General Electric Aviation has introduced new computing platforms for military and commercial aviation customers, the company said Tuesday. The platforms are designed with an open system, which means customers can ostensibly plug-in a number of different aviation computing applications on the same platform. “In new aircraft development programs, we’ve seen over time that the cost […] More

The U.S. Navy and Northrop Grumman will conduct tests to assess how a Northrop-built unmanned helicopter operates in an electromagnetic environment at sea. Northrop designed the MQ-8C Fire Scout aircraft with a Faraday shield that aims to protect avionics systems against radio frequency interference, Northrop said Monday. “Almost 95 percent of what makes up the […] More

Harris Corp. will update the U.S. Navy‘s F/A-18 E/F Super Hornet fighter aircraft’s mission and image processing technology under a two-year, $19-million subcontract from Boeing. Harris will focus its work on the Super Hornet’s avionics components and aim to improve the jet’s target sensing, precision and networking power, Harris said Thursday. “Start of full-rate production is […] More

Lockheed Martin and NASA have completed a series of environmental tests on the Orion spacecraft to monitor how it performed during simulated launch and ascent vibrations. Engineers who conducted the Multi-Point Random Vibration Testing compared results and predictions and worked to verify the performance of at least 20 avionics and propulsion systems, Lockheed said Tuesday. The company and […] More

Ball Aerospace & Technologies Corp. has been selected as a recipient of an avionics supplier of the year award from Boeing, which evaluated 14,000 suppliers in 16 categories from 50 countries. Boeing chose Ball Aerospace for the award based on performance and contributions to antenna programs for the F/A-18 jet and the Harpoon, Ball Aerospace announced Friday. […] More

Curtiss-Wright‘s defense solutions unit will provide Ethernet switches to the United Launch Alliance for Atlas V and Delta IV rockets under a $2 million contract, Military & Aerospace Electronics reported Friday. John Keller writes the Lockheed Martin and Boeing joint venture selected Curtiss-Wright’s rugged commercial off-the-shelf Parvus DuraNET 3000 for the U.S. Air Force‘s Evolved Expendable Launch Vehicle program. ULA will use the switch pre-launch […] More

MBDA and program partners have conducted two trials of the company’s Dual Mode Brimstone missile technology aboard a remotely piloted aircraft that recorded nine hits against moving and maneuvering targets. The trials were held in December and January at U.S. Naval Air Weapons Station China Lake and used General Atomics‘ MQ-9 Reaper aircraft, MBDA said Friday. Dual Mode Brimstone weapons are […] More

Raytheon‘s space and airborne systems unit has been awarded $22.9 million in contracts to help install multispectral sensor systems on U.S. military helicopters and airplanes, Avionics Intelligence reported Sunday. John Keller writes the company will fit the Multispectral Targeting System on U.S. Navy Sikorsky MH-60 helicopter and on the U.S. Air Force HC/MC-130J turboprop fixed-wing aircraft. MTS has cameras […] More

Jianmin Cui has been named sales director for China at Cobham as the Denmark-based satellite communications company seeks to grow its presence in China’s general aviation market, AIN Online reported Tuesday.  Charles Alcock writes that Cui will focus the company’s air transport sector and its main product, the Aviator SwiftBroadband series of communications systems. Cui […] More

Craig Olson, formerly a group senior director at Rockwell Collins, has been named vice president and general manager of business and regional systems at the Cedar Rapids, Iowa-based avionics manufacturer. He will report directly to Kent Statler, executive VP and chief operating officer of Rockwell Collins’ commercial systems business and succeeds Jeff Standerski, who is […] More