Chris Gordon
Chris Gordon is the Pentagon Editor at Air & Space Forces Magazine.
Chris has broad experience in journalism and communications, and developed a keen interest in defense policy and aerospace during his time on Capitol Hill where he worked with the Senate Armed Services Committee. As a reporter, Chris has covered everything from national security to hockey for a variety of publications, including The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal. Chris has reported from hotspots around the world, such as Ukraine and the Middle East. His award-winning work at Air & Space Forces Magazine focuses on U.S. military operations, national security policy, and senior Department of Defense leadership.
Chris is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations. He also serves on the Board of Directors of Military Reporters & Editors, a nonprofit organization for journalists covering the military, national security, and homeland defense.
Chris can be contacted at CGordon@afa.org or chrisgordon.24 on Signal.
Recent stories by Chris Gordon
Two Americans Killed, One Missing, As Iran Attacks US Base in Jordan
Two American service members were killed, and a third is missing after Iranian ballistic missiles and drones struck an air base in Jordan used by U.S. forces, U.S. Central Command said July 18.
US Deploying F-16s and F-35s to Middle East as Iran War Heats Back Up
As the U.S. war with Iran intensifies, the Pentagon is rushing more warplanes to the region, deploying Air Force F-16 Fighting Falcons and F-35 Lightning II fighters to the Middle East, people familiar with the matter told Air & Space Forces Magazine.
Wilsbach Touts Allied Airpower: ‘Effects No Nation Can Generate Independently’
Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Kenneth S. Wilsbach said July 16 that the airpower contribution of allied nations is vital for deterring adversaries and endorsed deeper interoperability between the U.S. and its partners.
F-16 Pilot Awarded Distinguished Flying Cross for Dodging Houthi Missiles
An Air Force F-16 pilot was presented with one of the service’s highest aerial achievement awards for a mission in which he dodged multiple surface-to-air missiles during last year’s Operation Rough Rider against Houthi militants in Yemen.
In Final Speech as CSO, Saltzman Says Military Leaders Are ‘Ballast’ Against Partisanship
Gen. B. Chance Saltzman, in his final address as the Chief of Space Operations, said that a non-political military had a vital role to play in a period of sharp partisan differences and could help steady the U.S. democracy in the years ahead.
F-22s Become Latest USAF Combat Aircraft to Leave Middle East Despite Iran Tensions
F-22 Raptors that had been stationed in the Middle East arrived in England on July 10, the latest batch of U.S. warplanes to leave the region despite ongoing tensions with Iran.
Q&A: NATO’s Supreme Allied Commander Europe Gen. Alexus Grynkewich
Since U.S. Air Force Gen. Alexus G. Grynkewich became NATO’s top military officer in July 2025, the alliance has contended with Russian drone incursions and hybrid warfare against its members and Moscow’s continued aggression in Ukraine. Now the Supreme Allied Commander Europe, a career fighter ...
US Conducts Fresh Airstrikes on Iran After Ship Attacks
The U.S. carried out a series of fresh airstrikes against Iran on July 7 as the tenuous ceasefire between the countries again broke down over disputes over the Strait of Hormuz.
Can Europe Fill NATO Airpower Gaps as US Pulls Back?
As President Donald Trump and other alliance leaders gather for the long-awaited NATO summit meeting in Turkey, a pressing question is how the alliance adapts as Europe seeks to replace long-standing American air warfare capabilities.
US Airstrikes Hit Iran After It Attacks Ship, Testing Deal
The U.S. military conducted a new series of airstrikes on Iran June 26, a day after Tehran struck a commercial ship in the Strait of Hormuz. The twin attacks presented a fresh test for a tenuous ceasefire between the two countries.
Hegseth Launches Review of US Military Presence in Europe, Taking Aim at ‘Free-Riding’ NATO Allies
Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth told NATO allies that the U.S. is embarking on a sweeping review of the American military presence in Europe. He also warned that the U.S. would cut American funds to the alliance’s operating budget if allies did not fulfill their ...
How the Air Force Weapons School’s Space Course Has Grown Over 30 Years
The Space Superiority Weapons Instructor Course looks a lot different today than it did 30 years ago—a reflection of the growing importance of space to joint operations and the elevation of what was then a small cadre within the Air Force to its own separate ...
US Launches Renewed Strikes Against Iran, Vowing to ‘Negotiate with Bombs’
The U.S. resumed strikes against Iran on June 10, as President Donald Trump seeks to pressure Iran to make concessions in the stalled negotiations between the two countries.
US Launches Strikes on Iran in Retaliation for Downed Apache Helicopter
The U.S. military launched “self-defense” airstrikes against Iran on June 9 in response to the downing of a U.S. Army AH-64 Apache attack helicopter, which President Donald Trump said was shot down by Iran.
Iran Severely Damaged US Air Ops Center in Qatar Soon After War Began
The command center that has run America’s air campaigns in the Middle East for over two decades took a direct hit during the U.S. war with Iran and was severely damaged, a senior U.S. official and other people informed about the attack told Air & ...