Testbeds

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X-36 was an early progenitor that lead to the F-47.
Air

Reflections Of The F-47: Looking Back At The X-36

By Thomas Newdick

Posted on Mar 27, 2025

The first supersonic flight of the Boom Supersonic XB-1.
Air

Boom! The XB-1 Demonstrator Jet Has Gone Supersonic

By Thomas Newdick

Posted on Jan 28, 2025

NASA’s new flying laboratory, an ex-commercial Boeing 777 airliner, has arrived in Waco, Texas, for modifications ahead of its entry to service. The aircraft will replace the agency’s now-retired Douglas DC-8.
Air

NASA’s ‘New’ Boeing 777 Undergoes Modifications For Its Future Flying Laboratory Role

By Thomas Newdick

Posted on Jan 21, 2025

A video and pictures have emerged showing testing of Chinese high-flying and high-speed uncrewed air vehicles related to a design called MD-22, including aerial releases from a TB-001 drone and a high-altitude balloon.
Air

China Launches Hypersonic Test Planes From Drones, Balloons

By Joseph Trevithick

Posted on Dec 16, 2024

The United Kingdom has taken an important step toward its Tempest next-generation fighter, with the start of a trials campaign for the Flight Test Aircraft (FTA), nicknamed Excalibur, which will serve as a flying laboratory for the new combat aircraft. Based on a Boeing 757 airliner, the FTA joins a growing band of dedicated trials aircraft that are being used to prove out technologies for current and future-generation fighter programs, also in the United States and China.
Air

UK’s 757-Based ‘Excalibur’ Avionics Testbed For Tempest Future Fighter Emerges

By Thomas Newdick

Posted on Dec 9, 2024

A U.S. Air Force F-16C Viper fighter has conducted the first release of a test version of the Stand-in Attack Weapon (SiAW) missile.
Air

Stand-In Attack Missile Released From Fighter For First Time In USAF Test

By Joseph Trevithick

Posted on Dec 2, 2024

As if it didn’t have a distinctive enough look already, Boeing’s remarkable 757 Flying Test Bed — better known as “The Catfish” due to its unique and highly modified nose profile — has got some striking new colors. The red, white, and blue scheme is a direct reference to the livery this very same aircraft originally wore, as the prototype for the 757 family.
Air

Boeing’s 757 ‘Catfish’ Flying F-22 Avionics Testbed Emerges With Retro Look

By Thomas Newdick

Posted on Oct 22, 2024

Experimental Fly-By-Wire UH-60M Black Hawk To Become Autonomy Testbed
Air

Experimental Fly-By-Wire UH-60M Black Hawk To Become Autonomy Testbed

By Joseph Trevithick

Posted on Oct 14, 2024

Aurora Flight Sciences has released new renderings of an uncrewed fan-in-wing vertical take-off-and-landing capable demonstrator aircraft it is currently working on, as well as of a revised vision for a scaled-up stealthy cargo aircraft based on the same technology.
Air

New Vision For Lift Fan Aircraft Family Grows From Special Operations X-Plane Program

By Joseph Trevithick

Posted on Oct 9, 2024

The U.S. Air Force is interested in adding an active electronically-scanned array (AESA) radar to its X-62A test jet. The radar is part of larger plans to acquire a new modular sensor suite for the uniquely modified F-16 specifically to help expand its ability to support advanced autonomy developments.
Air

New Radar Sought To Help X-62A Test Jet Take Next Leap In Autonomy Testing

By Joseph Trevithick

Posted on Sep 24, 2024

The U.S. Air Force and Northrop Grumman have expanded testing of the B-21 thanks to two ground test articles, which are being used to evaluate the bomber's core construction and the time it takes before certain parts break. The tempo of flight testing of the initial pre-production Raider is also growing, with the jet now sometimes taking to the skies twice a week.
Air

B-21 Ground Test Airframes Join Flying Pre-Production Raider

By Joseph Trevithick

Posted on Sep 19, 2024

The War Zone delved into the digital engineer and advanced manufacturer techniques behind the stealthy Model 437 Vanguard aircraft, and more, an interview with Colin Miller, Vice President for Engineering within Northrop Grumman's aeronautics sector.
Air

Everything We Just Learned About The Model 437 Vanguard Technology Demonstrator Jet

By Tyler Rogoway, Joseph Trevithick

Posted on Aug 30, 2024

Experimental Alpha Draco hypersonic boost-glide vehicle preparing for launch, 1959.
Air

Alpha Draco Paved The Way In The Late 1950s For Future Hypersonic Boost-Glide Vehicles

By Oliver Parken

Posted on May 29, 2024

Additional details about a breakthrough autonomous dogfight in September 2023 underscore significant challenges still to be addressed.
Air

Next Big Challenge For AI Dogfighting Is Keeping Track Of Enemies Up Close

By Joseph Trevithick, Tyler Rogoway

Posted on Apr 24, 2024

Supersonic testbed XB-1 on its first flight, March 22, 2024
Air

Boom’s XB-1 Supersonic Test Jet Takes To The Skies

By Oliver Parken

Posted on Mar 23, 2024

An intriguing video has been doing the rounds on social media recently, showing the wind-tunnel testing of a French future fighter concept, a tailless jet fitted with prominent leading-edge vortex controllers, or LEVCONs.
Air

Su-57 Felon Feature Appears On French Future Tailless Fighter Concept

By Thomas Newdick, Tyler Rogoway

Posted on Mar 8, 2024