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Life cycle assessment or LCA (also known as life cycle analysis) is a methodology for assessing environmental impacts associated with all the stages of the life cycle of a commercial product, process, or service. For instance, in the case of a manufactured product, environmental impacts are assessed from raw material extraction and processing (cradle), through the product's manufacture, distribution and use, to the recycling or final disposal of the materials composing it (grave).

An LCA study involves a thorough inventory of the energy and materials that are required across the industry value chain of the product, process or service, and calculates the corresponding emissions to the environment. LCA thus assesses cumulative potential environmental impacts. The aim is to document and improve the overall environmental profile of the product.

Widely recognized procedures for conducting LCAs are included in the 14000 series of environmental management standards of the International Organisation for Standardisation (ISO), in particular, in ISO 14040 and ISO 14044. ISO 14040 provides the 'principles and framework' of the Standard, while ISO 14044 provides an outline of the 'requirements and guidelines'. Generally, ISO 14040 was written for a managerial audience and ISO 14044 for practitioners. As part of the introductory section of ISO 14040, LCA has been defined as the following:

LCA studies the environmental aspects and potential impacts throughout a product's life cycle (i.e. cradle-to-grave) from raw materials acquisition through production, use and disposal. The general categories of environmental impacts needing consideration include resource use, human health, and ecological consequences.

Criticisms have been leveled against the LCA approach, both in general and with regard to specific cases (e.g. in the consistency of the methodology, particularly with regard to system boundaries, and the susceptibility of particular LCAs to practitioner bias with regard to the decisions that they seek to inform). Without a formal set of requirements and guidelines, an LCA can be completed based on a practitioner's views and believed methodologies. In turn, an LCA completed by 10 different parties could yield 10 different results. The ISO LCA Standard aims to normalize this; however, the guidelines are not overly restrictive and 10 different answers may still be generated.

A light combat aircraft (LCA) is a light, multirole jet military aircraft, commonly derived from advanced trainer designs, designed for engaging in light combat missions. The mission can either be in a light strike or attack missions, reconnaissance, interdiction roles or trainer roles. They are typically slower than larger multirole or strike aircraft such as the American F-18, F-15E Strike Eagle, or Russian Mig-29. Most light combat aircraft are only capable of subsonic speeds, although some are capable of reaching Mach 1+. An LCA will typically be equipped with bombs, gun pods, or short-range air-to-air missiles used for COIN or CAS missions. Some aircraft have been developed to integrate more advanced armaments such as smart bombs, air to ground missiles, ECM pods (Electronic Countermeasure), and electronic targeting systems for better mission capability. However, these aircraft are usually used for self-defense or anti-hostile aircraft/helicopter missions, not for air-defense missions typically carried out by lightweight fighters. Some LCAs are capable of air-to-air combat or point air defense missions if equipped with multi-mode radar systems. Still, the majority cannot perform these missions due to their small design and limited capabilities. LCAs are often used to patrol the skies and implement border patrol or air policing.

INFO: Full form for RIM is Read Inspect and Mount in Military and Defence category
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INFO: Full form for DEA is Doctrine Evaluation Activity in Military and Defence category
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INFO: Full form for DEA is Data Exchange Agreement in Military and Defence category
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INFO: Full form for Dea is Aerospace Drift Error in Military and Defence category
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INFO: Full form for SST is Short Supervisory Transition in Military and Defence category
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INFO: Full form for SST is Special Support Team (national Security Agency) in Military and Defence category
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INFO: Full form for SST is System Support Team in Military and Defence category
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INFO: Full form for SST is Special Service Tool in Military and Defence category
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INFO: Full form for SST is System Software Test in Military and Defence category
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INFO: Full form for SST is Single Subscriber Terminal in Military and Defence category
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A supersonic transport (SST) or a supersonic airliner is a civilian supersonic aircraft designed to transport passengers at speeds greater than the speed of sound. To date, the only SSTs to see regular service have been Concorde and the Tupolev Tu-144. The last passenger flight of the Tu-144 was in June 1978 and it was last flown in 1999 by NASA. Concorde's last commercial flight was in October 2003, with a November 26, 2003 ferry flight being its last airborne operation. Following the permanent cessation of flying by Concorde, there are no remaining SSTs in commercial service. Several companies have each proposed a supersonic business jet, which may bring supersonic transport back again.

Supersonic airliners have been the objects of numerous recent and ongoing design studies. Drawbacks and design challenges are excessive noise generation (at takeoff and due to sonic booms during flight), high development costs, expensive construction materials, high fuel consumption, extremely high emissions, and an increased cost per seat over subsonic airliners. Despite these challenges, Concorde was claimed to operate profitably.

In 2016, NASA announced it had signed a contract for the design of a modern low-noise SST prototype. The designing team is led by Lockheed Martin Aeronautics.