• Land Warfare

  US Army seeks new uses for 3D printing

  19th November 2021

  In addition to fast providing replacement parts and reducing the need of relying on huge warehouses or long supply chains, the technology can be used in hybrid manufacturing processes and construction as well as with together robotic and AI capacities.

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  USAF picks Kratos for new MUM-T programme

  27th October 2021

  Off-Board Sensing Solution programme for USAF blends sensor extension for crewed aircraft with an attritable offensive weapons capability.

• Defence Notes

  Watchdog suggests changes to DoD acquisition process

  3rd November 2021

  The US Government Accountability Office has released a report criticising US defence procurement as ‘inefficient, cumbersome, and bureaucratic’.

• Air Warfare

  US DoD selects Raytheon for AIM-9X system improvement

  1st November 2021

  The US DoD has contracted Raytheon to provide support and development work for its air-to-air missile, AIM-9X.

• Digital Battlespace

  Joint initiative targets small UAS threat

  25th October 2021

  The Joint Counter Small Unmanned Aircraft Systems Office embodies a focused and targeted approach across the US armed services to develop a toolkit of solutions.

• Defence Notes

  Senate mark-up of US FY2022 budget focuses on China

  28th October 2021

  The US Senate Appropriations Committee is proposing a significant top-up of the Biden administration's defence budget proposal for FY2022.

• Defence Notes

  US orders biological warfare detection kits and decoy flares from Chemring

  27th October 2021

  Chemring to help modernise the Joint Biological Point Detection System and equip F-35s with decoy flares.

• Air Warfare

  Modified Wily Coyote entices non-US users

  29th October 2021

  A new variant of the MC-145B Wily Coyote light attack aircraft lacks certain US SOF-specific equipment but retains its weaponry.

• Training

  Kratos gains more AFSAT work

  14th October 2021

  USAF contract modification sees Kratos provide spare parts for BQM-167A subscale target drones.

• Land Warfare

  AUSA 2021: USAF receives portable explosives detection systems

  13th October 2021

  Portable X-ray explosives detector for USAF uses radio frequencies rather than Wi-Fi to transmit data.

• Air Warfare

  NAVAIR expands F-35 Block 4 development effort

  22nd October 2021

  NAVAIR awards Lockheed Martin a contract to support flight tests and capabilities for the most advanced version of the F-35.

• Land Warfare

  AUSA 2021: Raytheon upgrades high-energy laser weapon

  18th October 2021

  New HELWS is a 15kW-class system optimised to defeat Group 1-2 UASs. It features an attachable/removable beam director turret and supports onboard radar and jammer options.

• Digital Battlespace

  BAE Systems and Sierra Nevada enter GHOST programme

  20th October 2021

  Open architecture technology from BAE Systems and Sierra Nevada will be part of USAF full-spectrum intelligence.

• Training

  Nigerian Air Force A-29 training ends, ops commence

  14th October 2021

  Following training with 81st Fighter Squadron at Moody AFB in Georgia, the Nigerian Air Force has now started operations with the A-29 from Kainji Air Base.

• Air Warfare

  Lockheed Martin continues development of ARTS V-2

  18th October 2021

  Lockheed Martin has been awarded a contract modification for the continued development of ARTS V-2, which is intended to train US pilots.

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 ...