Unshin Lee Harpley
Unshin Lee Harpley is a reporter at the Air and Space Forces Magazine. Previously, Unshin was a multimedia journalist at Voice of America where she covered local and national stories, including the 2020 Presidential Election. She hosted a weekly program promoting the English language and American culture, targeted at South Korean viewers and North Korean senior officials.
Prior to Voice of America, Unshin was in Seoul at Arirang TV and TBS eFM for three years where she reported on some of the region’s major political, social, and cultural events.
Unshin graduated from Iowa State University where she studied journalism at the Greenlee School of Journalism and Communication. Her grandfather, who named her, was a lieutenant colonel served in the Korean War, and she spent half of her life in the States and the other half in South Korea. With her unique background, she has always been eager to explore the dynamics at play within the U.S. military and its profound impact on both domestic and global polices.
She is also passionate about establishing connections within the DMV community and advocating for the Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) voices. Unshin can be reached at uharpley@afa.org
Recent stories by Unshin Lee Harpley
F-15Es and A-10s Join Red Flag-Like Exercise on Arabian Peninsula
F-15E fighters from the 335th Fighter Squadron of Seymour Johnson Air Force Base, N.C., arrived in the Arabian Peninsula last week for a multilateral exercise hosted by the United Arab Emirates. Alongside the Strike Eagles, A-10s from the Maryland Air National Guard are also participating ...
SPACECOM Boss Warns China Is Moving ‘Breathtakingly Fast’ During Pacific Visit
In the wake of a major Chinese military shakeup, the head of U.S. Space Command warned of China’s “breathtakingly fast” advances in space during visits to Japan and South Korea. Gen. Stephen N. Whiting’s trip to the Indo-Pacific is his first overseas visit since taking ...
Slife: Air Superiority, Base Defense Must Adapt to Modern War
Small one-way attack drones widely used on the frontlines of Ukraine and against U.S. outposts in the Middle East have fundamentally altered the definition of air superiority, Vice Chief of Staff of the Air Force Gen. James C. “Jim” Slife said April 24. "Our traditional ...
Anduril and General Atomics to Develop New Collaborative Combat Aircraft for Air Force
Anduril and General Atomics will develop their Collaborative Combat Aircraft for the Air Force, beating out Boeing, Lockheed Martin, and Northrop Grumman, the service announced on April 24. But any of the non-selected companies can compete to actually manufacture the eventual design, the Air Force ...
South Korea’s F-4 Phantoms Fire AGM-142 Popeye Missiles One Last Time Before Retirement
South Korea conducted the final live-fire drills with its F-4 Phantoms and AGM-142 Popeye missiles amid the largest U.S.-South Korea air exercise of the year.
PHOTOS: 12 B-2s Conduct Massive Fly-Off, Elephant Walk
The Air Force carried out the largest B-2 Spirit fly-off in recent history, when 12 aircraft—the majority of the nation's stealth bombers—took off one by one on April 15 from Whiteman Air Force Base, Mo. The event also created a massive elephant walk as the ...
B-52 Bombers Make Rare Landing at Civilian Airport
Two B-52 bombers made a rare touchdown at a civilian airport earlier this month to practice landing at non-military airfields. The jets from Barksdale Air Force Base, La., landed at Chennault International Airport, La., on April 12. “When it comes to nuclear war, all bets ...
Why a Civilian Defense Employee Died After a C-17 Test Flight Last Year
An Air Force Accident Investigation Board released a detailed report on a Missile Defense Agency employee's death on Aug. 22, 2023, linked to decompression sickness.
For First Time Since 2022, Austin Talks to China’s Defense Minister
Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III conducted virtual talks on April 16 with his Chinese counterpart, Adm. Dong Jun, Beijing's Minister of National Defense, marking the first direct talks between defense chiefs of the two nations in close to two years.
PHOTOS: Kadena Welcomes New F-22s and F-16s with Elephant Walk
Kadena Air Base, Japan, is exchanging F-35s and F-15Cs for F-22s and F-16s in the base’s latest rotation of fighters on Okinawa, a strategic location just 400 miles east of Taiwan. Whille all four types of fighters were there, however, Kadena showcased its array of ...
First Ever Guardians Graduate Army Drill Sergeant Academy—and May Not Be the Last
Two Guardians broke new ground last week when they become the first members of the Space Force to graduate from the Army Drill Sergeant Academy. Now, Tech Sgt. David Gudgeon and Sgt. Yuji Moore are ready to bring their unique experience to the Space Force’s ...
Kendall Will Fly on Autonomously-Piloted F-16 for a Sneak Peek on CCA Technology
An autonomously-piloted F-16 will fly this year with Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall on board, giving the service’s top civilian an up-close look at a critical effort for the Collaborative Combat Aircraft program.
T-6 Makes Emergency ‘Belly Flop’ Landing, No Injuries Reported
Editor’s Note: This story was updated April 8 with more details about the emergency landing. An Air Force T-6 Texan II made an emergency “belly flop” landing at Joint Base San Antonio-Randolph, Texas, on April 3 after its pilot declared an in-flight emergency. No one ...
B-52s Fly with US, South Korea, and Japan Fighters Hours After North Korea Missile Launch
Two B-52 bombers flew with fighter aircraft from the U.S., South Korea, and Japan southwest of Kyushu Island near the East China Sea on April 2, marking the first trilateral aerial exercise between the nations this year and just the third one ever. The exercise ...
Three F-16s Arrive at Eglin, Ready to Be Modified to Test Autonomous Tech
Three F-16 fighters landed at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., on April 1. Soon enough, they'll be modified and flying again to test autonomous technologies key to Collaborative Combat Aircraft and other key programs, the Air Force said April 2.