All United States Air Force articles
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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.
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NewsNorthrop begins ground engine tests on B-21
The US Air Force and Northrop Grumman have started engine runs in Palmdale, California as part of the ground-testing programme for the B-21 Raider next-generation stealth bomber.
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NewsL3Harris and BAE deliver first EC-37B to USAF
The latest iteration of the Compass Call electronic warfare aircraft is built on a Gulfstream G500 business jet.
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NewsBoeing poised to deliver first T-7 to USAF
Airframer Boeing says the first test version of its next-generation T-7A Red Hawk jet trainer is ready for delivery to the US Air Force, which is expected to accept the aircraft as soon as 12 September.
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NewsUSAF test fires three JASSM cruise missiles from single F-15EX
Test pilots with the US Air Force showed the latest variant of the venerable fourth-generation Boeing air superiority fighter can deploy with three precision Lockheed Martin weapons, which boast a range greater than 500nm.
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NewsUSAF KC-135 crew records ‘St Elmo’s fire’ weather phenomenon during hurricane evacuation
While evacuating their Florida base ahead of Hurricane Idalia, the crew of a US Air Force Boeing KC-135 aerial refueller recorded video of a rare weather phenomenon known as St Elmo’s fire, forming around the aircraft.
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NewsUSA to host F-16 training for Ukrainian pilots
In a rapid reversal to its previous opposition to sending Ukraine F-16 fighter jets, the USA will not only approve the deal, but will join European allies inactively training Ukrainian pilots.
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NewsUSAF flies B-2 from Iceland to Alaska for Arctic drills
A US Air Force B-2 stealth bomber flew from Iceland, where it is currently forward deployed as part of a NATO deterrence mission, to Alaska for recent air-combat exercises in the high north.
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NewsJetZero to build USAF blended-wing-body prototype
The US Air Force will provide $235 million to aerospace start-up JetZero to develop a blended-wing-body prototype aircraft – dubbed the XBW-1 – with an eye toward increasing fuel efficiency by up to 50%.
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NewsB-2s arrive in Europe on first overseas deployment since grounding
Two Northrop Grumman B-2 Spirit stealth bombers arrived in Iceland for the type’s first overseas deployment since being grounded after a non-fatal hard landing in December.
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NewsFirst B-21 bomber powered up ahead of flight testing
Northrop Grumman continues to progress toward first flight of its in-development B-21 stealth bomber, announcing it recently powered up the initial flight-test aircraft for the first time.