Air Force Secretary Barbara M. Barrett, Chief of Staff Gen. David L. Goldfein, and Chief of Space Operations Gen. John W. “Jay” Raymond will launch the Department of the Air Force’s first-ever Arctic Strategy on July 21 during a virtual event with the Atlantic Council. Despite a long history of Arctic operations, USAF has never had its own strategy for operating in the region. The White House first released a National Strategy for the Arctic in 2012 under the Obama Administration, and the Department of Defense followed suit with its first Arctic Strategy a year later. That strategy was updated in 2016 and then again in 2019. During her keynote address at AFA’s Air Warfare Symposium in Orlando, Fla., in February, Barrett stressed the growing importance of the Arctic, calling it a “central mission” for the Air Force.

The Defense Department banned the display of unapproved flags in a new policy issued July 16. The change effectively blocks display of controversial flags such as the battle flag of the Army of Northern Virginia—better known as the “Confederate Flag”—as well as rainbow flags used to express gay pride. Defense Secretary Mark T. Esper established the policy in a memo to the service Secretaries and other military and defense leaders, and mentions only those flags that are permissible, including national, state, territory flags; official military and unit flags; the POW/MIA flag, and a few others. He never mentioned the confederate symbol.

Boeing's anticipated closure of the 747-8 line won't create a parts crisis for the Air Force, which expects the company to support the type until the newest “Air Force One” aircraft retire in 2055. The Air Force hasn't yet decided what it will do to replace the E-4B flying command post, also based on the iconic airliner, but the solution is unlikely to be more 747s.

The Air Force is making a big push to move blockchain, the much-hyped cryptographic technology that powers Bitcoin and most other digital currencies, from the lab to the battlefield. Because it creates an unforgeable and unalterable record, advocates see blockchain as invaluable for protecting data, ensuring the integrity of communications, and immutable record-keeping. Now, the Air Force’s new software cyberweapons factory, LevelUP, is starting to use the technology for global, joint all-domain command-and-control.

The U.S. Air Force Weapons School kicked off its latest course on July 7 by testing its newest cohort of students—Class 20B—for COVID-19 antibodies, its commandant, Col. Jack Arthaud, told Air Force Magazine in a July 10 interview. “We're testing for antibodies across the entire student population, and then, if anybody tested positive ... we did a rapid COVID test to see if they had an active infection,” he said, adding that no active infections were detected. As an additional preventative step against the pandemic, he explained, any students who headed to Nellis Air Force Base, Nev., from bases outside of the continental U.S. had to quarantine for two weeks before starting class.

On March 23, the Air Force Association's Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies will host a virtual Nuclear Deterrence Series event featuring Scowcroft Group Principal Frank Miller. At a time when nuclear modernization programs are accelerating around the world, proposals to recapitalize the U.S. nuclear arsenal are at the forefront of debates over defense spending. Miller will share his insights into the prospects for U.S. nuclear modernization programs and the value of nuclear deterrence in today's competitive security environment. The think tank will post event video on its website and YouTube page after the live event.