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 serves on the Board of Directors of Military Reporters & Editors, a non-profit 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
Boeing Resumes KC-46 Deliveries After Work to Fix Cracks
Deliveries of Boeing’s KC-46A Pegasus tanker to the U.S. Air Force have restarted following a roughly three-month pause imposed after cracks were found in at least two brand-new aircraft. The problem was only the latest in a series that have plagued the 767-derivative.
Air Force F-15 Fighters Deploy to Protect Diego Garcia as B-52s Rotate In
Multiple U.S. Air Force F-15 fighters have deployed to the strategic outpost of Diego Garcia in the Indian Ocean to protect the myriad of assets deployed there, including B-52 strategic bombers.
Meink Sworn In as Air Force Secretary
Dr. Troy E. Meink was sworn in as the next Secretary of the Air Force on May 16, placing a career civil servant with extensive experience in space intelligence at the helm of the Air Force and Space Force.
EA-37 Compass Call Electronic Warfare Jet Completes First Training Mission
The Air Force’s new electronic warfare jet has flown its first training mission, a critical milestone as the service modernizes its aging fleet of jammer aircraft. An EA-37B Compass Call from Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Ariz., took off for a training sortie May 2, crewed ...
How Golden Dome Will Help Create Space Superiority
The projected "Golden Dome" missile defense system could push the U.S. military to broaden its thinking on how to support space operations, the Space Force’s top planner said May 15.
Lawmakers Frustrated by Lack of Details for Trump’s Defense Budget
Senior U.S. lawmakers expressed frustration that they are being cut out of some of the Trump administration’s most central decisions on military policy and spending. Their concerns, which are shared on both sides of the aisle, concern the budget reconciliation process as well as Defense Secretary ...
USAF’s Planned E-7 Fleet on Trump’s Chopping Block
The future of the Air Force’s acquisition of 26 Boeing E-7 Wedgetail aircraft is in doubt under spending plans that are being weighed by the Trump administration.
Meink Confirmed as 27th Secretary of the Air Force
The Senate confirmed Dr. Troy Meink to be the 27th Secretary of the Air Force May 13, nearly five months after President Donald Trump picked him to be the top civilian overseeing the Air Force and Space Force. The vote was 74 to 25.
Kadena Sends ‘Message You Can’t Ignore’ with Huge Elephant Walk
The Air Force displayed all the firepower it has amassed on Okinawa in an unusually diverse show of force this week. In a May 6 “Elephant Walk,” Kadena Air Base showcased 24 F-35A Lightning II stealth fighters, eight F-15E Strike Eagles; two U.S. Army Patriot anti-missile ...
From North Carolina to Shooting Down Drones in 22 Hours: A Team Effort to Defend Israel from Iran
Less than a day after arriving in the Middle East, F-15E Strike Eagles from Seymour Johnson Air Force Base, N.C. defended Israel from an Iranian attack in April 2024. DUDE flight, four F-15Es from the 335th Fighter Squadron, downed two dozen Iranian drones in roughly ...
New KC-46 Remote Vision System Slips Another 18 Months, to Summer 2027
The Air Force and Boeing are now projecting that they will field the Remote Vision System 2.0 on the KC-46 tanker by summer 2027. The new date is nearly two years longer than previously anticipated, and four years later than originally expected.
Air Force Set to ‘Significantly’ Change Launch Facilities for Sentinel ICBM
The design of the launch facilities for the Air Force’s new Sentinel intercontinental ballistic missile are likely to undergo major revision, posing yet another challenge for the much-delayed and over-budget program to modernize the land-based component of America’s nuclear triad, officials said.
Trump Says US Halting Military Campaign Against Houthis
The U.S. will halt its stepped-up campaign of airstrikes against the Houthis in Yemen, President Donald Trump announced May 6, citing promises from the rebel group that it will stop attacking commercial shipping lanes.
Hegseth Orders 20% Cut in 4-Star Generals and Admirals, Seeks Overhaul of Commands
Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth is directing the Pentagon to slash the number of senior generals and admirals, he announced May 5—at least 20 percent of four-star positions would be eliminated under the move. Hegseth also said he is directing a sweeping review of U.S. ...
US Air Force Taps Boneyard Jets to Keep Ukraine’s F-16s Flying
The U.S. has approved a $310.5 million Foreign Military Sale to provide Ukraine with maintenance and training for its F-16 fighter jets, the State Department announced May 2. Meanwhile, the U.S. Air Force has been sending retired F-16s to Ukraine to be used for spare ...