July 27, 2026 ATHENA Panel cultivates discussions and partnerships The Air Force Technology Horizons, Engineering and Advisory, or ATHENA, Panel held its semiannual meeting here July 21-22, bringing together senior scientists and acquisition professionals for discussions on emerging technologies and warfighter needs.
July 23, 2026 Air Force launches myBodyComp, reinforces July 31 deadline for waist-to-height ratio measurements All Airmen without a qualifying exemption must have a current WHtR measurement recorded no later than July 31. Air Reserve Component members have until Aug. 31.
July 15, 2026 Air Force conducts live-fire test for Collaborative Combat Aircraft program The Department of the Air Force successfully conducted a live-fire test of a YFQ-44A Collaborative Combat Aircraft, firing an AIM-120 weapon at a digital target. The test demonstrates program maturity and operational validation while emphasizing the retention of human oversight for weapon release.
July 9, 2026 Air Force announces B-21 Raider crew complement The Department of the Air Force announced that the B-21 Raider, the nation’s newest long-range strike bomber, will officially operate with a two-pilot crew complement.
June 11, 2026 325th SFS demonstrates kinetic counter-sUAS capabilities to AFIMSC leadership The 325th Security Forces Squadron showcased its kinetic base defense capabilities to Maj. Gen. Thomas P. Sherman, commander of the Air Force Installation and Mission Support Center, at Tyndall Air Force Base, Florida.
May 29, 2026 T-38 Talon fleet return to flying status Following collaborative engineering and maintenance inspections initiated after a May 12 mishap at Columbus Air Force Base, the fleet is expected to safely resume flying status in the coming days.
May 28, 2026 Master Jumpstart provides education for new program, financial personnel The three-day Master Jumpstart program, held May 19-21, brought together junior military and civilian contracting, program management and financial management for training focused on Department of the Air Force priorities, career development and acquisition fundamentals.
May 12, 2026 Air Force, Boeing accelerate KC-46 upgrades to target readiness The plan pursues three primary lines of effort: repurposing early-built aircraft for immediate operational impact, accelerating the Remote Vision System 2.0 retrofit schedule and implementing a targeted performance-based logistics effort to resolve systemic readiness challenges.
April 22, 2026 DAF releases data, AI strategies to accelerate military dominance These strategies provide a strategic roadmap for the department to become an AI-first force, operationalizing data and AI as decisive force multipliers and strategic assets to maintain air and space dominance from the boardroom to the battlefield.
April 21, 2026 Budget request directs record $338.8 billion to Air Force, Space Force to meet “challenges of today and tomorrow” The Department of the Air Force unveiled a $338.8 billion budget proposal, a significant boost in funding designed to sharpen readiness, continue modernizing the fleet and underwrite deterrence while ensuring that any threat to national security can be met and, if necessary, defeated.