F-4 Makes Its First Flight

May 27, 1958

The first flight of the McDonnell XF4H-1 (F-4) Phantom II is made by company pilot Robert Little (who was wearing street shoes at the time) at the company’s facility in St. Louis, Mo.

Space Development Agency to Launch 21 More Data Transport Satellites Next Week

Oct. 2, 2026

The Space Development Agency is set to launch 21 Tranche 1 data transport satellites on Oct. 5—its fourth Tranche 1 mission since last fall and the first to carry Northrop Grumman-built satellites.

B-52s Get Prototype System for Beyond-Line-of-Sight Communications

Oct. 2, 2026

Air Force Global Strike Command has fielded a new prototype system for beyond-line-of-sight communications on the B-52H Stratofortress in a step forward for modernizing the Cold War-era heavy bomber.

7th Air Force Ends ‘Super Squadron’ Test, Returns F-16s to Kunsan

Oct. 2, 2026

After a two-year experiment that created F-16 “Super Squadrons” at Osan Air Base just 50 miles away from North Korea, the U.S. Air Force has returned some of the fighters to its other base on the peninsula.

Air Force and Space Force Shooting for Historic Recruiting Goals in 2027

Oct. 2, 2026

The Air Force adjusted its fiscal 2026 recruiting goal down by a few hundred enlisted Airmen due to higher-than-expected retention and the number of available training slots—but it is aiming high in fiscal 2027 with its biggest goal for the Active-Duty Air Force in nearly 25 years, and the Space…

Lawmakers Push for Bipartisan Solution to Golden Dome’s Funding Crunch

Oct. 2, 2026

Some lawmakers in the Senate are advocating for a more bipartisan approach to paying for the Pentagon’s $185 billion Golden Dome missile defense project, arguing that the effort’s goal of bolstering homeland defenses has support across ideological lines but the process for funding it has been politically charged—leaving the program’s…

F-22 Pilots Awarded Distinguished Flying Cross for Actions During Midnight Hammer

Oct. 2, 2026

Seven F-22 Raptor pilots have recently been awarded one of the military’s highest decorations for their actions during operations in the Middle East. Six of the pilots were decorated with the Distinguished Flying Cross for their role in Operation Midnight Hammer, the June 2025 strikes against Iranian nuclear facilities.

Air Force Adjusting Plan for Maintenance Career Overhaul from Just 7 AFSCs to 14

Oct. 1, 2026

The Air Force will officially kick off a major overhaul of maintenance career field next year with a pilot program, but the plan for the revamp is still evolving—while officials once intended to condense 50 aircraft maintenance specialties down to just seven, now they are targeting 14 Air Force Specialty…

Space Force Sunsets 1970s-Era Missile Warning Satellite Constellation

Oct. 1, 2026

More than 50 years after the U.S. military launched its first Defense Support Program satellite, the Space Force has officially decommissioned the missile warning constellation as it prepares to start fielding its next-generation architecture.

Airborne T-7 Links Up with Simulators in Air Force First

Oct. 1, 2026

Three T-7A Red Hawk trainer jets flew together at Joint Base San Antonio-Randolph, Texas, on Sept. 16—one physical aircraft in the air and two virtual ones controlled from simulators on the ground, all sharing one common operating picture.

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