HTML Version <!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en"><head><title>Second B-52 Getting Test Radar After Crash</title><meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html;" /><meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1, shrink-to-fit=no"><meta http-equiv="X-UA-Compatible" content="IE=9; IE=8; IE=7; IE=EDGE" /><style type="text/css">body { margin: 0 !important; } #overall-container table { max-width: 680px !important; } @media only screen and (max-width: 480px) { body { width:100% !important; min-width:100% !important; } table, td { max-width: 100% !important; } table#email-container { width: 100% !important; } img { max-width: 100% !important; height: auto !important; } .bodytext, h2.article-title { margin: 0.8em !important; } .article-hr { margin: 1.0em 0.5em !important; } .footer-small p, .footer-small a { font-size: 0.4em !important; } .wp-post-image { margin: 0.3em 0 !important; } .editors-note { padding: 0.5em 0.8em !important; } }</style></head><body><div style="display: none; font-size: 1px; color: #333333; line-height: 1px; max-height: 0px; max-width: 0px; opacity: 0; overflow: hidden;">PLUS: Plans Take Shape for REFORPAC 2027 and Rocket Lab Gets USSF Suborbital Launches</div><table id="overall-container" align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%"><tbody><tr><td align="center"><table id="email-container" align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="width: 680px;"><tbody><tr><td><a href="https://givebutter.com/afa-80yearsDailyReport" target="_blank"><img width="680" height="90" src="https://www.airandspaceforces.com/app/uploads/2026/07/America250-2_680x90.png"></a></td></tr><tr class="logo"><td align="center"><img style="margin: 0;" alt="airforcemag daily report logo" height="92" width="450" src="https://www.airandspaceforces.com/Image/AFM_Daily_Report.jpg"></td></tr><tr class="date"><td align="center"><p class="bodytext" style="font-size: 1em; font-family: Georgia, serif; color: #1E4A85; font-weight: bold; margin: 0 0 .8em !important;">July 28, 2026</p></td></tr><tr class="date"><td align="center"><p class="article-author" style="font-size: 0.8em; text-align: center; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; color: #666666; font-weight: normal; margin: 0 0 0.8em;">Edited by Greg Hadley with Courtney Albon, Matthew Cox and Stephen Losey</p></td></tr><tr class="view-in-browser"><td align="center"><a href="https://www.airandspaceforces.com/daily-report/20260728/?src=dr" style="background: #3F6EB2; border-radius: 9px; color: #ffffff; text-decoration: none; padding: 0.8em 2em; display: inline-block; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: .7em; font-weight: bold; margin-bottom: 1em;" target="_blank">View In Browser</a></td></tr><tr class="featured-image"><td align="center"><img width="500" height="475" src="https://www.airandspaceforces.com/app/uploads/2025/12/NEWB52RADAR-1.avif" class="attachment-680x9999 size-680x9999 wp-post-image" alt="" style="width: 100%; height: auto; margin: 0.8em 0 0.1em;" decoding="async" fetchpriority="high" srcset="https://www.airandspaceforces.com/app/uploads/2025/12/NEWB52RADAR-1.avif 500w, https://www.airandspaceforces.com/app/uploads/2025/12/NEWB52RADAR-1-395x375.avif 395w, https://www.airandspaceforces.com/app/uploads/2025/12/NEWB52RADAR-1-474x450.avif 474w" sizes="(max-width: 500px) 100vw, 500px" /><em style='display: block; font-size: 0.8em; margin-bottom: 0.6em'>The Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) radar is installed on a B-52 Stratofortress as part of the B-52 Radar Modernization Program. This modernized radar will enhance the bomber’s all-weather navigation and targeting capabilities, extending its operational effectiveness for years to come. Photo courtesy of the Air Force</em></td></tr><tr class="article"><td><h2 class="article-title" style="font-size: 1.1em; text-align: center; margin: 0; font-family: Georgia, serif; color: #222222; font-weight: bold; margin: 0.8em 0; line-height: 1.5em;"><a href="https://www.airandspaceforces.com/test-b-52-modified-new-radar-june-crash/?src=dr" style="text-decoration: none; color: #222222;">Second Test B-52 Being Modified with New Radar After June Crash</a></h2><p class="article-author" style="font-size: 0.8em; text-align: center; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; color: #666666; font-weight: normal; margin: 0.8em 0;">By Stephen Losey</p><p class="bodytext" style="font-size: 1em; font-family: Georgia, serif; margin: 0; color: #555555; line-height: 1.7;">A second B-52H Stratofortress is now being modified with a upgraded radar for testing after the first test bomber crashed in June, and work is expected to be completed by the end of the year, officials said July 27.</p></td></tr><tr><td><hr class="article-hr" style="border: none; border-top: 1px solid #aaaaaa; margin: 1.6em 0;"></td></tr><tr class="article"><td><h2 class="article-title" style="font-size: 1.1em; text-align: center; margin: 0; font-family: Georgia, serif; color: #222222; font-weight: bold; margin: 0.8em 0; line-height: 1.5em;"><a href="https://www.airandspaceforces.com/air-force-reforpac-exercise-allies-joint-force-2027/?src=dr" style="text-decoration: none; color: #222222;">Air Force’s Massive REFORPAC Exercise Will Add More Allies, Joint Forces in 2027</a></h2><p class="article-author" style="font-size: 0.8em; text-align: center; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; color: #666666; font-weight: normal; margin: 0.8em 0;">By Greg Hadley</p><p class="bodytext" style="font-size: 1em; font-family: Georgia, serif; margin: 0; color: #555555; line-height: 1.7;">The Air Force will incorporate its sister services and more allies into the next edition of its large-scale Pacific exercise, which will take place in spring 2027, a top general revealed July 27. The first edition of Resolute Force Pacific, which took place...</p></td></tr><tr><td align="center"><a href="https://www.rtx.com/?utm_medium=ad&utm_source=a_sf_daily_report&utm_campaign=rtx-brand&utm_content=perspective-f35"><img width="680" height="265" src="https://www.airandspaceforces.com/app/uploads/2026/06/RTX_Perspective_F35_680x265.png" style="margin: 1.1em 0;"></a></td></tr><tr class="article"><td><h2 class="article-title" style="font-size: 1.1em; text-align: center; margin: 0; font-family: Georgia, serif; color: #222222; font-weight: bold; margin: 0.8em 0; line-height: 1.5em;"><a href="https://www.airandspaceforces.com/space-force-rocket-lab-suborbital-launches-alaska-spaceport/?src=dr" style="text-decoration: none; color: #222222;">Space Force Picks Rocket Lab for Suborbital Launches from Alaska</a></h2><p class="article-author" style="font-size: 0.8em; text-align: center; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; color: #666666; font-weight: normal; margin: 0.8em 0;">By Courtney Albon</p><p class="bodytext" style="font-size: 1em; font-family: Georgia, serif; margin: 0; color: #555555; line-height: 1.7;">The Space Force awarded Rocket Lab $266 million to launch 12 suborbital missions over the next three years—most of them from a new launch pad in Alaska.</p></td></tr><tr><td align="center"><a href="https://www.marvintest.com/landing/smartcan3"><img width="680" height="265" src="https://www.airandspaceforces.com/app/uploads/2026/07/Marvin-Test_680x265-B.jpg" style="margin: 1.1em 0;"></a></td></tr><tr class="article"><td><h2 class="article-title" style="font-size: 1.1em; text-align: center; margin: 0; font-family: Georgia, serif; color: #222222; font-weight: bold; margin: 0.8em 0; line-height: 1.5em;"><a href="https://www.airandspaceforces.com/cmsaf-wolfe-new-heritage-workouts/?src=dr" style="text-decoration: none; color: #222222;">CMSAF Challenges Airmen with New Workouts: ‘Let’s See What You’ve Got!’</a></h2><p class="article-author" style="font-size: 0.8em; text-align: center; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; color: #666666; font-weight: normal; margin: 0.8em 0;">By Matthew Cox</p><p class="bodytext" style="font-size: 1em; font-family: Georgia, serif; margin: 0; color: #555555; line-height: 1.7;">Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force David R. Wolfe is challenging Airmen with new weekly workouts that are likely to hurt way more than the service’s new fitness test.</p></td></tr><tr><td align="center"><a href="https://armynavy.usaaevents.com"><img width="680" height="265" src="https://www.airandspaceforces.com/app/uploads/2026/05/USAA_June26_DR_680x265.jpg" style="margin: 1.1em 0;"></a></td></tr><tr class="row-spacer" height="25"><td> </td></tr><tr><td align="center" class="radar-sweep" style="background-color: #F4F5F9;"><table id="radar-sweep" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" valign="top" width="90%"></tbody><tr class="row-spacer" height="24"><td> </td></tr><tr class="title""><td align="center"><h3 style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 1.3em; color: #222222; font-weight: bold;">Radar Sweep</h3></td></tr><tr class="row-spacer" height=12><td> </td></tr><tr><td align="left"><h2 style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 1.1em; color: #222222; font-weight: bold; margin: 0;">Why Trump Held Off on Latest Iran Escalation Threat: Sources</h2><p><a class="radar-link" href="https://abcnews.com/Politics/trump-held-off-latest-iran-escalation-threat-sources/story?id=135134425" style="color: #214a86; font-size: 1em; font-weight: bold; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;" target="_blank">ABC News</a> </p><p class="bodytext-radar" style="font-size: 1em; font-family: Georgia, serif; color: #555555; line-height: 1.7; margin: 0;">President Donald Trump again put off his threats of a major military escalation with Iran in favor of diplomatic efforts to open the Strait of Hormuz after senior advisers, including the Vice President, voiced concerns, multiple sources and a U.S. official told ABC News.</p></td></tr><tr><td><hr style="border: none; border-top: 1px solid #dddddd; margin: 1.6em 0;"></td></tr><tr><td align="left"><h2 style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 1.1em; color: #222222; font-weight: bold; margin: 0;">Zelenskyy and Britain’s New Leader Discuss Drone Projects and Missile Defense for Kyiv</h2><p><a class="radar-link" href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-war-zelenskyy-burnham-iran-araghchi-505af356645b8ecd779454ce0e02051a" style="color: #214a86; font-size: 1em; font-weight: bold; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;" target="_blank">The Associated Press</a> </p><p class="bodytext-radar" style="font-size: 1em; font-family: Georgia, serif; color: #555555; line-height: 1.7; margin: 0;">Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and new U.K. Prime Minister Andy Burnham met July 27 at a British naval base and discussed joint drone projects and Ukraine’s urgent need for ballistic missile interceptors to counter Russian attacks.</p></td></tr><tr><td><hr style="border: none; border-top: 1px solid #dddddd; margin: 1.6em 0;"></td></tr><tr><td align="left"><h2 style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 1.1em; color: #222222; font-weight: bold; margin: 0;">OPINION: America’s Fighter Force Is Running Out of Margin</h2><p><a class="radar-link" href="https://breakingdefense.com/2026/07/americas-fighter-force-is-running-out-of-margin-rep-biggs/" style="color: #214a86; font-size: 1em; font-weight: bold; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;" target="_blank">Breaking Defense</a> </p><p class="bodytext-radar" style="font-size: 1em; font-family: Georgia, serif; color: #555555; line-height: 1.7; margin: 0;">“American defense strategy depends on airpower. That has been true for decades, but the demand signal is sharper now. The United States expects its Air Force to deter China, reassure allies in Europe, defend the homeland, respond to crises in the Middle East and remain ready for major war. Those missions are spread across different theaters, different timelines and different levels of risk. They all assume that enough combat airpower will be available when needed,” writes Rep. Sheri Biggs (R-S.C.)</p></td></tr><tr><td><hr style="border: none; border-top: 1px solid #dddddd; margin: 1.6em 0;"></td></tr><tr><td align="left"><h2 style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 1.1em; color: #222222; font-weight: bold; margin: 0;">Pentagon Calls for Cheaper Long-Range Strike Weapons, with Testing in Just 3 Months</h2><p><a class="radar-link" href="https://www.defensenews.com/news/2026/07/27/pentagon-calls-for-cheaper-long-range-strike-weapons-with-testing-in-just-3-months/" style="color: #214a86; font-size: 1em; font-weight: bold; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;" target="_blank">Defense News</a> </p><p class="bodytext-radar" style="font-size: 1em; font-family: Georgia, serif; color: #555555; line-height: 1.7; margin: 0;">With the U.S. running low on expensive guided munitions, the Pentagon is pushing yet another project to develop cheap, long-range weapons that can be mass produced. ... DOD is putting out a call for long-range, autonomously guided Ground-Based Affordable Mass, or GBAM, weapons that cost less than $250,000 apiece.</p></td></tr><tr><td><hr style="border: none; border-top: 1px solid #dddddd; margin: 1.6em 0;"></td></tr><tr><td align="left"><h2 style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 1.1em; color: #222222; font-weight: bold; margin: 0;">Australian MQ-28 Ghost Bat Fighter Drones Could Be Commanded by US Pilots</h2><p><a class="radar-link" href="https://www.twz.com/air/australian-mq-28-ghost-bat-fighter-drones-could-be-commanded-by-u-s-pilots" style="color: #214a86; font-size: 1em; font-weight: bold; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;" target="_blank">The War Zone</a> </p><p class="bodytext-radar" style="font-size: 1em; font-family: Georgia, serif; color: #555555; line-height: 1.7; margin: 0;">he U.S. Air Force is “threaded in tight” with the work Australians are doing with the MQ-28 Ghost Bat uncrewed aircraft, according to the service’s top officer in the Pacific. This was underscored by the MQ-28’s participation at a major exercise earlier this year, lessons from which are feeding into the Air Force’s evolving plans for its forthcoming Collaborative Combat Aircraft drone fleets. Deep integration between the U.S. Air Force and the Royal Australian Air Force opens the door to American personnel potentially ordering Australian MQ-28s around in the future, too.</p></td></tr><tr><td><hr style="border: none; border-top: 1px solid #dddddd; margin: 1.6em 0;"></td></tr><tr><td align="center"><a href="https://www.ga-asi.com/us-air-force-awards-ga-asi-production-contract-for-fq-42a-cca" target="_blank"><img width="300" height="250" src="https://www.airandspaceforces.com/app/uploads/2026/06/GenAtom_2606_FQ_42A_300x250px_L22616.png"></a></td></tr><tr><td><hr style="border: none; border-top: 1px solid #dddddd; margin: 1.6em 0;"></td></tr><tr><td align="left"><h2 style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 1.1em; color: #222222; font-weight: bold; margin: 0;">Two Wars Converge in the Caspian Sea as Ukraine Hits Iranian Supply Line to Russia</h2><p><a class="radar-link" href="https://www.wsj.com/world/two-wars-converge-in-the-caspian-sea-as-ukraine-hits-iranian-supply-line-to-russia-e036fb27?st=eLQgyS&reflink=desktopwebshare_permalink" style="color: #214a86; font-size: 1em; font-weight: bold; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;" target="_blank">The Wall Street Journal</a> <em style="font-size: 0.8em;">(Gift Link)</em></p><p class="bodytext-radar" style="font-size: 1em; font-family: Georgia, serif; color: #555555; line-height: 1.7; margin: 0;">Ukrainian drones have hit military-supply lines connecting Russia and Iran through the Caspian Sea, exploiting a new front in two increasingly intertwined wars.</p></td></tr><tr><td><hr style="border: none; border-top: 1px solid #dddddd; margin: 1.6em 0;"></td></tr><tr><td align="left"><h2 style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 1.1em; color: #222222; font-weight: bold; margin: 0;">Deadly US Boat Strikes Have Failed to Curb Cocaine Supply, Pentagon and DEA Officials Say</h2><p><a class="radar-link" href="https://wapo.st/4yHb0qF" style="color: #214a86; font-size: 1em; font-weight: bold; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;" target="_blank">The Washington Post</a> <em style="font-size: 0.8em;">(Gift Link)</em></p><p class="bodytext-radar" style="font-size: 1em; font-family: Georgia, serif; color: #555555; line-height: 1.7; margin: 0;">The Trump administration’s deadly military strikes on alleged drug trafficking boats have not reduced the amount of cocaine entering the United States, but they’re prompting criminal organizations to develop new strategies and tactics and undermining traditional investigative methods, according to a previously unreported assessment by the Drug Enforcement Administration, a closed-door congressional briefing, and interviews with current and former U.S. and foreign officials.</p></td></tr><tr><td><hr style="border: none; border-top: 1px solid #dddddd; margin: 1.6em 0;"></td></tr><tr><td align="left"><h2 style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 1.1em; color: #222222; font-weight: bold; margin: 0;">Pentagon Inks Deal with L3Harris to Ramp Rocket Motor Production</h2><p><a class="radar-link" href="https://breakingdefense.com/2026/07/pentagon-inks-deal-with-l3harris-to-ramp-rocket-motor-production/" style="color: #214a86; font-size: 1em; font-weight: bold; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;" target="_blank">Breaking Defense</a> </p><p class="bodytext-radar" style="font-size: 1em; font-family: Georgia, serif; color: #555555; line-height: 1.7; margin: 0;">L3Harris has reached a framework agreement with the Pentagon to ramp up solid rocket motor production for PAC-3 missiles and THAAD interceptors over the next seven years, the department announced July 27.</p></td></tr><tr><td><hr style="border: none; border-top: 1px solid #dddddd; margin: 1.6em 0;"></td></tr><tr><td align="left"><h2 style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 1.1em; color: #222222; font-weight: bold; margin: 0;">Pentagon Acquisition Chief Points to Ohio Program as Evidence of Acquisition Success</h2><p><a class="radar-link" href="https://www.daytondailynews.com/local/pentagon-acquisition-chief-points-to-ohio-program-as-evidence-of-acquisition-success/article_040d6bf3-ec8b-5c58-9b75-37db9b08ad3b.html" style="color: #214a86; font-size: 1em; font-weight: bold; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;" target="_blank">Dayton Daily News</a> </p><p class="bodytext-radar" style="font-size: 1em; font-family: Georgia, serif; color: #555555; line-height: 1.7; margin: 0;">The general in charge of the Pentagon’s most critical weapons development programs pointed to an Ohio-manufactured weapon as evidence that military acquisition has turned a corner for the better. In an address July 27 at the Dayton Convention Center, Air Force Gen. Dale White, the director of critical major weapons systems for the Department of Defense, pointed to the Collaborative Combat Aircraft—produced by Anduril Industries—as a substantial success so far.</p></td></tr><tr><td><hr style="border: none; border-top: 1px solid #dddddd; margin: 1.6em 0;"></td></tr><tr><td align="left"><h2 style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 1.1em; color: #222222; font-weight: bold; margin: 0;">Air Force Must Fix Fleet Age, Size, Readiness Issues, Undersecretary Says</h2><p><a class="radar-link" href="https://www.nationaldefensemagazine.org/articles/2026/7/27/air-force-must-fix-fleet-age-size-readiness-issues-undersecretary-says" style="color: #214a86; font-size: 1em; font-weight: bold; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;" target="_blank">National Defense Magazine</a> </p><p class="bodytext-radar" style="font-size: 1em; font-family: Georgia, serif; color: #555555; line-height: 1.7; margin: 0;">Air Force Undersecretary Matthew Lohmeier during a keynote speech July 27 gave a blunt assessment of the service’s current state, calling it “older, smaller, and less ready than it needs to be to defend the homeland and deter aggression in the Pacific.”</p></td></tr><tr><td><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="dark-block" style="margin: 1em 0; background: #F4F5F9;" valign="top" width="100%"><tbody><tr class="row-spacer" height="25"><td style="background: #1f2a39; border-color: #1f2a39; border-top-right-radius: 9px; border-top-left-radius: 9px;"> </td></tr><tr><td style="background: #1f2a39;" align="center"><table width="90%" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tbody><tr><td align="left"><h3 style="font-size: 1em; color: #dddddd; margin: 0; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; margin-bottom: 0.8em; font-weight: normal">One More Thing</h3><h2 style="font-size: 1em; color: #eeeeee; margin: 0; font-family: Georgia, serif; letter-spacing: 0.01em;">History’s ‘Modern Marvels’ Returns for the Wonder Weapons of World War II</h2><p class="bodytext-radar"><a style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 1em; color: #dddddd; font-weight: bold; letter-spacing: 0.03em; text-decoration: underline #bbbbbb solid;" href="https://www.wearethemighty.com/entertainment/modern-marvels-wwii-history/" target="_blank">We Are The Mighty</a> </p><p class="bodytext-radar" style="font-size: 1em; font-family: Georgia, serif; margin: 0; color: #eeeeee; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: 0.01em;">History’s totally engrossing, thoroughly addictive smash hit “Modern Marvels” is back for WWII. Three episodes of the timeless series will cover the superweapons developed by both the Axis and the Allies, the gargantuan megaprojects both took to hasten an end to the war, and the smaller (yet still crucially important) gadgets they developed in an effort to get an edge on the other side.</p></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr><tr class="row-spacer" height="25"><td style="background: #1f2a39; border-color: #1f2a39; border-bottom-left-radius: 9px; border-bottom-right-radius: 9px;"> </td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr><tr><td align="center"><a href="https://asc26.expotracker.net/Index.aspx" target="_blank"><img width="680" height="265" style="margin: 0.8em 0;" src="https://www.airandspaceforces.com/app/uploads/2026/07/ASC26_680x265.png"></a></td></tr><tr><td align="center" style="padding: 1.1em 0 1em; text-align: center; background: #2d3d44;"><table width="100%" cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0 border=0><tbody><tr class="footer-logo"><td align="center"><img width="171" style="margin-bottom: 0.8em;" src="https://www.airandspaceforces.com/Image/ASF_mag_logo_white.png"></td></tr><tr class="footer-nav"><td align="center" style="color: #cccccc; font-size: 0.9em;"><a href="https://www.airandspaceforces.com/daily-report/?src=dr" style="font-size: 0.9em; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; color: #fff; text-decoration: none; font-weight: bold;" target="_blank">Daily Report</a> | <a href="https://www.airandspaceforces.com/contact-us/?src=dr" style="font-size: 0.9em; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; color: #fff; text-decoration: none; font-weight: bold;" target="_blank">Contact Us</a> | <a href="https://www.airandspaceforces.com/advertise/?src=dr" style="font-size: 0.9em; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; color: #fff; text-decoration: none; font-weight: bold;" target="_blank">Advertise</a> | <a href="https://www.afa.org/join/?src=dr" style="font-size: 0.9em; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; color: #fff; text-decoration: none; font-weight: bold;" target="_blank">Join AFA</a> | <a href="https://www.afa.org/?src=dr" style="font-size: 0.9em; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; color: #fff; text-decoration: none; font-weight: bold;" target="_blank">Air & Space Forces Association</a> | <a href="https://www.airandspaceforces.com/reprint-permission/?src=dr" style="font-size: 0.9em; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; color: #fff; text-decoration: none; font-weight: bold;" target="_blank">Reprints</a></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr><tr><td align="center"><p style="margin: 0.8em 0 0;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/ASForcesMag" target="_blank"><img src="https://cdn2.iconfinder.com/data/icons/social-icons-33/128/Facebook-512.png" width="33"></a> <a href="https://twitter.com/ASForcesMag" target="_blank"><img src="https://cdn0.iconfinder.com/data/icons/social-network-7/50/4-512.png" width="35"></a></p></td></tr><tr class="footer-small"><td align="center"><p style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; color: #555555; font-size: 0.6em; margin: 0.8em 0">Published by the Air & Space Forces Association.<br/><a href="https://www.airandspaceforces.com/?src=dr" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; color: #214a86; font-size: 1em;" target="_blank">airandspaceforces.com</a> material is under copyright by the Air & Space Forces Association. 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Plaintext Version Air & Space Forces Magazine Daily Report for July 28, 2026 View in your Web Browser: https://www.airandspaceforces.com/daily-report/20260728/?src=dr Edited by Greg Hadley with Courtney Albon, Matthew Cox and Stephen Losey -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- [ Advertisement ] https://givebutter.com/afa-80yearsDailyReport -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Second Test B-52 Being Modified with New Radar After June Crash By Stephen Losey A second B-52H Stratofortress is now being modified with a upgraded radar for testing after the first test bomber crashed in June, and work is expected to be completed by the end of the year, officials said July 27. https://www.airandspaceforces.com/test-b-52-modified-new-radar-june-crash/?src=dr -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Air Force’s Massive REFORPAC Exercise Will Add More Allies, Joint Forces in 2027 By Greg Hadley The Air Force will incorporate its sister services and more allies into the next edition of its large-scale Pacific exercise, which will take place in spring 2027, a top general revealed July 27. The first edition of Resolute Force Pacific, which took place... https://www.airandspaceforces.com/air-force-reforpac-exercise-allies-joint-force-2027/?src=dr -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- [ Advertisement ] https://www.rtx.com/?utm_medium=ad&utm_source=a_sf_daily_report&utm_campaign=rtx-brand&utm_content=perspective-f35 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Space Force Picks Rocket Lab for Suborbital Launches from Alaska By Courtney Albon The Space Force awarded Rocket Lab $266 million to launch 12 suborbital missions over the next three years—most of them from a new launch pad in Alaska. https://www.airandspaceforces.com/space-force-rocket-lab-suborbital-launches-alaska-spaceport/?src=dr -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- [ Advertisement ] https://www.marvintest.com/landing/smartcan3 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- CMSAF Challenges Airmen with New Workouts: ‘Let’s See What You’ve Got!’ By Matthew Cox Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force David R. Wolfe is challenging Airmen with new weekly workouts that are likely to hurt way more than the service’s new fitness test. https://www.airandspaceforces.com/cmsaf-wolfe-new-heritage-workouts/?src=dr -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- [ Advertisement ] https://armynavy.usaaevents.com -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Radar Sweep -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Why Trump Held Off on Latest Iran Escalation Threat: Sources President Donald Trump again put off his threats of a major military escalation with Iran in favor of diplomatic efforts to open the Strait of Hormuz after senior advisers, including the Vice President, voiced concerns, multiple sources and a U.S. official told ABC News. https://abcnews.com/Politics/trump-held-off-latest-iran-escalation-threat-sources/story?id=135134425 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Zelenskyy and Britain’s New Leader Discuss Drone Projects and Missile Defense for Kyiv Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and new U.K. Prime Minister Andy Burnham met July 27 at a British naval base and discussed joint drone projects and Ukraine’s urgent need for ballistic missile interceptors to counter Russian attacks. https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-war-zelenskyy-burnham-iran-araghchi-505af356645b8ecd779454ce0e02051a -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- OPINION: America’s Fighter Force Is Running Out of Margin “American defense strategy depends on airpower. That has been true for decades, but the demand signal is sharper now. The United States expects its Air Force to deter China, reassure allies in Europe, defend the homeland, respond to crises in the Middle East and remain ready for major war. Those missions are spread across different theaters, different timelines and different levels of risk. They all assume that enough combat airpower will be available when needed,” writes Rep. Sheri Biggs (R-S.C.) https://breakingdefense.com/2026/07/americas-fighter-force-is-running-out-of-margin-rep-biggs/ -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Pentagon Calls for Cheaper Long-Range Strike Weapons, with Testing in Just 3 Months With the U.S. running low on expensive guided munitions, the Pentagon is pushing yet another project to develop cheap, long-range weapons that can be mass produced. ... DOD is putting out a call for long-range, autonomously guided Ground-Based Affordable Mass, or GBAM, weapons that cost less than $250,000 apiece. https://www.defensenews.com/news/2026/07/27/pentagon-calls-for-cheaper-long-range-strike-weapons-with-testing-in-just-3-months/ -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Australian MQ-28 Ghost Bat Fighter Drones Could Be Commanded by US Pilots he U.S. Air Force is “threaded in tight” with the work Australians are doing with the MQ-28 Ghost Bat uncrewed aircraft, according to the service’s top officer in the Pacific. This was underscored by the MQ-28’s participation at a major exercise earlier this year, lessons from which are feeding into the Air Force’s evolving plans for its forthcoming Collaborative Combat Aircraft drone fleets. Deep integration between the U.S. Air Force and the Royal Australian Air Force opens the door to American personnel potentially ordering Australian MQ-28s around in the future, too. https://www.twz.com/air/australian-mq-28-ghost-bat-fighter-drones-could-be-commanded-by-u-s-pilots -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- [ Advertisement ] https://www.ga-asi.com/us-air-force-awards-ga-asi-production-contract-for-fq-42a-cca -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Two Wars Converge in the Caspian Sea as Ukraine Hits Iranian Supply Line to Russia Ukrainian drones have hit military-supply lines connecting Russia and Iran through the Caspian Sea, exploiting a new front in two increasingly intertwined wars. https://www.wsj.com/world/two-wars-converge-in-the-caspian-sea-as-ukraine-hits-iranian-supply-line-to-russia-e036fb27?st=eLQgyS&reflink=desktopwebshare_permalink (Gift Link) -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Deadly US Boat Strikes Have Failed to Curb Cocaine Supply, Pentagon and DEA Officials Say The Trump administration’s deadly military strikes on alleged drug trafficking boats have not reduced the amount of cocaine entering the United States, but they’re prompting criminal organizations to develop new strategies and tactics and undermining traditional investigative methods, according to a previously unreported assessment by the Drug Enforcement Administration, a closed-door congressional briefing, and interviews with current and former U.S. and foreign officials. https://wapo.st/4yHb0qF (Gift Link) -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Pentagon Inks Deal with L3Harris to Ramp Rocket Motor Production L3Harris has reached a framework agreement with the Pentagon to ramp up solid rocket motor production for PAC-3 missiles and THAAD interceptors over the next seven years, the department announced July 27. https://breakingdefense.com/2026/07/pentagon-inks-deal-with-l3harris-to-ramp-rocket-motor-production/ -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Pentagon Acquisition Chief Points to Ohio Program as Evidence of Acquisition Success The general in charge of the Pentagon’s most critical weapons development programs pointed to an Ohio-manufactured weapon as evidence that military acquisition has turned a corner for the better. In an address July 27 at the Dayton Convention Center, Air Force Gen. Dale White, the director of critical major weapons systems for the Department of Defense, pointed to the Collaborative Combat Aircraft—produced by Anduril Industries—as a substantial success so far. https://www.daytondailynews.com/local/pentagon-acquisition-chief-points-to-ohio-program-as-evidence-of-acquisition-success/article_040d6bf3-ec8b-5c58-9b75-37db9b08ad3b.html -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Air Force Must Fix Fleet Age, Size, Readiness Issues, Undersecretary Says Air Force Undersecretary Matthew Lohmeier during a keynote speech July 27 gave a blunt assessment of the service’s current state, calling it “older, smaller, and less ready than it needs to be to defend the homeland and deter aggression in the Pacific.” https://www.nationaldefensemagazine.org/articles/2026/7/27/air-force-must-fix-fleet-age-size-readiness-issues-undersecretary-says -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- One More Thing... History’s ‘Modern Marvels’ Returns for the Wonder Weapons of World War II History’s totally engrossing, thoroughly addictive smash hit “Modern Marvels” is back for WWII. Three episodes of the timeless series will cover the superweapons developed by both the Axis and the Allies, the gargantuan megaprojects both took to hasten an end to the war, and the smaller (yet still crucially important) gadgets they developed in an effort to get an edge on the other side. https://www.wearethemighty.com/entertainment/modern-marvels-wwii-history/ -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- [ Advertisement ] https://asc26.expotracker.net/Index.aspx -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- - Daily Report: https://www.airandspaceforces.com/daily-report/ - Contact Us: https://www.airandspaceforces.com/contact-us/ - Advertise With Us: https://www.airandspaceforces.com/advertise/ - Purchase/Reprint: https://www.airandspaceforces.com/reprint-permission/ - Air & Space Forces Assoc.: https://www.afa.org - Join AFA: https://www.afa.org/join/ - A&SF Mag on Facebook: https://facebook.com/ASForcesMag - A&SF Mag on Twitter: https://twitter.com/ASForcesMag -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Published by the Air & Space Forces Association All airandspaceforces.com material is under copyright of the Air & Space Forces Association. 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