The U.S. Air Force is reviewing industry studies of fitting its 50-year-old Boeing B-52 bombers with new commercial-derivative engines, according to Lt. Gen. Stephen Wilson, commander of the service’s Global Strike Command. So far, Wilson said Oct. 9 at a Washington meeting, the Air Force assesses that the change would result in a net cost savings over the remaining life of the B-52s, which are expected to fly until 2040.
The manufacturer wants to redefine rotorcraft with a configuration that offers higher speed, maneuverability and hover performance, but retains the helicopter’s defining low-speed agility while enabling unique flight characteristics.
International defense companies visiting last month’s MSPO defense exhibition in Poland are responding to the call for munitions that can strike ballistic missile launchers, long-range air defense and command-and-control centers deep in enemy territory.
A significant number of attempts to fly at hypersonic speed have failed—not due to the advanced airframe or propulsion technology being tested, but because of the rocket booster needed to reach that speed.
The announcement by Airbus Group that it was putting €2 billion in defense and space businesses up for sale is an important milestone not only for Airbus but also for European A&D.
If the KF-X survives while production of older European and U.S. aircraft winds up, then next decade it may be the only alternative to the Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning as a fighter engineered for compatibility with Western weapons and communications
Lockheed Martin’s full-scale mock-up of its Unmanned Carrier Launched Surveillance and Strike (Uclass) contender was unveiled in late September when CNBC reporter Jane Wells tweeted a photo from the company’s Skunk Works unit.
After $79 billion dollars of work and nearly 10 years of operational use without a kill, the stealthy, twin-engine F-22 has finally destroyed its first target in a conflict.
Goal is to form an overarching network of data, each platform a node contributing information to the cloud and downloading from it, even in the heat of battle.
South Korea and the U.S. government have completed negotiations on South Korea’s order for 40 Lockheed Martin F-35A Joint Strike Fighters, according to the South Korean government. The negotiations covered price, offsets and technical details, and opened the way for South Korea to sign a letter of offer and acceptance for the new aircraft. Deliveries are expected between 2018 and 2021.
For private equity-held defense contractors acquired during the height of military spending, current industry strategies are starting to diverge from the traditional investor thinking.
