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
Nellis HH-60Ws Rescue Navy Helicopter Crew in California Mountains
Search and rescue Airmen from Nellis Air Base, Nev., flew more than 200 miles in two HH-60W Jolly Green IIs last week to rescue five of their Navy helicopter crew counterparts who were forced to land in mountainous terrain near Naval Air Weapons Station China ...
DOD Leader Calls for Counter-Drone, Airborne Directed Energy Weapons
A top Pentagon tech official called on industry this week to help the military develop “lighter, more efficient” directed energy weapons designed to go on aircraft and conduct special operations missions or down drones—areas where the Air Force’s directed energy efforts have been quiet as ...
Watchdog Presses DOD to Fix Decaying Infrastructure at Pacific Air Bases
The Pentagon’s watchdog has identified serious concerns over corrosion, mold, and the structural decline of “critical infrastructure” at Air Force bases and other military installations in the Pacific, according to a recent report.
Air Force Wants a Drone Factory in a Box for Rapid, Remote Deployments
The Air Force wants to step up its ability to field unmanned systems with deployable manufacturing equipment for turning out small drones in austere terrain.
Air Force Promotes Fewer Staff Sergeants After Last Year’s Historic Surge
The Air Force is promoting around 12,500 Senior Airmen to staff sergeant, roughly 20 percent fewer enlisted Airmen compared to last year’s massive total.
New Air Force Program Ensures ACE Teams Speak the Right Language Downrange
The Air Force is now training hand-picked Airmen to translate the service’s wartime airfield needs into the native tongues of non-English speaking allies. These aren’t linguists; they’re Airmen from across the force, trained to patch bomb-damaged concrete runways or fix fighter aircraft.
Air Guard Dangles Bonuses to Boost Retention
The Air National Guard is offering $7,500 bonus to Guard members for a three-year reenlistment before the end of fiscal 2026, but time is running out.
USAF Issues New Rules for ‘Grooming Standards Separations’
The Department of the Air Force has released new guidance for commanders to begin separating Airmen and Guardians who have been on medical shaving profiles for too long.
Former NORAD Boss: Air Bases in US Vulnerable to Ukraine-Style Drone Attack
Air Force bases inside the U.S. are heavily guarded, but they could fall victim to the same type of spectacular drone attack that struck bomber bases deep inside Russia last year, retired Air Force Gen. Glen D. VanHerck, former head of U.S. Northern Command and ...
Experts See Urgent Need to Defend Bases from Drone Attack. Here’s What USAF Is Doing
The Air Force is racing to create a “Point Defense” force of Airmen, specially trained and equipped to protect air bases from unmanned attack more effectively than ever before. But in a new report, an expert says even more is needed to defeat the large-scale ...
CMSAF Challenges Airmen with New Workouts: ‘Let’s See What You’ve Got!’
Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force David R. Wolfe is challenging Airmen with new weekly workouts that are likely to hurt way more than the service’s new fitness test.
Air Force: Waist-to-Height Ratio Required by July 31 Will Not Be Scored
Active-Duty Airmen only have a few days left to submit an official waist-to-height ratio into the Air Force’s new online application. But the service clarified July 23 that this first body composition measurement is not meant to be scored as part of the new Physical ...
Air Force Wants New Ground-Based Launcher for Air Base Defense
The Air Force is searching for a new “ground-based launcher” as it ramps up its air base defense capabilities to counter enemy attacks from the sky.
An Early Look at the Air Force’s New Counter-Drone Units
The Air Force has stood up the first rapidly deployable units of Airmen designed to protect air bases in the Pacific or other potential hotspots from aerial attack.
Space Force Offering $25K Bonus for 8-Year Enlistments, but Slots Are Limited
Future Guardians willing to serve eight years for their first Active-Duty enlistment are now eligible for a $25,000 bonus—but the deal won’t last long, according to a recent Space Force announcement.