Contract worth $383 million The US Navy has awarded Lockheed Martin a $383 million contract modification to continue developing the Trident II Strategic Weapons System (SWS) D5 missile. The contract, a cost-plus-incentive-fee and cost-plus-fixed-fee arrangement, will allow Lockheed Martin to
Deal is worth $327 million Serco, a UK-based Serco Group subsidiary, has agreed to acquire Northrop Grumman’s Mission Training and Satellite Ground Network Communications Software (MT&S) business for $327 million (£264 million) in cash. The acquisition positions Serco to expand its footprint in the US defence sector, as MT&S offers the US military advanced mission
Spotlight on the must-sees From April 1 to 7, 2025, the prestigious Watches and Wonders Geneva will return to the Swiss city. This year’s event will showcase the finest horology innovations from various renowned brands. With the addition of Bvlgari and six new independent brands, it promises to be an unmissable spectacle for watch enthusiasts and industry […]
For Spanish Armed Forces The first of two advanced Airbus satellites, SpainSat NG-I, has been successfully launched aboard a Falcon 9 rocket from Cape Canaveral, USA. The state-of-the-art satellite, designed to enhance secure communications for the Spanish Armed Forces, will enter service in the latter half of 2025, following its initial testing and commissioning phases.
851,214 units sold Lexus has announced its 2024 global sales results, achieving a remarkable 851,214 units sold, a 103.3% increase compared to the previous year. The company attributed the exceptional growth to strong demand in key markets such as North America and Europe, alongside a recovery in the availability of parts, which supported the rise […]
Driven by premium segment According to Counterpoint’s Monthly India Smartphone Tracker, the Indian smartphone market saw a significant surge in wholesale revenue in 2024, reaching a record high with a 9% year-on-year (YoY) increase. Despite a modest 1% YoY shipment increase, totalling 153 million units, the market shifted towards more expensive devices, driving up
December ended on a high note The International Air Transport Association (IATA) has revealed that global air passenger demand in 2024 reached unprecedented levels, marking a significant milestone for the aviation industry. According to IATA’s latest full-year and December 2024 passenger market performance report, air traffic grew by 10.4% compared to 2023, surpassing
Harnessing advanced technologies The World Economic Forum (WEF) has announced the establishment of three new Centres for the Fourth Industrial Revolution (C4IR), which will launch in 2025. Based in Muscat, Pretoria, and Riyadh, these centres will focus on harnessing advanced technologies to address critical global challenges and provide tailored solutions that meet
To improve fighting strength In a sweeping move to refocus the US military on a merit-based system, US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth has announced the establishment of a new task force designed to strengthen America’s fighting force. The newly formed ‘Restoring America’s Fighting Force’ Task Force will ensure that the US Department of Defence (DOD) […]
Led by Peggy Whitson NASA and its international partners have approved Axiom Space’s fourth private astronaut mission to the International Space Station (ISS). The mission will launch from NASA’s Kennedy Space Centre in Florida no earlier than Spring 2025. The Axiom Mission 4 (Ax-4) crew will travel to the ISS aboard a SpaceX Dragon spacecraft. […]
With GE Aerospace T901 engines Sikorsky has conducted the first-ever ground runs of a UH-60M Black Hawk helicopter powered by two GE Aerospace T901 Improved Turbine Engines (ITE). The test, carried out by a collaborative team from the US Army and industry experts, marked a significant milestone in modernising the iconic Black Hawk fleet. The […]
With historic flight of the XB-1 jet Boom Supersonic has made history with the successful supersonic flight of its XB-1 demonstrator aircraft, marking a key milestone in developing its Overture supersonic aircraft. The flight occurred at Mojave Air & Space Port in California, where the XB-1 became the first independently developed supersonic jet built in […]
Rivalling larger AI models Chinese artificial intelligence (AI) company DeepSeek launched its R1 model last week, causing significant disruption in the AI industry. The announcement sent shockwaves through the stock market, causing the Nasdaq to drop by 3 per cent on Monday, a decline attributed to a nearly 17 per cent loss in shares of […]
CarryAll production to begin The Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) has officially granted AutoFlight’s CarryAll unmanned cargo aircraft a Production Certificate (PC), marking a historic milestone as the world’s first production licence for a 2-ton electric vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) aircraft. This certification paves the way for CarryAll to enter mass
Arrivals soar to 1.4 billion International tourism achieved a major milestone in 2024, with global arrivals soaring to 1.4 billion, marking a near-complete recovery from the devastating impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic. The surge in traveller numbers represents a 99% return to pre-pandemic levels, with an 11% increase over 2023, equating to 140 million more […]
To boost aerospace and defence Leonardo has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Ministry of Investment (MISA) and the General Authority for Military Industries (GAMI) of Saudi Arabia. The MoU focuses on expanding collaboration in the aerospace and defence sectors, marking a significant step forward in the companies’ long-standing partnership. The
Following repatriation flights dispute US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has authorised a series of visa restrictions on Colombian government officials and their immediate family members in response to the country’s refusal to accept repatriation flights for its citizens. The move follows a diplomatic dispute in which Colombian President Gustavo Petro withdrew his
Driven by growth in emerging markets A new study has revealed that global digital commerce spending will surge by 65% from 2024 to 2029, reaching an estimated $34 trillion by the decade’s end. This significant growth, up from $23 trillion in 2024, is primarily attributed to the expanding digital economies in Latin America and Asia […]
US is the undisputed leader In the digital age, data centres are the backbone of the internet. They house the infrastructure that powers everything from social media platforms to cloud computing services. As of March 2024, there were 11,800 data centres globally. These facilities are essential for processing and storing vast amounts of data, and […]
For Mars exploration, rovers NASA has reached a significant milestone in its quest to explore the Red Planet. It has thoroughly tested a revolutionary new tyre technology designed for its Martian rovers. Developed by NASA’s Glenn Research Centre in Cleveland in collaboration with Goodyear Tire & Rubber, the groundbreaking shape memory alloy (SMA) spring tyres […]