F-117 Retires

April 22, 2008

USAF retires the F-117 Nighthawk, the service’s first stealth combat aircraft, ending a 27-year career that included critical action during Operation Desert Storm.

After 11-Month Vacancy, Air Force Has a New Vice Chief

Feb. 2, 2026

After nearly a yearlong vacancy, the Air Force has a Vice Chief of Staff once more. The Senate confirmed Gen. John D. Lamontagne to the service’s No. 2 job on Jan. 30 in an uncontroversial voice vote, along with a new head of U.S. Southern Command and five Air Force three-stars.

Midnight Hammer Lessons: USAF Needs More Tankers, Munitions

Feb. 2, 2026

Air Force leaders hail recent strike missions like Midnight Hammer as a shining example of operational readiness, but Airmen who played a role in the bombing raid on Iran worry that the service is ill-prepared to mount an extended campaign of long-range strikes against a peer adversary.

In a World Teeming With Threats, One CCA Stands Out as the Best Defense

Feb. 2, 2026

Washington and its allies face a bottomless list of tasks, challenges, and uncertainties in every region of the globe. The geopolitical outlook has seldom been so unsettled. The good news is that some answers, at least, already are clear. Nearly...

Air Force Patent Holiday Offers Businesses Inventions For Free

Jan. 30, 2026

The Air Force Research Laboratory is offering free licenses for dozens of its patents, including some for secure microchips, 3D-printable “energetic compounds” for use as propellants or explosives, and powerful magnets that are less reliant on rare earth metals. The...

Partial Government Shutdown Hits Pentagon

Jan. 30, 2026

The Pentagon and several other federal agencies suffered a lapse in appropriations Jan. 31, as a full-year fiscal 2026 spending package awaits passage in the House after a last-minute approval in the Senate. The odds are high, however, that the partial government shutdown is quickly resolved.

Space Force Activates NORTHCOM Component Amid Homeland Defense Shift

Jan. 30, 2026

The Space Force activated its U.S. Northern Command component Jan. 30, which will provide the combatant command greater access to space capabilities and expertise amid the Pentagon’s increasing focus on homeland defense.

US Moves Airpower Toward Middle East as Trump Weighs Strike on Iran

Jan. 30, 2026

The U.S. continued to position significant military assets closer to the Middle East as the Trump administration weighs whether to strike Iran.

Space Command Puts 2-Star in Charge of New Office to Oversee HQ Move

Jan. 30, 2026

U.S. Space Command has established a program management office, headed by a two-star Army general, to lead the transition of its headquarters from Colorado to Alabama.

Readiness Is ACC Commander’s Top Priority, But Not His Sole Focus

Jan. 29, 2026

Readiness and sustainment are the clear priorities for Air Combat Command boss Gen. Adrian “Elmo” Spain, but the career fighter pilot has three other focuses too: Adapting to the strategic environment, modernizing for the future, and empowering leaders at the operational level. “If we [have to] go fight,...

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