All United States Air Force articles – Page 15
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NewsNorthrop begins B-21 taxi testing ahead of first flight
The US Air Force confirms its next-generation stealth bomber is conducting ground taxi activities as part of a testing regimen leading up to the jet’s first flight by year-end.
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NewsPipistrel joins USAF electric aircraft effort
Textron subsidiary Pipistrel joins other electric aircraft manufacturers in the US Air Force’s Agility Prime initiative, which aims to explore potential military applications for battery-powered aviation.
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NewsLockheed Martin withdraws bid to produce new USAF aerial tanker
The military airframer’s withdrawal from the US Air Force’s tanker-fleet recapitalisation effort makes it all but certain the service will opt to procure more KC-46 refuellers from Boeing.
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NewsBeta logs first electric aircraft flight to Washington, DC air force base
The flight to Andrews AFB near Washington, DC is part of a multi-leg trip from Beta’s headquarters in Vermont to Eglin AFB in Florida, where the company will deliver its all-electric Alia aircraft to the US Air Force for testing.
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NewsStratolaunch secures USAF funding for second reusable hypersonic vehicle
The US Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) will fund a second example of a reusable hypersonic flight vehicle built by American start-up Stratolaunch.
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NewsUSAF A-10s arrive in Middle East as part of US show of force
The iconic ground-attack jets are part of a surge in US air power to the region, which includes F-15s, F-16s, an aircraft carrier and four squadrons of F/A-18s.
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NewsUSAF battling surge of aircraft lasing incidents
The air force says the incidents, which involve commercially available laser pointers, pose a significant safety risk to aircraft and crew.
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NewsUS deploys aircraft carrier and land-based jet fighters to Middle East
US Central Command, which oversees operations in the Middle East, says the show of aviation power is intended to deter “any party” from entering the war between Israel and militant group Hamas.
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NewsKratos acquires autonomous fifth-generation fighter developer Sierra Technical Services
The sale of the start-up to Kratos, which Sierra’s founder calls both a competitor and teammate, comes soon after the company won a contract with the US Air Force to produce a fifth-generation-style aerial target jet.
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NewsAnduril wins $8m contract for autonomous UAV development
The US Air Force’s AFWERX technology incubator will work with defence start-up Anduril on advancing autonomous flight capabilities, using Anduril’s Ghost UAV as a test platform.
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NewsUSAF reveals ‘recent acquisition’ of Su-27 from Ukraine
The Soviet-era fighter arrived in the USA via a private acquisition around 2009 and was traded between several private operators before ending up in the hands of the Pentagon, which will now display the jet at the national air force museum.
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NewsBAE Systems lands five-year deal for F-22 electronic warfare support
Under the contract, BAE Systems will continue to manage the air superiority fighter’s AN/ALR-94 electronic-warfare system, providing repairs, upgrades, logistics, test equipment maintenance, depot-level spares and engineering support.
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NewsNorthrop wins USAF contract for new air defence suppression missile
Defence contractor Northrop Grumman has been selected by the US Air Force (USAF) to develop a new air-to-ground missile that could be used to destroy enemy air defence assets. Northrop on 25 September said it received a $705 million contract from the USAF to develop the Stand-in Attack Weapon (SiAW), ...
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NewsUSAF makes first U-2 flight with avionics upgrade
Manufacturer Lockheed Martin is in the process of upgrading the USAF fleet of Cold War-era high-altitude spy craft with modern computers, cockpit displays and improved communication systems.
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NewsNearly half of US F-35s not ready to fly
Analysis by auditors at the independent US Government Accountability Office found only 55% of the USA’s Lockheed Martin F-35 fleet was ready to perform assigned missions.
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In depthValue and versatility: Embraer pitches KC-390 to the USA
Brazilian airframer hopes to pick off business from aerospace giants like Airbus, Lockheed and Boeing with its multi-role KC-390 Millennium jet.
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NewsNorthrop plans wide-ranging B-2 upgrades, including new anti-radar coating by year-end
The manufacturer of the iconic flying wing stealth bomber is undertaking a series of modernisations that will make the notoriously difficult-to-maintain B-2 easier to keep flightworthy, more lethal and compatible with the next-generation B-21 Raider stealth bomber.
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NewsBoeing flight testing Red 6 augmented reality dogfight training system
Recent sorties by a Douglas TA-4J Skyhawk trainer incorporated an augmented reality pilot helmet produced by start-up Red 6, which Boeing hopes to eventually incorporate into its latest T-7A Red Hawk jet trainer.
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NewsBeta installs first USAF electric aircraft charging station
The Vermont-based developer of electric aircraft installed the US Air Force’s first-ever electric aircraft charging station at Eglin AFB, Florida, ahead of the planned arrival of Beta’s Alia under a Pentagon contract.
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NewsBell begins sled testing on VTOL jet concept
Vertical lift manufacturer Bell has delivered a test article to the US Air Force that aims to demonstrate a novel technology concept that combines the vertical take-off and landing traits of a helicopter with the high-speed horizontal flight of a jet aircraft.