The U.S. has told several Gulf Arab countries to be prepared for a short, intense military campaign after the U.S. midterm elections, people briefed on the conversations said. The communications through diplomatic and military channels are among a growing number of indications that the U.S. and Israel are readying to launch a new round of heavy combat operations against Iran, risking a major escalation in hopes of degrading Tehran’s strength and pushing it toward negotiations.
A new independent report argues that increased access to better-protected airfields is as important, if not more so, than buying advanced tanker aircraft when it comes to meeting future U.S. aerial refueling demands. The authors, in part, call for the U.S. military to invest in new hardened shelters that are large enough for tankers to fit inside.
The annual influenza vaccine is back on the list of mandatory immunizations for broad categories of Airmen. In a new memorandum, the Department of the Air Force spells out the personnel categories for which commanders must require the seasonal flu vaccine every year.
The runway at Grand Forks Air Force Base is officially back in operation after the completion of a $20.4 million resurfacing project. The milestone was celebrated with a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Oct. 28 at the base. It was attended by U.S. Air Force leaders, U.S. Sens. John Hoeven and Kevin Cramer, both R-N.D., and hundreds of Airmen with the 319th Reconnaissance Wing.
A ceasefire appeared to be holding on Oct. 27 around the Ukrainian town of Oleshky after more than four years of Russian occupation that have left trapped residents desperate for food, water, and medicine. The local truce, brokered by U.S. first lady Melania Trump with the involvement of Pope Leo, is intended to allow aid into Oleshky and enable those who want to leave to do so.
The Pentagon’s watchdog is refusing a bipartisan request to investigate recent disruptions to Starlink and Starshield satellite internet service to Ukraine, raising concerns among lawmakers that the military and even its independent inspector general are reluctant to confront the influence that SpaceX chief Elon Musk has over defense communications.
The U.S. government and law enforcement agencies are increasingly utilizing commercial surveillance products that fuse computer vision, pattern tracking, and behavioral analysis assets to support public safety and other operations. That ever-growing network of integrated cameras, sensors and other tech is simultaneously introducing new security risks across the joint force.
The U.S. Navy expects it will take years for its fleet to recover from recent drawn-out deployments, with leaders bracing for a surge in maintenance work that could strain shipyard capacity and force tradeoffs between repairs and modernization.
President Trump is headed for a showdown with Democrats and members of his party after Election Day over Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth’s future leadership of the Pentagon, the Iran war, and the Russia-Ukraine war. Democrats are stepping up their demands that Trump fire Hegseth after the midterm elections and warning they won’t support funding increases for the Defense Department while the military conflict with Iran is ongoing.
The United Kingdom plans to reach 3 percent GDP spending on defense by 2030, Chancellor John Healey announced Oct. 28 as part of a broader budget announcement that also indicated a greater partnership with the defense industry to come.
Saab will collaborate with several of Canada’s top aerospace firms to build the Gripen fighter jet in Canada if the aircraft is selected by Prime Minister Mark Carney’s government. Saab confirmed Oct. 27 that it has formed alliances with several firms to build, deliver, and support the Gripen E advanced multirole fighter, should the Canadian government purchase the plane.
Few humans have flown a jet as high or as fast as Adelbert “Buz” Carpenter. During his six years as an SR-71 Blackbird pilot, the now-retired Air Force colonel flew 230 missions, frequently exceeding three times the speed of sound. Over the course of nearly 800 hours flying one of the world’s most iconic aircraft, Carpenter soared over Cuba, skirted North Korea, and tracked Russian nuclear submarines in the Arctic. He also had a few close calls, in one case narrowly avoiding disaster.
