Two non-NATO powers confront Russia across the narrow, mine-strewn choke points of the Baltic.

Fearing rogue states and a menacing Russia, NATO is pushing for European ballistic missile defense.

NATO and aligned nations find new-technology weapons add capability faster and at lower cost than new platforms.

Sikorsky’s S-97 Raider high-speed helicopter made an hour-long first flight on May 22 at the company’s development flight center in West Palm Beach, Florida. The rigid coaxial-rotor Raider hovered and maneuvered at low speed, with its pusher propulsor disconnected (but turning due to friction). The flight begins a year-long, roughly 100-flight-hour test program to expand to Raider’s flight envelope to meet Sikorsky’s key targets of 220-kt. cruise speed carrying weapons, hover at 6,000 ft. on a 95F day, and 3g maneuverability at speed.

China appears to be taking steps toward developing stovl aircraft, but lack of a propulsion system likely makes this a long-term proposition.

Airbus’s A400M airlifter program has faced some recent setbacks, not least of which is the May 9 crash of a production aircraft on its first flight.

Our roundup of the top stories in aerospace and defense from the last two weeks.

The U.S. Air Force wants to keep its bomber program under wraps. There are at least six reasons why that’s a bad idea.