Industry News

The Air Force Research Laboratory is seeking ideas from vendors on how to integrate high-powered microwave technology into cyber and electronic warfare operations, Military & Aerospace Electronics reported Wednesday. John Keller writes the U.S. Air Force plans to award up to $10 million in task order contracts for research, development, analysis and demonstration of High Power Electromagnetics […] More

SpaceX has tapped AECOM to design and develop a Hyperloop test track for a SpaceX-hosted competition that aims to promote innovation among university students and speed up the development of Hyperloop prototypes. Hyperloop is a type of transport system that would travel up to 760 miles per hour through a network of air-cushioned pods and […] More

Boeing and ASRC Federal have won separate contracts to perform research work on rocket engine technology for the U.S. Air Force, Space News reported Tuesday. Mike Gruss writes Boeing’s network and space systems unit received a $6.1 million contract and ASRC Federal secured a $3.6 million contract as part of the Air Force’s efforts to replace the Russian-made RD–180 engine for launching national security […] More

The U.S. Air Force has issued a request for information on commercial weather data services that could help address the Defense Department’s requirements for space-based environmental monitoring weather information. The remote sensing systems directorate of the service branch’s space and missile systems center asked interested companies to submit white papers as responses to the RFI […] More

Igate is set to begin operations under the Capgemini brand six months following the completion of the company’s acquisition by the consulting firm. The rebranding of Igate is part of a process to incorporate the company into Capgemini’s global production center network and financial services sector, Capgemini said Monday. “Operating as one brand means that […] More

The U.S. Air Force has certified a new version of the SpaceX-built Falcon 9 rocket for potential use in military satellite launch programs, Space News reported Monday. Mike Gruss writes the company upgraded Falcon 9 in a move to boost the launch vehicle’s thrust reaction force, improve its stage separation system and expand the upper stage […] More

Blue Origin-built New Shepard rocket has completed a take-off and vertical landing operation two months after the company put the rocket through a second unmanned test flight in November 2015. Blue Origin CEO Jeff Bezos wrote in a blog entry posted Friday that New Shepard took off from a launch site in West Texas and slowly descended to Earth for reuse […] More

Mary Davie of the General Services Administration‘s Federal Acquisition Service has said both government and industry partners have helped in FAS’ preparations for a future cloud computing contract. She wrote in a blog entry posted Friday that GSA has worked with the Defense Information Systems Agency and cloud vendors to generate feedback that would help shape a new cloud services vehicle […] More

The U.S. Army has issued a request for information on the availability of a cellular transmission system that the military branch can integrate with its Warfighter Information Network-Tactical infrastructure. In a notice posted Jan. 14 on FedBizOpps, the Army said it is looking for potential sources of 4G LTE technology for WIN-T Increment 1 wireless data transport operations. The […] More

The U.S. Air Force and Boeing on Sunday demonstrated a company-built KC-46A Pegasus tanker aircraft during an initial refueling test with an F-16 jet. Crews launched the KC-46A at Boeing Field airport in Seattle and worked to offload up to 1,600 pounds of fuel into the F-16 as both planes flew around 20,000 feet over Washington state, Boeing […] More

Rolls-Royce will allocate more than $42.7 million in funds to build a new facility in Tyne and Wear, England that will produce fan and turbine discs for its in-service aerospace engines. The proposed manufacturing plant is part of the company’s modernization initiative for its disc manufacturing business, Rolls-Royce said Friday. The defense contractor expects the […] More

TOTE Maritime has received a second liquefied natural gas-powered vessel from General Dynamics to support the operator’s cargo transportation operations. General Dynamics said Friday its NASSCO subsidiary delivered the Perla Del Caribe containership under a two-vessel contract that TOTE awarded to NASSCO in December 2012. TOTE accepted its first LNG-fueled cargo ship Isla Bella in October last year and uses the vessel […] More