AFA/AEF Almanac

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.

The KC-Z4, a blended wing body tanker concept being developed by startup JetZero, could fuel larger groups of aircraft at longer range to hold more targets at risk, company officials say.

Air Combat Command is changing how it measures and tracks readiness for its fleet of aircraft, with a top general saying the focus is on “simplicity” and better articulating what its wings need. 

The Air Force is in talks with Boeing to modify requirements for its new VC-25B presidential aircraft in a push to get them into service by 2027.

The Air Force displayed all the firepower it has amassed on Okinawa in an unusually diverse show of force this week. In a May 6 “Elephant Walk,” Kadena Air Base showcased 24 F-35A Lightning II stealth fighters, eight F-15E Strike Eagles; two U.S. Army Patriot anti-missile batteries near the runway; and…

As Air Force leaders consider concepts of operations for Collaborative Combat Aircraft, sustainment in the field—and easing that support by using standard parts and limiting variants—should be a key consideration, according to a new study from AFA's Mitchell Institute of Aerospace Studies.