BRUSSELS. NATO Support and Procurement Agency (NSPA) awarded three Next Generation Rotorcraft Capability (NGRC) contracts to Airbus, Leonardo, and Lockheed Martin Sikorsky, paving the way for the helicopter manufacturers to undertake "detailed platform concept studies" as NATO seeks to deliver a new class of medium-lift military helicopters between 2035 and 2040.

TAMPA, Fla. Safety-critical software firm CoreAVI reports that Airbus completed a successful flight test of its Auto’Mate (autonomous in-flight refueling) demonstrator that uses CoreAVI’s GPU accelerated artificial intelligence (AI) software stack, including VkCore SC and ComputeCore. 

GETAFE, Spain. The Spanish Ministry of Defence will buy 16 Airbus C295 aircraft, customized for Maritime Patrol Aircraft (MPA) and Maritime Surveillance Aircraft (MSA) roles, Airbus announced in a statement.

MARIGNANE, France. Airbus Helicopters and Naval Group and the French Navy conducted sea trials for the SDAM (Système de Drone Aérien Marine/Naval Aerial Drone System) on a multi-mission frigate (FREMM), the company announced in a statement.

MARIGNANE, France. The VSR700 unmanned aerial system (UAS), developed by Airbus Helicopters in cooperation with the French Armament General Directorate (DGA), completed its first operational configuration sea trial earlier this month, Airbus announced in a statement. This trial involved 80 fully autonomous take-offs and landings from a civilian vessel equipped with a helicopter deck off the coast of Brittany.

PARIS, France. Airbus will provide tactical satellite communications services to the Belgian Ministry of Defence as part of a 15-year contract, the company announced in a statement.

PARIS, France. Airbus has won a contract to provide satellite communications to the Czech Republic and the Netherlands, the company announced in a statement.