The US Air Force has turned over the Advanced Battle Management System program, including sub-systems, to the Rapid Capabilities Office in a bid to accelerate the initiative. "I expect that we will have the first things bought, connected to real platforms, occurring next year," said Will Roper, service acquisition czar.

The Aerospace Industries Association's Karina Perez is among the founders of the new Zed Factor Fellowship, established to recruit students from underrepresented backgrounds into the aerospace field. AIA is among the fellowship's first host organizations.

Lockheed Martin is using funds designated for year-end festivities in Georgia to provide 10,000 meals to be distributed by charities this holiday season. "Because of the pandemic, we knew that bringing employees together in large gatherings is not a wise choice, so we made the decision to do the right thing -- support the communities where we live and work," said spokesman Rob Fuller.

The US Air Force is extending its A-10 engineering agreement with Northrop Grumman through 2030 under a $185.7 million contract. The agreement supports the A-10 Aircraft Structural Integrity Program Legacy VII.

The US Export-Import Bank is guaranteeing $500 million in financing by Citi for Boeing, supporting an estimated 1,900 domestic jobs. "Financing is needed due to the heightened risk associated with the aircraft manufacturing industry resulting from Covid-19 and global economic conditions as well as the lack of available commercial financing particularly for such short-term transactions," the bank notes.

Rolls-Royce is testing World Energy's sustainable aviation fuel to gauge how the company's engines perform with this type of fuel and fuel blends.

Ryanair has 135 Boeing 737 Max aircraft on order and is eager to add more, with CEO Michael O'Leary confirming ongoing talks between the airline and Boeing. "I think it is important for Boeing to announce some customer orders and we would certainly be very keen to be at the front of the queue because the Max 200 is a great aircraft," he said.

The US Space Force is looking to the future when it comes to buying launch services, with the Space and Missile Systems Center Launch Enterprise gathering information from the industry regarding space mobility and logistics.

This week marks the official withdrawal of the US from the Open Skies pact, following notification to other participants six months ago. Last May, Trump administration cited actions by Russia when announcing the decision to exit the treaty.

"The problem is not being on the airplane," Southwest Airlines CEO Gary Kelly said in an interview, explaining the multiple layers of protection airlines have put in place to protect travelers. "What we want to do is provide the opportunity for people to travel as they choose, but to make sure that it is as safe as we can possibly make it," Kelly said.