Business
F-35 Still the ‘Cornerstone’ Fighter, Top Air Force General Says
After calling for a new fighter, Gen. Brown clarified the F-35 is alive and well while a new study reevaluates fighters and drones for 2036.
Business
Troubled KC-46 Tankers Cleared for Limited Ops, Air Force Says
The decision will free up older aerial refuelers needed overseas. But the KC-46 still can gas up only some warplanes and needs more testing and new technology.
Science & Tech
Island-Hopping F-35s Test Pacific Air Forces’ Agility Concept
A pair of jets flew two missions from different airfields on the same day in a bid to complicate Chinese targeting.
Science & Tech
Russia Is Working to Pair Combat Jets and Drones, Too
In moves to match the U.S. military, experiments are aimed at producing mixed air regiments that are tied into a wider battlefield network.
Business
New Plane Key to Special Ops Vision for Africa, General Says
Air Force Special Operations Command is planning flight demonstrations in coming months.
Defense Systems
Space Force begins onboarding cyber specialists
The U.S. Space Force has begun transferring more than a thousand cyber professionals into its ranks as of Feb. 1 with plans to start recruiting talent for multiple career fields from across the military branches this year.
Ideas
How to Cut the US Presence in the Middle East
Asking the military to pursue the same goals with fewer resources will not work.
Business
Air Force Hunts for Ways to Use Not-Quite-Ready Tankers
We’re “making lemonade out of lemons,” Air Mobility Command says.
Ideas
How to Root Out Extremism in the US Military
Start by figuring out how pervasive the problem is.
Ideas
If Austin Is Serious about Preventing Sexual Assault, Why Is Hyten Still Vice Chief?
The Air Force general was never cleared of nine alleged incidents of unwanted sexual contact.
Business
USAF Goes Commercial for Project-Management App
The service aims to accelerate its digitization by adopting product lifecycle management software already used by industry.
Ideas
Trying to Box in Biden on Arms Control
Former Trump officials complain that the new president doesn’t want what they failed to achieve.
Business
Northrop Grumman Says It Will Walk Away From Cluster Bomb Contract
The company's CEO says the decision is part of a move to "be thoughtful about potential human rights implications" of its products.
Business
Lockheed Overtakes Boeing as Largest US Aerospace and Defense Firm
Boeing, which saw no defense revenue growth last year, takes another financial hit from the tanker program.
Defense Systems
Air Force chief looks to combat extremism in military ranks.
To create a better environment for all service members, Gen. Charles Q. Brown Jr., the Air Force's chief of staff said leadership will have to lay out "what our expectations are for those who are to be a part of our force."
Threats
US Flies B-52 Bomber To Gulf In Show of Force Against Iran
“We were also thinking…'Would they try to test the U.S. military in the early days of the new administration?'”
Business
Raytheon Expects Biden to Block $500M Bomb Sale to Saudi Arabia
Yet industry executives believe foreign arms sales will remain a priority of the new administration.
Policy
‘The Ban Should Never Have Been Imposed’
Former Army Secretary Eric Fanning says it’s time for Congress to pass a law that protects transgender servicemembers.
Business