First Flight of a Military Officer in a Heavier-than-air Machine

May 19, 1908

Signal Corps Lt. Thomas E. Selfridge becomes the first soldier to fly a heavier-than-air machine.

Related

Key E-3 AWACS Damaged in Iranian Attack on Saudi Air Base

March 28, 2026
An important U.S. Air Force E-3 Sentry AWACS command and control plane was among the aircraft damaged in a March 27 Iranian missile and drone attack on Prince Sultan Air Base, Saudi Arabia, people familiar with the matter told Air & Space Forces Magazine.

Pentagon Eyes Canceling ‘Troubled’ GPS Ground System

March 27, 2026
Amid persistent development and testing delays, the Space Force is considering canceling a long-delayed effort to develop a ground system to manage its newest GPS satellites, a spokesperson told Air & Space Forces Magazine.

US Forces at Saudi Air Base Suffer Iranian Attack

March 27, 2026
Multiple American service members were wounded and some aircraft were damaged in a March 27 Iranian attack on Prince Sultan Air Base, Saudi Arabia, people familiar with the matter told Air & Space Forces Magazine.

Hegseth’s Push for Chaplains to Remove Rank Sparks Debate

March 27, 2026
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth recently ordered chaplains to shed their officer rank insignia to make them more approachable to lower ranks—a move that has sparked a debate over why chaplains need to be viewed as officers.

MacDill Remains on Alert as Indictments Drop in Failed Bomb Attack

March 27, 2026
MacDill Air Force Base, Fla., home of U.S. Central Command, remains on heightened security status after the Justice Department announced two indictments stemming from an attempted bombing at the base. Alen Zheng, 20, of Land O’Lakes, Fla., was charged March...

34th Fighter Squadron ‘Rude Rams’ Win Coveted Raytheon Trophy

March 27, 2026
The 34th Fighter Squadron won the Raytheon Trophy for its air superiority performance in 2025 in two major Middle East operations and a series of responses in the Pacific. The F-35 Lightning II squadron received the honor following its role in Operation Rough Rider targeting Houthi rebel missile sites in…

Data Centers in Space Could Enable Golden Dome: Experts

March 27, 2026
The tech industry’s pursuit of space-based AI data centers could have positive implications for military space operations, potentially enabling faster communication speeds from multiple orbits for programs like Golden Dome, industry and defense officials said March 24. 

Space Force Seeks Proposals for Physical Test and Training Range

March 26, 2026
The Space Force is moving ahead with plans to build a physical test and training range that will feature a mix of ground and space-based systems, releasing a formal solicitation for a multi-vendor contract worth $981 million to design, develop, integrate, and sustain those capabilities.