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
Top Lawmakers Want to Slash F-35 Production, Put Funds Toward Test Capacity
Exasperated with the delays to the F-35’s Tech Refresh 3 update—which has held up deliveries of completed fighters since last fall—the House Armed Services Committee wants to slash the military services’ fiscal 2025 F-35 purchase by at least 10 aircraft and as much as 20.
USAF Will Retire, Not Repair, Damaged B-2; Fleet Shrinking to 19 Aircraft
The Air Force is condemning the B-2 bomber that crashed at Whiteman Air Force Base, Mo., in December 2022, saying the aircraft isn't economically repairable. It has not decided what will become of the wreck.
Air Force’s New ‘Doomsday’ Plane Will Be Converted from Korean Air Passenger Jets
Sierra Nevada Corp. has acquired five ex-Korean Air 747-8 jumbo jets on which it will host the Survivable Airborne Operations Center. The jets will be transferred next year and will serve as the platforms for the SAOC, the $13 billion contract for which SNC won ...
B-21 Bomber and LRSO Nuclear Missile Flight Testing ‘On Track’
Testing of the B-21 bomber and AGM-181 nuclear cruise missile is going well, and some “key” developments with the Raider are expected later this year, Air Force acquisition executive Andrew P. Hunter told a Senate committee on May 8.
B-52s Join in Philippines Exercise, Then Head to Guam for Bomber Task Force
Two B-52s comprise a Bomber Task Force now operating in the Indo-Pacific, after participating in the Balikatan 2024 exercise in the Philippines.
Northrop Gets $7 Billion for B-2 Support Through 2029. After That, Funding Dries Up
Northrop Grumman received a $7 billion indefinite-delivery/indefinite quantity Air Force contract for improvements and maintenance on the B-2 bomber, covering these activities at five USAF bases through 2029. Budget documents show no more procurement or research and development on the B-2 is planned after that ...
DNI: Russia Gaining Ground in Ukraine with China’s Help
The war in Ukraine isn’t likely to end soon, because Russia is gaining ground, making more munitions, and getting more help from China, Director of National Intelligence Avril Haines told lawmakers May 2.
US Needs Better Coordination, Cheaper Ways to Counter Drones: Pentagon Officials
The nation needs a better-coordinated policy for dealing with unmanned aerial systems that threaten domestic bases, Air Force vice chief of staff Gen. James C. Slife told a panel of the Senate Armed Services Committee. He and Pentagon acquisition and sustainment chief William LaPlante co-chair ...
Kendall: Air Force Expects 100 CCAs Operating Within Five Years
The Air Force only expects to field about 100 Collaborative Combat Aircraft during the next five years, but that the tempo of the program will yield new contracts about every two years, Secretary Frank Kendall said.
Houthis Shoot Down Third MQ-9; Five Now Lost to Hostile Fire in Just Over a Year
An Air Force MQ-9 went down in Yemen on April 25, the Pentagon confirmed, after Houthi rebels in that country claimed they shot it down with a missile. The crash marks the fifth MQ-9 brought down in the Middle East by hostile fire in the ...
RTX Exits the Space Prime Business, Won’t Make SDA Satellites
RTX, parent of Raytheon, Collins and Pratt & Whitney, is getting out of the space prime business and focusing on its "strengths" as a maker of space sensors, buses, and components, company COO Chris Calio said during an earnings call.
Competitors Not Picked for CCA Look Forward to Increment 2
While none of the major aircraft contractors were selected to develop the Collaborative Combat Aircraft, all three say they are seeking further autonomous aircraft work for the Navy, foreign partners, or in the classified arena, and maybe future versions of the CCA itself.
Anduril and General Atomics to Develop New Collaborative Combat Aircraft for Air Force
Anduril and General Atomics will develop their Collaborative Combat Aircraft for the Air Force, beating out Boeing, Lockheed Martin, and Northrop Grumman, the service announced on April 24. But any of the non-selected companies can compete to actually manufacture the eventual design, the Air Force ...
Classified Lockheed Program to Lose $1 Billion Before Becoming a ‘Franchise’
Lockheed Martin projects more than a billion dollars of losses on a classified program, but company officials said April 23 they are confident it will turn profitable by 2028 and become a "franchise" system in the U.S. military.
F-35 Tech Upgrade Slips to 2025; ‘Truncated’ Version in the Fall
The full-up Tech Refresh 3 for the F-35 won't be delivered until 2025, Lockheed Martin officials said April 23. A "truncated" version will be delivered this fall so users can start taking delivery of their jets, and then be able to exploit the full capabilities ...