U.S. Air Force
RealClear Context
Click below to continue reading this story, discover more U.S. Air Force stories from over 25 years of RealClear archives, or follow this topic to stay in the know.
DARPA Prepares To Tackle Next CCA Autonomy Challenge
AI-enabled air combat is close to operational reality
09/10/26Read it on Aviation WeekHow Operation Spider’s Web Has Changed the Rules of Airpower
For decades, militaries have invested enormous resources in aircraft capable of penetrating increasingly sophisticated enemy air defenses. But...
2d agoRead it on RealClearDefensePentagon, Lockheed Agree to 10-Year Deal for 850 F-35 Jets
The Defense Department and Lockheed Martin agreed to a 10-year framework that the Pentagon says guarantees at least 850 F-35 Lightning II fighters...
2d agoRead it on Military TimesBombers Could Have a Major Air-to-Air Combat Role
Bombers are now being viewed as another potential air-to-air asset on top of growing the fighter fleet and establishing a CCA force....
2d agoRead it on The WarZone
From Siberia to Fairford: How Operation Spider’s Web Has Changed the Rules of Airpower
Last June, Ukraine demonstrated that inexpensive drones launched from inside an adversary’s territory could threaten some of the most valuable aircraft in the Russian strategic arsenal.
This week, the United States demonstrated that it had absorbed the lesson.
Pentagon’s 6th Generation Stealth Fighter Will Control Drone Swarms
Sixth-gen fighters will command drone swarms from the cockpit, ushering in a new era of manned-unmanned teaming and agile air combat...
3d agoRead it on Warrior MavenAir Force Needs 1,509 Combat-Ready Jets by 2035
The U.S. Air Force predicts it’ll need 1,509 combat-ready fighter jets by 2035 to cover a “moderate risk” operational profile, according to a senior...
3d agoRead it on Breaking DefenseAirman Who Died Rappeling Into College Football Game Identified
The U.S. airman who died after a rapid fall while rappelling from the rafters of a stadium before a college football game in Texas was a 15-year...
5d agoRead it on Associated PressNew ICBM Warhead Carrier Tested
The Air Force Nuclear Weapons Center recently carried out a test launch of a new warhead carrier for the forthcoming Sentinel intercontinental...
6d agoRead it on The Washington TimesF-22 Pilot Directs CCA in Flight as ‘Airborne QB’
The human F-22 pilot acted as an “airborne quarterback” for the YFQ-44 drone by sending it high-level tactical directives...
6d agoRead it on Air & Space Forces MagazineRaytheon's $8B Contract for Strategic Comms Terminal Modernization
This effort enhances secure, high-speed communication capabilities critical for nuclear command and control, including protected voice, data, and...
1w agoRead it on Military + Aerospace Electronics
The Services Do Not Need a Four-Star Autonomous Warfare Command
By Steven Wills • RealClearDefense
Honor Them While There Is Still Time
By Jeffrey Rosales • RealClearDefense
From Siberia to Fairford: How Operation Spider’s Web Has Changed the Rules of Airpower
By Frank A. Rose • RealClearDefense
Faster Simulations, Better Defense Decisions
By Rut Lineswala • RealClearDefense
Will HASC Have an Oversight Subcommittee in the Next Congress?
By Christopher J. Bright • RealClearDefense
Hegseth Barred Trans Troops. Military Boards Are Rejecting Those Orders.
By NYT-500x500.jpg&w=128&q=75&dpl=dpl_Vg2KXuNG7KB9xKwt3ZUN8juCpk1i)
Closing the Sea: Lessons from Ancient Mediterranean Blockades
By DeCasien, CIMSECFrom Siberia to Fairford: How Operation Spider’s Web Has Changed the Rules of Airpower
By Frank A. Rose • RealClearDefenseFaster Simulations, Better Defense Decisions
By Rut Lineswala • RealClearDefense
Bombers Could Have a Major Air-to-Air Combat Role
By Joseph Trevithick, The WarZone