Four Americans Killed as Iran Attacks US Troops in Jordan, Iraq
Four American service members died over the weekend in Jordan and Iraq as a result of Iranian attacks on U.S. forces, according to U.S. Central Command.
US Deploying F-16s and F-35s to Middle East as Iran War Heats Back Up
As the U.S. war with Iran intensifies, the Pentagon is rushing more warplanes to the region, deploying Air Force F-16 Fighting Falcons and F-35 Lightning II fighters to the Middle East, people familiar with the matter told Air & Space Forces Magazine.
Senior Space Force General: Iran Conflict Shows ‘Return to US Spectrum Dominance’
From missile warning to satellite communications for drones, the Space Force has played a key, if often unseen, role in the U.S. conflict with Iran, the head of the service’s Combat Forces Command said July 17. And one area in particular has seen Guardians be especially active: the electromagnetic spectrum.
Space Force Announces Enlisted Promotions as It Prepares to Switch to ‘Fully Qualified’ System
The most recent Space Force enlisted promotion selection was the last to use the old board format for sergeants, as the service transitions to a “fully qualified” method of selecting its junior NCOs.
Space Force Offering $25K Bonus for 8-Year Enlistments, but Slots Are Limited
Future Guardians willing to serve eight years for their first Active-Duty enlistment are now eligible for a $25,000 bonus—but the deal won’t last long, according to a recent Space Force announcement.
Former SECAF Kendall: Adding CCAs to Red Flag Will Be ‘Fascinating’ Step in Development
For former Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall, building Airmen’s trust in Collaborative Combat Aircraft is a crucial step in the fast-moving development and deployment of the semi-autonomous drones.
New AFCENT Commander, USAFA Superintendent Confirmed
The Senate confirmed a half-dozen Air Force generals to three-star jobs July 16, including a new commander of Air Forces Central and a new superintendent for the Air Force Academy.
Radar Sweep
COMMENTARY: Air Superiority over Battlefields Demands Both Standoff and Penetrating Airpower
RealClearDefense
“The war in Ukraine has revealed many insights about modern, high‑end combat, but perhaps the most consequential is the indispensable value of air superiority. Neither Russia nor Ukraine has made meaningful territorial gains over more than four years of war, despite extraordinarily high casualties. The reason is simple: neither side has been able to effectively control the air over the battlefield, a necessary means to obtain strategic advantage,” writes retired Air Force Col. JV Venable, a senior resident fellow at the Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies.
Can New Drones, 3D Printers Defeat Distance’s Tyranny? RIMPAC Aims to Find Out
Defense One
Replacing broken parts and resupplying ships at sea is a challenge anywhere, but in the Pacific theater, that problem is magnified by thousands of miles of sea water. Now, as part of the sprawling Rim of the Pacific, the U.S. military is practicing how it might use tech like self-driving boats and 3D printers that can be thrown out of airplanes to overcome the region’s oft-lamented tyranny of distance.
Boeing Expects Additional Cost Hit on Air Force One to Make 2028 Delivery: Defense CEO
Breaking Defense
Boeing predicts it will take additional cost overruns on the troubled VC-25B program to ensure it delivers the first new Air Force One planes by 2028, the company’s defense CEO said July 19.
USAF Chief Wilsbach on Lessons from Iran, T-7 Flight, and F-35 Delays
Breaking Defense
U.S. Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Kenneth Wilsbach has been in the seat for less than a year, but his tenure so far has been nothing short of eventful. Following his confirmation, the Air Force reversed a series of overhauls championed under the Biden administration. Months later, the Trump administration launched a war against Iran, which restarted last week after a ceasefire with Tehran collapsed. And in April, the White House unveiled a historic Pentagon budget proposal totaling $1.5 trillion.
PODCAST: Air Force Reserve Update—Lt. Gen. Healy
The Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies
With combatant commands requesting record levels of Air Force airpower, it’s crucial to remember that success comes down to the Total Force: Active, Reserve, and Guard. We learn more about these requirements and discuss future vectors with Air Force Reserve Commander Lt. Gen. John Healy.
Pentagon Task Force to Review CMMC Hits the Ground Running
DefenseScoop
The Department of Defense task force established to conduct a top-to-bottom review of the Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification kicked off July 16, according to the Pentagon’s top IT chief.
‘Let the AI Do It’: Former Air Force Secretary Pits Machine Against Human Operators
Military Times
As the U.S. Air Force moves to increasingly incorporate artificial intelligence into operations, the force needs to train human operators effectively to use the tools. But the technology might make a better fighter than the human at times, a former Air Force secretary said.
Boeing: T-7 Pitch to United Kingdom Shows European Commitment
Aviation Week
Boeing is touting its collaboration with BAE Systems and Saab to offer the T-7A for the United Kingdom as evidence of its commitment to local production in Europe, as there has been an ongoing trend of international militaries looking beyond the U.S. for their needs.
Airman at Vandenberg Space Force Base Dies in Heavy Machinery Incident, Officials Say
Los Angeles Times
A California Airman died July 16 after the heavy machinery he was operating rolled down an embankment at a military base, officials said. Airman 1st Class Cedric Eneluna was a member of the 30th Civil Engineer Squadron Pavements and Equipment Flight at Vandenberg Space Force Base.
Air Force’s New Basic Training Takes Shape as Recruits Work on Real Planes
Task & Purpose
For decades, new recruits joining the Air Force have left their hometowns and taken commercial flights to San Antonio, Texas, home of the service’s boot camp for all enlisted troops. But perhaps oddly for a military branch built on aviation, that final civilian flight to Texas was the only exposure to a real airplane an Air Force recruit could expect for months or even years. ... But that has begun to change. Beginning this summer, the service is reducing traditional events like marching and inspections, and instead it is putting new recruits through drills on a specially built mock-up airfield with real-world retired Air Force planes.
Zelenskyy Seeks to Quell Growing Discontent Over Ouster of Defense Minister
The Wall Street Journal
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy sought to defuse growing discontent over his abrupt dismissal of the country’s popular defense minister, as Russia launched one of the largest ballistic missile attacks on Kyiv since the start of the war.
Former Thunderbirds Commander, Air Force Major General Who Called Las Vegas Home Dies at 94
Las Vegas Review-Journal
Longtime Las Vegas resident Neil Eddins, a decorated Vietnam combat pilot who rose from enlisted Airman to Air Force major general and commander of the Thunderbirds, died last month, his family said. He was 94.