Jack Broughton
Recent stories by Jack Broughton
Key E-3 AWACS Damaged in Iranian Attack on Saudi Air Base
An important U.S. Air Force E-3 Sentry AWACS command and control plane was among the aircraft damaged in a March 27 Iranian missile and drone attack on Prince Sultan Air Base, Saudi Arabia, people familiar with the matter told Air & Space Forces Magazine.
MacDill Remains on Alert as Indictments Drop in Failed Bomb Attack
MacDill Air Force Base, Fla., home of U.S. Central Command, remains on heightened security status after the Justice Department announced two indictments stemming from an attempted bombing at the base. Alen Zheng, 20, of Land O’Lakes, Fla., was charged March...
Air Force Seeks Suppliers to Deliver on Nuclear Micro-Reactor Goals
The Air Force is advancing its effort to develop micro-nuclear reactors to power military installations. In a request for information posted March 25 on SAM.gov, the Air Force said it is looking for information from companies on their ability to design, license, fuel, construct, and ...
Air Force Officials Say They’re Beating Cost Goal for CCA Drones
The Air Force’s nascent Collaborative Combat Aircraft program is beating former Secretary Frank Kendall’s goal of producing drone wingmen at about one-third the cost of an F-35, an official leading the effort said March 25.
Image of B-52 with Test Versions of New Nuclear Missile Shows Progress: Expert
A photo of a B-52 Stratofortress flying with an apparent pair of Long-Range Stand-Off missiles suggests the Air Force’s effort to test its future air-launched nuclear missile is proceeding well, an aviation expert said. Jarod Hamilton, the Los Angeles-based director...
Military Prepares to Accept F-35s Without Radars
The first F-35 Joint Strike Fighter with ballast, rather than an advanced radar in its nose, flew an acceptance flight the last week of February, Air & Space Forces Magazine has learned. F-35s will arrive without radars at Air Force, Navy and Marine Corps bases ...
Two Airmen Killed in KC-135 Crash Posthumously Promoted
The Air Force has posthumously promoted two of the six Airmen who died in a KC-135 crash in western Iraq on March 12.
USAF F-35 Lands After Taking Fire Over Iran; Pilot Stable
An Air Force F-35A fighter was forced to conduct an emergency landing at a U.S. air base after being struck by ground fire during a combat mission over Iran on March 19, people familiar with the matter told Air & Space Forces Magazine.
STRATCOM Boss: Pentagon Eyes Second B-21 Production Line
The U.S. military struck a $4.5 billion deal last month to increase the rate of production on its new B-21 bomber. Now officials are considering whether they will open up an entire second production line to go even faster in constructing the sixth-generation stealth Raider.
F-47 Won’t Be Available Until Mid-2030s, Top Lawmaker Says
The Air Force’s sixth-generation F-47 and the Navy’s F/A-XX fighter won’t be “available” until the mid-2030s, a leading congressman said March 17, which will require the services to keep older jets flying in the interim.
Air Force to Buy Developmental E-7s With $2.4B Contract Modifications
The Air Force on March 12 awarded contract modifications worth a combined $2.4 billion to Boeing to procure an undisclosed number of E-7 Wedgetail as part of the program's engineering and manufacturing development phase and continue work on the airborne battle management aircraft’s radar.
Six Airmen Dead in KC-135 Crash, First Air Force Fatalities in Iran War
All six Airmen who were aboard a KC-135 Stratotanker that crashed in western Iraq March 12 are confirmed to be dead, U.S. Central Command announced March 13.
KC-135 Crashes In Iraq While Supporting Iran Ops
A U.S. Air Force KC-135 Stratotanker supporting Operation Epic Fury against Iran crashed in western Iraq after an incident involving two aircraft March 12, U.S. Central Command announced. The aircraft were not shot down, CENTCOM added.
MQ-9s Over Iran: Striking and Finding Targets—But Taking Some Losses
MQ-9 Reapers are flying numerous orbits over Iran, gathering intelligence and taking out missile launchers in Operation Epic Fury. Yet Iran has managed to down about 10 of the armed drones, according to people familiar with the operations.
Celebrating 100 Years of Liquid-Fueled Rockets
March 16, 2026, marks 100 years since Dr. Robert H. Goddard launched the world’s first liquid-fueled rocket. Over the past century, new and ever more capable liquid-fueled rockets have literally propelled humanity into space. Why liquid-fueled rockets?