Our F-16 burst through the clouds above Spangdahlem Air Base on a crisp early morning in June, one of several Fighting Falcons from the 480th Fighter Squadron operating as an opposition force for a counter-air exercise.
September/October 2024
Vol. 107, No. 9
The Air Force’s ambitious effort to overhaul its organization, deployment model, and training to better prepare for great power competition with China was just six months old when Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. David W. Allvin returned from Exercise...
In a potential fast-moving future conflict, spread widely across the Pacific, the U.S. would depend on mighty Air Force C-5 and C-17 airlifters to move vast amounts of military materiel. But they can’t do the job alone. Air Mobility Command’s 1,145 tankers and cargo aircraft will be augmented—as they have been for 73 years—by the Civil Reserve Air Fleet.
Fighting the Air Base
Front-line air bases are like any other weapon system: They are only effective if they can function under enemy fire. Air bases at forward locations in the Indo-Pacific, Europe, or other theaters must be able to fend off complex integrated air and missile strikes, rapidly reconstitute operational capabilities when damaged, and continue to generate combat effects.
SmallSats: Answering the Call for Space Superiority
Small satellites lend themselves to many more applications than simply low-Earth orbit resilience. Russian and Chinese offensive spacepower ambitions are making headlines and are intent on erasing the vital advantage the United States has in space. U.S. defense leadership now...
Editorial: Relearning Old Lessons
The risk of world war today has never been greater since 1940—and the United States has arguably never been less ready. Waking the nation up to that fact should be a top priority for our national leaders, though precious little has been said or will be said over the remaining days of the 2024 presidential campaign.
Strategy & Policy: A National Defense Strategy Under the Gun
The congressionally appointed Commission on the National Defense Strategy (NDS), after a thorough two-year look, concludes that the strategy is deeply flawed. The bipartisan panel of experts unanimously urged revisions to address emerging threats and advised a steady increase in defense spending to meet growing threats and to ensure a joint force capable of fighting major conflicts in multiple theaters simultaneously.
WORLD: Air
B-1 Bombers from Ellsworth to Grand Forks USAF plans to relocate B-1s in 2025. By Unshin Lee Harpley The Air Force is planning to relocate 17 B-1 bombers from Ellsworth Air Force Base, S.D., to Grand Forks Air Force Base, N.D.,...
WORLD: Space
Space Force Payload Launches Historic First By Greg Hadley ASpaceX Falcon 9 rocket blasted off from Vandenberg Space Force Base, Calif., on Aug. 9, carrying a historic collaboration between the U.S. Space Force and a foreign ally—two satellites procured by...
WORLD: Readiness
Sun, Spades, and Forklifts at Bamboo Eagle By David Roza MOJAVE, Calif. It was a quiet Sunday morning before the C-17 arrived. Hundreds of wind turbines churned the 100-degree desert air over the nearby Tehachapi Mountains, and the only air...
WORLD: Russia-Ukraine
Ukraine Unveils Its First F-16 Fighters By Chris Gordon Ukraine’s first F-16s were unveiled by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Aug. 4, ending a lengthy wait for the Western fighters Kyiv says it needs to defend its airspace from Russia....
WORLD: Personnel
Change of Station Easier by 2025 By David Roza The top civilian in charge of Air Force and Space Force personnel matters wants to make moving between permanent assignments less stressful for Airmen, Guardians, and their families, and he wants...
WORLD: Hypersonics/Technology
New B-1 Pylon Creates ‘Hypersonic Testbed’ By John A. Tirpak The Air Force has begun using a new Boeing pylon to test a variety of weapons on the B-1 Lancer, the 412th Test Wing announced in August, and now has a...
Faces of the Force
Tell us who you think we should highlight here. Write to airandspaceforces@afa.org. Senior Airman Malachi Ward of the 51st Logistic Readiness Squadron saved a choking child while bowling. When the child’s older brother alerted Ward, he performed the Heimlich maneuver...
Letters
We love letters! Write to us at letters@afa.org. To be published, letters should be timely, relevant and concise. Include your name and location. Letters may be edited for space and the editors have final say on which are published. Tell...
Verbatim
The Next Fighter Engine Cost is going to be a significant variable. … You could do a lower-cost engine and actually use something that’s available today, … or you go into something that’s brand-new. …Both of those variables are going...
Outstanding Airmen of the Year
The Outstanding Airman Program annually recognizes 12 enlisted members for superior leadership, job performance, community involvement, and personal achievements. The Air Force Association drove the creation of the Outstanding Airmen of the Year program, which debuted at AFA’s 10th annual convention in...
AFA In Action: 2024 National AFA Thompson/Mallett Teacher of the Year
The Air & Space Forces Association named Ty White the 2024 Teacher of the Year. David Tyrel “Ty” White, a high school chemistry teacher at Willcox High School in Willcox, Ariz., guides his students toward their own authentic STEM experiences....
Heroes And Leaders: Claire L. Chennault
A “Tiger” who showed his teeth without biting his tongue. Chennault was a well-known and heroic figure in America during World War II, due largely to his command of the Flying Tigers in China. The American Volunteer Group—its official name—suited...
