Arsenal of Democracy

In Purge, Trump Fires Brown, Slife, Franchetti, and More

Feb. 21, 2025

President Donald Trump fired Air Force Gen. Charles Q. Brown Jr. as Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, announcing his intent to nominate retired Air Force Lt. Gen. John “Dan” Caine to replace him in a social media post...

Space Force Finishes Construction at Australia Site for Its New Deep Space Radar

Feb. 21, 2025

The Space Force’s project to build a new global radar network to safeguard satellites from “malign activity” is taking shape, with the first facility in Australia now complete and set to go live by 2027. The Deep-Space Advanced Radar Capability (DARC) initiative is a joint effort between the U.S., U.K.,…

What’s Different About the New Air Force Handbook

Feb. 21, 2025

About three weeks after it was removed on Jan. 29, Air Force Handbook 1 reappeared on Feb. 19, albeit missing several sections regarding diversity, inclusion, cognitive bias, and COVID-19.

Air Force Puts Unique Twist on ACE in Middle East Exercise: Real-World Combat

Feb. 21, 2025

The U.S. Air Force is used to operating from large, fixed bases in the Middle East. But recently, Air Forces Central tested its ability to disperse to smaller, unfamiliar locations in an Agile Combat Employment exercise—while flying combat missions.

Advanced Fighter Engines Pass Design Review. Now Comes Fabrication Stage

Feb. 20, 2025

Engines from GE Aerospace and RTX’s Pratt & Whitney have cleared the Air Force’s “Detailed Design Reviews” for the Next-Generation Adaptive Propulsion program, paving the way for the engine-makers to build prototype ground demonstrators, the two companies announced separately. The...

Irked By Boeing, Trump Eyes ‘Alternatives’ for New Air Force One

Feb. 20, 2025

President Donald Trump raised the possibility of major changes to the “Air Force One” replacement program the Air Force is pursuing in the face of persistent and growing delays.

Two B-1 Bombers Fly with South Korea as Leaders Tout Value of Advanced Training

Feb. 20, 2025

Two U.S. Air Force B-1 bombers led a joint aerial exercise between the U.S. and South Korea over Korean airspace on Feb. 20, as officials emphasized the importance of training to counter the likes of North Korea.

Pratt Gets $1.5B to Sustain F-22 Engine—and Is Working on Upgrades

Feb. 20, 2025

RTX's Pratt & Whitney got a $1.5 billion Air Force contract for three more years of sustainment of the F119 engine, which powers the F-22 Raptor. The company is also looking at capability upgrades for the engine, should they be needed.

Hegseth Seeks $50B in Cuts to Pay for New Priorities

Feb. 19, 2025

Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth has ordered a swift and sweeping review of the defense budget, seeking cuts worth 8 percent of total spending over the next five years that he intends to shift to fund higher-priority defense projects.

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