Rachel S. Cohen
Rachel Cohen joined Air Force Magazine as a senior editor in January 2019. She covers science and technology programs, space, Congress, the nuclear enterprise, C4ISR, and more. The Michigan native graduated from American University and previously worked at Inside Defense, Inside Health Policy, the Frederick News-Post (Md.), the Washington Post, and others.
Recent stories by Rachel S. Cohen
Hegseth Pitches $3.5 Billion For F-47 in 2026 Budget
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s first trip to Capitol Hill to argue for next year’s Pentagon budget shed new light on funding for some of the Air Force’s top-priority acquisition programs, even as the department continues to hide its 2026 request from view.
Trump Budget Calls for More Airmen, Guardians in 2026
Over half a million troops would serve in the Air Force and Space Force in 2026, the Trump administration said last week, keeping the workforce essentially flat as Airmen and Guardians tackle a growing list of missions around the globe.
House Appropriators Offer Air, Space Forces $261 Billion in 2026
Absent a full defense budget request from the White House nearly six months into President Donald Trump’s tenure, lawmakers are taking matters into their own hands.
Air Force Ready to Deploy More Nukes Once Arms Control Treaty Ends
The Air Force is ready to add more nuclear warheads to its bomber aircraft and underground missiles if ordered to do so when a key arms control treaty expires next year, its top nuclear officer said June 5.
Turning Qatari Jet into Air Force One to Cost ‘Less Than $400 Million’
Transforming a former Qatari royal jet into President Donald Trump’s new Air Force One will likely cost less than $400 million, the U.S. Air Force’s top civilian told lawmakers June 5.
Senate Adds Billions for Air Force Programs to GOP Spending Bill
Senate lawmakers unveiled legislation June 4 that would funnel at least $26 billion to the Air Force and Space Force starting this year.
Hegseth Set to Testify Before Congress in June
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth will head to Capitol Hill this month to make the case for the Trump administration’s proposed defense budget, a Pentagon spokesperson said June 2.
Trump’s Budget Boosts USAF, Cuts Space Force Spending
The Air Force budget would grow to $234 billion while Space Force spending would shrink to $26 billion under the White House's yearly ask.
USAFA Graduates Face Tough Road Ahead, Air Force Secretary Says
The Air Force Academy’s newest graduates endured four years of homework, exams, and military drills. But tougher challenges lie ahead, service leaders told the Class of 2025 at the school’s May 29 commencement ceremony.
GOP Spending Bill Heads to Senate With $150 Billion for Defense Programs
Republicans aim to funnel billions of dollars into some of the Air Force’s top-priority programs as part of a divisive bill the GOP may be able to enact without Democratic support.
Tanker Modernization
Discussion of future tankers comes as the Air Force continues downsizing two of its three aerial refueling fleets and bringing on the troubled KC-46 Pegasus, the U.S. military’s first 21st-century tanker program.
Pentagon Needs More Accountability to Speed Acquisition: Former Defense Officials
U.S. military leaders must embrace flexibility, train the next generation, and hold themselves accountable if the Pentagon hopes to deliver cutting-edge weapons and vehicles to the battlefield in a timely manner, three former defense officials said in a report released Sept. 25.
Senator to DOD: Redo Study on Suicide by Job Specialty
About two months after the Pentagon released a congressionally mandated study on military suicide rates broken down by career field, the senator who led the charge for the study is telling Defense Secretary Lloyd J. Austin III that the released data falls short of what ...
Air Force Faces Hits to Readiness, New Programs Under Continuing Resolution
The House and Senate passed a continuing resolution Sept. 25 to keep the government funded through Dec. 20, and President Joe Biden has indicated he will sign the legislation. Under a CR, the Department of the Air Force said, space launch and testing modernization will ...
Senate Confirms Nordhaus as National Guard Boss; Air Guard Nominee Still Waiting
The Senate on Sept. 24 quietly approved Air Force Lt. Gen. Steven S. Nordhaus to lead the National Guard, filling a vacancy on the Joint Chiefs of Staff that has persisted for nearly two months. Still in limbo is Maj. Gen. Duke Pirak, the Air ...