Inmarsat, Boeing and Cobham trial end-to-end cockpit-to-ground internet protocol satellite communications for more efficient operation.

UK advanced air mobility startup Vertical Aerospace is gearing up to begin assembly of its VA-X4 engineering prototype to fly in 2022.

Ground-support equipment suppliers make fast progress toward hydrogen use, but OEMs are still reviewing their options.

Our roundup of the main aerospace and defense stories making the news this week.

For years, Wichita State University’s research and development arm, the National Institute for Aviation Research, has tried to recruit a large maintenance, repair and overhaul facility to Wichita.

Turkish Aerospace (TUSAS) has been awarded two contracts by Spirit AeroSystems. Turkish Aerospace will manufacture and supply Section 48 – Tail Feather for Boeing 737 MAX-8 and over 400 parts and sub-assemblies for various Boeing platforms.

Many technology options and business models vying for early dominance in an emerging market.

“The question isn’t if but who and at what price?” one industry expert says.

Turboprops own the niche of short, low-density sectors into small or challenging airfields – a common enough description of domestic air travel in Africa. But is it a viable market?

Saudi Aramco’s senior vice president of Technical Services, Ahmad Al-Sa’adi, recently inaugurated the first fiberglass rebar facility in Saudi Arabia, IKK Mateenbar.

Jonathan Lewis, managing director at NAC2000, Zambia’s largest independent ground-handler, tells Keith Mwanalushi about how the pandemic not only created unique challenges, but also pockets of opportunity.

Spirit AeroSystems began accumulating Boeing 737 MAX fuselages at its Wichita site after the FAA grounded the aircraft in 2019.

John Lake assesses the light-attack aircraft situation on the African continent.

Cargo is booming for airlines with IATA latest figures showing growth of more than 8% over even 2019’s results. But are there enough freighters for the emerging markets?

Baykar Makina’s twin turboprop drone has entered service with Turkey’s air force and army, and the company is seeking exports.

NASA’s Orion spacecraft prepares for upgrades as plans for the Artemis I test mission enter the home stretch.

COVID-related shortages impinge on launch schedules and satellite manufacturing

Despite supply chain slowdowns, the UltraFan demonstrator comes together as supporting tests continue.

Former GE Aviation chief David Joyce is joining Boeing’s board of directors, while Navy Adm. (ret.) Ed Giambastiani Jr. will leave at the end of the year, the company announced Aug. 31.

A consortium relationship with a Japanese manufacturer could be a win-win for Boeing and Japan’s aviation industry.

Ethiopian Airlines Group and Boeing, have signed a strategic Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to position Ethiopia as an aviation hub for Africa.

Robert Mehrabian will resume his role as Teledyne's chairman, president and chief executive officer after current officeholder Al Pichelli retires on Oct. 15.

Green is the new green in aerospace and defense, but how do companies compare when it comes to their own standards?

Rolls-Royce says the gearbox assembly in development for the heart of the company’s new high bypass demonstrator engine has set a record-breaking level of power transmission during preinstallation checkout tests.