U.S. Air Force (USAF)

By Brian Everstine
President Donald Trump has formally nominated a senior U.S. Air Force official to oversee critical modernization programs.
Budget, Policy & Operations

By Brian Everstine
The U.S. Air Force for the past year has faced an internal debate that ultimately upended the service’s top leadership.
Budget, Policy & Operations

By Brian Everstine
Lockheed Martin announced Nov. 17 that it had conducted the first flight test of a new distributed infrared threat-warning system.
Sensors & Electronic Warfare

By Graham Warwick
Joby Aviation plans to bring hybrid-electric propulsion to its commercial air taxis.
Advanced Air Mobility

By Steve Trimble
A trend toward cheaper missiles and faster acquisitions is coming together to deliver a new approach to counter-air weapons.
Missile Defense & Weapons

By Brian Everstine
Appropriators approved spending for one U.S. Air Force program, the Boeing E-7A Wedgetail. The Pentagon in its fiscal 2026 budget request called for ending the effort.
Budget, Policy & Operations

By Steve Trimble
ISR capabilities may be the deciding factor in a future decision over whether to increase the size of the Northrop Grumman B-21 fleet beyond 100 aircraft.
Aircraft & Propulsion

By Steve Trimble
The time for the XQ-58 Valkyrie has almost come.
Aircraft & Propulsion

By Steve Trimble
The B-21’s cockpit technology raises new questions about how to staff the flight deck in an era of increasing levels of automation.
Aircraft & Propulsion

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

By Brian Everstine
The service has outlined a goal to add hundreds of fighters, but it stops short of addressing funding and capacity limits.
Budget, Policy & Operations

By Brian Everstine
The U.S. Air Force has inspected and cleared its KC-135 fleet after the service discovered falsified certifications at a main technical repair shop.
Multi-Mission Aircraft

By Brian Everstine
General Atomics Aeronautical Systems Inc. disclosed Nov. 3 that it has flown a second YFQ-42A.
Aircraft & Propulsion

By Steve Trimble
The head of U.S. Air Force Global Strike Command has recommended the placement of a weapon systems officer in the cockpit of the Northrop Grumman B-21 Raider.
Aircraft & Propulsion

By Graham Warwick
German electric commuter; LH2 refueling demo; Korean urban air mobility testing; and Merlin autonomy progress.
Emerging Technologies

By Brian Everstine
The flight comes about two months after its competitor for CCA Increment 1, General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc., notched the first flight of its YFQ-42A.
Aircraft & Propulsion

By Brian Everstine
Wilsbach will replace Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. David Allvin, who announced in September he would retire just two years into a typical four-year term.
Budget, Policy & Operations

By Brian Everstine
The U.S. Air Force is only set, for now, to pair Collaborative Combat Aircraft with the Lockheed Martin F-22.
Budget, Policy & Operations

By Steve Trimble
An official new report lays out the U.S. Air Force plan to comply with minimum fighter force levels set by Congress fiscal 2030.
Budget, Policy & Operations

By Brian Everstine
The U.S. Air Force plans to phase out older F-35s instead of upgrading them to the Block 4 standard.
Budget, Policy & Operations

By Matthew Fulco
Leonardo DRS reported a jump in sales as CEO Bill Lynn announced he would exit the business at year-end.
Aircraft & Propulsion

By Graham Warwick
U.S. startup Merlin has reached a milestone in the development of its Merlin Pilot autonomous flight system.
Advanced Air Mobility

By Vivienne Machi
With ambitions to become the “LAX of spaceports,” Vandenberg SFB is preparing for a new launch era.
Operations & Safety

Aviation Week Network Staff
Readers write about lunar rovers, Chinese military naming conventions, the Boom Overture, and stealthy tankers. Plus: Behind the scenes at the French Embassy.
Aviation Week & Space Technology

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