• Defence Notes

  Indo Defence 2016: Four-way dogfight for F-5 replacement

  24th October 2016

  The race is still on for the Indonesian Air Force’s (TNI-AU) F-5E fighter replacement programme. Despite the air force expressing strong interest in the Sukhoi …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  USAF, Battelle target UAS ice protection

  13th October 2016

  The US Air Force (USAF) is exploring ice protection technology for UAS under a cooperative research and development agreement with Battelle Memorial Institute. The technology …

• Military Logistics

  L-3 starts work on KC-10 support contract

  12th October 2016

  L-3 Communications’ Vertex Aerospace division has started work to support the US Air Force (USAF) KC-10 aircraft fleet, the company announced on 11 October. The …

• Digital Battlespace

  GPS OCX completes test milestone

  17th October 2016

  Raytheon has reached a new milestone in the development of the US Air Force's (USAF) Global Positioning System Next Generation Operational Control System (GPS OCX), …

• Digital Battlespace

  Lockheed to build more GPS III satellites

  30th September 2016

  Lockheed Martin has been awarded $395 million in contract options by the US Air Force (USAF) for the production of the ninth and tenth Global …

• Military Logistics

  Cobham to make USAF pilot breathing sensors

  23rd September 2016

  Cobham has been notified that it will be awarded a US Air Force (USAF) contract for the development of the Aircrew Mounted Physiologic Sensing System (AMPSS 2.6), …

• Digital Battlespace

  USAF lab gets first Agile Condor pod

  22nd September 2016

  A new on-board processing pod system called Agile Condor has been delivered by SRC to the US Air Force Research Lab (AFRL), the company announced …

• Defence Helicopter

  What is going to replace USAF Huey?

  12th September 2016

  The Pentagon has published much anticipated details of its search for a new helicopter under the US Air Force's (USAF) UH-1N Iroquois helicopter replacement programme. …

• Training

  CAE details new defence contracts

  15th September 2016

  CAE has won defence contracts worth a combined CAD$120 million (USD$91.6 million) to provide a range of training services and simulation product upgrades for global …

• Training

  Industry prepares for C-17 ATS re-bid

  13th September 2016

  In October, the US training and simulation industry is expecting to receive the request for proposal (RFP) documents for the C-17 III Globemaster aircrew training …

• Defence Notes

  USAF receives 2,000th JASSM

  8th September 2016

  Lockheed Martin has made the delivery of the 2,000th Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missile (JASSM) to the US Air Force (USAF), the company announced on 6 …

• Naval Warfare

  US ‘Boutique Fleet’ needs a refresh

  14th September 2016

  As a major operator of a diverse range of aircraft types that undertake a multitude of different ISTAR and covert missions, the US DoD has …

• Training

  RJAF enhances F-16 training

  8th September 2016

  The Royal Jordanian Air Force (RJAF) currently operates 64 F-16A/B Fighting Falcon aircraft from its Al Azraq air base. Supplied under various phases of the …

• Training

  Boeing’s T-X aircraft unveiled

  13th September 2016

  At a ceremony held at Boeing’s Phantom Works in St Louis, Boeing and Saab unveiled their new aircraft for the US Air Force’s T-X programme. …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  USAF expands UAS pilot eligibility

  1st September 2016

  The US Air Force (USAF) has expanded eligibility requirements for its RQ-4 Global Hawk UAS pilot programme, with airmen in all air force specialty codes …

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 ...