Greg Hadley
Greg Hadley is the News Editor of Air & Space Forces Magazine. A graduate of the University of Notre Dame, he has more than nine years of experience in national and local media, working for The State (Columbia, S.C.) and the McClatchy D.C. Bureau.
Recent stories by Greg Hadley
USAF Restores Duty Identifier Patches: ‘They’re Back, Baby’
With a rip of Velcro and the slap of a familiar patch, Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force David A. Wolfe announced the return of duty identifier patches in an 11-second Facebook video Jan. 9.
New Target Vehicle for Missile Defense Tests Makes First Flight
The Pentagon is making progress developing a new target round for test the effectiveness of U.S. missile defenses. Contractor Northrop Grumman announced the first flight of a redesigned vehicle Jan. 8.
F-35 Deliveries Soared to New Record in 2025
Lockheed Martin says it delivered 191 F-35 fighters in 2025—just ahead of the goal it set for itself at the beginning of the year as it works to clear a backlog of jets in storage.
What to Know About the RQ-170 Drone, Venezuela, and Stealthy ISR
When Chairman of the Joint Chiefs Air Force Gen. Dan Caine described the 150 aircraft used in Operation Absolute Resolve, the mission to capture Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, he referenced many by name, including the F-35 and F-22 fighters and B-1 bomber. Not specified, however, were “remotely piloted drones,” among them a secretive aircraft spotted ...
PHOTOS: Air Force Flight Ops in Wake of Venezuela Raid
The Air Force on Jan. 6 released nearly a dozen photos of F-22 and F-35 fighters returning to Puerto Rico after supporting the raid to capture Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro—the first official images of forces who participated in Operation Absolute Resolve.
Air Force Signs $2 Billion Deal to Re-Engine Two B-52s for Testing
The Air Force inked a $2 billion deal with Boeing to install new engines on two B-52 bombers and begin testing of the new eight-engine configuration.
USAF Adds to SOUTHCOM Buildup, Deploying F-35s to Puerto Rico
F-35As from the Vermont Air National Guard have deployed to Puerto Rico in recent days, continuing a major buildup of U.S. Air Force assets in Latin America aimed at combating drug trafficking and pressuring the regime of Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro.
Wilsbach Wants Air Force Leaders to Get Back in the Cockpit
Three weeks after being sworn in as the new Chief of Staff of the Air Force, Gen. Kenneth S. Wilsbach climbed into the cockpit of an F-22 fighter on Nov. 24 and prepared to take off from Langley Air Force Base, Va. Now he wants the rest of ...
Air Force Designates New Northrop CCA as YFQ-48A
The Air Force has given Northrop Grumman’s new Project Talon aircraft the official designation of YFQ-48A, the service announced Dec. 22. That makes Northrop's potential competitor for USAF's Collaborative Combat Aircraft program the third CCA to be designated an uncrewed fighter aircraft.
Air Force Shutting Down AI Chatbot NIPRGPT
NIPRGPT, the Air Force’s generative artificial intelligence chatbot, will shut down Dec. 31—making way for the Pentagon’s new GenAI.mil system.
2026 NDAA: 5 Highlights for Airmen and Guardians
President Donald Trump signed the 2026 National Defense Authorization Act on Dec. 18, a day after Congress passed the annual defense policy bill for the 65th consecutive year. Here’s what it means for the Air Force and Space Force.
Air Force Shakes Up Acquisition Leadership
The top of the Air Force's acquisition enterprise is in the midst of a major overhaul, with the Senate having confirmed a new four-star general to oversee acquisition from the Pentagon and Air Force Materiel Command getting downgraded from a four- to three-star command.
USAF Moves Up Air Force One Delivery; Acquires 2 Extra 747-8s for Parts, Training
The Air Force is now expecting delivery of the first VC-25B presidential transport by mid-2028, months ahead of its last official projection, a service spokesperson said this week. USAF also announced it is buying two used Boeing 747-8 jetliners for training and spare parts to be delivered in 2026, calling the $400 million deal part of its “acceleration efforts” for the oft-delayed presidential ...
Numbers Game Squeezes USAF Fighter Force
Congress set the legal floor for how many primary mission aircraft the Air Force had to have in its fighter force in 2018, requiring at least 1,145 fighters through Oct. 1, 2026. In each of the past past two legislative cycles, lawmakers agreed to reduce the number. ...
Air Force to Take Back on Looking Glass Mission for Nuclear C3
More than a quarter-century after handing over the mission to the Navy, the Air Force is taking the first steps towards taking back over a critical nuclear command, control, and communications function.

