First Operational Test Launch of Minuteman I

Oct. 17, 1963

The first LGM-30A Minuteman I operational test launch is carried out at Vandenberg AFB, Calif., by a crew from Malmstrom AFB, Mont. The shot is a partial success. The re-entry vehicle overshoots the target.

Air Force Patent Holiday Offers Businesses Inventions For Free

Jan. 30, 2026

The Air Force Research Laboratory is offering free licenses for dozens of its patents, including some for secure microchips, 3D-printable “energetic compounds” for use as propellants or explosives, and powerful magnets that are less reliant on rare earth metals. The...

Partial Government Shutdown Hits Pentagon

Jan. 30, 2026

The Pentagon and several other federal agencies suffered a lapse in appropriations Jan. 31, as a full-year fiscal 2026 spending package awaits passage in the House after a last-minute approval in the Senate. The odds are high, however, that the partial government shutdown is quickly resolved.

Space Force Activates NORTHCOM Component Amid Homeland Defense Shift

Jan. 30, 2026

The Space Force activated its U.S. Northern Command component Jan. 30, which will provide the combatant command greater access to space capabilities and expertise amid the Pentagon’s increasing focus on homeland defense.

US Moves Airpower Toward Middle East as Trump Weighs Strike on Iran

Jan. 30, 2026

The U.S. continued to position significant military assets closer to the Middle East as the Trump administration weighs whether to strike Iran.

Space Command Puts 2-Star in Charge of New Office to Oversee HQ Move

Jan. 30, 2026

U.S. Space Command has established a program management office, headed by a two-star Army general, to lead the transition of its headquarters from Colorado to Alabama.

Readiness Is ACC Commander’s Top Priority, But Not His Sole Focus

Jan. 29, 2026

Readiness and sustainment are the clear priorities for Air Combat Command boss Gen. Adrian “Elmo” Spain, but the career fighter pilot has three other focuses too: Adapting to the strategic environment, modernizing for the future, and empowering leaders at the operational level. “If we [have to] go fight,...

In Wake of Venezuela, Nonkinetic Effects ‘at the Forefront of Everything We Do’: Official

Jan. 29, 2026

While many details remain classified, top officials are starting to share more about how cyber and electronic warfare played a pivotal role in the raid to capture Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro earlier this month.

Air Force Orders No-Notice Readiness Inspections to Hold Commanders to Account

Jan. 29, 2026

Air Force senior leaders may have recently cut back on the number of required annual inspections, but they are now requiring units to undergo separate, surprise readiness inspections that will hold commanders accountable for their outfit’s combat readiness, acting Air Force Vice Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Scott L. Pleus…

Defense Primes ‘Committed to the Dividend’ but Pledge More Production

Jan. 29, 2026

Following the Trump administration’s call for defense companies to prioritize investments in production capacity and technology development over shareholder payouts, some of the Pentagon’s largest prime contractors say they’re attempting to strike a balance between the government’s needs and investor demands.

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