Aerospace Daily & Defense Report

DOD officials are scrambling to quickly develop a new supply chain to rapidly produce a new arsenal of offensive and defensive hypersonic weapons.

AVX Aircraft, a company founded by ex-Bell engineers, has secured backing from L3 Technologies as it bids to develop the U.S. Army’s future armed scout helo.

Sikorsky and Boeing have rolled out the SB-1 Defiant high-speed helicopter, built for the U.S. Army’s Joint Multi Role technology demonstration.

Subaru flight tested the UH-X helicopter for the first time on Dec. 25.

In a new barrage of Christmas Eve tweets, President Trump widened his critique of U.S. national security policies championed by fired Defense Secretary Jim Mattis.

Japan is negotiating a sale of surplus Boeing F-15 Eagles to the U.S. for subsequent sale to Southeast Asian countries, the Nikkei newspaper reports.

The Philippines Air Force said it will take delivery of a variety of equipment in the new year.

India’s premier defense agency is working to build a Multi-Mission Maritime Aircraft (MMMA) for the coast guard.

Czech manufacturer Aero Vodochody completed the long-awaited first flight of its prototype L-39NG military jet trainer on Dec. 22.

BOEING has contract worth up to $1.1b for U.S. Special Operations MH-6, MH-47, MH-60 support.

One week after asking industry for proposals, the U.S. Air Force has suspended an effort to buy a ground-based laser weapon by up to 3.5 months without explanation.

In observance of the year-end holidays, Aerospace Daily & Defense Report will not publish again until the issue dated Jan. 3.

Lockheed Martin received a $997 million contract on Dec. 21 to complete a major upgrade for 84 F-16s operated by the Hellenic Air Force in Greece.

The launch customer, Russia’s defense ministry, ordered two of the type in 2017 and wanted to have the first one in 2018 and the next a year later.

London’s Gatwick Airport shut down flight operations again Dec. 21 after yet another drone sighting, then reopened 1 1/2 hr. later.

One week after asking industry for proposals, the U.S.

An Indonesian order for 11 Sukhoi Su-35 fighters supposedly placed 10 months ago remains unsigned, Russia’s ambassador to the country said.

Leonardo has flown the first prototype of its M345 High Efficiency Trainer (HET).

General Atomics Aeronautical Systems Inc. (GA-ASI) has seen interest in the jet-powered Predator C Avenger tick higher.

The U.S. withdrawal of troops from Syria and potentially Afghanistan will negatively impact the wartime funding account.

NASA space shuttle-era astronauts Janet Kavandi and James Buchli will enter the U.S. Astronaut Hall of Fame during ceremonies next April.

NASA should begin strategic investments necessary for the science community to reap the most from the extraterrestrial samples returned from future planetary science missions, an NAS assessment says.

NASA’s Insight probe is deploying instruments on Mars, starting with the seismometer that will help expand understanding of the planet’s interior structure.

Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) has added a year to the LCH-LAH civil and military helicopter development program.

AIRBUS AUSTRALIA PACIFIC has two-year contract extension for sustainment services through 2024 to Royal Australian Air Force C-130Js.