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
Iran Severely Damaged US Air Ops Center in Qatar Soon After War Began
The command center that has run America’s air campaigns in the Middle East for over two decades took a direct hit during the U.S. war with Iran and was severely damaged, a senior U.S. official and other people informed about the attack told Air & ...
US Reduces Forces Committed to NATO, Tells Allies to Step Up Air and Naval Power
The U.S. is reducing the number of forces it is prepared to commit to NATO in a crisis, U.S. European Command said in a June 3 announcement. The changes, which were previewed to alliance members last month by a senior Pentagon official, appear to include ...
Iran Fires Missiles, Drones After US Strikes Blockade-Busting Ship in Latest Flare-Up
The U.S. and Iran exchanged fire June 2 in an intense back-and-forth, marking the fifth exchange in just over a week between the two nations.
F-35 Airmen Decorated for Combat Ops in Midnight Hammer and Rough Rider
More than a dozen Air Force personnel were decorated with some of the service's highest awards for their actions in combat operations in the Middle East last year while assigned to the 388th Fighter Wing.
US Strikes Drone Site in Iran, Says Ceasefire Still in Place
The U.S. military struck Iran for the second time this week, carrying out attacks on an Iranian military facility on May 27, U.S. officials said. Iran responded by firing a ballistic missile at Kuwait, which hosts Ali Al Salem Air Base.
US Hits Iranian Boats, Missile Sites; Iran Claims Drone Shootdown
The U.S. and Iran exchanged fire multiple times May 25 in a brief but intense skirmish in the Persian Gulf. When the dust settled, both sides insisted they were still honoring a broader ceasefire and continuing to pursue a diplomatic agreement to open the Strait ...
A-10 Revamped: Warthog Flying in Middle East with New Refueling Probe, EW Pod
A-10 Thunderbolt II attack planes in the Middle East are flying with fresh modifications as the Air Force looks to make the plane more versatile amid America’s ongoing blockade of Iranian ports and a tenuous ceasefire in the U.S. air war against Iran.
Air Force Chief: MQ-9 Reaper ‘Most Valuable Player’ of Iran War Despite Losses
U.S. Air Force MQ-9 Reaper drones have been the standout platform in Operation Epic Fury against Iran, Chief of Staff Gen. Kenneth S. Wilsbach said May 20.
Air Force Asking for $1.5B to Fund E-7 in 2027
The Air Force’s planned budget amendment to restore funding for the E-7A Wedgetail in fiscal 2027 will be about $1.5 billion, Air Force Secretary Troy Meink told lawmakers May 20. The Air Force also plans to keep funding the E-7 in 2028 and beyond, Meink ...
US Hits ISIS in Nigeria as Pentagon Steps Up Counterterrorism Campaign
Strikes carried out by the U.S. military in coordination with Nigeria have killed scores of Islamic State fighters over the last several days, officials from both countries say, as the Trump administration has stepped up its counterterrorism campaign in Africa.
Pentagon Says US Has Spent Around $29B on Iran Operations, Full Cost Remains Unclear
The cost of operations against Iran has risen to $29 billion, a senior Pentagon official told lawmakers May 12, a $4 billion increase from the Department of Defense’s last public estimate two weeks ago.
‘Doesn’t Happen Without These 6 Airmen’: F-16 Pilots Awarded DFCs for Midnight Hammer
A half-dozen pilots from one of the Air Force’s premier F-16 units, the 20th Fighter Wing at Shaw Air Force Base, S.C., have been awarded one of the service’s highest decorations for their role in Operation Midnight Hammer, the June 2025 strikes against Iranian nuclear ...
US Strikes Iran in Response to Attacks as Ceasefire Tested
The U.S. military conducted strikes on Iranian targets around the Strait of Hormuz on May 7, as the conflict with Iran flared up again—though officials say the ceasefire remains in effect.
From Boneyard to Flagship: B-1 Pulled from Retirement Returns to Service at Dyess
The Air Force has finished resurrecting a B-1B Lancer, completing a yearslong process to transform a bomber that had been stored for parts in the Arizona desert into the new flagship of the 7th Bomb Wing at Dyess Air Force Base, Texas.
New USAFA Superintendent, Air Mobility Command Boss Among Three-Star Nominations
President Donald Trump’s administration sent a batch of three-star Air Force nominations to Congress for approval on April 30, including a new superintendent for the U.S. Air Force Academy and the next commander of Air Mobility Command, officially pushing that job down to a three-star ...