WASHINGTON The Air Force’s unmanned combat air vehicle will be much larger and heavier than first thought, following a redesign intended to narrow the gap between initial prototypes and an operational system. The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency and Boeing matured the existing design over several months.

ORLANDO, FLA. The Helicopter Assn. International’s annual covention attracted more people this year than in 2001 amidst a flat market and rising fears within the industry about skyrocketing insurance rates, a tighter squeeze on profits and shifting flight operations rules in the wake of a national security clampdown.

NEW YORK In yet another affirmation of the wildly overblown expectations for mobile satellite services in general and satellite telephony in particular, Globalstar Telecommunications Ltd. last week filed for bankruptcy protection.

WASHINGTON The Pentagon expects its traditional supplier base to change as the military adapts acquisition plans to focus more clearly on the war on terror. In turn, industry officials are trying to sort out what that change means for them.

CAPE CANAVERAL The first launch of the Lockheed Martin Atlas IIIB has enabled the company to flight test 85% of the same critical propulsion and avionics hardware that will make up the more advanced Atlas V evolved expendable launch vehicle.

LONDON The British Defense Ministry and BAE Systems are on the brink of concluding a deal providing the ministry with at least the possibility of clawing back some of the extended delay in getting its next generation of maritime patrol aircraft into service.

LONDON WASHINGTON An international code of conduct aimed at helping curtail the proliferation of ballistic missiles could be formally in place before the end of 2002, marking the culmination of three years of difficult negotiation and compromise.