• Uncrewed Vehicles

  BACN-equipped Global Hawk delivered to USAF

  24th October 2012

  Northrop Grumman has announced that it delivered a Battlefield Airborne Communications Node (BACN)-equipped Global Hawk unmanned aircraft to the US Air Force (USAF) four months …

• Defence Helicopter

  USAF releases Combat Rescue Helicopter RfP

  23rd October 2012

  The United States Air Force has officially begun its search to replace the HH-60G Pave Hawk CSAR helicopter. In the RfP for the $6.8 billion …

• Digital Battlespace

  Lockheed Martin introduces DiamondShield C2 system

  23rd October 2012

  Lockheed Martin has unveiled a new command and control (C2) platform that provides warfighters a wide range of intuitive decision-support aids, allowing them to plan …

• Military Logistics

  KC-46 refuelling boom enters production

  18th October 2012

  This week will see Boeing begin assembly of the refuelling boom for the US Air Force’s (USAF’s) KC-46 tanker aircraft. The KC-46 Boom Assembly Center, …

• Digital Battlespace

  FAB-T programme moves forward

  10th October 2012

  Boeing has revealed that the US Air Force (USAF) has recently completed a combined preliminary design review and critical design review of the company’s Family …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  BAE Systems to help develop USAF dismount detection radar

  28th September 2012

  BAE Systems has revealed that it has been selected by Raytheon to help the US Air Force (USAF) develop its Dismount Detection Radar (DDR). In …

• Digital Battlespace

  AOC 2012: Electronic protection seen as ‘smoke alarm’ of EW

  27th September 2012

  Several service panelists at this week’s Association of Old Crows (AOC) international symposium and convention in Phoenix, Arizona offered similar analogies to characterise Electronic Protection …

• Digital Battlespace

  Northrop Grumman to extend BACN connectivity

  27th September 2012

  Northrop Grumman has been awarded a contract modification by the US Air Force (USAF) to add beyond-line-of-sight command and control (BLOS C2) capabilities to the …

• Land Warfare

  Modern Day Marine 2012: HDT unveils Storm SRTV

  25th September 2012

  HDT Global used this year's Modern Day Marine exhibition to publicly display its Storm SRTV tactical all terrain vehicle for the first time. Developed with …

• Digital Battlespace

  AFA 2012: USAF stands up new cyber ops group

  20th September 2012

  As the US Air Force (USAF) sharpens its focus on the cyber mission, the 10th Air Force is opening a new cyber operations unit to …

• Digital Battlespace

  AFA 2012: USAF looks at Sniper as a comms relay

  19th September 2012

  The US Air Force (USAF) is introducing a software upgrade that will enable the Sniper Advanced Targeting Pod (ATP) to become a communications relay for …

• Digital Battlespace

  AFA 2012: USAF reveals Space Fence thinking

  18th September 2012

  As it nears a down-select on the Space Fence space surveillance system, the US Air Force has outlined the expected makeup of the system. Speaking …

• Digital Battlespace

  Key milestone reached for AOC Weapon System programme

  18th September 2012

  The US Air Force’s (USAF’s) Air Operations Center (AOC) Weapon System modernisation programme has reached a significant milestone following the successful completion of an integrated …

• Military Logistics

  DynCorp to support J-85 aircraft under new contract

  18th September 2012

  DynCorp International (DI) has announced that it has been awarded a contract with the US Air Force (USAF) Air Education and Training Command (AETC) to …

• Digital Battlespace

  AFA 2012: USAF lays out ISR future

  17th September 2012

  The US Air Force's (USAF's) deputy chief of staff for ISR, Lt Gen Larry James, gave delegates at the Air Force Association's Air & Space …

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 ...