• Defence Helicopter

  Black Hawks arrive in Sweden

  21st December 2011

  The first two of 15 UH-60M Black Hawks ordered by the Swedish Armed Forces have been delivered just 18 months after the aircraft were ordered. …

• Land Warfare

  Lockheed Martin to develop C130J block upgrade

  19th December 2011

  Lockheed Martin has announced that it has been awarded a contract by the US Air Force (USAF) to develop a new block upgrade for the …

• Military Logistics

  Northrop Grumman wins Joint STARS support contract

  16th December 2011

  Northrop Grumman has been awarded a contract for Total System Support Responsibility (TSSR) of the E-8C Joint Surveillance Target Attack Radar System (Joint STARS) fleet …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Avenger set for Afghanistan deployment

  13th December 2011

  The USAF has released a special notice outlining its intention to deploy the Predator C Avenger UAS to Afghanistan. Released by Air Force Materiel Command …

• Digital Battlespace

  B-52 CONECT system poised for LRIP

  12th December 2011

  Boeing has announced that its B-52 Combat Network Communications Technology (CONECT) is set to receive low rate initial production (LRIP) authorization from the US Air …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Questions remain regarding captured RQ-170

  9th December 2011

  Images of an alleged US Air Force RQ-170 Sentinel UAV have been aired on television following claims that Iran has captured the ‘low-observable’ and highly-secretive …

• Digital Battlespace

  Northrop Grumman wins E-3 AWACS simulator award

  5th December 2011

  Northrop Grumman has announced that under a contract awarded by Defense Microelectronics Activity (DMEA), it will be providing a Combat Electromagnetic Environment Simulator (CEESIM) system …

• Defence Notes

  Elbit Systems of America to upgrade USAF WAC HUDs

  5th December 2011

  Elbit Systems of America has been awarded a five-year, Indefinite Delivery/Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) contract to upgrade the US Air Force’s (USAF’s) Block 30 and Block …

• Defence Helicopter

  Boeing to upgrade US F-15C trainers

  30th November 2011

  Boeing has received a contract from the US Air Force (USAF) to upgrade the visual systems in three F-15C Mission Training Centres (MTC) with the …

• Defence Notes

  Raytheon's MALD-J to begin production

  29th November 2011

    Raytheon’s Miniature Air Launched Decoy Jammer (MALD-J ) variant is to begin low rate initial production following a Milestone C decision by the US …

• Military Logistics

  BOWST aerial refuelling simulator ready for training

  29th November 2011

  Quantum3D and CymSTAR have announced that their Boom Operator Weapons System Trainer (BOWST) aerial refuelling simulator has been declared ready-for-training by the United States Air …

• Digital Battlespace

  AOC 2011: USAF expresses concern over Africa and South America cyber 'peers'

  15th November 2011

  Technology leaps are creating new, international 'peers' in the realm of EW and cyberspace, according to Lt Gen William Lord, Chief of Warfighting Integration and …

• Digital Battlespace

  AOC 2011: EMS strategy critical to DoD operations

  14th November 2011

  The US Department of Defense (DoD) requires an Electromagnetic Spectrum (EMS) strategy in order to best take advantage of EW operations, a senior official stated …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Ball Aerospace wins USAF UAV data exploitation contract

  11th November 2011

  Ball Aerospace has announced the receipt of contracts worth $17 million from the US Air Force (USAF) for the development and integration of enhanced operational …

• Digital Battlespace

  MILCOM 2011: USAF calls for improved network integration by air, land and sea

  9th November 2011

  Commander of the US Air Force (USAF) Electronic Systems Center, Lt Gen Charles Davis, outlined the 'gut issues' facing the Department of Defense (DoD) in …

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 ...