Chris Gordon
Chris Gordon is the Pentagon Editor at Air & Space Forces Magazine. He has broad journalism and communications experience, and developed a keen interest in defense policy and aerospace during a year on Capitol Hill where he worked with the Senate Armed Services Committee. As a reporter, he 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.
Chris serves on the Board of Directors of Military Reporters & Editors, a nonprofit organization for journalists covering the military, national security, and homeland defense. He is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations.
Chris can be contacted at CGordon@afa.org or chrisgordon.24 on Signal.
Recent stories by Chris Gordon
NATO Scrambles Fighter in Newest Response to Russian Drones
NATO scrambled its first fighter Sept. 13 under its new plan to bolster its defenses against Russian air incursions that was put into place after an array of Russian drones flew into Polish airspace last week, the officials from the alliance’s military command said.
US Military Blows Up Second Alleged Drug Boat in Caribbean
The U.S. military conducted its second deadly strike on an alleged drug-carrying vessel off the coast of Venezuela, President Donald Trump announced Sept. 15, as his administration continues an aggressive military campaign in the Caribbean.
NATO Bulks Up Air Defenses with ‘Eastern Sentry’ After Shootdown of Russian Drones
NATO is bolstering defenses on its eastern border with Russia following the intrusion of Russian drones into the alliance's airspace in Poland last week. The alliance launched a new operation called Eastern Sentry on Sept. 12 in response with an immediate focus on air defense, ...
Airpower in the Caribbean: US Bulks Up Presence with MQ-9s, F-35s, and More
The U.S. military is deploying significant airpower in the Caribbean one week after carrying out an airstrike on what it said was a boat operated by a Venezuelan drug cartel.
SDA’s First Operational Data Satellites Launch Successfully
The U.S. military launched 21 satellites from Vandenberg Space Force Base, Calif., Sept. 10, carrying out the first phase of the Space Development Agency’s plan to put more than 100 operational “Tranche 1” data transport spacecraft in orbit over the next year.
NATO Fighters Shoot Down Russian Drones Over Poland
Russian drones were shot down by NATO fighter jets over Poland, alliance officials told Air & Space Forces Magazine Sept. 10, marking the first time that allied aircraft assigned to protect the alliance’s eastern flank have used force to defend NATO airspace.
Space Force Marks ‘Transition Point’ with New Officer Training Course
The Space Force welcomed its first officers trained in a way far different from decades of Air Force practice late last month. Eighty-four space professionals graduated from the Space Force’s first Officer Training Course on Aug. 28, a yearlong program in which Guardians were trained in ...
Trump Renames DOD the ‘Department of War,’ But Will it Stick?
President Donald Trump signed an executive order on Sept. 5 to rename the Department of Defense as the Department of War, a move that has heightened the ongoing debate over the White House’s legal authorities and the role of the military in the world and ...
Experts Urge Caution as NORAD Intercepts Russian Spy Planes 4 Times in Week
For the fourth time in a week, a Russian spy plane has been intercepted by U.S. Air Force F-16s near Alaska, according to North American Aerospace Defense Command. The most recent flight, which occurred Aug. 26, marks a dramatic uptick in Moscow’s approach operations near ...
NORAD F-16s Intercept Russian Spy Plane Near Alaska 2 Days in a Row
U.S. Air Force F-16s intercepted a Russian spy plane operating off the coast of Alaska on consecutive days, North American Aerospace Defense Command officials said.
Spain Takes Over ‘Heart and Soul of Our Air Force’ at Air Combat Command
Air Combat Command, which oversees most of the Air Force’s combat aircraft fleet, has a new boss in Gen. Adrian L. Spain, who succeeded Gen. Kenneth S. Wilsbach in a ceremony Aug. 11.
USAFE, AMC, AFMC Could Lose 4-Star Commanders
At least three high-profile four-star Air Force commands could be downgraded to three-star roles, as the Pentagon presses to shrink the number of generals throughout the Department of Defense, people familiar with the matter told Air & Space Forces Magazine.
Lawmakers Seek Extra Scrutiny of Air Force Missile Community Cancer Concerns
The Air Force has spent more than two years studying cancer risks to Airmen who work with the service's intercontinental ballistic missiles. Now lawmakers in Congress are placing fresh scrutiny on the issue and have prepared legislation that would direct the service to clean silos ...
NORAD Intercepts Russian Bombers and Fighters near Alaska
Russian warplanes conducted a flight off the coast of Alaska on July 22, prompting an intercept from aircraft assigned to North American Aerospace Defense Command.
Space Force Will Begin Assuming National Guard Missions in October
The Space Force will begin assuming space missions currently conducted by the Air National Guard starting at the beginning of October, people familiar with the matter told Air & Space Forces Magazine.
