House and Senate versions of the FY2026 NDAA offer competing visions for the Air Force’s refueling fleet, threatening to ...

The Air Force may have to keep its aging KC-135 tankers flying beyond their planned 2050 retirement, depending on how many new tankers it buys in coming years and whether a next-generation refueling ...

The U.S. Air Force has contracted Merlin Labs to develop and integrate self-flying technology into its tanker fleet, initially focusing on the KC-135 for aerial refueling and other missions. The ...

Acceptance of the "airworthiness plan" allows the KC-135 autonomous flight test program to get underway, Merlin said. [Courtesy: U.S. Air Force] The U.S. Air Force has signed off on a plan to put AI ...

ANDREWS AFB, Maryland—Enabling communications between different platforms is a persistent challenge across the Joint Force. The U.S. Air Force believes it has a solution: turn the legacy KC-135 tanker ...

A Boeing KC-46 on the runway at Pease ANGB, New Hampshire, in September. Credit: Air National Guard GRAPEVINE, Texas—Final deliveries of U.S. Air Force-purchased KC-46s are expected in 2031, two years ...

The US Air Force’s newest aerial tanker, the Boeing KC-46 Pegasus, has encountered a roadblock with the congressional oversight that approves budgets and procurement. The projected procurement in 2026 ...

Real-time flight data is critical to progressing the design, integration, and eventual flight demonstrations of the Merlin Pilot, in addition to informing the planned Next Generation Air-Refueling ...

An unclassified U.S. Air Force report, mandated by the 2025 NDAA, included figures of the required combat fleet, calling for an increase of nearly 300 ...

The U.S. Air Forces Northern conducted a dynamic operational exercise with Denmark from October 7 to 11 at Pituffik Space ...

BOSTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Headline and photo caption should read: "Merlin Kicks Off KC-135 Test Flight Campaign with SNC to Progress Autonomous Capabilities for the United States Air Force" (instead of ...