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Lockheed Martin Photography By Garry Tice 1011 Lockheed Way, Palmdale, Ca. 93599 Event: X-59 - Glamour Shoot Day Date: 12/12/2023 Additional Info:

Skunk Works® Rolls Out X-59, NASA’s Newest X-Plane

January 12, 2024 / WIL BALDWIN

Palmdale, California, January 12, 2024, PRNewswire – Lockheed Martin Skunk Works^® (NYSE: LMT) rolled out the X-59, a unique experimental aircraft designed to quiet the sonic boom, at a ceremony in Palmdale, California. The ceremony marked a significant milestone in Lockheed Martin’s and NASA’s decades-long journey to solve one of the most persistent challenges of supersonic flight, the sonic boom.

Rollout ceremonies are a long-standing aviation tradition, and in the case of the X-59, it celebrated technical advancements, collaboration and innovation that stemmed from years of research, development and production of a one-of-a-kind technology demonstrator aircraft that will reduce the loudness of sonic booms to a gentle thump.

Next, the aircraft will complete ground tests including engine-run and taxi tests before its next major milestone, first flight, later this year. After the aircraft is validated in initial flight tests, it will move into the acoustic testing phase. This phase will include flights over populated areas to provide U.S. and international regulators with statistically valid data required to help approve new rules that could allow quiet commercial supersonic flight over land. This would cut commercial flight times to half of what they are today, transforming travel for people around the world.

Forward-Looking Statements

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Maersk signs deal with Starlink for its ocean fleet

October 12, 2023 / WIL BALDWIN

Copenhagen, Denmark, October 12, 2023 – A.P. Moller – Maersk (London: 0O77) is embarking on a collaboration with Starlink, the pioneering satellite internet constellation developed by Space Exploration Technologies Corp., commonly referred to as SpaceX. SpaceX was founded in 2002 by Elon Musk of Tesla (Nasdaq: TSLA) fame.

Maersk, the global leader of integrated container logistics, will have Starlink installed on more than 330 own operated container vessels. This will enabling high-speed internet with speeds over 200 Mbps, service that is a leap forward in terms of internet speed and latency bringing significant benefits in terms of both crew welfare and business impact.

The agreement comes after a successful pilot phase where crew members on more than 30 Maersk vessels have had the opportunity to test the Starlink technology – resulting in very positive feedback.

Heart Aerospace & Honeywell to collaborate on Flight Controls for ES-30 electric airplane

September 11, 2023 / WIL BALDWIN

Swedish electric airplane maker Heart Aerospace and Honeywell, a leader in aerospace technology, have announced a collaboration to integrate Honeywell’s next-generation flight control system into the new ES-30 regional electric airplane.

Honeywell International Inc (NASDAQ: HON) was selected by Heart Aerospace for the Joint Definition Phase of Heart’s ES-30 airplane, and the goal, once the phase has been completed successfully, is to fully integrate Honeywell’s compact Fly-by-Wire system into development for production.

Honeywell’s next-generation compact Fly-by-Wire system is in an advanced stage of development on multiple aircraft, and its functions are adaptable to the ES-30, allowing Heart to bring its airplane to market quickly and cost-effectively.

The ES-30 is a regional electric airplane with a 30-passenger standard seating capacity and is driven by electric motors powered by batteries. It will have a fully electric zero-emissions range of 200 kilometers, an extended hybrid range of 400 kilometers with 30 passengers, and flexibility to fly up to 800 kilometers with 25 passengers, all with typical airline reserves.

Heart Aerospace has 250 firm orders for the ES-30, with options and purchase rights for an additional 120 planes.

Airbus & Korea Aerospace Industries launch Light Armed Helicopter production

August 31, 2023 / WIL BALDWIN

Seoul, South Korea – Airbus (OTC: EADSY) Helicopters and Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) have signed an agreement to initiate the serial production phase of the Light Armed Helicopters (LAH). This follows the contract awarded by the country’s Defence Acquisition Programme Administration to KAI in December 2022 to supply an initial batch of ten LAH to the Republic of Korea Army. Deliveries will begin at the end of 2024, with follow-on orders to continue into the next decade.

This agreement will see Airbus Helicopters and KAI enter into the next phase of the programme, ramping up production of the LAH at KAI’s Sacheon facility in South Korea. Airbus Helicopters will support KAI’s order fulfilment with delivery of the required kits for the mass production.

The two companies have also signed an agreement to deepen their commitment in the joint Korean Utility Helicopter (KUH Surion) programme, to meet a wide range of operational requirements for the military, civil and parapublic markets.

This follows the recent launch of the joint development of new KUH variants, such as the Marine Attack Helicopter and Mine Countermeasure Helicopter, and their corresponding future versions. These programmes will benefit from Airbus Helicopters’ expertise in flight control systems and helicopter drive systems, and KAI’s industrialisation capability for local production. Airbus Helicopters is also committed to supporting KAI for additional serial deliveries.

Delta, New York Break Ground on Latest JFK Transformation Phase for Terminal 4

December 16, 2021 / WIL BALDWIN

Work at New York John F. Kennedy International Airport officially got underway Wednesday as Delta Air Lines (NYSE: DAL) CEO Ed Bastian, and other officials ceremoniously broke ground on a $1.5 billion expansion and transformation of Terminal 4. The expansion will consolidate all of Delta’s operations into Terminal 4 at JFK – which currently operates out of Terminals 2 and 4 – enabling a more enjoyable and convenient travel experience for customers. The project will include the following enhancements:

A new Delta Sky Club in Terminal 4’s Concourse A.
Expanded seating areas and concessions.
Modern wayfinding.
New and upgraded restrooms designed with travelers in mind.
New check-in counters that will improve capacity and efficiency with state-of-the-art technology.
Installation of new self-service kiosks and self-bag check locations.
Updated baggage claim and arrivals areas.
New retail finishes.
Public art.

Delta continues to grow at JFK and in New York City at large, where it offers the most flights and seats of any carrier at JFK and LaGuardia Airport, with 400 total daily departures to 95 domestic and international destinations. The airline operates more than 160 average daily flights to 68 destinations worldwide from JFK alone. Since 2010, Delta has invested more than $3.5 billion in airport expansion and redevelopment in New York, including earlier projects at JFK and LGA. The airline is also undertaking a $3.9 billion project to consolidate Terminals C and D at LGA, with a state-of-the-art arrivals and departures hall set to open next spring.

Saab Digital Towers Selected by Belgium

September 1, 2021 / WIL BALDWIN

The agreement calls for a phased introduction of Saab (OTC: SAABF) Digital Towers for up to six airports and three centres in Belgium. The framework agreement has a fixed part and a conditional part for a total value of just over 48 million Euro, spread over 18 years. The first phase will cover the airports of Liege and Charleroi and a centre in Namur. Delivery to skeyes will start in 2022, with initial operations to be started in 2024. Aviation is an integrated part of the infrastructure in Belgium, and the Digital Tower programme is a forward looking and innovative way of providing a sustainable service for many years to come, as well as a potential role model for Europe.

SDATS’s digital air traffic control solution is a breakthrough in air traffic control and was introduced during 2015 in Sweden, and has been followed up by others including at Cranfield, London City Airport, in Stockholm with a new Digital Tower centre, and later in 2022 by a Digital Tower centre at Schiphol.

skeyes is a leading and an innovating Air Navigation Service Provider. Saab Digital Air Traffic Solutions AB was formed 2016 as a joint venture between Saab and the Swedish Air Navigation Service Provider (LFV). By combining LFV’s unique operational experience with Saab’s world-class technical solutions, Saab Digital Air Traffic Solutions can manage the entire process from planning and implementation to the administration of air traffic control services. As a provider of both the technology and air traffic control services, the company offers new and sophisticated digital services to airports in Sweden and abroad.

Rolls-Royce Secures UK Funding for Innovative Naval Autonomy Technology

February 26, 2021 / WIL BALDWIN

Rolls-Royce (London: RR.L) has been awarded funding by the UK Ministry of Defence (MOD) to further develop and demonstrate the Artificial Chief Engineer^® technology – an autonomous machinery control system which allows Naval vessels to undertake long endurance missions with less human interaction.

Developed by Rolls-Royce, Artificial Chief Engineer^® is a critical enabler for autonomous missions by acting as the equivalent of the engineering department responsible for the health and the operation of an unmanned vessel’s machinery. Navies intend to increase their use of optionally-manned and unmanned vessels to project power further for less cost by reducing reliance on manpower, allowing higher-risk or longer-endurance missions, and by lowering the procurement and operating costs of future platforms.

The funding to continue the development, has been awarded under the UK MOD’s Defence and Security Accelerator Intelligent Ship Phase Two programme, which is used to de-risk and evaluate technologies and approaches to enhance the armed forces’ technical advantage.

Rapid growth in automation, autonomy, machine learning and artificial intelligence (AI) has prompted the need to investigate how human-machine teaming can effectively take place. This 16-month programme aims to investigate how effective human-AI collaboration can be best exploited to improve decision-making and planning within complex operating environments.

Artificial Chief Engineer is an on-board, secure, decision-making control system designed to intelligently operate the machinery of lean-manned and unmanned naval vessels. The technology makes condition-based decisions about how best to operate the machinery – including the engines, propulsion system, electrical network and fuel system – using algorithms to optimise the ship for maximum efficiency, lowest noise, top speed or to preserve damaged equipment as required by the ship’s mission. This reduces the workload of remote operators and allows increased mission and system complexity in future unmanned ship designs.

Intelligent Ship is a Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (Dstl) project to develop novel and innovative technologies and concepts to facilitate the use of intelligent systems within future platforms, with potential for utilisation across defence. The aim is to de-risk and evaluate technologies and approaches to enable revolutionary future platform, fleet, and cross-domain concepts to enhance UK military advantage.

Wrapping around the Artificial Chief Engineer project will be Rolls-Royce’s Aletheia Framework^TM. This is a ground-breaking standard it has developed to ensure that before artificial intelligence is used all ethical considerations have been fully assessed, and that once an AI is deployed, its decisions are trustworthy. The Aletheia Framework is as part of a campaign led by Rolls-Royce to improve public trust in artificial intelligence so that its full potential can be realized for good across the world.

Boeing’s First KC-46 Tanker for Japan Takes Flight

February 9, 2021 / WIL BALDWIN

EVERETT, Wash., Feb. 9, 2021 – The first Boeing [NYSE: BA] KC-46 tanker destined for the Japan Air Self-Defense Force (JASDF) took to the skies on its maiden flight yesterday. This successful flight highlights an important milestone as the aircraft now transitions into the certification phase of development.

“This is an exciting milestone for the JASDF and Boeing,” said Jamie Burgess, KC-46 program manager. “Japan is getting closer to receiving the most advanced air refueling tanker in the world.”

Japan is the KC-46 program’s first international customer and is scheduled to receive its first jet this year.

“Boeing’s KC-46 and its robust defensive systems will play an invaluable role in the security alliance between our two countries,” said Will Shaffer, president of Boeing Japan. “This tanker’s ability to carry cargo and passengers also makes it a critical tool to support humanitarian relief efforts across the Pacific region and beyond.”

The KC-46 refueling certification encompasses U.S. Air Force, U.S. Navy, U.S. Marine Corps and JASDF aircraft.

The U.S. Air Force awarded Boeing a $279 million contract for the JASDF’s first KC-46A tanker in December 2017. The agreement was completed through the Foreign Military Sale process between the U.S. government and Japan. Japan is now on contract for a total of four KC-46 tankers.

Boeing is assembling KC-46A aircraft for both the U.S. Air Force and Japan on its 767 production line in Everett, Washington. Boeing’s Japanese partners produce 16% of the KC-46 airframe structure.

Talgo Begins Rail Test for Very High-Speed Avril Train

February 6, 2021 / WIL BALDWIN

The first unit of the very high-speed train Talgo Avril began its first rail tests this week, a decisive step in the technical homologation, prior to its commercial circulation by Spanish operator Renfe. This is the final phase in the manufacturing process of 30 units of the Talgo Avril, which has a passenger capacity of up to 581 seats.

The rail tests are aimed at checking the dynamic behaviour of all the elements of the train, and in particular the running gear systems, under progressively more complex operating conditions and up to the speed required for technical homologation of over 360 km/h. Its maximum commercial speed will be 330 km/h.

The homologation tests are planned to be carried out for several weeks on the Madrid-Galicia high-speed rail line, although they could be extended to other parts of the railway network in Spain at a later stage.

Lighter, more sustainable and accessible

Talgo Avril is Talgo’s most advanced very high-speed train, which will become a benchmark of quality in the very high-speed rail segment. Thanks to their high capacity and light overall weight, the Avril trains acquired by Spanish operator Renfe minimise energy consumption and multiply efficiency. This allows them to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and further enhance the position of rail as the most sustainable means of transport.

One of the outstanding features of this latest generation train is that its composition of 12 passenger carriages and 200 metres long are located on a single deck and at the station platform level, allowing passengers to access the train and move around inside it without steps or ramps. Talgo’s unique accessibility not only facilitates access for people with reduced mobility, but also offers an easy journey for all passengers, from parents with prams to passengers with bulky luggage or bicycles.

New routes, new markets

Talgo Avril is part of a highly flexible technological platform that allows each delivery to be adapted to the increasingly complex needs of the European rail market. In this particular contract, the 30 trains supplied are divided into different blocks according to their internal commercial configuration, their automatic variable-gauge system (Iberian and international), and their equipment to be operated north of the Pyrenees. Thanks to these capacities, Talgo Avril will be able to be used on practically the entire Iberian electrified rail network, bringing even closer those destinations to which the new high-performance rail network has not yet been extended, as well as in international relations between Spain and France.

The interoperability of Talgo trains is one of their most distinctive features, and this has led them to be used on commercial routes throughout Europe: France, Switzerland, Italy, Portugal, Russia, Belarus and Poland. The Spanish manufacturer has also recently been awarded new contracts to supply trains to the European operator Deutsche Bahn, which will connect Berlin (Germany) with Amsterdam (Netherlands) and to the Danish company DSB, to link Copenhagen (Denmark) with the German port of Hamburg.

Alstom to Supply Taipei Integrated Metro Line 7 Extension

July 18, 2020 / WIL BALDWIN

The Alstom-led consortium with Taiwanese engineering and contracting services company CTCI reached contractual close on 23 June 2020 for the Phase Two extension of Taipei Metro Line 7. The contract is valued at close to €424 million, with an Alstom share of approximately €248 million.

Phase One, which was awarded by Systemwide E&M Project Office Department of Rapid Transit Systems of Taipei City Government (SEMPO) in 2018, has been extended to deliver a seamless customer experience on the new metro line, spanning an additional 13.3km with 13 stations as part of Phase Two. When fully completed around late 2028, the 22.8-kilometre medium-capacity metro line, also known as Wanda Zhonghe Shulin Line, will connect Taipei City to New Taipei City more seamlessly. In addition, passengers can look forward to more convenience travelling between the various districts within New Taipei City such as Chong-he, Shu-lin, Tu-chen, Xin-zhuang.

Under the contract, Alstom will be responsible for the design, supply, manufacturing, testing and commissioning of 16 additional fully automated, four-car Metropolis trains, Urbalis 400 Communication Based Train Control (CBTC) signalling system, Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) system, as well as platform screen doors. The trains will be manufactured in Alstom’s Taubaté factory in Brazil, while the signalling system will be delivered by its Saint-Ouen site in France and Bangalore site in India. Alstom and CTCI will also jointly carry out project management and system integration. CTCI will provide the track work, power supply, depot equipment, Telecommunication and Ticketing systems.

“Taipei Metro Line 7, which interchanges with five other lines, will be a game changer for the travelling public of Taipei, and Alstom is delighted to continue to be a part of this iconic project. The success of this project extension with SEMPO positions us as a reliable and trusted partner, established for the long term in Taiwan and well beyond our 40 years of active presence,” said Ling Fang, Senior Vice President of Alstom Asia-Pacific.

Alstom’s metros are world-leading, proven, safe and reliable trains that serve many of the world’s great cities, including Amsterdam, Barcelona, London, Paris and Singapore. Alstom has more than 65 years’ experience in the production of metros, having sold over 17,000 metro cars that operate in 55 cities around the world and carry 30 million passengers every day.

In Taiwan, Alstom provides signalling systems to all but one of Taipei’s metro lines and is currently supplying a driverless signalling system for Taichung Green metro line. In 2017, Alstom won its first tramway project in Taiwan, supplying its latest Citadis tram to Kaohsiung tramway line phase two.

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