DAYTON, Ohio — The Air Force has chosen five companies to build the autonomy system that will underpin the first batch of its uncrewed Collaborative Combat Aircraft fleet, according to a service official. Voorheis, program executive officer for fighters and advanced aircraft, described the autonomy package as the “brains” of the Air Force’s future Collaborative Combat Aircraft, or CCA…
The Marines are looking for weapons-mounted gear and ammo that can detect and blast drones out of the sky with “buckshot-like” capability.
Marine Corps Systems Command posted a request for information from industry on July 15 seeking white papers on how developers would…
Navy fighter jets from Carrier Air Wing 3, embarked aboard the aircraft carrier Dwight D. Eisenhower, employed several weapons in combat for the first time during their recently completed deployment to the Middle East, where they battled Houthi attacks and struck targets…
LONDON — Israel Aerospace Industries, the maker of Germany’s future long-range antimissile system, has increased shifts and hired more workers to meet the deadline of setting up an installation in Germany sometime next year, a company executive said.
The extra effort follows the national logic of outfitting the Israel Defense Forces as the priority, while also keeping international orders on…
LONDON — The British Ministry of Defence has signed a contract with Thales U.K. to procure “Martlet” missiles for replenishing the country’s stocks after donating hundreds of them to Ukraine.
UK Defense Equipment & Support, the defense ministry’s procurement…
PARIS — Dassault Aviation said the production ramp-up of its Rafale fighter jet continues to be impacted by supply chain disruptions in the aerospace industry.
Lifting the Rafale production pace to three a month at the final assembly plant in Mérignac in southwest France…
The US Navy risks outsourcing control of its drones
July 25, 2024
Thanks to programs like Replicator, and incubators like the Defense Innovation Unit and the Disruptive Capabilities Office, the Navy is on the precipice of widespread adoption of uncrewed systems.
These systems bring with them the prospect of new technologies, new operational designs and, potentially, new business models. A key question for the Navy is how to signal to industry that the service…
FARNBOROUGH AIR SHOW — A top Boeing executive said Monday the company plans to keep bidding to make drone wingmen for the Air Force — but not if it means agreeing to a fixed-price contract.
“If it’s a fixed-price development program that requires a ton of maturity…
US Air Force, Boeing reach deal on prototype E-7
July 22, 2024
RAF FAIRFORD, England — The Air Force has reached an agreement with Boeing to build the first rapid prototype E-7 battle management aircraft, Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall told reporters here over the weekend.
The terms of the contract are not yet settled, but should…
RAF FAIRFORD, England — The U.S. military is once again accepting deliveries of the newest F-35 Joint Strike Fighters from Lockheed Martin after a yearlong halt caused by problems with the fighters’ upgrades.
The first two F-35As loaded with a “truncated,” or partial, version of the Technology Refresh 3 upgrade software were delivered to the U.S. Air Force on Friday, the F-35 Joint Program…
