• Training

  LVC training in Alaska

  10th August 2016

  One of the major issues in conducting live training with fifth-generation aircraft such as the F-22 and F-35 is range space. These aircraft have long …

• Military Logistics

  USAF orders ALEP Block 2 eyewear

  26th July 2016

  Teledyne Scientific and Imaging has received a contract worth $30.1 million from the US Air Force (USAF) to fabricate, test and deliver Aircrew Laser Eye …

• Military Logistics

  Analysis: Groundhog Day for KC-46A

  22nd July 2016

  Only days after it was announced that the US Air Force's KC-46A tanker had successfully completed testing required for an initial production decision, manufacturer Boeing …

• Training

  Cubic to continue USAF air advisor training

  19th July 2016

  Cubic Global Defense will continue to support the US Air Force (USAF) Expeditionary Center’s Advisor Academic Services under a $6.2 million follow-on award announced on …

• Military Logistics

  KC-46A boom fix shows good results

  19th July 2016

  The US Air Force’s (USAF) KC-46 Pegasus aerial refuelling aircraft has connected in flight with an F-16 Fighting Falcon and a C-17 Globemaster III aircraft …

• Training

  Farnborough 2016: Textron buys ATAC

  11th July 2016

  There is much talk within the training and simulation community about the live and virtual balance. Although increasing amounts of training are moving into the …

• Military Logistics

  Boeing bags KC-46 training contract

  11th July 2016

  Boeing has been awarded a $78 million contract, with options, from the US Air Force (USAF) to train maintenance personnel for its KC-46 Pegasus aerial …

• Military Logistics

  USAF opts for tablet-based training

  6th July 2016

  Samsung Electronics America and Intelligent Decisions have received a contract from the US Air Force (USAF) for the supply of Samsung Galaxy Tab S2s to …

• Naval Warfare

  Farnborough 2016: USCG flexes its Spartan muscles (video)

  13th July 2016

  Only three months after the first HC-27J unit was activated on the West Coast, the US Coast Guard (USCG) has brought one of the aircraft …

• Digital Battlespace

  Farnborough 2016: Raytheon evolves MALD

  12th July 2016

  Raytheon has been awarded a $34.8 million contract to develop a new version of its Miniature Air Launched Decoy-Jammer (MALD-J) missile, the company announced during …

• Defence Helicopter

  Farnborough 2016: USAF introduces first HH-60G OLR helicopter

  30th June 2016

  The US Air Force (USAF) has introduced the first of 21 HH-60G Pave Hawk Operational Loss Replacement (OLR) helicopters, it was announced on 28 June. …

• Digital Battlespace

  Raytheon GPS OCX ticking along

  29th June 2016

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

• Digital Battlespace

  Raytheon achieves two milestones in development of GPS OCX

  22nd June 2016

  Raytheon has cleared both a critical design review and a qualification milestone as part of its development of the US Air Force's (USAF) Global Positioning …

• Defence Helicopter

  MD 530F shipment arrives in Kabul

  27th June 2016

  A shipment of five additional rotorcraft from MD Helicopters arrived in the Afghan capital on 17 June.  The MD 530F Cayuse Warrior scout helicopters will …

• Digital Battlespace

  Australia displays E-7A Wedgetail

  13th June 2016

  The Australian Air Task Group's (ATG) E-7A Wedgetail airborne early warning and control aircraft was displayed at Australia’s main air operating base in the Middle …

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 ...