• Military Logistics

  KC-46 completes survivability tests

  5th June 2015

  The KC-46 tanker has successfully undergone its most detailed weapons survivability test series to date at the Weapons Survivability Lab (WSL) of the US Naval …

• Digital Battlespace

  Cubic to improve SAR capabilities of USAF

  18th May 2015

  Support Systems Associates (SSAI) has awarded a $1.7 million contract to Cubic Global Defense for its AN/ARS-6 Lightweight Airborne Recovery System (LARS) for the US …

• Military Logistics

  Array selected to lead SBSS modernisation

  15th May 2015

  The US Air Force (USAF) has selected Array Information Technology to lead the critical modernisation of its Standard Base Supply System (SBSS). The contract awarded …

• Defence Helicopter

  USAF Ospreys to deploy to Japan in 2017

  13th May 2015

  The Pentagon has announced it will begin deploying its first squadron of Bell Boeing CV-22 Ospreys to Japan in 2017. The specially modified tiltrotor aircraft …

• Military Logistics

  USAF selects Array to support DCAPES requirements

  6th May 2015

  The US Air Force (USAF) has selected Array Information Technology to support its Deliberate and Crisis Action Planning and Execution Segments (DCAPES) system sustainment and …

• Military Logistics

  Lockheed Martin advances C-130 training capabilities

  29th April 2015

  Under newly awarded contract awards from the US Air Force (USAF), Lockheed Martin will continue to advance the training capabilities of C-130 operators worldwide. The …

• Digital Battlespace

  MALD-J completes operational testing

  16th April 2015

  Raytheon and the US Air Force (USAF) have successfully completed operational tests of the Miniature Air Launched Decoy-Jammer (MALD-J), the company announced on 14 April. …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  MQ-9 Reaper strikes maritime target during exercise

  10th April 2015

  An MQ-9 Reaper UAS has successfully hit a maritime target with an AGM-114 Hellfire missile during a recent US joint service training exercise, the US …

• Defence Notes

  Kaman to continue JPF contract with USAF

  31st March 2015

  Kaman's Aerospace segment has been awarded a contract modification for the continued procurement of Joint Programmable Fuzes (JPF) for the US Air Force (USAF). Announced …

• Digital Battlespace

  Ninth GPS IIF satellite for USAF launches

  27th March 2015

  A United Launch Alliance (ULA) Delta IV rocket with the ninth Global Positioning System (GPS) IIF satellite for the US Air Force (USAF) launched on …

• Digital Battlespace

  Curtiss-Wright to participate in USAF Next Generation Radar evaluation

  27th March 2015

  Curtiss-Wright received a contract to participate in the US Air Force (USAF) led Next Generation Radar evaluation programme, as announced by the company on 25 …

• Digital Battlespace

  GE to research radar processor open architecture for USAF

  27th March 2015

  GE's Intelligent Platforms business was awarded a contract to undertake a six-month research programme to help the US Air Force (USAF) define radar processor open …

• Military Logistics

  Northrop signs partnership with USAF Sustainment Center

  23rd March 2015

  Northrop Grumman has signed a partnership agreement with the US Air Force (USAF) Sustainment Center establishing the terms and conditions for future collaborative weapon system …

• Digital Battlespace

  USAF team tackles the insider cyber threat

  10th March 2015

  A Special Programs team from the US Air Force (USAF) has developed a delivery process for solutions that protect against cyber insider threats, as announced …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Northrop Grumman updates on USAF Global Hawk

  5th March 2015

  The US Air Force (USAF) RQ-4 Global Hawk Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS) saw its cost per flight hour drop and number of flight hours increase …

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Military UAS - MALE

  MQ-9A Reaper [USAF]

  Background First order Following a development that began in 1998, in October 2002, the USAF ordered the first four MQ-9s of the production series. In ...

• Military UAS - mini

  RQ-20B Puma [USAF]

  Background Requirement According to Trace Stevenson, the AeroVironment (AV) Vice President and product line general manager, the USAF Security Forces required a small UAV to ...

• MPVs - 4x4

  JLTV (USAF) (Batch 1) [USA]

  Baclground As of November 2020, the US DoD had signed 14 contracts with Oshkosh Defense covering the delivery of approximately 17,731 JLTVs to all branches ...

• Military UAS - MALE

  Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) (Increment 1) [USAF]

  Background Requirements The programme’s requirements are based on the USAF’s belief that mass is necessary to compete effectively against an adversary in symmetrical warfare. However, ...

• Military helicopters - multirole

  HH-60W - Combat Rescue Helicopter (CRH)

  Background In 2010, the USAF announced the replacement of the HH-60G with a new Combat Rescue Helicopter (CRH), and in 2012, the request for proposals ...

• AEW&C

  E-7A Wedgetail (1-2) [USA]

  Programme Background Shephard notes that this entry covers the two rapid-prototype E-7 aircraft, whose contract was signed in August 2024. A second programme entry covers the ...

• Transport/tanker aircraft

  KC-Y tanker aircraft [USA]

  Programme Background The USAF is replacing its fleet of 396 KC-135 Stratotanker refuelling aircraft, built in the 1950s and 60s, and 59 KC-10 Extenders, which entered service ...

• Fighter - multirole

  F-15EX (2025-2026) [USA]

  Methodology Units required Based off the FY2027 USAF budget request, between FY2025 and FY2026, the U.S. Air Force received funding for 40 F-15EX platforms. Congress ...

• Transport/tanker aircraft

  KC-46A (USA)

  Programme Background The first five Low Rate Initial Production lots were contracted for a total of 67 aircraft for $10.94 billion. The initial contract signed ...

• Transport/tanker aircraft

  KC-46A Add-On [USA]

  Background In July 2025, the former Chief of Staff for the US Air Force (USAF) Gen David Allvin confirmed that the USAF has authorised the procurement of ...

• Hybrid effector systems

  US Air Force Air Base Defence Missile Defence [US]

  Background The US Air Force's (USAF) Air Base Air Defence Missile Defence (ABAD MD) programme is part of the Air Force Physical Security System and sits ...

• Military helicopters - multirole

  MH-139 (UH-1N Huey Replacement)

  Background  Competing bids In competition with the Boeing/Leonardo bid was Sikorsky with a HH-60U offer, and Sierra Nevada with an upgrading offer of UH-60As to ...

• MPVs - 4x4

  JLTV (USAF) (Batch 2) [USA]

  Background According to the FY2021 USAF budget request documents, the USAF procured 103 JLTVs in FY2019, 146 in FY2020 and 142 in FY2021. In 2023, ...

• Transport/tanker aircraft

  Next-Generation Air-Refueling System (NGAS) [USA]

  Background The U.S. Air Force originally planned the KC-Y programme as a follow-on acquisition of an estimated 179 tankers to bridge the gap between the delayed ...

• Transport/tanker aircraft

  C-37A [USA]

  Programme Background The USAF was using C-20B transport aircraft, variant of civilian Gulfstream III, to provide worldwide airlift for DoD and government officials. With the ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Military UAS - HALE

  EX-3 Revenant

  The EX-3 Revenant is a developmental fixed-wing aircraft being developed by Exosonic. It is a Mach 1.2 supersonic UAV designed to be a 5th-generation representative, modular, autonomous ...

• Land: Radio and SATCOM

  Next Generation Survivor Radio

  The Next Generation Survivor Radio (NGSR) is a software-defined radio being developed by General Dynamics Mission Systems. It is expected to enter into service after June 2026.

• Air: aerial targets

  QF-16 FSAT

  The QF-16 Full Scale Aerial Target (FSAT) is an optionally piloted supersonic aerial target developed to replace the QF-4 in USAF service. Retired F-16 fighters are ...

• Major networking projects

  C2 ConstellationNet

  According to David Tillotson, director of C4ISR architecture AF/XI, in a report to Congress: 'The ConstellationNet is the communications network – air, space and terrestrial ...

• Air: transport/tanker simulators

  USAF KC-135 ATS

  The KC-135 Aircrew Training System (ATS) programme delivers initial qualification, requalification, continuation and upgrades training for USAF KC-135 aircrews, including pilots, co-pilots and boom operators. ...

• Major networking projects

  DCGS 10.2 Upgrade

  Raytheon’s Distributed Common Ground System (DCGS) Block 10.2 upgrade allows intelligence data to be posted to the network for immediate use by analysts and warfighters, ...

• Military UAS - mini

  SPX

  The SPX drone is a fixed-wing UAV manufactured by RapidFlight. It features a modular payload bay and is fitted with RapidFlight’s Common Avionics 2.0 modular interface. ...

• Combat Search and Rescue

  HC-130P/N

  HC-130P/N is a SAR aircraft developed as extended-range version of C-130 Hercules transport airframe to execute all weather personnel recovery operations from austere airfields and ...

• Transport/tanker aircraft

  KC-10 Extender

  The KC-10 Extender is a tanker/transport aircraft developed for the USAF by McDonnell Douglas (now part of Boeing). It was derived from the company’s three-engine ...

• EW test systems

  JTE

  The Joint Threat Emitter (JTE) is a multi-threat, high-fidelity simulator with realistic ERP levels, which simulates single- and double-digit surface-to-air and anti-aircraft artillery radar systems. ...

• Air: Head-up displays

  R-HUD

  The Replacement Heads-Up Display (R-HUD) is a Primary Flight Reference system designed to replace legacy HUD units on C-17 aircraft. Manufactured by Elbit Systems of ...

• Air: mission management systems

  Flat Panel Control Indicator

  BAE Systems Flat Panel Control Indicator (FPCI) is designed to replace legacy Navigation Control Indicators in F-15C/D aircraft. It features a new AMLCD display and ...

• Military UAS - mini

  Wasp III

  Produced from 2007 until 2012, the Wasp III was a hand-launched UAV produced by AeroVironment. The platform was powered by rechargeable lithium-ion batteries and featured two camera ...

• Military UAS - HALE

  RQ-4 Global Hawk

  The Global Hawk is a HALE UAV manufactured by Northrop Grumman. Primarily designed to carry ISTAR payloads, the platform has accumulated more than 200,000 flight hours ...

• Bomber

  B-2 Spirit

  The B-2 Spirit is a multirole stealth bomber manufactured by Northrop Grumman for the USAF. The Spirit is a flying wing aircraft, meaning that it ...