Todd South
Todd South served in the U.S. Marine Corps, deploying to Iraq during the Iraq War in 2003. He then attended the University of Georgia, where he earned his bachelor’s degree in journalism. He later worked at the Red & Black, the Anniston Star, the Chattanooga Times Free Press, The Record and Military Times. Todd earned his MFA in nonfiction writing from Goucher College and was named a Pulitzer Prize finalist in 2014 for local reporting.
Recent stories by Todd South
Software Deals Move Mobility Fleet Toward Common Operating Picture with Real-Time Data
A recent $21 million contract award to three software companies could give the Air Force’s airlift and tanker units real-time software updates in degraded environments, including aircraft fuel, logistics, and other mobility fleet data.
Air Force Certifies Anduril Barracuda Cruise Missile for Open System Updates
The Anduril-built Barracuda cruise missile recently received certification as the Air Force’s first large-scale production munition compliant with open systems architecture.
Air Force Injects $87M into IVEWS F-16 Electronic Warfare Upgrades
The Air Force has invested $87.4 million to upgrade the F-16 Fighting Falcon's electronic warfare capabilities, bolstering the fighter's self-protection against increasingly advanced threats. Bringing the total program value to $1.92 billion, the move is expected to jump-start fielding by funding low-rate initial production of ...
Newest AIM-9X Missiles Not Meeting Operational Availability Goal
One of the Air Force and Navy’s most common air-to-air missiles is falling short of a key readiness metric, and the services are ramping up stocks of a vital air-to-ground missile, according to recent Pentagon reports.
Air Force Experiment Looks at How Humans and AI Can Team Up for Command and Control
A recent two-week experiment tested how Airmen and Guardians can team with machines and artificial intelligence to enhance command and control in complex scenarios—with researchers measuring everything from the heart rate of participants to the quality of their decision-making.
Experts: Affordable Munitions Could Help USAF in Taiwan Conflict, but More Is Needed
A new think tank report calls for a buildup of U.S. drones and munitions needed for a potential fight against the Chinese military over Taiwan, thought other experts argue the report is missing some nuance in the munitions equation.
Air Force to Get First Next-Gen Tactical C2 Centers By Year’s End
A single-pallet-sized tactical operations center is slated to begin shipping to 70 Air Force units by the end of the year following a recent announcement by the company that made it and the Air Force entity responsible for its development.
Air Force Retires EC-130H, Embraces EA-37B, as Davis-Monthan Transitions
The 55th Wing officially retired the EC-130H Compass Call aircraft in a ceremony Sept. 18 at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Ariz., while the 355th Wing there retired its final A-10 Warthog, another major transition for the base.
Pentagon, Lockheed to Expand Production of Secretive New Joint Advanced Tactical Missile
The Pentagon announced a deal with Lockheed Martin on Sept. 17 to expand production of the AIM-260 Joint Advanced Tactical Missile, an advanced new Air Force and Navy air-to-air missile meant to equip fifth- and sixth-generation fighters.
Lockheed’s New Modular JASSM Offers Swappable Noses and Launch Options
Lockheed Martin has unveiled its concept for a modular version of one of the Air Force’s main air-to-ground cruise missiles, opening up a range of possible upgrades and uses for the weapon.
‘Defend the Ecosystem’: USAF, Experts Want to Up Cyber Defense for Critical Infrastructure
The Air Force is shoring up its cyber defenses both on and off base for critical infrastructure such as water and electrical power, and industry experts are calling for more, even specialized, dedicated microgrids offsite to support USAF operations in case of a total blackout ...
BAE Unveils Cheap, Compact Electronic Warfare Systems for Small Platforms
BAE Systems is building a new slate of compact electronic warfare tools for small airborne platforms that could coordinate with fighters, work with helicopters, or augment legacy aircraft with outdated, hard-to-update EW suites.
Daily Code Drops at 30,000 Feet: How New Software Rules Could Help Munitions
Defense industry leaders say the Air Force needs to be able to update the software on its munitions multiple times a day, not every few months, and a new Pentagon instruction released last week could enable that.
AETC Launches Blueprint with AI Training for All Airmen
Strategic guidance from the command in charge of Air Force training lays out a plan to train all Airmen in artificial intelligence and build “Digital Airmen” across the force’s training and education enterprise.
Hypersonic Aircraft Startup Adding Anduril’s Autonomy Software for 2027 Flight
Startups Anduril Industries and Heremus have agreed to integrate Anduril’s autonomy software onto Hermeus’ hypersonic demonstrator aircraft “Quarterhorse”—uniting two technologies that have drawn keen interest and investment from the Air Force.