The Center for Strategic and Budgetary Assessments’ Steve Kosiak has crunched the numbers on DOD’s classified, or “black,” programs in the 2007 budget—revealing that black programs “appear to account” for approximately $30.1 billion of the acquisition funding. Kosiak says that the 2007 black acquisition budget is higher than any budget since 1988, which was $29.4 billion in 2007 dollars. According to Kosiak’s analysis, funding for black programs has grown “substantially faster” than funding for overall acquisition.
KC-46’s Refueling Boom Damaged While Refueling F-22s
July 8, 2025
A U.S. Air Force KC-46 tanker suffered damage to its boom while refueling F-22 Raptors off the coast of Virginia on July 8, Air & Space Forces Magazine has confirmed, with reported radio communication from the crew indicating the boom “detached.”