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.
Air Force Crew Forced Back to Base by Excessive Turbulence in Hurricane Melissa
As Hurricane Melissa hammers the Caribbean, the U.S. Air Force’s “Hurricane Hunters” are busy flying into the massive Category 4 storm to collect atmospheric data—with one experiencing greater than expected turbulence Oct. 28. 
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.
New Report: Air Force Can’t Afford ‘Runaway’ R&D, Needs More Aircraft
For more than a decade, the Pentagon have steadily invested more and more of its budget in research and development compared to procurement—resulting in a “smaller, older, and less capable force than it needs,” according to a new analysis from the Center for a New ...
PHOTOS: B-52s Flew with F-35s in ‘Bomber Attack Demo’ near Venezuela
The B-52 bombers that flew off the coast of Venezuela on Oct. 15 were accompanied by Marine Corps F-35s as part of a so-called “Bomber Attack Demonstration,” according to new images and information from the Pentagon. 
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 ...
Wilsbach: Fewer PCS Moves Would Boost Air Force Retention
Gen. Kenneth S. Wilsbach, nominee to be the next Air Force Chief of Staff, voiced support for reducing the number of PCS moves Airmen and their families have to make, arguing it could improve retention. 
Air Force, Eyeing T-7 Progress, Mulls Taking New Pilots Direct to Jets
Air Force officials say they're making progress on getting the T-7A Red Hawk trainer on track after years of delays—and now they're even exploring whether they can shift some training duties from the T-6 Texan II to the Red Hawk down the road. 
Nominee to Lead Pentagon’s Indo-Pacific Shop Calls on Allies to Up Defense Spending
The nominee to lead the Pentagon’s Indo-Pacific affairs office argued allies to need to step up their efforts to counter the growing threat of China, while also advocating for the U.S. to maintain “combat-credible” forces and strong investments in the region at his Senate confirmation hearing ...
Air Force Investigating Privacy Compromise on SharePoint Sites
The Air Force is investigating a potential exposure of service members’ personal data through Microsoft SharePoint, according to a spokesperson and an email sent to Airmen. 
Industry Races to Develop Small Engines for Drones, CCAs
While Air Force leaders are still refining concepts for the next increment of Collaborative Combat Aircraft, competition to produce compact, low-cost engines for those aircraft is already heating up. 
New Commanders for AETC, Space Forces-Space Among 3-Star Nominees
A half-dozen Air Force and Space Force major generals have been nominated for three-star jobs, including new bosses for Air Education and Training Command and Space Forces-Space. 
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. 


