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Mission command is a hot topic that affects Airmen. In April 2012, Gen Martin E. Dempsey, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, published a white paper emphasizing the necessity [...]

The development of new electronic attack aircraft by the US Navy, Marine Corps and Air Force is described. The US Navy and Marine Corps are proceeding with the acquisition of EA-18G Growler aircraft, while the Air Force is developing the EC-130H Compass Call communications jamming aircraft.

The US Navy and US Air Force are pursuing different strategies regarding the upgrade of AGM-88 High-Speed Anti-Radiation Missiles (HARM) used to suppress enemy air defenses. The US Navy is developing the AGM-88E Advanced Anti-Radiation Guided Missile, while the US Air Force is developing the HARM DEAD Attack Module.

The US Air Force's new fighter, F/A-22 Raptor, is headed towards operational status. The operational testing is the main hurdle before a fighter is certified ready for combat duty, and a study is conducted to determine whether it is truly of operational type.

The contributions of the U.S. Air Force research to both military and civilian aerospace capabilities are highlighted. The U.S. military satellite-based navigation system called Global Positioning System, the delivery of munitions and the improvement of remote sensing systems are some of the areas where the Air Force initiatives have brought success.

The U.S. Air Force and Southwest Research Institute's commitment to advanced technology, willingness to take a risk and need for improvement drove them to develop a unique automated depaint system. [...]

Air Force wings may be lead by boomerang-shaped surveillance vehicles, autonomous batwing aircraft and hypersonic exoatmospheric bombers. Extraordinary vehicles are being developed by Air Force scientists. These new vehicles will reflect the maturing mission and revolutionary capabilities of the service.

The US Air Force (USAF) initiated its research and development programme for the next generation of AIM-120 advanced medium air-to-air missiles. The USAF's dual-range missile project involved the development of a new missile that will incorporate state-of-the art technology for within-visual-range and beyond-visual-range aerial engagement. USAFs Air Superiority Missile Technology project also involved research on hybrid tailfin/reaction-jet flight-control systems for the AIM-120 airframe.

The first phase of the Lean Aircraft Initiative (LAI) that aims to introduce ways military aircraft costs can be reduced is expected to be completed by researchers working on the program. The initiative will assess the managerial and industrial processes now being used by participating aircraft companies. Among other things, LAI will seek to implement waste minimization practices and encourage responsiveness to change.

The US Army and Air Force are developing avionics systems with advanced computer capabilities for fighter pilots. Advanced avionics systems combine computer and artificial intelligence technologies to increase situation awareness for pilots. Advanced systems would gather information on navigation, aircraft, weapons delivery and other variables to enhance existing weapons systems. Systems currently under development include the Air Force's F-22 and Pilot's Associate and the Army's Rotorcraft Pilot's Associate., The formation of F-22s were on yet another patrol near the border. During the 'O-dark thirty' briefing the pilots had been told to keep a sharp eye out for enemy [...]

Victory in air-to-air combat often goes to the more agile combatant, just as it did in the days of von Richtofen and Brown. A fighter pilot maneuvers his aircraft by [...]

Target acquired The American air force is sponsoring zoologists at Oxford FALCONRY is less fashionable now than it was in days of yore. But, over the past few years, sharp-eyed [...]

Like lugging ice cubes to Antarctica; that's how some engineers view rockets. What they're referring to is the inefficiency of a vehicle that carries a heavy load of oxygen in [...]

Automatic Target Recognition Shows Promise After almost two decades of unsteady development, automatic target recognition (ATR) technology is beginning to show signs of success, with some systems in the advanced [...]

Airborne Computers Take Off There was a time not so long ago when the only 'computers' in aircraft were pilots and their crews. However, today's tactical aircraft would be difficult, [...]

WRIGHT-PATTERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Ohio (AFPN) -- The Air Force Research Laboratory is demonstrating technologies that will allow Air Force transport aircraft to land in a range of environmental conditions--anytime [...]

Experiments in the Nevada desert are using unmanned aircraft to find the exact location of enemy electronic emissions, such as mobile phones of terrorists. U.S. Air Force researchers believe that locating such terrorist targets within tens of meters and often in less than a minute makes them vulnerable to attack before they can flee surveillance.

The author examines research into hypersonic systems for military aircraft. Topics include hypersonic aerodynamics, supersonic fighters, and the use of hydrocarbon fuels.

The Air Force Research Laboratory, Deployment and Sustainment Division (AFRL/HES) conducts research and development to improve Air Force agile combat support capabilities and protect Air Force personnel in potentially toxic [...]

Air Force scientists are inspired to develop countermeasures against equivalent adversary technologies by the process of creating state-of-the-art sensor systems. Future sensors will serve as detectives, guards and messengers, they will network and exchange information, and they may even lead fights against enemies on land or in the air.

The US Air Force Space Warfare Center is establishing the Space Tactical School, a Space Aggressor Squadron and a fusion center.

The US Air Force Research Laboratory plans to double to 27% the percentage of its research budget devoted to space technology by 2005, according to Maj Gen Richard Paul. Research on aircraft technology's share will fall to 41%, and information technology and optical systems will retain 26%.

A problem that is predicted to face future designers of fighter aircraft is the obsolescence of key components such as avionics. This is due to defense budget cutbacks and the declining importance of the military as a market because of its reduced spending power. US Air Force researchers are attempting to avert this problem by conducting studies on avionics technology. Among other research thrusts, they are looking at the possibility of utilizing commercial systems for military aircraft purposes.

The Air Force Electronic Warfare Evaluation Simulator facility provides computer simulation, integration of simulation and hardware, and hardware in the loop testing for electronic warfare systems. The testing procedure then concludes with installed-system evaluation and open-air range testing.

The alleged development of a supersonic aircraft by the US is described. The Air Force denies knowledge of the aircraft despite evidence to the contrary. The name of the alleged project is the Aurora Project. Memories of Alva Harvey are presented.

Introduction Rome Laboratory is the Air Force lab responsible for advanced technology development for use in future command, control, communications and intelligence applications. It has been designated as the lead [...]

MIAS Recent issues of CIM Perspectives have covered two very important US Air Force funded initiatives: the Intelligent Machining Workstation (IMW) in the November 1990 issue and the Next Generation [...]

The US Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) is seeking to place a $1 million contract for innovative multifunctional organic matrix composites (MOMC) development for orbital vehicles that can gather intelligence [...]

A five-year, $6 million research project has been launched by the US Air Force to examine how bats fly, in a bid to develop more adaptable micro air vehicles. Researchers [...]