MARIANA IRIARTE, TECHNOLOGY EDITOR

The top Avionics stories for 2018 covered flight control tech for unmanned aircraft, compliance with the Future Airborne Capability Environment (FACE) initiative, avionics connectors, glass cockpits, and more.

RICK HEARN, CURTISS-WRIGHT DEFENSE SOLUTIONS

The potential consequences and acceptable probability of failure of an avionics system dictate the Design Assurance Level (DAL) that must be met in order for it to be certified for flight. 

JASON DICKSTEIN, AVIATION MAINTENANCE MAGAZINE

Congress has passed a new FAA Reauthorization Act. The law authorizes FAA expenditures but it is also used as a vehicle for changing substantive law, as well. This year’s law includes a provision that could pose a thorny issue for Americans, in that it offers an opportunity for the FAA to potentially side-step traditional rulemaking processes in favor of acceptance of foreign rules.

AVIATION MAINTENANCE MAGAZINE

Global alternative asset manager The Carlyle Group has agreed to acquire StandardAero, a global provider of aftermarket engine maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) services for the aerospace and defense industries, from Veritas Capital. 

LISA DAIGLE, ASSISTANT MANAGING EDITOR

The global market for military drones or unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) is projected to grow from $12.1 billion in 2018 to $26.8 billion by 2025, at a combined annual growth rate (CAGR) of 12.00 percent from 2018 to 2025, according to a new study by MarketsandMarkets...

ADLINK TECHNOLOGY

ADLINK has developed its Vortex DDS implementation as a reference to align to the FACE Technical Standard Edition 2.1.1 TSS, using DDS as the underlying transport layer. This is fully compatible and interoperable with the commercially supported Vortex OpenSpliceTM V6.10 solution.

MARIANA IRIARTE, TECHNOLOGY EDITOR

The U.S. Air Force B-21 Raider program conducted a critical design review on its weapon systems November 28-30, 2018. The event served as a multidisciplined technical review to ensure the Air Force’s newest bomber has a stable and mature design as the program moves forward into manufacturing and flight test.

LISA DAIGLE, ASSISTANT MANAGING EDITOR

United Technologies Corp. (UTC) has completed its previously announced acquisition of Rockwell Collins and announced its intention to separate its commercial businesses, Otis and Carrier (formerly CCS), into independent entities.

AVIATION MAINTENANCE MAGAZINE

Amprius, Inc. is supplying advanced lithium ion cells to the Airbus Defence and Space Zephyr Program. Using Amprius’ cells, which contain a 100 percent silicon anode, the Zephyr S flew more than 25 days, setting a new endurance and altitude record for stratospheric flight.

MARIANA IRIARTE, TECHNOLOGY EDITOR

Airbus and Lockheed Martin officials signed an an agreement to jointly explore opportunities to meet the growing demand for aerial refueling for U.S. defense customers.

MARIANA IRIARTE, TECHNOLOGY EDITOR 

U.S. Air Force officials selected Wright-Patterson Air Force Base (AFB), Ohio, as the preferred location for the F-35 Lightning II Hybrid Product Support Integrator (HPSI) organization which supports the entire F-35 enterprise to include joint and international partners.

LISA DAIGLE, ASSISTANT MANAGING EDITOR

Germany's air force has extended the successful operation of the Heron 1 unmanned aerial systems (UASs) -- built and supported by by Airbus DS Airborne Solutions GmbH, an Airbus company -- in Afghanistan and Mali until midyear 2020.

MARIANA IRIARTE, TECHNOLOGY EDITOR

U.S. Army officials are kicking off its second Expeditionary Technology Search competition (xTechSearch 2.0), which aims to engage with the non-defense traditional small business sector.

CHARLOTTE ADAMS, AVIATION MAINTENANCE MAGAZINE

As the U.S. economy rebounds, global air traffic mushrooms, and aircraft production sizzles, engine MRO enjoys the best of both worlds – deferred aircraft retirements plus demand for work on newer power plants. 

MARIANA IRIARTE, TECHNOLOGY EDITOR

The U.S. Air Force and Boeing completed Phase II receiver certification under the KC-46 Tanker program following three weeks of flights tests with F-15E aircraft out of Edwards Air Force Base, California.

TE CONNECTIVTY

The world of high speed connectivity is constantly changing and evolving, which is why we made it easier for you to make smart decisions about which high-speed interconnect products you should use. Everything you need to design your application is at your fingertips in TE Connectivity’s (TE) High-Speed Products Developer Kit.

LISA DAIGLE, ASSISTANT MANAGING EDITOR

AFWERX -- the U.S. Air Force’s program dedicated to solving some of the toughest problems it faces via collaborations between the nation’s top intrapreneurs, industry experts, academic professionals, and nontraditional contributors -- recently hosted innovators who submitted components, materials, and technologies specifically aimed at improving the USAF Fixed Wing Helmet used by its pilots and aircrew.

MARIANA IRIARTE, TECHNOLOGY EDITOR

U.S. Air Force Life Cycle Management Center (USAF AFLCMC) officials tasked Rockwell Collins to provide its latest-generation of Digital GPS Anti-Jam Receiver (DIGAR) to integrate into the U.S. Air National Guard and U.S. Air Force Reserve F-16 aircraft that are operating in contested environments.

NATIONAL INSTRUMENTS

The electromagnetic spectrum is an increasingly contentious warfare domain. This evolution presents new challenges for scientists and engineers who are designing intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) systems. Engineers are asked to develop increasingly complex systems using more cost- and time-effective methods.