AFA/AEF Almanac

The Pentagon wants to rapidly acquire new technology for downing hostile drones over military bases in the U.S. without endangering nearby civilians or infrastructure. However, experts maintain that engaging drones near civilian areas will always present challenges that technology alone cannot solve.

The future of the Air Force’s acquisition of 26 Boeing E-7 Wedgetail aircraft is in doubt under spending plans that are being weighed by the Trump administration.

President Donald Trump's nominee for assistant secretary of the Air Force manpower and reserve affairs, retired Air Force Col. Richard L. Anderson, sailed through his confirmation hearing before the Senate Armed Services Committee May 13.

The Department of the Air Force will establish a new center for artificial intelligence development, building on existing partnerships with MIT, Stanford University, and Microsoft.

The Senate confirmed Dr. Troy Meink to be the 27th Secretary of the Air Force May 13, nearly five months after President Donald Trump picked him to be the top civilian overseeing the Air Force and Space Force. The vote was 74 to 25.

Less than a day after arriving in the Middle East, F-15E Strike Eagles from Seymour Johnson Air Force Base, N.C. defended Israel from an Iranian attack in April 2024. DUDE flight, four F-15Es from the 335th Fighter Squadron, downed two dozen Iranian drones in roughly 45 minutes.

The Air Force will rotate fighters through Misawa Air Base, Japan starting this summer to bridge the gap between the F-16 drawdown and the F-35 delivery, expected to start in Spring 2026.

A new F-35 training group graduated its first batch of two Polish pilots May 9, with more on the way from Poland, Finland, Germany, Switzerland, Singapore, and other partners. The 85th Fighter Group was reactivated at Ebbing Air National Guard Base, Ark. last July to help other F-35 buyers prepare…

An ambitious U.S. military program to explore using rockets to deliver cargo around the globe took another step forward with an announcement of an experimental mission planned for 2026.