Michael Marrow covers air warfare for Breaking Defense. He holds a BA in history from the University of Virginia and started out as a freelance reporter covering local news in Fairfax County, Virginia and policing in Charlottesville, Virginia. Michael previously reported on the Air Force and Space Force for Inside Defense, where he tracked major acquisitions, policy changes and modernization efforts.
In an interview with Breaking Defense, Frank Kendall suggested the Next Generation Air Dominance (NGAD) fighter decision is farther off than estimated, as the service rethinks the threat landscape.
“Since not everything that we contracted for has been delivered, payment is also not complete. We will not pay for that which we have not yet received,” said Air Force acquisition chief Andrew Hunter.
“There is credit here for Boeing and the suppliers. They did really buckle down and get their pencils out and sharpen them and do a good job to bring the cost of the rapid prototyping program down,” said Andrew Hunter, the service’s top acquisition official.
A “truncated” version of Technology Refresh 3 software has enabled the Pentagon to resume deliveries, though a second software patch that would make the jets fully combat capable isn’t expected for at least another year.
The Swarm Carrier would be one of three drone types that Air Force Special Operations Command expects will strengthen a budding initiative to incorporate more autonomous systems in missions.
Breaking with service leadership, Gen. Kenneth Wilsbach said he opposes divesting certain F-22 Raptors, whose retirements have been repeatedly blocked by Congress.
The Air Force revealed today that it has embarked on a restructuring of the troubled but critical long-range missile program, which is now expected to cost 81 percent more than initially estimated.
A reprogramming request recently submitted to Capitol Hill by the Pentagon asks for permission to shift an additional $150 million into the Air Force’s Collaborative Combat Aircraft program, a budget increase of nearly 40 percent.
Perhaps no company has bet so much on the Air Force’s NGAD sixth-gen fighter effort as Boeing — and now the service could be dramatically reinventing the program.
Air Mobility Command documents say they’re interested counter-drone systems, including platforms that can operate near friendly aircraft, so as not to hypothetically accidentally jam or spoof a nearby vice president’s plane.
Improved UX and UI can enable smarter use of AI and automation, helping warfighters manage data-rich environments and make faster, more informed decisions.
Improved UX and UI can enable smarter use of AI and automation, helping warfighters manage data-rich environments and make faster, more informed decisions.
