Defense and Space

The Rise and Fall of a Launch Monopoly?
Space

By Richard Aboulafia
Students of post-Cold War aerospace are intimately familiar with the Last Supper.
Defense and Space

By Tony Osborne
Small problems that blighted the helicopter in its earliest days of operation are still causing concerns as operators struggle to procure spares and get rotorcraft back into service.
Defense and Space

By Guy Norris
U.S. military planners have now broadly accepted that the only way to meet the advanced performance needs of “sixth-generation” combat aircraft, barring changes to the laws of physics, will be the adoption of variable-cycle, or adaptive engine technology.
Defense and Space

By Guy Norris
GE makes strides in lightweight ceramic matrix composite blade technology.
Defense and Space

By Bradley Perrett
KAL appears to be proposing a design based on the Boeing F/A-18E/F Super Hornet, which should be developmentally cheaper than KAI’s KF-X proposal. However, Boeing reportedly has given up supporting KAL’s bid because of a serious image problem suffered by the South Korean company.
Defense and Space

Noting that the 747-8 is the only platform "manufactured in the United States [that] when fully missionized meets the necessary capabilities established to execute the presidential support mission," Air Force Secretary Deborah Lee James said competition will be sought at the subsystem level for the program.
Defense and Space

An “advanced aeronautics” prototyping project, including airframes and propulsion, is one of a number of new and accelerated technology projects in the fiscal 2016 defense budget, according to Deputy Defense Secretary Bob Work.
Defense and Space

By Michael Bruno
Shrinking defense budgets, fewer programs, and tech developments in other industries creating incentives for A&D rivals to cooperate to win awards.
Defense and Space

The Pentagon has finished a secret analysis of alternatives (AoA) for the Long Range Standoff (LRSO) project, a cruise missile to replace today’s AGM-86 Air-Launched Cruise Missile
Defense and Space

By Bradley Perrett
The competition to build South Korea’s proposed KF-X indigenous fighter will probably come down to price, putting Korean Airlines at an advantage, according to a government official.

By Graham Warwick
U.S. Air Force makes an effort to regain its technical understanding of complex systems during acquisition as a way to reduce program costs and risks.
Aerospace

The National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency is crafting a strategy to leverage the influx of imagery available from the many new information services providers working today.
Aerospace

France seeks European partners for Musis imaging satellite program.
Defense and Space

By Graham Warwick
This week is all about unmanned aircraft: using quadcopters on construction sites; 3-D cameras help avoid collisions; UAS get MAD for ASW; “micro” unmanned aircraft certification category proposed; UAS air-dropping UAS.
Aerospace

By Graham Warwick
The Gen-3 helmet display for the F-35 builds on data from flight testing and pilot training to fix shortcomings of the Gen-2 version.
Aerospace

SpaceX has agreed to drop its lawsuit against the U.S. Air Force. In return, the service is vowing to increase the number of launches it plans to compete.
Defense and Space

By Jen DiMascio, Michael Bruno
A preview of programs and issues to watch for during the first week of February, when the Pentagon makes its budget request to Congress.

After recent experience in the Gaza conflict, the Israeli military revises tactics for close air support of ground forces.
Defense and Space

Critical independent testing report looks at F-35 test priorities and notes that its focus on the Marine Corps’ first operational squadron has a price.
Defense and Space

By Antoine Gelain
One of the key features of the A&D industry is its close link to international politics.
Defense and Space

By Graham Warwick
Efficient aerodynamics and engines keep unmanned aircraft demonstrator aloft for 80 hr. and could slash operating costs for medium-altitude UAS.
Defense and Space

A major operational test series planned for the Lockheed Martin F-35 Joint Strike Fighter has been abandoned in an attempt to protect the schedule for delivering a fully operational aircraft, according to the just-released fiscal 2014 report on the program from the Pentagon’s Director of Operational Test & Evaluation.
Defense and Space

Supplier woes are forcing Airbus Defense and Space to revise delivery plans for the A400M tactical transport aircraft this year.
Defense and Space

Lockheed Martin sees China’s hypersonic advances as a rationale to resurrect extended-range Thaad project.
Defense and Space