MilitaryC-17 Flies with Alternative GPS Magnetic Navigation as Prime PNT System A U.S. Air Force C-17 Globemaster III cargo plane by Boeing recently test flew the Silicon Valley-based SandboxAQ‘s Magnetic Navigation (MagNav) system–leveraging quantum magnetometers and artificial intelligence–as the aircraft’s prime alternative to…
AI & AutonomyCCA Autonomy Contracts Awarded to Five Vendors DAYTON, Ohio–The U.S. Air Force in the last few months awarded classified contracts to five vendors–a mix of traditional defense companies and non-marquee ones–for the autonomy piece of the Collaborative Combat Aircraft…
AI & AutonomyMerlin Labs Says $105 Million C-130J Advanced Automation Contract Stepping Stone for Other SOF Aircraft Boston’s Merlin Labs, Inc. said on June 12 that it has received a $105 million contract from U.S. Special Operations Command to provide advanced automation for the Air Force C-130J airlifter by…
AI & AutonomyUSAF and Merlin Labs Explore Autonomous Options for KC-135 Boston-based Merlin Labs, Inc. said on May 30 that it is using data from flights of a KC-135 at MacDill AFB, Fla., “to better understand crew workload drivers and gather data to…
Editor's NoteGE Continues Work on XA100 for Future Combat Aircraft - May 8 GE Aerospace has finished a fourth round of testing on the XA100 adaptive cycle engine “to gather additional data and advance this next-generation technology for future combat aircraft.” the company said on…
AI & AutonomyCollaborative Autonomy Tested in EpiSci/USAF Autonomy Prime Flights - May 2 California-based EpiSci said this week that the company finished multiple collaborative autonomy tests last month under the U.S. Air Force’s Autonomy Prime program to train operators on the company’s Starling Tactical Artificial…
Editor's NoteMQ-9A Block 5 to Get New Self-Protection Pod Next Year - May 9 Next year, the Block 5 Extended Range version of the General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. (GA-ASI) MQ-9A Reaper drone is to receive a self-protection pod developed by GA-ASI in concert with U.S.…
ConnectivityCompanies' Perspective on New Data Links and Waveforms Sought for SDA Tranche 3 Transport Layer The U.S. Space Force Space Development Agency's (SDA) Tranche 2 Transport Layer-Gamma satellites are to include Ultra High Frequency (UHF) S-band connections, an advanced tactical data link, and enhanced, anti-jam waveforms. But…