September 17, 1908

Sept. 17, 1908

Lt. Thomas E. Selfridge becomes the first person killed in a powered aircraft accident when a Wright Flyer crashes at Ft. Myer, Va. Orville Wright, at the controls, suffers a broken hip.

US Military Blows Up Second Alleged Drug Boat in Caribbean

Sept. 15, 2025

The U.S. military conducted its second deadly strike on an alleged drug-carrying vessel off the coast of Venezuela, President Donald Trump announced Sept. 15, as his administration continues an aggressive military campaign in the Caribbean.

Work Has Begun to Adapt Qatari 747 to Fly as Air Force One

Sept. 15, 2025

The Air Force has started modifying a Boeing 747 donated by Qatar for "executive airlift," a spokesperson said Sept. 15. President Donald Trump has said he wants to fly the jet as “Air Force One” since new presidential transports, held up by delays, won't be ready until after his term…

Watchdog Blames PCS Contractor Debacle in Part on Lack of Military Oversight

Sept. 14, 2025

A massive contract to manage thousands of PCS moves failed because U.S. Transportation Command did not adequately oversee the results, according to the Government Accountability Office.

NATO Bulks Up Air Defenses with ‘Eastern Sentry’ After Shootdown of Russian Drones

Sept. 14, 2025

NATO is bolstering defenses on its eastern border with Russia following the intrusion of Russian drones into the alliance's airspace in Poland last week. The alliance launched a new operation called Eastern Sentry on Sept. 12 in response with an immediate focus on air defense, especially drones.

PHOTOS: Air Force Shows Off Second B-21 in New Images

Sept. 12, 2025

On Sept. 12, the Air Force released half a dozen new photos of the second B-21 bomber to fly, giving observers and aviation enthusiasts another glimpse of the secretive Raider.

Air Force Reworks Plan for Special Ops Wing at Davis-Monthan

Sept. 12, 2025

The Air Force’s plans for a new special operations wing at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Ariz., to replace retiring A-10s are moving forward—and changing.

Airpower in the Caribbean: US Bulks Up Presence with MQ-9s, F-35s, and More

Sept. 11, 2025

The U.S. military is deploying significant airpower in the Caribbean one week after carrying out an airstrike on what it said was a boat operated by a Venezuelan drug cartel.

Minuteman ICBMs ‘Feasible’ Until 2050, Air Force Says, But Risks Would Be High

Sept. 11, 2025

The Air Force believes it could continue to operate its Minuteman III missiles until 2050 if needed, according to a newly released report from the Government Accountability Office—but doing so poses serious challenges to sustain their aging technology.

The Air Force Wants Your Input on Its Plan to Transform the Maintenance Career Field

Sept. 11, 2025

The Air Force last month kicked off a feedback-gathering campaign about a plan to transform one of its largest and most important career fields: aircraft maintenance.

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