Following years of uncertainty, the aerospace and defense industry is on the brink of a mergers and acquisitions boom, according to a new Deloitte report. Specifically, the study shows many companies are well-positioned to take strategic advantage of consolidation opportunities, particularly at the supplier level, due to pent-up demand, available capital and favorable valuations. And,…

A Broad Area Maritime Surveillance Demonstrator unmanned aircraft being tested by the U.S. Navy crashed June 11 at approximately 12:11, EST, near Bloodsworth Island in Dorchester County, Md. approximately 22 miles east of Naval Air Station Patuxent River, Md. No one was injured and no property was damaged at the unpopulated swampy crash site. Navy…

Ryan speaks out against military cuts   Republican Paul Ryan says Mitt Romney will prevent planned cuts to the U.S. military if elected president. The GOP vice presidential hopeful spoke to supporters Aug. 23 in Fayetteville, N.C., home to the Fort Bragg Army base and a large number of military families. Ryan warned of the…

NASA’s planned flight to New York City of space shuttle Enterprise atop the 747 Shuttle Carrier Aircraft has been postponed until further notice due to an unfavorable weather forecast for April 23. To ensure a safe flight for Enterprise and the SCA, NASA managers, in consultation with the Intrepid Sea, Air and Space Museum, decided…

On July 3, President Barack Obama appointed Dr. Jamie Morin to serve as the acting undersecretary of the Air Force. He will serve in this capacity effective immediately and until such time as a new undersecretary is nominated by the president and confirmed by the Senate. Morin said he welcomed the new responsibilities. “I appreciate…

Should veterans deemed too mentally incompetent to handle their own financial affairs be prevented from buying a gun? The issue, for a time last week, threatened to become the biggest sticking point in a $631 billion defense bill for reshaping a military that is disengaging from a decade of warfare. Sen. Tom Coburn, R-Okla., sought…

Army launches review of PTSD diagnoses The U.S. Army is launching a sweeping, independent review of how it evaluates and diagnoses soldiers with possible post-traumatic stress disorder following recent complaints that some PTSD diagnoses were improperly overturned. The Army says it is reviewing the diagnoses at all of its medical facilities going back to 2001….

NTSB: Fan shaft failed on 787 during taxi test   The National Transportation Safety Board says a fan shaft failed on a Boeing 787 Dreamliner engine during a taxi test at Charleston International Airport. The investigation into the failure of the engine on July 28 is ongoing. The engine was built by General Electric. NTSB…

Virginia is preparing for potential base realignments and closures by hiring a consultant to study the state’s military assets. The Alexandria-based Spectrum Group will develop a closure risk assessment for each military base in the state. The company will report its findings the state’s Commission on Military Installations and Defense Activities. The Spectrum Group is…

The acquisition of Goodrich by United Technologies Corp. hit a stumbling block March 27 when the European Commission postponed its deadline for ruling on the bid until Aug. 9. The commission wants to look at the deal in more detail amidst concerns that it could impact competition for AC power generators and engine controls. “The…