Raytheon eyes boxing out Honeywell as supplier for critical F-35 subsystem

Raytheon eyes boxing out Honeywell as supplier for critical F-35 subsystem
Raytheon eyes boxing out Honeywell as supplier for critical F-35 subsystem

Cooling needs for the Joint Strike Fighter have taxed the F-35’s engine beyond its design specifications, prompting a need for separate upgrades to its powerplant and cooling system that Raytheon sees as an opening.

Pentagon approves waiver to restart F-35 deliveries

Pentagon approves waiver to restart F-35 deliveries
Pentagon approves waiver to restart F-35 deliveries

F-35 deliveries were suspended on Aug. 31 due to findings of a Chinese alloy in the supply chain.

Pentagon acquisition chief hopeful that F-35 deliveries can resume ‘pretty soon’

Pentagon acquisition chief hopeful that F-35 deliveries can resume ‘pretty soon’
Pentagon acquisition chief hopeful that F-35 deliveries can resume ‘pretty soon’

Earlier this week, the Pentagon acknowledged that it had stopped accepting deliveries of the F-35 due to Chinese alloys used in magnets inside the F-35 turbomachine.

F-35 deliveries suspended after finding Chinese alloys in magnets

F-35 deliveries suspended after finding Chinese alloys in magnets
F-35 deliveries suspended after finding Chinese alloys in magnets

It is unclear when F-35s with magnets made from the new alloy will begin rolling off the production line, and if the Chinese alloy is found to violate defense acquisition regulations, it would take a national defense waiver for deliveries to resume. 

Sikorsky-Boeing chooses Honeywell engine and power systems for FLRAA

Sikorsky-Boeing chooses Honeywell engine and power systems for FLRAA
Sikorsky-Boeing chooses Honeywell engine and power systems for FLRAA

The news comes months after Sikorsky-Boeing announced it would be using Honeywell’s HTS7500 turboshaft engine for its FLRAA offering, the DEFIANT X.

Sikorsky-Boeing team to use Honeywell engine to power FLRAA offering

Sikorsky-Boeing team to use Honeywell engine to power FLRAA offering
Sikorsky-Boeing team to use Honeywell engine to power FLRAA offering

The Army’s contract award will come later this year.

Skyborg Could Develop Multiple Drones For Many Missions

Skyborg Could Develop Multiple Drones For Many Missions
Skyborg Could Develop Multiple Drones For Many Missions

The Air Force is “driving toward” 2023 for initial operating capability for Skyborg, says AFRL Director Brig. Gen. Heather Pringle.

ABMS Demos Speed New Capabilities To Warfighters

ABMS Demos Speed New Capabilities To Warfighters
ABMS Demos Speed New Capabilities To Warfighters

ABMS is essentially the first effort by the Defense Department to “build the Internet of Things for the military,”  Will Roper, head of Air Force acquisition, says.

Make Northrop Work With Us On GBSD: Boeing To Hill, Air Force

Make Northrop Work With Us On GBSD: Boeing To Hill, Air Force
Make Northrop Work With Us On GBSD: Boeing To Hill, Air Force

“We think clearly it’s time for the Air Force and other governmental entities to engage and direct the right solution. Northrop has chosen not to do that,” Frank McCall, Boeing’s director of strategic deterrence systems, said.

ATEC Appeals To Hill For Helicopter Engine Dough

ATEC Appeals To Hill For Helicopter Engine Dough
ATEC Appeals To Hill For Helicopter Engine Dough

Rebuffed by the Army and GAO in its bid to re-engine aging helicopters, ATEC has gone over their heads to Congress and asked legislators for a second chance.

GE’s ITEP Win & The Army’s Inch-By-Inch Revolution

GE’s ITEP Win & The Army’s Inch-By-Inch Revolution
GE’s ITEP Win & The Army’s Inch-By-Inch Revolution

Having wasted tens of billions and almost 30 years since the end of the Cold War, the Army is out of time. But after decades of incremental improvements, its existing weapons — including the UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter that GE’s new engine will upgrade – are overweight, underpowered, and running out of room to grow. Meanwhile, the Army’s attempts at a high-tech great leap forward kept getting cancelled as unaffordable, unfeasible, or both.

Big SPAR Army Review May Topple ITEP

Big SPAR Army Review May Topple ITEP
Big SPAR Army Review May Topple ITEP

Critics say the Army could end up wasting billions by developing a better engine for its Sikorsky UH-60 Black Hawk and Boeing AH-64 Apache helicopters even as the joint Future Vertical Lift (FVL) initiative gets underway to replace those aircraft. The critics are wrong, program officials assure us. But the critics still disagree. A new Army…

Another Baby Step For Army Aviation’s ‘Top Priority’

Another Baby Step For Army Aviation’s ‘Top Priority’
Another Baby Step For Army Aviation’s ‘Top Priority’

Army aviation’s “top modernization priority program” – at least that’s what they call it – took another baby step forward this week. The service awarded preliminary design review contracts to the two competitors vying to build a better engine to power the service’s vast fleet of Sikorsky UH-60 Black Hawk and Boeing AH-64 Apache helicopters.…

Buy A New Helo Engine? The Army Thinks It Can, Thinks It Can…

Buy A New Helo Engine? The Army Thinks It Can, Thinks It Can…
Buy A New Helo Engine? The Army Thinks It Can, Thinks It Can…

After more than seven years of designing and testing how to make new, more powerful, and incredibly fuel efficient engines for its AH-64 Apache attack helicopters and UH-60 Black Hawk utility birds, the Army has issued a Request for Proposals (RFP). The Army’s “top aviation priority” thus takes a baby step closer to becoming a…