American defense firms that have holdings or relationships with Israeli companies are at an “increased risk” of being targeted by Iran-linked government hackers and other cybercriminals backing Tehran, according to a June 30 advisory from four U.S. security agencies.
Range-extending external fuel tanks for the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter have re-emerged as part of the ongoing Block 4 modernization effort for those aircraft, years after a requirement for streamlined drop tanks was eliminated. ... The U.S. Air Force is requesting funds to explore adding external fuel tanks to the F-35 in its proposed budget for the 2026 Fiscal Year. The current combat radius of the land-based F-35A is generally stated to be around 670 nautical miles (close to 1,241 kilometers).
The Missile Defense Agency’s budget request for fiscal 2026 is flat at $10.2 billion and depends on another $3 billion in supplemental funding not yet passed by Congress, bringing the total ask to $13.2 billion, according to Defense Department documents.
“China and Russia are building and deploying highly maneuverable high-speed missile systems. North Korea has tested ballistic and satellite-launch capabilities. Iran launched longer-range ballistic missiles against Israel and a U.S. base in Qatar. In this environment, robust space-based defense isn’t optional; it’s foundational,” writes J.D. Crouch II, former deputy White House national security adviser.
The chief United Nations nuclear inspector has widened the divide with the Trump administration over how severely the United States set back Iran’s nuclear program, declaring that it could be enriching uranium in a “matter of months” even as President Trump repeated his claim that Tehran had lost interest in the effort.
Republican Rep. Don Bacon has made up his mind: the centrist Nebraska lawmaker is leaving Congress after this term. But he still has a big decision to make on President Trump’s agenda, after years of scraps with the president and the MAGA movement. ... Bacon, who served nearly 30 years in the Air Force and retired at the rank of brigadier general, cited dreams of one day being a cabinet official such as defense secretary or director of national intelligence—but not in this administration.
“The U.S. air attacks on Iran June 21—dubbed Operation Midnight Hammer—deserve an A+ for performance. It was a spectacular demonstration of what air and space power, when precisely planned and flawlessly executed, can achieve. It reminded the world that no military on Earth can match the reach, precision and lethality of the U.S. Air Force. But behind this extraordinary success lies a sobering truth: We may not be able to do it again,” write Rep. August Pfluger (R-Texas) and retired Lt. Gen. David A. Deptula, dean of AFA’s Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies.
This week, we’re shining a spotlight on the men and women of the 11th Space Warning Squadron (SWS). They provide theater missile warning to warfighters around the world. Given the nature and intensity of the threat environment, they have been incredibly busy. The 11 SWS is the inaugural recipient of the General Atomics United States Space Force Unit of the Year Award. Join Heather Penney, Charles Galbreath, and Jennifer “Boots” Reeves as they chat with 11 SWS commander Lt. Col. Amanda Manship; Capt. Abigail “Fizzle” Flannery, the 11 SWS Weapons Officer; and Sgt. Jonathan Stark, a Crew Chief in the 11 SWS.
Jesus “Jay” Malave, Lockheed Martin’s chief financial officer, is departing the world’s largest defense contractor for a similar role with rival Boeing, according to a June 30 corporate announcement.
Months after the Pentagon rolled out a policy aimed at wooing back service members booted from the military over the COVID-19 vaccine, the Pentagon has confirmed that only 13 people—all Army Soldiers—have rejoined.
The U.S. Space Force is working to develop a new generation of military satellites designed to maneuver unpredictably through space, in contrast to the traditional approach of parking spacecraft in fixed orbits where they can be easily targeted by adversaries. “Maneuver is pretty critical to warfighting,” said Kelly Hammett, director of the Space Rapid Capabilities Office (Space RCO), an organization within the Space Force based at Kirtland Air Force Base in New Mexico.
More than 8,000 of the roughly 15,000 P-51s built during World War II were "D" models. According to the Commemorative Air Force, there are currently only 150 airworthy Mustangs in museums, in flight, or undergoing restoration worldwide. Barely 1 percent of the 15,586 fighters built between 1941 and 1945 still lift off from the runway.
