In a series of recent flight tests off the coast of San Diego the Northrop Grumman Corporation and the U.S. Navy victoriously took to the air with the unmanned MQ-8B Fire Scout simultaneously with the MH-60R Sea Hawk helicopter, what was their first time in flight. The testing took place aboard the USS Freedom Littoral […] More

Creative Microsystems Corp. has been awarded a two-year, $2.7 million contract to design and build lightweight night-vision goggles for the U.S. Navy, Military $ Aerospace Electronics reported Thursday. John Keller writes the Naval Research Laboratory plans to award the research contract for the development of the Micro Optic Low Light Imager project. Waitsfield, Vt.-based Creative […] More

United Technologies Corp. and its subsidiary Sikorsky Aircraft have pledged a donation of $1 million to establish the Igor Sikorsky Distinguished Professorship in Rotorcraft program at the University of Maryland’s A. James Clark School of Engineering. As part of UMD’s Department of Aerospace Engineering, the program is intended to bolster rotorcraft technology research and development in areas such as aeromechanics and […] More

A United Technologies Corp.‘s business unit will push forward the design and development of an energy system for the Office of Naval Research‘s Long Endurance Undersea Vehicle Propulsion program. As part of the program’s next phases, UTC Aerospace Systems will create an energy system for an unmanned undersea vehicle using proton exchange membrane fuel cells to replace current […] More

Northrop Grumman plans to expand its Melbourne, Fla.-based manned aircraft design center with a new series of investments. The company wants to grow its Melbourne facility by 220,000 square feet and open 300 additional jobs, Northrop said Thursday. “This expansion further cements our strong partnership with Florida, and will greatly benefit our employees, customers and shareholders,” […] More

ATK‘s board of directors has approved a plan to spinoff its sporting group into an independent, publicly-traded company as part of an agreement to merge ATK’s aerospace and defense business groups with Orbital Sciences. Mark DeYoung, president and CEO of Arlington, Va.-based ATK, will serve as chairman and CEO of the commercial ammunition and sporting […] More

Michael Costas, Bechtel‘s corporate quality chief, will help manage engineering, procurement and related functions as part of his appointment to the company’s waste treatment and immobilization plant team. The team will supervise work at a plant Bechtel is building in Washington state for the Energy Department to treat 56 million gallons of radioactive waste, the company said Thursday. Costas holds 30 years […] More

Forecast International expects unmanned aerial vehicles to become a $2.3 billion industry by 2023 despite a slowdown in production in the coming years, Military &  Aerospace Electronics reported Monday. John Keller writes the market analyst predicted the global market to more than double from $942 million this year amid the military’s continued reliance on flying […] More

Northrop Grumman has opened a fresh aircraft integration center in St. Augustine, Fla., where the company has been operating for 34 years. The site is expected to create 400 new jobs over the next three years, Northrop Grumman said Thursday. Tom Vice, Northrop Grumman corporate vice president and president of aerospace systems, said the new facility […] More

Siemens has donated nearly $660 million in software products to several Massachusetts-based technical colleges and universities to train students on product design and manufacturing. The in-kind software grant provides university students access to Siemens’ software applications that work to help users produce aerospace systems, medical devices, ships and consumer products, Siemens said Wednesday. Chuck Grindstaff, […] More

Northrop Grumman is hosting a daylong special session at the National Science Teachers Association in Boston from Thursday to Sunday to discuss global issues in science education. The Global Conversations in Science Education conference is also intended to tackle how teachers can help students understand energy and its impact, Northrop announced Tuesday. “Professional development is a […] More

L-3 Communications is working to extend mobile communications to frontline soldiers under a $15.5 million contract with the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, Military & Aerospace Electronics reported Sunday. John Keller writes the U.S. Army and Marine Corps warfighters will connect to a millimeter-wave communications backbone under the DARPA Mobile Hotspots program. The company will work to […] More