• Training

  USAF fire department receives new simulators

  29th January 2019

  The US Air Force’s 97th Air Mobility Wing (AMW) Fire Department has received three new simulators for firefighter training. The driving simulator is equipped with …

• Training

  Edwards AFB to get new JSE facility

  23rd January 2019

  The US Air Force is to build a new facility at Edwards Air Force Base (AFB) to house the Joint Simulation Environment (JSE), the USAF …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  USAF announces Swarm and Search AI Challenge

  25th January 2019

  The US Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) and the UK’s Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (Dstl), in collaboration with Wright Brothers Institute and University of …

• Digital Battlespace

  Lockheed Martin expands ground radar catalogue with 'next-generation' TPY-X

  24th January 2019

  Lockheed Martin is expanding its portfolio of ground-based air-surveillance radars with a new offering, the TPY-X – a next-generation, digital sensor designed to meet the …

• Military Logistics

  USAF accepts first KC-46A despite developmental testing deficiencies

  10th January 2019

  The USAF has accepted its first Boeing KC-46A Pegasus tanker with the signing of a DD250 inspection and receiving report it was announced on 10 January …

• Military Logistics

  Vertex to continue to USAF C-12 support

  11th January 2019

  Vertex Aerospace will continue providing contractor logistics support to the US Air Force’s C-12 aircraft fleet, the company announced on 10 January. The option year …

• Defence Notes

  Raytheon’s JPALS flies in desert demo for US military

  23rd January 2019

  Raytheon’s Joint Precision Approach and Landing System (JPALS) has been demonstrated to US services in Yuma, Arizona on 16 January, Shephard has learnt. The trial flight …

• Military Logistics

  USAF introduces BRICE app

  9th January 2019

  The US Air Force has introduced an iOS modern mobile app called Battle Record Information Core Environment (BRICE) that will offer time and efficiency improvements …

• Digital Battlespace

  USAF launches first GPS III satellite

  4th January 2019

  The US Air Force launched the first GPS III satellite, Vespucci, from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida on 23 December. The Lockheed Martin-built …

• Military Logistics

  USAF breaks ground on new fire station

  4th January 2019

  The US Air Force's 812th Civil Engineer Squadron broke ground on a new 41,408sq ft fire station on the flightline at Edwards Air Force Base in …

• Defence Helicopter

  Insight: Awards and delays dominate air power in 2018

  27th December 2018

  A number of key military contract awards and programme delays throughout 2018 showed that the air domain continues to move along a series of peaks …

• Military Logistics

  Boeing KC-46A Tanker Completes Phase Two Certification

  4th December 2018

  Boeing’s KC-46 tanker programme on 3 December completed its planned Phase II receiver certification flight testing following three weeks of flights with F-15E aircraft out …

• Military Logistics

  USAF logisticians look beyond ‘War Wagons’

  11th December 2018

  The US Air Force Materiel Command (AFMC) is looking for next-generation logistics trailers that would be used to support Aircraft Battle Damage Repair (ABDR) operations. …

• Defence Helicopter

  USAF fields CBRN protective masks

  4th December 2018

  The US Air Force has fielded an improved chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear (CBRN) protective mask for aircrew on rotary wing aircraft, with operational units …

• Defence Notes

  AOC 2018: US EW advocate fears defence budget cuts

  3rd December 2018

  US EW programmes fared well in recent budget deliberations, but that progress might soon be derailed by potential cuts to the overall defence budget, according …

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 ...