Air Force Archives

Defense Threat Reduction Agency test personnel prepare to carefully offload the 30,000-pound massive ordnance penetrator, or MOP, for a static test at White Sands Missile Range, N.M. (DTRA photo)

Battle damage assessment from Iran strikes could lead to improvements in MOP bomb technology

A senior defense official discussed the Massive Ordnance Penetrator weapon during a briefing with reporters Thursday.

2 days ago By Jon Harper

Winston Beauchamp speaks at the 2022 DefenseTalks conference hosted by DefenseScoop. (Scoop News Group photo)

Winston Beauchamp retires from federal service after 29 years at Air Force, IC

Throughout his nearly three-decade career in federal government, Beauchamp has been at the forefront of several pivotal moments at the Pentagon — from the boom of commercial…

4 days ago By Mikayla Easley

Pentagon budget goes ‘all in’ on Air Force’s F-47, putting Navy’s sixth-gen fighter on hold

The Defense Department has decided to delay funding for the Navy's F/A-XX program due to concerns over the industrial base's capacity to produce two major next-gen fighter…

Jun 27, 2025 By Mikayla Easley

U.S. Air Force Master Sgt. Marcella Philips, 2nd Maintenance Group weapons standardization loading standardization crew chief, and Tech Sgt. Darrell Stewart, 307th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron loading standardization crew member, secure the Air-Launched Rapid Response Weapon to the B-52H Stratofortress ejector rack, at Barksdale Air Force Base, Louisiana, November 2, 2022. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman Nicole Ledbetter)

Air Force revives ARRW hypersonic missile with procurement plans for fiscal 2026

After nearly cancelling the program, Air Force is requesting $387.1 million in fiscal 2026 to start production of the Air-Launched Rapid Response Weapon (ARRW).

Jun 26, 2025 By Mikayla Easley

A B-2 Spirit returns to Whiteman Air Force Base, Missouri, from a deployment to Diego Garcia, British Indian Ocean Territory, May 9, 2025. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Devan Halstead)

Air Force drops 14 MOP bombs on Iranian nuclear sites during first operational use of the weapon

B-2 Spirit stealth bombers dropped a total of 14 GBU-57 “massive ordnance penetrator” weapons during Operation Midnight Hammer, according to senior officials.

Jun 22, 2025 By Jon Harper

Raytheon and Northrop Grumman are developing the next-generation Hypersonic Attack Cruise Missile, also known as HACM, for the U.S. Air Force. (Credit: Raytheon)

GAO warns that Air Force’s hypersonic cruise missile program is behind schedule

Program delays will force the Air Force to reduce the number of flight tests it can conduct for the Hypersonic Attack Cruise Missile, according to the GAO's…

Jun 11, 2025 By Mikayla Easley

A graphical artist rendering of the F-47. (U.S. Air Force graphic)

Pentagon’s 2026 budget plan includes more than $4B for next-generation Air Force fighter jets

Senior defense officials discussed funding for the Air Force's F-47 and CCA programs at a House Appropriations Committee hearing Tuesday.

Jun 10, 2025 By Jon Harper

A B-52H Stratofortress assigned to the 419th Flight Test Squadron is undergoes pre-flight procedures at Edwards Air Force Base, California, Aug. 8, 2020. The aircraft conducted a captive-carry flight test of the AGM-183A Air-launched Rapid Response Weapon Instrumented Measurement Vehicle 2 at the Point Mugu Sea Range off the Southern California coast. (Air Force photo by Giancarlo Casem)

Allvin hints at new funding for Air Force’s ARRW hypersonic missile in fiscal 2026

Gen. David Allvin said the Air Force has two hypersonic missile programs that are "getting into the procurement range in the very near future."

Jun 5, 2025 By Mikayla Easley

Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. David Allvin speaks to Chief Master Sgt. of the Air Force David Flosi on a C-130J Super Hercules aircraft during Bamboo Eagle 24-3, an Air Combat Command directed exercise, at Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada, Aug. 5, 2024. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Julian Atkins)

Allvin: AI adoption within the Air Force currently a ‘mixed bag’

“We are understanding the value of it, but assimilating it into our institution is one I think we still have some work to do on," Gen. David…

Jun 2, 2025 By Mikayla Easley

Base Operations screenshot showing threat intelligence and AI-powered predictive analytics around Joint Base Andrews in Prince George’s County, Maryland. (Source: Base Operations)

Air Mobility Command enlists AI to better spot and track threats to military bases

A startup called Base Operations was recently awarded a Direct-to-Phase II Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) contract for the new tool.

Jun 2, 2025 By Brandi Vincent