US F-15E fighter jet downed by Iran
The loss of an American fighter jet over Iran would appear to be the first manned American aircraft downed over Iran during Operation Epic Fury.
Air Force strategy to protect aircraft was designed for China. Will it work for Iran?
Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth said the US had "maxed out" its defensive posture, but Iran managed to strike US aircraft in Saudi Arabia anyway.
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Why enterprise IT modernization matters now – and how to “delight by design”
Do more with less: streamline workflows, reduce duplication, invest upfront to save long-term.
CENTCOM confirms six dead in tanker crash in Iraq, as Iran conflict approaches third week
“The incident occurred over friendly territory in Western Iraq while the crew was on a combat mission, and, again, was not the result … of hostile or friendly fire,” Gen. Dan Caine said today.
KC-135 tanker involved in Epic Fury goes down in Iraq: CENTCOM
According to CENTCOM, the incident was “not due to hostile or friendly fire" and occurred during Operation Epic Fury.
How tanking, airlift could be strained by Iran ops
"Aerial refueling capacity has historically been a major constraint on the tempo of operations, and it’s likely the case today," Tim Walton, a senior fellow at the Hudson Institute, told Breaking Defense.
GE Aerospace picks Merlin for AI co-pilot, with eyes on KC-135 CCR upgrade [EXCLUSIVE]
In the near term, the "Merlin Pilot" could replace one of the two crew currently required to fly the KC-135 tanker and C-130J transport — but the ultimate aim is for the AI to fly complex missions on its own.
Modernizing defense enterprise IT without disrupting the mission
Government can’t stop to update systems, so modernization has to happen without interruptions.
Air Force again changes course on tankers, plans new ‘production extension’ program
The Air Force plans to use the Boeing KC-46 Pegasus’s Capability Production Document “as the most affordable requirements basis” for the new program, potentially giving the embattled aerospace manufacturer a leg up in a competition.
India puts Metrea on contract for commercial air refueling, invests in helicopters
The Metrea announcement came hand in hand with a major investment in India’s aviation capabilities, with the defense ministry announcing a $7.3 billion deal to purchase 156 Prachand light combat helicopters from Hindustan Aeronautics Limited.
How Metrea hopes to grow the private air refueling market
After refueling with the American company Metrea for a deployment to the Indo-Pacific, the German Luftwaffe told Breaking Defense that "commercial AAR [air-to-air refueling] is also a valid option for future deployments.”
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The F-22 is having a modernization moment
How RTX is helping the Raptor stay ready to dominate the skies.
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America must adopt a Sixth Domain of warfare doctrine
The Sixth Domain is not defined by geography. It’s a new kind of conflict in which autonomy and networked systems allow thousand-dollar consumer electronics to destroy multi-million-dollar conventional weapons systems.
Airbus launches A330 MRTT+ to deliver extended range
The new aircraft design has been validated through simulations so far, according to Airbus, so the company would be in a position to move ahead promptly, without the need for a demonstrator, should customers require it.
Boeing KC-46A refueler had two-month pause in deliveries, expected to resume soon
The newest issue with the long-troubled tanker involves a part on the aircraft’s refueling boom.
HASC greenlights draft NDAA, sends $883B bill to full House
The $883.7 billion bill makes several major changes to President Joe Biden's FY25 budget request, including a more narrow approach to transferring Air National Guard units into the Space Force. But budgetary matters will ultimately be decided by congressional appropriators.
Boeing’s KC-46A refueler, T-7A trainer face more delays
Air Force acquisition chief Andrew Hunter noted potential troubles ahead for the KC-46A and said T-7A production could start "a little later" than previously anticipated, but he remained confident about the way forward for the two aircraft.