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
Air Force Must Increase Flying Hours, Invest in Spare Parts: CSAF Nominee Wilsbach
Air Force pilots are not flying enough, and the service must fix what has become a chronic issue and the myriad of factors that contribute to it, particularly a lack of spare parts, the nominee to become the next Chief of Staff of the Air ...
Air Force Downgrading USAFE, NATO Air Commander Job to 3 Stars
The Pentagon is downgrading a significant four-star Air Force command, turning the head of U.S. Air Forces in Europe-Air Forces Africa into a three-star billet. The move is being carried out under Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth’s plan to reduce the number of senior military officers, ...
Inside the Room for Trump and Hegseth’s Speeches to Top Military Brass
President Donald Trump and Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth addressed hundreds of senior military officials at Marine Corps Base Quantico, Va., and Air & Space Forces Magazine was there in the auditorium.
Hegseth Orders Urgent Meeting of Top Generals and Admirals
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has ordered generals and admirals from around the world to gather for an urgent meeting near Washington on Sept. 30. The exact reason for the gathering is unclear, even to many of the attendees, people familiar with the matter told Air ...
AFSOC Has ‘Complete Confidence’ in V-22 Osprey Despite Upgrade Delays
The head of Air Force Special Operations Command said he has “complete confidence” in the safety of the CV-22 Osprey despite a delayed upgrade to the tiltrotor aircraft’s gearbox following a fatal November 2023 crash that temporarily grounded the fleet.
How F-15s Tried to Take Down Iranian Drones with Laser-Guided Bombs
When U.S. Air Force F-15E Strike Eagles moved to blunt Iran’s attack on Israel last year, they devised an unusual tactic: trying to blow Iranian drones out of the sky with laser-guided bombs.
Air Force: Allvin to Remain as Chief of Staff Until Replacement Confirmed
Despite a looming expected retirement date of approximately Nov. 1, Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. David W. Allvin will stay on until the confirmation of his successor, Secretary of the Air Force Troy Meink told reporters Sept. 22 at AFA’s Air, Space & Cyber ...
Allvin: First F-47 Sixth-Gen Fighter Already Being Built, Expected to Fly in 2028
The first F-47 Next-Generation Air Dominance fighter will be ready to fly by 2028 and the first airframe is already being built, Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. David W. Allvin announced during a keynote address Sept. 22 at AFA’s Air, Space & Cyber Conference.
CSO Saltzman Looks at the Future of the Space Force
The U.S. Space Force is changing as it expands its mission set and seeks to stay ahead of the likes of China and Russia. But it will require careful management in the years to come for the new service to both keep up with threats and ...
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.
