Lockheed Martin and the U.S. are keen to increase momentum for production of the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter. But ongoing budget turmoil in the U.S. and elsewhere and political changes in Canada could pose real hurdles for the program.

For the foreseeable future, national security space launches will keep the United Launch Alliance and enginemaker Aerojet in business. But the outlook down the road is full of change and opportunity, as Blue Origin plans to build a new launch vehicle and test facility in Florida and will team up with ULA on a new Vulcan rocket.

This week’s Check 6 marks the start of a series of special features running before Aviation Week & Space Technology’s 100th anniversary in August 2016 with a discussion of stealth and counterstealth technology.

Advances in Russian military technology on display at the Moscow Air Show, including jammers and missiles, illustrate how Russia has pursued an asymmetric response counter to U.S. advantages.