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Story and image from BAE Systems

Named after the ancient Greek king, Agamemnon is the sixth of seven Astute Class submarines, all of which have been designed and built at the Company’s historic Barrow shipyard – home of UK submarine building. The nuclear-powered boat, which weighs in at 7,400 tonnes and is 97 metres long, rolled out of the Devonshire Dock Hall and entered the water for the first time today. Agamemnon will now begin the next phase of its test and commissioning programme, before leaving Barrow for sea trials with the Royal Navy.

The Astute Class boats are the largest and most advanced attack submarines ever built for the Royal Navy. Their state-of-the-art nuclear technology means they never need to be refuelled and, as they manufacture their own oxygen and drinking water for their 98 crew members, they are able to circumnavigate the globe without surfacing.

The first five submarines in the class, HMS Astute, HMS Ambush, HMS Artful, HMS Audacious and HMS Anson, have been handed over to the Royal Navy, with work well underway for the final Astute boat, Agincourt.

Story and image from SAS

SAS and Virgin Atlantic are delighted to announce a new codeshare agreement, strengthening vital business and leisure connections to and from Scandinavia.

The codeshare partnership, launching on October 7th, will allow SAS customers to connect via Heathrow to additional Virgin Atlantic’s destinations, with availability expanding as approvals are finalized. Virgin Atlantic customers travelling on flights from the US and Canada can purchase seamless onward connections through London Heathrow and Manchester, onto SAS’ services to Stockholm, Oslo, Copenhagen, Stavanger and Bergen.

Following SAS’ formal enrolment into SkyTeam on September 1st, of which Virgin Atlantic is the only UK airline, SAS EuroBonus members will receive instant earning and redeeming opportunities when travelling on Virgin Atlantic. Additionally, Flying Club members will be able to earn and redeem their points across SAS services.

SAS EuroBonus Gold and Diamond members alongside Virgin Atlantic’s Gold – Flying Club members, can take advantage of SkyPriority services at London Heathrow, with benefits including priority check in, baggage handling and boarding. Virgin Atlantic’s Gold and Silver Flying Club members can take advantage of SkyPriority services and SAS lounges at Stockholm Arlanda, Copenhagen and Oslo airports.

Story and image from Saab

Saab announced the initial MSHORAD order from Lithuania in July 2024. With this additional order, a second battery within the Lithuanian armed forces will be provided with Saab’s mobile air defence capability.

The order includes Mobile Firing Units, Mobile Radar Units and a Command- and Control (C2) system. Saab will integrate MSHORAD into JLTV vehicles manufactured by the U.S. company Oshkosh before delivery to the customer.

MSHORAD is Saab’s mobile air defence solution. The system consists of the Mobile Radar Unit based on the Giraffe 1X radar, the Mobile Firing Unit based on the RBS 70 NG, all connected with GBAD C2, which is Saab’s command and control system for ground-based air defence.

Story and image from Alstom

October 3, 2024 – Alstom, global leader in smart and sustainable mobility, will supply 12 Avelia Horizon very high-speed trains to Proxima and provide 15 years of maintenance on the lines along the Atlantic coast in France. The total order is worth almost 850 million euros[1]. First deliveries are expected in 2028.

Avelia Horizon reduces operating costs. The train has fewer bogies, which account for 30% of the cost of preventive maintenance. With the largest passenger capacity in the market, Avelia Horizon offers great level of service and comfort, and consequently lowers operating costs per seat.

Proxima, the launch of which has been announced in June 2024, is headed by two leading figures in the railway industry: Rachel Picard and Tim Jackson. It is fully financed by Antin Infrastructure Partners, backed by a consortium of leading French and international banks. Its very high-speed trains would serve Bordeaux, Nantes, Rennes, Angers and Paris, for journeys of 2 hours or less.

Click the link below to read the full story!

Alstom receives Proxima order for high speed trains

Story and Image by Lufthansa Group

Singapore, October 4, 2024 – In December 2023, LATAM had its first Boeing 777-300ER fitted with the bionic surface film in São Paulo, becoming the first airline outside the Lufthansa Group and in the Americas region to adopt this innovative CO₂-saving solution. Since then, the Latin American airline has been testing the sharkskin technology in daily operations. Given the proven results, LATAM has now decided to install the innovative film on four additional aircraft. Five AeroSHARK-modified aircraft operated by the subsidiary LATAM Airlines Brazil will soon be cruising the skies.

AeroSHARK is a surface film that mimics the flow-optimized structure of sharkskin. Developed jointly by BASF and Lufthansa Technik, it features riblets measuring about 50 micrometers. When several hundred square meters of this film are applied to the fuselage and engine nacelles, it reduces drag, leading to a reduction in fuel consumption and CO₂ emissions by around one percent. For LATAM Airlines Brazil’s five Boeing 777-300ER that will be equipped with AeroSHARK, this translates to expected annual savings of up to 2,000 metric tons of kerosene and 6,000 metric tons of CO₂ emissions. This is equivalent to approximately 28 scheduled flights from São Paulo to Miami on a Boeing 777.

Lufthansa Technik’s goal is to support many more airlines around the world in achieving their sustainability goals. The global MRO market leader and BASF are consistently developing AeroSHARK further. Current areas of focus include approvals for ever larger areas on the Boeing 777-300ER and 777F as well as for further aircraft types. The company recently announced to extend the roll-out of the sharkskin technology to Boeing 777-200ER aircraft. Including LATAM’s first modified 777-300ER, a total of 21 aircraft from different airlines worldwide are now in service with the nature-inspired technology – and the number is steadily increasing. The next modification of an aircraft for LATAM is planned in November of this year.

Story and image by Boeing

Mesa, Arizona, October 4, 2024 — The first of eight Boeing (NYSE: BA) AH-6 Little Bird light attack helicopters for the Royal Thai Army completed a successful first flight Aug. 22 at the company’s Mesa, Ariz. site.

After completing Thailand’s fleet, Boeing will train the Royal Thai Army pilots at its Mesa site and at U.S. Army Yuma Proving Ground, where they will learn to operate the Little Bird and leverage its versatile mission capabilities.

The Royal Thai Army has procured the AH-6 as part of its ongoing efforts to enhance aviation readiness and modernize national defense capabilities. Featuring a purpose-built military fuselage, integrated cockpit, and the latest fully integrated weapons, the AH-6 was designed for a wide range of missions and operating environments to meet customers’ needs around the world.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release may contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, including expected delivery dates. Such statements are based on current expectations and projections about our future results, prospects and opportunities and are not guarantees of future performance. Such statements will not be updated unless required by law. Actual results and performance may differ materially from those expressed or forecasted in forward-looking statements due to a number of factors, including those discussed in our filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Story and image from Joby Aviation

Toyota City, Japan, and Santa Cruz, California, October 02, 2024 – Toyota Motor Corporation (NYSE: TM) and Joby Aviation, Inc. (NYSE: JOBY), a company developing electric air taxis for commercial passenger service, today announced that Toyota will invest an additional $500 million to support the certification and commercial production of Joby’s electric air taxi, with the aim of realizing the two companies’ shared vision of air mobility.

The investment, which will be made in two equal tranches, is subject to standard regulatory approvals and certain other conditions, finalization of collaborative and commercial agreements and, with respect to the second tranche, the finalization of terms related to a strategic alliance focused on commercial manufacturing and certain other conditions. The investment, which will bring Toyota Motor Corporation’s total investment in Joby to $894 million, will be made in the form of cash for common stock, with the first tranche targeted to close later this year and the second in 2025. Further details of the investment are available via the companies’ regulatory filings with the SEC.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release may contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, including expected delivery dates. Such statements are based on current expectations and projections about our future results, prospects and opportunities and are not guarantees of future performance. Such statements will not be updated unless required by law. Actual results and performance may differ materially from those expressed or forecasted in forward-looking statements due to a number of factors, including those discussed in our filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Story and image from DHL

Plantation, Florida, September 27, 2024 – DHL Express, the world’s leading international express services provider, today announced a 5.9% general average shipment price increase for U.S. account holders that will take effect on January 1, 2025. A limited number of services and surcharges will also be adjusted.

Prices are adjusted on an annual basis by DHL Express, taking into consideration inflation and currency dynamics as well as administrative costs related to regulatory and security measures. National and international authorities regularly update these measures in the more than 220 countries and territories that DHL Express serves. Depending on local conditions, price adjustments will vary from country to country.

Story and image from Embraer

Pretoria, South Africa, September 25, 2024 – Embraer, a global leader in the aerospace industry, is proud to announce the spotlight appearance of its C-390 Millennium multi-mission military transport aircraft at the Africa Aerospace and Defence (AAD) exhibition, held at Waterkloof Air Force Base, September 18-22.

As one of the world’s premier defense and aviation showcases, AAD provides a strategic platform for Embraer to demonstrate the exceptional capabilities of the C-390 to a global audience of defense, aviation experts and political authorities.

At this edition, Embraer had the pleasure of presenting all the capabilities of the C-390 Millennium to the president of South Africa, the Honourable President Matamela Cyril Ramaphosa and the Minister of Defense, Mrs. Angie Motshekga. This new generation aircraft also attracted great interest from the South African National Defence Force (SANDF), which had the opportunity to evaluate it.

The aircraft is particularly appreciated for its capability to carry up to 26 tons of cargo at high speed and perform a wide spectrum of missions anytime in the most demanding operational conditions. Since 2019, the C-390 Millennium has demonstrated its operational efficiency for its end users, performing tactical troop, cargo, vehicles, and equipment transport, medical evacuation, disaster management, humanitarian aid, quick crisis response, search and rescue, aerial refueling and firefighting.

Story by Rolls-Royce, image from Lürssen

Rolls-Royce and the Bremen, Germany based shipyard group Lürssen are now working even more closely together on the refit of yachts. Rolls-Royce’s Power Systems division and Lürssen Yacht Refit & Services have signed a framework agreement that regulates the co-operation in the overhaul of mtu propulsion systems and will further improve the service for yacht customers.

Many of the world’s largest yachts are built by Lürssen, often equipped with mtu propulsion systems from Rolls-Royce. In addition to new builds, Lürssen also offers its discerning customers comprehensive refit solutions in the areas of overhaul, modernisation and conversion of yachts up to almost 200 metres long. Refits are carried out, for example, in the event of a scheduled dry docking or because a new owner would like to have the interior changed to suit his requirements. In addition, a yacht refit also offers the opportunity to equip the propulsion system with the latest technologies for sustainable operation of the ship, thus contributing to the energy transition.

The experienced Rolls-Royce technicians and the specialists at Lürssen Yacht Refit & Services have been working closely and successfully together for many years on the overhaul of mtu propulsion systems on yachts – from the engine to the mtu NautIQ ship automation system. The agreement that has now been concluded reorganises the cooperation, accelerates processes, simplifies procedures and defines common standards. This will significantly reduce the time required for overhaul work on engines and propulsion systems – mostly mtu Series 4000 engines.

The framework agreement also ensures faster and more flexible deployment of Rolls-Royce specialists at the shipyard and better availability of spare parts. At the same time, Lürssen technicians will be specially trained to carry out certain work on mtu engines in accordance with specified Rolls-Royce standards. With this package, both partners are creating the conditions to speed up the refit process and hand over the ship to its owner.