While the Air Force will originally focus on a competition to place new ejection seats in the service’s F-16 fleet, “decisions following the competition could extend to other platforms, including the F-22 and B-1,” the Air Force said.
By Michael MarrowBetter user interface and experience create faster decision-making in multi-domain operations
Improved UX and UI can enable smarter use of AI and automation, helping warfighters manage data-rich environments and make faster, more informed decisions.
“We have 141 bombers in the inventory,” said Air Force Gen. Thomas Bussiere. “The demand signal for the bombers is greater than any time I’ve seen in my career, across the fabric of every geographic combatant command.”
By Michael Marrow
The Air Force is nearing a decision on whether to recompete an ejection seat contract held by Collins. If the service changes course, it will send shockwaves through the duopoly that fights over every potential ejection seat sale.
By Michael Marrow
With only 20 bombers in the service’s fleet, that could translate to roughly $350 million in work per plane.
By Michael Marrow
The Air Force recently confirmed the secretive plane was continuing flight testing out of Edwards Air Force Base.
By Michael Marrow
The US government will pay for all facilities it builds on Norwegian soil, and will not permanently base any troops there, officials in Oslo were quick to point out.
By Paul McLeary
“I guess if someone were to take a message [from the basing agreement] it’s that we’re not restricted to one particular location,” said Gen. Steven Basham, deputy commander of Air Forces in Europe/Africa.
By Paul McLeary
Capability exists to simulate the future of kill chains at theater scale
A tool to explore what-if scenarios and tradeoffs at the theater-level faster than traditional analysis.
“Contrary to most opinions, mission capable rates are actually increasing,” says Air Force Vice Chief Gen. Stephen Wilson, “but it’s one of the things we’re keeping an eye on.”
By Theresa Hitchens
Fifth gen or fourth gen? F-35A or F-15X. Stealth, sensors and fusion or lots of missiles? Lockheed or Boeing? See what the Mitchell Institute says.
By David Deptula and Doug Birkey
Air Force Secretary Deborah Lee James traveled through Asia, visiting Indonesia, India, Singapore, and the Philippines at the end of the summer. We didn’t hear a great deal about the trip in the US at the time but her meetings with her defense counterparts clearly impressed. In this op-ed, James shares the lessons she learned. China…
By Deborah Lee James
CAPITOL HILL: Gen. Robin Rand, head of Air Force Global Strike Command, made it pretty clear he’d like more than the 100 B-21 bombers to which the service is currently committed. He would probably like close to half again that many. Rand told a Mitchell Institute breakfast that the US currently has 156 bombers “in our…
By Colin Clark
The authors are with the Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies. Army Lt. Gen. H.R. McMaster issued a warning April 5 to the Senate Armed Services Airland subcommittee saying that the service will be “…outranged and outgunned by many potential adversaries in the future….” This statement garnered much attention in the media, but it artificially assesses Army capabilities…
By David Deptula and Doug Birkey
Who’s right about the Long Range Strike Bomber (LRSB) program: defense consultant Loren Thompson or the Air Force and senior Defense Department officials? The Air Force awarded the LRSB contract to Northrop Grumman. The competing Boeing-Lockheed Martin team was considered a slim favorite in this closely-held, closed competition, owing primarily to their scale and heft. To no one’s…
By Anand Datla
Bombers are the ultimate chess pieces in the US national security plan. Bombers are also a scarce resource, and, personally, I’m worried about retiring even a single one of the U.S. Air Force’s bombers. Until the new B-21 Raider bomber squadrons fill out, years from now, there’s nowhere to turn for more. It’s not just me. Hear…
By Rebecca Grant