Prepare yourselves, this is gonna be a long status report. I'm also gonna try to do more of these "status reports" for Rainier Aerospace, and maybe even the great Rainier Aviation Group, but anyways here's the latest developments with Rainier Aerospace.

1. QLX-125 Ghost Production Closure

The final QLX-125 Ghost has rolled off the production line at the Moses Lake drone production facility, bringing an end to production for the QLX-125. The QLX-125 was the very first prototype version of the new close-air support "Ghost" UCAV, which was developed when the US Navy ordered 2 (later 3) examples for an experimental test project related to drones & autonomy. DARPA being the other customer, also ordered 1 QLX-125 for classified missions related to R&D of advanced weaponry & defense concepts. DARPA's order, the 5th QLX-125, was just recently delivered. The 6th & final one, along with the 3rd one produced, went to Rainier Aerospace for their own internal R&D programs. The 3rd one was just a general aerodynamics test-bed for the Ghost design that contributed to the new winglet design on the MQ-125, while the 6th one will be involved in laser & direct-energy weapons testing.

The 5th QLX-125 on it's delivery flight heading for DARPA

The QLX-125 would later evolve into the production-ready MQ-125, which recently flew for the first time in mid-2019, and a few more examples for demonstration & general design testing purposes are currently on the assembly line as well. The MQ-125's potential customers include the US Navy, US Army, CIA, and possibly foreign customers. With the QLX-125 out of production & freeing up factory space at the drone production facility, development for the long over-due RQ-120 Wisp is expected to pick up.

Final QLX-125 on it's first flight

2. New Manned Light Tactical Fighters In Development

As previously teased, a new manned fighter is in development by Rainier Aerospace. However, it is part of a greater program known as the "Light Tactical Fighter" program, or "LTF", and will spawn 3 new fighter jets. The first 2 are 4.5 generation meant for the international fighter export market and based around the same basic airframe with different wings optimized for different missions, and the 3rd will be a separate 5th generation stealth fighter. Construction of the first prototype for the first model is going excellent and is nearing completion & it's first flight. A full revealing of the aircraft has been postponed to when it's 100% complete and ready for a "formal" first flight. However what Rainier can reveal about the LTF program for now, is that the 3 aircraft have been given the following designations & names: "F-24 Warbler", "F-25 Wren", and "F-26 Shortsword".

3. Containerized Grizzly MPAT-V Variant Nearing Launch

The Grizzly MPAT-V containerized variant has recently been completed & ready for production, and is currently undergoing final trials & tests before being launched commercially. It will be able to work with the recently launched Rainier Forklift to load & unload cargo from the container with a built-in loading ramp, and will also come with "example cargo" with the SP build for players to try loading & unloading cargo. The Grizzly MPAT-V will be launched shortly after the manned fighter is finished.

4. Space & Launch Systems Division Developments

Out of all of Rainier Aerospace's divisions, this probably has to be the one that is lagging the most recently, as the company has been focused on the Grizzly & new manned fighter. The Orbitz engine test has been completed awhile ago and footage has been filmed of it but not released yet, although a complete video of the clips of the test will be put together and released in the following days.

Space & Launch Systems Division has also recently acquired their 2nd Boeing 747-400 Jumbo Jet they intend for air launching & ferrying of spacecraft such as the Endeavor & Eagle. Unlike the first 747, "Air Launch One", which was a 747-400BCF, "Air Launch Two" will be converted from a 747-400F variant. "Air Launch One" has an upcoming mission to test out the parachutes & abort systems on the Endeavor OMV 2nd stage. Another 2nd mission will soon follow, which will be a test flight for the Endeavor rocketplane, except this time it will fire it's Atmos rocket engine after separation and conduct a simulated air-launch and be the Endeavor's first powered flight. This flight will be conducted without the OMV.

The Eagle is still under development although it has been lagging significantly as company resources & development has been directed elsewhere, although once completed, the Eagle is expected to be Rainier Aerospace's go-to rocketplane as it has far more commercial potential than the smaller Endeavor.

A few other space-related craft are also under development, one being another launch vehicle that employs radical & efficient aerospike engines, and the other is a lifting-body crewed "shuttle" vehicle meant to shuttle crew and supplies to Space Stations only. A high-speed air-launch aircraft is also in the early stages of development that will compliment the 747's in their air-launching duties, and will be able to launch spacecraft higher and faster than the 747's. It will be very large and will be powered by both jet & rocket engines to get as high & fast as possible so it's spacecraft it will be carrying can use as little fuel as possible to reach orbit. It may even have limited space capabilities.

6. New Civilian Aircraft Design Acquired

Rainier Aerospace has recently acquired a separate aircraft design created but not completed by a separate aviation manufacture. The new aircraft is a "Very Light Jet", or "VLJ", and will be re-branded as the "R5 Sabrejet". The company it was acquired from will not be named at this time until the aircraft is revealed when it nears completion, but it's actually ran by a well-known user in the SP community who makes very high-quality aircraft & designs. The aircraft will feature aluminum construction and will be built at the Rainier General Aviation Division's under-construction civilian general aviation production facility in nearby Ephrata, WA.

5. Other Aircraft Projects & Developments

Along with the above mentioned manned fighter, very light jet, and high-speed air-launch aircraft, Rainier Aerospace has a few other aerospace projects in development, with a few being civilian. The Broadsword program has been restructured recently, and has been broken up into 2 parts. "Phase I" includes the aircraft produced under the old program, and the final "Phase I Broadswords" are currently being assembled. "Phase II Broadsword" will essentially be a completely redesigned Broadsword that will be a better optimized & part-efficient design, and will utilize many of the technologies expected to be developed in the LTF Program.

The X-52 Mach Breaker is a mere side-project meant to break a record and isn't very important other than a PR stunt. The first prototype hasn't flown beyond its first flight but has still been doing ground runs every now and then and kept in temporary storage. In the meantime, the 2nd & 3rd X-52's are currently being produced, with the 2nd being meant for Unlimited-Class air racing at Reno, and the 3rd being a test-bed for the next-generation "Slim" cockpit that will also be featured in the LTF fighters.

Another aircraft in the very early stages of being designed & developed is a clean-sheet civilian Super Sonic Transport business jet aircraft that will be capable of flying at & above super sonic speeds using non-afterburning jet engines commonly available in the aviation market to keep maintenance costs & engine reliability comparative to other business jets and not require the huge expenses that come with afterburning jet engines.

The final aircraft development announcement, is that a regional airliner is in the very early stages of designing as well. The design isn't finalized, as Rainier is creating & deciding on multiple design proposals, but it will most likely be a rear-engine T-tail low-wing aircraft that will be powered by turbofans, turboprops, or maybe even a hybrid gas-electric propulsion system,or it may be a hybrid-wing-body aircraft powered by turbofans or a hybrid gas-electric propulsion system as well.

That's all for this update, I'll try to follow-up on these developments more in the future. Strong tailwinds & happy flying!