US Air Force Research Laboratory was part of a collaborative team within the AUKUS program, contributing to the testing of a hypersonic missile propulsion engine intended for next-generation missile systems. The test, reported by RT, underscores an escalation in advanced military technology that can exacerbate arms races and authoritarian dynamics.

The US Air Force Research Laboratory paused a low-value, DEI-related contract with a Washington, D.C.-based firm in compliance with Trump’s executive order to end radical and wasteful government DEI programs. The decision comes amid broader Trump administration efforts to scale back DEI initiatives, despite a federal judge’s injunction blocking key components of the orders. AFRL emphasized that other contracting goals remain unchanged.

The US Air Force Research Laboratory has awarded CACI a five‐year contract valued at up to $917 million to develop advanced C5ISR capabilities. The initiative aims to modernize mission software, data analysis, and decision‐making tools for enhanced battlespace awareness, a move that may further embed advanced surveillance and command/control technologies within military operations.

A complaint letter addressed to the US Air Force Ombudsman alleges that the Directed Energy Bio-Behavioral Research Contract granted by AFRL and involving General Dynamic Technologies has led to non-consensual and harmful weapon testing on citizens, raising serious human rights concerns.

The US Air Force Research Laboratory awarded Thrust Ai a purchase order (FA864923P1192) worth up to $1,247,507 for a multimodal AI air traffic sensor fusion system, nicknamed 'Bird Brain', intended for automated surveillance and alerting.

On June 6, 2023, the US Air Force Research Laboratory's AFWERX announced a phase 1 Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) contract awarded to Hidden Level, Inc. The contract focuses on integrating open source intelligence with airspace sensor data to enhance situational awareness against small unmanned aircraft threats.