Featured in US Air ForceBYThomas NewdickSep 21, 2021ShareThe Air Force Is Testing Robotic Loaders To Mount Hypersonic Missiles On Its BombersThe ability to rapidly load large hypersonic missiles onto Air Force bombers that are operating from remote airfields is of increasing importance. BYThomas NewdickSep 21, 2021ShareBYThomas NewdickSep 20, 2021ShareThe Air Force Blew It When It Decided Not To Give Its KC-135s Winglets 40 Years AgoThe KC-135 pioneered the winglet concept, but it never got them even after it was proven that they could save millions of gallons of gas every year. BYThomas NewdickSep 20, 2021ShareBYThomas NewdickSep 16, 2021ShareC-130s Operate From A Wyoming Highway To Train To Fight Against A Major AdversaryThe Hercules took to the road in Wyoming recently as the Air Force increasingly embraces austere basing operations. BYThomas NewdickSep 16, 2021ShareBYThomas NewdickSep 16, 2021ShareTwo NATO Fighters Accidentally Flew Behind The Iron Curtain 60 Years Ago TodayAt a time of extreme Cold War tensions, straying into Warsaw Pact airspace could hardly have been more dangerous. BYThomas NewdickSep 16, 2021ShareBYBrett TingleyAug 7, 2021SharePreorders For This Electromagnetic Rifle Are Being Taken For $3,775Arcflash Labs has developed what it calls the world’s first and only handheld Gauss rifle, capable of firing metal projectiles at lower velocities. BYBrett TingleyAug 7, 2021ShareBYBrett Tingley and Tyler RogowayAug 5, 2021ShareKratos Says Secret “Off-Board Sensing Station” Unmanned Aircraft Will Be TransformativeThe U.S. Air Force has a classified program to field low-cost, attritable drones that can be used as “off-board sensing stations.” BYBrett Tingley and Tyler RogowayAug 5, 2021ShareBYThomas NewdickAug 4, 2021ShareF-35s Have Flown Their First “Red Air” Missions As Dedicated Stealth AggressorsThe latest iteration of the Air Force’s huge Red Flag aerial war games features highly-trained aggressor pilots playing the “bad guys” in F-35s. BYThomas NewdickAug 4, 2021ShareBYThomas NewdickAug 3, 2021ShareLasers Destined For Fighter Jets Are Now Being Tested In The Air Force’s Wind TunnelsWind tunnels are being used to help accelerate the Air Force’s delayed airborne laser ambitions. BYThomas NewdickAug 3, 2021ShareBYThomas NewdickJul 30, 2021ShareBarksdale B-52 Brandishes Its Modern Arsenal In New Loadout PhotosStratofortress weapons options have changed a lot over the years and are set to morph even more drastically in the decades to come. BYThomas NewdickJul 30, 2021ShareBYBrett Tingley and Tyler RogowayJul 28, 2021ShareNavy’s New Jamming Pods For EA-18G Growler Eyed For Air Force FightersIf the House Armed Services Committee gets its way the Air Force could finally get a manned fast-jet electric attack capability back after decades. BYBrett Tingley and Tyler RogowayJul 28, 2021ShareBYThomas NewdickJul 28, 2021ShareThe First XQ-58A Valkyrie Is Already Headed To A Museum (Updated)After just four confirmed test flights, the pioneering stealthy drone will be displayed at the National Museum of the USAF. BYThomas NewdickJul 28, 2021ShareBYBrett TingleyJul 23, 2021ShareAnother Attempt To Retire A-10 Warthogs Isn’t Going Well For The Air ForceThe Senate Armed Services Committee has blocked requests by the Air Force to retire dozens of its A-10 Thunderbolt II aircraft. BYBrett TingleyJul 23, 2021ShareBYBrett TingleyJul 19, 2021ShareMQ-9 Reaper Tests Prove It Can Operate From Unprepared Locations On The FlyThe Air Force recently tested a new landing and take-off capability that could allow the MQ-9 to self deploy to a much wider range of locales. BYBrett TingleyJul 19, 2021ShareBYThomas NewdickJul 14, 2021ShareThe Mach-3 XF-108 Rapier Would Have Packed Its Big Missiles On A Revolver-Like LauncherThe Rapier carried its trio of long-range missiles in a rotary pack that would be used for downing marauding Soviet bombers. BYThomas NewdickJul 14, 2021ShareBYThomas NewdickJul 14, 2021ShareFifteen Percent Of U.S. Air Force F-35s Don’t Have Working EnginesMarine Corps, Navy, and foreign F-35s are also being impacted by ongoing problems with the jets’ engines. BYThomas NewdickJul 14, 2021ShareBYThomas NewdickJul 14, 2021ShareCheck Out This F-15E Strike Eagle Spewing Sparks After TakeoffSpotters at RAF Lakenheath got an unexpected fireworks show from one of the resident Strike Eagles earlier today. BYThomas NewdickJul 14, 2021ShareBYBrett TingleyJun 30, 2021ShareSkyborg AI Computer “Brain” Successfully Flew A General Atomics Avenger DroneThe Air Force’s Skyborg continues to be integrated into more aircraft, signaling that a variety of aircraft could someday be flown by the AI system. BYBrett TingleyJun 30, 2021ShareBYBrett TingleyJun 24, 2021ShareSpace Force Wants Its Operations To Extend To The Expanse Between Traditional Orbits And The MoonAn Air Force Research Laboratory document makes it clear that Space Force will have to contend much farther out in space than it currently is. BYBrett TingleyJun 24, 2021ShareBYThomas NewdickJun 24, 2021ShareAir Force Finds New Need For Low-Cost Engine Tech Used On Nazi Buzz BombsA startup is reviving the powerplant used in the V-1 flying bomb for use in an air-launched decoy, and possibly more. BYThomas NewdickJun 24, 2021ShareBYBrett TingleyJun 22, 2021ShareAir Force Flightlines Are Under Threat From Drones And It Wants Your Ideas On How To Protect ThemThe AFWERX initiative is reaching out to industry for ideas on how to protect its flightlines from drone incursions and more. BYBrett TingleyJun 22, 2021ShareBYThomas NewdickJun 18, 2021ShareThe Air Force Might Make Two Distinct Versions Of Its Next Multirole Stealth FighterThe NGAD fighter will be able to tackle ground targets and could be produced in long-range and short-range versions. BYThomas NewdickJun 18, 2021ShareBYBrett TingleyJun 17, 2021ShareAir Force Says Hypersonic Missile Tests Could Kill Four Snails And 90 ClamsA USAF report cites a range of environmental impacts that could be caused by missile testing including the highly anticipated ARRW live-fire test. BYBrett TingleyJun 17, 2021ShareBYBrett TingleyJun 15, 2021ShareThe U.S. Military Doesn’t Even Track How Many Weapons It Loses, And It Has Lost ThousandsA scathing report details how over 2,000 weapons have gone missing from military arsenals in the last decade alone and the data is far from complete. BYBrett TingleyJun 15, 2021ShareBYThomas NewdickMay 25, 2021ShareEarly F-35As May Get Axed Even Though Overall Readiness Has Improved SignificantlyThe Joint Strike Fighter topped the list for readiness rates last year but concerns about sustainment costs show no sign of going away. BYThomas NewdickMay 25, 2021ShareBYThomas NewdickMay 13, 2021ShareYes, It’s True, The F-22 Isn’t In The Air Force Chief’s Future Fighter PlansThe Air Force has confirmed it’s looking at a radical reduction in tactical fighter jet types, but that’s easier said than done. BYThomas NewdickMay 13, 2021ShareBYThomas NewdickMay 11, 2021ShareFive JASSM Stealth Missiles Have Been Loaded On An F-15E Strike Eagle For The First TimeThe configuration is intended to allow the flexible Strike Eagle to fill in for bombers on certain missions. BYThomas NewdickMay 11, 2021ShareBYThomas NewdickApr 30, 2021ShareTrucks Get Parked Over Air Force Nuclear Missile Silos During Tests… Just In CaseIt may seem bizarre and even redundant, but the semi-truck barrier serves as the very last safety precaution against an accidental launch. BYThomas NewdickApr 30, 2021ShareBYThomas NewdickApr 28, 2021ShareF-15E Strike Eagle Smart-Bomb Transports Are Hauling Munitions Around The Middle EastFor the first time, the Air Force’s F-15Es have worked as weapons transports, delivering guided bombs to forward operating locations. BYThomas NewdickApr 28, 2021ShareBYThomas NewdickApr 20, 2021ShareJapan-Based USAF F-16s Flew South China Sea Mission Fully Loaded With Live Air-To-Air MissilesFlying far from their home in Japan, the four F-16s, each armed with six missiles, executed operations in one of the tensest areas of the planet. BYThomas NewdickApr 20, 2021ShareBYThomas NewdickApr 16, 2021ShareProject FoX Brings Tablet-Based Apps To F-35 Stealth Fighter CockpitsThe new initiative envisages an air combat ‘app store’ that has software for all types of uses that can run on a tablet in the cockpit. BYThomas NewdickApr 16, 2021ShareBYThomas NewdickApr 16, 2021ShareTargeting Pods Are Being Tested On Air National Guard C-130 Hercules Transports (Updated)Adding the proven Litening advanced targeting pod to the C-130H could help give the aging airlifters a new lease of life. BYThomas NewdickApr 16, 2021ShareBYThomas NewdickApr 15, 2021ShareEx-Disney Employees Helped The Thunderbirds Create Their New Shortened Air Show RoutineFor the first time in four decades, the U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds demo team has completely rewritten its display program. BYThomas NewdickApr 15, 2021ShareBYThomas NewdickApr 7, 2021ShareThe F-15EX Is Now Officially Named The Eagle IIWith plans to buy at least 144 copies, the Air Force’s latest fighter is set to play a prominent role in the service’s future plans. BYThomas NewdickApr 7, 2021ShareBYThomas NewdickApr 5, 2021ShareStealthy Valkyrie Drone Uses Weapons Bay For First Time To Launch Smaller DroneOn its sixth test flight, Kratos’ low-cost stealthy drone launched a drone of its own via a tube launcher in its weapons bay. BYThomas NewdickApr 5, 2021ShareBYThomas NewdickMar 3, 2021ShareGolden Horde Swarming Munitions Program Back On Target After Second Round Of TestsFour specially adapted Small Diameter Bombs were released by an F-16 near Holloman Air Force Base in New Mexico. BYThomas NewdickMar 3, 2021ShareBYThomas NewdickMar 2, 2021ShareF-15E Strike Eagles May Have Yet Another Role: Smart Bomb TransporterThe plan isn’t for the jet to drop a full load of smart bombs on enemy targets, but to carry its own reloads and spare bombs for stealth jets. BYThomas NewdickMar 2, 2021ShareBYThomas NewdickFeb 19, 2021ShareThere Were Doomsday Ships Ready To Ride Out Nuclear Armageddon Before There Were Doomsday PlanesHad nuclear war broken out, three different presidents could have sought refuge aboard the Navy’s unique ‘Floating White Houses.’ BYThomas NewdickFeb 19, 2021ShareBYThomas NewdickFeb 2, 2021ShareThe Air Force’s New F-15EX Eagle Just Took To The Sky For The First Time (Updated)The flight comes nearly 50 years after the F-15A first flew. This latest Eagle iteration is set to replace the USAF’s F-15C/D fleet, and maybe more. BYThomas NewdickFeb 2, 2021ShareBYThomas NewdickFeb 2, 2021ShareAir Force Says KC-46 Is A “Lemon” That It’s Trying To Make Lemonade Out OfThe Air Force is evaluating using the Pegasus for limited operational missions, but it’s still years away from providing its intended mission set. BYThomas NewdickFeb 2, 2021ShareBYThomas NewdickJan 25, 2021ShareThe “Lady Bird Special” Was The Lowliest Of Air Force One AircraftPresident Lyndon B. Johnson used the small King Air to access his beloved ranch in Texas. BYThomas NewdickJan 25, 2021ShareBYThe War Zone staffJan 23, 2021ShareAir Force Eyes Drones For Adversary And Light Attack Roles As It Mulls Buying New F-16sThe future of the U.S. Air Force’s tactical aircraft fleet is under review, with some radical ideas under discussion. BYThe War Zone staffJan 23, 2021ShareBYThomas NewdickJan 9, 2021ShareThis Stretched Super FB-111 Was A Low-Cost Challenger To The B-1 BomberWith the B-1 canceled, the Air Force looked to a radically revised, truly strategic FB-111 variant that carried more than double the fuel and weapons. BYThomas NewdickJan 9, 2021ShareBYThomas NewdickOct 1, 2020ShareOver A Dozen Companies Awarded Contracts For Air Force’s Skyborg Combat Drone ProgramThe U.S. Air Force is seeking to begin work on a drone using AI technologies before the end of the year. BYThomas NewdickOct 1, 2020ShareBYThomas NewdickSep 22, 2020ShareU.S. Strategic Command Tweet Throws Shade On Russia’s Long-Range Bomber MissionThe Russian Air Force’s latest long-range mission is impressive, but it is a long way from surpassing U.S. Air Force records BYThomas NewdickSep 22, 2020ShareBYThomas NewdickAug 28, 2020ShareSix B-52s Are Flying Over All 30 NATO Nations In An Unprecedented Show Of Force (Updated)The flights serve as a major show of solidarity between the U.S. and its NATO partners, sending a message that is clearly aimed at Moscow. BYThomas NewdickAug 28, 2020ShareBYJoseph TrevithickJul 3, 2020ShareRyan Aeronautical Had Big Plans for the Vertifan Jump JetCompany artwork shows proposals for vertical take-off and landing fighter jets, interceptors, sub hunters, and more. BYJoseph TrevithickJul 3, 2020ShareBYJoseph TrevithickJul 3, 2020ShareHere’s America’s Plan for Nuking its Enemies, Including North KoreaWhen America says “all the options are on the table” when responding to the reclusive Communist country, Operations Plan 8010 is the literal nuclear one. BYJoseph TrevithickJul 3, 2020ShareBYBrett TingleyFeb 25, 2020ShareThe Air Force And SpaceX Are Teaming Up For A ‘Massive’ Live Fire ExerciseThe exercise will involve SpaceX Starlink satellites, a variety of military assets, and a new command and control system working together. BYBrett TingleyFeb 25, 2020ShareBYBrett TingleyFeb 24, 2020ShareInternal Air Force Emails Show Confusion And Concern Over Colorado’s Mystery DronesEmails obtained through FOIA show that security forces and officials at F.E. Warren AFB were just as perplexed with the drones as the public. BYBrett TingleyFeb 24, 2020ShareBYBrett TingleyDec 11, 2019ShareRecently Retired USAF General Makes Eyebrow Raising Claims About Advanced Space TechnologyRetired Lt. Gen. Steven L. Kwast says fantastic technology exists that could transport a human anywhere on earth within an hour. BYBrett TingleyDec 11, 2019ShareBYJoseph TrevithickJul 1, 2019ShareU.S. Air Force Is Planning Something Big in the Nevada DesertUnusually worded, multi-billion dollar drone services contract possibly points to a new, shadowy unmanned aircraft—and a lot of them. BYJoseph TrevithickJul 1, 2019ShareBYJoseph TrevithickJun 30, 2019ShareAll US Military Branches, Including The Coast Guard, Are Buying The Army’s New PistolThe guns look set to become to the US military’s default sidearm, but nagging issues with the weapons could cause problems down the line. BYJoseph TrevithickJun 30, 2019ShareBYJoseph Trevithick and Tyler RogowayJun 30, 2019ShareU.S. Air Force HH-60G Pave Hawk Helicopter Crashes in Iraq Near the Syrian Border (Updated)The HH-60G is the USAF’s primary combat search and rescue helicopter and are known to be active in the region. BYJoseph Trevithick and Tyler RogowayJun 30, 2019ShareBYJoseph TrevithickJun 30, 2019ShareThe Air Force May Have Retired The Predator, But It was the Army That Blazed Its TrailAn obscure Army military intelligence outfit dominated the early years of the program, helping demonstrate the drone in a host of different roles. BYJoseph TrevithickJun 30, 2019ShareBYJoseph TrevithickJun 30, 2019ShareThat Massive Cross-Country USAF Airlift Exercise Was the Largest of Its Kind, EverThe service’s latest Joint Forcible Entry Exercise looked like a particularly impressive spectacle, because it was. BYJoseph TrevithickJun 30, 2019ShareBYJoseph TrevithickJun 29, 2019ShareThe F-35 Joint Strike Fighter Program Had A Pretty Rough WeekReports of hypoxia, cyber security concerns, and the need for cost review, followed the leak of highly critical review. BYJoseph TrevithickJun 29, 2019ShareBYJoseph TrevithickJun 29, 2019ShareNow The USAF Wants to Cut A-10 Squadrons and Stop Re-Winging The FleetNot only has the fight not been won, but the Air Force’s new arguments sound a lot like the old ones. BYJoseph TrevithickJun 29, 2019ShareBYJoseph Trevithick and Tyler RogowayJun 29, 2019ShareA Higher-Risk US Strategy to Rout ISIS From Mosul EmergesUS special operations forces change their uniform as they move to the front lines in Mosul, while Washington pours in more troops. BYJoseph Trevithick and Tyler RogowayJun 29, 2019Share12
BYThomas NewdickSep 21, 2021ShareThe Air Force Is Testing Robotic Loaders To Mount Hypersonic Missiles On Its BombersThe ability to rapidly load large hypersonic missiles onto Air Force bombers that are operating from remote airfields is of increasing importance. BYThomas NewdickSep 21, 2021Share
BYThomas NewdickSep 20, 2021ShareThe Air Force Blew It When It Decided Not To Give Its KC-135s Winglets 40 Years AgoThe KC-135 pioneered the winglet concept, but it never got them even after it was proven that they could save millions of gallons of gas every year. BYThomas NewdickSep 20, 2021Share
BYThomas NewdickSep 16, 2021ShareC-130s Operate From A Wyoming Highway To Train To Fight Against A Major AdversaryThe Hercules took to the road in Wyoming recently as the Air Force increasingly embraces austere basing operations. BYThomas NewdickSep 16, 2021Share
BYThomas NewdickSep 16, 2021ShareTwo NATO Fighters Accidentally Flew Behind The Iron Curtain 60 Years Ago TodayAt a time of extreme Cold War tensions, straying into Warsaw Pact airspace could hardly have been more dangerous. BYThomas NewdickSep 16, 2021Share
BYBrett TingleyAug 7, 2021SharePreorders For This Electromagnetic Rifle Are Being Taken For $3,775Arcflash Labs has developed what it calls the world’s first and only handheld Gauss rifle, capable of firing metal projectiles at lower velocities. BYBrett TingleyAug 7, 2021Share
BYBrett Tingley and Tyler RogowayAug 5, 2021ShareKratos Says Secret “Off-Board Sensing Station” Unmanned Aircraft Will Be TransformativeThe U.S. Air Force has a classified program to field low-cost, attritable drones that can be used as “off-board sensing stations.” BYBrett Tingley and Tyler RogowayAug 5, 2021Share
BYThomas NewdickAug 4, 2021ShareF-35s Have Flown Their First “Red Air” Missions As Dedicated Stealth AggressorsThe latest iteration of the Air Force’s huge Red Flag aerial war games features highly-trained aggressor pilots playing the “bad guys” in F-35s. BYThomas NewdickAug 4, 2021Share
BYThomas NewdickAug 3, 2021ShareLasers Destined For Fighter Jets Are Now Being Tested In The Air Force’s Wind TunnelsWind tunnels are being used to help accelerate the Air Force’s delayed airborne laser ambitions. BYThomas NewdickAug 3, 2021Share
BYThomas NewdickJul 30, 2021ShareBarksdale B-52 Brandishes Its Modern Arsenal In New Loadout PhotosStratofortress weapons options have changed a lot over the years and are set to morph even more drastically in the decades to come. BYThomas NewdickJul 30, 2021Share
BYBrett Tingley and Tyler RogowayJul 28, 2021ShareNavy’s New Jamming Pods For EA-18G Growler Eyed For Air Force FightersIf the House Armed Services Committee gets its way the Air Force could finally get a manned fast-jet electric attack capability back after decades. BYBrett Tingley and Tyler RogowayJul 28, 2021Share
BYThomas NewdickJul 28, 2021ShareThe First XQ-58A Valkyrie Is Already Headed To A Museum (Updated)After just four confirmed test flights, the pioneering stealthy drone will be displayed at the National Museum of the USAF. BYThomas NewdickJul 28, 2021Share
BYBrett TingleyJul 23, 2021ShareAnother Attempt To Retire A-10 Warthogs Isn’t Going Well For The Air ForceThe Senate Armed Services Committee has blocked requests by the Air Force to retire dozens of its A-10 Thunderbolt II aircraft. BYBrett TingleyJul 23, 2021Share
BYBrett TingleyJul 19, 2021ShareMQ-9 Reaper Tests Prove It Can Operate From Unprepared Locations On The FlyThe Air Force recently tested a new landing and take-off capability that could allow the MQ-9 to self deploy to a much wider range of locales. BYBrett TingleyJul 19, 2021Share
BYThomas NewdickJul 14, 2021ShareThe Mach-3 XF-108 Rapier Would Have Packed Its Big Missiles On A Revolver-Like LauncherThe Rapier carried its trio of long-range missiles in a rotary pack that would be used for downing marauding Soviet bombers. BYThomas NewdickJul 14, 2021Share
BYThomas NewdickJul 14, 2021ShareFifteen Percent Of U.S. Air Force F-35s Don’t Have Working EnginesMarine Corps, Navy, and foreign F-35s are also being impacted by ongoing problems with the jets’ engines. BYThomas NewdickJul 14, 2021Share
BYThomas NewdickJul 14, 2021ShareCheck Out This F-15E Strike Eagle Spewing Sparks After TakeoffSpotters at RAF Lakenheath got an unexpected fireworks show from one of the resident Strike Eagles earlier today. BYThomas NewdickJul 14, 2021Share
BYBrett TingleyJun 30, 2021ShareSkyborg AI Computer “Brain” Successfully Flew A General Atomics Avenger DroneThe Air Force’s Skyborg continues to be integrated into more aircraft, signaling that a variety of aircraft could someday be flown by the AI system. BYBrett TingleyJun 30, 2021Share
BYBrett TingleyJun 24, 2021ShareSpace Force Wants Its Operations To Extend To The Expanse Between Traditional Orbits And The MoonAn Air Force Research Laboratory document makes it clear that Space Force will have to contend much farther out in space than it currently is. BYBrett TingleyJun 24, 2021Share
BYThomas NewdickJun 24, 2021ShareAir Force Finds New Need For Low-Cost Engine Tech Used On Nazi Buzz BombsA startup is reviving the powerplant used in the V-1 flying bomb for use in an air-launched decoy, and possibly more. BYThomas NewdickJun 24, 2021Share
BYBrett TingleyJun 22, 2021ShareAir Force Flightlines Are Under Threat From Drones And It Wants Your Ideas On How To Protect ThemThe AFWERX initiative is reaching out to industry for ideas on how to protect its flightlines from drone incursions and more. BYBrett TingleyJun 22, 2021Share
BYThomas NewdickJun 18, 2021ShareThe Air Force Might Make Two Distinct Versions Of Its Next Multirole Stealth FighterThe NGAD fighter will be able to tackle ground targets and could be produced in long-range and short-range versions. BYThomas NewdickJun 18, 2021Share
BYBrett TingleyJun 17, 2021ShareAir Force Says Hypersonic Missile Tests Could Kill Four Snails And 90 ClamsA USAF report cites a range of environmental impacts that could be caused by missile testing including the highly anticipated ARRW live-fire test. BYBrett TingleyJun 17, 2021Share
BYBrett TingleyJun 15, 2021ShareThe U.S. Military Doesn’t Even Track How Many Weapons It Loses, And It Has Lost ThousandsA scathing report details how over 2,000 weapons have gone missing from military arsenals in the last decade alone and the data is far from complete. BYBrett TingleyJun 15, 2021Share
BYThomas NewdickMay 25, 2021ShareEarly F-35As May Get Axed Even Though Overall Readiness Has Improved SignificantlyThe Joint Strike Fighter topped the list for readiness rates last year but concerns about sustainment costs show no sign of going away. BYThomas NewdickMay 25, 2021Share
BYThomas NewdickMay 13, 2021ShareYes, It’s True, The F-22 Isn’t In The Air Force Chief’s Future Fighter PlansThe Air Force has confirmed it’s looking at a radical reduction in tactical fighter jet types, but that’s easier said than done. BYThomas NewdickMay 13, 2021Share
BYThomas NewdickMay 11, 2021ShareFive JASSM Stealth Missiles Have Been Loaded On An F-15E Strike Eagle For The First TimeThe configuration is intended to allow the flexible Strike Eagle to fill in for bombers on certain missions. BYThomas NewdickMay 11, 2021Share
BYThomas NewdickApr 30, 2021ShareTrucks Get Parked Over Air Force Nuclear Missile Silos During Tests… Just In CaseIt may seem bizarre and even redundant, but the semi-truck barrier serves as the very last safety precaution against an accidental launch. BYThomas NewdickApr 30, 2021Share
BYThomas NewdickApr 28, 2021ShareF-15E Strike Eagle Smart-Bomb Transports Are Hauling Munitions Around The Middle EastFor the first time, the Air Force’s F-15Es have worked as weapons transports, delivering guided bombs to forward operating locations. BYThomas NewdickApr 28, 2021Share
BYThomas NewdickApr 20, 2021ShareJapan-Based USAF F-16s Flew South China Sea Mission Fully Loaded With Live Air-To-Air MissilesFlying far from their home in Japan, the four F-16s, each armed with six missiles, executed operations in one of the tensest areas of the planet. BYThomas NewdickApr 20, 2021Share
BYThomas NewdickApr 16, 2021ShareProject FoX Brings Tablet-Based Apps To F-35 Stealth Fighter CockpitsThe new initiative envisages an air combat ‘app store’ that has software for all types of uses that can run on a tablet in the cockpit. BYThomas NewdickApr 16, 2021Share
BYThomas NewdickApr 16, 2021ShareTargeting Pods Are Being Tested On Air National Guard C-130 Hercules Transports (Updated)Adding the proven Litening advanced targeting pod to the C-130H could help give the aging airlifters a new lease of life. BYThomas NewdickApr 16, 2021Share
BYThomas NewdickApr 15, 2021ShareEx-Disney Employees Helped The Thunderbirds Create Their New Shortened Air Show RoutineFor the first time in four decades, the U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds demo team has completely rewritten its display program. BYThomas NewdickApr 15, 2021Share
BYThomas NewdickApr 7, 2021ShareThe F-15EX Is Now Officially Named The Eagle IIWith plans to buy at least 144 copies, the Air Force’s latest fighter is set to play a prominent role in the service’s future plans. BYThomas NewdickApr 7, 2021Share
BYThomas NewdickApr 5, 2021ShareStealthy Valkyrie Drone Uses Weapons Bay For First Time To Launch Smaller DroneOn its sixth test flight, Kratos’ low-cost stealthy drone launched a drone of its own via a tube launcher in its weapons bay. BYThomas NewdickApr 5, 2021Share
BYThomas NewdickMar 3, 2021ShareGolden Horde Swarming Munitions Program Back On Target After Second Round Of TestsFour specially adapted Small Diameter Bombs were released by an F-16 near Holloman Air Force Base in New Mexico. BYThomas NewdickMar 3, 2021Share
BYThomas NewdickMar 2, 2021ShareF-15E Strike Eagles May Have Yet Another Role: Smart Bomb TransporterThe plan isn’t for the jet to drop a full load of smart bombs on enemy targets, but to carry its own reloads and spare bombs for stealth jets. BYThomas NewdickMar 2, 2021Share
BYThomas NewdickFeb 19, 2021ShareThere Were Doomsday Ships Ready To Ride Out Nuclear Armageddon Before There Were Doomsday PlanesHad nuclear war broken out, three different presidents could have sought refuge aboard the Navy’s unique ‘Floating White Houses.’ BYThomas NewdickFeb 19, 2021Share
BYThomas NewdickFeb 2, 2021ShareThe Air Force’s New F-15EX Eagle Just Took To The Sky For The First Time (Updated)The flight comes nearly 50 years after the F-15A first flew. This latest Eagle iteration is set to replace the USAF’s F-15C/D fleet, and maybe more. BYThomas NewdickFeb 2, 2021Share
BYThomas NewdickFeb 2, 2021ShareAir Force Says KC-46 Is A “Lemon” That It’s Trying To Make Lemonade Out OfThe Air Force is evaluating using the Pegasus for limited operational missions, but it’s still years away from providing its intended mission set. BYThomas NewdickFeb 2, 2021Share
BYThomas NewdickJan 25, 2021ShareThe “Lady Bird Special” Was The Lowliest Of Air Force One AircraftPresident Lyndon B. Johnson used the small King Air to access his beloved ranch in Texas. BYThomas NewdickJan 25, 2021Share
BYThe War Zone staffJan 23, 2021ShareAir Force Eyes Drones For Adversary And Light Attack Roles As It Mulls Buying New F-16sThe future of the U.S. Air Force’s tactical aircraft fleet is under review, with some radical ideas under discussion. BYThe War Zone staffJan 23, 2021Share
BYThomas NewdickJan 9, 2021ShareThis Stretched Super FB-111 Was A Low-Cost Challenger To The B-1 BomberWith the B-1 canceled, the Air Force looked to a radically revised, truly strategic FB-111 variant that carried more than double the fuel and weapons. BYThomas NewdickJan 9, 2021Share
BYThomas NewdickOct 1, 2020ShareOver A Dozen Companies Awarded Contracts For Air Force’s Skyborg Combat Drone ProgramThe U.S. Air Force is seeking to begin work on a drone using AI technologies before the end of the year. BYThomas NewdickOct 1, 2020Share
BYThomas NewdickSep 22, 2020ShareU.S. Strategic Command Tweet Throws Shade On Russia’s Long-Range Bomber MissionThe Russian Air Force’s latest long-range mission is impressive, but it is a long way from surpassing U.S. Air Force records BYThomas NewdickSep 22, 2020Share
BYThomas NewdickAug 28, 2020ShareSix B-52s Are Flying Over All 30 NATO Nations In An Unprecedented Show Of Force (Updated)The flights serve as a major show of solidarity between the U.S. and its NATO partners, sending a message that is clearly aimed at Moscow. BYThomas NewdickAug 28, 2020Share
BYJoseph TrevithickJul 3, 2020ShareRyan Aeronautical Had Big Plans for the Vertifan Jump JetCompany artwork shows proposals for vertical take-off and landing fighter jets, interceptors, sub hunters, and more. BYJoseph TrevithickJul 3, 2020Share
BYJoseph TrevithickJul 3, 2020ShareHere’s America’s Plan for Nuking its Enemies, Including North KoreaWhen America says “all the options are on the table” when responding to the reclusive Communist country, Operations Plan 8010 is the literal nuclear one. BYJoseph TrevithickJul 3, 2020Share
BYBrett TingleyFeb 25, 2020ShareThe Air Force And SpaceX Are Teaming Up For A ‘Massive’ Live Fire ExerciseThe exercise will involve SpaceX Starlink satellites, a variety of military assets, and a new command and control system working together. BYBrett TingleyFeb 25, 2020Share
BYBrett TingleyFeb 24, 2020ShareInternal Air Force Emails Show Confusion And Concern Over Colorado’s Mystery DronesEmails obtained through FOIA show that security forces and officials at F.E. Warren AFB were just as perplexed with the drones as the public. BYBrett TingleyFeb 24, 2020Share
BYBrett TingleyDec 11, 2019ShareRecently Retired USAF General Makes Eyebrow Raising Claims About Advanced Space TechnologyRetired Lt. Gen. Steven L. Kwast says fantastic technology exists that could transport a human anywhere on earth within an hour. BYBrett TingleyDec 11, 2019Share
BYJoseph TrevithickJul 1, 2019ShareU.S. Air Force Is Planning Something Big in the Nevada DesertUnusually worded, multi-billion dollar drone services contract possibly points to a new, shadowy unmanned aircraft—and a lot of them. BYJoseph TrevithickJul 1, 2019Share
BYJoseph TrevithickJun 30, 2019ShareAll US Military Branches, Including The Coast Guard, Are Buying The Army’s New PistolThe guns look set to become to the US military’s default sidearm, but nagging issues with the weapons could cause problems down the line. BYJoseph TrevithickJun 30, 2019Share
BYJoseph Trevithick and Tyler RogowayJun 30, 2019ShareU.S. Air Force HH-60G Pave Hawk Helicopter Crashes in Iraq Near the Syrian Border (Updated)The HH-60G is the USAF’s primary combat search and rescue helicopter and are known to be active in the region. BYJoseph Trevithick and Tyler RogowayJun 30, 2019Share
BYJoseph TrevithickJun 30, 2019ShareThe Air Force May Have Retired The Predator, But It was the Army That Blazed Its TrailAn obscure Army military intelligence outfit dominated the early years of the program, helping demonstrate the drone in a host of different roles. BYJoseph TrevithickJun 30, 2019Share
BYJoseph TrevithickJun 30, 2019ShareThat Massive Cross-Country USAF Airlift Exercise Was the Largest of Its Kind, EverThe service’s latest Joint Forcible Entry Exercise looked like a particularly impressive spectacle, because it was. BYJoseph TrevithickJun 30, 2019Share
BYJoseph TrevithickJun 29, 2019ShareThe F-35 Joint Strike Fighter Program Had A Pretty Rough WeekReports of hypoxia, cyber security concerns, and the need for cost review, followed the leak of highly critical review. BYJoseph TrevithickJun 29, 2019Share
BYJoseph TrevithickJun 29, 2019ShareNow The USAF Wants to Cut A-10 Squadrons and Stop Re-Winging The FleetNot only has the fight not been won, but the Air Force’s new arguments sound a lot like the old ones. BYJoseph TrevithickJun 29, 2019Share
BYJoseph Trevithick and Tyler RogowayJun 29, 2019ShareA Higher-Risk US Strategy to Rout ISIS From Mosul EmergesUS special operations forces change their uniform as they move to the front lines in Mosul, while Washington pours in more troops. BYJoseph Trevithick and Tyler RogowayJun 29, 2019Share