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
US Airpower Paved the Way for Delta Force to Capture Venezuela’s Maduro
U.S. military and law enforcement officials captured Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro in a high-stakes military operation on Jan. 3, a mission carried out by the Army's Delta Force and supported by extensive American airpower.
US Strikes ISIS Targets in Retaliation for Killing American Troops in Syria
The U.S. began extensive air and artillery strikes against Islamic State group targets in Syria on Dec. 19 in retaliation for the killing of three Americans on Dec. 13 by a gunman affiliated with ISIS, U.S. officials said.
Lamontagne Nominated for Vice Chief, Guardsman for Top JAG, New ANG Director Picked
Gen. John D. Lamontagne has been nominated by President Donald Trump to become Vice Chief of Staff of the Air Force, a job that has been vacant since February. Brig. Gen. Christopher A. Eason, currently commander of the Oklahoma Air National Guard, has also been ...
Hegseth Visits Alabama to Cement Redstone Arsenal as Future Home of Space Command
Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth visited the site of U.S. Space Command’s future home Dec. 12 and endorsed the move to establish the headquarters in Alabama after years of political back and forth.
US Troops, Interpreter Killed by ISIS Gunman in Syria as Trump Vows ‘Serious Retaliation’
The U.S. sent Air Force F-16s over central Syria in a show of force following the Dec. 13 killing of two U.S. Army Soldiers and one American civilian interpreter by a gunman linked to the Islamic State group.
B-52s, Japanese Fighters Fly Together After China and Russia Fly Bomber Patrol
Two U.S. Air Force B-52 Stratofortress bombers flew with Japanese fighters over the Sea of Japan after a string of Chinese provocations toward Japan—including a joint bomber patrol with Russia—in response to Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s comments about Taiwan.
Air Force Leaders, Lawmakers Move to Increase Training in the Pacific
The Air Force plans to conduct more intensive training—and Congress is set to help by boosting funding for exercises and so-called “campaigning” by hundreds of millions of dollars, particularly in the Pacific.
Australian MQ-28 CCA Downs Drone in Milestone Air-to-Air Test
A semi-autonomous Collaborative Combat Aircraft drone shot down an air-to-air target in a Dec. 8 test supported by the U.S. Air Force, a notable milestone in the development of the loyal wingman-type drones that will join the fleets of the USAF, other American services, and ...
Golden Dome Details Begin to Emerge
The Golden Dome air and missile defense shield to protect the United States will have some “operational capability” in 2028, the program’s leader said Dec. 6 at the Reagan National Defense Forum.
Northrop Shows Off New Project Talon Collaborative Combat Aircraft
There is a new entrant in the highly competitive field of collaborative combat aircraft—semi-autonomous drones meant to fly alongside manned combat aircraft. Northrop Grumman unveiled its new Project Talon aircraft to a small group of reporters at the facilities of its subsidiary Scaled Composites.
Support for NATO Reaches New High in Reagan Institute Polling
More than three-fourths of Americans would support using force to support NATO’s collective defense, according to the Ronald Reagan Institute’s latest annual National Defense Survey. The report comes as the Pentagon prepares to unveil its new National Defense Strategy, the lodestar for multiyear planning. It ...
F-16 Pilot Awarded Silver Star for Dodging Surface-to-Air Missiles over Yemen
An F-16 pilot was awarded a Silver Star for a harrowing mission in which he dodged multiple surface-to-air missiles during the opening weeks of the operation against the Houthis in Yemen earlier this year.
USAF B-52 Bombers, Navy Fighters Fly Near Venezuela
Multiple B-52H Stratofortress bombers flew off the northern coast of South America Nov. 20, the latest show of force by U.S. bombers in the region as the Trump administration builds up its military power in the Caribbean.
B-52 Flies over Dubai amid Trump’s Middle East Push
A U.S. Air Force B-52H Stratofortress bomber flew over the Middle East on Nov. 18 as the Trump administration moved to boost ties with Saudi Arabia.
Wilsbach Says Air Force Needs ‘Constant Focus on Readiness’ in First Speech as Chief
Gen. Kenneth S. Wilsbach said the service must improve its readiness in his first public remarks as Air Force Chief of Staff, made during a ceremony marking his ascension to the service’s top job Nov. 18.
