NATO to Focus on ‘Realistic Combat Scenarios’ in Ramstein Flag 2025
NATO will start a major exercise at the end of the month to practice the ability of allied air forces to operate in a contested environment, officials said March 24.
How to Prioritize DOD’s Budget: Experts Try It—and So Can You
How would you implement Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s instruction for the Pentagon to find eight percent in budget cuts that can be reallocated to other priorities? Top defense analysts and experts had a wide array of answers during a recent think tank workshop.
How DOD Could Recoup Its Investment in Ukraine’s Long-Range Drones
For three years now, the Pentagon has dug into its arsenal and spent massive sums backing Ukraine against Russia’s invasion; now it may see a return on that investment by embracing the post-Soviet country’s battle-tested way of drone warfare.
F-111s in Vietnam
F-111s fly their first combat mission against military targets in North Vietnam.
Radar Sweep
Trump Officials Texted War Plans to a Group Chat in a Secure App That Included a Journalist
The Associated Press
Top national security officials for President Donald Trump, including his defense secretary, texted war plans for upcoming military strikes in Yemen to a group chat in a secure messaging app that included the editor-in-chief for The Atlantic, the magazine reported in a story posted online March 24. The National Security Council said the text chain “appears to be authentic.”
Hegseth Disputes He Texted War Plans
POLITICO
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth denied he mishandled classified information and insisted “nobody was texting war plans” in a Signal chat between top Trump administration officials made public March 24 by a journalist who was mistakenly added to the discussion.
Senate Confirms Trump’s Pick to Lead Navy and Marine Corps
DefenseScoop
John Phelan is set to take the helm as secretary of the Navy after the Senate confirmed him for the job March 24 by a vote of 62-30. The SECNAV is the top civilian responsible for leading the Department of the Navy, which also includes the Marine Corps. Phelan, a businessman and co-founder of MSD Capital, was nominated for the post by President Donald Trump.
Hill Air Force Base Closes Day Care Center Following Trump Administration Hiring Freeze
Military.com
Hill Air Force Base in Utah has closed one of its two day care centers, harming quality of life for some service members, civilian employees, and their families following hiring freezes ordered by President Donald Trump's administration.
PODCAST: Remotely Piloted Aircraft in Action: Insights from Air Force RPA Commanders
The Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies
Heather “Lucky” Penney and Senior Fellow retired Brig. Gen. Houston "Slider" Cantwell chat with some of the nation’s top remotely piloted aircraft (RPA) commanders about on-going combat contributions and the Air Force’s future development path for this incredible mission.
The ‘Reveal and Conceal Game’: Air Force Wargamers See Value in Mid-Conflict Deterrence
Breaking Defense
In the not-so-distant future, fears building for years have come to pass, and war has broken out in the Indo-Pacific between the U.S. and China. Yet amid fierce fighting, the US military quickly introduces a new capability to the field ... and startled by the revelation, Beijing recalculates, backs down, and seeks an “off-ramp” with Washington to bring an end to the conflict. Just such a scenario is being explored by U.S. Air Force wargamers.
Pentagon’s Use of Commercial Telecoms Draw Scrutiny After Chinese Breaches
Defense One
The Pentagon’s inspector general is launching a three-pronged investigation into the department’s “failure to secure its unclassified telephone communications from foreign espionage,” a top IG official has informed lawmakers.
Turkey Sees Opening for ‘Increased’ Strategic Engagement with Trump Admin: Official
Breaking Defense
Turkey sees potential for enhanced “bilateral relations” and “increased engagement” with the new Trump administration, the Turkish ambassador to the U.S. said. “Greater convergence and complementarity between Turkey and the United States can make a real difference in addressing” ongoing conflicts such as the war in Ukraine and in Gaza, Sedat Önal said March 21 at an event in Washington, D.C., put on by the Atlantic Council think tank.
F-47 Fighter Reveal Draws New Attention to USAF Stealth Tanker Plans
The War Zone
The U.S. Air Force’s selection of Boeing’s F-47 as the winner of its Next Generation Air Dominance (NGAD) combat jet competition raises new questions about plans for new stealthy aerial refueling tankers. The service has said in the past that the two efforts are intrinsically linked, but also that it might not be possible to afford both aircraft.
Kadena Should Receive Its First F-15EX Fighters Next Year, Wing Commander Says
Stars and Stripes
The U.S. Air Force is expected to begin deploying F-15EX Eagle II fighters to the home of the 18th Wing in spring 2026, according to the wing commander.
How the Union Took to the Skies in the Civil War
Task & Purpose
The year: 1861. The problem: Pro-slavery states had broken away from the Union, rising up in armed revolt as the treasonous Confederate States of America, and so far were able to fight the Union Army. One solution: Balloons. Yes, balloons.