All Department of the Air Force (USAF) articles – Page 16
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In depthWhy attritable UAVs have aerospace manufacturers rethinking lucrative MRO and upgrades
Because attritable aircraft are designed to be limited-use, and cheap enough to be lost in combat or thrown-away when obsolete, the traditional model of capturing long-term business government via vendor lock – selling proprietary aircraft to the US Department of Defense and then making profits on MRO and upgrades – could be disrupted.
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In depthWhy the US Air Force might use ‘deception’ and UAVs hidden in shipping containers to fight China
The US Air Force is rethinking the way it plans for war in the Pacific Ocean. It is eyeing a new class of unmanned air vehicle that could be hidden inside shipping containers and spread across small islands in the western Pacific. Should war ever come, the UAVs could be rocket launched within a matter of hours in massive volleys from dozens or even thousands of secret sites.
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NewsBoeing resurrects effort to turn JDAM bomb into cheap cruise missile
Boeing has resurrected and is showing off its Powered JDAM concept believing that the US Air Force (USAF) is keen to buy low-cost cruise missiles.
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NewsWhy the US Air Force chose hypersonic ARRW over HCSW
The US Air Force’s decision to cancel the Hypersonic Conventional Strike Weapon (HCSW) and proceed with Air-Launched Rapid Response Weapon (ARRW) came down to size and shape of the missile, in addition to budgetary pressures and a desire to move toward production faster.
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News‘The fighter jet era has passed’: Elon Musk
Speaking in front of a crowd of fighter pilots for the US Air Force, technology entrepreneur Elon Musk pronounced the end to the manned fighter jet era.
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NewsUS Air Force names HH-60W Combat Rescue Helicopter “Jolly Green II”
The service also awarded Sikorsky a $500 million Lot 2 Low Rate Initial Production contract for 12 more examples of the aircraft.
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NewsUAVs could start replacing manned fighters in mid-2020s: USAF
As older Lockheed Martin F-16s approach the end of their service life five to eight years from now, the US Air Force (USAF) may consider replacing the manned fighters with attritable unmanned air vehicles (UAV).
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NewsLockheed Martin’s hypersonic ARRW passes critical design review
ARRW is to officially pass the milestone on 27 February and the US Air Force is pleased with the missile’s development progress, says Lockheed Martin.
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NewsKratos begins XQ-58A Valkyrie production, despite funding delay caused by mishap
Kratos Defense and Security Solutions has started building production examples of its XQ-58A Valkyrie attritable unmanned air vehicle, despite an investigation into an October 2019 mishap which delayed an expected contract from the US Air Force.
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NewsGeneral Atomics tests space laser communication system for MQ-9
General Atomics Aeronautical Systems has successfully tested on the ground a space laser communication system that it intends to use to securely transfer data between its MQ-9 Reaper unmanned air vehicle and satellites.
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NewsU-2 spyplane fleet gets new high-powered camera
The electro-optical and infrared camera is to provide more precise, long-range tracking of stationary or moving targets in a wider range of weather conditions.
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NewsUS Air Force retires aircraft and looks to future war in $169bn budget proposal for 2021
While the total is unchanged from years prior, the service is asking to increase research and development in order to meet upcoming threats from China and Russia by 2030.
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NewsBoeing markets T-7 trainer in Asia, as it eyes first export deal
Boeing is pitching its T-7 to Asian militaries for the first time at the Singapore air show, as it seeks a first export deal for the advanced jet trainer.
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NewsUS Air Force wants commoditised F-16 for easier Foreign Military Sales
The US Air Force wants to develop a commoditised Lockheed Martin F-16 to make it easier for US allies and foreign partners to buy the combat aircraft.
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NewsUSAF trials pre-positioning war materiel across Pacific region
Caught between a growing US government fiscal deficit and an expanding military threat from China, the US Pacific Air Forces is looking for inexpensive ways to pre-position war materiel on islands across the Pacific Ocean.
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NewsAustralia approved to buy 200 Long Range Anti-Ship Missiles for F/A-18F Super Hornet
The US State Department approved a possible Foreign Military Sale of 200 Lockheed Martin Long Range Anti-Ship Missiles (LRASMs) for $990 million to Australia.
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NewsUS Special Operations plans to buy 75 light attack aircraft for Armed Overwatch
The US Special Operations Command plans on buying 75 fixed-wing aircraft for its just-announced Armed Overwatch programme.
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NewsNew B-21 image shows subtle changes from B-2A design
A new rendering released by the US Air Force (USAF) of the top-secret Northrop Grumman B-21 Raider shows subtle differences compared to its stealth bomber predecessor, the B-2A.
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NewsXQ-58A Valkyrie expands flight envelope and safely recovered in fourth test
The AFRL says that the XQ-58A met all its test objectives and expanded its flight envelope, including flying at an undisclosed higher altitude as part of an effort to gather data in representative real-world flight conditions.
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NewsX-60A hypersonic test vehicle completes rocket hot firings
The US Air Force Research Laboratory’s (AFRL) X-60A rocket recently completed engine test firings while on the ground at Cecil Spaceport in Jacksonville, Florida.