Next-gen air dominance and surprise new Air Force leadership: 2025 review
A look at some of the top stories that defined the air warfare beat this year.
Navy’s Caudle: F/A-XX fighter decision needs to come ‘quickly’
"My job is to pressurize that decision, because the war fighting imperative, I think, is there, and and I'm trying to build a compelling case to get that decision made quickly," Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Daryl Caudle said.
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GPS: Still the gold standard in global navigation
The GPS network continues to prove its unmatched reliability, and it’s only getting stronger.
Pentagon creates new role managing B-21, F-47, AF1, ICBM programs
Lt. Gen. Dale White has been nominated for a fourth star in the new role of direct reporting portfolio manager (DRPM) for Critical Major Weapons Systems.
Air Force needs hundreds more fighters, service says
A congressionally mandated review of the Air Force’s fighter force obtained by Breaking Defense finds that as many as 1,558 combat-ready jets are needed to fulfill global obligations, requiring greater procurement of aircraft like the F-15EX and F-35.
Amid strike, Boeing taking rare step of hiring permanent replacements for union workers
“We've had our first hiring event. We've received hundreds of qualified applicants. We're working through that now,” said Dan Gillian, Boeing's vice president of its air dominance portfolio.
Manufacturing of first F-47 next-gen fighter underway, Air Force’s Allvin says
The Air Force is targeting to fly the jet in 2028, according to Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. David Allvin.
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Data overload threatens decisionmakers as autonomy expands
Reducing cognitive overload on warfighters while improving “time to trust” for autonomous systems is a matter of design.
PACAF commander: Air Force needs to ‘improve,’ staff up C2 capabilities
"The tree that that hangs on, the tree of our platforms and our capabilities is command and control, and I see a need for us to continue to invest and improve. And that’s people,” said Pacific Air Forces Commander Gen. Kevin Schneider.
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.
DoD considering ‘czar’ roles for key Navy, Air Force programs: Sources
The new positions, covering submarines and a number of Air Force programs, would report directly to the deputy defense secretary, numerous sources told Breaking Defense.
Air Force sees over two year delay for next-gen engines
The Next Generation Adaptive Propulsion program is designing new engines that could power aircraft like the Air Force’s forthcoming F-47 stealth fighter.
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Keeping sensitive information safe in a new AI era
Why edge and endpoint security can’t be an afterthought.
Funding F/A-XX could ‘delay’ F-47, White House warns Congress
The White House made official what many in defense circles have been whispering: That the administration is prioritizing the Air Force’s next jet over the Navy’s future capability.
Who’s Who in Defense: Dr. Troy Meink, Secretary of the Air Force
Meink oversees the training, organization and equipping of nearly 680,000 active duty, Guard, Reserve, and civilian airmen and Guardians, and their families.
Boeing ‘very close’ to finalizing Air Force One design changes
“Over the last four or five months, we've made more progress than we've made in the last four years. … We have been able to see our way through some of these requirements that were just physically impossible to do,” said Steve Parker, the interim CEO of Boeing’s defense business.
GE pushes for faster fielding of Army’s ITEP, Air Force’s NGAP engines
GE executive Mark Rettig said the company’s recent foray into hypersonic technology has opened a new range of opportunities for the engine maker.