July 27, 1976

July 27, 1976
Three SR-71 pilots (Maj. Adolphus H. Bledsoe Jr., Capt. Robert C. Helt, and Capt. Eldon W. Joersz) set three absolute world flight records over Beale AFB, Calif.: altitude in horizontal flight (85,068.997 feet), speed over a straight course (2,193.16 mph), and speed over a closed circuit (2,092.294 mph).

Related

Space Force Poised for 80 Percent Funding Boost in 2027 Budget

April 6, 2026
The Space Force is requesting $71 billion for fiscal 2027 in the White House's newly released budget proposal, a topline that would bring with it major funding increases for missile warning programs, launch procurement, and end strength.

KC-135 Crews Receive Distinguished Flying Crosses for Combat Missions

April 6, 2026
More than a dozen Airmen with the 92nd Air Refueling Wing received decorations for “flying complex and dangerous missions in contested airspace,” the Washington-based unit announced April 1. The 15 airmen were honored for providing critical refueling that enabled other Air Force aircraft to continue their mission and return home…

The Soul of Aerospace Power: It’s the People, Not the Machines

April 6, 2026
For weeks, Operation Epic Fury showcased the breathtaking reach, precision, and persistence of American air and space power: more than 13,000 combat sorties and more than 12,300 targets struck by April 1. But numbers do not tell the most important story. What is truly important is what happened on April…

F-15E Aviator Missing in Iran Rescued by US Forces

April 5, 2026
The second crew member of the Air Force F-15E shot down April 3 has been rescued from Iran. U.S. forces recovered the aviator alive and all American forces involved in the operation are believed to be safe, U.S. officials told Air & Space Forces Magazine.

Pentagon Plans Major Boost in Spending and Research on Mass-Producing Munitions

April 3, 2026
The Pentagon's research labs are ramping up their search for munitions that can be mass-produced—an effort likely to be buoyed by billions of dollars in the department's new fiscal 2027 budget request and tens of billions in the upcoming years. While the topline information shared about the President’s defense budget…