Frank Kendall Archives

Master Sgt. John Malloy and Staff Sgt. Jacob Puente secure the AGM-183A Air-launched Rapid Response Weapon Instrumented Measurement Vehicle 2 as it is loaded under the wing of a B-52H Stratofortress at Edwards Air Force Base, California, Aug. 6, 2020. (Air Force photo by Giancarlo Casem)

Kendall: ARRW missile test was unsuccessful; Air Force now more committed to another type of hypersonic weapon

The Air Force is now more committed to the Hypersonic Attack Cruise Missile (HACM) than the Air-launched Rapid Response Weapon (ARRW).

2 days ago By Mikayla Easley

Sailors assigned to Assault Craft Unit 4 prepare material recovered in the Atlantic Ocean from a high-altitude balloon for transport to federal agents at Joint Expeditionary Base Little Creek Feb. 10, 2023. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Ryan Seelbach)

Post-balloon saga, US defense leaders ‘know a lot more’ about China’s alleged global surveillance operations

“For me, it was an eye opener,” NORAD and U.S. Northern Command chief Gen. Glen VanHerck said.

Mar 17, 2023 By Brandi Vincent

An XQ-58A Valkyrie low-cost unmanned aerial vehicle launches at the Yuma Proving Ground, Ariz., Dec. 9, 2020. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Joshua King)

Air Force requests approximately $500M in fiscal 2024 to launch new CCA drone program

The funding would go toward three lines of effort: platform development, autonomy development, and standing up an “experimental operations unit” to explore operating concepts.

Mar 13, 2023 By Jon Harper

An Air Force Research Lab conceptual design for an Unmanned Combat Aerial Vehicle (Artwork courtesy of AFRL)

White House’s fiscal 2024 budget aims to accelerate combat drone development and procurement

The Biden administration proposes increasing the DOD's total discretionary budget authority to $842 billion, a 3.2% boost from the 2023 enacted level.

Mar 9, 2023 By Jon Harper

Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall delivers a keynote at the AFA Warfare Symposium on March 7, 2023. (Photo by Brandi Vincent)

Air Force planning for 1,000 robotic wingmen

This figure was derived from assuming two CCAs each for 200 NGAD platforms and an additional two for each of 300 F-35s, Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall…

Mar 7, 2023 By Brandi Vincent

‘Live, live, die’ — How the Air Force plans to authorize robotic wingmen to attack targets

The future drones are expected to be more autonomous than today’s drones and operate as part of a team with manned fighter jets and other aircraft.

Nov 18, 2022 By Jon Harper

3D rendering of China’s Tiangong-1 space station orbiting Earth with the flag of China in the background. (Getty Images)

China’s acceleration of aerospace technology seen as building block for ‘combat loop’

China’s maturing space and cyber military component has roughly doubled its number of satellites in orbit over the last three years, raising concerns for Pentagon leadership.

Oct 3, 2022 By Brandi Vincent

Secretary of the Air Force Frank Kendall makes remarks during the Senior Leader Orientation Course at Joint Base Andrews, Md., April 11, 2022. (U.S. Air Force photo by Eric Dietrich)

Kendall: Air Force’s next-gen fighter will be ‘better than anything’ China can produce

The Air Force plans to team its Next-Generation Air Dominance platform with robotic wingmen.

Sep 29, 2022 By Jon Harper

Air Force taps Brig. Gen. Luke Cropsey to head new integrated C3 battle management program

Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall announced the new role and organizational restructure at the Air and Space Forces Association’s annual conference on Monday.

Sep 19, 2022 By Brandi Vincent

OSD moving to corral the military services for JADC2

At stake are billions of dollars in planned investments and the lives of troops who will rely on the underlying technology — and its interoperability — to…

Sep 9, 2022 By Jon Harper