John A. Tirpak
John A. Tirpak is Editorial Director of Air & Space Forces Magazine, with more than 25 years at the publication and more than 34 years in defense journalism. He has written for Aviation Week & Space Technology, Aerospace Daily, and Jane’s, reporting from all 50 U.S. states and 25 countries. He has been recognized with awards for journalistic excellence from the Society of Professional Journalists, the Aviation and Space Writer’s Association, the Association of Business Publications International, and was the recipient of the 2018 Gill Robb Wilson Award in Arts and Letters from the Air & Space Forces Association. He has lectured at the National War College and did postgraduate research at the Smithsonian’s National Air & Space Museum.
Recent stories by John A. Tirpak
KC-46 Mission Capable Rates Slipped Further from Goal in 2024
The KC-46A Pegasus aerial tanker still isn’t meeting required mission capable rates, mostly due to parts shortages, and other significant problems are still being remedied, the Pentagon’s test director said in a new report.
F-15 EW Suite Declared ‘Effective,’ But Full Extent of Capabilities in Combat Less Clear
The new F-15E and F-15EX electronic warfare suite, meant to protect the fourth-generation fighters in contested battlespace—was shown to be “operationally effective” and “suitable,” the Pentagon's Director of Operational Test and Evaluation said.
One of the Last Original Tuskegee Airmen Dies at 100
Harry T. Stewart, Jr., one of the last of the original Tuskegee Airmen and a World War II fighter pilot who achieved three victories in one day, died Feb. 2 at the age of 100.
Strategy & Policy: Kendall: His Legacies and Look Ahead
Frank Kendall, the most consequential Air Force Secretary in years, departed the Pentagon in January at the end of an eventful three-and-a-half-year tenure as the 26th Secretary of the Air Force. His most important contribution, he thinks: Raising “a sense...
New Pentagon Report: F-35 Test Progress Slow, Readiness Below Par
The F-35 fighter program continues to struggle with meeting test milestones and mission readiness goals, but progress is being made on both fronts, according to the latest report from the Pentagon’s test director and comments from the Joint Program Office and Lockheed Martin.
Northrop Reveals Another B-21 Contract, in Talks with USAF About Faster Production
Northrop Grumman has received a second B-21 bomber low-rate initial production contract from the Air Force, with which it has discussed accelerating production, the company said.
Lockheed Looks to Deliver Up to 190 F-35s in 2025, Loses $1.9 Billion on Secret Programs
Lockheed Martin will deliver up to 190 F-35s in 2025, including both newly built aircraft and jets that have been in storage, company president and CEO Jim Taiclet said this week. Taiclet also said Lockheed is taking more than $1.9 billion in charges on two ...
Pentagon Hands Out $7 Billion for NGAP; RTX Sees ‘Tailwind’ for Military Propulsion
GE Aerospace and Pratt & Whitney received matching $3.5 billion contracts to prototype their versions of the Next-Generation Adaptive Propulsion engine this week, and the CEO of Pratt’s parent company, RTX, said things are looking up for the military engine business, even if the platform ...
New Report: Fixes to Pilot ‘Crisis’ Tied to Fleet Size, Flying Hours, Reserves
Fixing the Air Force’s chronic combat pilot shortage will require more aircraft in the fleet, more flying hours to squadron operations, and retaining more pilots within Reserve components, according to a new paper from AFA’s Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies.
New Report: To Fix Deterrence, Rethink Goldwater-Nichols and Boost the Budget
The credibility of America’s deterrent is waning, and the way to get it back is by restructuring defense leadership and raising the defense budget almost 100 percent, according to a new paper from the Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies.
Latest F-35 Airframe Contracts Coming in Spring; Engine Deal Later in 2025
Contracts for F-35 airframes in Lot 18 and 19 should be signed in the spring, but an engine deal is still not in hand and could take months longer. The delays don't seem to be driven by anticipation of how the new Trump administration will ...
Lockheed Certifies F-35 to Use Sustainable Fuels. Will USAF Take Advantage?
Lockheed Martin has approved F-35s flying with a 50-50 blend of standard jet fuel and Synthetic Aviation Turbine Fuel, made from waste oils, coal, gas, and other carbon products. Norway flew two F-35s using a 40/60 mixture of standard and SAT fuels earlier this week.
Anduril Picks Ohio Site for ‘Arsenal’ Plant to Build CCAs and More
Anduril Industries plans to establish its first “Arsenal” factory of the future at a site near Columbus, Ohio. The new factory should employ some 4,000 people and make various autonomous air vehicles and other defense product at an expected high volume.
Take Sentinel Off the Air Force Books? ‘Doesn’t Create New Money,’ Kendall Says
Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall doesn’t see great value in trying to break the Sentinel ICBM program off as a separate budget item the way the Navy has with its ballistic-missile submarine program, saying such a move wouldn’t create any new money for the Air ...
Air Force 2050: Kendall Forecasts Bigger Space Force, More Standoff Strike
Much more Space Force enabling all aspects of the Joint force, but perhaps still crewed fighters and stealthy transports are among the forecasts outgoing Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall made in a new report to Congress.