John Stillion


Recent stories by John Stillion

F-35s, F-16s Rapidly Deploy to Greenland for Exercise

NORAD surged two F-35s, two F-16s, and a trio of KC-135s to Pituffik Space Force Base in Greenland earlier this month for a “dynamic operational exercise,” testing its ability to rapidly deploy forces in the Arctic.

Wilsbach Confirmed as Air Force Chief

Gen. Kenneth S. Wilsbach was confirmed as the 24th Air Force Chief of Staff Oct. 30 by unanimous consent. Shortly before, his predecessor, Gen. David W. Allvin, was "clapped" out of the Pentagon, 10 weeks after he unexpectedly announced his retirement on Aug. 18, two ...

Jets Converge on Tyndall for Major Exercise, Despite Shutdown

Dozens of fighter jets gathered at Tyndall Air Force Base in Florida last week to kick off one of the service’s biggest air combat exercises despite the government shutdown. More than 50 aircraft and 500 personnel are participating in Checkered Flag 26-1.

OA-1K Skyraider Crashes in Oklahoma, Crew Uninjured

An Air Force OA-1K Skyraider II crashed near Oklahoma City on Oct. 23, with a civilian contractor and Active-duty Airman escaping uninjured. The OA-1K was on a training mission when the crash occurred, less than 10 miles from the base.

What to Watch as Senate, House Start Crafting Conference 2026 NDAA

The Senate passed its version of the 2026 National Defense Authorization bill late Oct. 9 with new language restricting retirements for B-1 bombers and E-3 AWACS. Now lawmakers from the House and Senate must set about resolving the differences between their two bills, which could ...

Space Force’s New PT Test: What Guardians Need to Know

The Space Force introduced its own physical fitness program, the first one ever developed just for Guardians. The new twice-annual assessment is similar to the Air Force’s new test and also extends the Space Force's study using wearable fitness trackers. 

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