Air Force (mostly) ditches Biden-era ‘reoptimization’
New leadership under the Trump administration has opted to kill key organizational changes sought by former Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall, leaving just a handful of initiatives intact.
Trump taps Wilsbach as next Air Force chief
Breaking Defense previously reported that former Air Combat Command chief Gen. Kenneth Wilsbach was a frontrunner to replace outgoing Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. David Allvin.
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AI is transforming pilot training and the aircraft they fly
Modeling and simulation get an AI upgrade for more realistic training and improved autonomous platforms.
EXCLUSIVE: Wilsbach, former ACC commander, in running to be next service chief, sources say
Three sources familiar with the discussions told Breaking Defense that Gen. Kenneth Wilsbach is a leading candidate to succeed Gen. David Allvin as the next Air Force chief of staff.
ACC chief expects NGAD down select this year, ‘hopeful’ F-35 deliveries will resume this month
Breaking with service leadership, Gen. Kenneth Wilsbach said he opposes divesting certain F-22 Raptors, whose retirements have been repeatedly blocked by Congress.
Air Force gets first Red Hawk trainer, Compass Call electronic warfare jet
To meet the program's delayed production decision, set for February 2025, the T-7A will need to qualify its escape system and finish its flight control software, though officials expressed confidence the jet could achieve the goal.
‘Not uncommon’ for American jets to be intercepted by China 10 times a day, PACAF chief says
Gen. Mark Kelly, who heads the Air Force's Air Combat Command, said that the US's shrinking and aging aircraft fleet has emboldened Russian and Chinese pilots to seek "batting practice."
Modern Tech in Indo-Pacific Operations
Explore how networked warfare, AI, and 3D-printed drones are reshaping US Indo-Pacific strategy.
Turbine ‘fatigue’ issue forced F-22 engine retrofit, Air Force says
The Air Force worked with engine-maker Pratt & Whitney to fix the planes in the field and during regular maintenance over three years.
T-X: The Sequel? New Tactical Trainer Solicitation Could Reignite Rivalries
“Every day, [the T-38] becomes just another step more disconnected from the advanced avionics, advanced sensing, the advanced processing that our modern fighters have. And so we can't fill that void fast enough,” said Air Combat Command head Gen. Mark Kelly.
Not Going Solo: Air Force, Kessel Run Sign New Agreement For Speedier Code
The agreement will pave the way for closer collaboration between Kessel Run and Air Combat Command, officials said.
New Compass Call Electronic Warfare Plane Takes To The Skies
The US Air Force is one step closer to having a new aircraft for jamming enemy communications.
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Navigation warfare is about the battle to assure positioning, navigation, and timing
The U.S. Army’s MAPS Gen II program of record for assured PNT provides an authoritative and reliable source of truth for combat vehicles in a highly contested battlespace.
‘Spectrum Superiority’ Key To All Domain Operations: Gen. Hyten
"We have a lot of work to do before we get there," Vice Chair of Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. John Hyten says of the Pentagon's efforts to implement its new Electronic Spectrum Superiority Strategy.
VCSAF Wilson Presses Service’s Long-Range Strike Role
"All of the services are pursuing new long-range strike capabilities today, kind of like little kids chasing a soccer ball, and someone needs to ask which investments will maximize our nation’s long-range strike warfighting potential," said Mitchell Institute's Mark Gunzinger.
Aging Air Force IT ‘Biggest Challenge’ To JADC2 Progress
"Our ability to get out from underneath our infrastructure is probably our biggest challenge," Lt. Gen. Tim Haugh, head of 16th Air Force, says.
Picking 1st ABMS Capabilities A Top Issue At Air Force Corona
The technologies that allowed a tracked howitzer to shoot down a cruise missile in the Sept. 3 ABMS On Ramp was "a Sputnik or Alpha-Go moment where AI did something that could not have been done otherwise," says Will Roper.