Category: Military

Brazilian Air Force Selects StandardAero to Support PT6A-68C Engines Powering its A-29 Super Tucano Fleet

StandardAero, a leading independent pure-play provider of aerospace engine aftermarket services, has been selected by the Brazilian Air Force (Força Aérea Brasileira) to provide maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) services for the Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-68C engines powering its fleet of Embraer A-29A and A-29B Super Tucano aircraft.  

The Brazilian Air Force utilizes the A-29 Super Tucano for a variety of roles, including training, air interception and surveillance missions.  The type is also flown by the service’s Air Demonstration Squadron (EDA), also known as “Smoke Squadron.”

StandardAero is a Pratt & Whitney Canada authorized PT6A Designated Overhaul Facility (DOF), with distribution rights on certain engine models, and will be supporting the Brazilian Air Force’s PT6A-68C engine fleet from its Center of Excellence (COE) for Turboprop Engine MRO in Summerside, PE, Canada.  The Summerside facility provides MRO support for PT6A-68 operators worldwide, its capabilities including a dedicated “high-G” test cell which is able to emulate the G-forces encountered by PT6A-68 engines in highly maneuverable platforms such as the Super Tucano.

Last November, StandardAero celebrated its 10th anniversary of supporting the PT6A-68 family, and its 500th PT6A-68 overhaul.  In 2024, StandardAero is celebrating its 60th year of supporting the global PT6A operator community from its four overhaul locations and eleven service center locations for the engine worldwide.  

“StandardAero is honored to have been entrusted by the Força Aérea Brasileira with the support of its PT6A-68C engine fleet,” commented Jeff Poirier, vice president/general manager of the Turboprops & Fleets (TPAF) Business Unit for StandardAero.  “As the world’s largest customer for the PT6A-68C engine variant, the FAB knows this powerplant better than any other operator, and is clearly discerning when it comes to selecting a reliable, responsive MRO provider.  The entire team here at StandardAero truly appreciates the confidence shown in us by the FAB, and looks forward to supporting their mission with high-quality engine MRO services for many years to come.”

Southwest Aerospace Technologies Expanding Capabilities

Southwest Aerospace Technologies (S.W.A.T.) announced that it has signed a lease agreement with the City of Georgetown, Texas, for the long term lease of a 12,000 square foot hangar and the adjacent area at the Georgetown Executive Airport (KGTU). The additional space will enable S.W.A.T. to expand its service offerings as well as its aircraft Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul (MRO) capabilities.

“We are very excited about the expansion opportunities this property gives our business,” said Kurt Encinias, president and CEO of S.W.A.T. “We’re also excited to contribute to the City of Georgetown’s continued growth by providing additional jobs and other tangible economic benefits, including a high-net-worth customer base that will patronize local businesses when their aircraft is at our facility.”

The lease was officially signed on December 11, and the company has already begun using the hangar, which can accommodate multiple aircraft at a time, for aircraft maintenance activities. Work on the side rooms that will serve as office space is underway and due to be completed by the end of the year. S.W.A.T. is also remodeling the additional space behind the hangar, which will be used for customer offices and other functions. That work is expected to be finished in early 2025. The total footprint of the new space is 41,000, which allows for future growth and enhancements.

S.W.A.T. currently has a 25,000 square foot facility in west Georgetown located in Biz Park 29 which houses its FAA Repair Station, aircraft parts and components inventory, warehouse and the sales and administrative functions. The company’s corporate and administrative offices will be relocating to the new facility, while the repair station, inventory and warehouse will remain at the current location. The company also has a service hangar in Montreal, Canada, that performs maintenance on Rolls Royce BR710 engines.

“The additional space at the Georgetown Executive Airport will allow S.W.A.T. to provide more extensive aircraft maintenance services and gives us more flexibility as we continue to serve the needs of our worldwide customer base,” added Encinias. “We have continuously been committed to supporting our industry and this opportunity for expanding our facilities and capabilities is an important step in our strategic growth. We look forward to the future.”

Guill Launches 10-Day Extrusion Tooling Program

Guill Tool, extrusion tooling expert, has announced its 10-day program. This program applies to eligible tips and dies that will be shipped within 10 business days of receiving the purchase order from the customer. 

The company’s precision tips and dies have been manufactured in the U.S. for 62 years. All Guill extrusion tools are produced using certified and documented quality steel material specifically qualified for the polymer to be extruded. Furthermore, Guill designs tips and dies for any application the customer needs. These feature multi-lumen, stripe, multiple stripe, wire and cable, hose, pipe, tube, fiber optic, blown film, corrugated tube and profile. Dies include face seal, shouldered, snap together, floating, die plates, interchangeable die plate and custom dies. Available tips include single and multi-lumen, threaded style, snap together, fixed center shoulder, profile, tapered style and custom. 

To find out which tools are eligible for the program, check with any sales representative. For all other parts, company personnel will review the customer’s drawing to determine if it is eligible for the program.  

Eligible tips and dies for this program cannot be plated and must have a diameter less than 1.5” and a length less than 4.75.” 

Guill proudly manufactures its products in the U.S. under the quality standards of ISO 9001:2015 and AS9100:2016.

Gulfstream Special Missions Awarded Significant Contract to Service U.S. Military Aircraft

Gulfstream Aerospace Corp., a business unit of General Dynamics (NYSE:GD), has been awarded a contractor logistics support services (CLS) contract from the U.S. Air Force Life Cycle Management Center for C-20 and C-37 fleets. This contract extends over a seven-year period and provides services to the U.S. Air Force, U.S. Navy, U.S. Marine Corps, U.S. Army and U.S. Coast Guard. 

“For nearly 60 years, Gulfstream has been a trusted partner to governments and military organizations worldwide, and we are honored that the U.S. Air Force has once again selected our company to support the U.S. military’s fleet,” said Mark Burns, president, Gulfstream. “This demonstrates the strength of our world-class Customer Support network and its ability to support all of our customers’ missions. Gulfstream’s Special Missions business delivers cutting-edge aircraft expertly engineered for a wide range of critical operations and is currently experiencing unprecedented activity with customers around the world.” 

The latest CLS contract is valued at $991 million and includes a wide variety of support such as global maintenance, component overhaul, repair and modification services. Gulfstream Customer Support will perform the work at Joint Base Andrews, Maryland; Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii; Ramstein Air Base, Germany; Marine Corps Base Hawaii, Kaneohe Bay; and Naval Base Ventura County, California.

To date, Gulfstream has delivered more than 200 special missions aircraft to over 40 countries, including all branches of the U.S. military and key U.S. government agencies.

Gogo Completes Acquisition of Satcom Direct and Announces Leadership Transition

Gogo announced the completion of its acquisition of Satcom Direct (SD), creating the only multi-orbit, multi-band, in-flight connectivity provider serving the needs of every segment of the global business aviation (BA) and military/government mobility markets.

Gogo paid $375 million in cash and issued five million shares of Gogo stock to SD ownership at close and could pay up to an additional $225 million tied to realizing performance thresholds over the next four years. The transaction, including fees, was funded with $250 million of debt and $150 million of cash from the Gogo balance sheet.

The interest rate on Gogo’s incremental debt is SOFR plus 6%, and the Company’s annual interest expense will increase by an estimated $25 million to $27 million. Gogo’s net leverage ratio at yearend2024 is estimated to increase to 3.6x, and the Company expects to be back inside its target leverage range of 2.5x-3.5x within one to two years.

The transaction is immediately accretive, with $18 million of annual recurring cost savings achieved immediately after closing, and a total expected $25 million to $30 million in annual run-rate cost synergies to be achieved in the two years after close.

The acquisition is expected to accelerate sales of Gogo’s soon-to-launch Galileo Low Earth Satellite(LEO) connectivity product, by:

• selling Gogo Galileo to SD’s 1,300 premium global broadband customers, 

• selling new Galileo installs through the SD international sales force to the 12,000 medium and smaller business aircraft outside North America that have no broadband solution available today, and 

• leveraging SD’s strong presence in the Mil/Gov market where there is strong demand for LEO connectivity in combination with SD’s GEO connectivity.

“Combining with SD cements our position as the only in-flight connectivity provider able to satisfy the performance and cost needs of every segment of the global BA market,” said Oakleigh Thorne, Gogo executive chair. “With the launches of our next-generation LEO and 5G technologies, Gogo and SD are uniquely positioned to drive growth and future value creation.”

Gogo’s principal shareholders, GTCR, a leading private equity firm, and Thorndale Farm Inc., have expressed strong support for the acquisition and did not sell any shares in the transaction, reflecting their confidence in the long-term value creation potential of the combined company.

Leadership Transitions

In connection with the completion of the combination, Chris Moore, president of SD, has been appointed Gogo’s chief executive officer and will lead the combined company, bringing years of satellite and telecommunications experience and success to his new role. He succeeds Thorne, who transitions to executive chair of the Gogo board of directors.

Moore said, “Uniting the complementary strengths of Gogo and SD marks an exciting new chapter for usas one company. Together, we are uniquely positioned to deliver unparalleled in-flight connectivity solutions across the underpenetrated global BA and military/government mobility markets. I am excited to expand Gogo’s reach and continue its legacy of exceptional service and cutting-edge technology.”

In addition, Zachary Cotner, chief financial officer of SD, has been appointed chief financial officer of the combined company, succeeding Jessi Betjemann. Mike Begler, who previously served as senior vice president of Gogo Production Operations, has been appointed executive vice president, chief operating officer of the combined company. 

Thorne continued, “I want to thank Jessi for her years of commitment and financial leadership at Gogo and wish her the best in her next chapter. As I transition to the Executive Chair role, I remain deeply committed to Gogo as a leader and an investor and look forward to working closely with Chris, Zach, Mike and our world-class team.” 

Reiterates 2024 Guidance and Product Launch Timelines

Gogo reiterates the following standalone 2024 financial guidance previously provided on Tuesday, November 5, 2024: 

• Total revenue in the range of $400 million to $410 million,

• Adjusted EBITDA in the range of $120 million to $130 million, which includes legal expenses from ongoing legal proceedings and approximately $20 million of operating expenses for strategic and operational initiatives including Gogo 5G and Gogo Galileo,

• Free Cash Flow in the range of $55 million to $65 million, which includes $35 million in reimbursements tied to the FCC Reimbursement Program, and

• Capital expenditures of approximately $30 million, which includes approximately $20 million for strategic initiatives.

As previously disclosed upon announcement of the transaction, the combined company is expected to generate pro forma 2024 revenue of approximately $890 million, Adjusted EBITDA Margin of approximately 24% and Free Cash Flow of more than $100 million. Including the anticipated launch of Gogo Galileo, the combined company is expected to deliver long-term annual revenue growth in the 10% range, Adjusted EBITDA Margins in the mid-20% range and significant Free Cash Flow accretion, which will support strategic investments, de-levering and return of capital to shareholders. See “Non-GAAP Financial Measures” below. 

Additionally, Gogo reiterates that its small-form-factor Galileo HDX LEO service remains on track to begin shipping to customers by the end of 2024, and it expects to launch its large form factor Galileo FDX, and its Gogo 5G network, late in the second quarter of 2025.

PhysicsX Introduces Free-to-Use “AI for Advanced Engineering” to Transform Aerospace Development

PhysicsX, a London-based start-up bringing the power of generative AI to enable breakthrough engineering in advanced industries, has launched the first Large Geometry Model (LGM) for aerospace engineering, LGM-Aero, and a publicly accessible reference application, Ai.rplane, to showcase its power in designing aero structures.

Ai.rplane allows engineers to generate innovative aircraft designs in an infinitely wide design space and instantaneously assess the designed aircraft’s potential performance.

Developed and provisioned on AWS, LGM-Aero was trained on more than 25 million meshes, representing more than 10 billion vertices, and a corpus of tens of thousands of Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) and Finite Element Analysis (FEA) simulations generated with Siemens Digital Industries tools. It is a fully trained model that generalizes to a broad set of aeroelastic applications. It also infers aero performance, flight stability and structural stress for a large class of flying shapes as a zero-shot model. This technology creates geometry and assesses performance results in less than a second, compared to the several hours required for traditional numerical simulations.

“In the same way that large language models understand text, Ai.rplane has a vast knowledge of the shapes and structures that are important to aerospace engineering,” says Jacomo Corbo, co-founder and CEO of PhysicsX. “The technology can optimise across multiple types of physics in seconds, many orders of magnitude faster than numerical simulation, and at the same level of accuracy. We’re excited about what LGM-Aero brings as capabilities to our customers while recognizing that it is also an important stepping stone towards developing physics foundation models.”

In one seamless operation, the technology creates novel designs, predicts lift, drag, stability, structural stress and other attributes for each shape, then optimises the design according to the user’s preferences. When used in industrial applications, this workflow reduces development time from months to hours.

LGM-Aero was developed using an extensive set of simulation technologies from Siemens to automate and scale the generation of high-quality training data, as well as AWS Batch and Amazon EC2 to scale compute during training. It is available on the PhysicsX AI engineering enterprise platform, which is trusted by some of the most sophisticated engineering and manufacturing organizations across advanced industries.

“We are delighted to work with PhysicsX as they develop their first Large Geometry Model and release its showcase application Ai.rplane,” said Ozgur Tohumcu, general manager, automotive and manufacturing, AWS.  “This technology will accelerate the transformation of engineering in Advanced Industries for AWS customers, enabling them to bring their products to the market faster while increasing product performance. We’ve been impressed by PhysicsX’s pace of innovation and look forward to deepening our collaboration.”

“We are thrilled to continue to build on our deep collaboration with AWS, and to announce the release of LGM-Aero and of Ai.rplane. This is a first step in transforming the way engineering is practiced in Advanced Industries,” added Robin Tuluie, founder and chairman of PhysicsX. “Over time, we will bring new capabilities to LGM-Aero and to Ai.rplane, allowing users to select powertrains, add controls and further content to reach mature designs in days rather than months or years.”

Molex Completes AirBorn Acquisition to Expand Offering of Industry-Leading Interconnect Solutions for Mission-Critical Aerospace and Defense Applications

Molex, a global electronics and connectivity innovator, has completed its acquisition of AirBorn, a global manufacturer of rugged and highly reliable connectors and electronic components designed for mission-critical applications across aerospace and defense, commercial air, space exploration, medical and industrial markets. AirBorn brings an expansive product portfolio and proven aerospace and defense solutions to Molex, which is known for its deep electronics industry knowledge, value-added engineering expertise and worldwide manufacturing footprint.

“Molex is excited to complete this important acquisition, which enables us to expand into the aerospace and defense market while extending our capabilities across space exploration and other key sectors,” said Joe Nelligan, CEO, Molex. “As we begin to integrate AirBorn’s people, products and processes within Molex, we will focus on supporting the needs of our customers, distributors and partners through collaboration and strategic investment in innovation and technology, shaping the future of the aerospace and defense category.”

Combined Skills, Scale and Scope

AirBorn’s portfolio of military-grade connectors, cables and electronic assemblies will form the foundation of Molex’s new Aerospace and Defense Division. AirBorn’s CEO, Michael Cole, will lead this new Division while working closely with Molex’s integration team and global leadership team to align priorities, empower employees and create recurring customer value.

“The combination of Molex’s organizational scale and financial stability with AirBorn’s purpose-built products and unmatched customer experiences will enable us to solve the most complex rugged connectivity challenges,” said Michael Cole. “Together we can reinforce our role as trusted advisors serving the unique requirements of aerospace and defense customers and accelerate investments in the business that will drive growth and competitive advantage.”

The combined organization will total more than 50,000 employees and 85 plants located in 20 countries. The collective product portfolio will benefit from Molex’s robust global distribution network, which plays a pivotal role in driving regional and global demand generation, sales and inventory support.

As a highly valued distribution partner for both Molex and AirBorn, TTI, Inc. envisions tremendous potential emerging from this unique blend of capabilities, expertise, products and global operations. “We applaud Molex’s acquisition of AirBorn, which offers new business opportunities for the combined AirBorn and Molex entity and their valued distribution partners,” said Lew LaFornara, SVP, product and supplier marketing, TTI, Inc. “AirBorn’s solid reputation in aerospace and defense, coupled with Molex’s long-standing distinction as a provider of innovative, high-quality products in a diverse set of market segments is a powerful combination.”

Building on Proven Experience and Expertise

AirBorn’s legacy in the aerospace and defense industry complements Molex’s leadership in the broader connector and cable assembly space. According to Bishop & Associates’ Top 100 Connector Manufacturers Report, Molex was ranked No. 3 in total world connector sales and No. 2 in the computer and peripheral, business and retail equipment, medical electronics and consumer electronics connector market sectors.

Both Molex and AirBorn have long track records of product engineering and design capabilities focused on optimizing size, weight and power (SWaP) requirements, which are crucial in supporting aerospace and defense applications. Further, as an interconnect technology innovator across automotive, generative AI, hyperscale data center and mobile device applications, Molex brings electronic and fiber optic capabilities that will enhance signal integrity, reduce electromagnetic interference and enable greater product data rates.

Abaco Systems Introduces NVA500 Latest XMC GPU Card for AI and C5ISR

AMETEK Abaco Systems announced the launch of the NVA500, an XMC form factor AI/GPGPU card powered by the NVIDIA RTX A500 GPU. Designed to meet demanding computational challenges, the NVA500 brings advanced AI, ML and deep learning capabilities to mission-critical embedded systems, revolutionizing performance in defense and aerospace applications. 

“Abaco Systems has always been at the forefront of innovation,” said Simon Collins, director of product management at Abaco Systems. “The NVA500 is a testament to our commitment to delivering powerful, scalable solutions for modern defense systems. With its rugged design and superior computational performance, the NVA500 is set to become a critical enabler of advanced C5ISR operations.” 

Key features of the NVA500 include: 

  • NVIDIA RTX A500 GPU architecture with 2.7 TFLOPS FP32 single floating-point performance. 
  • 2048 CUDA Cores, 64 Tensor Cores, and 16 Ray Tracing Cores for exceptional parallel processing.
  • High-speed PCIe Gen 4 compatibility for seamless data throughput. 
  • Support for advanced software tools such as CUDA-X, OpenCL, and GPUDirect RDMA. 

The NVA500 excels in applications that demand low-latency processing, including real-time AI inferencing, sensor fusion, and complex image recognition. Its ruggedized engineering ensures reliable operation in harsh environments, conforming to MIL-STD-810 standards. 

Aligned with the MOSA framework, the NVA500 underscores Abaco’s dedication to open standards and future-ready solutions. Customers leveraging the NVA500 gain the advantage of reduced latency, streamlined data processing, and superior performance in mission-critical scenarios. 

AAR Included Among Forbes’ America’s Dream Employers 2025 

AAR has been recognized by Forbes as one of America’s Dream Employers 2025. This award is presented in collaboration with Statista, the world-leading statistics portal and industry ranking provider. The award list was announced November 26, 2024 and can be viewed on Forbes’ website.

America’s Dream Employers 2025 were selected based on an independent survey of college students as well as employees working over the last three years for companies and institutions employing at least 1,000 employees in the U.S. from all industry sectors. Over 266,000 data points were gathered. The final score is based on how frequently AAR was named as a “dream employer” and the overall willingness of participants to recommend their workplace.

AAR is continuously identifying opportunities to enhance its employee experience and earn recognition as an employer of choice. In 2024, AAR expanded its internship program to offer development opportunities at more locations, launched a wellness pathway to simplify the experience of identifying available wellbeing resources, and led values workshops to connect new team members with the Company’s inclusive culture.

“AAR is proud to be recognized among America’s Dream Employers 2025 by Forbes,” said John M. Holmes, AAR’s chairman, president and CEO. “This award is a testament to our collaborative, people-first culture and emphasis on creating opportunities for our talent to flourish.”

Earlier this year, AAR was also named among America’s Greatest Workplaces for Mental Wellbeing 2024 and America’s Greatest Workplaces for Parents & Families 2024 by Newsweek.

Kaman Highlights AMS Family of High-Precision Non-Contact Displacement Sensors for Aerospace and Military Markets

The Measuring Division of Kaman Precision Products is highlighting its Advanced Magnetic Sensing (AMS) family of high-precision non-contact measuring systems, specifically designed for the aerospace and military markets. These sensors are engineered to operate reliably in high-pressure environments ranging from 500 psi to 40,000 psi, making them ideal for critical applications in aerospace propulsion and military systems.

Kaman’s AMS sensors enhance the capabilities of condition monitoring systems by accurately measuring and monitoring runout, speed, and changes in machine vibration profiles. This capability is crucial for reducing risk, minimizing damage, and preventing unplanned downtime due to unexpected failures in aerospace and military operations. The sensors are also well-suited for non-contact speed sensing, shaft runout, and gear tooth condition monitoring, as well as surface finish thickness inspection and crack and defect detection.

One of the key advantages of Kaman’s AMS sensors is their ability to operate without the need for special magnets. They work with any ferromagnetic target and can detect target positions through non-magnetic, conductive, and non-conductive barriers. This feature allows for leak-proof, penetrator-free equipment instrumentation installations, which are both practical and economical in aerospace and military applications. The sensors offer root mean square (RMS) resolution down to 1 micron and have a standard measuring range of up to 7 millimeters.

Designed to withstand harsh conditions, the AMS sensors are IP-67 rated and available with a variety of hermetic options. They come in standard configurations, including threaded, flanged, AS4320 pressure port compatible, and bolt head styles, and can be easily customized to meet specific OEM integration requirements. With an operating temperature range from -320°F to +1000°F (and up to +1200°F short term), these sensors are versatile enough to handle the extreme environments encountered in aerospace and military applications.