July 08, 1941

July 8, 1941
The RAF makes a daylight attack on Wilhelmshaven, Germany, using Boeing Fortress Is. This is the first operational use of the B-17 Flying Fortress.

Related

The Pentagon Wants to Buy Weapons Faster. What Will It Cost?

Nov. 11, 2025
The emphasis on speed in the Pentagon’s newly unveiled slate of acquisition reforms may come with increased near-term cost increases, analysts say. But according to U.S. defense officials, the new weapons-buying construct provides the military with enough flexibility to prevent runaway budget overruns in major programs.

Air Force Fighter Roadmap Projects Slow Growth for F-35 Fleet

Nov. 10, 2025
The Air Force is projecting relatively limited growth for its main F-35 fleet for the rest of the decade, according to the new fighter roadmap it provided to Congress. That roadmap also calls for the overall fighter fleet to shrink for two more years before starting to grow.

Unique Group of Airmen Face a Third Missed Paycheck Without Shutdown Resolution

Nov. 10, 2025
Congress is making moves to end the longest government shutdown in U.S. history, but lawmakers have only a few days left to clear the procedural hurdles necessary to ensure troops get paid Nov. 14. The issue is particularly pressing for tens of thousands of uniformed personnel in the Air National…

SBIR Contracts, On Hold During Shutdown, Face Long-Term Risk 

Nov. 8, 2025
The $4.26 billion Small Business Innovation Research contracting program widely used by the Air Force went into hibernation as the government shut down Oct. 1, but unless lawmakers strike a deal on reforms, the program could reach an abrupt end.

After Decades of Homeland Defense, Barnes ANG Base Bids Farewell to F-15s

Nov. 8, 2025
U.S. Air Force F-15C Eagles have roared out of Barnes Air National Guard Base, Mass., for the last time. The 104th Fighter Wing’s last three F-15Cs departed the base Oct. 23 for the “Boneyard” at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Ariz., ending the aircraft's era on the frontlines of homeland defense.

Hegseth: Pentagon ‘Fundamentally Reshaping’ Weapons Buying Process

Nov. 7, 2025
Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth vowed to undertake far-reaching reforms on the way the U.S. military buys weapons, promising a sweeping overhaul of the way the Defense Department defines requirements, manages acquisition, and tests new systems. The fundamental goal, which Hegseth underscored in a one-hour speech at the National War…