Aerospace Daily & Defense Report

By Michael Bruno
China and the U.S. on June 15 formally moved to apply more tariffs on each other, including on aerospace-related products.
Business Aviation

RUSSIA launched a Glonass navigation satellite June 17 from Plesetsk Cosmodrome aboard a Soyuz-2.1B rocket.

In another step toward airworthiness certification, General Atomics Aeronautical Systems Inc. (GA-ASI) has conducted lightning tests on its second full-scale MQ-9B.

View the Fleet Snapshot: Polish Military Helicopter Fleets chart in PDF format.

GENERAL ATOMICS AERONAUTICAL SYSTEMS INC. has $39.6m U.S. Navy contract for MQ-9 Reaper services for Marine Corps Task Force Southwest ops in U.S. Central Command.

GENERAL ATOMICS AERONAUTICAL SYSTEMS INC. has $39.6m U.S. Navy contract for MQ-9 Reaper services for Marine Corps Task Force Southwest ops in U.S. Central Command.

By Maxim Pyadushkin
The re-engined version of the world’s heaviest helicopter—the Russian Mil Mi-26—will take off in 2023.
Defense

By Mark Carreau
NASA will join the departments of Homeland Security and Energy to enhance a national strategy for detecting and responding to the threat of impacts from NEOs.
Defense

FAA acting administrator Dan Elwell called on the UK and world governments to accelerate the pace of bilateral aviation talks ahead of Brexit in March 2019.
Business Aviation

By Jen DiMascio
The agreement represents the next step in a saga to replace the service’s Eisenhower-era KC-135 tankers that has lasted close to two decades.
Defense

By Mark Carreau
The European Union/Surrey Space Center-led RemoveDebris satellite experiment was deployed from the International Space Station early June 20.
Defense

By Tony Osborne
France is taking the lead in Franco-German efforts to produce a new European fighter aircraft.
Defense

By Tony Osborne
Brussels may delay a decision on its selection of a future fighter to examine proposals from France and options to upgrade its existing F-16 fleet.
Defense

By Graham Warwick
The second aircraft will pick up flight testing that was halted when the first S-97 was damaged in August 2017.
Defense

By Michael Bruno
Fresh off an investment infusion, MAG Aerospace said it has acquired North American Surveillance Systems and unidentified related entities.
Defense

By Michael Bruno
Elbit Systems will buy state-owned IMI Systems, the weapons maker once known as Israel Military Industries, for about $495 million up front.
Defense

ITALY’s F-35 production on June 15 began work on first European-built F-35 for the Netherlands.

On Wednesday, China is expected to launch two Beidou navigation satellites aboard a Long March 3B rocket from the Xichang spaceport.

General Dynamics Ordnance and Tactical Systems Inc., Williston, Vermont, has been awarded a $17,879,488 firm-fixed-price contract for machine gun barrels.

By Mark Carreau
Retired NASA astronauts Eileen Collins, Terry Virts and Scott Parazynski want those who follow them to succeed.
Space

By Tony Osborne, Jen DiMascio
The U.S. Senate has voted to lay the groundwork for blocking transfers of the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter to Turkey.
Defense

By Bill Carey
Bell Helicopter plans to add 360-deg. pilot’s vision capability to its V-280 Valor demonstrator this year.
Defense

By Tony Osborne
Work is underway on AN-9—the first of 29 F-35As to be assembled for the Royal Netherlands Air Force—at Italy's Cameri facility.
Aircraft & Propulsion

By Graham Warwick, Tony Osborne
Bell is to collaborate with France’s Safran on development of a hybrid-electric propulsion system for its electric vertical-takeoff-and-landing on-demand air mobility concept.

By Irene Klotz
President Donald Trump on June 18 directed the Pentagon to establish a “Space Force” as a sixth branch of the U.S. armed forces.
Space