All United States Air Force - AFRL articles
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NewsDARPA tests dogfighting AI against human fighter pilot
Using a specially modified F-16 fighter known as the X-62A VISTA, the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency and the US Air Force pitted a dogfighting artificial intelligence system against human fighter pilots in recent air-to-air combat exercises.
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NewsExosonic flies demonstrator of in-development autonomous supersonic military jet
US supersonic aircraft developer Exosonic has started test flying a subscale demonstrator of a conceptual supersonic unmanned aircraft that the company aims to develop for military customers.
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NewsHypersonic developer Hermeus teases first flight of Quarterhorse this summer
The Atlanta-based start-up revealed the second of four planned vehicles in the Quarterhorse line and revealed the selection of the Pratt & Whitney F100 engine to power its follow-on aircraft.
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NewsGeneral Atomics reveals experimental XQ-67A uncrewed jet
The uncrewed aircraft manufacturer developed the new type, which it calls the XQ-67A Off-Board Sensing Station, in partnership with the US Air Force Research Laboratory.
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NewsBeta completes USAF electric aircraft test deployment
During the three months of evaluations with the US Air Force, airframer start-up Beta says one of its all-electric Alia aircraft demonstrated its ability to support a range of operations, including casualty evacuation, logistics resupply and personnel transport.
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NewsFuelled TalonA carried aloft as first Stratolaunch hypersonic flight approaches
Following a successful taxi test of its two-aircraft hypersonic flight system, California start-up Stratolaunch has carried a fully-fuelled TalonA hypersonic vehicle aloft under the company’s jet-powered Roc mother ship, a prerequisite for TalonA’s first self-powered flight.
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NewsPiasecki wins $37m AFWERX funding for tilt-duct aircraft
The multi-year funding through the AFWERX programme and Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) will see Piasecki showcase in flight its Aerial Reconfigurable Embedded System (ARES) tilt-duct unmanned air vehicle and a ZeroAvia fuel cell propulsion system.
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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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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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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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NewsUSAF tests anti-drone swarm energy weapon
The Air Force Research Laboratory says it successfully defeated a so-called “drone swarm” in recent tests using a microwave energy system.
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NewsRaytheon flight tests loyal wingman UAV software
Raytheon has conducted a flight test during which a human operator controlled three autonomous unmanned air vehicles simultaneously using manned-unmanned teaming software.
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NewsUS Air Force gets serious about delivering military cargo via space rocket
The US Air Force has named “Rocket Cargo” as its fourth “Vanguard” programme, meaning the concept is a top science and technology development priority for the service.
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NewsAFRL to expand ‘Golden Horde’ networked weapons with ‘Colosseum’ simulation software
The US Air Force Research Laboratory is aiming to accelerate the pace at which it adds weapons to its Golden Horde network by using a simulation software called Colosseum.
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NewsUSAF to flight test Skyborg autonomous system at Orange Flag this summer
The US Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) plans to flight test its Skyborg autonomous aircraft technology during Orange Flag exercises this summer for the first time.
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NewsUS Air Force Research Lab starts building airborne laser weapon
The US Air Force Research Laboratory is anticipating delivery later this month of the first major assembly of its Self-Protect High Energy Laser Demonstrator weapon.
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NewsAir Force Research Lab demos ‘record-breaking’ scramjet and ‘high-speed’ warhead
The US Air Force Research Laboratory completed a series of “record-breaking tests” of a scramjet engine in November. The laboratory also finished sled testing a new ‘high-speed’ warhead technology.
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NewsUS Air Force aims to train pilots faster using brain electrode
In August, the US Air Force Research Laboratory 711th Human Performance Wing launched its iNeuraLS project, an effort to speed up pilot training through brain stimulation.
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NewsKratos Defense plans to fund more acquisitions with $209m stock sale
The company has acquired several businesses in recent years including satellite antenna manufacturer ASC Signal, as well as small jet turbine manufacturers Technical Directions and Florida Turbine Technologies.
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Payload tests for XQ-58A set for early 2020
Kratos Defense & Security Solutions expects to be on a contract before the end of September 2019 to integrate communications and autonomy payloads into its XQ-58A Valkyrie unmanned air vehicle (UAV).