U.S. Air Force
Formally Retired in 2007, the F-117 Still Flies for the Air Force
As an aggressor aircraft, the F-117 can teach pilots how to detect and engage with a low-radar cross-section jet. The F-117 will forever hold a place in aviation lore as...
Air Force Approves New Electronic Warfare Suite for F-15E Fighter
The Air Force has recently approved a new F-15 electronic warfare (EW) system for full-rate production, meaning more of these legendary fourth-generation fighters will be fitted with this cutting-edge upgrade....
Air Force’s New B-52J Stratofortress Passes Another Key Milestone
The U.S. Air Force’s latest B-52 variant just reached another milestone. According to the service, the bomber’s F130 engines have passed their critical design review. These engines are expected to...
How An Aircraft Carrier Cancellation Almost Led to Mutiny
In the aftermath of the Second World War, leaders of the United States Navy, such as Admiral Marc Mitscher, dreamed up a new aircraft carrier to fight what was then the budding...
America’s YF-17 Cobra: The Greatest Warplane You’ve Never Heard Of
America’s fourth-generation warplane fleet is the most iconic and probably the greatest fleet of warplanes ever devised. Indeed, during the development phase of these multiple classes of warplanes, even more...
Retire the B-52? Heck No: It’s Getting Another Upgrade
The B-52 Stratofortress is one of the oldest machines in service anywhere within the US military. But the mid-19th-century bomber will be getting a modernizing update in the form of...
Operation Bolo Proved Col. Robin Olds’ Status as an Air Force Legend
“We flew in the Wolfpack with Robin Olds/Some of us ain’t coming back/In a Foxtrot-Four called the Phantom II/We flew with the Red River Rats/Robin came over to Ubon, an ace...
The Vermont Air National Guard Is On Its Way to Japan
Approximately 200 Vermont Air National Guard (ANG) airmen have escaped New England’s January arctic blast and will experience Okinawa’s far more mild weather. The personnel, along with equipment and notably...
The SR-71 Blackbird Is Remembered for More Than Speed and Stealth
The fastest aircraft to ever roam the skies may surprise you. While newer fighter jets like the U.S.-made F-22 Raptor or F-35 Lightning II probably come to mind, the record...
Why We Will Never See Another F-22 Raptor
The Cold War competition with the Soviet Union inspired the United States to invest heavily in defense. Partially realism, partially paranoia, the Cold War atmosphere resulted in impressive military developments including, but...
Why Is China “Hardening” Its Air Bases?
The People’s Republic of China (PRC) is preparing for war. They are mass producing increasingly sophisticated warships, warplanes—supposedly a new sixth-generation plane—nuclear weapons, hypersonic weapons, and an assortment of other platforms that could...
Lockheed Martin Hit Its F-35 Delivery Target in 2024
Lockheed Martin announced on Wednesday that it reached its high-end delivery goal for last year. In 2024, the aerospace and defense giant delivered 110 F-35 Lightning II stealth fighters to the United...