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SOCOM Selects 5 Armed Overwatch Prototypes

May 17, 2021

U.S. Special Operations Command has awarded a total of $19.2 million to five companies for prototype demonstrations as part of the Armed Overwatch effort to buy a low-cost aircraft to fly surveillance and strikes in austere locations. The aircraft selected to proceed are: Leidos Inc.’s Bronco II, MAG Aerospace’s MC-208…

How Tech Is Turning JADC2 from Concept to Reality

May 17, 2021

In the Pentagon’s vision, Joint All-Domain Command and Control (JADC2) will connect sensor data, powerful computer processing, and artificial intelligence algorithms through a lightning-fast, resilient network. That capability will give U.S. forces an edge so decisive it could deter aggressors from even contemplating future conflicts. Retired Air Force Col. David…

Garamendi: Pause GBSD As Other Nuclear Modernization Efforts Proceed

May 17, 2021

The Air Force should pause its major recapitalization of its intercontinental ballistic missile fleet—a move top military officials strongly oppose—as budgets tighten and other nuclear modernization efforts proceed, a key lawmaker said May 17. Rep. John Garamendi (D-California), the chairman of the House Armed Services readiness subcommittee who also serves…

B-52s Simultaneously Operate in Europe, Middle East, and Indo-Pacific Theaters

May 17, 2021

B-52s deployed to Morón Air Base, Spain, on May 17 for a bomber task force deployment, making Europe the third area of operations where Stratofortresses are operating. The bomber task force of B-52s from the 2nd Bomb Wing at Barksdale Air Force Base, Louisiana, will participate in joint and allied…

USAF Picks Candidates for the Next Round of Active, Reserve KC-46 Bases

May 17, 2021

The Air Force is considering two bases for the next Active-duty KC-46 component and six bases for the next Pegasus Reserve unit, with a decision expected this fall. The service announced May 13 it is looking at Fairchild Air Force Base, Washington, and MacDill Air Force Base, Florida, as candidate…

USAF to Cut F-35 Buy in Future Years Defense Plan

May 14, 2021

The Air Force wants to scale back buys of the F-35 over the next five years, hoping to get sustainment costs down and to wait for the more capable Block 4 version, according to talking points prepared for Chief of Staff Gen. Charles Q. Brown Jr. The reduced buy will…

Making the Air Force’s Case for Big Fighter Cuts

May 14, 2021

To ensure it can compete—and win—against peer adversaries such as China and Russia in the future, the Air Force must divest its aging equipment and instead invest in more capable and advanced aircraft, said Lt. Gen. S. Clinton Hinote, deputy chief of staff for strategy, integration, and requirements. The challenge…

AFCENT Can Now Generate Air Tasking Orders in the Cloud

May 14, 2021

The 609th Air Operations Center at Al Udeid Air Base, Qatar, in early May became the Air Force’s first AOC to operationally use the Kessel Run All Domain Operations Suite to build an air tasking order. The new cloud-based system allows planners to build an Air Tasking Order from anywhere…

Air Force Wants to Cut 421 Old Fighters, Buy 304 New Ones

May 14, 2021

The Air Force plans to begin evolving its fighter fleet to one that can win a Pacific war by retiring 421 old jets and buying 304 new ones, transitioning away from the F-22 and A-10 to an advanced, sixth-generation fighter and an F-16 replacement in about 15 years, according to…

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