24 April

L3Harris Technologies is supporting small businesses suppliers in 45 US states through more than $100m in accelerated payments. The payments are part of the company’s efforts to support its employees, customers, suppliers and communities that are contributing in the fight against the spread of Covid-19. An L3Harris supplier Custom Aerospace Machine CEO Evan Cramer said: “The accelerated payment will also allow us to continue to invest in our strategic growth plan, with our move to a new 52,000ft2 facility, in support of the pending F-35 full-rate production schedule.”

US Joint Base Charleston in South Carolina has taken delivery of an isolation container prototype. The Negatively Pressurized Conex (NPC ) prototype was delivered by the US Air Force Life Cycle Management Center (AFLCMC)-led team. The NPC will be tested for its potential use as a safe module to transport patients with Covid-19 virus and other infectious diseases to medical facilities around the globe. The container can easily fit inside C-5 Galaxy and C-17 Globemaster III aircraft. The NPC is designed to transport around 28 patients, and teams of medical professionals.

Bae Systems’ Electronic Systems Rochester team has designed a new face shield as part of efforts to support the NHS and health workers across the UK. Initially, up to 3,00 face shields will be produced. Over the next six weeks, the site will manufacture around 500 face shields each week. The new design was created by the team’s undergraduate Elliot Farrell. It features two 3D printed clips and other polycarbonate-made components. The site is making use of laser cutting tools for the Farrell shield production.

Start-up Curative has reached an agreement to deploy its Covid-19 oral fluid tests across the US military. The tests have been authorised by the US Food and Drug Administration and demonstrated equivalent sensitivity to nasopharyngeal (NP) swab tests during clinical studies. The agreement has been signed with the US Air Force and involves setting up of a new laboratory facility initially and establishing eight testing locations across the country in future phases. The facility can process up to 50,000 tests a day.