US approves $500 million sale for Saudi Arabia’s combat vehicle upkeep

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  14 janvier 2022 | International, Aérospatial

  Spaceflight Highlights Of 2021

  2021 saw milestones in private space transportation, commercial satellite launches, orbital infrastructure and planetary exploration.

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  29 octobre 2019 | International, Aérospatial

  The US Air Force’s X-37B spaceplane lands after spending two years in space

  By: Valerie Insinna WASHINGTON — In the early morning hours of Oct. 27, the U.S. Air Force's X-37B spaceplane landed at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida after a record-breaking 780 days in orbit. What was the Boeing-made plane doing in space for the two years it spent circling Earth? On that point, the Air Force is characteristically elusive, describing the X-37B's activities as “on-orbit experiments” in a news release. “The X-37B continues to demonstrate the importance of a reusable spaceplane,” Air Force Secretary Barbara Barrett said. “Each successive mission advances our nation's space capabilities.” According to the Air Force, the unmanned spaceplane is unique because it allows scientists to test experimental technologies in space for long periods of time. One of those technologies confirmed to be on board the X-37B is the Advanced Structurally Embedded Thermal Spreader, or ASETS-11, created by the Air Force Research Laboratory to “test experimental electronics and oscillating heat pipes in the long duration space environment,” the service said in 2017. “This program continues to push the envelope as the world's only reusable space vehicle. With a successful landing today, the X-37B completed its longest flight to date and successfully completed all mission objectives,” said Randy Walden, head of the Air Force Rapid Capabilities Office. “This mission successfully hosted Air Force Research Laboratory experiments, among others, as well as providing a ride for small satellites.” X-37B Orbital Test Vehicle Mission 5 ended at 3:51 a.m. after the spaceplane landed on the runway of Kennedy's shuttle landing facility on Sunday. That mission began Sept. 7, 2017, when the X-37B took off from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida, on board a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket — marking the first launch of the X-37B by Elon Musk's space company. So far, the X-37B has spent 2,865 days on orbit cumulatively over its five missions, with four of those missions extending past the 270-day on-orbit duration requirement to which the plane was designed. The Air Force plans to launch a sixth mission in 2020 out of Cape Canaveral. The service has two X-37Bs, which Walden characterized as “workhorses” during a Oct. 24 event, according to Breaking Defense. When asked whether the Air Force should buy additional spacecraft or execute a follow-on order, Walden was noncommittal. “The data is still out,” he said, adding that the two existing X-37Bs are “doing quite well.” https://www.defensenews.com/space/2019/10/28/the-air-forces-x-37b-spaceplane-finally-landed-after-spending-two-years-in-space/

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  7 décembre 2020 | International, Aérospatial

  France to Launch Future Combat Air System demonstrator in 2021

  France will launch the Future Combat Air System (SCAF) demonstrator next year as part of the enhancement of the armed forces' operational capabilities. Florence Parly, Minister of the Armed Forces, made the announcement as part of the discussion of the Finance Bill (PLF) for 2021 in the French parliament on Thursday. In addition to the SCAF demonstrator, equipment deliveries include 157 Griffon and 20 Jaguar armored vehicles for the Army, a new Multi-Mission Frigate (FREMM) for the French Navy and three new aircraft-MRTT Phénix for the French Air and Space Army. The Senate adopted the bill which provides a budget hike of 4.5% compared to the 2020 budget. In 2021, the army's budget is increased to 39.2 billion euros, 1.7 billion euros more than in 2020. The main thrusts of this budget are the ramp-up of major facilities, support for the French economy and the dynamism of the regions, and an investment effort in terms of innovation, recruitment and the Family plan, Parly said. Minister Parly was quoted as saying in a MoD release, "the 2021 defense budget assignment for the third consecutive year, followed the commitments and financial trajectory of the Military Program Law (LPM) 2019-2025.” The (FCAS- French acronym SCAF) a French-German-Spanish project, received the go-ahead to commence the demonstrator phase in February this year. On February 12 the French and German governments awarded an initial framework contract to Dassault (France) and Airbus (German), besides major system partners MTU Aero Engines, Safran, MBDA, and Thales. https://www.defenseworld.net/news/28469#.X86XENhKiUk