News

Test & Measurement

Hydrogen Storage Tank Options: Not Everything Need Look like a Sausage

Since the 1860 Hippomoblie, hydrogen has been a part of powered mobility. Today, most hydrogen storage applications use cylindrical tanks, but other solutions are...

INSIDER

Defense

Can Microvanes Improve Fuel Efficiency for Legacy Air Force Aircraft?

Air Force Operational Energy and Air Mobility Command are entering the final phase of evaluation for Microvane drag reduction technology on the C-17 Globemaster III....

Application Briefs

Defense

Excalibur Flight Test and Modification

Leonardo, 2Excel and the Ministry of Defence recently announced that the flight test aircraft ‘Excalibur’ Flight Test Aircraft (FTA) has successfully completed its first phase of modification and flight testing. The milestone saw Excalibur, now equipped with new side and belly pods, assessed for stability during flight. Read on to learn more.

INSIDER

Propulsion

Blue Origin Rocket Reaches Intended Orbit on First Launch

Blue Origin’s New Glenn rocket reached its intended orbit during the NG-1 mission completed on Jan. 16, 2025 from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Florida. Named after John...

INSIDER

Materials

Characterizing the Performance of Variable Emissivity Materials in Space

The Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) launched the Space Power InfraRed Regulation and Analysis of Lifetime, or SPIRRAL, experiment, Nov. 4, 2024. SPIRRAL, flown by...

INSIDER

Design

New Anduril, Skydio Drones Start Field Testing in Romania

“Combat is moving into a very drone heavy type of warfare,” said Lt. Alexis Gavrillis, a 35A Military Intelligence Officer in 317th Brigade Engineer Battalion (BEB), 3rd Brigade...

INSIDER

Manufacturing & Prototyping

Testing the Viability of Autonomous Laser Welding in Space

The Air Force Research Laboratory, or AFRL, recently participated in a parabolic flight experiment led by a team of scientists and engineers from The Ohio State University. The...

INSIDER

RF & Microwave Electronics

Patriot Missile Hits Target in Test of Upgraded ICBS Radar

Lockheed Martin's Patriot Advanced Capability – 3 (PAC-3) missile successfully integrated with Raytheon’s Lower Tier Air and Missile Defense Sensor (LTAMDS) radar to defeat an...

INSIDER

Aerospace

Germany's New Military Surveillance Jet Completes First Flight

The Persistent German Airborne Surveillance System (PEGASUS), a Bombardier Global 6000 jet modified to provide signals intelligence for the German Armed Forces, completed its...

Articles

Aerospace

Rising Star Awards: Women in Engineering Aerospace Winner - Heather Cummings

Heather Cummings, a 27-year old senior flight controls and autonomy engineer at Sikorsky, is the winner of the Aerospace/Defense category for SAE Media Group’s inaugural Women in Engineering: Rising Star Awards program.

Application Briefs

Aerospace

AgilePod Brings Fiber Optic Sensing to Flight Testing

The Air Force Test Pilot School’s research division, in partnership with the 586th Flight Test Squadron at Holloman AFB and NASA’s Armstrong Flight Research Center, recently conducted a flight test campaign verifying the use of the new AgilePod. Read on to learn more about the topic.

Videos

Aerospace

Boom Supersonic Completes Second Flight of XB-1 Demonstrator

Boom Supersonic recently completed the second flight of its XB-1 demonstrator. Watch this video to learn more.

INSIDER

Defense

Archer Delivers First Midnight eVTOL to US Air Force

Archer Aviation Inc. completed the delivery of its first Midnight aircraft to the U.S. Air Force (USAF) to evaluate as part of its AFWERX Agility Prime contract valued at up to $142...

INSIDER

Electronics & Computers

ESA to Test Canadian Startup's Diamond Quantum Sensors in Space

SBQuantum, a Sherbrooke, Canada-based startup developing quantum diamond magnetometers capable of providing accurate readings from space, announced a pair of new contracts this...

INSIDER

Test & Measurement

X-Bow Completest Historic Test of Industry's Largest Additively Manufactured Rocket Motor

X-Bow Systems Inc. (pronounced "/crossbow/"), completed the successful static test of the Ballesta-34 solid rocket motor, nicknamed the XB-32. At ~34...

Briefs

Materials

Testing Military-Grade Adhesive in Extreme Loading Conditions

Military performance requirements for adhesives have been traditionally derived to fulfill niche defense needs in harsh operational environments with little consideration for dual-use commercial potential. Read on to learn more.

Briefs

Semiconductors & ICs

Streamlined Microcomb Design Provides Control With The Flip of a Switch

Researchers at the University of Rochester describe new microcomb lasers they have developed that overcome previous limitations and feature a simple design that could open the door to a broad range of uses. Read on to learn more.

Briefs

Photonics/Optics

Researchers Demonstrate the First Chip-Based 3D Printer

Imagine a portable 3D printer you could hold in the palm of your hand. Researchers took a major step toward making this idea a reality by demonstrating the first chip-based 3D printer. The prototype chip has no moving parts, instead relying on an array of tiny optical antennas to steer a beam of light. Read on to learn more.

INSIDER

Weapons Systems

Counter UAS Systems Tested Against Swarms of 50 Drones in Latest Yuma Exercise

The U.S. military has used unmanned aircraft for decades to perform dangerous reconnaissance and attack missions that save lives, but the importance of small...

INSIDER

Manned Systems

Airbus Starts Flight Testing Upgraded French Army Helicopter

Airbus Helicopters has started the flight testing campaign for the prototype of the NH90 Standard 2. This standard is one of the latest NH90 configurations and is being developed...

INSIDER

Weapons Systems

Air and Space Force Joint Team Completes Two Intercontinental Missile Tests

For the second time in a week, a joint team of Air Force Global Strike Command Airmen supported by Space Force Guardians launched an unarmed Minuteman III...

INSIDER

Propulsion

NAVAIR Leverages CFD to Simulate Aircraft Engine Health and Aerodynamics

Developed by Naval Air Systems Command's (NAVAIR) Small Business Innovation Research/Small Business Technology Transfer (SBIR/STTR) programs, "CharLES" is described by...

INSIDER

Aerospace

Electra Starts Proving Blown Lift eSTOL Technology

Electra.aero has completed the first test flights of its piloted blown-lift hybrid-electric short takeoff and landing (eSTOL) demonstrator aircraft, EL-2. According to a May 29...

INSIDER

Manufacturing & Prototyping

Ursa Major Performs First Successful Hotfire of Hypersonic Draper Engine

Ursa Major announced the successful hotfire of its 4,000-pound thrust closed catalyst cycle hypersonic Draper engine at the company’s Colorado headquarters. The...

INSIDER

Test & Measurement

Directed Energy Deposition Enables Rocket Engine Additive Manufacturing Breakthrough

The Air Force Research Laboratory's (AFRL) Rocket Propulsion Division recently designed, printed, built and hot fired a first-ever, single-block...

INSIDER

Mechanical & Fluid Systems

FAA Adopts New Aircraft Engine Emission Standards for Non-Volatile Particulate Matter

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) adopted a new rule that will set a limit on carbon particles emitted by subsonic aircraft engines, according to...

INSIDER

Defense

Army Begins Satcom as a Service Evaluation

The U.S. Army has started fielding commercial satellite communications equipment, bandwidth and services to several units around the globe, under a new pilot that will inform leadership on a...

INSIDER

Design

Marines Select Prototypes for Light Armored Vehicle Replacement

The U.S. Marine Corps has selected two companies to design prototype Advanced Reconnaissance Vehicle 30mm Autocannon (ARV-30) vehicles. Under a new two-year award, General...

INSIDER

Manned Systems

Turkey's KAAN Combat Aircraft Completes First Flight

The first combat aircraft to be domestically developed in Turkey, the fifth generation KAAN, completed its first flight on Wednesday, Feb. 21, 2024. Several executives and partners of...