Air & Space Forces Magazine

08/29/2025

The move returns requirements setting to the services after 22 years in the joint world. It also revises the role of the Joint Requirements Oversight Council, which comprises all the service vice chiefs and is led by the Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

08/29/2025

The Air Force is finally poised to deal with the “Valley of Death” problem—the gulf between the invention of an innovative new technology and its deployment at scale to warfighters.
MORE: https://www.airandspaceforces.com/air-force-officials-solve-valley-of-death-acquisition/

08/29/2025

Called the Department-Level Exercise, the series of exercises involved about 12,000 troops and 500 aircraft around the world and ran from early July through mid-August, including five interlocking drills that touched on nearly every aspect of the Air Force’s and Space Force’s capabilities.

08/28/2025

The pilot separated from the tanker and the “ENGINE MACH FAIL” light illuminated on his instrument panel as the engine’s revolutions per minute nose-dived and the engine lost power, which meant he could not maintain altitude and airspeed.
https://www.airandspaceforces.com/air-force-f-16-crash-korea-report/

08/28/2025

“This milestone showcases what’s possible when innovative acquisition meets motivated industry,” said Secretary of the Air Force Troy E. Meink in the Air Force statement. “In record time, CCA went from concept to flight—proving we can deliver combat capability at speed when we clear barriers and align around the warfighter.”

08/28/2025

Experts said the flights could also be tied to the large-scale U.S. Indo-Pacific Command-run exercise Northern Edge. That exercise involves some 6,400 service members, 100 aircraft, and seven naval vessels from the U.S. and Canada.

08/27/2025

“Guam is such an important place. We need to make sure our Airmen are focused on mission rather than just their housing.” —Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. David W. Allvin

Andersen Air Force Base on Guam will renovate its moldy, neglected dorms for the first time since 1999, the installation said Aug. 26.

08/27/2025

The pilot lost control of the aircraft, ejected, and walked to an ambulance under his own power, but tail number 19-5535 was not so lucky, spinning wingtip over wingtip before crashing on the airfield in a fireball that was captured on video...
https://www.airandspaceforces.com/contaminated-hydraulic-fluid-f-35-crash/

08/27/2025

Join The Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies team and special guest Gen. Tod D. Wolters USAF (Ret.), former Commander, U.S. European Command & NATO's Supreme Allied Commander Europe to discuss disaggregated collaborative air operations as an operational concept that sidesteps adversary strategies to dominate the battlespace information environment.
REGISTER: https://www.mitchellaerospacepower.org/events/disconnected-by-design-fifth-and-sixth-generation-aircraft-in-disaggregated-collaborative-air-operations/

08/26/2025

The new F-35 engine contract technically came from the Navy’s Naval Air Systems Command, but it will include powerplants for the Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, and international customers.
https://www.airandspaceforces.com/new-f-35-engine-contract-puts-fighters-price-tag-over-100m/

The Pentagon and Pratt & Whitney have reached a $2.88 billion deal on new F-35 engines, putting the price per jet at around $100 million.

08/26/2025

In each case, the KC-46 was refueling fighter aircraft when the boom’s nozzle became “bound,” or stuck, in the receiving aircraft’s refueling receptacle due to high radial forces. Each incident triggered breakaway procedures, with varying results.
https://www.airandspaceforces.com/kc-46-boom-blamed-for-3-refueling-mishaps/

Problems with the KC-46 boom getting stuck in fighter jets have led to a trio of mishaps since October 2022, Air Mobility Command said.

08/26/2025

Global Strike Command found discrepancies in 191 pistols related to wear on the safety lever, striker, and sear.

Air Force Global Strike Command has cleared Airmen to carry the M18 pistol again after thousands of inspections following an Airman’s death.