Chris Gordon

USAFE, AMC, AFMC Could Lose 4-Star Commanders At least three high-profile four-star Air Force commander jobs may be reduced in rank under a plan to reduce the number of senior officers.

Which Four-Star Jobs Are on the Chopping Block www.airandspaceforces.com/usafe-amc-af...

At least three high-profile four-star Air Force commands—U.S. Air Forces in Europe-Air Forces Africa, Air Mobility Command, and Air Force Materiel Command—could be downgraded to three-star roles, as the Pentagon presses to shrink the number of generals, people familiar with the matter told me.

Space Force Will Begin Assuming Guard Missions in October The Space Force will begin assuming space missions currently conducted by the Air National Guard starting at the beginning of October.

The Space Force will begin assuming space missions currently conducted by the Air National Guard in October. The move is likely to spark criticism from some governors, lawmakers, and advocacy groups who favor creating a separate Space National Guard instead. www.airandspaceforces.com/space-force-...

Bussiere, Bratton Tapped for Air Force and Space Force Vice Chief Gen. Thomas Bussiere is nominated for Air Force Vice Chief of Staff and Lt. Gen. Shawn Bratton is set to be Vice Chief of Space Operations.

The Air Force and Space Force are both set to have new No. 2 officers. Gen. Thomas A. Bussiere has been nominated for Air Force Vice Chief of Staff and Lt. Gen. Shawn N. Bratton has been nominated to receive a fourth star as Vice Chief of Space Operations. www.airandspaceforces.com/bussiere-bra...

The Pentagon has not previously acknowledged Al Udeid was struck and damaged by an Iranian ballistic missile.

Iranian Ballistic Missile Hit Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar During Attack An Iranian ballistic missile struck Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar during Iran’s attack on the base June 23, the Pentagon said July 11.

An Iranian ballistic missile struck Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar during Iran’s attack on the base June 23, the Pentagon told me. Officials have touted the success of U.S. and Qatari Patriot anti-missile systems. But DOD now says that one missile leaked through www.airandspaceforces.com/iranian-ball...

Here is a photo of the damaged KC-46 at Seymour Johnson Air Force Base, N.C. with part of its boom missing in an image provided to Air & Space Forces Magazine by local photographer enc_spotter. www.airandspaceforces.com/kc-46-boom-d...

KC-46’s Refueling Boom Damaged While Refueling F-22s An Air Force KC-46 declared an in-flight emergency after the tanker’s refueling boom was damaged on a mission with F-22 Raptors July 8.

A US Air Force KC-46 tanker suffered damage to its boom while refueling F-22 Raptors off the coast of Va. today. The McConnell AFB, Kan. based KC-46 diverted to Seymour Johnson AFB, N.C. Officials did not respond to queries about the status of the F-22s. www.airandspaceforces.com/kc-46-boom-d...

Pentagon Keeping Bolstered Middle East Presence After Iran Strike The U.S. military is keeping extra fighters and air defense assets in the Middle East, in the aftermath of its strikes on Iran.

The U.S. military is maintaining a beefed-up presence in the Middle East, including fighters and air defense assets, following the U.S. strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities June 22 and subsequent retaliation by the Iranians against Al Udeid Air Base, Qatar. www.airandspaceforces.com/us-bolstered...

The Marine Corps needs an Italian-made violin and a century-old violin bow immediately. And it somehow must be manufactured in the USA.

#forcedesign
#lethality

sam.gov/opp/1a25df9f...

The Inside Story of the B-2 Mission to Bomb Iran's Nuclear Sites The operation by U.S B-2s to bomb an Iran nuclear complex traces its roots to the work of intelligence analysts over 15 years ago.

The 36-hour operation by the U.S. military to fly deep into Iranian airspace and drop massive bunker-buster bombs on a heavily fortified nuclear complex traces its roots to the work of intelligence analysts over 15 years ago. www.airandspaceforces.com/inside-story...

Trump Gave Final Go-Ahead for Iran Attack Hours Before Bombs Fell The president had vowed to give Iran up to two weeks but ordered the attack abruptly, hoping it would catch Tehran off guard.

Trump had been saying he would give Tehran up to two weeks to yield to U.S. demands before ordering an attack. Then Saturday, he gave the final go-ahead to strike in a few hours. From @wsj.com www.wsj.com/world/middle...

US Strikes Iranian Nuclear Facilities with Bunker Buster Bombs The U.S. military struck key Iranian nuclear sites June 21 in an operation that was intended to shut down Iran’s nuclear program.

U.S. Air Force bombers and sub-launched cruise missiles struck three sites in the early hours of June 22: Fordow, Natanaz, and Isfahan facilities. Air Force B-2 bombers released multiple GBU-57 Massive Ordnance Penetrator bunker buster bombs. www.airandspaceforces.com/us-strikes-i...

US Strikes Iranian Nuclear Facilities with Bunker Buster Bombs The U.S. military struck key Iranian nuclear sites June 21 in an operation that was intended to shut down Iran’s nuclear program.

The U.S. military struck three Iranian nuclear sites in an operation intended to shut down Iran’s nuclear program and not harm the country’s leadership. www.airandspaceforces.com/us-strikes-i...

Story here: B-2 Bombers Launch Westward as Trump Weighs Striking Iran www.airandspaceforces.com/b-2-bombers-...

Multiple B-2 bombers have taken off from Whiteman Air Force Base, Mo., Air & Space Forces Magazine has confirmed. The B-2s are now flying over the Pacific. The mission comes President Donald Trump weighs whether to join Israel’s air campaign against Iran.

US Has Doubled Its Airstrikes in Somalia, Surpassing 2024 Levels The U.S. Africa Command has ratched up its airstrikes in Somalia as it presses the fight against militants there.

This recent piece by @bychrisgordon.bsky.social is one of the very few to notice AFRICOM's airstrikes.

www.airandspaceforces.com/us-has-doubl...

Pentagon Plans Fewer PCS Moves for Troops to Cut Costs The Pentagon plans to reduce how often service members and their families are required to move, defense officials announced May 28.

The Pentagon plans to reduce how often service members and their families are required to move in an effort to save money and reduce stress. Defense officials have not offered a blueprint, but are asking the military services to come up with their own ideas. www.airandspaceforces.com/pentagon-eye...

Space Force Losing 14% of Civilian Workers with DOD Job Cuts The Space Force is facing a 14 percent cut to its civilian workforce. Instead of anticipated growth, its personnel have now shrunk.

The Space Force is facing a 14% cut to its civilian workforce due to the Trump admin’s push to shrink the number of civilians working for the DOD. Instead of anticipated growth in its workforce, the Space Force’s personnel have now shrunk significantly. www.airandspaceforces.com/space-force-...

Confirming @twz.com.

F-15 Fighters Deploy to Protect Diego Garcia as B-52s Rotate In Multiple U.S. Air Force F-15 fighters have deployed to the strategic outpost of Diego Garcia in the Indian Ocean to protect B-52 bombers.

Multiple U.S. Air Force F-15 fighters have deployed to the strategic outpost of Diego Garcia in the Indian Ocean to protect the myriad of assets deployed there, including B-52 strategic bombers, a U.S. official tells me. www.airandspaceforces.com/air-force-f-...

"This is how you find a drone, this is how you employ against a drone, and how you verify that you’ve killed the drone." Cool rundown of the F-15E air defense missions in April 2024 by @bychrisgordon.bsky.social

From North Carolina to Shooting Down Iran's Drones in 22 Hours Less than a day after arriving in the Middle East, F-15Es from Seymour-Johnson AFB, N.C., defended Israel from Iran's attack in April 2024.

Over northern Iraq, an F-15E crewed by Lt. Col. Kevin Murphy and Maj. George Welton heard “FOX 2″ on the radio: Another U.S. Strike Eagle had fired a Sidewinder at an Iranian drone—one of 80 shot down that night. The inside story of DUDE 41 on April 13, 2024 www.airandspaceforces.com/north-caroli...

Air Force Set to ‘Significantly’ Change Facilities for Sentinel ICBM The design of the launch facilities for the Air Force’s new Sentinel intercontinental ballistic missile are likely to undergo major revision.

The Air Force also has determined that it will need to build new silos for Sentinel instead of relying on a previous plan to refurbish the roughly 450 existing Minuteman III silos. www.airandspaceforces.com/air-force-si...

Air Force Set to ‘Significantly’ Change Facilities for Sentinel ICBM The design of the launch facilities for the Air Force’s new Sentinel intercontinental ballistic missile are likely to undergo major revision.

The design of the launch facilities for the Air Force’s new Sentinel ICBM are likely to undergo major revision, posing yet another challenge for the much-delayed and over-budget program to modernize the land-based component of America’s nuclear triad. www.airandspaceforces.com/air-force-si...

New KC-46 Remote Vision System Slips Again to Summer 2027 The KC-46 Remote Vision System won’t corrected until mid-2027, Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. David W. Allvin said.

The Air Force and Boeing are now projecting that they will field the Remote Vision System 2.0 on the KC-46 tanker by summer 2027. The new date is nearly two years longer than previously anticipated, and four years later than originally expected. www.airandspaceforces.com/new-kc-46-rv...

Hegseth Orders 20 Percent Cut in Four-Star Generals and Admirals The Pentagon is slashing the number of senior generals and admirals, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth announced May 5.

Hegseth also said he is directing a sweeping review of U.S. military commands and staffs, signaling a likely consolidation.

www.airandspaceforces.com/hegseth-20-p...

Hegseth Orders 20 Percent Cut in Four-Star Generals and Admirals The Pentagon is slashing the number of senior generals and admirals, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth announced May 5.

Secretary of Defense Hegseth is directing the Pentagon to slash the number of senior generals and admirals—at least 20 percent of four-star positions would be eliminated under the move. www.airandspaceforces.com/hegseth-20-p...

RAF Unveils Its Own Plan for New Drones to Fly Alongside Fighters The U.K. Royal Air Force has unveiled new electronic warfare drones designed to fly with fighter jets into contested airspace,

The Royal Air Force has unveiled a new electronic warfare drone to fly with its fighter jets, including F-35s, into contested airspace. RAF says it plans to develop more drones to work with its warplanes. Insight from @cnas.bksy.org’s @spettyjohn.bsky.social www.airandspaceforces.com/raf-new-plan...

The revival of Tinian North Field.

Sentinel-2 L1C imagery from February 26, 2024, until March 27th of this year.