The U.S. Air Force’s F-35 Lightning II and F-22 Raptor fighter jets were able to share operational data in their native digital “languages” across multiple domains and platforms using the gatewayONE payload during a series of tests held Dec. 9 at Yuma Proving Ground in Arizona, the Air Force reported Monday.
Read More »Air Force Looks to Modify F-22 Trainer Aircraft for Combat Missions
The U.S. Air Force (USAF) plans to reconfigure its Lockheed Martin-built F-22 Raptor fighter jets to support combat functionalities over the next few years, National Defense Magazine reported Monday. "The primary problem [with the aircraft] is having enough engines to meet our requirements," he added.
Read More »Air Force, Northcom Conduct Aircraft Data Transmission Test; Will Roper Quoted
The U.S. Air Force and U.S. Northern Command have tested the data transmission capacity of F-22 and F-35 fighter aircraft that deploy different radio systems, Defense One reported Tuesday.
Read More »Fleet Readiness Center East Gets New Facility for Laser Shock Peening
The U.S. Navy has established a new facility to help Fleet Readiness Center East maintain its F-35 Lightning II aircraft via laser technology. Construction of the F-35 laser shock peening facility concluded in July, with full operational capability expected in 2020, the Navy said Tuesday.
Read More »Air Force Creates New Program Management Office to Rebuild Tyndall AFB
The U.S. Air Force established a new program management office to lead efforts in rebuilding infrastructures damaged by Hurricane Michael at Tyndall Air Force Base in Florida. The service said Wednesday the PMO will assess the damage to installation facilities and infrastructures, determine usability and preserve capabilities of the base.
Read More »DARPA Exploring ‘Mosaic Warfare’ Concept Amid Evolving Adversary Technologies
The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency is exploring a “mosaic warfare” concept to see how the military can combine a variety of weapons to perform a single mission in the domains of land, sea and air, National Defense Magazine reported Friday.
USAF Submits Squadron Readiness Plans; Heather Wilson Quoted
The U.S. Air Force is looking to boost the readiness rates of its F-22, F-35 and F-16 aircraft squadrons, according to a recently submitted plan, Defense News reported Saturday. These squadrons are currently at readiness levels below Secretary of Defense James Mattis' required rate of 80 percent.
Read More »Navy Sets Plans to Meet DoD’s 80% Mission Capability Goal for Fighter Jets
James Geurts, assistant secretary of the U.S. Navy for research, development and acquisition, has said the service is working towards meeting Defense Secretary James Mattis’ readiness target for fighter planes, USNI News reported Wednesday.
Read More »James Mattis: DoD Sets 80% Mission Capability Rate for Air Force, Navy Fighter Jets
Defense Secretary James Mattis has issued a memo that calls for the U.S. Air Force and U.S. Navy to achieve a minimum mission capability rate of 80 percent for four fighter aircraft by the end of fiscal 2019, Defense News reported Tuesday. Mattis asked the service branches to reduce the operating and maintenance costs of F-35, F-22, F-16 and F-18 fighter jets starting in fiscal 2019, according to the memo obtained by the publication.
Read More »Heather Wilson: Air Force Eyes Reduced Dependence on C2 Systems for Future Wars
The U.S. Air Force expects its F-35, F-22 and other fighter jets to potentially home in on hostile air and ground targets without the need to rely on land-based command-and-control platforms as adversaries develop new technologies designed to attack C2 systems, Warrior Maven reported Monday. “Airmen of the future will …
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