Meink vows security as Qatar-gifted jet turned into Air Force One
Sen. Tammy Duckworth blasted the Qatari-gifted plane as a security risk and a waste of taxpayer money.
Air Warfare
Both Air Force CCAs now in ground testing, expected to fly this summer
General Atomics said ground testing of its YFQ-42A began on May 7. The collaborative combat aircraft will fly alongside aircraft like F-35s and F-47s.
Desert Storm Apache crews awarded Distinguished Flying Crosses
The aviators received the awards 34 years after they kickstarted the allied air campaign of Operation Desert Storm.
Pentagon silent, aviation experts baffled by Trump’s fighter comments
“President Trump appears to have been speculating out loud about future airplanes that, as far as I know, don’t exist," said former SECAF Frank Kendall.
Denmark receives four more F-35s; half of fleet now home after delays
Defense Minister Troels Lund Poulsen told business newspaper Borsen in March that he wanted to order more F-35 jets.
Opinion
What’s wrong with Trump accepting a 747 from Qatar? Everything.
The Qatari gift amounts to a flying palace rather than a flying White House meant for vital work, argues former Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall.
Defense officials advocate for diverse target-tracking architecture
Defense officials say a moving target indicator capability that includes both air and space assets is needed until the department defines its architecture.
DC military-air traffic control hotline hasn’t worked for over 3 years
The FAA confirmed the agency didn’t know the hotline hadn’t been working since March 2022 until after the latest near miss at Reagan National Airport.
Air Force eyes longer range for F-47 as combat edge in Pacific theater
A greater fighter range would help the Air Force reach targets in contested airspace in the Pacific, where refueling tankers may not be an option.
Senate confirms Meink as next Air Force secretary
Former NRO deputy director Troy Meink will now run the Air and Space Forces as space becomes increasingly important to future wars.
Experts: Qatar-gifted Air Force One may be security, upgrade disaster
Upgrading a Qatar-donated 747 into a new Air Force One would take a large sum of money and years to complete, aviation experts said.
General Atomics touts UK breakthrough in drone airspace integration
The achievement has been a long time coming for the U.S. drone vendor after spending spending $500 million and working for 11 years.
Upgrades ahead across the special operations helicopter fleet
Better targeting, lighter airframes and more firepower are on the docket.
More data, comms, countermeasures needed for Special Ops aircraft
From their largest to smallest aircraft, upgrades are needed for the next fight, Special Operations Command officials said.
KC-46 vision system upgrade slips to 2027, 3 years behind schedule
The original vision system for the KC-46 was beset by troubles such as distorted images, but its replacement also has repeatedly fallen behind.
Sentinel nuclear missiles will need new silos, Air Force says
The Sentinel ICBM program is already alarmingly over budget, and trying to reuse 55-year-old Minuteman III silos would put it even further behind.
US Air Force sending ‘boneyard’ F-16s to Ukraine for spare parts
The F-16s being shipped to Ukraine lack critical components like an engine and radar, the Air Force said, meaning they cannot be used operationally.
