U.S. Air Force (Page 2)

Latest in U.S. Air Force

FARP in Iran set up by special tactics squadron airman during WSO rescue.
U.S. Air Force

How A Dusty Strip Deep In Iran Can Be Turned Into A U.S. Special Operations Base In Hours

By Howard Altman

Posted on Apr 6, 2026

B-52 epic fury mission.
U.S. Air Force

Iran Rejects Ceasefire Deal (Updated)

By Thomas Newdick

Posted on Apr 6, 2026

Iran claims it shot down a fighter over Iran showing wreckage on an F-15E.
U.S. Air Force

F-15E Down In Iran, Rescue Operation Ongoing (Updated)

By Thomas Newdick, Tyler Rogoway, Howard Altman

Updated on Apr 4, 2026

A front view of an SR-71 aircraft assigned to Detachment 4, 9th Strategic Reconnaissance Wing, as it prepares for takeoff.
U.S. Air Force

SR-71 Blackbird Crews Had These Custom Smith & Wesson Pistols Built For Them

By Thomas Newdick

Posted on Apr 3, 2026

A photographer on a flight over Greenville, Texas, captured an especially good look at one of the U.S. Air Force's RC-135V/W Rivet Joint aircraft with its usual paint scheme completely stripped off.
U.S. Air Force

RC-135 Rivet Joint Surveillance Jet Caught ‘In The Nude’ In Texas

By Joseph Trevithick, Howard Altman

Posted on Apr 2, 2026

The U.S. Air Force's highly secretive NT-43A radar cross-section measurement platform is supporting the launch of NASA's Artemis II space mission, and this reflects the start of an entirely new stage in the career of the notoriously shy aircraft.
U.S. Air Force

Secretive 737 Radar Jet ‘RAT55’ Has Begun “The Next Phase Of Its Career”

By Joseph Trevithick, Howard Altman

Updated on Apr 2, 2026

The U.S. Air Force Materiel Command’s highly secretive NT-43A has been spotted in Florida, apparently taking part in the preparations for the launch of NASA's long-delayed Artemis II lunar space mission.
U.S. Air Force

World’s Most Secretive 737 Is Supporting NASA’s Historic Artemis II Launch

By Thomas Newdick, Joseph Trevithick

Posted on Apr 1, 2026

U.S. Air Force EA-37B Compass Call arrives at RAF Mildenhall on March 30, 2026.
U.S. Air Force

New EA-37B Compass Call Electronic Warfare Jets Cross Atlantic, Middle East Next? (Updated)

By Thomas Newdick, Howard Howard Altman

Updated on Mar 31, 2026

Rapidly fielding more hardened shelters to better protect U.S. forces at bases in the Middle East is a top priority, according to Secretary of War Pete Hegseth.
U.S. Air Force

Bunkers For U.S. Bases In Middle East Now A Top Priority For Pentagon

By Joseph Trevithick

Posted on Mar 31, 2026

A retired Air Force tanker pilot and wing commander offers insights into what it will take to fight China
U.S. Air Force

Former KC-135 Wing Commander On What It Will Take To Fuel A Fight Against China

By Howard Altman

Updated on Mar 31, 2026

A KC-135T Stratotanker from the 171st Aerial Refueling Squadron of the 127th Wing at Selfridge Air National Guard Base, Michigan, readies to refuel an A-10C from the 107th Fighter Squadron, also from Selfridge, on an aerial refueling sortie June 27, 2023. In addition to routine aerial refueling training in all conditions, aircraft from the 127th Wing commemorated the 100-year anniversary of the first aerial refueling conducted on June 27, 1923.
U.S. Air Force

Dozens Of A-10 Warthogs Appear Poised To Join Epic Fury

By Thomas Newdick

Updated on Mar 30, 2026

CENTCOM is seeking an underground hardened facility at Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar.
U.S. Air Force

Hardened Underground Facilities Now Being Sought For Al Udeid Air Base

By Howard Altman

Posted on Mar 27, 2026

Iran says the US is dropping mines from the air on its missile facilities.
U.S. Air Force

Is The U.S. Dropping Mines To Stop Iranian Missile Launchers?

By Howard Altman, Joseph Trevithick, Tyler Rogoway

Updated on Mar 27, 2026

KC-135 is being used heavily in Operation Epic Fury.
U.S. Air Force

Veteran KC-135 Base Commander’s View Of Epic Fury’s Strain On The Tanker Force

By Howard Altman

Posted on Mar 26, 2026

F-22 Raptor “2.0” Spotted Undergoing Flight Testing
U.S. Air Force

F-22 Raptor “2.0” Spotted Undergoing Flight Testing

By Joseph Trevithick, Howard Altman

Updated on Mar 23, 2026

The U.S. Air Force has confirmed that it has, for the first time, used its new 5,000-pound-class GBU-72/B bunker-buster bomb in combat.
U.S. Air Force

U.S. Used Its New 5,000-Pound Bunker Busters To Hit Iranian Anti-Ship Missile Sites: Reports

By Thomas Newdick, Joseph Trevithick

Posted on Mar 18, 2026

A KC-135 refueling tanker crashed in Iraq, according to CENTCOM.
U.S. Air Force

KC-135 Tanker Crashes In Iraq During Operation Epic Fury Sortie (Updated)

By Howard Altman, Thomas Newdick, Joseph Joseph Trevithick

Updated on Mar 13, 2026

B-1B bomber used to strike Iran from RAF Fairford.
U.S. Air Force

Epic Fury Day 11: U.S. Promises “Most Intense Day Of Strikes” On Iran

By Thomas Newdick, Tyler Rogoway

Updated on Mar 10, 2026

Kuwait F/A-18 shoot down up for debate.
U.S. Air Force

Kuwaiti F/A-18’s Triple Friendly Fire Shootdown Gets Stranger By The Day

By Thomas Newdick

Posted on Mar 6, 2026

U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) has denied claims circulating online of the loss of another F-15E Strike Eagle, this time over enemy territory, as part of ongoing operations against Iran.
U.S. Air Force

U.S. Denies F-15E Strike Eagle Went Down In Iran

By Howard Altman, Joseph Trevithick

Updated on Mar 5, 2026

Iran appears to be increasingly focusing its retaliatory attacks against energy production infrastructure in Gulf Arab States.
U.S. Air Force

Gulf Arab States Under Pressure As Iranian Attacks Grind On (Updated)

By Joseph Trevithick, Thomas Newdick, Howard Altman

Updated on Mar 4, 2026

A U.S. Marine Corps F/A-18C Hornet assigned to Carrier Air Wing 17, deployed aboard the aircraft carrier USS Nimitz (CVN 68), flies over the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility during a mission in support of Operation Inherent Resolve Sept. 28, 2020. The F/A-18 is a highly versatile aircraft due to its avionics, cockpit displays, aerodynamic characteristics, and its ability to carry a wide variety of weapons. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Duncan C. Bevan)
U.S. Air Force

Friendly-Fire Incidents Are Nothing New In Modern Air Warfare

By Thomas Newdick

Posted on Mar 2, 2026

The U.S. Air Force now has at least 14 aerial refueling tankers forward-deployed in Israel ahead of potential strikes on Iran.
U.S. Air Force

Israel’s Fighter Force Stands To Be Far More Effective With Full USAF Tanker Support In A War With Iran

By Joseph Trevithick

Posted on Feb 28, 2026

Substantial demands placed on the relatively small B-52 create additional challenges when it comes to planning how to get those upgrades into service on operational aircraft.
U.S. Air Force

Small B-52 Fleet Size Creates Challenges For Engine, Radar Upgrade Plans

By Joseph Trevithick

Posted on Feb 27, 2026

EA-37B Compass call next generation electronic attack jet.
U.S. Air Force

This Is What The EA-37B Compass Call Electronic Attack Jet Can Actually Do

By Thomas Newdick

Posted on Feb 26, 2026

USS Ford heads to Israel. (U.S. Navy photo)
U.S. Air Force

USS Gerald R. Ford’s Imminent Arrival Off Israel Comes As Negotiations Grind On

By Howard Altman

Posted on Feb 26, 2026

U.S. Airmen assigned to the Florida Air National Guard’s 125th Fighter Wing arrive for Agile Combat Employment (ACE) training at Tyndall Air Force Base, Florida, Feb. 10, 2026. The 125th Fighter Wing accelerated its readiness timeframe ahead of a mission conversion deadline by deploying eight F-35A Lightning II aircraft, establishing joint-component interoperability with two active-duty U.S. Air Force units under the ACE concept.
U.S. Air Force

Former Air Force Fighter Pilot And F-35 Instructor Charged With Training Chinese Military 

By Thomas Newdick

Posted on Feb 26, 2026

A U.S. Air Force F-15EX Eagle II flies over the Gulf of America, September 16, 2025. The F-15EX, from the 40th Flight Test Squadron at Eglin Air Force Base, Florida, is one of the first F-15EXs in the Air Force, and is going through developmental and operational test series at Eglin to prepare the platform to be delivered to the warfighter.  
U.S. Air Force

General Running Air Force Reserve Wants Surplus F-15E Strike Eagles, New F-15EX Eagle IIs

By Thomas Newdick

Posted on Feb 25, 2026

As well as a second aircraft carrier, the USS Gerald Ford, U.S. Air Force F-22 Raptors have also arrived in theater, according to multiple reports. The stealth jets took off from RAF Lakenheath in England yesterday, confirmed by open-source flight tracking data and aircraft spotters, and are now at an Israeli Air Force base in the south of Israel.
U.S. Air Force

F-16s Arrive To Protect Diego Garcia, F-22s Forward Deploy To Israel

By Thomas Newdick

Posted on Feb 25, 2026

Lockheed Martin has presented a scale model of the new-look F-22 Raptor fitted with stealthy external fuel tanks and underwing infrared sensor pods. Up to this point, the fuel tanks had been seen in renderings as well as at least one long-distance photo that revealed little in the way of details. The sensor pods had previously been seen at closer quarters during flight testing, as you can read about here.
U.S. Air Force

Upgraded F-22 “Raptor 2.0” Details Seen In New Model

By Thomas Newdick

Posted on Feb 24, 2026

The official target size of the future B-21 Raider fleet remains 100 aircraft, despite an announcement that production of the stealth bomber is expanding, a U.S. Air Force official has confirmed to TWZ.
U.S. Air Force

100 B-21 Stealth Bomber Fleet Size Target Unchanged For Now Despite Production Acceleration

By Joseph Trevithick, Howard Altman

Posted on Feb 24, 2026

The U.S. Air Force has given us our first look at one of Anduril's YFQ-44 Fury ‘fighter drone’ prototypes carrying an inert AIM-120 Advanced Medium Range Air-to-Air Missile (AMRAAM).
U.S. Air Force

Anduril’s Fury Collaborative Combat Aircraft Is Now Flying With AIM-120 AMRAAM

By Joseph Trevithick

Updated on Feb 24, 2026

Four C-17 Globemaster III aircraft assigned to the 911th Airlift Wing perform an elephant walk at the Pittsburgh International Airport Air Reserve Station, Pennsylvania, July 18, 2023. Elephant walks demonstrate the teamwork and capability of the 911th AW to perform rapid large-force to defend, mobilize and fight. (U.S. Air Force photo by Master Sgt. Jeffrey Grossi)
U.S. Air Force

Straight Talk On State Of U.S. Airlift Capabilities From General Who Ran Air Mobility Command

By Howard Altman, Tyler Rogoway

Updated on Feb 23, 2026

USS gerald R Ford has entered the Mediterranean.
U.S. Air Force

Supercarrier USS Gerald R. Ford Has Crossed Into The Mediterranean

By Howard Altman, Tyler Rogoway

Posted on Feb 20, 2026

A decision by the U.K. to block U.S. access to two key bases for an attack on Iran could impact President Donald Trump's plans.
U.S. Air Force

U.K. Denying U.S. Use Of Key Bases Would Impact Bombers’ Role In Iran Air Campaign

By Howard Altman

Posted on Feb 19, 2026

The construction of new silos for the U.S. Air Force's future LGM-35A Sentinel intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBM) means that units charged with defending them will have to update their tactics, techniques, and procedures (TTPs).
U.S. Air Force

Security Forces Guarding ICBMs Need Fresh Tactics To Defend New Sentinel Silos

By Joseph Trevithick

Posted on Feb 19, 2026

In the past two days, the U.S. Air Force has sent six of its 16 E-3 Sentry Airborne Warning and Control System (AWACS) radar planes to bases in Europe.
U.S. Air Force

Major Deployment Of Rickety E-3 Sentry Fleet For Iran Crisis Highlights Worrisome Gaps

By Joseph Trevithick, Tyler Rogoway

Posted on Feb 18, 2026

General Atomics' air-launched LongShort drone has made new progress toward its first flight with the completion of various tests on the ground, including a demonstration of its weapons release capabilities.
U.S. Air Force

X-68A LongShot Air-To-Air Missile-Carrying Drone Moves Closer To F-15 Launch

By Joseph Trevithick

Posted on Feb 17, 2026

A U.S. Air Force E-3 Sentry, airborne warning and control system (AWACS).
U.S. Air Force

Final Pieces Moving Into Place For Potential Attack On Iran

By Howard Altman

Updated on Feb 17, 2026

One of the U.S. Air Force's C-32A VIP aircraft has re-emerged wearing a new red, white, and blue paint scheme.
U.S. Air Force

C-32A ‘Air Force Two’ Jet Emerges Wearing Trump’s New Air Force One Paint Job (Updated)

By Joseph Trevithick

Posted on Feb 17, 2026

F-16 intercept
U.S. Air Force

F-16s Find Balloons, Not UFOs, After Sunday Scramble: NORAD

By Howard Altman

Posted on Feb 16, 2026

Last year, the U.S. government was able to reverse engineer a critical subcomponent for the 30,000-pound GBU-57/B Massive Ordnance Penetrator (MOP) bunker buster bomb by leveraging technology from the Army Tactical Missile System (ATACMS) short-range ballistic missile.
U.S. Air Force

New GBU-57 Massive Ordnance Penetrator Parts Reverse Engineered From ATACMS Ballistic Missile Tech

By Joseph Trevithick

Updated on Feb 16, 2026

The U.S. Air Force is exploring new ways to protect aerial refueling tankers and other high-value support aircraft by physically defeating incoming threats rather than trying to jam them or otherwise throw them off course.
U.S. Air Force

Mini Missiles Used To Shoot Down Incoming Missiles Eyed For USAF Tanker Fleet

By Joseph Trevithick

Posted on Feb 13, 2026

The U.S. Air Force has now denied taking delivery of any F-35A Joint Strike Fighters from the latest Lot 17 production batch without radars installed.
U.S. Air Force

Air Force Now Denies Receiving F-35s Without Radars

By Joseph Trevithick

Posted on Feb 13, 2026

U.S. Air Force Global Strike Command says it is prepared to load more warheads onto Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBM) and restore nuclear weapons capability to the entire B-52 bomber fleet, if called upon to do so.
U.S. Air Force

USAF Ready To Make All B-52s Nuclear-Capable, Load ICBMs With Multiple Warheads If Directed

By Joseph Trevithick, Howard Altman

Posted on Feb 12, 2026

As U.S.-Iran talks are set to take place in Oman tomorrow, the region prepares for war.
U.S. Air Force

Middle East Preparing For War Ahead Of U.S.-Iran Negotiations

By Howard Altman

Posted on Feb 5, 2026

KC-46 mishap closes moron
U.S. Air Force

KC-46 Mishap Closes Key European Logistical Hub For U.S. For Days (Updated)

By Howard Altman

Posted on Feb 3, 2026

Jordan, where U.S. F-15E Strike Eagles are base, says the U.S. cannot launch an attack from its country.
U.S. Air Force

Washington-Tehran Talks Planned As U.S. Military Buildup Continues

By Howard Altman

Posted on Feb 3, 2026

F-35s land in the Azores.
U.S. Air Force

USAF F-35s Redeploy Across Atlantic From Puerto Rico, Final Destination Unknown

By Howard Altman

Posted on Jan 29, 2026

The Arleigh Burke class guided missile destroyer USS Delbert D. Black and an Air Force spy plane joined a growing for in the Middle East amid rising tensions with Iran.
U.S. Air Force

Destroyer, Electronic Surveillance Jet Joins U.S. Forces Massing In Middle East

By Howard Altman

Posted on Jan 28, 2026

A U.S. Air Force EA-37B Compass Call aircraft assigned to the 55th Electronic Combat Group at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Arizona, is parked at Ramstein Air Base, Germany, as part of its first stop in the European theater for a scheduled road show, Jan. 26, 2026. The aircraft is also slated to visit Spangdahlem AB, Germany, and RAF Mildenhall, England, marking the platform’s introduction to Airmen, units and NATO Allies in the U.S. Air Forces in Europe area of responsibility. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Edgar Grimaldo)
U.S. Air Force

New EA-37B Compass Call Electronic Warfare Jet Makes Maiden Voyage To Europe

By Howard Altman

Posted on Jan 27, 2026

The U.S. Air Force general who oversees America's intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) force sees a long future ahead for the new LGM-35A Sentinel after it eventually enters service, but has also acknowledged challenges.
U.S. Air Force

Troubled Sentinel ICBM Program Still Being Restructured Nearly Two Years After Cost Breach

By Joseph Trevithick, Howard Altman

Posted on Jan 27, 2026

U.S. Air Force Airmen with the 912th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron prepare to recover the second B-21 Raider to arrive for test and evaluation at Edwards AFB, Calif., Sept. 11, 2025. The arrival of a second test aircraft provides maintainers valuable hands-on experience with tools, data and processes that will support future operational squadrons. (U.S Air Force photo by Kyle Brasier)
U.S. Air Force

B-21 Raider Future Insights From Global Strike Command’s Top General

By Howard Altman, Tyler Rogoway

Posted on Jan 27, 2026

The U.S. Air Force is in the process of taking back responsibility for the Airborne Command Post (ABNCP) mission, better known by the nickname Looking Glass.
U.S. Air Force

New E-4C Doomsday Plane Could Take On Airborne ICBM Launcher Role

By Joseph Trevithick, Howard Altman

Posted on Jan 27, 2026

NASA’s newest F-15Ds arrived at the Armstrong Flight Research Center late last month.
U.S. Air Force

Legacy F-15 Eagles Boost NASA Test Fleet

By Thomas Newdick

Posted on Jan 24, 2026

A new draft defense spending bill making its way through Congress seeks to boost funding for the U.S. Air Force's E-7 Wedgetail airborne early warning and control aircraft to $1.1 billion for the current fiscal year.
U.S. Air Force

E-7 Wedgetail Radar Jet The Pentagon Tried To Cancel Gets Over $1B In New Defense Bill

By Joseph Trevithick

Posted on Jan 21, 2026

160th SOAR took part in operation to strike targets in Venezuela and capture Maduro.
U.S. Air Force

U.S. Has Captured Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro (Updated)

By Tyler Rogoway, Howard Altman Howard Altman

Updated on Jan 3, 2026

A U.S. Air Force EC-130H Compass Call electronic warfare plane was seen landing in Puerto Rico.
U.S. Air Force

EC-130H Compass Call Electronic Warfare Plane Joins Growing U.S. Force In Caribbean

By Howard Altman

Posted on Dec 23, 2025

The U.S. Air Force has formally designated Northrop Grumman’s Project Talon drone as the YFQ-48A and described it as a "strong contender" to be part of its future Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) fleets.
U.S. Air Force

YFQ-48A ‘Fighter Drone’ Designation Given To Northrop Grumman’s Talon By USAF

By Joseph Trevithick

Posted on Dec 22, 2025

A U.S. Air Force E-3 Sentry AWACS aircraft appeared near the Venezuelan coast today
U.S. Air Force

E-3 Sentry Joins U.S. Combat Aircraft Tracked Off Venezuelan Coast

By Howard Altman, Tyler Rogoway

Posted on Dec 19, 2025

The U.S. Air Force has confirmed it is buying two Boeing 747-8 airliners from German flag carrier Lufthansa.
U.S. Air Force

USAF Buying Lufthansa 747s To Serve As Future Air Force One Trainers, Spare Parts Sources

By Joseph Trevithick, Howard Altman

Posted on Dec 17, 2025

A retired Air Force tanker pilot and wing commander offers insights into what it will take to fight China.
U.S. Air Force

More KC-135 Tankers Deploy To The Caribbean

By Howard Altman

Posted on Dec 17, 2025

U.S. Air Force HH-60W Jolly Green II helicopters, assigned to the 943d Rescue Group, conduct helicopter air-to-air refueling with an HC-130J Combat King II aircraft,
U.S. Air Force

Combat Rescue Aircraft, Tankers Arrive In Caribbean As U.S. Military Buildup Accelerates

By Howard Altman, Tyler Rogoway

Posted on Dec 12, 2025

As it now stands, the Boeing 707-based E-6B is slated to be replaced by the E-130J aircraft, which Northrop Grumman will modify from Lockheed Martin C-130J-30 cargo planes.
U.S. Air Force

Congress Wants To Know If The C-130 Hercules Could Be The USAF’s New ‘Doomsday Plane’

By Thomas Newdick

Updated on Dec 8, 2025