• Defence Helicopter

  Paris Air Show: Arming options for CV-22

  16th June 2017

  Further arming options are being considered for the US Air Force’s special operations CV-22 tiltrotor as Bell-Boeing plans where to take the variants of the …

• Military Logistics

  First Pegasus delivery and Japanese contract before year end

  17th May 2017

  Boeing expects to deliver the first of its KC-46A PegasusKC-46A Pegasus multi-role tankers to the US Air Force (USAF) by the end of 2017 as …

• Military Logistics

  AAR to supply KC-46 palletised seating

  18th May 2017

  AAR Mobility Systems will provide palletised seating systems for the US Air Force's (USAF's) KC-46 aircraft under a $5 million contract announced on 15 May.The palletised seating accommodates …

• Defence Helicopter

  AHS Forum 73: Boeing puts MH-139 in spotlight

  15th May 2017

  With the recent release of another draft RFP for the US Air Force UH-1N replacement programme, Boeing is highlighting its decision to offer a variant …

• Training

  ITEC 2017: USAF graduates first enlisted RPA crew

  10th May 2017

  The whole question of remotely piloted aircraft (RPA) has raised heated debate about who should fly them; officer pilots or non-commissioned officer non-pilots. Due to …

• Military Logistics

  First KC-10 CLS returned to USAF service

  8th May 2017

  L3 Technologies has returned to service the first KC-10 aircraft under the US Air Force's (USAF) contractor logistics support (CLS) programme, the company announced on …

• Military Logistics

  USAF gets processed M50 masks

  8th May 2017

  The United States Air Force (USAF) military personnel have started receiving processed and approved M50 gas masks that are evaluated as 99.99 percent serviceable through …

• Training

  ITEC 2017: USAF aeromedical on motion

  16th May 2017

  CAE has confirmed that the C-130 Aeromedical Evacuation Training System (AETS) for the US Air Force at Dobbins Air Reserve Base is now on-motion, fully …

• Defence Notes

  Future F-35 production numbers released

  19th May 2017

  A new document released by the US Department of the Navy reveals further specifics of future Lockheed Martin F-35 multirole fighter aircraft production lots and confirms …

• Digital Battlespace

  Raytheon to upgrade USAF’s AOC WS

  2nd May 2017

  Raytheon has received a contract from the US Air Force (USAF) to sustain and modernise its Air and Space Operations Centre Weapon System (AOC WS), …

• Military Logistics

  US Navy works on P-8A aerial refuelling

  2nd May 2017

  The US Air Force (USAF) has carried out the first operational aerial refuelling of the navy's P-8A Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft with its KC-135 tanker.Establishing …

• Training

  ITEC 2017: QuantaDyn delivers JTC TRS to USAF

  12th May 2017

  In January, the US Air Force awarded the Joint Terminal Control Training and Rehearsal System (JTC TRS) Low Rate Production (LRP) programme to QuantaDyn. This …

• Training

  ITEC 2017: LMCO scores twice

  8th May 2017

  Orlando, Florida-based Lockheed Martin Rotary and Mission Systems (RMS), has been awarded a firm-fixed-price contract for the F-16 A/B Block 15 training system. The $24.3 …

• Special Operations

  ​SOFIC 2017: Underground Analysis

  8th May 2017

  According to the Naval Postgraduate School's Defense Analysis Department and the US Army Asymmetric Warfare Group's (AWG's) Subterranean Working Group, the proliferation of subterranean structures …

• Military Logistics

  Updated ALIS for F-35 sites

  3rd May 2017

  Lockheed Martin has received approval to install the updated version of the F-35's Autonomic Logistics Information System (ALIS) software at US Air Force (USAF) and …

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 ...