Two Asia-Pacific governments have subscribed to the direct access program, or DAP, of geospatial imaging company Maxar Intelligence, drawing the first contracts for the 30-centimeter-class geospatial imagery from the company’s WorldView Legion satellite constellation. According to a company announcement Thursday, the subscription contracts, valued at $35 million, allow Maxar to introduce its virtual constellation capability...
Author: Arthur McMiler (Arthur McMiler)
Canada to Spend $900M in New Border Control Measures
The Canadian government is strengthening the country’s border security and immigration system through a five-pronged plan that includes an investment support of about $903 million. According to Ottawa’s announcement on Tuesday, one of the border plan’s cornerstones is strengthening the operational coordination between Canadian and U.S. authorities for stronger immigration monitoring and enforcement measures. Toward...
Estonian Missile Manufacturer Eyes $52M London R&D Unit
Frankenburg Technologies, an Estonian manufacturer of low-cost air defense missiles, is planning to invest $52 million to establish a new facility in London for research and development of low-cost rocket motors, the U.K. government announced Tuesday. British Prime Minister Keir Starmer called the company’s plan “a vote of confidence” in the United Kingdom and his...
RTX Forms Dutch Partnership for Sustainable Aviation R&D
RTX units Collins Aerospace and Pratt & Whitney will partner with Dutch aerospace firms in technology research and development for sustainable aviation under a memorandum of understanding between RTX and the Netherlands Aerospace Group. The collaboration covers propulsion technology innovation, aircraft energy management, environmental assessments of sustainability solutions and other various areas. Collins Aerospace and Pratt...
Joint Venture to Support UK-Italy-Japan Warplane Program
The United Kingdom’s BAE Systems, Italy’s Leonardo and Japan Aircraft Industrial Enhancement have agreed to establish a joint venture to support the Global Combat Air Programme, or GCAP. The three companies said the partnership will primarily support the development of the next-generation warplane envisioned under the GCAP trilateral cooperation between the United Kingdom, Italy and...
New Insitu Drone Maintenance Center Opens in Abu Dhabi
Insitu, a subsidiary of Boeing, has inaugurated a new facility in the United Arab Emirates to provide maintenance, repair and overhaul services of uncrewed aircraft systems for the UAE military. Located at Abu Dhabi’s Tawazun Industrial Park, the company’s UAS Center of Excellence will also support local employment and Emirati content integration, Insitu said Thursday....
BAE Systems to Advance Eurofighter Pilot Helmet Development Under $170M Contract
BAE Systems has secured a $170 million follow-on contract to advance the development of the Striker II helmet-mounted display for Eurofighter Typhoon multirole warplane pilots. The four-nation consortium of Germany, Italy, Spain and the United Kingdom behind the development of the Typhoon awarded BAE an initial $51 million contract on the pilot helmet in September 2023. BAE...
Lockheed Martin Taps Norwegian Firms for New Aviation Solutions
Lockheed Martin announced that it will invest $8 million in two-year contracts with five small and medium-sized Norwegian companies to develop new aviation and defense solutions with potential in the global market. According to Dennis Goege, Lockheed’s chief executive in Europe for global business development and strategy, the company is tapping advanced Norwegian technology expertise...
Boeing Books $451M FMS Command and Control Solutions Contract for Japan’s F-15 Program
Boeing has secured a $450.5 million Foreign Military Sales contract from the U.S. Air Force to provide command and control capabilities to the F-15 Japan Super Interceptor Program. The sole source acquisition contract calls for Boeing’s delivery of radars, self-protection solutions and mission computers, the U.S. Department of Defense said Tuesday. The company will work...
USAF Report Sees Opportunities in China’s Dependence on LEO Satellites
A study from a U.S. Department of the Air Force think tank has identified potential opportunities and challenges in China’s heavy reliance on low Earth orbit spacecraft for its space situational awareness, SpaceNews reported Monday. According to the China Aerospace Studies Institute study, U.S. authorities should advance American companies’ capabilities to provide space imagery in...