The U.S. Air Force (USAF) plays a significant role in the space industry, historically serving as the Department of Defense's executive agent for space, and developing early military space programs and launch vehicles. Although the U.S. Space Force was established as an independent branch in 2019, the Air Force continues to contribute to space operations, including training personnel, research and development, and maintaining partnerships. The USAF's space-related activities encompass satellite operations, missile warning, communication support, and collaboration with allies to ensure regional stability. Key partners include the U.S. Space Force, other branches of the military, and international allies.
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The personnel increase would add 9,900 positions to the Air Force and 2,800 positions to the Space Force.
Optech’s lidar was used for U.S. Air Force XSS-11 space rendezvous operations after the satellite launched in 2005.
The fiscal year 2027 Air Force budget proposes $2.7 billion for the Collaborative Combat Aircraft program, an increase of $1.7 billion.
The Air Force budget request for fiscal year 2027 includes additional funding to accelerate development of the F-47 fighter.
The fiscal year 2027 Air Force budget includes $2 billion for exercises and training, including large-scale exercises involving both the Air Force and the Space Force.
The proposed budget allocates $267.7 billion for the Air Force and $71.1 billion for the Space Force.
The fiscal year 2027 Air Force budget includes $7.4 billion to buy 38 F-35 aircraft, an increase of $1.1 billion.
The fiscal year 2027 budget request includes $2.5 billion for personnel to increase Air Force and Space Force manpower by 12,700 positions.
The Air Force budget includes $600 million to develop a family of low-cost mass munitions.
The fiscal year 2027 Air Force budget includes $7 billion to continue construction of the B-21 bomber.
The U.S. Air Force awarded PlanetiQ a $15 million, 48-month Strategic Funding Increase (STRATFI) contract to support development and launch of spacecraft that will deliver weather data.
PlanetiQ’s STRATFI work will support artificial intelligence model training, data assimilation, and performance evaluation across the Department of the Air Force.
The Department of the Air Force fielded AEP in 2007 to replace the mainframe-based GPS master control system.
The Department of the Air Force will consolidate portfolios inside program acquisition executives to deliver integrated capability end to end.
Secretary of the Air Force Dr. Troy Meink said a queue of Space Force programs is ready to obligate when new budget authority reaches the field.
The Department of the Air Force is standardizing its acquisition structure around a program acquisition executive model patterned on the Space Development Agency.
The Department of the Air Force awarded multiple vendors a contract for space-based air moving target indication development activities.
The Department of the Air Force has on-orbit data showing that space-based air moving target indication technology and physics work.
Before becoming a taikonaut, Zhang Lu served in the People’s Liberation Army Air Force and reached the rank of Senior Colonel.
The Department of the Air Force plans to add more providers to the space-based air moving target indication program during continued development.