F-35 Delays Drove Boost to Air Force’s F-15EX Buy
Repeated delays to critical F-35 upgrades helped drive the Air Force to more than double its planned fleet of F-15EX Eagle II fighters, a top official said May 12.
Unplanned Depot Repairs on the Rise, but USAF Metric Undercounts Delays: Report
Depot-level maintenance took longer than expected for nearly three-quarters of Air Force aircraft from fiscal 2019-2024, according to a new report, as unplanned repairs rise across the aging fleet. The report, from the Government Accountability Office, also found that the extent of the delays has been masked because officials often revise their target timelines after unplanned work occurs.
New Golden Dome ‘Ecosystem Hub’ Will Vet New Tech, Monitor Industrial Base
The leaders of the Pentagon’s Golden Dome program say a new “Ecosystem Hub” will make it easier for companies to pitch technology for the effort and for the government to monitor supply chain and cyber risks.
Air Force Reservists Save 11 Plane Crash Survivors at Sea
Members of the Air Force Reserve’s 920th Rescue Wing helped save 11 airplane crash survivors off the coast of Florida on May 12. The Reserve Airmen were flying an HC-130J Combat King II and an HH-60W Jolly Green II on a routine training flight when a Coast Guard call diverted their mission.
Radar Sweep
This Arkansas Town Is Humming With the Sound of Missile Making
The Wall Street Journal
When the Pentagon put out an urgent call for rocket launchers and ammunition to send to Ukraine and replenish supplies at home in 2022, an answer came from an unlikely place: this remote southern pine-belt town, population around 10,000.
Taiwan’s President Defends US Arms Purchases that Trump Called ‘Bargaining Chip’
The Associated Press
Taiwan’s president on Sunday stressed that arms purchases from the United States are “the most important deterrent” of regional conflict and instability, after President Donald Trump called into question continued U.S. support of Taiwan following his visit to China.
Hegseth Memo Calls for Sweeping, Open-Ended Review of Pentagon's Legal System
Defense One
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, who last year gutted a Congressionally-created panel that oversaw his department’s legal community, is standing up a new one with a broader purview.
‘We’re Not Happy’: Mike Rogers Frustrated with Canceled Poland Deployment Without Committee Consultation
Washington Examiner
House Armed Services Committee Chairman Mike Rogers (R-Ala.) told Army leaders on May 15 his committee is “not happy” with the Pentagon’s recent deployment decisions in Europe.
AIRO’s ‘Slowed Rotor’ Hybrid-Electric VTOL Drone Aims to Solve Resupply Issues
Breaking Defense
Aerospace firm AIRO, along with its brand Jaunt Air Mobility, unveiled new dual-use vertical-takeoff-and landing drones the JC250 cargo variant and the JX250 ISR variant—with “slowed-rotor” architecture and hybrid-electric propulsion, at the Xponential/MDEX conference.
Here’s How the Army Plans to Spend Nearly $1 Billion in Procuring Small Counter-Drone Tech
Breaking Defense
Under the Defense Department’s nearly $1.5 trillion fiscal 2027 budget request, the Army would have almost $1 billion in procurement funding to spend on small counter unmanned aerial system technology capabilities—nearly double the amount the service was granted in its enacted budget for FY26.
DOD Faces Mounting Pressure to Pass Clean Audit for the First Time
Defense News
House lawmakers and government watchdogs expressed skepticism May 13 about the Defense Department’s ability to produce a clean financial audit by a Dec. 31, 2028, statutory deadline.
US, Nigerian Troops Kill ISIS Second in Command
Task & Purpose
American and Nigerian forces killed the Islamic State’s director of global operations in a May 15 operation, U.S. African Command said. The joint operation killed Abu-Bilal al-Minuki, according to President Donald Trump, who announced the mission and al-Minuki’s death in a social media post.
Secretive AIM-260 Air-to-Air Missile Finally Breaks Cover
The War Zone
The first picture of the U.S. military’s new AIM-260 Joint Advanced Tactical Missile (JATM) has emerged. Flight testing of the JATM is known to have started years ago, but it has never been seen publicly before now.
DOJ Requests 1,500 More National Guard Troops for Planned DC ‘Summer Surge’
The Hill
The Trump administration wants another 1,500 National Guard troops deployed to the streets of Washington part of a “summer surge” of law enforcement to the nation’s capital ahead of America’s 250th birthday, Justice Department officials announced May 15.
PODCAST: Allied Leadership Conversation—Maj. Gen. Wickman, Commander of the Swedish AF
The Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies
As the newest member of NATO, Sweden plays in instrumental role in securing the alliance’s northern flank. With the Swedish Air Force celebrating its 100th anniversary this year, we are excited to chat with Maj. Gen. Jonas Wikman, Commander of the Swedish Air Force. We discuss the current security environment and how that is shaping decision-making both in Sweden and throughout NATO. This touches upon strategy, operational concepts, and modernization equities. Our conversation also covers lessons learned from ongoing conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East.
US Orders Travelers on Air Force One to Throw Away Gifts, Pins, and Burner Phones After China Trip
Tech Crunch
President Trump and a delegation of U.S. officials left Beijing on May 15 after two days of high-level talks with the Chinese government, led by President Xi Jinping. Before boarding Air Force One, White House staffers and reporters had to surrender various items collected during the trip, including staff burner phones, credential badges, and lapel pins issued by China.