Defense and Space

Detroit startup Airspace Experience Technologies has completed the first hover flight of its proof-of-concept Sigma Six, a tiltwing electric vertical takeoff and landing vehicle with interchangeable plug-and-play payloads for defense, emergency response, cargo and passenger transport missions.

For its recent Mission Pegase 2022 exercise, the French Air and Space Force demonstrated its ability to reinforce New Caledonia, conduct satellite communications and engage a simulated invasion force.

The goal of having a European constellation enter into service in late 2024 appears ambitious at best.

The high-altitude, long-endurance (HALE) aircraft is the first of seven MQ-4C Triton that Australia has acquired in its drive to increase maritime domain awareness.

The testing marks a major step toward the U.S. startup’s goal of developing a fully reusable, rapid turn-around rocket vehicle.

All F-35 deliveries remain halted until the Pentagon approves a waiver or an alternative source enters the supply chain in late October.

DARPA has announced its Steerable Optical Aperture Receivers program, an effort to identify promising new approaches to optical beam steering in miniature form for use in laser communications or LiDAR.

Masten Space Systems, a Mojave, California, pioneer of the modern era of new-space startups, has been sold and will combine with Astrobotic, another startup targeting a predicted lunar logistics marketplace.

Supply chain, radio and software delays as well as a contract protest contributed to a three-month delay in a planned launch of Space Development Agency satellites.

OGMA was selected by Embraer to provide maintenance support, as well as future mods, for the A-29 Super Tucano.

Boeing is looking at ways to integrate more orders for its AH-64 Apache attack helicopter following a major announcement from Poland along with two other nations that have said they intent to buy the chopper as well as at least one more multiyear order from the U.S. Army.

Portuguese MRO house OGMA will provide support and maintenance for fleets of Embraer A-29 Super Tucanos operating in Europe, the Middle East and Africa.

NASA is seeking proposals for the third and fourth agency-sponsored private astronaut missions to the International Space Station set for launches in late 2023 and 2024, a Sept. 14 solicitation notice says.

Gomspace and Aerospacelab, two manufacturers of nano and microsatellites, are taking steps to increase the proportion of standardized content in their products, aiming for higher quality and lower cost.

Ukraine’s air force has transitioned to using road runways to disperse and protect its fast jet operations in the country’s war with Russia.

The substantial cash deal, agreed in August 2021, was confirmed as completed on Sept. 13.

A U.S. Navy research center has received the first of three transverse folding-wing uncrewed air systems supplied by Pterodynamics to start the next phase of a months-long prototyping demonstration for autonomous cargo delivery at sea.

Bern’s Security Policy Committee of the National Council has given the green light to the purchase of 36 F-35s

After years of dither and delay, Poland has selected the Apache attack helicopter, but strategies for other acquisitions remain clouded.

Industry officials tout companies’ ability to customize products and provide reliable platform performance and supply chain assurance.

Arianespace is considering increasing Ariane 6’s launch cadence beyond an annual 10-11 after 2026, CEO Stephane Israel says.

LiquidPiston is to demonstrate a hybrid-electric propulsion system based on its rotary diesel engine in a vertical takeoff and landing uncrewed aircraft system under a contract from the U.S. Army.

Sierra Space recently conducted a burst test of a subscale version of its Large Inflatable Flexible Environment habitat.

Thomas Zurbuchen, a Swiss-American astrophysicist, plans to retire as associate administrator of the NASA Science Mission Directorate at year’s end.

Germany could loosen its arms exports policy as part of a security strategy rethink prompted by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.