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Air Force

Air Force Interested In New, Lower-Cost Aerial Targets

Frank Wolfe

Wednesday, August 19th, 2026

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Air Force Interested In New, Lower-Cost Aerial Targets

Pictured is a segment of a Boeing video commemorating the delivery of the 127th QF-16 last December.

The Air Force is looking into new aerial targets that have lower costs than the more than $1 million Kratos Defense [KTOS] BQM-167A and the Boeing [BA] QF-16, a retired F-16 fighter modified to serve as an aerial target. The Air Force has had dozens of BQM-167As and QF-16s at a time. The BQM-167A began flights in 2007, while the QF-16--the service's only full-scale target--entered the field in 2017. Boeing delivered the 127th and final QF-16 last December. Title 10…

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