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.

Air Force Aims to Build ‘Airmindedness’ at New BMT

Feb. 4, 2026

Air Force Basic Military Training leaders say changes implemented as part of BMT 2.0 are generating positive results so far—especially when it comes to creating “airminded” new Airmen.

USAF to Security Forces Airmen: Sharpen Up Your Greetings

Feb. 4, 2026

Senior Air Force leaders have a message for security forces Airmen: Set a better example. “To security forces: you are expected to set the example by upholding standards and enforcing rules with integrity,” states a Jan. 30 memo from Chief...

New Report: Air Force Needs 200 B-21s, 300 F-47s to Deny Enemy ‘Sanctuaries’

Feb. 4, 2026

In order to deny China “sanctuaries” from which it can launch air and missile salvos during a potential invasion of Taiwan, the U.S. Air Force needs to buy far more B-21 bombers and F-47 fighters than currently planned, according to a new report from AFA’s Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies.

With New START Set to Expire, Experts Foresee a ‘New Era’ of Nuclear Policy

Feb. 4, 2026

Days before the New START Treaty is set to expire, experts, lawmakers, and former defense officials have varied perspectives on how President Donald Trump’s administration should proceed as it considers future arms control agreements with nuclear weapon states.

Air Force Grapples with Challenges to Aircraft Readiness: Parts and Maintainers

Feb. 3, 2026

If the Air Force is in line for a big budget bump from President Donald Trump’s proposed $1.5 trillion defense budget in 2027, the head of Air Combat Command said he would make aircraft spare parts his top spending priority—but cautioned that more money to buy parts won’t equal a…

Next Up in Pentagon’s Push for Defense Industry Reforms: Space

Feb. 3, 2026

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth exhorted the U.S. space industry to step up its efforts in a forceful Feb. 2 speech in which he called for a new era of American “space dominance."

Congress Passes $839 Billion Budget for Defense

Feb. 3, 2026

Congress officially passed the fiscal 2026 defense spending bill Feb. 3 after a House of Representatives vote, approving $839 billion in Pentagon funding and sending the package to President Donald Trump for his signature.

US F-35 Shoots Down Iranian Drone near Aircraft Carrier; F-16s Escort Threatened Tanker

Feb. 3, 2026

A U.S. F-35C shot down an Iranian drone operating near the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier Feb. 3 in a dramatic incident that American military officials cautioned could lead to conflict amid heightened tensions between Iran and the U.S.

NRO Pulls Back the Veil On Cold War-Era Intelligence Satellite Program

Feb. 2, 2026

The Pentagon agency charged with building and operating U.S. spy satellites recently declassified some details about a Cold War-era surveillance program called Jumpseat—a revelation it says sheds light on the importance of satellite imaging technology and how it has advanced in the decades since.

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