It’s been another busy year at Air & Space Forces Magazine reporting on the United States Air Force and Space Force, and we could not have done it without you, the readers.
We looked back on the past 12 months to find the stories that resonated the most with you, our audience, and these 10 topped the list. Maybe you missed one the first time around, or perhaps you’d like to revisit a favorite under a warm blanket after a long day of holiday cheer. Either way, enjoy the highlights below. We can’t wait to share more stories with you in 2025. Until then, happy holidays!
Airdrops to Gaza: The Art and Science of One of the Largest Aid Missions Since the Berlin Airlift
The U.S. Air Force and its partners dropped hundreds of thousands of meals to famished Gazans this spring as efforts to bring in humanitarian aid by land and sea were stymied. Airmen try to calculate all the variables, from the altitude, to weight, to the effect of the wind, but it’s obvious looking out the back of this massive jet aircraft that airdrops are as much art as science.
How the Air Force Flew a 1,000-Mile Open Ocean Rescue
The 129th Rescue Wing is one of few organizations on Earth that can rescue patients hundreds of miles offshore, thanks to its fleet of HC-130J planes and HH-60G helicopters. Aircrews, PJs, and a translator who volunteered at the last minute for a long-range rescue recounted how they made one high-risk, life-saving mission look easy.
‘Masters of the Air’ Nails Many Details, Misses Context
The new nine-part TV series, “Masters of the Air,” masterfully captures the grueling reality of life in the U.S. Army Air Force’s 100th Bomb Group during the daylight bombing campaign over Europe in World War II. But viewers watching the series on Apple TV+ might miss the larger historical context, according to one expert.
Mobility Pilots Prepare to Fight Fatigue in All-Out Pacific Conflict
Fatigue is a common safety hazard in aviation, especially over the vast distances that define the Indo-Pacific theater. Tanker and transport air crews and flight medicine experts shared how they’re using science, hot food, and wearables to prepare for non-stop flying in a war with China.
David Flosi’s Journey From Broke College Student to New CMSAF
Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force David Flosi shared how mentorship and opportunities transformed him from a junior Airman set on serving four years to pay for college into the service’s senior enlisted leader with the Legion of Merit and 28 years of service.
Sun, Spades, and Forklifts: ‘Port Dawgs’ Run the Show at Bamboo Eagle
While it sounds simple, aerial porting is a delicate balance of math, physics, technique, and elbow grease which, if improperly mixed, can endanger aircrews and slow the movement of war-winning equipment or life-saving supplies by days when every minute counts. This article shows how ‘Port Dawgs’ played a vital role in a massive exercise preparing for a near-peer fight.
Silver Star Airpower: Inside an F-15 Mission to Block an Attack on Israel
In April, Air Force fighters shot down 80 Iranian drones in one of the largest displays of combat airpower in decades. F-15E Strike Eagle crews who received the Distinguished Flying Cross for their efforts shared what it was like flying into the dark, chaotic airspace over the Middle East that night.
Behind the Scenes of a Minuteman ICBM Launch with Three Test Warheads
What does it take to send an aging missile 4,200 miles across an ocean in 30 minutes? Months of preparation, teams of service members across the country, gigabytes of data, diplomatic coordination, and a long night in California, all unpacked play-by-play in this article.
New Report: Wargames Show CCA Could Have Huge Influence in a Pacific War
A series of wargames run by the Mitchell Institute showed that when used by the U.S. Air Force in large numbers, CCAs—autonomous drones meant to supplement the manned fleet—compelled China to expend large numbers of missiles, created beneficial chaos in the battlespace, and overall were a cost-imposing factor on the adversary,
At This Air Force Depot, Advanced Manufacturing Is Cutting Edge No Longer
Air Force leaders have long promised a future where maintainers use 3D-printing technology to manufacture replacement parts faster than they can be shipped across the world. Now, a small group of engineers, technicians, and machinists are moving that additive manufacturing technology out of the future and into the present.