Sierra Space raised $290 million in equity during its Series B funding, increasing its total investment to $1.7 billion. A Japanese consortium led the private capital infusion that elevated the commercial space company’s valuation to $5.3 billion. MUFG, Japan’s largest bank, along with Kanematsu and Tokio Marine & Nichido Fire Insurance, formed the lead investor group in the latest funding round, Sierra Space said.

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A Sierra Nevada Corp. subsidiary and the U.S. Transportation Command have agreed to jointly develop point-to-point approaches for military personnel and equipment delivery to locations across the globe. Sierra Space will perform emerging technology research and concept development work in support of Department of Defense force projection and non-combat operations under the cooperative R&D agreement […] More

A Sierra Nevada subsidiary is close to completing the first Dream Chaser spaceplane being built at a facility in Colorado, SpaceNews reported Friday. Sierra Space has yet to install thermal protection systems and other components into the vehicle, dubbed Tenacity. Sierra Space CEO Tom Vice said the spaceplane’s structural testing is already completed and the […] More

The U.S. Air Force has assigned the name B-21 Raider to the long range strike bomber aircraft. Air Force Secretary Deborah Lee James announced Monday the plane’s official name at the Air Force Association’s Air, Space and Cyber Conference in National Harbor, Maryland, the service branch said Monday. James and Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Dave Goldfein […] More

A Northrop Grumman executive has said the company’s concept for the future sixth-generation fighter jet will work to manage heat that sensors and weapons produce, Flight Global reported Saturday. Stephen Trimble writes Tom Vice, vice president at Northrop’s aerospace systems business, demonstrated the concept for the new combat plane as the defense contractor prepares to compete […] More

U.S. Air Force Secretary Deborah Lee James and Space and Missile Systems Center Commander Lt. Gen. Samuel Greaves visited Northrop Grumman‘s Space Park facility in California to observe manufacturing and research and development operations. Northrop said Thursday the Air Force officials received briefings on the company’s work for the service’s Low Cost Terminal, Advanced Extremely High Frequency System and Global Positioning […] More

Northrop Grumman will collaborate with General Dynamics‘ Gulfstream subsidiary and L-3 Communications in pursuit of the U.S. Air Force‘s Joint Surveillance Target Attack Radar System recapitalization contract. Tom Vice, corporate vice president and president of Northrop’s aerospace systems, said Friday the companies aim to integrate their technologies to meet the military branch’s JSTARS aircraft requirements. […] More

Northrop Grumman is looking to convert an unused space at the Palmdale, California-based F-35 facility into a production area for a new aircraft, Defense News reported Thursday. Aaron Mehta writes the government-owned, contractor-operated Air Force Plant 42 site has a one-million-square-foot vacant area. Tom Vice, Northrop’s president of aerospace systems, told reporters “this site has very […] More

Northrop Grumman has formed two internal teams to design and build a “sixth-generation” fighter in anticipation of future aircraft requirements at the U.S. Air Force and U.S. Navy, Defense News reported Thursday. Aaron Mehta writes Tom Vice, vice president at Northrop’s aerospace business, said the company also named a program manager to lead new fighter […] More

Northrop Grumman has celebrated the 25th year of its B-2 stealth bomber aircraft for the U.S. Air Force in a re-enactment of its first takeoff at the Air Force’s Plant 42 in Palmdale, California. The company said Thursday Plant 42 is where all B-2 aircraft were built and sent for programmed depot maintenance. According to Tom Vice, Northrop’s corporate vice […] More

Northrop Grumman plans to expand its Melbourne, Fla.-based manned aircraft design center with a new series of investments. The company wants to grow its Melbourne facility by 220,000 square feet and open 300 additional jobs, Northrop said Thursday. “This expansion further cements our strong partnership with Florida, and will greatly benefit our employees, customers and shareholders,” […] More

Northrop Grumman has opened a fresh aircraft integration center in St. Augustine, Fla., where the company has been operating for 34 years. The site is expected to create 400 new jobs over the next three years, Northrop Grumman said Thursday. Tom Vice, Northrop Grumman corporate vice president and president of aerospace systems, said the new facility […] More