DAY 3
AIRSHOW NEWS
JULY 24, 2024
A fully loaded Qatari F-15EX graces the clear blue skies above the Farnborough International Airshow.
OEMs MOVE TO BOOST SAF SPENDING
By Peter Shaw-Smith
Major OEMs announced significant sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) financing initiatives at the Farnborough Airshow on Tuesday in a move to wrest control of the fight against climate change away from oil companies.
A group led by Airbus and including the Air France-KLM Group, Associated Energy Group, BNP Paribas, Mitsubishi HC Capital Inc., and Qantas Airways, co-invested in a SAF financing fund to accelerate production of the green fuel. The collaborators worked with Burnham Sterling
Asset Management to establish the SAF Financing Alliance (SAFFA) investment fund, in which Airbus serves as an anchor investor. Commitments by the seven partners amount to around $200 million.
UAM
eVTOL air taxis
Hyundai’s Supernal prepares to fly eVTOL technology demonstrator | 08
ENGINES
Small turbofans
GE Aerospace and Kratos team on small, low-cost turbofan engines | 16
AIRCRAFT
Boeing, Airbus orders OEMS announce additional orders for commercial airliners and | 21
DEFENSE
Multirole fighters
U.S. Air Force expands mission set for Boeing F-15EX Eagle II multirole fighter jets | 22
Each partner might enter into priority contracts to secure SAF offtakes from the various projects in which SAFFA will invest for its allocated volumes. SAFFA’s focus centers on SAF eligible for RefuelEU Aviation or CORSIA (Carbon Offsetting and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation) certification.
continues on page 21
S-A2:
Excalibur rising: GCAP’s flight test
By David Donald
The Excalibur Flight Test Aircraft (FTA) assigned to the UK’s Future Combat Air System project and the trinational Global Combat Air Programme is taking shape on schedule. The Boeing 757, a former airliner, is being outfitted by 2Excel to carry the sensor package being developed for the FCAS, and subsequent GCAP.
Leonardo serves as the UK’s industrial sensor lead in the UK and trinational programs, and has worked closely with 2Excel in defining the FTA’s configuration. Both companies expect that the FTA could appear at the next Farnborough Air Show in its full fairing configuration, and with some elements of the FCAS/ GCAP’s Integrated Sensing and Non-Kinetic
2Excel is taking an iterative approach to modifying the 757 Flight Test Aircraft, testing the side and central fairings before returning the aircraft to Lasham for further modifications.
Effects & Integrated Communications System (ISANKE & ICS) installed.
As a first step, 2Excel created a digital twin of the Boeing 757, and then accomplished an aggressive flight test program to verify the accuracy of the digital model. The flight trials, conducted at Boscombe Down, involved aggressive maneuvers such as stalls and three-point landings. 2Excel conducted about 50 landings and completed the campaign in about half the expected time.
With the baseline measurements gathered and recording systems verified, Excalibur is now in modification with the side and center antenna fairings being installed, albeit empty
for now. Another flight test campaign will ensue, followed by further modifications. Test sensors will be installed soon after.
Excalibur initially received funding as part of the UK-only FCAS program, and is proceeding with various UK technology demonstrations. The test results will help determine the nature of the eventual trinational GCAP ISANKE & ICS, which will undergo further testing aboard the FTA.
The Excalibur operates on a full UK civil registration, with the modifications being certified under Supplemental Type Certificates, allowing the aircraft to fly anywhere in the world to perform its test duties. z
Embraer logs Super Tucano order
By Charles Alcock
Paraguay’s air force has confirmed an order for six of Embraer’s A-29 Super Tucano aircraft. Embraer plans to deliver the light attack and training platform starting in 2025 under a contract announced Tuesday that includes mission equipment and an integrated logistics services agreement.
Embraer launched export versions of the Super Tucano in April 2023 with capabilities that also cover armed reconnaissance and close air support. The program now has collected orders for more than 260 aircraft since it first entered service with Brazil’s air force in 2019.
The Paraguayan order marked the second
breakthrough deal for Embraer’s Defense & Security division at the Farnborough Airshow this week. On Monday, the Dutch and Austrian air forces signed agreements for nine of the Brazilian manufacturer’s C-390 Millennium multi-role military aircraft. Under the joint Replacement of Tactical Airlift Capacity program, five aircraft will go to the Netherlands with the remaining four to Austria.
At a press conference on Tuesday, Embraer plans to upgrade its E175 airliner with features already available on its more current E2 model. They include new luggage bins with space for each passenger to bring a bag on board, new mood lighting in the cabin, and the introduction of satellite connectivity supported by both the
GEO and LEO constellations through the Ka and Ku bands. New Recaro seats will now serve as an alternative to the standard Safran seats.
On the E-175 itself, Embraer is preparing to roll out a 2.5% improvement in fuel burn from the fourth quarter of 2025. Arjan Meijer, president and CEO of Embraer’s commercial aviation division, told reporters the company has been too conservative on fuel burn data and that the improvement will expand its competitive gap with the rival Airbus A220 aircraft.
With Pratt & Whitney, Embraer is optimizing the climb thrust on the E175’s PW1700G engines from the start of 2025. Meijer said that starting in 2026, airlines will have the option to add four more seats. z
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Boom touts progress on supersonic Overture
By Cathy Buyck
Boom Supersonic’s lofty ambition to field a Mach 1.7 commercial airliner by 2029 appears to have gained momentum as maintenance partner StandardAero agreed to test and assemble the airplanes’ Symphony engines at its facility in Texas.
Here in Farnborough, Boom also debuted the aircraft’s Honeywell Anthem avionics suite, which now incorporates Universal Avionics’ ClearVision enhanced flight vision system. The system installed on the Overture will include Universal’s second-generation head-wearable device, SkyLens II, along with the EVS-5000 multispectral camera, connected switches, computer units, and the Aperture visual management system.
Speaking at the Farnborough Airshow Tuesday, Boom CEO Blake Scholl reiterated expectations that the Overture aircraft will gain certification and enter service by 2029.
“We remain on track to having passengers in the air in five years’ time,” said Scholl. “Passengers and airlines are hungry for supersonic flight...As we stand here at Farnborough in 2024, it’s now been two decades since either Boeing or Airbus have launched an all-new airliner program, so we’ve stopped progressing—and in many ways, we’ve gone backwards,” he remarked.
“Passengers and airliners are not well served by the duopoly we have, and I believe
Turkey’s indigenous helicopter soars at FIA
Turkish Aerospace Industries’ new T625 Gökbey twin-engine light transport/utility helicopter made its first-ever international flights at the Farnborough Airshow this week.
Boom Supersonic is showcasing the Honeywell Anthem avionics suite and a new enhanced flight vision system for the Overture supersonic commercial airliner at the Farnborough Airshow.
what is important is that all of us can travel faster, travel better, and experience what it’s like to live not just in our cities but on the planet,” he added. “To do that, we need supersonic flight. We need to make faster airplanes and develop airplanes faster.”
Boom decided to develop its own turbofan engine because Rolls-Royce, Pratt & Whitney, and GE declined to offer one. The company expects its full-scale engine to become operational in late 2025.
Hardware rig tests of the Symphony have begun, and Boom will conduct more than 30 such tests to allow for validation and optimization of key engine components.
StandardAero had previously signed up to provide maintenance, repair, and overhaul Symphony engines, and the partnership will now include engine assemblies at its facility in San Antonio, Texas. The Symphony assembly line will scale to produce 330 engines per year in 100,000 sq ft of factory space.
“We are excited to expand our role to include the assembly and testing of Symphony engines, further supporting the development of next-generation flight with Boom,” said StandardAero CEO Russell Ford.
Additionally, Boom announced it will team with ATI for advanced high-temperature materials and components for Symphony’s high-pressure compressor integrated blade and disk stages, as well as the turbine assembly. Advanced nickel-based superalloys will enable the Symphony to achieve high performance and reliability in sustained supersonic operation. z
ITP Aero supports Pratt & Whitney’s PW800 engine for Gulfstream 400, 500, and 600 business jets.
ITP Aero reaps growth from new engine roles
By Charles Alcock
In the two years since Rolls-Royce sold ITP Aero to Bain Capital, the Spain-based aero engines and components group has unleashed its independence to expand both its manufacturing and aftermarket businesses through connections with Rolls-Royce rivals.
While it remains a supplier to the Trent family of engines, ITP now also benefits from the positions it has on Pratt & Whitney’s Geared Turbofan and Honeywell’s HTF7000, as well as involvement with Airbus’s ZeroE hydrogen airliner program and as the Spanish engine partner for Europe’s Future Combat Air System.
“This is a long cycle business and our growth has come from being new platforms but also from the market recovery,” ITP Aero president Eva Azoulay told AIN. In the last full financial year, it increased revenues by 25% and earnings by 50%, and the uptick seems to be continuing as the company expands its customer base.
ITP Aero now also reaps the rewards from increased investment in new technology, with more than $600 million spent on research and development in recent years. Much of the focus centers on new materials and additive manufacturing.
On Monday ITP became the first aircraft engine maker to receive EASA design organization approval and the corresponding production organization approval from the Spanish Air Security Agency for structural
components manufactured with additive layer technology. The certified structural components are vanes for the rear structure of the Europrop TP400 engine for the Airbus A400M military transport aircraft.
ITP Aero is now building its new Admire research-and-development center at Zamudio in Spain. The €24 million ($26 million) investment will support further advances in digital and advanced manufacturing techniques.
On Tuesday, Pratt & Whitney Canada extended the MRO contract under which ITP Aero supports mid-turbine frames and the low-pressure compressor on PW800 engines for Gulfstream G400, G500, and G600 business jets. Under the contract first signed in 2021, ITP serves as a risk and revenue partner in the support offering for the engines.
To expand production capacity as it confronts the same supply chain issues experienced across the industry, ITP Aero is expanding its casting capabilities in Mexico. Last year, the group’s global workforce across six countries grew by 11% to more than 5,500 people. According to Azoulay, the U.S. is proving to be the hardest employment market in which to recruit key skills.
“Resilience and agility are strengths for us, allowing us to support production ramp-ups,” Azoulay said. “But what keeps me awake at night is getting the right people into the company and training them to enable growth and how to work better with our suppliers.” z
Ukraine’s
Antonov
and Boeing join forces on drones, defense projects
Boeing and the Antonov Company from Ukraine signed a memorandum of understanding Monday to explore potential collaborative projects in the defense sector. The studies center on the potential for Antonov to join the training, logistical support, and overhaul for the ScanEagle, a small surveillance and reconnaissance UAV built by Boeing subsidiary Insitu.
“A strong, innovative, and efcient defense industry is key to sustainable economic development and national security, and we are extremely excited to collaborate with Boeing,” said Antonov CEO Ievhen Gavrylov. “This agreement brings a whole new level of opportunity to implement the latest and most efective solutions, in addition to the possibility of future projects with Boeing in the aerospace and defense industry.”
Antonov is best known for making large airliners and cargo aircraft, including the An-225 Mriya, the world’s largest aircraft until it was destroyed in 2022 during the opening rounds of the current war in Ukraine. Boeing earlier assisted Antonov by supplying some parts that became unavailable following Russia’s annexation of Crimea in 2014. D.D.
Boeing Defense, Space & Security CEO Ted Colbert (front left) and Antonov CEO Ievhen Gavrylov (right) signed an MOU to explore collaboration in the defense sector.
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13-15 November 2024
Sakhir Airbase, Kingdom of Bahrain
Hyundai’s Supernal prepares for first flight
By Charles Alcock
Supernal’s four-passenger S-A2 eVTOL aircraft is making its international debut at the Farnborough Airshow this week. For many, it will offer a first glimpse of a new mode of public transportation intended to break the tyranny of crowded roads in and around cities.
The company’s engineering team is now building a full-scale technology demonstrator version of the all-electric aircraft that it aims to start flying later this year. On Monday, GKN Aerospace delivered the first composite wings, with booms set to arrive at Supernal’s California facility by the end of this month. The aircraft will prepare the way for the first S-A2 prototype, which the company expects to be ready for flight in 2025.
“We want to push the limits of the technology with the demonstrator to see what is feasible for entry into service in 2028,” explained Supernal CEO Jaiwon Shin. “We’re doing this before we go straight to a prototype because we can mature some systems like the flight controls and energy storage, and it also builds our teamwork.”
Shin also serves as president of South Korea’s Hyundai Motor Group, which owns Supernal. He said that the automotive manufacturer’s executive chairman Euisun Chung has a strong personal commitment to advanced air mobility, providing backing that allows the company to take a somewhat more patient and methodical approach to readying a vehicle for commercial service.
“His vision is that we should be working for progress to help humanity. It might sound idealistic, but he really means it because he feels we are indebted to our customers,” Shin said. Essentially, Hyundai believes that while it is putting new cars on the highway every day, it carries a responsibility and an opportunity to address what Shin called “pain points” in terms of traffic congestion and environmental impact.
When the S-A2 enters service, it will fly to a range of around 52 nm and a cruise speed of 104 knots. Supernal has indicated it will operate the aircraft itself in some early use cases but also expects to make fleets available to third-party operators.
“We’re talking with potential customers, including some airlines,” Shin explained. “We think there could be a lot of demand for sightseeing and public services like medical evacuation, and alternatives to today’s helicopter ferry services could be another market.”
Rapid Production Ramp-up Required
As it accelerates engineering work toward initial FAA type certification, Supernal is conducting a comprehensive analysis of all potential markets for eVTOL aircraft.
“In the first five years, this will be a small market, said Shin. “First, we need to get the public to accept this. We’re not replacing anything; we’re augmenting transportation
options so safety is of the utmost importance. If we cannot demonstrate that the vehicle is as safe as commercial aviation, the market will not open up.”
Supernal wants to be ready for rapid acceleration in building the S-A2, and Hyundai’s backing could prove very helpful.
“When the market starts scaling up, it’s not going to be just 30 aircraft per month,” Shin predicted. “It’s going to be an order of magnitude, and maybe two times higher [in terms of production rates]. The name of the game will be who can produce that many vehicles with consistent quality, and so our mantra is getting the right product at the right time rather than getting to market first.”
Hyundai’s worldwide presence will help fulfill Supernal’s desire to achieve a seamless integration of ground and air transportation. While the U.S. is an important market, the company wants to be ready to deliver and operate aircraft anywhere.
Although it is not an FAA requirement, Supernal has committed to achieving the 10 ⁹ safety standard required by Europe’s EASA regulator. Shin said the company is carefully considering where to prioritize service entry, based in part on its capability to support operators with maintenance. z
Supernal plans to begin flight tests with a full-scale technology demonstrator for its S-A2 eVTOL aircraft later this year. A mockup is on display at the Farnborough Airshow.
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Lufthansa Technik to modify 787 cabins
By David Donald
Lufthansa Technik will become a BoeingLicensed Service Center (BLSC) for cabin modifications to the 787 Dreamliner in its capacity as an external MRO service provider, the German company said Monday at the Farnborough Airshow. Lufthansa operates a global network of facilities and recently completed base maintenance work on a 787 at its Malta site.
“This is a great endorsement from Boeing of Lufthansa Technik’s outstanding cabin
modification services,” said Lufthansa Technik chief operating officer Harald Gloy. “Customers looking to modify the interior of their Dreamliner will be able to find the full range of services from us.”
The company can design new interiors, provide engineering, and perform integration
The Boeing 787 will undergo cabin modifications performed by Lufthansa Technik.
to customer requirements. As a BLSC it can also cover certification. The agreement complements Boeing’s own interior modification capabilities, and also expands customer choice and the options on offer. Lufthansa Technik expects to complete the first 787 cabin modifications next year. z
Hanwha reveals Korean fighter engine
South Korea-based Hanwha Aerospace is unveiling its indigenously-developed fighter engine for the first time at the Farnborough Airshow. The 15,000-pound thrust class powerplant is “on a par with GE’s F414,” said the company.
Hanwha is developing its own engine that could power the KAI KF-21 Boramae indigenous fighter in its Block III incarnation from the mid-2030s. Apart from generating similar thrust output to the GE Aerospace F414 that powers initial production KF-21s, little detail has emerged concerning the new powerplant. The new engine is also earmarked for future unmanned combat aircraft.
In April Hanwha Aerospace celebrated the delivery over 45 years of 10,000 gas turbine engines, which included license-built General Electric J79s for F-4 aircraft, F110s for F-15s and F-16s, and F404s for the KAI T-50/FA-50 family. Homegrown products have also been built for missiles and auxiliary power units,
and the company ranks as a top-tier partner to global engine giants GE Aerospace, Pratt & Whitney, and Rolls-Royce.
Around the same time, the company began constructing a facility at its Changwon Plant 1 site to build F414 engines for
the first production batch of the KF-21. Last month it received a $400 million contract from South Korea’s Defense Acquisition Program Administration to supply more than 40 F414s with related spares and support for Boramae production. D.D.
South Korea’s indigenously built fighter engine, on display at the Farnborough Airshow, produces 15,000 pounds of thrust, on par with GE’s F414 engine.
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Tata turns to quantum computing and AI
By: Charles Alcock
Rolls-Royce’s work to develop a hydrogen fuel system for aircraft propulsion has provided a new opportunity for Tata Consultancy Services to deploy its IT expertise to address complex aerospace challenges. On Monday, the Mumbai-based group said it is expanding its partnership with the engine maker to support its efforts to demonstrate the viability of hydrogen fuel, initially on a Pearl engine demonstrator.
According to Anupam Singhal, TCS’s president of manufacturing, the company has worked with Rolls-Royce since 2010, supporting the design of components, systems integration, and supply chain management. It also has engaged in manufacturing engineering, control systems, and software, as well as improving aftermarket product support.
Ongoing supply chain difficulties throughout the aerospace and defense sectors have prompted TCS to apply its skills to help companies boost resiliency with its new Supply Chain Navigator platform.
“We can help them to access the issues they face and assess what inventory model they should apply to meet future needs,” Singhal told AIN. “We can assess both structured and unstructured information covering everything that could impact the supply chain, using artificial intelligence to understand the implications of local conditions that could include weather or political events.”
Tata Consultancy Services supports Rolls-Royce’s efforts to develop hydrogen fuel systems through its expertise in artificial intelligence and quantumcomputing tech.
Increasingly, the TCS team is applying AI and quantum computing to support airlines, too, with tasks such as managing maintenance, repair and overhaul of fleets, and improving customer interactions. The company’s Smart Journeys tool provides synthetic data for pilots so that they have full visibility of weather conditions that could result in turbulence.
TCS also is focused on designing lightweight composite materials that could reduce aircraft weight and, by extension, fuel consumption. It is working on a proof of concept for this approach with an undisclosed aircraft manufacturer. z
Artemis+ boosts phone detection tech
By Cathy Buyck
Smith Myers has added several capabilities to its Artemis mobile phone detection, location, and communication system that the UK company says “will take the sensor into new operational environments with new customers.”
“The effectiveness of Artemis across a broad range of use cases has become clear as we continue to field more systems in different roles,” explained Smith Myers managing director Andrew Munro. “We have continued to hone and evolve the capability to meet these new demands.”
Smith Myers has recently signed several
multi-year delivery contracts with a variety of customers, including law enforcement, military, search and rescue, aerial firefighting, maritime, border, and environmental control agencies. The contracts encompass both factory-fitted programs and retrofits for existing fleets across Europe, North America, and Southeast Asia.
The Artemis airborne systems are designed for use on any fixed or rotary wing aircraft, both crewed and remotely piloted.
New capabilities of the Artemis+ next-generation system, which Smith Myers revealed this week at the Farnborough Airshow, include cellular mission analysis tools, advanced cellular interactions, mission replay, improved
real-time and post-mission mapping, and system output power control. Existing Artemis systems are compatible with the new capability set via a software update.
Smith Myers also announced a features upgrade for the Artemis simulator. z
GE, Kratos team on low-cost turbofans
By: David Donald
GE Aerospace and Kratos Turbine Technologies (KTT), a division of Kratos Defense and Security Solutions, signed a memorandum of understanding at Farnborough on Monday to develop and produce a family of small, affordable turbofan engines. Intended to meet the rapidly expanding market for powering a range of uncrewed aircraft, the engines could power collaborative combat aircraft (CCAs, “loyal wingmen”), loitering munitions, and cruise missiles. The deal will replace an earlier joint development agreement that also covers full-scal e production.
Kratos, which has developed a range of disruptive unmanned air systems, has been working on a small turbofan that KTT has ground-tested. Kratos partnered with GE over a year ago to further development,
resulting in the new GEK family that started with the GEK800 engine offering 800 pounds of thrust. Developed with scalability in mind, the design delivers a ceiling thrust level of around 3,000 pounds. The first engines are almost ready for further testing, with altitude trials due to begin next year at GE’s facilities in Evendale, Ohio.
Destined chiefly for uncrewed combat applications such as CCAs and missiles, the engines do not need the level of durability and high-cycle capability of conventional engines for aircraft with crews on board. Instead, the design allows for a life lasting a few hundred cycles, rather than several
Kratos Defense and Security Solutions president and CEO
Eric DeMarco (left) and GE Aerospace Defense and Systems president and CEO Amy Gowder signed an MOU to collaborate on small engine development at the Farnborough Airshow on Monday.
thousand, enabling significant cost savings.
For GE, the project represents somewhat of a new discipline, requiring the adoption of novel design and manufacturing approaches to meet growing demand for affordable mass. For Kratos, the agreement answers the need to partner with a major engine OEM to develop and bring the engines into largescale production.
The companies will build the GEK family in a new facility, the site of which remains under discussion with state and other authorities. The first platform applications have already been determined but remain classified for now. z
Hybrid SWITCH passes design review
By Charles Alcock
RTX completed a preliminary design review for the hybrid-electric propulsion demonstrator it is developing under the SWITCH project funded by the EU Clean Aviation initiative, the group announced Monday. The milestone is part of ongoing work to demonstrate hybrid-electric and water-enhanced turbofan technology to improve fuel efficiency and reduce emissions on airliners.
The consortium behind the SWITCH
(Sustainable Water Injecting Turbofan Comprising Hybrid-Electrics) program encompasses RTX companies Pratt & Whitney and Collins, as well as MTU Aero Engines, GKN, and Airbus. The demonstrator combines a P&W Geared Turbofan engine with a pair of Collins 2-megawatt electric motor generators mounted on the low and high spools of the engine.
Collins developed the powertrain’s motor controllers, high-voltage wiring, and batteries. It will test the demonstrator at The Grid—its electric power systems
development facility in Rockford, Illinois.
“Completing the preliminary design review is a significant milestone towards demonstrating the potential of hybrid-electric technology to enhance the performance and efficiency of next-generation aircraft propulsion systems,” said RTX chief technology officer Juan de Bedout.
RTX is involved in other carbon-reducing demonstrator programs, including STEP-Tech and the RTX hybrid-electric flight demonstrator supported by the governments of Canada and Quebec. z
Raytheon ramps up missile production
By David Donald
RTX business Raytheon is speeding production of its AIM-120 AMRAAM and AIM-9X Sidewinder air-to-air missiles in response to increased demand from the U.S. Air Force and Navy, which serve as the contracting agencies for all domestic and international sales. The increase in part reflects the large number of recent F-35 sales.
Whereas previous annual production rates varied considerably, the demand for both missile types has settled into a new, higher rate that is likely to remain steady for the next few years. For the AIM-120, the U.S. Program of Record expires with Lot 42 in around six years’ time. After that, production will be for foreign military sales customers in the absence of follow-on domestic orders.
Currently, AIM-120 production is for Lot 36, with 1,160 missiles on order, requiring RTX to increase its production rate to a nominal 1,200 missiles per year. A shift to building only the latest AIM-120C8 and D3 versions facilitated the ramp-up.
AMRAAM is subject to continuous development, with the focus now on an extended-range version, of which about 600 have gone to Qatar. The AMRAAM-ER (extended range) is a surface-launched version for use with the NASAMS launcher, combining the AIM-120C-8 front end with a larger 10-inch diameter rocket motor from partner Nammo in conjunction
with Kongsberg. The first test-fire took place at Andøya in Norway in February.
RTX has studied an air-launched version using the AIM-120D-3 front end and briefed the concept to the U.S. Air Force and Navy. The ER weapon fits inside the internal bays of the F-22 and F-35 fighters and could provide significantly increased range and intercept speed when fired from the Navy’s F/A-18E/F Super Hornets.
Meanwhile, AIM-9X production stands at 1,400 per year but is rising to 2,500 by Lot 25 (2025) and could grow further. The missile is in use with U.S. services and 32 international customers, including the Czech Republic— the latest country to order the weapon for its F-35s. RTX is looking for a third rocket motor supplier to cater to expected future demand.
RTX’s other main air-launched weapon program, the GBU-53 StormBreaker, also is progressing well. Last year the F-35 integration trials effort involved 14 launches, all of which proved successful. Plans call for the weapon to achieve initial operating capability with the Navy’s Super Hornets before the end of the year. The GBU-53 (formerly Small Diameter Bomb II) is a network-enabled precision strike weapon with an advanced triple-seeker (millimeter-wave radar, imaging infrared, laser designation). The F-35 can carry up to eight of them in its internal bays, and it already operates on the F-15E Strike Eagle. z
RTX’s AIM-9X (top) and AIM-120 are in high demand. The company is increasing production rates to meet requirements.
Electronic defense tech reaches new heights
Rome, Italy-based ELT Group is showcasing a range of electronic defense technologies at the Farnborough Airshow this week, with a special emphasis on its solutions in the field of electromagnetic spectrum operations.
Its ongoing R&D work aims to make electromagnetic spectrum operations interoperable and integrated across all operational domains, extending the company’s capabilities beyond defense to space and cybersecurity.
“ELT Group continues its important role in upgrading the self-protection system of the EFA Typhoon aircraft to enable the platform to operate at its best in the years to come, in a context of continually evolving operational requirements and with technological solutions that will facilitate the transition to the future generation of fighter aircraft,” the company said in a written statement.
The company contributes its electronics know-how to the Global Combat Air Program (GCAP), an international consortium developing a sixth-generation fighter jet. ELT’s oferings include alarm, surveillance, intelligence, and active countermeasure solutions integrated in a sensor layer that harbors embedded management capabilities to allocate operational priorities. P.S.-S.
Milan gears up for eVTOL air taxi services
By Charles Alcock
Work has begun to establish a network of eVTOL air taxi services in and around Milan in northern Italy. Under a partnership launched Tuesday at the Farnborough Airshow, German eVTOL aircraft developer Lilium teamed with SEA Milan Airports and Skyports Infrastructure to develop vertiports. Their first route will connect Malpensa Airport with the city center.
According to Lilium, commercial operations
with its four- to six-passenger Lilium Jet—which initially will fly to a range of around 95 nm— could start in 2027. The company aims to complete EASA type certification by the end of 2025 and start initial deliveries in 2026.
The Lombardy region, with Milan at its center, accounts for almost one-fifth of the Italian population and draws around 37 million visitors each year. Malpensa Airport now accommodates an annual throughput of about 26 million passengers.
Skyports is laying plans to develop vertiports
at multiple locations around the world and already has forged partnerships with other eVTOL aircraft manufacturers, including Wisk and Volocopter. It is now establishing a joint venture with SEA, and its shareholder 2i Aeroporti to advance plans in Italy.
On Monday, Lilium reported an expansion of its Power-On services to support all aspects of eVTOL operations, including aircraft maintenance. It also released survey findings showing that 71% of the UK population want the option to fly on zero-carbon aircraft. z
Aussie start-up plans eVTOL network
Australian start-up airline Wilbur Air plans to operate up to 100 of the five-passenger Integrity eVTOL aircraft under development by Spanish start-up Crisalion Mobility. The companies announced an agreement covering the pre-orders for the battery-electric vehicles on Wednesday at the Farnborough Airshow.
Wilbur Air is a subsidiary of Melbourne-based advanced air mobility infrastructure developer Skyportz. It plans to operate the aircraft, which will operate at a range of up to around 71 nm to connect a network of vertiports it intends to build in cities across the country, in some cases using existing locations such as car parks.
Crisalion has developed its patented FlyFree propulsion and stability system, with four sets of quad-rotor units attached to a pair of booms on a fixed wing. It believes this will deliver a higher degree of control and
reliability than rival lift-and-cruise and multicopter eVTOL designs. The technology uses control software to “translate” pilot inputs into the 16 rotors and has been developed with a company called Technalia.
The company aims to have the piloted
Integrity certified and ready to enter service in 2030, operating at speeds of up to 136 knots. In addition to passenger flights, it envisions applications such as freight deliveries, emergency service support, and tourist sightseeing. C.A.
Australian regional airline start-up
Wilbur Air plans to operate up to 100 Integrity eVTOL air taxis, which can fly up to around 70 nm on a single charge.
The Lilium Jet could taxi passengers around northern Italy from 2027.
Remote carriers make F’boro debut
By David Donald
While the defense spotlight at Farnborough falls naturally on the Anglo-Italian-Japanese Global Combat Air Program (GCAP), the rival Franco-German-Spanish Future Combat Air System (FCAS) is also evident. Part of the program involves uncrewed remote carriers (RCs) that can accompany the crewed FCAS core fighter. Two potential concepts are on show at Farnborough following their debuts at the ILA Berlin Airshow last month.
The systems represent the large and small end of the RC spectrum, and both reflect a need expressed by the German Air Force for such vehicles available before the FCAS fighter enters service—slated for 2040—so that they can partner and support the Luftwaffe’s Eurofighter and F-35 fighters in the 2030s. Other air arms have also voiced a desire for such capability ahead of the next generation of fighters entering service.
Remote carriers intend to add “combat mass” and to take over some of the highrisk mission elements from the crewed fighters. As such, they will perform a variety of roles, such as attacks with weapons in high-risk airspace, decoy duties, reconnaissance, electronic warfare, and defense suppression. The vehicles are network-enabled so that they can “talk” to each other and be controlled by the fighter or other sources. Air vehicle design allows for the carriage of varying payloads, according to mission requirements. The required flexibility also dictates a variation in size and performance characteristics.
In the static display, Airbus is showing its Wingman concept for a large, stealthy remote
has a full-scale
carrier. The full-scale mockup represents an Airbus Germany design exercise for a large transonic remote carrier rather than specific projects. However, it exhibits the characteristics expected in such a vehicle, notably its advanced aerodynamics, low-observable shape, and internal weapon/sensor payload bays.
Also appearing in Farnborough, Diehl Defence’s Feanix (Future Effector – Adaptable, Networked Intelligent, Xpendable) weighs less than 300 kilograms and measures under 4 meters in length. As with Airbus’s larger vehicle, it is low-observable, has a long-range, and can carry a variety of mission-specific payloads, including destructive effectors. It is network-enabled and can conduct swarming missions with other remote carriers.
Whereas the heavy RCs are expected to survive several missions due to their cost, the light RCs are considered expendable. This, in turn, means they have to be affordable enough to be available in sufficient numbers to provide the required levels of “combat mass.”
Diehl Defence has been increasingly involved in studying light RCs, using its own funds. It has launched the Feanix as a product, one it hopes will fill a forthcoming gap in capability as air arms await the fielding of sixth-generation fighters. z
Airbus Racer soars past speed target
Airbus’s Racer high-speed helicopter demonstrator has surpassed its 220-knot cruise speed target, topping 227 knots. It achieved the feat during a flight test on June 21 with chief flight test pilot Hervé Jammayrac at the helm, accompanied by flight test engineers Dominique Fournier and Christophe Skorlic. Since its debut flight in April, the Racer has already cleared most of its envelope in just seven flights and nine flight hours. Further tests will complete envelope clearance and validate single-engine operations—a vital part of the Racer’s emissions-reducing trials, in which one of the helicopter’s two Safran Aneto-1X engines that power the hybrid-electric powerplant will be shut down during the cruise.
Airbus expects fuel consumption to be reduced by about 20% using this “eco-mode” in cruise. The helicopter’s architecture also provides a lower acoustic footprint. D.D.
Airbus
mockup of its Wingman concept for a large remote carrier on display (above), while Diehl Defence is showcasing its Feanix light remote carrier concept (below). PHOTOS:
Show orders keep flowing
By Cathy Buyck
Several OEMs signed commercial orders during the second day of the Farnborough Airshow, reflecting the industry’s resilience as it emerges from the doldrums of the Covid pandemic and despite trepidation over geopolitical tensions and war.
Qatar Airways confirmed its purchase of 20 Boeing 777-9s, expanding its 777X order book to 94 aircraft. The Doha-based airline now has 60 of the 777-9 passenger airplanes on order and 34 smaller 777-8 freighters. In addition to the 777X family, Qatar Airways has ordered 12 Boeing 787 Dreamliners and 25 737 Max jets.
Macquarie AirFinance purchased 20 Boeing 737-8s, doubling the lessor’s existing 737-8 order book. Virgin Atlantic signed a contract for seven A330neo widebodies as part of its wider fleet transformation while Japan Airlines (JAL) confirmed a commitment announced earlier this year with Airbus for 20 A350-900s and 11 single-aisle A321neos. The A321neo contract represents
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Many believe that the urgency of developing SAF has increased the pressure on the world’s top OEMs to take steps to deliver the fuel type, after demand for cleaner fuels has met with painfully slow progress. Oil and gas companies seem keen as ever to press ahead with the development of new hydrocarbon wells and resources.
In a separate development, Boeing and investment firm Clear Sky are collaborating to accelerate SAF development. An initial project aims to increase SAF production in the UK.
“SAF offers the greatest opportunity to decarbonize aviation, and the industry’s collective challenge of bringing it to scale globally requires new sustainable pathways,” said Brian Moran, Boeing’s chief sustainability officer. “Clear Sky combines many years of investment expertise with knowledge on aviation’s
JAL’s first order for the Airbus single-aisle product line.
Libyan airline Berniq Airways has placed a firm order with Airbus for six A320neo family aircraft. The airline already operates six A320s and intends to introduce more regional and international routes.
De Havilland Aircraft of Canada also announced orders. Colombia’s Servicio Aéreo a Territorios Nacionales (Satena) signed a firm agreement for eight DHC-6 Twin Otter
aircraft; Pegasus Air Services finalized the purchase of a DHC-6 Series 400 Twin Otter; and an undisclosed airline signed a definitive purchase agreement to acquire a Twin Otter Series 400. Deliveries of the Satena aircraft are scheduled to start later this year. In addition, De Havilland Canada announced a purchase agreement for a Twin Otter Guardian 400 with an undisclosed European country for surveillance operations. The aircraft is scheduled for delivery in mid-2025. z
decarbonization challenges. Firefly’s technology holds transformative potential as the SAF feedstock, sewage waste, is accessible in all regions of the globe.”
According to Boeing, SAF today represents 0.1% of global jet fuel use. In the UK, the pending mandate to achieve 10% SAF in the jet-fuel mix by 2030 will require 1.2 million tonnes of SAF by 2030, increasing to 7 million tonnes by 2050, ICF’s UK Net Zero Carbon Roadmap said.
Boeing and Clear Sky’s investment demonstrates progress on the roadmap given the available UK sewage waste can meet a significant proportion of the UK’s SAF requirement.
“In a world where demand for SAF outstrips available supply, Firefly is paving the way to cost-competitive and globally available fuel,” said James Hygate, CEO of Firefly. “With the support of Clear Sky and Boeing,
we are propelling toward our goal of commercial production in the UK by 2029, and rapid replication across the globe.”
The new UK Labour Government’s SAF mandate will start in 2025 at 2% of total UK jet fuel demand, increase on a linear basis to 10% in 2030 and then to 22% in 2040. Elsewhere, B2B software services provider American Express Global Business Travel and Shell Aviation have announced a new agreement to support the growth of the Avelia SAF program, one of the world’s first book-and-claim platforms for SAF, with more than 30 corporates and airlines participating.
The Middle East has shown the potential to turn into a major SAF production hub. Ted O’Byrne, CEO of Saudi aircraft lessor AviLease, told AIN that his company was keen to bundle SAF with its leased aircraft to speed up the dissemination of the fuel technology. z
Qatar Airawys confirmed its order for 20 Boeing 777-9 widebodies, expanding its 777X order book to 94 aircraft.
The F-15EX on display at Farnborough carries considerable multirole capability.
USAF expands role of Boeing’s F-15EX Eagle II
By David Donald
Boeing’s F-15EX Eagle II brings such capability to the table that there has been evidence of a considerable re-evaluation of its mission set in U.S. Air Force service.
Following a gap between deliveries of the first two aircraft and subsequent units, the combined operational and developmental test fleet at Eglin Air Force Base in Florida has received six aircraft for trials. On June 5, Boeing delivered the first aircraft to the 123rd Fighter Squadron “Redhawks” of the Air National Guard at Portland, Oregon. It delivered a second unit to Portland in early July.
Per its original plans, the Air Force intended the bulk of F-15EX deliveries to go to the Air National Guard, primarily for homeland defense missions. Two more Air National Guard units in California and Louisiana are slated to obtain the Eagle II for that role. The Air Force also expected the two-seat aircraft to operate with a single pilot.
More recently, though, those plans have shifted as the aircraft demonstrates its considerable multirole capability. The most obvious evidence of this shift is the recent announcement that the next units to receive the type would be two active-duty squadrons within
the 18th Wing at Kadena on the Japanese island of Okinawa.
Boeing designed the F-15EX to be capable of single-pilot operations in addition to missions with a weapon systems officer in the rear cockpit. This has obvious applications to deployed operations and complex long-range strike missions and provides considerable scope for future duties such as controlling uncrewed collaborative combat aircraft.
The Eagle II is similar to the Qatari F-15QA displayed at Farnborough by Boeing test pilots en route Qatar for a delivery. The USAF’s Eagle IIs do not currently feature the QA’s conformal fuel tanks, but they are relatively simple to install should the Air Force decide to purchase them.
The F-15EX features RTX’s APG-82(V)1 AESA radar, which is already demonstrating its air-to-air performance in the U.S. Air Force’s F-15E fleet, which is being retrofitted with the new radar.
On April 13, F-15Es fitted with the APG82(V)1 engaged and shot down all of the 70-plus Shahed drones that entered their assigned sector during the mass Iranian attack on Israel. Another key system is the BAE Systems ALQ-250 EPAWSS electronic warfare suite that provides 360-degree active and passive protection for the Eagle II. z
Safran to Electrify Boeing’s X-66
Boeing has chosen Safran Electrical & Power to provide the electrical power generation system for the X-66 flight demonstrator it is manufacturing as part of NASA’s Sustainable Flight Demonstrator project. Announcing the selection on Tuesday, the company said it will also support ground and test flights for the transonic truss-braced wing concept aircraft due to begin in 2028.
The X-66 program is intended to pave the path toward possible next-generation single-aisle airliners to deliver technology leaps in fuel efciency and reductions in emissions.
The package Safran will deliver to Boeing consists of a variable frequency generator and a control unit. Providing more than 100 kilowatts of electrical power, the equipment will directly integrate with the gearbox of Pratt & Whitney’s Geared Turbofan engines.
“The technology is very well advanced, and we have done very extensive testing on the ground and demonstrated the power quality and efciency,” said Bruno Bellanger, executive vice president and general manager of Safran Electrical & Power. “We now need to demonstrate the maturity of this technology, and for that, we need to fly. It is important that everything works well together. We need to understand the gearbox architecture, the coupling, and the way it behaves.”
Safran’s X-66 project team is based at its center of excellence for non-propulsive systems at Pitstone in the UK. The company developed the equipment to be more efcient and lightweight to reduce hydro-mechanical energy losses by around 50%.
According to Bellanger, the variable frequency generator will benefit from a very high power density ratio and be fitted with multiple sensors to monitor performance during the testing. It features a brand-new voltage protection unit. C.A
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