EMMA HELFRICH, ASSOCIATE EDITOR

The CH-53K King Stallion underwent an air-to-air refueling test, completing a demonstration of long-range logistics support capabilities for the U.S. Marine Corps. The four-and-a-half hour test was accomplished over the Chesapeake Bay with a KC-130J aerial refueling (AR) tanker.

AVIATION MAINTENANCE MAGAZINE

AAR and Sumitomo Corporation are launching a joint venture ― AAR Sumisho Aviation Services. This Chicago-area-based joint venture will distribute aircraft parts and offer aviation logistics management solutions to the Japanese defense market. Additionally, the partnership will distribute parts from OEMs based in Japan to the global aviation aftermarket.

EMMA HELFRICH, ASSOCIATE EDITOR

Boeing completed the first flight of the F-15QA fighter, designed to be the most advanced version of the jet ever manufactured. Developed for the Qatar Emiri Air Force (QEAF), the jet demonstrated its next-generation capabilities during its 90-minute mission. The flight took off and landed from Lambert International Airport in St. Louis.

EMMA HELFRICH, ASSOCIATE EDITOR

Boeing Co. restarted production of the P-8 and KC-46 military planes on Monday after a two-week shutdown caused by coronavirus concerns. The company closed all its operations indefinitely in Washington State's Puget Sound region March 25, but reopened its Renton facilities to build P-8 surveillance planes and its Everett plant, which builds the KC-46 tanker.

EMMA HELFRICH, ASSOCIATE EDITOR

DARPA announced its Air Space Total Awareness for Rapid Tactical Execution (ASTARTE) program, which is being conducted in partnership with the U.S. Army and U.S. Air Force. The program’s goal is to enable efficient and effective airspace operations and de-confliction in a highly congested future battlespace.

AVIATION MAINTENANCE MAGAZINE

Travel restrictions imposed due to the coronavirus caused airlines to respond to the unprecedented impact from the pandemic by reducing capacity by 50, 60 even 90 percent in some cases and securely parking hundreds of aircraft at numerous locations around the world. Capacity was cut dramatically by all airlines around the globe, some suspending service altogether. And hits just keep on coming, changing daily, hourly.

DR. BENJAMIN BROSGOL, ADACORE

The DO-178C and FACE [Future Airborne Capability Environment] approaches form a natural union, enabling developers to combine best practices for airborne software production from both the military and commercial arenas. By developing and verifying software components based on the guidance offered in DO-178C and its supplements, FACE component providers can meet their FACE portability goals while achieving high-DAL [Design Assurance Level] reliability and safety.

EMMA HELFRICH, ASSOCIATE EDITOR

Persistent Systems, LLC, developer of the Wave Relay Mobile Ad hoc Network (MANET), announced that the U.S. Air Force awarded it a $25 million contract for the Wave Relay Tactical Assault Kit (WaRTAK) program. The refresh is expected to take four years.

EMMA HELFRICH, ASSOCIATE EDITOR

General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. (GA-ASI) has installed a new Predator Mission Trainer (PMT) at its Flight Test and Training Center (FTTC) in Grand Forks, N.D. The aircraft flight simulator, produced by CAE, will be used to train operators of MQ-9 Block 5 Remotely Piloted Aircraft (RPA).

EMMA HELFRICH, ASSOCIATE EDITOR

Basic physics still dictates much of what makes helicopter flight successful, but military airborne platforms are constantly faced with environments civilian rotary- and fixed-wing aircraft simply don’t encounter: Degraded visual environments, a need for reduced workload, and improved pilot-vehicle interface drive military helicopter avionics upgrades and remain at the top of customer design requirements. In response to these military-user needs, companies are attempting to uncomplicate helicopter cockpit designs while using the most advanced electronics available.

EMMA HELFRICH, ASSOCIATE EDITOR

General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. (GA-ASI) and the Air National Guard (ANG) have signed a contract for GA-ASI to supply its Detect and Avoid System (DAAS) for one MQ-9 Block 1 and one MQ-9 Block 5 Remotely Piloted Aircraft (RPA).

LISA DAIGLE, ASSISTANT MANAGING EDITOR

The U.S. Army has selected Bell Helicopter Textron (Fort Worth, Texas) and Sikorsky Aircraft (Stratford, Connecticut) for the design and testing of the Future Attack and Reconnaissance Aircraft (FARA) Competitive Prototypes to continue into phase two of the program.

JOHN MCHALE, EDITORIAL DIRECTOR

I discussed the effect of FACE on the military avionics community, the involvement of the user community, the benefits of FACE Technical Standard 3.0, and other topics with Jeffry Howington of Collins Aerospace – also vice chairman of the FACE Consortium Steering Committee for nine years – in my McHale Report podcast (find the podcast on www.mil-embedded.com). Edited excerpts follow.

AVIATION MAINTENANCE MAGAZINE

Although air taxis in the U.S. are still at least a few years off, small commercial drones – remotely controlled unmanned aircraft – have a strong foothold and their repair and maintenance infrastructure is already taking shape. Driving their growth is their versatility – they are entering applications such as cargo delivery, surveillance, agriculture, oil and gas, public safety, construction, insurance, mapping, and logistics.

WIND RIVER

It all began with a good idea. Decades ago, unmanned systems first became force multipliers on the battlefield, increasing situational awareness and keeping fighters out of harm's way. Today they help realize the vision a multi-domain battlefield, but their benefits have reached across industries.