FAA’s Commercial Drone Rules Take Effect The Federal Aviation Administration‘s new regulations governing routine non-recreational use of small unmanned aerial systems went into effect Monday. FAA said Monday it created the rules formally known as Part 107 in an effort to mitigate potential risks that small UAS can pose to other aircraft, people and properties on the ground…

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US Navy, Canada’s Defense Dept Ink Blackjack UAS Sale Agreement The U.S. Navy has signed an agreement with Canada’s defense department to establish the first-ever foreign military sales transaction for the RQ-21A Blackjack unmanned air system. The Navy and Marine Corps Small Tactical Unmanned Aircraft Systems Program Office plans to deliver one Blackjack UAS system to Canada’s army in 2017, the Navy said Monday…

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Seven Teams to Compete in NASA Sample Return Robot Challenge Finals NASA is slated to hold the final phase of the agency’s space exploration robotics challenge in September after five years of competition and will award a $1.36 million prize to the winning team…

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Air Force’s 100th F-35 Arrives at Luke Air Force Base The U.S. Air Force has received its 100th Lockheed Martin-built F-35 with the fighter aircraft’s delivery to Luke Air Force Base in Arizona Friday. The service branch said Saturday the milestone follows the declaration of initial operational capability on the F-35 Lightning II program and activation of the 63rd Fighter Squadron at Luke AFB…

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Huntington Ingalls to Design Navy’s Future LXR Amphibious Ship; Brian Cuccias Comments Huntington Ingalls Industries‘ Ingalls shipbuilding division has secured a potential $13.7 million contract to provide design services for the U.S. Navy‘s LX(R) amphibious warfare ship replacement effort…

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Air Force Research Laboratory Kicks Off Biofuel Production Tech Commercialization Effort; James Neely Comments The Air Force Research Laboratory has unveiled a new organization to explore new methods to commercialize a biofuel production technology in an effort to manage petroleum usage costs. AFRL’s Defense Production Act Title III Program Office will collaborate with industry to develop feedstock, buy equipment and create a business strategy to sustain the production of biofuel for Defense Department and industry use, the U…

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CH2M Gets 8-Year Extension on Operations Mgmt Contract With New Mexico Client CH2M has received an eight-year contract extension from the city of Grants in New Mexico for operations management support. CH2M said Monday the contract renewal build on the company’s 28-year support for Grants in the areas of wastewater utility and public works…

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Mike White Named Johns Hopkins APL Air & Missile Defense Sector Head Mike White, mission area executive for air and missile defense at the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory since 2005, has been appointed to lead the APL’s air and missile defense sector…

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Rear Adm. Dee Mewbourne Assumes Military Sealift Command Chief Post Navy Rear Adm. Dee Mewbourne, former director of maritime operations at the U.S. Fleet Forces Command, formally assumed duties as commander of the Military Sealift Command during a ceremony held Thursday aboard the USNS Lewis B…

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Quanergy to Integrate Raytheon BBN’s Human Tracker Software With LiDAR Sensors; Louay Eldada Comments Quanergy Systems has acquired a software platform from a Raytheon subsidiary for integration with the former’s light detection and ranging sensor systems. Quanergy CEO Louay Eldada said in a statement released Monday the acquisition of the OTUS People Tracker software from Raytheon BBN Technologies is part of Quanergy’s “long-term roadmap for LiDAR integration into larger transportation and automation platforms…

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First Command Appoints Retired Navy, Marine Corps Officers to Military Advisory Board Retired military officers Alford McMichael and Charles Clarke have joined First Command Financial Services as members of the company’s military advisory board. McMichael and Clarke will provide independent advice on military trends and the financial needs and products and services that affect military families as part of First Command’s 10-member board, the company said Monday…

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