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
EA-37 Electronic Warfare Aircraft Deploy as Trump Weighs Large-Scale Ops Against Iran
The U.S. has deployed key new electronic warfare aircraft overseas that would be critical for a large-scale operation against Iran as President Donald Trump publicly weighs resuming a full-scale air campaign. Two EA-37A Compass Call electronic attack aircraft deployed from Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Ariz., to ...
The Future of NATO
With the U.S. pulling back, European partners face an urgent call to fill in the gaps—especially in the air. Brussels; Mons, Belgium; Bodø, Norway; Luleå, Sweden; and Rovaniemi, Finland—This is not your father’s NATO anymore. It’s changing. The question is...
Bringing the Space Force into the Light
Precision strike is an Air Force mission, but it’s hard to be precise without the Space Force. Reflecting on his tour as the nation’s second Chief of Space Operations, Gen. B. Chance Saltzman pointed to Operation Midnight Hammer, where seven...
Space Force Could Cap Launch Support Without Extra Funding, Saltzman Says
Chief of Space Operations Gen. B. Chance Saltzman is warning lawmakers that the Space Force may eventually have to limit the number of launches it can support each year without additional resources to manage surging demand at its spaceports.
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, hybrid warfare against its members, and Moscow’s continued aggression in Ukraine. Now the Supreme Allied Commander...
Four Americans Killed as Iran Attacks US Troops in Jordan, Iraq
Four American service members died over the weekend in Jordan and Iraq as a result of Iranian attacks on U.S. forces, according to U.S. Central Command.
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.