Air Force Reveals Range and Inventory Goals for F-47, CCAs By John A. Tirpak The F-47 Next-Generation Air Dominance fighter will have a combat radius greater than 1,000 miles—nearly double that of the F-22—and the Air Force plans to acquire...
Air Force
Guetlein to Lead ‘Golden Dome’ Missile Shield Program By Chris Gordon President Donald Trump aims to deploy his signature Golden Dome missile defense shield before the end of his term and he picked the Space Force’s No. 2 officer, Gen....
US Doubles Airstrikes in Somalia, Surpassing 2024 Levels By Chris Gordon U.S. Africa Command has ratcheted up airstrikes in Somalia as it looks to pressure militants there, the head of the command told reporters May 30. Marine Corps Gen. Michael...
At Joint Base Lewis-McChord (JBLM), a little boy with a huge heart became a hero among heroes. On April 16 and 17, AFA’s McChord Field Chapter in Tacoma, Wash., in partnership with McChord’s 4th Airlift Squadron, brought back a beloved...
The Air Force Historical Foundation honored a pair of storied Airmen with lifetime achievement awards at the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum’s Udvar-Hazy Center May 22. Retired Air Force Lt. Gen. David A. Deptula, dean of AFA’s Mitchell Institute...
It is a law of survival, if not physics: In war, any advantage wielded by one side will be countered with an opposite, if not equal force, in a continuous back-and-forth until one or the other capitulates. The resultant innovation...
Still Smaller, Still Older “The fleet is aging; 30-plus years on average. Some of the … critical platforms, are significantly older than that. When I was a navigator, I never flew a KC-135 that was younger than me. They’re...
The Cold War Air Force was bigger, deeper, and readier than today’s. Here’s why it’s time for a reset. For the first time since the collapse of the Soviet Union, the United States faces a true peer potential adversary in...
A comprehensive look at the Air Force and the Space Force, including people, equipment, budget, weapons systems, and more. This Almanac was compiled by Amanda Miller, Aaron M.U. Church, and the staff of Air & Space Forces Magazine. We gratefully...
The Air Force has six Institutional Commands focused on the recruit, train, and equip function of the department, and 10 Service Component Commands focused on meeting the needs of the nation’s joint combatant commands.
As futuristic aviation programs gain priority, the F-35—the only in-production, fifth-generation American fighter—is facing new headwinds. Fresh debate over its challenges and its potential in the coming months will shape its future role in the force. The House’s $150 billion...