Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL)

Apr- 2026 -

10 April

Soldier holding a device with medical data

US Air Force Taps AeroVironment for $25M Health and Performance Tech Push

AeroVironment division UES has received a $25-million contract to support the US Air Force Research Laboratory in developing human health and performance capabilities.

Feb- 2026 -

18 February

Americas

Personnel lifting a thin-film lithium niobate (TFLN) wafer

Rojoef Manuel

AFRL Taps Raytheon to Launch Photonics Wafer Production Line

The US Air Force Research Laboratory has awarded Raytheon a contract to establish a local production line for thin-film lithium niobate wafers in support of advanced sensing and communications solutions.

Jan- 2026 -

16 January

Americas

Syracuse Research Corporation develops embedded AI and machine learning tools.

Giulia Bernacchi

Syracuse Lands $24M US Contract to Advance Embedded AI for Defense

Syracuse has received a $24-million contract from the US Air Force Research Laboratory to push next-generation embedded AI.

Oct- 2025 -

2 October

Americas

High-power laser used for High-Performance Electromagnetic Spectrum Survivable Materials Advancement (HELMSSMAN) by the U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in Dayton, Ohio

Rojoef Manuel

US Air Force Taps AeroVironment for Electromagnetic Shielding Tech Push

AeroVironment has been selected for a $499-million contract with the US Air Force Research Laboratory to develop capabilities that can shield troops and equipment from harmful electromagnetic radiation.

Sep- 2025 -

19 September

Air

Rojoef Manuel

US Air Force Taps Machina Labs for AI-Driven Aircraft Parts Production

Machina Labs has received a multi-year contract from the US Air Force Research Laboratory to apply artificial intelligence in producing metal components for military aircraft.

12 September

Americas

BAE Systems’ FAST Labs™ organization and AFRL sign a Cooperative Research and Development Agreement to advance the development of quantum technology.

Rojoef Manuel

BAE Systems, AFRL Ink Three-Year Deal on Quantum Sensing and Networking

BAE Systems’ FAST Labs and the Air Force Research Laboratory have signed a three-year agreement to advance quantum sensing and networking.

11 September

Air

Inder Singh Bisht

USAF Explores Atomic Clock Precision to Coordinate GPS-Denied Drone Swarms

The USAF has requested an atomic clock technology to enhance the coordination of drone swarms operating in GPS-denied environments.

Aug- 2025 -

15 August

Americas

An artistic rendering depicts the Air Force Research Laboratory, or AFRL’s, Navigation Technology Satellite-3, or NTS-3, in simulated geosynchronous orbit. NTS-3, an experimental platform designed to demonstrate technologies to increase resiliency, robustness and reprogrammability of Position, Navigation, and Timing functionality in space, will be on display at AFRL’s “Engine to Accelerate” booths at the 2024 Air and Space Forces Association’s Air, Space and Cyber Conference Sept. 16-18, 2024, in National Harbor, Maryland. AFRL is accelerating innovation by transforming the satellite navigation architecture to be reprogrammable both on-orbit and in the field, which enables new capabilities to support the warfighter faster through software updates. Like downloading a new app on your smartphone, this means that new satellites will not need to be launched to upgrade the signals, and that warfighters will not need to purchase and deploy new hardware to take advantage of upgraded signals. NTS-3 will mature technologies like the advanced timekeeping system that can detect and mitigate atomic clock faults without direct operator intervention. NTS-3's software-defined receiver, known as Global Navigation Satellite System Test Architecture, can receive and process new navigation signals that improve performance for U.S. forces in the presence of GPS interference or spoofing (a process by which users are sent inaccurate signals telling them that they are in the incorrect time and place). NTS-3 is anticipated to launch in late 2024. (Courtesy photo illustration)

Rojoef Manuel

AFRL Launches Experimental Satellite Into Orbit to Secure Navigational Edge

The US Air Force Research Laboratory has taken a major step toward securing the nation’s navigation advantage with the launch of the Navigation Technology Satellite-3 (NTS-3) aboard a United Launch Alliance Vulcan rocket in Florida.

Jul- 2025 -

18 July

Technology

Akhsan Erido Elezhar

New Laser Tech From Illinois Could Boost Future Drone and Missile Defenses

Engineers at the University of Illinois have developed a next-gen laser component that could improve missile defenses, power directed-energy systems, and enhance laser-based sensing on drones.

May- 2025 -

9 May

Air

Joe Saballa

US Air Force to Test Rocket-Based Cargo Delivery With Rocket Lab’s Neutron

The US Air Force Research Laboratory has selected Rocket Lab’s Neutron rocket to explore the potential of rapid, rocket-based cargo delivery to anywhere on Earth.

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