EMMA HELFRICH, ASSOCIATE EDITOR

The U.S. Navy has awarded Rolls-Royce with a $1.2 billion contract to provide sustainment support for the V-22 AE1107C aircraft engine. The deal, announced by the Department of Defense, covers maintenance and repair of the engines, as well as services to include program management, logistics support and configuration management.

EMMA HELFRICH, ASSOCIATE EDITOR

Leonardo has invested in Skydweller Aero Inc., a start-up specializing in large-scale solar-powered unmanned aerial systems (UAS), including a solar-powered unmanned aerial system (UAS) that the company claims is capable of perpetual flight with heavy payloads.

LISA DAIGLE, ASSISTANT MANAGING EDITOR

The Rohde & Schwarz SOVERON software-defined airborne radio has been selected by Saab for integration into the Saab Gripen E/F fighter aircraft for several export countries.

EMMA HELFRICH, ASSOCIATE EDITOR

Northrop Grumman Corporation has been selected by the U.S. Air Force for a prototype project to demonstrate an internally mounted electronic warfare (EW) suite and digital radar warning receiver for the F-16 fighter aircraft. The agreement was issued under SOSSEC Consortium’s Air Force Open System Acquisition Initiative (OSAI) Other Transaction Agreement (OTA) for prototyping.

EMMA HELFRICH, ASSOCIATE EDITOR

The prototype of Airbus Helicopters’ VSR700 unmanned aerial system (UAS) has performed its first flight at a test center near Aix-en-Provence in the south of France. The VSR700 performed several take-offs and landings with the longest flight lasting around 10 minutes.

EMMA HELFRICH, ASSOCIATE EDITOR

Airbus and its partners introduced concrete details of the new Eurofighter electronic combat role (ECR) concept. This role will enlarge Eurofighter’s multi-role capabilities and further increase the survivability of coalition forces in hostile environments. Initial Eurofighter ECR capability is expected to be available by 2026, followed by further development steps and full integration into the future combat air system (FCAS) ecosystems.

EMMA HELFRICH, ASSOCIATE EDITOR

The U.S. Air Force announced plans to test a secure data link between its F-22 and F-35 stealth fighter planes without identifying the planes' locations. The first test, in December, is an element in the U.S. military's goal of a comprehensive Multi-Domain Command and Control network encompassing the Army, Navy, Marines, and Air Force across land, sea, air, space, and cyberspace domains.

AVIATION MAINTENANCE MAGAZINE

Whether it’s piston, turboprop or jet, fixed- or swing-wing, sooner or later every business aircraft is going to need the care of an experienced maintainer. And like with every other type of service provider, it’s best to find the right one long before the work begins.

EMMA HELFRICH, ASSOCIATE EDITOR

Northrop Grumman has delivered its 500th AN/APG-81 fire control radar for the F-35 Lightning II. The Northrop Grumman AN/APG-81 active electronically scanned array is designed to supplement the F-35’s advanced sensor suite.

EMMA HELFRICH, ASSOCIATE EDITOR

Saab carried out introductory flight tests with its new advanced Electronic Attack Jammer Pod (EAJP). The pod’s interfaces with the aircraft’s hardware and software as well as cockpit control and monitoring were tested during the flight.

EMMA HELFRICH, ASSOCIATE EDITOR

AeroVironment, Inc., unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) company, announced it received a firm fixed-price contract valued at $6,408,542 from an existing Southeast Asian military customer for additional Raven unmanned aircraft systems. Delivery is anticipated within 12 months.

AVIATION MAINTENANCE MAGAZINE

For anyone working in the aviation field, it should be no shock that the role FAA plays in our industry has changed over the last several years. The trend started decades ago with the pilot community when FAA no longer provided check rides and written tests, in favor of transferring those activities to persons “Designated” by the Administrator. That practice has evolved to the point where most FAA offices no longer provide services that we (and our customers) have expected in the past and quite frankly have taken for granted as things FAA should be providing.

EMMA HELFRICH, ASSOCIATE EDITOR

The U.S. State Department approved a request by Japan for a $4.5 billion upgrade of its F-15J Eagle fleet of fighter planes. Up to 98 planes, of about 200 owned by the Japan Air Defense Forces, would be brought up to a benchmark known as Japanese Super Interceptor under the plan, the Defense Security Cooperation Agency announced.

AVIATION MAINTENANCE MAGAZINE

ATP and Honeywell have entered into an expanded partnership agreement expanding the existing Honeywell technical publications available through their ATP Aviation Hub single source portal. This will include Honeywell’s collection of Avionics libraries and will allow owner/operators and entitled management companies to manage and access their current technical and regulatory information for airframes, Honeywell engines, avionics, and other aircraft components.

EMMA HELFRICH, ASSOCIATE EDITOR

Terma completed a study program for Royal Netherlands Air Force (RNLAF) to identify the best possible way of protecting the NH90 aircraft against infrared-seeking missiles. The study pointed out the Modular Aircraft Survivability Equipment (MASE) system as the preferred choice giving the best compromise between improved self-protection, mission/aircraft compatibility, cost, and fleet commonality.