• Air Warfare

  USAF makes strides in stealthy connectivity, hypersonics and use of AI

  24th December 2020

  In a busy December, the USAF has tested concepts for fifth-generation fighter connectivity, the loyal wingman UAV, hypersonic weaponry and advanced AI.

• Digital Battlespace

  Allied Defence Accelerator picks 15 ideas for next stage

  28th October 2020

  UK-US initiative aims to create new methods for international procurement

• Digital Battlespace

  Aether Spy progresses to next phase

  16th October 2020

  Transition to digital AESA technology aligns with USAF digital engineering initiatives

• Defence Notes

  Researchers harness the power of rotating detonation

  25th September 2020

  The University of Central Florida (UCF) and USAF have produced a rocket engine which uses oxygen and hydrogen in continuous rotating detonation (RD). The challenge …

• Digital Battlespace

  USAF looks to A-Tech for tactical space-based ISR development

  3rd September 2020

  A-Tech Corporation of Albuquerque, New Mexico, has been awarded a $34.91 cost-plus-fixed-fee contract by the Air Force Research Laboratory, to conduct work on the Surveillance, …

• Digital Battlespace

  Cromulence to help tighten cyber for space systems

  17th August 2020

  Cyber risks for US space systems are receiving special attention under a $9.91 million contract for Melbourne, Florida-based Cromulence. The deal from the US Air …

• Digital Battlespace

  US seeks advanced RF systems

  14th August 2020

  First RF Corporation will develop prototype hardware and software for RF electronic antenna cancellation and beam-forming technology, under a $24.9 million contract from the US …

• Digital Battlespace

  BAE Systems to deliver and manage secure US military networks

  12th August 2020

  The US Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) has awarded BAE Systems a five-year, $85 million contract to continue to develop, deploy, modernise, and maintain cross-domain solutions …

• Digital Battlespace

  Ball to help develop IRREL improvements

  10th July 2020

  Ball Aerospace is to assist USAF efforts to improve its Infrared Radiation Effects Laboratory (IRREL), under a $7.68 million contract announced by the DoD on …

• Training

  USAF rises to training challenge with plan to network simulators

  19th June 2020

  At this year’s Training and Simulation Industry Symposium (TSIS), held virtually for the first time on 16-18 June due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the USAF …

• Special Operations

  SOF stresses lifecycle affordability for new low-cost UAS platform

  14th May 2020

  SOF planners in the US are exploring the possibilities of supplementing the current fleet of UAS with a commercial platform that may offer lower lifecycle …

• Training

  Red 6 LVC visual solution shows promise

  29th April 2020

  One issue with the numerous airborne LVC trials and evaluations that have taken place over the past decade or so has been the inability to …

• Digital Battlespace

  US continues effort to harden UAVs against electromagnetic attack

  25th March 2020

  DARPA is bringing its Collaborative Operations in Denied Environments (CODE) initiative to a conclusion, with the programme transitioning to the USN. CODE was one of …

• Digital Battlespace

  Space Vehicles XVI programme a ‘small part to a larger solution’

  5th September 2019

  The Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) is investigating the use of low Earth orbit satellites to extend the range of the Link 16 tactical datalink, …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  AFRL and Dzyne demonstrate OPV concept

  21st August 2019

  The US Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) and Dzyne Technologies have completed a two-hour maiden flight of an optionally-piloted concept for manned aircraft dubbed ROBOpilot, …

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Military UAS - fixed-wing

  Bandit (US)

  Programme Background Goal As stated by Alyson Turri, the AFRL Bandit programme manager, the goal is to "develop an unmanned platform that looks like a fifth-generation ...

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

  Skyborg [USA]

  Programme Background Programme Intention Skyborg is one of three USAF Vanguard programs outlined in the Air Force Science and Technology 2030 initiative. The program intends ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Subsystems: software

  SWARM

  CHI Systems worked with Lockheed Martin on a programme for the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) to build software models that imitate human behaviour, and ...

• Air: helicopter radar, Air: UAS radar

  RAIDER

  The Real-time Active Imaging in 3D at Extended Range (RAIDER) multi-sensor system is an extended-range version of the Polarimetric Imaging Laser Radar (PILAR). RAIDER includes ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - tactical

  Havoc

  Havoc is a MALE modular payload UAS designed for customers with varying missions and payload requirements. Features include tool-less assembly, rolling take-off and landing and ...

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

  XQ-58 Valkyrie

  The XQ-58 Valkyrie is a high-altitude, long-endurance, runway-independent, high-subsonic 'Loyal Wingman' UAS developed jointly by Kratos and the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) to be used in ...

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

  Demogorgon

  In late October 2021, the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) awarded Kratos Unnamed Systems Division an initial $17.68 million 12-month cost-plus-fixed-fee contract to develop an Off-Board Sensing ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - tactical

  ULTRA

  The Unmanned Long-endurance Tactical Reconnaissance Aircraft (ULTRA) is a fixed-wing drone from DZYNE Technologies.  It is described as a long-endurance, GPS-harded intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance platform with full ...

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

  Gambit (Series)

  The Gambit Series are five UAV variants based around the Gambit Core, a common system containing the platform's hardware: landing gear, baseline avionics, chassis, and other essential functions. ...

• Air Force Test Center

  The Air Force Test Center at Edwards AFB, California, is Air Force Materiel Command's centre of excellence for research, development, test and evaluation of aerospace ...