The Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) 4 USS Coronado proved it can fire a Harpoon over-the-horizon (OTH) missile, but the ship shot missed the target, says Cmdr. Scott Larson, vessel commanding officer.
Blue Origin has found its design for a one-chute-out landing of its New Shepard capsule worked as planned, and SpaceX is negotiating for a customer to ride a used Falcon 9 launch vehicle to orbit, as the two companies’ efforts to lower the cost of launch by reusing spacecraft gain steam.
An asteroid at least 10 times more massive than originally estimated appears responsible for a prominent impact site on the Moon known as the Imbrium Basin.
The ninth NASA-contracted SpaceX Dragon resupply mission capsule rendezvoused with the International Space Station early July 20, moving within range of the orbiting science laboratory’s outstretched Canadian-built robot arm.
Lockheed Martin has reiterated its commitment to delivering 100 F-35 Joint Strike Fighters to Turkey after a failed coup, but several analysts warn that the country’s major defense procurement programs could be at risk.
British parliamentarians have overwhelmingly approved the replacement of the U.K.’s fleet of ballistic missile submarines and committed to a continuous at-sea deterrent capability.
Leonardo Helicopters—formally AgustaWestland—is planning to test fly an active rotor blade system as part of a U.K.-based rotary-wing technology research program.
The U.S. and Singaporean navies are upping the sophistication ante during this year’s 22nd annual Cooperation Afloat Readiness and Training (Carat) exercise that will advanced aerial and surface-ship antisubmarine drills.
Boeing’s Training Systems and Government Services is moving ahead with construction of a Boeing KC-46A virtual learning center at McConnell AFB in Wichita, besting five rivals to claim a $45.3 million, seven-year Pegasus maintenance training system deal.
Although Lockheed Martin is facing a gap in F-16 production starting next year, top officials say the company is keeping the line warm in anticipation of new international orders of the lightweight fighter before too long.
Russia’s Progress MS-03 cargo capsule, the first of two closely scheduled resupply missions expected to reach the six-person International Space Station this week, docked successfully with the orbiting science laboratory late July 18.
Louise M. Prockter, an assistant branch supervisor in the Applied Physics Laboratory’s Space Department at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, has been selected by the Universities Space Research Association to direct the Lunar and Planetary Institute in Houston.
NASA’s Mars 2020 rover passed Key Decision Point (KDP) C review, clearing way for final design and construction in anticipation of 2020 launch and February 2021 landing. LEONARDO-FINMECCANICA has contract for avionics and engine upgrade of five Lynx Mk. 95 helicopters in service with Portuguese Navy. BAE SYSTEMS and LEONARDO-FINMECCANICA entered 10-year partnership agreement on €600M ($664M) Joint Avionics Solution (JAS) for U.K. Typhoon fleet, part of overall BAE-led U.K. Typhoon support agreement worth $2.5B
Airbus is testing the use of small unmanned aircraft to perform exterior quality inspections on airliners, to reduce the time now required to find problems by manual visual inspection. The UAV, carrying a high-definition camera, follows a pre-determined flight path over the upper surface of the aircraft, flown by an automatic flight control system supervised by a human pilot. Images are collected automatically, compiled into a 3D digital model and recorded in a database for analysis. Data acquisition by drone takes 10-15 min. compared with 2 hr.
To list an event, send information in calendar format to Donna Thomas at [email protected]. For a complete list of Aviation Week Network’s upcoming events, and to register, visit www.aviationweek.com/events (Bold type indicates new calendar listing). July 23-24—Advanced High-Speed Air-Breathing Propulsion Technology, Salt Palace Convention Center, Salt Lake City, Utah. For more information go to www.aiaa.org/CourseListing.aspx?evtCode=MPE16
Boeing’s KC-46 successfully refueled an A-10 Warthog last week, the final flight test required before the Pentagon can approve initial production of the next-generation tanker.
Boeing has secured its largest contract award yet for early design of America’s next presidential airliner, as the amount of time and money it takes to keep the current Air Force One fleet flying increases.
