AFA Warfare Symposium 2025

Latest in AFA Warfare Symposium 2025

F-15EX deliveries accelerating.
Air

F-15EX Production Heats Up

By Thomas Newdick

Posted on Mar 13, 2025

Solar flare hitting satellite, computer artwork.
Space

Space Force Chief “Enamored By Systems That Deny, Disrupt, And Degrade” Satellites

By Thomas Newdick

Posted on Mar 11, 2025

An F16-D Fighting Falcon pilot from the 40th Flight Test Squadron demonstrates proper flare technique during a training mission near Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., June 6, 2019. A flare is an aerial infrared countermeasure used by planes or helicopter to counter an infrared homing surface-to-air missile or air-to-air missile. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Joshua Hoskins)
Air

AI-Enabled Cognitive Electronic Warfare Capability Plugs Into F-16’s Existing Radar Warning Receiver

By Tyler Rogoway

Posted on Mar 10, 2025

The U.S. Space Force’s X-37B Orbital Test Vehicle Mission Seven successfully landed at Vandenberg Space Force Base, California, March 7, 2025. The X-37B landed at Vandenberg Space Force Base, California, to exercise the service's ability to recover the spaceplane across multiple sites. 
Space

X-37B Returns To Earth, Space Force Won’t Commit To Buying More

By Thomas Newdick

Posted on Mar 7, 2025

B-21 refueling requirements are pushing rethinking of tanker needs.
Air

B-21 Aerial Refueling Demands Further Point To It Being A Stealthy Flying Gas Can

By Joseph Trevithick

Posted on Mar 7, 2025

While it has long been a world-ending threat in science fiction, U.S. Air Force and Space Force officials see artificial intelligence (AI) playing important, if not critical roles in the command and control enterprise at the heart of America's nuclear deterrent capabilities.
Nuclear

How The Military Wants AI To Help Control America’s Nuclear Arsenal

By Joseph Trevithick

Updated on Mar 7, 2025

NATO is learning lessons from the war in Ukraine.
News & Features

NATO Operations Chief’s Five Lessons Learned From War In Ukraine

By Howard Altman

Posted on Mar 6, 2025

The U.S. does not know how many weapons the Houthis posses, but praise their innovative abilities.
News & Features

Houthi Weapons Arsenal Remains A Mystery To The U.S.

By Howard Altman

Posted on Mar 6, 2025

The U.S. Air Force's new Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) drones are being developed around fundamentally different understandings of maintenance, logistics, and sustainment, with a heavy focus on commercial-of-the-shelf components, than the service's existing crewed and uncrewed platforms.
Air

Collaborative Combat Drones Designed From Ground Up To Do Logistics Differently

By Joseph Trevithick

Updated on Mar 6, 2025

U.S. Air Force officials remain focused on the ability to disperse forces to far-flung operating locations as the primary means of reducing vulnerability to enemy attacks.
Air

USAF Generals Downplay Calls For More Hardened Aircraft Shelters In Pacific Theater

By Joseph Trevithick

Posted on Mar 5, 2025

A U.S. Air Force F-15E Strike Eagle conducts combat patrols over the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility Oct. 20, 2024. The F-15E is deployed within the USCENTCOM AOR to help defend U.S. interests, promote regional security, and deter aggression in the region.
Air

F-15’s New EPAWSS Electronic Warfare Suite Already Has Successor In Development

By Thomas Newdick

Posted on Mar 5, 2025

Lockheed Martin has revealed more about its Common Multi-Mission Truck (CMMT, pronounced ‘comet’), a revised design based on its Speed Racer air vehicle, a missile-shaped uncrewed system you can read more about here. The CMMT is now said to be a family of systems, intended to yield low-cost air vehicles designed for a wide range of missions.
Air

Lockheed’s Low-Cost Cruise Missile ‘Truck’ Is Now In Testing

By Thomas Newdick

Posted on Mar 5, 2025

General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. (GA-ASI), has revealed that its jet-powered MQ-20 Avenger drone, equipped with U.S. government-provided autonomy software, took part in a recent Orange Flag test exercise. This is the latest milestone for the Avenger, which has been heavily involved in the testing of different artificial intelligence-driven autonomy systems for several years now.
Air

MQ-20 Avenger Tests ‘Hivemind’ AI In Orange Flag Exercise

By Thomas Newdick, Howard Altman

Posted on Mar 5, 2025

A deep review of the U.S. Air Force's paused plans to acquire a new crewed sixth-generation stealth combat jet came to the unambiguous conclusion that the service needs such an aircraft to be best positioned to achieve air superiority in future high-end fights.
Air

Next Generation Fighter Critical To Future Air Superiority, Key USAF Study Concluded

By Joseph Trevithick

Posted on Mar 5, 2025

Thales Scorpion will equip the F-22s of the Hawaii ANG.
Air

F-22 Raptor Pilots Finally Getting Helmet Mounted Displays

By Tyler Rogoway

Updated on Mar 5, 2025

A novel type of jet propulsion, a rotating detonation engine (RDE), has been successfully tested by Pratt & Whitney. The development is highly significant for the U.S. military, with RDE technology at the center of the project called Gambit, which aims to provide a propulsion system for a mass-producible, low-cost, high-supersonic, long-range weapon for air-to-ground strike.
Air

Rotating Detonation Engine For Future High-Performance Missiles Successfully Tested

By Thomas Newdick

Posted on Mar 4, 2025