September 26, 1997

September 26, 1997

Sept. 26, 1997

The Senate confirms Gen. Michael E. Ryan as the Air Force’s 16th Chief of Staff. Ryan is the first son to follow in his father’s footsteps in the Air Force’s top job. (Gen. John D. Ryan served from Aug. 1, 1969, to July 31, 1973.)

Air Force Confirms SEAD Role of F-35s in Midnight Hammer

Nov. 25, 2025

The Air Force F-35As that participated in Operation Midnight Hammer—the June 22 strike against Iranian uranium enrichment and nuclear research facilities—conducted both suppression of enemy air defenses, also called SEAD, and provided fighter cover for the strike force as it departed Iran, the service acknowledged Nov. 24.

B-52s Wrap Up Spain Rotation with Training in Middle East, Africa

Nov. 25, 2025

Several B-52 Stratofortresses just completed a deployment to Spain that included training missions over the Middle East and Africa.

Air Force Wants to Transform Its Wargames with AI

Nov. 25, 2025

Air Force Futures wants to take its wargaming up a notch, with the help of artificial intelligence and other cutting-edge technology.

Space Force Awards First Contracts for Golden Dome’s Space-Based Interceptors

Nov. 25, 2025

The Space Force has awarded initial prototype contracts to multiple firms to develop space-based interceptors designed to take down missile threats within minutes after launch.

B-52 Returns to Caribbean for Second Mission in Five Days

Nov. 24, 2025

A B-52 bomber from Minot Air Force Base, N.D., flew over the Caribbean Sea and near Venezuela on Nov. 24, according to open-source flight tracking data—the second time in four days such a mission has unfolded.

MQ-9 Goes Down Off the Coast of South Korea

Nov. 24, 2025

An MQ-9 Reaper drone belonging to the U.S. Air Force crashed off the coast of South Korea on Nov. 24, according to a statement from the 8th Fighter Wing and local media reports.

Report: Space Force Needs More Funding, Training to Counter China’s Space Ambitions

Nov. 24, 2025

The Space Force needs to invest more resources in cutting-edge technologies—including launch and simulation capabilities—to maintain the upper hand over China in space, according to a congressional commission tasked with tracking threats from Beijing.

Space Command Creates ‘Task Force Voyager’ to Coordinate Alabama HQ Move

Nov. 21, 2025

U.S. Space Command has established an internal planning team, dubbed Tasked Force Voyager, to spearhead logistics for the combatant command's relocation from Colorado to Alabama.

Next-Gen USAF Airlifter Expected by 2038; C-17 to Fly Another 50 Years

Nov. 21, 2025

A newly-released Air Force plan to replace the C-5 and C-17 airlifters with a single airplane type called the Next-Generation Air Lifter (NGAL) will keep those fleets in service another 20 and 50 years, respectively. The plan will likely require a service life extension for the C-17 fleet.

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