In February of 2015 Rolls-Royce Holdings plc (the aerospace and defense power systems descendant of the original automobile manufacturer) announced that it would be testing history’s largest 3D printed object since the inception of the technology. The component is a nickel-based front bearing engine housing with 48 airfoils. With a diameter of 1.5m and a thickness of 0.5m, this component was constructed entirely through additive layer manufacturing (colloquially referred to as 3D printing) and will be placed on the Trent XWB-97 engine for testing. Additive layer manufacturing (ALM) entails using electron beams to melt and form metal powder into thin sheet layered shapes. The Trent XWB-97 will be the exclusive engine of the upcoming Airbus A350-1000 jetliner. Although the additive layer manufactured component will not be used in production offerings of the Airbus as of now, the company expects that ALM technology has the potential to reduce lead time by up to a third and is already extensively used in repair and prototyping processes.
Learn MoreOn February 17, 2015, the global aerospace and defense manufacturer Ducommun Incorporated was awarded their first direct contract from Airbus. The contract calls for Ducommun to provide titanium components for the Airbus A350 XWB wide body aircraft with an end goal of making the aircraft lighter, stronger, and more energy efficient. These new parts will be produced in Coxsackie, New York and have an end use installation on the aft fuselage of the aircraft.
Learn MoreEarlier this month, Orbital Sciences and Alliant Techsystems officially confirmed a merger into a consolidated aerospace and defense company, newly renamed Orbital ATK. The combination of Orbital Sciences (which specialized in satellite technology) and Alliant Techsystems (which specialized in rocket and missile propulsion) will increase the entity’s competitiveness in government defense contracts requiring integrated, comprehensive systems. Scheduled for March 2015, NASA has enlisted Orbital ATK in testing the booster avionics system (including hardware, software, and ground systems) of its Space Launch System (SLS) rocket.
Learn MoreIn February 2015, The Boeing Company announced that it would restructure its defense and space businesses into a separate company known as BDS Development. The divesture was created in an effort to streamline and promote oversight of space and security related programs. Jim O’Neill, previously president of BDS Global Services & Support, will oversee the new company devoted to enhancing the efficiency of development programs.
Learn MoreThe United States Army has awarded Airbus with a new modification to an existing contract worth over USD$220 million. The modification calls for Airbus to construct 41 additional UH-72A light utility helicopters. These units will be used by the United States Army as flight trainers at Fort Rucker, Alabama. Announced on February 12, 2015, the contract will run until July 31, 2017 with work being completed at the Airbus facility in Columbus, Mississippi.
Learn MoreAfter culminating seven confirmed dogfight victories, the Israeli Air Force’s F-16 Fighting Falcon No. 107 will be retired. After its 35 year career, the F-16 “Netz” will go on display at Hatzerim Air Base in Negev. The No. 107 F-16 has been in service since it was delivered to Israel’s Ramat David Air Base on June 18, 1980. In 1995 the aircraft starting serving Israel as a training aircraft for flight cadets and was finally retired at the end of 2014.
Learn MoreThe rivalry between two of the world’s leading defense contractors – The Boeing Company (second-largest) and Northrop Grumman Corporation (number three) – will come to a head when the US Air Force decides who will design and manufacture the branch’s new stealth bomber. For this contract, Boeing has enlisted Lockheed Martin (the first-largest defense company) as a subcontractor in its proposal, with Lockheed likely responsible for developing the design and Boeing carrying out manufacturing.
Learn MoreMarotta Controls has landed an international partnership with South Africa’s Denel Dynamics for their supply of cooling systems for infrared missile seekers.
Learn MoreIn early 2015, Boeing successfully installed the first prototype of a new B-52 bomber weapons bay launcher. Originally started in 2013, this prototype serves as the first of three that Boeing plans to use for data analysis.
Learn MoreThe United States Air Force has put out two research contracts to 3D Systems (3DS) to develop advanced manufacturing 3D printing capabilities.
Learn MoreSikorsky Aircraft Corporation is in the final stages of debuting the company’s new S-97 Raider light attack helicopter. On January 28, 2015, the aircraft underwent its first auxiliary power unit ignition and subsequent systems checks off the APU (currently a General Electric GE-T706). This test marks the beginning step towards the aircraft’s first test flight scheduled for a couple of weeks.
Learn MoreHeadquartered in São José dos Campos, Sao Paulo State, Brazil, Embraer is a Brazilian aerospace force that designs and manufactures commercial, military, executive, and agricultural aircrafts and also provides aeronautical services. Currently, it competes with Canada-based Bombardier for the title of third-largest aircraft maker behind Boeing and Airbus.
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