VENTURA, Calif. JetPack Aviation announced that its Speeder VTOL [vertical takeoff and landing] platform was chosen by the AFWERX High Speed VTOL (HSVTOL) Concept Challenge -- launched in partnership with the U.S. Air Force (USAF) and U.S. Special Operations Command (USSOCOM) -- which is aimed at fielding research, development, and testing, and procurement contracts to produce aircraft for the USAF.

PENSACOLA, Fla. Schiebel Aircraft and Areté Associates showcased the CAMCOPTER S-100 unmanned aerial system (UAS) combined with Areté’s Pushbroom Imaging Lidar for Littoral Surveillance (PILLS) sensor to the U.S. Navy’s Office of Naval Research (ONR).

ABERDEEN PROVING GROUND, Md. Researchers from the U.S. Army Combat Capabilities Development Command, known as DEVCOM, Army Research Laboratory and university partners from the Internet of Battlefield Things Collaborative Research Alliance (IoBT CRA) announced the development of a method for neural networks to be more confident in their understanding of battlefield environments.

NORWOOD, Mass. United Electronic Industries (UEI) announced an integrated avionics solution stack aligned with The Open Group Future Airborne Capability Environment (FACE) standard using the certified FACE-conformant Transport Services Segment (TSS) product from Real-Time Innovations (RTI). 

FAIRFAX, Va. General Dynamics Mission Systems’ Quickdraw2 Handheld GPS Interrogator has completed electromagnetic compatibility testing and has been flight certified by the U.S. Navy for use aboard Navy-operated F-35 Lightning II aircraft.

FALLS CHURCH, Va. Northrop Grumman Corporation’s RQ-4 Global Hawk Ground Segment Modernization Program (GSMP) is currently in integration and testing following a successful first flight in 2020.

SAN ANTONIO, Texas. Research and development organization Southwest Research Institute (SwRI) won an indefinite delivery/indefinite quantity (ID/IQ) contract valued at up to $34 million over five years to support the U.S. Army Ground Vehicle Systems Center in the area of R&D of autonomous and robotic vehicles.

ATLANTA, Ga. The U.S. Air Force is investing in the Hermeus Corporation, a United States-based aerospace company, via a $60 million jointly funded contract intended to accelerate the development of hypersonic aircraft and propulsion systems.

BOSTON, Mass. Northeastern University has been designated as a "Spectrum Innovation Zone" by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), a status that will give researchers there new opportunities to build and test the next generation of 5G, 6G, and other wireless technologies. Northeastern is only the fourth such spectrum center in the U.S. 

FALLS CHURCH, Va. and BOULDER, Colo. A new sensor payload developed by Northrop Grumman and Ball Aerospace that is intended to equip satellites that detect missile launches has passed a critical design review.

AMSTERDAM. The number of advanced targeting pod (TGP) systems has increased over the last decade as defense departments around the globe aim to build their armed forces lighter, faster, and ready to deploy, according to a new report from Market Forecast, "Global Targeting Pods -- Market and Technology Forecast to 2028."

FRANCE. Sensor and cryptographic solutions provider HENSOLDT France is delivering its Identification Friend of Foe system (IFF) and the Mode 5-capable MSR1000I interrogator for ground-based air defense (GBAD) systems to the MBDA.

SYRACUSE, New York. Saab has won a $32.24 million contract with the U.S. Navy to implement its MK 9 Tracker Illuminator System Replacement Continuous Wave Tracking Illuminator that is aimed at upgrading the Raytheon MK 57 NATO Seasparrow surface-to-air missile system on board aircraft carriers and amphibious assault ships. 

ARLINGTON, Va. BAE Systems announced that the company has received a $93 million Undefinitized Contract Action (UCA) to provide critical sustainment support for the F-35 electronic warfare (EW) system.

KIRTLAND AIR FORCE BASE, N.M. The Air Force Research Laboratory’s Directed Energy Directorate is seeking partners to build a new counter electronics weapon system to defend against the threat of adversarial drone activity.