JSTARS Joins the Fight

June 11, 1996
Air Combat Command officially receives its first E-8 Joint STARS aircraft. USAF operated E-8 development aircraft during Operations Desert Storm and Joint Endeavor.

Related

US Airstrikes Hit Iran After It Attacks Ship, Testing Deal

June 26, 2026
The U.S. military conducted a new series of airstrikes on Iran June 26, a day after Tehran struck a commercial ship in the Strait of Hormuz. The twin attacks presented a fresh test for a tenuous ceasefire between the two countries.

Boeing CCA to Fly with US Aircraft in Pacific Exercise

June 26, 2026
The U.S. Air Force is testing out a Collaborative Combat Aircraft in the Pacific this week as part of a large-scale exercise. But the CCA they’re flying is not one the two the service has committed to buying. Boeing’s MQ-28...

Department of War? Congress Edges Closer to Official Name Change

June 25, 2026
Three of four congressional committees with influence over defense policy have voted to change the official name of the Department of Defense to the Department of War—but final approval of the Pentagon rebrand is months away and not yet assured. 

Chinese AI Agents Could Challenge Air and Space Operations, Planning

June 24, 2026
Current and near-term Chinese artificial intelligence capabilities could counter or replicate how the U.S. military plans and conducts operations, especially complex strike packages such as those seen recently in Iran, according to a new think tank report.