AURORA, Colo. — Barely more than six in 10 aircraft in the Air Force’s fleet were able to carry out their missions on an average day in fiscal 2024, according to a Defense News analysis.
The fleet-wide mission capable rate of 62% is the lowest in recent memory. It comes as the Air Force’s arsenal of more than 5,000 planes is aging and the service finds it increasingly difficult to keep some…
AURORA, Colo. — The Air Force is seeing a historic surge in recruits in its delayed entry program, as the service works to further boost recruitment of new airmen and guardians, officials said this week.
More potential recruits are making appointments with recruiters to…
FORT WALTON BEACH, Florida — Air Force Special Operations Command has dubbed its newest aircraft Skyraider II, a nod to the Cold War-era propeller plane that delivered close air support during the Vietnam War.
Lt. Gen. Michael Conley, head of Air Force Special Operations…
Airbus, Boeing angle for Polish tanker aircraft deal
March 6, 2025
WARSAW, Poland — The Polish Ministry of National Ministry is advancing plans to buy new transport and refueling aircraft, with major players Airbus and Boeing intensifying their rivalry for potential contracts.
A Polish MoD spokesperson confirmed the ministry’s aircraft procurement plans, but also said the final scope of these purchases is yet to be defined.
“Poland is considering to…
AURORA, Colo. — Lockheed Martin hopes to begin rolling out early Block 4 capabilities to the F-35 this summer, a senior company official said Monday.
Chauncey McIntosh, vice president and general manager of Lockheed’s F-35 program, said at the Air and Space Forces…
Airbus wins $500 million contract to upgrade French Navy comms
February 26, 2025
PARIS — Airbus Defence and Space, together with Naval Group, won a contract worth as much as €480 million (US$504 million) to upgrade the communications system of the French Navy to prepare for collaborative and networked combat.
Airbus is leading an industrial…
Air Force budget cuts may open old wounds with Congress
February 26, 2025
The Air Force wants to accelerate its plans to retire old and outdated aircraft to meet Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s order for services to cut and reallocate a portion of their spending.
But the service’s previous efforts to cut planes like the A-10 Warthog and older F-22 Raptors have shown that making such plans is easy, while actually seeing them through is far trickier.
That is because…
Trump fires Joint Chiefs chairman, Navy head in DOD leadership purge
February 24, 2025
President Donald Trump on Friday evening fired Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. CQ Brown, Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Lisa Franchetti and Air Force Vice Chief of Staff Gen. Jim Slife.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said in a statement that Trump plans to…
Army Stinger missile replacement competition heads into flight tests
February 21, 2025
RTX and Lockheed Martin are heading into flight tests this year in a head-to-head competition to develop a replacement for the U.S. Army’s Stinger missile.
The Army is pursuing a Stinger missile replacement for short-range air defense that can go faster, survive jamming…
Air Force tests unarmed nuclear missile in pre-dawn video
February 21, 2025
The Air Force conducted a test launch of an unarmed Minuteman III missile early Wednesday to help ensure its land-based nuclear force still operates safely and effectively.
Airmen from Air Force Global Strike Command launched the intercontinental ballistic missile from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California at 1 a.m. Pacific Standard Time, the department said. The Minuteman missile carried no…
