STARCOM Opens New Headquarters Building in Florida
Space Training and Readiness Command (STARCOM) officially opened its new headquarters annex at Patrick Space Force Base, Florida, marking the first phase of a multi‑year relocation from Colorado. The second phase will debut in May, expanding staff presence, with a full move slated for completion by the end of 2027. The shift aligns with the Space Force’s ambition to double its Guardian force to roughly 24,000 personnel over the next five to seven years. Command leaders say the East‑coast location will enhance training, talent scouting, and overall mission readiness.
Air Force Seeks Suppliers to Deliver on Nuclear Micro-Reactor Goals
The U.S. Air Force issued a March 25 request for information seeking suppliers to design, license, fuel, construct and deploy micro‑nuclear reactors for up to nine installations by the end of the decade. The solicitation, due April 19, asks vendors to detail...
Pentagon Splits Combined US Forces Japan Forces and 5th Air Force Into Two Commands
The Pentagon has formally separated U.S. Forces Japan (USFJ) from the Fifth Air Force, ending a 60‑year dual‑hatted command. Lt. Gen. Stephen Jost will now lead USFJ while Lt. Gen. Joel Carey assumes command of the Fifth Air Force. The...
Space Force Exercise Aims to Solidify Responsive Space Processes
The U.S. Space Force’s Space Systems Command completed its second Tactically Responsive Space (TacRS) exercise, Victus Diem, using a tabletop and field‑training simulation rather than an actual launch. The drill demonstrated that payload processing, checkout, and encapsulation can be completed...
Air Force Officials Say They’re Beating Cost Goal for CCA Drones
The Air Force’s Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) program has surpassed former Secretary Frank Kendall’s target of delivering drone wingmen at roughly one‑third the cost of an F‑35, achieving unit costs at or below $34 million. Semi‑autonomous drones such as the YFQ‑44A...
More Launches, More Cyber Threats: Space Force Stands Up Units to Defend Ranges
The U.S. Space Force activated the 630th Cyberspace Squadron at Vandenberg Space Force Base on March 10 to protect launch‑range networks from cyber intrusions. This follows the September reassignment of the 645th Cyberspace Squadron to Space Launch Delta 45 at...
Testing Shows Progress on Key Air Force Missiles and Bombs
The Pentagon’s Director of Operational Test and Evaluation released its 2025 annual report, highlighting progress on four Air Force munitions programs. The GBU‑57 Massive Ordnance Penetrator, after successful combat drops on Iranian nuclear sites, was removed from DOT&E oversight and...
Key Space Force C2 Upgrade Still Faces Issues: Pentagon Report
The Pentagon’s Director of Operational Test & Evaluation reported that the Advanced Tracking and Launch Analysis System (ATLAS) still cannot meet the minimum viable capability required to retire the legacy Space Defense Operations Center (SPADOC). Although the Space Force approved...
Space Force Switches From ULA to SpaceX Rocket for Upcoming GPS Launch
The U.S. Space Force has shifted an upcoming GPS III satellite launch from United Launch Alliance’s Vulcan rocket to SpaceX’s Falcon 9 after a February anomaly halted Vulcan’s military flights. The GPS payload, originally slated for this month, will now launch no...
Airpower, Attrition, and Air Superiority: Putting the Iran War in Context
The United States and Israel have flown thousands of combat sorties against Iran, striking over 7,800 aimpoints without losing a manned aircraft, even after an F‑35 was damaged by a surface‑to‑air missile. Modern fifth‑generation fighters, integrated SEAD/DEAD tactics and networked...
Space Command to Launch Wargame Series for Industry
U.S. Space Command will host the first of a quarterly "commercial wargames" series on March 23, inviting 25 industry firms to a classified tabletop exercise in Colorado Springs. The inaugural session will tackle the threat of weapons of mass destruction...
STRATCOM Boss: Pentagon Eyes Second B-21 Production Line
The Pentagon has approved a $4.5 billion deal to lift B‑21 production capacity by 25 percent and is now weighing a second manufacturing line to accelerate deliveries. Strategic Command chief Adm. Richard Correll urged Congress to expand the fleet to 145 aircraft,...
Russian Warplanes Flying Near US and Canada More Frequently: NORAD Boss
Russian warplanes are entering the U.S. and Canadian Air Defense Identification Zones at a rate above historical norms, according to NORAD commander Gen. Gregory Guillot. In 2025 NORAD intercepted 16 long‑range Russian aircraft, with four more already this year, including...
Air Force Revisiting Production Goals for CCA with Eye Toward ‘Scale’
The U.S. Air Force is re‑evaluating how many Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) it will produce, with a decision expected this summer that could push deliveries beyond the original 100‑unit target for 2029. General Dale R. White indicated the service is...
Air Force Scales Back B-52 Radar Upgrade Program, Plans New Engine Testing
The Air Force is scaling back the B‑52 Radar Modernization Program, delivering a minimum‑viable product and postponing the new wideband nose radome. It will continue testing the Raytheon AN/APQ‑188 radar with the legacy radome, aiming for a low‑rate production decision...
F-47 Won’t Be Available Until Mid-2030s, Top Lawmaker Says
The Air Force’s sixth‑generation F‑47 and the Navy’s F/A‑XX will not be operational until the mid‑2030s, according to Rep. Rob Wittman. In the interim, the services must keep legacy platforms such as the F‑18 and F‑22 flying to bridge the...
American Forces in Europe Key to War Against Iran: EUCOM Boss
U.S. European Command commander Gen. Alexus Grynkewich told the Senate that American forces and bases across Europe are central to Operation Epic Fury against Iran. RAF Fairford in the U.K. is hosting a fleet of 12 B‑1B Lancers and six B‑52...
Space Force Components Building Up Units to ‘Surge’ Forward
Space Force leaders are preparing to double the service’s size, focusing on expanding component commands that support forward‑operating units. Lt. Gen. Dennis O. Bythewood announced the creation of Space Support Teams that will surge Guardians to combatant‑command locations during conflict....
KC-135 Crashes In Iraq While Supporting Iran Ops
A U.S. Air Force KC-135 Stratotanker crashed in western Iraq while supporting Operation Epic Fury, the campaign targeting Iran. The incident involved two KC-135s; one went down and the other landed safely despite visible tail damage. CENTCOM said the crash...
MQ-9s Over Iran: Striking and Finding Targets—But Taking Some Losses
U.S. MQ‑9 Reaper drones are conducting persistent ISR and precision strikes against Iranian missile and drone launchers as part of Operation Epic Fury, having hit more than 5,500 targets since the conflict began. Iran’s air defenses have managed to down...
‘Battle Lab’ to Produce Standard Plans for Air Base Counter-Drone Defense
Air Combat Command has tasked the 319th Reconnaissance Wing at Grand Forks AFB to run the Point Defense Battle Lab, a series of monthly 2026 exercises that will test counter‑small‑UAS technologies. The lab issued two RFIs—one for detection, identification and...
Space RCO Adopts New Approach to Fielding Cloud-Based, Consolidated C2 System
The Space Rapid Capabilities Office has pivoted to an incremental strategy for migrating both new and legacy orbital‑warfare systems onto the cloud‑based Rapid Resilient Command and Control (R2C2) platform. The revised plan shortens delivery cycles to two weeks, enlists Space...
New Air Force Safety Tool Forecasts Mishap Risk
The Air Force Safety Center has launched a Unit Risk Forecasting dashboard that predicts mishap risk for over 2,400 squadrons using a decade of safety data. The tool classifies each squadron’s risk as low, medium, or high for the coming...
Wilsbach’s Message to the Force on Iran: ‘We Need You Ready’
Chief of Staff of the Air Force Gen. Kenneth S. Wilsbach sent a force‑wide letter urging Airmen to stay ready as Operation Epic Fury intensifies the U.S. campaign against Iran. The operation has deployed every bomber and fighter type, achieving...
Air Superiority Is More Than Denial
Recent U.S. Air Force operations such as Midnight Hammer and Absolute Resolve illustrated how decisive air superiority can be in modern conflict. The piece argues that control of the skies, not merely denial, remains essential for enabling joint force objectives,...
USSF Eyes ‘Dual-Use’ Ways to Boost Space Superiority, Prep for Guardians in Orbit
U.S. Space Force leaders are exploring dual‑use initiatives that can sustain today’s space‑superiority mission while laying groundwork for future Guardians—military astronauts—operating in orbit. At the AFA Warfare Symposium, officials warned that China’s fully integrated civil‑military space program could give it...
US Won’t Update Nuclear Posture Review: Pentagon Policy Chief
The Pentagon’s undersecretary for policy, Elbridge Colby, told Congress the department will not issue a new Nuclear Posture Review, relying on the 2018 Trump‑era document. The 2018 review permits nuclear use in extreme circumstances and leaves strategic ambiguity about first‑strike...
Space Development Agency Faces Challenges Scaling Its Growing Constellation
The Space Development Agency’s first operational tranche of 42 satellites launched in late 2024, but on‑orbit checkout and functional testing have lagged due to supply‑chain bottlenecks, a 45‑day government shutdown, and a technical snag with a Lockheed Martin spacecraft. The...
NATO Scrambles a Dozen Aircraft as Russian Warplanes Approach Alaska
On March 4, NORAD scrambled a dozen aircraft—including F‑35A, F‑22, and Canadian CF‑18 fighters, plus tankers and an AWACS—to intercept two Russian Tu‑142 maritime reconnaissance planes that entered the Alaskan and Canadian Air Defense Identification Zones. The response, the largest in...
Air Force Vice Chief: No Contract for Extra KC-46s Until Deficiencies Are Fixed
The Air Force will not sign a contract for an additional 75 KC‑46 Pegasus tankers until Boeing fixes key deficiencies, including the Remote Vision System and boom actuator issues. The extra aircraft were intended as a short‑term bridge to keep...
DOD Seeks to Quell Weapons Concerns, as White House Crafts Iran Supplemental
Pentagon officials assured that the United States holds a "nearly unlimited" stockpile of stand‑in weapons, such as Joint Direct Attack Munitions, after depleting precision‑guided standoff munitions in the opening days of the Iran conflict. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Joint...
With E-3s Busy Over Iran, New Report Calls E-7 ‘Indispensible’
More than a third of the Air Force’s dwindling E‑3 AWACS fleet is currently deployed to support operations against Iran, exposing the strain on the service’s airborne battle‑management (ABM) capability. A new Center for a New American Security report urges...
Air Guard Cuts Tactical Air Control Units, Adds Cyber Operators
The Air National Guard will deactivate the 177th Air Control Squadron in Georgia and cut 83 positions across Georgia and Iowa, converting those roles to cyber operations. New cyber squadrons will be established at Fort Gordon, Ga., and the 132nd...
Space Force’s Top Guardians Share Their Stories
The Space Force held its fourth Polaris Awards ceremony at the AFA Warfare Symposium, honoring Guardians who exemplified the service’s core values of Character, Connection, Commitment, and Courage. Winners included Maj. Adriane Payn, who prevented a $300,000 loss by fixing...
Orbital Warfare Unit Gets Live Satellite to Practice Maneuvers
Guardians in the Space Force’s orbital warfare unit, Mission Delta 9, received a live satellite launched on Feb 12 as part of the USSF‑87 mission, giving them a realistic platform for offensive and defensive space‑maneuver training. The new asset replaces earlier on‑orbit...
F-47 Still ‘Doing Exceptionally Well,’ on Track for 2028 Flight
The U.S. Air Force says the sixth‑generation F‑47 fighter remains on schedule for its first flight in 2028, just three years after Boeing won the contract. Gen. Dale White praised Boeing’s rapid personnel ramp‑up and highlighted the aircraft’s projected combat...
Space Force in Final Test Phase for Second GBOSS Radar Upgrade
Space Force is moving the upgraded Ground‑Based Optical Sensor (GBOSS) into operational testing at its second site in Maui, Hawaii, after the first configuration at White Sands Missile Range was approved. The modernized telescope doubles field of view, scans faster,...
Revealed From Space: China’s Biggest Red Sword Exercise and a Rapid Industrial Buildup
China’s People’s Liberation Army Air Force conducted its largest Red Sword exercise in late 2025, mobilising roughly 200‑250 aircraft across eight western bases and a 1,200‑nautical‑mile area. Satellite imagery revealed a massive buildup of infrastructure, including 60,000 sq ft of new hangars...
AMC Still Open to Wide Range of Options for New Tanker, Including Family of Systems
Lt. Gen. Rebecca J. Sonkiss said the Air Force’s Next‑Generation Air Refueling System (NGAS) could evolve into a family of systems with varied capabilities. The Air Mobility Command is keeping all options open, from stealth airframes to blended‑wing bodies and...
Space Force Moving to Upgrade Its Elements of Long-Range Kill Chains
The U.S. Space Force announced a push to modernize the data‑transport and battle‑management components of long‑range kill chains, a critical capability for future high‑intensity conflicts. Leaders highlighted System Delta 85, established in August 2025, as the hub for space domain...
Lohmeier: Next Budget Will Fund ‘Year of Readiness’ in Fiscal ’27
Air Force Undersecretary Matthew Lohmeier announced that the FY 2027 budget will be framed as a “year of readiness,” directing billions to foundational accounts such as spare parts, flying‑hour funding, facility sustainment, and enterprise IT. The budget aligns with President Trump’s proposed...
Meink Lays Out New Vision for Acquisition
Secretary Troy E. Meink announced the creation of 27 Portfolio Acquisition Executives (PAEs) – 18 for the Air Force and nine for the Space Force – to give a single leader end‑to‑end authority over requirements, development, and sustainment. The new...
Space Force Starts Briefing Stakeholders on 15-Year Vision
The U.S. Space Force unveiled the prototype of its 15‑year force structure roadmap, detailing expected systems, support and personnel through 2040. Chief of Space Operations Gen. Chance Saltzman highlighted three core mission areas—navigation warfare, space domain awareness, and satellite communications—and...
CCAs Start Carrying Inert Missiles, Live Fire Shots Expected Later This Year
The U.S. Air Force has equipped its Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) prototypes – General Atomics' YFQ-42A and Anduril's YFQ-44A – with inert AIM‑120 missiles, marking the first weapons‑carriage milestone for the uncrewed fighter program. Live‑fire testing is scheduled for later...
DIU Eyes First Launch for Its Commercial Hypersonic Testbed
The Defense Innovation Unit’s Hypersonic High‑Cadence Advanced Testing (HyCAT) program is preparing its second flight, slated for late February, to launch the Australian‑built DART AE scramjet testbed aboard Rocket Lab’s HASTE sub‑orbital launcher. The mission will fly from Wallops Island...
Boeing Adds Production Line to Boost Space Force’s Missile Warning Push
Boeing has inaugurated a 9,000‑square‑foot electro‑optical infrared (EO/IR) production line at its El Segundo satellite facility to support the Space Force’s Resilient Missile Warning and Tracking (MWT) program. The line will help Millennium Space Systems deliver 12 medium‑Earth‑orbit satellites by 2027,...
WATCH: Space as the Backbone of Integrated Defense
The U.S. Space Force is accelerating its integrated‑defense agenda across multiple fronts. Boeing opened a dedicated production line for electro‑optical infrared sensors to bolster missile‑warning capabilities, while the service is streamlining the transition of battle‑management tools from labs to operators....
USSF Wants to Get Battle Management Tools From Lab to Operations Faster
The U.S. Space Force is restructuring its advanced battle‑management pipeline by moving the Space Domain Awareness Tools, Applications, and Processing (SDA TAP) Lab under the Kronos command‑and‑control system. Over the next 18 months, the program aims to transition more lab‑derived tools...
Kessel Run Launches Program for ‘Next-Gen’ Air Operations Center
The Air Force’s Kessel Run software factory announced a program to develop a next‑generation Air Operations Center (AOC) that leverages AI, machine learning, data fusion, and cloud‑native architecture. The effort builds on the existing Block 20 upgrades and KRADOS suite, aiming...
Massive Bamboo Eagle Exercise Returns, with Focus on C2 ‘Nervous System’
The Air Force launched the largest Bamboo Eagle exercise to date, fielding roughly 10,000 personnel—including U.S., U.K., and Australian forces—and about 150 aircraft such as the F‑22, F‑35, C‑130J and MQ‑9. The eight‑day event spans 15 global locations and blends...