WASHINGTON: President Donald Trump launched a new Pentagon command dedicated to warfare in space on Thursday (Aug 29), as American armed forces chiefs see China and Russia pressing hard to erode the US advantage in the newest military frontier. “This is a landmark day, one that recognises the centrality of space to America’s security and […]

VANCE AIR FORCE BASE: Pilot training is constantly changing to ensure students have an environment where they not only learn to fly, but to adapt and quickly out-think their enemies. With senior leadership making innovation a priority, the Air Force has changed how Airmen are trained and how they become proficient at their jobs. This […]

The final AC-130U Spooky gunship returned here from the airframe’s last scheduled combat deployment July 8, 2019. While still on alert to respond to contingencies as needed for the next few months, the Spooky is being replaced downrange by the AC-130J Ghostrider, the most lethal and innovative gunship in the world. “This begins the ending […]

DefenceTalkThe U.S. Air Force successfully conducted the first flight test of its AGM-183A Air Launched Rapid Response Weapon, or ARRW, on a B-52 Stratofortress aircraft on June 12 at Edwards Air Force Base, California. A sensor-only version of the ARRW prototype was carried externally by a B-52 during the test to gather environmental and aircraft […]https://www.defencetalk.com/us-air-force-conducts-successful-hypersonic-weapon-flight-test-72323/

DefenceTalkMore bad news for US aviation giant Boeing: the US Air Force said Tuesday it had halted for a second time the acceptance of new KC-46 tankers due to ongoing quality issues. Air Force Secretary Heather Wilson revealed the March 23 decision — another setback in the already delayed air tanker program — during a […]https://www.defencetalk.com/pentagon-refuses-boeing-tanker-deliveries-over-quality-issues-72249/

DefenceTalkA US F-35 stealth fighter plane was completely destroyed in a crash during training on Friday, officials said. The pilot safely ejected. The crash is the first of its kind for the troubled F-35 program, marking an unfortunate moment for the most expensive plane in history. The Marine Corps said in a statement that a […]https://www.defencetalk.com/f-35-stealth-fighter-crashes-for-the-first-time-71880/

DefenceTalkThe United States has selected Boeing as its contractor for the MQ-25 Stingray unmanned aerial tanker. Boeing won an $805 million engineering and manufacturing development contract to provide four aircraft. The MQ-25 Stingray will allow for better use of combat strike fighters by extending the range of deployed naval combat aircraft, according to the U.S. […]https://www.defencetalk.com/boeing-mq-25-stingray-procurement-could-reach-over-150-71840/

DefenceTalkThe first flight of the Lockheed Martin C-5 Galaxy took place on June 30, 1968, with an audience including President Lyndon Johnson. Now, 50 years later, the Super Galaxy is still going strong. Today, the Air Force and Lockheed Martin finished upgrades in Marietta, Georgia, to the final aircraft under the C-5 Reliability Enhancement and […]https://www.defencetalk.com/galaxy-wraps-upgrades-to-become-c-5m-super-galaxy-71782/

DefenceTalkA team of U.S. Air Force engineers, test pilots and Norwegian government and industry personnel from the 416th Test Flight Squadron recently completed a large phase of testing for the new F-35A Joint Strike Missile. The JSM is Norway’s advanced anti-surface warfare missile designed to be carried in the new F-35A’s internal weapons bay. The […]https://www.defencetalk.com/edwards-test-squadron-completes-joint-strike-missile-test-program-71716/

DefenceTalkAirmen and F-35A aircraft from the active duty 388th Fighter Wing and Reserve 419th Fighter Wing returned here May 4-5 following a six-month deployment to Kadena Air Base, Japan. Families gathered on the flightline to welcome the pilots, maintainers, and support personnel who had been working at Kadena and the surrounding region since October 2017. […]https://www.defencetalk.com/airmen-f-35-jets-return-from-japan-deployment-71679/