Franklin Hibel
Recent stories by Franklin Hibel
Biden Admin Prepares ‘Substantial’ Final Aid Package to Ukraine
The Biden administration is preparing to announce its final package of military assistance to Ukraine before Donald Trump takes office on Jan. 20, defense officials said Jan. 7. The military assistance, which is to be drawn from existing U.S. stocks, will be detailed when Secretary of ...
F-16s, F-15s, and A-10s Conduct Airstrikes Against ISIS in Iraq
The U.S.-led coalition and Iraqi forces stepped up their campaign against Islamic State fighters over the past week, including a confrontation with militants holed up in an Iraqi cave, U.S. Central Command said Jan. 6.
‘Air Force One’ Plane to Transport Carter for State Funeral
The U.S. Air Force VC-25 aircraft commonly known as Air Force One is scheduled to transport former President Jimmy Carter for the final time this week for services in Georgia and Washington, D.C., before he is laid to rest Jan. 9.
How Stealthy F-22 Raptors Learned to Take on Elusive Iranian Threats in the Middle East
When Lt. Col. Dustin Johnson was ordered to deploy to the Middle East last year, he and his fellow F-22 Raptor pilots prepared for an unusual challenge. As America’s premier air superiority fighter, the F-22 was designed to take on advanced enemy aircraft, capable of maneuvering ...
New Pentagon Report: China Expanding Military Reach to Project Power Around the Globe
The People’s Republic of China has improved its ability to project power globally despite corruption purges and a shrinking economy, the Pentagon’s annual report card on the Chinese military says. That includes a growing nuclear arsenal that added 100 new warheads in the last year.
US Conducts Fresh Anti-ISIS Airstrikes in Syria in New ‘Permissible’ Airspace
The U.S. military conducted a new round of airstrikes against militants from the Islamic State group in central Syria on Dec. 16, as the Pentagon is attempting to stop ISIS from gaining ground following the sudden collapse of the regime of Bashar Al Assad.
B-52s in Europe Head Home, Bombers in Middle East to Follow
After more than a month of operations that saw 10 B-52s—nearly 15 percent of the entire fleet—operating across Europe, Africa, and the Middle East, four have returned to the U.S., with the rest slated to follow in the coming weeks.
USAF Leaders See ‘Human-Machine Teams’—Not Robots—as Future of Airpower
The Air Force has a word of caution for those who are urging that autonomous systems supplant crewed platforms: we still need a human in the loop.
American MQ-9 Drone Shot Down in Syria—by US Ally
A U.S. Air Force MQ-9 Reaper was mistakenly shot down in northern Syria on Dec. 9 by the U.S.-allied Syrian Democratic Forces, U.S. officials told Air & Space Forces Magazine.
B-52s, F-15s, and A-10s Conduct Massive Anti-ISIS Airstrikes in Syria After Fall of Assad
The U.S. military conducted a punishing series of airstrikes against Islamic State militants on Dec. 8 following the sudden demise of the ruling Assad regime. U.S. Air Force B-52 Stratofortress bombers, F-15E Strike Eagles, and A-10 Thunderbolt II attack aircraft conducted dozens of airstrikes against ...
‘The Baton Will Soon Be Passed’: Austin Touts B-21 Bomber as Part of Legacy
Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III touted the Air Force’s B-21 Raider bomber and the military’s new command and control technologies in a major address at the Reagan National Defense Forum on the Biden administration’s legacy in national security.
Airman Development Command: Coming in 2025, Will Be ‘Foundational’ Change, Allvin Says
The Air Force has begun a sweeping overhaul of its education and training programs with the standup of new centers that will be part of the future Airman Development Command that is scheduled to come online next year, service officials said.
US Launches Self-Defense Airstrikes, A-10s Fly over Syria amid Escalating Civil War
The U.S. carried out airstrikes on Dec. 3 to defend U.S. forces in eastern Syria, the Pentagon said. The operation destroyed three truck-mounted rocket launchers, mortars, an armored personnel carrier, and a T-64 tank. The strikes were intended to defend American forces at their outpost and ...
Allvin: USAF Force Design Maps Out Plan to Scale Up—or Down
Air Force Chief of Staff David W. Allvin said the principal aim of his much-advertised but still secret force design is to refine the service’s thinking and give it options to maneuver in the face of evolving threats—or different budgets.
‘Blueprints’ for China’s New Fighter Similar to F-35, Air Force Chief Says
The Air Force's top officer said China's new stealth fighter has one distinctive feature: It appears to draw its inspiration from the U.S.’s F-35. “It’s still fairly new,” Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. David W. Allvin said in a Nov. 19 interview with Air ...