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U.S. Air Force (Page 4)

Latest in U.S. Air Force

U-2 dragon lady's 70th anniversary record setting.
U.S. Air Force

U-2 Just Set New Records On The 70th Anniversary Of Its First Flight (Updated)

By Howard Altman, Tyler Rogoway

Updated on Aug 2, 2025

Some units within the U.S. Air Force's Air Combat Command (ACC) have now restricted the use of Sig Sauer M18 in the wake of a recent fatal incident.
U.S. Air Force

Sig M18 Pistol Restrictions Expand To USAF Air Combat Command Units

By Joseph Trevithick

Posted on Jul 28, 2025

With the U.S. Air Force's Global Strike Command (AFGSC) having instituted an indefinite “pause” on the use of Sig Sauer M18 pistols in the wake of a deadly incident at F.E. Warren Air Force Base in Wyoming, a question has emerged: what will the command's aircrews carry for self-defense in the meantime?
U.S. Air Force

What Gun Will Bomber Crews Fly With Now That The Sig M18 Is Pulled From Use?

By Joseph Trevithick

Updated on Jul 24, 2025

U.S. Air Force's Global Strike Command (AFGSC) has ordered an indefinite "pause" in the use of M18 pistols following a recent fatal incident at F.E. Warren Air Force Base in Wyoming.
U.S. Air Force

Sig M18 Pistols Pulled From Use By Air Force Global Strike Command (Updated)

By Joseph Trevithick, Howard Altman

Posted on Jul 22, 2025

U.S. Air Force Senior Airman Thomas Clewell, 495th Fighter Generation Squadron crew chief, marshals an F-35A Lightning II aircraft at RAF Lakenheath, England, Nov. 19, 2024. The 495th FGS is essential to generating daily sorties, enabling pilots to train and maintain readiness to respond quickly and effectively when called upon.
U.S. Air Force

Major Indications Nuclear Bombs Are Back At USAF Air Base In England

By Thomas Newdick

Posted on Jul 21, 2025

Air Force KC-46 Pegasus aerial refueling jets are experiencing problems with their auxiliary power units.
U.S. Air Force

KC-46 Crews Ordered To Drastically Curtail Use Of Jet’s Onboard Auxiliary Power Unit (Updated)

By Howard Altman

Updated on Jul 15, 2025

A U.S. Air Force F-15EX Eagle II, assigned to the 85th Test and Evaluation Squadron, Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., taxis on the runway after landing to participate in exercise Resolute Force Pacific 2025 at Andersen AFB, Guam, July 11, 2025. REFORPAC is a large-scale contingency response exercise, which prepares service members to maintain readiness and execute missions under stress.
U.S. Air Force

F-15EX Arrives In Japan For The First Time As Part Of Massive Pacific Exercise

By Thomas Newdick

Posted on Jul 15, 2025

Step Toward Blocking E-7 Wedgetail Radar Jet Program Cancellation Taken By Congress
U.S. Air Force

Step Toward Blocking E-7 Wedgetail Radar Jet Program Cancellation Taken By Congress

By Joseph Trevithick

Posted on Jul 11, 2025

The Pentagon is waiting for comprehensive battle damage assessment to see how well the MOP worked against Iranian nuclear facilities and how it can be improved.
U.S. Air Force

GBU-57 Massive Ordnance Penetrator’s Results From Iran Strike Will Inform Its Future: Defense Officials

By Howard Altman

Updated on Jul 10, 2025

An annual U.S. Navy wishlist sent to Congress reportedly includes $1.4 billion that would help keep its dreams of a next-generation carrier-based combat jet alive.
U.S. Air Force

Navy Puts Gutted F/A-XX Next Generation Fighter Program In Wishlist To Congress: Reports

By Joseph Trevithick

Posted on Jul 10, 2025

The U.S. Air Force is moving ahead to add new external pylons onto its B-1B Lancer bombers after years of experimentation.
U.S. Air Force

B-1B To Finally Get New External Pylons Drastically Expanding Missile Carriage Potential (Updated)

By Joseph Trevithick

Updated on Jul 9, 2025

F-22 Raptors Will Be First To Control ‘Fighter Drone’ Collaborative Combat Aircraft
U.S. Air Force

F-22 Raptors Will Be First To Control ‘Fighter Drone’ Collaborative Combat Aircraft

By Joseph Trevithick

Updated on Jul 3, 2025

The U.S. Air Force's F-22 Raptor stealth fighters are set to get an array of new "viability" upgrades to help protect them from emerging threats and otherwise ensure their continued relevance in future conflicts.
U.S. Air Force

New F-22 Upgrade Package To Keep The Jets Viable Laid Out

By Joseph Trevithick

Posted on Jul 2, 2025

Plans To Finally Give F-35 External Fuel Tanks Emerge In New Air Force Budget (Updated)
U.S. Air Force

Plans To Finally Give F-35 External Fuel Tanks Emerge In New Air Force Budget (Updated)

By Joseph Trevithick

Posted on Jun 30, 2025

The U.S. Air Force's first combat employment of 30,000-pound GBU-57/B Massive Ordnance Penetrator (MOP) bunker buster bombs in recent strikes on Iranian nuclear sites draws new attention to work toward a successor.
U.S. Air Force

GBU-57 Massive Ordnance Penetrator Successor In The Works

By Joseph Trevithick

Posted on Jun 24, 2025

US base in qatar attacked by iranian ballistic missiles
U.S. Air Force

Iran Launches Ballistic Missile Revenge Strike On Al Udeid Air Base In Qatar (Updated)

By Howard Altman, Tyler Rogoway

Updated on Jun 23, 2025

B-2s bombed iran
U.S. Air Force

U.S. Has Attacked Iran’s Nuclear Facilities (Updated)

By Howard Altman, Tyler Rogoway

Updated on Jun 22, 2025

Thirteen C-17 aircraft fly over the Blue Ridge Mountains in Virginia during low-level tactical training Dec. 20, 2005. The C-17s, assigned to the 437th and 315th Airlift Wings at Charleston AFB, demonstrated the Air Force's strategic airdrop capability.
U.S. Air Force

Boeing In Talks To Restart C-17 Production

By Thomas Newdick

Posted on Jun 18, 2025

A U.S. Air Force KC-135 Stratotanker aircraft, assigned to the 100th Air Refueling Wing, refuels a U.S. Air Force F-35A Lightning II aircraft during exercise RAMSTEIN FLAG 2024 while flying over the coast of Greece, Oct. 4, 2024. RAFL24 demonstrates NATO unity and strength, as Allies across the Euro-Atlantic area train side by side in defensive and offensive air operations scenarios in support of the enduring commitment to shared values and ability to adapt to the emerging environment.
U.S. Air Force

U.S. Air Force Fighters Deploy To Reinforce Middle East

By Thomas Newdick

Posted on Jun 17, 2025

APKWS rockets were kept from Ukraine to be used to defend US in the Middle East.
U.S. Air Force

Counter-Drone Weapons Diverted From Ukraine To Middle East Amid Rising Tensions, Hegseth Confirms

By Howard Altman

Posted on Jun 11, 2025

The proven and in-production E-7 Wedgetail, based on the Boeing 737 and serving with multiple allies, was supposed to bridge the gap between the E-3's retirement and pushing the mission to space-based distributed satellite constellations. Now, if the administration gets its wish, that won't happen. The E-7 will be cancelled and the Navy's E-2D Hawkeye will step in to fill the gap.
U.S. Air Force

E-2 Hawkeye Replaces USAF E-3 Sentry, E-7 Cancelled In New Budget

By Tyler Rogoway, Joseph Trevithick

Posted on Jun 11, 2025

Newly released footage records the unique formation flight over Nevada’s Nellis Air Force Air Base last November, which brought together U.S. Air Force F-22 Raptor stealth fighters and Soviet-era MiG-21 and MiG-29 jets. The four-ship took to the skies to mark the passing of Col. Gail Peck (ret.), the former commander of the legendary 4477th Test and Evaluation Squadron “Red Eagles” that conducted highly classified missions using Soviet combat jets in the late 1970s and 1980s.
U.S. Air Force

F-22s Fly Alongside MiGs To Commemorate Founder Of America’s Secret Soviet Fighter Squadron

By Thomas Newdick

Posted on Jun 9, 2025

Pilot-optional F-35 Joint Strike Fighters could be coming in the future as Lockheed Martin looks for ways to ensure the jets remain relevant for decades to come.
U.S. Air Force

What We Just Learned A More Advanced “Ferrari” F-35 Could Include

By Thomas Newdick, Joseph Trevithick

Posted on May 30, 2025

The U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory has awarded General Atomics a contract for work on what is described as a "hybrid-electric propulsion ducted fan next-generation intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance/strike unmanned aerial system," or GHOST.
U.S. Air Force

Hybrid-Electric GHOST Strike-Recon Drone In The Works For USAF

By Joseph Trevithick

Posted on May 28, 2025

Adding APKWS II to the F-15E's arsenal is an unsurprising development that would turn the Strike Eagle into a counter-drone and counter-cruise missile arsenal ship.
U.S. Air Force

F-15E Spotted Packing Big Laser-Guided Rocket Arsenal Ideal For Drone Hunting

By Joseph Trevithick

Posted on May 23, 2025

The U.S. Air Force is planning to return its F-15E Strike Eagles from RAF Lakenheath in England and consolidate its fleet stateside. Currently, the F-15Es in the United Kingdom are the only permanently forward-deployed examples of the aircraft, which remain the service’s first choice for a wide variety of critical missions around the globe.
U.S. Air Force

F-15E Strike Eagles To Leave England For Good

By Thomas Newdick

Posted on May 21, 2025

Chief of Staff of the Air Force Gen. David Allvin today discussed the potential of a new version of the prolific F-16, a so-called Block 80, as a way of increasing the combat mass of the service in the future. While the Air Force doesn’t at this point have a plan to start buying Vipers again, it’s certainly interesting that the topic is up for discussion, especially with the service looking hard at how it will balance its next-generation fighter requirements, while introducing the F-47 crewed stealth fighter and Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) drones.
U.S. Air Force

Air Force Chief Responds To Possibility Of Buying New ‘Block 80’ F-16s

By Thomas Newdick

Posted on May 20, 2025

U.S. Air Force Senior Airman Jordan Green, 67th Fighter Generation Squadron crew chief, marshals an F-15E Strike Eagle during an elephant walk at Kadena Air Base, Japan, May 6, 2025. Directly after, the 18th Wing generated real-time sorties to strengthen Kadena’s readiness to defend Japan. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman James Johnson)
U.S. Air Force

Additional F-15E Strike Eagles Arrive In Diego Garcia

By Howard Altman

Updated on May 19, 2025

We now have our first look at an actual prototype of General Atomics' YFQ-42A 'fighter drone.'
U.S. Air Force

Our First Look At The YFQ-42 ‘Fighter Drone’ Collaborative Combat Aircraft

By Joseph Trevithick

Updated on May 19, 2025

The first production example of the new B61-13 nuclear bomb has been completed roughly a year ahead of schedule, according to the U.S. Department of Energy.
U.S. Air Force

Far More Powerful B61-13 Guided Nuclear Bomb Variant Joins U.S. Stockpile

By Joseph Trevithick

Posted on May 19, 2025

Trump wants a twin engine F-35.
U.S. Air Force

Trump Wants A Twin-Engine “F-55” Version Of The F-35 Joint Strike Fighter

By Thomas Newdick

Posted on May 15, 2025

General Atomics Long shot drone.
U.S. Air Force

Air-Launched ‘Fighter Drone’ Collaborative Combat Aircraft Being Eyed By Air Force

By Joseph Trevithick

Updated on May 13, 2025

The U.S. Air Force’s new Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) drones are being developed around fundamentally different understandings of maintenance, logistics, and sustainment, with a heavier focus on commercial-off-the-shelf components, than the service’s existing crewed and uncrewed platforms.
U.S. Air Force

USAF Wants Collaborative Aircraft Fleet To Stress Parts Commonality For Forward Operations

By Thomas Newdick

Posted on May 9, 2025

The U.K is reportedly blocking U.S. access for an attack on Iran to Diego Garcia and RAF Fairford
U.S. Air Force

B-52s Join B-2s On Diego Garcia,10 Bombers Now At Indian Ocean Island

By Joseph Trevithick

Updated on May 8, 2025

Can The OA-1K Skyraider II Actually Be Useful In A Pacific Fight?
U.S. Air Force

Can The OA-1K Skyraider II Actually Be Useful In A Pacific Fight?

By Joseph Trevithick

Posted on May 6, 2025

A CV-22 Osprey tiltrotor aircraft assigned to the 20th Special Operations Squadron approaches the air-refueling receptacle of an MC-130 Commando II during a night flight at Cannon Air Force Base, New Mexico, Sept. 12, 2024. The Osprey is a tiltrotor aircraft that combines a helicopter's vertical takeoff, hover, and vertical landing qualities with the long-range, fuel efficiency, and speed characteristics of a turboprop aircraft. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Gracelyn Hess)
U.S. Air Force

Electronic Warfare Lessons From Ukraine Informing Air Force Special Operations Future

By Howard Altman

Updated on May 5, 2025

Small missile for CCA and fighter aircraft sought by USAF.
U.S. Air Force

Air Force Looking For Cheap Air-To-Air Missile Half The Size Of AMRAAM

By Thomas Newdick

Posted on May 5, 2025

WASHINGTON, DC - APRIL 07: U.S. President Donald Trump (R) speaks alongside Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu with a model of Air Force One on the table, during a meeting in the Oval Office of the White House on April 7, 2025 in Washington, DC. President Trump is meeting with Netanyahu to discuss ongoing efforts to release Israeli hostages from Gaza and newly imposed U.S. tariffs. (Photo by Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images)
U.S. Air Force

Is An ‘Interim’ Air Force One Replacement Even Feasible?

By Thomas Newdick, Tyler Rogoway

Posted on May 2, 2025

The U.S. Air Force and Anduril have offered what appears to be the first look at a "production representative" example of the YFQ-44A drone, also known as Fury.
U.S. Air Force

Our First Look At The YFQ-44A ‘Fighter Drone’ Collaborative Combat Aircraft

By Joseph Trevithick

Updated on May 1, 2025

Tactical airpower, and specifically the F-15E Strike Eagle and F-15EX Eagle II, are big beneficiaries of recently proposed legislation put forward by the Republican leaders of the House and Senate Armed Services Committees.
U.S. Air Force

F-15 Eagles Win Big In Supersized Defense Spending Bill

By Thomas Newdick, Tyler Rogoway, Joseph Trevithick

Posted on Apr 28, 2025

We now have more clarity on the U.S. Air Force’s plans for its second tranche of Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) drones, known as Increment 2. This includes the likelihood of a lower-cost CCA Increment 2 as well as the drone’s integration with assets in addition to fighters, including the B-21 stealth bomber and E-7 airborne early warning and control (AEW&C) aircraft.
U.S. Air Force

Air Force’s Next Batch Of Collaborative Combat Drones Could Be Less ‘Exquisite,’ Cheaper

By Thomas Newdick

Posted on Apr 24, 2025

The U.S. Air Force is firmly of the view that its new F-47 6th generation stealth fighters are key to "how we win" in future fights, according to the service's top general in charge of force structure planning.
U.S. Air Force

F-47 6th Generation Fighter Future Force Size Questions Emerge

By Joseph Trevithick

Posted on Apr 24, 2025

Northrop Grumman has blamed higher manufacturing costs for its B-21 Raider stealth bomber for a 49 percent drop in first-quarter profit. This is not the first financial hit for the B-21, with the manufacturer having disclosed a loss of nearly $1.2 billion on the program early last year. The latest news comes as U.S. Air Force officials state a need for 145 of the stealth bombers to cope with increasing threats to U.S. security.
U.S. Air Force

Rising B-21 Raider Stealth Bomber Costs Hit Northrop Grumman

By Thomas Newdick

Posted on Apr 22, 2025

A U.S. Air Force B1-Lancer assigned to the 34th Expeditionary Bomb Squadron sits on a runway during post-flight maintenance in support of Pacific Air Forces’ Bomber Task Force mission at Misawa Air Base, Feb. 20, 2025. Through combined training, the U.S. and intercontinental defense forces work together to promote interoperability, thus furthering our investments and strengthening our relationships.
U.S. Air Force

B-1B Bones Make Unprecedented Bomber Task Force Deployment To Japan

By Thomas Newdick

Posted on Apr 17, 2025

U.S. Air Force B-2 stealth bombers have not dropped any GBU-57/B Massive Ordnance Penetrator (MOP) bunker buster bombs on Yemen's Houthis since the Trump administration launched a renewed aerial campaign against them, two U.S. officials have told TWZ.
U.S. Air Force

B-2s Have Not Dropped Massive Ordnance Penetrators On Yemen During Diego Garcia Missions: Officials

By Joseph Trevithick, Howard Altman

Updated on Apr 17, 2025

The U.S. Navy is touting the U.S.-Australian MQ-28 Ghost Bat ‘loyal wingman’ type drone program as a model for future industrial partnerships, while confirming continued U.S. military interest in the drone. The fact that the Navy is now speaking about this is notable, on the one hand because the MQ-28 has so far been seen primarily as a program of interest for the U.S. Air Force, and on the other because the Navy is currently still trying to nail down its carrier-based Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) plans.
U.S. Air Force

MQ-28 Ghost Bat Is Of “Strong Interest” To The U.S. Navy

By Thomas Newdick

Updated on Apr 15, 2025

KC-10 for sale
U.S. Air Force

KC-10 Extender Tankers Are Up For Auction

By Thomas Newdick

Posted on Apr 11, 2025

When the U.S. wanted to shift a Patriot battery from the Pacific to the Middle East, it took 73 C-17 flights to do so, highlighting sustainment concerns.
U.S. Air Force

It Took 73 C-17 Loads To Move Patriot Battalion From Pacific To Middle East

By Howard Altman

Posted on Apr 10, 2025

The Black Arrow, also known as the Small Cruise Missile, has completed a guided flight test, from an AC-130J Ghostrider gunships, the weapon’s manufacturer Leidos has confirmed. The Black Arrow — which is intended to carry a range of different payloads, and not just a kinetic warhead — arrives at a time when the Pentagon is looking at harnessing the potential of lower-cost weapons that can be readily produced at scale to meet the likely demands of future conflicts.
U.S. Air Force

AC-130J Ghostrider Gunship Launches Black Arrow Small Cruise Missile In New Video

By Thomas Newdick

Posted on Apr 5, 2025

Very Close Encounter Between F-35 And Su-35 Caught On Cockpit Camera
U.S. Air Force

Very Close Encounter Between F-35 And Su-35 Caught On Cockpit Camera

By Joseph Trevithick

Posted on Apr 4, 2025

B-2 Spirits in Diego garcia.
U.S. Air Force

B-2 Stealth Bombers Deployed To Diego Garcia Have Been Striking Targets In Yemen

By Howard Altman, Tyler Rogoway

Updated on Apr 4, 2025

The first OA-1K light attack aircraft — recently officially named as the Skyraider II — has been delivered to Air Force Special Operations Command (AFSOC). While the command welcomed the militarized derivative of the popular Air Tractor AT-802 crop duster, there remain serious questions about how the Air Force will actually make use of the OA-1K, as the service increasingly prepares for future high-end contingencies.
U.S. Air Force

First OA-1K Skyraider II Handed Over To Air Force Special Operations Command

By Thomas Newdick

Posted on Apr 3, 2025

There are signs that a new AIM-120E variant of the Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missile (AMRAAM) may now be in development.
U.S. Air Force

New AIM-120E Variant Of AMRAAM Air-To-Air Missile Hinted At By USAF

By Joseph Trevithick

Updated on Apr 1, 2025

The U.S. Air Force’s F-47 sixth-generation stealth fighter may just be “Increment 1” of a family of Next Generation Air Dominance (NGAD) combat jet designs. This is the opinion of former Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Acquisition, Technology & Logistics Andrew Hunter. It echoes something that was previously hinted at, namely the possibility that the Air Force might consider fielding two distinct versions of the NGAD fighter component.
U.S. Air Force

F-47 Fighter Program Could See Multiple Versions Built In Increments

By Thomas Newdick

Posted on Apr 1, 2025

The U.S. Air Force has used B-2 Spirit stealth bombers against Houthi rebels in Yemen.
U.S. Air Force

B-2 Spirits Amassed On Diego Garcia Underscore Hardened Aircraft Shelter Debate

By Joseph Trevithick

Posted on Apr 1, 2025

C-32 in Greenville without its paint.
U.S. Air Force

C-32A ‘Air Force 2’ Jet Like You’ve Never Seen One Before

By Tyler Rogoway

Updated on Mar 31, 2025

Significant parts of the veil of secrecy over the origins of Boeing's F-47 sixth-generation stealth fighter, and the decisions and tradeoffs made along the way, have now been pulled back.
U.S. Air Force

Major F-47 Revelations Were Just Dropped By Former Air Force Secretary

By Joseph Trevithick

Updated on Mar 28, 2025

X-36 was an early progenitor that lead to the F-47.
U.S. Air Force

Reflections Of The F-47: Looking Back At The X-36

By Thomas Newdick

Posted on Mar 27, 2025

The U.S. Air Force office responsible for the B-52 Radar Modernization Program (RMP) is asking for new information about options for derivatives of off-the-shelf multi-mode radars that could go into the bombers.
U.S. Air Force

B-52 Radar Upgrade Alternatives Info Sought By Air Force

By Joseph Trevithick

Posted on Mar 26, 2025

A significant force of B-2 Spirit stealth bombers looks to be currently wending its way to the Indian Ocean island of Diego Garcia.
U.S. Air Force

Signs U.S. Massing B-2 Spirit Bombers In Diego Garcia (Updated)

By Joseph Trevithick, Howard Altman

Posted on Mar 25, 2025

The U.S. Air Force's selection of Boeing's F-47 as the winner of its Next Generation Air Dominance (NGAD) combat jet competition raises new questions about plans for new stealthy aerial refueling tankers.
U.S. Air Force

F-47 Fighter Reveal Draws New Attention To USAF Stealth Tanker Plans

By Joseph Trevithick

Posted on Mar 24, 2025

The puzzling canards on the F-47 could be an indicator of what the aircraft's design goals are.
U.S. Air Force

What The F-47’s Canards Say About The Rest Of Its Design

By Tyler Rogoway

Posted on Mar 24, 2025

F-47 X-plane demonstrators
U.S. Air Force

F-47 Was Born Out Of Secret X-Planes Built By Both Boeing And Lockheed

By Tyler Rogoway

Posted on Mar 23, 2025

F-47 NGAD from Boeing.
U.S. Air Force

Boeing Wins F-47 Next Generation Air Dominance Fighter Contract (Updated)

By Thomas Newdick, Tyler Rogoway

Updated on Mar 22, 2025