Aerospace News

NYK and Graduate School of Engineering The University of Osaka Launch Joint R&D Initiative on Offshore Recovery Systems for Reusable RocketsNYK and the University of Osaka launched a collaboration on July 1, 2026, to advance an offshore recovery system for reusable rockets being developed by NYK under a Space Strategy Fund project of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency. Through this collaboration, NYK and the University of Osaka will jointly advance research and development on offshore recovery vessels for reusable rockets and related systems.

Fincantieri's subsidiary WASS Submarine Systems and Magellan Aerospace Corporation have signed a memorandum of understanding to explore industrial cooperation aimed at supporting Canada's underwater defense capabilities.The agreement establishes a framework for the two companies to identify and develop areas of cooperation related to heavyweight torpedoes and torpedo countermeasure systems.Under the arrangement, WASS and Magellan will assess opportunities for Canadian industrial participation across a range of activities…

A leadership transition is underway at Neptun Werft, and Leif Eisenheim will become Managing Director and CEO of the Rostock-Warnemünde shipbuilding company, part of the Meyer Werft Group, effective December 1, 2026, or earlier if possible.Eisenheim succeeds Stephan Happe, who assumed interim leadership of the shipyard at the beginning of this year. Happe will remain in Neptun Werft’s management team until December 31, 2026, ensuring an orderly transition at the top of the company.A native of Hamburg…

On June 1, Robert J. Harvey of Florida was sworn in as a Commissioner of the Federal Maritime Commission.Harvey was nominated by President Trump on September 3, 2025, to serve on the Commission for a term expiring on June 30, 2029. The United States Senate confirmed his nomination on May 18, 2026, and President Trump appointed him to the Commission on May 28, 2026.Harvey previously served as the President and Executive Director of the Florida Opportunity Fund, a not-for-profit corporation investing in Florida-based start-up companies in life sciences…

Schottel is expanding its international network with the establishment of a new subsidiary in India. With Schottel India Sales and Service Private Limited, the German propulsion company is further strengthening its presence in a rapidly developing maritime market and creating the basis to deepen collaboration with local customers and partners. Based in Pune, the new subsidiary will focus on newbuild and retrofit sales as well as after-sales service, enabling Schottelto provide responsive…

Oil prices rose more than 3% on Monday after Iran and the U.S. traded strikes and Israel ordered troops to move further into Lebanon in its battle with Tehran-backed Hezbollah.U.S. crude futures CLc1 rose $2.88 or 3.3% to $90.24 a barrel as of 0701 GMT. Brent LCOc1 futures rose $2.78 or 3.05% to $93.9 a barrel.The fighting, after Washington hosted Israel-Lebanon peace talks on Friday, dimmed hopes that the U.S. and Iran could soon announce an extension to their ceasefire, which had driven Brent and WTI to settle down 1.8% and 1.7%, respectively, on Friday.The U.S.

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…