The World of Aviation

Northop Grumman and Bell Helicopter are partnering to develop a medium range vertical unmanned aerial system (VUAS) based on Bell’s 407 light single helicopter. To be known as Fire-X, the optionally manned VUAS will integrate the unmanned systems architecture developed by Northrop Grumman for the US Navy’s MQ-8B Fire Scout program. The Fire-X will be

Lockheed Martin’s executive vice president and JSF program general manager, Dan Crowley, has been promoted to the newly created position of chief operating officer of the company’s Aeronautics sector. Crowley, who worked in partnership with fellow program executive vice president and JSF program general manager, Tom Burbage, will be succeeded by F-22 program manager Larry

The B-1B Lancer bomber, more colloquially known as the ‘Bone’ as a play on its B-1 designation, celebrated 25 years in USAF service on April 29. Originally designed and built by Rockwell (since merged into Boeing) at Palmdale north of Los Angeles, the first supersonic B-1B entered service on April 29 1985. Rockwell built 100

General Atomics Aeronautical Systems (GA-ASI) has unveiled the Sea Avenger carrier based derivative of its jet powered Predator-C Avenger designed to fulfill a US Navy requirement for an unmanned carrier launched airborne surveillance and strike system. The UAS (unmanned aerial system) concept is in response to a US Navy RFI which was issued on April

Virgin Blue and Air New Zealand have announced details of their planned revenue sharing trans-Tasman alliance proposal, first revealed to the ASX last week, confirming it will be a non-equity arrangement. The airlines said in a joint statement released on May 3 that the alliance will allow them to “strengthen their competitive offering” on the

Embraer recorded a net income (profit) of US$35.5m (A$38.3m) for the quarter ending March 31, reversing a US$23.4m (A$26.2m) loss during the same time last year. The improvement in net income came as net sales for the Brazilian company declined by 14 per cent to US$990m (A$1068m) as the weaker commercial airliner market weighed down