Aviation Week & Space Technology

The U.S. aerospace industry is wondering about its future down south ever since President Trump’s dustup with Mexico’s president in late January.

Boeing will use the tried-and-true Atlas V to launch its commercial crew vehicle, but SpaceX has some hurdles getting its Falcon 9 human-rated.

Defense contractors may well find that under the Trump administration some of what worked to create value over the past decade will not work as well.

If Washington manages to cut taxes and regulations and that leads to a better economy, better prices for taxpayers and more U.S. jobs, then Trump and A&D CEOs should be lauded. If not. . . well.

India’s defense budget increases by 6%; IAI system provides electronic protection for avionics; a new drone database; Boeing’s latest tanker contract.

The $2.4 billion endeavor is intended to seek out evidence of past microbial life on the Red Planet while laying the groundwork for future human exploration.

Hawaiian Airlines has big plans for its A321neos, but it must wait longer to receive them.

The Israeli company is optimistic about its growth plan, despite increased global competition.

Achievements in space can pump up local economies, and Colorado’s space synergy is a prime example.

The top Norwegian defense company believes its Joint Strike Missile would enhance Norway’s maritime patrol capability.

The British Navy is enthusiastic about Wildcat performance, even before the rotorcraft receives some finishing touches

The aircraft would replace HAL’s Tejas on the navy’s 44,400-ton aircraft carrier, the INS Vikramaditya.

Mexico and Asia may get more attention, but Morocco is quietly becoming the next big hub in global aerospace manufacturing.

Top Norwegian defense officials say Lockheed needs to step up sustainment work.

Wind-tunnel tests verify CFD predictions and clear Boom Technology to build subscale prototype.

The promise of the Internet of Things is large and the data is available, but airlines are not adopting fast enough.

Testing large tiltrotors; DLR’s big freight drone; Sikorsky advances autonomy; nacelles for next-gen turbofans; and other news.

An effort to break up HAL’s lock on the aerospace business hits a bureaucratic slowdown.

After spending billions in investments in foreign airlines and new aircraft, Etihad’s CEO James Hogan is being replaced. With less appetite for risk and growth, what’s next for the Abu Dhabi-based airline?

Hope that reduced integration costs will free up funding for more frequent capability upgrades is behind industry’s willingness to embrace open avionics standards and increased competition, says U.S. Air Force.

Etihad acquired stakes in many troubled airlines abroad in the hope of gaining size by turning them around. But the financial burdens have proved unbearable; Etihad’s owners are switching course.

MRJ program slippage now totals a remarkable 6.5 years. The obvious explanation for most of the troubles is simple: inexperience. Yet MHI is looking at a successor program.

In this week’s Washington Outlook: the SpaceX CEO makes a third trip to talk with Team Trump, why the idea of a wall in Mexico needs an adjustment and a look back at what happens when rhetoric meets reality.

U.S. State Department approves Foreign Military Sale requests, Saudia Arabia inducts F-15SAs into fleet, Indonesian president wants to see final A400M accident report, and Raytheon wins fourth full-rate production contract for SM-6.

Shark and seal skins, even speed skater’s suits, are inspiring drag-reduction technologies eyed for coating U.S. Air Force transports and tankers to curb jet fuel consumption.