Air Force Considering Air-to-Air Role for Bombers amid Fighter Procurement Constraints
The Air Force’s future strategy for fighting wars could include arming bombers with air-to-air strike capabilities, the service said in a new report to Congress.
AFOSI Seeks Enlisted Airmen to Train as Special Agents
The Air Force Office of Special Investigations is looking for a few good Airmen to swap jobs and become special agents. No, they won’t get the 007 James Bond code—but they could learn to conduct counterintelligence and investigate procurement fraud and major crimes.
Kadena Implements Curfew, Alcohol Restrictions for Junior Troops After Japanese Civilian Dies
The top Air Force commander on the Japanese island of Okinawa has clamped down alcohol and issued a curfew for junior enlisted Airmen and Guardians at Kadena Air Base for the next month. The order came roughly two weeks after a U.S. Marine was arrested for allegedly robbing and murdering a Japanese woman on the island.
DUNE Project Aims to Unite Legacy and Cloud Tools in Air Ops Centers
After decades of building isolated, vendor-locked systems to run the Air Operations Centers that serve as the Air Force’s “combat brains,” the program office tasked with creating the next-generation AOC is working to fold those systems into a new cloud-based system.
Radar Sweep
Pentagon Drafts Iran Attack Plans as Tehran Threatens Aggressive Retaliation
The Hill
The U.S. military has drawn up options to potentially attack Iran after the U.S. midterm elections, possibly renewing the conflict that has lasted over eight months. The U.S. Central Command, which oversees U.S. forces in the Middle East, has plans ready to conduct follow-up strikes against Iran if there’s authorization from the White House, a source aware of the plans, who spoke on condition of anonymity, told The Hill.
Ukraine Must ‘Unblock’ Patriot Missile Delivery, Zelenskyy Says After Deadly Strikes
ABC News
Russian drone and missile attacks on multiple Ukrainian regions killed at least four people on the night of Oct. 24, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said in a post to social media on Oct. 25. Ukraine’s air force said Russia launched 153 drones along with an unspecified number of cruise missiles into the country in its latest round of attacks. The air force said that 119 drones were shot down or otherwise suppressed, with impacts reported in 15 locations.
China’s First Aircraft Carrier Forms ‘Evolving Pattern’ of Voyages in Disputed Asian Seas
Defense News
China’s first aircraft carrier, heavily watched around East Asia as an emblem of Beijing’s growing naval power, had made at least six faraway deployments since its completion 14 years ago. It made another in October.
Funding, Force-Structure Issues Could Hinder Hegseth’s New Autonomous Command
Defense One
The Pentagon’s effort to launch a new combatant command for autonomous warfare depends on an unusual funding bill whose passage is far from assured. And while Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has given his department a full year to start up U.S. Autonomous Warfare Command, the Pentagon has little of the relevant force structure that earlier functional COCOMs could draw on.
US Evacuates Mideast Outposts After Suspected Iranian Plot to Target Americans
The Wall Street Journal
U.S. intelligence suggests Iranian preparations to attack Americans throughout the Middle East have reached “advanced stages,” prompting a sudden exodus of personnel from embassies and military bases throughout the region, officials said.
Air Force Suspends Rappelling Events for Special Ops Training Unit After Fatal Fall
Task & Purpose
An Air Force unit that trains special operations Airmen suspended rappelling and ropes training after an instructor in the squadron died during a demonstration at a college football game in San Antonio, Texas, officials confirmed to Task & Purpose.
USAF Outlines F-47 Construction Plan for Nevada Test Base
Aviation Week
The U.S. Air Force is looking to move quickly to build the Boeing F-47’s operational test base at Nellis AFB, Nevada, targeting a phased production approach to have the site up and running by spring 2031.
US Air Force Wants AI to Assist Aerial Refueling
Defense News
The U.S. Air Force is looking to artificial intelligence to improve the performance of its aerial refueling crews. The goal is for AI to automatically analyze refueling operations from cameras mounted on the tankers and provide “hot wash” feedback to the tanker crews.
PODCAST: F-117—Facts Behind the Legend
The Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies
The F-117 Nighthawk: it’s one of the biggest game changers in the history of airpower. Ever since the dawn of military aviation, Airmen sought to strike deep within enemy territory. The problem: increasingly sophisticated integrated air and missile defense networks. The F-117 changed the rules of the game by leveraging lessons learned from Vietnam and combining stealth technology with precision strike munitions. The world learned this on night one of the Desert Storm air campaign. To mark this incredible achievement, the Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum just placed an F-117 on display for the public.
US Allies Race to Escape SpaceX’s Orbit
The Wall Street Journal
Elon Musk’s decision to abruptly impose limits on Ukraine’s use of his Starlink communications network—which is critical to the country’s efforts to fight off Russia’s invasion—is prompting U.S. allies to intensify efforts to come up with their own alternatives.
The Space Force Wants to Embed More Guardians into the Joint Force
Task & Purpose
Space Force intends to send more Guardians to support combatant commands in frontline roles, the service’s new leader said. In a message to the force, Chief of Space Operations Gen. Douglas Schiess outlined several of his mission priorities for Space Force.
Kyiv Eyes Purchase of Planned ICEYE, Nokia ‘Sovereign’ Communication Sats
Breaking Defense
Ukraine’s Ministry of Defence has signed a letter of intent with Finnish firms ICEYE and Nokia to explore development of “sovereign” communications satellites as Kyiv seeks greater control over critical comms infrastructure.
Pentagon Issues Guidance on AI Procurements to Support Trump’s ‘Truth-Seeking’ and ‘Ideological Neutrality’ Directives
DefenseScoop
The Pentagon issued new guidance this week focused on implementing the Trump administration’s so-called “truth-seeking” and “ideological neutrality” principles in AI procurements. A memorandum dated Oct. 20 from Principal Director for Defense Pricing, Contracting, and Acquisition Policy John Tenaglia noted that the initiative is “in direct support” of a previous executive order from President Donald Trump on “Preventing Woke AI in the Federal Government” and a White House Office of Management and Budget memo on “Increasing Public Trust in Artificial Intelligence Through Unbiased AI Principles.”
South Korea Proposes Military Talks with North Korea to Calm Rising Border Tensions
Associated Press
South Korea on Oct. 23 proposed military talks with North Korea to resolve disagreements about where their border lies and prevent accidental clashes in frontline areas, seeking to ease tensions after recent landmine blasts injured three South Korean soldiers.
Hollywood Legend and Air Force Vet Tom Skerritt Dies at 93
We Are The Mighty
From Duke Forrest in “M*A*S*H” to Viper in “Top Gun,” Tom Skerritt knew how to play military roles, and he became known for them. After all, before breaking into Hollywood, the iconic American actor served in the Air Force. According to a statement released by his family, Skerritt died on Oct. 21 at the age of 93.