FAA Request for Information Related to a New Air Traffic Control Platform
Josue A. Villalta & Paige L. Cappelli
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) issued a request for information (RFI) related to “a single, state-of-the art platform for air traffic control called the Common Automation Platform (CAP).” The CAP would replace En Route Automation Modernization (ERAM) and the Standard Terminal Automation Replacement System (STARS), which are two systems currently used.
Boeing Completes Acquisition of Spirit Aerosystems With IP Divestiture
Boeing announced on December 8, 2025, that it had completed its acquisition of Spirit AeroSystems. The deal is valued at $4.7 billion, or $8.3 billion including the assumption of debt. Spirit describes itself as one of the world’s largest suppliers of aerostructures, such as fuselages and wings. Under the deal, Boeing acquired all of Spirit’s Boeing-related commercial operations, including fuselages for the 737 and major structures for the 767, 777, and 787 Dreamliner.
DARPA Announces “Lift Challenge,” Seeking Drone Designs With High Payload-To-Weight Ratios
DARPA (Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency) issued a challenge, the DARPA Lift Challenge, in October 2025 to develop novel drone designs that have greater payload-to-weight ratio. DARPA, which is the main R&D agency of the U.S. Department of War (previously known as the Department of Defense), has played a significant role in the development of many key civilian and military technologies, including weather satellites, GPS, stealth technology, flat screens, personal computers, and the internet.
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