U.S. Air Force (USAF)

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

By Steve Trimble
The U.S. Air Force started flying the L3Harris EA-37B Compass Call on training missions in early May.
Sensors & Electronic Warfare

By Vivienne Machi
The U.S. military is currently testing sensors that can be used to track moving aerial targets from space, says Gen. Gregory Guillot.
Sensors & Electronic Warfare

By Robert Wall
From stand-in to standoff jamming, Western militaries are revitalizing their ability to disrupt adversary systems.
Sensors & Electronic Warfare

By Brian Everstine
The U.S. Air Force’s Integrated Capabilities Command starting planning work for future long-term spending, with a likely emphasis on command and control.
Budget, Policy & Operations

By Steve Trimble
The first members of a planned fleet of more than 185 Boeing F-47s fighters could be “operational” between 2025-29, the U.S. Air Force’s top officer said on May 13.
Aircraft & Propulsion

By Brian Everstine
The Senate on May 13 confirmed Troy Meink to be the secretary of the U.S. Air Force.
Budget, Policy & Operations

By Brian Everstine
White House and Pentagon plans are already taking aim at military programs before a formal budget rollout.
Budget, Policy & Operations

By Steve Trimble
Early design analysis shows how a blended wing body design compares favorably with a traditional tube-and-wing approach to air refueling efficiency.
Aircraft & Propulsion

By Brian Everstine
An interim Air Force One and SpaceX-modified Marine One are among the early Trump administration changes to the U.S. military’s VIP fleet.
Aircraft & Propulsion

By Brian Everstine
Costs for USAF and Boeing’s plan to upgrade the radars on B-52 bombers have spiked to the level where it has prompted a mandatory review of the program.
Aircraft & Propulsion

By Brian Everstine
The U.S. Air Force expects its extended KC-46 delivery drought to end soon, with the delivery process to begin next week.
Budget, Policy & Operations

By Brian Everstine
The top U.S. Air Force officer says delivery is now expected in late 2026 of an overhauled remote vision system for the KC-46.
Aircraft & Propulsion

By Graham Warwick
U.S. startup Whisper Aero has unveiled plans to develop a family of hybrid-electric autonomous cargo aircraft.
Aircraft & Propulsion

By Steve Trimble
LONG BEACH, California—Blended wing body aircraft startup JetZero recently completed a study on the proper design of a refueling boom for a future KC-Z4 tanker.
Aircraft & Propulsion

By Brian Everstine
The program is progressing to address issues that have slowed the T-7A trainer's development.
Light Attack and Advanced Training

By Robert Wall
Western militaries have watched with a sense of amazement the uncrewed aircraft systems developments on the Ukrainian battlefield.
Budget, Policy & Operations

By Steve Trimble
The U.S. Air Force will review proposals for new air-to-air missiles that are low cost, technically mature and ready to enter production.
Missile Defense & Weapons

By Michael Bruno
RTX and the former cyber and intelligence business it spun out last year have agreed to pay the U.S. government $8.4 million to resolve Justice Department allegations.
Sensors & Electronic Warfare

By Graham Warwick
Dzyne Technologies says it has delivered multiple Grasshopper autonomous air-launched expendable cargo gliders to the U.S. Air Force.
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 U.S. Air Force has begun ground testing its two Collaborative Combat Aircraft prototypes from Anduril and GA-ASI ahead of planned first flights this summer.
Aircraft & Propulsion

By Brian Everstine
New proprotor gearboxes for the V-22 Osprey are being built now with the aim of avoiding issues linked to a recent major crash.
Aircraft & Propulsion

By Steve Trimble
An electronic self-defense suite for the U.S. Air Force fleet of Lockheed Martin F-16s has passed a critical phase of flight trials.
Sensors & Electronic Warfare

By Steve Trimble
After dominating the U.S. stealth fighter market since the early 1990s, Lockheed is regrouping around F-22 and F-35 upgrades to grow its aeronautics division.
Aircraft & Propulsion