Aerospace Daily & Defense Report

Lockheed Martin Corp. Missiles and Fire Control of Dallas has been awarded a $145.2 million contract modification by the U.S. Missile Defense Agency.

View the Aviation Week Forecasts: Western Attack Helicopter Family In-Service Fleets 2018-2027 chart in PDF format.

By Jen DiMascio
House lawmakers are considering draft legislation that would stop short of restricting the delivery of the F-35 to Turkey, despite increasing concern on Capitol Hill about strained relations with the Eurasian nation due to its purchase of an advanced Russian air-defense system.
Defense and Space

By Irene Klotz
A sporty-looking black-and-white Falcon 9 rocket was rolled out to Launch Complex 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center for a static engine hotfire before SpaceX’s newest booster, known as Block 5, lifts off on its debut flight.
Defense and Space

By Bradley Perrett
Lockheed Martin’s proposal for Japan’s next fighter program is based on the F-22 Raptor, says the Nikkei newspaper.
Defense and Space

By Tony Osborne
The British government is considering establishing its own constellation of navigation satellites.
Space

By Graham Warwick
Airbus Aerial has completed missions mapping and inspecting runways using drones and is now offering the service to airports worldwide.
Defense and Space

The Advanced Turbine Engine Company is heading into a preliminary design review on the Alternate Concept Engine, a next-generation U.S. Army engine initiative.
Defense and Space

By Michael Bruno
Are government contract officers easing up when it comes to getting more bang for the buck for taxpayers? Not according to the chief executive of Leidos.
Defense and Space

By Michael Bruno
Orbital ATK apparently has been on a spending binge of business investments as the closing of the company's purchase by Northrop Grumman nears.
Defense and Space

By Graham Warwick
U.S. truck maker Workhorse Group has joined the ranks of companies flight testing full-size eVTOL aircraft.
Defense and Space

The U.S. Air Force has announced its existing Boeing B-1B and Northrop Grumman B-2A bomber bases as “reasonable alternatives” to host the Northrop B-21 Raider.
Defense and Space

By Tony Osborne
BAE Systems has partnered with British UAV developer Prismatic to develop a high-flying competitor to Airbus’ Zephyr UAV.
Defense and Space

By Guy Norris
Firefly Aerospace is targeting an operational tempo of one mission every two weeks as it ramps up tests of the Lightning and Reaver engines.
Space

GENERAL DYNAMICS has $23.3m U.S. Air Force contract for BLU-134/B improved lethality warhead.

Boeing announced May 1 that it has struck a $4.25 billion deal to acquire Miami-headquartered aircraft parts distribution, composites and aftermarket supplier KLX Inc.’s Aerospace Solutions Group.

South Africa’s Paramount Group has added Boeing subsidiary Aviall to the team offering the Bronco II light attack/reconnaissance aircraft for the U.S. market.

View the Leader Spotlight: Brig. Gen. Mark Odom, U.S. Army Training & Doctrine Command in PDF format.

By Mark Carreau
The U.S. GAO has cited a troubling trend in cost and schedule growth among 26 major NASA projects, with a combined cost estimate of $61 billion.
Space

The fourth satellite of the U.S. Air Force’s Space Based Infrared System constellation has achieved “first light,” beaming back its first images to Earth.
Defense and Space

A C-130H cargo aircraft assigned to the Puerto Rico Air National Guard crashed in Savannah, Georgia, on May 2 and “there were fatalities,” the USAF said.
Defense and Space

By Michael Bruno
Harris, one of the top 15 suppliers to the F-35, is eyeing more work on the Joint Strike Fighter.
Defense and Space

By Graham Warwick
Textron Systems has unveiled a hybrid rotary/fixed-wing vertical-takeoff-and-landing (VTOL) unmanned aircraft system (UAS).
Defense and Space

By Graham Warwick
Intel is carving out a growing niche in the commercial unmanned aircraft market.
Defense and Space

Sierra Nevada Corp. and Textron Aviation have renewed their commitment to the U.S. Army’s Fixed-Wing Utility Aircraft (FUA) program.
Defense and Space