All Department of the Air Force (USAF) articles – Page 2
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NewsBoeing’s F-15EX proves full air-to-air capability with 12 underwing missiles
Recent weapons tests demonstrated that the F-15EX – the latest version of Boeing’s venerable air superiority fighter – can carry a full load of 12 air-to-air missiles.
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‘Wi-fi in the sky’: the USAF expands E-11 fleet
The service is building a second squadron of Bombardier E-11 Global Express jets, officially known as the Battlefield Airborne Communications Node.
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US claims China conducted ‘unsafe intercept’ of reconnaissance aircraft
The Pentagon’s Indo-Pacific Command claims a Chinese J-11 came dangerously close to a US Air Force Boeing RC-135 in international airspace over the South China Sea.
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Leidos wins $334m contract for multi-role hypersonic platform
The Virginia-based manufacturer will produce a “larger class” air-breathing hypersonic platform capable of performing multiple mission sets.
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USAF grounds B-2 fleet after emergency landing closes airfield
The US Air Force ordered its small fleet of strategic stealth bombers into a “safety pause” after one of the ultra-expensive aircraft was damaged during an emergency landing.
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USAF commits nearly $4bn to operations at Greenland airbase above the Arctic Circle
Improvements to the joint USA-Canada Thule air base now allow the strategic far northern outpost to host fighter jets year round.
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Pratt & Whitney ‘ramping’ for F-35 engine core upgrade to enter service by 2028
While a formal decision on addressing the stealthy fighter’s power and cooling constraints remains absent, engine-maker Pratt & Whitney says it is ramping a core upgrade programme for the F-35’s powerplant based on a recent preliminary support contract.
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USAF B-1 bomber unit prepares for B-21 Raider
The US Air Force’s 28th Bomb Wing, which currently operates the Boeing B-1B, will be the first unit to receive the B-21 stealth bomber later this decade.
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Fewer A-10s but protections for F-22s, EA-18Gs and F-15s in US defence policy bill
If approved, the behemoth bill to fund the US military through 2023 would allow some reductions to the A-10 fleet, but prohibit retirements of many other types, including fighters, tankers and transports.
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B-21 test pilots discuss preparations for first flight
Loads calibration, structural strength evaluations and testing flight systems using a business jet are just a few of the tasks test pilots from Northrop Grumman and the US Air Force are undertaking in preparation for the new stealth bomber’s first flight.
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Pratt & Whitney awarded preliminary contract for F-35 engine ‘enhancement’
A decision by the US Air Force on whether to completely replace the Lockheed Martin jet’s single engine or opt for a cheaper core upgrade to the existing powerplant remains unresolved.
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Northrop Grumman reveals B-21 test aircraft as stealth programme roars toward first flight
Northrop Grumman has unveiled the next-generation stealth bomber under development for the US Air Force.
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US Air Force to buy 45 additional AESA radars for F-16 upgrades
The deal worth nearly $100 million is part of the USAF’s $6 billion effort to upgrade its fleet of the ageing Lockheed Martin single-engined jets.
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Stratolaunch lands USAF support for hypersonic test vehicle
The company created by late Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen received a contract from the US Air Force Research Laboratory to support a 2023 flight test of Stratolaunch’s Talon-A hypersonic vehicle.
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USAF KC-46A completes record-breaking 36h endurance flight
The Boeing aerial refuelling jet’s 14,000nm flight path took it from the US state of New Hampshire to Guam and back, in what the USAF calls a “proof of concept” operation demonstrating long-range force projection.
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US 'spaceplane' returns to Earth after 908 days in orbit
The US Space Force’s reusable spacecraft known as the Boeing X-37B Orbital Test Vehicle has now completed six missions, logging 1.3 billion miles flown and over 3,700 days in space.
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US Air Force to retire Japan-based F-15s
Billed as a modernisation effort, the USAF will decommission its older Boeing F-15C/D models currently assigned to an important military hub in Okinawa.
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KC-46 completes limited crew refuelling flight
The US Air Force is testing the concept of minimally-crewed flights to prepare for potential combat scenarios in which personnel may be unavailable.
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B-21 reveal date set for 2 December
The designer of the next-generation strategic bomber, Northrop Grumman, says it will unveil the new aircraft on 2 December in California.
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Lockheed Martin F-35 crashes at Utah air base, pilot ejected
An investigation is under way into the crash at Hill AFB, which is home of the US Air Force’s F-35 flight-demonstration team and a combat fighter wing.
