The Air Force has issued a $100 million contract to combine its long-disjointed systems for managing aircrew readiness with software that is expected to reach initial operational capability next year, starting with the T-6A Texan II and the C-17 Globemaster III.
Software Modernization
Lt. Gen. Jason D. Voorheis has taken command of the Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, a sprawling organization with a $400 billion portfolio, establishing him as one of the service’s top acquisition officials.
New Hypersonic Attack Cruise Missiles By Greg Hadley The Pentagon’s top research lab is interested in developing a hypersonic cruise missile prototype that provides “a revolutionary leap in operational performance,” as the first wave of U.S. hypersonic weapons enters production...
The Air Force’s “software sold separately” plan to buy critical autonomy software decoupled from the physical air vehicle for its nascent Collaborative Combat Aircraft fleet could help the drones evolve quickly, foster competition, and avoid vendor lock-in, experts and service officials told Air & Space ...
Concerned about how artificial intelligence might be used to generate target lists or operational plans, lawmakers want to expand limits on autonomous weapons to address mission planning and target selection. The House Armed Services Committee's version of the 2027 National Defense Authorization bill would direct ...
The Air Force and Space Force have it in writing: move faster on AI. The executive orders are public. The mandates have deadlines. What’s missing is how to ship AI-powered software in high compliance environments, without compromising what already works. That...
The Air Force has embraced new technical approaches like open mission systems and rapid software updates for cutting-edge aircraft like the B-21 and Collaborative Combat Aircraft. Increasingly, though, the service is also working to apply these to its older, “legacy” aircraft, officials said this week.
The Space Force awarded Lockheed Martin a $105 million contract to continue supporting its interim GPS ground system as the Pentagon considers the future of a broader, long-delayed modernization effort.
The Pentagon’s top weapons tester noted progress on key munitions for the Air Force in his latest report, covering everything from dogfighting missiles to hypersonics.
