• Defence Notes

  USAF tests Minuteman III missile

  9th May 2019

  The US Air Force has launched an unarmed Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) equipped with a test re-entry vehicle from Vandenberg AFB, California, the …

• Digital Battlespace

  USAF develops AERONet prototype

  14th May 2019

  A team at US Air Force Base Hanscom is developing a prototype combat system capable of providing video, voice, chat and C2 to partner nations, …

• Training

  ITEC 2019: Bluedrop receives HMTS contract

  3rd May 2019

  Bluedrop Training & Simulation has announced that it has received contracts of over $1.5 million to supply a Hoist Mission Training System (HMTS) to Florida-based …

• Training

  Boeing T-X jet trainer aircraft set to return to the air

  16th May 2019

  Boeing’s T-X jet trainer aircraft will return to test flights ‘imminently’ following changes as part of the engineering and manufacturing development phase, according to T-X …

• Training

  ITEC 2019: Boeing wins RSAF F-15SA visual sim work

  1st May 2019

  Boeing has been awarded a $8.57 million FMS contract by the USAF Life Cycle Management Center at Wright Patterson AFB, Ohio to develop a new visual …

• Special Operations

  Air Force explores lighter and faster TACPs

  15th May 2019

  The US Air Force is preparing to work with industry to modernize the capabilities of the Tactical Air Control Party (TACP). Specifics of the modernization …

• Training

  ITEC 2019: USN’s TACT falls to ATAC

  8th May 2019

  The US Navy’s Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR) has selected a team led by Airborne Tactical Advantage Company (ATAC), part of Textron Airborne Solutions, to …

• Digital Battlespace

  EW Europe 2019: US Army selects cyber EW support

  10th May 2019

  Perspecta has been selected to provide cyber electronic warfare support to the US Army Program Executive Office for Intelligence, Electronic Warfare, and Sensors (PEO IEW&S;) …

• Naval Warfare

  Sea-Air-Space 2019: Northrop Grumman assess launch AARGM-ER possibilities

  8th May 2019

  Northrop Grumman is currently assessing how its Advanced Anti-Radiation Guided Missile-Extended Range (AARGM-ER) munition could be developed into a surface launched asset. The US Navy (USN) …

• Training

  ITEC 2019: Kratos unveils first MQM-178 built in Oklahoma

  1st May 2019

  Kratos Defense has formally unveiled the first MQM-178 Firejet aerial target to be built in its new manufacturing facility in Oklahoma City. Kratos’ CEO, Eric …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  MQ-25 prototype moves to flight test site

  30th April 2019

  The Boeing-built prototype for the US Navy’s MQ-25A Stingray unmanned aircraft has arrived at a commercial airport in St Louis to begin flight tests later …

• Training

  ITEC 2019: Walls on tour

  1st May 2019

  Following its presence at Enforce Tac in Nürnberg, Germany in March, Survitec has decided to take its inflatable walls training system (IWTS) on a year-long …

• Digital Battlespace

  Quad A 2019: Hughes detects DoD anti-jamming SATCOM push

  18th April 2019

  Broadband satellite network provider, Hughes expects the US Navy and US Army to concentrate their SATCOM programmes on reviewing and procuring anti-jamming capabilities, as each …

• Defence Notes

  Romania acquires additional fighter jets

  26th April 2019

  The Romanian MoD announced that the final agreement for acquisition of an additional five Portuguese F-16 multirole fighter jets could be reached by year end. …

• Military Logistics

  KBRwyle receives USAF aircraft support contracts

  18th April 2019

  KBRwyle has received two contracts from the US Air Force Installation Contracting Agency under the Department of Defense Information Analysis Center's Defense Systems Technical Area …

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

  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 ...