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Air Force

Air Force Formally Launches Skyborg Drone Program with Multiple Contracts Possible

By Vivienne Machi

Wednesday, May 20th, 2020

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Air Force Formally Launches Skyborg Drone Program with Multiple Contracts Possible

The Air Force Research Lab- and Kratos-developed XQ-58A Valkyrie UAV demonstrator completed its second test flight June 11. (Photo: Air Force)

The Air Force has released a solicitation to build prototypes for its Skyborg unmanned wingman program, with the intent of selecting one or more companies to quickly field an artificial intelligence-driven system to be a “quarterback in the sky” for manned aircraft. The May 15 Broad Agency Announcement (BAA) solicitation indicates the Air Force plans to award indefinite delivery/indefinite quantity contracts worth up to $400 million in total over five years. The service reserves the right to award one contract,…

Congress

Key Defense Committee Members Face Tight Midterm Races, Including HASC GOP’ers In Virginia

As the mid-term elections near with polls showing an increasing likelihood of a switch in majority control in the House and potentially the Senate, three Virginia Republicans on the House […]

‘Theoretical Potential’ to Achieve 1,509 Combat-Coded Fighters by 2035, USAF Says

In the latest U.S. Air Force fighter force structure report submitted to Congress, the service speaks of a “theoretical potential” to achieve a goal of 1,509 combat-coded fighters in the […]

Budget

Hegseth Pushes For Reconciliation With At Least $350 Billion For Defense ‘Regardless’ Of Midterms Outcome

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said Wednesday the Trump administration plans to continue its push for at least $350 billion in defense funds via the reconciliation process “regardless of what happens […]

Congress

Bipartisan Push in Senate to Hasten Export of 155 mm, GMLRS, HIMARS for Ukraine

A small, bipartisan group of senators is backing the Fast Tracking European Investment in Ukraine’s Defense Act, S. 5175, to hasten the export of allied buys of U.S. munitions for […]