From a suspected spy balloon to a missing plane: 5 air warfare stories from 2023
"How in the hell do you lose an F-35?"
F-35 program completes key combat simulations, could pave way for full-rate production
While over 900 F-35s have been produced, the program has technically been stuck in its initial operational testing phase for years over the delayed completion of the trials.
How the Pentagon is shaping its next cyber strategy
Drawing on Breaking Defense's TechNet Cyber 2026 coverage, this eBook examines how the Pentagon is advancing AI, cybersecurity, and cyber strategy to strengthen the future force.
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.
Chinese ‘popping’ corks: At AFA, service officials warn Tuberville hold emboldening adversaries
“I’d go so far as say if you drive north of the National Cathedral on Connecticut Avenue, that popping sound you hear is not stray gunfire. It is champagne corks at the Chinese embassy bouncing off the walls,” Air Force Gen. Mark Kelly said.
‘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."
China ‘on track’ for 6th-gen fighter, US Air Force needs to get there first: ACC chief
America's Chinese "frenemies" are "not having a debate over the relevance of six-gen air dominance. And I can also tell you they're on track," said Air Combat Command head Gen. Mark Kelly.
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Europe rearms: Battle management, counter-UAS, and real AI at the edge
Mapping Europe’s modernization from the Eastern drone wall to actual artificial intelligence resident in tanks.
Top American generals on three key lessons learned from Ukraine
"The computer models would have said Russia wins in 72 to 96 hours," said Marine Corps Commandant Gen. David Berger. They "cannot explain why Ukraine is still hanging on. Why is that?"
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.
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.
New Air Combat Commander Kelly Wants AI ASAP
"We absorb more data that we can process, that's just a non-negotiable fact," says Gen. Mark Kelly.
On-demand webinar: Research security in an era of global competition
Watch experts discuss foreign influence risks, evolving DoD policy, and strategies for balancing security with scientific collaboration.