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Air Force

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Trump’s Qatar-Gifted Air Force One Faces Security Scrutiny from Former Secretary
politics11 hours ago

Trump’s Qatar-Gifted Air Force One Faces Security Scrutiny from Former Secretary

A former Air Force secretary questions the security readiness of Trump’s Qatar-donated Air Force One after he used it to attend a NATO summit, noting missing standard protections and secure communications. Insiders have warned the jet lacks key mission features (such as secure comms and defenses), prompting reports that Trump swapped back to the old VC-25A on the return flight. The White House insists the new aircraft is secure, but the situation has sparked safety concerns amid Iran tensions and ongoing jet delays.

via The Daily Beast|
#air-force#air-force-one#donald-j-trump
Retired Gen. Brown Warns Against Using the Military for Domestic Politics
politics7 days ago

Retired Gen. Brown Warns Against Using the Military for Domestic Politics

A retired U.S. general, Charles Q. Brown Jr., co-authored a Foreign Affairs essay criticizing the politicization of the military, arguing presidents should not deploy troops for politically contentious domestic tasks. The piece notes Trump’s use of the National Guard in blue cities and a broader purge of top generals, including scrutiny of Mark Milley’s actions, as part of Pete Hegseth’s push to reshape the military. Brown—who was nominated by Trump as Air Force chief and later fired in early 2025—is quoted warning that politicized military power risks degrading the force’s primary mission, amid ongoing tensions between civilian leadership and military leadership.

via The Daily Beast|
#air-force#donald-j-trump#mark-milley
Air Force Major Arrested on Capitol Steps Over Solo Impeachment Protest
politics8 days ago

Air Force Major Arrested on Capitol Steps Over Solo Impeachment Protest

U.S. Air Force Maj. Jason Watson was arrested on the House steps for a solo protest calling for impeachment and removal of President Trump and Vice President JD Vance, after standing with a sign reading “Impeach Convict Remove.” He was charged with 22-1307 Crowding, Obstructing and Incommoding for not heeding officers’ orders; the protest was organized with Rep. Al Green and the Removal Coalition. Watson, on leave from his Poland-based duty, is the first active-duty commissioned officer to publicly advocate impeachment. The Air Force noted service members are prohibited from partisan political activity in uniform, and Watson is not being held; a defense fund has raised around $70,000.}

via Military Times|
#air-force#capitolsteps#impeachment
Britain's Defence Investment Plan pivots to drones and deterrence with £298bn
politics10 days ago

Britain's Defence Investment Plan pivots to drones and deterrence with £298bn

Britain's long-awaited Defence Investment Plan pledges £298bn over the next four years—£15bn more than previously and the biggest uplift since the Cold War—yet critics say it underfunds defence at about 2.7% of GDP by 2030 (NATO target 3%). The plan pivots toward cheaper, autonomous systems and drones, with £63bn for the nuclear deterrent, £8bn for a UK-led next-generation RAF stealth aircraft, and a push to hybrid crews. It also funds replenishing Ukraine aid (£11bn), air/missile defence (£790m), and protection of undersea cables (£330m). The Army grows to ~76,000; some programmes are cut (e.g., Type 83 destroyers, Storm Shadow replacement), and expansion of Cadets is delayed.

via BBC|
#air-force#defence-spending#nuclear-deterrent
Air Force Reinstates Flu Shot Rule for Recruits After Outbreak at Lackland
world16 days ago

Air Force Reinstates Flu Shot Rule for Recruits After Outbreak at Lackland

After more than 200 flu cases at Lackland Air Force Base, the Air Force has reinstated a flu vaccination requirement for basic training recruits, reversing Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s earlier scrapping of the mandate; as of June 19 there were 222 cases (four hospitalizations). Exemptions had been allowed, and medical teams are isolating and treating the sick, with the goal of vaccinating all incoming recruits to safeguard readiness.

via The Independent|
#air-force#flu#pete-hegseth
Anduril Secures Mass-Production Rollout for USAF’s Semi-Autonomous FQ-44
technology23 days ago

Anduril Secures Mass-Production Rollout for USAF’s Semi-Autonomous FQ-44

Anduril Industries has won the U.S. Air Force's production contract for the Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) program, delivering the FQ-44 semi-autonomous fighter from its Arsenal-1 line at up to 150 aircraft per year with open hardware/software to enable rapid upgrades; the deal marks the first semi-autonomous fighter entering serial production and accelerates a path to scalable, affordable airpower by the end of the decade.

via Anduril|
#air-force#anduril#autonomous-aircraft
Air Force taps GA and Anduril to field first collaborative combat aircraft
defense23 days ago

Air Force taps GA and Anduril to field first collaborative combat aircraft

The U.S. Air Force selected General Atomics and Anduril to build the first Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA), with autonomy software developed by RTX, Shield AI, and Collins Aerospace. The program targets 150+ drones by the end of the decade, with a goal of roughly $30 million per unit, and FY27 funding to start the first production lots. Development will proceed in increments, including a parallel software competition leading to a final vendor decision in 2027, while production lines begin scaling to field capabilities.

via Breaking Defense|
#air-force#anduril#autonomy-software
Khmelnytskyi Su-24 crash kills two Ukrainian aircrew, investigation opened
war24 days ago

Khmelnytskyi Su-24 crash kills two Ukrainian aircrew, investigation opened

Two Ukrainian Air Force crew members were killed when a Sukhoi Su-24 bomber crashed during a mission in Khmelnytskyi Oblast. The pilots—Major Bohdan Hryhorovych Zaharulko and Senior Lieutenant Bohdan Oleksandrovych Babenko—died at the site as rescuers and investigators work to determine the cause; no civilians were reported injured.

via The Kyiv Independent|
#air-force#khmelnytskyi-oblast#su-24
B-52 Crashes After Takeoff at Edwards AFB, Runway Closed as Investigation Opens
military25 days ago

B-52 Crashes After Takeoff at Edwards AFB, Runway Closed as Investigation Opens

A U.S. Air Force B-52 Stratofortress crashed shortly after taking off from Edwards Air Force Base in California on Monday morning. Emergency crews responded immediately, but officials have not confirmed how many crew members were aboard or if there were injuries. The airfield is closed and inbound flights are being diverted while investigators review the crash. The B-52H is an aging aircraft that has undergone upgrades, and the most recent fatal B-52 incident occurred in 2008.

via CNN|
#air-force#aviation-crash#b-52