Aerospace Daily & Defense Report

With former partner Russia out of the picture, the European Space Agency-led ExoMars rover mission is firming up its partnership with NASA.

The Wichita company pledged to conduct the layoffs “in as compassionate a manner as possible.”

Lockheed Martin could potentially park 84 F-35s in temporary storage before receiving approval to resume deliveries with a new software update, the GAO says.

The company is exploring how its Medulla research project could boost the computing power of the mission systems of the Hawk.

Airbus Helicopters test pilots are eagerly awaiting approval to begin higher-speed flights with the company’s Racer compound rotorcraft demonstrator.

A USAF F-16C crashed shortly after takeoff in South Korea in 2023 after power outages caused a series of failures to instruments in the aircraft’s cockpit.

The first of the two Prefire satellites is planned for launch on May 22.

Project Ealing is able to detect, track and engage UAS threats up to 1 km (half a mile) away, and work is ongoing to boost its range, the UK MOD says.

Partners in the Eurodrone program have completed the preliminary design review for the twin-engine medium-altitude, long-endurance (MALE) uncrewed air system.

NASA’s long-serving McDonnell Douglas DC-8-72 research aircraft flew for the final time on May 15 after being used on 158 science campaigns.

BAE Systems has confirmed a months-old contract award to develop a new decoy system that is intended to replace the towed decoys flown on some Navy fighters.

Terran Orbital’s revenue fell 3% to $27.2 million for the period ended March 31, it disclosed in a financial filing with the SEC on May 14.

Hypersonic test company Stratolaunch conducted a “shakedown” flight of its Roc carrier aircraft on May 15.

Heart Aerospace has announced a redesigned hybrid propulsion system built around off-the-shelf turboprops and electric motors.

British Royal Navy surface warships are to receive a land attack capability, UK Secretary of State for Defense Grant Shapps has declared.

Service leaders in September 2023 first announced the plan to create six Air Task Forces.

Boeing’s planned acquisition of supplier Spirit AeroSystems has raised some concerns on Capitol Hill and among major defense companies.

Enthusiasm for the scientific potential of a NASA-led Mars Sample Return mission is continuing.

BAE Systems has been awarded one of the first contracts to mature technologies to support the development of the Eurofighter’s Long-Term Evolution.

The German Air Force has undertaken a first flight of its Israel Aerospace Industries Heron TP uncrewed aircraft system in German airspace.

Mitsubishi Heavy Industries and IHI Corporation could maintain U.S. Air Force Lockheed Martin F-16s and Boeing F-15s based in Japan.

The mission, designated NROL-146, is targeted for launch on May 19 aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket flying from Vandenberg SFB in California.

In March 2023, Northvolt and Cuberg announced plans to develop an aviation-specific battery module using lithium-metal pouch cells.

The announcement makes Airbus the first of four companies to identify themselves as participants in Phase 1 of the Aerial Logistics Connector (ALC) program.

The leak was noted during Starliner’s initial launch attempt on May 6.