KC-46’s Refueling Boom Damaged While Refueling F-22s
Air Force Budget Hints at Shift in Tanker Plans—and More KC-46s
Donald Pucket’s Medal of Honor
Radar Sweep
Trump Caught Off Guard by Pentagon’s Abrupt Move to Pause Ukraine Weapons Deliveries
President Donald Trump’s decision to send more defensive weapons to Ukraine came after he privately expressed frustration with Pentagon officials for announcing a pause in some deliveries last week—a move that he felt wasn’t properly coordinated with the White House, according to three people familiar with the matter.
White House Weighs Giving Ukraine Another Patriot Air-Defense System
President Trump is considering sending an additional Patriot air-defense system to Ukraine after vowing in recent days to strengthen Kyiv against Russian attacks, according to two officials.
From Fighter Jets to Space Systems: Military Sends Lawmakers Over $20B-Worth of Unfunded Priorities
It’s much like the time every year when children the world over stamp envelopes for the North Pole and enclose their deepest desires for Santa Claus—only this happens in the spring or summer, deals in potentially billions of dollars-worth of weapons instead of toys and is legally mandated. That’s right, it’s Unfunded Priorities List season.
Trump’s New Favorite General
Trump seems to have been drawn to Air Force General Dan “Razin” Caine at least in part because he loved his nickname—which happens to be Caine’s F-16 call sign. ... Heather Penney, a retired Air Force major who flew F-16s with Caine, put it this way when I spoke with her: “Making an offensive counter air push with Razin in the lead—man, everything died in front of us. He was just so good.”
What Trump’s Order on ‘Unleashing American Drone Dominance’ Means for the US Military
While the Trump administration’s recently issued executive order on “Unleashing American Drone Dominance” places a sharp focus on civilian use of unmanned aircraft, the new policy also includes multiple provisions that could have implications for Pentagon and military personnel.
Former Air Force Chiefs Sound Alarm About Planned F-35, E-7 Cuts
On July 7, more than a dozen retired top Air Force generals—including six former chiefs of staff—released a letter urging Congress to reverse Pentagon plans to kill the E-7 Wedgetail program and slash F-35 procurement.
Air Force Review Spotlights Risks in Space Agency’s Go-Fast Approach
The Space Development Agency’s focus on rapid satellite delivery may expose the office to “undetected or misunderstood risks,” according to a report from the Air Force Inspector General obtained by Defense News.
China’s Two-Seat J-20 Stealth Fighter Poised to Enter Operational Service
A flurry of new images showing the two-seat variant of China’s J-20 stealth fighter has emerged online. As well as providing new views of the two-seater, which also now wears a darker paint scheme, recent imagery published on Chinese social media reveals the progress being made in other fighter programs, including the J-35 family of carrier-based and land-based stealth fighters.
Army Aims to Quadruple Patriot Missile Procurement
The U.S. Army has asked for a big boost to its Patriot air defense stockpile in the 2026 budget request, as the service drives to increase its “magazine depth” for various munitions.
Winston Beauchamp Retires from Federal Service After 29 Years at Air Force, IC
After nearly three decades of working for the U.S. government, Winston Beauchamp announced on July 4 that he’s departing from his role within the Department of the Air Force and leaving active federal service. Beauchamp began working for the department in 2015, and most recently served as the director of security, special program oversight and information protection within the Office of the Secretary of the Air Force.
World-Traveling Air Force Couple Shares Tips for Family Adventures
Joshua de Amusategui enlisted in the Air Force hoping to travel the world. But the military—or fate—had other plans and unintentionally supported a blossoming love story with his high school sweetheart, Ashley.