• Training

  I/ITSEC 2021: Hunters become the hunted for USAF

  25th November 2021

  Boeing is to convert more F-16Cs into supersonic aerial targets.

• Training

  I/ITSEC 2021: Vertex Aerospace wins more T-1A business

  25th November 2021

  Vertex Aerospace has won another year supporting the US Air Force's T-1A Jayhawk multi-engine training fleet.

• Training

  I/ITSEC 2021: Ryan Aerospace selected for Vertex Solutions PTT team

  24th November 2021

  As part of the Vertex Solutions team, Ryan Aerospace is delivering flight training simulators to support the USAF's Pilot Training Transformation programme.

• Digital Battlespace

  USAF taps industry for space situational awareness satellite bus

  24th November 2021

  USAF aims to use small satellite bus beyond equatorial geosynchronous orbit.

• Air Warfare

  Lockheed Martin obtains ASQ-239 integration contract for F-35

  23rd November 2021

  Lockheed Martin will provide system integration services for ASQ-239 EW countermeasure hardware.

• Training

  What next after I/ITSEC 2021? (Opinion)

  4th December 2021

  This year’s I/ITSEC revealed some changed priorities in the military training sector, due not only to COVID-19 but also to the availability of the latest technologies.

• Training

  I/ITSEC 2021: US training adapts to trends

  1st December 2021

  Harnessing modern technologies to meet training and simulation requirements is more important than ever, senior officers told the I/ITSEC 2021 conference audience.

• Air Warfare

  Lockheed obtains major IDIQ contract for USAF Raptor sustainment

  9th November 2021

  USAF chooses Lockheed Martin for a new decade of work under the ARES programme.

• Training

  I/ITSEC 2021: Unintended consequences (Opinion)

  24th November 2021

  The increasing complexity of emerging technologies is placing pressure on the optimisation of military training. In particular, air force training comes at a premium, so the right balance of tools and techniques is crucial for cost-effectiveness.

• Air Warfare

  Northrop Grumman integrates Dragon’s Eye with F-16

  19th November 2021

  Northrop Grumman’s platform-agnostic AN/ASQ-236 Dragon’s Eye Pod achieves first flight on an operational F-16.

• Defence Notes

  Eglin R&D base to expand with new facility

  12th November 2021

  A new munitions R&D facility will be built by May 2023 at Eglin AFB.

• Air Warfare

  USAF awards $1.5 billion engine contract for F-15EX fleet

  1st November 2021

  General Electric has been awarded a $1.5 billion contract to provide their F110-GE-129 engines for the planned F-15EX fleet.

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  General Atomics climbs aboard OBSS

  29th October 2021

  GA-ASI joins Kratos in R&D effort for the Off-Board Sensing Station programme.

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  USAF issues three UAS contract modifications

  1st November 2021

  Northrop Grumman benefits from a burst of RQ-4B and MQ-4C contract activity.

• Air Warfare

  Japan receives its first KC-46A

  1st November 2021

  The Japan Air Self-Defense Force becomes the first non-US recipient of the KC-46A Pegasus tanker aircraft.

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 ...

• Air: Radio and SATCOM

  Air: Radio and SATCOM | F-35A Joint Strike Fighter - USAF Future Procurement

  The USAF is planning to order 1137 F-35As between FY2026 and FY2048 under the Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) program. The purchase will be at a ...

• Air: Helmet-mounted displays

  Air: Helmet-mounted displays | F-35A Joint Strike Fighter - USAF Future Procurement

  The USAF is planning to order 1137 F-35As between FY2026 and FY2048 under the Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) program. The purchase will be at a ...

• Data links

  Data links | F-35A Joint Strike Fighter - USAF Future Procurement

  The USAF is planning to order 1137 F-35As between FY2026 and FY2048 under the Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) program. The purchase will be at a ...

• Air: Head-up displays

  Air: Head-up displays | F-35A Joint Strike Fighter - USAF Future Procurement

  The USAF is planning to order 1137 F-35As between FY2026 and FY2048 under the Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) program. The purchase will be at a ...

• Transponders and IFF

  Transponders and IFF | F-35A Joint Strike Fighter - USAF Future Procurement

  The USAF is planning to order 1137 F-35As between FY2026 and FY2048 under the Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) program. The purchase will be at a ...

• 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, ...

• Air: Radio and SATCOM

  Air: Radio and SATCOM | KC-Y tanker aircraft [USA]

  The USAF is looking to procure tanker aircraft to bridge the gap between the delayed KC-46 fleet and the future Advanced Air Refueling Tanker (known also ...

• Data links

  Data links | KC-Y tanker aircraft [USA]

  The USAF is looking to procure tanker aircraft to bridge the gap between the delayed KC-46 fleet and the future Advanced Air Refueling Tanker (known also ...

• Transponders and IFF

  Transponders and IFF | KC-Y tanker aircraft [USA]

  The USAF is looking to procure tanker aircraft to bridge the gap between the delayed KC-46 fleet and the future Advanced Air Refueling Tanker (known also ...

• 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 ...

• 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 ...

• 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 ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, 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 - fixed-wing

  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. ...

• Military UAS - HALE

  RQ-4 Global Hawk

  The Global Hawk is a HALE UAV manufactured by General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. (GA-ASI). Primarily designed to carry ISTAR payloads, the platform has accumulated more ...

• 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 - fixed-wing, 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 ...

• 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 ...