A New Kind of CCA? Meet the Supersonic X-BAT By John A. Tirpak Shield AI has entered the increasingly crowded field of Collaborative Combat Aircraft, announcing Oct. 23 its “X-BAT” vehicle that stands out from others by having both vertical takeoff...
Technology
When lawmakers and outside experts turn their attention to how the U.S. military can use of artificial intelligence, they tend to focus on weapons systems—the most consequential and risk-laden use cases—and on generative AI. But behind the scenes, the Air Force is already using machine ...
The $4.26 billion Small Business Innovation Research contracting program widely used by the Air Force went into hibernation as the government shut down Oct. 1, but unless lawmakers strike a deal on reforms, the program could reach an abrupt end.
Defense technology nominees told the Senate Armed Services Committee they will strive to sharply accelerate the transition of new technologies into fielded capabilities. They pledged to cut red tape and ensure that the innovation infrastructure can support the needed speed of adopting new tech.
Shield AI has entered the increasingly crowded field of Collaborative Combat Aircraft, this week announcing its “X-BAT” vehicle that stands out from others by having both vertical takeoff and landing capability and supersonic speed.
The Pentagon’s new counter-drone task force will play a direct role in arming Airmen with new weapons to defend Air Force agile combat employment, or ACE, air bases in austere locations against enemy drone attacks, the director of Joint Interagency Task Force 401 said Oct. ...
When Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth canceled the Air Force’s Cloud One Next contract earlier this year, he declared it would save taxpayers $1.4 billion—the maximum billings under the contract. But current and former Air Force personnel who are familiar with Cloud One say it’s not as ...
Air Force Chief of Staff nominee Gen. Kenneth S. Wilsbach said he'll give special attention to coordinating with the Navy on buys of new weapons.
When it comes to aviation technology, the spotlight often shines on faster jets, stronger engines, or stealthier designs. Yet sometimes the most impactful innovations solve problems that have quietly plagued aviators for decades. This year, for the 2025 Airforce Technology Excellence...
