Defense Daily reports the U.S. Air Force is seeking already-developed, attritable small drones that could form a communications mesh network for operations against adversaries with advanced electronic warfare and weapons. The Air Force Life Cycle Management Center says the systems would have a maximum takeoff weight of 330 pounds, including fuel and payload, and a minimum range of 1,000 kilometers. The service is looking for the drones to operate “as part of a mesh network” and be deployable from Air Force Special Operations Command fixed-wing aircraft.
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Tag: Long-Range
Vertical Aerospace Announces Development of Long-Range Hybrid Air-Taxi Variant of its VX4
Reuters reports, “Vertical Aerospace said on Monday it is developing a long-range hybrid-electric variant of its air-taxi VX4, aiming to expand into commercial markets including defense and logistics. U.S.-listed shares of the British electric aircraft firm rose more than 6% before the bell.”
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Video
VX4 eVTOL Test Flight
Vertical Aerospace
China, Russia, and US Expected to Renew Long-Range Bomber Fleets
Aviation Week reports, “As of 2022, only three countries continue to operate dedicated long-range bombers – China, Russia and the U.S. – with 518 aircraft in service around the world.” Aviation Week Network “projects the number will increase over the next decade to 574 aircraft as the same three operators modernize and expand their fleets.” The next generation of bombers includes “the Air Force’s B-21 and China’s H-20,” while “the largest single family of bombers in service around the world is the Xian H-6 operated by China, itself a platform that can trace its lineage back 70 years to the first flight of the Tupolev Tu-16 just 12 days after the B-52.”
Full Story (Aviation Week)
US Army Rolls Out Future Long-Range Assault Aircraft Competition
Defense News reports that the US Army “has launched its future long-range assault aircraft competition, quietly releasing a request for proposals limited to two industry teams.” The Army also has “homed in on a schedule to deliver FLRAA prototypes after debating two different options to stay on schedule.” The service “will choose a winner – after a faceoff between Textron’s Bell and a Sikorsky-Boeing team – in the third quarter of fiscal 2022.” It “appears the service is requiring prototype delivery to start in the third quarter of FY25 and wrap up a year later, according to a review of FY22 budget documents.”
Full Story (Defense News)