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
Q&A: NATO’s Supreme Allied Commander Europe Gen. Alexus Grynkewich
Since U.S. Air Force Gen. Alexus G. Grynkewich became NATO’s top military officer in July 2025, the alliance has contended with Russian drone incursions and hybrid warfare against its members and Moscow’s continued aggression in Ukraine. Now the Supreme Allied Commander Europe, a career fighter ...
US Conducts Fresh Airstrikes on Iran After Ship Attacks
The U.S. carried out a series of fresh airstrikes against Iran on July 7 as the tenuous ceasefire between the countries again broke down over disputes over the Strait of Hormuz.
Can Europe Fill NATO Airpower Gaps as US Pulls Back?
As President Donald Trump and other alliance leaders gather for the long-awaited NATO summit meeting in Turkey, a pressing question is how the alliance adapts as Europe seeks to replace long-standing American air warfare capabilities.
US Airstrikes Hit Iran After It Attacks Ship, Testing Deal
The U.S. military conducted a new series of airstrikes on Iran June 26, a day after Tehran struck a commercial ship in the Strait of Hormuz. The twin attacks presented a fresh test for a tenuous ceasefire between the two countries.
Hegseth Launches Review of US Military Presence in Europe, Taking Aim at ‘Free-Riding’ NATO Allies
Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth told NATO allies that the U.S. is embarking on a sweeping review of the American military presence in Europe. He also warned that the U.S. would cut American funds to the alliance’s operating budget if allies did not fulfill their ...
How the Air Force Weapons School’s Space Course Has Grown Over 30 Years
The Space Superiority Weapons Instructor Course looks a lot different today than it did 30 years ago—a reflection of the growing importance of space to joint operations and the elevation of what was then a small cadre within the Air Force to its own separate ...
US Launches Renewed Strikes Against Iran, Vowing to ‘Negotiate with Bombs’
The U.S. resumed strikes against Iran on June 10, as President Donald Trump seeks to pressure Iran to make concessions in the stalled negotiations between the two countries.
US Launches Strikes on Iran in Retaliation for Downed Apache Helicopter
The U.S. military launched “self-defense” airstrikes against Iran on June 9 in response to the downing of a U.S. Army AH-64 Apache attack helicopter, which President Donald Trump said was shot down by Iran.
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.