John A. Tirpak
John A. Tirpak is Editorial Director of Air & Space Forces Magazine, with more than 25 years at the publication and more than 34 years in defense journalism. He has written for Aviation Week & Space Technology, Aerospace Daily, and Jane’s, reporting from all 50 U.S. states and 25 countries. He has been recognized with awards for journalistic excellence from the Society of Professional Journalists, the Aviation and Space Writer’s Association, the Association of Business Publications International, and was the recipient of the 2018 Gill Robb Wilson Award in Arts and Letters from the Air & Space Forces Association. He has lectured at the National War College and did postgraduate research at the Smithsonian’s National Air & Space Museum.
Recent stories by John A. Tirpak
Raytheon Boosts AMRAAM’s Range ‘Significantly,’ Mostly with Software Changes
RTX’s Raytheon unit was able to “significantly” extend the range of the AIM-120 Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missile using mostly software changes in experimental tests last year, expanding the reach and lethality of the standard U.S. dogfighting weapon, company officials said Sept. 15.
PHOTOS: Air Force Shows Off Second B-21 in New Images
On Sept. 12, the Air Force released half a dozen new photos of the second B-21 bomber to fly, giving observers and aviation enthusiasts another glimpse of the secretive Raider.
The F-117 and the Future of Stealth
Stealth was a gamble 50 years ago. It’s still a good bet. S tealth technology has given the U.S. military an air of near invincibility for the past 35 years. Overwhelmingly successful in the 1991 Gulf War, and heavily refined...
Strategy & Policy: A New Bomber Era Arrives
When the U.S. attacked Iran’s nuclear development facilities in June, more than 130 fighters played a crucial supporting role. But the seven B-2 stealth bombers—flying direct from the U.S. heartland—were indisputably the heart of the operation, each delivering two monster...
Report: Restoring Air Force to Dominance Will Take Sustained $20-$30 Billion Per Year
The Air Force needs a steady infusion of as much as $30 billion a year to reverse the decades of neglect that has diminished its readiness, capacity, and capability to dangerously low levels, according to a new report from the Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies.
GAO: ‘Action Needed’ to Solve F-35 Block 4 Issues
Even after reducing the scope of Block 4 F-35 upgrades, Lockheed Martin will still needs two years to develop and install planned improvements, the Government Accountability Office said in a new audit of the fighter program. Details about what upgrades will be carried into production, ...
Chinese Parade Emphasizes Operational Fifth-Gen Fighters, Unmanned Aircraft
The People’s Republic of China emphasized operational and near-operational fifth-generation aircraft in its massive Sept. 2 military parade marking the 80th anniversary of victory over Japan in World War II. Also trucked through Tiananmen Square were a number of uncrewed aircraft, many of which bear ...
What PACAF Boss Schneider Took Away from the Massive REFORPAC Exercise
Resolute Force Pacific, the recent large-scale joint wargame, put Agile Combat Employment and command and control to the test for the Air Force, and taught important lessons about how to sustain such a major effort, Pacific Air Forces commander Gen. Kevin Schneider said.
First CCA Takes Flight: General Atomics Drone Is First to Fly
The Air Force announced the first flight of General Atomics’ YFQ-42A on Aug. 27, a major milestone in the service’s effort to build semi-autonomous drones that can fly alongside manned fighter jets.
Collaborative Combat Aircraft First Flights are Imminent, Sources Say
The two Collaborative Combat Aircraft prototypes are expected to fly very soon, as Anduril Industries and General Atomics Aeronautical Systems conclude ground tests. The two aircraft will fly from commercial airports in the desert areas north of Los Angeles, California, not far from Edwards Air ...
Air Force’s 500th F-35 Now on Duty with Florida Air Guard
The 500th F-35A built for the U.S. Air Force is on duty with the Florida Air National Guard, the service and contractor Lockheed Martin confirmed Aug. 21. It's the latest big number for the F-35 fleet. In September 2024, Lockheed delivered its 1,000th F-35 fighter, ...
HACM Flight Tests Expected in Fiscal ’26 After Yearlong Delay
The Hypersonic Attack Cruise Missile will have its first test flight this fall, a yearlong delay from previous plans, according to Air Force budget documents. A possible plan to delete some test flights to save time and money seems to have been dropped.
F-15C Fighter That Downed MiGs Arrives at Smithsonian for Display
The F-15C Eagle flown by Cesar “Rico” Rodriguez when he downed two Iraqi MiGs in the 1991 Gulf War has been delivered to the Smithsonian’s Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center in Chantilly, Va., where it will go on permanent display in the coming weeks. It’s the ...
Two New Electronic Warfare Squadrons Standing Up at Robins
Two new electronic warfare squadrons are standing up at Robins Air Force Base, Ga., with the mission of helping combatant commanders and Air Force leaders understand and prosecute electromagnetic systems operations. Now detachments, the units are expected to become squadrons in the coming months but ...
Sentinel’s Second Stage Test Results Show Digital Models Are Accurate: Officials
The Sentinel intercontinental ballistic missile's second stage rocket performed largely as predicted by digital models in a recent vacuum chamber test, the Air Force and Northrop Grumman said, laying the groundwork for further testing that will allow the company to finalize the stage’s design in ...
