All United States Air Force articles
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NewsCongress moves to restrict USAF KC-46 acquisitions pending engineering fix
House defence bill would cap KC-46A acquisitions at 183 aircraft until Boeing resolves Category 1 engineering deficiencies, while mandating expanded tanker fleet and extended KC-135 service life.
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In depthSecond B-21 Raider bomber delivered to US Air Force
The US Air Force has taken delivery of its second B-21 Raider stealth bomber at Edwards AFB, allowing the test programme to advance beyond initial flight performance to critical mission systems evaluation.
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NewsUSAF B-2 teams with Norwegian F-35As in QUICKSINK anti-shipping test
A Northrop Grumman B-2 stealth bomber has successfully engaged a maritime target in the Norwegian Sea during a long-range mission from the USA, demonstrating advanced sensor-to-shooter capabilities with Norwegian F-35As.
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In depthChinese military engines ‘catching up’ to Western rivals
Indigenous Chinese turbofan engines are narrowing the performance gap with Western powerplants but still lag behind in reliability and capability, according to a senior GE Aerospace executive.
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NewsUS air commandos practise Caribbean airfield seizure amid regional tensions
American special operations forces have conducted a complex exercise to capture and secure an airport in the US Virgin Islands, demonstrating rapid airfield seizure capabilities.
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NewsUS sending F-35 fighters to Puerto Rico amid Venezuela tensions
The USA is bolstering its military presence in the Caribbean by deploying 10 Lockheed Martin F-35 stealth fighters to Puerto Rico, just hours after Venezuelan F-16s conducted a provocative low pass over a US Navy vessel.
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In depthUSAF equips F-15E with APKWS rockets for drone defence
The US Air Force integrated BAE Systems’ APKWS II guided rockets onto F-15E fighters in just nine days, dramatically accelerating deployment to counter the growing threat of enemy drone swarms.
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NewsUS special operations C-130Js will get AESA radars, as Lockheed Martin eyes fresh sales
Lockheed Martin’s C-130J is to receive a major capability update for the US Air Force Special Operations Command, while the airframer eyes numerous additional domestic and international opportunities to further extend production of the type.
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NewsSierra Nevada begins flight testing E-4C ‘Doomsday’ aircraft
Sierra Nevada Corporation has commenced flight testing the US Air Force’s new E-4C Survivable Airborne Operations Center aircraft, with the inaugural sortie taking place on 7 August.
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NewsPacific Air Forces commander says USA ‘not deterred’ by China’s largest ever military hardware display
The US military remains undeterred by China’s upcoming display of military might, which may include the reveal of next-generation fighters or uncrewed aircraft during Beijing’s largest ever military parade.
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NewsUSAF pilots to train at Italian flight school in historic first
US Air Force (USAF) pilots will for the first time be trained by a foreign school following a landmark agreement between the service and its Italian counterpart.
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NewsGeneral Atomics YFQ-42A logs first flight in Collaborative Combat Aircraft effort
The first of two uncrewed fighter prototypes being evaluated by the US Air Force has notched its maiden sortie, with the competing design set to log a similar milestone in the coming days.
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NewsContaminated hydraulic fluid caused Alaska F-35A crash
A US Air Force investigation has determined that water-contaminated hydraulic fluid froze in extreme cold conditions, causing an F-35A to become uncontrollable before crashing in Alaska.
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NewsUS Air Force seeking ideas for its next-generation tanker
The US Air Force has issued a fresh request for information to industry partners regarding its Next Generation Air-refueling System, specifically addressing airframe concepts for the future tanker fleet.
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NewsAutonomous aviation developer Merlin to go public via SPAC offering
Amid surging interest in autonomous aviation for military applications, Merlin will become a publicly traded company using the unconventional method known as a special purpose acquisition company listing.
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NewsUS Air Force to add Red 6 augmented reality tech into F-16 cockpits
The helmet-mounted projection technology could allow pilots to practise skills like within-visual-range combat, without the need for costly aggressor aircraft.
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NewsNATO re-evaluating E-7 acquisition amid uncertain US plans
With the Pentagon publicly seeking to end the US Air Force’s nascent E-7 procurement programme, NATO headquarters is now reconsidering its plans the field the Boeing airborne early warning and control platform.
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NewsRear-seat passenger accidentally ejects from US F-15D during taxi
The passenger was reportedly a non-pilot member of the US Air National Guard who accidentally engaged the ejection sequence of the two-seat F-15 variant while the jet was taxiing.
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NewsU-2 sets new endurance record 70 years after first flight
A trainer variant of the U-2S high-altitude surveillance jet covered more than 6,000nm over 14h, crossing all 48 contiguous states of the continental USA.
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AnalysisBreaking Taiwan blockade via airlift would require 860 sorties per day, wargame indicates
A US-led airlift to break a Chinese blockade of Taiwan would require an unprecedented 860 daily cargo flights yet still fail to prevent economic collapse, according to new wargame findings.