• Defence Notes

  US strengthens regional posture with munitions, ships and fighter jets in response to Hamas attack on Israel

  9th October 2023

  The swift deployment of munitions and the mobilisation of ships and fighter jets in response to the Hamas attack on Israel raise concerns about potential broader regional involvement.

• Air Warfare

  Initial F130 engine tests for USAF B-52J bomber due to complete by end 2023

  8th September 2023

  Rolls-Royce is on track to complete initial testing of the F130 engine for the B-52J Stratofortress by year-end. The testing programme has achieved success and gathered significant data, de-risking the integration process.

• Air Warfare

  DSEI: Raytheon delivers first B-52 AESA radar to Boeing

  15th September 2023

  RTX, through its business division Raytheon, has delivered the first AESA radar for the B-52 Radar Modernization Program (RMP), enhancing the aircraft's capabilities with improved navigation, targeting and detection range.

• Air Warfare

  USAF and Raytheon complete successful AIM-120C-8 missile firing test

  4th September 2023

  The USAF and Raytheon conducted successful flight test of the AIM-120C-8 missile, the latest variant of AMRAAM, which included downing an aerial target.

• Air Warfare

  Honeywell urges Pratt & Whitney to share F-35 engine data or risk costly maintenance and reduced reliability

  21st September 2023

  'We're getting into a zone where [the engine and the cooling] are going to be out of phase with each other... which means you're going to have to take the [F-35] jet down twice for overhaul and replacement of systems,' Honeywell official tells Shephard.

• Air Warfare

  F-35 Lightning II: key facts about the world's most popular fifth-generation fighter jet

  18th September 2023

  This growing family of F-35 operators exemplifies the power of collective effort, fostering stronger diplomatic ties and contributing to the evolution of modern aerial warfare on a global scale.

• Air Warfare

  Teal Drones boosted by order for more by USAF Security Forces and ID certification from FAA

  23rd August 2023

  Teal Drones has had its order book for USAF Security Forces doubled, and its Teal 2 UAS has received Remote ID certification. The latter meaning the platform can provide identification and location information, a requirement for operation in US airspace from next month.

• Training

  DSEI 2023: Boeing and Red 6 partnership first to achieve successful AR integration on aircraft

  14th September 2023

  The partnership between Boeing and Red 6 has resulted in the successful flight testing of AR technology in a TA-4JA tactical aircraft, with plans to extend testing to the T-7 Red Hawk advanced trainer.

• Air Warfare

  Poland's PZL Mielec completes first F-16 fighter rear fuselage for Lockheed Martin

  8th September 2023

  Lockheed Martin company PZL Mielec has completed its first F-16 Block 70/72 aft fuselage as the aircraft’s popularity continues to grow.

• Air Warfare

  GAO report reveals critical F-35 maintenance challenges impacting US fighter readiness

  3rd October 2023

  The US DoD is facing significant obstacles in achieving its sustainment goals for the fleet of approximately 450 F-35 fighters despite plans to expand the fleet to 2,000 over the next two decades.

• Air Warfare

  US approves sale of JASSM-ER missiles to Japan

  29th August 2023

  The US State Department has approved a Foreign Military Sale of AGM-158B Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missiles-Extended Range (JASSM-ER) to Japan.

• Defence Notes

  Pentagon to strengthen cyber networks of US partners and allies

  18th September 2023

  The recently released 2023 Cyber Strategy states that the US will build the capacity and capability of allies and partners in cyberspace and expand avenues of potential cyber cooperation.

• Defence Notes

  Pentagon bets on advanced autonomous solutions to match Chinese military capabilities

  14th September 2023

  The US DoD recently disclosed details of the Replicator initiative to field thousands of uncrewed systems in two years across multiple domains.

• Training

  US Air Force awards option 5 on T-1A trainer upgrade contract

  7th August 2023

  The USAF has awarded the next option on a T-1A Jayhawk upgrade contract to aircraft modification and support service provider Field Aerospace.

• Air Warfare

  Indonesia signs MoU for Boeing F-15EX fighters

  22nd August 2023

  Perhaps somewhat surprisingly, Indonesia is still showing interest in obtaining F-15EX fighters from the US.

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 ...

• 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

  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 ...

• 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 ...