Featured in USAFBYJoseph TrevithickDec 1, 2019ShareCIA And Skunk Works Secretly Planned To Turn The A-12 Spy Plane Into A Space Launch MothershipThe proposal sheds more light on decades of secretive U.S. work to realize air-launched space access capabilities. BYJoseph TrevithickDec 1, 2019ShareBYBrett TingleyDec 1, 2019ShareThe Truth Is The Military Has Been Researching “Anti-Gravity” For Nearly 70 YearsIt sounds like science fiction, but the military began working to overcome and harness gravity in the 1950s. From what we can tell, it never stopped. BYBrett TingleyDec 1, 2019ShareBYJoseph TrevithickDec 1, 2019ShareArea 51 Has Its Own Unique Fleet Of HH-60U Ghost Hawk HelicoptersOriginally intended as replacements for the Air Force’s aging HH-60G Pave Hawks, they now exclusively support operations at the top-secret base. BYJoseph TrevithickDec 1, 2019ShareBYJoseph Trevithick and Tyler RogowayDec 1, 2019ShareThe SR-71 Blackbird’s Predecessor Created “Plasma Stealth” By Burning Cesium-Laced FuelSkunk Works needed a way to hide the A-12’s radar reflecting behind, so they dumped cesium into its fuel to create a radar-absorbing exhaust plume. BYJoseph Trevithick and Tyler RogowayDec 1, 2019ShareBYJoseph TrevithickNov 12, 2019ShareAir Force Wants Its XQ-58A Valkyrie Drone To Help F-22s And F-35s Talk To Each OtherAn XQ-58 working as a stealthy data fusion and relay node would give America’s two stealth fighters the ability to fight together like never before. BYJoseph TrevithickNov 12, 2019ShareBYJoseph TrevithickNov 6, 2019ShareAir Force CV-22 Ospreys Have A New Snowmobile Extraction And Insertion ConfigurationBeing able to quickly deploy and retrieve special operators on snowmobiles is an increasingly critical capability for Arctic operations. BYJoseph TrevithickNov 6, 2019ShareBYJoseph TrevithickOct 28, 2019ShareHere’s What We Know The Shadowy X-37B Was Up To During Its Record 780 Days In SpaceThe experimental X-37B is blazing a trail to new and more flexible space-based capabilities as threats to existing assets in orbit grow. BYJoseph TrevithickOct 28, 2019ShareBYJoseph TrevithickOct 25, 2019ShareAir Force Sends B-1B Bombers To Saudi Arabia Amid U.S. Military Buildup In The KingdomThis appears to be the first time American bombers have deployed to Saudi Arabia and follows an earlier deployment of F-22 stealth fighters. BYJoseph TrevithickOct 25, 2019ShareBYJoseph TrevithickOct 23, 2019ShareBoeing Fears End Of Its Work On New Air Force ICBM As Lockheed Wins Reentry Vehicle DealBoeing has publicly questioned the Air Force’s contracting processes and a formal protest could lead to delays in the development of the new ICBMs. BYJoseph TrevithickOct 23, 2019ShareBYJoseph TrevithickOct 21, 2019ShareAir Force Hires Seven Companies In Long-Awaited Mega Adversary Air Support ContractYears in the making, the deal is a long-awaited moment for the contractor aggressor services industry and it will be a game-changer. BYJoseph TrevithickOct 21, 2019ShareBYJoseph TrevithickOct 16, 2019ShareThis Containerized Launcher For The XQ-58A Valkyrie Combat Drone Could Be A Game ChangerThe system would be air, rail, road, or sea transportable, allowing for long-range, hard-hitting drone swarms to make unpredictable attacks. BYJoseph TrevithickOct 16, 2019ShareBYJoseph TrevithickOct 14, 2019ShareU.S. Reviewing Options For Pulling Nuclear Bombs Out Of Turkey, Here’s How They Might Do ItThe rapidly evolving crisis in Syria may prompt the U.S. to finally remove its nuclear stockpile from Turkey, a move that some say is long overdue. BYJoseph TrevithickOct 14, 2019ShareBYJoseph TrevithickOct 11, 2019ShareUSAF Fought ISIS With the Wrong Bombs and Tactics For MonthsThe service quickly found that what had worked for years in Afghanistan meant failed strikes in Iraq and Syria. BYJoseph TrevithickOct 11, 2019ShareBYJoseph TrevithickOct 10, 2019ShareAir Force’s XQ-58A Valkyrie Drone Suffers Damage After Third Flight TestThe drone’s manufacturer Kratos says that the airbag system it uses to cushion its parachute landings after flights suffered an “anomaly.” BYJoseph TrevithickOct 10, 2019ShareBYJoseph TrevithickSep 26, 2019ShareU.S. To Spend Hundreds Of Millions To Replace A $5 Part In Revamped Nuclear WeaponsIssues with the commercial capacitors, meant to help save money, have now caused more than a year of new delays for both of these programs. BYJoseph TrevithickSep 26, 2019ShareBYJoseph TrevithickSep 24, 2019ShareAir Force Set To Deploy Its Counter-Drone “Phaser” Microwave Weapon OverseasThe announcement comes as the threat that small unmanned suicide drones pose is front and center after unprecedented attacks in Saudi Arabia. BYJoseph TrevithickSep 24, 2019ShareBYJoseph TrevithickSep 18, 2019ShareThe Ronald Reagan Presidential Library Is Getting An F-117 Nighthawk Stealth JetThe stealth attack plane will join other aircraft at the museum, including a VC-137C Air Force One jet, F-14 Tomcat, and a VH-3 Marine One helicopter. BYJoseph TrevithickSep 18, 2019ShareBYJoseph TrevithickSep 17, 2019ShareHere’s The Air Force’s Questionably Ambitious Plan To Develop New Fighters In Five YearsThe service says it can outpace potential enemies by producing multiple short runs of fighters in tiny periods of time. BYJoseph TrevithickSep 17, 2019ShareBYJoseph TrevithickSep 9, 2019ShareThe F-35A Is Set To Finally Get Chaff Countermeasures To Confuse Enemy RadarsThese cartridges full of radar-reflecting material have been curiously absent from the stealthy fighter’s already highly capable defense suite. BYJoseph TrevithickSep 9, 2019ShareBYJoseph Trevithick and Tyler RogowaySep 6, 2019Share“B-21s With Air-To-Air Capabilities,” Drones, Not 6th Gen Fighters To Dominate Future Air CombatThe Air Force’s vision of the future of aerial combat has evolved greatly as of late and has moved away from plans for new, costly manned fighters. BYJoseph Trevithick and Tyler RogowaySep 6, 2019ShareBYTyler Rogoway and Joseph TrevithickSep 4, 2019ShareThe AIM-9X Sidewinder May Finally Evolve Into A Completely New And Longer-Range MissileThe Navy is still funding work on a new rocket motor and other features that could fundamentally change the character of this “dogfighting” missile. BYTyler Rogoway and Joseph TrevithickSep 4, 2019ShareBYJoseph TrevithickSep 3, 2019ShareAir Force Wants Super Realistic Mock Launchers So It Can Replicate An S-300 SAM SystemThis follows the acquisition of two mobile radars from Ukraine in the past year, including one associated with the S-300. BYJoseph TrevithickSep 3, 2019ShareBYJoseph TrevithickAug 30, 2019ShareCheck Out These Photos Of USAF B-2s And RAF F-35Bs Flying Together For The First TimeThree B-2s are in the United Kingdom to take part in various training exercises including these first-of-their-kind sorties with foreign F-35s. BYJoseph TrevithickAug 30, 2019ShareBYJoseph TrevithickAug 29, 2019Share51 F-117 Nighthawk Stealth Jets Remain In Inventory, None Destroyed Since 2008 (Updated)We finally have an official accounting of the F-117s, nearly all of which remain at Tonopah, but that is still set to change over the coming years. BYJoseph TrevithickAug 29, 2019ShareBYJoseph TrevithickAug 15, 2019ShareRussia’s New Surveillance Plane Just Flew Over Two Of America’s Top Nuclear LabsThe route also covered a number of Army and Air Force bases, a major proving ground, and one of America’s last chemical weapon storage sites. BYJoseph TrevithickAug 15, 2019ShareBYJoseph TrevithickAug 13, 2019ShareAir Force Reveals Tests Of Supposed Record-Setting Scramjet Engine From Northrop GrummanThe new design produced more thrust than any other air-breathing hypersonic engine the Air Force has ever tested, at least publicly. BYJoseph TrevithickAug 13, 2019ShareBYTyler Rogoway and Joseph TrevithickJul 29, 2019ShareHere’s The F-22 Production Restart Study The USAF Has Kept Secret For Over A YearWe finally see the study that was oddly classified on arrival and it has new relevance based on Japan’s desire for a new stealth fighter. BYTyler Rogoway and Joseph TrevithickJul 29, 2019ShareBYJoseph TrevithickJul 27, 2019ShareThe U.S. Air Force’s Unique Climate Testing Lab Has Blown UpA high flammable chemical, methyl chloride, was involved, but may not have been the source of explosion. BYJoseph TrevithickJul 27, 2019ShareBYJoseph TrevithickJul 17, 2019ShareU.S. F-35s Won’t Hit 80 Percent Mission Capable Goal Amid Spare Parts Supply ProblemsThe U.S. government’s official decision to kick Turkey out of the Joint Strike Fighter Program may exacerbate these issues. BYJoseph TrevithickJul 17, 2019ShareBYJoseph TrevithickJul 10, 2019ShareAC-130J Ghostrider Gunships Have Flown Their Very First Combat MissionsThe AC-130J’s arrival in Afghanistan marks a historic changing of the guard as older AC-130Us have now finished their last scheduled deployment. BYJoseph TrevithickJul 10, 2019ShareBYJoseph TrevithickJul 10, 2019ShareOne Company Is Putting A New Spin On How To Yank Downed Pilots Out Of Enemy TerritoryThe novel system, similar to some Cold War-era concepts, involves a friendly plane dropping a tether and literally towing the individual to safety. BYJoseph TrevithickJul 10, 2019ShareBYJoseph TrevithickJul 10, 2019ShareHere’s How The Pentagon Plans To Create A New U.S. Space Command Within MonthsThe U.S. military is consolidating space-focused operational activities, but questions remain regarding budgets, roles and missions, and more. BYJoseph TrevithickJul 10, 2019ShareBYJoseph TrevithickJun 30, 2019ShareA Tornado Left the USAF With Only One Active E-4B “Doomsday Plane” for MonthsThe incident only underscores the need for the service to move quickly to find replacements for the aging and expensive to operate planes. BYJoseph TrevithickJun 30, 2019ShareBYJoseph TrevithickJun 30, 2019ShareThis Is The USAF’s “Safer” Carbon Fiber Bomb That’s Also Extraordinarily ExpensiveThese weapons reduce the chances of inadvertently killing innocent bystanders, but cost nearly 40 times more than regular bombs in the same class. BYJoseph TrevithickJun 30, 2019ShareBYJoseph TrevithickJun 30, 2019ShareUSAF Getting ‘Cast Ductile Iron Bomb’ Cluster Munition Replacement Despite Policy ChangeThe US military now has more leeway to use cluster munitions, but the Air Force still wants to buy the weapon that was supposed to replace them. BYJoseph TrevithickJun 30, 2019ShareBYJoseph TrevithickJun 30, 2019ShareThe US Air Force Admits It Won’t Be Buying Any Light Attack Aircraft For YearsThe service claims the project is moving along quickly, but it won’t disclose any details until it releases its fiscal year 2020 budget request. BYJoseph TrevithickJun 30, 2019ShareBYJoseph TrevithickJun 30, 2019ShareThe US Air Force Wants a Trio of More Modern WC-135R Nuke Sniffing PlanesThe service desperately needs newer atmospheric testing planes, which are essential for monitoring both nuclear testing and accidents. BYJoseph TrevithickJun 30, 2019ShareBYJoseph TrevithickJun 30, 2019ShareUSAF’s New Bomber Roadmap Could Bust-Up Key Arms Control Treaty With the RussiansUnless something else changes, the service’s plan would put the United States on course to violate the New START agreement. BYJoseph TrevithickJun 30, 2019ShareBYJoseph TrevithickJun 30, 2019ShareUSAF Orders More Upgraded Massive Ordnance Penetrator Bombs Amid Tensions with North KoreaThe improved 33,000 pound bunker busters would be a key part of any “bloody nose” strike on the reclusive communist country. BYJoseph TrevithickJun 30, 2019ShareBYJoseph TrevithickJun 30, 2019ShareMassive US Counterstrike Against Assad’s Forces Signals New Stage Of Syrian Civil WarThree hour battle with Assad’s forces is a reminder that other parties may not give the US the choice of staying out of Syria’s civil war. BYJoseph TrevithickJun 30, 2019ShareBYJoseph TrevithickJun 30, 2019ShareDid the U.S. Air Force Bomb a Rogue SpaceX Booster Rocket?The Falcon 9 booster had unexpectedly survived a test and splashed down mostly intact off the coast of Florida. BYJoseph TrevithickJun 30, 2019ShareBYJoseph TrevithickJun 30, 2019ShareLet’s Face It, The USAF Isn’t Serious About Buying a Light Attack AircraftThe service says it somehow still needs more information, despite a decade of studies, evaluations, and other experiments with the concept. BYJoseph TrevithickJun 30, 2019ShareBYJoseph TrevithickJun 30, 2019ShareThe USAF Expands MQ-9 Reaper Drone Force in Afghanistan to Its Largest Size EverThe air war over Afghanistan is rapidly heating up and a huge deployment of Reapers drones is the latest major development. BYJoseph TrevithickJun 30, 2019ShareBYJoseph TrevithickJun 30, 2019ShareThe USAF Still Can’t Get The New AC-130J Ghostrider’s 30mm Cannon To Work ReliablyA new Pentagon report says that gun routinely fails and that the plane’s basic design also causes the 105mm shells on board to fall apart. BYJoseph TrevithickJun 30, 2019ShareBYJoseph TrevithickJun 30, 2019ShareThe US Navy May End Up Flying the Air Force’s Unwanted MQ-1 Predator DronesOther parties, including foreign allies, could also get some of the unmanned aircraft when the Air Force retires the type in 2018. BYJoseph TrevithickJun 30, 2019ShareBYJoseph TrevithickJun 30, 2019ShareUSAF Official in Charge of A-10s Says Re-Wing Program Is “Not Going to Happen”At a certain point, political opposition may not be enough to prevent more than 100 Warthogs from ending up unflyable. BYJoseph TrevithickJun 30, 2019ShareBYJoseph TrevithickJun 30, 2019ShareUS Navy Wants to Hire Contractors to Fly Their Own MQ-9 Reaper Drones in AfghanistanThe Marine Corps task force in Helmand Province has an urgent requirement for the unmanned aircraft. BYJoseph TrevithickJun 30, 2019ShareBYJoseph TrevithickJun 30, 2019ShareShadowy USAF Spy Plane Spotted Over Seattle Reportedly Reappears Over SyriaThe secretive CASA CN-235 likely carries a suite of sensors ideal for hunting ISIS terrorists in the region. BYJoseph TrevithickJun 30, 2019ShareBYJoseph TrevithickJun 30, 2019ShareUSAF Uses Textron’s Scorpion Jet As the Latest Testbed for Its Modular Sensor PodThere’s still no indication the service is looking to buy the jet, but the test could still be mutually beneficial. BYJoseph TrevithickJun 30, 2019ShareBYJoseph TrevithickJun 30, 2019ShareWatch The “Final Cut” Of A Glowing Film About The A-10 That The USAF Tried to SuppressAfter more than three years, the service still refuses to release an official version of the documentary. BYJoseph TrevithickJun 30, 2019ShareBYJoseph TrevithickJun 30, 2019ShareUSAF Wants Swarms of Cheap “Gray Wolf” Cruise Missiles That Can Overwhelm Enemy DefensesThe goal of the program is to demonstrate experimental low-cost weapons that can plot their own strikes. BYJoseph TrevithickJun 30, 2019ShareBYJoseph TrevithickJun 30, 2019ShareNow The Air Force Wants New Engines For Its B-52s That Burn 40 Percent Less FuelThe service is firming up requirements for its re-engine effort as it plans to keep the bombers in service past 2050. BYJoseph TrevithickJun 30, 2019ShareBYJoseph TrevithickJun 30, 2019ShareDraken Picks Up a Dozen South African Cheetahs to Emulate 4th Generation AdversariesMany private companies are buying up new fighters jets in to meet demands for more advanced aggressors to duel against. BYJoseph TrevithickJun 30, 2019ShareBYJoseph TrevithickJun 30, 2019ShareTop USAF Civilian Is a “Fan” of the A-10, but Dozens Will Still Likely Get GroundedNew wings for many A-10s can’t come fast enough and plans for a light attack aircraft are still up in the air. BYJoseph TrevithickJun 30, 2019ShareBYJoseph TrevithickJun 29, 2019ShareF-22s, F-35s Join Hundreds of US and South Korean Jets in Drill as Fears of War RiseThe major exercise comes after North Korea’s test of a new monster missile and amid confusing US policy pronouncements. BYJoseph TrevithickJun 29, 2019ShareBYJoseph TrevithickJun 29, 2019ShareThe USAF Is Rebuilding World War II-Era 40mm Shells for its AC-130U GunshipsThe service is the last user of the Bofors cannon in the US military and has had to go hunting for more ammunition. BYJoseph TrevithickJun 29, 2019ShareBYJoseph TrevithickJun 29, 2019ShareAward Reveals USAF Rivet Joint Spied on Iranian Forces During 2016 Hostage CrisisInformation from the Rivet Joint aircraft aided negotiations and helped avoid a more serious confrontation. BYJoseph TrevithickJun 29, 2019ShareBYJoseph TrevithickJun 29, 2019ShareNow in the Public Eye, American Troops in Niger Celebrate ThanksgivingEven in remote Agadez, U.S. personnel will enjoy special meals, fun runs, and other holiday-themed activities. BYJoseph TrevithickJun 29, 2019ShareBYJoseph TrevithickJun 29, 2019ShareThe US Air Force Has Taken Another Step Toward Re-Engining its B-52sThe service wants to modify each of the 76 bombers and possibly buy more 600 new engines as part of a multi-part deal. BYJoseph TrevithickJun 29, 2019ShareBYJoseph TrevithickJun 29, 2019ShareSpaceX Is About to Launch A Mysterious Northrop Grumman Spacecraft Called “Zuma”Neither firm will say who the U.S. government customer is or what the craft is even supposed to do once it’s in orbit. BYJoseph TrevithickJun 29, 2019ShareBYJoseph TrevithickJun 29, 2019ShareUS Air Force Reveals There May Have Been Another Attempted Terrorist Attack in NigerA social media post describes a previously unreported series of events that occurred near the city of Agadez in 2016. BYJoseph TrevithickJun 29, 2019ShareBYJoseph TrevithickJun 29, 2019ShareDeclassified Document Shows Reagan Had the NSA Monitor Vietnam for Details on POW/MIAsIntelligence specialists in Hawaii spent six months listening in on Vietnamese radio messages. BYJoseph TrevithickJun 29, 2019ShareBYJoseph TrevithickJun 29, 2019ShareUSAF Hires Lockheed Martin to Build a Laser Cannon to Defend Its Fighter JetsThe service wants a working weapon ready for tests starting in 2021 and a more complete system two years later. BYJoseph TrevithickJun 29, 2019ShareBYJoseph TrevithickJun 29, 2019ShareThis Is All The Stuff You Can Hang Out of a C-130’s Rear Paratrooper DoorsVarious kits use those openings to mount surveillance systems, communications antennas, firefighting gear, and more. BYJoseph TrevithickJun 29, 2019Share1…567…10
BYJoseph TrevithickDec 1, 2019ShareCIA And Skunk Works Secretly Planned To Turn The A-12 Spy Plane Into A Space Launch MothershipThe proposal sheds more light on decades of secretive U.S. work to realize air-launched space access capabilities. BYJoseph TrevithickDec 1, 2019Share
BYBrett TingleyDec 1, 2019ShareThe Truth Is The Military Has Been Researching “Anti-Gravity” For Nearly 70 YearsIt sounds like science fiction, but the military began working to overcome and harness gravity in the 1950s. From what we can tell, it never stopped. BYBrett TingleyDec 1, 2019Share
BYJoseph TrevithickDec 1, 2019ShareArea 51 Has Its Own Unique Fleet Of HH-60U Ghost Hawk HelicoptersOriginally intended as replacements for the Air Force’s aging HH-60G Pave Hawks, they now exclusively support operations at the top-secret base. BYJoseph TrevithickDec 1, 2019Share
BYJoseph Trevithick and Tyler RogowayDec 1, 2019ShareThe SR-71 Blackbird’s Predecessor Created “Plasma Stealth” By Burning Cesium-Laced FuelSkunk Works needed a way to hide the A-12’s radar reflecting behind, so they dumped cesium into its fuel to create a radar-absorbing exhaust plume. BYJoseph Trevithick and Tyler RogowayDec 1, 2019Share
BYJoseph TrevithickNov 12, 2019ShareAir Force Wants Its XQ-58A Valkyrie Drone To Help F-22s And F-35s Talk To Each OtherAn XQ-58 working as a stealthy data fusion and relay node would give America’s two stealth fighters the ability to fight together like never before. BYJoseph TrevithickNov 12, 2019Share
BYJoseph TrevithickNov 6, 2019ShareAir Force CV-22 Ospreys Have A New Snowmobile Extraction And Insertion ConfigurationBeing able to quickly deploy and retrieve special operators on snowmobiles is an increasingly critical capability for Arctic operations. BYJoseph TrevithickNov 6, 2019Share
BYJoseph TrevithickOct 28, 2019ShareHere’s What We Know The Shadowy X-37B Was Up To During Its Record 780 Days In SpaceThe experimental X-37B is blazing a trail to new and more flexible space-based capabilities as threats to existing assets in orbit grow. BYJoseph TrevithickOct 28, 2019Share
BYJoseph TrevithickOct 25, 2019ShareAir Force Sends B-1B Bombers To Saudi Arabia Amid U.S. Military Buildup In The KingdomThis appears to be the first time American bombers have deployed to Saudi Arabia and follows an earlier deployment of F-22 stealth fighters. BYJoseph TrevithickOct 25, 2019Share
BYJoseph TrevithickOct 23, 2019ShareBoeing Fears End Of Its Work On New Air Force ICBM As Lockheed Wins Reentry Vehicle DealBoeing has publicly questioned the Air Force’s contracting processes and a formal protest could lead to delays in the development of the new ICBMs. BYJoseph TrevithickOct 23, 2019Share
BYJoseph TrevithickOct 21, 2019ShareAir Force Hires Seven Companies In Long-Awaited Mega Adversary Air Support ContractYears in the making, the deal is a long-awaited moment for the contractor aggressor services industry and it will be a game-changer. BYJoseph TrevithickOct 21, 2019Share
BYJoseph TrevithickOct 16, 2019ShareThis Containerized Launcher For The XQ-58A Valkyrie Combat Drone Could Be A Game ChangerThe system would be air, rail, road, or sea transportable, allowing for long-range, hard-hitting drone swarms to make unpredictable attacks. BYJoseph TrevithickOct 16, 2019Share
BYJoseph TrevithickOct 14, 2019ShareU.S. Reviewing Options For Pulling Nuclear Bombs Out Of Turkey, Here’s How They Might Do ItThe rapidly evolving crisis in Syria may prompt the U.S. to finally remove its nuclear stockpile from Turkey, a move that some say is long overdue. BYJoseph TrevithickOct 14, 2019Share
BYJoseph TrevithickOct 11, 2019ShareUSAF Fought ISIS With the Wrong Bombs and Tactics For MonthsThe service quickly found that what had worked for years in Afghanistan meant failed strikes in Iraq and Syria. BYJoseph TrevithickOct 11, 2019Share
BYJoseph TrevithickOct 10, 2019ShareAir Force’s XQ-58A Valkyrie Drone Suffers Damage After Third Flight TestThe drone’s manufacturer Kratos says that the airbag system it uses to cushion its parachute landings after flights suffered an “anomaly.” BYJoseph TrevithickOct 10, 2019Share
BYJoseph TrevithickSep 26, 2019ShareU.S. To Spend Hundreds Of Millions To Replace A $5 Part In Revamped Nuclear WeaponsIssues with the commercial capacitors, meant to help save money, have now caused more than a year of new delays for both of these programs. BYJoseph TrevithickSep 26, 2019Share
BYJoseph TrevithickSep 24, 2019ShareAir Force Set To Deploy Its Counter-Drone “Phaser” Microwave Weapon OverseasThe announcement comes as the threat that small unmanned suicide drones pose is front and center after unprecedented attacks in Saudi Arabia. BYJoseph TrevithickSep 24, 2019Share
BYJoseph TrevithickSep 18, 2019ShareThe Ronald Reagan Presidential Library Is Getting An F-117 Nighthawk Stealth JetThe stealth attack plane will join other aircraft at the museum, including a VC-137C Air Force One jet, F-14 Tomcat, and a VH-3 Marine One helicopter. BYJoseph TrevithickSep 18, 2019Share
BYJoseph TrevithickSep 17, 2019ShareHere’s The Air Force’s Questionably Ambitious Plan To Develop New Fighters In Five YearsThe service says it can outpace potential enemies by producing multiple short runs of fighters in tiny periods of time. BYJoseph TrevithickSep 17, 2019Share
BYJoseph TrevithickSep 9, 2019ShareThe F-35A Is Set To Finally Get Chaff Countermeasures To Confuse Enemy RadarsThese cartridges full of radar-reflecting material have been curiously absent from the stealthy fighter’s already highly capable defense suite. BYJoseph TrevithickSep 9, 2019Share
BYJoseph Trevithick and Tyler RogowaySep 6, 2019Share“B-21s With Air-To-Air Capabilities,” Drones, Not 6th Gen Fighters To Dominate Future Air CombatThe Air Force’s vision of the future of aerial combat has evolved greatly as of late and has moved away from plans for new, costly manned fighters. BYJoseph Trevithick and Tyler RogowaySep 6, 2019Share
BYTyler Rogoway and Joseph TrevithickSep 4, 2019ShareThe AIM-9X Sidewinder May Finally Evolve Into A Completely New And Longer-Range MissileThe Navy is still funding work on a new rocket motor and other features that could fundamentally change the character of this “dogfighting” missile. BYTyler Rogoway and Joseph TrevithickSep 4, 2019Share
BYJoseph TrevithickSep 3, 2019ShareAir Force Wants Super Realistic Mock Launchers So It Can Replicate An S-300 SAM SystemThis follows the acquisition of two mobile radars from Ukraine in the past year, including one associated with the S-300. BYJoseph TrevithickSep 3, 2019Share
BYJoseph TrevithickAug 30, 2019ShareCheck Out These Photos Of USAF B-2s And RAF F-35Bs Flying Together For The First TimeThree B-2s are in the United Kingdom to take part in various training exercises including these first-of-their-kind sorties with foreign F-35s. BYJoseph TrevithickAug 30, 2019Share
BYJoseph TrevithickAug 29, 2019Share51 F-117 Nighthawk Stealth Jets Remain In Inventory, None Destroyed Since 2008 (Updated)We finally have an official accounting of the F-117s, nearly all of which remain at Tonopah, but that is still set to change over the coming years. BYJoseph TrevithickAug 29, 2019Share
BYJoseph TrevithickAug 15, 2019ShareRussia’s New Surveillance Plane Just Flew Over Two Of America’s Top Nuclear LabsThe route also covered a number of Army and Air Force bases, a major proving ground, and one of America’s last chemical weapon storage sites. BYJoseph TrevithickAug 15, 2019Share
BYJoseph TrevithickAug 13, 2019ShareAir Force Reveals Tests Of Supposed Record-Setting Scramjet Engine From Northrop GrummanThe new design produced more thrust than any other air-breathing hypersonic engine the Air Force has ever tested, at least publicly. BYJoseph TrevithickAug 13, 2019Share
BYTyler Rogoway and Joseph TrevithickJul 29, 2019ShareHere’s The F-22 Production Restart Study The USAF Has Kept Secret For Over A YearWe finally see the study that was oddly classified on arrival and it has new relevance based on Japan’s desire for a new stealth fighter. BYTyler Rogoway and Joseph TrevithickJul 29, 2019Share
BYJoseph TrevithickJul 27, 2019ShareThe U.S. Air Force’s Unique Climate Testing Lab Has Blown UpA high flammable chemical, methyl chloride, was involved, but may not have been the source of explosion. BYJoseph TrevithickJul 27, 2019Share
BYJoseph TrevithickJul 17, 2019ShareU.S. F-35s Won’t Hit 80 Percent Mission Capable Goal Amid Spare Parts Supply ProblemsThe U.S. government’s official decision to kick Turkey out of the Joint Strike Fighter Program may exacerbate these issues. BYJoseph TrevithickJul 17, 2019Share
BYJoseph TrevithickJul 10, 2019ShareAC-130J Ghostrider Gunships Have Flown Their Very First Combat MissionsThe AC-130J’s arrival in Afghanistan marks a historic changing of the guard as older AC-130Us have now finished their last scheduled deployment. BYJoseph TrevithickJul 10, 2019Share
BYJoseph TrevithickJul 10, 2019ShareOne Company Is Putting A New Spin On How To Yank Downed Pilots Out Of Enemy TerritoryThe novel system, similar to some Cold War-era concepts, involves a friendly plane dropping a tether and literally towing the individual to safety. BYJoseph TrevithickJul 10, 2019Share
BYJoseph TrevithickJul 10, 2019ShareHere’s How The Pentagon Plans To Create A New U.S. Space Command Within MonthsThe U.S. military is consolidating space-focused operational activities, but questions remain regarding budgets, roles and missions, and more. BYJoseph TrevithickJul 10, 2019Share
BYJoseph TrevithickJun 30, 2019ShareA Tornado Left the USAF With Only One Active E-4B “Doomsday Plane” for MonthsThe incident only underscores the need for the service to move quickly to find replacements for the aging and expensive to operate planes. BYJoseph TrevithickJun 30, 2019Share
BYJoseph TrevithickJun 30, 2019ShareThis Is The USAF’s “Safer” Carbon Fiber Bomb That’s Also Extraordinarily ExpensiveThese weapons reduce the chances of inadvertently killing innocent bystanders, but cost nearly 40 times more than regular bombs in the same class. BYJoseph TrevithickJun 30, 2019Share
BYJoseph TrevithickJun 30, 2019ShareUSAF Getting ‘Cast Ductile Iron Bomb’ Cluster Munition Replacement Despite Policy ChangeThe US military now has more leeway to use cluster munitions, but the Air Force still wants to buy the weapon that was supposed to replace them. BYJoseph TrevithickJun 30, 2019Share
BYJoseph TrevithickJun 30, 2019ShareThe US Air Force Admits It Won’t Be Buying Any Light Attack Aircraft For YearsThe service claims the project is moving along quickly, but it won’t disclose any details until it releases its fiscal year 2020 budget request. BYJoseph TrevithickJun 30, 2019Share
BYJoseph TrevithickJun 30, 2019ShareThe US Air Force Wants a Trio of More Modern WC-135R Nuke Sniffing PlanesThe service desperately needs newer atmospheric testing planes, which are essential for monitoring both nuclear testing and accidents. BYJoseph TrevithickJun 30, 2019Share
BYJoseph TrevithickJun 30, 2019ShareUSAF’s New Bomber Roadmap Could Bust-Up Key Arms Control Treaty With the RussiansUnless something else changes, the service’s plan would put the United States on course to violate the New START agreement. BYJoseph TrevithickJun 30, 2019Share
BYJoseph TrevithickJun 30, 2019ShareUSAF Orders More Upgraded Massive Ordnance Penetrator Bombs Amid Tensions with North KoreaThe improved 33,000 pound bunker busters would be a key part of any “bloody nose” strike on the reclusive communist country. BYJoseph TrevithickJun 30, 2019Share
BYJoseph TrevithickJun 30, 2019ShareMassive US Counterstrike Against Assad’s Forces Signals New Stage Of Syrian Civil WarThree hour battle with Assad’s forces is a reminder that other parties may not give the US the choice of staying out of Syria’s civil war. BYJoseph TrevithickJun 30, 2019Share
BYJoseph TrevithickJun 30, 2019ShareDid the U.S. Air Force Bomb a Rogue SpaceX Booster Rocket?The Falcon 9 booster had unexpectedly survived a test and splashed down mostly intact off the coast of Florida. BYJoseph TrevithickJun 30, 2019Share
BYJoseph TrevithickJun 30, 2019ShareLet’s Face It, The USAF Isn’t Serious About Buying a Light Attack AircraftThe service says it somehow still needs more information, despite a decade of studies, evaluations, and other experiments with the concept. BYJoseph TrevithickJun 30, 2019Share
BYJoseph TrevithickJun 30, 2019ShareThe USAF Expands MQ-9 Reaper Drone Force in Afghanistan to Its Largest Size EverThe air war over Afghanistan is rapidly heating up and a huge deployment of Reapers drones is the latest major development. BYJoseph TrevithickJun 30, 2019Share
BYJoseph TrevithickJun 30, 2019ShareThe USAF Still Can’t Get The New AC-130J Ghostrider’s 30mm Cannon To Work ReliablyA new Pentagon report says that gun routinely fails and that the plane’s basic design also causes the 105mm shells on board to fall apart. BYJoseph TrevithickJun 30, 2019Share
BYJoseph TrevithickJun 30, 2019ShareThe US Navy May End Up Flying the Air Force’s Unwanted MQ-1 Predator DronesOther parties, including foreign allies, could also get some of the unmanned aircraft when the Air Force retires the type in 2018. BYJoseph TrevithickJun 30, 2019Share
BYJoseph TrevithickJun 30, 2019ShareUSAF Official in Charge of A-10s Says Re-Wing Program Is “Not Going to Happen”At a certain point, political opposition may not be enough to prevent more than 100 Warthogs from ending up unflyable. BYJoseph TrevithickJun 30, 2019Share
BYJoseph TrevithickJun 30, 2019ShareUS Navy Wants to Hire Contractors to Fly Their Own MQ-9 Reaper Drones in AfghanistanThe Marine Corps task force in Helmand Province has an urgent requirement for the unmanned aircraft. BYJoseph TrevithickJun 30, 2019Share
BYJoseph TrevithickJun 30, 2019ShareShadowy USAF Spy Plane Spotted Over Seattle Reportedly Reappears Over SyriaThe secretive CASA CN-235 likely carries a suite of sensors ideal for hunting ISIS terrorists in the region. BYJoseph TrevithickJun 30, 2019Share
BYJoseph TrevithickJun 30, 2019ShareUSAF Uses Textron’s Scorpion Jet As the Latest Testbed for Its Modular Sensor PodThere’s still no indication the service is looking to buy the jet, but the test could still be mutually beneficial. BYJoseph TrevithickJun 30, 2019Share
BYJoseph TrevithickJun 30, 2019ShareWatch The “Final Cut” Of A Glowing Film About The A-10 That The USAF Tried to SuppressAfter more than three years, the service still refuses to release an official version of the documentary. BYJoseph TrevithickJun 30, 2019Share
BYJoseph TrevithickJun 30, 2019ShareUSAF Wants Swarms of Cheap “Gray Wolf” Cruise Missiles That Can Overwhelm Enemy DefensesThe goal of the program is to demonstrate experimental low-cost weapons that can plot their own strikes. BYJoseph TrevithickJun 30, 2019Share
BYJoseph TrevithickJun 30, 2019ShareNow The Air Force Wants New Engines For Its B-52s That Burn 40 Percent Less FuelThe service is firming up requirements for its re-engine effort as it plans to keep the bombers in service past 2050. BYJoseph TrevithickJun 30, 2019Share
BYJoseph TrevithickJun 30, 2019ShareDraken Picks Up a Dozen South African Cheetahs to Emulate 4th Generation AdversariesMany private companies are buying up new fighters jets in to meet demands for more advanced aggressors to duel against. BYJoseph TrevithickJun 30, 2019Share
BYJoseph TrevithickJun 30, 2019ShareTop USAF Civilian Is a “Fan” of the A-10, but Dozens Will Still Likely Get GroundedNew wings for many A-10s can’t come fast enough and plans for a light attack aircraft are still up in the air. BYJoseph TrevithickJun 30, 2019Share
BYJoseph TrevithickJun 29, 2019ShareF-22s, F-35s Join Hundreds of US and South Korean Jets in Drill as Fears of War RiseThe major exercise comes after North Korea’s test of a new monster missile and amid confusing US policy pronouncements. BYJoseph TrevithickJun 29, 2019Share
BYJoseph TrevithickJun 29, 2019ShareThe USAF Is Rebuilding World War II-Era 40mm Shells for its AC-130U GunshipsThe service is the last user of the Bofors cannon in the US military and has had to go hunting for more ammunition. BYJoseph TrevithickJun 29, 2019Share
BYJoseph TrevithickJun 29, 2019ShareAward Reveals USAF Rivet Joint Spied on Iranian Forces During 2016 Hostage CrisisInformation from the Rivet Joint aircraft aided negotiations and helped avoid a more serious confrontation. BYJoseph TrevithickJun 29, 2019Share
BYJoseph TrevithickJun 29, 2019ShareNow in the Public Eye, American Troops in Niger Celebrate ThanksgivingEven in remote Agadez, U.S. personnel will enjoy special meals, fun runs, and other holiday-themed activities. BYJoseph TrevithickJun 29, 2019Share
BYJoseph TrevithickJun 29, 2019ShareThe US Air Force Has Taken Another Step Toward Re-Engining its B-52sThe service wants to modify each of the 76 bombers and possibly buy more 600 new engines as part of a multi-part deal. BYJoseph TrevithickJun 29, 2019Share
BYJoseph TrevithickJun 29, 2019ShareSpaceX Is About to Launch A Mysterious Northrop Grumman Spacecraft Called “Zuma”Neither firm will say who the U.S. government customer is or what the craft is even supposed to do once it’s in orbit. BYJoseph TrevithickJun 29, 2019Share
BYJoseph TrevithickJun 29, 2019ShareUS Air Force Reveals There May Have Been Another Attempted Terrorist Attack in NigerA social media post describes a previously unreported series of events that occurred near the city of Agadez in 2016. BYJoseph TrevithickJun 29, 2019Share
BYJoseph TrevithickJun 29, 2019ShareDeclassified Document Shows Reagan Had the NSA Monitor Vietnam for Details on POW/MIAsIntelligence specialists in Hawaii spent six months listening in on Vietnamese radio messages. BYJoseph TrevithickJun 29, 2019Share
BYJoseph TrevithickJun 29, 2019ShareUSAF Hires Lockheed Martin to Build a Laser Cannon to Defend Its Fighter JetsThe service wants a working weapon ready for tests starting in 2021 and a more complete system two years later. BYJoseph TrevithickJun 29, 2019Share
BYJoseph TrevithickJun 29, 2019ShareThis Is All The Stuff You Can Hang Out of a C-130’s Rear Paratrooper DoorsVarious kits use those openings to mount surveillance systems, communications antennas, firefighting gear, and more. BYJoseph TrevithickJun 29, 2019Share