U.S. Air Force (USAF)

By Matthew Jouppi
The Aviation Week Intelligence Network is tracking $193 billion in open opportunities for military aircraft over the next decade.
Aircraft & Propulsion

By Graham Warwick
Quantum computing challenge winners; Electric aircraft familiarization; Large cargo eVTOL; Zero-emission test arena.
Emerging Technologies

By Garrett Reim
AFWERX does not have any specific requirements, a program of record, or impending contracts for hybrid eVTOLs.
Aircraft & Propulsion

By Garrett Reim
Archer Aviation and Anduril Industries have signed a “strategic partnership” to develop “next-generation aircraft” for defense applications.
Aircraft & Propulsion

By Brian Everstine
The increasing number of uncrewed aerial systems (UAS) being spotted near U.S. military installations rep[ortedly pose no threat.
Aircraft & Propulsion

By Brian Everstine
Kratos Defense and Security recently completed the first flight of its stealthy uncrewed combat air vehicle Thanatos, proving out the aircraft’s basic design.
Aircraft & Propulsion

By Vivienne Machi
The House Armed Services and Senate Armed Services committees are providing one of the U.S. Space Force’s procurement offices with a boost in resources.
Budget, Policy & Regulation

By Steve Trimble
U.S. operators paused most Bell-Boeing V-22 Osprey operations after a material failure caused one of the tiltrotor aircraft to make a precautionary landing.
Aircraft & Propulsion

By Brian Everstine
The U.S. Air Force and Navy should more closely collaborate on variants of their next-generation fighters instead of further splitting apart as development continues, an influential senator argues.
Aircraft & Propulsion

By Brian Everstine
Scaled Composites brings back its “Old School” test platform seven years after its last flight.
Aircraft & Propulsion

Aviation Week Network Staff
Readers write about space station experiments, the Check 6 podcast, firefighting aircraft and U.S. air base defense. Plus Behind the Scenes with the Photo Contest judges and at the Wings Club.
Aviation Week & Space Technology

By Steve Trimble
The U.S. Air Force will postpone decisions about the future of the Next Generation Air Dominance (NGAD) program until beyond year-end.
Aircraft & Propulsion

By Mark Carreau
A new decadal survey of future solar and space physics research calls for an increased focus on the Sun and its interactions across the Solar System.
Space Exploration

By Steve Trimble
A decade’s worth of investment to counter the latest Russian and Chinese threats is finally close to entering operational service across the U.S. fighter fleet.
Sensors & Electronic Warfare

By Brian Everstine
The service on Dec. 2 released images of an F-16 from the 40th Flight Test Squadron at Eglin AFB, Florida, releasing the weapon over the Gulf of Mexico.
Missile Defense & Weapons

By Brian Everstine
The future high-altitude intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance fleet’s first delivery and flight highlight progress made despite the stop-work order.
Budget, Policy & Operations

By Brian Everstine
The deployment plan overhauls how personnel prepare to deploy, creating four six-month stages.
Budget, Policy & Operations

By Brian Everstine
Small UAS have been spotted in the vicinity of and over RAF Lakenheath, Mildenhall, Feltwell and Fairford since Nov. 20.
Aircraft & Propulsion

By Brian Everstine
A U.S. Air Force pilot’s overcontrol during landing caused the crash of a Bell UH-1N helicopter during a training mission on Aug. 30, 2023.
Aircraft & Propulsion

By Robert Wall
The USAF is trying to better understand options that may exist to field small uncrewed aircraft systems in command-and-control or electronic warfare roles.
Aircraft & Propulsion

By Molly McMillin
Both aircraft are based on Gulfstream business jets.
Aircraft & Propulsion

By Brian Everstine
Boeing has received two U.S. military aircraft contract updates, bolstering its backlog as the company returns from a strike and faces a tough financial road.
Multi-Mission Aircraft

By Steve Trimble
Mockups and displays show the steady development of Chinese Air Force technology ambitions.
Aircraft & Propulsion

By Chen Chuanren
The five aircraft are part of a 12-aircraft deal that was made in 2021 under the U.S.-Vietnam Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.
Light Attack and Advanced Training

By Brian Everstine
The incoming second presidential administration of Donald Trump may look to increase spending on nuclear efforts by expanding programs of record.
Budget, Policy & Operations