Speaking at a San Francisco conference on Tuesday, Boeing Chief Financial Officer James Bell proclaimed optimism that the proposed merger of Boeing and Lockheed Martin space launch services would go through. The Air Force and the Federal Trade Commission recently questioned whether projected savings would indeed materialize. (DR, 9/15/05) Bell believes federal regulators will approve the United Launch Alliance by next year.
General Atomics, the maker of one of the Air Force’s first Collaborative Combat Aircraft, has ambitious plans for its family of semi-autonomous drones beyond the FQ-42, including a flying-wing aircraft capable of carrying out both reconnaissance and strike missions. Meanwhile, the Air Force Research Laboratory announced a new program to…