John Stillion
Recent stories by John Stillion
Air Force Vet Indicted for Leaking Secrets on Weapons ‘Vulnerabilities’
An Air Force veteran and former civilian employee was indicted this week for leaking classified information on USAF aircraft and weapons. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida announced the grand jury indictment of Paul J. Freeman on June 27, after Freeman had been ...
China ‘Actively’ Working to Disrupt U.S. Defense Industry
The defense industrial base—the hundreds of companies that supply the Pentagon with everything from new fighter jets and satellites to magnets and ball bearings—is being actively targeted in cyberspace by China and other adversaries, the head of U.S. Cyber Command warned June 25.
SPACECOM Boss Wants Satellites That Can Maneuver to and from New Orbits
U.S. Space Command is interested in orbits around Earth outside the traditional regions where satellites operate, and commander Gen. Stephen N. Whiting sees refuelable spacecraft as a possible key to getting to them.
Promotions Blast Off: Three of Every Four Guardians Make NCO Ranks
Nearly every Guardian in the Space Force who was eligible for promotion to sergeant this year made it, with a selection rate of 95.66 percent, the Air Force Personnel Center announced June 24. Almost two-thirds—63.87 percent—of those seeking to become technical sergeant were selected as well, as ...
SPACECOM Alarmed as China, Russia, Iran, and N. Korea Forge Closer Ties in Space
Russia, China, North Korea, and Iran are cooperating more and more in space to go along with their deepening ties in other domains, the head of U.S. Space Command warned June 24—adding to a host of new threats SPACECOM is tracking.
Flying Hours: USAF Seeks Stability Before Seeking Growth
The Air Force flying hours program—which has suffered steady declines in recent years to the alarm of observers and lawmakers—will stabilize in the coming years as leaders focus on making sure pilots and aircraft alike can actually fly all the hours that are funded, the ...
Airmen Face Inspections as ACC Boss Calls Out ‘Discernible Decline’ in Standards
Air Combat Command boss Gen. Kenneth S. Wilsbach has ordered tens of thousands of Airmen to face inspections in the next few weeks to make sure they’re meeting Air Force standards for dress and personal appearance.
New Report: USSF’s Missile Warning Satellites in All Orbits Face Challenges
The Space Force is working on dozens of new missile warning and tracking satellites that will go across every orbit in space—geosynchronous, polar, medium-Earth, and low-Earth. But a new report from a government watchdog noted issues in those programs could lead to delays and other ...
Tactical Vehicle Rollover on WWII-Era Road Leaves 2 Airmen Disabled
One Airman was left permanently paralyzed below the waist and another suffered internal bleeding and had her leg amputated after an all-terrain search-and-recuse vehicle they were riding in rolled over on the island of Tinian last year. A subsequent investigation determined neither Airman was wearing ...
Air Force, Lockheed Test New Reentry Vehicle for Sentinel ICBM
The Air Force and Lockheed Martin announced their first test of a new reentry vehicle that is planned to go atop the Sentinel intercontinental ballistic missile. The operational test launch of an unarmed Mk21A took place late June 17 at Vandenberg Space Force Base, Calif. ...
PHOTOS: B-2 Bombers Land on Guam for First Time in 5 Years
Multiple B-2 bombers flew to the Pacific last week to participate in a large-scale joint exercise around Guam, Palau, and the Northern Mariana Islands. During the deployment, the stealthy bombers landed on Guam for the first time in years.
Air Force’s New Goal: 24 Deployable Combat Wings
The Air Force believes it needs 24 Deployable Combat Wings to meet its rotational demands and have a cushion for times of crisis, Lt. Gen. Adrian L. Spain, deputy chief of staff for operations, said June 18. That number offers a new goal for the service to aim ...
PHOTOS: B-52 Flies over Red Sea and Arabian Peninsula
Air Force B-52 bombers roared over the Arabian Peninsula twice last week, flying alongside an American MC-130J and allied fighters during bomber task force missions.
Space Force Cancels 3 Satellites Planned for MEO
The Space Force’s planned constellation of missile warning/missile tracking satellites in medium-Earth orbit took a small hit June 17, as the service canceled a contract for three space vehicles due to rising costs and schedule delays. Space Systems Command notified RTX, formerly called Raytheon, that it ...
No More Ops Groups, Allvin Says, Promising First ‘Combat Wings’ in ’26
The Air Force will do away with operations and maintenance groups, the level of command between wings and squadrons, Chief of Staff Gen. David W. Allvin told reporters June 14—one part of a major change in how the service will deploy and project power, though ...