Matthew Cox
Matthew Cox has been a defense reporter since 1998. Prior to working for three years in media relations at Thales, he worked for Military.com from 2011 to 2021, covering Army and Marine Corps readiness and modernizations with a focus on weapons development and procurement. Before that he worked for more than 12 years at Army Times. He focused on modernization, training, and readiness as well as covering light infantry units in combat in both Afghanistan from 2002 to 2008. He also spent four years in the U.S. Army during the second half of the 1980s, serving as an infantryman in the 82nd Airborne Division.
Recent stories by Matthew Cox
Planning an Air Show Is Hard. At Andrews, It’s Even Harder
Joint Base Andrews opened its flightline this month to thousands of civilians, exposing a normally restricted airbase that regularly hosts the president and foreign dignitaries to a curious public eager to see current and historic military aircraft up close and in action.
‘Prepare to Abandon the Aircraft!’
Inside a Vietnam War aircrew’s shootdown and the fight to honor their courage. The 10 Airmen of Stinger 41 knew the risks of flying their AC-119K gunship in daylight over enemy anti-aircraft gunners—a rare mission for an aircraft designed for...
Rebuilding Arctic Defenses Will Be Key to Golden Dome: Report
The U.S. homeland is vulnerable to air and missile attack across the Arctic because the network of ground, air, and space-based defenses guarding those approaches have atrophied over time, according to a new paper from AFA’s Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies.
Air Guard Pilots Test HH-60 Helicopters Against an F-15 Fighter Attack
In a first, the Air National Guard recently tested how its new rescue helicopter would survive against attacks from enemy fighter aircraft to prepare for a potential war in the Pacific.
M18 Pistol Is Back in Action at Air Force Global Strike Command—with a Twist
Air Force Global Strike Command has cleared Airmen to carry the M18 pistol again after completing inspections of thousands of handguns following the July 20 death of Airman Brayden Lovan, a 21-year-old security forces specialist who was killed on duty when his M18 pistol discharged, ...
Air Force Seeks Fivefold Funding Hike for Mobile Base Defense Tech
The Air Force hopes to snag $836 million in fiscal 2026 for rapidly deployable air base defenses to thwart incoming drones and missiles.
Air Force Orders Force-Wide Inspection of M18s in Wake of Airman’s Death
The Air Force is performing a force-wide safety inspection on every one of its M18 9mm pistols as the service investigates the circumstances around the July 20 discharge of the service pistol that killed a 21-year-old security forces Airman.
Space Force Unit that Tracked Iranian Missiles Earns New Honor
The Guardians of the 11th Space Warning Squadron were honored as the top U.S. Space Force unit for 2024 for their role in thwarting Iranian missile barrages last year.
Air Force Works to Modernize Aging B-52 Simulators
Air Force B-52 program officials are gunning for a budget boost for new simulators that can adequately replicate challenging tasks crew members must perform on real-world bombing missions.
‘What ACE Is All About’: Dispersion Protects Airmen, Planes During Iran Attack
As the Air Force readied for its June 21-22 strikes on Iran’s nuclear facilities, the service was also putting its Agile Combat Employment strategy into action, dispersing combat aircraft and Airmen from Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar in preparation for a possible Iranian retaliatory ...
Cyber, Electronic Warfare Key to Winning Future Fights, DARPA Official Says
Cyber and electromagnetic warfare are now crucial tools for modern warfare, but they are not emphasized enough as the go-to weapons for fighter pilots, DARPA Deputy Director Rob McHenry said during a June 25 event hosted by the Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies.
House Appropriators Want More Transparency for Big-Ticket Air Force Buys
The House Appropriations Committee wants the Air Force to be more open about how it manages its multibillion-dollar weapons acquisition programs to ensure they are fully funded and ready for the next fight.
New Normandy Memorial Honors Eighth Air Force Airmen Crucial to D-Day Victory
A new Eighth Air Force Memorial, tucked behind the D-Day landing beaches at Normandy, immortalizes those Airmen in bronze 81 years after they defeated the Nazi air force.
Pentagon Reviewing Base Defense as Experts Warn of Pacific Threats
Defense experts say the drone threat represents only part of a larger, looming problem: U.S. air bases in the Pacific are increasingly vulnerable to air attacks.
In Trips to DC Memorials, Air Force Vietnam Vets Reflect on War
Vietnam War-era veterans from Wyoming took part in “Voyage of Valor,” an all-expenses-paid trip made possible by Wish of a Lifetime and AARP.
