U.S. Air Force (USAF)

By Graham Warwick
Our roundup of the main aerospace and defense stories making the news this week.
Aircraft & Propulsion

By Brian Everstine
Multiple pilot errors, preceded by an unhealthy organizational culture within one of the few U.S. Air Force B-1B squadrons, caused a crash landing and complete loss of a bomber in January, according to a new report.
Budget, Policy & Operations

By Steve Trimble
Defense officials are divided about the U.S. Air Force’s plan for Collaborative Combat Aircraft
Aircraft & Propulsion

By Brian Everstine
The Pentagon is still limiting payments to Lockheed Martin amid upgrade struggles.
Aircraft & Propulsion

By Brian Everstine
Boeing Defense and Space is trying to change its bidding approach by being more transparent and more strict about the programs it chases.
Farnborough Airshow

By Steve Trimble
Frank Kendall has cast an ongoing, fundamental review of the need for a Next Generation Air Dominance Platform as a necessary step before awarding a contract of such magnitude.
GASCC & RIAT

By Brian Everstine
The Pentagon is still withholding some payments to Lockheed Martin for F-35s, despite deliveries resuming with a limited number of new jets making their way to U.S. forces.
GASCC & RIAT

By Brian Everstine
Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall says the U.S. Air Force and Boeing have agreed to cost terms on production of E-7A Wedgetail prototypes.
GASCC & RIAT

By Brian Everstine
Boeing says it expects to deliver the KC-46’s new remote vision system in April 2026, placing a new target date on the long-awaited upgrade.
GASCC & RIAT

By Steve Trimble
A Northrop spokesman did not immediately respond to Alexander’s statements.
GASCC & RIAT

By Steve Trimble
The uncertainty for the Next-Generation Air Dominance program opens new doors for the F-22 fleet, which was once threatened with replacement.
Budget, Policy & Operations

By Bill Carey
Hybrid-electric aircraft developer Electra.aero says its EL-2 Goldfinch technology demonstrator has completed off-runway test flights.
Advanced Air Mobility

By Brian Everstine
Gen. David Allvin says software advancements make it possible to have the independent systems work together in a way that does not affect security.
GASCC & RIAT

By Vivienne Machi
The SASC says it wants a progress report on the Pentagon’s efforts to field new capabilities to monitor air or ground targets in real time from space.
Space

By Steve Trimble
Acquisition and budget documents point to the quiet emergence of a third capability: signals intelligence.
Aircraft & Propulsion

By Brian Everstine
As part of the review, the Pentagon rescinded the Sentinel program’s Milestone B approval from 2020.
Missile Defense & Weapons

By Graham Warwick
Beta Technologies says it has completed two more evaluation deployments for the U.S. Air Force with its prototype Alia electric aircraft.
Aircraft & Propulsion

By Jens Flottau, Robert Wall
While aerospace and defense companies have lately enjoyed an embarrassment of riches in demand, that has exposed severe weaknesses in their ability to execute.
Manufacturing & Supply Chain

By Steve Trimble
As fixed-price deals signed years ago continue to burden balance sheets, Boeing Defense and Space is focusing on smart growth opportunities.
Supply Chain

By Steve Trimble
Lt. Gen. Michael Schmidt, the F-35 program executive officer, on July 11 approved the so-called “truncation plan.”
Aircraft & Propulsion

By Brian Everstine
AFSOC has been undertaking the plan, called the Adaptive Airborne Enterprise, to have one airman control multiple UAS.
Budget, Policy & Operations

By Brian Everstine
The U.S. Air Force is targeting development of ERAM—a new class of air-launched precision munition for Ukraine.
Missile Defense & Weapons

By Steve Trimble, Brian Everstine
Mounting losses have prompted greater caution among some defense companies as Pentagon officials stand by fixed-price acquisition strategies.
Farnborough Airshow

By Brian Everstine
A Pentagon review finds an 81% cost increase, although officials determine the program must continue after being restructured.
Farnborough Airshow

By Steve Trimble
The milestone came technically a year late due to production problems.
Aircraft & Propulsion