August 23, 1909

Aug. 23, 1909
At the world’s first major air meet in Reims, France, Glenn Curtiss becomes the first American to claim the recognized absolute speed record as he flies at 43.385 mph in his Reims Racer biplane.

Related

To Secure Arctic, NORTHCOM Builds Closer Ties to Pacific, European Commands

Sept. 26, 2026
U.S. Northern Command plans to sign an agreement with its European and Pacific counterparts to enhance coordination and close security seams in the Arctic, a strategically vital region that spans all three commands. The agreement comes at an important moment in NORTHCOM's evolution, as its mission grows more complex.

Air Force Injects $87M into IVEWS F-16 Electronic Warfare Upgrades

Sept. 25, 2026
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 the AN/ALQ-257 Integrated Viper Electronic…

Air Force, Pentagon Work to Boost Military Spouse Employment

Sept. 25, 2026
New Air Force, Pentagon, and White House initiatives aim to chip away at an issue that has long frustrated leaders and families across the military: spouse employment. For years now, the percentage of unemployed military spouses has held steady at around 20 percent, experts say.