Air Force Archives - Defense Daily

GAO: Osprey Accident Rate Increased In 2023, 2024, Air Force And Marine Corps Not Doing Enough To Share Info

Rich Abott — Fri, 12 Dec 2025 22:55:24 +0000

A new independent government audit found the Marine Corps and Air Force V-22 Osprey tiltrotor aircraft’s rates of “serious accidents” dramatically increased in fiscal years 2023 and 2024 while calling […]

AeroVironment Deploying New Its Golden Dome Limited Area Counter-Drone System At Grand Forks

Rich Abott — Wed, 15 Oct 2025 21:48:42 +0000

AeroVironment [AVAV] on Tuesday announced it will establish the foundation of its Golden Dome limited area defense architecture system at Grand Forks AFB, N.D. The company said this entails an […]

BAE Nabs $1.7 Billion Contract For Up To 55,000 APKWS IIs

Rich Abott — Fri, 29 Aug 2025 21:08:01 +0000

BAE Systems on Aug.28 won a $1.74 billion contract vehicle for production and delivery of up to 55,000 full rate production lots 13 to 17 Advanced Precision Kill Weapon System […]

Union Machinists Go On Strike At Boeing Defense Plants in Missouri and Illinois

Frank Wolfe — Mon, 04 Aug 2025 20:03:56 +0000

The 3,200 union machinists at Boeing [BA] plants in Mascoutah, Ill., and St. Charles and St. Louis, Mo.–among whom will be those helping to build the U.S. Air Force’s F-47 […]

New $1.1 Billion AIM-9X Sidewinder Award Largest In Program, Will Boost Annual Production To 2,500 Missiles, RTX Says

Rich Abott — Wed, 04 Jun 2025 19:26:01 +0000

The Navy on June 2 awarded RTX [RTX] a $1.1 billion modification award exercising options to production and delivery of many more AIM-9X Block II Sidewinder Air-To-Air Missiles in Lot […]

V-22 Official Expects Normal Ospreys Ops Return By End Of 2026 After Fixes

Rich Abott — Fri, 02 May 2025 21:06:31 +0000

The V-22 Joint Program Office manager expects the Ospreys to finally move back to unrestricted flight operations by the end of 2026 once several component changes to improve safety are […]

Lockheed Reveals New Extreme Range Variant Of AGM-158

Rich Abott — Mon, 16 Sep 2024 21:04:35 +0000

NATIONAL HARBOR, Md. – Lockheed Martin [LMT] on Monday revealed an in-development longer range variant of the AGM-158 cruise missile, the XR. The new AGM-158 XR is being developed only […]

ACC Commander Looks Forward to Rapid CCA Fielding

Frank Wolfe — Thu, 11 Jul 2024 20:00:31 +0000

U.S. Air Force Gen. Kenneth Wilsbach, the head of Air Combat Command (ACC) at Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Va., said this week that he believes that the service will field Collaborative […]

BAE Systems: Advanced Radar Warning Receivers for C-130Js Continue Production/Delivery

Frank Wolfe — Thu, 11 Jul 2024 18:53:36 +0000

BAE Systems said on July 9 that it continues to deliver its AN/ALR-56M advanced radar warning receivers to the U.S. Air Force to protect C-130J transports by Lockheed Martin[LMT] under […]

Lockheed Martin Nabs $1.56 Billion Contract In F-35 Logistics Support

Rich Abott — Thu, 27 Jun 2024 21:54:36 +0000

The Navy awarded Lockheed Martin [LMT] a $1.56 billion contract to procure various logistics support for F-35 Joint Strike Fighter air systems for the Air Force, Marine Corps, Navy, Foreign […]

V-22 Program Looks To Extend Life For Decades

Rich Abott — Fri, 03 May 2024 21:53:15 +0000

The V-22 Osprey program office is studying future aircraft upgrades, including the potential to extend the fuselage for up to several decades past the current service life limit that runs […]

Air Force Narrows CCA To Anduril and GA To Make Production-Representative Vehicles

Rich Abott — Wed, 24 Apr 2024 21:30:24 +0000

The Air Force on Wednesday said it narrowed the field of the first Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) technology effort from five to two teams, led by Anduril and General Atomics. […]

V-22s Cleared To Fly Again

Rich Abott — Fri, 08 Mar 2024 22:32:04 +0000

The Defense Department approved all variants of the V-22 Ospreys for flight clearance following a months-long review into the cause of a deadly Air Force crash in November. Naval Air […]

Senate Confirms Navy And Air Force Chiefs, Marine Corps Number Two

Rich Abott — Thu, 02 Nov 2023 21:27:58 +0000

The Senate on Thursday confirmed three top military nominees, over the objection of Sen. Tommy Tuberville’s (R-Ala.) blanket hold on military confirmations. The Senate voted 95-1 to confirm Adm. Lisa […]

Navy Accepts First Upgraded E-6B TACAMO Aircraft

Rich Abott — Tue, 06 Jun 2023 20:26:21 +0000

The Navy recently accepted the first E-6B Mercury Take Charge and Move Out (TACAMO) upgraded by Northrop Grumman [NOC]. The E-6B aircraft acts as a communications relay and strategic airborne […]

MDA Helps Air Force In Cruise Missile Defense, Live Demo This Year

Rich Abott — Fri, 17 Mar 2023 21:46:09 +0000

The Missile Defense Agency (MDA) is supporting the Air Force in its cruise missile defense program with plans to test a national capital region capability later this summer, the head […]

Pentagon Limits V-22 Fleets Due To Clutch Issue

Rich Abott — Mon, 06 Feb 2023 22:47:55 +0000

Bell [TXT]/Boeing [BA] V-22s Osprey tiltrotor aircraft across the Navy, Marine Corps and Air Force are getting time limits and some aircraft are being grounded due to an engine clutch […]

U.S. Air Force Kicks Off Launch Control Center Block Upgrades for Minuteman III

Frank Wolfe — Wed, 21 Dec 2022 17:17:32 +0000

The U.S. Air Force 90th Missile Wing at F.E. Warren AFB, Wyo. and Northrop Grumman [NOC] began Launch Control Center Block Upgrades (LCCBU) this month to modernize support equipment for […]

U.S. Space Force Completes Analysis of Alternatives on Future GMTI

Frank Wolfe — Wed, 21 Sep 2022 21:23:50 +0000

The U.S. Space Force has completed an analysis of alternatives (AoA) on future ground moving indication (GMTI), including the possibility of space-based GMTI, to replace the Northrop Grumman [NOC] E-8C […]

Northrop Grumman and U.S. Air Force Plan B-21 Unveiling in the First Week of December

Frank Wolfe — Tue, 20 Sep 2022 20:18:30 +0000

Northrop Grumman [NOC] said on Sept. 20 that it will unveil its B-21 Raider stealth bomber for the U.S. Air Force the first week of December at the company’s Palmdale, […]

L3Harris/Embraer Pitch KC-390 As Tactical Tanker for U.S. Air Force

Frank Wolfe — Mon, 19 Sep 2022 21:46:09 +0000

L3Harris [LHX] and Embraer [ERJ] are pitching the KC-390 Millenium tactical tanker for U.S. Air Force helicopters and fixed wing aircraft. The plane, which would have multiple refueling options, including […]

Defense Innovation Adds Inspired Flight UAS to List of Small Drones Cleared to Fly in DoD Airspace Without Exemption

Frank Wolfe — Fri, 16 Sep 2022 19:17:28 +0000

The Defense Innovation Unit (DIU) has added two drones by Inspired Flight to a list of small unmanned aircraft cleared to fly in DoD airspace without filing an exemption. The […]

STRATCOM Nominee: Development of LRSO for U.S. Air Force On Track

Frank Wolfe — Thu, 15 Sep 2022 18:58:40 +0000

Development of the Raytheon Technologies‘ [RTX] AGM-181 Long-Range Standoff Weapon (LRSO) to replace the Boeing [BA] AGM-86 Air Launched Cruise Missile (ALCM) has raised no technology readiness level (TRL) concerns […]

F-35 Engine Modernization Solicitation May Come Before End of Year

Frank Wolfe — Wed, 14 Sep 2022 20:24:10 +0000

A solicitation to modernize the power plant of the Lockheed Martin [LMT] F-35 fighter may come before the end of the year. Raytheon Technologies‘ [RTX] Pratt & Whitney F135 equips […]

Testing of Second XA100 for Adaptive Engine Transition Program Complete, GE Says

Frank Wolfe — Tue, 13 Sep 2022 20:34:51 +0000

General Electric [GE] said on Sept. 12 that it has tested out the company’s second XA100 adaptive cycle engine at the U.S. Air Force’s Arnold Engineering Development Complex in Tullahoma, […]

U.S. Space Force Systems ‘Can’t Afford to Be Overly Redundant’ With NRO’s, Saltzman Says

Frank Wolfe — Tue, 13 Sep 2022 20:32:02 +0000

U.S. Space Force will need to limit duplication of Space Force systems with those of the National Reconnaissance Office (NRO), Lt Gen. B. Chance “Salty” Saltzman, the Space Force’s chief […]

Northrop Grumman Conducts Flight Test On Prototype Missile

Rich Abott — Tue, 26 Jul 2022 21:26:56 +0000

Northrop Grumman [NOC] completed a third captive flight test of an unnamed internally funded air-launched prototype missile development series last month, the company said on July 25. The test occurred […]

Pratt & Whitney Wins $4.4 Billion Contract For F-35 Engines, Components

Rich Abott — Wed, 15 Jun 2022 21:21:54 +0000

The Navy awarded Raytheon Technologies’ Pratt & Whitney [RTX] an undefinitized contract modification worth up to $4.385 billion on June 14 for almost 180 F-35 engines. The award adds scope […]

Bell-Boeing Nabs $1.6 Billion Osprey Logistics Contract

Rich Abott — Fri, 07 Jan 2022 21:36:28 +0000

The Navy awarded the Bell [TXT]-Boeing [BA] Joint Program Office a $1.6 billion logistics requirements contract on Jan. 6 that covers the repair, replacement, required availability, configuration management, and inventory […]

U.S. Air Force Names Rolls Royce as Choice for B-52 Re-Engining

Frank Wolfe — Fri, 24 Sep 2021 22:08:06 +0000

The U.S. Air Force on Sept. 24 awarded Rolls Royce a contract worth potentially $2.6 billion through fiscal 2038 for the re-engining of the Boeing [BA] B-52 bomber with the […]

Air Force Leaders Underscore Need To Change Now

Rich Abott — Mon, 20 Sep 2021 22:16:11 +0000

Air Force leaders on Monday talked about the need for the service’s capabilities to change and adapt in the face of a modernizing China, especially the need to spend money […]

Lockheed Martin Nabs $2 Billion F-35 Logistics Contract

Rich Abott — Mon, 13 Sep 2021 21:36:43 +0000

The Defense Department awarded Lockheed Martin [LMT] a $2.014 billion contract definition award on Sept. 13 to provide logistics support for domestic and international customers of the F-35 Joint Strike […]

Lockheed Martin Nabs $1.8 Billion Award For More F-35 Logistics Support

Rich Abott — Thu, 01 Jul 2021 21:33:13 +0000

Naval Air Systems Command awarded Lockheed Martin [LMT] a not-to-exceed $1.8 billion undefinitized contract action (UCA) on June 30 to procure recurring logistics services for delivered F-35 Joint Strike Fighters. […]

BETA’s eVTOL Receives First Air Force Airworthiness Approval for Human Flight in Electric Aircraft

Kelsey Reichmann — Fri, 07 May 2021 15:50:41 +0000

After a year of testing, BETA Technologies‘ electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft, ALIA, has received the first airworthiness approval for manned flight in an electric aircraft from the […]

JCO Completes First C-sUAS Demonstration

Kelsey Reichmann — Fri, 16 Apr 2021 20:30:26 +0000

The Defense Department’s Joint Counter-small Unmanned Aircraft Systems Office (JCO) tested counter-small unmanned aircraft systems (C-sUAS) from Aurora Flight Sciences, ELTA North America, and XTEND during its first semi-annual demonstration […]

Air Force Continues KC-46 Flights While Finishing Final Deficiency Fixes

Rich Abott — Wed, 31 Mar 2021 21:35:54 +0000

The Air Force is flying the Boeing [BA] KC-46 tanker and conducting fueling in exercises for some aircraft to build crew capability while awaiting remaining fixes to several key deficiencies, […]

Air Force Looks to Hybrid Electric Solution for eVTOL and UAS Energy Concerns

Kelsey Reichmann — Thu, 04 Mar 2021 20:45:00 +0000

The Air Force is investing in LiquidPiston’s X-Engine technology to create a hybrid-electric propulsion system to power emerging technologies like unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) and orbs, the company said on […]

Most DoD Aircraft Do Not Meet Mission Capable Goals, GAO Finds

Kelsey Reichmann — Fri, 20 Nov 2020 19:54:04 +0000

Military aircraft spanning all branches failed to meet mission capable rates according to a new report from the Government Accountability Office (GAO) that analyzed 46 types of aircraft from fiscal […]

B-1B Systems Engineer Explains How IBS Makes Future Bomber Upgrades Easier

Kelsey Reichmann — Mon, 12 Oct 2020 21:58:55 +0000

The Air Force’s B-1B bombers have an all-new Integrated Battle Station (IBS) equipped with a fully-integrated data link (FIDL), vertical situational display upgrade (VSDU), and improved central integrated test system […]

In a First for the DoD, Kubernetes Installed on U-2 Dragon Lady

Kelsey Reichmann — Mon, 12 Oct 2020 21:53:43 +0000

For the first time, Kubernetes, an open-source container-orchestration system for automating computer application deployment, scaling, and management, was used on an operational major weapons system in the Department of Defense […]

Air Force May Spend Hundreds of Millions on Electric VTOL Aircraft By 2025

Brian Garrett-Glaser — Wed, 13 May 2020 21:01:28 +0000

The Air Force may spend hundreds of millions on development and procurement of electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft before 2025, according to officials behind Agility Prime. That project, […]

Marine Corps Partners with Air Force Agility Prime on eVTOL Aircraft for Logistics

Brian Garrett-Glaser — Tue, 10 Mar 2020 21:30:04 +0000

The Pentagon’s interest in electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft continues to grow, with the Marine Corps’ Warfighting Lab now partnering with the Air Force’s Agility Prime program to […]

NASA Aeronautics Budget Sees 4.5 Percent Boost, Funding Aircraft Electrification Research

Brian Garrett-Glaser — Tue, 11 Feb 2020 22:44:52 +0000

NASA might see a 12 percent increase in its budget per the White House’s request for fiscal year 2021, mostly for a push to return humans to the moon by […]

Upcoming Air Force Research Challenge May Help Air Taxi Certification

Frank Wolfe — Mon, 16 Dec 2019 19:13:11 +0000

An upcoming United States Air Force research challenge may help the certification of air taxis by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), a top Air Force official said last week. “One […]

Military/Commercial Avionics Outlook Strong, Deloitte Says

Frank Wolfe — Wed, 04 Dec 2019 19:58:56 +0000

The military and commercial outlook for avionics sales is strong, according to the author of a new Deloitte report, the 2020 Global Aerospace and Defense Industry Outlook. “The outlook for […]

Thales Expands on Psibernetix AI for Smarter Fighter Pilot Training Software

Woodrow Bellamy III — Wed, 27 Nov 2019 20:09:56 +0000

TOULOUSE, France – Thales is redesigning artificial intelligence and machine learning algorithms developed by Psibernetix to create fighter pilot training software that learns and reacts to maneuvers and actions by […]