The highly accurate Tomahawk Block IV Land Attack Missile has been upgraded. The latest variant of the Tomahawk will include a two-way satellite data-link that allows for in air re-targeting. Planned upgrades to the Tomahawk will also include a more powerful warhead, upgraded communications, and a new seeker designed to hit moving targets on land or at sea. Launched from a ship or submarine the Tomahawk can be sent into heavily defended airspace to make a precise strike on high-value targets.The Tomahawk is a long-range, all-weather, subsonic cruise missile. Dimensionally, it is 5.56 meters long and possesses a 51.8 centimeter diameter, a wing span of 2.67 meters, and weighs 1,315 kilograms. The Tomahawk has a range of over 1,000 meters.

Alcoa’s Power and Propulsion business division was awarded a 10-year USD$360 million contract to provide aluminum forgings used on the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter. As the key supplier for Lockheed Martin’s F-35 program, Alcoa provides several key components. Their advanced, patented 7085 alloy aluminum die forgings will be supplied. The forgings include 15 large bulkheads and six wing box parts which serve as the skeletal structure of the wing. The bulkheads are the primary structural support for the wings and engines. They can weigh anywhere from 1,800 to 6,000 pounds and range in size from 10 to 23 feet in length.

Some of the modern features that Rockwell Collins has put into airplanes are not just for the pilots - many of them are found right in the cabin. In this age of technology, gone are the days of reading a newspaper or being forced to talk to that stranger sitting next to you on your flight. Whether you’re a movie buff, into the latest breaking news, or you just want to stay connected to others while you’re high in the sky, Rockwell Collins has you covered. Their in-flight entertainment systems are found on many single- and twin-aisle aircrafts, while their business jets offer a way to stay connected to your office even when you can’t be there.

Developed as a response to the Airbus A350 XWB long-range, twin-engine, wide-body jetliner, the Boeing 777X family of jetliners is expected to debut in 2020. The fuselage of the 777X wide-body calls for an impressive 60,000 fasteners—all of which are currently installed by hand. However, to meet the already-placed firm orders from Lufthansa, Emirates, Qatar Airways, and Cathay Pacific by the declared delivery date, Boeing needed to automate its riveting system.

On September 29, 2014, the American industrial company OshKosh Corporation, was awarded a contract by the U.S. Marine Corps to modernize their extended boom forklift fleet. Valued at $99 Million, the contract calls for OshKosh to update 485 EBFLs, provide 100 armored cabs, and produce replacement parts. The EBFL is a military spec four-wheel drive, rubber-tired forklift with two-wheel, four-wheel and crab steering. The forklift is designed to withstand rough terrain, is self-deployable, and has the capabilities of reaching 35 miles per hour. Without any type of equipment preparation, the EBFL can ford up to 60 inches and is fitted with an armored cab for all weather conditions.

The Boeing Company, an American multinational corporation, was awarded two government contracts valuing a total of over $54 Billion in February 2014.In mid-February, 2014, the U.S Air Force awarded Boeing with a 10+ yearlong contract with a total value of approximately $52 Billion. The contract calls for Boeing to produce a newly designed Tanker called the KC-46 which will costs $250 - $300 million each. These new tankers are to replace Boeing’s old military spec KC-135 tankers. The KC-46 is larger than the old KC-135, has a higher transfer fuel load, and the passenger seating has been increased from 37 to 114 seats. Performance has also been made better as well as the KC-46 has a cruising range of about 5-times that of the KC-135 which will allow better service over longer distances.

The Harris Corporation is an international communications and information technology company. They got their start in 1895 when brothers Alfred and Charles Harris developed a revolutionary automatic sheet feeding printing press. After merging with Radiation, Inc. in 1967 the company began developing antenna and integrated circuits to be used in the space race. In 1974 the name was changed from Harris Automatic Press Company to Harris Corporation. The headquarters was also moved from Cleveland to Melbourne Florida. Today the company earns roughly $5 billion in annual revenue and employees over 14,000 employees.

Just this year in 2014, Meggitt PLC, a British aerospace business, was awarded a contract to supply their newest advanced braking and monitoring system for the Gulfstream G500 and G600, the staple of the Gulfstream aircraft portfolio. The multi-million dollar contract for the business jets stipulates that Meggitt provide advanced wheels and compact carbon brakes. This new technology features carbon composite heatsink material and anti-oxidant coating that will optimize the weight and reliability of the brakes. Both the G500 and G600, which boast a range of 5,000 to 6,200 nautical miles and a max operating speed of Mach 0.925, can attribute their performance to Meggitt, which is supplying brake-by-wire control systems and high performance braking for both aircraft as opposed to conventional pedal braking.

In August of 2013, Rockwell Collins agreed to acquire Arinc, a manufacturer of commercial flight systems, for $1.39 billion. The announced deal came out a time when the US government is make drastic budget cuts in defense spending, a move which has affected many of the largest US defense contractors. The acquisition is intended to subsidize the losses that Rockwell Collins was taking from budget cuts by moving its business away from government work and into commercial work. The move will also greatly augment the company’s aviation information management offerings. By the year 2014, commercial business is expected to total 54% of Rockwell Collin’s total business.

Spirit Aero Systems Holdings Inc., one of Boeing’s major suppliers and also a first-tier aero structures manufacturer, just reported higher-than-anticipated quarterly profit. Thanks to higher margins, the company was able to raise its full-year profit forecast once again as major customers and aircraft manufacturers around the world are increasing production. Shares of Spirit Aero Systems rose by 5% and company revenue rose by 12.6% percent, bringing total revenue to $1.69 billion in the third quarter. Spirit shares also rose to $3.35-$3.45 per share from $2.90-$3.05 per share, with total estimated revenue increased to $6.8-$6.9 billion

Founded in 1927 and headquartered in Vero Beach Florida, Piper Aircraft, Inc. is a leading manufacturer of general aviation aircraft. Piper Aircraft is the only general aviation manufacturer to offer a complete line of aircraft worldwide. They offer modern, efficient, reliable, and time-tested aircraft from single-engines up to six-place turboprop aircraft. Piper Aircraft is owned by Brunei Ministry of France and is a member of the General Aviation Manufacturers Association. Piper Aircraft aviators are single and twin engine aircraft. The models that Piper offers include M-Class, Twin Class, and Trainer Class. The single-engine M-Class series such as the Meridian, Mirage and Matrix offers individuals and businesses elegant performance and value.

In February of 2014, Enstrom Helicopter unveiled its newest product on opening day of the Heli-Expo 2014. The TH-180, which is a low-cost scaled-down version of the company’s currently widely-used FX-280 three-seater, will launch with an approximate price tag of $365,000. This two-seat, piston-powered training aircraft is powered by a 210-hp Lycoming HIO-390 engine and is expected to incure costs of only $175 per hour to operate while burning less than 12 gph of fuel.The aircraft will also feature a Lycoming engine governor as well as an electric clutch switch. Compared with the larger and more expensive FX-280 model, the TH-180 boasts more versatile landing gear and a frame that is 500 pounds lighter, amounting to about $2,250 total pounds in gross weight.

Cessna Aircraft, a general aviation and aircraft manufacturing corporation, has been making upgrades as of late to its newest aircraft, the Cessna Latitude. Improvements of 370 km in range as well as a 9% reduction in take-off roll for the Citation Latitude have contributed to its edge over the next closest competitor, the Embraer 450. Altogether, this midsize jet boasts a range of 2,700nm and has a take-off distance of 1,118m. The announcement of these recent improvements mark the third range increase for these jets in the program’s history so far.

Founded in 1949 and headquartered in Lake Mills, Wisconsin, Hamlin Electronics is an independent company that specializes in sensor technology. They provide standard products and custom solutions to a wide range of leading global manufacturers in the automotive, industrial, and consumer product industries. Over the years, Hamlin has supplied prominent manufacturers including Delphi, Mercedes Benz, Siemens, Bosch, Temic, Autoliv and Visteon.

Founded in 1929, the Curtiss-Wright Corporation was created from the merger of the Curtiss Aeroplane & Motor Company and the Wright Aeronautical Corporation (of Orville and Wilbur Wright fame, the brothers responsible for the world’s first successful flight). Now a publically traded company of considerable breadth and resources, the Curtiss-Wright Corporation took in a fiscal year 2013 revenue of over $2.5 billion and is staffed by a workforce of 10,000.This year, effective as of January 2014, the company substantially consolidated and restructured their business segments.

Amphenol Corporation, a major manufacturer of electronics, fiber optic connectors, cables, and interconnect systems, saw stock prices reach a 52- week high of $100.26 as of August, 2014, due mainly in part to the announcement of a two-for-one stock split. This continued the uptrend in share prices that have been consistent for all of 2014 and on track with the long-term earnings growth expectation of 10.5%. The stock split will be paid out as a stock dividend, which each shareholder receiving an additional share.The move, which is strategic in nature, is expected to increase stock liquidity and lead to more trading. As of late the, the company has been reporting record earnings and revenues.

Faber Fluid Fittings is a division of Faber Enterprises, Inc., a manufacturer of aerospace components founded in 1947 and based in Canoga Park, California. Faber Enterprises is a subsidiary of SPS Technologies, LLC. Certified to AS 9100-B and ISO 9001: 2008, with NADCAP AC7112 accredited fluid systems, the company is a leading designer and manufacturer of aircraft fluid fittings (including AS, MS, NAS, and AN varieties).The company also produces fittings specific to standards of major aerospace companies including: BAC from Boeing, ABS and NSA from Airbus, and 7D from Boeing/McDonnell-Douglas. Used in hydraulic, fuel, pneumatic, and ECS applications, the company provides a broad range of both standard and proprietary fittings rated for operating in extreme pressures (over 5000 psi) and abundant vibration.

Established by Bruce Cheng in 1971, Delta Electronics Incorporated is a business segment of the electronics conglomerate Delta Group. Based in Taipei City, Taiwan, the company began mass producing power switches in 1983. Since then, the company has grown enormously with fiscal year 2013 revenues totaling approximately $6 billion. Originally a power supply and brushless DC fans manufacturing house, Delta has greatly broadened the scope of its endeavors to become a comprehensive solutions provider with activity in industrial automation, cloud computing, medical equipment, smart homes, electronic control, digital displays, lighting, and communication systems. With 54 research and development sites (which receive 5-6% of annual revenues), over 4,900 patents, and over 7,500 engineers, the company is dedicated to developing emerging energy-efficient technologies and renewables.

Airborn Incorporated designs and manufactures high-reliability electronic components including connectors; cable and electro-mechanical assemblies, flexible circuits, and power supplies and is a Tier 1 supplier to world-wide electronics OEMSs. Founded in 1958, Airborn got its start creating electronic connectors for military and aerospace uses, industries requiring resilient and dependable components.The privately-held, 100% employee-owned company has since expanded its product portfolio to include a full suite of electronic design and manufacturing capabilities for a range of applications including: the aerospace, avionics, storage and networking, defense, semiconductor instrumentation, medical, energy, industrial, and the automotive industries.

Many people will recognize the brand name Honeywell, both a household name for consumer products as well as well-respected name in the aerospace, engineering, and commercial industry by major corporations and world governments. However, it is a lesser-known fact that Honeywell was acquired by the huge multinational corporation Allied Signal in 1999 in a deal valued at around $13.8 billion. Allied Signal was an American aerospace, automotive, and engineering company that gained prominence in 1985 via the merger of Allied Corp and Signal Companies. These companies were primarily involved in the chemicals, aerospace, oil, gas, and automotive industries.