All United States Air Force - AFRL articles
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NewsBeehive Industries planning flight trials for Frenzy turbojet in early 2026
US propulsion start-up Beehive Industries has completed high-altitude testing of its developmental Frenzy turbojet and plans to begin flight trials in the first quarter of 2026.
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NewsBeehive Industries prepares to ship first Frenzy turbojet prototype to USAF
Colorado propulsion start-up Beehive Industries is preparing to deliver its first Frenzy turbojet prototype to the US Air Force Research Laboratory, marking a significant milestone in developing new engines for cruise missiles and uncrewed aircraft.
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NewsPropulsion start-up Ursa Major wins $35m order for new Draper engine
Colorado-based engine maker Ursa Major has secured a nearly $35 million contract from an undisclosed US defence company for its developmental Draper rocket powerplant, designed for national security applications including hypersonic flight and space vehicles.
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NewsF-15E and F-16C fighters control four XQ-58s in US Air Force tests
The successful use of legacy fourth-generation fighters to control the uncrewed jets is a significant advancement for the Collaborative Combat Aircraft concept, which has largely focused on pairing the autonomous platforms with fifth-generation and emerging sixth-generation designs.
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NewsGeneral Atomics developing Ghost strike and reconnaissance platform for US Air Force
UAV manufacturer General Atomics Aeronautical Systems has received a $99 million contract from the Air Force Research Laboratory to support development of a new reconnaissance and strike platform called Ghost, which will feature hybrid-electric propulsion and ducted fans for lift.
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NewsUS Air Force expands funding for sixth-generation engine development
Despite uncertainty over the future of its sixth-generation fighter development programme, the US Air Force is committing fresh funding toward a separate effort to develop a propulsion solution for “future air dominance platforms”.
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In depthAnduril selects Ohio for company’s first large-scale production site dedicated to autonomous weapons
Located at Rickenbacker International airport near Columbus, Anduril’s “Arsenal-1” facility will be the company’s first attempt at reaching what it calls “hyper-scale” production capacity of delivering tens of thousands of autonomous weapon systems annually.
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NewsHermeus completes ground testing ahead of Quarterhorse Mk 1 first flight
The US hypersonic flight start-up is preparing to launch a test campaign for its Quarterhorse Mk 1 vehicle, a subsonic fixed-wing jet that will be used to evaluate systems intended for use on subsequent supersonic and hypersonic Quarterhorse models.
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NewsUS Air Force seeks new ‘runway independent’ regional airlifter
The Next Generation Intra-theater Airlift programme aims to enhance the air force’s existing airlift capability with a regional logistics aircraft able to operate without ground infrastructure like a maintained runway.
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In depthCan the US Air Force actually make its disposable fighter jets at an affordable price?
The service is betting much of its future on developing and fielding large numbers of so-called “attritable” combat jets that cost a fraction of traditional fighter aircraft. But can that goal actually be achieved?
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NewsPiasecki completes first hover flight of tiltfan prototype
Piasecki is developing the Aerial Reconfigurable Embedded System as a multirole vertical take-off and landing UAV, with military applications in mind.
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NewsArcher delivers first Midnight aircraft to USAF
The electric vertical take-off and landing vehicle is the first of up to six that Archer intends to deliver to the service.
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NewsGeneral Atomics lands funding to continue XQ-67 development
The maker of uncrewed aircraft received an additional $9 million from the US Air Force Research Laboratory to continue development work of the experimental Off-Board Sensing Station jet, believed to be the basis for General Atomics’ bid for an autonomous aircraft capable of supporting crewed fighters.
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In depth‘It will improvise’: Shield AI’s dogfighting algorithm developed novel fighter tactics
The founder of Shield AI, the company behind the artificial intelligence that recently powered an autonomous F-16 fighter in US Air Force dogfighting drills, says its algorithm has shown ability to improvise, and has even developed novel air combat tactics no human pilot would likely employ.
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NewsTop US Air Force official rides in front seat of autonomous F-16
Secretary of the US Air Force Frank Kendall flew in the lead seat of the service’s X-62A Variable In-flight Simulation Test Aircraft (VISTA), a specially modified Lockheed Martin F-16 fighter being used to test and develop artificial intelligence and autonomy capabilities.
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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.