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
Space Force Announces Enlisted Promotions as It Prepares to Switch to ‘Fully Qualified’ System
The most recent Space Force enlisted promotion selection was the last to use the old board format for sergeants, as the service transitions to a “fully qualified” method of selecting its junior NCOs.
Space Force Chief Nominee: China Going ‘Breathtakingly Fast’ with Space Weapons
China’s rapidly advancing capabilities in space are a major concern for the presumed next chief of U.S. Space Force, who will likely oversee rapid growth in manpower and equipment to counter the growing threat.
Pentagon Announces Multiyear Deals to Buy Thousands of Affordable Cruise Missiles
The Pentagon announced framework agreements for new multiyear deals with three companies to mass-produce more affordable, less exquisite air-to-ground missiles for the Air Force, part of a larger strategy to bring cheaper firepower to a future fight.
Northrop Says Upgrades to F-16 EW, Targeting Are Moving Forward
Northrop Grumman is deep into testing two upgrades for the F-16 as the Air Force looks to keep the fourth-generation fighter ready for the future fight, company officials told reporters this week.
Software Sold Separately: What the Air Force’s New Approach for CCAs Means
The Air Force’s “software sold separately” plan to buy critical autonomy software decoupled from the physical air vehicle for its nascent Collaborative Combat Aircraft fleet could help the drones evolve quickly, foster competition, and avoid vendor lock-in, experts and service officials told Air & Space ...
Does the Space Force Need Its Own Lawyers? Senate Seeks Answers
The Senate Armed Services Committee wants the Pentagon to study whether the unique legal issues arising from operations in space demand that the Space Force have its own lawyers.
LRASM Clears Integration Milestone for Use on the B-1B
The Air Force recently tested the Long-Range Anti-Ship Missile on the B-1B Lancer, clearing a key milestone for integrating the weapon on its bombers.
Guardians, Airmen Use AI in Experiment to Supercharge Battle Management
For the first time, members of the Space Force joined with the Air Force in using advanced artificial intelligence in a complex command-and-control experiment to speed up combat decision-making.
F-15EX Makes Another Visit to Kadena as Base Preps for Permanent Aircraft
An F-15EX fighter touched down at Kadena Air Base, Japan, this week—thought still not on a permanent basis. The Eagle II is on a “visit” to the crucial Pacific base on Okinawa, according to a July 1 release.
Amazon, Anduril Partner to Push AI and the Cloud to the Tactical Edge
One of the Pentagon’s largest cloud services providers is partnering with a rising defense juggernaut to provide high-capacity computing and AI for targeting and sensor fusion in a mobile data center built for austere conditions at the tactical edge.
New AI ‘Agent Network’ Could Gather Intel Faster for Strike Packages
A new Pentagon initiative could shrink the timelines for air and space commanders to gather and sort through the intelligence necessary to conduct operations.
Lockheed Accelerating Production of New Hypersonic Glide Body
Facing competition from fast-growing startups, Lockheed Martin is speeding up production of an “affordable, scalable” hypersonic glide body, dubbed the Next Generation Glide Body, the firm said in a June 24 release.
Boeing CCA to Fly with US Aircraft in Pacific Exercise
The U.S. Air Force is testing out a Collaborative Combat Aircraft in the Pacific this week as part of a large-scale exercise. But the CCA they’re flying is not one the two the service has committed to buying. Boeing’s MQ-28...
Chinese AI Agents Could Challenge Air and Space Operations, Planning
Current and near-term Chinese artificial intelligence capabilities could counter or replicate how the U.S. military plans and conducts operations, especially complex strike packages such as those seen recently in Iran, according to a new think tank report.
White House Taps 20 Air Force One-Stars for Promotion
President Donald Trump has nominated 20 Air Force brigadier generals for another star, according to a June 22 Pentagon announcement, including the heads of recruiting, ICBM acquisition, and a top training center.