All United States Air Force articles – Page 6
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NewsAutonomous fighters will fly less often than crewed jets while not deployed: USAF
Unlike conventional fighter squadrons, whose pilots need to fly regularly to maintain proficiency, the US Air Force says its forthcoming fleet of uncrewed fighters will not have to fly a “significant number” of daily sorties.
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NewsUSAF begins ground testing Anduril uncrewed fighter prototype
Anduril’s YFQ-44A prototype has started ground trials ahead of the type’s first flight scheduled for later this year.
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NewsF-15EXs to replace retiring A-10s at Michigan fighter squadron
The White House says the 107th Fighter Squadron of the Michigan Air National Guard will be the next station to receive Boeing’s F-15EX multi-role fighter, replacing its current Fairchild Republic A-10s.
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NewsBell nears completion of final Osprey for US Air Force
Rotorcraft manufacturer Bell expects to deliver the final CV-22 variant Osprey tiltrotor for the US Air Force in the coming months, as the company moves toward winding down production on the pioneering aircraft.
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AnalysisNorthrop losses on B-21 climb to $2bn as company seeks to ‘accelerate’ production
The defence manufacturer says the loss results from changes made to its B-21 manufacturing process aimed at achieving “accelerated production rates” on the next-generation stealth bomber.
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In depthLockheed will not protest Boeing win in USAF sixth-generation fighter effort
Although the military airframer was unsuccessful in its bid to produce the US Air Force’s forthcoming sixth-generation fighter, Lockheed Martin plans to incorporate design features from the prototype into the F-35 chassis for an aircraft that can deliver “80% of sixth-generation capability” at a reduced price.
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NewsKratos adding landing gear-equipped XQ-58 to inventory amid growth in uncrewed fighter scope
The US Air Force appears to have expanded its goals for a planned fleet of uncrewed fighters beyond the initial concept of a “disposable” aircraft to a model featuring affordable and reusable jets.
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NewsUS Air Force considers replacing MESA radar on future E-7 fleet
As Boeing begins production on the first prototype of the US Air Force’s planned fleet of E-7A airborne early warning and control jets, the service is exploring what advanced technologies it may incorporate into the final design, including advanced sensors, communications and electronic warfare countermeasures.
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In depthGeneral Atomics planning modular family of uncrewed fighters
With plans to show off its offering for the US Air Force at the upcoming Paris air show, General Atomics Aeronautical Systems says it is taking a modular approach to the autonomous fighter concept that will allow customers to easily pick and choose different capabilities for their fleets.
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AnalysisUSAF need fuels Embraer’s ambition with KC-390 Agile Tanker
Embraer believes its KC-390 is well positioned to enter the US Air Force’s (USAF’s) future inventory in a proposed “Agile Tanker” guise, despite walking away from a partnership with a US-based potential prime.
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AnalysisRAAF to deliver options for fielding uncrewed fighters by year’s end
The service’s head of capabilities says that by the end of 2025 the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) aims to provide the Australian government with options for procuring a future fleet of uncrewed fighter aircraft, with the indigenously developed Boeing MQ-28 Ghost Bat being a strong contender.
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NewsAustralia touts E-7 operational performance as global fleet expands
Australia led the world in fielding the Boeing E-7 Wedgetail, blazing a trail for heavyweights including the US Air Force, UK Royal Air Force and NATO headquarters to procure the airborne early warning and control jet.
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AnalysisWashington moves to deepen industrial ties with Australia amid regional tensions
Under an initiative dubbed the Regional Sustainment Framework, the Pentagon aims to push certain maintenance, repair and overhaul functions forward to overseas partners around the Indo-Pacific, with Australia as the initial target.
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NewsBoeing wins contract for USAF’s sixth-generation fighter, dubbed F-47
After six months of uncertainty, the US Air Force is moving ahead with the Next Generation Air Dominance programme, choosing Boeing to build the new F-47 sixth-generation crewed fighter platform.
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In depthUS LC-130s pioneer take-off and landing on frozen lakes
Recent training operations in the Canadian Arctic saw the New York Air National Guard’s unique fleet of Lockheed Martin LC-130 “Skibirds” land on a frozen lake surface, the first time the ski landing gear-equipped transports have operated from freshwater ice, rather than the polar sea ice or snow they typically use.
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In depthUS Air Force wrapping up analysis of next-generation tanker requirement
The general in charge of the service’s fleet of cargo and refueller aircraft says the service has been evaluating its needs for a new tanker aircraft, including runway requirements, fuel transfer capacity and observability signature.
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In depthUncrewed fighter makers shift away from disposable concept to reusable aircraft
Rather than the ultra-cheap, single-use weapon systems at one time envisioned for the US Air Force’s new generation of uncrewed fighters, developers of the new aircraft now say the jets will be intended for reuse, but with far shorter lifespans than traditional military platforms.
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In depthChina’s new sixth-generation aircraft likely for air superiority role: USAF
The general in charge of the US Air Force’s fighter fleet says the Pentagon believes the sixth-generation aircraft seen over China late last year are intended to provide air superiority, as Beijing continues to expand its military readiness.
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NewsUSAF designates first uncrewed fighter prototypes YFQ-42A and YFQ-44A
The experimental designs from General Atomics and Anduril, which are set to fly this summer, are the first aircraft in the US inventory to bear the FQ designation representing an uncrewed fighter.
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NewsUSAF pauses KC-46 deliveries over structural cracks
The US Air Force, which operates 89 of the 767-derived tankers, has paused delivery of new aircraft after the discovery of structural cracks in two recently assembled jets that Boeing was preparing to turn over.