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News - USAF

  • Defence Notes

    China goes ballistic in South China Sea

    28th August 2020

    China fired four of its most capable conventional ballistic missiles into the South China Sea from bases in mainland China on 26 August. Most commentators saw these …

  • Training

    CAE USA gains contract extension for KC-135 crew training

    14th August 2020

    The USAF has extended by six months its contract with CAE USA for the KC-135 Aircrew Training System (ATS). The $16.09 million extension, announced by …

  • Defence Notes

    EDCA signals deeper US ties with Poland

    20th August 2020

    US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo (left of picture) and Polish Defence Minister Mariusz Blaszczak signed an Enhanced Defence Cooperation Agreement (EDCA) on 15 August, …

  • Digital Battlespace

    SRC to carry on support for Medusa programme

    25th August 2020

    SRC is continuing its involvement with the USAF Medusa programme under a maximum $90 million sole-source contract, the DoD announced on 24 August. The deal …

  • Digital Battlespace

    Falkonry expands AI footprint within USAF

    6th August 2020

    Start-up machine learning company Falkonry has been awarded a contract by USAF innovation hub AFWERX under the Strategic Financing (STRATFI) programme, to broaden the adoption …

  • Uncrewed Vehicles

    Japan may renege on its Global Hawk acquisition

    18th August 2020

    Domestic media in Japan reported on 13 August that Tokyo is considering cancelling its purchase of the RQ-4B Block 30(I) Global Hawk. The Japan Air …

  • Land Warfare

    Latest IBCS tests give US Army hope for game-changing air defence

    31st August 2020

    A US army air and missile defence system, which has struggled in development for more than a decade, knocked down ballistic and cruise missile targets …

  • Air Warfare

    JHMCS II undergoes flight tests on F-16V

    3rd August 2020

    The USAF is conducting flight tests of the Joint Helmet Mounted Cueing System II (JHMCS II) aboard Lockheed Martin F-16V fighter aircraft. This follows the …

  • Air Warfare

    Final captive-carry test heralds next chapter for ARRW

    11th August 2020

    US efforts to rapidly develop and field hypersonic weapons within the next three years took a step forward on 8 August, with a final captive-carry …

  • Training

    US awards first CAF CAS contracts

    29th July 2020

    Textron Systems subsidiary Airborne Tactical Advantage Company (ATAC) has been selected to provide two USAF bases with adversary air (ADAIR) live training under the Combat …

  • Air Warfare

    USAF orders more Martin-Baker ejection seats

    5th August 2020

    Martin-Baker has been awarded a five-year contract worth up to $150 million from the US Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, to provide spare Mk16 …

  • Digital Battlespace

    DroneSentry stands guard for USAF

    23rd July 2020

    A USAF base in North Dakota will receive multiple units of the DroneSentry system (pictured) from DroneShield to detect and defeat hostile UAVs. The value …

  • Air Warfare

    USAF sets sights on Skyborg prototype by 2026

    24th July 2020

    Four companies have been selected to design a new autonomous UAV prototype called Skyborg for the USAF by July 2026. Boeing, General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, …

  • Air Warfare

    US snaps up would-be Turkish F-35As

    21st July 2020

    Eight F-35A fighter aircraft that were originally destined for Turkey have been ‘repositioned’ for the USAF, under a 20 July DoD contract award to Lockheed …

  • Defence Helicopter

    Bell enhances industrial capabilities with FVL in mind

    10th August 2020

    Bell Textron officially unveiled its new 140,000ft2 (13,000m2) Manufacturing Technology Center at Fort Worth, Texas on 10 August, underlining its bullish mood regarding development and rapid …

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 ...