Defense and Space

The GAO released a 30-page decision on June 12 that forcefully rejects the Advanced Turbine Engine Company’s (ATEC) arguments for overturning the U.S. Army’s decision to award a $530 million contract to GE Aviation to develop a new helicopter engine.

International partners joining Britain’s Tempest next-generation combat aircraft technology initiatives will need to “collaborate on the strength of what they bring to the program,” the UK’s national armament director has suggested.

The F-35 Joint Strike Fighter has been given a largely positive report card following a series of noise trials in support of its basing in Denmark.

A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket lifted off June 12 with a trio of radar-bearing Earth observation satellites for the Canadian Space Agency.

A deployable UAV equipped with a sensor capable of detecting submarines beneath the surface could be added to the Boeing P-8A under a new prototyping program.

Malaysia will buy two maritime patrol aircraft (MPA) and three long-range armed drones starting in 2021, its defense ministry says.

Poland is looking to speed up its purchase of the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter following Warsaw’s decision to acquire up to 32 of the combat aircraft.

Practically no one saw it coming, but everyone could feel its implications. What does a possible Raytheon Technologies mean for A&D?

British aerospace suppliers have found themselves frozen out of industry tenders, as the uncertainty about Britain’s departure from the EU continues.

British defense engineering company Marshall Aerospace and Defense has begun using additive manufacturing to rapidly prototype and produce components for military aircraft.

Brexit has caused British aerospace suppliers to be frozen out of key tenders.

The top Republican on the House Armed Services Committee intends to submit an amendment June 12 during markup of the fiscal 2020 defense policy bill to increase the U.S. defense budget top line from $733 billion to $750 billion.

Four NASA tech initiatives intended to improve the design and performance of spacecraft assigned to a range of future missions are among 24 small sat ride shares set to launch later this month.

The Israeli Defense Ministry and Lockheed Martin Israel have signed a first-of-its-kind F-35 aircraft maintenance agreement.

In choosing a site for the $1.1 billion system, vital for defense against North Korean weapons of mass destruction, Japanese officials used a ruler, protractor and Google Earth pictures to determine minimum elevation angles available for radars.

New Zealand has selected the Lockheed Martin C-130J-30 to replace its C-130H fleet, although many details of the proposed buy remain to be decided.

More than a week after an Indian An-32 transport aircraft went missing, its wreckage was discovered by the country’s air force in the northeastern state of Arunachal Pradesh on June 11.

U.S. defense competitions for unmanned systems, heavy-lift helicopters, as well as light attack and launch services for national security space are heating up.

A low budget and Leonardo’s entrenched position have discouraged rivals from competing for South Korea’s MOH 2 naval helicopter requirement.

Lockheed Martin has tentatively agreed to a one-year contract with two priced options with the U.S. Defense Department that dramatically lowers the unit recurring flyaway costs for the F-35A.

Executives and analysts expect the proposed merger of Raytheon and United Technologies will pass antitrust muster, and it is already winning over investors and government customers.

Israeli company Aeronautics has unveiled its first hybrid Unmanned Aerial System (UAS) that is operated by an advanced combustion/electric-power unit.

Canada’s Héroux-Devtek, the third-largest landing gear manufacturer worldwide, said on June 10 it bought nearby Alta Precision, a privately-owned manufacturer of high-precision landing gear components, in a $23 million deal.

The FAA on June 10 said it was investigating the cause of a satellite navigation system anomaly on Bombardier CRJ and other jets that forced several U.S. airlines to cancel flights.

Creating a sixth armed service is not in the Chairman’s mark of the fiscal 2020 defense policy bill released June 10. Committee staff said this is a result of diverging member opinions: ranging from “hell no” to supporting a full Space Force.