AUGUST 2021 news

Defense Aviation and Aerospace Industry


 

NATO Support and Procurement Agency signs contract with Northrop Grumman for NATO Allied Ground Surveillance in-service support

On 11 August 2021, the NATO Support and Procurement Agency (NSPA) signed a contract with Northrop Grumman to provide up to five years of In-Service Support for the NATO Allied Ground Surveillance (AGS) Air Segment. The contract will start on 1 September 2021, marking the official beginning of the In-Service Support Phase of the NATO AGS Core System.

GA-ASI Avenger equipped with Lockheed Martin Legion Pod autonomously follows target aircraft

For the first time ever, over the high desert of southern California on July 2, 2021, General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. (GA-ASI) used an Avenger Unmanned Aircraft System equipped with a Lockheed Martin Legion Pod to autonomously track and follow targets of interest. This industry-funded demonstration brings military aviators one step closer to gaining autonomous systems that support manned-unmanned teaming (MUM-T) in joint all-domain operations.

Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missile test launch

Air Force Global Strike Command Airmen launched an unarmed Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missile equipped with a test re-entry vehicle from Vandenberg Space Force Base, California Aug. 11 at 12:53 a.m. Pacific Time to demonstrate the readiness of U.S. nuclear forces and provide confidence in the lethality and effectiveness of the nation’s nuclear deterrent.

Northrop Grumman open architecture UH-60V avionics suite enters service

The UH-60V Black Hawk helicopter, enabled by the Northrop Grumman Corporation integrated avionics suite, has entered service with the Pennsylvania National Guard’s unit at Fort Indiantown Gap. This First Unit Equipped milestone marks the entry into service of the Army’s first helicopter with a modular, open architecture systems design, Northrop Grumman’s OpenLift.

Advanced Tactics and Rotor X unveil design concept of Barracuda HSVTOL aircraft family

The team of Advanced Tactics Inc (AT) of Torrance, California and Rotor X Aircraft Manufacturing Co. (Rotor X) of Chandler, Arizona unveiled their design concept for a new family of aircraft for military and commercial applications called the Barracuda. The AT/Rotor X Barracuda HSVTOL aircraft combines the hover capability of a helicopter with jet-like forward flight speed, extended long-range, and versatility of a light strike/fighter aircraft.

US Air Force conducts first live fire test of advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missile using an Infrared Search-and-Track system

The 85th Test and Evaluation Squadron conducted the first-ever live fire of an Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missile using an Infrared Search-and-Track system, at Eglin Air Force Base on August 5.

Lockheed Martin upgraded PAC-3 MSE successfully intercepts ballistic missiles in flight test

n flight tests at White Sands Missile Range on Aug. 9, Lockheed Martin demonstrated new upgrades to its PAC-3 Missile Segment Enhancement (MSE) interceptor and continued reliability of its PAC-3 Cost Reduction Initiative (CRI) interceptor.

Russian Checkmate fighter jet in high demand on world arms market

Russia’s latest Checkmate fighter unveiled at the MAKS-2021 international air show is in demand on the world arms market, Head of the state tech corporation Rostec Sergey Chemezov said on August 9.

Republic of Ghana looking to buy 6 Aero Vodochody L-39NG jet trainer

The Republic of Ghana is looking to procure six Aero Vodochody L-39NG aircraft for the Armed Forces of Ghana through a loan agreement worth € 111.3 million ($ 132 million). On August 2, Ghana’s Defense Minister sought parliamentary approval to procure six L-39NG aircraft from the Czech company Aero Vodochody.

Production of upgraded version of Su-57 fighter is to start in 2025

he production of the upgraded version of the fifth generation Su-57 fighter as part of the Megapolis research and development project is expected to begin in 2025, a source in the military-industrial sector told TASS.

BAE Systems awarded £135m contract to drive forward the next phase of capability enhancements for Typhoon Eurofighter

BAE Systems has been awarded a contract valued at approximately £135m, to drive forward the next phase of capability enhancements for Typhoon Eurofighter.

Northrop Grumman to provide US Air Force with countermeasure flares

Northrop Grumman Corporation will provide the U.S. Air Force with its high-performance MJU-73/B and MJU-62A/B infrared countermeasure flares. The company’s next-generation countermeasures will help protect large aircraft and helicopters from advanced surface-to-air and air-to-air missiles.

US and Royal Saudi air forces continue counter-UAS partnership

Protecting U.S. and allied forces against unmanned aerial system attacks continues to be a top priority in the U.S. Central Command theater of operations.

UK: Torpedo first for Royal Air Force Poseidon submarine-hunter

In a training flight conducted over the Moray Firth a Poseidon (P-8A) aircraft operated by 120 Squadron, based at RAF Lossiemouth, dropped a recoverable exercise variant of the Mark 54 Lightweight Torpedo, simulating an attack on a submarine.

BAE Systems unveils innovative virtual Testbed to support multi-domain operations

BAE Systems, Inc. unveiled its virtual System of Systems (SoS) Testbed, a platform that models, simulates, and evaluates both fielded and new technologies as well as advanced data management processes before they are deployed into multi-domain operational environments.

$60 million US Air Force partnership with Hermeus start-up for flight testing hypersonic aircraft

Hermeus, aerospace company developing Mach 5 aircraft, announced on August 5 the signing of a $60 million U.S. Air Force partnership for flight testing its first aircraft, Quarterhorse. Quarterhorse will validate the company's proprietary turbine-based combined cycle (TBCC) engine, based around the GE J85 turbojet engine, and is the first in a line of autonomous high-speed aircraft. 

Royal Australian Air Force selects Lockheed Martin for next phase of program to develop Joint Air Battle Management System

On August 5, Lockheed Martin Australia, welcomed announcement by the Minister for Defence, The Hon Peter Dutton MP, and the Minister for Defence Industry, The Hon Melissa Price MP, on the Government’s official down selection of Lockheed Martin Australia, as one of the two primes selected, to participate in the Royal Australian Air Force’s AIR6500 Phase 1 Project (AIR6500-1): Competitive Evaluation Process Stage 2 (CEPS2).

BAE Systems has received a $93 million contract to provide critical sustainment support for the F-35 EW system

BAE Systems has received a $93 million, five-year Undefinitized Contract Action from Lockheed Martin to provide critical sustainment support for the AN/ASQ-239 electronic warfare (EW) countermeasure system. The contract will ensure the mission readiness of the growing global fleet of F-35 aircraft.

Two-seat Su-57 fighter jet to be designed for control of Okhotnik UCAV

A fifth-generation Su-57 fighter jet will be designed in a two-seat modification to control a swarm of heavy Okhotnik combat drones, a defense industry source told TASS.

AeroVironment introduces standardized modular payload interface kits for RQ-20B Puma tactical UAS

AeroVironment, Inc., a global leader in intelligent, multi-domain robotic systems, announced the introduction of its standardized modular payload interface kits for RQ-20B Puma tactical unmanned aircraft systems (UAS).

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