News archive: Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) | Airframer

21 July

ReleaseElectra to usher in the next era of aviation with advanced production facility in Springfield, Ohio

24 June

Designed to operate alongside crewed fighters, CCA are intended to extend combat mass, survivability and situational awareness in contested environments through human-machine teaming.

U.S. Air Force awards production contracts for CCA development

General Atomics, Anduril and three autonomy software providers have secured key production awards as the Air Force pushes to field Collaborative Combat Aircraft by 2030.

19 June

ReleaseVigilant Aerospace demonstrates onboard detect-and-avoid with new FlightHorizon PILOT developments and flight tests

16 June

ReleaseDawn Aerospace closes US$25 million Series B to accelerate global expansion of reusable space transportation

28 May

ReleaseAV awarded $20 million contract to advance ceramic materials research for the U.S. Air Force and Space Force

19 May

ReleaseGE Aerospace awarded U.S. Air Force contract to advance GE426 engine for Autonomous Collaborative Platform

6 May

DARPA and Northrop Grumman fly XRQ-73 hybrid-electric demonstrator

Hybrid-electric flight testing at Edwards Air Force Base has advanced efforts to develop lower-emission military aircraft with greater operational flexibility.

30 April

ReleaseStarfighters Space announces availability of airborne aerodynamic test platform for U.S. defense and aerospace community

16 April

The effort aims to move LMD-w from development into practical aerospace production environments.

GKN begins $8.4m programme to develop titanium structures

Collaboration with US Air Force labs is set to test whether wire-based additive manufacturing can be used for large structural components.

5 March

ReleaseDCS Corporation acquires ARCTOS, LLC

26 February

The YFQ-42A completed a four-hour autonomous flight managed by a ground-based human operator.

GA-ASI names YFQ-42A Dark Merlin and completes autonomous tests

The designation reflects fighter and uncrewed status, while recent flights demonstrated mission autonomy software in four-hour test operations.

19 February

The achievement forms part of an accelerated YFQ-42A development schedule that began in August 2025 and has already included multiple aircraft builds and autonomous take-offs and landings.

GA-ASI advances YFQ-42A autonomy with Collins Sidekick

The four-hour airborne mission validated third-party software operating through A-GRA within the Collaborative Combat Aircraft programme.

12 February

NCAMP approval enables manufacturers to cut certification risk and accelerate time to market.

Toray earns NCAMP qualification for toughened 3960 prepreg

The material passed multi-format testing, establishing an FAA-recognised baseline for structural composite applications in aircraft and spacecraft platforms.

4 February

ReleaseMachina Labs raises $124 million to scale manufacturing infrastructure for defense and advanced mobility

17 December

The F-16 Block 70 combines a modern digital cockpit with a 12,000-hour service life to support long-term operational demands.

Lockheed completes initial F-16s for Bulgaria and Slovakia

The finished aircraft strengthen NATO interoperability while advancing national air defence modernisation plans across both air forces.

3 December

ReleaseElectra launches Defense unit to deliver next generation airlift solutions for the last tactical leg

24 November

ReleaseIonQ and Heven AeroTech partner to develop quantum-enabled drones for national security applications

18 November

ReleaseUrsa Major raises $100 million to scale hypersonics, solid rocket motors and space mobility

5 November

GEK800 undergoing induced stall and exhaust flame durability testing during limits evaluation at Purdue University’s Zucrow Laboratories.

Kratos and GE Aerospace complete altitude testing on GEK800

The GEK800 engine underwent successful altitude, durability and limits testing at Purdue’s Zucrow Laboratories, marking the first test at the recently expanded ZL9 facility.

2 October

ReleaseTidal Flight awarded AFWERX Direct to Phase II contract to further development of the Polaris hybrid-electric amphibious aircraft

2 October

Electra expands facilities for EL9 Ultra Short development

The company has added hangar and office space in Virginia and expanded its Swiss centre, supporting the growth of its hybrid-electric EL9.

1 October

ReleaseQuesTek expands ICMD software platform with new additive manufacturing modeling capabilities

23 September

ReleaseKratos and GE Aerospace’s small engine testing gains altitude

12 September

ReleaseIstari Digital and AFRL expand partnership to advance digitally-certified aircraft development

9 September

ReleaseHexcel and A&P Technology collaborate with NIAR to develop an FAA certification framework for overbraided structures

5 August

ReleaseVerdeGo Aero awarded Phase III SBIR by USAF for maturation of the VH-4T hybrid-electric powerplant

28 July

ReleaseBoeing-built X-37B spaceplane set for eighth mission

17 July

General Atomics Aeronautical Systems unmanned jets include the MQ-20 Avenger, XQ-67A and YFQ-42A.

XQ-67A combines autonomy with tactical datalinks in desert testing

Test flights have demonstrated that the combat aerial vehicle could work in real time with both piloted and autonomous systems.

9 June

ReleaseSkyways secures $37 million US Air Force contract to rapidly scale autonomous cargo drones

21 May

GA-ASI moves into ground testing of CCA contender

Ground testing of the YFQ-42A production-representative test vehicle is vital preparation ahead of its planned first flight later this summer.

6 May

ReleaseDistribute logistics, save fuel, sustain airpower

1 May

ReleaseAFRL awards Ursa Major $28.6M contract for responsive space, hypersonic, and on-orbit propulsion

25 March

ReleaseZeroAvia awarded U.S. Air Force grant for an autonomous hydrogen-electric aircraft

3 March

ReleaseGA-ASI welcomes USAF designation for new CCA: YFQ-42A

19 February

ReleaseNIAR develops novel overmolded thermoplastic production process for EVTOL applications

12 February

ReleaseSierra Space completes test campaign on next generation Vortex 35,000 lbf fuel-rich LOX LH2 engine

3 February

ReleaseTraverse Aero secures U.S. Air Force contract to advance Orca hybrid eVTOL cargo drone

27 January

ReleaseDeltaHawk awarded hybrid-electric technology innovation SBIR by USAF

14 January

ReleaseSpokane-Coeur d’Alene Aerospace Tech Hub announces over $50M in funding

25 November

ReleaseNominal awarded U.S. Air Force SBIR Phase 2 contract to enhance hypersonic systems development

20 November

A Silent Arrow GD-2000 carrying a 1,000-pound payload is loaded aboard an MC-130J for deployment in the INDOPACOM AOR with a United States partner nation.

Silent Arrow wins Air Force contract for contested logistics drone

Whereas the GD-2000 is an unpowered glider, the new CLS-200 can travel six times as far by using an innovative propulsion unit and propeller that are inexpensive enough to allow the drone to be single-use.

12 November

ReleaseEaton selected by the United States Air Force Research Laboratory to design innovative aerial refueling system

1 November

ReleaseStavatti submits SM-100 as a solution to USAF NGIA RFI

10 October

The powered Silent Arrow CLS-300 is based on the foundational engineering of the Silent Arrow GD-2000, the first attritable, autonomous heavy payload cargo delivery drone to enter mass production.

Silent Arrow wins contract to build loitering cargo drone

The company will build on Phase I propulsion test success to prepare a number of full-scale aircraft for flight tests in Q3 and Q4 of 2025.

18 July

ReleasePteroDynamics wins $1.9 million tactical funding increase to expand work on existing U.S. Air Force SBIR contract

26 June

The Series Hybrid Electric Propulsion AiRcraft Demonstration program, known as SHEPARD, sees its hybrid-electric uncrewed aircraft system (UAS) receive its official X-plane designation, XRQ-73.

DARPA dubs its newest X-plane XRQ-73

The XRQ-73 aircraft will be a Group 3 UAS weighing approximately 1,250 pounds, which draws on the earlier AFRL/IARPA Great Horned Owl (GHO) project. First flight is expected by year-end 2024.