In Pictures: Top Aerospace & Defense Stories, May. 17 2023

Credit: Reliable Robotics.

Reliable Robotics demonstrated autonomous takeoff, flight and landing of its retrofitted Cessna Caravan 208 aircraft for the U.S. Air Force during the Golden Phoenix readiness exercise May 9 at Travis AFB in California.

KC-46

Credit: Tony Osborne/Aviation Week.

The European industry consortium behind the European Hypersonic Defense (EU HYDEF) endoatmospheric interceptor project has revealed its concept for the first time.

Credit: Sikorsky.

Sikorsky is looking to establish a partnership with Spanish industry to support the sustainment of new MH-60R Seahawk helicopters being acquired by the Spanish navy.

Credit: Arqit.

Cybersecurity startup Arqit Quantum, which rode the space-based special purpose acquisition company (SPAC) trend to become a publicly traded company in 2021, said May 17 it will sell its satellite business once touted as a new-space partnership with now-bankrupt Virgin Orbit.

Credit: Northrop Grumman.

The U.S. Space Force wants two additional deep-space tracking radars deployed, one to Europe in 2027 and another in the U.S. in 2028, following the stand up of a rapid prototype in the Pacific. 

Credit: Airbus Defense and Space.

Airbus is advancing the development of its Sirtap tactical uncrewed aircraft system (UAS), targeting a first flight in 2025 and service entry as soon as 2026.

Credit: Mark Nensel/Aviation Week.

The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) has created an interagency working group (IWG) to help direct strategy and policies related to advanced air mobility (AAM), part of the Biden administration’s effort to accelerate adoption of electric air taxi services by the middle of the decade.

Credit: MBDA.

The European Future Tactical Air-to-Surface Missile program is moving forward, while the midlife upgrade of the Airbus Tiger helicopter for the French Army Aviation faces difficulties.