Aerospace News

MASS and Littoral OpTech conferences converge in Atlantic CanadaThe 13th annual Maritime & Arctic Security & Safety Conference (MASS), hosted by the Atlantic Canada Aerospace & Defence Association (ACADA), and presented by Saab Canada, Inc., will be held June 14-16 at the Convention Centre in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador.ACADA represents Atlantic Canada’s aerospace and defence industry and promotes the region as a globally recognized hub of aerospace and defence excellence.“MASS brings together industry innovators…

Fincantieri has signed a memorandum of understanding with Teijin Automotive Technologies to jointly develop advanced composite bulkheads for naval vessels, marking another step in the shipbuilder’s push to expand beyond traditional steel construction.Under the agreement, Teijin Automotive Technologies—the European arm of Japan’s Teijin Group—will lead engineering and industrialization efforts, with Fincantieri providing shipbuilding support and application expertise.The collaboration is focused on non-structural bulkheads for naval applications…

Fincantieri and Teijin Automotive Technologies have signed an agreement to develop non-structural composite bulkheads for maritime vessels, as shipbuilders seek lighter materials and new design solutions for civil and naval ships.Under the memorandum of understanding, Teijin Automotive Technologies, a European unit of Japan’s Teijin, will lead engineering and industrialization activities with support from Italy’s Fincantieri, one of the world’s largest shipbuilders.The companies…

The German Aerospace Center (Deutsches Zentrum für Luft- und Raumfahrt; DLR) has celebrated the keel-laying of its seagoing technology platform at the FSG Shipyard in Flensburg.The ship, named Modularis, will serve as a floating laboratory for innovative maritime technologies. The name combines the adjective 'modular' with the Latin noun 'maris' ('of the sea'), reflecting how DLR intends to use the platform: to test innovative technologies flexibly and under real operating conditions at sea.The focus will be on climate-compatible propulsion systems…

Guice Offshore, a leader in the offshore maritime mini supply vessel specialty market, announced the return of GO Searcher to its fleet, bringing the total number of Guice Offshore-owned vessels to 19.The GO Searcher, which has played a role in pioneering aerospace operations since 2014, is a 170-ft. multi-purpose DP1 vessel featuring a helipad. She is dually certified Subchapter L&I, as well as approved for full international operations.Currently outfitted to support aerospace recovery programs…

How Electrostatic Technology Moves from Experiment to Reality Shipyards face mounting pressure to align with the maritime industry’s decarbonization goals. As vessel owners and operators explore alternative fuels, better hull designs and route optimization to cut emissions, shipyards reevaluate their own practices to keep pace. One area of focus includes the coatings application. Among emerging innovations, electrostatic spraying is now gaining traction in global marine projects.Unlike traditional airless spraying…

Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) has completed an in-orbit demonstration of its AI-based object detection system AIRIS, which identified ships from satellite imagery using a next-generation space-grade microprocessor unit.The AIRIS system, short for Artificial Intelligence Retraining In Space, combines an AI-equipped data processor with an earth observation camera developed by the Tokyo University of Science.MHI said the system operates onboard a satellite using the SOISOC4 space-grade MPU…

Iran said on Thursday it would respond with "long and painful strikes" on U.S. positions if Washington renewed attacks, and also reasserted its control over the Strait of Hormuz, complicating U.S. plans for a coalition to reopen the waterway.Two months into the U.S.-Israeli war with Iran, the vital sea channel remains closed, choking off 20% of the world's oil and gas supplies. That has sent global energy prices surging and heightened concerns about the risks of an economic downturn.Efforts to resolve the conflict have hit an impasse…

General Dynamics reported a solid start to 2026, with its maritime-focused Marine Systems segment delivering standout growth driven by continued demand for U.S. Navy shipbuilding programs.The company posted overall first-quarter revenue of $13.5 billion, up 10.3% year-over-year, but the strongest gains came from Marine Systems, where revenue jumped 21% to $4.34 billion.Operating earnings in the segment climbed even faster, rising 26.4% to $316 million, with operating margin improving…

Last August, U.S. Navy officials carrying out a test of unmanned vessels realized they had hit a single point of failure: Starlink. A global outage across Elon Musk’s satellite network affecting millions of Starlink users had left two dozen unmanned surface vessels bobbing off the California coast, disrupting communications and halting operations for almost an hour.The incident, which involved drones intended to bolster U.S. military options in a conflict with China, was one of…

RINA has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with South Korea’s Hanwha Group to promote the adoption of battery-hybrid propulsion systems in the maritime sector.The agreement involves Hanwha affiliates Hanwha Power Systems, Hanwha Aerospace and Hanwha Engine, and targets the development of hybrid propulsion solutions for both newbuild vessels and retrofits, with a focus on the roll-on/roll-off ferry segment.The partners said the collaboration aims to accelerate the transition to lower-emission vessels by combining Hanwha’s expertise in propulsion…

Vard Marine US, Inc., a subsidiary of Vard Group AS - fully owned by Italian Fincantieri Group, has been awarded a contract to participate in the Next Generation Logistics Ship (NGLS) Program. Under this contract, Vard Marine will conduct a market survey and perform concept design and refinement for the new NGLS platform, also referred to as the light replenishment oiler (T-AOL). The award also includes options that can be exercised for functional design planning and special studies.

This winter, ice on the Great Lakes is expected to impact a maritime economy valued at $35 billion. The wealth of data provided by space-based assets offers a potential lifeline for navigating these frozen waters. However, data alone is not a solution. Without the means to translate raw satellite feeds into actionable intelligence, it remains an untapped resource, a digital haystack without a needle.In response, and in partnership with the U.S. Coast Guard (USCG), Michigan recently turned to an unexpected source of innovation: a generation of digital natives.

J.F. Lehman & Company, an alternative asset manager focused on the aerospace, defense, government, maritime, environmental and infrastructure sectors, has announced that investment affiliates, including JFL Equity Investors VI, L.P., have acquired Forged Solutions Group, Inc. (FSG).With roots dating back to 1836, FSG is a provider of high specification forgings for the aerospace, defense, and space end markets with a particular focus on flight-critical, rotating aeroengine components.

Ventus Industrial Partners, a US-based private equity firm specializing in sectors critical to national security, announced the formation of Aeron Defense and the acquisitions of General Tool Company (GTC) and Magna Machine Company, in partnership with GenNx360 Capital Partners and Admiralty Partners.GTC and Magna were founded together by the Kramer family and are reuniting under the GTC name. Magna has expertise in large-part machining and turnkey large functional assemblies and will become GTC’s fourth manufacturing site.

NYK recently made an equity investment in Oceanic Constellations Inc. (OC) through a third-party allotment of new shares, funding expected to support OC’s efforts to establish a mass-production framework for unmanned surface vehicles (USVs), among other initiatives.OC, an ocean-tech startup, aims to establish a mass-production framework for USVs within the next few years. The large-scale production and social implementation of USVs will enable the creation of new marine infrastructure that contributes to addressing societal challenges such as ocean surveillance…

On February 5, NYK made an equity investment in Oceanic Constellations Inc. (OC) through a third-party allotment of new shares. The funds from this investment are expected to support OC’s efforts to establish a mass-production framework for unmanned surface vehicles (USVs), among other initiatives.OC, an ocean-tech startup, aims to establish a mass-production framework for USVs within the next few years. The large-scale production and social implementation of USVs will enable…

Elomatic, an international consulting and engineering company with expanding operations in Canada, has established a strategic partnership with Indigenous Works (IW), a prominent national Indigenous not-for-profit organization with a mandate to support the employment and inclusion for Indigenous peoples, throughout Canada.Established in 1998, Indigenous Works has significant expertise in developing inclusive labor market solutions and employer workplace inclusion strategies for Canada’s major industrial sectors.

At a general meeting of Kongsberg Gruppen on Thursday afternoon, the separation of Kongsberg Maritime was formally approved by the shareholders. The plan is to list the maritime company on the Oslo Stock Exchange on April 23.Kongsberg Gruppen ASA, as we know it today, will continue as two companies. The business areas Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace and Kongsberg Discovery will form the new KONGSBERG, while the business area Kongsberg Maritime will be spun off as its own company…

GE Aerospace's Marine Engines & Systems has received orders to supply eight LM2500 marine gas turbine engines for the U.S. Navy's next two Flight III Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyers: the future USS Intrepid (DDG 145) and USS Robert Kerrey (DDG 146). Each destroyer is powered by four LM2500 engines, providing the proven propulsion power that has made the Arleigh Burke class the backbone of the U.S. Navy's surface fleet for over three decades.As of January 2025, 74 Arleigh Burke-class destroyers are active with GE Aerospace’s LM2500 engines being the prime mover for propulsion.

Together with its sister company Hanwha Ocean, Q ENERGY France, a Hanwha company, has announced its participation in the pre-qualification process to participate in a call for bids for seabed licenses to develop offshore wind projects in Nova Scotia, Canada.The move underscores the company’s ambition to contribute to Canada’s clean energy transition through large-scale, sustainable offshore wind developments.As part of the Hanwha Group, one of South Korea’s leading global business groups…

The chairman of Italy's Leonardo on Monday floated the idea of a future combination between the defence and aerospace group and state‑controlled shipbuilder Fincantieri.Speaking at a conference at Milan's Bocconi University, Stefano Pontecorvo told an audience that he hoped the two groups could one day merge, addressing his remark to Claudio Cisilino, Fincantieri’s executive vice‑president for operations, who was sitting in the audience.“I hope that one day a merger between us might be possible," said Pontecorvo, without elaborating.Fincantieri and Leonardo, both controlled by the Italian stat

A majority of German business associations expect job cuts in 2026 as the country's economic crisis persists, with industry hit hardest by global protectionism and weak exports, a survey by the German Economic Institute IW showed on Monday.Of 46 business associations surveyed, 22 anticipate workforce reductions next year. Only nine expect to increase hiring and 15 foresee stable employment levels.The automotive, paper and textile industries are among those expecting production declines.