The Space Force has adopted a more incremental approach to migrating new and legacy orbital warfare systems onto a consolidated, cloud-based command-and-control platform, according to the head of the Space Rapid Capabilities Office.
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When you check the weather, the forecast projects the chance of rain based on barometric pressure, wind, humidity, and other factors. Now the Air Force Safety Center is offering a way to forecast accident risks, a dashboard intended to help mitigate against factors that historically indicate higher risks for mishaps.
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Just one year ago, Collaborative Combat Aircraft took center stage as then-Chief of Staff Gen. David W. Allvin designated the two competing jets prototypes as the first unmanned fighters in Air Force history: General Atomics’ YFQ-42A and Anduril Industries’ YFQ-44A. Twelve months later, it’s the autonomy software that’s flying those aircraft garnering the attention. Autonomy software, more than…
As the Space Force spends more time thinking about what it will need to look like in 2040, some of the service's generals say they can lay the groundwork for Guardians launching and operating in orbit while still meeting the demand for space superiority now.
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After years of describing to lawmakers and Pentagon leaders the nature of that threat and the key role spacepower plays in deterring conflict in the domain and enabling the rest of the joint force, Chief of Space Operations Gen. Chance Saltzman told reporters during AFA’s Warfare Symposium here that the message appears to finally be taking hold.
The post Space Force Officials Preparing for More…
B-2 bombers dropped precision-guided bombs on Iranian targets this week, demonstrating the flexibility and utility of U.S. Air Force long-range strike capabilities. But not all weapons can be delivered by bombers, a fact Air Force leaders want to overcome as they develop next-generation aircraft and weapons.
The post Bombers Need Wider Range of Weapons: Panel appeared first on Air & Space Forces…
Air Mobility Command’s interim boss said the Air Force is behind on modernizing its airlift fleet, to include selecting a Next-Generation Airlifter to replace the service’s fleet of C-5 and C-17 workhorses—a project that faces stiff competition for resources in the service’s modernization portfolio.
The post AMC Boss: New Airlifter, Connectivity Are Top Problems to Solve appeared first on Air &…
Senior U.S. military officials involved in restructuring the troubled LGM-35A Sentinel intercontinental ballistic missile program now project confidence that it will achieve operational capability in the early 2030s.
The post Sentinel ICBM Restructure to Bring ‘More Capability Faster,’ Top Commanders Say appeared first on Air & Space Forces Magazine.
Winners of the Space Force’s fourth annual, service-wide Polaris Awards had the chance to discuss the actions that led to their awards from the main stage here at AFA’s Warfare Symposium on Feb. 24, in a panel discussion moderated by Chief Master Sergeant of the Space Force John Bentivegna.
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Guardians in the Space Force’s orbital warfare unit, Mission Delta 9, just got a significant upgrade to their training capabilities in the form of a live satellite, which they’ll use to practice precise, advanced offensive and defensive maneuvers for space warfighting.
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The advanced F-47 sixth-generation fighter remains on track to fly in the next two years, the senior Air Force acquisition officer overseeing the program said Feb. 25, as the service continues on its ambitious schedule to debut the air superiority-focused fighter by 2028—only three years after the contract was awarded to Boeing in March 2025.
The post F-47 Still ‘Doing Exceptionally Well,’ on…
Against a backdrop of a video replay of the U.S. men's hockey team’s stunning overtime victory to win the gold medal at the Olympics, Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force David R. Wolfe presented his leadership ideals at AFA's 2026 Warfare Symposium on Feb. 25.
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The Space Force is pressing pause on all military launches on United Launch Alliance’s Vulcan rocket as officials investigate a recent anomaly they say could take “many months” to resolve.
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The Space Force is close to transitioning to the next phase of a key upgrade to its Ground-Based Electro-Optical Deep Space Surveillance radar to operational users, according to the head of Combat Forces Command.
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The Air Force plans to put Collaborative Combat Aircraft in the hands of Airmen to experiment with the semi-autonomous drones this summer, Gen. Dale R. White said Feb. 25 at AFA’s Warfare Symposium.
The post Coming Soon: Experimental CCA Ops, Flights with F-22s appeared first on Air & Space Forces Magazine.
Anduril Industries flew its YFQ-44A Collaborative Combat Aircraft with not one, but two different mission software systems Feb. 24, an Air Force official revealed at AFA’s Warfare Symposium.
The post Anduril CCA Switches AI Pilots Midflight appeared first on Air & Space Forces Magazine.
The Air Force Reserve and Air National Guard are working to equalize their members' status and benefits with those of Active-Duty members when both serve in the same missions.
The post Equal Benefits for Equal Work: New Policy, Pending Bill, Aim to Close Gaps for Reservists appeared first on Air & Space Forces Magazine.
China’s premier air exercise, analogous to the U.S. Air Force’s Red Flag, encompassed around 200 aircraft, spanned 1,200 nautical miles, and lasted five weeks to close 2025, according to an intelligence analysis revealed at AFA’s Warfare Symposium.
The post Revealed from Space: China’s Biggest Red Sword Exercise and a Rapid Industrial Buildup appeared first on Air & Space Forces Magazine.
Lt. Gen. David Deptula, USAF (Ret.), Dean of the Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies, unpacks the keynotes and headline sessions from AFA’s 2026 Warfare Symposium to break down why Department of the Air Force leaders are calling this year the...
The post WATCH: Deptula Unpacks the Aging Aircraft Crisis in ‘Year of Readiness’ appeared first on Air & Space Forces Magazine.
Air Mobility Command has not ruled out a family of systems strategy for the service’s Next-Generation Air Refueling System.
The post AMC Still Open to Wide Range of Options for New Tanker, Including Family of Systems appeared first on Air & Space Forces Magazine.
The Air Force has restructured its tech schools to ensure new service members don’t forget that they are Airmen first despite their specialty—the primary lesson of the service’s recent transformation of basic military training.
The post Air Force Expanding ‘Airminded’ Exercises from New BMT to Tech Schools appeared first on Air & Space Forces Magazine.
The Space Force is moving to bolster its contributions to the long-range kill chains that industry and government officials agree the U.S. will need in a large-scale conflict, leaders said Feb. 24 at AFA’s Warfare Symposium.
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U.S. Space Command will offer “significant relocation bonuses” to its civilians who choose to move to the command’s new home in Huntsville, Ala., after President Donald Trump ordered the headquarters to relocate last September. “We are trying to do everything we can to incentivize our workforce,” Gen. Stephen N. Whiting told reporters Feb. 24 at AFA’s Warfare Symposium
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The Air Force and Space Force are preparing to kick off a series of exercises called “Ringleader” aimed at testing the services’ ability to integrate the troves of data collected by ground, air, and space sensors, and use it to track and engage enemy targets.
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Fiscal 2027 will be the “year of restoring our foundational readiness accounts,” Air Force Undersecretary Matthew Lohmeier promised Feb. 24, with billions of dollars going to spare parts, flying hours, facility maintenance, and more.
The post Lohmeier: Next Budget Will Fund ‘Year of Readiness’ in Fiscal ’27 appeared first on Air & Space Forces Magazine.
Air Force leadership needs to have a "discussion" with Congress on the long-term future of the E-7 Wedgetail, Secretary Troy Meink said, after lawmakers blocked a Pentagon plan to cancel the program in 2026. Meink's remarks leave open the possibility that the Defense Department will try to curtail the airborne early warning and control aircraft again in its forthcoming 2027 budget.
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The Air Force has awarded multimillion contracts to two industry teams to design small prototype engines for the service’s future Collaborative Combat Aircraft, according to Feb. 23 announcements.
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The Department of the Air Force plans to establish around 27 "portfolio acquisition executives" and grant them far greater authorities and responsibilities for supporting and sustaining the systems they acquire, Secretary Troy E. Meink said in a keynote address to kick off AFA’s Warfare Symposium here Feb. 23.
The post Meink Lays Out New Vision for Acquisition appeared first on Air & Space…
The Space Force is starting to share early versions of its 15-year force structure roadmap with industry, government, and allied officials, focused on three primary mission areas—navigation warfare, space domain awareness, and satellite communications—Chief of Space Operations Gen. Chance Saltzman announced Feb. 23.
The post Space Force Starts Briefing Stakeholders on 15-Year Vision appeared…
The Air Force has put inert weapons on its new uncrewed fighters for the first time and plans to conduct live weapons tests later this year. Those steps come as the service is moving to bring its new drone wingmen into service more rapidly than traditional aircraft.
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