News

  • Britain’s eVTOL milestone begins in the blade factory

    Britain’s eVTOL milestone begins in the blade factory

    Vertical Aerospace has publicly flown its full-scale tilt-rotor demonstrator aircraft. The Farnborough flight showcased composite rotor blades developed with NCC and a UK supply chain being prepared for certification, repeatability, and eventual rate production.

  • Fifty hot-section parts become a handful in TJ150 test

    Fifty hot-section parts become a handful in TJ150 test

    Pratt & Whitney has tested a largely additively manufactured engine. The TJ150 demonstration consolidated more than 50 hot-section components, shifting attention towards repeatable print quality, inspection, post-processing, and production economics.

  • Thunder turns the air-taxi factory towards autonomous attack

    Thunder turns the air-taxi factory towards autonomous attack

    Thunder brings hybrid-electric propulsion into autonomous military rotorcraft development programmes. Anduril and Archer must now turn commercial eVTOL methods into an aircraft that can carry military payloads, survive demanding missions, and remain supportable.

  • PAC-3 ACE puts affordability inside missile engineering

    PAC-3 ACE puts affordability inside missile engineering

    Lockheed Martin has introduced a lower-cost interceptor for Patriot users. PAC-3 ACE is intended to widen available missile stocks without using the full performance and manufacturing cost of PAC-3 MSE against every target.

  • The Dutch Navy prints two vessels and tests the network

    The Dutch Navy prints two vessels and tests the network

    Dutch naval trials have integrated drones across three operational domains. The exercise combined a common control architecture with two rapidly built, 12-metre surface vessels, bringing additive manufacturing into a wider test of fleet autonomy.

  • The next fighter cockpit may be worn, not installed

    The next fighter cockpit may be worn, not installed

    BAE Systems has unveiled a modular sixth-generation fighter helmet demonstrator. Project Intuity combines wide-area display technology, head tracking, spatial audio, and future autonomy interfaces within a wearable system that must also satisfy protection and certification requirements.

  • GCAP’s flying power station approaches the test stand

    GCAP’s flying power station approaches the test stand

    GCAP’s engine demonstrator is approaching a decisive ground-testing programme milestone. Rolls-Royce, Avio Aero, and IHI are converting more than 100 subscale tests into a shared propulsion, electrical-power, cooling, and manufacturing architecture.

  • Brimstone and Paveway turn Protector into an armed system

    Brimstone and Paveway turn Protector into an armed system

    Protector has cleared another major hurdle towards operational strike capability. Qualification of Paveway IV and Brimstone 3 now shifts attention towards production configuration, weapons availability, ground infrastructure, training, and fleet support.

  • Japan and Vietnam put shipbuilding into their defence partnership

    Japan and Vietnam put shipbuilding into their defence partnership

    Japan and Vietnam are exploring joint production of landing craft. Working-level discussions will have to resolve vessel requirements, shipyard workshare, technology transfer, propulsion supply, quality assurance, and long-term maintenance.

  • Quantum joins Japan’s race for an interceptor that scales

    Quantum joins Japan’s race for an interceptor that scales

    Japan has selected Quantum Systems for accelerated interceptor-drone field trials. The evaluation will test autonomy, sensor handover, electronic resilience, safety, cost, and the industrial arrangements needed for any follow-on production.