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
Air Force Hero Bob Lodge May Finally Get Medal of Honor with New Proposed Legislation
Rep. August Pfluger (R-Texas) is introducing legislation to award Maj. Robert “Bob” Alfred Lodge a posthumous Medal of Honor for sacrificing his life May 10, 1972—during the critical bombing campaign in the Vietnam War—to protect fellow members of the 555th Tactical Fighter Squadron
HASC Seeks Insight into Air Force, DOD Plans for Cargo Drones
Lawmakers want to know more about how the Air Force and Pentagon might employ autonomous cargo drones to resupply troops in remote locations in the future, according to reports attached to the House Armed Services Committee’s draft version of the fiscal 2027 National Defense Authorization ...
Lawmakers Want USAF to Move Faster in Arming Tankers with Active Defenses
Lawmakers drafting the 2027 defense policy bill worry the Air Force is not moving fast enough to arm its tanker fleet with new protection systems capable of defeating incoming missile threats.
First Airman Graduates from Army’s New Jungle School, with More to Follow
The U.S. military’s newest jungle school has been an “embrace the suck” course for Marines and Soldiers since opening in January—not anymore. Staff Sgt. Duchaine Paul just became the first Airmen to graduate the rebooted jungle warfare course in the punishing Panamanian jungle.
Wilsbach: No Gap in USAF’s Close Air Support After A-10s Retire
Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Kenneth S. Wilsbach told lawmakers this week there will be no gap in the service’s close air support capabilities under its latest plan to retire the venerable A-10 Thunderbolt II at the start of the next decade.
KC-135 Pulled Out of Boneyard Weeks After Another Crashed in Iraq
The Air Force pulled a KC-135 out of storage at the “Boneyard” in early April, three weeks after another one of the service’s Stratotankers crashed in Iraq during Operation Epic Fury.
Air Force Offering Fewer Reenlistment Bonuses in 2026: Here’s the List
The Air Force has drastically reduced the number of eligible career fields for Active-Duty Airmen seeking reenlistment bonuses in 2026, going from 89 to 24.
Air Force Raises Bar for Religious Waiver Requests, Reduces Chaplains’ Input
The Department of the Air Force issues a new policy on requests for religious accommodation, raising the bar for such requests as it implements guidance from Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth. The new policy emphasizes the role of commanders while limiting that of chaplains. It also ...
KC-46 Plan Vows Readiness Boost but Vision System Slips to 2028
The Air Force says it has formed a plan with Boeing to get key upgrades deployed across the KC-46 tanker fleet faster—but the service acknowledged it won't start fielding the refueler’s upgraded vision system until 2028, a slight schedule slip.
Air Combat Command to Take Over Fighter and Drone Pilot Training
The Air Force is placing Air Combat Command in charge of teaching combat tactics to fighter and remotely-piloted aircraft units, according to a May 12 announcement. Beginning this summer, the service will reassign the formal training units for the F-35, F-16, and MQ-9 from Air ...
Air Force Rescue Units Awarded PUCs for Afghanistan Evacuation
Two Air Force rescue squadrons recently received the the Presidential Unit Citation award for heroism displayed during the evacuation of Afghanistan, according to a May 10 announcement from Air Combat Command.
CMSAF: Air Force to Train Every Airman on AI
Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force David R. Wolfe said May 8 that the service is working on a new training program to ensure that every Airman is educated to use AI in their everyday job.
What Does It Take to Ace the New Air Force Fitness Test?
Eleven members of the Air Force Honor Guard recently practiced taking the service's new fitness test. Here's what they have to share about the two-mile run, the HAMR, and more.
Air Force Wants to Arm Tanker, Cargo Aircraft with Active Defenses
The Air Force wants to spend more than a half billion dollars through 2031 on a new protection system designed for cargo and refueling aircraft that features onboard sensors and weapons to track and take down enemy missiles and drones.
Air Force Leaders: More Parts Key to Bringing Up C-5’s Low Readiness Rate
Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Kenneth S. Wilsbach told lawmakers Apr. 30 that the service’s biggest airlifter, the C-5 Galaxy, has a 37 percent mission capable rate—one of several challenges facing the mobility fleet.