Air Force Archives

Pentagon awards $318M contract for Dataminr alerting services technology

The deal provides situational awareness, force protection, and indications and warnings on global events, per the DOD announcement.

1 day ago By Jon Harper

U.S. Air Force F-16 Fighting Falcons assigned to the 31st Fighter Wing perform a flyover above Aviano Air Base, Italy, June 1, 2020. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Kelsey Tucker)

Air Force awards $100M production deal for AI-enabled readiness platform

The Air Force is moving its fragmented scheduling, training and readiness systems into a single enterprise platform known as the Aerospace Readiness Enterprise System.

3 days ago By Mikayla Easley

Members of the Air Force and Ohio Air National Guard look at laptops during field prototype testing evaluation for the Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) Portable Command and Control Enclave (C2E). (U.S. Air National Guard photo by Shane Hughes).

Air Force conducts tests of CCA ground control system prototypes

The Command and Control Enclave (C2E) program is another new effort under development for the Air Force's robotic wingman platforms.

Aug 17, 2026 By Mikayla Easley

U.S. Air Force C-17 Globemaster III aircraft tail 0194, assigned to the 445th Airlift Wing, sits on the flightline prior to taking off at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, July 30, 2026. Tail 0194 sustained extensive damage last year but was repaired by the 445th Maintenance Group in collaboration with the Air Force Rapid Sustainment Office and University of Dayton Research Institute to fabricate a nose panel using robotics technology to form sheet metal into a functional replacement part, the first of its kind produced, tested, and flown on an Air Force airframe. (U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Daniel Peterson)

Air Force explores AI tools to predict aircraft failures, strengthen sustainment

“I would say we definitely have our foot in the pool, but we need to jump in a little deeper,” Brig. Gen. William Ottati said.

Aug 11, 2026 By Mikayla Easley

Lt. Gen. Douglas A. Schiess faces a Senate Armed Services Committee nomination hearing on Capitol Hill, July 16, 2026. (Photo by Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)

Congress confirms Schiess as third-ever chief of space operations

Lt. Gen. Doug Schiess will take over from Gen. Chance Saltzman as head of the Space Force.

Aug 7, 2026 By Mikayla Easley

U.S. Air Force F-16 Falcons from Ellington Field, Texas, receive fuel from a U.S. Air Force KC-135 from the 117th Air Refueling Wing, Alabama on June 13, 2023. (U.S. Air National Guard photo by Staff Sgt. Nicholas Faddis.)

Portfolio executives describe changing roles as Air Force completes acquisition overhaul

Officials say shifting authority to portfolio acquisition executives is changing how they oversee modernization, sustainment and contracting — though they acknowledge the broader acquisition transformation remains a…

Aug 6, 2026 By Mikayla Easley

Rachel Kinard, Air Force Test Pilot School director of research, and Lt. Col. Philip Downing, 370th Flight Test Squadron commander, depart for a HAVE HEAT test mission at Edwards Air Force Base, California, April 16, 2026. Leveraging Lockheed Martin’s Infrared Search and Track Legion Pod, during the HAVE HEAT program, the X-62 VISTA platform demonstrated the ability of AI agents to ingest live infrared sensor data, directing the X-62 to autonomously intercept an airborne target in real time. (U.S. Air Force photo by Lindsey Iniguez)

Air Force expands autonomous flight tests with live, AI-enabled intercepts

During one of the latest Air Force experiments, the X-62 VISTA conducted 27 autonomous air intercepts across eight flights.

Aug 5, 2026 By Mikayla Easley

Pratt & Whitney’s platform-agnostic XA103 engine to be built for test. (Credit: Pratt & Whitney)

Air Force aims to have next-gen engine ready for aircraft integration by 2030

The timeline means that the Air Force's sixth-generation F-47 fighter jet will likely take its first flight without the advanced adaptive engine.

Jul 30, 2026 By Mikayla Easley

A YFQ-44A, part of the Air Force’s Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) program, undergoes an undated captive carry test at a California test location. This test phase uses inert munitions to methodically validate weapons integration, structural performance and safety, ensuring the platform can safely carry external stores. (Courtesy Air Force photo)

Air Force could tap up to 6 vendors for second increment of CCA drone program

“We have another approximately 10 months left of our concept-refinement contract, where we would expect to have the refined attributes as we did before, as well as…

Jul 30, 2026 By Mikayla Easley

U.S. Air Force Tech. Sgt. Brien Disbro, a crew chief assigned to the174th Attack Wing, performs post-flight maintenance on an MQ-9 Reaper on Mar. 10, 2025 at Springfield-Beckley Air National Guard Base in Springfield, Ohio. (U.S. Air National Guard photo by Shane Hughes)

Air Force to begin concept refinement of MQ-9 replacement by end of year

The Air Force will select multiple vendors to conduct early analysis to help the service shape its requirements and cost for the Massed Modular Aircraft program.

Jul 28, 2026 By Mikayla Easley