Air & Space Forces Magazine

U.S. Air Force MQ-9 Reaper drones have been the standout platform in Operation Epic Fury against Iran, Chief of Staff Gen. Kenneth S. Wilsbach said May 20.

“For Epic Fury, perhaps the most valuable player was unmanned: the MQ-9,” Wilsbach told the

The Air Force is working on a $1.5 billion budget amendment to restore funding for the E-7A Wedgetail in fiscal 2027, Air Force Secretary Troy Meink told lawmakers May 20.

E-7 funding will then continue in 2028 and beyond, with...

Air Force Secretary Troy Meink told lawmakers May 20 that the program to build a new long-range nuclear cruise missile is performing “very well” in both cost and schedule—but will require support as it enters a critical phase.

The AGM-181 Long Range Stand-off Weapon, or LRSO, is the service’s replacement for the aging AGM-86 Air-Launched Cruise Missile. The weapon,...

Air Force Global Strike Command tested an unarmed Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missile early May 20, launching the ICBM from Vandenberg Space Force Base, Calif.

Officials said the test, the second of 2026, was scheduled years ago and is not in response to any world events.

The Air Force conducts two to three Minuteman tests every year to ensur...

A recent study of the Space Force’s launch infrastructure found that the service needs a third launch site to manage surging government and commercial launch demand.

Air Force Secretary Troy Meink highlighted the finding during a May 20 House Armed Services Committee hearing, noting that the study is still moving through the approval process. The Space Force