Defense and Space

Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) has won a fifth customer for its T-50 family of supersonic trainers and light attackers, with Thailand agreeing to buy four of the aircraft.

The first captive flight test of the air-launched version of the supersonic BrahMos cruise missile, developed jointly by India and Russia, will be carried out by the end of this year from a Sukhoi Su-30MKI fighter aircraft.

China is due to conduct the first flight of the solid-propellant Long March 11 space launcher ahead of schedule on Sept. 25.

As Chinese President Xi Jinping is set to arrive in Seattle Sept. 22 to begin a seven-day U.S. visit, concerns over China’s cyber and naval intentions still threaten relations between the two global powers.

NEW DELHI – Astrosat, India’s first space observatory dedicated to the study of distant celestial objects, is set to launch on Sept. 28. The satellite

U.S. Air Force Secretary Deborah Lee James says she will ensure that basic information about the new Long-Range Strike Bomber (LRSB) is provided to the press prior to contract award.

Lockheed Martin could offer Turkey’s Stand-Off Missile (SOM-J) as a weapon for U.S. Air Force and Navy F-35s, after signing a deal with a Turkish manufacturer to develop the weapon.

Saturn’s ice-covered moon Enceladus appears to host a global subsurface ocean that fuels geyser-like eruptions from its south pole.

The goal is to expand the envelope to 10,000-ft. altitude, 70-kt. speed and a three-day endurance, in preparation for mission system tests and demonstrations to potential customers.

USAF Brig. Gen. Duke Richardson, the program executive officer for all Air Force tanker programs, sheds light on multiple deficiencies discovered in the KC-46 fuel system in an exclusive interview.

“If conflict occurs out there, we’ve failed,” says Adm. Jonathan Greenert, who retires as chief of naval operations Sept. 18.

The Surface Electronic Warfare Improvement Program (Sewip) Block 3 program successfully completed the preliminary design review (PDR) recently for the next generation AN/SLQ-32 shipboard electronic warfare system.

Australia’s Airbus Tiger helicopters, which were under threat of abrupt replacement early this year, are proving their worth. Belated declaration of final operational capability is likely only a few months away.

After years of delays and development problems, Australia’s MRH90 helicopters are finally going into service.

The smooth performance of helicopter deliveries to Australia under U.S. FMS contracts contrasts with troublesome programs for two Airbus types that were immature when ordered

Aerojet’s offer for ULA falls on deaf ears, leaving rocket maker without a ride in EELV program.

The U.S. Army chose Oshkosh Corp. to build the Joint Light Tactical Vehicle for the Army and Marine Corps, awarding a firm fixed-price

NASA doesn’t believe Orbital ATK can meet its announced schedule for returning its Antares commercial-cargo launcher to flight in the wake of last year’s explosion.

The company has been using the DSEi defense exhibition here to market the weapon as a potential alternative to the Lockheed Martin AGM-114 Hellfire and its planned U.S. replacement, the Joint Air-to-Ground Missile.

Finmeccanica has joined the throng of defense contractors to bid for the U.K.’s expected requirement for a maritime patrol/multi-mission aircraft.

The U.K.’s new Queen Elizabeth aircraft carrier has started test-running its Wartsila diesel engines at the dockside in Rosyth, Scotland.

An upgraded version of Saab’s Giraffe AMB (Agile Multi-Beam) radar showed that it could discriminate between small UAVs and seabirds in recent trials on the west coast of Scotland, the company says.

Amid reports that the U.S. Navy may cancel construction of DDG 1002 Lyndon B. Johnson, service officials say work continues on the ship as planned, although the Zumwalt-class acquisition program is being reviewed.

After a series of certification issues, L-3 says it is making progress on the modification program for its Bombardier Q400-based multi-mission aircraft demonstrator.

The U.S. Air Force’s cybersecurity chief is confident in his service’s ability to protect its networks, but sees the protection of platforms such as fighter aircraft and satellites as his next major challenge.