Not since the 1960s when it developed the JT9D, the world's first commercial high-bypass turbofan, has Pratt & Whitney been under the industry microscope as it is with the PW1000G geared-turbofan family. While the JT9D became a success after a troubled start, it was the JT8D that gave Pratt its 30-year-plus reign as the industry's leading jet-engine supplier. It is this success the company now hopes to emulate with the similarly rated PW1000G, now in the midst of its most critical certification tests yet.

European aerospace giant EADS is tackling a number of problems in its military businesses as it proceeds with talks to merge with British behemoth BAE Systems in an effort to increase its global footprint in the defense market.

With more than 2,300 current model 737s still due to be delivered before the first reengined MAX variant makes its debut in 2017, Boeing is taking steps to improve the aircraft's competitiveness by studying a new set of upgrades which could also help bridge the transition between the two.

Malaysia's aviation market is set to undergo its biggest shake-up in years, and it could get bloody: Indonesia's largest low-cost carrier, Lion Air, aims to establish an affiliate airline in Malaysia, taking the challenge to AirAsia and potentially sparking a costly price war. Lion Air's first overseas affiliate carrier, Malindo Airways, will operate domestically and internationally. The aim is for Malindo to have a fleet of 50-60 aircraft in 10 years, says Lion's president director, Rusdi Kirana.

The merger is likely to trigger further consolidation in aerospace companies globally

Integration has been the key target for Airbus over the past five years. But as the aircraft manufacturer has found out, this has slowed down decisions. Now the challenge is to speed up again, and new CEO Fabrice Bregier already has a plan.

The potential merger of BAE Systems with the EADS consortium could put an end to competing medium-altitude, long-endurance (MALE) UAV projects here.

It wasn't easy to kill Lockheed Martin's F-22, but resurrecting the Raptor could be just as difficult. Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney put the issue in play during a Sept. 8 interview with a Virginia television station near the Air Combat Command at Langley AFB, saying if he were elected president, he would add more of the fifth-generation fighters. But it's not clear whether the pledge aimed squarely at the local audience would fly even if Romney wins in November.