Latest news with #SteveParker
BBC News
6 days ago
- Sport
- BBC News
Major redevelopment of Crewe FC pitch and pavilion begins
Work has begun on a major redevelopment of sports facilities in Crewe.A partnership between Cheshire East Council and Crewe FC will see a new 3G pitch and refurbished pavilion at the King George V Playing project, which is estimated to cost £1.4m and will prioritise access for women and girls, is one of 35 to have been funded by the £30m Lionesses Futures Fund, created by the government and Football chair Steve Parker said: "The start of work on the 3G pitch has been long anticipated and we cannot wait to see the pitch ready for use." The project is estimated to cost £1.4m and will prioritise access for women and girls through reserved peak-time slots and more welcoming changing FC already has a number of teams across a range of ages and abilities, featuring several women's club said the redevelopment would help drive participation levels up while also future proofing the this year, they warned the scheme was in jeopardy due to planning Parker said the project was important because Crewe had not seen a significant investment in its sports facilities for about 10 years."It has not been an easy journey, but we can now start to look forward to welcoming the community into the fantastic new venue."As well as the 3G pitch and refurbished pavilion, the revamp will include full wheelchair access, disabled changing areas, nursing facilities for parents, wide corridors, gender-neutral changing facilities, flexible coaching areas and new catering are expected to be completed in early 2026. Read more Cheshire stories from the BBC and follow BBC Stoke & Staffordshire on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram.
Daily Mail
04-07-2025
- Business
- Daily Mail
Australia's first homegrown combat aircraft in 50 years takes off
Australia's first combat aircraft designed and built in more than 50 years has completed its first flight outside a testing facility. The MQ-28A Ghost Bat drone successfully completed its first flight - codenamed Exercise Carlsbad at RAAF Base Tindal, near Katherine in the Northern Territory. The exercise was part of a broader series of trials to demonstrate the Ghost Bat's capabilities in a simulated combat scenario. The MQ-28A is an AI-enabled, autonomous, uncrewed Collaborative Combat Aircraft, designed to fly alongside traditional fighter jets and take on mission roles typically performed by pilots. Developed by Boeing Australia in partnership with the Royal Australian Air Force, the Ghost Bat marks a major step forward in Australian aerospace innovation. Over 80 Australian companies contributed to the program. 'This is a huge achievement of the collaborative work between the Royal Australian Air Force and Boeing Defence Australia,' Wing Commander Phillip Parsons said. 'Our success has also been due to ongoing work with the Collaborative Autonomous Systems Project Office, Air Force Headquarters, Air Warfare Centre, and the local base squadrons at RAAF Base Tindal.' Live fire testing of air-to-air weapons is planned for late 2025. 'What we're going to do this year is, we're going to accelerate into a weapon shot from the drone,' Boeing Defense, Space & Security interim President and CEO Steve Parker said. 'We'll definitely look at air-ground in the future, but our focus priority is air-to-air. And we'll talk about what the weapon is in the future, at a future point in time.' Exercise Carlsbad tested the MQ-28A Ghost Bat's ability to be deployed, redeployed, and operated effectively in unfamiliar conditions. 'The main intent of Exercise Carlsbad was to understand all the fundamental inputs to capability in relation to the MQ-28A,' Wing Commander Parsons said. Before the flight, a series of ground-based checks were conducted to ensure all systems were functioning properly. Wing Commander Parsons said the aircraft would provide the combat mass needed to defend Australia and its national interests. 'Capabilities such as the MQ-28A are important as they will save Australian lives and provide us with the combat mass to defend Australia and its national interests,' Wing Commander Parsons said. Canberra is optimistic that the Ghost Bat program will open up significant export opportunities for the Australian defence industry.
Daily Mail
04-07-2025
- Business
- Daily Mail
Astonishing images emerge from of Australia's MQ-28A Ghost Bat drone
Australia's first combat aircraft designed and built in more than 50 years has completed its first flight outside a testing facility. The MQ-28A Ghost Bat drone successfully completed its first flight - codenamed Exercise Carlsbad at RAAF Base Tindal, near Katherine in the Northern Territory. The exercise was part of a broader series of trials to demonstrate the Ghost Bat's capabilities in a simulated combat scenario. The MQ-28A is an AI-enabled, autonomous, uncrewed Collaborative Combat Aircraft, designed to fly alongside traditional fighter jets and take on mission roles typically performed by pilots. Developed by Boeing Australia in partnership with the Royal Australian Air Force, the Ghost Bat marks a major step forward in Australian aerospace innovation. Over 80 Australian companies contributed to the program. 'This is a huge achievement of the collaborative work between the Royal Australian Air Force and Boeing Defence Australia,' Wing Commander Phillip Parsons said. 'Our success has also been due to ongoing work with the Collaborative Autonomous Systems Project Office, Air Force Headquarters, Air Warfare Centre, and the local base squadrons at RAAF Base Tindal.' Live fire testing of air-to-air weapons is planned for late 2025. 'What we're going to do this year is, we're going to accelerate into a weapon shot from the drone,' Boeing Defense, Space & Security interim President and CEO Steve Parker said. 'We'll definitely look at air-ground in the future, but our focus priority is air-to-air. And we'll talk about what the weapon is in the future, at a future point in time.' Exercise Carlsbad tested the MQ-28A Ghost Bat's ability to be deployed, redeployed, and operated effectively in unfamiliar conditions. 'The main intent of Exercise Carlsbad was to understand all the fundamental inputs to capability in relation to the MQ-28A,' Wing Commander Parsons said. Before the flight, a series of ground-based checks were conducted to ensure all systems were functioning properly. Wing Commander Parsons said the aircraft would provide the combat mass needed to defend Australia and its national interests. 'Capabilities such as the MQ-28A are important as they will save Australian lives and provide us with the combat mass to defend Australia and its national interests,' Wing Commander Parsons said. Canberra is optimistic that the Ghost Bat program will open up significant export opportunities for the Australian defence industry. At least one Ghost Bat has already been seen in the United States.
Axios
02-07-2025
- Business
- Axios
Trump administration shelves Navy's F/A-XX, citing industry strain
The Trump administration is icing the U.S. Navy's F/A-XX futuristic fighter in favor of the Air Force counterpart, the F-47, amid concerns U.S. defense contractors can't handle both. Why it matters: The highly secretive project has for months been in limbo. An F/A-XX contract announcement was supposed to quickly follow F-47 news, according to Reuters, but never materialized. Driving the news: Officials at the Pentagon told reporters the fiscal 2026 budget blueprint includes $74 million to finish design of the Navy warplane. They also said there is debate at the highest levels about its future. "We did make a strategic decision to go all-in on F-47, with a $3.4 billion request for that program, due to our belief that the industrial base can only handle going fast on one program at this time and the presidential priority [is] to go all-in on that F-47 and get that program right," one official said. Catch up quick: Boeing and Northrop Grumman are in the running for F/A-XX. The former bested Lockheed Martin in March for the multibillion-dollar F-47 contract, via the Next Generation Air Dominance effort. Friction point: Boeing executives pushed back on the narrative that it — and others — can't juggle. "From day one, capital investment was for both programs. We've done the same with our technology. We've done the same with our staffing," Steve Parker, the CEO of Boeing's defense business, told reporters at the Paris Air Show. "Absolutely, we can do it. And so can the industrial base. And so can the engine manufacturers. I don't really see that as being an issue." What we're watching: The Navy could end up with a tailored version of the F-47 instead.
Bloomberg
16-06-2025
- Business
- Bloomberg
Boeing Progressing at Fastest Pace in Years on Air Force One
Boeing Co. said it's made more progress in the past four to five months on the long-delayed new presidential aircraft than at any point in the last four years as it identifies ways to streamline the complex program. 'As we go forward, we have been able to see our way through some of these requirements that were just physically impossible to do,' Steve Parker, the interim head of Boeing's defense business, told journalists at the Paris Air Show on Monday. 'We're just making really, really good progress.'
