Tuesday, May 14, 2024
Key Issues USAF depot plan Autonomy in the air I-CsUAS contract
Leigh Giangreco covered unmanned air vehicles, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance, munitions and the nuclear enterprise until June 2016. Previously, she has reported for the Delmarva Media Group, USA Today, The Washington Examiner and The Durango Herald.
The Air Force's intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance division is touting small, unmanned aerial systems as the next revolution in air warfare, but a holistic strategy could lie out of the service's reach unless a program office is established.
The House Appropriations Committee warned the Air Force this week in its defense spending bill to avoid further delays to the Joint Surveillance Target Attack Radar System recapitalization and expressed concern over possible plans from the defense secretary to push off the start of the program's engineering and manufacturing development phase.
The House has granted the Air Force more leeway to field a replacement for its aging fleet of Huey helicopters, following adoption of an amendment to its defense authorization bill that would satisfy open competition advocates.
The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency could demonstrate technologies by 2020 that would enable the future launch of hypersonic vehicles, according to the agency's Tactical Boost Glide program manager.
The Air Force has laid out its plan to use small, low-cost unmanned aircraft to complete missions currently executed by medium-altitude, unmanned aircraft in its Small Unmanned Aircraft System Flight Plan released May 17.
The Air Force has decided to pursue an open competition for the UH-1N Huey helicopter recapitalization rather than a sole-source alternative that could have shortened the procurement time line by two years, the service announced Wednesday.
The Senate Armed Services Committee will mark up its version of the fiscal year 2017 defense policy bill next week, and may include language that could have a considerable impact on key Air Force plans, including its strategy to replace the Russian-made RD-180 engine and its approach to contracting for the B-21 Long-Range Strike Bomber.
A sole-source procurement of Army UH-60M-model Black Hawks could accelerate the recapitalization of the UH-1N Huey helicopter by two to three years, according to the deputy head of U.S. Strategic Command.
Sen. Steve Daines (R-MT) has requested a meeting with Air Force Secretary Deborah Lee James to discuss the milestone A review for the Ground Based Strategic Deterrent System, congressional sources told Inside the Air Force this week.
The Air Force Research Laboratory is looking for a podded system that could accommodate a laser that would have enough power to negate incoming threats to a fighter jet, AFRL officials told Inside the Air Force this week.
The Air Force is examining acceleration of its smart bomb production, including increasing orders for Joint Direct Attack Munition guidance kits.
Air Force Global Strike Command and the Energy Department are both seeking ways to thwart small, personal drones from flying too close to their nuclear and conventional assets.
The Air Force completed the preliminary design review for its next-generation Combat Rescue Helicopter on schedule, service officials confirmed this week.
An amendment included in the House Armed Services Committee's version of the fiscal year 2017 defense policy bill prohibits funds for a mobile variant of the Ground Based Strategic Deterrent System.
Some must-reads from this week's issue of Inside the Air Force.
As the House moves to accelerate the recapitalization of the UH-1N Huey helicopter, at least one Senate authorizer is pushing for a faster plan to replace the aging fleet.
The head of Air Force Materiel Command has advised the service's chief of Special Operations Command to measure his optimism over a laser-equipped gunship he is pursuing and to focus instead on the laser weapon's applications.
An amendment to the proposed House fiscal year 2017 defense authorization bill would designate an existing senior official within the Defense Department as director of directed energy weapons.
The House Armed Services committee seeks to use Overseas Contingency Operations funding to support a number of plus-ups to Air Force procurement efforts -- including an unrequested $80 million boost to speed up the UH-1N Huey replacement program and support the sole-source acquisition of Army UH-60M Black Hawks.
Highlights from this week's Inside the Air Force.