Lockheed Martin revealed a production-representative scale model of "Raptor 2.0" at this week's AFA Warfare Symposium, offering the most detailed look yet at the fighter's new low-observable external fuel tanks and underwing infrared search and track (IRST) pods. Six flight tests, wind tunnel testing, and ground evaluations are already complete, with an F-22 photographed in the full configuration near Mojave in March 2024.

The faceted fuel tanks address the F-22's well-known range limitation for Indo-Pacific operations. Unlike the current 600-gallon external tanks, they are designed to preserve the jet's low radar signature and can be carried into contested airspace. Lockheed Martin expects squadron deliveries by the end of March 2026. The IRST pods, positioned outboard of the tanks, add passive infrared detection — a capability originally planned for the Raptor but dropped during development to reduce costs. The sensor is now seen as critical for detecting low-observable aircraft. Operational IRST testing is scheduled for Q4 FY2026, with additional upgrades to processing power, radar, communications, and defensive systems also part of the package.

During a Feb. 24 flight test, Anduril's YFQ-44A collaborative combat aircraft completed a series of test cards using Shield AI's Hivemind mission autonomy software, then seamlessly transitioned to Anduril's Lattice for Mission Autonomy to repeat the same points, all without landing. Col. Timothy Helfrich, the Air Force's portfolio acquisition executive for fighters and advanced aircraft, confirmed the milestone at AFA's Warfare Symposium. The test demonstrates the Air Force's Autonomy Government Reference Architecture, which treats mission AI as swappable software separate from the drone's flight systems. General Atomics' YFQ-42A completed its own mission autonomy flight with Collins Aerospace's Sidekick software on Feb. 12, meaning both CCA vendors are now flying with integrated AI. A production decision is expected this year.

The U.S. Air Force and Northrop Grumman have finalized a $4.5 billion agreement to increase B-21 Raider production capacity by 25%. The funding, drawn from the 2025 congressional reconciliation package, will compress the delivery timeline for the next-generation stealth bomber. The first operational aircraft is on track to arrive at Ellsworth Air Force Base, South Dakota, in 2027. Five low-rate initial production lots totaling 21 aircraft are already underway at Northrop's Palmdale, California facility, with multiple airframes currently in flight test. The program of record remains at a minimum of 100 bombers, though some officials and analysts have pushed for a fleet of up to 200. Northrop has invested over $5 billion in digital engineering and manufacturing infrastructure to support the ramp-up.

The Israeli Air Force will integrate Elbit Systems' Helmet Display and Tracking System (HDTS) across its UH-60 Yanshuf helicopter fleet. The system overlays 3D synthetic vision symbology onto the pilot's visor using line-of-sight head tracking, displaying terrain, obstacles, and flight plan data in real time without requiring pilots to look down at cockpit instruments. A dedicated brownout mode generates a synthetic landing zone display when rotor wash obscures the ground during approach — a scenario responsible for numerous helicopter incidents across militaries worldwide. The HDTS is already fielded on other aircraft platforms and integrates multi-sensor data to support operations in dust, fog, smoke, and night conditions.

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