First flight tests begin for Air Force’s drone wingmen
General Atomics' YFQ-42A collaborative combat aircraft made its first test flight in California. Anduril expects its CCA, the YFQ-44A, to fly soon.
Industry
Vulcan Elements wins Pentagon deals as $65M round fuels expansion
Rare earth magnets startup Vulcan Elements is rapidly minting DOD deals to produce the critical component for vital weapons programs.
Navy awards Pratt $2.9B contract to build more F-35 engines
These engines will go into new F-35s for the Air Force, Marine Corps and Navy, as well as partner nations.
F-16s intercept Russian spy planes near Alaska two days in a row
The Russian surveillance and reconnaissance planes stayed in international airspace, but flew close enough to prompt NORAD to launch F-16s to intercept.
B-1 bombers, NATO fighters fly over Latvia to show unified force
The B-1s were joined by Gripen fighters from NATO allies Hungary and Sweden during their flyover of Latvia, which lies to the west of Russia.
Air, Space Force budgets seek to boost weapons, cut civilian jobs
New weapons are at the forefront of budget priorities for the Air Force and Space Force, while the spending plans also seek almost $2.3 billion in cuts.
In surprise move, Air Force chief of staff to retire 2 years early
Gen. David Allvin will retire this November after two years as the service’s highest-ranking uniformed officer.
Broken propeller caused $13M military Reaper drone to crash into sea
The MQ-9 could not be recovered from the Mediterranean Sea, but the Air Force and General Atomics used data to piece together what likely caused its crash.
Report unlocks mystery of why Chinese bombers flew near Alaska in 2024
A new report reveals China's joint patrols with Russia near Alaska may have had motives beyond a political message.
B-2 crash report: Hydraulic failure led to landing gear collapse, fire
The B-2's pilot fought hard to keep it from veering off the runway after its landing gear collapsed, even standing up to put all his weight on the brake.
Air Force moves F-16s closer to North Korea in new ‘super squadron’
The temporary shift aims to provide a more robust defense against threats from an increasingly belligerent North Korea.
Kadena to inspect F-15Es after fighter landed without wheel
An F-15E Strike Eagle that took off from Diego Garcia on Monday discovered mid-flight that one of its wheels was missing.
F-15E lands safely in Japan after wheel falls off
The two airmen flying the fighter were uninjured in the emergency landing.
Joby, L3Harris developing autonomous aircraft for defense missions
The companies plan to start flight tests this fall and be ready to demonstrate operational capabilities in government exercises by 2026.
Boeing CEO says defense business can weather looming worker strike
Approximately 3,200 Boeing employees who build fighter aircraft and munitions could strike as soon as next week.
Germany, Jordan want to supply Gaza by air – here is how it could work
Previous German aid-dropping operations in the territory may give a glimpse of what to expect, according to a defense spokesman in Berlin.
Air Force creates warfighter communications office
The Air Force called it “one of the most significant reorganizations of the Air Staff in over 30 years.”
