• Digital Battlespace

  Farnborough 2012: Exelis and SNC demonstrate Vigilant Stare

  9th July 2012

  ITT Exelis and Sierra Nevada Corporation (SNC) will demonstrate its new Vigilant Stare wide-area airborne surveillance (WAAS) system to several US agencies over the next …

• Defence Notes

  Farnborough 2012: Boeing stresses international strength and competitiveness

  9th July 2012

  The leadership of Boeing Defense, Space and Security (BDS) has outlined some of their main ambitions in the logistics platform market as the company looks …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Farnborough 2012: Boeing targets F-16 upgrade market

  9th July 2012

  Boeing is putting its efforts into the development of the QF-16 manned/unmanned target variant of the F-16 in an effort to position itself within the …

• Digital Battlespace

  Farnborough 2012: Raytheon bids for FAB-T

  9th July 2012

  Raytheon has announced that it has responded to an RfP from USAF to bid for the alternative Family of Beyond Line of Sight Terminals (FAB-T). …

• Defence Helicopter

  AgustaWestland's AAS flight demonstrations complete

  3rd July 2012

  AgustaWestland North America announced on 3 July that it has completed a week of flight demonstrations for the US Army as it moves forward with …

• Defence Helicopter

  AFSOC defends CV-22

  22nd June 2012

  The US Air Force Special Operations Command (AFSOC) has defended the ‘agile and versatile’ V-22 tiltrotor, following the loss of a CV-22 last week. To …

• Military Logistics

  Boeing tanker design passes milestone

  19th June 2012

  Boeing has claimed that the development of its KC-46 for the USAF is 'on time, ahead of schedule' following an 'amazing' PDR that was completed …

• Military Logistics

  Norway seeks C-130J-30 aircraft

  11th June 2012

  The government of Norway has requested 2 C-130J-30 United States Air Force (USAF) baseline aircraft from the US government under a possible foreign military sale …

• Military Logistics

  DynCorp selected for T-6 aircraft support

  7th June 2012

  DynCorp International (DI) has announced that it has been awarded a contract with the US Air Force (USAF) Materiel Command to provide support services for …

• Defence Helicopter

  Boeing continues international market push

  1st June 2012

  The cuts to the US defence budget mean that Boeing's defence business is now getting a quarter of its sales from the international market. Speaking …

• Digital Battlespace

  SOFIC 2012: Systems Technology launches training system

  28th May 2012

  Systems Technology has launched the Fused Reality training system at the Special Operations Forces Industry Conference in Tampa, Florida. The system mixes the two conventional …

• Digital Battlespace

  SOFIC 2012: ITT awarded USAF encryption contract

  23rd May 2012

  USAF has awarded ITT Exelis a contract to develop a prototype of its self-encrypting drives for UAV and laptop applications. The company has developed 'trusted …

• Digital Battlespace

  SOFIC 2012: Thales announces development of MBITR 2

  23rd May 2012

  Thales has disclosed that is developing a second generation two-channel variant of its Multiband Inter/Intra team Radio (MBITR) expected to be released 'early next year'. …

• Digital Battlespace

  Boeing wins AWACS modernisation contract

  23rd May 2012

  Boeing has announced that it has received an Engineering, Manufacturing and Development (EMD) contract to develop a design that modernises the flight deck and avionics …

• Digital Battlespace

  SOFIC 2012: C4ISR key to SOC operations

  23rd May 2012

  Special Operations Command (SOC) commanders have outlined the importance of C4ISR systems within international SOC operations.  'BICES [Battlefield Information Collection and Exploitation System] is pretty …

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - small

  RQ-20B Puma (USAF)

  Programme Background Requirement According to the AeroVironment Vice President and product line general manager, Trace Stevenson, the USAF Security Forces requires a small UAV to ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - MALE

  MQ-9A Reaper (USAF)

  Programme Background Procurement & Inventory According to the USAF FY2019 Budget Estimate document, the USAF set aside funds to acquire 433 MQ-9 Reapers by the end of ...

• APCs/IFVs - 4x4, Reconnaissance/patrol vehicles

  JLTV Oshkosh Contract (US Air Force)

  As of November 2020, the US DoD had signed 14 contracts with Oshkosh Defense covering the delivery of approximately 17,731 JLTVs to all branches of ...

• Air: Radio and SATCOM

  Air: Radio and SATCOM | F-35A Joint Strike Fighter - USAF Future Procurement

  The USAF is planning to order 1137 F-35As between FY2026 and FY2048 under the Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) program. The purchase will be at a ...

• Air: Helmet-mounted displays

  Air: Helmet-mounted displays | F-35A Joint Strike Fighter - USAF Future Procurement

  The USAF is planning to order 1137 F-35As between FY2026 and FY2048 under the Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) program. The purchase will be at a ...

• Data links

  Data links | F-35A Joint Strike Fighter - USAF Future Procurement

  The USAF is planning to order 1137 F-35As between FY2026 and FY2048 under the Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) program. The purchase will be at a ...

• Air: Head-up displays

  Air: Head-up displays | F-35A Joint Strike Fighter - USAF Future Procurement

  The USAF is planning to order 1137 F-35As between FY2026 and FY2048 under the Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) program. The purchase will be at a ...

• Transponders and IFF

  Transponders and IFF | F-35A Joint Strike Fighter - USAF Future Procurement

  The USAF is planning to order 1137 F-35As between FY2026 and FY2048 under the Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) program. The purchase will be at a ...

• AEW&C

  E-7A Wedgetail (1-2) [USA]

  Programme Background Shephard notes that this entry covers the two rapid-prototype E-7 aircraft, whose contract was signed in August 2024. A second programme entry covers the ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - MALE

  Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) [USAF]

  Programme Background Requirements The programme's requirements are based on the USAF's belief that it requires mass to compete effectively with an adversary in symmetrical warfare. However, ...

• AEW&C

  E-7A Wedgetail (USA - Forecast)

  Programme Background Speaking on 21 September 2021 during the annual Air Force Association (AFA) Meeting in Washington DC, USAF Chief of Staff Gen Charles Brown ...

• Transport/tanker aircraft

  KC-Y Tanker Aircraft (USA)

  Programme Background The USAF is replacing its fleet of 396 KC-135 Stratotanker refuelling aircraft, built in the 1950s and 60s, and 59 KC-10 Extenders, which entered service ...

• Transport/tanker aircraft

  KC-46A (USA)

  Programme Background The first four Engineering and Manufacturing Development (EMD) KC-46A aircraft were delivered to McConnell AFB in Kansas in January 2019. As of December 2020, a ...

• Fighter - multirole

  F-15EX - USAF (Contracted)

  Programme Background USAF is looking to procure 144 F-15EX fighter aircraft, including two RDTE configurations and six low-rate initial production aircraft. F-15EX will replace ageing ...

• Fighter - multirole

  F-15EX - USAF (Announced)

  Programme Background The F-15EX will be based on the 2-seat F-15QA (Qatar) configuration upgraded with USAF-only capabilities, including the Eagle Passive Active Warning and Survivability ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - HALE

  EX-3 Revenant

  The EX-3 Revenant is a developmental fixed-wing aircraft being developed by Exosonic. It is a Mach 1.2 supersonic UAV designed to be a 5th-generation representative, modular, autonomous ...

• Land: Radio and SATCOM

  Next Generation Survivor Radio

  The Next Generation Survivor Radio (NGSR) is a software-defined radio being developed by General Dynamics Mission Systems. It is expected to enter into service after June 2026.

• Air: transport/tanker simulators

  USAF KC-135 ATS

  The KC-135 Aircrew Training System (ATS) programme delivers initial qualification, requalification, continuation and upgrades training for USAF KC-135 aircrews, including pilots, co-pilots and boom operators. ...

• Major networking projects

  C2 ConstellationNet

  According to David Tillotson, director of C4ISR architecture AF/XI, in a report to Congress: 'The ConstellationNet is the communications network – air, space and terrestrial ...

• Air: aerial targets

  QF-16 FSAT

  The QF-16 Full Scale Aerial Target (FSAT) is an optionally piloted supersonic aerial target developed to replace the QF-4 in USAF service. Retired F-16 fighters are ...

• Major networking projects

  DCGS 10.2 Upgrade

  Raytheon’s Distributed Common Ground System (DCGS) Block 10.2 upgrade allows intelligence data to be posted to the network for immediate use by analysts and warfighters, ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing

  SPX

  The SPX drone is a fixed-wing UAV manufactured by RapidFlight. It features a modular payload bay and is fitted with RapidFlight's Common Avionics 2.0 modular interface. ...

• Combat Search and Rescue

  HC-130P/N

  HC-130P/N is a SAR aircraft developed as extended-range version of C-130 Hercules transport airframe to execute all weather personnel recovery operations from austere airfields and ...

• Air: AEW/fire control radar

  AN/APG-83 SABR

  The AN/APG-83 Scalable Agile Beam Radar (SABR) is being developed as an upgrade option for the F-16. It is designed to replace the existing AN/APG-66 ...

• EW test systems

  JTE

  The Joint Threat Emitter (JTE) is a multi-threat, high-fidelity simulator with realistic ERP levels, which simulates single- and double-digit surface-to-air and anti-aircraft artillery radar systems. ...

• Data links

  MIDS JTRS

  The ViaSat Multifunctional Information Distribution System (MIDS) Joint Tactical Radio System (JTRS) terminal combines the network-centric communications capability with a real-time operating picture. The four-channel ...

• Military helicopters - multirole, Military UAS - rotary-wing, Military UAS - tactical

  Hexa

  The Hexa, or LIFT Hexa, is a rotary-wing aircraft developed by LIFT Aircraft for military and commercial markets. Due to its configuration and triple redundant autopilot ...

• Transport/tanker aircraft

  KC-10 Extender

  The KC-10 Extender is a tanker/transport aircraft developed for the USAF by McDonnell Douglas (now part of Boeing). It was derived from the company’s three-engine ...

• EO/IR systems

  Q-39

  The AN/AAQ-39 is the EO/IR fire control system operational on Air Force Special Operations Command AC-130U gunships. The Q-39 targeting system consists of a large-aperture ...

• Air: Head-up displays

  R-HUD

  The Replacement Heads-Up Display (R-HUD) is a Primary Flight Reference system designed to replace legacy HUD units on C-17 aircraft. Manufactured by Elbit Systems of ...