Defense and Space

Airbus tests urban eVTOL propulsion, Israel’s IAI demos unmanned helicopter, Cambridge Consultants develops drone that navigates by GPS to user’s smartphone location, NASA tests inflight wing-folding, BAE floats fixed-/rotary-wing adaptive UAV, and NTSB investigates New York drone-helicopter collision

For the first time, the Navy has linked a specific component failure to a surge of cockpit events.

The proposed arms package includes up to 44 Lockheed Martin Thaad launchers and 360 missiles, plus seven Raytheon TPY-2 mobile, long-range X-band radars.

Counter-unmanned aerial system (C-UAS) capability is seen as an urgent operational need, as cheap, off-the-shelf UAS proliferate around the globe.

The U.S. Air Force has taken the next step in its plan to transition from the Russian-made RD-180 rocket engine after issuing a request for proposals (RFP) for co-investment in up to three next-generation launch vehicles.

Lockheed Martin and Rockwell Collins are beginning work on competing prototypes of the U.S. Air Force’s next intercontinental ballistic missile airborne launching system.

NASA has decided to buy three more Russian Soyuz rides for International Space Station crew ferry flights, covering missions through the fall of 2019.

The U.S. Air Force is laying the foundation for a 10-year mega contract with Raytheon Missile Systems for continued development of the AIM-120 Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missile through fiscal 2032.

An Indian Air Force transport helicopter has crashed in the northeastern state of Arunachal Pradesh, killing all seven passengers and crew on board.

Safran this week inaugurated a ground testbed for a full-scale counter-rotating open-rotor engine in Istres in southeast France, marking key progress in the EU-funded demonstration program.

In this week's Washington Outlook: Vice President Pence directs National Space Council to look at human space exploration; regulatory changes for commercial space and a new security framework.

An influential Washington think tank is warning of a significant deterioration of the U.S. Air Force’s fighter capacity.

Vice President Mike Pence revived the National Space Council to great fanfare at the Steven F. Udvar Hazy Center on Oct. 5.

“We are in early discussions with the national security community and NASA about how to certify New Glenn for their use,” company CEO Bob Smith says.

Two spacewalkers performed maintenance on the outpost’s crucial Canadian robot arm.

MacDonald, Dettwiler and Associates (MDA) on Oct. 5 said it completed its acquisition of DigitalGlobe and announced several significant changes.

Newly established Chinese commercial space launch company Expace is using outside suppliers for much of the fabrication of its solid-propellant rockets.

A specialist in unmanned aircraft and autonomous systems, Aurora Flight Sciences has one of the most diverse and innovative portfolios of research programs in aerospace.

Brussels has rejected a French offer for a closer defense partnership based on Belgium selecting the Dassault Rafale as its future fighter to replace the F-16.

India plans to launch the next satellite in its Cartosat-2 series next month.

South African defense firm Paramount Group has purchased four ex-French Air Force Dassault Mirage F1Bs to bolster its training arm.

Aviation Week flew inverted and pulled 9g in the backseat of a Thunderbirds Fighting Falcon.

Russia delivers attack helos to Mali; Australia to buy Aegis Combat System for new frigates; Philippines weighs Super Tucano buy, India allows IPO for HAL., and U.S. prepares a spy satellite for launch.

The new Lone Star Flight Museum is no stranger to adversity—or the drive to overcome it.

The U.S. Navy has identified and is working to fix one contributor to the problem of hypoxia-like cockpit events that have left pilots across the fleet disoriented and short of breath: a faulty valve.