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
Air Force One Diverts Over Atlantic, Forcing Switch to Backup Jet
The Air Force One jet carrying President Donald Trump to a high-stakes summit in Switzerland diverted over the Atlantic late Jan. 20 and returned to Joint Base Andrews due to an issue with the Boeing VC-25 aircraft, temporarily delaying his trip to Europe and forcing ...
Pentagon Sends More F-15s to Middle East as Trump Weighs Action Against Iran
The Pentagon rushed more F-15E Strike Eagles to the Middle East in recent days as the U.S. military is reinforcing its airpower in the region amid high tensions with Iran.
US, Japanese Defense Chiefs Vow to Strength Alliance; USFJ Changes Proceed
Japanese Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi met U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth on Jan. 15 as the two nations look to further solidify their ties in the face of growing Chinese and North Korean threats.
US Evacuates Personnel from Al Udeid Air Base as Trump Weighs Military Action Against Iran
Some U.S. personnel are evacuating Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar, America’s main military base in the Middle East, as President Donald Trump is weighing military action against Iran in response to its crackdown on protestors, people familiar with the matter told Air & Space ...
Pentagon Investing $1 Billion in L3Harris Solid Rocket Motor Business
The Pentagon is investing $1 billion in L3Harris’ solid rocket motor business in a bid to shore up the U.S. government’s supply chain for a range of munitions.
F-22s Leave Caribbean as Trump Administration Maps Out Venezuela Strategy
On Jan. 4, a dozen U.S. Air Force F-22 Raptors departed Puerto Rico, where they had landed following their participation in Operation Absolute Resolve. Those fighters appeared to have flown directly from their home base at Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Va., to participate in the operation ...
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.
