A Forecast International blog about the arms trade, geopolitics, defense and security, and military spending.
The U.S. Air Force wants to retire its entire fleet of 162 A-10C Warthog attack jets during fiscal year 2026. This move is a component of a larger strategy to …
The Pentagon Offers Early Retirement for Remaining A-10 Fleet Read More
The Air Force is officially recommending the cancellation of the Boeing E-7 Wedgetail program in its new FY26 budget request, arguing that the aircraft cannot survive in contested airspace against …
USAF Cancels Boeing E-7A Wedgetail Program Read More
In 2024, the U.S. Air Force and State Department authorized over $30 billion in contracts and Foreign Military Sales (FMS) focused on precision-guided munitions (PGMs). These agreements included seven critical …
U.S. Sees Surge in Small Diameter Bomb Acquisitions Read More
Sierra Nevada Corporation (SNC) has been selected to replace the US Air Force’s “Doomsday” planes. Under a $13 billion contract, SNC will replace the service’s aging fleet of four E-4B …
Sierra Nevada Awarded $13 billion to Build New ‘Doomsday’ Plane Read More
BY AUDREY DECKER, Staff Writer, Defense One The Air Force’s new T-7A pilot training jet won’t be ready for initial operations until 2028, documents show, putting the program another year …
Air Force’s T-7 Trainer Delayed Another Year Read More
ELLSWORTH AIR FORCE BASE, S.D — A U.S. Air Force B-1B Lancer bomber crashed on January 4th, 2024, while attempting to land at Ellsworth Air Force Base in South Dakota. …
B-1B Lancer Crashes at Ellsworth Air Force Base Read More
By C. Zachary Hofer and Carter Palmer From the end of January and into February, an uncommon object captured the attention of observers around the globe, but probably none more …
Balloon vs. Satellite; China and Its Wayward Balloon Read More
Five companies have been awarded contracts for the USAF Next Generation Adaptive Propulsion (NGAP) program. This 10-year, near $5 billion effort seeks to develop a prototype engine for a next-generation …
Five Companies Selected for $975 Million USAF Next Generation Adaptive Propulsion Program Read More
by Andrew Dardine, Military Electronics Analyst, Forecast International. The Compass Call electronic countermeasures program will receive steady funding over the next several years for ongoing procurement of mission equipment, RDT&E …
With New Platform in the Wings, Key Air Force EW Program Continues to Fly High Read Moreby Bill Ostrove, Space Systems Analyst, Forecast International. The U.S. Air Force has awarded three companies a combined $2.3 billion in contracts to help fund the development of new launch …
USAF Awards $2.3 Billion to Develop New Launch Vehicles Read More