P-51 Mustangs Begin Escorting US Bombers

Dec. 5, 1943

P-51 pilots begin escorting U.S. bombers to European targets. Ninth Air Force begins Operation Crossbow raids against German bases where secret weapons are being developed.

Space Force Sets Mandatory Wear Date for PT Uniform, Service Dress Remains Optional

Jan. 14, 2026

The Space Force put Guardians on notice to purchase the service’s new physical training gear uniform by the end of January, but it isn’t ready to set a mandatory wear date for its new service dress uniform.

MH-139 Grey Wolf Helicopter Flies First Convoy Mission

Jan. 14, 2026

A pair of MH-139A helicopters flew the type’s first ever intercontinental ballistic missile convoy at Malmstrom Air Force Base, Mont., putting the new Grey Wolf into operational use.

Impurities in Metal Gear Led to CV-22 Mishap; Crew Actions Mitigated Damage

Jan. 14, 2026

Impure metal used to make a gear in the proprotor gearbox of a CV-22 caused it to fail, leading to a mishap and emergency landing in November 2024 that resulted in nearly $2.8 million in damages and a brief operational pause for the entire Osprey fleet, according to a new Air Force report.

US Evacuates Personnel from Al Udeid Air Base as Trump Weighs Military Action Against Iran

Jan. 14, 2026

Some U.S. personnel are evacuating Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar, America’s main military base in the Middle East, as President Donald Trump is weighing military action against Iran in response to its crackdown on protestors, people familiar with the matter told Air & Space Forces Magazine.

Space Force’s Newest Weather Satellite Feeding Data to NOAA Forecasters

Jan. 13, 2026

As the Space Force moves forward with plans to modernize its weather satellite architecture, it’s working closely with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to share data and leverage the agency’s modeling and validation tools, officials told lawmakers in a Jan. 13 hearing.

Pentagon Sets New Body Composition Standards Matching Existing Air Force Policy

Jan. 13, 2026

Airmen and Guardians preparing to take updated physical fitness assessments this year won’t be surprised by the Pentagon’s updated body composition standards that all service members will have to meet; the Air Force worked up similar standards three years ago.

How Air Force Leaders See T-7A Feeding into Sixth-Gen Aircraft

Jan. 13, 2026

With the first operational T-7A trainer jet in hand, Air Force leaders are already looking ahead to how the Red Hawk will fit with the service’s plans for sixth-generation aircraft.

Pentagon Investing $1 Billion in L3Harris Solid Rocket Motor Business

Jan. 13, 2026

The Pentagon is investing $1 billion in L3Harris’ solid rocket motor business in a bid to shore up the U.S. government’s supply chain for a range of munitions.

At F-35 Factory, Hegseth Makes Acquisition Reform Case and Says Lockheed Will ‘Step Up’

Jan. 12, 2026

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth foot-stomped the Pentagon's push for acquisition speed and contractor accountability in a Jan. 12 speech at Lockheed Martin’s production hub in Fort Worth, Texas—the heart of the department’s biggest acquisition program, the F-35.

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