AFA Almanac

Statistics and information on who we were, who we are, and where we’re going. This article is only available in pdf format. Read the article here.

Feb. 11, 2025

Retired Brig. Gen. Lawrence Boyd Anderson, who served as vice chairman of the board of the Air Force Association—now the Air & Space Forces Association—and the last chairman of the board of the Aerospace Education Foundation, died Feb. 6. He was 89.

KC-135 Crews Get Distinguished Flying Cross for Helping Fend Off Iranian Drones

Dec. 12, 2024

Two dozen KC-135 crew members from multiple bases received the Distinguished Flying Cross for refueling the fighters that shot down 80 Iranian drones and missiles bound for Israel on April 13.

Musk Revives F-35 Criticism, but Could It Actually Lead to Cuts Under Trump?

Nov. 27, 2024

Elon Musk, a confidant of President-elect Trump, has a poor opinion of the F-35 fighter and thinks it should give way to new, uncrewed aircraft. As one of the heads of the unofficial Department of Government Efficiency, Musk's views could affect upcoming contracts and plans for the fighter, but Trump…

Air Force Historical Foundation Reveals Winners of Prestigious Awards

Nov. 22, 2024

The Air Force Historical Foundation (AFHF) announced the 2023-2024 winners of its prestigious annual awards honoring individuals and units “dedicated to the making and documentation of Air Force and Space Force history.” In addition to the standard collection of awards, this year’s honors include the first-ever Lifetime Achievement for Space Award.

‘Did We Do Enough?’ Airmen Heed Lessons from Their Air Victory over Iran

Nov. 19, 2024

In the third and final part of our series about how the U.S. Air Force helped defeat Iran’s April 13 attack on Israel, Airmen describe the final drone shootdowns of the night and the lessons they have drawn from one of the Air Force’s biggest nights of combat action in…

How USAF Fighters Kept Going Amid Chaos to Defend Israel

Nov. 18, 2024

In Part 2 of our series about how Airmen helped defeat Iran’s April 13 attack on Israel, troops from the 494th Fighter Squadron describe how they kept launching jets even as their own base came under fire.

Silver Star Airpower: Inside an F-15 Mission to Block an Attack on Israel

Nov. 15, 2024

In a series of exclusive interviews with Air & Space Forces Magazine, Airmen from the 494th Fighter Squadron described how they helped defeat the massive drone and missile attack launched by Iran against Israel in April—actions that led to many being decorated Nov. 12.

Maj. Gen. Joe Engle, X-15 Pilot and Shuttle Astronaut, Dies at 91

July 11, 2024

Retired Air Force Maj. Gen. Joe Henry Engle, test pilot, Apollo-era astronaut, and the only American to fly two different winged vehicles into space, died July 10 at the age of 91. Engle flew more than 185 different aircraft—38 of them fighter/attack types—and amassed more than 15,000 flight hours, including…

Airman Earned an Air Force Cross. His Name Remains Secret.

June 4, 2024

An Air Force combat controller earned the Air Force Cross—the service’s second-highest decoration for valor in combat behind only the Medal of Honor—for his actions during a fierce battle in Syria in 2018. His identity, however, remains publicly unknown.

Related Content